[angst, modern AU]

Sakura Haruno walked off the plane, mind determined and set on getting to her office. She felt her phone vibrate from her pocket.

"Haruno."

"Hey, Sakura. Stop being so formal. It's just me."

Sakura smiled and sighed, "hey, Naruto."

"So." Naruto continued, "you landed yet?"

"Just got on a taxi headed to the office." Sakura replied as she gazed out the taxi window at the New York skyline, "I'll see you in a little bit."

"Oh, yes! Lee will be so excited to see you, too!" Sakura could practically hear the smile on the Uzumaki's face.

"Okay." Sakura rolled her eyes at the click of Naruto's phone hanging up.

My name is Sakura Haruno. CEO of the Haruno Corporation of Medical Sciences. I just got back from a mission trip in Africa, installing new medical branches there. Now here I am, back home in New York. I had told my best friend, Naruto Uzumaki, that I was going to meet him at my office. However, I may have failed to tell him that I wanted to stop by my apartment first for a shower.

Sakura was surprised at the quick drive from the airport to the apartment building. She grabbed her bags and headed up. She quickly sent a text to Naruto apologizing for her slight delay, then proceeded into her apartment with her card key.

Sakura inhaled and exhaled slowly as she gazed around her apartment, "welcome home."

She dropped her keys on the counter and walked into her bedroom. It was already midnight, and she had to admit, she was exhausted. She collapsed onto her bed and almost didn't feel like getting up. But she knew she just had to when her phone dinged. She assumed it was Naruto, reaching to read the text.

Sakura. Remember me?

She squinted at the screen, casually taking in the unfamiliar number.

Who is this?

She replied simply, being replied to with a simple answer.

Your best friend.

She shuddered at the thought, How can I trust you?

The reply only scared her, You can trust me.

She decided to step away from it for a while, until she heard a knock at the door.

"Hello?" She peeked out the door, but gasped when the unexpected visitor pushed the door open.

"Sakura."

"Y-you..." Sakura's face went pale, "what are you doing here?"

"Welcome back. Heard you were out of the country?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"It was fine."

The two stood in silence for a good minute, "why did you really come, Sasuke?"

"To see you." Sasuke Uchiha grinned, "come on, admit you miss seeing me."

"I don't." Came Sakura's blatant reply, "and for your information, when I said I didn't want to see you, it--"

"Only meant you really needed me, I know, Sa-ku-ra." Sasuke stepped closer to her.

"Wh-what are you doing?!"

"I'm getting my final word in." Sasuke said under his breath, one step closer.

"S-Sasuke." Sakura's heart was racing faster. She didn't want to fall for this playboy all over again. She fell into that pit a long time ago, "s-stop!"

"Do you really want to? That look in your eyes is telling me otherwise." Sasuke's lips curved mischievously as he walked Sakura against the wall.

"Sasuke... Please..." Sakura stared up into his eyes, which flashed with a passion she couldn't identify.

"Sakura. Forgive me." Sasuke whispered as he plunged in, claiming her lips for his own.

This wasn't their first kiss, but to Sakura, this was most definitely her first kiss in a while, "Sasuke, I need... To meet Naruto."

"Naruto?" Sasuke was taken aback, "you love him?"

"No, that's not true!" Sakura corrected herself, "he's just been worrying about me lately and I need to tell him I'm alright. Unlike you, you never texted until just a few minutes ago!"

Sasuke looked out the window at the New York skyline, "is that how it is?"

Sakura looked down at her feet, "it wasn't how it was before... Those days, Sasuke. You just grew so cold."

"I know." Sasuke shook his head, "but it's nothing, now."

"You wouldn't talk to me! You wouldn't tell me how you were feeling, what happened to you?"

"Sakura." Her name dripped out like blood, "you shouldn't be asking me these questions, you know."

"What are you talking about?"

Sasuke stared at her dead in the eye, "You don't tell me these things, either."

"What things? I'm not hiding anything!"

"Oh really?" Sasuke pounded his fists on the wall right next to her head, "what about the daughter I never knew you had?"

Sakura went pale.

"That's right... I knew. But you never told me."

Sakura slapped his hands away as tears threatened their escape, "maybe because you left us first, Sasuke!"

Hearing his name in that way scared him, "Sakura... I'm not going to hurt you... Or yell at you. Because that's not all."

Sakura stared at his face as his head fell on her chest, sobs taking over. Being completely honest, she really has never seen Sasuke like this, and his condition only told her that he truly did know. She shut her eyes, "so you do know..."

"I'm sorry..." Sasuke's voice cracked, "but... Sakura... Please marry me."

"Why so sudden?" Sakura felt herself panicking.

"We don't know how much longer it will be." Sasuke returned his gaze to hers, "I want to stay by your side for the rest of the fight. I want to love you forever, however long forever may be."

Sakura stared down into his eyes, then wiped away his tears, "Sasuke... But what you did--"

"I know what I did... I knew for a long time, and I didn't want to face it. But now I see that even I can't deny my love for you, and my need to stay with you 'til the end."

Sakura smiled sadly as she gave him a light kiss, "then yes..."

__________________________

"Sakura!"

"Sakura, please..."

"Mama?!"

Five years later. It was all just white noise around her. The pinkette felt her forehead pounding, but the pain in her head didn't bother her as much as the pain in her chest, "what... Did I..."

"Shhh..." A voice whispered as her savior laid a damp cloth on her forehead, "are you an idiot? Why didn't you tell anyone!" The usually-happy Uzumaki shouted in a tear-filled voice, his tone shaky with anger, worry, but most of all, sadness.

"I'm sorry..." Sakura coughed.

"Mama?"

Sakura slowly turned her head to look at the young Uchiha standing at her bedside, "Sara...da..."

"Mama? What's happening?" Sarada Uchiha squeezed her mother's hand, "you're okay!"

"I wish I was, Sweetheart." Sakura managed. She turned to look at Naruto and Kakashi Hatake standing at the doorway. She motioned them over, "how's Sasuke?"

"Don't worry about him right now." Kakashi told her, "we called him, he's on his way."

"No need..." Sakura sighed weakly.

"S-Sakura..." Naruto murmured, "did you tell him, at least?"

"I couldn't..." Sakura coughed, "he would leave me again..."

"So you lied and told him it was all cleared..." Naruto clenched his fists, "you really are an idiot!"

"S-sorry." Sakura chuckled weakly.

"Sakura, hold on." Kakashi urged her, "Sasuke hasn't gotten here ye--"

"It's okay..." Sakura stopped him suddenly, "I've said my goodbye."

"Why so suddenly? Why now? Why when he's not here?" Naruto exclaimed, "Sakura, are you even hearing yourself? He's your husband! Do you know what he'd do if you left him like this?"

"You're right." Sakura shrugged, "I wrote a note for him. A long time ago, though. Please make sure he gets it... Deal?"

Naruto stared at her with mixed emotions, but nodded, "yeah."

Sakura looked at Sarada one last time, "hey. Be good to your father... Don't give him hell while... I'm gone. That's my job."

Sarada's tears spilled onto Sakura's bed as she screamed, "Mama! No!"

"Sakura..." Kakashi watched as Sakura held her hand on Sarada's head, wiping her tears in the same way she had wiped Sasuke's.

"Sakura!"

They all turned suddenly to see Sasuke run in.

"Sasuke!"

"Naruto, please tell me..." Sasuke ran past the two and straight to Sakura.

"S-Sasuke."

The sound of Sakura's weak tone pierced Sasuke in the chest, "hey, hey... Sh, I'm here."

"Please..." Sakura breathed, "don't be mad at me... For not telling..."

"No, I can't be mad at you..." Sasuke felt the tears run down his face as she felt his face, her cold fingers ran through his hair, "Sakura... Please stay with us... We're not done yet..."

"I know... Guess forever doesn't last... Forever, huh?" Sakura sighed heavily, "take care of Sarada... Got that?"

"Sakura..." Sasuke held her hand tightly against him as she spoke her final breath.

"Sasuke... Forgive me... Please..."

_______________________

It was Stage Four cancer. And no one said anything. Not even her. I saw the medicines. The dozens of bottles in the cupboard. But they never ran out. I should've known. Until that night she told me her cancer was gone. I was thrilled. But it was all a lie. Her letter explained everything to me. She had fought the fight for this long, and the five years as her husband has given her hope. We promised each other that we'd stay together forever. But I guess forever doesn't last forever. I will never forgive her. But being her dying wish, I would do anything to get Sakura back. Get my Sakura back. I forgive you...

Sakura.

I love you.

And I forgive you.

......

Written by xX_Fang_Xx