A Soul's Salvation

A/N: Sorry, guys. This chapter would have been out yesterday, but I wanted to get somethings right before I put it up and I had guests last night.

Someone commented that it seemed that Naruto was going to have to do all of the work, but the main goal of this fic is mostly about the power to forgive. Forgiveness for doing wrong against someone else, and forgiveness to those who have wrong you. Sometimes, both parties must forgive and work on the problem together so that it can be resolved and not appear within the relationship again. I want both Naruto and Sakura to find their way back to each other, and thus, making their relationship stronger than before.

That being said, please continue to read and review. they make me very happy and make inner kogasangel squeal with delight.

~!~


Sasuke smirked. “Shouldn't your mistress have you on a leash?” He sneered and turned to face the young man.

Neji looked unimpressed with the Uchiha's words and quietly said, “She loves Naruto, though Kami knows why, and I am not going to let you fly in and confuse her just so you can use her genes to create your precious, little heirs.”

Snarling, Sasuke moved forward and was quickly thrown back. Clutching his side, he narrowed his eyes and wondered what the hell had just happened. The man before him had managed to hit him, yet now looked as if he had not moved. A sound drew his attention, and he glanced over his shoulder to see Hinata and Kiba standing on Sakura's balcony.

Hinata's hands were covering her mouth, while Kiba simply glared up at them. “Yo! You need any help up there, Neji?” He yelled.

The Hyuuga prodigy simply shook his head and said, “Hinata, check on your friend. Kiba, watch over both of them while I deal with our uninvited guest.”

Kiba nodded and followed his woman back into the apartment. As he closed the sliding door, he grinned. Oh, yeah. The gossip-mongers were going to have a field day with this.

Neji watched as his companions did as they were told, then turned his eyes to Sasuke, who was currently glaring at him.

“You protect Hinata, not Sakura.” Sasuke spat, his eyes flashing from dark to red. “I am part of her team, and responsible for watching over her. Don't interfere.”

“And what of your friend, Naruto?” Neji asked, his tone sharp. “Don't you care that you will end up hurting him if you go after Sakura? And, what about your engagement to Ino, or is she old news?”

“Ino and I are no longer together. The engagement is off, and I am a free man.” Sasuke countered. “As for Naruto, well, if he is stupid enough to let her go, then he can't get angry if I pick her up.”

Neji's lip curled in disgust. “You are a true bastard, you know that?” He snapped, his calm demeanor gone.

“Yeah, so I've been told.” He replied, smugly. “Give Sakura my love and tell her that I'll talk to her at the gala. Make sure she knows to save a dance for me.”

Before he could reply, the Uchiha was gone in a cloud of smoke, leaving Neji's temper to simmer.

“What a dick.”

~!~

Sakura felt a cool hand on her forehead and managed to pry her eyes open a bit. Hinata's face came into view, and she tried to smile, but couldn't seem to get her facial muscles to work. That did it. When she was better, she was attending that damn trial and kicking the shit out of the one who hit her with that fucking needle.

“Hi, there. You had us all worried, Sakura.” Hinata whispered, as she wiped the sweat off of Sakura's forehead with a cool cloth.

When she realized that Sakura would need more time to recover, she nodded and softly asked, “Do you need the bathroom? I'm sure that together, we can get you in there.”

When she saw Sakura's eyes light up, she began to pull the woman up, and arranged her so that Sakura were leaning against her.

After a few awkward moments and near falls, they found themselves in the bathroom, where Hinata helped Sakura clean up. Once they were finished, once again, they found themselves struggling to get back to the bed, and when they got to the bed, Sakura found herself face down on the mattress with Hinata on top of her.

“Whoa! Babe, I don't think that kind of healing is the kind that is going to help Sakura feel better.” Kiba said, his large hand over his eyes.

Hinata turned her head and blushed a bright crimson, then squeaked when Sakura began to struggle beneath her.

“Oh, Sakura. I'm so sorry. I lost my footing.” Hinata said, and quickly got the woman back on the bed and under the covers.

Kiba could not help grinning, but he didn't dare say anything that would get him in trouble with his precious Hinata. It was clear that she was embarrassed, and Sakura, well, she was too tired to be embarrassed about anything.

“Alright, Kiba. You can turn around now.” Hinata softly said as she stared down at the floor. A bright blush painted her porcelain cheeks, and he couldn't help but be charmed by her.

“I dropped her.” Hinata said, her voice soft. She felt Kiba's hands on her shoulders and looked up into his soft eyes.

“You should have called for help. Akamaru could have carried her on his back for you. Neither of us want you straining yourself.” Kiba scolded, only to be followed by a light bark from his beloved boy.

Hinata smiled, and then giggled when Sakura grumbled, “You know, I can hear everything you are saying and don't appreciate being spoken about like I am a sack of potatoes.”

The couple turned and Kiba reached behind his head and scratched as he laughed. “Sorry, Sakura. How are you feeling?” He asked, and led Hinata over to the side of Sakura's bed so that she could sit beside her friend.

“Tired.” Sakura mumbled. “Tired and sore.”

“Well, after the shape you were found it, I'm not surprised.” Neji said, as he strolled into the room. When Kiba and Hinata glanced up at him, he simply shook his head. Sakura didn't need to know that she had the Uchiha sniffing after her, especially not now.

Hinata smiled and said, “Tsunada-sama asked us to bring you something that will ease any discomfort that you have. She is also requesting to have those three men that you caught brought here to Konoha for trial, seeing as how you are a resident and the ambassador for Konoha.”

Sakura frowned. She didn't want a lot of fuss over her, nor did she want any additional attention. She got hurt. Big freaking deal. Ninjas got hurt everyday, and she was still a ninja, so it was expected.

Neji returned with a cup from her kitchen and quietly handed it to her. Wrinkling her nose, she managed to drink the entire thing down without it making a return appearance. Once she was done, Hinata took the cup from her and placed it on the nightstand before quietly saying, “We are going to come by a little later on to check on you, but for now, Akamaru is going to stay with you, just in case.”

“Just in case of what?” Sakura asked, though it came out slightly slurred.

“To keep unwanted visitors away.” Neji replied, and shot a look at his companions that told them not to say another word.

Shrugging, Sakura decided to let the issue drop, for now, and allowed the medicine to work. She heard the voices in her room soften, and then felt someone, most likely Hinata, tuck the covers around her body, then she heard the door close.

As darkness began to surround her, she could hear inner Sakura crying out for the one they loved.

Naruto.

~!~


It had been a couple of days since he held her, but Naruto could not stop thinking about how good it had felt to just be with her. For the first time in a long time, he had been at peace, even though she had not.

He thought about many things in the last two days, but the one thought that always came to the front was how she was doing. He couldn't go to Hinata and ask, mostly because he knew that Sakura and Hinata were good friends, and he didn't want to put Hinata in the position as a go-between.

No, if he was going to work things out, then he would do it on his terms. However, he would make damn sure that Sakura knew that she was never to hit him, or belittle him again, or else he would walk away, and this time, he would not look back; feelings be damned.

But, when he thought of Sakura, he would hear Kakashi's words echo throughout his mind about Sasuke going after Sakura and he could not help but feel slightly angered over that. For years, Sasuke told Sakura that she was annoying and that he would never have anything to do with her other than be her teammate, but now that she gained power and status within Konoha, he was suddenly interested.

Sure, he knew that other men liked Sakura, but didn't approach her out of respect for him. Hell, half of the village knew that he still cared for her and were simply watching to see if and when they would reunite.

Sasuke, too, knew how he felt, but would still go after her, just because he could. As a kid, he was a prick, as an adult, he was an even bigger prick.

He supposed that somethings never change.

~!~

It was a couple of days before she felt well enough to leave her apartment. She needed to shop for food, and was grateful to Hinata for bringing her meals. But, now that she could actually be on her feet for more than a few minutes, she wasn't going to waste her time sitting at home.

The market place was busy, and she smiled as she anticipated a nice day of shopping and relaxing. As she went from store to store, she noticed that many people were smiling at her, and several asked her about how she was feeling. It was nice to not be ignored.

She decided that for her last stop, she would get some fruits. She had been craving apples, for some reason, and her mouth watered at the thought of biting into a nice red one. As she walked, she was surprised to see Ino and Shikamaru together, and from the way they were acting, it was clear that they were more than just friends.

Luckily for her, they didn't see her, and she went on her way. Finally, she spotted a large cart with apples, and quickly made her way over to it. Reaching out, her fingers touched the fruit as the same time that another pair of fingers did.

Pulling her hand back, Sakura felt her breath leave her as she stared into a pair of bright blue eyes. The familiar pain hit her, and for a moment, she was scared that she might pass out, or worse, throw up. Quickly, she moved back a bit, and quietly said, “You can have it.”

Without another word, she turned and quickly walked the way she came, never noticing the blue eyes following her or how his mouth frowned. Instead, she simply wanted to go home, and lock herself away from this heartache.

~!~

He didn't mean to bump into her. In fact, he had just finished training with Jiraiya-sensei and decided to get a snack to tide him over until he got to the ramen shack. He didn't even notice her until he reached out and touched her fingers as they both went after the same apple.

To say he was stunned was an understatement. He was so stunned that he couldn't even manage to say two words to her, and because of it, she took his silence as his way of telling her that he wasn't pleased to have run into her.

“You can have it.” She had said, and just as his wits finally surfaced, she had turn and left, her pretty pink hair flowing gently behind her.

Now, as he looked down at the apple in his hand, he knew that it was growing harder and harder for him to keep this grudge. Hell, if he were to be honest with himself, he had stopped holding that grudge against her the day he and Kakashi talked.

But, he wasn't going to chase after her. After all, he did have his pride. If Sakura wanted to fix things with him so badly, she would have to come to him, despite what he had told her that day she had found him on the training grounds.

Still, he couldn't help but admit that it had been nice to touch her again, even if it was just for a second.

Shaking his head, he paid for the apple and bit into it as he made his way to lunch. He knew that things would work out for him. They always did in the end.

~!~

Sighing, she shook her head as inner Sakura muttered that she should have stood there and made him listen to her. Instead, she knew that she did the right thing and left. After all, she was the one who had committed the crime against him. She was simply following through with her word to leave him alone, though the sight of him earlier had not made it easy.

In fact, it was all that she could do not to throw herself at his feet and beg him to forgive her. But, she already had his answer, and so, wouldn't impose on him again.

So, as she allowed herself a nice, little pity party, she was dismayed when a knock was heard on her door. Muttering underneath her breath, she walked to the door and opened it, expecting to find Hinata, or even Neji there. But, she didn't see anyone. Great. Someone was playing games.

But, as she was about to close the door, she looked down and was shocked to see a large bag filled with bright, red apples.

Bending down, she hoisted the bag up and hugged it to her chest before looking around to see if anyone was watching her. When she couldn't detect anyone, she turned and walked back inside.

Smiling, she set the bag down and carefully pulled out the apples, hoping that whomever gave them to her had left a note. To her dismay, she found that besides the apples, the bag was empty.

Sighing, she carefully arranged the apples in a bowl, and when finished, stepped back to admire her work. Happy with the bowl, she eagerly took the top apple and bit into it, her eyes closed to savor the sweet taste.

But, her moment of joy was shattered when she heard another knock at her door. Rolling her eyes, she walked over and yanked the door open, and was surprised to see Tsunade-sensei standing there.

“May I come in?” She asked, her tone even. When she got a nod, she walked into the apartment and noticed how tidy Sakura's home was, though it didn't surprise her.

Sitting down and motioning for her student to do the same, she got right to the point. “I have received word that the three who are responsible for terrorizing valley are going to be brought here for trial. I shall be expecting you to be there, Sakura.” She said.

Nodding, Sakura asked, “What will the charges against them be?”

“The most important, of course, is the attack upon you. Valley and Konoha will not tolerate any kind of attack upon the representative for our villages. They will also be facing charges of theft, and menacing for what they have been doing in valley. The charges are very serious, and they will be seeing a lot of jail time for it” Tsunade replied.

For several moments, Sakura was quiet. Finally, she said, “I want valley to be part of this trial. It is only right that they be allowed to decide both guilt and punishment, seeing as how it was their villages that were hurt. I'll heal, but it was their crops and their goods that were destroyed.”

Nodding, Tsunade smiled. “Now I can see just why they love you in valley. You look out for their well-being and put yours second. Very well, your request is granted. I will inform valley to send their representatives.”

Sakura watched as her sensei stood and quickly followed her to the door. When the woman opened it, she turned and asked, “What did Sasuke want, Sakura?”

“Sasuke?” Sakura replied, confused. “I don't know. I didn't see him.”

Now it was Tsunade's turn to look confused. “I ran into him right as I was coming into your building. He didn't say much, but he looked quite pleased with himself.” She said, but then shook her head and laughed. “Ah, who knows what is going on in his mind. Now that he and Ino's wedding is off, I guess he is trying to screw up the nerve to talk to you. Anyways, I am leaving. Have a good night, Sakura.”

Waving at her sensei, she quietly closed the door and frowned. Sasuke and Ino were no longer engaged? Geez, she really was out of the loop.

But, if Sasuke was coming out of her building when Tsunade-sensei was coming in, did that mean that it was him who brought her the apples? And, if he did, why?

Biting her lip, her eyes turned towards the bowl, but instead of seeing the apples, it was a face that she saw. It was the face of a dream she had viciously killed. Suddenly, she didn't like apples, anymore.

~!~

Smirking, Sasuke walked down the street and silently congratulated himself for such a good idea. He, too, had been in the marketplace, and had seen Sakura and Naruto reaching for the same apple. When the dobe walked away, the apple in his hand, he decided to buy her a bag of apples, and would reveal at the gala that he was the one who had left her the bag, and he would be the one to reap the rewards.

This had been one of his better plans, and now that he had decided that he would approach Sakura, he would not let anyone stand in his way, including Naruto, feelings be damned.

As he walked past the gates that led to the Uchiha compound, he could already hear the laughter of children and knew that his future would be filled with joy as he watched his and Sakura's offspring grow into strong, powerful ninjas.

Then, he would finally know happiness.

~!~

Theme for this chapter is...

Love, like a road that never ends
How it leads me back again
To heartache
I'll never understand
Darling, I put my heart up on a shelf
Til the moment was right, and I told myself

The next time I fall in love
I'll know better what to do

Peter Cetera and Amy Grant....next time I fall