Ch. 1: These Darker Shades of Grey

Pain.

Pain, rushing up her arm, turning her world upside down. She was caught like a deer in headlights as she felt her heart beat faster, as she felt the adrenaline singing through her veins. She forced herself to go faster, biting her lip, sending fresh waves of blood into her mouth.

Stumbling blindly through the forest, she ran for her life. Ran knowing they would catch her. Knowing escape was impossible. Only instinct kept her going as she cradled her arm, now an indistinguishable mess of flesh, bone, and blood. She could hear them catching up to her, the adrenaline putting her on hyper-alert so that she could hear the soft taps as they jumped from tree to tree.

Swiping her thumb across her shredded arm, she bit back a cry of pain as the rough pad of her finger ran over the inflamed and sensitive nerves. Using the blood from her arm, she took out a scroll, writing as fast as she could, before sending it off on the small slug she had summoned. She could feel herself going slower and slower, fighting unconsciousness every second. Finally, coughing up blood, she gave up the fight, slumping against a tree.

A blur of black, a flash of silver, and a small prick on the base of her neck was all she remembered before falling into a dreamless sleep. She would not wake up until three days later.

Close. So amazingly close. It was tantalizing, dangling right in front of him.

So close, yet so far. He could hear them, sense them, feeling the bloodlust radiating off them in powerful waves.

Finally, after nine years, his goal was in sight. Finally, after nine years, his clan could be avenged. Finally, he could find some peace in the world.

"Come on," he spat coldly, glaring at his teammates with blood-red eyes. He leapt up, leaving them there, shivering in the rain.

"What's gotten into him?" his female teammate asked worriedly.

"Tch. I bet it's his brother. Stupid obsessed jerk," the man next to her muttered.

"Shut up, Suigetsu," she glared. "Sasuke-kun, your brother and his partner are tracking someone. A female," the girl stated, tossing her bright red hair over her shoulder.

"Any distinguishable features?" Sasuke's voice ran smoothly through the intercom.

"Yeah. This one seems like an odd sort. Her chakra spirals a bit, don't know what to make of it. Good chakra control, too."

Sasuke stopped, two hundred yards away from Karin and Suigetsu. Spirals.

He thought back to seven years ago, at the Team 7 training grounds.

"Now kids, Sakura-chan over here has a special sort of chakra. As you can see, it rises in a spiral form," Kakashi scratched his chin. "Actually, the only other person I know with this sort is the Godaime herself."

"Wow Sakura-chan! You rock!"

She laughed, a pretty, tinkling sound, like bells. "Whatever you say, Naruto, whatever you say."

Kakashi had been right. He had never met anyone else whose chakra was like that. But it couldn't be her. It was impossible. She couldn't be here, halfway to Amegakure. She couldn't be here, risking her life. She couldn't survive out here. But he had to eat his words as he caught a flash of pink run by, splashed with red. It was her. But something was wrong; she was bleeding, her arm bent at an impossible angle. Her leg was twisted, and looked as though it had been attacked with a razor blade. But still, she went on, despite the painful looking injuries. He watched silently from the treetops, as the girl slowly stopped in a halt against the trunk of a fir tree. Watched, as the precious red liquid gushed out of her, seeping into the ground at the base of the tree. Watched, as she fought for the right to live. And watched, as she lost the battle, eyes slowly fluttering shut from exhaustion and blood loss.

Against his better judgment, he found himself jumping down from the top of the tree; found himself picking her up in his arms and running away. Running away from the person he had been chasing down for nine long years. Later, he would tell himself he had only rescued her to use her as bait for his brother, because surely Naruto would search for her too, and Itachi would surely have to follow him. But at the time, the only thought running through his head was "Please, please let her live". As he carried her through the forest, he shuddered to think of what would happen if those emerald eyes had dimmed and closed, gone forever. But she was safe. Sakura was safe. Saved from the brink of death, by the person she had once loved.

Wha-what? she thought groggily, emerald eyes widening. What happened? Looking up, she found herself gazing into a familiar pair of onyx eyes.

"Y-You!" she screamed, eyes widening in anger. "I'm going to kill you!" she shrieked. "How dare you leave us! He cried for weeks, Sasuke, weeks!" she enunciated each word with a punch, one breaking his nose, sending blood gushing out.

"And how could you just leave us! We were your friends!" she shrilled, eyes glazing over with tears that refused to show.

"You were. That is the reason I left. Bonds make you weak. So I severed those bonds," he stated it coldly, glaring down at her.

Her eyes filled with tears, tears of fury, fury and pain and distress for the boy she no longer knew. "I hate you. You, Uchiha Sasuke, are a monster. A despicable, horrible, cruel monster. I guess that's one trait that runs in the family," she gave a cold, forced smile, and deep, deep inside him, he felt himself break a little as he heard those words from the person he thought he had always had to back him up, the person who had always been there.

"You love me," he insisted.

"I used to. Back when I was foolish, young, and barely knew what love meant."

And with those last, final words, all the pain and fury and despair he had felt took over, as he slapped her hard in the face. She looked back up at him pityingly, her large emerald eyes unblinking and cold.

As she studied him, shocked, she found he hadn't changed much physically. His hair was a bit shorter, and his cheekbones had hollowed out.

There were dark bruises under his eyes from stress and lack of sleep. The blue in his hair had darkened out to black, making him seem that much older. She supposed his attire was the one thing that changed the most; he now donned a black Akatsuki-like cloak with his uniform he wore as part of Orochimaru's village. She noticed the horrible purple bow was gone too, much to her relief. But other then that, he was the same. Maybe a little stronger, but still the same emotionless, broken child he had been in the Leaf village.

And it was that final detail that hurt the most.

Almost immediately, he felt guilty. He had slapped her, her, his old teammate. She was right. He was a monster. Just like Orochimaru, just like the man he had sworn never to become. She had barely flinched after the hit, which led him to believe she was much stronger then she let on.

"Where are we?" she asked wearily.

"In one of Orochimaru's old bases," he found himself answering in spite of the knowledge that she could use it against him.

She flinched, and bit her cheek. That's right. She didn't like the underground. He smiled grimly in his mind, regretting saving her just a tiny bit.

"Who else is here?"

God, what was it with all these questions?

"My teammates. Karin, Suigetsu, Juugo, get in here!" he ordered.

After a second or two, three people sauntered into the room. Sakura glared distastefully at the only girl among them. She reminded her of Ino. In fact, she was worse then Ino. Her hair was bright red, and in the most ridiculous style she had ever seen, long and tidy on one side and short and spiky on another. It looked like a cross of her own hair (which, by the way, worked on her) and Sasuke's spiked up style. Definitely not a pleasant sight. Finally, her clothes were made of some of the most atrocious items Sakura had ever seen. Short, tight shorts clung to her hips while a long sleeved shirt with a zipper in the front showed her belly button shamelessly. On her feet were combat boots that looked highly uncomfortable, seeing as they reached halfway up her thigh, restricting the movement of her knees. Also, she was willing to bet this "Karin" wasn't wearing anything under her shirt. The overall appearance wasn't very pleasant, and forced the onlooker to think of a scantily dressed tomato.

Sakura gagged a bit, drawing the attention of the remaining two people.

"Hey, princess! When Uchiha over here said we were gonna have a girl stay with us, I never imagined she'd be this cute!" a slim teen with unkempt off-white hair grinned at her, showing sharp teeth that reminded her of that blue guy in the Akatsuki.

"I'm a girl! What do you mean, 'Have a girl stay with you'! You've already got a girl!"

"Karin, you aren't a girl. Scientists haven't figured out what you are yet, remember?" Suigetsu deadpanned, staring dully ahead at a wall.

"Are you insulting me?"

The man rolled his eyes, and turned his gaze back to Sakura. "Wanna go out sometime, princess?"

She determinedly skated her gaze over his flirty grin, and rested her eyes on his back, or, what was strapped to it.

"Is that…?" she gasped.

"Momochi's sword? You bet'cha!" Suigetsu stated proudly.

"Yeah. The freak robbed his grave to get his sword. Personally, I don't see why he does it. But then again, he is mental-"

"Shut it Karin," he snarled. "Princess, don't listen to her. She's a cow." When he caught sight of Karin's glare, he flinched slightly and changed the subject. "You know, I'm gonna take down Hoshigaki of the Akatsuki!"

Sakura blinked slightly at the abrupt change of topic. "The shark? Why?"

"So I can add Samaheda to my collection."

Ah… So that was it. It was just like Tsunade's sake collection, except Suigetsu collected swords. Powerful swords. Big, flesh-ripping, dangerous swords… Yeah. That's it.

"I was wondering, since Sasuke here wouldn't talk, how did you mend my arm?" Sakura asked stiffly.

Suigetsu grinned. "Well, it was pretty messed up. But luckily, Karin over here is actually useful, to some extent. You can thank her."

"What-"

"Here. We'll show you. Karin, I need you to heal my nose. Sakura punched it," Sasuke sneered, motioning to the broken nose Sakura had given him.

Karin walked over to him, and held out her arm in front of his face.

"What is she doing?"

Sakura's question was answered when Sasuke bit down on Karin's arm. She stared as Karin shuddered in both pain and pleasure, and as Sasuke's nose healed rapidly.

"Was that how you healed me?"

"You bet, princess."

She stared once more at Karin. Her mouth… had bitten that arm. She had come within three feet of Karin. Okay, that was way over the limit.

"Oh God." She edged away from Karin.

Suigetsu. "Yeah, imagine my shock when I had to bite her. At least you were unconscious."

Sakura nodded, feeling a slight sense of companionship. After all, the way she saw it, it wasn't Suigetsu who had kidnapped her; it was Sasuke. So it was okay for her to talk to Suigetsu.

He sighed mournfully. "That was one thing I really never needed, nor intended, to do in my life."

"Yo! Sai! Where's Sakura-chaaaaaaaaaaaan?" Naruto screeched to Sai, who was only a couple of feet away.

Sai stuck his pinky in his ear and twisted it around. "You can pay for my hearing aid when I go deaf, idiot."

"I think Sakura-chan is on a mission."

"Yeah, but she was supposed to be back! Kakashi-sensei, why isn't she back?"

Naruto groaned. Kakashi had whacked him over the head with his book.

"I told you, don't call me sensei. I am no longer your teacher."

"But," Naruto gasped, "You're… old!" he shouted dramatically.

"…"

Whack!

"Ow! Sensei, stop being so mean!"

"We need to come up with sleeping arrangements," Sasuke ordered. "We only have three futons. There are four of us now."

"Why don't we just dump her somewhere and get on with life?" Karin screeched, glaring at Sakura.

"Karin, no matter how much you think it's true, I am not trying to steal your 'Sasuke-kun.' And actually, that isn't a bad idea! Why don't you just let me go?"

Sasuke glared and looked away. "I guess Karin and Sakura can sleep in the same bed, since they're both girls."

"Excuse me?" both girls shouted, pointing at the other with one hand and Sasuke with the other.

"I am not sleeping in the same bed as that, that hag!" Karin shrieked.

"Trust me darling, the feeling's mutual," Sakura stated dryly. "I demand to sleep with Juugo! Or… or let Karin sleep on the floor or something!"

"You can't stay with Juugo, want him to attack you in your sleep?" Juugo looked down sadly, ashamed at his lack of control."

"Then, then, um…" Sakura looked around wildly. Karin, Juugo, and Sasuke were definitely out of the picture, which left… "Suigetsu! I choose him!"

Suigetsu grinned. "Excellent, princess. Try to keep you hands to yourself!" he thought that over. "Actually, don't."

Sasuke snarled under his breath. "No. You're sleeping with me. Suigetsu is too incompetent to be trusted with things like that," he stalked off into his room, hands clenched tightly at his sides.

The four left in the room stared after him.

"Is he ok…?" Juugo said shyly.

Sakura turned to him. "Nah. That's Sasuke-speak for 'It's that time of month again!' Nothing to worry about."

Late that night, Sasuke dreamed. Dreamt of broken dreams, lost promises, and tears.

Flash.

Dark, horribly dark, black against black, blood against blood. The smothering, clogging stench of death filled the air, as screams pierced the unearthly stillness, along with the sounds of people running futilely from death. He ran to his house, for the one small chance his family had not been killed yet. Tap. Tap. The sound of feet hitting the floor, followed by muffled screams and silence. Slowly, he approached the door, shaking in fear of what lay ahead. As he opened it, the moonlight slid across a face, standing above the broken bodies of his parents. A face he would not have believed if he had not seen it for himself. Brother.

Flash.

Leaves flew across his vision, swirling around the figure of his friend. Sakura. The moonlight shone down, making her eyes shine wide and bright with tears. Made her eyes shine, glazed over, broken. Broken, the wind whispered. Broken.

"Thank you," he whispered.

He felt a twinge of guilt, looking into those eyes, those pained, broken eyes. Thank you.

Flash.

The memory changed again, as cerulean blue eyes gazed imploringly at him. Why, why did you leave, they said. Why, why, why.

"I'll make you come home, if I have to break every bone in your body!" the boy growled. His nails dug into the palm of his hand while his eyes began to bleed into red, staring at his best friend.

The other boy only glanced blankly back.

"No."

Flash.

"Hey, hey! It's him! We've found him!" the blond screeched, now much older then Sasuke last remembered.

"Sasuke-kun…" he could see her mouth his name, standing by the blond at the edge of the hideout.

"Hey! Sasuke-teme! You're coming home with us!" he was definitely louder then ever, and had not seemed to get any more mature in the three years been apart.

The boy, now a man, only jumped down, and laid a hand on the shoulder of his ex-friend.

As onyx eyes stared into blue, Naruto's voice cracked a little as he saw that their friend had no intention of coming back.

He woke up, drenched in cold sweat, shivering slightly as the chill seeped in through the ground. The nightmares had been worse this time. Before, he had only seen a blur of color and sound. This time, everything was sharp, detailed, and clear. The base was eerily silent, save for the slow breathing of his teammates. He had shot upwards, and banged his head on something hard.

"Ow! What's your head made out of, rock?" he heard a soft voice hiss.

Sakura. He considered the possibilities. I guess I should ask subtly.

"What the hell are you doing hovering over my bed?" he demanded in a harsh voice. Well, so much for subtle.

"Well excuse me for being concerned!" she hissed, rubbing her forehead. A dark bruise was blossoming across her forehead, contrasting with her pale skin. "I just woke up, and you were shouting out in you sleep, so I thought maybe I should help-" she glanced away furtively, obviously wishing she had not bothered to check on him.

"Well next time, don't," he snapped.

"Fine."

"Fine," he mimicked. "Save yourself the trouble."

They started arguing, slowly becoming louder and louder.

"What's going on?" Juugo whispered, rubbing his eyes blearily. He had woken up from the noise.

"Lover's spat," Suigetsu stated wisely.

Two ice-cold glares were directed his way. He scooted away and tried not to cower.