Hi! This is my first story so please no flames... hope you like it! The whole story is from Sakura's POV.

Oh yeah, I forgot the disclaimer thing. I do not own Naruto, the show and all characters are owned and created by Masashi Kishimoto, blah blah blah.

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"Sakura!" Tsunade called. "You have a mission!" I turned around to face my master.

"What is it, Tsunade-sama?" I asked inquisitively. I had not had a mission for a while. The last time, I had gone to another village for an assassination mission, but on the way there, things got… complicated.

-

I trudged through the Sound village on the way to my destination, my head bent towards the ground. I had requested taking a detour, but my teammates had insisted that this was the shortest way. As we walked further into the village, we neared a stone structure that I all too clearly recognized. A shudder slid through my body as I passed Orochimaru's headquarters. I could swear someone was watching me from the trees…

Then, I caught a glimpse of his face.

"Sasuke…" I involuntarily whispered. The sound of his name escaping from my lips was enough to cause thick, glossy tears to cascade down my face. Every cell in my body longed to be with him, but I knew I couldn't. Not now, not here, not anytime. He was gone. A memory. A memory that threatened to tear me apart with each reminder of him.

I heard him, no, felt him take a step closer. I panicked. I swiveled away from the rest of my team, ignoring their surprised shouts, and ran. I hid in the forest for hours, feeling like a small child who has run away from his parents. Finally, I went back to the Leaf Village, ashamed to have failed.

-

Tsunade avoided my gaze. "You, well, kind of have to go to the Akatsuki headquarters…"

"And?"

"You have to go alone."

I stared at my master questioningly. "But why?"

She glanced back apologetically. "I really don't know any more about it. I honestly can't tell you what the mission actually is. All I was told is that it's urgent."

Puzzled, I gathered my equipment and left the village. Damn, I thought. What is going on?

After hours of walking through seemingly endless forest, I got to the place that Tsunade had told me to go. Do they seriously expect me to figure out the seals to open the door?

As if reading my mind, a sinister voice answered behind me: "No, you don't have to get in yourself." I jumped, and spun around. It was Sasuke's brother!!!

"We've been expecting you." He said evilly.

Sorry for the really short chapter, but I had about ten minutes to write this. I'll try to update soon!

Plz R&R!!!