True Strength

Sasuke was very surprised when he saw his old teammate, unconscious on the ground before him. However, before he had a chance to dwell on it, he was forced forwards, spun around until his back hit the wall and restrained to the stone with heavy chakra restraints. He cursed in his head, narrowing his eyes at his older brother. He was still too weak, he had gotten hurt and now he was in trouble. It didn't look like Itachi was going to kill him... Yet. But then why was Sakura here?

He didn't glance at her again, he kept his eyes on his brother, but he secretly wondered the true purpose of her presence. Had she been on a mission to study the Akatsuki or something? After all, the Akatsuki and Konoha were enemies. Sakura was also still a loyal Konoha ninja, he'd heard she had progressed very well since he left, she was training under the fifth Hokage herself. Not well enough to not get caught by Itachi though it seemed. However, the same could be said about him.

His thoughts were broken as he heard Sakura murmur something, he looked at her to see her stirring, she was waking up from whatever unconscious state Itachi had put her in. Sakura shuffled slightly before going completely still, he assumed her eyes were now open, taking in her situation. All of a sudden she shot up, swinging at Itachi with a tight fist, but his brother was too quick for her and she was only pushed backwards, chained to the walls like he was.

She scowled at his brother with a burning anger Sasuke had never seen in her emerald eyes. She then turned her head to look at him. Sasuke kept his face blank, but her rage dampened and all of a sudden she looked defeated. Sakura lowered her head. Sasuke frowned slightly. Just what did his old teammate think of him?

"Happy reunion?" Itachi asked.

Sasuke frowned at his brother but said nothing.

"Why am I here?" Sakura mumbled.

"I needed someone close to my brother." Itachi shrugged.

"We're not close." Sakura frowned.

"Nobody is close to Sasuke." Itachi smiled.

At a side glance, Sasuke would have said Sakura almost looked sorry for him. He did not understand why she would feel sorry for him though. He abandoned her and years later still felt no remorse. He had to do what he had to do and he wouldn't allow anybody to stand in his way. Not Sakura-

"What about Naruto?" Sakura replied to his brother's statement.

Definitely not Naruto. He would never allow himself to be dragged back to Konoha by that idiot.

Itachi smirked. "I could go and get him."

"You won't lay a finger on him," Sakura threatened.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the low growl coming from the pink haired kunoichi, once again, he had never heard her so angry.

"Then you'll do," Itachi smiled, "I shall begin with a test."

Itachi pulled out a kunai and twirled it in his fingers as the younger ninjas watched.

"I'm going to start by cutting you," Itachi spoke to Sakura. "Either of you can tell me to move onto Sasuke."

Sakura scowled but then gritted her teeth as Itachi began to use the kunai.

It lasted for several minutes in silence. Sasuke watched his brother inflict one wound that looked particularly deep and then looked at Sakura.

Why didn't she just ask for Itachi to start on him instead? Surely she would want some kind of revenge on him, or at least not care enough to put him above her own welfare. He was not going to return the favour if she chose to protect him. He needed to be at his strongest to kill the man torturing them.

Itachi stopped and looked between them. "Fine, if it's going to be like that."

Sasuke frowned at his brother, who walked in front of him and smiled.

Sasuke braced himself. The first kunai wound he inflicted was deep - deep enough to make him bite his tongue. It seemed obvious Itachi was going harder on him.

Sakura didn't last a minute.

After one particularly painful stab to the side, Sasuke took a very sharp intake of breath.

"Stop," Sakura spoke quietly, but clearly.

Itachi paused and walked back in front of her.

Sasuke frowned. Why would Sakura do that? After everything he had done to her.

"Stop?" Itachi repeated. "And go back to you?"

Sakura nodded. She looked at Itachi confidently, not breaking eye contact with the man even as he threatened her with pain.

"Why?" The older Uchiha raised an eyebrow. "He wouldn't do the same for you."

"I know," Sakura replied but said no more.

"That's about what I expected," Itachi said nonchalantly before leaving the room.

As soon as Itachi left the room, Sakura began to wiggle in her restraints.

Sasuke shook his head. He had already tried and it was no use.

There was an almighty crack as she dislodged the chains from the wall and stepped away. Sakura then forcefully ripped the metal around her wrists in opposite directions, breaking the restraints with an impressive amount of force. Sasuke continued to watch as she rubbed her sore wrists and healed a few wounds on her body before glancing towards the door. At least he did not need to work out why Itachi lured her here because she would soon be gone. It would just be the two of them - just how he wanted it to be. He lowered his head and closed his eyes, trying to relax and recover some strength before his brother returned.

There was another crack and he felt the chain he was attached to come loose from the wall.

Opening his eyes, he met her steady gaze.

Smashing the metal around his wrists, she spoke, "Promise not to kill me when I turn my back?"

Keeping his blank facial expression, he replied, "You're not the one I'm concerned about right now."

Turning away, she nodded. "Of course."

If he didn't know any better, he'd say he hurt her with that comment.

"Are you hurt or can you get out OK?" She asked him.

He frowned. "I'm not going anywhere."

Sakura sighed and turned to face him again. "Look... I know this is everything to you, but today is not the day, you're not ready... Not in that state."

His frown deepened. "I'm fine and I am ready."

"So this was all part of your plan then?" She raised an eyebrow.

Sasuke glared back but said nothing in reply.

Shaking her head, Sakura stepped forward with the intention to study his wounds. He stepped backwards, his gaze not softening.

"Let me look," Sakura frowned, "I can heal you."

"Heal yourself," he shot back.

"I can do both."

"No."

"Now is not the time to be difficult, Sasuke," she raised her voice, a hint of annoyance in her tone.

Raising an eyebrow, he took one more step backwards. "Then don't bother."

"Do I have to knock you out to heal you and make you leave?" She threatened.

"I'd like to see you try," he snorted.

Shaking her head, she walked towards the door that Itachi had left through earlier on. "Do you know the way out? Or where we are?"

"No," Sasuke replied. "You were here first when I woke up."

"Well as far as I'm concerned, Itachi was working alone, that means I was out cold for a while," she voiced her thoughts out loud.

"Hn."

Sakura glanced at him before looking back at the door, as if wondering whether she should just go or stay.

"Leave then," Sasuke spoke blankly.

"Come with me," Sakura replied.

Stubborn woman, he thought.

"No."

"Please, Sasuke," she looked at him with pleading eyes, "Or you're going to get hurt."

"You underestimate me." Sasuke narrowed his eyes.

"No, I really don't." Sakura shook her head. "I see who is winning here, Sasuke, he's just messing with you."

He didn't reply.

"Please, just leave, you don't even have to come back to Konoha. You're not ready for this yet. Leave and save yourself."

He looked at her, his gaze still cold. "You're still annoying."

"Fine," Sakura turned away with, closing her eyes, she mumbled, "I don't think he's going to kill you anyway."

"Why?" Sasuke asked.

Sakura turned back to face him. "Why would he? He goes to all of this trouble to get someone 'close to you'," she raised her hands and with four fingers did the hand movements for quotation marks. "Just to torture us and then kill you? What is the point in that? He's most likely trying to get a point through to you, but you're too thick-skulled and hell-bent on revenge to see it."

Sasuke was surprised at her little outburst, but he didn't show it. "Hn."

"You're unbelievable." She sighed and shook her head before heading towards the door. "Stay here and get tortured then."

Sakura reached for the door handle, only to pause before quickly pressing her back to the wall next to the door and tightening her fist.

Itachi was on the way.

Sasuke watched as she gathered chakra in her fist and prepared to strike. He raised an eyebrow - she wouldn't be able to hit his brother. Itachi would be too fast.

The door opened and Sakura slammed her fist into the floor, breaking it up at their feet. Itachi jumped out of the way towards the centre of the room and Sakura sped out of the door.

Sasuke smirked as Itachi frowned at her. Itachi then glanced at him. Sasuke's smirk widened, did his older brother expect him to try and escape too?

Sakura ran into a dark corridor, the only light was from the room she was just in. She couldn't particularly see where she was going. She paused and looked back. She met the cold gazes of both Uchiha's watching her.

Her eyes met Sasuke's.

Sasuke looked away, frowning at Itachi, he took a fighting stance. Itachi turned his back on her and focused on his brother.

The door began to close slowly, creaking as it moved, the light of the room got less and less and then it shut.

She was left in the dark corridor. She stared at the door for a moment before facing away from the small torture room where brother fought brother. She heard a loud crash and a chuckle... Her fists tightened.

Sakura was waiting on the outside of the door, hiding her chakra signal, waiting for her chance to strike. A loud grunt hit her ears and she burst into the room to see Sasuke on one knee, a sword through his side. Her eyes widened when Itachi was nowhere in sight.

"Sakura," Sasuke grumbled, looking up, he frowned at her.

She wanted to run up to him, but there was something wrong. All of a sudden, Itachi was behind her and she span around, swinging her fist at him. He dodged and she charged again. He was annoyingly fast, but that didn't mean she would give up, she needed to do this for herself - as well as for Sasuke it seemed. After a few minutes of deadlock, Itachi vanished. She narrowed her eyes, prepared to strike at any moment to defend herself. He appeared behind Sasuke and pulled him up by his hair.

Sakura scowled and ordered, "Put him down."

Sasuke, obviously not pleased about being a hostage, struggled in his brother's grasp. Itachi pushed the sword a little deeper into Sasuke's side.

Sakura's eyes widened, she shouted, "Don't struggle, Sasuke!"

Sasuke ignored her.

"Sasuke Uchiha," Sakura growled. "If you want me to list the potential problems for if that sword goes any deeper, I will do."

Sasuke stopped moving and Itachi smirked. "You can heal him, or yourself, your choice."

It was then Sakura realised she was bleeding from multiple wounds on her body. In her rage and effort, she hadn't registered some of the blows she had received. She frowned at Itachi, she must have landed some hits, she looked a little closer to see a bruise forming on his cheek.

The decision was still a no brainer. She could heal herself secretly anyway. "Sasuke."

"No." Sasuke frowned.

Sakura shook her head and walked forward. "Oh, shut up."

When she reached him, Itachi stepped backwards and allowed her to kneel by his side. Sasuke didn't speak or look at her as she careful removed the sword and healed his injuries. Sakura healed him slowly, she needed a plan to get them both out of here. Itachi was too good for them, perhaps if they worked together... But Sasuke wouldn't do that, he was too blinded by hate to fight his brother, he wasn't ready.

"Why, Sakura?" Sasuke mumbled, his gaze still on the floor.

"You're my teammate." She smiled.

"No I'm not."

"You were," she hummed.

"Why not just leave?"

"Naruto wouldn't have left."

Sasuke raised his head to look at her. "Is that the real reason?"

Smiling weakly, she replied, "Of course."

"You're a terrible liar." He frowned at her unconvincing smile.

"I guess I'm just too nice," she mumbled, pulling away from him as she finished healing his injury. It hadn't been as deep as it looked, which was a relief.

As soon as the female had finished healing, Itachi knocked her in the back of the head. She fell forward, unconscious.

Sasuke caught her, the frown on his face deepening.

"That's cute." Itachi smirked.

Placing Sakura on the floor, Sasuke shot up and attacked his brother.

Another long deadlock followed, the small room limiting some of their potential bigger jutsus.

"You're seem suddenly stronger little brother," Itachi noted mockingly. "Is that some affection for your teammate there?"

Sasuke's hateful anger returned and his next punch was sloppy. Itachi managed to dodge the blow and get past the younger Uchiha, striking him on the back of the head also.

Sasuke fell to the floor, leaving two unconscious ninja on the ground.

The annoyingly similar situation resurfaced as both Sakura and Sasuke were restrained to the wall.

"Damn it," Sakura cursed and pulled on the restraints.

"Good, you're both awake." Itachi smiled at them. "Now, back to the test... Same game, same rules."

"Why?" Sakura scowled.

"Fun," the older Uchiha shrugged, "And personal interest."

Itachi had expected a change in his brother's attitude, but as he continued to cut the pink haired medic he frowned when Sasuke said nothing. In fact, he would say Sasuke's attitude had only worsened. He would move onto Sasuke, until Sakura would tell him to stop. She lasted a little longer than last time, but every time her injuries added up.

Sasuke watched the female shake her head, as if fighting the unconsciousness that wished to overcome her. It wasn't much longer before the unconsciousness won.

Sasuke watched as Sakura passed out. He could see the blood dripping down from her side and frowned at his brother.

"She is stronger than you," Itachi spoke calmly.

What? Sakura had never and would never be stronger than him.

"I've lasted longer," Sasuke replied blankly.

"I've been inflicting deeper wounds on her the entire time. The positioning of her injuries were more serious."

Sasuke frowned. "It didn't look like it."

"I guess medics know all about wounds, including how to cover them up. She knew, yet she offered to help you first."

Sasuke shook his head, not believing it. He half wondered if all this time Sakura had been some sort of an illusion, a mind game played on him by Itachi.

"She could have saved herself and yet she stayed to protect you, prepared to make you hate her to keep you safe, even though she knew you wouldn't do the same for her. You are lucky to have such bonds."

Tightening his fists, Sasuke shouted, enraged, "You are in no position to talk about bonds! You were the one who taught me to be alone and to not trust anybody else!"

"Perhaps," Itachi hummed. "In the past, lies and deceit thrived throughout so many friendships. Stabbing someone in the back was common... But now, Konoha is leading the way in real trust, true strength in friendship and teamwork."

"I don't need teamwork. Why would you even care?" Sasuke snarled.

"You don't understand, little brother, and perhaps all this time I've had it wrong. I tried to make you strong, so you would survive. I made you strong through your hate for me, but now I see, more than anything, you need your friends."

"I need no one!"

Itachi was silent for a moment. He looked at Sakura before looking back at him. "You need them and they need you. Without them you will be overcome by darkness, twisted and manipulated. Without you, they are not complete. They will always chase you, little brother."

"Then I will kill them," Sasuke retorted, his tone low and dangerous. "And I will kill you."

"You are blind." Itachi frowned. "A naive fool. You can only reject them so many times, her so many times. In the end you will die alone. The Uchiha clan will fade with the last Uchiha being an infamous missing nin. You will have nothing."

"At least you will die." Sasuke scowled.

"Is your whole life dedicated to killing me? What happens after? You revive the clan? With who? Sakura?"

"No." Sasuke frowned.

"Then maybe I will." Itachi smirked.

"No you will not," Sasuke growled.

"You're not going to get anyone better." Itachi shrugged. "You won't get anybody who's worth it. Anyone clever and loyal enough will hate you and I'm sure you have some clan pride. You wouldn't pick just anyone and therefore the clan would die out."

"Sakura wouldn't either." Sasuke frowned.

"You don't believe that." Itachi titled his head. "You believe she still loves you."

Sasuke glanced at Sakura.

"She doesn't," Itachi added. "Why would she? After all you have done."

Exactly. Sasuke agreed with that.

"Because she did love you," Itachi answered his own question. "And therefore she will save you, for old time's sake, until you break every last piece of her heart there will always be a part of her willing to give you a chance. The way back into a normal life is through your old friends. Nobody else will accept you."

"I don't want a normal life," Sasuke replied quietly.

"Have some foresight, little brother." Itachi smiled, bringing a finger up to Sasuke's forehead, he poked him like he used to as a child. Heading to the door, Itachi opened it before adding, "You will only have so many chances. Think about who you will go to after you kill me, perhaps before."

The door shut. Sasuke had a feeling Itachi wasn't going to come back and cursed. Again he had missed his chance to kill his older brother. Yet the usual anger wasn't there - he felt more confused than he ever had in his life.

Sasuke had managed to break out of his restraints, but stayed in the room. He had moved a little closer to Sakura. Sitting down next to her, he thought about his brother's words that were still raging through his head. He watched her, she was still unconscious on the cold floor. He frowned slightly, his brow furrowed in confusion... Why did she do it? He could see now that her wounds were deep, a lot deeper than his, and more frequent across her pale skin.

When she stirred, he watched as she sat up slowly, rubbing the back of her head before healing some of the worst of her injuries. After minutes of healing, she looked up at him.

"I'm sorry about this." Sasuke didn't miss the shock in the pink haired ninja's eyes as he apologised.

"Am I in some kind of jutsu?" she mumbled to herself.

"No," he smirked, "And thank you by the way."

Closing her eyes, she brought her hands together to form the seal for a release. She really thought this wasn't real.

"Sakura," he said, amused.

Opening her eyes, she looked at him.

"What's the chance I could come back to Konoha with you?" He asked.

Her eyes widened, she mocked his tone, "What's the chance this is a trick?"

"Fifty fifty," he smirked, "I may just be trying to revive my clan with you."

Sakura looked at him, clearly still not believing anything he was saying.

"Because apparently I wouldn't get anyone else."

Sakura laughed. "Believe me, Sasuke, I'm sure you could get any... slut."

He frowned. "And apparently my brother wouldn't mind reviving my clan with you either."

Sakura pulled a disgusted face before smiling, a twinkle in her eye as she replied, "Well he is hot."

Sasuke felt sick.

"And really I don't think he's all that evil, and bad guys are so last year, as long as he gave up being a missing nin maybe I'd give him a chance."

"Does that apply to me too?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"I don't know," she hummed. "You're a pretty big jerk."

He frowned at her, unimpressed. He was giving Konoha the chance they wanted for him to return on a silver platter and she was teasing him back. He still would not give up on his dreams, on his revenge, but for once he thought of the aftermath. Sakura was not as weak as she used to be. Konoha was incredibly well-respected these days. They would be a major nuisance in the future if he did not return of his own accord.

Her smiled widened. "But I guess, if you really meant it, then maybe I'd give you a chance too."

"Then lead the way to Konoha," he announced.

Sakura's smile fell. "Are you sure you want to do this? You won't just be able to walk back in through the gates. There's going to be trials and anger."

"But I'll have your support?" He asked.

Sakura nodded, determination in her eyes. "Of course, you'll have your team's support."

And that's all he needed.

Author Notes:

This is very old XD perhaps before I even knew Sasuke killed Itachi and definitely before Itachi was brought back to life. This is the first SasuSaku story I've uploaded onto this website. It always feels that when I write Sasuke and he is partly romantically accepting then he's slightly OOC XD. They would be younger than their current manga age, before Sasuke kills his brother and then goes a little mad.

Thanks for reading! :)