Title: for keeps
Dedication: Err, to the book Killing Sarai. Because that book is what gave me this idea!

Note: Hey. What's up? How's it going? Review's would be nice. Yes. Sakura's clothes are on my flicker, link is on my profile.

Somwhere, Canada

When I see him I know he will be the one to save me. Maybe not willingly, but he would save me.

I watch through the crack of the door as Orochimaru talked to the man in front of him.

The first American I'd seen in years.

He leaned back in his chair, as if he didn't have a care in the world. As if there wasn't ten men in the room with assault riffles.

Who was he?

I watched as his eyes flickered around the room, observing every little thing. When he was done his eyes rested on Orochimaru

Orochimaru smiled, "My price is well above your asking price."

The man raised an eyebrow, "Why is that?"

"Killing a man is hard. Thought you would appreciate this."

"No," the man said, his eyes hard, "you want power over me."

"Why would I want that?" Orochimaru asked, his smile still in place. But I could see the way his eyes narrowed.

"For the same reason you have a gun pointed to the back of my head."

My eyes moved to the man standing behind him. He had his gun inches away from the American's head. But he didn't seem scared, just annoyed that there was a gun there.

Orochimaru's smile slipped, "I am not afraid of you."

"Then have the gun lowered, or he will die."

My eyes widened. He was stupid. He was one man against ten armed ones. Then five seconds later there was a loud echo through the air and a thump of a body hitting the ground. I swallowed, my chances of of getting out went flying out the window.

Orochimaru's nostrils flared, "Are you going to do it or not?"

"Yes," the American said and he retreated the hand gun back into his trench coat, "but you don't have any power over me."

"Alright," Orochimaru smiled, fake and slimy, "I'll pay you half now and half later." As he said this he stood up, the American following in his suit. But I didn't listen to the rest. I closed to door gently. I crept across the floor board, picking up the false one I took out the six-shooter. I had stolen it a long time ago from Kabuto, one of Orochimaru's most important men.

I walked towards the window. Orochimaru never locked us in here. He knew that if we tried to escape we wouldn't make it. Not in this cold weather. We had no homes, we had no place to go.

I worked my fingers under it and pulled it up. When it creaked I held my breath, hoping no one would come through the door. When no one did I pulled it up the rest of the way.

I crawled out, thankful that I was on the first floor. I plastered myself along the building. I had to get past the men at the front gate. I walked the opposite way, where the whole in the fence laid. I pulled it up and slid my body through. I watched from around the corner, looking for the car.

Which wasn't difficult because it stuck out. In the middle of nowhere you don't see a lot of nice cars. The problem was that the car was right in front of the guards. I bit my bottom lip and looked for anything as a distraction. I sunk my hands into the fence and began rattling it. The blonde guard looked back and turned to the brunette.

"You stay here, I'll go check it out."

I almost cried when I realized one would be staying. But then he turned and watched the blonde. I slipped off my flip flops and ran across, as fast as I could. When I made it to the car I breathed. I wrapped my hand around the door handle and pulled. When it have way I didn't have time to rejoice.

The overhead light didn't come on and I smiled. I climbed in and shut the door as quietly as possible. My joy was shortly lived when I heard the brunette call for the blonde.

I held my breath, he had heard me. He had heard me. I was going right back to were I started. I waited for him to tell the other guard to check the car.

"Never mind, thought I heard something."

I sighed in relief and crawled behind the passengers seat. I silently thanked my short stature and squeezed as far into the floorboard as I could. I heard the footsteps approaching, a thud echoed, and then it was shut. The footsteps came around to the driver's seat and climbed in. He gunned the engine and the car purred to life, when we began driving off I almost sighed. At least I didn't have to use the gun.

"Musk is a strong scent."

Before I even had time to think about what he said the car lurched forward. A large hand wrapped around my hair, pulling my neck back.

I grunted and looked into dark eyes. But in the darkness I could hardly make him out. His grip on my hair tightened and he glared.

Then I remembered the gun in my hand. I raised it against his temple, "Let go."

When he didn't I pressed harder against his temple, "Now. Or I shoot you."

His eyes didn't hold any emotion, but he did let go. He turned back around in his car seat, and placed one hand on top of the steering wheel and another on the gearshift.

"Go!" I screamed, my voice quivered. I sat back when he began driving.

"What's your name?" He didn't answer. I glared at him a little.

"I could kill you, the least you could do is provide a name," I sneered when he didn't say anything.

"Well, I'm Sakura," his eyes flickered up and he looked at my hair.

The question that everyone had asked, "Yes it's natural."

"I don't remember asking,"

I smiled, "Well I'm glad to know you speak."

I lowered my arm, placing my gun in the other one. I watched him though the mirror. But he didn't looked scared, he looked controlled.

As if a gun wasn't pointed at his head. That sort of pissed me off. I wanted him to be scared, I wanted to have control for the first time. I wanted to have the power over someone.

I looked out the window, something about this looked to familiar.

"You're going circles."

The American stared at me through the review mirror. He didn't flinch when I placed my gun back against his temple.

"You're taking me across the border. Or I will shoot you," my voice didn't shake this time. But my fear didn't subside. I didn't want to go back to that hell whole. I wanted to go back home.

Wherever that was.

I retreated back to my seat and stared out the window. The snow was falling dusting the grass that stretched in front of us.

"Where are we?" I asked, my eyes still glued to the road.

And then, after it was to late, I realized I had made a mistake.

I had put my back towards the American.

I felt the sharp pain in my neck, my world turned black.

When I come to I can hear the shuffling of feet, and that gets my nerves jittery. The bed is softer than the one back with Orochimaru, but it doesn't calm me. Orochimaru could have placed me in his room for all I know. I clench my eyes close, hoping and praying that I'm not back there. That when I open my eyes I'll be somewhere nice. When I do I'm in a room that's not mine. Sun streams through the small sliver of the drawn curtains.

I try to sit up, but when I can't I realize why.

I'm tied up.

I grunt, this cannot be happening. I run from one dangerous man, to another. I clench my teeth when the ropes dig into the skin of my wrists. When the American comes in I hiss.

"Untie me."

He raises an eyebrow, but doesn't say anything.

"Please," I beg.

"No," he says, he makes his way to the desk. "tell me why I shouldn't take you back."

Oh, well this will be easy, "He'll come for me."

"Why would I want that."

I smile, "He's not going to pay you the rest of the money. He'll either kill you or have someone else kill you. With me you'll get your money."

He stares at me, not saying anything.

"You're crossing the borer, right?"

He nods, and I smile. Oh thank god.

"To kill the man that Orochimaru is paying you to kill?"

He doesn't say anything, but I already know the answer, "Then when you're done killing him, you can take me back for the rest of the money."

Little does he know, I'm ditching as soon as we cross the border. I'm not staying. I'm not going back.

Every man for himself.

"Let's go," he says as he stands from the chair and makes his way to the door.

"Where?"

He looks at me, one hand propped on the door handle. His eyes travel down to what I'm wearing, "To get you clothes."

I stumble across the bed, I'm still tied up, "Um,"

His hand goes into his pocket and pulls out a knife. He walks over to me, and I finally see him.

He's beautiful.

He's much taller than I am, the top of my head coming to his chin. His jaw his strong, angular. His eyes are black, like his hair. He's prettier than I am. He bends down and cuts my binding, then my wrists. When he's done he just walks out.

I trip over my own feet and follow him out the door.

He drives me to the department store. When he tries to get out I stop him, "I'll go in by myself."

"No." Then he unlocks his seat belt and goes to open the door.

"I won't run away. And even if I did there's nowhere to go."

He looks like he's about to say no again, but he pulls out his wallet and hands me my money. I catch a glimpse of his driver's license, his name starts with an S.

I take the money and get out of the car. I buy what I need bras (which the lady in the store helped me get my size since I never wore a bra at the compound) a package of white cotton panties, and finally my clothes. I didn't know what to get. I had never been into fashion mostly because I had been wearing the same disgusting clothes for ten years.

"Hi, do you need help?" I turn my head, a tall woman is smiling at me. I nod and smile.

She guides me to the woman's clothing and begins picking out clothes. Asking me what I don't and do like. I shrug and tell her that whatever she picks out will be fine. She nods and picks out dark jeans and a beige sweater that is two sizes too big. She puts it all in my cart and tells me to come with her to the shoe isle.

"What size shoe are you?"

I try thinking back to when I was like nine, I had been a size five back then.

"Seven."

I had no idea if I was that or not, but my mom had been. When the shoe fit I sighed, thank god. She smiled and put the brown knee high boots back into there box.

"There you go, sweetheart."

I thanked her and made my way over to the sweatpants. I picked a pair out and a white tank top.

I felt so giddy I couldn't control the smile on my face.

I was finally shopping. I had gone shopping before, but that was ten years ago, and I was only a child. Shopping by myself, for my own things was something extraordinary.

I searched five minutes until I found the body isle. I skipped over and picked out a toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, raisers, and shampoo. The smile never left my face once.

I was free.

When I got back to the car, the American looked annoyed.

"What took you so long?"

I smiled, "Sorry."

His eyes traveled to the three bags I had. He looked up at me.

"I said clothes."

I shrugged, "I got everything I needed. Pants and a shirt aren't the only things I'll ever need y'know."

He didn't say anything, just placed a hand on the steering wheel. He jutted out his hand, "Change,"

I hand him him back the twenty-five dollars. His eyes flicker from me to the money.

"Sorry."

When we arrive back in the hotel he sits on his bed, "Go shower."

When I step into the shower, it's the best feeling in the world. At first I didn't even turn on the cold tap. I let the scorching hot water run down my back. When it got too much I turned on the cold and washed myself up.

I scrubbed at the dirt off my body and under my fingernails. I worked my fingers through my hair, combing the knots that had been sitting there for a month.

I bit my bottom lip, my smile was hurting my cheeks. I was free and clean. I gripped the towel and dried off.

When I dressed in my new clothing I made my way out of the bathroom.

S. was still sitting on the bed.

"Why are you important?"

I cocked my head, grabbing my socks out of the bag.

"What?" He sighed, obviously annoyed, "You said Orochimaru would come for you. Why?"

I stand up once I'm done zipping my boots, "Because he's in love with me."