AN: Need I say anything more? I'm sure that this type of AU has been done before but... I wanted to give it a try so here goes.

Warning: canon couples (and another favorite of mine that got no indication of being canon that I know of?), AU, Sakura still has long hair, some characters' personalities having been changed... if you dislike any of that, turn back now...

Broken Bonds

Prologue

The Silent Cry

"Please... take me with you."

Sasuke stopped walking, the night casting a shadow that covered his eyes as he listened to Sakura pleading him to now take her with him. What happened to asking him to stay? But no, she would...

"I don't need someone like you following me..."

... only get hurt...

"... Sakura..."

She gasped as he appeared behind her, touching a pressue point on her neck that knocked her out into his arms. Bowing his head, he moved to put her onto a nearby bench, brushing her hair away from falling onto her eyes.

... I'm sorry...

- x -

The pinkette groaned as she woke up to poking of all things, the someone who was digging their nails into her forehead clearly annoyed with her still being asleep. Her eyes blinked up to see a girl around her age glaring down at her, light pink eyes narrowed behind her glasses as she did.

"Come on, get up. Orochimaru-sama was kind enough to have Kabuto-san teach you medical ninjutsu, for some reason he seems to think that you would have an affinity for that... honestly, Sasuke probably told him some lie so you wouldn't end up..."

The rest of the girl's sentence was lost on Sakura, whose eyes widened at hearing the sound of Sasuke's name. He... did that? But why would he...? Hadn't he been prepared to leave her that night? So why did she suddenly wake up in what couldn't be anything but Orochimaru's hideout?

"W-who are you?"

"Oh that's right!" the girl sighed, shaking her head. "You don't know who I am, somehow! Jeez... my name is Karin. Yours is Sakura. I already know."

"S-Sasuke told you?"

"Yes... also, it would be for the best if you stopped with that annoying stuttering. Not even he would be capable of saving you if the others got mad..."

"The others?"

Karin grinned in a way that made Sakura's skin crawl in fear. What was she involved with now...?

"The experiments, of course. Welcome to your new life, pinkie."

- x -

"Are you sure that this is wise?"

Sakura clutched her pure black cloak around herself as she stared at Sasuke, who was looking at his katana, making sure that it was ready for a fight. She couldn't imagine why he suddenly wanted to fight Orochimaru - they did talk over the past two years, but he never spoke to her about his deepest secrets and goals and Sakura learned to not ask - after everything that they had seen here in all those years...

"Is this because of Naruto?"

"Hn." was the response she got, along with a silent glare as he sheathed his katana back into it's place, standing up to head out as he usually would after training... "Let's go."

"Alright then..."

With a questioning look, Sakura quietly followed Sasuke's shadow as they exited the room they had been in... a lot of things had changed in the span of such a short time. She had changed... became a capable medical nin who was skilled in using chakra blades.

And Sasuke?

He became different. Darker... each day his seal turned darker, threatening to consume him... and all that she could do was watch on the sidelines...

... with a frown, she bowed her head and walked behind him wordlessly... she would find out what he was planning through his actions, that she was certain of...

- x -

Sakura shuffled her feet after Sasuke as it was all said and done.

"So we are going after Suigetsu now?"

He shot her a look that caused her to chuckle.

"I know you better then you want me to, Sasuke." she told him dryly. "I figured you would need a team for whatever you are planning to do now that you defeated Orochimaru - likely to go after your brother - and he is capable enough of helping you with that..."

"Not just him..."

Oh, more then one sound this time. That was progress and indicated that Sasuke was in a good mood. Better not say anything wrong now... with an amused grin, she looked back at him with her green eyes that somehow haven't lost their shine.

"... Karin and Jugo too?"

"Yes."

Nodding, she walked a bit faster until she was beside him. The rest of the trip towards Suigetsu's area was spent in silence...

AN: Thank you for reading! This is only the prologue! :D

Next up, we will see whats up with Naruto (and the rest of Konoha) after the Kazekage rescue happened and the failed Sasuke and Sakura retrieval mission, possible fluff and whats going on with the Team Hebi in the making.

Stay tuned! :)