The years passed slowly.
What was only 10 years, felt like 100 to the now 25 year old Sakura.
But those years of pain and searching were fading out before her very eyes as she stared at a ruined building.
A building that was now going to be a turning point in her life. This building was the rumored hide-out of the one and only Sasuke Uchiha.
"Can't hide no more."
Sakura murmured, slipping a ghostly white ANBU mask over her smug smirk.
She quickly gestured to her fellow ANBU teammates to spread out and cover all the other possible exits of the building. He wasn't slipping past them again.
One of the ANBU lingered behind and waited for the others to get into position. The muscular ninja leaned near Sakura, his yellow hair sticking out behind the white dog mask he wore.
"You ready for this, Sakura-chan?"
he asked sticking out a large, rough hand.
She glanced back and grabbed his hand, giving it a firm shake.
"I've been ready. Let's do this"
Wood splinters flew, mingling with the cloud of dust that formed as Naruto swiftly kicked in the door. ANBU shot out all before them and quickly swept through the rooms. Naruto and Sakura lingered in the doorway as the shouts of their comrades echoed around them. There was no sigh of Sasuke.
"If you were Sasuke, where would you hide?"
Sakura asked hushedly as her eyes darted around, watching every shadow.
Naruto's voice was grave as he faced forward.
"I wouldn't"
A shattering blow shook the building and screams traveled with it.
Rushing down the main hallway, Sakura and Naruto stopped short at the sight of the fallen fighters. ANBU masks and bloody bodies spayed out before them.
At least six bodies, She had counted.
Clenching her fists, Sakura called forward a few ANBU, ordering them to get the bodies and look for survivors. She was on a mission and it was no time to slow down. She pressed on, maneuvering through the bodies, trying not to look.
This was their last chance.
Their final shot at getting him back.
Naruto trailed behind, stratagizing with the other ninjas when a call outside signaled that he had gotten onto the grounds.
Sakura cursed and looked for the quickest way out but all she could see was the windows. With a dangerous smirk, she braced herself, positioning her shoulder out, and ran at the window.
"Watch out, below!"
She crashed down with a cascade of broken glass and immediately jumped to her feet.
Naruto landed right after her, already on his feet and running. Sasuke could be seen up ahead, tossing aside another body as if it was a dirty rag.
He was getting away.
"Naruto! I'll take right, you left. Got it?"
Naruto signaled a thumbs up and took to the right, disappearing into the thick forest.
Sakura took to the right, jumping from the tree branches. It felt like miles that they ran, but he was too close now to give up. Sasuke was right there.
Right--
He vanished!
Sakura skidded to a halt and stared around.
The sound of Naruto and the other ANBU running was the only sound that could be heard.
They must not have had a sight on him like she did. Sakura kept her eyes alert as she took in staggering breaths in.
Where'd he go?
He couldn't have gotten far.
Punching the nearest tree, and cursing under her breath, Sakura nearly gave up when a kunai flew out, nicking her left cheek. She immediately took any form of cover she could find, her back to a worn old tree, and pulled out her own weapons trying to formulate a plan. But she wasn't given the chance to think. The tree she had had her back to shattered and Sakura leaped, looking back. Her eyes wide with shock as the attack reminded her of her own power. Looking back at the tree, no one was there. It looked as if it had shattered on its own accorded but she had known better. She tried to move to a safer place but failed. Before she could get anywhere, a large, strong hand yanked her back, throwing her into a tree. Dust flew and she could feel the indent her body had left into the tree. She struggled to get up only to be pushed down by the pair of powerful hands.
The ghostly face that haunted her memories for so many years now stared back at her with hollow eyes.
No sign of emotion littered his still handsome face.
"You are a fool. You know this, don't you, Sakura?"
Sakura's bitter chuckle broke through the darkened forest and Sasuke knitted his face in confusion.
One of his hands reached out and ripped the mask from her face, casking it aside as it hit the ground with an empty clunk. It was then that his eyes met hers. But they had not been what he had expected. He expected to see fear in her eyes. Tears even. But there was nothing of the sorts. Instead, her eyes glowed with confidence as she kept a firm smirk on her face which only made his confusion grow. She leaned her head as close to him as she could and whispered to him.
"Do you really think I'm that big of a fool... Sasuke-kun?"
Her fingers twitched and Sasuke spun away to dodge the ninja stars that flew in his direction.
At a safe distant, he turned back,
"A trap..."
Sakura pulled herself to her feet and held up her hand to him.
A pair of wires shown in the moonlight. It was cheap trap but it did the trick. Now she had to come up with another plan, and quick. She had to stall for time.
Acting instinctively, She tilted her head and smiled at him. She had to talk for time.
"You know why we're here."
He scoffed under his breath and steadily walked to the right, having Sakura respond by walking the other way.
"Yeah, I know. But how about you refresh my memory... For old times sake."
Sakura struggled under his gaze which made her think about a lion preying on his next meal.
"We're-- I'm taking you back. To the village."
She corrected and never broke his stare.
If anything else, she wasn't backing down on that promise.
He laughed in her face, taking another step to the side. Sakura quickly moved to match him.
"You honestly think you alone could take me back? That's funny but you're still the same old Sakura. And I've gotten stronger. There is no way you could accomplish something like that."
At this remark, Sakura's slightly uncertain smirk grew smug again. She took her own step forward, this time, causing Sasuke step back.
"I may not be as strong as you but I have gotten stronger and I'm not the same old Sakura anymore."
She tilted her head up and looked at him from the corner of her dangerous green eyes.
"Hey, Sasuke,"
He narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously but she didn't wait for an answer.
"How fast are you?"
She blurred and vanished with great speed, catching Sasuke off guard.
They both shot around throughout the forest. A game of Cat and Mouse. And Sasuke stopped first, breathing heavily.
This was getting old and had to be ended quickly. But before he could act quick enough, a knife flashed infront of him, held out by the gloved hand that he instantly reconized. He could feel Sakura's body pressed up behind him. Her voice in his ears.
"I don't want to use this on you, You know that don't you?"
His eyes stared down at the knife, seeing Sakura's eyes reflected in it. Hers, looking back at him, the confidence replaced with what looked like to him as sadness. Confused by this sudden chance in moods, Sasuke gave a slight nod and tried to take advantage of it.
"That always was your problem."
He turned too quickly for Sakura to catch. Now facing Sakura directly, he had his own knife against her own throat.
They froze and Sasuke locked eyes with Sakura.
"You could never kill, Sakura. You never had the heart, the strength you needed to harm someone."
Sakura smiled a hollow, humorless smile.
"I have killed. I've killed people for the sake of finding you, Sasuke."
He flinched and grimaced at this remark and her face went blank as she pressed on.
"I've done a lot to find you and bring you back. Both Naruto and me have made many sacrifices for this day alone. Thats why-"
She leaned in close to him and brushed her lips against his cheek delicately as she whispered.
"-I'm sorry."
She disappeared and got away, causing Sasuke to curse though he was flustered.
Glancing around for any sign of her, Sakura appeared behind him again.
This time, there was no knife and she showed no sigh of using one. He didnt turn around for he was so caught up in the familiarity of this scene. Except their roles were switched.
Sakura was in control.
"You remember."
It wasn't a question since she knew where his thoughts had been. He didn't dare move as she stepped forward. Sasuke could feel her hand move towards him as she whispered to him.
"Your Welcome."
The darkness slipped over his eyes as he felt himself falling to the ground only to be caught in Sakura's arms. Naruto's voice echoed in the distance.
'Your Welcome'