"Ugh…I..w-where am I'm?" Sasuke groaned as he woke up on the cold hard floor.

"S-s-s-sasuke…"

"Who is t-that?!" he yelled while holding his side in pain. He could taste blood filling his mouth. It's been a long time since he's lost a fight. He killed Itachi but the masked ninja that attacked him was something out of this world. Team 7 was out on a pretty standard mission when he got separated and was ambushed.

"Sasuke!"

"Who-who the fuck are you!?"

"Come here…"

His right leg hurt so he limped into the darkness. There was a sharp pain shooting through his side.

"I'm weak. Too fucking weak" he groaned under his breath.

"Closer…"

Sasuke took another step forward when light flooded into the room. It was too bright. His eyes were adjusted to darkness so he looked down and closed his eyes.

"Look at me."

That voice. I know him, it's… "Kabuto!"

That slimy snake was standing in front of him. He never forgave Sasuke for killing Orochimaru.

"What do you want? Huh? Are you going to—to kill me?"

"No. That'd be too good for you. No no no, I'm going to show you your worse fear. I'll make you experience whatever your brain doesn't want. I can hurt your mind more than your body," Kabuto threatened.

The snake stabbed the avenger with a needle deep in his chest.

"Ahh! You won't…" but he collapsed in a deep sleep.

-Some Time Later-

For the second time Sasuke woke up in an unfamiliar place. This time he was lying on warm grass. The sun was up high and he didn't feel injured anymore. He stood up and never felt stronger. His leg, his side, everywhere was perfectly fine. There were no birds chirping, leaves rustling or any noises really. It was the most perfect place he could imagine.

"Sasuke-kun! There you are we've been looking everywhere for you," a sweet voice called.

He turned around and saw his pink-haired teammate.

"Sasuke-kun," she jogged up to him, "where have you been?"

"Just around," Sasuke's body said. He didn't mean to say that. What the hell? He could see and feel everything normally but he wasn't in control.

"Around where? It's been days! I've," she looked away in embarrassment, "I've been worried."

"God you're annoying," Sasuke told her. It's been years since he's called her that.

"W-what?" she asked shocked and offended.

"You heard me you dumb bitch!" Sasuke scolded. What? He's never been nice but he's never said anything so mean. It's like his mind was pushed back and someone else was using him.

"Sasuke! What happened?...Why are you being so cruel?"

"I'm being honest. I'm sick of acting like I don't hate you."

"What are you saying?" Sakura asked as tear began building up.

"I hate you. I've always hated you. I wish we were never teammates," he calmly told her while looking her straight in the eyes.

"I—I….I don't know where you've been or what happened to you– "

"You don't know much do you? You're just a fucking idiot," he criticized.

Sakura couldn't stop looking him in the eyes. She couldn't understand what was happening. She was like a deer caught in the headlights. She sniffled as a couple of tears escaped her eyes.

"Don't fucking look at me. If there's one part of you I hate more than your personality it's your ugly face," Sasuke taunted before smirking and letting out a quick laugh, "I always thought it was hilarious when people would call you 'five-head'!"

Sakura still had tears in her eyes but she dug deep inside herself and picked out the last of her courage:

"I can forgive you. Maybe not now, but I can eventually. We're friends, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke stepped forward and shoved her back with one.

"S-Sasuke-kun! Don't touch me."

He shoved her back again, "Don't tell me what to do you ugly bitch."

Stop…what am I doing? I would never say something like that!

Sakura put a hand up between her and Sasuke, "Stay back! You're not yourself right now, Sasuke."

He grabbed her wrist tightly, "No –kun? I knew you were an ungrateful cunt! After all I've done for you."

"Let go of me! You're hurting me!" she protested but he didn't loosen his grip. She tried prying his fingers off but he was too strong.

"You dumb bitch!" Sasuke slapped her across her face with the back of his hand knocking her to the ground.

She scrambled up and began backing away from him, "Stay away from me!"

He ignored Sakura and walked towards her. He darted forward and grabbed her neck and began pushing her back.

"St-op! Sasuke you're acti—"

He pushed her against a tree. With his other hand he slapped her face again leaving a red mark. He let go of her neck which made her fall to the dirt.

Sakura gasped for air and panted out, "Sasuke, s-stop. You're not you."

Sasuke ignored her and kicked her in the stomach. She fell to her side and he kicked her in the stomach again a few more times.

"You know you deserve this. Now, stand up. Stand up!"

She tried crawling away from him but Sasuke grabbed her bubblegum hair and pulled her up. She stood up to lessen the pain and he let go. She looked down at the ground.

"Look at me. Sakura you ugly idiot, look at me!"

She gazed up and emerald met onyx. His eyes were cold and distant. The two orbs of black weren't moving.

"What happened?" Sakura asked.

…I don't know! When will this nightmare end?...

Sasuke stepped closer to her and she put her back against the tree. He put his hands on her hips.

"W-what are you doing?" she stuttered out from fear.

One of his hands began rising. Slowly, he is feeling up her body.

"Sasuke! What are you doing?"

"We both know how much you've wanted this. I'm doing you a favor you cow," he coldly taunted.

She grabbed the hand that was reaching up and held it down.

Sasuke punched her cheek with the other hand. While she was distorted his other hand darted up and grabbed her shirt and tore it down. He grabbed a tit with all lust and no love.

"No! No, no, no Sasuke stop! Help! Anyo—"

Sasuke let go of her breast and punched her mouth. He let go of her and she feel back to the ground. Sakura covered her chest frantically and tried crawling away but she was in too much pain.

Wake up! Wake up! Agh!

Sasuke gasped and took a deep breath.

"I'm back! I'm—I'm…uh" he whispered under his breath quiet enough for her not to hear.

He looked down and saw Sakura bleeding from her cheek, bruised all over, clothes torn and the look of fear in her eyes.

"Oh God, no," he said out loud looking down at her.

She saw he was looking at her, "Stop!" she stood up as quickly as she could and limped away slowly.

"It's over. I need to wake up now that the illusion is done. I'm awake. This is my mind again why aren't I waking up?" he thought to himself.

Sakura tripped over her own leg and hit the ground with a thud.

"This…this…this isn't an illusion! This is real!" he stepped behind the tree and dropped to his knees. He grabbed his stomach with both hands and vomited. He was sick to his stomach with what his body had done.

He stood up and began walking towards his teammate.

"Stay. Away!" she cried out.

He stepped forward more, "That wasn't me Sakura I swear!"

She was too afraid to listen. She stood back up and put her hands up, "Just go away!"

"Sakura, I was being controlled by…by," but he couldn't remember who he met and fought earlier.

"W-what?"

"I don't remember, but I know someone else wanted to hurt you and they used me."

"Is…is this really Sasuke?"

"Yes! Let me help you," he extended his hand to her.

She looked afraid and didn't give him her hand.

"Sakura let me help you."

He got a little closer and kept his hand out stretched.

"I-I don't," Sakura began saying. She looked into his eyes and emerald met onyx again. This time his eyes were shaking. He was genuinely shocked by what happened.

"Sasuke-kun!" she grabbed his hand and pulled herself towards him. Her head hit his chest and she began weeping. Her knees buckled and she began falling. Sasuke grabbed her waist with one hand and her back with the other to keep her up. She cried on him and he hugged her tightly.

"Sakura I'm," he had to take a breath before saying something he never has before, "sorry. I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," she assured him as she rested her head on his chest and the crying stopped.

"I don't know if it's over. You need to get away from me."

"I've never felt safer," she said with serenity.

"How could I ever make up for this?"

"Well, you could bring me to the hospital."

Sasuke picked her up bridal style and began walking down a dirt path.

"Sasuke-kun, I know that wasn't you, but, the things you said…"

"None of that was true. Not even a little."

Sakura looked happy but saw Sasuke was still noticeably upset.

"Sasuke-kun, don't blame yourself."

"How could I not?"

"What's actually bothering you?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"No, we both know you weren't in control. What's really bothering you?"

"I couldn't protect you," he meekly admitted.

"I don't blame you."

"When we get to the hospital I'll check you in but then I have to go."

"No. I need you with me."

"It's not safe. I could hurt you again."

"Please Sasuke-kun. Please don't leave me."

Sasuke sighed and looked away in shame.

They walked to the hospital in a small village far from Konoha. Sasuke brought her in and waited until a stretcher was brought to transport her to a room. He laid her down on it and nurses began prepping her for treatments. Sakura looked back and met Sasuke's eyes once more before being rolled around a corner. The last thing she felt before being medically knocked out was hoping she would see Sasuke when she woke up.

-That Night-

Sasuke stood in the corner of Sakura's hospital room. With his arms crossed he looked at Sakura lying in her bed with an IV feeding into her arm, a square bandage taped to the cheek he punched and he could see the outlines of the bandage under her gown that must be supporting the ribs he broke kicking her. Despite all of this she looked so peaceful.

Sakura's nose twitched and she shifted in her bed. Her eyes opened and closed a few times before they opened permanently. It didn't take her long to see Sasuke standing there.

"S-Sasuke-kun?" she yawned, "Is that you?"

He stepped forward, "Yeah. If you wanted to see me."

"Of course," she said with a smile, "I'm glad you're here."

"I need to find who did this or they could do it again and—"

"Sasuke-kun calm down. I told you it's not your fault."

"They tried hurting you and I was their pawn; I have to make this right."

"No, they weren't trying to hurt me."

"What?"

"They were trying to hurt you, and, it looks like they're winning. I don't blame you and the more you blame yourself, the more they've won."

"I don't believe you."

"What?"

"If I were you I would hate me. I could have prevented this."

Sakura looked at him solemnly for a few moments and it seemed like he was right about her.

"Do you remember what I told you the night you left?"

Sasuke was silent thinking about that fateful night, "Hn."

"Well, I still mean it. And it may have been a long time since you've felt this way about anyone else but if you remember that feeling, you'll know that there's nothing you could say or do that will make me think any less of you."

Sasuke silently thought to himself for a long time.

Sakura spoke up again saying, "Well, we still need to find who did this, but we should do it together. You're not dangerous Sasuke-kun. Please, stay with me."

Sasuke stepped next to her bed and got down on one knee. He leaned forward and kissed her on her forehead. The truth was he knew the feeling she was talking about. When he pulled away he saw her smiling and looking at him with love.

"I won't leave you."

The End