Disclaimer: Sakura Haruno and Sasuke Uchiha (and all other NARUTO characters) © Masashi Kishimoto.

[Timeline: A night during Sakura's journey to kill Sasuke and before Sasuke kills Danzo]

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Heart to Heart

Unknown Personality
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Darkness surrounded me when I awoke. I was lying on a cold hard floor but when I looked down, there was no reflection, just endless emptiness. I sat up and looked around. Darkness still surrounded me, never ending darkness as far as I could see. My hackles raised, I placed my hands on the ground and channeled my chakra trying to feel for any enemy but my search was fruitless.

I stood my mind racing, trying to make sense of this situation. I kept my guard up as only a foolish genin would drop theirs. I placed one foot in front of the other trying to feel. It met solid metal from the feel of it. I took another step and determining it safe, padded across the invisible floor trying to find a way out.

Suddenly I realized something. I could see myself. This place was as dark as night but yet I could see myself perfectly. I looked up trying to locate this unknown light source but there was not even a shimmer of light to be seem. Puzzled, I examined myself for any clues as to this unexplained luminosity but I found nothing. This angered me. I mean, I have trained long and hard under Lady Tsunade and I can't figure out something this trivial?

I tried not to let anger cloud my judgement and continued on my forward path. My mind wandered trying to think of something to interest me. Naruto's obsession with ramen? Hinata's love for aforementioned idiot? Although I think it's cute and really, that dense idiot should have noticed by now. Kakashi's incessant need for porn and lateness? I don't even want to think about that. Sai? Argh, I don't even want to think about him and his weird nicknames. I don't have an opinion on Yamato and he's pretty boring.

Hm, was there anything interesting lately? Well, Hinata did jump in and try to save Naruto from Pein. I have to make sure Naruto repays her in some way but oh, I just remembered that I won't be able to. Not if I have to fight Sasuke. Sasuke. Where are you right now, anyway? Do you remember us? Do you remember our names? Or have you forgotten us completely?

Sadness enveloped me and I couldn't break free. My heart ached. I clutched at it but it didn't appease the pain. This isn't the first time this has happened though. Ever since he left, I've felt hollow inside and yes, I know it's cliché but I feel like he took a part of me with him when he left. I had felt that we were, at the very least, friends of some sort. That he recognized us. But when he left, that stability shattered.

It hasn't been easy adjusting and I know that I'm still not over him. I mean, this mission just proves it. I'm happy that Shikamaru knocked some sense into my head so that I could spare Naruto from the consequences. We've grown close since Sasuke left and I don't want this to come between us. And I don't want him to become like Sasuke which is why I have to kill Sasuke for him. To protect Naruto, Konoha and most of all: Sasuke, from himself.

I stopped and took a moment to regain my composure. I was crying bitterly by now and I didn't want the enemy to see me like this, so weak. It resounded in my head and brought on a fresh wave of tears. The word "Annoying" echoed in the silence around me and I curled in on myself, tearing still running down. I knew I had to stop this but I didn't want to. I'd being trying to act strong for everyone but it was still tearing me up inside.

Minutes passed and my tears slowed and I wiped them away. I stood up shakily, feeling slightly better and looked around trying to get my bearings. A slight light shone on a patch in front of me. I treaded hesitantly towards it, scanning the near darkness for any hostility but there was none.

I continued on. Then at about 5 meters away, I stopped and squinted. There was a slight flash of red. Puzzled, I wondered where I had seen that before when a familiar figure appeared, seemingly walking away. I gasped softly and then covered my mouth. It was no wonder that the person in front hadn't noticed me. The gasp had dissipated before it had even gotten out of my mouth. I remembered my mission and fished a kunai out of the pack at my side and noiselessly ran towards him.

I was an inch away from piercing his side when he turned and I stumbled and fell into his waiting arms. The kunai fell through the floor into its depths. My head snapped up at him but he didn't move. He just continued to stare at me.

I thought he would be cold but he was so deliciously warm and that warmth was spreading through my arms right now, electrifying my nerves. My skin was covered with goosebumps and heart was thudding so fast, it was like it was running a marathon. I felt ashamed. I had been training for so long, but he made me forget everything. He was right. I was useless.

My hands slumped but he didn't let go. He held on as I stumbled on my new fowl legs and stood. I don't know how I managed to stand but I did, even after he let go. Stupidly, I asked "Aren't you going to fight me?" I asked. He should have suspected that someone must have put him in here and since I was the only other one here… "No. You're not capable of such a high level genjutsu."

My ire rose. "How would you know?" I asked furious and hurt. "You're too weak to be able to produce a genjutsu that requires this mush chakra." He said, like it was common knowledge. I bristled. "Like I said, how would you know? You haven't seen me for two years and two years is a long time. I've changed. I've become stronger." I said in my defense.

He wasn't even looking at me. It was just like those days before Team 7 when all I had been just another fan girl, albeit the only pink haired one but still. I walked some way off and sat down cross legged and stared at him. He remained standing. After a while, he turned and glared at me. "Stop staring." he commanded irritatedly.

"Well, what else am I supposed to do?" I retorted. "Think of a way to get us out of here, for one." He said. "Well, I would but you probably think I'm stupid too." I said childishly. "You're not stupid." I brightened. Was that a compliment? "Except maybe in personal matters." I glared at him and huffed.

"Well, I'm not going to help you anyway." I said and immaturely stuck my tongue out at him. He looked at me blankly, as if I was of no interest to him anymore before gracefully sitting down himself. He took his katana and placed it in front of him and took up his standard "thinking" position, fingers laced together and hands forming a sort of "bridge" and closed his eyes.

I continued staring at him. He looked so calm and peaceful and even more breathtaking than before in a cold, arrogant way. I watched him, trying to memorise what he looked like. His hair looked so soft and so did his skin. I wanted to reach out and touch it to see if it felt as velvety as it looked. I'd forgotten by now to try to even think of a way out of here.

"What have you done? You know, since you left?" I asked breaking the silence. I know that curiosity killed the cat but hopefully, he wouldn't. His eyes flew open to meet mine and it was like I was paralysed, even though he hadn't activated his Sharingan. It brought back bittersweet memories.

"I killed Orochimaru and him." He answered shortly, surprising me. He was back in his "thinking position". I hadn't really expected him to answer. I nodded to show that I had heard. I thought he was done but he continued. "I've formed my own team." I felt like he had just punched me in the stomach. Betrayal was creeping along my veins, poisoning my heart. "It is a four-man squad consisting of Suigetsu, who chose to follow him for his own reasons," he paused and looked up at me. "He has Zabuza's sword."

He continued while I digested that. "Next is Juugo, he has been known to go on wild rampages as he cannot control his curse seal which he resents himself for. I'm one of the few people who can control him." I noted with bitterness, the slight pride in his voice while disgust and revulsion washed over her. How could he use someone who wanted to be saved so ruthlessly? What had happened to the Sasuke I knew?

"Lastly, there's Karin." Jealousy shot through me at feminine name. "She has a tracking kekkei genkai and her chakra can be used for healing purposes." Wanting to one up this girl, (a bad habit that probably survived my fan girl days), I rudely interrupted. "I'm a trained medic-nin. I trained under Lady Tsunade." He didn't even spare me a glance but his next words made me doubt him being completely unreachable. "She's still a fan girl, even after all these months which is a burden."

I gaped at him. Did he just compliment me? The way he said it, it was like he said that this Karin person was still a nuisance (I'm not going to say annoyance because that is reserved for me!) after a few months while I had stopped that, as in he thought I was more mature than this girl? I was brimming with happiness now. He was still alive somewhere in that cold, hard shell.

He was looking at me like he thought I had gone crazy. I guess I must have a dopey expression on my face right now. I smiled and shook my head. "It's nothing." I answered to his unasked question. "Well, there's nothing much I can tell you that you don't already know but I'll try to anywhere." I didn't give him the chance to deny me this chitchat. It had been so long since I've had a civil conversation with him and I missed it.

"I'm sorry but you were replaced by Sai. He's a ROOT member and he's quite like you in many ways." I nearly laughed at the distaste etched across Sasuke's face. "He's not totally like you. For example, he has this strange habit of giving us nicknames which are rather mismatching, even if I say so. Mine is 'Ugly' and you don't even want to know what he calls Naruto."

I continued yammering happily about life in Konoha. I don't know if he was really listening or just tolerating me but he didn't stop me so I babbled on merrily. I don't know how long I spent talking, I just talked. Finally, I came up to the part where Pein had attacked the village and by now he was sort of responding to me with his usual non-verbal way.

I had just said that Hinata had jumped in to save Naruto and he seemed quite surprised at that and murmured something along the lines of "Hopefully, she knocked some sense into that loser." I smiled and carried on. I got quiet for a moment when I reached the part where Inari and Tazusa had asked about Sasuke. He didn't say anything so I continued before coming to an abrupt halt when I realized that the next part concerned him personally so I couldn't tell him so I tried to laugh it off and end with a "That's all."

We lapsed into silence again, out of topics to talk about. He stretched out then and lay down and seemed to fall asleep. "Hey, hey!" I called. "What are you doing?" I asked. "Sleeping." Came the blunt reply. "But we have to find a way out of here." "There is no way out of here. At least we don't any control over it." "What are you doing about?" Now I was scared. I mean, him giving in like that was weird.

"You know what I'm talking about. Now," he turned over and glared at me as if for effect. "Go to sleep." I gaped at him, my mouth opening and closing like a goldfish before I decided to do just what he said but I couldn't sleep. So I stayed awake. Minutes passed. "Why don't you come back?" I asked.

"I have to exact my revenge."

"I heard that you killed your brother already."

"My brother was innocent."

"What?" I sat up and looked at him.

"He was manipulated into killing the Uchiha clan. I have to kill them to avenge my brother."

"Really?" I asked, lying back down. I sighed. "Will this cycle of revenge ever end for you?"

"No."

"Then why do you still want to continue seeking revenge? Doesn't it kill you inside?"

"…"

"Okay."

The silence stretched on.

"It was nice talking to you again, Sasuke."

"…"

"and… you're welcome."

I awoke next morning to bright sunshine. I sat up remembering… whatever that was. I looked around and I saw Kiba and Lee sleeping peacefully. I smiled affectionately and got up. I stretched and remembering our conversation, smiled more widely.

"You do know that smiling makes you look uglier than usual."

[][The End][]