What?

"I'm disbanding Team Taka," Sasuke said coldly, as their red eyes locked. "The war is over. You may leave."

Karin spluttered. "B-But, S-Sas-"

"Maaan," Suigetsu sighed, "And here I thought that tagging along with you meant a better chance of getting the Seven Swords. The entire journey was pointless."

Karin whirled on him, landing a punch through his head and bracing as the cold water slithered up her arm, before the liquid slid off and rematerialized as his head. "SUIGETSU IS THAT ALL YOU CARE ABOUT? SWORDS?! YOU DUMBASS!"

Suigetsu gripped her fist for the first time. "What about you, Karin? Weren't you tagging along with us because you were 'heading in the same direction'?" He smirked. "Or did you develop 'feelings'?"

Karin blushed hotly.

"I can't leave you," Juugo said, stepping towards Sasuke. "I need you to keep my Curse under control."

Sasuke raised his chin. "You have Karin."

Huh?! She looked at Sasuke, shocked.

"Karin's manifested chakra chains sometime in the war," Sasuke explained. "They should work even better than my snakes in restraining your movements." He lowered his eyes. "I'm not Kimimaro's reincarnation. Now leave."

"Sasuke!" Karin shouted. "I can't believe this. I can't accept this!" She marched towards the Uchiha and grabbed the collar of his shirt, "A-After all that time we spent together, we're a team!"

"My only team is Team Seven," Sasuke answered, expressionless. "I had emotions, affection, during the time I spent with my old team. During the time I shared with you, I felt only hatred. I focused on nothing else but Itachi. How could I possibly have developed bonds for any of you while I was shrouded in darkness?" Sasuke smiled at her stunned silence, grabbing her wrists roughly and tearing them off his dull purple shirt. "Did you have fun in your one-sided fantasy?"

"That can't be!" Karin protested. "We- We did more for you than those Konoha-nin ever did!" She grabbed her zipper, sliding it down. She pulled her sleeves off and bared her arms, "These bite marks! They're all yours! I saved you," she desperately looked at the other Taka member who'd saved them once, fended them against the Eight Tail's attack, "You too, you're okay with this, Suigetsu?!"

Suigetsu's white bangs shielded his eyes. He looked solemn, and unresponsive.

"Karin."

She shot her gaze towards his voice.

"You've done more for me than Sakura did, there's no denying that."

She held her breath.

"It's a pity you caught me at the wrong time."

"Wh-what?" Karin was confused. C-Can't be what I'm thinking.

"Sakura endeared herself to me when I still had my emotions. When I killed all my emotions, I shielded myself off from the world, that includes you. Don't blame yourself; there was nothing you could have done to get through to me...Until Naruto revived the old me, and those emotions of my buried feelings for Team Seven returned.

"Sakura has nothing to do with my past sins. You, however, are a part of Taka, and you had no problems with my crimes. I desire to break from my past sins, and look to the future.

"That is why, I'm in love with Sakura, and I'm returning to Konoha." Sasuke finished.

"But you apologized to me!" Karin pointed out. "I know you didn't love me when you used your chidori on me! But when I sensed your chakra's change of heart, I knew you were different! That's why I accepted your apology right away, because the 'new you' had feelings for me! Why else would you apologize, if you didn't care?" You liar, you did care! Your chakra signature transformed into something warm and honest, and completely different from the last time I saw you.

Karin had been happy at first, relieved that Sasuke's mental state improved during her time spent in prison. It meant she'd have a brighter future with him than she initially braced herself for, when she had steeled herself for the life of an international criminal, all for Sasuke.

But she was wrong.

Any sane man would toss Karin aside for a woman with prestige and status, a woman like Sakura.

Sasuke was no longer insane.

"Karin." Sasuke glared. "Even so, you're a rogue-nin. Compared to Sakura, you're a nobody." If I don't claim Sakura, Naruto will. "If you still have that mentality that I deserve only the best, you'll let me go. You're worthless to me now."

Chakra flowed into Karin's hair as chains shot out her body. She charged for Sasuke, but Suigetsu gripped her arms and held her back. Her chains pierced through Suigetsu's hydrified body, but she was focused on Sasuke.

"YOU FUCKING TRAITOR! SUIGETSU LET GO OF ME!"

"K-Karin! Calm down! We're still a team," Suigetsu leaked cold water to cool the hot-headed girl off, "We're still Team Taka. We have a goal."

Sasuke closed his eyes, his lips twitching in amusement. He turned around, and walked into the gates of Konoha. No doubt he was going to apologize Kakashi, to 'confess' to Sakura, and maybe go on a journey to see the world with Naruto.

Naruto, not Team Taka.

Karin sobbed as his footsteps receded, each step he took destroying a bit of her lifeforce.

Weakened, she dropped to the ground. Empty.

Jugo looked torn between following either one, but in the end, decided to remain with Karin.

"He's gone, Karin." Suigetsu sighed. "Let it go."

"What's left for me to do now?" She said quietly. I don't have a village, I'm not a shinobi, and Sasuke chose Sakura. He was never mine from the start.

"Welll," Suigetsu hummed, "I'm still after the Seven Swords. Aren't you heading in the 'same direction' as my destination?"

"...Yeah." Karin rubbed her glasses, but her shoulders shook. "Thanks, Suigetsu."

But there's nothing I have left to thank you.

Author Note: Does anyone know what happened to the Mist's seven swords? I forgot..I'll continue this story when I find out.