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Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. :)
Sakura stared coldly at the bastard that was once her teammate. The bastard that hurt her and Naruto back when he betrayed everybody to gain his own power. The bastard that nearly killed them. Sasuke Uchiha stopped next to the three shinobi she assumed was his team.
"What the hell do you want, Uchiha?" Her words were full of hatred as he raised an eyebrow.
"What no Sasuke-kun?" Sakura glared, if possible, harder. She swiftly drew a shuriken and launched it at Sasuke. He caught easily on his finger, while never breaking her gaze.
"Nice try. I see you've taken care of the Akatsuki member Deidara." Karin snorted and glared at Sakura." You must have gotten some information from him about Akatsuki." Sakura could feel the strain of that afternoon's battle finally taking it's toll.
"Nope. I didn't and if I did, I sure as hell would not tell you anything." She spat. Sasuke stared at her with that emotionless face of his.
"That is bullshit! We know you got something off of him!" Karin yelled.
"Shut up Fatty, if you were facing him, you'd be dead in two minutes." Sakura watched as Karin once again charged her. She grabbed a kunai and jumped to a nearby tree branch. Karin looked around wildly like an idiot.
"Come out here Bitch! You wanna fight, I'll finish you in no time." Sakura supressed a giggle as she watched the helpless Karin screech.
"Karin, she's half dead and she already stuck a kunai in your shoulder. Are you fucking stupid! She is obviously an elite shinobi that will kick your fat ass!" Suigetsu screamed. Sasuke just stood there staring at the place where Sakura now crouched.
"SHUT UP SUIGETSU!I'M GOING TO FU-"
"Karin just stop. It's not worth it, you will not be able to defeat her." Sasuke said in a bored tone. Karin sulked and returned to stand next to the smirking Suigetsu.
"Sakura, I know you are up there." Sakura sighed and gently limped down from the tree. She managed to heal only a little bit of her leg and it hurt like hell.
"I'm going to ask one more time, Sakura. What did you gather from the Akatsuki member?" Sasuke asked in a deadly tone. Sakura knew he severed all bonds a long time ago and could and would kill her if he wanted to.
"Uchiha, I am not permitted to tell you that kind of information, so you might as well kill me because I'm not telling you a thing." She managed to keep her voice dull as Sasuke's eyes flashed anger.
"Well that's sad. Juugo, you know what to do." Sakura felt familiar chakra presences and almost sighed in relief. It was ANBU. Within minutes she would hopefully be safe and at a hospital. She figured she could help them just a little bit. Sakura performed the hand signs and dissappeared in a flurry of cherry blossoms. Sasuke activated his sharigan and looked around. Other shinobi were headed their way. He would have to get Sakura quick and leave to avoid a huge bloody battle. Sasuke felt the stinging pain of a shuriken embed itself in his thigh. Sakura smiled as he flinched and threw it against a tree. Sakura limped back into sight and was about to make a genjutsu when she stumbled and fell on her knees in pain. She looked down and saw a shuriken digging into her shoulder. She looked around and saw Karin, smirking at her. Sakura started seeing black dots and knew she was going to pass out soon. She turned her head and saw a slight pained expression on Sasuke's face. Then it vanished along with her conciousness.
Lady Tsunade tapped her fingers impatiently as she waited for the ANBU team to return, hopefully with Sakura. The doors burst open and the three ANBU shinobi enter with grim expressions on their faces. Tsunade's heart fell knowing her suspicions were true.
"Lady Tsunade, we went to the site where you pointed out and we found the Akatsuki member Deidara dead." They glanced nervously at each other.
"I'm assuming there is more?"
"Yes, we found a large amount of blood, too much for someone to be able to survive." Without medical skills that is, Tsunade knew this.
"And what about Sakura?" The shinobi looked down.
"Sakura Haruno was no where to be found."
Sakura awoke expecting to be dead, not overwhelmed in pain. She felt weak and struggled deciding whether to get up and heal her wounds or try to slip back into unconsciousness. The intensifying pain coursing through her body made the decision for her. She groaned as she opened her reluctant eyes and heard the drawing of weapons. Sakura looked around as her eyes adjusted to the light and saw the three shinobi Karin, Suigetsu, and Juugo peering down at her. Glaring, in Karin's case. Sasuke was leaning against a nearby tree gazing casually at the scene in front of him. Sakura mentally smirked as she noticed the bandage around his thigh.
"Sasuke-kun, why didn't you let me just finish her off? Now we have to listen to her bitch and complain." Suigetsu looked at her like she had a fifth eye.
"Are you fucking serious?! You are the one who whines and complains about how you can't have Sasuke! She has basically been in a meat grinder so of course she's going to complain! Plus it's nice to have a hot girl around for once."Karin shot him a look that said ' shut the fuck up or you won't have any balls left'. Sakura sat up as they bickered and gasped at the feeling of ripping flesh as blood oozed out of her shoulder. She quickly gathered a tiny amount of chakra in her hand and placed it on top of the wound. Within seconds it was reduced to a thin scar. She sighed in relief as she moved on to her leg. That took longer and used a little more chakra. When she was finished she was left panting. The shinobi quit fighting and watched the medic ninja concentrate on healing herself in awe. Even Sasuke was watching intently as Sakura's breathing became irregular.
"Sakura are you okay?" Juugo asked. Sakura looked up at the orange haired man in confusion. Why was he being so kind? They kidnapped her and now he was acting like he cared.
"Why am I here?" She ignored his question and glared at Sasuke. He sighed and ran a hand through his raven hair.
"You passed out and we did not have the information on Akatsuki."Sakura groaned and tried to get up and crossed her arms.
"I don't understand. Weren't ANBU on their way?"Sasuke frowned and shook his head.
"Yes, but we left before they found us and you. You will be with us until you release the information on the Akatsuki."Sakura sighed.
"Uchiha, you are not getting the information." In a flash Sasuke was behind her holding her hands behind her back. She felt rope being tied.
"Hn. You are so fucking annoying." He whispered in her ear. Sakura shivered slightly at the contact."Don't bother trying to escape. These ropes are infused with my chakra and your hands are dangerous, so they will keep them in line."
"Fuck. You. Uchiha." Sasuke grunted and walked away. Suigetsu, Karin, and Juugo followed his lead. Juugo turned around and smiled, waving me to join in pursuit. Sakura was completely confused by this shinobi's actions and reluctantly followed. After an hour of walking, black dots once again blurred Sakura's vision. Soon she was getting behind the four other shinobi. The earth and sky mixed together as she blacked out and felt strong arms catch her before her head met the ground. Sasuke had started noticing the kunoichi slowing down and finally she started swaying from weakness. After all she beat an s ranked criminal and received some nasty injuries in the process. Sasuke acted out on instinct and caught her before she could hit the hard ground. He then swung her onto his back seeing no other way to transport her and continued walking. The ANBU were probably after them so they couldn't stop. Sasuke felt the stares of his fellow team and looked into their dumbfounded faces.
"Sasuke, what are you doing?"Juugo asked quietly, surprised that their leader had touched, let alone carried, anyone else in his life.
"Hn" The usual response. Juugo left it at that and walked in step with Sasuke. Sasuke had always liked Juugo more because of his quietness and understanding. He knew when to let him be. Karin and Suigetsu, on the other hand, were always fighting and loud all the time.
"Hey Sasuke-kun, why did you pick her up? She's all bloody, dirty, and probably heavy." Sasuke shot her a dirty look.
"She's lighter than you'll ever be." Mumbled Suigetsu, avoiding a punch sent his way. He smiled showing his shark teeth and stuck out his tongue.
"Because we can't stop and she can't walk." That shut them up and they all kept quiet while continuing to walk in silence. By nightfall, they stopped to set up camp near a river. Suigetsu and Karin set up the tents and Juugo went and got some wood for a fire. Sasuke gently laid the sleeping Sakura against a tree and left to catch dinner at the river. Sakura opened her eyes slowly feeling like complete shit. She turned her head and found Sasuke alone cooking fish on the fire. His onyx eyes staring into the fire without blinking. Sakura walked over and sat across from him and gazed at the flames.
"Where are the others?"Sakura asked still staring into the flames.
"They went to scout our surroundings."
"Oh." Sakura watched as Sasuke reached and handed her something to eat. She took it just realizing how hungry she really was.
"Thanks." The fish was surprisingly tasty. Who knew Sasuke could cook? Well, then again who knew he'd leave Team 7 and betray our whole damn village? She was thinking of the old days when they had all worked together to protect each other from Orochimaru when Sasuke pulled her from her thoughts.
"Sakura, I'm sorry."He was barely audible over the crackling of the fire. Sakura was.....shocked and wasn't sure she heard the usually quiet shinobi.
"What?"Sasuke looked up from the fire and into her emerald eyes. His gaze was not as cold as it used to be.
"I know I put you and Naruto through a lot when I left. And then I tried to hurt you guys. It nearly killed me to leave but I had that goal in my mind that I was willing to give everything up for." Sakura just stared at him, her mouth gaping. It took her a second before she answered with caution.
"It did hurt us, in many ways, but it made me stronger. I became the student of the Hokage and sannin, and was able to save the Kazekage's brother, Kankuro. I was finally capable to make a difference and not stand back watching helplessly as other people fought in battles. Naruto has also grown, still not giving up hope that you would come back. I, on the other hand, was furious and did not want you to come back. I was angry that the people of Konoha meant nothing to you and the fact that you chose that filthy Orochimaru over your team. Your family." Sakura was flooded with emotion and memories from the past. She began to feel the tears well up and she'd be damned if he saw her cry.
"Hn. I know. I was set on destroying my brother and didn't see that I did have a family, a home. I didn't realize this until I was already gone and an official s ranked criminal. I can never go back to the village." Sakura could hear the sadness in his voice as he gazed intently into the fire.
"Maybe I can change that. If I help you find the Akatsuki hideout and we return to Konoha, they might let back in. We haven't fully given up on you."
"Hn" Sasuke was silent for a few minutes, deep in thought. Then he finally looked back a Sakura.
"So are you going to help us destroy the Akatsuki and become a part of team Hebi?" Sakura looked at him with wide eyes.
"You want me to join?Uh. Sure." Sasuke got up at the sound of bickering with Karin and Suigetsu.
"You son of a bitch! I'm not fat! That is purely muscle." Karin shouted in defense. Suigetsu snorted.
"That is NOT muscle. If you look at Sakura, she has muscle. You are just fat." Sakura supressed a giggle as Karin kicked him in his sacred area. Suigetsu crumpled to the ground in obvious pain. Karin smirked as she headed towards Sasuke.
"So..Sasuke-kun, what is the plan for tomorrow?"Karin tried to sound seductive as she put her arms around him and it didn't work. At all. A look of disgust covered Sasuke's face as he shoved Karin off of him.
"Hn. Get off Karin. Sakura is now a part of Team Hebi and will be helping locate and destroy the Akatsuki hideout. Tomorrow we will set out to a village to get supplies." Juugo nodded, Suigetsu smiled evilly, and Karin glared.
"What!? That whore is joining our team?" Sasuke glared at Karin with cold eyes.
"Yeah and you are the whore trying to get in Sasuke's pants." Suigetsu said with a look of annoyance on his shark like face. Karin gave him the finger and stomped off to her tent, ranting about how Sakura was a bitch and not getting in Sasuke's pants.
"You guys should get to sleep." Suigetsu and Juugo stalked off to their tents as well. Now it was just Sasuke and Sakura. Sasuke turned to leave to his tent.
"Umm Uchiha? Can you untie me now that I'm part of your team?" Sasuke turned, not pleased with how she said his name.
"Hn." Sasuke pulled her up to her feet and cut the chakra ropes. He then leaned down to her ear, his hot breath hitting her shoulder.
"Don't call me Uchiha." When Sakura turned around, Sasuke was gone. Her face was bright red. No way! She was NOT having feelings for Sasuke again. She spent all that time getting over him to simply lose it all in one night. Frustrated, Sakura lay on the ground and drifted off to sleep.
Lady Tsunade sat at a table with four ANBU members discussing the disappearance of Sakura.
"Okay, I want you four, specifically, to find Sakura Haruno. She is no doubt in bad shape and needs to return now. Kakashi , use your nin dogs to track her scent. I fear she might have been kidnapped by rogue ninjas or even the Akatsuki. Naruto, Neji, and Kiba, I need you all to listen to Kakashi and bring back your comrade safely. Don't let your emotions cloud your decisions."
"Yes, Granny, we know. Now let's get on the move!" Kakashi sighed and shook his head. Lady Tsunade's vein in her head was quite visible now.
"Naruto, how many times do I have to tell you. I'M NOT THAT OLD!!!" Everybody took this as their cue to leave, because all the seats were now vacant and you could hear the faint yelling at Naruto. Tsunade sighed, rubbing her temple, and took out a glass of sake. This is going to be a long day.
Sakura woke up in the middle of the night to see Suigetsu dozing off by the fire that was reduced to burning embers. Sakura silently crept past him towards the river. She was in need for a bath and clean her wounds. Once she reached it, a dozen thoughts crossed her mind as she began undressing. What was she doing? She could easily escape and flee to Konoha. But then, she wouldn't be able to defeat the Akatsuki and learn more information. Sakura pulled off her shirt that was ripped in about five places. When completely undressed, she stepped into the cool water. Sakura scrubbed the dirt away and cleaned her wounds the best she could. She was about to get out when she felt a dark chakra coming near. Sakura quickly dove underwater as the figure stepped out of the trees and perched themselves on a rock. It was Sasuke. He stared at the full moon and rested his head on his hand. Sakura quietly returned to the surface, still hidden from Sasuke's sight.
"Why are you up this early, Sakura? Are you trying to escape?" Sakura sighed and rested her arms on the bank and set her head down on to of them.
"I felt nasty, so I came here to wash up. Plus I really needed to tend to my wounds." Sasuke didn't stop looking at the moon. It couldn't be that interesting, but then again Sakura was naked and he probably didn't want to stare.
"Hn" He got up and walked back to camp not saying another word. Sakura watched and returned the silence.
"Damn Uchiha," she cursed, grabbing a towel and hopping out of the water. She heard a faint chuckle and allowed a small smile to form on her lips while walking back to camp.
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Okay, so that is the second chapter. I don't know how it's going but I hope you guys like it. :) Reviews would be greatly appreciated!
-CausticCally 3