Chapter Three

Truth

"Because you're always beside me..."


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Searing pain was the first thing that registered in her mind as she regained consciousness. Flaming hot pain, centered mostly in her mid-back, spread throughout her body as she shifted in an effort to relieve the numbness spreading through her arms. She tilted her head back, blinking to clear her vision. How long had she been asleep? Her emerald green eyes darted around, trying to see in the darkness of the night. She pushed her arms up against the ground and winced visibly when another wave of pain shot through her.

She gauged her chakra supply. Her body had instantly started to heal on its own, one of the benefits of being a talented medic, but her chakra supply was extremely low. It would take her at least a full two days of rest to replenish her chakra, as well as some food and water. Her most serious injury was clearly her back, where the pain was centered. She closed her eyes and tried to channel her chakra to make sure that she had no other serious wounds. Her shoulder muscles were torn on her right arm, and her lungs suffered quite a bit from the smoke in the forest, as a result of the explosions.

At the moment, she could do nothing for her injuries that her body wasn't automatically doing. Any more chakra exertion would only serve to harm her instead of heal her.

She ignored the pain and pushed herself up on her elbows, twisting her head left and right in an effort to identify her location.

She was in what looked like a miniature cabin. Across from the cot she was lying on, there was what resembled a kitchen. There was a sink, some appliances on the small counter and a fridge next to the stove. The cabin itself was clearly not used often, she mused as she took note of the rust and dust on every surface. There was something on the stove, meaning someone had brought her here...and had recently been in the cabin with her.

Sakura was instantly on high alert. She closed her eyes and focused her other senses. She heard owls, meaning that she was in a dense forest and it was nighttime. The darkened curtain covering the only window in the structure made it impossible to know the time otherwise. Owls and creaking noises as the trees shook from the strength of the wind. It was almost unnatural to have such strong winds in a dense forest, which meant that the cabin was situated in a high altitude, on a mountain top, or, on an island that has no shelter from strong wind.

She decided it was a mountain, this breed of birds only lived on the mainland.

She sniffed the air. The stifling smell of molding wood and rust mixed with the smell of dirt from outside made her eyes water and her body shake as she coughed to clear her lungs. Pain shot through her and she clenched her teeth, trying to push just enough chakra through her lungs so she could breathe.

She blinked through her tears and resumed her assessment of the situation. She couldn't sense any immediate danger, she was alone for the time being. Deciding to take a quick look outside, she pushed herself up, clenching her teeth as pain and nausea hit her at once. She held onto the wall behind her for support, pressing her left hand against her temple in an effort to relieve the dizziness. She stumbled forward and tripped on the blanket that was covering her moments before.

"Ugh!" She pushed herself up on her knees. "Damn it!"

She touched her left ear and winced. She felt immense pain at the slightest touch on the area that connected the bottom of her ear to her jaw joint. She moved her jaw to the side, cursing mentally from the pain. She guessed her inner ear was damaged from the explosion, the sonic boom more precisely.

That's why I don't have any balance...She thought as she pushed herself upright again. She moved cautiously and slowly, at a snail's pace, and made her way toward one of the only two doors in the cabin. She hesitated once she reached the one farthest from the kitchen, staring at the rusted knob. But she forced aside her disgust and turned the knob slowly, biting her lip as it made a squealing noise from the lack of use.

A bathroom greeted her. There was a sink, a broken mirror, a toilet and a traditional, wooden bathtub that was, momentarily, devoid of water. The urge to fill it to the brim with hot, steamy water and just soak in it for hours was almost too strong to resist. But her kunoichi instincts demanded that she ensure her safety in this foreign place before letting her guard down and relaxing.

The door squealed shut and she made her way slowly to the only other remaining door.

A few feet to the right, she spotted a small table right under the window. There were books stacked up against the wall, but she couldn't make out the titles in the darkness. There were scrolls spread out, covering the entire table. She didn't stop to look, and continued to the door.

She pushed the door open and was met with soothing, cool air. She felt more relaxed outside, smelling the earth and pine, a complete contrast to the thick musky, smell of the cabin. She made her way around to the back, where she found a small generator connecting wires into the ground to, she guessed, the fridge and stove.

She stood there for what felt like an eternity, listening to the hum of the generator, the whistling of the wind through the trees, the sound of leaves and branches brushing against one another, the hoots of owls hidden in the dark. It was peaceful, and she found herself wondering if it was a dream...or if she truly was dead and this was some strange version of heaven.

She'd fallen. She remembered that much, falling after the explosion. She'd thrown Karin at Naruto then the force of the flames and wind had pushed her off the edge of the cliff. So how did she not die? The drop was a good eighteen-hundred feet. Nothing in the world could survive a fall like that.

She rubbed her arms and walked back inside, deciding there was no use in asking petty questions with no way of getting any answers. Someone must have saved her and brought her here, wherever 'here' was. They'd applied some medicinal creme on her back and left food on the stove, but...no one was coming back.

She sat on the cot again and sighed. Her body begged for rest, and her back ached with numbing pain. She needed to replenish her chakra quickly and head back to Konoha. She laid down on her front, careful not to further injure her back and closed her eyes, the sound of the wind lulling her to sleep.


It was around dawn when Sakura woke, and still, there was no one in sight. She stood slowly, her body stiff from the awkward way she'd slept the night before. She reached her arms out and moved her fingers, relishing in the feeling of her muscles stretching. She shifted her back and winced. The pain was not as sharp as it had been the night before, but she was still a long way from being able to heal it. Her lungs were her first priority. She needed to clear them before there was any permanent or fatal damage.

Her stomach growled, and she made her way to the fridge. It creaked open and she frowned. There was nothing there but fruit: peaches, mostly, and some grapes and apples. Shrugging, she reached for an apple and turned the faucet on, cleaning the fruit before sinking her teeth into it. She sighed in contentment as the sweet juices filled her mouth and satisfied her taste buds. She reached for the pot on the stove, uncovering it to find what she was sure would be soup.

Her eyes narrowed. It's still warm...

She recovered the pot and walked to the door leading outside, her sharp eyes scanning the silent forest for any movement or sign of human activity. She found none. Whoever was helping her clearly did not want to be found out, but she just could not understand why.

She tossed the apple remains outside, grateful that it was biodegradable, for she did not see any trashcan inside the cabin.

Back inside, Sakura hummed to herself as she turned on the water to fill the tub, every cell in her body anticipating the soothing effects a bath would have on her. It was only when she was stark naked that she realized she had neither a change of clothing, nor a towel.

"Well..." She whispered to herself as she placed one foot into the water. "since whoever lives here doesn't want to show up while I'm awake, then there's no problem if I just cover myself with the blanket." That idea was immediately shot down when she realized she didn't know who or what had used that blanked before her. I'll just clean my undies, she thought, sighing as she sank lower into the tub. It's fine as long as -

Her eyes snapped open and a vulgar curse left her lips. She instantly stood up from the water, cursing herself for her stupidity. Her back was still raw and almost bleeding and she'd stupidly exposed it to high temperature water.

"Damn it!" She glared at her reflection in the water. "I can't even take a nice, relaxing bath for pity's sake!" Pouting, she leaned forward, angling her body so that her entire back was completely out of the water. She ran her hands up and down her body, scrubbing as much dirt, sweat and grime off her body as she could without soap.

Irritated, sore and in pain, her mood got worse by the minute. She wanted to be healed and on her way home, but she didn't know where she was or if there were enemies outside. If she left like this, she'd be a sitting duck. Her movements would be limited because of her back and she'd be unable to escape enemy pursuit with her lungs in this condition.

Her thoughts drifted to Naruto and everyone back in Konoha. Knowing Naruto, he'd have demanded a search party by now and started looking for her mindlessly. Despite all his antics and hyper activeness, he truly and deeply cared for her. He loved her, and his love was something she would never be deserving of. She'd feigned ignorance of his feelings for years, turning the other cheek and blinding herself to the affection that nearly spilled out of his eyes whenever he looked at her. She could have accepted his feelings. She could have run into his arms and been enveloped in an endless ocean of love and warmth and protection. Instead, she chose to chase after a man who, to this day, saw her as nothing more than an annoyance. Like a piece of chewed up gum stuck on the bottom of his shoes, refusing to let go no matter how many times he'd stepped on her.

But she couldn't help it. She couldn't help the way her heart sped every time he looked at her, or the ridiculous desire to kiss him every time she laid her eyes on him. She couldn't help that she yearned for his acceptance and his attention, trying to find new ways to impress him, no matter how many times she failed.

She'd often pictured herself getting married one day, dreamed up a fantasy man who would whisk her off her feet and carry her away into the sunset and they'd live happily ever after without a care in the world. But those dreams quickly faded and she found that she could not dilute herself from reality. She would probably never get married, for the life of a shinobi was normally a short one and death awaited shinobi even as they slept. And the idea of a fantasy man who would whisk her off her feet and carry her into the sunset was completely ludicrous. There was no man for her, she'd concluded soon enough, other than Uchiha Sasuke. And Uchiha Sasuke would never whisk anyone off her feet, let alone her. She was doomed to a life without the love of the man who had a tight hold on her own heart, whether he wanted it or not, the latter being the most plausible.

She felt the water getting cold and the sunlight streaming into the bathroom from under the door, giving the tiny room a golden shine that made everything sparkle. She was in no mood to appreciate the sudden change in the scenery and merely stood from the tub, pulling the plug out of the drain, and watched the water disappear bit by bit.

She stood there, in the middle of the bathroom, staring at her reflection in the broken mirror in front of her. Cool air streamed in through the cracks on the door and she felt goosebumps cover her skin. She had no towel, and no desire to redress in her only clothes while still wet. Air drying was her only solution. Her eyes grazed over her skin, fingers following slowly, touching each scar, remembering each battle that left a mark on her.

Naruto...She touched the scar on her right shoulder, eyes downcast as she remembered the first time she saw him overtaken by the demon inside of him. She'd been helpless, as always, and merely got in the way. She had to rely on Yamato-senpai to save her and then Kabuto had healed her because she'd been in too much of a shock to heal herself.

Useless.

Useless.

Weak.

Weak.

The words echoed in her mind again and again, taunting her and bringing back past fears and memories she'd tried so hard to submerge in a sea of pleasant lies, blissfully deceiving. Her eyes hardened as she looked back up at her face.

No more. She thought. The weak Sakura is gone. I don't need anyone's protection. I am no longer weak.

With that, she picked up her clothes and put on her shorts first before looking at her shirt. The back was burned and bloodied. She could not wear it again. She sighed and glanced at her back in the mirror, wincing at the sight of the wound. It stretched from the bottom of her neck down to her lower back, curving around to the sides of her ribs. The flesh was a reddish pink, meaning there was no sign of infection, but with any sudden movement, the thin layer of pink tissue could break, and the bleeding would start all over again, making it easy to get infections if nothing worse. She had to be careful, at least until her chakra supply replenished.

She picked up her messed up shirt and held it to her front, suddenly feeling shy about walking out of the bathroom with her breasts bare. As expected, there was no one around. She made her way to the desk she'd passed earlier and looked around the scrolls, searching for the ointment that was put on her back before she'd woken up. Instead, her eyes glanced at one of the scrolls absentmindedly and she froze.

The writing was familiar. The perfect penmanship, the elegant curves of the letters and kanji.

It was...his writing...

It was -

The door to her left creaked open and her eyes snapped up, her right hand instinctively reaching for a weapon, but only found a pen, while her left hand tightened around the shirt covering her front.

Her green orbs widened, almost doubling in size at the sight of the magnificent creature in front of her, eying her indifferently.

"S-Sasuke-kun?"

He regarded her silently for, she counted, three quick breaths before walking inside.

She stared after him, unable to believe that he was truly there.

"Sasuke?" She repeated.

He glanced at her over his shoulder, annoyance clearly written on his face.

"Hn."

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Three hours had passed since he'd walked back into her life, threw ointment at her, almost causing her to reveal her chest, and they'd been sitting in silence ever since. After applying the ointment to her burn, with great difficulty and plenty of grumbling and cursing, Sakura had sat back on the cot and fiddled with her fingers, occasionally glancing up at him, only to look back down at her feet and bite her lip.

She could not wrap her mind around the idea that Sasuke -yes, Uchiha Sasuke - had been the one to catch her when she fell, and care for her while she was unconscious. He'd been the one to put fresh fruit in the fridge, and warmed up the soup, that she had yet to get around to tasting. He'd been the one who'd set up a perimeter around the cabin, whether to ensure her safety or his, she wasn't sure, but indirectly, he protected her from unknown dangers by bringing her here.

Why? She kept asking herself, juggling theories around in her mind. Maybe he's still injured and needs medical assistance? She glanced up at him again, searching for any visible signs of pain. None. Maybe he saved me this time...so he could enjoy the kill later? She almost snorted at this. Sasuke was not a man to enjoy games. If he wanted to kill someone, he would kill them without delay. But, her eyes fell again. To him, I'm probably not even worth taking the time to kill.

The thought sparked anger in her and her chakra flared.

He was in front of her instantly, but she'd sensed his reaction. Sharingan glowered down at her menacingly as his right hand held her throat tightly, pushing her head back against the wall. She'd angled her body so that her right arm would support her weight, keeping her back off the wall, while her left arm held onto his right, the one that held the kunai just inches from her face. She'd reached out her leg to kick him away, but was not able to fully kick it out. Instead, her right leg was bent at the knee, and the heel of her bare foot was just centimeters from his throat.

They glared at each other for what felt like an eternity. Sakura felt sweat beading down her face again and she let out an irritated sigh. Her arm was straining from supporting her weight, and she felt beads of blood trickling down her back. Her wound must have reopened from the sudden shift of her movements.

"Ugh." She shifted again, lowering her leg and arm. She knew full well that had Sasuke wanted to kill her, there was nothing she could do in her current condition that would change that outcome. She watched him silently, waiting for him to pull away so she could move to a position that would not put a strain on her back.

Sure enough, after a few seconds of glares filled with hatred, he pulled away, putting his kunai back into his pouch and returning to his original position at the table, leaning against the wall, staring out the window.

Sakura took deep breaths and leaned forward, grateful that the blanket she was using to cover herself had not fallen and revealed her chest to him during that exchange. She grabbed her torn shirt and gently dabbed it against her back to stop the bleeding. Once she was done, she tossed it back on the floor at her feet and closed her eyes, concentrating her chakra into her right hand.

Good. She thought as she placed her hand on her chest. My chakra is almost fully restored. I can heal my lungs as well as my arm and some of my back today, but I shouldn't push it, just in case... She stopped that thought, not wanting to even think about having to defend herself from the man before her. She pushed her chakra past the cloth of the blanket, through her skin, past the tissue, veins, through the ribs, and into the lungs. Normally, had she had a full supply of chakra at her disposal and had the situation been different, she would have removed the smoke from her lungs by forcibly moving it through the airways and out of her throat and nose. She would just accelerate the exhaling action and force the smoke out that way. It was the safer way, but it was also more difficult and more time consuming. She opted for disintegrating the smoke within her lungs. Should anything go wrong or should she get distracted, she could injure her lungs further, ripping the tissue and possibly permanently damaging her airways.

Twenty minutes later, she placed her hand back on her lap and took a deep breath, smiling at a job well done. The air instantly tasted better and her lungs felt fuller. Her mind cleared up and she didn't feel as sluggish anymore. Her eyes were instantly drawn to the man in front of her and she was shocked to see his sharingan watching her calmly.

She raised an eyebrow in silent question, but paid him no further attention as she placed her left hand on her right shoulder and commenced healing the tissue and ripped muscle. This process was much simpler and she was done in half the time. She turned her attention to her back, focusing just enough chakra in that area to heal the wound enough to stop the pain. She didn't want to push herself. Glancing at Sasuke again, she found herself wondering if she would have to defend against him.

The silence dragged on, and unanswered questions filled her mind.

Feeling her eyes on him, Sasuke turned to her, his eyes their regular metallic color, his lips set in a relaxed line, his entire expression one of complete ease and indifference.

It angered her, and she wanted to illicit a response from the stoic man.

"You caught me." She spoke, proud that her voice sounded as confident as she wanted it to. He blinked but said nothing. She glared. "Why did you save me, Sasuke?"

She half expected him to turn away and ignore her.

But he didn't.

"A life for a life." He replied calmly, his eyes never leaving hers. "You had a chance to seriously injure me that day..." She felt anger bubbling in her veins. She didn't have a chance to seriously injure him. She could have killed him! But she knew he would never admit that someone he considered to be more insignificant than an ant could possibly kill him. "...but you decided to do the opposite."

"Hmph!" She crossed her arms in front of her. You better be grateful you bastard!

"Although your actions were an example of your weakness." He continued, a cocky smirk on his face. "Your healing abilities restored my strength so that I could dispose of some...annoyances I'd encountered later on quite easily."

"I think thanks are in order." She snapped.

They stared at each other, neither saying a word.

Her eyes narrowed. She should have known that he would never show gratitude, even if he did imply that her healing him actually saved his sorry ass.

"Karin..." The quietness of his voice startled her. For a moment, she almost thought it sounded as though he sounded gentle when he said her name. "...You saved her life, to get information I presume?" Sakura said nothing. "Where is she now? She was with you until that explosion right?"

"Why do you care where she is?" Sakura snapped quietly. "She was your teammate and you would have killed her if I got there just a second later!"

"I don't care." He replied.

"But -" Fists clenched. "She's your teammate!"

"And?" His eyes were cold again. "So were you and Naruto, once upon a time. But that didn't stop me from almost ending his life all those years ago, or almost ending yours the last time we met." She was furious, yet torn at the same time. Kakashi was right...this wasn't the Sasuke she knew.

"...But why?" Sakura hissed. "I saw the teethmarks all over her body. Every time you needed it she would give you her chakra. She saved your ass and you were willing to kill her!"

"She is no longer of use to me." He replied evenly. "Tell me her location and I will dispose of her."

"Like a tissue right?" Sakura let out a cold chuckle. "Use it up, wipe all your shit on it then toss it aside when you're done."

"Tools are disposed of when they have served their purpose."

"She loves you." Sakura whispered it, and it pained her to say it. He regarded her coldly.

"She is a nuisance,

He said nothing. "Just...when did you become like this?"

"I have always been this way, Sakura. You just chose not to see it."

"Don't give me that bull!" She snapped. "I know you Sasuke. Whether you acknowledged me as such or not, we were - are - friends! I've always been watching you! I saw every move you made! I noticed what made you smile, what made you frown, what made you angry, what annoyed you, what excited you! I saw everything." She felt the tears welling up and let out a frustrated scream, willing them away. "I know you, Sasuke. And you are not the kind of person that uses people."

He'd listened to her little speech silently, eyes fixed on her stoically.

"Sakura...you are a fool."

Her eyes widened.

"The Sasuke you knew back then...was a blind child." He whispered. "He was ignorant and selfish, bent on destroying the one person that deserved to live."

"What...are you talking about?"

"You're as ignorant as I was. Blissfully so." Emerald met onyx. "But I've learned the truth and nothing will stand in my way."

"Your...way? Truth?" She sighed. "Just what are you talking about?"

"I will destroy Konoha, Sakura, and all its citizens. That includes you, Naruto, Kakashi...and everyone you love." His voice was cold, his eyes ruthless. "Maybe I'll leave you three for last...to make you understand the pain I had to endure."

"Sasuke..."

"I told you once before, Sakura." He stood, then, and she instantly tensed. "The next time we meet, we will be enemies and I will kill you. I will give you two more days to heal yourself, then I will lead you back to where you can find your way to Konoha."

He was almost at the door when she spoke again.

"I've also told you...Sasuke," She looked up at him, her eyes serious. "that the next time I see you, I will stand between you and my village. If need be, I will kill you as well."

He said nothing for a second, then reached out and opened the door.

"Oh, and Sasuke?" He didn't look back. "Bring me a shirt, would ya?"

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The rest of the day passed by uneventfully. Sasuke had been out until nightfall, returning just as Sakura was about to fall asleep. She blinked, trying to force herself back to alertness. He walked past her without a word, tossing a dark bundle. She caught it effortlessly and was grateful to find that it was a new shirt.

"Thank you." she said, hating how much the simple act had warmed her heart. He'd only acquiesced to her request for a shirt, and she just about turned into a lovesick puppy.

He said nothing, only turning to look at her after he filled a glass with water and began to drink it. She held the shirt close to her chest, turning her head so that her short pink hair cascaded down her shoulder to create a barrier between her and his piercing eyes. She bit her lip, fatigue and pain served only to increase the emotional maelstrom in her mind and heart. Every fiber of her being, every cell in her body wanted nothing more than for him to give up revenge and hatred, and go back to Konoha with her. To be with her and let her love him. Let her heal him.

But, she thought bitterly. would i be able to heal him? Would I be able to heal the wounds of his soul?

She stood and made her way to the bathroom, the ends of the blanket she held around her torso dragging on the wooden floor. She shut the door quickly and leaned her forehead against it, teeth clenched in a fight to stop her tears threatening to fall.

Sasuke silently watched her enter the bathroom, his eyes fixed to her naked back. She'd allowed the blanket to fall down to her lower back so that it would not further injure her wound and had wrapped her front in a way to cover her chest.

Her earlier statements had done nothing to deter him from his goal. She'd merely repeated again what she, Naruto and Kakashi had been preaching to him since he'd first left Konoha. They were ignorant to the truth about the very village they were fighting to protect. The very village that they will die protecting in vain. He would make them all feel what he'd felt, what Itachi had felt. He will kill the other two elders after making them watch him burn down the very village they'd killed his clan to protect.

Fools, all of them. And Madara was a fool as well to believe that Sasuke was his pawn.

He will kill them all, one by one, slowly and painfully.

"Sasuke."

Her voice shocked him, though it didn't show. He hadn't heard her exit the bathroom. His eyes narrowed at her as she stood in front of the closed door, blanket folded in her hands. The shirt he'd gotten her was large. He hadn't actually paid attention to the size, nor did he care if it fit her or not, but his eyes were drawn to her legs, which appeared to be naked because the shirt was longer than her shorts.

Her large doe-eyes shifted to him, glittering, brimmed with the tears she was holding back. Her moods confused him. One moment, she was explosive, shaking from holding back her urge to punch him through the ground, and the next, she was standing a yard away from him, looking so vulnerable and weak with her tears.

"Sasuke." She repeated, as though to give herself confidence in what she was about to say. He waited, but his patience was wearing thin, and he wanted to sleep.

"Aa."

The way he responded was so much like their genin days that Sakura couldn't fight back the tears. She let them fall as she felt her heart clenching and releasing painfully in her chest. She didn't want him to see. She didn't want him to see her tears again, to think her weak and pitiful. Hurriedly, she ran the back of her hands across her cheeks, effectively wiping away any trace of the clear liquid that was there seconds before. She took a deep breath.

"You're important to me." She said quietly, and Sasuke nearly sighed as he waited for the speech that was sure to follow. "You're important to me...so I want to help you."

That caught him off guard.

"What?"

"I want to help you." She repeated, her eyes serious as she watched him. "In any way I can."

Then she walked and he couldn't take his eyes off of her. Those long creamy legs that poked out of the extra long shirt he'd gotten her. He couldn't pull his gaze away from them. Toned and smooth; her steps were confident as she made her way to the cot and placed the blanket down. He watched her, his eyes drifting up her legs to the other part of her that was displayed to him. Her ass. Although hidden under the shirt, he could see its outline, curvy and round, bubbly and tight. It made any man's junior twitch with desire.

"Won't you tell me...what I can do for you?" Her eyes pleaded with him and he couldn't help but notice the innocence in them. Despite all the years of being a kunoichi and all the men she'd killed, how could she still possess that innocence? Her eyes, those damned eyes, lined with thick long dark lashes that touched her skin with every blink. That soft, pink flesh of her cheeks, just a shade lighter than her silky hair. His eyes drank in every detail of her, from the single mole on the corner of her left eye to the way her hair curled a little at the tips.

He blinked.

"You'd only be a hindrance." He replied coldly. He was not affected. Definitely.

"You don't know that." She replied without missing a beat. "Please...explain to me this truth that you're talking about. What is it that's driving you to attack Konoha?" She took a step toward him and his eyes flickered to her legs before returning to her own. He felt it, the blood rushing to his member.

He. Was. Not. Affected.

Fuck.

His eyes narrowed dangerously as she took another step.

"You said when we were younger that your goals were to revive your clan and kill your brother." She continued, completely oblivious to his arousal. Sasuke's eyes widened just a bit and just like that, his arousal completely deflated.

"What the hell...do you know about Itachi?" he hissed, moving closer to her. She sensed the change in his aura and took a step back. "You know nothing so don't you dare speak of him!"

"Sasuke, I'm just trying to underst-"

"You can't understand!" He snapped. "How could a person like you, with a family and friends, possibly understand anything about Itachi and I?"

"Sasuke I want to try -"

"Shut the fuck up!" It was the first time she'd heard him raise his voice and it unnerved her. No, it terrified her. He was just three feet away, glowering at her, chakra flaring. "You said you want to help me? You want to help me but you would stand in my way of destroying Konoha!"

"That can't be the only way!"

A demented smile appeared on his face and her breath caught in her throat.

"You fool." he hissed. "Blindly run back to your precious village. Enjoy it while you still can. When the time comes, Sakura, nothing will stop me from completing my mission."

"Just explain to me -"

"You want to know the truth?" He hissed. "Then when you reach Konoha, have a little chat with the elders. But of course, they won't say a word about Konoha's history. History written in Uchiha blood." Mangekyu flashed, glaring at her. She flinched, instincts telling her to turn away, not to trust him, that he was not her Sasuke.

He looked away then and for a moment, she thought she saw the old Sasuke in him. She caught a glimpse of the scared, lonely little boy who was torn away from everything he loved.

"Those gutless vermin won't spill a thing." He hissed. "But that won't matter. Whether you know what happened or not doesn't matter. It will not affect the outcome."

Then, he was gone and Sakura was alone in the darkness.

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A/N: I hope that was enough SasuSaku for now! Sorry for the late update! Had midterms blah blah. I hope you enjoyed it! :)