.;.;.;.;.;.;.;.

The Next Morning

.;.;.;.;.;.;.;.

Sasuke slowly opened his eyes.

Another restless night…

He rubbed his forehead with the back of his hand and carefully sat up.

Sakura lied to his left and Naruto was asleep at his right; they decided it was easier to tell if the prisoner was trying to escape if he was surrounded.

However, this matter wasn't one of escape…

He just needed to use the restroom.

The Uchiha pushed the blankets they shared aside as quietly as possible.

He attempted to stand up, but he was still a little dizzy, even though his fever was all gone by the time he went to sleep last night.

A strong hand latched on to the back of his shirt and a kunai was against his throat, a drop of blood running down to his chest.

"Where do you think you're going?" an annoyed voice asked.

Sakura…

He sighed and answered truthfully, "I have to go to the bathroom…"

She paused for a moment before letting go of his top, nudging Naruto awake with her foot.

Sasuke was forced to lean against the cave wall for support.

"Ow…" the boy mumbled, turning away from the two.

"Naruto, get up, Sasuke has to go use the restroom…"

"So…? What's that gotta do with me?" he complained back, adding a groan when the kunoichi kicked him in the stomach.

"GET. UP."

"Fine…"

Naruto lazily stood up and muttered, "Come on…" as he walked out.

The traitor reluctantly followed.

Once they were a few feet into the forest, the Uzumaki leaned against a tree.

"Go for it, bastard," was all he said.

He yawned.

Sasuke said nothing, but walked to the bushes.

"So… bastard… what 'cha gonna say to Sakura?" he asked after a few minutes.

"I don't know yet. I thought about it, but nothing's gonna work…"

There was a silence.

"I tried to talk to her, I really did…" Naruto added in a small voice.

"I know, I know, it has nothing to do with you. It's all my fault…" Sasuke quickly responded, coming out of the bushes.

Suddenly, he doubled over, only to be caught by Naruto before he completely fell.

"Oh God, oh God…" he kept repeating, over and over again.

"I got 'cha, I got 'cha…"

Carefully, Naruto managed to get his former teammate into his arms and carried him back to the cave.

"Sakura! Sakura!" he yelled as he climbed into the cave.

Apparently, she had lied back down, though she was up in an instant when she heard Naruto's voice.

"What's going on?!" she exclaimed back.

The boy laid a grimacing Uchiha on the covers.

"Sasuke, what's going on, what do you feel?" Sakura asked him, looking up at Naruto to see if he has an answer.

Naruto just shook his head and crouched down next to the two.

Sasuke tried to open his mouth, but when he did, all he could do is let out a pained scream.

"Sasuke! Calm down! What do you feel, you have to tell me!" Sakura yelled at him.

But all the Uchiha could manage to do is point at his side before gripping it again.

The medic used her strength to pull his hands away, and nodded towards Naruto to hold them back.

She examined the boy's side.

"Agh, all that work… He opened up the wound again…" she explained to the worried Naruto next to her.

The girl paused for a moment, trying to figure out what to do with him.

Carefully, Sakura pulled him into a sitting position, causing another stab of pain for Sasuke.

"Naruto, hold him up…" she instructed, and was immediately followed.

With a swift movement, she pulled out a kunai and hit her ex-friend hard with the handle behind his head.

Instantly, he was out like a light.

Naruto cautiously lied him down on the blankets.

"Dang, didn't see that one coming…" he mumbled under his breath, but Sakura was quick to put him to work.

"Ok, start up a fire, and get a bucket of water. It's going to be a long night…"

Naruto frowned, but completed her demands.

.;.;.;.;.;.;.;.

In the Middle of the Night

.;.;.;.;.;.;.;.

Sasuke sleepily opened his eyes, though a piercing headache made them shut.

He groaned.

Turning his head to the side, he saw that Naruto wasn't there, though to his left, Sakura was dozing in her spot.

"S… Saku…" he tried to say, but he just sighed and closed his eyes once more.

He felt her gaze turn upon him.

"Awake…?" she asked in a quiet voice, knowing he was in pain.

"Y… yeah…" was his small response.

"Do you want some medicine…?"

"Uh… uh… yeah…" he stuttered, and then swallowed hard, "Y-yes, p-please…"

She nodded and started digging through her bag again.

Sasuke lied silently, breathing heavily and blinking his eyes to make them as less blurry as possible.

He felt her touch the wound, making him cringe.

She was trying to heal it a bit, just enough so that when he sat up, it wouldn't hurt as much.

After a few moments, she sighed and put her hand under him.

"Sit up," she commanded.

He did as she said, and she helped him stay balanced.

However, after he took the medicine, the medic didn't move from next to him.

Sasuke didn't look at her; he kept his gaze to the floor.

"You should get some sleep…" she added quietly as she stood.

Sakura walked to the fire and put in another two blocks of wood.

"Y… yeah…"

There was an awkward moment of silence between them.

After looking around for a moment, he asked, "Where's Naruto?"

Sakura turned and stared at him before answering, "He's gone out to scout a bit, to see if there's anybody around, either from Orochimaru's or Konoha."

"Oh…"

Another silence filled the cave.

"Sakura…"

"What." she asked, her voice full of anger.

"I'm…"

Pause.

"You're… what? What do you want now?"

A strange pain hit Sasuke.

It wasn't the same kind as the stinging from his side.

This was different.

But it hurt just as much.

"…sorry…"

At this, Sakura turned and gazed at the boy.

She didn't stop staring, as she asked, "What was that?"

Sasuke didn't look up, but carefully lied down on the blankets, covering himself up and closing his eyes.

"Good night…" was all he responded, and he was soon asleep.

Just as he hoped, his statement threw her mind into chaos.

Maybe his luck will turn…?

The medic continued staring, letting the minutes pass… and something she had trashed long ago seemed to want to come back.

Mercy… why did she pity him so much??

She didn't want to pity him!!

She didn't want to care!!

He let them go three years ago; why can't she let go of him?

Of course, this was different, wasn't it?

Sasuke…

Was asking…

For help.