WHEREVER YOU ARE

Haruno Sakura, daughter to one of Konoha's heroes. Uchiha Sasuke, Chuunin, who might just be more of a disgrace to his Clan than his brother. Sakura knew going on this mission with him would be a mistake. That she would fall in love with him all over again, and the worst part was - she was right.

Road to Ninja Universe. SasuSaku.

Chapter 3 – SLEEPWALKING

"Destiny turned her face,

Nightmares and violent shapes.

State of dreaming – has left me numb."

She had a terrible nightmare that night – one that had her gasping for breath, sitting up in bed the next morning, covered in a cold sweat with a heartbeat that would definitely border on insane. Of course (and thankfully) she had no time to think over her dream because it was in that moment that Sakura realized that the sun was shining through the curtains and she was late. Well, late was a huge understatement. She scrambled out of bed and took the quickest shower of her life, leaving the house with her hair still damp. Luckily, she'd packed her travel gear the night before and all she had to do was grab the approval from the Hokage to leave the village and an apple from the bowl on the table on her way out. As Sakura made her way to the village gates, she couldn't help but think of the odd turn of events the night before. So, yes, she had finally agreed to help Sasuke find his brother and after he'd left her apartment, Sakura headed straight to the Hokage's office. When she'd arrived, Minato and Chouza stood in the office with Tsunade and Shizune. Everyone had looked grim and the Hokage had excused the men for five minutes while she attended to Sakura. The troubled look had stayed on Tsunade's face but she hadn't offered any information and Sakura hadn't asked. She understood that there were some things the Hokage couldn't discuss, even with her.

"I would like permission to leave the village for some time," Sakura had begun to say.

Tsunade took off her spectacles and rubbed a hand down her delicate face. "You would like to what?"

"I would like some time off."

"Oh, well, of course."

Sakura sighed. "I can't lie." She'd shaken her head. "I would like to leave the village. With Uchiha Sasuke."

At hearing his name, Tsunade's brown eyes had narrowed only a fraction. "Oh?"

"We would like to go and find his brother."

Tsunade's eyes moved down to her desk and she stared down at it for a long time. "You realize that his brother is in the Akatsuki?"

"Yes, Tsunade-sama."

Tsunade nodded slowly. "Alright. I'll allow it." She produced a scroll from her desk and wrote her permission for it with the Hokage's seal.

Of course, in hindsight, the Hokage's easy approval should have been somewhat worrying, but Sakura clearly had other things to worry about. Sasuke was waiting at the main gate, his eyes closed as he leaned back against the wall with his lips set into an angry line. He didn't open his lids as she approached.

Sakura cleared her throat awkwardly. "Obviously, there's no way to verify if you were late or not."

His eyebrows twitched.

"But," Sakura continued, "I guess it doesn't matter."

Sasuke's tongue moved over his bottom lip in annoyance. "Listen here, Sakura –"

But she'd already moved away, heading towards the guard station, pissing Sasuke off even more.

"Morning Genma," she greeted with a smile.

"Ah, Sakura-chan. Going on a mission?" he asked, taking Tsunade's scroll from her.

"Something like that," she answered. Genma's face fell a little when he read the scroll, seeing that she had permission to leave with Sasuke. He glared at the Uchiha over the scroll before handing it to Sakura.

"Have a safe trip."

"Thanks, Genma." Sakura put the scroll away and turned to Sasuke. "Let's go." Her tone was much less friendly than the one she'd used with Genma and Sasuke gave her a dead stare before following her lead and heading out on the road.

Things between them were silent. Was it a comfortable kind of silent where both of them walked on in an amiable atmosphere? Nope. Things between them were tense and definitely uncomfortable.

Sakura kept her eyes straight ahead, trying to avoid Sasuke for as long as possible but as it were, Sasuke wasn't someone you could avoid easily. Especially not when he'd asked you a direct question.

"Sakura. I asked you a question."

"Sorry. I wasn't listening."

Sasuke sighed, clearly annoyed. "Where are we going?"

"To a small town. It's not far."

"And… Itachi is there?" Sasuke asked in disbelief.

"No." Sakura threw him a sideways look before returning her gaze to the road. "There's someone there who knows someone who could connect us to your brother."

Sasuke stopped suddenly and it took her a few steps to realize he wasn't with her anymore. Sakura stilled, turning around to him.

"Are you kidding me?" he demanded.

Sakura rolled her eyes, but she didn't offer him any kind of explanation.

"Do you even know where my brother is?"

"Not exactly. I never said that I did. I said I would help you find him. Since I know how."

"Right," he began sarcastically. "You know someone, who knows someone who might help us."

Sakura sighed. "Look –"

"If I didn't know any better I'd say that this was some kind of fangirl plot to get me alone."

Sakura scoffed. "Luckily, you know better." She shrugged, unconcerned. "If you don't believe me we can head back to Konoha right now."

Sakura stared at Sasuke, waiting for an answer. He sighed sharply and closed the few steps between them.

"Let's just go," he muttered.

x-x-x-x-

Eventually they switched to the trees, leaping from branch to branch as they headed west where the small town that Tsunade had referred Sakura to was located. Sasuke's faith in her was frail and if the rumor Tsunade had heard wasn't true, he would definitely not trust in Sakura's word again. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him moving, just slightly ahead. The last time she'd seen him jump like this had been before they became Chuunin. He'd definitely grown since then. Taller, more muscular. And… if she was being honest, even more attractive. Sakura crushed that thought as soon as it crossed her mind. She was doing Sasuke a favor. And when it was done, it was done. This wasn't about them reconnecting or Team 7 reconnecting. It was about Sasuke finding his brother. And that was it. But Sakura couldn't help it, her eyes found his hands and her mind remembered her nightmare (okay, maybe it was less of a nightmare than she made it out to be) even when she used all her power not to. The reminder of his hands, warm and big around her neck, down her collarbones, down her chest, over the swell of her breasts, grazing her nipples – just barely, before sliding down her sides, fingers gripping her hips, digging into her thighs as he pulled her against him. Hands gripping her backside.

Sakura made a disgruntled sound in the back of her throat and Sasuke's head whipped around, his feet skidding to a stop on the next branch. Her cheeks were burning with a blush she wished she could murder something or someone right in that moment.

Sasuke was staring at her, trying to figure out what the hell was wrong with her now. Sakura glared back up at him, her eyes sending a clear message: I am fine. Leave me alone.

He did. Probably deciding that it was none of his business, he heeded her glare. Or probably it was because he just didn't care. Either way, they continued on their way with Sasuke staring straight ahead as he'd always been.

x-x-x-x-

A six-year-old Sasuke sat facing his parents in the meeting room where the family usually convened. His mother had woken him up in the middle of the night and told him that they were having a meeting. When he arrived, it was only his parents waiting for him. His dark eyes moved across the room. Itachi's absence was blatantly obvious. Like a missing link in their chain. Sasuke's bare feet moved across the floor before sitting down. Both of his parents looked worn and serious, their faces tight. His mother's eyes looked down at him kindly, though, but his father looked as severe as always.

"Sasuke."

Sasuke's wide-eyes found his father. "Y-Yes, father?"

"As my second son, I haven't given you much," Fugaku began, "But I believe that, as my son, you have the potential to surpass your brother. And it is for that reason that I name you my successor."

Sasuke stilled, a cold chill running over him. Yes, it was true that this was what he'd wanted his entire life. No – not to lead the clan. But recognition from his father.

"But father! Nii-san-"

"Your brother has deserted the village and disgraced this great clan!" Fugaku spat, the anger etched onto his face, but there was also a betrayal in his eyes that he couldn't hide.

"What do you mean?" Sasuke whispered, his eyes going to his mother. "Nii-san can't be-"

"Your brother is gone," Fugaku told Sasuke. "We will mourn him like we do our dead and the name Itachi will never be spoken within this house again." And with that said, he stood and walked out of the room, his footsteps heavy on the floor, rattling Sasuke. The door slid shut, slamming hard against the frame and the room was quiet until Fugaku's footsteps could no longer be heard.

"Kaa-san…" Sasuke's eyes were filled with tears. "Is nii-san…?"

Mikoto stood, moving across the room to her son. When Sasuke looked up, he could see the tears that swam in her eyes.

"Your brother won't be coming back to us," she told him, smoothing down his hair.

"Why would he leave me? Nii-san wouldn't just…."

Mikoto's lids fell shut and the tears flowed down her pale face, even as she gave a small smile for her youngest son. She shook her head. She leaned down, pressing her lips to his chubby cheek. And then Sasuke listened to her leave as well, her footsteps moving across the wooden floors – Leaving him alone in the meeting room until the early hours of the next morning.

x-x-x-x-

"What do you mean you only have two rooms available?" Sakura demanded. They were currently at an inn. It was the only inn in town that apparently had any open rooms, and it seemed that the only available rooms were either a double bed or a single one.

"You seriously do not have one room with two singles at the very least?"

The old lady behind the counter shook her head but there was a look in her eye that clearly said she was getting pissed off.

"We'll take the one with the double bed," Sasuke said, holding out his hand for the key but Sakura slapped it away. "No, we most certainly will not. Does the room with the single bed have a couch or something?"

"Yes, it does, actually."

"Fine. We'll take it."

Sakura swiped the keys off of the counter and headed down the hall and up the stairs to their room. The first thing she noticed was that the couch was quite small, but whatever – Sasuke would manage.

"I'll take a shower first," she told him, grabbing her bag and heading into the small bathroom. It was cramped with a shower, toilet, plus a basin-and-mirror barely a few feet away from one another. Sakura took a long, proper shower since her nightmares had kept her from it that morning. When she re-entered the room, Sasuke was lounged out on her bed, arms folded behind his head. Lids closed, but he was clearly awake.

"That's my bed, you know."

"Aa. I don't see why we couldn't have taken the double. We've shared a bed before."

"Maybe," Sakura agreed, nudging him from the bed. Sasuke gave her a glare before climbing off the bed gracefully and heading to his couch. "But we were teammates back then and children. We're not kids anymore."

Sasuke scoffed at the teammates comment. "That was Menma being an asshole and trying to be his usual 'Leader-of-the-pack' self and you know it."

"I don't disagree with you but we both know it was true,"

"What? That I left Team 7? Get over it."

Sakura threw him a glance as she settled on to the bed.

"I had things to do,"

"Oh. Sounds important," Sakura said, sounding disinterested.

Sasuke leaned into the couch and glared at her. "Things neither you nor Menma would have understood. Clan business."

"And you didn't think that we could have at least supported you."

"I didn't need support, I am to run the Uchiha Clan, it had no-"

"Right," Sakura snapped. "Nothing to do with either of us. I get it. Now can I get some sleep please?" Sakura turned away from him and Sasuke, wisely, said nothing else on the matter.

x-x-x-x-

Right after nightfall, Sasuke and Sakura entered Guren, a bar in the shadiest part of town. Both had left their Konoha forehead protectors behind at the room and anything else that could identify them as shinobi. Sakura was wearing a black dress that even in Sasuke's opinion was a bit shorter than he would have liked. A few patrons looked up as they entered but they received no suspicious looks, although eyes did seem to linger on Sakura.

"Wait here."

Sasuke almost thought he was imagining things because Sakura could not have possibly said that to him just then. "What?"

"I said wait here, Sasuke."

"Why?" he ground out.

"Because I said so. You attract too much attention. The wrong kind that could get us into a fight. I can't fight in this dress."

"Then why did you wear it?!"

"Shut up and sit at the bar!" she growled, pushing him back, before moving to the table in the back where she'd spotted the man that Tsunade had described. There were three guards around him from what Sakura could tell. The red-haired woman behind him was definitely a body guard. A little off, closer to the bar stood a short, thin man with a strange type of necklace around his head and to the right there was a tanned man that definitely had a few extra arms. All of their eyes undoubtedly moved to Sakura as she closed the distance between herself and the man, but before she could make it, the short one grabbed her arm.

"What do you want, bitch?"

Sakura blinked. Opening her mouth to shoot him an automatic retort when the red head stepped up.

"Jirobo. Please watch your language. That is no way to speak to this girl." She didn't smile but she did give him a stern look. "Now, let go of her please."

Jirobo's face twisted in a sneer and he opened his mouth to argue when a hand grabbed a hold on his arm.

Sakura's head whipped around. "Sasuke!" she hissed under her breath. "I told you to wait there."

Sasuke was glaring down at Jirobo, completely ignoring Sakura next to him. Jirobo returned the glare, his eyes glinting with the prospect of a fight. Sakura tensed. If they fought, her chances of finding Akatsuki could be ruined.

"Sasuke," she said lowly. "Sasuke."

Almost unwillingly, his eyes moved to her.

"I've got this, okay?" she said gently.

He looked like he could attack his Jirobo guy at any moment. She'd seen Sasuke like this before. Tense and ready, but it had been years since they were Genin. It was a wonderfully familiar sight. It made her realize just how much she'd actually missed him. Just missed having him around. Him and Menma, her silent protectors – even when she didn't need them to be. They were her family.

Sakura smiled up at him. "Wait over there. I'll be back with news soon."

Sasuke blinked, his eyes moving back to Jirobo before shoving the offending hand away from Sakura and turning without another word. Sakura resisted the urge to go after him and throw her arms around him. Because that was just silly. She sobered and turned back to the red head.

"I would just like to have a word with your boss."

"And why would I let you do that?"

"Let her through," came the voice from the shadows.

"Now, Tayuya," he said when she didn't move.

Reluctantly, the red head obeyed, stepping aside for Sakura to approach the corner table.

Sakura stopped at the table, finally getting a proper look at him. Yes, this was definitely the man Tsunade had described – Kimimaro.

"Take a seat."

Sakura swallowed and slid into the seat opposite him. She could feel Sasuke's eyes burning into them, watching every detail.

"Tell me," Kimimaro said, leaning forward. "What are two Leaf shinobi doing in my bar?"

Sakura's eyes narrowed slightly at the mention that they were Leaf shinobi. There was no way for him to know that. Unless… Unless he had been watching them ever since they entered the village.

"We're not Leaf shinobi right now."

Kimimaro lifted an eyebrow. "That's the thing about Leaf shinobi. You're always Leaf shinobi. Let's cut the crap, shall we?" he licked his lips, green eyes flashing. "What do you want?"

"I'm looking for someone."

"I can't help you."

Sakura's lips thinned. This was not going as planned. "It's important."

"I can't help you." Kimimaro lifted a hand to signal his guards but Sakura leaned forward.

"You see my friend over there?" she jerked her chin in Sasuke's direction. Kimimaro's eyes flitted to Sasuke briefly before returning to Sakura.

"Yes."

"He's from the Uchiha Clan."

"And?"

"Have you ever heard of a level above the Sharingan?"

Kimimaro hesitated, but there was the unmistaken clenching of his jaw. "A myth. Fables for those who have no power."

Sakura dropped her head and chuckled. "Only it isn't." Her eyes met Kimimaro's once more. "It's real. And he has it. I hear his enemies have dreams of death that seem to go on and on and on, until they beg for death."

"I don't fear death."

"No? But everyone fears pain. And if you don't tell me what I want to know, I'll make sure that yours last an eternity."

Kimimaro's hands clenched the table as if he wanted to leave but Sakura reached out and grabbed his wrist. "Do you know what he had to do to obtain that new Sharingan?"

"What?"

"He had to kill… his closest friend." That was what Sakura heard anyway. She knew Sasuke didn't have it – this next level Sharingan, but that had been the rumor Tsunade had told Sakura about it.

"If I give him the signal, he will kill every last person in the bar, but he'll save his Sharingan for you and your guards."

Never in Sakura's life had her heart freaked out like this. Well, it was understandable since she'd never bluffed like this in her life. If Kimimaro didn't fall for it…Sakura didn't want to think about what would happen.

His eyes moved to Tayuya, who stood just out of hearing distance before turning back to Sakura. "Sounds interesting, I'd like to see this Sharingan for myself." Kimimaro lifted his hand. "Kill them both."

x-x-x-x-

Hi guys!

As mentioned in my chapter of One Step Closer, I apologize for the late update, was in bed most of the day with a serious headache, with more of the same last week as well.

I wrote both this chapter and the one for OSC while I was on some serious pain pills and I do apologize (and thank) my awesome beta, The Crafty Cracker, for looking over them on such short notice and fixing all my embarrassing mistakes.

Looking over both chapters now while I feel somewhat better. This one actually turned out to be my favorite chapter for this story so far! I'm really excited for the direction I'm planning to take this story haha.

Anyhoo, please leave your reviews again. Thanks to every single one who has reviewed so far! Love you guys!

Zana-Lee

Xoxo