A/N: This chapter is dedictated to Little-bad-Angel for being my first reviewer :D

Little-bad-Angel: thnx 4 the review. i plan 2 update weekly but i doubt i'll stick 2 it (heehee -scratches head-)

sasusaku lover: thank you ^.^

gakuenaliceisbetterthannaruto: ^.^" okies...? well, at least ur reading my fanfic so thank you :D

Summary: Haruno Sakura, taken captive after a group of rogue Kirigakure shinobi ransacked her village, escapes into Konoha broken and on the verge of collapse. She was certain this was her last moment. She could join her family. That's when she saw him.

Chapter 2

She had to get as far away as possible. Panting breathlessly, Sakura navigated around the Uchiha district, making as little noise as possible so as to not wake anyone up. Her legs were beginning to tire so she stopped and collapsed on the ground. It took her a few minutes to notice her surroundings. She was at the exact same spot where she had met Sasuke.

The docks lay ahead of her while Sakura rested against one of the tree trunks. She looked at the dark sky; clouds were starting to gather, must be an impending storm.

Sakura leaned her head against her folded knees, wondering what time it was, probably around midnight. No one would look for her now and by the time morning came she would be long gone, hopefully far away from the Uchihas.

A tear crept slowly out from under her lids, falling on her clenched palm. Why was she crying? This was best for them. They wouldn't get hurt this way if she were found again. That's what she kept telling herself. It was for the best. But for some reason, the thought of leaving Sasuke-kun filled her with sadness, even though she had only known him for a few hours.

Pushing that thought to the back of her mind, Sakura focused instead on her escape and her wounds. She wiped her eyes with her forearm before pulling the bandages off the gash on her left forearm to examine the cut.

It ran pretty deep from the bottom of her wrist to her elbow and was still bleeding. That has to be stopped somehow. Frowning, Sakura formed some hand seals. This would take up a lot of her chakra but she'd be able to move faster, not hindered by the pain. Her hands glowed green as she pressed her right hand on the gash, sending chakra into the wound.

The blood slowly stopped; the edges slowly closing up. Sakura sighed. This might take a while.


It was raining heavily as Sasuke ran through the Uchiha district, looking for a certain pink haired girl. He couldn't believe it. The moment he turned around to ask his parents whether Sakura could stay, she ran away herself. What was she thinking?

His head swiveled right and left so swiftly he almost gave himself whiplash. Judging from the time he left and how long he spent searching for that blasted girl, Sasuke guessed it was around two in the morning. It was still dry when he left the house but for his amazing luck, it started raining not soon after. Now it was pouring. His hair and clothes were completely soaked through.

Great. Where could she be? She couldn't have gotten very far, not with her wounds. But why would she run away to begin with? It must be because of something from her past. Sasuke remembered how she said her parents were killed. But she never told us how she got those wounds. And being the polite child he was, Sasuke didn't ask her. If she wanted to tell him she would eventually.

Well, that was what he had thought before she pulled her vanishing act.

For some unknown reason, Sasuke felt a deep attachment to Sakura even if they had just met. He didn't know how to explain it but he felt extremely protective of her. He would bring her back, no doubt about it. Sasuke gritted his teeth. He had to. She couldn't leave him; he'd make sure of it. And whatever her past was, he'd take care of it. He would take care of her. Because she was hi-.

What? She was his? Sasuke shook his head. Where had that thought come from. Anyway, he had to find her first. The docks, he would check the docks first. Set in his decision, Sasuke headed towards the lake where he first met Sakura.


Itachi's eyes shot open, zeroing in on the ceiling. He rubbed his eyes, sleepily. What was that feeling? Yawning, he slid out of bed, intent on getting a glass of water. As he was walking down the halls, he noticed Sasuke's light was on. What was his little brother doing up at this time?

Prepared to lecture his brother, he opened the door to halt mid step. Sasuke's bed covers were flung wide, the window open, and both Sasuke and Sakura were gone.

Itachi sprinted to his parent's room, sliding the door open with a bang. Fugaku immediately bolted up, surveying his surroundings, while Mikoto took a moment to sit up. "What? Itachi?"

Fugaku glared at his son, "Itachi-"

"Otou-san, okaa-san, Sasuke and Sakura are gone!"

Mikoto immediately sprung up. "What? No, Sasuke Sakura. Fugaku, get up. We're going to search for them now." For the first time Fugaku looked sincerely concerned. Nodding he pulled himself out of bed.

"Itachi, you come too," he told his son. Itachi responded by leaving immediately.

Itachi slipped on his sandals by the door and ran out, only to be bombarded by rain. Perfect, it's raining. He sighed but closed his eyes and felt for Sasuke's chakra. Sasuke, don't get hurt.


The docks loomed straight ahead, as Sasuke ran towards them, brushing random branches and leaves aside in his haste. As he sprung out he screamed, "Sakura!" He saw her, sitting under a tree. There she was!

Sakura looked up when she heard someone scream her name to see Sasuke running towards her. This was bad. She looked down at her wound, where it was just knitting close. Come on! Heal faster! The wound closed as she jumped up, picking up the bandages, preparing to sprint in the opposite direction when a shadow loomed over her. Sakura glanced upwards, "Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke looked down at her. "Sakura…Why did you open the bandages? You're just hurting yourself!" He gently pulled her arm towards him only to see that the wound on her left arm was completely gone. Not a scratch was left. "How…?" As he stared, amazed, Sakura pursed her lips and gently tried to pull her arm back. Sasuke reacted instinctively, tightening his grip.

Her eyes darted quickly back and forth as she almost sobbed, "Please, Sasuke-kun. Let me go."

"No. Expl-"

"Please. I have to go. Now."

Sasuke's eyes widened. Leave them. Leave him? No, never! He wouldn't allow it. "NO! Why?"

Sakura refused to meet his eyes, resorting to pulling his arm, "I can't stay. Please, please, just let me go. I don't want…you to get hurt because of me."

Get hurt? Sasuke was confused. "Why would I get hurt because of you?"

"If you get close to me, and they come back, they'll hurt you to take me back. They'll kill you to take me back. I know too much."

Sasuke was even more confused and frustrated. "Who Sakura?"

She stopped pulling, "I can't say. It'll put you in danger." Tears sprung out of her eyes.

"Sakura…" She sobbed harder, her knees buckling as she fell into Sasuke's chest. His arms wrapped around her as he sat both of them down against the tree trunk, rocking slowly back and forth. He was so confused. What did he do in this situation? Sasuke looked down at the pink haired girl in his lap. He didn't know what to do when girls, no, when Sakura cried. So he just held her for the next few minutes as she cried. Slowly her sobs shifted into sniffles then silence as she clutched Sasuke's wet shirt. Wet?

She looked closely at his attire. His clothes were all wet! So was his hair. "Sasuke-kun?" Sasuke looked down at her. "How long have you been looking for me?"

Sasuke blushed, looking away and scratching his head. "Uh…"

"What?"

"Ever since you left…" Sakura was surprised. He had been looking for her ever since she left? What about Mikoto-san and everyone else? Were they looking for her too? "Sakura…"

"Huh?"

"…I've been calling you for the last minute."

"Oh."

"…"

"…"

Sasuke and Sakura both blushed simultaneously.

"So…" Sasuke mumbled. "Do you think you can explain?" Sakura tilted her head sideways. Huh? "About what you said earlier." Oh. Her head drooped. Sasuke panicked. "I-it's ok if you don't, I mean…" He pouted. He couldn't believe he stuttered. Itachi-nisan would laugh at him.

"It's ok Sasuke-kun. I'll explain." Sasuke nodded, wrapping his arms tighter around Sakura. "I'll start from the beginning. My parents were medical shinobi during the third shinobi war. They retired to the countryside outside of Konoha for a more peaceful life. That was where I was born…"


Flashback

"Sakura-chan" A bob of pink hair popped up from among the flower beds. "Dinner time."

"Ai!*" A three year old Sakura stood up from her roses and ran towards the cottage door. "Kaa-san!" Her mother picked her up and sat her on her stool, setting her dinner in front of her.

Her father was sitting opposite her, closing his newspaper. "Did you have fun playing today Sakura-chan?"

"Ai!*" Her bright viridian eyes shone brightly with mirth, "Sakra pway wid fwowers! Awwl day!"

One month later

"Kaa-san! Kaa-san!" Sakura's mother looked up from watering the garden.

"What's wrong Sakura-chan?"

Sakura ran up to her mother, a fluff of ball in her hands. It was a baby bird, with its wings bent at an awkward angle. "Kaa-san!" Sakura sobbed, "Birdy's has a booboo!"Her mother gently took the bird from her, cradling it in one palm.

"Look, Sakura-chan." Her other hand glowed green as she placed it over the bird. Sakura watched in awe as the wings straightened out before the bird stood up ruffled its wings a little and flew off.

"Waaah! Kaa-san teach me! Teach Sakura!" Her mother smiled sadly and was about to say no but seeing the excitement in Sakura's eyes, she conceded defeat and agreed.

"Yaaaay!" Sakura ran around the yard in circles, like a puppy chasing its tail.


Two months later

"That's it Sakura-chan. Just like that." Sakura's brows furrowed in concentration as she focused her two palms on the dead fish in front of her, with a cry, she collapsed on her bottom just as the fish came to life and jumped back into the stream in front of it. Sakura panted, staring at the spot the fish jumped into the stream before bursting into cheer, her little chubby hands waving in the air.

Her parents stood to the side of the room, exchanging glances of happiness and worry. What if some shinobi found out about her chakra control? They would take her away and her parents didn't want her to experience the harsh life of a shinobi. She was only four and by then children were already being groomed to enter the Academy.


1 year later

It was quiet, too quiet, the type of quiet that heralded hurricanes or earthquakes. It was the type of quiet that woke Sakura. Blinking her emerald eyes open wearily, she slid off her bed, small feet padding towards the door.

The hallways were pitch black, empty, yet held a sense of foreboding. Sakura sleepily walked towards her parents' room, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, muttering "Daddy…mommy…" The bedroom door was slightly open and she peeked through.

Her eyes widened and the world stood still. "Argh." Her father's body fell from the stranger's kunai and thumped on the floor. So cold. Why did it feel so cold? Blood pooled. It's…not supposed to be red. Why is it red? Why? WHY?

"Daddy…" Four pairs of eyes shot towards the door, one filled with fear.

"RUN SAKURA! RUN! GET OUT OF HERE NOW!" The woman struggled against her captor, eyes wild with fear.

Sakura stood in the doorway paralyzed. Who are those strangers? Her daddy and mommy…One of the men silently approached. "Little girl," the voice cackled. She ran as fast as her little feet could carry her.

A second later she was lifted up in the air by a pair of arms, screaming wildly. She was carried outside, struggling but stopped at the sight.

Her village was enveloped in flames. Houses were ransacked. Children were screaming. No. NO! She thrashed about as she was ruthlessly thrown, bound, and gagged onto a cart, sobbing as the cart drove away.

And so Sakura was one of the many that were captured and taken prisoner by Kirigakure shinobi. That was the day she saw her village destroyed, the day her father was killed in front of her, the day her mother was taken away, the day her young world fell apart. That was the day Sakura Haruno turned 5.


In the cart

Sakura huddled closer to the corner of the cart, hoping to be unnoticed as the cart drove off into the woods. She didn't know how much time passed but all she could think about was waking up to see her father and mother being taken away from her. Images of her village passed through her mind now and then as she drifted in and out of sleep. The sky was lightening. It must be almost morning as the cart slowed to a stop.

Where were they? "Get your asses moving, now!" What? A group of Kirigakure shinobi stood near the front of the wagon screaming at everyone to get out and to line up. "Alright, what do you think boss?"

Sakura scrambled to the end of the line, hiding behind the leg of an adult, hoping to not be noticed. The shinobi the others called "Boss" observed the prisoners. A scar ran from the left side of his chin and through his nose to the right of his face, his blue eyes piercing. He wore the typical Kirigakura vest with black trousers with his forehead protector strapped to his right shoulder.

His eyes reviewed everyone slowly before he announced, "Send them to work. None of these shits are worth my time."Waving his hand, he dismissed everyone. Sakura let out a sigh. At least she wasn't singled out.

As she walked along with the other prisoners, the Boss noticed a bright pink mop of hair. "Stop." Everyone halted in fear. "You with the pink hair. Come here." Sakura froze. No.

She obediently walked towards the Boss, head down. She could feel everyone's eyes on her as the Boss circled around her slowly, poking at her now and then.

"She'll do. Put everyone else to work." The scuffle of feet was heard as the prisoners were herded to work, leaving Sakura with the rest of the shinobi.

What had she gotten into?


*Ai- Hai but Sakura doesn't know how to pronounce it yet ^.^ (isn't she adorable?)

12.23.11 - HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! Just a heads up, I'll be going on vacation for the next couple of days so the next chapter will be posted around the end of next week instead of this Sunday (it's Christmas!). Enjoy the holidays! ^.^