A/N: Can you beeeeelieve it?! Christmas is only like 3 weeks away:-) And I didn't even remember to remind my mom to start putting up the Christmas tree cuz I was so busy with homework and writing new chapters for my fanfics :-( that's gonna ruin my Christmas :-P LOL… well, anyway, this story's more fun to write than celebrating Christmas, so … YAY:-P LOL.
Thanks so much for all those nice reviews :-) though the number of reviews has gone down a little from the original story, I don't give a crap :-) No matter their numbers, reviews will always make me happy (unless they're in the zeroes or negatives –laughs- LOL) Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter… it wasn't my favorite to write, but I think it's okay :-) Have fun :-D

Heart

Tsunade had sat in the chair that was already next to the bed, which Sasuke laid on. She did not speak for a long time, and merely stared at the Uchiha, who appeared terrified. She waited for the inevitable Orochimaru to appear in Sasuke's eyes since Tsunade would stir up that snake's past, but Orochimaru never appeared. . . and Tsunade could see that Sasuke's fear was sincere, Orochimaru was not deep inside of his body and faking that emotion.

"You're scared of me," Tsunade said softly. "Why?"

Sasuke avoided meeting the Hokage's gaze. "I'm not scared of you," he replied. "I'm scared of. . ." His voice faltered, and he wouldn't continue.

Tsunade heard the strain in Sasuke's voice. He must be struggling to regain his senses. . . I'm surprised he's able to speak at all. . . "Listen, Uchiha," Tsunade began. "I have every right to have you killed on the spot. It will probably be demanded of me from the entire village, not to mention the elders."

Sasuke flinched slightly.

"But I'm willing to make an exception if you want it," Tsunade concluded.

"If. . . If I w-want it?" Sasuke looked at her for clarification.

"Yes, if you want it," the Hokage explained. "I'm not going to waste my time keeping you alive if you don't want to live. So answer the question. Do you want to live?"

Orochimaru's smirk. "Do you still want to live?"

Sasuke suddenly saw visions of his past childhood when his brother was still. . .

Then he saw visions of his parents being killed, over and over. . . "Stop it!" he screamed, realizing Orochimaru was controlling what he saw in his mind. It was worse than what Itachi had done to him, for Orochimaru could sense what hurt Sasuke the most… they both shared the same mind, and knew each other's emotions.

"I asked you a question, Sasuke," was Orochimaru's next hiss after the flashing images ended in the shade of black. "Do you want to live?"

"I. . . don't know. . ." He felt his "imaginary body" shaking with fear.

"Answer the question, Sasuke!"

Silence. Fresh memories lingering in Sasuke's broken mind. Harsh images of Sasuke's past being produced by Orochimaru. Sasuke couldn't think, couldn't decide. . . suddenly Sasuke realized he did temporarily want death to relieve his fear, his pain. But that wasn't what horribly surprised him. It was the fact that. . . he didn't care what his answer was at all.

Orochimaru's sneer entered his mind. "Confused, are we?"

"I don't know!" he exclaimed, almost screaming at Tsunade. "I. . . don't know. . ."

Tsunade sympathetically gazed at him. Orochimaru must've forced him to question his own life. . . She decided to rephrase the question to something that she knew Orochimaru would never ask a prisoner, whom he wanted to break. "Do you want to die?" she asked, very softly.

Sasuke's eyes grew clear again as his sureness returned. "No. I don't want to die," he said simply but with a confident voice.

Tsunade nodded and rose from the chair. "I'll let Sakura and Naruto come back in now," she informed as she left. As soon as she opened the door, Naruto and Sakura bombarded her with questions. . . and threats.

"What's going to happen?" Sakura asked, pleading with her eyes. "Please say you're not going to kill him. . . are you?"

"You'll regret it if you try to kill him! I promised Sasuke I'd kick your ass!" Naruto said angrily.

Tsunade smiled. "Sasuke can give answers to both of you," she said, sauntering away.

XXX

When Tsunade came in, he had been scared for his life. . . He had been disoriented and upset when he had woken up, and it was dark. Naruto had relieved him from his confusion, and then he only grew scared again when Tsunade questioned him about his life.

Memories of Orochimaru destroying Sasuke's eagerness to survive were far too close to the surface. He didn't want to go back to having people question him like that. Sasuke couldn't stand that question, that "do you want to live?" business. . . because there was a time—no,several times—whenhe had not known at all.

And then Tsunade had left him, lying on the bed all alone. He hated being alone. . . When Naruto had left earlier in the day, he had been unable to stop crying. The Uchiha wanted—needed—someone to stay with him to promise him that this wasn't some type of dream, and that Orochimaru wouldn't come out at any second.

Fortunately Naruto returned with Sakura immediately, so the loneliness didn't last for too long. He met Naruto's eyes and smiled slightly, but he couldn't look at Sakura. . . she had hurt him too much. . . she hadn't forgiven him. . . not that she was expected to forgive.

"Sasuke," Sakura whispered. "What did Tsunade say? Will you. . .?" She left it at that—she did not need to continue.

Sasuke hesitated to answer firsthand. . . he was scared to look at Sakura and see the angry expression he had seen in her eyes before. "You aren't. . . mad at me?" he asked instead.

Sakura half-laughed and glanced at Naruto. She gave another small laugh as she knelt beside him again. "I'm not mad at you, Sasuke. . . I thought I was a while ago, but I could never hate you for good." She smiled and stroked his hair out of his face again.

Sasuke felt comforted at the touch of another person's flesh, something he had not felt for the longest time.

"Sasuke, what did Tsunade say?" Naruto repeated gently.

"She said she'd let me live." Sasuke struggled to keep his eyes open due to his sudden exhaustion as Naruto and Sakura nearly jumped in joy.

Sakura smiled excitedly. "She really said that? Really?"

"Sakura," Naruto interrupted his friend's enthusiasm. "I think he wants to go to sleep."

She still laughed to herself slightly but soon quieted down as Sasuke nodded in agreement, depressed that he was always so tired.

"Don't worry, Sasuke," Sakura reassured, and Sasuke could tell she saw the emotion in his eyes. "You'll get better soon. . . it's not an injury, it's just your mind. . . you won't be tired for long. You just have to get use to your body again."

Sasuke nodded, closing his eyes. "Thanks, Sakura."

Naruto grinned in the background when Sasuke was finally asleep. "See, Sakura-chan? I told you Tsunade had a heart somewhere in that huge chest of hers."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "You pervert," she lightly teased.

A/N: I hope Sasuke wasn't OOC in this … it's always difficult to keep a usually solid ice cube like him with the right personality (especially under the circumstances in this story) :-P LOL… well, anyway. Thanks for reading, and reviews make me happy :-) so yep. ;-) As usual, Chapter 5 is next Wednesday :-D I enjoyed writing Chapter 5, a lot (I have it pre-written, but without a title :-P), so you better like it next week :-P LOL. Well, cya Wednesday :-D