Chapter 6: Another Attempt at Compromising

"Naruto-kun…can I talk to you for a moment?" Hinata timidly asked as the group of Konoha Shinobi packed up their camp.

"Sure, Hinata-chan." Naruto followed Hinata into the over growth a little but away from the clearing for privacy. "What is it that you wanted to talk about?"

Hinata stayed silent for a moment before staring into the cerulean eyes of her boyfriend. She hesitated a moment more and then dropped his gaze.

"Naruto-kun, I want you to promise me something." Hinata said with much determination.

Naruto stared at her blankly for a moment, slightly confused. "Eh?"

"I want you to promise me that no matter what happens, you won't stop caring, you won't stop being who you are." Hinata's words left Naruto speechless. Never had he heard the timid girl talk so tough, more or less demand some of him. "Do you promise me?"

"Of course, Hinata-chan!" Naruto smiled as he embraced the girl in a bear hug, both smiling and content. "Now come on, we have some friends to save!"

Naruto grabbed Hinata's hand and raced back to camp to finish packing up.

The Hyuuga heiress wasn't the only person to notice the up lift of Naruto's mood.

"Let's move out!" Kakashi commanded as soon as every one finished packing up their belongings.

The large group jumped into the trees and began their move north. They had paired off into twos, spreading out to cover more group, only in contact with the others through microphones.

Kakashi and Naruto were to travel center, Tenten and Neji were to take the right while Ino, Shikamaru, and Hinata, the three man group, would take the left.

"Kakashi, how long do you think before we get to Sound?" Naruto asked as he kept pace with the Jonin.

"Not sure, but I estimate it to be another day or so before we even get to the border." Kakashi replied as he glanced over at the determined face of his former student.

"Good. The sooner, the better." Naruto nodded his head, agreeing with himself.

Kakashi chuckled lightly in agreement before silence befell the duo.

"Do you see anything, Hinata?" Ino called to the girl who was flanking Shikamaru to the left.

"No. Just forest." Hinata replied as she scanned the forest horizon with her Byakugan.

"You would think that there would be more ninja to worry about as we get closer to Sound if Orochimaru really does have as many ninja as he says he does." Ino said thoughtfully as she looked towards Shikamaru and Hinata, who were both on her left.

"I agree." Shikamaru sighed. "This is so troublesome."

"Yes, it is." Hinata replied as she deactivated her blood line before talking into the microphone. "Have you found anything, Neji-nii-san?"

"Nothing. You?" Neji husky voice responded into all the of the team member's ears.

"Same." Hinata replied.

"Keep on look out. We'll be coming into Sound territory within a day or two." Kakashi commanded.

"Hai!" Came the reply.

"Neji, do you think that Sakura is really okay in Sasuke's care?" Tenten asked nervously as she shoved off another tree branch.

"I do not know the Uchiha as well as Naruto and Kakashi do, but if they really have all that trust in him to protect Haruno, then I don't see why we should worry." Neji replied as he watched Tenten's face twist in worry and confusion.

"Why take her though?" This had been bugging her since she first learned that Sakura was taken. Sure Sakura was a great medic, but every one in Konoha knew that Tsunade refused to teach anyone the special jutsu needed to heal sealed limbs just in case Orochimaru came calling. The sannin should have known better then to think that Sakura would know how to heal him.

"Maybe she is needed in healing his arms or helping Kabuto in his gruesome experiments." Neji replied as flashes of one of Orochimaru's abandoned lairs came to mind. He had left countless experiments behind. All permanently burned into the minds of any of the Shinobi to be unfortunate enough to see the horrendous sight.

"Do you think that she will deny them?" Tenten continued.

"Do you really have that little of faith in her to choose the right thing to do?" Neji countered.

Tenten was quiet for a moment as she set her eyes in the direction they were traveling. "You're right. Sakura is a big girl. She knows the right thing to do."

Neji moved over to the girl and set a hand on her shoulder as they continued jumping from tree to tree. "Just have faith." Neji said soothingly.

"Thank you Neji." Tenten smiled as they picked up their speed.

"Hn." And then the unexpected happened.

Neji smiled.

Sasuke stood still as he watched the sleeping form of Sakura on his bed. After she had finally calmed down, she passed out, most likely from stress. Sasuke had placed her in the bed and moved to the other side of the room. He hadn't moved since and that was nearly two hours ago.

A low groan was heard as Sakura shifted in her sleep. She was now facing the Uchiha, eyes still closed, though eyebrows furrowed together, as if she was having a nightmare.

Sasuke let out a sigh as he continued to watch her. As much as he loved the silence that followed her sleep, he kind of missed talking to somebody. He was always so lonely here. Of course, he did nothing to get away from the loneliness, he was the one who caused it, but can you really befriend some one who is scared shitless of you?

The answer is no.

The only people who aren't scared of him were Orochimaru and Kabuto. Well actually, Kabuto is terrified of him, he just acts indifferent towards the Uchiha.

Being in Sound is nothing like when he was in Konoha. Here, every one bows to him and treats him like a God. The ninja are too frightened to start a conversation with him but won't pass up a chance to spar with an Uchiha, which normally ended in death for the loser.

In Konoha, he had friends who cared for him and went out of their way to annoy and irritate him to no end on a daily basis. It was as if they got their kicks off of his reactions. They were all especially fond of referring to his hair as a chicken's butt.

It. Was. Not. A. Chicken's. Butt.

But no matter how much he craved the alone time when in Konoha, it felt nice to be with people who would go to the end of the world from him and who would go out of their way to talk to him and try to be a good friend.

He didn't get that in Sound. And that one reason was why Sasuke actually liked have Sakura with him now.

Sasuke was brought back to reality when he heard Sakura groan and her jade eyes fluttered open hesitantly.

"Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked unsure.

"Hn." Sasuke moved to the side of the bed and looked down at the fragile, defenseless girl.

Sakura looked around the room, seemingly forgetting where she was for the moment. Her eyes suddenly grew in size when her mind flooded itself with all the information of what had happened the last few days. "Sasuke-kun…can you answer something for me?"

Sasuke stayed quiet, but raised an eyebrow, a notion for her to continue.

"Is that ninja still alive?" Her voice was unbelievably quiet, and had Sasuke not had such trained ears, he would have missed her words. However, even against her attempts to stay sane, her voice broke at the end and she was forced to bite her lip to stay calm.

"Hn." Sasuke nodded his head and took a seat beside the girl. "He is one of Orochimaru's lackeys. He is like the messenger now. After his run in with Naruto, Shikamaru, and you, he was unable to continue as a ninja, seeing as though it would be hard to fight with only one arm."

"Do you know why he was able to conceive such a powerful genjutsu?" She asked, still very quiet.

"He was also a master of genjutsu. However, he is also one of Orochimaru's experiments. His chakra levels are overly exaggerated, making him all the more powerful." Sasuke replied as he watched Sakura's face for some kind of reaction. "Sakura, you were always the best on our team with genjutsu, how were you stuck in one of his? Why couldn't you release?" This had been bugging him.

"In truth, the genjutsu wasn't all that strong, and I figured it out pretty quickly, but I was to weak to break it. I was stuck in there until he was to drained to continue it and Naruto attacked him." Sakura replied timidly.

"Aa." Sasuke stood up again and walked to the door when there was a knock heard. "What?" He hissed at the young man on the other side of the door.

"Um…Uchiha-sama, Orochimaru-sama requests that Haruno-san be brought to him immediately." The man replied as he got lost within Sasuke's crimson eyes.

"Hn." Sasuke slammed the door closed and turned to Sakura. "Agree to heal him. Just delay the process."

Sakura was utterly confused. Did he just say heal him? Or was her ears playing tricks on her and he really said kill him?

"What?" Sakura asked after a moment.

"Heal Orochimaru. If you refuse, he'll kill you, then I will never hear the end of it from the dobe." Sasuke replied as he turned away from her. "Change and hurry up. There are clothes in the top drawer."

Sakura was surprised at this remark. And then quickly became disgusted at the notion of her wearing the same clothes for a lot longer then she would have liked.

She went to the drawer and opened it up to find a couple pairs of black cargo pants, some black shorts and matching skirts, and a few fitted red tank tops and loose white long sleeved shirts. She pulled out a pair of cargo pants and a red top and changed.

"Okay." She replied surprised that the clothes fit her.

"Come on." Sasuke opened the door and led the frightened girl down the labyrinth of hallways.

Sakura stayed close once again to Sasuke as they made their way to Orochimaru's throne room. It seemed that the walk was too quick, well at least for Sakura. Sasuke knocked once and then opened the door.

Orochimaru sat in his high throne, watching the two Shinobi walk towards him, one stoic, the other full of rage.

"Sasuke-kun, again you bring Sakura-chan to me. I'm so delighted to see that you two are getting along so well." Orochimaru smiled eerily while Sakura suppressed a shuddered and the need to take a step back. "Leave us. Sakura-chan and I have a lot to discuss." Orochimaru commanded.

"Whatever." Sasuke rolled his eyes and then turned on his heel and left the room, but not before throwing Sakura side ways glance.

"Sakura-chan, have you made up your mind?" Orochimaru asked as he eyed the girl with much confidence.

"Hai." Sakura replied forcefully.

"And…what is your answer?"

"I will do it, however, under one condition."

"Oh, and what might that be?"

"I refuse to help Kabuto. I will only heal your arms and in return, you allow Sasuke to return to Konoha with me if he wishes."

Orochimaru was surprised, although he didn't show it. This girl, no, woman, had the courage to stand up to him, a sannin. She had the guts to demand and refuse things of him. There was more to this female then what met the eye.

"Fine. You will heal my arms and in return you will not have to help Kabuto and I will allow Sasuke-kun to return to Konoha, if he wishes, after my arms are completely healed. Deal?" Orochimaru grinned evilly as he stood up and stuck out his hand.

"Deal." Sakura shook his hand, sealing the deal.

"Kabuto!"

The gray haired medic turned quickly to find a fuming Sasuke standing in the doorway of his lab.

"Oh, Sasuke-kun!" Kabuto laughed nervously.

"You're dead."

And then he lunged at the expecting medic.

Edited On: 6/14/12

I would like to thank SEVVY101 for her concern and godly ways of making me smile! You're PM really brightened my mood! Thank You!

Missy.