Chapter 5: Right Time, Wrong Place

Soooooo guys I got this idea about an OC that I really want to do but I'm getting some feedback that I shouldn't. Should I just go with my gut or listen to you guys? I dunno what to do. Mostly, I want to include this OC but I want to make you guys happy too so I'm not sure. This OC won't be coming until a couple chapters later so maybe by then, I'll have time to decide. Who is it? Well, it's a girl. And she made her very first appearance in my other story Returning Uchihas ;)

I'm really tempted to use the OC, but then again, I probably overused it.

Enough rambling! Story time!

"...She's saving herself for Naruto," Sasuke said coolly.

Sasuke helped level Hinata up to her feet. She blinked several times at her unexpected savior as her face flushed red.

"S-S-S-Sasuke-san! I-I-I d-d-didn't expect y-y-you b-b-but thank y-y-you and um w-w-what-"

"Wished I was Naruto?" Sasuke asked with a bored expression.

Hinata's held her head facing to the ground, her bangs covering her too embarassed face. Sasuke only sighed.

"You're lucky that dobe is the only one that doesn't know about it, Hyuuga," Sasuke commented as he began descending the stairs quickly. Hinata, glancing at the unconscious body for a moment, immediately followed Sasuke steadily. She noticed that he was going down at a rather fast pace, as if in a hurry. To her, Sasuke looked almost troubled, even if he was usually calm and stoic. She hesitated to say the next words, fearful of the consequences that an Uchiha would bring to her.

"Ano, a-a-a-are you l-l-l-looking for S-S-S-Sakura..."

Her words trailed off as Sasuke's eyes immediately glared at her. She shivered under his eyes. Sasuke always scared her, even if she rarely talked to him. Then again, it did explain so much for the moment.

"Where is she?" Sasuke asked dangerously, as if waiting to slice off her head if she didn't answer correctly.

Hinata took in a huge gulp. "I-I-I-I d-d-don't know! N-N-Naruto-kun a-a-and I were l-l-looking for her when she left with H-H-Hozuki-san so he went to the other stairs and I-I-I-"

"Suigetsu? Shit," Sasuke cursed as his fists tightened, his knuckles slowing turning pale.

Hinata gasped as Sasuke suddenly began sprinting down the stairs like he was in a race of time. She pulled up her dress and began following him, panting heavily. They were running so fast that her feet were already in pain from her heels down the flight of stairs. They reached back to the hallway, only for Sasuke to slam the other door open and climb up another flight of stairs. Hinata did not complain. Their friends could be up there in danger. But Sasuke was actually stranger than usual. She had heard about his brawl with Naruto earlier this week and their broken friendship. Sasuke had gone to hang with another group, some of the most popular kids in school. Now all of sudden, he was running for his life to his friends' aid.

"S-S-Sasuke-san, what's going on-"

"Whoa Sasuke, you really are a ladies man, already courting the Hyuuga heiress. I thought it was a silent code that Uzumaki was to get her laid first, if he's still alive."

Hinata stopped her track at the sight of the pale blue-haired boy stepping down the stairs, blocking their path. Sasuke stepped back a bit, immediately standing in between her and Suigetsu. Hinata could not see Sasuke's expression, but his body was rigid and too tight, his fists unable to remain still.

Suigetsu only grinned. "It's a shame really, Sasuke, that you could bounce so quickly from girls...Pinky had such soft skin too."

Hinata nearly screamed when Sasuke punched Suigetsu in the nose, causing him to fall. However, Suigetsu never made it to the ground as Sasuke quickly grabbed him by the collar, slamming him into the wall. Suigetu's nose bled down to his lips as his licked it deliciously. Meeting Sasuke's deadly eyes, he hollered in laughter.

"So this is the real Uchiha Sasuke? My, my, you must be the first to have a heart," Suigetsu commented despite his position. "Would you like to hear about the tricks I used to make Sakura-chan moan my name, or how much blood I made Naruto spill? Or maybe you want me dead instead?"

Sasuke gritted his teeth. He knew Suigetsu was lying, but he couldn't help the anger erupting from his mind. He wanted to hurt this guy so badly. He could murder this guy in so many different ways, it was so hard to choose which. His eyes glanced back, his blood hot in his veins.

"Why the hell are you just standing there, Hyuuga? Go find those two!" Sasuke yelled at Hinata. Without hesitation, Hinata nodded, shaken, and immediately climbed up the stairs, leaving Sasuke to do his business with Suigetsu.

Sasuke's hold on Suigetsu grew tighter. "What are you up to, you piece of shit?"

"I would ask the same thing too, big guy. You're the one giving pills to Naruto in the middle of daylight," Suigetsu chuckled. "Do enemies hand out gifts to each other so easily?"

Suigetsu grinned victoriously at Sasuke's change of expression. He was angrier than before and yet Suigetsu could see the panic hidden inside there. This was getting good.

"You three are such a mystery, Sasuke. Best friends since play school, defending one another and all of sudden, two years ago happened. Then you, who I once thought was some idiotic freshman, come up to us for some help. You see, I don't give anybody help without doing a little background check and guess what I discovered," Suigetsu said, his eyes gleaming.

"You guys must have been the most boring kids on earth if you guys visited the hospital everyday for three years."

Suigetsu cursed loudly as Sasuke's hold immediately changed from his shirt's collar to his bare neck. Sasuke's eyes made him a monster right now. If one stared into them, they would face death. Denying the situation he was in, Suigetsu was feeling prideful right now. He had chosen the correct target to Sasuke. It was brilliant.

"If you ever think of doing anything to her..." Sasuke threatened on instinct.

"Oh don't worry, I don't plan to do anything to her now really," Suigetsu replied quickly. "I won't be horrible like you were two years ago. You knew the best way to kill her. I wonder, Sasuke, how long did you sit in that waiting room, regretting everything you did, to hear that she was still alive-" He croaked as Sasuke choked him again, tightening his hold by ten folds.

"You son of a bitch!" Sasuke snarled.

"Or the fact that your best friends don't even know the truth behind your little tour around Europe."

"What the hell do you want?"

Suigetsu grinned.

Sasuke could barely retain punching the wall with each step he took. That Suigetsu was more clever than he thought. He had actually outsmarted the Uchiha. Sasuke couldn't believe this. He was always getting into these kinds of mess. This was all Naruto's and Sakura's fault. If it wasn't for them, he would be peacefully sitting in his bedroom staring outside the window. He wouldn't have to deal with reputations and names to uphold. He wouldn't have to deal with their troublesome "let's be friends again" campaign. It annoyed him to no end. Those two could not stop, even when they weren't trying.

A door stood before him when he reached the top. Sasuke reached for the doorknob, pausing for a moment on whether this was the right thing to do now. He shut his eyes and opened it slowly. The streetlights intruded his eyes as he walked into the cool breeze on the rooftop. His bangs flew violently everywhere on his face alongside the wind. And then he saw them.

Sitting in the corner was Sakura, Naruto's head laying on her lap. He saw the blood that crept out of Naruto's mouth like a waterfall. Sakura had ripped off a piece of her dress, folding it into a cloth to wipe away his blood. Naruto winced each time she cleaned up.

Hinata crouched down beside Sakura, looking over him with a worried expression. Her eyes were teary, as if she was about to cry. "N-N-Naruto-kun..."

"It's okay, Hinata, he'll be fine," Sakura replied, trying to comfort the girl with a weak smile. "If I can just get him to the hospital, but he's too heavy for me."

Naruto grimaced. "S-S-Sakura-chan, I'll be fine, dattebayo. I'm Uzumaki Naruto, I just didn't think..."

"Ursuratonkachi."

The three of them looked up at Sasuke, who stood up right next to them. He's face was unreadable, like a blank book, with his hands pocketed. His eyes were dark and endless like an eternal hole.

"Sasuke-kun..." She breathed hesitantly.

He ignored her, his attention only at Naruto, who stared intensely at him.

"If you couldn't land a blow on Suigetsu, then you really are weak," Sasuke said coolly.

Naruto gritted his teeth, looking away from Sasuke. Sakura motioned over to Hinata, who quietly took Naruto's head to her as Sakura stood up. Her eyes were strong and steady, yet they were vulnerable as always.

"Sasuke-kun, please, help us get Naruto to the hospital. I can only do so much right now," Sakura asked, almost pleading.

"And why should I? It's a waste of my time."

"This isn't Naruto's fault, Sasuke-kun, he was only trying to protect me!"

"Since you can't stop enjoying it," Sasuke stated coldly. Sakura stopped herself. She stared at him wide-eyed, anger boiling to her head.

SLAP.

Pain seethed through his cheek, but Sasuke did not say anything. His eyes darted away from his view of Sakura, who's hand was still held high up as she glared at him. He knew he shouldn't have said that, but these two bothered him so much, he couldn't help it. They didn't know when to give up on him. They were bugs he had to crush if he wanted peace in his life. Was he really that valuable to them?

"I never once asked for Naruto's or your help so please, do this for him," Sakura pleaded angrily. "Do this for me. You promised to return the favor one day."

Naruto had a worried look on his face. "Sakura-chan..."

Sasuke stared at her in silence, his cold eyes turned on hers. They were locked in a stare down, one unable to contain her anger and the other, cool and calm. There was a different look in her eye than the one Sasuke was used to. She was more stern and strong than before. He was so used to the eyes Sakura had the first day he saw her again after two years, when she went to Naruto's side. He thought she was the same little girl who they always protected from bullies or the one who cried every time those two got into an argument. But not tonight. Tonight, she was the one going against him.

A promise. He had indeed made one to her. He remembered clearly how, even in the mist their hostility to one another. A childhood promise. One promise that Sasuke knew his child self wouldn't hesitate to keep. He didn't need to recall why he didn't anymore. They weren't children anymore. They were teenagers capable of making their own decision and knowing right from wrong. Sasuke never could tell those two anything. There was just so much inside him, it would be too explosive if he let out even one thing of it.

He broke his stare from Sakura, only to take a quick glance at Naruto's state. Naruto winced as Hinata pressed a piece of cloth, ripped from Sakura's dress, to each of his wounds. That was more damaged Sasuke expected Naruto to take. Sasuke knew that Suigetsu was not much better than Naruto, but this was just too much. It looked like Naruto didn't even put up a fight. He glanced back to Sakura, who still held her head up high confidently. He looked closely at her neck, nothing a barely there bruise on the side. It was a light purple color, almost hard to see unless one paid close attention. Sakura, noticing where his eye was, immediately covered the mark with her hand, turning her face away from him.

"I-It's nothing. I was trying to help Naruto," Sakura explained with a guilty tone.

Sasuke's face did not change. After a few seconds, he walked passed Sakura towards where Naruto was. He crouched down, nodding at Hinata to let go of him. She complied and helped heave Naruto's body around Sasuke's. He lifted the blond boy up to his feet, Naruto's arm around Sasuke's shoulder. Sakura hurried to Naruto's side, placing his other arm around her shoulder. Hinata followed behind, making sure everything was alright. Naruto limped back and forth, but managed to walk slowly. Sasuke sighed at this. In the end, he actually did help him out.

Sakura nodded in agreement. She glanced back at Hinata, offering a small smile. "Hinata, I think you should call Neji to get you home. I'm sorry we got you into this mess."

Hinata nodded. "I-I-It's okay, Sakura-san. W-W-We were just w-w-worried about you so it's f-fine."

Naruto chuckled softly. "Like old times, eh Sasuke-teme?"

Sasuke did not look at him. "The hospital's too far. We'll go to my place instead to clean you up."

Naruto paused for a moment. "Sakura-chan, you should take Hinata-chan ahead to get her home. Me and this guy will catch up."

Sakura glanced at Naruto with an uneasy look but nodded in the end. She understood what Naruto's words meant. She slowly let go of Naruto's arm, which clung heavily to his side. Hinata caught up to Sakura and they began going down the stairs quickly so that the boys would be left alone. When Naruto saw the girls disappear from their view and their footsteps grow silent, he turned his attention to his friend.

"We can't keep up with this anymore, Sasuke."

Sasuke stopped moving, standing next to Naruto on the platform. He slowly lowered the two down so that they sat against the wall, side by side. He leaned his head back, wishing the ceiling was the sky with a thousand stars.

"Naruto, we're not little kids anymore. We are on different paths. Mine has no room for you or Sakura."

"Don't they lead to the same thing in the end?" Naruto add bitterly. "Like Sakura-chan?"

Sasuke flinched at the mention of her name. He saw this coming. Their last confrontation was never going to be their last. It was only a matter of time before Naruto brought this up again.

"He knew about our hosptal visits, Sasuke," Naruto stated. "He took Sakura-chan out to the rooftop. He knew about the medicine. He even knew about her attack two years ago-"

"Shut up, Naruto," Sasuke interrupted, annoyed. "She'll be fine."

"Not unless you stop pretending you don't give a shit about us," Naruto fired back, glaring at Sasuke. "He went after Sakura because of you, Sasuke. Everybody is. I'm not taking any chances that she won't be a target again. If that shark boy, or anybody, dares try to harm her and you don't do anything about it..." Naruto couldn't finish his sentence. He drooped his head down, facing the ground. Sasuke didn't say anything. He couldn't think of anything right now.

"Sasuke, remember the promises we made when Sakura was in the emergency room," Naruto began painfully, not wanting to relive that moment again. "If she lived, we swore never to break those promises. I swore I wouldn't eat ramen three times a day and I would protect her from everything."

Sasuke remained quiet and motionless. He didn't even look at Naruto. His eyes were concentrated on nothing, as if dazed by the words Naruto was saying. He guessed where Naruto was going with this, but Sasuke didn't want to ignore it.

"Sasuke, what was yours?"

There was a pause. When it seem to be a lifelong silence, Sasuke leveled up Naruto again, the two of them standing. Sasuke's bangs blocked his eyes from Naruto's view. His face was invisible to his friend. Before the resumed their trek down the stairs, Sasuke spoke in a soft voice.

"I swore never to hurt Sakura again."

Naruto nodded his head, with a sincere scoff.

"We're horrible at keeping promises."

"Hn." Sasuke agreed in annoyance.

"AAAAACCCCCKKKK! SAKURA-CHAN IT BURNS!" Naruto whined loudly, tears welling up around his eyes. "HOW ARE YOU GONNA BE A NURSE IF YOU'RE MAKING THE PAIN EVEN WORSE?"

"Don't be such a baby, Naruto!" Sakura complained as she covered up his wounds with a bandage. "We can't have it infected! I bet little kids don't even cry!"

"YOU COULD HAVE AT LEAST TOLD ME IT WAS GOING TO HURT!"

"IT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO HURT, YOU BIG IDIOT! YOU'RE UNBELIEVABLE!"

"Do you two ever shut up?" Sasuke scowled as he sipped his was starting to regret his decision of bringing these two over his apartment than the hospital. At least there, Naruto was more likely to remain quiet. Naruto and Sakura were always loud, especially when arguing over stupid things. He was trying to determine why Sakura always complained about him and Naruto.

"There Naruto, all done," Sakura exclaimed as she slapped hard on Naruto's shoulder. He cried out loud once more.

"EEEEE YYAAAHHH! SAKURA-CHAN STOP HITTING SO HARD! MAYBE IF YOU DID THAT ON SHARK BOY I WOULDN'T-" Naruto stopped talking, quivering under Sakura's glare. She cleaned up all the materials from the medical kit, packing them up into the box.

Naruto stood up, examining his stomach before putting on his shirt and blazer. He smiled gently. "Thanks, Sakura-chan. You're the best."

"Well then you two, I'm out. I want to make sure the old man doesn't do anything on my bed," Naruto said, already horrofied by the idea.

Sakura immediately stood up, wiping down her newly ruined dress. "Hold on, Naruto, can I get a ride with you-" She stopped talking when she met with Naruto's grim face.

"I-I think you should stay with Sasuke, Sakura-chan," Naruto suggested hesitantly. Sasuke's eyes widened as he glared at Naruto. He was giving him the "what the hell are you up to" face, but Naruto ignored him.

"I mean, it's already so late and cold outside and it's just Sasuke...right?"

Everybody in the room was silent. They all exchanged strange, worried looks with each other, unsure of why this was happening. Such a feeling never existed when they were young. No one hesitated to jump at the chance. Sakura admtted that her younger self would faint at the idea but she wasn't like that anymore.

Sasuke grabbed Naruto by the shoulder, rewarding him with another screech of pain.

"GAAAAHHH TEME WATCH THE SHOULDER-"

"Dobe, what's going on here?" Sasuke muttered under his breath to Naruto.

"I don't want Sakura-chan on her own tonight, Sasuke, not after what happened," Naruto whispered back harshly. "If the only way we're ever gonna get along is through helping her, then so be it. I'm trusting you with her."

Before Sasuke could say anything more, Naruto grinned cheesily at the two as he opened the from the door.

"Nighty night you two! Don't forget, Uchiha Naruto is for 10 years later, not now!" Naruto teased before shutting the door close.

Sasuke cringed. Damn that Naruto. One moment, Naruto and him were having the deadliest, serious conversation about their miserable teenage lives and childhood pains and the next thing he knew, that idiot was trying to set him and Sakura up. Naruto really was a strange person.

He exchanged uncomfortable looks with Sakura, who had yet to move an inch. He observed her up and down. She was still in her ripped, red dress. Her bruise was looked worse than before. She still had the medical pack in her hands.

"Do something about your bruise. Take a shower and I'll lend you some clothes. You take the bed tonight," Sasuke ordered as he entered his room, leaving her alone.

Sakura concentrated on Sasuke's back that slowly disappeared into his room. She stood still for a moment, before heading towards the bathroom. The bathroom was quite large for an apartment. The marble floor gleamed underneath her feet and a vintage bathtub rested in one corner. A giant mirror was displayed over the sink with golden bars. She noticed a couple towels hanging from the shower door.

She proceeded to take off her her once beautiful dress as it sunk down to the ground. She carefully unsnapped her bra and gently placed it on the sink as she entered the shower. She turned the knob as the warm rush of water began to rain over her naked body. She sighed in relief at the water's touch. It washed everything away from her, everything that happened tonight, her day, the problems, and Sasuke. THe shower was her haven right now. She was away from everything. She could stand in peace in here.

That was until she realized she never got the clothes from Sasuke. She cursed at herself and pouted. Now she would have to escape from her heaven and find him. She reluctantly turned off the shower and took off the towel on the door. Carefully wrapping the towel around her body, she threw her wet hair to the side. This was too troublesome as Shikamaru would say. She opened the door, ending up in the hallway. She looked back and forth for Sasuke, growing annoyed with each second.

"Sasuke? Sasuke, do you have any-Oof!" Her face hit a hard surface that was warm to her skin. She looked up, her eyes in horror.

Only an inch away from her was Sasuke, his chest bare without a shirt, clothes in his arms, and eyes widened like golf balls.

The door bell rang furiously. A man with long, white hair in red pajamas stood up for the table, his coffee in hand, and walked to the door. He opened his grand front door, surprised to see a teenage with long blond hair, dressed in a girls' school uniform. Jiraiya smiled.

"Ada, Ino! Good morning but it's quite strange to see you this early!" Jiraiya greeted cheerfully. "I thought you were into that Nara boy."

"Good morning, Jiraiya-sama and no way in hell would I date that idiot, or the other one!" Ino greeted in an annoyed tone, her face blushing. "Besides, Hinata and Naruto are practically soulmates. Anyway, can I see him? It's rather urgent."

Jiraiya laughed. "Only kidding. Hmm, Naruto's not awake yet but I'm sure you can do the job, Yamanaka."

Ino did not grin. She only marched past Jiraiya, walked up the giant stairs, and slammed the door open to Naruto's room.

"NARUTO!" She screamed loud enough for the whole block to hear. Naruto squeaked then moaned in pain.

"GAAAAAAHHHHHH WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE, CRAZY WOMAN? DON'T YOU KNOW ANYTHING TOO SUDDEN IS GONNA MAKE ME CLOSER TO BEING A CRIPPLE?"

"Well I wouldn't have to be here if you didn't respond to my calls!" Ino complained angrily.

"I didn't hear my phone ring one bit!" Naruto defended, before quickly checking his phone. He had a sweatdrop. He had 17 missed calls from Yamanaka Ino. All this morning. He even had his ring tone on the highest volume. Ino sighed.

"I bet you could sleep through an earthquake," She muttered under her breath.

"So what? There are actually people in this world who rather sleep in than do their hair and makeup and check whether their boobies are too big or small to pretty themselves up for a certain lazy ass-OW! WOMAN DON'T YOU KNOW I WAS IN A FIGHT LAST NIGHT?"

"Just shut up for once Naruto and check this out! I hope you didn't have anything to do with this," Ino stated darkly as she threw him her phone. Naruto caught it in his hands, curiosity rising to his face. He clicked a couple buttons, before his eyes widened. His face paled like a ghost.

"W-W-What..."

He found himself looking on Rumy-Nin, the gossip blog. There was a new update thirty minutes ago.

And blaring on her homepage was a picture of Sakura sleeping in bed, a shirtless Sasuke wrapping his arm around her waist.