Hi guys!

So yes, Im soooo sorry for the really long update time! We just moved, and I had to help cart a hell of a load of boxes, and help unpack. Not to mention that idiot who calls herself my sister being an absolute ass and just, well, making me feel less like writing. So I'm sorry guys! Hope you can forgive me!

Enjoy!

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"What? Y-You have a plan?" Sakura said, her eyes wide and staring at Idate.

"Hai...It might just work, but we'll have to do it tonight, that poison is going to act faster than we think..."

"What's the plan?"

"Well first, I don't think we're going to be able to take on Kabuto and Orochimaru together, so we should somehow get Kabuto out of the way first, as he is the weaker one. I have a plan to do this, but Sakura I'm afraid it requires something from you..."

Sakura looked puzzled. "What is it...?" She said, an edge of uncertainty in her voice.

"Well, I'm going to tell Kabuto that you are injured. I'll just say that another sound ninja just hurt you with a kunai...but in order for it to be authentic..."

"Then it has to be real." Sakura said flatly, finishing his sentence.

She took a deep breath, and then held out her arm toward Idate.

"Do it." She said, turning her head away from him and closing her eyes.

"I'll try make this quick..." Idate said, grabbing hold of her wrist and drawing out a kunai. Sakura braced herself.

In one swift sweep, Idate slashed across Sakura's arm with the kunai, making a quick yet significantly deep cut along her arm. Sakura flinched at the pain, biting her lip and squeezing her eyes tighter shut to stop the tears coming out.

Blood started to dribble heavily from Sakura's arm, a few drops of it splashing down onto the floor.

Idate stood up. "There, that looks serious enough for Kabuto to come down and heal it." He said. "I'm sorry Sakura, I hope that didn't hurt too much..."

Sakura sniffed heavily and looked up at him. "For Sasuke, I'd do anything.." She said, her eyes brimming slightly with tears.

Idate smiled and then glanced worriedly back at Sasuke who was conked out on the floor, his head lolled to the side.

"Kuso...The poison is working faster than I thought..." Idate whispered.

He then picked Sasuke up in his arms, and layed him down on the bed in the cell opposite Sakura, locking the bar door behind him.

"I'm sorry Sakura, I'll have to lock both of you in here for now so they don't suspect anything."

Sakura nodded and clutching her arm, walked back into her cell which Idate locked with the key.

"I'll be back as soon as I can with Kabuto. He doesn't know that you could heal yourself if you wanted to, so as soon as he starts healing you, I'll knock him out. That way we could lock him in the cell." He sighed. "I sure hope this works..."

"Thankyou Idate. I'm sure it will." Sakura said looking up at him.

With that Idate smiled and headed out the door, closing it behind him. Sakura was left alone in the cell with Sasuke, who was still fast asleep.


Outside the cell, Idate ran across the seemingly never-ending maze of corridors and stairwells until he reached Kabuto's room. His palms were sweating, and although he didn't like to admit it, he was extremely nervous. This was perhaps his only way to free himself, let alone Sakura and Sasuke.

Stopping outside Kabuto's door, he brought his fist up and knocked three times. After a few seconds, Kabuto opened the door, coming face to face with him.

"What is it, Idate?" He said frowning, sounding annoyed.

"I'm sorry to disturb you Kabuto-sama, but that prisoner Sakura? She was injured very badly by one of the other sound ninja. She's bleeding heavily and I think she needs to be healed right away or she'll bleed to death."

Kabuto thought for a second. "Which ninja was it?" he asked.

"I don't know. Sakura may know though, although she wouldn't tell me."

There was another pause. Kabuto smiled. "Of course I will." He said. "This won't take long."

Little did Idate know, Kabuto was smiling to himself, not because he was trying to be friendly. He knew Idate was up to something, and now was his chance to find out.

Idate following behind Kabuto, the two walked down to the dungeons, where Kabuto opened the door and walked in.

Inside, Sakura looked up. She saw Kabuto and scowled, clutching her arm tighter. There was now a medium sized pool of blood surrounding Sakura.

Crap... Idate thought, I didn't mean to make her bleed that much...

Kabuto tutted as he walked up to her cell. "Oh deary me, that does look painful. Can you tell me who did this to you?"

"I don't know his name..." Sakura said through gritted teeth. "I already told that idiot over there..." Sakura said, shooting a glare over at Idate.

That's good, She's making it more believable...Thought Idate.

Kabuto shook his head and unlocked her cell, walking towards her. "Well, I guess Orochimaru doesn't want you to die, so I'll heal you now then."

He knelt down next to Sakura, and grabbed her arm hard on the wound making Sakura wince in pain. Taking his other hand, he placed it over the wound. A small green glow came from his hands, as he healed the wound, the cut gradually getting smaller and smaller.

Meanwhile, Idate crept behind him. Holding a crowbar that had been lying in the cell, he held it in the air, ready to hit Kabuto.

Counting to three mentally in his head, he raised and thrust it down as hard as he could. Kabuto smirked, and simply brought out his other hand, and caught it. turning round to face Idate.

Idate looked shocked. "H-How..." He began

"Oh Idate, don't think I haven't been on to you for weeks now." Kabuto said, wrenching the crowbar out of his hand. He walked towards Idate, at the same time Idate taking steps away from him.

Kabuto smirked. "It was obvious. Who did you think I thought had given Sakura that T-shirt? You were far too careless. And now you're going to pay."

With that, Kabuto struck out his foot and kicked idate full force in the stomach, Idate flying backwards and hitting the wall with a grunt.

"You betraying scum..." Kabuto said, as he took his fist and punched him round the face as hard as he could.

Kabuto raised his fist for another punch, but as he did so there was a loud thud. His eyes widened, his jaw dropped in a silent scream, and he fell forward on his face onto the ground. Standing just behind him was Sakura, her hand still in a fist, a blue glow of chakra coming off of it. What Idate hadn't known was that Sakura had the strength of the hulk, and could knock out anyone easily just by punching them.

She panted heavily, and then groaned in pain, as she fell back down on the floor. Taking her good hand, she began to heal her wound.

"S-Sakura...Arigato..." Idate said. Sakura smiled.

Idate stood up and took Kabuto's ankles in his hands, and began to drag him into Sakura's cell. Once he was in, he locked the doors, and then proceeded to unlock Sasuke's door.

Sakura had finished healing herself, and stood up to walk into Sasuke's cell.

"Sasuke..." She said, giving his arm a little shake. "Sasuke we're getting out of here. Quick, you have to come with us."

Although Sasuke was weak from the poison, he managed to sit up by himself. "Alright...Let's do this.." He said slowly in a hoarse voice.

He stood up, and although he was swaying a little, he could just about walk. If he took up every last piece of his energy, he could walk without any help.

Sakura took Sasuke's hand in hers, giving it a small, loving squeeze. She smiled and pecked him quickly on the cheek.

"Don't worry, we're going to get out of here..." She told him.

Sasuke and Sakura holding hands, Idate leading, the three ran out of the dungeons.

Orochimaru's lair was far bigger than Sasuke and Sakura had ever imagined. It was made up of twisting corridors, and stairways that seemed to wind on forever.

"uggh, How much longer is it..." Sasuke panted, becoming more and more tired.

"Just a little further... You guys can do this, come on!"

Suddenly, Sasuke fell to the ground, his hand slipping out of Sakura's.

"SASUKE" Sakura yelled, coming down by his side.

"S-Sakura..." Sasuke stuttered, his eyes closed. "I'm s-sorr.."

He was interrupted by a violent coughing fit which he had gone into. He pressed his hands down onto the floor, attempting to lift himself up but fell down again with a final cough which splattered blood on the ground infront of him. He lay there motionless.

"He's passed out..." Idate whispered."This is bad."

Sakura said nothing, but simply gritted her teeth, picked Sasuke up and slung him over her shoulder.

"Sakura, are you sure you can carry him..." Idate began, but Sakura had already run off, her feet pounding against the ground.

After a few more minutes of running, the exit was in sight.

"There's the exit! QUICK!" Idate yelled, all three of them sprinting full speed towards it.

Just before they reached it, Orochimaru himself appeared as if out of nowhere. He had a smirk spread across his face.

"Not so fast..." He said slowly.

The three stopped dead.

"Orochimaru..." Sakura whispered, eyeing him with hate. The last time she had seen him he had knocked her out cold, and she detested him with passion.

Orochimaru laughed. "You three actually thought I didn't know you were trying to escape? I've got the entire place bugged!"

Sakura scowled, clutching the unconscious Sasuke closer to her body.

"Oh Sakura, don't ruin that pretty face of yours with that scowl. Girls your age should always be polite..." Orochimaru said. A mili-second later, around four snakes shot out of Orochimaru's right hand, grabbing around Sakura's waist, knocking Sasuke off of her shoulder.

Sakura yelped in pain as the snaked twined around her body, lifting her a few feet of the ground.

"Teme..." Idate snarled, throwing a kunai at him, Orochimaru simply moved Sakura through the air into the path of the kunai, the kunai hitting her straight in the ankle. Sakura screamed out in pain.

"Any attack you strike at me will only go to Sakura" Orochimaru said calmy. "It's pointless!"

At that moment, a snake probably the width of Idate's torso shot out from Orochimaru's right sleeve. Knocking him off his feet, it pushed itself against Idate's stomach, pinning him to the wall. Idate yelled out in pain as he coughed up blood.

Meanwhile still hanging in the air, the four snakes wrapped harder and harder around Sakura, squeezing all the air out of her chest.

"Uhh...!!" Sakura gasped, widening her eyes, panting but with short breaths. "I-I can't breathe..."

Our only hope now is Sasuke... Thought Idate who was getting squeezed against the wall harder and harder. Sasuke was still unconscious, unaware that any of this was happening.

"Any last words?" Orochimaru cackled.

All hope was fading. The fourth snake had now coiled around Sakura's neck, strangling her slowly and painfully. She squirmed and writhed until suddenly, everything started going black around the edges. She started to feel warm and dizzy, and recognized it as the feeling of passing out. She was no longer breathing. Slowly she closed her eyes.

"Sakura!" Idate yelled "Stay awake!"

Suddenly, the snakes stopped tightening, Orochimaru stopped cackling. "Nani?" He exclaimed, "I can't move!" The snakes suddenly uncoiled themselves and shot back to Orochimaru. Sakura, who had been suspended in the air, fell to the ground with a thud. She didn't stir.

"Sorry there!" A voice called out from behind him. "These are my friends, so I can't let them die I'm afriad!" Idate looked behind Orochimaru and saw Shikamaru, who had Orochimaru in Kage mane.

Idate picked up Sasuke, and crawled over gasping for breath to pick up Sakura. He struggled and could barely lift both of them himself, but being just outside the exit he managed to at least get them both out in the open.

"QUICK! GET OUT OF HERE GUYS, THIS ISN'T GOING TO LAST FOR MUCH LONGER!" Shikamaru yelled.

"I'll take her" Kakashi said appearing before Idate, taking her off his shoulder. Idate nodded and with that, they jumped up into the trees and made their escape.

Back at the entrance of the lair, Orochimaru had broken out of Kage mane. Spinning around, a snake with a sword sticking out of its mouth shot out hitting Shikamaru head on in the stomach.

POOF

A wooden log replaced the previously there Shikamaru.

Orochimaru yelled in anger, his screams echoing throughout the forest. He, not having expertise at running after people, always had Kabuto chase people for him.

"KABUTO! WHERE ARE YOU?!" He yelled, returning to the lair. "GO AFTER THEM NOW, BEFORE THEY ESCAPE!"

However, by the time Orochimaru had even found Kabuto, Kakashi, Shikamaru, Idate, Sasuke and Sakura had all made it far away enough for them not to be found.

Orochimaru sounded out every curse word on the planet, screaming them over and over again. Kabuto slowly slipped out the room. At times like this, it was better just to leave him alone.

6 HOURS LATER

Where am I?

What happened?

Ugghh! What is this banging pain in my head?!

Sakura slowly opened her eyes. In front of her she saw a blinding white room, and a few hospital beds.

Baka, She thought, Of course I would be in Hospital...

Slowly, she got out of bed. Sakura looked down. She was dressed in a simple pale blue hospital gown that came about 2 inches abov her knees. In her arm, there was an IV, a clear liquid dripping into her arm.

A mirror hung on the wall a few steps away from her. Wheeling her IV drip along with her and walking towards it, she studied her appearance, putting her hands on her face to make sure she wasn't dreaming. Looking a few inches down, she gasped and backed away from the mirror.

Huge, terrible purple bruise marks wrapped themselves around her neck, making her neck almost entirely a purpe/red. Her hands went to her neck, and she whimpered slightly.

"Ahh, yes, I believe that is where you were strangled Sakura. Those snakes of his can be pretty strong huh?"

Sakura jerked her head to the left, where she saw Tsunade standing with Kakashi. "Unless Sasuke has just gone to town on your neck, that is" She joked, walking towards her.

"W-What happened?"

"Well the snakes you can probably remember. When a person has a lack of air for a period of time, they pass out. Luckily Kakashi was there to carry you back here."

"What about the others? Where are they? Are they alright?"

"See for yourself.." Tsunade gestured towards another hospital bed.

In the bed she gestured toward lay Sasuke. He had his eyes closed.

Sakura ran up next to him. Taking his hand in hers, she squeezed his hand and gave it a little kiss.

Sasuke's eyes opened. "S-Sakura..." He croaked slowly.

"Sasuke! I'm so glad you're okay!" Sakura said, a few tears of relief rolling down her face.

Sasuke's hand came up to caress Sakura's face. He smiled at her weakly. "Sakura...What happened to your neck?"

"Oh I'm fine, just a bruise is all..."

"I-I love you Sakura..."

"I love you too.."

Sakura leaned down and slowly pressed her lips against his, pulling him insto a deep long kiss. Their tongues danced together, the kiss getting more and more urgent, Sasuke's hands running through Sakura's hair. Sasuke frowned and moaned slightly into the kiss. It felt so good to finally kiss her again.

"AHHEMM!" Kakashi cleared his throat. "Keep in mind Sakura, both of you are still not recovered fully yet and need to rest. You shouldn't be doing those sort of things in front of us anyway."

Sakura kissed his forehead. Blushing slightly, she stood up and nodded and walked back to her bed.

"And Idate? Is he okay?"

"Idate is fine. He's in a seperate ward as of now, as all his ribs were broken and he needs extra care but he'll be fine."

"A-And the Haruno crystal?"

"Sasuke protected it with his life. It is safe and sound with your parents now. Everything is back to normal." Tsunade smiled.

Sakura fell back upon her pillows and sighed contently.

All she could think of was how grateful she was to Sasuke. He had risked his life to save her, and the Haruno crystal, stopping at nothing to get her back.

Sasuke...Arigato She thought as she drifted off into another deep, peaceful sleep.

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Holy crap that took a long time!

Well, that's the end! I hoped you liked my story!

Now just before I go, I would like to say, PLEASE review, don't just favorite or add to story alerts! On my last chapter I saw a lot of people who had just added to story alerts and not reviewed, and I'll be honest, it got me kinda mad. I mean i think it's just nice to drop in a review, and tell the writer you appreciate their story.

Okay, sorry for that mini rant there, I just had to get it out. I always try my hardest to reply to reviews, and also it's the last chapter so why not review? I'm not looking for endless praise, just tell me what you thought, as constructive criticism is a huge help.

However, thankyou to all the people who are reading my story, even if you don't review. Thankyou soo much you guys, especially to the people who reviewed, and it gives me so much motivation to keep on writing! Thankyou so much!