A.N.: Hi everyone, Sorry I haven't posted in awhile I got carried away reading Insurgent and typing one of my books up when I remember I hadn't posted yet. Welcome to The E.S.S chapter 8 I apologize in advance if the chapter is slow.

KHA21597: I'm glad you loved it and as Sakura has said, "Women have to be strong in order to survive!"

MM9223: Really? Thanks :)

S+K=3:Thank you for the review and I'm glad the pace is good to you since I think it's going to fast sometime but I get bored typing slow moments.

Let's get on with this chapter

Sakura's POV

'What is that smell? Hey! Wake up!' my eyes slowly opened as I registered what was so odd about the basement. "Sasuke?" I muttered as the burning in my stomach came in a wave making me curl in on myself before I could open my eyes and I had to blink several times to see a key laying just a little ways from me.

I looked back up at the form lying there and sure enough I wasn't hallucinating. "Sasuke? Mr. Uchiha, wake up!" I stood but, the chains yanked at my wrists. I began to cough as I smelt the air and looked to the stairs as smoke billowed in "Hey!" I yelled to the best of my abilities.

I knelt and leaned forward for the key that I could manage to touch with my nose. The cold metal made me want to sneeze as I pulled it closer to my mouth and grabbed it with my teeth. I sat down and dropped it into my hands as I began fitting it into my cuff and with a twist the cuff fell away.

'Thank you!' I undid the other and hurried over to Sasuke "Hey, wake up." I shook him and his eyes slowly opened then grew big "Sakura?" I nodded and stood as I ran over to the door way my eyes watering as smoke filled the air with the sound of sirens and screams.

I couldn't see much other than the outlines of the burning items that were once furniture. The heat began to singe my arm hairs so I hurried back down and Sasuke was now sitting up holding the back of his head "Do you have anything like a sledge hammer down here?"

The adrenalin pushed aside the hunger and dehydration as he pointed toward the pile of boxes I had become roommates with and I hurried over and dug through a few when I knocked some aside and finally saw the objects I needed as I looked up and saw the smoke filling up the room .

"What are you doing here?" he asked as I went to the wall closest to where I was held since I could hear the water running through the walls during my stay here "Right now isn't the time Boss." I lifted the sledge hammer and slammed it into the wall, hard.

"What are you doing to the wall?!" he just about scream as I slammed into the wall again "In case you haven't noticed, The house is on fire!" I yelled back as I dropped the sledge hammer and began pulling the wall away from the pipes.

I didn't even look at him as I grabbed the ax beside me and slammed it into the pipe with a victory cry as water rushed into the room I grabbed a handful and just drank it "Why did you do that?" he asked and I looked back at him "Do you want all that hair to just burn off and be left with horrid scars?"

He looked shocked "Just get over here!" I yelled at him as the cold water washed over me and began to pool around our feet.

I made sure every inch was covered in water before I returned to the boxes and grabbed some of the clothes in there and began to soak them as well "Sasuke, get under that water of so help me I will hold you under it."

He hurried over to it listened to me before I stubbed my tow on something in the water "Son of a Snarfblat!" I reached down and picked up a box that must've fallen out of the boxes from earlier and in the water somehow made it over here before it was snatched from my hand and Sasuke was shoving it into his bag.

"I'm wet, now what?" I knew it wasn't the time but I laughed for a second before handing him the wet cloth "But this over your head and this is to be tied around your face."

He did as I said and soon we were drenched from head to toe "Follow me." I grabbed his hand and pulled him up the stairs "Run."

Mikoto's POV

I was screaming and shouting as I was held off by the officers "Mrs. Uchiha, please calm down." One said "The firefighters cleared the house and no one else was inside." I was crying out "My baby!" when the thought hit me as I grabbed one of them "The basement! Did they check the basement?"

They looked at each other before the other ran toward the firefighters trying to put of the raging fire that seemed to stubborn to stop.

I felt hands grab my shoulders and I looked back to see my husband. I wrapped my arms around him and began to sob into his shirt "Fugaku! Our baby boy is in there." He wrapped his arms around me reassuringly "Sasuke is a smart boy if he is in there he'll find a way to stay safe."

He began to stroke my hair when he seemed to begin laughing "Fu?" he turned me around "See." I looked up to see to forms jump out of the flames before landing on the floor and that laugh I love so much echoed into the air "Hahahahaha Sakura, we made it!"

I watched him sit up and reach over at the other form wrapped up beside him "Sakura?" my heart stopped 'She had to of told him! Sasuke will hate me and-'

Sasuke walked with the medics as they wheeled Sakura to the ambulance before they sat him down and began to give him a checkup.

Despite the horror building inside me I managed to make my way to him and as they uncovered them and Sasuke didn't seem to notice us as we approached until Itachi wrapped his arms around him "You little jerk!"

Tears fell from my eyes as I looked down and soon we all were hugging him "Guys, I love you too but," I looked at my son who looking behind him "Sakura and I need to go to the hospital." My eyes lingered on the pink haired girl and a small pinch of guilt formed in my chest before I nodded and as I went to offer to go, Itachi beat me to it.

"Stay with father and I'll let you know when we get there." Itachi said as he was heading to his car already leaving me there without another word as Sasuke climbed in the bad never once looking at me and I just knew she told him.

When I glanced up I saw Kakashi standing there almost blank faced as he shook his head and got to back work.

Ino's POV

I was pacing the hall of the hospital as we waited for the doctor to come out and tell us what had happened as news reports stated she came jumping out of a house, the Uchiha town house, which was on fire before fainting and being brought here.

I scowled as I saw Sasuke walk out of the room containing my friend and he looked fine despite having been inside the house as well "You! How come you aren't in cuffs? What'd you do, huh, Kidnap her and tie her up I-" a hand clamped over my mouth and I fought with it "Ino, you missed the beginning of the news report." Sai calmly stated.

"A man named Sasori gained entry to the town house and he was the one who took her and trapped her down in the basement." Sasuke explained.

"How did you guys not notice someone was using your town house?" I questioned him and he gave a small defeated scoff "We haven't used the town house in almost 7 years and no one had a reason to visit it so it remained vacant and uncheck. Talk about the perfect hiding place."

I was about as shocked as a person witnessing a hit and run as tears seemed to fall down the man I grew up knowing as strong, stubborn and, in all honesty, I used to say he had a genetic mutation making him hot and unable to cry. I mean, I've seen him break not only his arm but his leg and he was stone faced.

Sasuke walked away and left us there "Did he just . . .?" Sai mumbled and I nodded then we pinched each other "I think Hell froze over." This made me laugh "Are you Ino and Sai?" a nurse asked us and we nodded "Miss Haruno is asking for you."

We thanked him and hurried in where she laid looking at us with a smile "Sakura!" I cried out and hugged her making her giggle "Ino," I leaned back and looked into her eyes "Please bring me some dango."

I began laughing "You idiot! You had me worried sick and the first thing you ask for is dango?" I hugged her tightly and just cried as Sai rubbed my back.

We remained like this for the longest time and I found myself waking up to Sai shaking my shoulder "She can come home tomorrow." I looked up at him and back at Sakura who was asleep still "I wish we could stay." I said and he nodded "If we were related maybe but, as I expected, her parents haven't even come."

I stood up and nodded "Do you think they're too busy or they don't care?" I asked him as we slowly left the room "They just got on a plane to leave for vacation." Sasuke's voice made me jump "Don't sneak up on me!" I hissed and he smirked.

"It seems she has one final person to see tonight." He muttered and I looked down the hall where every nurse and doctor seemed to freeze and bow "Lady Tsunade." The elder woman walked briskly toward us and with a nod she stopped in front of us.

"Ino, Sai, and Sasuke Uchiha, thank you for staying this long with her." She looked at the door "May I see her?" I stepped aside and Sasuke gestured to the door. She opened it and walked in, I watched her walk over to the bed side and she took a seat and grabbed Sakura's tears falling like the beginnings of rain.

"We'll be going." I said to Sasuke and he gave a nod "I'll keep you posted." He replied and leaned against the wall as we turned and walked away.

That following morning a text message arrived and it read "Please don't be on the coffee table again 3 Sakura p.s. I have dango!" I turned red and scream at the phone "That was one time!" Sai opened the bathroom door "You okay?"

I threw a pillow at him "I blame you." I dropped my face into my pillows before kicking about and sat up "Wait, who is she with?" I quickly texted her back and waited and waited and waited.

Sakura's POV

I smiled at the screen as I closed the screen and didn't answer Ino as I looked up at Itachi "I know this is odd but, my mother asked if you'd like to join us for dinner." I stared at him then I smiled "I don't mind."

'You know she thinks you said something, right?' 'I know and that's why I'm going.' I looked out the window as Itachi and Sasuke began to talk and the smile seemed to grow wider.

'I'll let her break herself down for now.'

We pulled over and I slowly got out thanking them "I'll come for you later." Sasuke said and I nodded "Yes boss." They waited till I got into the building and I calmly made my way to the elevator and then enjoyed the ride up with a single tear falling from my eye as I silently wished my parents would at least call to check on me . . . "Wishes don't come true."

I wiped my eye and stood up straight as I walked to the door and opened it "I'm home!" I called out and walked in jumping as the sound of popping startled me with the sudden cheerful shouting "Welcome home!"

I stared wide eyed at everyone in the room and they were laughing. "You guys suck." I whined as I opened my arms and hugged them all as they came to me before Ukon and Sakon picked me up and carried me on their shoulders when I looked at Tayuya.

"You know, the radio is just bombing with a song lately that makes me very, very angry." She smiled and slowly inched behind Jugo "Hey, don't use me as a shield. You're on your own."

I smiled and jumped at her taking her down and began we laughing.

"Are you positive you have to go to this dinner?" Sai asked and I nodded "I have something important to do." Ino spun me twice and then nodded "I out did myself, but you need to put some weight on again." I nodded "I solemnly swear to eat everything on my plate." She smiled.

A knock sounded and I sighed 'Time to face the cause of all this' "Seems my ride is here." I waved at them all and opened the door "Boss." Sasuke stood there hands in his pockets and in a suit "Secretary Haruno."

I slipped on a simple pair of four inch silver heels and walked out "To dinner?" I asked and he nodded leading me to the elevator "Tell me," he paused as the doors closed "Sakura, you made a game out of the files I needed, why?"

I smiled "Well," I glanced at him "Sasuke, I thought it'd make things fun for you since you wouldn't have me to push around for the rest of the day." He looked at me "You were gone for three days." I nodded "Put it on my vacation time, besides I was kidnapped and in that time did the business go under? Didn't I leave the files you would need in my file labeled "In case of emergencies"?" the elevator reached the bottom and he led me forward.

"Fair enough." We proceeded out to where his car was "What did you manage to do without me?" I asked as I sat in the front seat before he closed the door and walked around to his side which gave me time to buckle in.

"I did perfect, like always and I even rode a cramped elevator down." He said as he closed his door and started the car, buckled in and backed up before driving off.

"You did?" I looked at him surprised "Hn." I smiled and leaned back as I looked out the window "Did you sing it?" silence surrounded us "I'll take that as a yes," I paused and a vengeful part of me awoke "I think your mother would be fond of it."

He glanced at me "You think?" I shrug "You can always surprise her with it." We turned and after some ways finally we came to the restaurant I met my parents in when they deemed it necessary we meet.

He pulls up and hops out, walks around to my side and opens the door "Come on." I get out and a valet gets in and drives away. We went in and no sooner than we enter they led us off "One more question before dinner," I say as we near the area I knew meant facing Mikoto "Do you still think of ways to fire me?"

He looks surprised "Why?" this made me smile "So I can have a sign made for my desk saying the Secretary Slayer Slayer" he shakes his head "Let's go." and drags me the rest of the ways as I try to quiet the giggling erupting from me.

Mikoto's POV

We were just receiving our drinks when a muffled giggle made us look over at Sasuke and Sakura. My heart tightened. This is the first time since the hospital discharged him that I have seen him it will also be the first time he can question me why I did what I did.

Taking their seats, Sakura was seated right in front of me and my sons sat on either side of her "Good evening and thank you for inviting me to dinner." Her voice was even but as those eyes met mine they held a well disguised vengefulness.

"Mother, are you okay? You seem pale." Itachi asked and I looked at him "I am fine son." He nodded and turned to Sakura "Sakura, how is it you managed to even move in your state of dehydration and malnutrition?"

I looked at her and she smirked ever the slightest "I manage to sustain myself on the water I could sneak when I was allowed to use the laboratories and I had far too much adrenaline running through me when I realized the house was on fire."

They launched into conversation and I had a crushing feeling in my chest even as they ordered and she was sheepish about it but, it was each time her eyes turned to me they seemed to hold an anger that could destroy me like molten lava.

"May I ask you an impertinent question?" I suddenly asked her upon the arrival of our meals. She nodded and waited as if she was expecting me to ask that and what I was to say next "Why did you save my son? Why didn't you just run when you got the chance?"

Her eyes softened as she smiles "I saved him because it's my job." She sounds dead serious as she speaks "I probably would've run without a second thought if it was before 5:30 am but," she glances at Sasuke her smile growing "I am the extraordinary secretary of the Secretary Slayer, Mr. Sasuke Uchiha."

I don't know why but, her response make me smile even as I watch Sasuke bump her with his arm "What if it was 5 in the morning when you woke up?" she lifts her drink to her lips and bats her lashes "You wouldn't be here if that was the case."

Sasuke pinches her arm and she smiles "You know firsthand how I will treat you before 5:30." We all just looked at them "What? Itachi asks and Sakura shakes her head "That's all you boss."

Sasuke busied himself with his dinner and we all wanted to know what that meant when my son looked to me and on his face was a smile making me realize something. If Sakura had told Sasuke why is he treating me like his mother still? Is she waiting to use it as black mail or did Sasuke not believe her . . . Which is it and why do I feel like a cornered prey waiting to be devoured?

A.N.: Sorry it was late but as always you can review if you want and till next time have a wonderful morning, noon, evening, and night.