Sorry for the wait! here comes chapter 9!

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Chapter 9:

She is standing in the darkness again. She could see the outline of her hands but why can't she see anything else? The coldness seeped into her bones as she stand alone in the empty space.

*Thump

There was a sound of footsteps approaching her, her own feet started to move towards the noise.

Who?

A figure was standing a few feet away but she could not see who it was. The sound of her beating heart echoed across the dark and silent space. She was looking directly at the person but she could only see the silhouette.

"Ino?" Her best friend's name came out of her mouth though she does not know why. There was an uncomfortable tightness in her chest. Her heart started to pound painfully against her ribcage, there was something she forgot? what was it?

More footsteps were heard before they all stopped behind her blonde friend. They did not move nor say anything. She could not see who they were. A cold chill ran through the back of her neck and Sakura unconsciously took a step back, she knows these people.

Just when her legs were about to get her away, she was taken by surprise when Ino suddenly hugged her. Her eyes blinked a few times, confused at her friend's odd behavior.

"Ino what's wrong-"

A sharp pain pierced her back and her eyes widened in shock. A knife was embedded in her back directly behind her heart.

"W-why?" Her shoulder was shaking as Ino step back with her hands full of her blood. Her heart was aching more than her back as she looked into the eyes of her best friend.

Ino's eyes were filled with anger.

Noises of unsheathed sword were heard and Sakura froze as the people behind Ino started to approach her.

She shook her head in denial when the familiar faces became clear, their faces were filled with the same expression.

Anger.

"You liar."Was the last words she heard before the swords stabbed into her body over and over again.

"SAKURA WAKE UP!" Her eyes snapped open when she felt someone shook her shoulder. The room was in silence except for her frantic breathing and drumming heartbeat, still in shock from the horrific dream. Her widened eyes looked at Sasori whose grip tighten on her shoulders, then at the worried Deidara.

"What the hell are you doing?!" His loud voice made her jump and it was then she realized her face was wet.

The back of her hands instantly went up to wipe off the tears on her face. What was she doing? She had the same dream numerous times in the past, why is she still crying over it?

"No, I-" He grabbed her hand before she could finish.

"I am talking about this," He turned her palms over at her blood stained hands. Lines of blood caked her fingernails.

Deidara was reading when he suddenly heard a quiet whimper from the sleeping girl on the sofa. He didn't pay much attention to it until she started to yell 'I am not.' over and over again. She was curled into a ball with her arms wrapped around her legs. Her fingernails started to dig into the flesh as she hug herself tighter. Lines of blood dripped down the skin where her fingernails had pierced through.

Then she started mumbled the words 'stop please', he knew something was wrong. She was loosing herself from whatever dream she was having. Before he could reached the girl, Sasori shook her shoulder telling her to wake up.

When the girl did not and begin digging deeper into her skin, Deidara was taken by surprise when he heard his partner yelled. He had never seem Sasori lost his calmness.

"sorry….." Her chaotic breathing was settling down, but her eyes indicated that she had not gotten over the initial shock.

"What- " Sasori felt Deidara's hand on his shoulder and when he looked at this partner, the blonde only shook his head. Realizing he has been yelling this whole time and the girl's shaking shoulder, Sasori quickly let go of her hand.

He took a deep breath before he said in a much quieter and gentler voice, "…I will get you some bandage."

Once Sasori left the room, she continue to wipe off her tearful eyes. Deidara took off his cloak and dropped it over her small form, providing her the little security she might need.

"I will get you some tissue and water…" Just before he could leave, he felt a hand grabbed his wrist.

"Don't leave….." The saddest in her voice made his heart ache. This feeling nearly made him forget just how many people he had killed without a second glance. People beg for their lives but he never cared. He had killed all kinds of people, children, women, young, old, without feeling anything but what was that just now?

The blonde took a sit next to the girl since he really didn't want to leave her alone now.

"It's ok to cry." He stared at particularly nothing at the wall in front of him. He is really not good at comforting people.

Seconds passed before she brought the Akatsuki cloak tighter around her. Her eyes focused on the chain scar on her left ankle.

"They were stabbing me."

If Deidara were shock by the words, he did not show. "Who?"

"My friends."

The blonde was at a lost of words. Those two words suddenly made his blood boil.

He was about to cuss vulgarly like Hidan when the door opened and Sasori walked in with the first aid box, Deidara was extremely thankful to see his partner for some reason.

As the red haired walked in, he sweared he saw sparks in the blonde's eyes. He was slightly disgusted at his partner's anticipation. He walked over to sofa and sat down next to her, she was staring into empty space again. She always have this expression that she is lost in this world. It felt as if she was trying to find something but lost her way in life.

The one he meet years ago was no longer there.

"I am no longer the person you remember."

He wondered if she was reading his mind, he did not want to believe that confident and lively girl was gone. She is the first person he wanted to meet when he woke up in this body.

She was the reason why he continued to live.

The blonde sitting to the left of her leaned back on the sofa. His mind contemplating her words earlier. She must have a much darker past than what they had imagined.

The room once again was filled with silence. Sasori gently wiped off the blood stain on her legs before he wrapped the gauze around them. As he was putting the bandages on, he felt her hands on top of his.

"Am I worth living?" He didn't say anything but continue to finish bandaging her wounds. He wanted to yell she is the reason he ended up in this damn body, she is the reason he choose to give this body, give emotion a second chance.

He wanted to beat some sense into her that she is someone who made him interested in life. Before he meet her, he always thought life is a fragile and useless thing. People live in a body that constantly experience sadness and pain. What is the point of living if they live to suffer all those emotions?

She made him understand.

"You will find the answer yourself."

It wasn't a yes or a no. Her eyes brightened at those words, she was worried what if he said no. There is no purpose for her to keep living, then Naruto could have…..

If he had said yes, she wonder why, why and what is she worth living for?

She wrapped her hands onto one of his and gently brought it closer to her.

Sakura give him a small smile, " Thank you."

He quickly looked away, what is she smiling about anyway? He hastily put everything back into the first aid box and got up from the sit. When he glanced at her again, the small smile still lingered on her face and her eyes were brighter than when she first came here.

He turned to make his leave saying he will come back later.

Deidara sighed at his partners' behavior, he wanted to tease Sasori that his ears were so damn red! But he guess this is not the time if he value his life.

Just before he closed the door, he said without turning around, "I believe that you is still somewhere inside."

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Thanks for reading! I will bring the rest of the crew back on next chapter!