Chapter 9

Sasuke turned her around to inspect her back. There, going from shoulder to back, was a deep gash bleeding profusely. Sasuke tensed, "Shit."

Quickly he flipped Sakura over and assessed the wound. The cut was far too long and deep to heal on its own, she would need stitches and she would also need to be bandaged, at least until they got more help. Sasuke rummaged thru Sakura's pack and took out the necessary materials.

When he turned back to Sakura he hesitated. If he was going to properly take care of her wound he would have to take off her shirt. He weighed his options: (1) leave the shirt, save them both embarrassment and awkwardness and risk Sakura's life OR (2) take it off, save Sakura's life and then risk the embarrassment and awkwardness. Sasuke scowled. Get a grip. I'm cleaning her wound nothing else. If she were anyone else it'd be the same thing.

Telling himself that, Sasuke quickly removed Sakura's shirt, pushing it down until her entire back was exposed and quickly got to work. After staying with Kabuto for so long he had to pick up the basics of medicine, lest he wanted to be touched by that conniving bastard. When he finished he redressed her and started to make a campfire. When he checked on Sakura again she was shaking and shivering. He felt her forehead and groaned. Sakura had a dangerous fever and he had no medication. Damn! This is just what she needs, a fever. Great.

He knew he had to keep her warm but since they no longer had the comfort of a hotel he did the next best thing. He sat down leaning against the tree and gathered Sakura into his arms so that she was comfortably sleeping on his chest. Sakura gave one final shudder and involuntarily snuggled into Sasuke's neck trying to soak up as much body heat as she could. Sasuke smiled inwardly and gently brushed his lips on her warm forehead. He would have stay up all night so they didn't get ambushed, but if he spent the night like this, well...he wanted to remember every second of it.

---

When first rays of sun touched her face, Sakura groaned and tried to sit up only to find that she was being held back by someone. Her eyes flew open and her body tensed.

The arms around her waist tightened and she felt someone breathing in her ear, "Calm down, and don't move so much, you're cuts will re-open."

"S-sasuke?" she asked surprised, "W-what happened?"

He allowed her to sit up a little but didn't let go of her. "Minake attacked us yesterday. She had you poisoned. You were in bad shape, but I cleaned all your wounds. The one on your back is really bad, so you may want to look at that one yourself."

"Thank you. But how did we end up like this?" She motioned to their positions. Not that she was complaining, just confused.

Sasuke's ears turned red and he growled to hide his embarrassment, "It was cold last night and you had a fever. I didn't waste my time saving you to have you die on me. I had to keep you warm somehow. If you want you can get up now, you're fever broke a few hours before dawn."

Sasuke smiled inwardly when she didn't move to shift her weight off him. She put her head on his chest again and listened to his heart beat while enjoying the feeling of his chest rising and falling.

She inhaled deeply only to find that she couldn't. Her bandages restricted her breathing from chest to abdomen. Then it came to her and she flushed, "Sasuke..."

"Hmm?"

"These bandages...did you–...How–...What I mean is–...Oh, never mind!" She turned away from him, heat flooding her face.

"I took no liberties, if that's what you're asking. I respect you more than that," his face equally heated.

His words made Sakura sharply turn back to him. She searched his eyes for lies or mockery and found nothing but truth and sincerity. Slowly she nodded. She tried to get up but Sasuke's arm tightened protectively around her waist again.

"I'm just going to see if I can speed up my healing process," she whispered, "It shouldn't take long."

Sasuke nodded. She tried getting up again and this time he let her go, although somewhat reluctantly. Just as she was about to move away he grabbed her wrist and twisted around her and pinned her to his tree.

"I almost lost you once. I promise I won't ever let that happen again," he whispered to her huskily. Without warning he clamped his lips over Sakura's, claiming them for himself.

Sasuke's kissing me! But that's...that's...tha... Contact from Sasuke's lips short circuited Sakura's brain. She could no longer think logically. Instead she allowed her body to take over and respond. His soft lips were gentle and hesitant but when they felt Sakura respond they became more sure and passionate. Reluctantly Sakura broke apart to breathe.

"You better go heal yourself," Sasuke murmured, "I can't have you breaking off so early next time."

Sakura blushed, "N-next time? Oh! Uh...right." She mentally cursed her slowly recovering brain. She turned an even deeper shade of red when she caught Sasuke looking at her with a smirk, telling her he full well knew the effect he had on her. She escaped his embrace and went to heal the cut in her back.

Meanwhile Sasuke gathered some fire wood and built a small fire, and heated some of the emergency food in Sakura's pack.

When Sakura got back he handed her the food and pulled her down and gathered her in his arms. They ate in silence, while Sasuke kept his protective hold on Sakura.

"Sasuke? ...Is something wrong?" Sakura asked tentatively, "You seem a bit...distracted?" She couldn't place what it was, but whatever it was it had to be big for the cold hearted Sasuke to start showing emotion so openly. "You know you can trust me right?"

For awhile they sat in silence. When she finally thought that she wasn't going to get an answer from him, he said, "I know I can trust you. I just...I just don't know what to say..."

Sakura didn't reply. She waited for him to gather his thought. If there was one thing she learned about Sasuke it was that you couldn't force him to do anything. If he wanted to share, he would.

"I- I thought they were all gone. But I missed her. How could I have overlooked it? All these years and not once did I think..." he trailed off.

"I don't understand," said Sakura. She placed her hand on Sasuke's cheek and made him face her.

Gingerly Sasuke brought his hand up to stroke Sakura's hair. "He has her...that bastard has Ayumi."

"Whose Ayumi?" asked Sakura with curiosity.

"She was...She is my little sister," he explained.

"I...I can't lose her again. Not a second time."

"We'll save her. Together," said Sakura with determination.

Sasuke looked at Sakura. What he saw surprised him. In her eyes he could see a fervor that rivaled his own. And all these years I thought she would hold me back.

"Sasuke, I just have one question. What happened to Naruto?"

---

Kakashi looked around. It would be a comical site if not for the people hurt. Half of the hotel was perfectly unscathed while the other half looked like it had just been thru every possible natural disaster all in one go. Water pooled in every depression, smoke and burn marks were everywhere and some walls seemed to be on the receiving end of Naruto's rassengan. Kakashi would sell his soul if some of the cracks in the earth hadn't come from Sakura's fist. A few of the braver townspeople could be seen looking for survivors.

He turned to the two jounin, one chunin and Pakkun, who constituted his team for this rescue mission. He summoned the rest of his dogs and said, "Search for Naruto, Sakura or Sasuke. If you find anyone signal me. Help any survivor you can. Go."

They scattered, looking frantically for their friends. They had barely begun searching when Kakashi heard one of the signals.

"Kakashi-san I found-,"

"Kakashi-sensei! What took you so long? They have Sasuke and Sakura! We have to save them! LETS GO! 'TEBAYO!"

---

Sasuke set the pace, making sure to go slowly enough to allow Sakura to recover. If they were going to get into a fight, they both would need her strength.

Sakura and Sasuke wasted no time in following what remained of Minake's trail. Ever so often they came upon a marked tree, an obvious trap or even the dead body of a traitorous follower.

"She wants us to follow," Sasuke growled, getting angrier with every trap he and Sakura had to disable.

"Just think of it this way. The faster we get there the faster we can save Ayumi. Save your anger for Otonashi," soothed Sakura, although she was fighting her own anger.

It was almost midday of the next day when neared the end of the trail.

"There's a cave ahead. That's where they're holding Ayumi," Sasuke said.

"Let's go."

As they came up to the mouth of the cave they saw a shadowed silhouette of a person positioned as if she were waiting for them.

"Aww, Sasuke-kun. Why did you take so long? I know my trail wasn't that hard to follow," Minake pouted, "We could have had fun last night, before the actual fight."

"Hn," Sasuke did nothing but glare.

"You're sick, you know that," Sakura's voice was laced with venom.

Minake's eyes widened, noticing Sakura for the first time, "Bitch, why are you still alive. That poison should have killed you minutes after I left."

Sakura smirked, "Your beloved Sasuke-kun saved me." She grinned triumphantly.

"Humph. I see. I guess I'll just have to try harder to win him over now won't I," she glared at Sakura, "I'll kill you in no time. But in the meantime, Sasuke-kun, you're expected inside. Ayumi is just dying to see you." Minake cackled.

Sasuke stiffened. If anything happens to her I'll kill them all. "Sakura, can you take her?"

"Consider her dead." Sakura whipped out two kunai and sent them flying towards Minake.

Minake flipped out of the way and giggled. "You better be better than that. I don't want to be bored."

"Get going Sasuke!" Sakura yelled.

Sasuke gave a curt nod and entered the cave.

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A/N: Sorry I was sick for a few days otherwise this would have been up sooner. Also I this may sound a little rushed, but I want to finish the story. The next chapter should be the last (maybe epilogue if I think its needed) but that's all.

Thanks to all my reviewers.