Chapter 9

Sakura was away with the fairies at that time so she didn't notice the deadly aura surrounding the woman from the window as she stepped in and made her way towards the unconscious figure laying on the bed. Raising the sword she currently had in her hands, her intentions being death, she aimed it for Sakura's heart and swiped down, only for it to be yanked from her arms and a punch to the face had her flying into the wall, while the woman still asleep just lay unawares.

A set of red eyes was her only warning of who it was when a growl escaped their throat and claws raked down on her face.

"ARGH!!!!!!!" The now injured Karin screamed as the claws raked across her face and drew blood.

"What did you think you were doing Karin?" A deadly voice came from the darkness as Sasuke stepped forward. He had felt her presence while he had been leaving the room and had come to see what she wanted when he saw the raised sword and it was like something took over his body because the next thing he knew he was defending the Cat shifter by drawing blood from one of his own kind.

"S-Sasuke-kun…" Karin trailed off as she realised that her beloved 'Sasuke-kun' meant business. She hurriedly picked up the sword and jumped out the window, swinging onto the tree and with one last look into the room she took off into the darkness cursing the Cat Queen with all her heart. 'You'll pay…'

Sasuke watched as Sakura shifted her head towards him and her mouth opened a little as she slept, unawares of the danger her life was just in and who her saviour was. He seemed entranced with her lips as he leaned closer and closer until he was a hairsbreadth away from her. His eyes went back to the normal onyx colour as he seemed to be fighting with someone inside of him.

In the end he pulled away with a pained expression on his face as he sighed to himself and said, "If only you knew how much I really loved you Sakura," before walking out the door to once again leave behind the sleeping seemingly angelic woman on his bed.

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Sakura lay, not moving, as consciousness slowly made its way forward.

She threw a hand over her eyes as light was suddenly making its way through her eyelids and burning her eyes.

"Arghn," She groaned out as something next to her shuffled, bringing her completely out of her hazy state as she threw the covers of the bed and jumped from the bed, landing in a crouch and looking for the offender who had gotten so close to her without permission.

Her eyes found cerulean as the offender blushed bright red and immediately away.

"Erm, Sakura-chan, y-you're chest…" With a glance down she realised that her chest was only in a bandage and that acted like a second skin, so pretty much everything was seen.

With a growl she pulled the sheet with her and glared at the man that had been sitting next to her as she slept. "What do you want Uzumaki?" He looked shocked for a second before letting a small smile grace his face as he looked at her sadly.

"I never thought the day would come when you would call me that. We said we were going to be best friends forever. Do you remember that?" And remember that she did, but she wasn't about to admit it. Memories are in the past, and the past is something she will never return to.

"No, that was a long time ago, and I will not revisit it. What's done is done. Now, answer the question; What do you want?"

With a sigh and a shake of his head, the 200 year old scoffed good heartedly and glanced up at her with hazy eyes and said, "Can't an old friend worry about the injured woman in a bed, totally defenceless?" Sakura stiffened at the last part, but still glared at him with angry emerald eyes and said in a deadly whisper,

"We are not friends anymore Uzumaki. Remember that," and with that she got up, taking the black sheet with her, and walked out the room, tying it around her. When she got to the hallway, she found Tenten asleep on Ino's shoulder just outside the door with Hinata lying down in Tenten's lap with her head on her knee. Ino was awake and alert as Sakura came out.

"Sakura! You're ok! Thank god. Here, your clothes. They were removed so the doctors could examine your wound," Ino said as she stood, awaking the two sleeping friends that got jolted as she stood. As Ino handed her her clothes, Sakura saw something hidden in the shadows over her blonde friends' shoulder. A closer examination made her realise it was a pair of red eyes watching her. And something about them made Sakura's body go hot and bothered immediately.

"…Thankyou Uchiha," Sakura nodded her head before looking back up at the man who now stepped forward with a smirk on his face. "But this changes nothing. We attack in 3 days. Be ready. It will be your demise." And with that she walked back into the room, Naruto had walked out and was watching them as she glared hatefully at them both, and shut the door behind her to get changed. Ino, Tenten and Hinata just stood there uncomfortable fidgeting as they waited for Sakura to come out of the room. They didn't have to wait long as hardly a minute passed when she walked out in her full warrior outfit, her top having been replaced with one that looked similar, if not a little tight, and her katana's being handed to her by Tenten so she could slip them onto her back. She gave one last glance at her two old friends and walked straight past them, barely even whispering her parting words,

"Three days." She continued her walk until she realised that her three subordinates were no longer behind her. She turned to realise they had frozen in their spot and were looking after her sadly as they realised that their plan had failed.

"Come!" That one word from Sakura held so much authority and power that all three of them visibly shuddered and Naruto flinched. Sasuke just stood there with sad eyes as he realised he could have stopped this; he could have saved her from this fate. If only he had gone after her when they were children. If only, if only was nothing. Those words meant nothing. He couldn't turn back time. All he could do was work on the present and make her realise he didn't kill her brother, and then maybe, just maybe, they could go back to the way they were before.

As Sasuke disappeared into his thoughts, he didn't realise Sakura had gone until she was outside the castle and running towards her Haven with full speed. All wounds forgotten. He watched her go with a pained expression on his face which was soon wiped off as Naruto made his way next to him.

"Prepare the army," and with that he walked away, leaving a confused and hurt Naruto behind.

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This is dedicated to Sasuke is Hot 0012 who is a big fan of this story, she made me update, so thank her. ;)