~FOUR YEARS AGO~

"I don't understand." A young Sasuke looked at his parents in confusion. "Why does she have to go? Why is she leaving us? Mom, what the heck is going on?" he asked the question no one seemed to be in the mood to answer. His brother Itachi was leaning casually against the wall. He seemed to know what was going on. But like his parents, he too was keeping everything to himself. "Will someone say something?"

"Sasuke, not now." the ever officious Fugaku gave his youngest son a stare and Sasuke almost let it go. Almost.

"No." Sasuke shot out, "I want to know why she is packing her stuff. I want to know why there are men with guns all around the damn house." Sasuke understood that his father was the chief of police. He understood a lot of things, but what was going on now was not normal. Something was up and he wished to know what.

"Sasuke!" his father warned. "Language."

The young boy's mother didn't like the tone that her husband was using. Sure, they'd raised a good boy and cussing of any kind was frowned up, but still, she understood why her son was upset.

"It's okay Fugaku. We're all stressed. Don't take it out on him." she stopped her packing and walked towards Sasuke. "Honey, listen to me. I have to go away for a while. Just until the dust around here settles, okay? I wish I could stay, but it's not safe for now."

"What do you mean it's not safe? You're married to the chief of police. It doesn't get safer than that. Why do you have to leave? I don't understand."

"I know. Okay. I'll be frank with you."

"Mikoto?" Fugaku said.

"It's okay. I know what I'm doing." She glared at him and then turned back to her son and smiled. "I saw some bad guys do something really bad and I have decided to testify against them, but to do that I have to go away for a while. Just to be safe." She explained.

"Stop treating me like a kid. You mean like enter the witness protection program?" he asked. He wasn't stupid. He read and he watched movies. Not to mention he grew up around cops.

She smiled at him and pulled him to her, "Yes. Exactly. I can't believe I forgot, you're my little genius boy." She kissed his forehead and he let her. Any other time and he would have wiggled out of her embrace and complained about being too grown up for all the hugging and whatnot, but not now. In that moment, with the thought that she was leaving them circling his brain, he let her hold him. In fact he hugged her back and fought back the tears that were threatening to leave his big boy, black Uchiha eyes.

"How long will you be gone for?" he had to know. He couldn't imagine living with his ever serious and overly principled dad, especially with Itachi heading back to college. The change was too great.

"Just until the trial is over and they all end up behind bars." She assured him. She broke the hug and went back to her packing.

Then a thought came to him, "Take me with you."

She froze for a second, not enough to be too noticeable but Sasuke saw it. "Sasuke, don't be silly." She laughed it off. "Your life is here. Your friends are all here. Next year you go to high school. That's what you should be concentrated on."

"Yeah, high school." He ignored his father's stare and walked towards his packing mom, "If you say you won't be gone for long then what's the big deal? Let me come with."

"I don't know." She looked at her husband for his input and he just shrugged. So much for making decisions as a married couple. She sighed.

"It won't be pretty." She warned. "You have to be willing to say bye to most of the stuff you find enjoyable."

He laughed, "Since when have I cared about fancy and the good life?" he felt good that she was considering it.

"Well, since your father doesn't mind," she glared at the head of the house, "then it's set."

"Sweet." Sasuke said with a smile.

Itachi moved away from the wall and made his way to his brother. Sasuke sensed him behind him and he turned.

"What?" he asked. "Don't tell me this is the part where we hug and you cry like a big baby." Sasuke teased.

"Ha, very funny." Itachi said. He ruffled up his brother's hair and it earned him a scowl from Sasuke.

"Hey." Sasuke tried to break free and it just made Itachi happier. "Stop messing up my hair."

"Just take care of yourself, foolish little brother." Then he poked him on the forehead like he always did ever since Sasuke could remember. And with that the older Uchiha son, walked away.

Sasuke wanted to tell him that he'd miss him, but he knew Itachi already knew it. The two were beyond close and ever since Itachi moved out and started college, life for Sasuke kind of started to suck. But seeing him back, even if for a short while, had been well worth it.

"I guess this is my cue to join the packing party." He turned to look at his dad and when the old man nodded, Sasuke walked out and headed to his room.

He would miss his friends. Ha, he almost laughed. Friends. If he can even call them that. The one person who stuck out and even remotely resembled a friend was that blonde idiot. He didn't want to admit it but he would miss the fool.

And then there is her. They'd barely exchanged more than a few phrases but there was something about her. To him, she stood out. He'd miss her too. Maybe even the most.

That day at school, he swore that she wanted to tell him something but the call from his father had distracted him and he'd barely heard a word she was saying. He'd have to find a way to talk to her.

~xoxo~

For over two months, Sasuke had regrets over how he'd left things. He'd actually believed he would be allowed access to a phone or anything in those lines. But, no. It sucked so much. So for two months, he didn't even know where they were.

By the third month, after weeks of bliss and just hanging with his mom, everything just went to crap one day. He'd woken up feeling particularly positive, but by noon, when he heard gun shots in the compound and the screaming reached his ears, he knew something was wrong.

His mom rushed into his room and she was frantic, "Sasuke, quick. He found me. You have to get out of here." She locked the door.

"I thought we were safe here." He swiftly walked to her.

"I thought so too." She grabbed his arm and ushered him towards the window, "we have to get out through this side."

"W-what? You're joking, right?" she didn't really expect him to jump out of a damn window, did she?

"Do you want to live?" she asked.

"Yes."

"Then, there's your answer." She pushed him forward. "Hurry."

"Where are the guards?" he asked as he climbed on the window sill.

She hesitated for a second and then gave him a fake smile, "they are down there. Don't worry." In his mind, it translated to 'they are all dead'.

"Mi-ko-to." A deranged voice came from beyond the closed door. "Open up, I promise I won't hurt you." He said and laughter sounded, probably from the men he was with. "Quiet!" they all obeyed.

"Sasuke, stop wasting time. Start moving." She commanded. Sasuke froze, "Sasuke, Now!" he willed his body to listen and prepared to jump.

"Come on, Mikoto." A loud bang sounded. They were trying to break in. "How many more people should I kill before you come out of there? Mmh?" a gun went off. "Oh oh. There goes another one."

"Sasuke, damn it. Jump!" she was helping him look for the perfect landing spot, "I swear if I have to watch you get shot in front of me, I will do everything in my power to bring you back and I will ground you for the rest of your life. Now jump!"

He hesitated for a second and then he jumped.

The last thing he heard before he went soaring down was a gun shot and someone kicking in the door.

His legs hurt as he landed on the ground but he soon straightened and looked up window.

"Mom, come on. Jump." He whispered as he didn't know who might be in the area. "Mom."

He saw her getting on the window sill and as she prepared to jump someone yanked on her hair and tried to pull her back in. she screamed in pain. But she was an Uchiha. That wasn't enough to faze her.

"I won't let you hurt my son, you psycho!" She spat in out. Anger and malice laced her always sweet voice. She elbowed him and he groaned.

"You bitch!" he hissed, his wrath unmistakable. She looked like she was finally ready to make the jump when a gunshot went off and all became silent and frozen for Sasuke. Blood coated her front and he knew she'd just been shot.

"No!" Sasuke screamed as she fell to the ground.

"No one gets away from Madara. No one." The man looking down through the window said as Mikoto's body hit the ground. Sasuke looked up at him and the young man's blood boiled. The shooter's raven black hair was in dishevelled layers around his face. "Your mother had it coming. Wipe that look off your face, boy. You will be with your dear mother soon." Then another shot went off and Sasuke felt a searing pain near his shoulder. He felt the ground beneath him and didn't even realise he had fallen.

"Let's get out of here." The mad killer said. "Our work here is done."

Sasuke felt numbness and pain at the same time. His mother coughed from where she'd fallen and an adrenaline rush travelled through his whole body. She was still alive. He could hear sirens in the distance as he dragged his limp body towards his mother's side. The ground beneath her was pooling with blood. That wasn't good.

"I'm…sor…ry, Sasu…ke." His mother was struggling to talk. Blood trickled from the side of her mouth. She could barely keep her eyes open.

"Mom, ssshh." He held her hand and she squeezed it. "The police…are…on their…way." He could barely keep his own eyes open. The pain was too intense and he knew to protect him, the brain would force him to pass out. "We're gonna…be…okay." He felt cold and the numbness was getting worse.

"I'm sorry…" she said. Tears filled her eyes. Sasuke wanted to tell her it wasn't her fault. He should have protected her. This was all on him. If only he'd been stronger. But his mouth couldn't move. His senses where shutting down and he knew soon he would be consumed by the darkness and fall into oblivion.

He forced his eyes to remain open longer.

The next words never made a sound, a smile formed on her face as she mouthed an inaudible 'I'll always love you'.

Then…silence and coldness.

No.

No. No. No.

He felt the life seep from her body, through his hazy eyes, he saw the light leave her beautiful eyes. The hand he held on to was no longer holding back, she felt cold to the touch and in his heart –now forever broken and filled with ice and hate and anger- he knew…his dear sweet mother, was gone.

No! NOOOOOO! He screamed internally and he cursed himself. When finally he lost consciousness, the last words on his mind were, "I'm going to kill Madara, if it's the last thing I do."

~xoxo~

~PRESENT DAY~

"I woke up a week later in hospital." Sasuke had just narrated the story to Sakura. Minus all the parts about missing her, of course. They were now in the motel room and Sakura's eyes had started to water once he told her about the gun shots. He was leaning against the door to the bathroom as he spoke and Sakura sat on the bed.

"I know what you're going to say. That it wasn't my fault. Well, it damn well was. I was there and I didn't do anything. If only…if only I'd…if I'd just…damn it" he ran his hands through his hair and gritted his teeth.

"Fuck." Sasuke never liked lingering on this topic because of this same reason. It hurt too much. "I…"

She got up from the bed quickly and threw herself in his arms. "I'm sorry." She hugged him tightly and Sasuke just stood there awkwardly for a minute, not knowing what was going on, not knowing what to think of it before he slowly lifted his arms and hugged her back.

"It wasn't your fault." She kept on telling him. He could tell that she was crying. He could tell that she wanted to make it better for him. But there was nothing she could. Having her this close to him and especially after telling her his story, he had to admit that he felt better. Yes, he felt like the lump he'd had in his throat for years was slowly shifting. He felt like his cold heartwasn't in immerse pain no longer, but it still wasn't enough.

The only way he would ever be at peace, the only way he could ever put his mother to rest was if he avenged her cruel murder.

He cleared his throat and she moved away from him. She stood in front of him awkwardly and put squeezed her hands in her pockets. She looked at him, with her now red eyes, like she had something she wanted to say. When she remained quiet, he almost thought it was a dream. The girl almost always never shut up.

"I have to go and get a few things. Don't go anywhere." He told her, he started walking towards the door. "And don't open the room for anyone but me." With that he left the tiny motel room.

~xoxo~

Sakura walked to the small motel bathroom and proceeded to washing her face. She looked at her reflection and found that she looked awful. Her top was muddy and it clung to her body. She felt dirty but she didn't have a change of clothes. Her jeans weren't any better off. Was this how she'd been the whole time?

She rested her hands on the hand basin and took in a long deep breath. She hadn't expected Sasuke's story to be that sad and full of so much sorrow. Yes, she knew his mother was dead, but the story around town had been that she was involved in a car accident. That's what she'd always known.

Murder? It never even crossed the pinkette's mind.

"Crap!" now it all made sense. His coldness, his change from the once smiling and quiet boy she knew back then. He knew more than anyone the kind of people he was dealing with. Sakura massaged her temples as she suspected a minor headache coming on. And to think, just weeks ago, her greatest worry was having Ino as a roommate. She almost laughed out loud. But there was nothing funny about this situation. It was messed up beyond measure.

She heard the door handle turn slowly in the other room and her first thought was to grab the closest thing near her. It just so happened to be a plunger. She peered discreetly past the door and found Sasuke standing in the room with plastic bags full of goodies.

"Hn." He shook his head, "Really, a plunger?"

"Ah shut up." She put back the pathetic makeshift weapon and walked out the bathroom. "It can so work."

"Right."

She ignored his sarcasm. "What you got there?" she gestured at the plastic bags and walked towards the bed. She had so many questions for him concerning his years away. Who he lived with? What he did? But she'd learnt her lesson, that curiosity and having verbal diarrhoea wasn't the best policy.

"I figured you'd need this." He took out a smaller bag that had toothbrush and some other stuff he thought she'd want.

"Oh wow, it looks like you've got everything in there but the kitchen sink.' She teased. Then she reddened when she saw that there was also some pair of undies and other girl necessities.

"I just asked the lady in the shop to throw in everything that a girl would want and asked her to total up the price. If there is anything missing I can go back out." he sounded so awkward. So unlike himself.

She ended up laughing.

"What?"

"Nothing." She just held her bag closer and looked at him. Oh, how she wished she could ease the hurt that she knew he's been stuck in. She couldn't imagine losing one's parents in such a horrible manner.

"Don't."

"Huh?" she looked at him in confusion. "Don't what?"

"Don't feel sorry for me. I don't want you looking at me like that. I don't need your pity. Just act like you were before I burdened you with my life story."

It was a pretty huge thing to pretend she didn't know but she would try. If it meant making him more at ease and more comfortable.

"I don't know what you're talking about." she fell back on the bed.

"Hn."

"What does that even mean?" she elevated herself on her elbows.

"What?" he stared at her from messy pink hair to muddy shoes.

"Never mind." She sighed, "Please tell me you have something to eat in that plastic bag of tricks of yours. I'd do anything for a double cheese burger. I'm starving."

He smirked. "You're the weirdest girls I've ever met." He sat down next to her, and she smiled at him. If he wanted her to act like she didn't know his deep dark past then that's what she'd do.

"Why, because I actually eat and don't force myself to enjoy a lame salad? Yes, yes I am."

"There's that. But yeah, you don't pretend to be something you're not. You're real." He got out a Shawarma from the bag, "Well, except when you tell people someone is your boyfriend when they are not."

"Oh my God!" She actually punched him. Not enough to cause pain but enough to make him stop teasing her, "I'll never live that down, will I?"

"No. I don't easily forget."

"I guess I have to move to a new country and change my name." she sighed. Then when he saw the corner of his lips curve up, she laughed. She liked this. Talking to him like they were friends. Joking with him like there wasn't a psycho murderer named Madara.

Ha. Ha ha. His name is Madara and he is a murderer. Lame.

"Wanna take off your clothes now?"

Sakura's jaw dropped. What? This was not at all how she imagined it going down between them. Shouldn't he have at least kissed her? Touched her a bit?

"Okay," he looked at her shocked face and he got up from the bed, "That came out wrong."

"You think?" she eyed him through her surprised forest green eyes.

"You're all muddy. I just thought you'd want to be in cleaner clothes." He explained.

"Oh." She reddened. Once again, her over active imagination had gone straight to sex and once again his mind was ever so pure. She felt like such a pervert. "I knew that." She lied.

"Hn." He bent over and grabbed his backpack.

Sakura suddenly felt like having a shower now that the prospect of getting clean clothes was hanging in the mix.

Sasuke opened his bag and got out what looked like pyjamas. He looked at her and held the clothing, one in each hand. "So, top or bottoms." his eyes twinkled. His pitch black eyes actually twinkled.

The look on Sakura's face must have been classic because he looked really amused with his sick joke. Sakura shook her head. Like she would serious choose bottoms and let her jugs hang all over the place. No thank you.

"Very funny." She grabbed the pyjama shirt and walked towards the bathroom with her plastic bag of girl things in the other hand.

She was pleased, that despite the day they'd had, he managed to even manage a joke. A perverted one, but still, it was a joke.

"Um, how long do we have to stay here?" she asked before she disappeared in the small bathroom.

"Not long. Don't worry." He assured her, "I'll have your life back to normal in no time."

The truth was, she didn't mind very much being with him in the small room. What sucked was the threat to be killed part.

~xoxo~

After her shower, Sasuke had also gotten his own time to clean up. He emerged some time later wearing nothing but the pyjama bottoms. Sakura was sitting on the large bed wearing the other half of his sleeping attire. He looked at her and saw that she looked so innocent, so pure. Her freshly washed hair and her clean face made him curse himself. She didn't fucking deserve what he was putting her through.

His eyes travelled lower down her body and he saw the soft creaminess of her thighs. The shirt wasn't long enough to cover her legs. Something stirred in him and he shook his head to stop his mind going where he knew she wouldn't appreciate him going. A part of him thought she'd punch his lights out if she suspected even for a bit how his thoughts where going in the NO GO zone.

She looked at him and he noticed that her gaze lingered on him. If he didn't know better, he would have said she was checking him out. Then it hit him that she was probably looking for the scar that had remained from where he'd been shot. He still had no regrets for telling her though.

"So, um…where are you sleeping?" she asked.

"Hn." He walked fully into the room. "You see that soft thing you're sitting on? Yeah, that's a bed. People use it for sleeping." He walked all the way to the other side.

"I know what a bed is, jerk." She told him, "You can't be serious. Where are you sleeping?"

Sasuke just stared at her as he lifted up the beddings on his side of the bed.

"Sasuke, I am not sleeping with you." She shot out, he saw her face redden. Was there ever a time when the girl wasn't blushing? "I mean sleep with you as in share the bed, and not what you're thinking."

"What I'm thinking?" if he could laugh he would have but he was too tired. It had been a long day all he wanted was too sleep. "I didn't think anything."

"Can't you do the gentlemanly thing and sleep on the floor?" she pleaded with him, "It's what all the guys in the books and movies do?"

"Well those guys are dumbasses and they probably have never heard of pneumonia or common sense." He slept on the bed with his back to the bed and one arm on his stomach while the other was on his forehead.

When he heard her huff in annoyance and could practically feel her eyes burning into him he turned his head to look at her. "Just so we are clear, I'm not sleeping on the fucking cold floor."

"You're the worst you know that?"

"I never said I was a good person. I never said I was a good guy." Then he faced the ceiling again. "Don't worry. Your overactive mind can rest assured knowing I. Will. Not. Touch. You." But deep down he wasn't sure whether he was trying to convince her or himself. He remembered the kiss. He remembered the taste of her. Damn it. This was not who he was. Was he going soft? Ha. More like going hard.

"You suck." She glared at him. She got a pillow and threw it on the floor. Once she slept on the cold hardness of it and he heard her wince, he gave her ten minutes max before she came crawling back. She was tough, he had to give her that much, but not even she could spend the whole night on that floor. He heard her toss and turn and curse from where he slept and he almost felt bad.

One last toss and turn and she was getting back up and joining him on the warm bed. "Don't say anything." She warned, her voice came out like acid. She covered herself and Sasuke almost laughed. "What kind of a guy fails to sacrifice the bed for a girl." She kept mumbling to herself and Sasuke just shook his head.

Women. Stubborn for fucking nothing.

~xoxo~

A hide out somewhere

"Once again, you disappoint me!" The authoritative voice of one of the most wanted men in the world sounded in the large room, "What the hell good are you, if I have to do everything myself?"

"Boss, he came out of nowhere and took her. We tried to pursue then but they lost us." Goon number one pleaded. His face was swollen from the torture and the beating. They all knew what disappointing Madara meant. It meant a certain death and it wasn't pretty. Madara was a mad man.

"You know what to do." Madara instructed one of his other goons to carry the beaten up one away and out of his sight. "I guess it's time I came out of hiding. This little shit is proving to be the thorn in my foot."

"Boss, is that wise? You remember what happened last time you did that." Goon number two said.

A gun went off and goon number two was shot in the foot. "Question me again and the next one goes between your eyes." The room because silent as the grave.

The time had actually come for Madara to make his appearance. If he wanted to end this little annoyance, he had to do it himself.

~xoxo~

Author's Note: So, I know this chapter is a little intense compared to the others. I had to make you see why Sasuke is like he is. People (men) are born with dicks. No one is born a dick, dicks are made…or something like that. It was kinda hard for me…I love comedy and swords.

Endorsements: umm…The Vow by SHOZO.

Tell me what you thought of this chapter.

Xoxo.