Warning: attempted rape. :P

Chapter 10: Survival

Sakura's POV

Kaito crushed me into his chest, keeping one hand over my mouth and the other arm around my torso, pinning my arms to my sides. He brought his head down to whisper menacingly into my ear, "Now, Princess, don't you dare try to run. You know I'd just find you again and sooner or later I'll get what I want. Don't struggle or it'll be really bad for you, and for your parents." My eyes got wide. He knows my parents? As if he could read my mind, he laughed and continued to whisper, "That's right, baby I know you're that Haruno girl. Your parents are those two movie buffs. I've seen your picture all around town. You did that Vendi photo shoot. How could you think that I wouldn't recognize you? Not many people have hair this pink." As if to emphasize his point, he sniffed my hair and I stiffened.

Feeling brave, I swiftly raised my knee and hoped it would connect, but he was too quick. The hand he had around my body went down to block the blow, and now that my arms were free I aimed a few punches at him, which he dodged. What the hell, I thought this guy was drunk!

I prepared for another hit when he narrowed his eyes and said, "I didn't think you were such a selfish girl that you'd willingly sacrifice your parents."

I froze instantly and he took the advantage and grabbed both my hands, forcibly tugging me with him as he led me down the hallway that led to the Back Rooms. He quickly opened the door to one of the rooms and shoved me in. I bit my lip to keep from screaming, but that didn't stop the tears that were flowing down my face. Although my parents weren't always there for me, I still loved them and I wasn't about to go putting them in danger because of my own stupidity.

After locking the door and wedging a chair under the knob, Kaito turned to me with a vicious smile. He walked over slowly and I backed up until I hit the wall. He was going to rape me. I could tell by looking at his eyes. He was going to hurt me, and maybe even kill me. The feeling of knowing I was going to die soon was worse now than it was in my dream last night.

As he approached me I saw something glinting in his hand. It was a knife. Oh yes, he was going to kill me. I was going to die here, lonely and hurt. He brought the knife to my throat and I shut my eyes, trying to get my throat as far away from the blade as possible. Unfortunately, I couldn't get that far away. The metal of the knife wasn't pressed hard enough against my skin to draw blood, but I knew that if I tried to struggle that I would end up killing myself. He tried to kiss me then, but I swiftly turned my head, causing the blade to slit the skin at my neck, ever so slightly. I gasped in pain and felt the blood begin to trickle down my chest.

"Now, now, Sakura baby, don't do that. If you refuse me, you'll die. You'll end up killing yourself. Don't do that." He grabbed my chin and forced me to look at him. "Now you can either kiss me or the knife will kiss you. It's your choice." He smiled and kissed me then, and I had no choice but to kiss him back. "Honey, I know you're a better kisser than that." Kaito pressed his lips to mine again, and I kissed back a little more, hating myself more and more by the second.

When he finally drew back I screamed on instinct. My mouth opened and I let out the loudest scream of my life. Please, someone hear me, please!

I shut my mouth abruptly, remembering Kaito's threat. "No, no, I'm sorry I didn't mean to scream please don't hurt my parents, please!" I begged.

He merely smiled. "No need to apologize, sugar. It doesn't matter if you scream anymore, even if someone hears you, you're just another whore in the Back Room." His hand snaked between my thighs, still covered by my jeans, and rubbed. "Now get wet for me, baby. I don't want to hurt you, but I don't have a lot of time to wait for you. You're just too damn hot." His other hand grasped roughly at my breast underneath my shirt and bra. "Dammit, I have to fuck you, now."

I screamed again.

Sasuke's POV

I pulled up to Club Fuel and parked my car on the street. There wasn't any time to waste. Even if Sakura was actually okay, I couldn't take any chances.

Walking up to the entrance, I sped past the long line of people waiting to get in and flashed my I.D. to the bouncer, who saw my name and let me in without a wait. There were complaints from the nobodies in line, but I didn't stick around long enough to hear them. Names equaled power around here.

I entered the club and looked past the crowds of people to the outskirts of the club, checking the couches, seating areas, and the bar. Knowing Sakura, if Ino was telling the truth about her not sounding well, she would want to be alone yet surrounded by people. Her reasoning would always be an enigma to me. I didn't spot her anywhere, so I decided to walk around instead. Women in short skirts and high heels walked up to me, asking if I wanted to feel like a big boy tonight. I pushed them away without a glance, continuing my search. Where the hell could she be? Could she have already left?

As I walked past the opening of the Back Rooms hallway, I heard a scream. I'd recognize that scream anywhere. It was the same one that came out of her when we'd watch scary movies together at my house. It was the same one that I heard every Halloween when Naruto and I would dress up and scare the girls. It was the same one that she let out when we'd gone rock climbing and she almost fell until her harness caught her. Except that this one was real. I could feel the urgency in that second of high pitched noise, and immediately my feet got moving. I ran down the hall and opened door after door after door revealing empty rooms until I got to one where the door was locked. I heard a man's voice, low and threatening, and a woman's frightened and desperate breathing and gasps coming from inside.

Sakura was in there. I tried the knob again, but it was locked. "Help! Help!" Sakura's voice screamed before the sound was muffled, probably by a hand. Deciding it was time for desperate measures, I backed up and raised my foot, bringing it crashing down on the doorknob, successfully breaking the lock and the doorknob all in one. But still the door wouldn't budge. He must have barricaded it. Backing up again, I braced myself as I ran towards the wood, pounding my shoulder into it over and over until finally the chair was knocked out of the way and I was allowed entry.

The sight in front of me made my blood boil. A man held Sakura around her upper body and held the tip of a knife to her throat. "Don't move or she'll die."

I held my hands up, willing myself to calm down and take control of the situation. "Come on now man, you don't have to do that."

He jerked her, making her whimper a little. "Sasuke." She whispered.

"Shut up!" He pressed the knife into her neck, creating a slit right under her jaw. Beads of blood began to form along the cut.

Very discreetly, I placed my hand on the side of the doorframe, making it look like I was using it for support. Hm, so he doesn't know what I'm doing. He must not have been here before. Now that he couldn't see my fingers, they quickly felt for a little red button that I knew would be there. I pressed it. There was silence.

Suddenly the bouncer and a few security guards came rushing over. The guards took out their guns and aimed it at the abductor, who raised his own hands in the air. At their command, he dropped the knife too. Once he was disarmed, the guards swiftly handcuffed him and escorted him away. It was now Sakura and me alone in the room.

I rushed over to her, wrapping my arms around her. "Thank God you're okay, don't ever go to places this like alone, alright?" Then I realized she wasn't hugging me back. She was perfectly still, not even sobbing. I stood back and held her at arm's length. I looked inter her eyes and saw some conflict in them.

The first thing she said was, "Sasuke, let go of me." In a very leveled voice. Confused, I dropped my arms and backed up.

"Sakura, what's wrong?"

"Stop pretending like you care. Just quit it, okay?" She was cold as stone. I wanted to sweep her back into my arms again, after all, she had almost been assaulted for goodness' sake! I wanted to hold her, to make sure she was okay and that she was safe. But she was pushing me away now, and I had no idea why.

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't pity me! Don't you dare pity me! After what you did! How could you?" Her eyes started to well up as she angrily clenched her fists at her sides.

"Sakura, I don't know what you're talking about. Tell me what I did." If she wasn't going to be calm, then I'd have to be calm for both of us.

"It's your fault I came here tonight. You left me alone, with no explanations and no clue as to why you wanted to end it. I was so lonely, so I came here, and look what happened!" She yelled at me. "I almost got raped!" She wrapped her arms around herself as protection. From what, I wasn't sure. From me? But I hadn't done anything! Was she lonely because I wasn't spending enough time with her? No… That wasn't it. This was a different kind of loneliness she was speaking of. But was it one that I could cure?

I held my hand out as she wiped her eyes on her sleeve, soaking up the angry tears. "Sakura, please come with me. Talk to me. Explain why you're upset."

"No. You're just as bad at that other guy." Ouch. Did she just compare me to the rapist? I decided not to get angry and to blame it on the trauma she was probably experiencing.

"Then at least let me get you out of here. It's not safe here, as you can probably tell now." I said. Ever so slowly, she came forward from the wall and followed me out of the club. Once outside I noticed that she took deep breaths of the fresh air. Sakura always calmed in the presence of good, clean air. My mind went back to that day when we'd gone hiking and she finally opened up to me romantically. She'd wanted to escape the paparazzi, and had suggested that we'd go trail running as an escape. I smiled that the pleasant memory.

We climbed into my car and I started the engine. We drove in silence for a few moments, then Sakura spoke. "What the hell are you doing? The Tower is the other way."

"I'm taking you back to my place."

I could feel the hostility rolling off of her in waves. "Right, because I'd want to go to your house after what you told me today. Go to hell, Sasuke, but take me to my home before you do, or I swear—"

"What did I do, Sakura?"

"How could you ask that again? Since you seem to have some kind of short term memory loss when it comes to making total wrecks of people's lives, I'll just have to remind you. You broke up with me, Sasuke! Without any explanation or a 'sorry' or anything! You left me! For Karin!"

We were silent after her outburst. She was breathing hard, as if coming out with all that was physically exhausting. It probably was too, since Sakura didn't usually get mad. Ever. But now she was furious. And it was because I'd left her… for Karin? That didn't make any sense. I hadn't talked to her since last night and had only gotten my phone back this evening from Karin after filming.

From Karin…

It clicked in my head now, but there was still a piece missing. "… When did I break up with you?" I asked slowly. From the corner of my eye I could tell she was looking at me with an are-you-freaking-crazy? look.

Probably thinking I really did have memory loss, she answered, "You called me at 5:30." I got my phone back from Karin at 6.

"Sakura, that wasn't me who called you."

"What the hell, Sasuke, as if you could actually get away with that one. It was a call from your phone, your number, and your voice was the one that spoke to me. Don't even try that with me."

"Sakura, I'm serious. Karin had my phone until 6."

"I know Karin's a bitch and all, but don't use her as a scapegoat. And how do you explain the fact that your voice was the one that was talking to me?"

Perhaps… "What were the words I used to break up with you, Sakura? Tell me."

"You're going to make me repeat them to you." It wasn't a question.

I grimaced. Please don't blow up, Sakura, I'll explain it all! "Yes."

After a long silence Sakura spoke softly, as if reluctantly visiting a terrible memory. "'We're breaking up. It's over. I'm done with you. Don't make me repeat myself. It's done. We're over. Quit apologizing. There's nothing you can do.'" He voice dropped at the end and all I wanted to do was hold her hand, but I restrained myself from doing to. It must have been hard for her to say the words again, and I couldn't be of any comfort to her until I explained what was going on.

"Those are words from the script."

"What script?" She asked quietly.

"The script for your parent's movie. My script. My character's script. Those lines were from the scenes we filmed-"

Her voice grew strong with renewed anger, "Oh great, so you couldn't even come up with original break up lines to use on me, huh? Am I just that worthless? Just because-"

"No, Sakura. I didn't say any of that to you. I think... I think Karin played the audio to you over the phone." I let it digest in her brain. Do you remember, Sakura? Karin had my phone yesterday and today. She used it to make it seem like I was breaking up with you. Do you understand now? It wasn't me, it was all her! I didn't say any of those things to you. I stayed quiet. We pulled into the underground garage of my building at I cut the engine. We sat in silence, the only light coming from the lights strung along the ceiling of the garage.

"Is that… is that really possible?" There was a glint of hope in her voice. I latched onto that hope, and worked to build its foundation.

"Yes, and I think that's what happened. Karin didn't give me back my phone until 6, and you said you'd gotten the call at 5:30."

"But… why?"

"We both know Karin's been trying to win me over, so she was probably getting desperate. And she'd already weakened your faith in me with that first call when she'd lied about me being over at her house. But Sakura, she doesn't realize that she can't take me away from you, so long as you still want me." I turned to look her in the eyes. The green of them was striking and I felt a little blown away by their intensity, just like every other time I'd look into her eyes.

Her voice was but a whisper. "Of course I still want you…" I smiled. She'd said almost the exact same words to me that one day on top of the hill…

My hand cupped the back of her neck and brought her lips to mine. She didn't fight, but helped the kiss when both her hands weaved into my hair.

"I'm…so…sorry that…I…fell for….that….I….should….have known," she said between kisses. Then she pulled back and looked me right in the face. "And I'm so sorry for saying those things to you."

I raised my hand to brush my fingertips over the clotting slits on her neck from that bastard's knife. "Don't be sorry. It's not your fault. You were hurt, and I don't blame you for saying those things. I love you." She grabbed my wrist and held my hand up to cup her cheek, then she tilted her face into my palm.

"I love you, Sasuke." I kissed her one more time, long and sweet, and we pulled away breathless.

Karin's POV

Suigetsu and I were back together again. He'd called this morning to tell me how much he missed me and that he was sorry. Unlike all the other times, he actually sounded genuine when he spoke the words. And just like that, we were on once more.

The first thing I felt after Suigetsu's call was happiness. I would finally get to be with the love of my life (for reasons even I can't seem to figure out) and he's finally given up his playboy days to be with me, and only me. After the joy faded away, guilt came rushing in. Just the day before I'd made poor Sakura think that Sasuke had broken up with her, just so that I could swoop in and take Sasuke for myself without the pinkette getting in the way again.

I couldn't believe I was willing to go that far just to make Suigetsu jealous. But now that him and I were back together again, there would be no need for that anymore. How was I supposed to fix this? Perhaps explain myself? But that would be bad. I needed this job with the Harunos; getting this movie out would launch my already stellar career into something spectacular.

But once I thought about it a little more… Did I really deserve to have this opportunity anymore? I'd been such a bitch to Sakura, and I'm sure that if her parents found out, they'd promptly fire me. But wasn't that what I deserved? And even if things didn't work out with this film, there'd be plenty more jobs for me out there. Maybe I should just come clean.

At the studio, I took a seat in my chair and kept an eye on the door for when Sasuke arrived.

I saw the black hair come through the doorway and grimaced, thinking about what I was about to do. Telling my hair and makeup people to 'hold on for a sec', I walked over to Sasuke, who was facing out the doorway. Suddenly Sakura walked in behind him, and they were holding hands. Maybe they'd found me out before I even got a chance to own up. But it was too late to turn around.

"Karin." It was Sasuke's voice.

Defeated, I replied, "Sasuke. Sakura…. Look—"

"We already know, Karin." Sakura said. She wasn't angry-sounding, but she wasn't completely sympathetic either.

Guilt coursed through my body and I hugged myself, trying to protect myself from the karma that was sure to come my way. "I'm sorry. I really shouldn't have… It's just… There's this guy, Suigetsu, and we're in this 'on-and-off' thing and whenever it's 'off' he thinks he's free to go do every girl in sight… And I thought that if I could get you, Sasuke, then maybe I could give him a piece of his own medicine and I just… I don't know what to say. I'm sorry."

"You know that I'm going to have to tell my parents, right?"

There it was. I faltered slightly. "Yes, I know."

"Okay. And Karin…" I looked down into Sakura's green eyes. "It's not worth it to get a guy jealous. People don't change… So maybe you should rethink things. If he hurts you, then maybe you should look somewhere else. Don't waste your time with someone who's going to take from your happiness."

I tried to smile back. "Thank you." But I wouldn't be needing that advice. I had a feeling that my on-and-off relationship with Suigetsu was finaly over. Now it was just 'on'. And it won't ever be 'off' anytime soon.

Hooray for character redemption and happy endings! The next chapter is the EPILOGUE.

Don't forget to review! (: