Chapter 10
Sakura's POV
I sit up straight in my bed, sweat dripping down my face. I look around, half expecting to see him there. But then remember that it never happened and I was dreaming. He is changing me. Before I met him, I would never dream something like that. I know that everything was real up until the part when he ran out on Kakashi. But after that, it was all in my fantasies. I sigh and stretch before getting ready for the day.
(Yes she dreamed it….)
…:::…
Sasuke's POV
A silence exists for the whole ride to Shikamaru's house. I reach across the center console and as I try to grab her hand, she pulls it away. I swerve off to the side of the road.
"What?"
"Huh?"
"What's wrong with you?"
"What do you mean?"
"This entire morning...you've been way too distant. What's going on?"
"Nothing Sasuke…" I open the door to my side of the car and get out. She get's out as well. "Where are you going?"
"You can drive to Shikamaru's. You know the way. I'll meet you there. I forgot something at the house."
"We can drive back and pick it up."
"No…you go on ahead. I'll meet you there." I shove my hands in my pockets and walk off. I hear the car speed around the corner and I let out a sigh. I don't know how any of them deal with me.
I begin to run at full speed and continue until I reach my house. I begin to slow. I leap up my front steps, skipping several. As I open the door, I get a sinking feeling in my stomach. Something isn't right. I reach down and pull my throwing knife out of my shoe. I walk through the door and throw it to my left.
"What are you doing here? I suggest you leave before I lose my temper."
"I'm afraid I can not do that. I must follow orders."
"And what were your orders exactly?"
"You have been asking questions."
"So?"
"I have been sent to clear up those questions."
"All my questions have been answered."
"By whom?"
"I have my sources. Now leave before I decide to kill you. Oh and before you go…"
"Yes?"
"I need you to give a message to Itachi. Tell him that he should be afraid because once I find him, I will send him even deeper into the underworld." I hear a swoosh and know that means he is gone. I walk up the stairs and walk over to my desk. I throw several things into a box and exit my house. I begin to run to Shikamaru's as my thoughts swirl. Could the information that this box contains be truly reliable? It better be because everything will be revealed soon enough. I almost run past Shikamaru's house but stop myself before that happens. I swing open the door and walk into his living room.
"Nice of you to join us. Sasuke…" I dump the contents of the box on the table. "What is this?"
"What you wouldn't help me with."
"I thought I told you not to look into it."
"No Kakashi, you said that you wouldn't look into it."
"Wait what are you two taking about?"
"What we are talking about, Naruto, is the attacks that have been happening recently."
"Huh?" I pick up one of the stars from the table.
"This star, seems to have some relation to the feeling that I have been having lately. We all know that something is happening in the underworld. None of us knew what it was. I didn't either until I got this package. I had a source look into the clan that this star belongs to. According to him, the clan that uses this star is the lead clan. This also means that it is the most powerful. The first time they attacked, they attacked Sakura and I at school. The next was at Neji's house. One just showed up at my house before I came here. They all had one thing in common."
"What is that?"
"They all have to do with me. All the messages had to do with me. All of them were after me."
"Do you know why this is?"
"Well…"
"Sasuke…you know that in this organization, hiding information is not an advisable thing to do."
"I know it's just…well…I can't…"
"Why not?"
"I…I…I just…well…I…I just can't…" I turn and begin to walk out of the room when I feel a hand grab my wrist. "What?"
"I will tell them if you can't…"
"Thank you Sakura…I'm sorry to have brought you into this mess…I really am." I slide my wrist out of her hand and I walk out of the room and outside into the night air. I shove my hands in my pockets and sit down on the stoop outside of the house. I am not far enough away to not hear their conversation and I hang my head. I sit there for what seems like hours before the talking fades. I hear the door open and I rise from my position on the stoop. "I think we should get ready to go do our job. Don't you?"
"Sasuke…Kakashi says you can have the night off…"
"No offense to him but Kakashi is a dumbass if he thinks I will take a day off just because my brother's an asshole. No fucking way dude…every night…I am one step closer to him."
"Sasuke you need to keep your head about you. If you lose it on these missions…"
"I know Neji…believe me…I wouldn't risk any of you…hell…you guys are the only family I have left. And I am not going to lose my family again."
"Sasuke?"
"So…should we go?"
"You tell us. After all, you're the leader."
"I am…well then…let's head out."
After the mission
"Sasuke, after hearing all this information tonight, I have looked into the clan."
"So now you look into it?"
"Can I finish please?"
"Sorry."
"Anyway…in our encounters with them in the past, we have realized a pattern. They usually carry advanced weaponry when they attack seriously. So I am adding one more member to your team…" A silence falls.
"And?"
"I was sort of expecting you to object."
"You didn't listen to me last time why would you this time?"
"Anyway he is a weapons expert. He will pose as a student at your school."
"Where are we supposed to meet him?"
"He sort of stands out. You'll find him…"
"Fine…can I leave now."
"Hang on for a second."
"What?"
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"Hey listen…no pity filled sentimental stuff alright. I have handled myself fine thus far."
"I just feel like I could have done something…"
"You didn't need to. All you needed to know up until this point is that my entire family was wiped out due to a tragic accident."
"Sasuke?"
"Really I'm fine…" He looked at me with a skeptical expression. "You've been here Kakashi. That's all you ever needed to do." I rise and almost exit but I turn back for one moment. "And if you ever make me say something pathetic like that again, I swear I will cause you physical harm." As I turn I hear him laugh. I open the doors only to see a pink haired girl staring me in the face. "What?"
"Don't 'what' me."
"Huh?"
"We need to talk about something."
"About what?"
"Have you already forgotten?"
"Huh? Sakura you are making no sense."
"I am making perfect sense!" I grab her arm and forcefully pull her aside.
"You really aren't."
"You flipped out on me!"
"When?"
"In the car on the way to Shikamaru's."
"Oh…well that is an interesting story…"
"Good. Please enlighten me…I would love to hear it."
"You were just being so weird Sakura. You never act like that around me. I couldn't figure out what was wrong and you wouldn't tell me so I left before I lost it. I know my limits Sakura and I know when I will reach them. I also know how to avoid reaching them…usually. I'm sorry if you can't accept that I walk out on people but you are just going to have to get used to it because that's how I am. I always have been and I always will be. Even ask Kakashi. I've been walking out on him for years."
"Umm…"
"Huh?"
"Well you know how you asked me what was wrong earlier?"
"Yes."
"Well…" Just as she is about to speak, I see my team file out of to changing rooms. Everyone is now in their street gear except for me.
"We can finish this conversation later…" I mutter to her under my breath. She nods and we both approach the team. "So…Kakashi just informed me that he is adding a weapons expert to our team."
"Another new member?"
"I suppose so. We are supposed to meet him at school tomorrow. Kakashi said that he sort of stands out…I hope he doesn't stand out too much…"
At Sasuke's house
"Sasuke…"
"Yes?" I respond as I try to keep this craving from surfacing.
"I…well…"
"Sakura…" I ask as the craving begins to surface.
"Yes?"
"Leave."
"Huh?
"I said leave." The craving has almost completely surfaced. She doesn't move but just stares at me with a confused expression. I growl in frustration and rise before running off…
Sakura's POV
…at a pace that no normal human could reach. He was a blur when he sped off out of sight. I am so confused but I didn't tell people about his vampirism yet. I kept that part out. Out of respect. I had to figure this out before things got even stranger. I stand and walk out of the house, locking the door with the hidden key behind me. I walk back to my house prepared for a fitful sleep.
The next day
"Hey Shikamaru…did you see Sasuke at all today?"
"No I haven't. It is the strangest thing…I wonder what's bugging him…" The problem was that I didn't know either.
"Oh…alright…I'll see you later."
"Yea see ya…" He leaves the building a climbs into Temari's car, leaving me alone at the school. I walk out into the back field and sit down in the center of it. I breath deeply…
Sasuke's POV
...and can still smell the scent of her blood. No matter how far I go, it is not far enough. I turn and continue to run. I tried, I truly did. I tried not to alarm her and I tried to resist but it almost was too much…I even took precautions, I drank everyday to try and curve the cravings. But every time she was near, I became intoxicated by her presence and felt the need for her blood once more. I have to stay away from her. It is for her own good. No matter how much it hurts me, I have to protect her. Just knowing that she is safe is enough for me.
I run and run until I am far away from anywhere she might have been recently. Then and only then do I sit down and rest. Even though I know I have no heart, even though I know that there is not one beating in my chest, I feel something I have only felt once before. Emptiness. Depression. Emotions rising up in me again and I can not handle it anymore, I want desperately to fall into a deep sleep and never wake up. To forget her existence and never look back. But I know that is impossible. She fascinated me and that is a bad thing. I just couldn't trust my instincts and leave her alone. My craving grew and grew until it almost took m over. That is why I had to leave her. If I hurt her, I could never forgive myself.
Now…
I can admit that…
I love her…