Starting AN: I said a month, didn't I? And it's been just over. So I guess I did well with estimating the time. Well, it's that time again. The dreaded place we know as school. Yes, this year I need to work hard! (Things start to count.) So that takes a chunk of time set out for writing. Not like I did much in the summer though. Oh well.
Last chapter I said I was bored with this fic. Well, nothing much has changed. I guess that's why I had so much trouble writing all the parts. Except for the very beginning. Hm. Oh well. I hope I did a decent job with wasting space. Haha.

Chapter 11
Mom

I should be used to it. I was brought into this world knowing what my role in the family would be. I guess it was a little unfair for a young child such as myself, but some things taught me I shouldn't complain. At least I was rich. Basically, I could have whatever I wanted.

It wasn't like the occasion when I got to actually step out into the real world. I'd look at the different sized houses, and the different people on the street. It was strange. Fascinating even. Well at the time anyway. I was probably around 8. I'd ask her, "Why does that man sit on the curb like that? Is it comfortable there, even if it's raining? And why are his clothes all dirty and torn in some places?"

See, because I grew up only knowing how to get whatever I wanted, it would have been foolish to think that I'd knew that not everyone had money in the world. She explained this to me once. The difference between the classes. And how we were one of the fortunate ones.

But were we? Being so young, I didn't exactly have a lot of freedom. And he and she were constantly busy from the time I woke up until the time I'd sleep. So for the whole day I'd have lessons with my teachers, then I'd watch something on television, read a book, or head downstairs to practice some sport or the like.

Sure it was great having everything run by your schedule. But it wasn't at all fun. So you could say I was deprived of a real childhood. I discovered this fact early on as well, since I usually was good at noticing little things like that. I don't remember now what the book was called. It wasn't that great, considering I don't remember what it was about. But I've always remembered the ending. It went something like how the protagonist came to be happy in the end because, even though he'd lost something (again, I don't remember what it was), he still had his family there by his side. They said they'd always be there for him no matter what. And the same with his friends.

At first, I put it down and muttered something like, "What a ridiculous book." But as time passed, I couldn't help but think back to it. Family? Closeness? This was something I'd never really experienced. And it wasn't until this time that I'd realized that it hurt. Being alone. It was something worse then getting the wind knocked out of you when your teacher flipped you over during karate practice.

I probably wasn't so good at hiding this fact. She was the one who always noticed. She never spent so much time with me, but it seemed that she knew me just as well if she'd spent everyday by my side. "What's wrong, dear? Why do you have such a sad look in your beautiful eyes?" she'd ask.

I'd just look away and say, "It's nothing." But it was all in vain. She knew. She must have seen what the face of loneliness looked like.

I spent a lot of time gazing out the window. Being a little older, I started to wonder what it was I was missing all these years. Was life really like what it was on TV? I wouldn't have known. I couldn't have known.

She took me into town more often when I was older. I'd look more so at the people then the scenery this time. I'd see some teenagers hanging out around a store, or something. They looked like they were having the greatest time in the world, even just standing there. I didn't understand. Then we'd pass a young child, holding both their parents' hands. The child was wearing a big grin. Why? I didn't understand. What was it about family and friends that I didn't understand? Why did the character in that book end up happy after loosing something?

"Hey, Sasuke," she said one day, when she paused outside a shop, "Your teacher says you're doing quite well with your studies. I always knew you'd be smart. It makes a mother proud." I remember looking at her, confused, for a moment. Then I smiled. Because it made me happy to be praised, to be noticed in that way. But it wasn't complete happiness. I knew it'd never be. Simply because it would never be a complete family. Ever since that man one day disappeared, he never did like to pay me much mind.

And she couldn't always be around. I'd just go back into my secluded spot after the lessons. There was no one I could really talk to. There were no children in a company that manufactures arms. Sometimes I didn't recognize my own voice when I spoke.

Until one day. That was the day that made me think a little more about the world. She'd gone out without me one day. She didn't come until very late. I remember. I was twelve at the time. Being the soft-spoken person I was at the time, I put my book down when she entered my room but said nothing. "I brought you back something, Sasuke."

Imagine my surprise when it was a scowling blond kid. He was about my age. He looked at me for a moment, sort of glaring. Then he clung back to her arm. Had I been the naïve eight-year-old, perhaps I might have asked: "Did you buy a friend for me?" But that wasn't how it worked. I knew it.

"Poor kid," she said, ruffling his hair like she used to mine, "Can you imagine someone living on the street at this age? But it's okay now. You can have a home here, and when the time is right, you'll pay me back. Call me Mom, okay, Naruto?"

At first, I wasn't too thrilled at the new arrangement. Naruto was a loud-mouthed brat who always talked about his ambitions. But he was at least a person. And I was no longer alone. So before I knew it…I guess we ended up respecting each other. Becoming friends. But I will never say that out loud.

But it didn't stop there. One day a couple years later, she brought two more kids home with her. "Sasuke, Naruto. This is Kiba, and this is Shino. They bumped into me on my way home from the town today. Sad, isn't it? They were just like you, Naruto. But now that you all are older, you can begin to do things around here. And if you ever need anything, don't hesitate to come see me. Call me Mom."

My world was drastically changed from one of aloneness to one filled with people like me. Alone. Yet together. All because of her. Was she some sort of saint? I began to wonder this. Or perhaps she wanted to give these kids a chance.

Lee, Neji and Tenten came as a package later on. The first had been a street kid for as long as he remembered, the second was thrown from his house. The girl's parents died a year earlier. They'd coincidentally met up and stuck together. And again, she'd brought them home with her.

It got me thinking again. Thinking that perhaps the teenagers I'd seen hanging out together or the child walking with his family were one of the lucky ones. Because money didn't bring contentment. But there was proof in front of my eyes that I wasn't the only one who was deprived of a childhood. In fact, I might have been lucky. Which seemed ridiculous. Because I wasn't lucky. Well…perhaps I was in a way.

The girl Hinata came a year after her cousin. She'd run away from her home (for a reason I did not bother to ask). Somehow, she'd found her and brought her here. Being seventeen at this point, I found it meaningless to keep on bringing more and more of these unfortunate people to work for our company. I was no longer alone, which was the original reason she'd brought Naruto in the first place. At least, that's what I speculate.

So when the threats came out of the blue, I didn't exactly know what to do. It wasn't until then that I'd realized what might happen. I never imagined what it'd be like if she and he were gone. Would I become one of those kids that she'd brought in? No. I wouldn't. Because if she was gone, who would be there to say, "Call me Mom"?

Then it was Sakura's turn. She, unlike the others, had a family, had friends. And she didn't bring her here. I did. Maybe her habit is rubbing off on me. But we pick up different kinds of people.

There was something very different about Sakura from Naruto, or any of the other people that were brought here. She had a different air. Probably because she never went through the same experience that we did. It was annoying. Her presence was annoying. Because she reminded me of the one thing I lacked.

Happiness.

But as time went on, that feeling began to dissipate. She didn't become a part of the family, like her and him. She didn't become a friend, like Naruto and the others. It was something that I didn't exactly know what to call it, or how to place it. And for now, I don't think I will place it or call it anything. It isn't exactly important now in any case.

He'd been awake for awhile. The recent events made it hard for him to sleep. Besides, he was a light sleeper. That, and he wasn't used to another person lying at such close proximity. His eyes were fixed to the ceiling, staring at the light fixture that was currently off. It certainly had to be the morning, since there was sunlight pouring through the window on the far side of the room.

Stifling a yawn, Sasuke finally decided to get up from his bed. He glanced quickly at the figure still lying still. She didn't stir the slightest bit. He assumed she wasn't going to be awake for a long time. After all, yesterday had been stressful. Amongst other things.

He used this opportunity to take a quick shower. He let the steaming-hot water run for awhile. He didn't exactly know how long he'd stood there watching the steam rise, but it must have been quite a long time. Throwing off his nightshirt, he couldn't help but notice the scar on his left forearm. It didn't hurt anymore, but it was still painful. The memory was painful.

A few minutes (and much hot water wasted) later, he was already in his change of clothes and towel-drying his hair. He glanced over to his bed, where she was still sleeping. It was almost nine, according to the clock, so he assumed he'd let her sleep-in enough.

He walked over and sat on her side of the mattress. He placed his hand on the side of her cheek. She stirred at the contact. "Hey…wake up now," he said softly.

"Ngh," was the first sound that came out of her mouth. She winced slightly and slowly lifted her eyelids. Her vision was blurry for a moment but it didn't take long before she realized who'd called out to her. "Sasuke!" Sakura sat up straight. "What…" The memories of the day before came flooding back and she covered her mouth.

"Hey, hey, don't start crying again," he said, rising to his feet. He waited until her sniffles had died down. "I know what you're thinking. But it's fine. I can't let it get to me."

The girl placed her feet on the floor but never did get up. Instead, she simply sighed and looked at her partner's back. "Fine. But…what happens now then?"

The raven-haired teen thought for a moment. "Get dressed and freshen up. We'll talk then." He noticed she'd moved to his side, and offered a small smile. He was about to shoo her off when there was a knock on the door. Sakura went and hid along the wall, so the person at the door couldn't see her.

"Mornin' Sasuke!" saluted Naruto when the other opened the door. "How's life? You hanging in there alright?"

The Uchiha continued to stare blankly at the blond boy in front of him. "What do you want, Naruto? You never drop in to talk."

"Well you're in a fine mood, as usual. But I guess that means you're holding up as good as any other day," he grumbled. "Anyway, have you seen Sakura? I've been…wanting to talk to her."

Sasuke instinctively glued himself closer to the wall, just in case the other happened to peek inside. If that idiotic blond saw the girl in her sleepwear in his room, who'd know what he'd think. Worse, who knew what rumor he'd spread and how quickly it'd mutilate into something worse. "Why do you automatically assume I've seen her? I'm not her keeper." While speaking, he kept his poker face.

"Eh…no. I was just wondering because I knocked on her door and there was no answer. And Hinata hasn't seen her either." He paused for a moment, then put on a puzzled face. "Are you…hiding something?"

"No," the Uchiha replied a little too quickly. He cleared his throat and continued normally. "Why did you assume that?"

"Hmm. You're acting a little odd. I think…nah, I know you better then that, Sasuke. I know you're hiding something. But what might that be?" Naruto stood in a dramatic thinking pose. In the mean time, Sakura, who was thinking much on the same level as her partner, walked over behind him, positioning herself so that the blond couldn't see her. "Doesn't it make sense that I'd have to come in and make sure."

"What are…" Sasuke started, trying to block the other from entering. Sakura was going to use this time to slip past her partner and run across the hallway.

It seemed that fate (or in this case, Naruto) would not have that. "Jeez. We're both guys and have been friends for a long time," he said, pointing a finger in the Uchiha's face. This made him take a step back, pinning the girl to the wall. She almost made a grunting sound at the impact. Mental note: kill Naruto later. "Because I can see through that hard façade of yours, man. It isn't fooling me this time around."

"Whatever," he said, trying his best to make sure that she was still hidden. Well, Naruto still hadn't noticed yet. He reached into his pocket casually and grabbed his key ring. He handed it back so she could run across and open her door. "But make it quick. I have some things to do today."

"Hmm…" the blond said, walking this time fully through the entranceway. He looked like a detective investigating a crime scene. Sakura used this time to dash across the hall and into her own room, right before the snooping male turned around.

Once she was safely behind her door, she let out a sigh of relief. It was a little too early for misunderstandings, hidings and being squashed to walls. When she had the strength to move again, she wandered over to her desk. It was then she noticed she'd left her laptop on all night. "Jeez…what a waste of electricity…"

She pulled it out of its hibernating mode. Her inbox was the first thing she saw. "Eh? A new email?" recognizing the address, she opened it. It was from Temari. "Ah…I completely forgot about meeting up with them. And that dance whatever thing. Shoot…I have to talk to him again."

With that in mind, she went to take a shower.

---0--0---

"Ah, you're up late, Sakura," Tenten commented upon seeing her friend finally appear in the common room. The brunette took a sip of her green tea, then set it back down on the table. "Well, no one's blaming you. No one's really working today anyway, if you know what I mean."

"Yeah…" the other commented, looking around. "Hey, did, um, Sasuke pass by here by any chance? There's something I need to take up with him."

"Hmm…I wonder. He left a little while ago. Try Kakashi's office maybe?" she suggested with a shrug.

"Alright. See you later then." The pink haired girl gave the other a pat on the shoulder with an added smile. It was a little 'hang in there' gesture. She could tell the other girl was still as shaken as she was about the previous day's events. The elevator ride seemed longer and quieter then usual. There was no one in the lobby, which was unusual for a Tuesday. When Tenten has said that no one was working, she really meant it.

The second elevator ride seemed almost as long as the first. When the doors opened, she saw that there were actually people wandering about. None of them actually paid any attention to the opening of the doors, nor did they stop to greet her as they normally did.

Like she'd done the trip a thousand times before, she walked through the maze of offices and cubicles until reaching Kakashi's door. She knocked on the entrance. After a moment, she heard a, "Come in," from the inside.

Sakura opened the door and looked around. Was this really his office? One could actually see the polished hardwood floor. The shelves were neat with binders full of different papers. Even the desk was clear, except for a pad of paper and some writing utensils. "Is the world ending?" she asked, trying her best to lighten the mood.

He gave a smile back. "Nope. But nothing's happening now and I needed something productive to do. That's what usually happens when I have nothing to do. Even though it should be the reverse of things. Anyway, what brings you around this morning, Sakura?"

"I was wondering if you've seen Sasuke around. Someone said I could find him here," she explained. Then she caught the slightly arched eyebrow from her superior. "It's not like that. There's something I need to ask him." Her cheeks were colored slightly, knowing what the other had originally been wordlessly implying.

"He was up here. But you missed him. I sent him off to be with the President. She is in need of family right now, I should think. You should find him there," the silver haired man informed. Sakura thanked him, and made her way back to the elevator.

Reaching the top floor, she glanced around the grand lobby. It certainly was different looking at it now then when she'd first laid eyes upon it. Even though there were no stains, she could still imagine the splattered blood all over the perfect marble floors. With a quick glance at the lion statues, she noticed a crack along one of them. Perhaps even the figures were sad.

The mahogany doors were open, so she could glance freely inside. Her partner was sitting opposite to his mother, putting some papers into files. The two weren't talking. But if she was in their situation, she wouldn't have known what to say either.

It was the President who noticed the girl's presence at the door. "Sakura, Sakura. Why are you standing out there? Come and sit," the raven haired female motioned for her to enter. The other did as she was told, taking the chair next to Sasuke. "How are you this morning?"

"Holding up, I guess," the pink haired girl said truthfully. "But I won't stay too long. I just wanted to… ask Sasuke something." There was more silence, so she assumed she should just flat out ask, now that she had his (plus his mother's) undivided attention. "Err, you remember Temari from when I was at Blue Castle, right? Well, I kind of forgot I had made her a promise to be in this dance show-thing. It's on pretty soon, so I have to let her know if I can attend or not."

Sasuke opened his mouth to answer, but the President beat him to it. "Why, isn't that lovely? It's just fine to take a few days off. Nothing much will be happening. I'll arrange a train for you shortly. Oh, but it's a shame that I can't come. I'd love to watch," Mikoto said happily, like it was her own child performing. Sakura didn't understand how she could act so cheerful, since her husband had just died less then 24 hours ago. "Though, Sasuke will have to go of course."

"Mom…" he finally managed to say, "I'm needed here right now. I can't go."

"Oh, nonsense, Sasuke. You honestly find paperwork enjoyable?" his mother asked.

"Um, no really it's okay. I'll go by myself. Thank you so much," Sakura said.

The other female sighed. "I guess it can't be helped. But I'll be sure to send my son along for the final performance. I'm sure you'll be great, Sakura. Do your best!" She looked at her child. "Why don't you escort her to the elevator?"

The two walked out of the room and down the hallway in silence. The only noise was their footsteps echoing against the stone floor. When they arrived at the lift, he turned to his partner. "When you get there, call me. We still need to go over some lose ends. And I want to meet with that Gaara guy. Perhaps he has something useful."

She nodded. "Take care of yourself," she said quietly before stepping into the elevator.

---0--0---

"Well, we had a bunch of things happen, so some of the routines got changed around," the blonde female explained, leading Sakura through the unfamiliar corridors of the local theater. The pink haired girl's photographic memory was triggered on while listening to her friend. "So basically we scrapped your old routine. But you shouldn't have a problem picking up the new one. I have faith in you."

"Thanks…I think," the other female said, looking quickly into any open door as she passed. They were empty studios, for the most part. "So what kind of thing am I doing exactly? Because if it's anything with martial arts, count me out."

Temari laughed. "What are you talking about?" The green-eyed teen shook her head, signaling her to forget it. "Anyway, we've decided to do a modern tango sort of dance. So, have fun with that. Your partner is waiting for you."

"Great…I should have fun learning this one," drawled Sakura. "Oh well. I've watched…some movies with that sort of dancing in it. I'll pick it up easily."

The other chuckled once again. "That's what the others in the group said. It's easier said then done." The blonde turned into a dance studio. There was another person siting in the corner. He had long dark hair, braided in the back. He wore a black sleeveless top with the same color pants. "Hey, Sumaru! Your lady is here."

He opened his golden colored eyes. "Hey," he greeted both ladies, standing up. "Glad you could make it…uh…"

"Sakura," she said, extending her hand.

"Pleasure," he replied, shaking it. "So…you've never tangoed before?"

"No…but I'm a fast learner. If you have some patience, we can get it done," she said, giving a small smile. She turned to her blonde friend, who was on her way out the door, mouthing something like, 'Be back later.'

Sumaru didn't return the smile. He simply nodded. "Right. Well we don't have a lot of time to get this down. Let's start." It was her turn to nod, while he went to turn on the stereo. She took off her street shoes and slipped on a pair of dance shoes (that were so conveniently stashed in her collection of footwear in the closet back at Sharingan).

"First thing's first," the boy explained, "Your position. Here. Your left hand is on my shoulder. Your right hand is with mine here." He placed his free hand on her waist. "Okay, that seems like a good distance. But if you find it difficult to move, don't hesitate to come closer." This time, he gave a small smirk.

This guy somehow reminded her of him. She almost laughed at how similar. Both were precise and went straight down to business. And both seemed to have a small playful side way deep down. "Sorry," she apologized, "but I do have a boyfriend."

His smirk broadened. "I didn't mean it like that, Sakura. But let's leave the jokes out of this, shall we? Just do a follow-the-leader thing. Follow my lead." He took two short steps backwards. Then he took one long step, which she mimicked. "Okay, stop. When you do the long step, you go with your heel first, then glide with the back leg."

"Okay, got it," she noted. They continued.

For the most part of the day (they started at ten in the morning) they made progress. Sakura was more or less used to working with someone like Sumaru, considering all the time she'd spent with Sasuke. She found that with her amazing memory, the tango steps were simple to copy. To a certain extent. Some moves took more practice. Things like a twirl then a deep dip.

"Twirl…good," the male spoke, then placing an arm midway down her back. "Now dip." For the first time, their bodies were awkwardly placed. But being the somewhat experienced dancer that he was, he managed to shift slightly to make it easier. "Go lower," he instructed.

"I can't go lower!" protested the other, who was looking at the room from an upside down angle.

"Yes you can," he pressed on, "If you lifted your free leg and arched your spine a little more, you'll be surprised how low you can go."

"Ow…" she complained, but did as she was told. It turned out he'd been right. However, he was still supporting her. It made her somewhat nervous that he was towering over her in that way. If he slipped, she was the first to feel the pain. "If you drop me, I'll kill you!"

Other than small problems like that, the duo worked relatively flawlessly. Temari came on the occasion to check up on them. She'd heard from her twin brother that Sumaru could be…quite a handful at times. But at the end of the day, he didn't seem all that worked up.

"I'm dying…" Sakura informed her friend, after exiting the theater. "My feet feel like I've just walked halfway across the country and back. And I have to do this tomorrow too?"

"Glad to see you enjoyed things," the blonde said, leading the way to her family's limo, which was parked out in front. "Well on the bright side, only one more full day. Then on the third is the dress rehearsal and performance. So it's not that bad."

"Speak for yourself," the other said, flopping down on the leather seats. "My feet will be so swollen tomorrow they won't be able to fit into my shoes. And all you do is go around all day. Man, I wish I was the co-coordinator."

"What can I say? Some people were just born to lead."

---0--0---

The next day went similar to the first. The only real difference is that they worked on the routine, rather than the basics. Her feet were still hurting, but after awhile they just grew numb. "Come forward, two, three. Now to the side, step…ready?" Sumaru asked his dance partner. She nodded. The placed both hands on her waist and lifted her up, and put her down after doing a 90 degree pivot. "Good, good. Just next time, try doing something with your foot, instead of just staying still."

"Okay," she said, looking into the studio mirror that lined the wall. This was how she noticed someone standing at the door. Turning around, she recognized the figure as Temari's short, redhead brother. Gaara. Sumaru also seemed to notice him. "Excuse me, can we take a small break? I just need to talk to him."

She didn't even wait for an answer, knowing that this was much more important than tango dancing. "Hey, Gaara. Long time no see. What's up?"

His pale green eyes didn't flicker. He stayed in the same position: arms crossed, and an unreadable expression upon his face. "Where's the other?"

"Not here yet," she explained, holding in a sigh. What was it with everyone and being so straightforward? "He'll be here tomorrow afternoon. But I presume Temari has filled you in on what happened."

He nodded. "Unfortunate. But there's an exchage between one of my father's underlings and a higher Akatsuki member. But he won't be here in time, I should think. Tell him for me."

"Will do. Thanks for all your help, by the way," Sakura bowed in respect. The short boy said nothing, and simply turned on his heel to leave. It seemed stupid that she was here. What was everyone doing back at Sharingan? They were stuck in that gloomy atmosphere, and she was dancing her troubles away. With a sigh, she went back into the dance studio.

---0--0---

On the third day (she was very thankful that it was the third day for that matter) she was handed her costume. It was a black dress that went just below the knees. It was quite light which made it easier to move. The shoes…well, they were a different story. They were platform, of sorts, but still had a tall heel. Apparently that was the 'normal' footwear… but Sakura just didn't buy it.

Not that she could complain. Because if Sumaru was really anything like Sasuke, she knew what tantrum (of sorts… though it was more like a silent treatment, which was basically the same thing) he'd throw. So she forced herself to bear with the pain that was piling on top of more pain for a few more hours.

The stage was quite like they described it in the movies, yet, it didn't capture the same feelings of anxiety. The bright lights that shone down made it almost impossible to see the audience. She wondered if that was simply to illuminate the stage, or get rid of stage fright.

Her high heels clacked upon the stage, as she walked over to her partner, who was standing near the left wing. There would be three couples doing the routine. This made Sakura feel somewhat better, knowing that the spotlight wouldn't only be on them (they'd only been doing it for two days, after all).

The green-eyed girl recognized the other two girls. The one in the center was Arisa (from her calculus class) and the one near the right wing was Janice (from chemistry class). Not like they'd remember her, but she was fine with that.

"Alright, people," Temari called, jumping up onto the stage. She used her script and rolled it into a makeshift megaphone. "Let's do this right. I don't want to spend all day here. So let's just keep in our areas, keep the timing and we can all get out of here that much faster. You can get some rest, do whatever until tonight. Okay, start the music then. Places. Bring the curtain down, then up, then start the music." The stage manager nodded and spoke into an earpiece.

The curtain came down. "Ready to go, Sakura?" her partner asked quietly.

"Ready as I'll ever be," she replied, freezing in place when the curtain began to rise. Remembering the steps was actually quite a feat for her, even with her great photographic memory. Still, the duo managed through the dress rehearsal without much of a problem.

The show was to be at six that evening. So for the rest of the afternoon, Sakura simply hung around the auditorium. She watched many groups practice their routines. Some were better then others. She wasn't paying much attention, since she let her mind wander to the matter back at the company.

Sasuke should be on his way by now. He'd said he was coming when she called a couple days earlier. But she was worried for Mikoto. To Sakura, it seemed that Lady Uchiha always put others first. She was certainly a kind woman. But there was something about that which made the pink haired detective uneasy. It was as if the ordeal wasn't over just yet. However, she didn't have any suspicions to go with, so she let the thought slide. Right now, she was just hoping that six would come a lot faster then the rate it was going at.

Though, much finger drumming, pacing back stage and many sudokus later, it was already half past five. Sakura got redressed into her black outfit and proceeded to fix her hair. She tied it into a high ponytail with a black (who would have guessed?) hair tie. Makeup wasn't exactly her style, but she settled for a light lip-gloss.

There was a knock on the dressing room door. "Ready yet?" the blonde asked, poking her head in. "It's almost time, and you guys are on third." Her hair was up in its usual four buns, but she worse a light purple dress. Nothing fancy, but she was the hostess, so she had to be somewhat presentable. "Oh yeah…I saw what's-his-name a little while ago. Kankuro took him to one of the balconies I think."

"Really now. So he did show after all," the pink haired teen said with a small smile.

"Why? You didn't expect him to show? What faithlessness you have in him." The two laughed and went upstairs to the backstage area.

Now all she could do was wait for her turn. While the first group then second disappeared from the waiting area, something made her insides churn. It made her want to have her number over before it even started. Her dance partner, who noticed her fidgeting, cocked his head to the side. "You nervous?"

"A little," she replied, but that wasn't the reason for her sudden change in attitude. It was the same feeling she got when she'd overlooked a small yet important detail to something. "But it's nothing I can't handle," she reassured him, "Let's just go up and do this."

After the dance was finished, she thanked Sumaru for all his help and rushed to get changed. While she never did get to see her real partner sitting in the audience, she knew he'd be ready in the main foyer waiting. Within ten minutes, she was done.

She really would have stayed longer, but she knew that her time to leave was now. Sure enough, she found the Uchiha leaning against the frame of one of the many front doors. He nodded his head upon seeing her. "God," she told him, "I am so glad that's over with. My feet have gone beyond numb, if that's possible."

"Well, that was all your choice," Sasuke said, putting the usual unreadable expression on his face. "But who was that person you were with?"

"You mean…Sumaru? My dance partner? What about him?"

He put on a frown. "His hands were all over you. It was rather hard to watch."

Sakura giggled. So even the mighty Uchiha got jealous. "It's just dancing, Sasuke." Her laugher died down, and the feeling of uneasiness returned. "Oh yeah! We have to meet Gaara now. He said he'd be this way." She pulled him by the hand out of the theater and onto the street. The traffic was still heavy, it being one of the main streets in town. They walked down the block and turned the corner. "He said the back of the building…I wonder where in the back."

"Right here," a third voice spoke. This made the girl jump. He was completely invisible, standing against the shadowed wall. Sasuke contained his short shock a lot easier. After listening to the sounds of the city traffic for a moment, the redhead spoke again. "So you made it."

The Uchiha nodded. "Tell me. I need to know everything. Anything."

The other male nodded, then closed his eyes. "My man went in, bringing the information of Uchiha Fugaku's death to another. They spoke for awhile, then parted their separate ways. I was hoping for something more, but the unknown seemed to like keeping things short and to the point."

"Do you have any idea of what this guy looked like?" Sakura piped up. "I'm pretty good with faces. Maybe he's someone I've seen in a database before."

"As he was walking away, he went right past me," explained the redhead. Then he opened his eyes. "I was surprised. He looked much like him."

The pink haired girl turned to Sasuke, who let his impassive façade drop and turn into one of great surprise. "Like Sasuke?" asked Sakura, making sure she heard correctly. "But, how is that possible? Unless it was like the doppelganger theory. Or…"

"You're…sure about that assumption?" the raven haired teen asked. He received a nod. After another long pause, his face went back to its normal expression. "Sakura. We're leaving. Now."

"Wha—" she started but then was forcefully dragged by the hand by her partner. "Thank you again, Gaara. I'll be in touch with you and the others later," she called back. Before she knew it, she was forced into the familiar taxi with the broken headlight. (She wondered how many locations they had a taxi with a broken right headlight, considering that the car didn't move around with them.) "Sasuke…by any chance, do you have a sibling?"

Instead of answering the question, he took out his cell phone and put it on speaker. Then he dialed the reception. It rang a couple of times before someone answered. "Yes, Sir? How can I help you?" a feminine voice spoke.

"Think hard. Has anyone entered the building?" Sasuke asked in a very business-like manner.

"No, Sir. No one has entered or left since your departure."

"Good. Now listen. Lock all the exits to the building. No one is to enter. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Sir. Beginning to lock all exits," the woman replied, but then made a kind of surprised noise. "Sir… there's someone outside. I've never seen him before…"

The two partners in the car looked at each other. "Don't let the person in," he commanded.

"That's fine, Sir, but he has a card. I'll inform him he has to leave," she said. "Excuse me, you there. We're in the process of a lockdown. I'm afraid you'll have to—"

The end of the sentence was never heard. A gunshot took over. The sudden noise made everyone in the car (including the driver) jump. "Hey!" the Uchiha called out, but got no response. "Hey!" After minutes of no reply, he cut the connection.

"Sasuke…" the girl started slowly, "what…just happened?"

"Something that shouldn't have," he said, "But I refuse to believe it's him. The bastard!" Before his partner could ask about what he was raving about, he was already back on the phone.

This time, it was Naruto who picked it up. "Hello, Sasuke. Fancy you calling me. Have you finally realized that you're no match for my greatness and cannot face me in person so you've decided to call instead?"

"Naruto!" Sakura called, since they were still on speakerphone, "Now really isn't the time for that."

"Listen, this is an important task," the raven haired teen said, "I want you to go down to the main lobby and tell me what you see."

"What? How is that of any importance whatsoever?" grumbled the blond on the other end of the line.

"Just stop stalling and go!"

"Right, right, I'm on my way down the elevator right now. So while I'm waiting, I have to ask: Sakura, how did your dance thing go? Oh, I really wanted to come but before I could ask, your partner was already gone." He didn't stop his chattering to let her talk, though. "I wonder if there's a video that I can look around for, because honestly, someone said that…" They could hear the elevator doors open. This was when he trailed off. "What the hell happened here?"

"Naruto? Hey. What do you see?" the girl asked.

"Hey! Hey! Are you…oh my God. Guys. She's dead. Looks like…a gunshot wound to the chest. Ah… the stench of blood is everywhere! How'd you know what happened?"

Silently, Sakura was cursing Naruto for giving her such a vivid picture of the crime scene. "That's not important," Sasuke said, continuing in his authoritative voice, "Put everyone on alert. The whole company. Do a lockdown. No one enters and no one leaves. Get people monitoring every single security camera we have. Also, someone get in touch with Mom. I want two people guarding her floor."

"Got it. How long until you get back?" the blond asked, as he resumed the job that the now dead receptionist didn't fulfill. "Lockdown completed. To override it, the code is 3295."

"Can't say. Luckily this station is a lot closer then the usual one. Probably about half an hour. That gives you plenty of time to work. But it also gives him time to move, wherever he may wish to. Find him."

"Gotcha!" the other said. "But…by the way, who are we looking for exactly?"

At this, the Uchiha was silent again. Sakura watched his knuckles turn white, since he was tightening them into fists so hard. "Just…someone who's walking around that shouldn't be." With that, he cut the connection.

The two practically jumped out of the car (while it was partially still moving) when it reached the train station about thirty seconds later. They managed to go relatively unnoticed by the mass of people coming home from the workday. The service elevator was easy enough to find.

The train ride itself was the most nerve-racking. Both sat on opposite sides of the car. The girl was feeling panicky, mainly because her partner wasn't calm and collected as usual. Though, she didn't blame him for being on edge. He'd just lost his father a few days prior.

She felt quite useless at the moment. There was no possible way for her to help. She didn't even know what Sasuke was thinking. So to pass the slow-moving time, she pondered upon his lack of response when she asked her previous question. At the moment, it seemed quite possible that he had a sibling. The possibilities were endless on why family would be behind the scheme, but with everything she'd seen over the months, nothing really surprised her anymore.

---0--0---

"What do you mean you can't find him? There isn't a single room that isn't under surveillance," Naruto informed those who sat in the common room of the ninth floor. Actually, that was only Hianta, Kiba, Shino, and himself.

"Well, technically the dorm rooms have no cameras. So if he isn't on any one of these screens, then he's hiding somewhere in a room," Kiba said, not bothering to take his eyes off the many small screens he was monitoring. "And besides, who made you the leader?"

"No one, really. But someone has to step up and take initiative!"

"Well then," the brunet continued, "how about taking the initiative to pay more attention to your security cameras."

"Why you…"

While the two bickered on, Hinata caught something strange. She began typing away at her keyboard and opened a security log. "W-what's this?" she asked more to herself, but everyone turned to her. Upon noticing the three pairs of eyes on her, she turned a light shade of pink, but spoke again. "There should only be four computers accessing the security cameras, but now there are five." While the two loudmouths leaned over the only female, Shino looked back to his screen.

"It disappeared," he said monotone. Now they all walked over to his computer. "One of the monitors vanished."

Kiba turned to his just in time to see one of his monitor's switch off as well. "What the…mine too!" Half a minute later, a similar thing happened to Hinata. She went back to furiously typing away, in hopes of recovering the lost signal. "What the hell is going on here?" he continued to ask, with no reply, as another screen turned itself off.

The girl managed to get her lost monitor back up, but at the same moment, another disappeared. There was no doubt in her mind now, that whoever had infiltrated the building was quite skilled. He (or she) must have really planned things out. Hide in a room where there was no surveillance, get rid of all the other monitors, and proceed with phase two. Was it really all one person? She was an expert with computers, that was for sure. But even he was shutting down the monitors faster then she could get them back online.

"Hey, more then half of mine are gone now. I can't get them back that fast…" Naruto complained, looking up when he saw the elevator doors open.

It was Sasuke and Sakura. "I'll get them," the pink haired girl was saying, and the other tossed her a set of keys. She ran down the hall towards her room.

"Naruto, what's the status?" the Uchiha heir asked his friend.

"Right," the blond started while still trying to recover the lost monitors. "The whole building has been put under alert, so the superiors are in charge. Neji, Lee and Tenten are all over on the factory side doing patrol duty with many others. And before you ask, there are four people guarding Mom's floor. But you might want to take a look at this." The raven haired teen came over and got a look at one of the cameras shutting itself off. He frowned. "There's no guarantee how long it'll take to get these back up."

"Sasuke!" his partner called, tossing him his weapon. "Let's go."

He nodded. "Call if something comes up. He's got to be moving now, so we don't have time to waste." The pair bolted to the stairs. It would be faster than the elevator at this point. "So…what do we do when we get to where your mother is?" the girl asked as they reached the first floor.

"Don't worry about that," he replied, as they got to the main lobby once again, "Focus on getting there first." There were many people gathered around the reception desk. Of course, the body was long gone, but there was still lots to be done. But they didn't have time to stop and look. There was someone quite dangerous walking around.

And anyhow, the more Sasuke thought about it, the more his worst theory became more likely. He was here.

Somehow, Sakura was having a flashback of a few days ago. They were running up these same flights of stairs in a race against time. Only this time, she hoped that it would turn out better then the previous time. 'Why does it turn out like this?' she thought frantically, 'We all worked so hard on the missions to prevent this. So why? I just don't seem to understand this world.' She drew her gun.

Just before reaching the fourth floor, they heard a single shot. But unlike last time, they didn't stop out of fear. They didn't have that time to waste. The Uchiha was a few steps ahead, so he was the one that threw open the door. And it was then when he yelled out the name that he'd wish he'd never heard. "Itachi!"

Two more shots were heard, as they ran down the marble floor. There was one employee unconscious right near the elevator. Two more were also out cold near the door, and the other lay motionless in a pool of his own blood. The pink haired girl pulled out her cell and phoned for a medic.

Fearing the worst, the duo pushed open the already slightly ajar door. Looking around, there was no sign of the man at all. "God damn him to hell!" he said furiously. But something made him throw aside all that.

"Sa…suke…my son…" a weak voice called out.

Both teens looked to the floor and found a heavily bleeding Uchiha Mikoto. She'd taken one shot to the shoulder, and another to her left side of her body. "Oh God…" Sasuke's face went pale. "Sakura, don't just stand there!"

The sight of all the blood made her queasy. But a life was at stake here. So she swallowed her fear and bent down beside the fallen woman. She ripped the sleeve of Lady Uchiha's shirt and used that to try and stop the bleeding on her shoulder, much like the other was doing on her side.

"Sasuke…it was…your brother…" his mother spoke softly, then coughed once.

"I know, I know," he replied, "Don't talk now. Save your strength. The medical team will be up here very soon."

She shook her head slightly. Her dark eyes closed, then reopened very slowly. "I can feel it. My soul is gone already. My time here is up. But…before it's time…" with her good hand, she shakily reached inside her shirt and pulled out a folded sheet of paper. "This…is for you, my son. It's…from your father and myself. Please take care of it." Sasuke whisked the slip from her hand, and helped place her hand back at her side. Then the raven haired woman turned to the younger girl. "Sakura…I wish I'd gotten to know you better. You really…are something special. Please take…the ring off my finger."

Sakura looked down at the older woman's hand. On the ring finger was a black stone, surrounded by small rubies. "This one?" she asked, slipping it off her finger.

"Yes…" When the pink haired girl tried to return it, the other shook her head once again. "This is my…gift to you."

"What? But I can't take this! This is too grand for me. Me, someone who you hardly know."

"But…my son knows you. And…he believes in you. That's all that…matters right? So please…as my dying wish…take it." When she put it like that, Sakura couldn't say no. She looked down at the cloth that was covering the wound. It was almost completely soaked through. She put the ring on her right hand. "Sasuke…you asked before why…I took all those kids in."

"Shh. It's fine," he said, trying to get her to save her remaining strength. "I don't need to know. Just lie quietly and wait for the team to treat you."

But, of course, like all Uchihas, Mikoto was a stubborn one. "When I went into…town that rainy day…was when I first caught a glimpse of…Naruto. He bumped into me…and he didn't say any words of…apology. He just glared…but then his face turned…sad and lonely. And…it hurt me inside. Because…I'd seen that look…on you before. So…I brought him…back. Look how much…happier he is. And the others as…well. They were all…so lonely, in so much…pain. I had to bring them…back." She paused and tried to laugh, but it ended up making her cough. "You could…say I was making up for all the…times you were neglected. I guess that…it didn't work, huh? I was a horrible…mother."

"Don't you ever say that!" her son said forcefully. "Don't say it. Even though you weren't always there… you were the one that noticed me. You wouldn't have brought back everyone if you weren't a good mother!"

Lady Uchiha tried to smile. "You are such a nice person…Sasuke. I know you'll…grow into a person who will do…wonderful things in your lifetime. I'm content that I can go to the other side with a clean conscience."

Sakura took her free hand and placed it under the woman's carotid artery. The pulse was very weak. She knew what was coming. "Don't say such things! You aren't going to die yet!" the male Uchiha said, trying to get her to keep fighting.

"It's fine…I'm ready. And I can see him again. He's…waiting for me."

"You can't leave! Not…yet…" his voice was getting weaker and faltering now. "Don't…"

The female Uchiha closed her eyes and smiled. "We didn't really leave you. The blood of your father and myself flows in your veins. Remember that. So we'll always have a bond."

Sakura let a lone tear slide down her cheek. She never thought of parents passing on their blood as a type of unbreakable bond. "Mom…" she spoke in a barely audible whisper.

After a moment of silence, the two knew that time was up. Lady Uchiha, the president of Sharingan was dead. The girl let go of the bloodstained cloth. Her hands weren't touching anything, but the air smelt like bloody death. This was enough to make her turn around and throw up.

Sasuke, on the other hand, clenched his fists so tightly that they shook. On his face was a look of pure rage. "Damn! Damn it all!" It was all his fault. His! He should have been there. He should have protected her. But it was more that son of a bitch's fault. Itachi! The bastard! He killed his own flesh and blood.

It was Sasuke's turn to let out a loud cry of frustration.

---0--0---

AN: Guys, forgive the weird line break thing. Apparently the tool isn't working... Well, it was quite a chapter. 14 pages. Not bad. My pathetic attempts at slight humor, and a death scene. And people wonder why I don't write angst. It's cuz I don't like making people die. It was very hard to kill off both parents (because now Sasuke turns into the must-kill-Itachi revenge machine like in the show). But we'll see about that. And in any case, what's done is done.

Yes, for all those of you who were expecting Itachi, he made his appearance at long last. But really, I wasn't sure if I wanted to make him evil in this fic. I find it amusing when he's one of those older brothers who comment on Sasuke's unemotionalism (and no, that is not a real word but it sounds cool). In my next fic… I shall make him un-evil. Yes…

Kay, so I don't know when the next update shall be. When I have free time, I guess. And when I think of something else to fill in at least 9 pages. Haha. I'm kidding. I have a plot outline already. Next time: So now that Itachi has shown his face, it's time for his plot to unfold. What could he have possibly wanted in exchange for the lives of his parents? Certainly only the company wasn't at stake… or perhaps there's something else everyone's overlooking.