WARNING: InoSai fans this might not be really good chap for you guys. But don't worry I plan nothing bad for them. SO… Sorry
READ ON!
-x-

Epsiode 11-Hollow.

Sai looked at the four girls sitting on the bed as he gulped. This was going to be hard. Ino could hate him forever. Adjusting his uniform he stepped inside the room.
Ino looked up from her lap and gasped in relief. She stood up and stepped towards him, before noting his attire. "Sai. Why are you wearing that?" She asked as bile threatened to rise up in her throat. She had always detested that uniform and everything associated with it. And today, Danzo's speech had fueled her hatred for the uniform more. But seeing the boy she loved wear it made her want to puke.
Sai looked at her and dropped his arms in defeat. "I had always been a part of root. I was raised in its facility and I am a member of the assassins group." He had tried sounding sad. But alas, emotional display was never his strongest points. Instead he sounded bluntly honest. Shameless too. Something which made Ino well up on tears. Or was it the truth?
From behind her, Sakura growled in disbelief while Hinata covered her gasp with her hands. "What?" The brunette, Tenten as he recalled her name, looked revolted as she turned her head away.

"But. But you said you would never. And…" Her lips shook as she tried controlling her emotions. She failed miserably as she hiccupped. "I lied." He replied, again, too bluntly. He mentally cursed his mind. Ino was slipping further away from him. He tried reaching for her but she backed away. As she fell to the floor, his emotions finally found his voice. "All I wanted was to protect you."

Sakura's eyes softened as she saw the love in his eyes. Of course it couldn't make up for the lies he had told her friend but, it surely changed her perspective of things here. Ino sobbed harder as she shook her head. "You lied to me. You said you would, you could, never betray…" She looked up at him, her eyes red, and shouted. "You said you'd never join them. But all along you were one of them."

Sai's eyes widened as he interjected. "Ino we're not what the world thinks of us!" Ino narrowed her eyes and turned her head away into Sakura's arms. "No!" His face hardens as Sakura stands up with her leaning on her. His voice makes its way out again. "Ino, trust me he is better for Konoha." Ino looked at him in disbelief and shook her head in anger. "He just started a war!"
He shook his head and tightened his jaw. "Suna would have backstabbed us sooner or later."

Sakura furrowed her eyebrows and smiled humorlessly. "Of course, kill the threat before it is even born." Tenten shook her head and added. "That never works." Ino looked away from him in disgust and forced the tears out of her eyes. But of course, more came to replace the fallen ones. "Leave, just leave my house!" Her voice shook as she shouted but her face never turned to see his.

Sai's face drained off all the emotions as he spoke. "I can't. Not without Sakura."

Sakura raised her eyebrows as Ino turned to face him again. "What?"

"Lord Hokage has summoned her in her office."

Ino looked at him as if he was a maniac and then at Sakura.
Sakura could see Hinata's slight shake of head. Choosing to ignore them all, she nodded and walked after him, but only after mumbling slowly. "Don't do anything stupid."

As she saw her leave, slowly Hinata's hands dove for her phone and she dialed for the man who came to her mind first. Naruto.

-x-

Run, run, run away.
Buy yourself another day.
A cold wind's whispering secrets in your ear.
So low only you can hear…

-x-

Sasuke paced in his room as he remembered meeting the man. It was after his parents were killed by his brother. He scoffed at the memory as he remembered Danzo asking him to join 'Root'. He had refused right away, having heard the stories from his father. And the fact that his brother had been a part of it too. It made him refuse. But he never could turn. At least not until Danzo showed him his true power.
And as Sasuke saw what that man really was, he had turned on his heel and left in disgust, swearing to himself that he'd never bow down to this man.

Sad.

That could not be. For he had bowed down today to him when everyone had. He wondered if that meant that he'd die soon. After all he broke a promise made to himself.

He had crossed his heart and hoped to die.
His glum thoughts were interrupted as his phone rang. Picking up, he had just glimpsed on the caller id. Naruto.
"We've got a problem." His usual cheery voice was devoid of all the happiness. Instead, a deadly grim tone had settled in it. It made Sasuke shiver. "What is it?"

And then he spoke a name. A name that could even raise him from his death.

"Sakura."

-x-

Run, run, run and hide.
Somewhere no one else can find.
Tall trees bend and lean pointing where to go.
Where you will still be all alone…

-x-

Sakura eyed the back of the boy and frowned. "Do you love her?" She voiced her doubt as they walked through the corridor. Sai glanced at her and then back ahead. "Yes." It was a curt answer. Like if anyone doubted him he'd kill them. Sakura inhaled and exhaled before opening her mouth again. "Is it healthy?"
He stopped, almost making her bump into him. Looking at her, his face had only confusion. Sakura pursed her lips and shook the memories of the grey haired boy out of her mind. "I think your love for Ino has made you ignorant to the situation, Sai." He scowled. Sakura blinked at the resemblance of his face with that of Sasuke's. "It's not true."
Sakura gave him a long hard stare, before her lips moved again. "Then tell me, how long do you think you can save her from Danzo?"

Sai's eyes widened at her question as she walked past him. He blinked and then shook his head, as Sakura opened the door to the cabin.

Inside, Danzo smiled as Sakura gave him a reluctant bow and then sat in front of him at his motion. He could see the kaleidoscope of emotions playing on her face. Anger. Hate. Sadness. Fear. Everything. His eyes narrowed in excitement as Sakura gulped. "Miss Sakura. I hope you don't mind. But I have taken the liberty to do a bit of research on you." He picked up a file in front of him and opened it.

It was hard. Hard to listen to everything you have been through in a tone that was so devoid of any emotion. Any emotion, until her abilities were listed. It was then that Danzo's voice picked up an amused tone. Inhuman strength due to precise control over her chakra. Sakura flinched as he threw the file on the table again. She gulped as he smiled and crossed his bandaged arm over his other. "Your power fascinates me, Miss Sakura. Your ability to control chakra can be shaped into any power you wish for."
Sakura nodded curtly and looked away. She suddenly found the cabin very confining, unlike when Sarutobi sat in his place. It was comforting back then. But now, it felt like a prison.

Danzo dismissed Sai and leaned back in his chair. "Ah. You must think that I am a monster."
It took every ounce of her self-restrain to stop her mouth from uttering foul words. And she chose silence. He took it as a sign to continue and smiled. "You are right. I am. But only for Konoha's enemies."
Silence.
"My goal is to slowly spread Konoha's border and reign. The wind country would be first. Especially, the capitol, Suna. However, I need help." Sakura looked at him as he leaned towards her in a threatening way. "I have an offer, Miss Sakura. If you help me steer the future, then I'll make sure your future is good."

Sakura closed her eyes and dropped her head. "Why me?"
"Because, when you spoke Miss Sakura, people were willing to listen." He made her look up again. This time in annoyance. "And what if I refuse?"

His eyebrows rose up in amusement. As if he was surprised that she was dumb enough to refuse him. Soon, his smile dropped and his posture straightened. "Then I would think of you as my enemy."
Sakura took a deep breath and got up. "I'm sorry, Sir. But I refuse."

She was almost at the door when he spoke again, making her stop. "Are you willing to die for a dead man's ideals, Miss Sakura?" She glanced at him and narrowed her eyes, before spitting out the first thing coming to her mind. "I died once. I'm not afraid to die again. And it's not his ideals I'd die for. It's mine."

He smiled as she walked out. She heard him speak one last line before she came out. "Then death it is, Miss Sakura."

And as she looked up the sky, a silent tear rolled down her face. "Death it is." She whispered before letting her fearful tears out.

Don't you fret, my dear.
It'll all be over soon.
I'll be waiting here…
for you…
-x-

*The song is Kingdom Come by the Civil Wars.

Ouch. Ouch. Ouch. Ouch. Ouch. Ouch. *Heart ache*
Review.
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-NLP