Chapter Eleven: Discord Between the Two

Disclaimer: Sighs...do I have to say it again? Fine...I don't own Naruto!

Following every medical precaution he knew, Kabuto was sure to have them both knock-out with a low-grade nerve gas before he entered the cell and had Sasuke dragged to his lab.

Tying the Uchiha down with several chakra ropes, he began taking the cells he would need from his eyes, skin, and his major internal organs. Sure, it was messy and time-consuming, but he needed that DNA.

Sighing to himself, he realized with a slight annoyance that if this worked, he would have to do the same to entire host of shinobi and kunoichi from dozens of nations.

Sighing again, he reminded himself it would all be his soon enough.

'Patience,' He thought as he took a slice of Sasuke's liver, 'Patience.'

Sakura paced her cell while she waited, double checking it for any weakness or oversight she might be able to exploit. When that failed, she thought about how to generate an internal antidote to the nervous gases Kabuto used--but there were hundreds of known gases, let alone the ones Kabuto would probably have synthesized. And it would take months...years, to memorize, break down, and analyze each in enough detail to have an antidote to each. And assuming she was able to complete one, she would be defending Sasuke from Kabuto's attacks until the paralytic wore off and she couldn't guarantee his safety...

She shook her head--there had to be another way.

A moment later the familiar hiss of the gas filled her ears and her vision blurred.

Certain Sakura was down, Kabuto had Sasuke placed into the cell.

He needed time to clean and prep the lab again, so he told his assistants to leave the kunoichi--they could come back in a few hours.

Sakura forced herself to consciousness through the groggy haze the sedative/paralytic always caused.

"Sasuke!" She cried, seeing him awake, leaning against a corner. "Are you alright?"

He didn't reply and it took Sakura's eyes a moment to adjust before she saw the blood-stains on his shirt.

Running over, she said, "Let me heal you."

"Don't." He snapped.

"But it might get infected and if we're going to escape we need to be a full-strength..."

"I'm strong enough."

"Sasuke," She placed her hands on his face and gently turned his head toward her, "What did he do to you?"

"Nothing." He spat as he brushed her aside.

"You look a little pale...are you sure you're alright? If you feel a little weak you can..."

Sasuke didn't have time to register the fact that he was moving and it wasn't until he heard the crack of his hand meeting Sakura's cheek that he realized what he had done...

"Sak..." Sasuke stammered.

He couldn't read the expression on her face: It was definately shocked and sad...but pain was what he saw.

She rubbed her cheek as she backed away.

'Saku...Sakura...' He thought, horrified by his actions.

A minute later, the room filled with a green haze.

Sasuke didn't know how much time had passed before he woke up, but it was long enough because Sakura had been returned to the cell.

Her back was turned to him and she was curled against herself in the back of the cell. She was trembling.

"Sak...Sakura...are...are you...alright?" He asked.

"Hmmm." She replied hastily, nodding her head.

"Can...I...can I help?"

"Uhhhh." She said, shaking her head as she tightened against her knees.

'Did he do that to her...did he make her...relive it all...' He wondered.

He remembered the genjutsu vividly: It forced him to relive every unhappy event, thought, expression, decision...every negative moment over and over again until he hoped for death.

"Sakura!" He cried as he lunged, gathering her shivering and pale form into his arms.

"Can you ever forgive me?" He asked.

Sakura nodded, pressing her cheek against his chest.

"From now on, I promise, I'll be the man I should have been years ago."

It was in that dark, cold cell, holding a broken, trembling woman that Sasuke realized that Sakura was everything he needed and more than he ever wanted.

He would do it right this time: He would protect her without putting her down and acknowledge her as an equal.

This time would be different.

TBC

So, what do you think? I know Sasuke seems a little OOC, but remember, he lost to Itachi so hugely it changed his entire outlook on life. So yes, he is still a sardonic, insulting bastard. But he's not confused anymore.