A/N: BEHOLD! *Triumphant music* Excuz the spelling... ^_^

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Chapter Eleven: Whispered Memories

Sasuke's anger was overflowing.

Standing in front of him was his nightmare. Standing in front of him, was Itachi. This man who haunted his dreams almost every night, this man who he would give anything, even his own soul, to see dead.

And he would see him dead.

Today.

He could feel himself shaking as he moved closer. Itachi was only five feet away, Sakura in front of him.

He stopped suddenly as Itachi brought Sakura closer to him and brought a kunai to her throat.

"If you take one more step, my dear baby brother, I will kill her." His brother said as a look of horror crossed Sakura's face.

Now, this was something he didn't expect.

He smirked.

But it wasn't going to slow him down.

---

When he smirked, Sakura grew cold. She wished him dead too now, knowing that he would just forsake her to get his revenge. She had no doubt in her mind that Itachi would kill her. He killed a whole clan so what could a young kunoichi do to him?

"Kill her." Sasuke said unsheathing his katanna. "I don't give a damn."

She held back her tears, knowing that she could hurt him worse if she didn't cry.

"Sasuke." She spoke drawing his attention from Itachi. "You're too weak. Just give up. You know that Itachi will win. Once he kills me and your little bitch, you're next."

Karin glared at her and Sasuke just smiled. "Hurts doesn't it? To know that you're not wanted nor needed, eh Sakura? You're trying too hard, Haruno."

His gaze left hers and returned to his brother's who seemed slightly amused.

"Itachi. Today is the day you die." Sasuke stated taking another step.

Itachi brought the kunai closer to her throat. A small trail of blood dripped down her neck. She winced but did not cry out.

Sasuke stopped and grit his teeth. "You're fight is with me!" He shouted angrily. "Why involve her?"

Itachi smirked. "What's stopping you, little brother?"

Sasuke growled and started towards him. Sakura screamed as the kunai began to slice her throat.

"Sasuke, please!"

He stopped abruptly once again. His eyes were wide and he was fighting with himself, Sakura could tell.

Her throat was beginning to ache and she could still feel the warm liquid running down her neck.

"Please." She choked out.

Karin made a sound of disgust and stepped forward. "What's wrong with you Sasuke? Who cares about that girl? Just let her die!"

He didn't move from his spot nor did he answer Karin. He looked so lost.

"No." She whispered hoarsely. "I'm your friend Sasuke. You don't want me to die, do you?" She waited, wondering if she would live or die. Her life was in Sasuke's hands, and frankly, she didn't know if he was the best person to trust with a life.

But it didn't matter now. It was up to him.

"A bond." He murmured looking into the distance.

She almost sighed with relief. Was he coming back to his senses?

"Yes!" She almost screamed. "You and I have a bond remember?"

There was a hiss from behind her. "Weak."

Sasuke's head snapped up and he growled. "I am not weak!"

"Bonds. Friends. They all make you weak Sasuke." Itachi said scoldingly.

Sakura glared up at him, the tears unable to stay locked up inside as she watched Sasuke shake with rage. This was the reason Sasuke was like this. Because of him.

She hated her mixed feelings. Sometimes she felt so bad for Sasuke, and other times she just wished he would just die and stay dead.

But now her anger was directed at the man that held her.

"YOU'RE WRONG!" She yelled, causing Sasuke's eyes to widen. "Bonds, friends, those are what make you strong! So quit filling his heads with lies, you son of a bitch!" She pushed against him. "And let me go, dammit!"

Surprisingly, the cool metal vanished, as well as the arms holding her back. She dropped to the floor and held her neck with shaking hands.

A small smile formed on Itachi's lips. "Hmm."

Before anyone could move, Itachi split into many black ravens, and disappeared.

---

Confusion was a difficult emotion to follow, and right now Sasuke was lost.

He didn't know anymore. He didn't know what he wanted. He just didn't know.

They met up with Jugo and Suigetsu outside who informed them that they had come across nothing, and that no one had left the club.

He simply nodded and started on the way back to the cave. He wasn't angry, though he should have been furious. He just didn't understand. What was the point of Itachi's appearance?

Sakura had healed her neck which he assumed was good. He just didn't really care about anything at the moment. His silence was causing his team to grow antsy.

Karin came up to his side, where she usually walked. "Will you be okay?" She asked quietly.

"I don't know." He answered stopping and turning to look back at Sakura who was having a conversation with Suigetsu, obviously forgetting that she was a captive earlier today.

"Sakura." He called bringing her attention to him almost immediately.

"Yes?" She said sweetly, a smile blooming across her face.

"Go home."

Her face changed instantly. Her bright smile vanished and was replaced with a confused and somewhat hurt look.

"Oh. Does that mean you're letting me go?" She asked halfway smiling, thinking it as a game.

There was an angered yell from behind him. He turned to see Karin marching up to Sakura.

"He told you to go, so get you little pest!" She spat reeling her hand back to slap her. Sakura caught it easily enough, and Sasuke watched as her eyes that were moments ago sparkling with life, turn lackluster and lifeless. Hidden anger was held behind them though, begging to be released. He could see it burning.

It reminded him much of himself.

Karin gasped as Sakura's hold on her wrist tightened. "I've grown quite tired of you." Sakura answered back with just as much malice in her tone.

He watched the Sakura he once knew be replaced by something dark. Gone was the true smile she used to have when they were genin. He remembered training with Naruto as she watched from a far and how whenever his gaze would find hers, that smile awaited him. It was always there to try and make him feel wanted and loved though at the time he didn't care for her smiles. Now it seemed as he would never see one again.

"Always getting in my way, always kissing ass to Sasuke. It's very annoying." She continued.

Her words were some of anger and disgust, yet her face showed no emotion as they rolled off of her tongue. Her hatred was evident but Sasuke wasn't sure if the hate was truly for Karin. He couldn't help but wonder if he was the reason for this new Sakura. He couldn't help but wonder if this is what she had permanently become because of him.

Guilt.

Such an annoying emotion.

---

Sakura could feel her hidden self clawing at her from the inside. The bitch had had the nerve to try and slap her. She obviously wasn't trying that badly, because the attack was so simple, so easy to avoid, Sakura almost laughed out loud.

Instead of laughing, she squeezed the wrist she now held enjoying the gasp of pain from Karin.

"I've grown quite tired of you." She spoke calmly, her eyes boring into the red head's.

This girl in front of her now was so idiotic, so lost it was sad. She had no idea what she was getting into, tailing Sasuke like he was a God, and then thinking she could act superior to everyone else just because her boyfriend was Mr. I'm-Stronger-Than-Everyone Uchiha. It was like she was reliving her genin years.

"Always getting in my way, always kissing ass to Sasuke. It's very annoying." She said in a low tone.

"Because, you're annoying, Sakura."

Sakura continued to stare at her, thinking of those words, reliving the memories. Karin had no idea that once Sasuke had had his fill of her power, she'd be gone.

She was just his tool.

She was a tool once, but not anymore. Never again.

"You're too weak, Sakura."

If it hadn't gotten so quiet, Sakura probably wouldn't have realized that Karin had just slapped her across the face with her free hand.

She raised an eyebrow. "Is that how you want to play?"

---

Sasuke extended his hand as an attempt to block the explosion he knew was coming.

"Sakura, don't-"

Karin let out a screech, and in seconds was on the ground, Sakura's hand on her throat.

Suigetsu withdrew his sword almost instantly and put it at Sakura's back. "Let her go." He growled.

Jugo looked to Sasuke for some kind of direction, but Sasuke had none to give. He was too perplexed, watching how Sakura's emotion changed so quickly. He watched her cold yet fiery eyes gleam, knowing that if she was angry enough, Karin would be dead.

Sudden realization hit him. She was holding back. She had more power than she let onto, and by the look in her emerald eyes, she so desperately wanted to show it.

It fascinated him.

Karin winced as Sakura squeezed.

"Sasuke. Do something." Suigetsu demanded, his voice rising with panic.

Either Sakura wasn't afraid of Suigetsu or she didn't care because she just merely smiled.

"You don't know me." She hissed in Karin's ear. "I can kill you in the worst way imaginable. I know how every part of the body works and I can make it hurt. I'll make you wish you never met me."

Sasuke finally snapped out of his trans noticing the panic in Karin's eyes and the fire in Suigetsu's.

"Sakura." He called. Her gaze left Karin's face to stare at him.

"Let her go. Suigetsu put down your sword."

Suigetsu gave him a furious glare. "Why should we spare her?"

Now it was his turn to get angry. "Are you questioning my authority, Suigetsu?" His eyes bled crimson.

"Guys-" Jugo tried to cut in.

Suigetsu moved his sword. This time the blade was pointed at Sasuke.

"You don't deserve any of us." He spat, moving the blade to his chest.

"That may be." Sasuke replied. "But you chose to follow."

---

The slap had stung, but did not hurt as much as Sakura's hand did from continuing to strangle Karin.

She was putting pressure, but not enough to hurt her badly. She wanted to, though. She wanted to release her pent up anger for everyone and everything that had ever done anything to her. Her inner-self was demanding that she squeeze tighter, trying to coax her into doing it.

Snap her neck.

The red head began to struggle, as Sasuke had started an argument with another member of the team. Frankly, she didn't care what Sasuke was doing. She was more concerned on the girl underneath her beginning to push her back.

"You think I didn't notice?" Karin yelled out using one hand to push back Sakura's and the other to fist in her short hair.

Sakura flinched. "Notice what, bitch?"

She studied her seeing how she grew angrier by the second. This wasn't looking good. Karin pulled her head back so that her neck was tilted upwards.

"Those...marks!" She screamed in disgust as she finally succeeded in removing Sakura's hand from her throat and shoving her to the ground.

"You think I wouldn't see what he gave you, you little whore!" Karin shouted out clenching her fists and going forward for a punch.

Sakura was confused for a moment, but then realized what she was talking about. The memory was bittersweet as she experienced the feel of Sasuke's mouth on hers; his mouth on her neck all over again.

She licked her lips and smiled devilishly. "Ah, yes. That was quite an experience. Can't say it was very satisfying though. Water boy interrupted before things could really heat up. A shame really."

Sakura savored the sounds of her horrified shrieks. "You bitch!" She yelled, raising her arm. Sakura closed her eyes and waited for the pain. She supposed that she was going to get punched, but she didn't care. She hated to say it, but it was worth seeing Karin's pain.

It made her feel good, somehow.

Suddenly Karin stood up and let out a wail. Sakura opened her eyes to see her running off into the distance.

She shrugged and waved. "Bye!"

She looked up to Sasuke and jumped. He was staring at her.

"Hi." She waved again.

Suigetsu was staring at her as well, but it was more of I-Want-To-Hurt-You-So-Bad-And-If-It-Was-Just-You-And-Me-I-Would-Fucking-Kill-You, look. Sasuke had a more, shocked expression.

Water man's eyes narrowed dangerously and he began to walk in the direction Karin had taken.

"I'm going after her, because I care." The comment was directed to Sasuke.

Jugo gave a wary glance to Suigetsu and then back to Sasuke. "I'll go with him, okay Sasuke?"

Sasuke said nothing as Jugo took off in pursuit of Suigetsu and Karin. He continued stare at her.

Before she could complain that his staring was starting to creep her out, he sighed and walked over to where she sat plopped on the ground. She gave him an incredulous look as he reached a hand out to her.

"Some help?" He questioned.

The fact that he could even think that she needed to be helped up caused her to fume, but she took his hand anyways.

She could feel him pull softly, but she refused to go up. He raised an eyebrow, and before she could think twice about it, and she knew it was going to get him so pissed, pulled as hard as she could on his hand causing him to topple forward and land next to her on the ground.

She busted out laughing; the look on his face as he fell had been the cherry on top. Even now, as he laid face down in the grass the look of pure shock and humiliation never left his expression. His eyes were wide with astonishment as he turned to her, his mouth gaping slightly.

"Wha-?" He stammered.

She held onto her sides as she continued to laugh, knowing that that was probably a once in a life time thing to see. Sasuke, the almighty Uchiha, looking like a complete idiot as he fell to the ground. She could imagine what he was thinking right now, and it only caused her sides to ache more.

She felt his hands on her shoulders and opened her eyes to see that he was leaning over her. His obsidian eyes burned into her emerald ones.

"Why would you do that?! I was trying to help you up!" He said angrily.

"Because you never have any fun! And the look on your face-" She snorted.

He opened his mouth to argue his point, but he stopped and shook his head. She watched his face, noticing the smallest of smiles appear on his features. And though that smile was small, it made her heart flutter. She made that smile. Her.

His hands moved from her shoulders and he rolled over onto his back. She couldn't help but stare at him. She had never thought that she would be able to be this close to him after he left, but here she was now, mere inches away, no pressure, just there.

Just together.

The wind kissed her cheeks bringing with it memories of their genin days. She closed her eyes and could see the four of them together staring at the starry night sky oblivious to what the future held, peaceful.

"I'm gonna beat you one day, Sasuke, believe it!"

"Shut up, dobe."

She missed it.

"You should really get back to the Village. They will start to worry." Sasuke whispered.

Her heart wrenched and the sound of his voice brought her out of the beautiful memory. She stared up into the sky watching the clouds pass, wishing she could stay right here forever. Slowly, she moved her hand until it brushed his. He flinched, obviously not use to so much human contact, but did not move his hand away. She closed her fingers around his hand and took a deep breath. She knew he would probably say no.

She didn't care.

If he said no, then she would just have to do it the hard way.

"Sasuke?"

His eyes looked down to her hand on his. "What?"

"Come back to the Village with me."

A/N: I promised I would put this chapter up today and I'm sorry because I didn't make it but I was only twenty minutes or so, late! SORRY! Please read and review and tell me if you loved it! ^_^