Wow, one of my longest chapters, though I somewhat feel not my best. On other, life related notes...STRESSED OUT! Work is so demanding, always trying to call me in on my days off! Every single one! May as well not give me a day off! And then my first day of college. x.x All seem easy...but appearances are deceiving. I can tell one is going to take up all my time and I'll be lucky if I ever get on the computer to do anything. Hell, I may have to bargain my sleeptime. Now to the story. Thanks for all the reviews! They are VERY much appreciated and savored! I like hearing feedback about my ideas and stories so I know whether or not I am doing a good job. It is ALWAYS good to review for anyone and tell them how they are doing. Authors, artists and etc. can't ever know how they're doing unless someone speaks up and tells them. Well, again thanks for the words and I promise to keep updating for you all! Keep reading!

Chapter 20: Anger and Resolve

Tsunade grabbed Orochimaru by the shoulders, whispering softly so Jiraiya wouldn't hear her. Though she was upset with everything he was doing lately, she still had heart for him.

"Go out the window. Get out and don't get caught."

The snake sannin could see in her eyes that she was angry at him. The spell he'd been able to create and entrap her in had faded and left her with clear reality. Yet, still in her consciousness, she was aiding him and even giving the man a way to escape. As defensive as Orochimaru thought at times, he figured it would be because she didn't want Jiraiya fighting with him. Causing drama in a nice place like this would attract all kinds of unwanted attention. And even he came to the conclusion that escape would be the best option instead of posing a fight with the other male sannin. The creepy one gave her a long, almost warning stare before lifting his body from hers. Quickly, he went to the window, opening it as quietly as possible and slipping out of the room. Tsunade rushed to close the window and when she did, it synced with the time Jiraiya kicked the door in. Tsunade turned and gasped, seeing a furious Jiraiya. She was so used to seeing him laughing and smiling...but now, it looked like his only intention was to kill. Now. Tsunade could not blame him for feeling such a way. She registered his actions as simply being overprotective of her. He didn't like Orochimaru being around her without someone watching. And of course, it was already obvious Orochimaru was becoming trouble again. So this attitude was expected of the toad sennin.

"Where is he, Tsunade!"

The man proceeded to flick the lights on, furiously searching the room for any trace of that snake. All Tsunade could do is watch him in silence as he slammed closet doors open, threw things around, and even flipped the bed to see if the other was childish enough to hide under it. The consuming rage was better left to play out than be stopped. It was like a tsunami hitting a small island. Who can single handedly hold back such wrecking force without suffering damage? After Jiraiya's search ended with him huffing and panting with residual from the anger, the man's eyes fell upon an abnormally quiet Tsunade. There was a hint of regret in her eyes. Something she was hiding from him and wasn't willing to show. Something critical. He walked to her in a few strides, grabbing her upper arms and shaking her.

"Damn it, Tsunade! Where did he go!! Are you protecting him? Fool!"

The shaking caused Tsunade's own anger to click in place, arms pumped of chakra pushing him off and across the floor tumbling. The once dull amber eyes now glistened like gold in the sunlight. Some blonde strands of hair stood up on end, her muscles flexing. Through gritted teeth, she grounded out to him acidic words.

" Don't you DARE touch me like that again! Don't even ACCUSE me of such things either! I don't know why BOTH of you have to act so goddamned paranoid about EVERYTHING! I may still have feelings for him, but AS A TEAMMATE! To accuse me of such things as protecting him or fraternizing with him...I should kick your ass for it! GET OUT!"

Jiraiya winced every time she raised the pitch of her voice. The anger burning in his chest was now replaced with fear. True, Tsunade had her moments she was timid and indecisive about things...but when she was like this, well it was best to shut up and not push her further. Not unless you had a death wish. When she was done screaming at her fellow sannin, both stayed in their spots trying to gather their composures. Jiraiya stood slowly, not wanting to attract the anger. Then cautiously approached Tsunade who's eyebrows were drawn in, was breathing heavily and looked like she would punch out a building given that a needle dropped. With Jiraiya fully calmed down and even somewhat sympathetic towards her, he approached with a somber step. It was hard to make her choose sides. Hell, he didn't like doing so either. Both men were close to her. And though Orochimaru had done much bad, he was still at one time considered a good friend and comrade.

"I'm sorry, Tsunade. I don't know what came over me."

The man's arms slipped around her, hugging her to him. Tsunade wanted to push away, but instead, gave a sigh and let her body relax. The past week and few days have truly been quite trying. Kakashi seeking them out and catching the sannin group, Naruto possibly hating her for letting it happen...and she wasn't even sure if Jiraiya truly agreed with her decisions. It was risky, but wasn't every decision? when on the battlefield, some decisions made are faulty and involve investing in risk or chance. The woman let the other comfort her, making no move to accept the hold or deny it.

-Naruto's Room-

Sakura had slipped back into the room to find a drowsy and confused Naruto on the bed. She gave a meek gasp at seeing him awake. The kunoichi had thought she given him enough to knock him out for a while! Apparently, the dosage wasn't enough as previously estimated. The shamed Sakura let her eyes fall to the floor, not being able to bear looking the other in the eyes. When Naruto saw her enter, a little scowl crossed his stubborn face. Of all people to deceive him...!

"Sakura-chan! Why did you do that to me! Why did you drug me! Huh!"

The junior medic couldn't bring herself to admit to Naruto what foolish thing she had done. The boy got up from sitting and walked to her, taking her shoulders in hand and making her face him. When Sakura did, she saw such broken blue eyes in that face. She didn't mean to betray him in any way! He would have never approved of her taking matters in her own hands like she did! Or even approaching Orochimaru.

"Sakura, tell me. Please!"

"I...I..."

Sakura sighed, knowing there was no way to avoid it. biting on her bottom lip, she finally brought herself to meet with his eyes and spilled her experience.

"I...went to confront Orochimaru. I...think I know how Tsunade-sensei feels about him. It's kind of how I felt about Sasuke. And he hurt her, Naruto. he may not have really physically hurt her, but...there mentally. And I wanted to see if I might be able to make him feel guilty. About taking Sasuke and about how ill he treated Tsunade-sensei..."

"WHAT! Sakura-chan! You shouldn't have done that! What if he tried killing you!"

"...Well, he said he would. IF it wasn't for his promise to Tsunade-sensei. Those were his words. So...he must care for her to not break his promise, right? I said some pretty mean things, and yet...he made no move to attack me. Just sat at the table and calmly replied. I don't think I was in danger..."

Naruto couldn't believe that was why she knocked him out with that drugged drink. To see that man and try confronting him about the issues at hand. The fox boy could understand why she did it too. There was no way in the deepest pits of hell he would agree to just let her go and argue with a man like Orochimaru. so the only way to do so was to get Naruto out of the way. Since the others were busy somewhere else, no one could stand in her path.

"Sakura. Don't EVER do that again! I...he may not kill you cause of his stupid promise, but he may trying hurting you. He ain't a guy to mess with! You know what stuff he did!"

And how could Sakura argue with him? Naruto was right about Orochimaru and she told herself she was lucky to be alive. Sakura gave her teammate a heartfelt apology for what she did, feeling it was right to do so. Of course he forgave her, but Naruto still inwardly was angry about the stunt she pulled. There was reasons to understand it, and he knew Sakura was an independent kind of girl, always wanting to do things on her own. All this meant to the determined, young man was that he would keep a sharper eye on Sakura; for protective reasons.

-Hours later...-

The hours flew by during the day, the night coming just as quick as it had gone earlier. Orochimaru stayed out of the onsen for a while, taking time to himself and reviewing how he'd been acting since the assassination attempt on his life. More erratic and unpredictable. As well as more cruel if not the same as usual. The evil sannin supposed he should be feeling remorse for his actions as of late, and give some kind of apology to his teammates and the Kakashi brat. However, he couldn't find a reason why. His plans of ridding the Akatsuki once and for all would fail if he could not keep up the act of playing friend. All three had their differences in life and it only made them incompatible most of the time. Tsunade with her flaws of drinking and gambling but brilliance in medical skill and brute strength. Jiraiya with his undying addiction to peeping on women in bath houses, to Jiraiya's talent in summoning and fighting in combat. And himself, Orochimaru, who's flaw was icing his heart in frigid weather and shutting everyone out...but becoming so much more powerful than most in the world. They started down the same path when they were around the ages of twelve, but soon branched off. Still...in order to pull off keeping Tsunade's aid...he had to play nice guy, no matter how much he despised the very thought. He had been doing well...but those women attacking him and of all abominations, being able to manage an actual hit, it made Orochimaru suspect he was getting weaker from letting himself too loose around the others. Maybe though, there was a way to balance the sides...

Jiraiya had stayed in Tsunade's room. On the note he nearly decimated her very room, he helped her in straightening it up and getting new furniture from the hotel staff to put in the place. They both stayed relatively silent about the happenings of the day. Jiraiya was going through injections of regret while Tsunade was trying to figure out all her feelings. They finished cleaning the room, stopping and looking at how nice it looked again...and wondering how it happened as both had gone about the business in a robotic manner, not thinking about the fact what they were doing.

"I am sorry, Tsunade...You do believe me, right?"

"Yeah. I do. I just...don't know what to think. He was doing so good. Even as much as getting drunk with us, talking with us and behaving himself quite well. Do you think maybe, he began acting this way cause of that incident in the forest? Maybe being ambushed like that...scared him?"

"Scare Orochimaru? Ha! I highly doubt it, Tsunade. Though...there is some truth. Maybe he didn't get scared, but realized something. And is not scared, but...unsure of what he's feeling."

"Saying unsure and being vague, you know."

"...Well, we can't accurately know how he feels unless he tells us, right? So maybe...he'll come back and explain to us why he's been acting so oddly."

Jiraiya put an arm around the girl's shoulders, hugging her and giving her a smile as a gift. It got the Godaime to smile too, and kind of relax off the situation. But...what would really relax her was if all this drama...could be sorted out and put behind them.