Chapter 37 Protecting.

Sasuke was running through the forest. He had stopped Akatsuki just now and was running from their hideout. He had no where to go. After 2 and a half years, he couldn't just get back to Konoha. He had to find himself another place. He was running through the forest though. The konoha forest. And he suddenly heard someone yell. 'Might as well check it out.' He thought and ran to where he had heard it. What he saw wasn't at all pleasing. He had hoped for an old woman being robbed or something. Instead, his former friends were lying on the floor. And the people who had done it were no less then Akatsuki. Sasuke stayed still. He couldn't just march in. He was no match for Akatsuki now. He saw with a shock that Itachi was holding Neji, who was struggling fiercely against Itachi's grip.

'LET NEJI GO!' A boy with short black hair yelled. Zetsu grabbed Sai and kicked him as hard as he could. Sai was rammed into a tree and kept laying there. He was breathing heavyly. Itachi pulled a struggling Neji in his robe and grabbed his hair tight.

'You're not going anywhere.' He said to Neji and kissed him roughly on the lips. 'Oh please don't do this again.' Neji thought, panicking. Itachi pulled out a knife and placed it on Neji's throath.

'And don't you go try to bite me, Neji.' Itachi smirked. Neji closed his eyes. This couldn't be happening again… Itachi kissed him again, rougher then the last time.

'STOP IT!' Neji looked up. Itachi did too. He had stopped with kissing Neji. Neji recognized the voice. It was…

'Sasuke.' Itachi said. 'Decided to come back after all?' Sasuke looked at Itachi angry. He gritted his teeth.

'Let him go.' Sasuke said angry.

'Oh no Sasuke. We can't afford losing you again. You have to stay with us.' Itachi said. 'So that's it.' Neji thought. 'Sasuke left and they tried to use me to get him back. Again. As a toy.' Neji thought. His head was starting to hurt because of Itachi still holding his hair. Itachi turned him and pressed his face against his chest. Neji couldn't bring out a word.

'L…Let…Neji…g…go.' Sai was standing up, struggling to breathe.

'Who the hell are you?' Sasuke asked him.

'I'm Sai…Neji's…boyfriend.' Sai said as he got up.

'What? Why would Neji want someone like you?' Sasuke asked. He felt something break inside.

'You don't…even know me. Besides…who are you to…tell Neji who he has to…like?' Sai asked.

'I'm his ex.' Sasuke mumbled.

'You're… what?' Sai asked surprised.

'Just shut up.' Sasuke said annoyed.

'My my. Still feeling too much for Neji? You're really bad at letting your toys go right Sasuke?' Itachi said and smirked.

'What?!' Sasuke yelled angry. Neji looked down.

'So Sasuke? Have you decided to come back?' Itachi asked, while he stroked away the hair in Neji's neck, so his neck was bare.

'I'd never go back to the likes of you!' Sasuke yelled angry. 'Now let Neji go!'

'No. Not now you still don't plan on going with us. In that case. Goodbye Neji.' Itachi said and placed his knife on Neji's neck. Neji could feel the cold metal cut through his skin. He couldn't move anymore. Suddenly the knife was gone and he could see Itachi's head falling down. Neji fell on his back. He saw Sasuke on top of Itachi, holding his arms to the ground. Itachi looked…scared.

'YOU'D BETTER STAY AWAY FROM HIM!' Sasuke yelled and pulled Itachi up. He punched Itachi in his stomach. Itachi coughed up blood. Hidan attacked Sasuke, but with his new speed he got behind Hidan and to Neji's shock, turned around his neck. Hidan fell to the floor. He was…dead. Neji was shocked. What was with Sasuke? Why did he protect Neji? And why like this?

'S…Sasuke…S…stop.' Deidara said scared, hiding behind Sasori.

'No! With this power, I can easily kill you all. That way, you won't hurt Neji because of me. That way, I can go on with my life.' Sasuke said. 'So be prepared.' Sasuke pulled Itachi up again, punching him in the face.

'Why you little brat!' Kakuzu yelled and attacked Sasuke too. Sasuke pulled the knife out of Itachi's head and threw it to Kakuzu. Kakuzu jumped up, but Sasuke was already above him. 'What the? When did you?' Sasuke smirked and kicked Kakuzu down. Kakuzu bumped through the ground at least four meters. Sasuke landed next to the whole.

'That should've killed him.' He said angry. Then he turned to Itachi again. Itachi stumbled back.

'S…Sasuke…We didn't mean to harm Neji.' He said, trying to safe his ass.

'You did try to harm him! You harmed him! You knew how much I cared…you knew how much I loved…how much I love him!' Sasuke yelled angry and pulled Itachi up again. Neji looked at Sasuke. 'What did he just say?' He thought.

'You knew how much I love him.' Sai looked at Sasuke, a bit scared. This guy was strong.

'What the, did he really? Does he still?' Neji thought confused. He felt something. Did he still love Sasuke? Or not? Did Sasuke really still love him? Or was it just a trap again? Well…Sasuke was protecting him.

'You asshole! Don't try to safe your ass now!' Sasuke yelled to Itachi. 'I'll give you two choices. Or I'll spare your lives and you never come near me, Neji or any of the people I know. Or, I'll kill you all, one by one, to make sure. It's your choice.' Sasuke said.

'Let's go for the first one, please!' Deidara said, hiding his face in Sasori's neck.

'We'll go with that yeah. Now please let go.' Itachi said. Sasuke let him go and Itachi almost ran to the remaining four Akatsuki members. Sasuke quickly freed Neji's hands and then looked at Akatsuki

'BUT! If I ever see you near anyone I know, you're dead!' Sasuke said, keeping his back at Neji. The Akatsuki members shrugged and then dissapeared.