Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Naruto characters or places. I only own the characters from Earth/our world. Even then, they are based on actual friends of mine. This chapter also contains direct quotes from Chapter 348 of the Naruto manga.

Author's Note: Merry Christmas everyone! For being good readers and reviewers, you get an early chapter! Yay! This one was pretty fun to write. Yay for pissing off Sasuke! (dances) I think this might be one of my longest chapters for Fangrlz so far. I dunno, though. (shrugs) Anyway, I hope you enjoy Sam's second chapter! I hope you all have a Merry Christmas (or Happy Hanuka -- Did I spell that right?)! Enjoy!

Chapter 38: A Single Hair

SAM

Gah! I hate this! I glare at Sasuke's back as we walk across the slightly choppy ocean surface. Thanks to the chakra-focusing exercises Orochimaru had put me through, grasping the skill of walking on water was easy enough. I'm glad. That way one of the two bozos walking in front of me doesn't have to carry me. To be honest, I wouldn't mind Suigetsu . . . or maybe I would. I don't know. Something about the guy just freaks me out. I think it's the teeth.

The pair in front of me is talking, and I'm perfectly content with keeping out of their conversation. Suigetsu's questioning Sasuke's choice of squad-mates. I already know the course of the discussion, so I tune it out, continuing to glare holes at the Uchiha fan marking the back of Sasuke's robe. I grit my teeth; he isn't worthy of wearing that symbol. Only Itachi is.

Suigetsu glances back at me and chuckles slightly. "And what about her? Why are you dragging her along? It's obvious she doesn't like you too much. I'm betting she'll be tough to work with."

"I'm not working with you," I growl.

Sasuke turns his head to look at me through the corner of my eyes. My curse seal twinges as I glare right back. He looks forward. "She has knowledge that will greatly help me with my mission."

"Yeah?" I counter. "Well there's no way in hell I'm sharing it with you, so just give up, emo freak."

Suigetsu snorts. "Emo freak?" He arches an eyebrow at Sasuke as if he expects the shinobi to do something about my name for him.

"Hn." Sasuke keeps walking, eyes focused on the cluster of rocks jutting up from the sea ahead of us. I assume that's where we're headed, though it doesn't look big enough to house the prison complex I know is there. It must be underwater.

Indeed it is. There's a passage hidden in the rocks -- a stairwell spiraling down into darkness. Now, I'm not afraid of the dark or anything, but the thought of being who-knows how far underwater does not settle well in my chest and I find my heart beating rapidly the further down we go. The expression on my face seems to amuse Suigetsu, requiring me to send my best death glare at him to get the shark-toothed man to stop chuckling.

He's still smirking when we walk past the caged prisoners. That's when the whispers start. "That's Sasuke Uchiha! What's he doing here?" "Orochimaru's not with him . . . the rumor must be true!" "Yeah . . . yeah! He defeated Orochimaru and came to free us!" "Get real, you dope. There's no way Orochimaru's dead."

I snort, muttering, "That's what you think," as I continue to glare at Sasuke.

Though we're getting further away from the whisperers, their voices don't fade. I blame my heightened senses. "Hey, who's the girl? I haven't seen her here before." "Yeah, and look how she's glaring at Sasuke." "Why's she wearing a Sound headband? No one wears them anymore." "She's trouble. I can feel it. She must've helped Sasuke kill Orochimaru." "Yeah, it's no wonder he has her helping him."

I halt in my stride and turn toward the whisperers, my eyes narrow slits as I build up a powerful killing intent to send in their direction, accompanied by a low growl. It must be a pretty good one, for the men draw back from the bars to huddle out of sight, eyes slightly wide in fear. I smirk and continue to follow Suigetsu and Sasuke, trying to ignore the steadily growing pain in my shoulder.

We round a slow bend and there she is -- Karin in all of her short-shorted glory. "I knew it," she snaps out, chin lowering a touch to peer at the three of us. "You're alone, Sasuke . . . so it's true, then."

Suigetsu scowls and I smirk, knowing what's coming and murmuring his words under my breath as he explodes. "What am I, chopped liver?!"

The three turn and look at me oddly. Sasuke's eyes are almost calculating, and I avoid his cold gaze, winking instead at Suigetsu. "Jinx. You owe me a coke."

He blinks at me. "A -- coke?"

I laugh and walk past him, patting his arm as I do so. I throw a grin at Karin. "Yo. Before you ask what we want," I say, throwing my thumb over my shoulder toward Sasuke as she sputters slightly, "tall, dark and emo here's got a proposition for you. Let's get this over, shall we?"

Not too long later, I'm lounging in the corner of an L-shaped sofa, seriously hoping that I have stinky feet, since they're nearly resting in Sasuke's lap. He shoots me an annoyed look as I wiggle my toes. I grin back, satisfied that I'm making him at least a little bit uncomfortable. The youngest of the Uchiha brothers returns his gaze to Karin, who's slightly ranting in front of him.

"Why should I go anywhere?" she demands, arms wide. "I'm in charge of this place!"

"Orochimaru's out of the picture now," I pipe up just as Sasuke's opening his mouth to speak. He snaps his head around to look at me and I innocently inspect my fingernails.

Karin frowns. "What're you going to do with all the captives?"

"Suigetsu," Sasuke says softly, eyes still locked on me, "Sam, go free all the prisoners."

"Wha-?" Karin sputters.

Suigetsu smirks. "Heh, still acting like the boss, eh?" He rises, grabbing Zabuza's old sword and ignoring a protesting Karin.

Sasuke looks at me expectantly. I yawn, uncrossing and recrossing my ankles. "No."

He arches an eyebrow. "No?"

Smirking, I fold my arms behind my head and close my eyes. After a minute or two of silence, Sasuke sighs and continues his conversation with Karin. "There's no more reason to . . ." I tune him out, feeling rather pleased with myself. I win this round, Sasuke. Haha.

I try not to gag when Karin starts hitting on Sasuke. I actually enjoy watching it through a cracked eye. Sasuke looks so awkward -- uncomfortable. Still, I only really start paying attention again after Suigetsu breaks back into the room through the door Karin previously locked. Karin agrees to come along with us for "little while", though only on pure "coincidence" that she's heading "in the same direction" as the three of us. I scowl when she groups me with the other two.

Then it happens again -- that inexplicable moment of compassion from Sasuke to me. I mean, this is Sasuke, here! Sasuke! Kind? Compassionate? Not likely, right? But there it is, like a slap in the face. "Before we go, Karin, do you have something more appropriate for Sam to wear?"

"More appropriate?" I cough, staring at him.

Suigetsu chuckles from the doorway. "You have been complaining all day about that -- oh, what did you call it? -- pillowcase you've been wearing. It'd do us all some good to shut you up about it."

I scowl at him, crossing my arms over my chest. I hate to admit it, but he does have a point. I don't want to spend another minute in this baggy, itchy, and over-all uncomfortable tunic thing Kabuto gave me to wear. Grumbling, Karin drags me off to her room, digging through her closet.

"I swear," she snaps at one point. "If it wasn't Sasuke asking me, I wouldn't be doing this. Hn. This should fit you."

She tosses something orange and black at me, and I duck into the adjoining bathroom to change. It's a rather short, halter-top dress, snugly cut and open in the back -- save a strap of black crossing just below my shoulder blades. Black bands circle my wrists and upper arms, and then there are the legging-tights she gives me for my legs. Apparently, they're some sort of armor, thought they don't feel like it.

Upon seeing the final product, she gives a slight girlish squeal of delight. Then her face hardens. "I'll let you have it one condition," she says seriously. "You keep your paws off of Sasuke. He's mine."

Laughter bursts through my lips before I can stop it. "Trust me, Karin. I'm not interested." I smile at her. "Here's the deal. You let me have it, and I won't harm a single hair on your precious Sasuke's head. Deal?" I flash my teeth at her in a friendly way, knowing full well that I didn't specify which hair I wouldn't harm, but she'll find out that little fact later.

"Deal."

We shake hands and walk out of her room, smiling as if we're the best of friends as we rejoin the boys. Once Sasuke's in earshot, I smirk slyly. "Besides," I state flippantly, "his brother Itachi is way cuter."

Sasuke stiffens, and o-o-oh, if looks could kill. Maybe I don't hate this after all. Haha.