Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Italics = thoughts/flashbacks

Sakura (20) = present Sakura

Sakura (13) = past Sakura

Sasuke (20) = present Sasuke

Sasuke (13) = past Sasuke

Tsunade(past) = past Tsunade

Tsunade(present) = present Tsunade

First Person POV- Masao

I let out a sigh of relief when I heard his voice. Even though my brother worked for them, he would never rat me out. He's the only one I can trust now. I turned my gaze to Naruto, who was freaking out about the intruder.

"Masao?" my brother questioned.

"Nothing much," I told him with a smile.

He raised a brow and continued, "Then why are you in here?"

I paused for a minute—trying to think of an excuse. I couldn't tell him that I just told Naruto our life time story. Who knows what he would do if I told him that. However, I did not want to lie to him. He was my brother—my only brother—and the only one I trust now. So, I briefed it.

"I was just telling Naruto here," I pointed at the blond boy. "About our situation."

"Our situation?" Ryo stared at me confused for a moment before a flicker of recognization registered on his face.

"Father."

That was all that needed to be said to put change Ryo's expression into one of depression and one of anger. One moment he was still. The next, he was at Naruto's side and dragging him out of the room forcefully.

"HEY!" Naruto shouted with anger. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I should be asking that to you," my brother told him. "You weren't supposed to be here. So go back to the room and let's make all your memories of this disappear. "

"Aniki!" I exclaimed as I ran towards him. "It was my fault. I chose to tell him. So let him go."

Ryo sighed, "Masao. I have to. We don't want anyone else to get involved. It's better this way."

"Wait," Naruto exclaimed. "Don't turn me in. I can help!"

I turned to Naruto in surprise and asked, "You can?"

"Yeah. All you need to do is get rid of Orochimaru right? Then, your dad doesn't need to do this kind of job anymore and you can return to your normal ways."

Can he really do that?

If he succeeds in defeating Orochimaru, then my life can be like before. My father wouldn't be like this and we would be happy again. We can live like we use to—my father, me, Ryo, and…mother. Mother…she's gone. We can't be like we were before even if Orochimaru is dead.

Seeing my depressed face, Naruto asked, "What's wrong?"

"My mother. She's…gone," I told him—trying to hold back my tears.

"Gone? What do you mean gone?"

"I told you. She left us—she left me."

It was quiet for a moment before Naruto broke it.

"How can you say that? Even though I don't know much, I can say this. She's always with you. In here," Naruto told me pointing at his heart with a smile. "One day…one day she'll come back for you. How can she leave her own son?"

"But…"

"Come on. Let me help you out," Naruto begged with pleading eyes.

"Aniki? Can he?" I asked looking up at my brother, who had been quiet this whole time.

Ryo stared with hard eyes as he replied, "No. As I told you, we don't need any one else involved."

"Please?" I begged him with puppy dog eyes.

Although I doubt Naruto can actually defeat Orochimaru, I couldn't help but hope. I wanted my original life back, even if it means trusting a boy about the same age as me. If what he said was true, then my mother would come back and I'd be happy again. My brother's gaze softened as he sighed.

"Fine," he said. "I only say yes due to the fact that you asked and because I want our originally life back too. However, I have a question. Why are you so eager to help us Naruto?"

"Well," Naruto said with a half smile. "First of all, I don't want to have my memory erased by some stranger and second, just because I want to help you. I know how it feels to have no hope left in your lives. It doesn't feel good. I want to help you change something that I couldn't have changed by myself in the past."

I couldn't help but wonder what Naruto had been through. Putting that question aside for now, I turned my head to see my brother nod.

"Well, if we're going to save your friends, we better go now. I heard some noise in the other room and went to check it out, but saw you guys here first," Ryo stated.

"They're in danger? That's why they took so long! We have to hurry," Naruto exclaimed in panic.

"Right," I agreed before running after Naruto and my older brother.

First Person POV- Sakura (13)

My body crumbled to the ground in exhaustion.

Wha…what was happening to me?

I saw Kakashi-sensei open his eyes before croaking, "Get out of this room before it exerts you of all your chakra."

Something flickered in my mind before I had realized it. The room was sucking our chakra out of our bodies at a pace to quick for words. We need to get out and fast. I scrambled up to my feet, but found that I could not stand. I started to feel light headed as I looked at the others—hoping that someone would be able to reach the door before we have no hope left. Black dots swirled in my vision as I tried to crawl to the door. No progress. Even though my head cried "almost there", I wasn't even close. Don't give up Sakura! I can't fail. My head tilted to the side as I felt myself crashing toward the floor. The last vision I had was of the door opening revealing three figures before going off into oblivion

Why does this keep happening to me?

"…ra…kura…Sakura," an oh-so familiar voice called.

My eyes fluttered open as I realized the voice. Sasuke's eyes met mine as I blushed.

"Older Sakura healed you a couple minutes before so you should be fine. Just a little rest," Sasuke told me with an unreadable expression.

"O…ok," I stuttered—trying to stand up.

I wobbled a bit, but Sasuke helped keep me in balance.

"Thanks," I told him—looking in any other direction besides the boy himself.

Taking my mind off of Sasuke's hold on me, I finally took a good look at our surroundings. Kakashi –sensei lay on a nearby bed asleep. The rest of our team were milling around in the room thinking hard. Besides two beds, there was only a table with a lamp above it—nothing else. Where exactly were we?

As if reading my mind, Sasuke answered, "This is an empty room safe from the enemies. Ryo said we could stay here to heal until he and Masao finished checking things out."

"Oh," was my only reply.

Before I said anything else, I back tracked.

"Wait, what?" I asked him.

Sasuke sighed, "Don't you ever listen? I said this is a safe room where we can heal."

"No, not that," I told him. "Ryo. What do you mean checking things out?"

"Ryo and Masao are looking around to make sure it's safe for us to leave to find the scroll," Sasuke explained.

Confusion swept through me as I tried to comprehend this information.

"But…but I thought they betrayed us. Why are they helping now?" I questioned.

The door opened—stopping Sasuke from explaining. Ryo and Masao stepped through with serious expressions.

"We have to go now," Ryo ordered.

As I headed towards the door, Sasuke leaned in and whispered, "Long story. I'll tell you later."

I blushed from the close proximity and started to walk after him, but stopped. Wait. Does that mean we're going to spend some time together later? Yeah, it's just to talk about someone else, but still. The thought made me smile.

"Hurry up Sakura-chan," Naruto loudly whispered to me.

"Will you be quiet?" Older Sakura hissed at him.

I glanced back at Kakashi-sensei—who had to stay back due to his injuries—one more time. I quickly caught up when I realized that I was at least three yards away from the rest of them. I wouldn't want to be alone in a place like this. We followed Ryo for a while keeping as quiet as possible before we arrived in front of a large door. I guessed that this was where the enemies kept the scrolls from what Ryo had told us earlier. With one last glance at us, Ryo gestured to the door.

"I'll stay till you get the scroll and escape from here safely," Ryo told everyone. "But after that, it's all on your own. Masao and I have to stay here."

It looked like Naruto was going to complain, but Ryo made a signal to be quiet. Slowly, I saw older Sasuke advance towards the door. With a slight tug, the door opened. Since I was in the back, I couldn't see. However, from the looks of older Sasuke and older Sakura, it wasn't a pretty site. First was shock then was horror. Curious on what held their gazes, I stepped closer until I could peer inside. I froze.

"Wha…how?" Older Sakura asked no one in particular.

On the floor lied Orochimaru and his subordinate Kabuto—still and unmoving. Blood had splattered the floor and the room looked like a mess. Books scattered everywhere and all you could see is red.

"Are…are they," older Sakura whispered.

A cold and deadly voice replied, "They're dead."

Whipping my head towards the direction of the mysterious voice, I spotted Itachi—Sasuke's older brother—walk out of the shadows.

Thanks for reading the 34th chapter of "Strength of Love".

Sorry for the long wait. It's been about a month since I had last updated.

It's almost coming to an end.

Please review. =)