DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO. MASASHI KISHIMOTO DOES.

'Everyone's feeling the same way.' Itachi realized, smiling sadly.

Everyone has a part in someone's pain. Everyone felt that they were the reasons why someone else's in pain. Everyone's blaming themselves for causing someone pain.

Like how Idate felt when he heard the Harunos demise, how Haku felt when he saw Sakura's condition, how his mother, Mikoto felt about the domino effect of her failed promise, how Sasori felt when he discovered Kenji's schemes. And like how he felt when he saw Sasuke's ignored him ever since the truth came out.

'Did Sasuke felt it too?'

But then, they eventually had their guilt sort out, Idate and Haku became a witness and told every information that the police needed, his mother did everything to help Mebuki and her family, Sasori is trying to trace back who Kenji is, even he had voiced that he will be the one to do the explaining to Sakura. But Sasuke, what can he do? If he cannot do a thing to help if he doesn't even know what's Sakura's situation to help. Does he still felt that way? Helpless and useless?

'Does he blame himself as well?' Itachi sighed, there was only one way to know.

"Tou-san, take care of kaa-san."

His father didn't bother to look at him but he nodded, it was his mother that had asked the question, "Where are you going, Itachi? It's already late at night."

Itachi smiled kindly at her, his father had made her stopped crying but her eyes are still reminiscent of it, "I'm going to bring Sasuke home."

"You're Mine, Only Mine"

Chapter 22: "Paroxysm"

"Sasuke?" A toned-down voice of someone he knew so well has interrupted him contemplating, "Why are you here?"

Naruto sits down beside him, he hadn't expected to see Sasuke at their usual spot at the park, he didn't expect to see him at all. Besides the fact that he is suspended from the school because his little fight against Sasori, Naruto thought that the young Uchiha is busy as he is included in the progress about Sakura's abduction. Although he got to admit that he missed the raven-haired.

"Hn." And maybe Naruto regretted thinking that he missed the bastard.

The blonde sigh inwardly, "How's everything about Sakura?"

'He's sulking and moping more than usual so... Maybe it isn't the right time to ask for that...' He thought to himself.

"She's..." Sasuke frowned causing his eyebrows to furrow, he seems to be finding the right words, "... She'll be fine."

Naruto was about to beam in glee until he had heard the next two words that left his friend's mouth, "I hope."

This caused the blonde to looked at him furiously, "Are you losing hope, teme?!" His hands unconsciously reached out to Sasuke's shoulders, squeezing it hard. "Why does it sounds like you are giving up on her?"

Said teen rolled his eyes, "Tsch. You don't understand."

"Cut that crap on me!"

"Do you?"

"Of course I do! I understand that you—"

Sasuke scoffed interrupting Naruto's oh-so-inspirational message, "Do you?"

Naruto frowned at Sasuke, baffled on the repeated question.

"Do you understand my point of view?"

"Of cou—"

"A boyfriend who didn't protect her girlfriend from harm when he was supposed to do?" Sasuke levelled his gaze to Naruto who rolled his eyes. "Are you really concerned about Sakura? Or you're just babbling because she's your girlfriend?"

The blonde expected that the Uchiha before him would burst into anger only to do the exact opposite. Sasuke lowered his gaze and looked away from him, his bangs covered his obsidians disallowing Naruto to peek on his emotions.

"Everyone thinks like that." He cursed to himself, "Is it my fault that I can't express my feelings correctly?"

Naruto opened his mouth to voice a reply only to be cut off again.

"Is it my fault that I don't react as you all do?"

"Sasuke..."

"Is it my fault that I can't untangle myself from my own guilt and pain?" Sasuke's fists curled on his lap, his body trembled slightly.

"Sasu—"

"Shut up." His voice coarser than before, "I'm hurting too."

Naruto's began to realize what was happening to Sasuke, he is his best friend he was supposed to be there when everyone's busy. He should have been there for Sasuke too.

"Sakura... All I ever wanted for her is to be safe and happy." Sasuke started again, this is his way of opening up, Naruto knows.

"That's why the moment I heard that Sasori got his eyes on her, I unconsciously reacted. I was jealous and beyond that, I was worried that he'll hurt her. And he did. My brother did. I guess that counts me as well." Sasuke knows that Naruto didn't know about the deal between Itachi and Sasori if he knew he would be against it as well.

Naruto raised an eyebrow on him, "What do you mean, Sasuke?"

The Uchiha shook his head, "Itachi made a deal with Sasori to make me jealous by being around Sakura."

"WHAT." Naruto gritted his teeth in response, "Those bastards! I'll gi—"

"It's my fault." He looked at him, guilt, pain, sadness and hatred wrote all over his face, "If it wasn't because of my stupid pride and ego, Sasori wouldn't be involved. Maybe then things could change."

Before the blonde got a chance to speak, he decided to explain and clear out some things to him, "The one who abducted Sakura... is very similar to Sasori's physical appearance, an intel told us that that person might have a grudge to Sasori in which he uses to make Sakura suffer even more."

"Naruto... He—" He shut his mouth, slamming his fists on the table, "He attempted to rape her."

Sasuke's voice was so low and quiet that it would pass to be a growl but Naruto had heard it, he heard it clearly and he felt like his blood is boiling and he felt that some part of his heartbreak a little. 'Is that what Sasuke's feeling?'

Did he felt the same when he heard that bad news?

Did his heartbreak a little? Or was did it break a lot that he can't handle it anymore?

Naruto sighed and shook his head, he knew it's the latter. At first glance, the Uchiha might be cold and hard on the outside but Sasuke might just be breaking down now and who knows how many ties did he broke down?

"I couldn't protect her Naruto." Sasuke breathily sighed, "I wasn't able to protect her."

"Back when we were a child, I always protect her from her bullies. When Ami went overboard with her hair, I made sure that she gets expelled from the school. When she had that stalker, I took on that guy without her knowing. When Karin threatened her, I told her to back off or I would personally deal with them. When someone breaks her heart, I made sure that those idiots regretted it."

Naruto stayed quiet and listened on Sasuke's very rare ramblings.

He knew about the stalker and the boyfriend parts, he was there when Sasuke got into a rage fit. But all the other things, that he didn't know. It seems like Sasuke may have been in love for her for so long, longer than anyone thought.

"I was always there." Sasuke's voice wavered a bit but his hair hid his upper face from Naruto. "I promised her that I will protect her from whatever it is that hurts or wants to hurt her. That I'll be there whenever she needed me."

"I always remind her that. When someone did something bad to her. I always come to the rescue. I was always afraid that something might happen to her."

Naruto grunted in response, tearing up a bit when he remembered a distant memory back from when they were kids. "Sakura is our precious little princess, ne?"

'Don't worry Sakura-chan! Sasuke and I will protect you!'

'Eh? You will?'

'Of course! You're our precious little princess! Right, Sasuke?'

'Don't worry Sakura-chan! I'll always protect you! I promise!"

Naruto heard their little voices played into his head as a distant memory from the past, that's right. Sasuke had always promised her.

"This happened to her and I did nothing." Sasuke's voice is devoid of emotion now, "I did nothing, Naruto. I broke my promise just like that."

"No. Don't say that, Sasuke. Don't burden the blame." Naruto shook his head, "You couldn't possibly know that that will happen, Sasuke. None of us could! Even Mebuki-baa didn't expect it!"

"I had a feeling. She had a feeling. She told me that her parents didn't contact her before these events. But I shook it off, I denied my gut feeling and proceeded to be careless." He remembered her being worried about her parents. He remembered that he had told her that he'll pull strings for her and help her. Sasuke remembered it as if it was yesterday.

"I was so sure that no one will hurt her. Not when she's tied to me. No one will dare to cross me. But I was wrong. I was so wrong." He remembered how Kenji, disguised as a waiter, stared at her with interest and darkness. He remembered how he had a bad feeling when she had asked him about hanging out with Sasori. Sasuke remembered how he sulks and mopes feeling jealous, and feel asleep while Sakura's life had left to the hand of an evil person.

"I was careless. All I ever thought was how to make her mine officially, to make Sasori stay away from her. It was selfish of me." He remembered how he thought he would fetch Sakura afterwards. He remembered how he wanted to call Sakura just in case. Sasuke remembered pushing those plans aside and deny his intuition screaming at him.

"This could've been prevented. If I wasn't so self-absorbed. I was supposed to protect her. And now, I don't even know what can I do to...s-save her."

Naruto's eyes widened when he caught a glimpse of Sasuke's chin, a tear sliding off of his face. It didn't escape him when he faltered to his words but a crying Sasuke? 'I hadn't seen him cry ever since his parents left them for the first time.' He eventually grew out of it so the young Uchiha never cried again in his life, until now.

'He really really loves Sakura-chan. He looks lost without her.'

"Sasuke." Naruto put a hand on Sasuke's shoulder again with a firm but gentle and comforting grip this time.

"You know when Sasori first came into the campus, you were off-character, you were so intense and so cheesy at the same time. That I thought, maybe Sasori deserves Sakura more. Hey! Don't give me that look! Let me explain!"

Sasuke scoffed at him, rolling his suspiciously slightly pinkish eyes.

"It's just that, I never saw you that worked up to get Sakura or much less any other girl. I mean, of course, I secretly want you two to be together and I thought you'll do it in a very boring Uchiha way. And when you did, I initially thought that it kinda is a bad thing."

Naruto tried to remember all those times that Sasuke competed with Sasori in different ways even in scenarios that don't have a competition, sure the basketball thing is alright but the art? Not so, in his opinion.

"I thought you were doing it out of jealousy. I mean it kinda is when you think about that stupid deal that your brother and Sasori make. So, I guess that's why I felt that it's unnatural because you were driven by a corrupt intention. You didn't need to do all of that. You already have her heart. You just had to say it."

"But needless to say, their plan worked out, right? They got you two together not so in the right way or time but they did. It was different from what I thought but you still ended up together."

"Why are you suddenly saying these things? You don't make sense." Sasuke glared at him suspiciously, Naruto was known for this talking out business.

"Nothing. I just really wanted to say that but didn't get the chance to say so." The blonde suddenly breaks out in a grin.

Sasuke threateningly growled at him, "Naruto."

Which earned a cheekily grin from Naruto before going back with his serious side.

"My point is it could have been different. All of this could've been different. But it wasn't your fault."

"From what you had just said, it sounds like it is." Sasuke glared at him from the corner of his eyes. Naruto pouted and punched him lightly, bringing his hand back and resting it on the table. "It wasn't."

"You didn't know anything. You couldn't possibly know what was about to happen. You didn't know the deal. Hell, you didn't even know how you feel! You kept saying that you were curious! Really, teme? Do you think that would work? A lot of these things could've worked in a different way but it didn't. And even if, say, things worked out according to you, that you listen to your intuition or your gut feel. Who says that that Gato man wouldn't find another way to abduct Sakura-chan?"

Sasuke let out a tired sigh, "I just... I feel helpless. I feel useless. I can't sa—"

"I feel that too, Ino as well and I know her mother feels that too not to mention her father..." Naruto interrupted strong, only softening up when he stumbled across Sakura's father. "For now, we just need to trust the authorities for this and when she's back. When she's back in your arms then you can save her..."

"From the pain and madness..." Sasuke's eyes had a gentle look when Naruto peered back at him upon hearing his words. "I can protect her then."

The blonde nodded, "Sakura-chan... She suffers a lot and you probably know that more than I do so... This time, I know that you'll know what to do." He broke into a smile, "I know this time you'll protect her like you always does."

The raven-haired nodded firmly, "I will."

"I might not be able to know exactly how you feel right now, Sasuke." Naruto looked at him genuinely, "But I understand you."

Sasuke smirked at this, "Aa. I know."

He sits below the old cherry blossom tree, beautiful city lights from afar, wind blowing gently against his skin.

"I knew you would be here."

A gentle voice approaches him from behind, "You makes us worried, Otouto."

Sasuke sighs, eyes still focused on the view of the city before him — the business of the city makes him forget even just for a while.

When Sasuke didn't say a word back at Itachi for a good ten minutes in, he decided to sit beside his brother.

He sighed when he had settled on the spot beside him, "You hasn't talked to me since we came back from the Akatsuki."

Sasuke scoffs in response still looking at the scenery instead of his brother who's staring at him the whole time.

"You are going to continue ignoring me?" Itachi had once again voiced out his uneasiness about their silent war.

The younger Uchiha rolled his eyes, "I have nothing to say to you. I prefer if I were alone instead."

"Whatever do I need to do to make things alright between us?" He asked blatantly, "Mother's noticing things and she wasn't happy about this."

"Well? Does she know about the deal?"

The mood quickly changed as soon as the words left his mouth, he felt Itachi tensed beside him. "I guessed so."

"It's about the deal again." It wasn't a question but a mere statement, "I am so—"

"Don't. That won't change a thing." Sasuke cut off his brother's apology, "Nothing will."

Itachi frowns at his brother's words, "You have to understand, Sasuke. I was just trying to help you out."

"With my relationship?" The young Uchiha faced his brother this time, a strong hint of bitterness in his voice, "You shouldn't have meddled."

The older Uchiha narrowed his eyes on him, "Watch your words, Sasuke. I'm still your older brother."

And so he did, Sasuke went silent again as he continues to gaze out on the busy streets and roads from afar. As Itachi grew uneasy again by the silent treatment and the strange atmosphere between them that he senses as hate.

It felt strange to him. All this time it was just him and Sasuke and even if Sasuke grew quiet and kind of distant when as he grows up, there was never a time that they were this apart — not physically but relationship-wise.

'Where did I go wrong?' Itachi pondered about it for quite a long time now, ever since Sasori had confessed to him that he had fallen for Sakura true and was gaining real feelings.

Itachi didn't intend for this to happen, quite the opposite actually. He just wanted Sasuke to step out of his brooding zone and start dating Sakura. From back when Sasuke was a kid, he knew that he has this beautiful connection with the girl and he was proven correct as time passes by. Even when Sasuke went to distant himself because of the family issues that they had to go through — the issue being their parents are always away, Sasuke always comes to Sakura and Naruto for comfort. Sure, Naruto was like a brother to Sasuke but Sakura? Sakura is different. That's for sure.

Itachi saw when Sasuke chased away her stalker when Sasuke got some girl expelled because of bullying Sakura — how their mother was angry to Sasuke for using their name and power to do it. When Sasuke threatened a specific redhead for sending threats to Sakura just because she's close to him. He was there when Sasuke went to do all those stuff just to protect Sakura.

But Sasuke always takes a step back, he always stops himself going over the line when truthfully he should, must and wanted to. Hell, he can even tell that Sakura's waiting for his foolish little brother and so for this, Itachi thought that he should push Sasuke in the right direction too.

Although, now, he questioned himself, was it the right thing to do? Make a deal and make his brother jealous.

They stay silent for a lot longer before Itachi decided to break the silence, it has a thick layer of tension anyways, "All I ever wanted is for you to get the life that you deserve, Sasuke."

Said teen didn't look at him but his eyes were more than willing to speak, "Did you ask me what I want?"

His reply made Itachi's eyes widened for a fraction, "What you want?" He was actually dumbfounded on his brother's response.

"The life that I deserve." Sasuke finally turned to him with a calm look, "What was it?"

"A life full of happiness, of peace and love." Itachi genuinely answered. "That's the life that I wanted for you."

"I wasn't ready for that, Itachi." Sasuke scoffed again before smirking bitterly, "I wasn't ready to give and share myself."

"I wasn't ready to be with her. With Sakura."

Itachi's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "What do you mean by that, Sasuke?"

"When you... when Sasori came into the school. It felt different." Sasuke sighed. 'What is happening to me? First Naruto and now, Itachi? I'm getting sentimental.'

He disgustingly thought to himself but continued either way, "Sure, I've protected Sakura for so many times to different reasons but Sasori was different. He was fully offensive, he even said to me at one point that he'll toy with Sakura."

Itachi winced at that information, "Of course, I didn't know of your... deal with him. But I was so mad and yet Sakura didn't even know a thing, what's worse is that it felt like she's allowing herself to be with him." '... slipping out of my side.' Sasuke had left those words, deeming it to be possessive and selfish of him to think of it as that way.

"So I did the most logical thing to do at that time," Sasuke paused, "I took him head-on."

At this point, Itachi's beginning to understand Sasuke's point, "You took her on a date."

Which his brother confirmed with a nod, "I love her."

"But the reason that I never made a move is because I'm still having doubts about myself. If I can protect her like I always do if I can handle her emotions or our relationship. If I can be the right person for her."

Sasuke stopped and looked thoughtful for a moment, "I wanted to make sure that I can give her my all before diving right into it."

"I made it much more difficult, didn't I?" Itachi looked pained, he hadn't thought of it as that way.

The reason why Sasuke's been thinking of their relationship this whole time is that he's scared that she'll hate him for it, that she won't be able to trust him and in return, he won't be able to protect her and give her comfort. He won't be able to help her. Without her trust, everything will be useless, even his will to help her and even his love for her would be nothing but useless.

His mother was right, his brother truly had reasons for his sudden actions that would seem to be a childish act by some people.

"You were just waiting for the right time..."

"I don't hate you nor blame you. I understand why you did that and I'm thankful that you always have my back." Sasuke's lips slightly turned upwards, "Thank you, Aniki."

Itachi smiled at that, at least there's one thing to be happy of but it was shattered when Sasuke frowned again.

"You're thinking of her?" In which, Sasuke merely nodded, "I just... I wish I had been there."

"It wasn't your fault, Sasuke. Even if you were there with her 24/7 you're going against Gato. You know enough about what he can do "

"I know." He nodded in agreement, "I'm just worried and restless about her. She's suffering and yet I can't do anything to make her pain go away. I can't even help her..."

"You can and you will." Itachi placed a strong grip on his brother's shoulder, "When she gets back I have a feeling that you're the only one that she will open up to."

"Bu—"

Itachi immediately cut his doubts off, "You didn't do anything wrong Sasuke, you might've not planned this relationship perfectly but you love her and that's enough. So don't worry too much."

Bitterly, Itachi quietly admitted to himself that he really had been nosy to his brother's personal life but in his defence, he loves his brother too much.

A peaceful silence settled between them again and this Sasuke broke it.

"The last time that I was here, she's the one that was sitting beside me."

Itachi raised an eyebrow at his brother, "You brought her here?"

It was quite a big deal for him. This was, after all, a place that he had shown to Sasuke, and ever since, it became Sasuke's safe place.

"I can't even bear to think what she's been through. Loss, grief, pain, sadness, it's everything all at once..." Sasuke's face scrunched up in worry, anger and pain that he felt just by thinking of it, "She doesn't deserve all of it."

"She didn't deserve to feel all that pain." Itachi simply stated, "No one does."

Sasuke stayed quiet for a while, he couldn't grasp the idea of Sakura being tortured, harassed drugged and molested by that maniacs. And from what Haku described, Sasuke feared that Sakura might be beyond saving, that they might've broken her.

Sasuke's fist clenched tightly, 'No. Even if she was...'

'I will save her.'

He certainly has no idea on how to do it, he knows it'll be more than just being there and holding her hand. It will require a lot of patience, understanding and love. And that, that he was willing to give.

He might not have been there to protect her and be at her side but he's damn sure that this time, he'll be there to help her cope up and give her everything that she needs.

A/N: Welcoooome back!

I have thoughts about these two fics that I just uploaded some might see it as a filler chapter but personally, I felt like it'll be too fast if Sakura would be saved right away. Or maybe I just want to torture everyone in the story with their emotions. Bad author! Bad Yatsu!

So I have some things to discuss...

First is that I have to ask you guys if you think the current title, You're Mine, Only Mine, still suits the fanfic?

As you know or I've mentioned in the previous chapters, this was supposed to be a revise BUT then I revamped it and the previous crackfic becomes kind of a dark fic. Please let me know if you want it to have a different name (that I haven't thought of yet) or keep the name.

Second, I am planning — not a good thing for me — to create a new fic (I have a lot of pending, you see) that involves the whole Konoha 12 gang and to give you an idea, it's... like a reality TV of some sort so I'm not sure on how do I write it since I need to show them one by one while doing certain activities. Should I go by team (like the members of team 7 on the first chapter and then the other team on another) or should I do it in chronological order? Jump there and here?

Also! Do you think I should add Sai somehow? I feel kinda sad leaving him behind. Well, that's it for now.

I have a looooot of things and ideas in my mind but I'm afraid that I'm talking/writing too much!

See you in the next chapter!

Please do read and review!

~ Yatsu Narurasuke