"Ugh!"

Sakura barely opened her eyes. She tried to assume where she might be. Just a while ago she was in the lab , discussing with Sofia then suddenly- Oh I think I vomitted blood- Sakura realized. Then I must be lying somewhere.

"Where-"

she tried to speak but her throat gave up. It was in a bad condition. She tried to move her eyes upwards to see the faces of the three figures in her room. Although it was obvious who they were. But they weren't supposed to be here. Before she could actually see their faces, her eyes became heavy and she passed out once again.

"Sensei?"

It was Sophia she saw after she woke up again.

"Hn. My head hu- ugh"

Sakura tried to speak but the pain in her throat was too much.

She eventually gave up. She tried to look around her. Sasuke and Naruto were sleeping on chairs close to the door.

Great, they had to leave their mission behind for my sake- Sakura got frustrated at herself even though this really wasn't her fault. Now she can't even say sorry cause she can't speak.

Speaking of which, Sakura realized she was showing symptoms of the poison. She thought she would come up with something as long as she tried. But that was in vain. Now she herself is affected with no cure to it. It was supposed to scare her. But it somehow didn't. Maybe she didn't find any meaning in life to keep her motivated to survive. Honestly though, what was she living for? What kept her going forward? She didn't have anyone precious to her. Except her parents who didn't contact her since the war. She only got letter from them simply because she asked for their permission to marry and maybe her father wanted to warn her about Sasuke Uchiha. Perhaps they were angry at her for joining the war even though they didn't want her to. Sakura mentally prepared herself to have a talk with her parents if she survived this.

She slowly laid down again. She gestured Sofia to come closer. Sofia understood that she couldn't speak.

"I think you're poisoned. But how so? You didn't have any food from the chef in the border. He has long been dead. And you just came to Suna."

Sofia looked terrified. Sakura frowned. Sofia was right. How did she get poisoned? Well that's not important at the moment. What she has to do now is to figure out the antidote. She is at the last stage just perhaps only one ingredient was left that she couldn't figure out. But she didn't have the energy to move around.

"Pa-paper"

Sakura forced herself to speak. She asked for papers so that she could write down what she wanted Sophia to do. Sophia quickly handed her pen and paper. After giving Sophia some instructions on what to mix with her potential antidote to see if it works, she finally relaxed on the bed.

It was around noon when Naruto woke up. He shoved Sasuke off the chair and started to make a fuss about Sakura finally being awake. Sakura almost felt like clicking her tongue at him.

Sasuke looked shocked. Both of them looked like they haven't slept in days and finally had a chance to take a nap. Perhaps they really haven't. Sophia told her she had been sleeping for 4 days. Both of them had been at the hospital for all these time and even the Kazekage comes every day to visit her.

My gosh what a mess I've caused- Sakura's inner thought.

"How are you feeling?" Sasuke asked.

Sakura nodded. Sasuke understood she meant 'okay' .

"She can't speak. Give her the pen and paper when you need to communicate with her."

With saying that, Sofia left the room.

"Sakura Chan um I heard the antidote isn't ready yet. What - um what do we do?"

Naruto looked depressed in a long time. Genuinely scared about loosing someone precious to him. Maybe because she was really important to him. Sakura gave him a smile to soothe him. Seems like it did work a bit for even if for a while, his face lifted up. Sasuke stared at her with a look of pity. Well it's not like he cares about what happens to me anyways. So Sakura paid him no heed.

"Go back to your missions. I'm at the last stage of making the antidote. It would be ready in no time."

Sakura wrote on her paper. Which was a half truth half lie. She was at the last stage but who knows what the last ingredient was. She gave them a smile.

Naruto visibly relaxed but Sasuke frowned. He didn't buy her lies perhaps. But Sakura didn't care.

Sakura was fed liquid food for the sake of her throat. Naruto and Sasuke left after making sure she ate and was taking proper rest.

Sophia was busy doing research so Sakura laid alone in her hospital bed. Thinking about how much time she might have left. She wasn't worried about herself. She was worried about how many more people might die without any cure for the poison if she died right now. Tsunade shishou always said how important it was for a doctor to survive till the end of the battle. Because they have to save people. Lives depended on them.

During the evening she heard a knock on her door. She couldn't speak. So she rang the bell for Sophia to opened the door from outside and held it for Gaara to enter.

Gaara slowly made his was towards her bed and sat on a chair.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"I'm fine."

Sakura wrote down.

He raised his eyebrows but understood after a second.

"I don't know what to say. I asked for medical assistance and now I've got the doctor sick."

Gaara was trying to apologize Sakura understood. But it wasn't his fault. As far as she is concerned, she didn't have any reason to be poisoned in Suna. Even if it's the same poison, she got it from somewhere else. She remembered how from time to time her throat hurted. It started from Konoha. She shook her head. To make him understand this really wasn't his fault.

Gaara nodded. Though he still felt guilty at heart. Silence fell. Since Sakura couldn't speak it got awkward. Gaara was always a man of few words.

"I'm calling for lady Tsunade. With the current situation, we might loose you as well."

Gaara said.

Sakura felt embarrassed. But it wasn't the time for that. Her shallow pride might cause her and other people's deaths. So she nodded. She tried her best. So it's obvious there's nothing else she can do. Tsunade countered lady Chiyo's first class poisons so she might come up with something.

Gaara spoke words of sorry once again. Sakura in return gave a smile and Gaara left.

It was night and Sakura was trying to sleep. But something bothered her mind. Maybe the fact that she was sick in the bed with a possibility of dying any moment. She closed her eyes for the nth time. That's when she felt it. A shift. Someone was there. She tensed up. Ready to fight. But when she recognized the chakra she relaxed.

It was Sasuke.

She kept her eyes close but figured he used the window instead of the door.

So he didn't leave Suna ,huh? What for?

Sasuke gradually came beside her bed and sat down on the chair beside it. Sakura was trying her best to make it look like that she actually was sleeping. She wasn't sure if Sasuke would fall for it. But nothing's wrong with trying, right?

Sasuke didn't say anything. He sat there and didn't move an inch.

Suddenly hearing about her getting poisoned broke him apart. It scared him. And that showed how much important she was to him. But she deserved someone better than him. Someone who wouldn't leave her every now and then, someone who would do sweet talks and bring her presents, someone who would give her all the love she deserves.

And Sasuke won't.

Sakura is smart enough to know that. Yet she wants him. Sasuke wondered why. What is it that makes him so special to her?

Sasuke slowly shifted and put away the strand of hair from her face.

Sakura's inner squealed. But she kept calm outside. What is he even doing?

"If you think I'm gonna fall for a cheap trick like that,I don't know what to say. How stupid do you think I am?"

Sasuke spoke with an amused voice.

Sakura felt embarrassed. He was purposefully sitting there for a long time just to tire her acting out. This jerk.

Todou started her journey more than 5 days ago. Is she lost? She couldn't figure out. But it was almost certain since as far as she knows Suna takes prolly 4 days to reach.

Now she was scared. She has never been bad with directions. But this was Suna, in the middle of a vast desert. Moreover losing your direction here means a sure death awaiting. She kept looking around but everything looked the same. Her compass wasn't helping her anymore either. Another day past. She found a huge forest in the middle of the vast desert. and decided to rest her tiring body. It was shocking how this much green existed in a desert.

"Are you alone?"

A voiced brought her back from her slump. Someone was looking at her hovering over her laying body.

She almost instantly stood up colliding with the man and stumble backwards.

"Who-who?!"

Todou asked .

"Ah we are mercenaries. We saw a figure laying here and I came to check if you were okay. This place isn't exactly safe."

"Huh why not ?"

"A mercenary group here does underground business in Suna and is been accused of running a poison business."

Sofia looked stupidly terrified of the situation. How could she fall asleep in a place like this? How immature of her not to be careful of her surroundings.

"But uh- there's no place to stay here though. There's only this forest." Todou asked.

"The forest's big enough. They stay in ame for most of the parts and this is their hideout when the have business in Suna. There's a cave nearby where they stay. In any case, do you need help? Suna's close by."

The man in his twenties asked.

He had a fairly handsome face. But that wasn't the issue. His gestures seemed genuine but Todou still couldn't completely trust him.

"How do I know if you aren't talking about yourself." She asked.

"Whooo. Look at you go girl. That's smart of you. But I wouldn't explain all these if I were one of them."

"True but you could be doing it to earn my trust."Ah right, there's that. But also you have to take a blind faith for once if you want to get out of here before you die in the heat and starvation."

"How did you?-" she asked shocked clearly enough.

"Hah like I said , anybody that knows what's here , wouldn't want to sleep so carelessly here which makes it obvious that you are lost. Anyways my team's moving. You can follow me or keep staying here. See ya."

He started to take off.

After a minute or so, Todou thought how this was the only way to get out of this damned desert and decided to follow along with him.

"Are you a girl?"

The man nonchalantly asked. Todou flushed red.

"I mean your voice sounds like one but that body..."

If there was a deeper shade of red from before Todous full body got colored in that.

"Wha-what?!"

Rather than embarrassed, she was pissed. She decided to follow his group since they seemed nice but this guy right here is seriously rude. Even though he might've just saved her, she couldn't imagine being friendly with him.

"Haha.. I'm joking obviously. The name's Aurash by the way. What's yours?"

Even though she was mad at her , she couldn't be rude to her saviour.

"Todou Akira"

Todou realized Aurash didn't give his last name. Maybe he doesn't have one? People from Suna seemed to have only one name.

"That's nice. You must be in a hurry seeing how you traveled this desert without a proper guide alone."

"Ah.. there's someone I need to save. A sensei of mine."

"Sasuke kun." Sakura paused.

"Why aren't you leaving?"

"You're able to talk now? I'm making sure you're alive." Sasuke replied.

Without a hint of worry in his voice.

"You don't sound like you care. Also , I wouldn't die this soon. And I took the medicine I made before although not a complete antidote, it helps you get your voice back."

"figures. You're the medic here."

Sakura realized how he was making bigger sentences than before. It made her feel a bit better in case this was a indication of him finally opening up to her.

"It has always been you."

Sakura spoke so softly it felt like a whisper. It mellowed down even more at the 'you' word.

"What?!"

" You're the only one who makes me feel like an idiot who can't control her damn feelings so congrats on achieving that. Not much of an achievement since you do not care about it."

"..."

"Leave. My throat might break out again. I need sleep."

Sakura slowly turned her back towards him.

Sasuke didn't leave. He felt like if he did , it would go back to square one.

"Should I take a risk?"

He asked.

"What risk?"

"Risk of hurting you even more after getting so close."

Sakura slowly turned her body towards him.

Sasuke bended down. Sakura's eyes turned wide. A disbelief apparent in them. And he kissed her.

Slowly but surely he kissed her on the lips.

Instead of being happy or awkward what Sakura felt then, was pure sadness.

For Sasuke's kiss felt like he was handling something damaged. It's not because she really was damaged. It was Sasuke who was damaged but he didn't realize that. He was afraid that she might break if he pushed too far.

Tears fell down her cheek. But Sakura slowly closed her eyes and kissed him back.

Author's note:

I was thinking about dropping this since I was having a heard time with my family situation and everything. But it's been better now. Sorry for being so late. I had a lot to deal with.

Thanks for the support and reviews. It helps a lot!