A Busy Life

by RoCk-ThIs-PaRtY153

Sasuke Uchiha, twenty five year old CEO of Uchiha Corps is a vicious businessman, groomed for the business world since he could read. He refused to be second place, or deterred by anyone...that is until a beautiful girl with pink hair and green eyes catches his attention.

24. Close

Hey everybody! A similar wait but not too bad, right? This time is a similar excuse honestly. I was editing the future chaps a bit for the story. Thank you all for waiting!

Suigetsu: Woot woot! This is gonna be the best chapter so far!

You're only saying that because you're in a majority of it.

Suigetsu: And it's only AWESOME. Come on. Admit it.

Okay. Okay. I did have fun writing this chapter. ( ^.^ )

Suigetsu: See? Attagirl!

I do hope the fighting scenes seem alright. I'm not all that experienced in writing those out.

Suigetsu: Trust! The readers are gonna love my big moment!

Heheh! I think so too. And guys, yes I have been seeing your reviews and I understand how everyone feels. Again, I ask you for the sake of the story to bear with me. If you can't, as I've seen some of you can't, I give an estimated two more chapters before we get SasuSaku back together again. (You guys keep asking me to let you know when they're gonna be together again so, figured I'd give you guys an estimate with how I've been editing and the story progression.)

Suigetsu: Who cares? Let's get on to the story.

-grins- Hehe! Wanna do the honors?

Suigetsu: -grins- TO THE CHAP!

---

Suigetsu sighed, having finished getting dressed in his apartment and making sure he had everything. Wallet, phone. Was there anything he could be missing? He really wasn't sure.

The last three days, all his priorities were singled towards one thing and one thing only, and Suigetsu found he had little else to consider. It was making him forgetful and to be honest, he wasn't expecting any different, especially after finding out exactly what happened.

And he found out straight from the source.

"Your keys, Suigetsu…" He heard behind him, as he patted himself down to try and feel if he was forgetting something. He froze and heard the jingling of the said objects. He turned slowly.

There, Karin stood, holding his set of keys. She was leaning against the archway that entered his living room, which then led to where he stood; at the entrance hallway of his moderately sized apartment. She had one arm crossed beneath her bust and resting her hand on the forearm of her other lifted one, which held his keys. She was dressed in his oversized sweats and a tank top she left here from one of the previous nights she stayed over.

All he needed was what was in her hand. He was even forgetting those?

"Ah, shit. Thanks Karin." He sighed out and walked over to her to grab the item. She handed them to him and as always, ever since last night she lowered her gaze away from him. He stared at her sullenly.

Honestly, ever since she told him exactly what she did and how everything unfolded it was hard to look at her. He was upset with what she had done to what was quite literally, probably one of the most beautiful and smitten relationships he had ever witnessed before.

And once again, despite his better judgement, he lended her his shoulder after all was said and done and once again, he was hurt by it.

She called him half an hour prior, and asked where he was. When he explained he was ordered to stay put at Sakura's apartment for the second night in a row, since she was still missing, she begged him to meet her as far as she could from the pinknette woman's home. When he was about to tell her he really couldn't, and that Sasuke would probably have his neck if he left his post for even a moment, he heard her begin to start crying.

And as always when she cried to him, he folded easier than toilet paper.

Here they were, sitting in his car down the block from Sakura's apartment so he could still keep an eye out, whilst she didn't have to worry about Sasuke coming after her head for being "within a mile" of Sakura's home. He was the only one around who could report that anyway, but it was honestly better to be safe than sorry after the way she begged and with how pissed Sasuke was.

He must have put the fear of God in her, because Karin was even terrified of being this close to Sakura's place. Down the block was not far enough, but he needed to make sure he could see whenever—if—Sakura got home.

And Karin cried to him as always, but this time was different. She cried tears of what Suigetsu truly believed to be absolute genuine remorse and regret.

She cried about how she wished she wasn't so blind to Sasuke's wants, how she wished she wasn't so blind to his feelings for Sakura and how she wished she stopped herself. She cried about how desperate she felt, the more she snuck around and watched Sasuke and Sakura's relationship blossom and flourish the way it did.

She cried about what she did to Sasuke in the storage closet and how she played on Sakura's insecurities. How Sasuke damn near strangled her with his bare hand and what was said. And he almost couldn't believe it. You had to give her props on her determination with how far she had gone. And he understood exactly why Sasuke was frantic and livid and why Sakura looked so beyond upset that day. Anyone would be, if going through the situation Karin had put them in.

"Karin...seriously...?" Suigetsu questioned her with a flabbergasted and cringed look of absolute disbelief on his face when she finished the story. She took off her glasses to wipe her tomato red eyes, sniffing and hiccupping sorrowfully.

"I-I...I know. I've...I've been thinking about it ever since yesterday, and I…" She trailed and sniffled. Suigetsu glared at her, now more angry with her than he had ever been.

His and her relationship was a bit unorthodox, even if they could be considered friends. They argued like cats and dogs, and constantly roasted on each other, but they had come to this silent understanding that it was not malicious. In the end, he was there for her and from what he could only assume to be because he was always around, she always called on him.

Usually to complain or bitch about Sasuke or something, but he had always been the one she called for a shoulder to lean on. She had even picked him up herself, when he was down in the dumps about a date gone wrong or something like that. Hell, those times she berated him for being upset over a girl he didn't know for more than a few hours, was one of the things that often drew his heart back to her.

She would always tell him; "Even if you are a moron who probably screwed up somehow, she's the bigger moron for missing her chance with you."

And he always found it ironic that whenever she said stuff like that, the real reason he was down was because she'd skip straight to how she could get with Sasuke.

He let a lot of things go when it came down to her and her antics. He let her do what she wanted. He let her pine over Sasuke and all, with his personal fears of letting his deflected feelings known and losing her in that sense.

But he truly never thought she'd do something like this. This was overboard. She had definitely gone too far this time.

"Goddamnit Karin! What the hell?! No wonder Sasuke is losing his fucking mind!" He growled angrily at her. She gave a single, strenuous sob from her crying and she clenched at her chest and it made him throw his body back into the seat with exasperation and turmoil.

If she expected him to somehow fix this, this time, it was damn near impossible.

"Is...Is he still that angry?" She asked rather densely, and Suigetsu couldn't help but think how stupid of a question that was coming from her. She had personally been subjected to Sasuke's immediate wrath after what she did; how could she think Sasuke would just be cool after all this?

"What do you think? You did that yesterday and I'm currently here, about to pull a second all nighter, waiting for Sakura to get home, which she still hasn't. No one has any idea where she could be—not even him, so take a wild guess." He scoldingly relayed and questioned. She took a shaky inhale, and just as shakingly let it out. Her eyes cringed and she threw her hands into her face.

"I know! I know! I know I screwed up. I screwed up! I was so...s-so stupid and s-selfish..." She cried out mournfully, wiping at her continuous tears. He stared back at her, crestfallen.

"I just wanted to win, so badly. I was so focused on the goal of winning him over...I ignored and disregarded everything that was right in front of me. All the way down to how he felt and what he wanted...Y-You were right. I-I never t-thought about Sasuke...or what he wanted." She confessed her epiphany, which took Sasuke himself threatening her life to come to.

"I just...thought about myself and how I should have been everything he wanted. I just thought about how I saw someone else getting in the way of what I thought I deserved, and...I took things too far." She whispered in quiet and somber admittance. She gave a hard sigh, continuing to wipe her still flowing tears. Suigetsu only listened.

"I've thought back on all these years I spent, chasing and obsessing over him like you said and...I know now, he was so annoyed. He was so...disgusted by me…all these years." She sniffled out, shaking her head and wiping her nose. She looked back at Suigetsu and he gave a look of somber knowledge. One that told her she was right on the money about how Sasuke felt about her and her advances all this time.

He had told her over and over, sometimes jokingly, sometimes directly; but he told her Sasuke didn't like her coming onto him the way she did, and she didn't listen.

"H-He was everything all the girls in school wanted, ya know? We'd...W-We'd speak about him throughout college in the bathroom and...how it would have been a dream to have him." Karin started crying bitterly. Suigetsu listened as always and looked down towards Sakura's apartment. Whether it be his feelings for Karin or just his understanding of her, he kind of already saw where this was going.

Karin had always been hardheaded. Strong willed, stubborn and absolutely hardheaded. What she wanted, she got. Her family wasn't much of a deterrent either. They encouraged the behavior. "Hunger and drive" he had heard them call it, whenever Karin got a win in anything through the most questionable means.

As unreasonable as it may have seemed, Karin only tackled the situation the only way she was taught. She tackled this desperately with the knowledge that she was losing Sasuke to Sakura and she pulled this in a rather common, all too concentrated and focused attempt to win him by any means necessary.

"We all...we all used to rant and rave in the girl's bathroom about what we would do being married to him. How...better our lives would be and…I clinged to that. I was so stuck with the thought that marrying Sasuke Uchiha would make everything perfect." She stared down at her fidgeting hands, over and over rubbing them together and over each other like she was trying to wash her hands.

"I...just wanted...a better life." She whimpered and turned her head away from him as far as she could. Suigetsu glared out his window, hearing that. A better life? What better life did she need? She was well taken care of. She lived in a beautiful upscale house all her livelihood. She had everything and anything a child could have wanted, unlike him.

His parents struggled and stretched every last dollar they had for him and their house. They were constantly counting pennies, and while they did have some to most comforts, the fact was, it was a hardship to do so. Karin never had that. Almost like Sasuke, she had everything handed to her on a silver platter and never had to worry about such a thing. He looked back at her with a glare of further scrutiny.

"A better life? How, Karin? You had everything you could have ever asked for. Your parents are well off—"

"We're broke!" Karin snapped her head to him and yelled suddenly. Suigetsu quieted with his eyes wide on her. Karin sobbed and cried, first in his face before she slowly placed her face into her hands.

"W-We're...We're broke. We've been broke since junior year of high school." She whispered and hiccupped disdainfully as if she had just accepted that proclaimed harsh reality. His brow furrowed and he contemplated it.

Again, knowing her family, they weren't the most strict of people, but they also weren't those who took failure graciously, nor without reprieve. They were almost harsher than the Uchiha's, and Suigetsu had indeed met Fugaku Uchiha.

Karin's family were cakewalks, compared to the Uchiha who held importance to everything they did, from waking up to going to bed, but they were desperate for the same recognition as the Uchiha. Her family was money and power-hungry. They did anything they could to maximize their profits. Even down to cost-cutting layoffs and cutting loose corners with any prospects they might have.

And as far as he could tell, they were using Karin as well, to the full extent that they could to elevate their status.

"I know! I know it isn't an excuse and I'm sorry! I also know, "sorry" doesn't cut it. I-I know…b-but I have nothing else." She cut him off to start explaining herself, and he just stared and listened. None of what she had explained to have done held no excuse or warrant, and he could tell Karin was feeling the same. She really did have an epiphany.

Too bad it took Sasuke nearly strangling her, to have one.

"E-Everyone…Everyone thinks my life has been easy. That it couldn't be easier. But that's not true. My life...it's not…" Karin exclaimed sorrowfully. Suigetsu looked back to her with his concerned violet eyes and his brow furrowed as he watched the woman he loved tear, bite her bottom lip and clench her hands into tight, shaking fists on her lap.

"I wanted to finally prove to my parents I'm not a waste…" She trailed off again and Suigetsu stared at her sullenly, and understood his earlier thought was right. It wasn't just the obsession with Sasuke. It was part of it, but it stemmed from her family. This came from her screwed up family and she did what she was taught and told.

"Did they put the idea into you to marry Sasuke?" He questioned and when he watched Karin press and bite her bottom lip again, he already knew he was right.

It wasn't just her. Her parents had her in chains. They were her only source of finances and with nowhere to go, she did whatever they said.

"...T-They said if...if I had nothing to offer, I could at least manage that." Karin whispered too helplessly. Suigetsu's eyes widened, and he watched Karin turn back to her fidgeting and nervously rubbing hands.

"I-If not, they have no reason to keep me…at all. They have no reason to keep me in the will, in the family...not even in the house. Th-they're gonna kick me out of everything. Sasuke...Sasuke was my only chance." She proclaimed in a whimper. She, next, sniffled and sobbed harder than before and she threw her head back whilst slapping the palms of her hands to her own face.

"W-What...what was I supposed to do? I-I've never been on my own. I've never done anything on my own..." She asked in complete bitterness and she sobbed. Suigetsu stared at her for the moment, not giving her a response or a reaction.

"I didn't know what to do and got desperate. I don't know what to do. I'm scared. I'm scared of being on my own. I'm scared...of no one taking care of me. I'm...Suigetsu, I'm scared." She cried out hopelessly and he continued staring at her.

"You ruined Sasuke and Sakura...all because you were scared?" He questioned with his own disbelief. She obviously admitted herself correctly; she had been nothing but selfish. She did this and let this continue for Sasuke and Sakura, because she was scared.

"You ruined everything between them because you were scared, Karin?" He repeated.

"I'm just realizing that now...after screwing up everything...after what you said, I'm so sorry. I can't take it all back, even though I wish I could. Honestly. I wish I could take it all back." She proclaimed, shedding even more tears than before. He shook his head and turned to look away from her.

He shut his eyes with frustration with what should have been an obvious solution for her, had she not had her head up her ass.

"You could've come to me, Karin!" Suigetsu shouted lightly and Karin snapped her gaze to him with a sullen silence. He glared out the window, before slowly turning to her with his still unchanged look.

"You know damn well, you could have come to me for anything. How many times have you and it wasn't a problem?! All you had to do was say you needed help. All you had to do was say so! Not this." He continued to scold her.

"I know! I know but, obviously, there's nothing I can do to take it back! If it means anything, anything at all, I do wish I could take it back…I do. I just...I didn't know what to do. I didn't know how to ask for help or...or how to say they wanted nothing to do with me." She weeped. Suigetsu rubbed at his eyes and sighed in exasperation at the explanation.

They stayed in somewhat silence, the only sounds in the car being Karin's sniffles and whimpers. As he stared down at Sakura's apartment building from between his fingers, another question came to mind about yesterday—one that had been bothering him ever since.

One that he hoped Karin would give him the answers to and he hoped those answers would help the situation.

"...Indra Otsutsuki. He helped you get into the building in disguise, didn't he. Did he know everything?" He speculated knowingly whilst looking to her for a reaction. He even now just realized where he knew the name Senju Mito from. It was her late grandmother's name. Her eyes were cringing, and her hands had clenched at her lap tighter.

Just that told him all he needed to know, but he wanted the absolute confirmation.

"Karin, tell me everything, now. What's his part in this? You can make up for it still. You can still make things right. I can help you make it right, but you need to tell me everything you can." He urged her to open up. She bit her bottom lip uncomfortably, and shifted in the car seat in similar fashion.

"I...I involved him. He...He was supposed to get into her head and then keep her from Sasuke for as long as he could...for me...until I could get Sasuke to accept me..." She admitted quietly, as if she didn't even want him to hear it. Suigetsu's white eyebrows knitted together at the confirmation of what he felt, deep in his gut. Ever since seeing the Otsutsuki that day, and watching him leave alone, he knew it was a red flag.

And what he told him while leaving…

"She's not the woman I want. I'm sure she'll be down shortly." The bastard said...and Suigetsu felt like it was an absolute slap in the face to him for not reading in between the lines then.

The disguised woman…Karin, is not the woman he wanted. And the one who came downstairs shortly thereafter…the woman he wanted…

"I might just take her away." So, he found a way. Like he thought he would, the Otsutsuki tried to get to Sakura again, and this time, he found a way and succeeded. Suigetsu's eyes glared, though his anger right now was not towards Karin. It was with the bastard Otsutsuki.

"He went along with your plans...to get to Sakura." Suigetsu deduced instantly, looking to Karin for her say. She bit her bottom lip again.

"Y-Yes...i-it was all my idea, but I bribed him into helping me with the promise that she and Sasuke wouldn't be together anymore. I...I told him he could have her..." Suigetsu couldn't help but glare at her with that confession. She told Indra he could have Sakura, when that wasn't her decision to even make. How blind had she been to just meddle and sabotage people's lives like this?

He shook off his anger with her for the moment. This information was more important.

"So it's possible that he has her? If that was the plan, he probably stuck around nearby for Sakura, am I right?" Suigetsu further questioned and Karin gave a hesitant nod.

"He might...I...I don't know if he caught her or anything. I-I haven't contacted him or anything at all, so, I d-don't really know to be honest..." She admitted to him. Suigetsu scoffed and brought out his phone.

"Tch. I knew that fucking Otsutsuki was a goddamn snake." He went to his contacts and was about to dial Sasuke, only for Karin to grab his hand.

"W-Wait! Y-You can't call Sasuke! Please!" She shrieked in a panic. Suigetsu's brows furrowed, and he instantly glared at her incredulously.

"What the hell are you talking about? He has to know about this, Karin—"

"H-He...He'll know I was here with you. He'll…" She shifted her fearful eyes away and her other hand reached to stroke her scarf-wrapped neck. Suigetsu's brows furrowed and his glare changed from bewildered anger to somber understanding.

Sasuke really did put the fear of God in her yesterday, if she was that terrified of him, even catching the idea that she might have been around Sakura's home. And as he thought about it, she wasn't wrong about that being a possible outcome.

Sasuke did need to know about this. Sasuke needed to know that Indra was a primary suspect to Sakura's currently two day disappearance, if he didn't suspect so already.

However, the only way he'd be able to know any of this information was through Karin or Indra themselves. And telling Sasuke about it, instantly proved he talked with one or the other here, considering he was ordered not to leave Sakura's street for anything. He was ordered to call the instant she walked up to her brownstone home and whatever happened afterward, he could only assume would be between Sakura and Sasuke.

Meaning Sasuke would figure out either Karin or Indra came to the area to tell him. Indra most certainly wouldn't tell him such a thing, which would leave Sasuke with Karin…

And after what Karin told him about Sasuke's threats…it wasn't safe for her in the slightest, if he called Sasuke now. Even if he put in a good word for Karin, even if he explained her actions and how sorry she was, he was certain Sasuke wasn't going to have it.

The CEO of Uchiha Corps would undoubtedly go for Karin's neck in an instant, again. After all this, and the last two days of Sasuke becoming more and more hysterical, Suigetsu knew Sasuke would go after her in all ways; no matter how much he pleaded mercy for her. Sasuke would never listen to or consider all the selfish points Karin made for doing what she did; for ruining him and the love of his life.

Hell, as a man who still stupidly loved her, even he barely could withstand what she had done; to the two people he held favor for a lot. She hurt two people he truly did care about. Sakura looked already broken when he saw her that day, and Sasuke was slowly, but surely, being torn apart in every way. Suigetsu closed his eyes in deep thought of what to do.

She did deserve some kind of retribution for all this. Karin did deserve to be punished...and as always, he stupidly loved her too much to allow that. He would cushion whatever blows came her way, as much as he could. Hell, that's why he was so upset she didn't tell him about her screwed up assholes for parents. Suigetsu locked his phone and sighed with exasperation.

'The things I do for this woman.' He thought grudgingly and reached into his pockets. He brought out his keys, and handed them to her forcefully. Karin looked down at the keys he shoved into her hand, and looked back at him with confusion.

"Take the car, go to my apartment and stay there. Whenever Sasuke decides I can call it a night, I'll make my way back by train. For now, you just lay low at my place and you speak to no one. Understand? If Sasuke somehow finds out we spoke and I didn't tell him, we're both screwed." He commanded, already unlocking the car doors with the button on his side, and he clicked open his door.

"W-Wait! What do you mean? I don't understan—" He was already out of the car as Karin scrambled over the car's gear and dashboard to get to the driver's side from the passenger seat. She started crying out and he turned to see her tearful and confused face.

Karin felt a slight pain in her chest when he gave her back a sullen look.

"I'm...trying to help you, alright? So just do as I say and don't be so damn stubborn as always. Don't worry about your family or anything. Go to the house. You know where it is." He repeated with an urging tone in his voice.

"If you want some food and drinks, here." He started digging through his pockets again and this time brought out his wallet. He took out a hundred dollars and lifted it to her. It was close to midnight, and there probably weren't a lot of places open right now, but it should be enough for whatever she felt like eating. She stayed looking at him with a flabbergasted stare.

The money...didn't really matter much to her, right now.

"Pretty sure all I got is some instant cup ramen and maybe some rice at my place. I don't eat at home a lot, so just order whatever you want to order. I only have a bit of juice, I think, in the fridge; so maybe stop by somewhere for beverages. Don't worry about the change." He explained and she stared back at him. He gave a slightly annoyed glare and gave an urging gesture for her to take the money.

Karin's eyes lowered with discontent and turmoil as she hesitantly took the money from Suigetsu's hands. He gave a tired sigh and he lowered his head.

"Alright. See ya later."

"Wait! Suigetsu?" She called out and he turned to her.

"W-Why…why are you helping me like this? W-Why are you doing all this for me?" She asked and the two locked eyes for the entirety of that moment. She watched a bittersweet look come to his brilliantly violent eyes—even in the dark of night—and he gave an equally somber smirk. His head lowered, tearing their eye contact before he shifted his gaze slightly to the side.

As if he didn't want to look at her.

"Because I love you, Karin. And you're supposed to help the people you love." He said quietly, making her eyes widen even more.

"Even...after what I've done? After all these years…?" She asked him. He still didn't meet her gaze. Instead, it seemed that his eyes had become even more saddened, before he closed them tiredly with a sigh.

"Yeah…even now." He said deeply and shut the car door for her. Karin watched as he lifted his purple eyes to her crimson tomato red orbs.

The somber look he had, gave away to a loving one...and then to that playful one he always gave her when he was about to say something stupid. That tender and taunting look that gave her all kinds of irritations down to her very soul. She always hated this look. She had always associated it with him bashing her or ridiculing her.

Now...all Karin could see was a man that loved her, and one reason it wasn't apparent was because she always thought he teased the fact of it. The other...the other was that she was so blind to her family's wills and wishes and her obsession to fulfill them by getting Sasuke.

"Stupid, right? Guess you calling me a moron all these years wasn't too far off." He chuckled and she said nothing. Because the last thing she wanted to call him for loving her all this time, even when she paid him no mind, was stupid. She was the stupid one all along, after all. And she realized she had wasted so much of everyone's time, including her own. Including Sasuke's. Especially Suigetsu's.

And if she wasn't that far off with calling him a moron or any other insult she used synonymous with that, then he wasn't far off with the plenty of other times he jokingly called her a bitch.

"So...stop being a stupid bitch and get going already. Or do you want He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named to sense your presence here?" He scoffed out humorously. Tears ran down her face that he didn't see, because he was already turning to walk towards Sakura's building.

And Karin could only cry in his car for at least ten minutes before driving and doing as he said.

That was last night. She'd been at his apartment ever since and it was now midmorning of the third day since everything transpired. She stayed and he of course noted how she was trying to do things for him.

He came back by seven in the morning only to find that she was making breakfast for him—even though it totally sucked. However, when he ragged on her for it as he normally would whenever she did anything wrong, she screamed he was an ungrateful ass, only to stomp off and "go clean somewhere". She cleaned up his apartment, only to miss some spots or not clean it all the way; although, she blamed that on not knowing how to properly clean.

He excused it all, honestly, just because he knew she was going through a tough time right now. He ate the just slightly terrible food she made and he still thanked her for what she did. He could tell Karin was trying to be good to him, though he didn't get why. This wasn't the first time he gave her shelter and refuge after one of her episodes.

Was she attempting to just do good by him, for all the years he had been pained by her? Whatever it may be, he wasn't going to question her on it. Not until he was sure it wasn't just some pity actions she was taking on him after having finally confessed to her. He really didn't want her like that, which is why he was still treating her the same as always.

Suigetsu checked his watch with a glare. Damn. He really only meant to take a half hour nap after he ate. But not only did he sleep well past two and a half hours instead, he just had to spend twenty minutes teasing Karin about her attempt at cleaning his neglected apartment. And now he was way more behind than he wanted to be.

The Otsutsuki probably already left his hotel. Or maybe he never had a chance at catching the Otsutsuki at his hotel earlier, either.

"S-Sorry..." Karin suddenly said, snapping him from his thoughts. He eyed her with dumbfounded surprise. Her eyes were still downcast and looking away, and she was holding her wrist in front of her, like she did something else wrong.

"Huh? What for?" He asked. Karin's eyes cringed, and she starting twisting at her hair, the way she always did when anxious or nervous.

"I-I...I let you sleep in because I was sure you were tired...you said that was the second all nighter you pulled so I thought you wanted to rest." Her eyes saddened a bit more and her face scrunched with discomfort and disappointment. He stared at her, being even more taken aback by her.

"But you...wanted to be awake earlier, didn't you...? I'm...I'm sorry. I'm sorry I can't...do anything right..." She concluded, and kept her eyes low, going back to nervously rub her wrist again. The look tugged at his heartstrings. The next thing he knew, he was slowly grabbing her hand. She shot up to look at him when he did, and he couldn't help but note the hopeful gleam in her eyes.

He gave her a small and reassuring smile.

"No need to talk like that. It's fine Karin. I was just kidding about breakfast and the cleaning. Thanks for everything. I did need the rest. Last few days have been exhausting as hell." He brushed off.

What he thought would be comforting words, pained her. The last few days were exhausting for him and it was all her fault. In her transgressions against a King and his chosen Queen, Sasuke lost said love. His beloved was missing and as anyone would assume of a man with the wealth and power he had, Sasuke would expend any and all resources for her to be found.

She still imagined him as a King, and at this moment he was mobilizing all his armies to scour the Earth, until his Queen was found. No village, town, city, county or country would be left unturned; and after yesterday, Karin was certain if Sasuke had to burn it all to the ground to find her and get her back, he would.

If he had his way, she was sure Sasuke would order that no one was allowed to rest until Sakura was found. How many people were suffering through that right now? Suigetsu was suffering. She was certain there were plenty of other people suffering through this.

She couldn't even imagine Sasuke's stage of suffering and it was all her stupid, stupid, fault.

Suigetsu saw through her, and gave a comforting squeeze of her hand. There was nothing he could say, truly. Unfortunately, she was still in the wrong and her guilt wasn't going to go away this soon.

"I'm gonna get going. Maybe I can still catch and tail him from the hotel. I left some more cash on the coffee table in the living room, in case you need it." He told her. Karin nodded, and her eyes lowered back down as he began walking towards his apartment's exit. For a moment, she stood blankly, thinking about anything else she could do to make things up to Suigetsu and for the situation as a whole. She brought up the hand he just finished holding to her chest in absent thought.

As Suigetsu clicked open the locks to exit, something clicked in her mind. Her sullen eyes snapped wide with recollection. The hand on her chest slowly closed into a confirmative fist.

When she was being a fool, and doing everything she did to harass Sakura, to get to Sasuke...to set up everything, she tracked down Indra. She did extensive research into him, the same way she did Sakura.

Her face flashed up. She wasn't sure if this information she pulled would be any help. She wasn't sure if it was going to be a waste of time but...

You can still make things right. I can help you make it right, but you need to tell me everything you can.

This could be useful. If Indra did have Sakura...

"Suigetsu!" She shouted. He turned in alarm, raising an eyebrow. She had a serious and determined gaze in her eyes. Her face gave one of promise and Suigetsu turned to face her with his undivided attention. She had a confident stare in her eyes, that screamed this was important.

"The hotel...it's not the only place he can stay in Konoha. It's true, his primary living addresses are in Redaku. So is the family's and their headquarters. It's true he booked the hotel to stay in, but...he does have properties here, in Konoha." Suigetsu's eyes widened incredulously at the statement. Properties? The hotel wasn't the only place he could stay…

Which meant it wasn't the only place he could keep Sakura.

"I uncovered two of them...before I...found his hotel." She said the last part ashamedly and her gaze fell, losing its confidence and all to give a similar look of shame. Suigetsu dashed for her and grabbed her at the shoulders. Karin shrieked only to look up at Suigetsu's big grin.

"Are you sure?! Do you still have the addresses?!" Karin gave him a flabbergasted look. She wasn't expecting him to be so...happy about this. And though she couldn't really show it right now, with her stunned stare, it felt good to see him like this.

He was looking at her like she was the most important person in the world; like she was the best person in the world.

And she had never been looked at like that before. Ever.

"Y-Yeah—"

"This changes everything! Send them to me through text, alright? I'm gonna get a move on to the hotel first and then I'll check the others. If anything, I might even catch that bastard red-handed with her!" He said excitedly and already ran out the apartment, closing the door behind him.

Karin gave a concerned gaze towards the closed door and she grabbed her phone. She did exactly as he said, sending the two addresses she had dug up on Indra when trying to figure out where he would be staying.

Her eyes pained when she remembered the fact that the only reason she knew Sakura had something to do with Indra was that she had indeed hacked the woman's phone and listened in on anything she could. She heard everything between the pinknette and Sasuke. She heard everything between her and Indra in her apartment and that's when she started digging into him.

She was that talented a hacker, although it was difficult to get Sakura's number without external help for some reason. And where she mainly used her skills for the wrong reasons all these years, she was glad something good finally came of it, somewhat.

She really hoped to do her best to atone for the things she had done. She hoped she really did help with the information she sent to Suigetsu, if not to feel a little better about herself…

"Have you finally achieved your dreams, after destroying mine? After ruining everything I wanted, have you finally gotten what you desired?!"

...then for Sasuke. If she had to hate herself for the rest of her days, then she'd do that; if it would help Sasuke reunite with the woman he obviously loved more than anything in the world.

In the midst of her thoughts her phone rang. She eyed the caller ID and her brow furrowed. An unknown number…could only mean…

She answered the phone immediately. She had something else in store in case this didn't work out, but after her rather violent and strenuous realization, she had long decided she wasn't going to go through with it. She still wasn't even sure what the full details were and the last thing she wanted to do was somehow hurt Sasuke more. However directly or indirectly...she never wanted to see the torture she saw in his dark eyes that day, ever again. She hoped such a look never reached his eyes again, with or without her hand in it.

The man who answered her silent tone on the other line would undoubtedly do so...especially when his apparent end of the bargain was to deal with Sakura. She didn't know what she was thinking trying to strike a deal with that man. She must have been that desperate.

Danzo said he would just pay her to go away and that all he wanted was to appeal for his job back. That the streetrat would take the money and walk out on Sasuke entirely...and Karin wasn't sure that was his true intent. She didn't know what Danzo's motives were truly. She never did, in the time she worked with Sasuke and she didn't care about him after she left.

She didn't know anything about his current status with Sasuke since she had been too focused on digging up on Sakura and anything else around their relationship she could use to her advantage.

Danzo was a factor who just so happened to present himself as a possible option.

"Been a while, Karin. You never reached out after our last talk." Danzo's smug voice said over the line. Karin's eyebrows furrowed and her lips frowned.

"Listen, forget it. We're done."

"Oh? And why's that? I thought you'd give anything to be with the Uchiha."

"Things have changed." She retorted shortly, her eyes shifting into the shame she still felt. Danzo was silent on the line.

"Listen here, Karin. All I needed from you was to get me time with the Uchiha alone, so I can appeal for my job back. In return, I'd get rid of your problem. It's an easy exchange—" Karin cut him off right there.

"I can't do that."

"And do pray tell why not?" Karin's hand squeezed the phone, and she gave a loathsome glare, one that would have been directed at herself if she had a mirror. What she was about to say, she grudgingly accepted and she hated herself for not coming to such a realization sooner.

"I can't get near Sasuke and you were not going to just get rid of her with money. She wouldn't have left him for any amount you offered so, no. It isn't a deal." Karin reaffirmed, closing her eyes with the finality of that sentence. She was certain of it, after seeing how Sakura reacted to Sasuke. With how distraught she became at the sight of Sasuke with her and the fact that she left him, even with all the wealth he had, Sakura would have never left…

If it had not been for her.

"And what makes you say that?" Danzo questioned. Karin's brow furrowed.

"It doesn't matter. Anyway, I doubt he's in the right mind to see anyone about their jobs, so forget it Danzo. We no longer have a deal to make." She closed and hung up to show she was done. She put the phone down and walked to the kitchen.

She had done some food shopping for Suigetsu in the morning and after getting roasted about her making overcooked sunny side-up eggs and burnt bacon, she figured now was as good a time as ever to try her hand at cooking again.

Hopefully...she could make Suigetsu something really delicious...if she tried and practiced hard enough. She was about to get to it, when a thought crossed her mind.

You can still make things right.

...Staying here and playing house, wasn't going to make it right. Staying here and not doing anything to remedy the situation she herself made. All of this was her fault.

And with all her schemes against Sasuke's and Sakura's relationship...she now had another one. One that would be for them.

One she hoped would make things right.

So, she got dressed. With a determined look in her eyes, she threw on jeans and a dark t-shirt. She picked up her hair into a ponytail, and then sent a detailed message to Suigetsu again. She had something of a plan. If it went well between her and Suigetsu's collaboration...they might be able to at least confirm if Indra had Sakura or not.

Her phone signaled a message received back.

Are you sure about this? This sounds like it could get dicey somehow.

She stared at the phone and send back a message. She grabbed the spare keys he had for the apartment and walked out the door.

Her eyes gave a determined look, focused on doing what she told Suigetsu in that final message.

I want to make things right.

---

Danzo smirked at the end of the interesting call standing in the warehouse he had been hiding out in on the outskirts of Konoha. The Karin woman unknowingly gave him a bit of interesting information, if he did say so himself.

The woman was previously all eager for his proposition to get rid of Sasuke's precious tart. And now, she was backing out, as well as claiming she couldn't get near the Uchiha. It could only mean something happened between her and the Uchiha to change her mind. Something that closed her off to Sasuke entirely. If he had to guess, the Uchiha was most likely furious with her and she was no longer allowed near him.

Good. And the angrier the Uchiha was with her the better. He could possibly still use the girl, if he got a bit creative and learned the exact situation.

Another satisfying piece of information, was that the pink haired wench that caught the Uchiha's heart was most likely not within the said man's grasp. Karin said the woman wouldn't have left the Uchiha for anything he offered. On top of the Uchiha apparently not being in his right mind for "job talk", it all melted down into a comical conclusion for Danzo.

Karin did something, and Uchiha's lover was out of his clutches. All the while, the Uchiha was most likely losing his mind, having lost his beloved whore.

"You're smiling. I can only assume that means good news." A grey haired man spoke, shifting his circular glasses to properly sit on the bridge of his nose. Danzo chuckled.

"Indeed Kabuto. Sasuke is vulnerable and I have a feeling his little whore is as well. If we want to get that bastard, we should strike now." Danzo relayed, with an excitedly malicious smirk on his lips.

"No need to be so hasty." A separate voice sounded and the two turned to see Orochimaru walking in, his hands in his slacks and the seemingly permanent look of smugness in his snake-like features. Danzo gave a glare.

"The time to act is now. If we grab Uchiha's pink haired tramp, with his current state, there's nothing he won't agree to. Including all those experiments of yours." Danzo pitched to Orochimaru's unchanging face. The man's gold eyes gleamed on Danzo, and he stepped closer to the men.

"If it is as you say and he is vulnerable, then yes, I agree. We should act now." Orochimaru agreed, closing his eyes as if to contemplate all scenarios that could occur.

"However, acting upon the situation without full knowledge of it would only lead to your needless exposure should things not go well. We should take our time. Learn what we can. Besides, the three of us would not like to attract the attention of that man. You in particular, Danzo, got extremely lucky he didn't catch wind of all your schemes." The snakeman said, placing a hand on Kabuto's shoulder. He kept his eyes staring at the grey haired assistant.

"When we're certain of all variables, Sasuke Uchiha will belong to us." Orochimaru ended. He looked back to Danzo with a sly look in his eyes.

"So, let's be patient just a little longer." Danzo gave an impatient glare and Orochimaru's suggestion. He scoffed, and started walking off.

"Fine. But let's hurry. I grow impatient to have everything that should have been mine." Danzo said as he left the two men watching his back. After a moment of silence, Kabuto chuckled.

"He's quite ambitious, Orochimaru-sama. He could prove to be of further use." Kabuto regardfully complimented, staring at where Danzo's back disappeared from.

"Are you sure you wish to dispose of him like this?" Kabuto asked and Orochimaru's golden eyes glinted.

"Ambition never means anything, Kabuto. Anyone can have ambition. Anyone can have drive and motivation, but such ambition means absolutely nothing, when you don't have your own means to apply it. Especially when you don't have the smarts to utilize said ambition towards your goals." Orochimaru said, a smirk on his features.

"And Danzo Shimura...is nothing but an ambitious fool. A fool I'm utilizing for my ambitions." The snakeman sneered with an approving smirk from Kabuto.

---

Itachi was absolutely frustrated. This kind of thing should have been simple for him. A missing woman shouldn't be hard for him to find with his resources and his connections. Hell, before she ever got with Sasuke, before she ever knew his own name, he found her within twenty minutes of Sasuke calling him. Then again, Sasuke called him directly after she had left Uchiha Corps and he happened to be in the area. This was an entirely different situation.

Still, she shouldn't have been able to evade him like this. He suspected entirely she was definitely holed up somewhere. She was absolutely staying put somewhere; the question was, where? Should they start checking hotels and the likes as well? But there were hundreds in Konoha.

Still, despite the bleak outlook, at most, he gave Sakura until tonight before he found her, but he was starting to worry he might not.

He got confirmation of her being here, a bar called the Black Lagoon. And upon speaking with the bartender, named Rock, Itachi learned the details of who she was seen with that night. A man by the name of Uncle Uncle, who just so happened to leave with Sakura when the violent owner Revy came in to threaten the man for his unpaid tab.

Apparently, a homeless drunk who could be anywhere in town at any time. Homeless people were always the hardest to track. They had little to no contact with family members and all of the city they could go. Just a description and his name weren't going to cut it, especially when the homeless were often a tight knit group that looked after their own.

They weren't going to give up Uncle Uncle, especially in the case of a missing woman. A special woman at that. His brother's, Uchiha Sasuke's precious treasure.

And with the cruise just another thirty-two hours away, departing tomorrow night at eight, Itachi knew Sasuke was desperate to find her. He couldn't get out of the cruise and was still expected to attend, despite Sakura's absence. He'd very much rather find Sakura before having to leave for three weeks.

That was going to be a hell for him all on its own, if that turned out to be the case.

Itachi let out an exasperated sigh and brought out his phone to send a mass message. He supposed he should start with ordering any and all men available to search the city for this "Uncle Uncle" person. It would take time, considering they'd have to track the homeless man the old fashioned way; street by street, person by person. Hundreds of thousands of times of asking, "Have you seen this man?".

Best to start and get a move on it himself. He could start in the Backstreets again. From the time frame Rock gave, it's likely that's where Sakura encountered Uncle Uncle, before they came to the bar. In fact, Itachi wondered if maybe there was an entrance into the Backstreets nearby that might help him trace Sakura's steps. It was a longshot, but he might find Uncle Uncle somewhere there.

"Itachi-kun! Is that you?" He heard a familiar voice say and his heart thumped. He slowly turned, his eyes surprised to see Izumi standing there. She was in a white sundress today, that was decorated in intricate royal blue flowers in certain areas of the dress and over it, a blue long sweater. Her long brown hair was let down and parted to the right. She gave a grand smile.

"Heheh! It is you! I wasn't sure from the distance, but looks like I can still pick you out in a crowd." She chuckled. Itachi stared at her, a bit flushed before his eyes lowered.

"Ah. It's nice to see you, Izumi. I'm a bit busy at the moment however, so I have to get going. Maybe we can catch those drinks we spoke about at the restaurant with Tenma." Itachi excused only to hear his own voice betray him. The way he said Tenma's name…

The man had been a friend to him all those years ago. Truly. He was a good friend and a good man.

"Well, I guess this date's over huh? I can take you home to wash your hair and change if you want."

And Itachi was resenting him for a selfish reason.

"That was almost a month ago you know…" She said, grabbing his gaze. His eyes locked with hers and he noticed hers had a slight twinge of pain in them. His brow furrowed.

"Are you ever really going to have drinks with us…?" Izumi questioned, and her eyes lowered as if she already knew the answer. Itachi watched her orbs begin to fill with disappointment and his heart panged against his chest.

"Izumi, I'm sorry. I got busy and caught up in some things. I'll try to make it up to you." He apologized softly. Her eyes looked at him with that same disappointment, before she suddenly closed them with delight.

"Well, make it up to me, now! I'm free!" She requested gleefully. Itachi's eyes widened a bit, taken aback by her.

"Izumi...now is not really—" She approached him, wrapping her arm around his and yanking him in another direction. She was met with no resistance.

"Nope! I'm not taking 'no' for an answer! You still owe me for spitting wine all over me!" She laughed out. Itachi gave a blush of embarrassment at that as she continued to pull him along.

"I'm...still so sorry about that. It was a complete accident." Itachi apologized shamefully. Izumi laughed it off.

"It's alright. It washed off just fine. But what made the infamous Uchiha Itachi spit out his wine?" She questioned, eyeing him humorously and curiously. Itachi gave an uncomfortable side glance away from her.

"Well...Sasuke told me that night he...had a date and it surprised me—"

"WHAT?! SASUKE-CHAN HAD A DATE?! NO WONDER YOU SPIT WINE ON ME!" Izumi screamed in shock and surprise, making Itachi flinch from the slight heart attack she gave him. A big smile was on her face.

"No way! Now we're definitely having lunch and those drinks! You have to tell me everything!" Izumi excitedly proclaimed and started rushing ahead, still dragging Itachi along.

"I-Izumi—" He was about to explain that he was busy. He was about to say that he had to go, because of said brother's romance. The woman Sasuke had that date with was currently missing and he had to go help in the search for her.

Only for her to turn back and give him a radiant smile. One that always made his heart melt and all his convictions weak.

"Let's go, Itachi! There's this place I really like not far from here! And don't forget, you still owe me for that wine fiasco and 'no' is not an answer!" She laughed and turned back to face forward, happily humming as she got her way. Itachi's eyes warmed and pained on her at the same time.

He had sent the mass message in his phone to look out for the one called Uncle Uncle...and while he should be able to cut the search time by a considerable margin, this probably wouldn't take long. Izumi just wanted lunch. She just wanted to catch up and considering how he left things with her, it wasn't something he could deny her.

Especially, like she said, considering he spat his full mouth of wine all over her that night.

"I can spare about an hour." Itachi said softly, catching Izumi by surprise. She turned to him, wide eyed, slowing her pace. Itachi gave her a soft and understanding smile. So that's why she was being so abrasive. As she said, she didn't want no for an answer.

"I haven't eaten either." He admitted and watched Izumi's eyes light with joy...and hope. The smile she gave next was of absolute delight and giddy excitement.

And it pained him.

"Then off we go!" She cheered.

---

"Why didn't you wake me, Hinata-Chan!?" Naruto whined, thrashing out the bed and rushing for clothes. Hinata watched him from where she stood in Naruto's bedroom and twiddled with her fingers. It was two in the afternoon and he had just woken up after going to bed last night at four in the morning.

He spent all night searching and had been expecting to be up and at it again by nine in the morning. She tried to wake him, but the last fifty hours must have taken their toll on him, since he wouldn't get up no matter how much she shook him or what noise she made.

And she hated when she thought he was upset with her. Naruto always told her that there was never a reason he could be upset with her, when she spoke about how it made her feel once. But in times like this, she couldn't help but feel wrong and at fault.

"I-I d-did, N-Naruto-kun. But you didn't...you w-wouldn't wake up a-and…" Hinata timidly explained as Naruto threw on an orange t-shirt that was definitely from the hamper. It was probably one of the first things he saw and grabbed in his state of panic. Her eyes cringed.

"I-I'm sorry, Na-Naruto-kun. I know how y-you feel in times l-like this. I-I should have tried harder to wake you…" She apologized genuinely. Times like this where Sakura was gone were always a stressful time for Naruto, for obvious reasons.

Sakura was the sister he never had. She was always by his side and Naruto held her to a high importance. Naruto was always there to be sure Sakura wasn't handling things alone or overdoing herself and Hinata had long accepted that. When she met Sakura and Naruto in their preteen to teenage years, she saw why Naruto was always ready to jump through fire hoops for Sakura.

The girl did everything she could for everyone. No matter the cost to her, she did her best to survive and give, in a world that gave her nothing. She was responsible for patching up Naruto and anyone after a fight. She was always ready to fight for those that mattered to her and those too weak to stand up for themselves, never once regarding herself or her own wellbeing at all.

And Hinata had watched, time and time again, as that ethic and effort Sakura displayed even for strangers, was magnified by thousands for her friends and loved ones. Sakura would sacrifice herself for her friends if the need came, despite being the youngest and the smallest between the original trio that was her, Naruto and Shikamaru. And it was Naruto and Sakura who were together the longest.

For Hinata, she fully understood his overprotective panic. An older brother was worried about the current state of his younger sister. And as strong as Sakura was, even though they both knew they'd never have to worry about her being harmed or hurt, Sakura was still a woman. She was still a female human being and a drunk one at that.

Males were most dangerous to women in the state Sakura was in right now. Naruto's thoughts were undoubtedly racing with all the worst case scenarios.

"No, it's...it's alright Hinata-Chan. I'm the one who's sorry. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you." Naruto apologized and turned to her. Hinata's pearl lavender eyes stared into Naruto's stressed and tired sky blues and she sped walked to embrace him. Naruto held her back, staring tiredly over her shoulder.

"Maybe you should just relax for the day, Naruto-kun. It's been two nights and you haven't really slept." Hinata suggested quietly. Naruto's brows knitted together into a look of turmoil.

"I can't…she's out there." Naruto declined, pulling away only to stare down at Hinata's face. She watched the man she loved stare down at her painfully and he gave a reassuring squeeze at her waist. Hinata's eyes gave a concerned stare into his.

"She'll be fine. You know it. I know it. She's going to be okay. All hands on deck are looking for her, even now as we speak. It won't hurt if you take a break." Hinata comforted the thoughts she knew Naruto was having right now. His sky blue eyes remained stressed on hers.

"You know better than anyone I'm the last person who's gonna sit around and wait. Especially with the way Sakura-Chan looked…" Naruto said softly and his eyes showed dismay. Hinata's eyes pained, remembering the story Naruto had told everyone. How Sakura had walked in on Sasuke with another woman in the closet. How it drove the pink haired woman to her current state of being.

Hinata understood Sakura's feelings completely. She herself wouldn't know what to do in such a situation. She didn't know what she'd think, finding Naruto in such a way, and for the explanation to be that it was all a misunderstanding, she wasn't sure she could believe in Naruto either, if that ever came to pass.

"She's beyond hurt. She's hurting right now more than she's ever hurt before and I know it. And I can't let it continue. I can't let her go on thinking Sasuke did what he didn't do. I have to find her and explain what happened. She'll listen to me, for sure." Naruto listed off his reasons and gave a sense of duty that radiated off his aura. One Hinata saw.

And when he gave that determined look in his eyes that was there now, there was no stopping him from accomplishing his goal. He was going to do everything he could, no matter if he collapsed from exhaustion and fatigue. If he had to sacrifice meals and sleep to get through to Sakura, he would.

"I can't leave her out there thinking...Sasuke doesn't love her. I can't leave her out there thinking the first man she's ever been in love with would do something like this to her. I know that's what she's thinking right now. That's why she's run off like this…she loves him with all her heart and she can't stand to think he would do something like this." Naruto explained, all too knowingly. Naruto's hands around Hinata's waist squeezed a bit, in assurance to both her and himself.

Because he was worried. Even if this wasn't the first time Sakura went off like this, it didn't change that he feared for her well being. She was his little sister. She was, honestly, always going to be that scared little girl he jumped in to save from cowards. Through the years, that had always rang all too true. That had always been his mindset when it came to Sakura, even as they grew up and got older.

Even when they were full grown adults now, she was still that crying, trembling little girl in a tattered dress, that ever so hesitantly grabbed his hand when he offered it. She was the little girl who walked warily at his side and showed him the small shack in the slums she stayed alone in. And as the years went on, as their time together went by and their bonds solidified to the degree it was, he swore to himself and to her, that he'd protect her. From day one, when she took his hand, he promised to protect Sakura no matter what.

"I'll protect you always, now and forever, Sakura-Chan." He had promised all those years ago, holding her little hand in his and the fact that she was alone, just like him, made him hold on to that promise of a lifetime. He swore, year after year, to get stronger and better, to protect her and care for her, better and better. Sakura had quite literally given him a purpose in life, before Hinata ever came along.

For years, before Hinata, his reason for getting up every morning was for Sakura. After she started actively looking for him after that day so many years ago, she became the reason he left his house in the morning. She became the reason he broke nights, even as a child to protect her.

His sister didn't deserve any of this.

"Everything was perfect until it was ripped from her by Karin. I know that's what she feels now. I know she thinks Sasuke betrayed her and I can't let her think that way. Not with how much Sasuke loves her…not with how much she loves him." Naruto proclaimed avidly, and Hinata gave a pained look into his obviously tired eyes.

"Naruto-kun…"

"He's the one who can give her everything, Hinata-Chan! Sasuke loves her and he can give her everything. He will give her anything and everything! I won't let her lose that!" Naruto urged on with a slight desperation in his tone and Hinata's navy eyebrows lifted.

"Naruto-kun…"

"If there's anyone who can take care of her...if there's anyone who will take care of her besides me, it will be him. It has to be him. It can't be anyone else. So I have to get her back. I have to get her to Sasuke at all cost...so she can finally have the life I've wanted for her. So she can finally have the life she deserves!" Naruto strenuously claimed through his pained voice and eyes. Hinata stared back with a turmoiled understanding.

After all these years, Naruto's goal to give Sakura a life of comfort was nearly obtained. It was so close. Seeing Sakura be cared for so devoutly, so loved by a man that could give her everything she never had, Hinata knew just how important this was to him. Naruto was not going to give up.

But…

"Naruto-kun...we've spoken about this years ago." Hinata spoke somberly, and saw the despair in Naruto's eyes.

"I know what she means to you. I know how hard you've worked to give her anything and everything she could need. Sakura-Chan is dear to me also, but you can't always be the one to save her. We know by now, there are times where Sakura-Chan needs to save herself." Hinata explained and watched Naruto's eyes squint from disagreement.

"And in this case, it's not you who needs to save her. Even if you do find her first, you should let Sasuke-san handle it. They need to talk and everything will come to light." Hinata said calmly, and she caressed Naruto's turmoiled face comfortingly.

"I know you've done everything, all your life to protect her. You've done everything you could, to protect and provide for her Naruto-kun, but this is out of your hands. This is her heart and no matter what it is that you want for her, she's the one who will ultimately decide it all. It's her choice." Hinata wisely advised and somberly reminded.

"Just for the day. Rest. You can go back and search later on tonight, but for now, rest. It's what you told Sasuke-san didn't you? Even though you went on to keep searching for her yourself?" Hinata tried to persuade. Naruto's eyes cringed and they lowered from her gaze.

"I can't, Hinata-Chan. She's my sister. I promised...I promised I'd always protect her, no matter what. That includes protecting her from something like this. And even if it's as you say…even if it's her choice and her decision, I won't let her choose without knowing all the facts first. I won't let her choose to quit on Sasuke, thinking he doesn't really love her, when that's the furthest from the truth." Naruto answered quietly before their eyes met again. He gave a bittersweet smile.

"Sakura-Chan's never had a boyfriend that I knew of...even though I knew they crushed on her here and then. And, to be honest I always imagined the day she did, I'd be chasing them off or giving them hell; especially if they made her cry. If one of them...ever made her make that face she made, I would have done the unimaginable..." He spoke and Hinata felt his hands around her wrap into fists.

"But she got with Sasuke and...I know he's the one for her. She was the happiest I've ever seen her and...Sasuke is the same. He's the happiest he's ever been. He's the most free he's ever been and I know he'll give her the life I wanted someone to give her. He'll give her the life she deserves and before she decides anything, she has to know that. She has to." Naruto repeated woefully.

"He'll take more care of her than I could ever ask for him to and Sakura-Chan will do the same. And because of all this...I know she loves him just as much. With how broken she is right now, I know she needs to be with Sasuke." Naruto explained, as if he couldn't stress the importance of this enough.

"So I have to get them back together. For Sakura-Chan's sake, I'll bring her to her senses like I always do. I'll make her see the truth. And...for Sasuke too. As much as I believe Sakura-Chan needs him, he needs her. She's everything to him and each minute she's gone, he breaks even more." Naruto solemnly vowed. His eyes showed the pain of remembering his friend, distressed and holding his head on his destroyed office floor. He had never seen him like that. He had never seen Sasuke's eyes look so dejected and tortured. Not even when his parents passed away.

"You...didn't see them. Both Sasuke and Sakura-Chan...they were broken. The way Sakura-Chan was crying...the fact that Sasuke's been losing his mind, they both can't be left like this. So I have to do whatever I can. I'll get Sakura-Chan back no matter what...and I have to make sure she gets back with Sasuke." Naruto swore, turning and checking his phone for the latest updates given.

He stared at a received message from Itachi.

"Search all streets for heavyset male, homeless, long gray beard, between the ages of fifty to sixty-five. Goes by the name of "Uncle Uncle". Was last seen with Sakura at the Black Lagoon some time around eight thirty pm the first night. Potential primary person of interest." His blue eyes fueled with the fires of determination. Itachi was able to find this out?! Sakura's disappearance, if they were lucky, might be over sooner than they hoped.

Naruto was going to search every alleyway, every street, every corner of Konoha to find this Uncle Uncle. And if he had to beat Sakura's location out of him, he was going to do so.

This undoubtedly meant they were close to finding her. They'd find her soon and they could fix this entire mess.

"There's a lead. I'm off, Hinata-Chan. I'll text you if anything." He said softly, pulling away from her to grab a black jean-jacket. Hinata's eyes stared at him painfully and she grabbed his sleeve. He turned to her, his brow furrowed.

"Hinata-Chan, I have to—"

He was cut off with a gentle kiss from her. She had lifted onto her tiptoes, giving him a sweet peck before she lowered back down and released him.

"Be careful." She said quietly. Naruto's eyes cringed with a realization. He had been so worried over Sakura, he was already totally neglecting Hinata. He knew she understood him and all that, but it didn't make him feel less guilty.

She was the woman he loved, after all. He never wanted to make her feel lonely or neglected.

Gently, he wrapped his arm around her waist, and pulled her for a more passionate and full kiss than the one she gave him. Her eyes widened, a red blush reaching her face as she stared into Naruto's closed eyes. When he released her lips, he gave her a gentle, heartfelt smile.

"I'll see you later, Hinata-Chan. Don't worry." He said softly, before pulling away to leave. Hinata watched him leave with a solemn look in her eyes.

'Please, come back soon Sakura-Chan...it's not just Sasuke who feels your absence. It's not just him you're worrying.' She hoped her thoughts reached the pink haired friend...wherever she was.

---

Sasuke quietly opened the door to Sakura's apartment and at first, he didn't enter. He stood in the entryway, frowning at how she wasn't there to greet him. Or how she didn't shout where she was after having heard the door open.

He came here on a whim. After another restless night, he suddenly found himself here. He didn't plan for it, nor did he even think about it, but after a few excruciating hours spent in the office and driving around, he came here.

When he stepped in and closed the door behind him, he was met with a silence that bothered him to almost no end. He stood in the corridor between her living room and kitchen, enveloped in the almost deafening quiet. Though her belongings were still here, and they were both here no longer than a few nights ago, the place felt like it had been desolate for years.

This place...wasn't supposed to be empty. It wasn't supposed to feel so empty, even when she wasn't here. There had been plenty of times she left him in the apartment alone to go to the store for whatever they needed and it never felt like this.

His eyes shifted over to the couch, and he walked over to place a hand on the furniture. Just a few nights ago he had made love to her right here. It was on the couch that she told him those very words that had been haunting him for each moment she was gone.

"I love you Sasuke-kun and I won't leave you. I won't leave your side."

She wouldn't have left his side...if not for witnessing that damnable debauchery the other day. She would have never left him...and in a way, he supposed she hadn't. Not with the way her spirit had continuously been calling and reaching for him.

He still kept hearing her voice call for him. Her ghostly voice had been constantly whispering his name in his ears and the phantoms of her touch were starting to become frighteningly palpable. He was almost positive that was part the reason he came here. He subconsciously wanted to be coated in her presence, even if she wasn't here.

He silently moved to the bedroom, the memories of everything between him and her replaying as he walked through the apartment. Even memories of her here, with him, Naruto and Hinata, played for him, just so he could hear her laugh. As he kicked off his shoes, and took off his blazer, he sluggishly got himself into the twin sized bed he shared with her almost every night...before this.

He laid on his side, staring at the wall where Sakura would usually be. She'd smile at him sweetly, and she'd give that adoring look in her eyes, before kissing him goodnight.

His eyes drooped, and his mind blanked. Her scent was still here at least and it brought some comfort; however miniscule it may have been. Despite how empty the place felt without her presence, he simultaneously felt closer to her.

After having not slept for the last two nights, he found himself becoming drowsy and where he swore he wouldn't rest until he found her, it appeared being here tricked his mind and body into believing he did. Whether it was his sleep deprivation, or the fatigue he felt about everything, his body started shutting down no matter how much he fought it.

Kakashi was right. He should have rested at least a little bit, instead of pushing himself the way he had been to find her. The exhaustion was starting to take over and when he blinked...he instantly knew he passed out and was dreaming. She was there beside him. She was laying on her side the same way he was, and they were staring into each other's eyes.

He knew this was a dream. He knew he had passed out from the exhaustion that was not sleeping and stressing about her for well over forty eight hours. Yet, he felt nothing but a relief to see her there. They were still connected if she was here like this. His eyes stared painfully at her, and what he knew was a dream, for a moment, he deluded himself into believing it was real.

She was here beside him. She was home and safe. He finally had her back. And that was all that mattered. He couldn't care less where she had been. All that mattered was she was here now.

And he begged that nothing and no one wake him. Do not wake him, and bring him back to that hell of a reality that was life without her here. He didn't want to wake up, open his eyes, and see her gone from this very same bed he had lost consciousness in.

Leave him here, for however long, until she was actually and physically here.

"Sakura…" He called her name, and her eyes teared.

"Why? Why did you do this to me?" Her voice spoke in broken whimpers and he was already shaking his head and he moved, hastily lifting himself to hover over her with his forearm and to caress her falling tears away with the other.

"It wasn't me...it wasn't me, Sakura I swear." He spoke.

"You said I was beyond precious to you." She cried to him and his eyes cringed. He moved to be fully on top of her, holding himself up and pinning her with his forearms. He stared directly into her eyes.

"You are. You are beyond precious to me. You're everything to me." He promised only to see her crying eyes grow angry. Her brow furrowed and she gave him that hateful look he only saw on her face once before.

It was the way she first stared at Indra in his office. The way she stared at Indra that day was the way she was staring at him.

Like she was killing the most important person in the world to her.

"Then why were you with her?! Why?! How could you..." She started seething.

"It wasn't like that…Sakura, please believe me—" Her eyes glared at him.

"I hate you for doing this to me. I hate you for breaking my heart. I hate you!" She started yelling and pushing against him and he stayed. No matter the strength of her hits and pushes, he took them all and stared down at her painfully as she cried and flailed beneath him.

"...You can hate me all you want…" He suddenly whispered, staring into her crying eyes. His eyes filled with dismay and pain and just beneath that...burned the love he had for her.

"You can hate me and I'll take it. I'll take all the hate you have for me. So hate me all you want, Sakura. Hate me until you can't hate me anymore. You can push me away all you want...but I won't stop…" He began to whisper a truth he already knew. As he pushed his forehead against hers and stared into her tearful eyes.

And he made his vows.

"I won't stop loving you. I won't stop until I have you back. No matter what it takes, Sakura. If I have to suffer your hatred, if I have to suffer your anger and wrath, I will. I swear, no matter what...I'll fix this. I'll fix us." He promised her, his eyes shining with his sworn oath to her. He swore it. The moment he found her, the moment she was in his arms again, he'd fix everything she thought. He'd fix this entire mess and he'd have her back in his arms again.

"You'll never have to doubt me again. I promise when I find you, I'll love you until you can't take my love anymore. I'll love you to the point where I'll never have to tell you how much I love you again, Sakura." He continued to promise her tenderly, brushing his nose against hers.

"...I miss you. It hurts. Why did you have to hurt me like this?" His eyes pained at her whispered response. His stared into her cringing eyes, spewing crystal tears from the emeralds he loved and shook his head.

"I would never hurt you like this. Never. I swear. I'll explain it all. I'll do whatever it takes for you to believe me." He swore to her while kissing her tears away.

"I love you so much. I love and miss you so much Sakura, so, please...just come back to me." He whispered, brushing his lips against hers.

"Come back to me." He kissed her.

"Come back to me, Sakura." He repeated the words and kissed her again. Over and over, like a ritual, he kissed her lips, and tenderly called for her to come back.

"Come back to me, my love..."

And he felt her hand caress his face. He felt her slowly match his lips with each kiss and each plea for her to come back to him. He felt her.

"Come back...to me…" He whispered and twisted his head, for a deep, passionate kiss. Her hands went into his hair and the ecstasy he felt with it, drove him crazy.

"I'm...coming…" She suddenly murmured to him. He felt his heart flutter and he felt every hair on his body stood on end, expectantly. As if he knew she was coming. He started kissing her more feverishly, and she was kissing him back just the same. He pulled from her lips, eyes still closed only for the sensation of her to disappear.

"No…No!" He suddenly heard her yell and when he snapped opened his eyes, he was shocked to see her gone and he was surrounded by darkness. He wasn't even in the bed he laid down in anymore. He was kneeled on a dark floor, surrounded by nothingness.

"S-Sakura…" He shakingly called for her, fearing everything about this.

Then he heard her give a lengthy, agonized scream that made him jolt. His eyes widened, filling with despair, dread and turmoil all at once. It sounded as if someone was hurting her and he frantically searched the nothingness for her.

"Sakura!" He called out for her in a panic.

This was his worst nightmare. This was the one thing he feared. Ever since Naruto said she was gone, ever since they couldn't find her and she went missing, this was what he feared the most.

He feared someone making her scream like that.

He combed his hands in the darkness, trying to follow where he heard that scream come from. The fact that he could see nothing but his hands, didn't stop him from hurriedly scrambling around to get to her if he could.

"Sakura!" He called out again, only to hear her voice again in the completely opposite direction.

And this time she sounded hysterical.

"Let go! Let go!" His teeth gritted, hearing her scream again. A murderous violence filled him hearing her say that. His hands clenched into fists, cutting into his own palms even with the shortness of his nails. He spun around. Where? Where was she? Who was she telling to let go of her?

"Where are you?" He called out desperately for her.

If she was speaking to him, he'd undoubtedly see her. She'd tell him straight to his face and his heart filled with pure anger and fear mixed into one overwhelming feeling of frantic desperation.

If someone hurt her...if someone was hurting her...nothing was going to stop the warpath he'd go on.

"Let me go! I want to go!"

"Sakura!" He yelled her name.

"Sasuke-kun! Sasuke-kun!" He heard her cry out and scream hysterically.

"Sakura!" He shot up from the bed in a cold sweat and he panted from distraught fright. His body trembled from what started off as one of the sweetest dreams he had of her since this started and became his worst nightmare. One minute, they were together. He felt so close to her. They were connected and she...he felt it, she wanted him.

She needed him and that was the first time in his three days of hallucinating or daydreaming of her that it seemed like she was finally, truly responding. That wasn't his imagination. It wasn't his wishful thinking.

And then out of nowhere, their connection was severed. There was darkness. He couldn't see her in that darkness. He couldn't find her...and the way she started screaming…

That scream...he couldn't get that anguished, agonized scream out of his head. She sounded like she was in absolute hysterics.

He had never heard her voice like that. She didn't even scream like that when everything transpired. That desperate, hysterical cry that was screaming for him to go get her. To find her now, because some bastard had their hands on her.

"S-Sasuke-kun...S-Sa-su-ke-kun. Sasuke-kun..." He trembled, hearing her whimper now and shot his gaze to the clock on her nightstand.

Six-twenty. He'd only been asleep for four hours…four hours too long after that nightmare. He stood from the bed, running a hand through his hair and pacing as he checked his phone. Did anyone find anything new? Did anyone have a lead at all?

He was now beyond desperate to get her back. His mind and body were screaming bloody murder at the thought of someone having her. Someone touching her and holding her against her will.

"Let go! Let go! Let me go! I want to go!"

His hand squeezed at his phone and his angered eyes of desperation surfed through all the messages he missed, most of it being meaninglessness. Someone searching this area. Someone searching that area. He was too panicked right now to even fully comprehend the messages in general.

And his brow furrowed at the fact that Suigetsu had no input all day. He was always supposed to let him know when he got to Sakura's home. He knew Suigetsu had been pulling the last two nights, and tonight would make it the third, but he didn't want less hands. He wanted everyone searching for her. He didn't care how tired they were.

He wasn't even supposed to have slept here. He quickly grabbed his blazer and rechecked the messages again. He left Sakura's apartment and locked the door behind him. When he got downstairs and didn't see Suigetsu in front of Sakura's brownstone building, like he should've been, his eyes widened with anger.

He instantly started calling Suigetsu...only to irritatingly get his voice-mail.

"Yo! It's Sui. You know what to do when you hear the beep."

"Where. The hell. Are you? Call me back." Sasuke seethed, speed walking to his car. He was on edge. He was too on edge after having to hear Sakura's voice the way he just did. He called Naruto next.

"Teme! I've been trying to call you!" Naruto growled out over the other line. Sasuke was getting in his car.

"Obviously I fucking missed it." He seethed back.

"Tsk! Whatever! Where the hell are you?!" Naruto questioned urgently. Sasuke's brow furrowed.

"I'm...by Sakura's place." He admitted quietly and he heard Naruto go quiet. Sasuke's eyes lowered and a remorseful glare came to his eyes.

He shouldn't have come here. He wasted time. The one thing he still hated most in this world; wasting time and he did it all on the whim of wanting to be in her presence.

He should have been vigilantly looking out for her if he wanted to be in her presence that badly! He wasted three whole hours he could've spent searching with everyone else for her.

"...There are hundreds of messages in the group chat. Is there anything new? Anything—" He was about to ask.

"Come to the mansion. Now." Naruto suddenly said. Sasuke's brow furrowed in surprise and his eyes gave a bewildered glare this time.

"The mansion? What are you—"

"We've got him, brother." Itachi's voice suddenly came on. Sasuke flinched and froze.

"Itachi? What? Got who?"

"Who she was with that night. We've got him here. We're certain." Itachi said. Sasuke was silent, his bewildered eyes widening into blank ones of anticipation. His hand went to grab where his silver necklace was and he gripped it upon feeling the metal.

This was make or break. If they really found who she was with that night she disappeared, they were close. They were so close to finding her.

"What...what did he say?! Did he say where she went?! Where is she—" He was about to frantically ask, turning on his car to get a move on as they spoke.

So close. He could feel it, they were so close to finding her. If they could get answers—

"We don't have any answers right now. He's unconscious." Itachi dashed his hopes of obtaining an answer right now. Sasuke's eyes narrowed and his brow furrowed.

"He tried to run, apparently mistaking my men for people he owes money to. Rather quick and agile for his age and weight. He wasn't going to get far but Naruto, headed him off from a different path and knocked his lights out." Itachi explained.

"THE BASTARD WAS WITH HER AND WAS RUNNING! OF COURSE I WAS GONNA KNOCK HIS HEAD OFF!" Naruto yelled, the angriest Sasuke had ever heard him. Sasuke's hand gripped the phone and his eyes narrowed even further.

He understood Naruto and frankly, he agreed with him. He agreed fully but now, they'd have to wait for the asshole to be conscious again before they could learn anything, if there even was anything to learn from the guy. It was stupid. It was such a stupid, Naruto-thing to do and he couldn't even berate him for it, because he couldn't promise he wouldn't be as eager as him.

If he was cutting the fleeing man off, he probably would have done the same thing.

"Regardless, we brought him to the mansion for questioning." Sasuke glared, turning on his car.

"I'll be there soon." Sasuke snarled, a look of determined fury in his eyes. He hung up, his look unchanging as the new wallpaper he had placed on his phone came up and showed Sakura's smiling face, from his favorite picture of her. His eyes glimmered with wrathful promise as the anguished way she called his name replayed.

"S-Sasuke-kun...S-Sa-su-ke-kun. Sasuke-kun..."

His hand squeezed his phone and his dark eyes gave all the promises he could to her photograph.

"I'll be there soon...I promise."

And the moment he got out of the parking spot, he started speeding, way over the speed limit.

---

Sakura's eyes teared from where her head laid in her folded arms. Drunk again. Drunk and trying to forget him and the overwhelming pain she felt and instead, she was hearing his voice. She was trying to fight it off and trying to fight him off and he wouldn't stop. He still wouldn't stop haunting her.

He wouldn't stop loving her.

"Come back to me."

She was sitting at the kitchen island, a bottle in her hands and pain all too prevalent in her eyes. She heard his voice and felt his touch. She heard him calling for her.

"Come back to me, Sakura." She heard again and her eyes cringed. She sniffed and sobbed quietly, hearing the words be repeated. She imagined him kissing her and repeatedly saying those words over and over.

And slowly, she sat herself up. She looked to the bottle beside her and grabbed it. She stood up, taking deep breaths before she drank again. She chugged for a bit, before walking—swaying to where she remembered the bedroom was.

Apparently, his call had commanded her body. The order for her to "come back to" him was being followed on autopilot, despite her mind drunkenly screaming not to.

"He hurt you! He lied to you! He betrayed you! Stop! Don't go back! Don't make the same mistakes you already have!" A drunk her screamed, angry and viciously vindictive.

And the other...only stared back painfully, with a tormented sadness in her crying eyes, and spoke with a shaking and tearful voice.

"You love him. He's calling for you. He was begging for you. Just go to him. You miss him so much and you're barely functioning without him. Go." That Sakura said, somberly and quietly. And his voice came through her ears again.

"Come back to me, my love."

And apparently that Sakura and his ringing voice in her ears was winning, as her hand reached for the bedroom door. She remembered faintly, Migi and Indra said there were clothes for her here. Leaving in the dull gray nightgown she wore right now probably wouldn't be ideal.

Now those clothes. They were...where again? Migi usually just laid them out on the bed for her as she took a bath, but, where did she put them?

"My Lady? Is there something you need?" She was greeted by Migi just as she reached the bedroom door. Sakura's drunkenly blushing face looked back, still tear stained as she stared back at the maid.

"Come back...to me..."

"I'm…coming...-hic- I mean…-hic-" Her empty hand went to rub her own forehead, forgetting who she was talking to.

"I-I'm...I'm going…" She mumbled, reaching for the door and opening it. Migi followed her in, giving a concerned look as Sakura drank from the bottle still in her hand.

"Going? Going where, my Lady? Did you wish for air on the balcony? Or did you want a bath?" Migi questioned and Sakura shook her head, looking around the large bedroom.

'Where...where are…' She sluggishly thought, her brow furrowed as she tried to figure out where her clothing had been placed.

"Migi-san -hic- where's...where're my clothes?" She asked the maid, still looking around the room. Migi's brow furrowed.

"May I ask why, my Lady? What do you need? Do you wish for a pair of pajama pants instead?" Sakura shook her head, walking over to what she believed to be the closet, only for it to be the private bathroom.

"No. I'm...I have to go." Sakura slurred her answer, drinking again and still looking around.

"I...I have to go to…" She murmured, looking to another door and swaying towards it. She was about to reach for it, only for Migi to stand in her way.

"My Lady...I'm sorry, but I advise against leaving." Sakura's drunk eyes filled with confusion.

"H-Huh? W-What? Why? I have to—" Sakura questioned, only for the maid to give her a stern and immovable gaze from her eyes.

"You are not well, my Lady. You're far too inebriated to leave the penthouse. It is for your safety that you stay here." Migi informed with her hands behind her back.

"Then...T-Then won't you -hic- take me? Can you—"

"I do not believe taking you anywhere in this state can lead to anything good, my Lady. I believe it is best that you remain here." Migi respectfully rejected her. Sakura's brow furrowed, her face becoming upset and the alcohol in her system didn't help.

"No…No! Out of my way! I want my clothes! I'm—hic- I'm leaving!" Sakura drunkenly yelled. Migi stood firm, retaining her utmost professionalism as she stared Sakura stoically in the eye.

"I must reject your order my Lady. Please forgive my impudence. Understand it is for your protection." Sakura shook her head and threw the bottle to the floor in a fit of drunken anger.

"Get out of my—" Sakura was about to scream again.

"What's going on here?" The two heard and Sakura turned. At the entryway behind her, Indra stood, staring at them with concern.

"I-Indra. Indra I need my clothes. She won't let me! I need to go—" She instantly started telling him the case, walking towards him to plead into his eyes. He stared at her, sullenly seeing the drunken tears she was already spewing.

"Sakura, you've been drinking all day. It's not safe for you to leave in this condition." He said what he already painfully knew, lifting a hand to wipe a tear away.

Day three of her with him, and so far this had been all there was. Today she woke up, not as hungover as she was the day before thankfully and they even had breakfast together. The few moments he had with her, when she was somewhat sober this morning, was the only period of time she was somewhat relaxed and calm. He had even gotten caught up a bit on her life, since they had been apart.

He supposed it was because of the previous night's alcohol doing its work to dull her brain. And before he left for some errands earlier, she had indeed opted to stay when he asked if she wanted to go home.

"I'm...not ready yet." She said when she was sober to that question.

But like yesterday, and the day before that, she decided to drink her still present sorrows away in the safety of this place and then, like last night, when he returned from meeting with the Uchiha, she was inebriated and crying like this.

She cried for the Uchiha, over and over, consistently jumping between cursing him and scolding him—she had even screamed she hated him.

And then, she'd jump to…this.

"T-Then please, take me to...take me to him. I...I have to go to...him…" Indra's eyes pained, staring into her tortured crying ones.

"I...I have to go...he's...he called me. And he...h-he said he loves me. He misses me. He...wants to fix…" He gently walked to her as she rambled on things that didn't happen. Her eyes cringed.

"Sakura…" He said her name, gently pulling her into an embrace.

"H-He...he said—" She started whimpering in his arms and sniffling. He rubbed her back comfortingly and Migi watched, having not moved from her spot from the closet doors.

"He didn't call Sakura..." He said sullenly and honestly. Her tearful eyes shot up from his chest to him and he watched painfully as her wide eyes gave that distraught look she always gave when they got to this part.

"H-He...He did! I h-heard him. He said...h-he said come back. I...I have to go. I have to go to him!" She desperately tried to argue through her slurred speech. He caressed her face, stroking away the tears falling down her cheeks.

"He didn't call…" He whispered to her again, watching a pain reach her eyes.

"Y-You're...you're lying! You're lying! He did! Stop lying just because I'm drunk! He did!" She started yelling, pushing at him and trying to get out of his arms, but he held her in place. When he didn't let her go, she settled for beating her fists against his chest. His eyes pained on her, watching her struggle and fight to get out of his arms in vain, before she gave an anguished and agonized scream full of grief and torturous turmoil. She gave a final, frusted slam of her fist against his chest.

"Let go! Let go! Let me go! I want to go! I want to go to Sasuke-kun! Sasuke-kun! Sasuke-kun!" Sakura screamed, now crying in full hysteria, only to clutch into his shirt, as if she needed a grasp of something in this world before she frightfully disappeared from it. Indra embraced her tightly, doing his best to comfort her, as she went on to repeatedly scream Sasuke's name in his ear; as if she was screaming for him to come save her.

Everything inside his chest screamed to do as she drunkenly commanded. Let her go. Let her go to the Uchiha and stop this torture for her. He should contact the Uchiha and tell her he had her. Let the Uchiha come get her. He should let them fix it.

But as she calmed in his arms and was reduced to sobbing against him, he solemnly and selfishly...didn't want to. He selfishly made the excuse that just a few days after a massive heartbreak wouldn't be enough for her to heal yet. Patience.

He had to and would give her all the patience in the world.

"S-Sasuke-kun...I...I-I have to…go to him. Please. Let me go. L-Let me...go to..." She whimpered between her shuddering cries. He hushed her, and started stroking his hand through her hair. He found this calmed her quite a bit, when she got like this. It made her shift her face into his chest from its place over his shoulder, and she was left clutching onto him and quietly sobbing against him.

"S-Sasuke-kun...S-Sa-su-ke-kun. Sasuke-kun..." She started to repeatedly whine the man's name and his eyes lowered.

It broke his heart, truly, when she got like this. And it broke his heart even more that even now, she still called for the damn Uchiha. She had those moments where she said she hated the Uchiha. That he absolutely broke her heart and she hated him. And Indra officially knew those words of hate and anger were drunken turmoil. Drunken, misconstrued thoughts that always ended up with her like this...calling the Uchiha's name.

And as amazing as it was to have her. As amazing as it was to hold her at night and the bits of time they had together where she wasn't a wreck, he hated each and every time she called his name.

Because it reminded him each and every time…

"A woman's broken heart isn't yours to take, lad."

His brow knitted together and he held her even more securely against him.

"Migi, please cancel anything I have tonight. I believe it was just dinner with the Redaku Branch manager at eight." He softly ordered over Sakura's crying, stroking her tears away gently. Migi bowed.

"Of course, Young Master." She accepted and left them alone to complete her given task.

"Come on, Sakura. Let's get you some air, okay?" He gently suggested and softly grabbed Sakura's hand, pulling her out for some air on the balcony, while she followed him, sniffling and wiping at her eyes with her available hand in vain. The tears weren't going to stop right now, no matter how much she wiped her eyes. She was more or less just soaking her face more, between her continuous waterfalls from her eyes and the already completely soaked back of her hand and wrist.

He sat on the chaise lounge chair, and then gently maneuvered her to sit and lay her head on his lap. With the length of the chaise chair, she had to curl into a semi-circle.

He stared down at her as she cried bitterly against his lap, and he continued to comfortingly comb his fingers through her hair.

He thought about the times he comforted her like this. How she'd so avidly proclaim she spoke with the Uchiha when she never even lifted the phone he bought for her. He showed it to her when Migi brought it, she thanked him for it, and literally never picked it up again for anything. She didn't even use it to call him when he was away, which was the purpose of her having it in the first place.

Upon her claims of "speaking" with the Uchiha, he had even gone as far as to check her call logs on the phone he bought for her, only to see nothing. Nothing outgoing or incoming. There weren't even contacts in it, besides his own.

And he wondered if it had any sort of connection to the way the Uchiha so avidly and correctly accused him of having her yesterday at the hotel.

These "calls" she consistently cried over and the words the Uchiha apparently told her...was it really just a state of drunken melancholy and thoughts? Or was it more...was the Uchiha literally calling for her somehow and she was feeling it? Was she hearing it?

The way the Uchiha was literally sensing her off him, was she also that connected to the Uchiha?

"I-Indra…" She mumbled, bringing him out his thoughts.

"Yes, Sakura…"

"...I'm s-sorry…" She murmured, the tears falling sideways and soaking into the lap she was using as a pillow.

"There's nothing to apologize for…" He told her gently.

"I'm...I've been a mess. I've been nothing but difficult...when you're just trying to take care of m-me...I'm sorry—" She apologized in a slur, staring off towards the view of the Senju River. He hushed her, and continued his gentle caresses.

"Ssshhh. Hush now. Don't blame yourself for anything. I told you, there's absolutely nothing for you to apologize for, Sakura...absolutely nothing. You're going through a tough time. You're hurting...and I have no problem helping you through it. I'm here for you." He responded, tenderly continuing to stroke her hair, before his fingers gently cascaded down her cheek and beneath her jaw. With a tender pull, he brought her still tearstained face to look up at him.

"It is absolutely okay for you to lash out. It is okay for you to grieve. You do not have to apologize for being in pain. I've already told you, I'll take care of you for as long as you need me to. So take all the time in the world. Take all the time you need here and don't worry." He promised gently, wiping a tear from the other eye. His eyes trailed to her lips, eyeing them longingly. He hadn't kissed them since that first night, and he so wanted to.

But doing so right now after the episode she had would probably only hurt her more. It was better to just stay like this, where she was at least a little calm.

And they could be at peace together.

---

"Mayo to Ketchup, do you copy? Over." Suigetsu jokingly said into the bluetooth earpiece in his ear, sitting in his car. He took a puff of his cigarette.

"We're not on fucking radios, dumbass. And what's with the stupid codenames!?" Karin snarled on the other line. Suigetsu chuckled out, in a good mood and even a little excited.

"What? You're actually doing something worthwhile for once! I thought we'd have a little fun with it. This does feel like we're on some sort of secret mission." He exclaimed, before an even more exciting thought came to mind.

"Oh! Wait, can we consider this a heist?! Like, Sakura's the huge diamond in a vault and we're the two cooky partners in crime trying to steal from some big mob boss? You're the off screen hacker taking out the security systems and I'm the agile and handsome doer who—" He started ranting, much to Karin's irritation.

"You never know when to stop being an idiot. I'm in the hotel room."

"And he's not there like you thought, Ketchup?"

"No, he's not here and stop calling me Ketchup, Mayo!" She snarled back, thinking he wouldn't like it. Suigetsu only gave a big grin.

"Attagirl, Ketchup! You're getting into it!" He teased her.

"Ugh! Just, when I tell you to go, go! I'm starting the hack on the elevator now." Suigetsu snickered and got out of the car.

"Yeah yeah. This should be fun. You're sure he's in this building?" Suigetsu asked with a determined gaze in his eyes and a malicious smirk.

"The cameras I hacked earlier showed him repeatedly leaving and coming back from there, today. And he got back there today at about five thirty and hasn't left. I'm positive, he's still there." She confirmed for him. Suigetsu scoffed, getting out the car and locking the door.

"And probably with his slimy goddamn hands on Sakura." Suigetsu stated all too knowingly, leaning against his car and deciding to finish his smoke first. He closed his eyes, putting himself into an almost meditative state.

"I still couldn't confirm that. It appears they delete their security videos daily or something. I could only go as far back as five o'clock this morning and nothing else." Karin claimed informatively. He looked up to the top floor, where Karin said his penthouse was located.

Buildings like this usually had pretty fast elevators. Realistically, one would expect the ride to take a long while, but Suigetsu estimated, if the elevators were anything like Sasuke's at Uchiha Corps, then he'd be up to the penthouse in about three minutes. And according to Karin, from her hacking, they were similar. He blew out a puff of smoke.

"I don't need the confirmation. Staring at the place, I can feel it in my gut. If he's here right now, this is where she is." Suigetsu said confidently, giving a glare to the impressive modern building. It was quite the executive appearance on the outside, and Suigetsu already guessed the inside was that of elite class decor.

The perfect place to impress a woman, and the perfect place to keep her.

'Kinda cliche, keeping a Princess locked, high up in a tower. Or should I say Queen?' He mentally glowered. And then he deadpanned.

"Karin, you're absolutely positive he's here? I don't want this to be a case of 'Your Princess is in another Castle—" He groaned only to be cut off with Karin's yelling. Just as he pulled on his cigarette.

"THIS ISN'T A VIDEO GAME MORON!" She yelled and he cringed. He quickly blew out the smoke, before it could choke him.

"OWWW! Come on! Don't yell in my ear like that!" He whined. He heard Karin sigh with irritation. She was silent for a moment.

"Suigetsu...I know it's my plan and all, but are you sure about this? Are you sure you want to do this? I mean, like you said, things can go sideways and we don't know what will happen if things go wrong." She spoke unsurely. He pulled the cigarette from his lips and blew out into the air.

"Honestly, it doesn't matter to me." He spoke, his tongue focused and stern. A wind blew through his white hair and black jacket and he stared meaningfully up at the tall building he stayed staring at.

"But…Suigetsu—" He cut off any retort she might have had with his continued answer.

"If there is even the smallest of chances Sakura's in there and I can get her back home safe and sound, then I'm gonna take it. Whatever risk is involved, getting her back to Sasuke is my main priority." He answered her, his eyes low and bothered. He had failed Sasuke quite a bit lately, and it always seemed his failures came down to anything Sasuke asked him for Sakura.

Maybe he should have chased after her that day, despite Sasuke's anger lashing out. He should have remembered, Sasuke ordered that she was his top priority. She was full detail. Especially after she had been hurt. And he'd never forget the way Sasuke thanked him for standing guard in front of her building when the Otsutsuki showed himself.

"Suigetsu. Thank you."

The moment he received those words of gratitude from Sasuke, that's the instant he knew for sure, Sakura meant the world to Sasuke. For the man to ever thank him so sincerely like that, Sakura was everything in this world to that cold robot.

And he swore to make it right.

"But...why are you willing to go so far? I'm just trying to make amends for what I've done, but you're going beyond, for what?" Karin questioned him with an obvious lack of understanding in her tone. He pulled out smoke again and flicked the ashes. His eyes eyed the length remaining on his stoge.

"Because, Sasuke charged me with protecting her. I was supposed to protect her; he trusted me with that. She wasn't even supposed to leave my sight for even a second, unless she was with himself or someone he trusted." He answered honestly and his gaze glared at the cigarette in his hand. He even specifically asked me to look out for the Otsutsuki...and the bastard still managed to get past me. That bastard got his hands on her, right beneath my nose. He's gonna answer for it, one way or another." Suigetsu gave his reasons, a glare coming to his eyes. He flicked his cigarette, beginning to walk, though his look never changed.

He had a bone to pick with the Otsutsuki. The bastard had a hand in hurting his friends. He stole a treasured woman and friend, especially with the knowledge of how precious she was. He stole a friend he was tasked by another with protecting at all times.

Only for the bastard to be a reason for that tear stained face she had that day. And he wouldn't be the Head Bodyguard of Uchiha Corps to let it stand.

"And...Sakura is my friend. She's the nicest, warmest, kindest person there is and she doesn't deserve any of this. Even from this, I should have protected her and I failed. And the way she smiles for Sasuke and about him is not something I'm gonna let her lose. I'll tell her the truth of everything you told me and she'll be back with Sasuke." Suigetsu said with a promise in his voice. He dropped his cigarette by his foot and stepped on it, grinding it beneath his shoe. He looked back towards the building then.

"I guess, in a way, you can say this is me making amends also. For not protecting Sakura like I was supposed to. For failing Sasuke several times, not just this one. I owe him that much, both as his employee and his friend." He ended his answer to Karin. She was silent for a moment before she spoke.

"But, I thought you would at least bring someone along or something. How come you're going at it alone?" Karin asked, and Suigetsu could've sworn she sounded a bit worried. He gave a small smirk.

"Well...everyone I know is connected to Sasuke somehow. Telling them I'm doing this means outing you and I don't have faith that Sasuke won't murder you, even if we get her back with your help. So any backup is kind of out of the question, unless I tell them I got the information from you." Suigetsu explained with a sigh.

"Tch. Did you have to remind me…"

"You better always remember it, Karin. I'm serious." He retorted, with his brow furrowing just as seriously as his current tone of voice.

"I know you didn't know any better. I know you felt like you didn't have a choice and that you were out of options, but what you did wasn't right. Sabotaging Sasuke and Sakura's relationship and meddling in their lives, while they were happy, Sasuke honestly has all rights to feel the way he does about you." Suigetsu scolded lightly, because again, as much as he wanted to protect her from Sasuke's divine wrath, he wasn't going to exempt her from the truth. She realized she was wrong already, so it was her responsibility to own it, and not say things like "don't remind me."

"Don't get me wrong, Karin. What you're doing right now, all your help right now, is amazing and I commend you for it. Really. But you have a long way to go, before you should ever forget this lesson. You don't have the right to just forget about it yet." Suigetsu said gently, and he heard Karin give a dismayed sigh.

"I...understand and I know. I didn't mean it like that, just…" She trailed and he understood instantly.

She meant don't remind her how Sasuke was liable to murder her for breaking his restrictions only two nights after he strangled them into her.

"I know, Karin. I'm just saying...I want to end this, for Sasuke and Sakura. That's all I meant." He assured and eyed as he was closing in on the entrance to the building Sakura and Indra were probably in. He gave a sudden smirk.

"Besides, if I get Sakura back, maybe Sasuke will give me an even bigger pay raise." He cheekily grinned.

"You idiot." She grumbled and he snickered.

"I'm walking in Ketchup." He mumbled as he entered a golden lobby. As he thought, nothing but an elitist styled place. A place for the highest of the high.

"I see you on the cameras, idiot. No need to tell me." She said back.

"Excuse me sir." He was called and turned to see the receptionist behind an elegant desk. He gave his friendliest smile and walked forward.

"Hello! I'm here to see Otsutsuki Indra." He calmly and confidently stated. The receptionist, noticeably furrowed her brow, picking up a phone and mumbling something he truly couldn't hear.

But for Suigetsu, he felt that was all he needed to know. That bastard was here. And by that regard, Sakura most likely was here as well.

"Please wait here in the lobby patiently. Indra-sama's Head Maid will be down shortly to speak with you." The woman respectfully and professionally informed. Suigetsu's brow furrowed this time. That wasn't all that unexpected. He wasn't expecting that the Otsutsuki would just appear when called, but to send down a maid? A female?

He quickly changed his features into giving an unworried smile.

"Sure thing. Thanks." He accepted and walked to the middle of the lobby, a little close to where the elevators were. He turned his head away from the receptionist to mumble to Karin.

"Did you hear that? He's not coming down." He said to Karin.

"Yeah, I heard and I see her now. You're gonna have to stall for time. She'll get to you before I'm completely finished with the hack." Karin scowled to him. Suigetsu's eyebrow twitched.

"So now we're winging it? After all the shit you gave me about improvising when I suggested it?" He grumbled irritably to her.

"I didn't know about any staff he had over there! There wasn't anything in the files! Not even bodyguards. She's not even on file either!" Suigetsu sighed, shooting a quick checking glance to the receptionist who seemed to be busy, looking down at something. Probably checking the guest list.

And he couldn't help but note how Karin was right. He didn't see a single security guard in the lobby. Not even a doorman. Just the receptionist and her lobby.

Why? The man was supposed to be an important family member to an important house, but there were no guards? Something about it screamed a red-flag.

"I'm in. In about five minutes, get yourself to elevator two." Karin said. Suigetsu gave a determined glare. He eyed the numerically marked elevators that aligned the hallway corridor and set his gaze on the one Karin told him to.

"Copy. Five minutes, elevator two."

"Stop talking back, idiot! She's coming. Elevator five." Karin scowled out through the earpiece. On cue, just like Karin said, elevator five lit up, and opened. Suigetsu gave a slight glare.

Out stepped a purple haired woman, dressed in an obvious and conservative maid's outfit. And what bothered Suigetsu most about her was her sharp, icy blue eyes. She gave off a strong aura, one Suigetsu could feel from the ten foot distance between him and the woman down the hallway.

This was not a normal maid. Not a regular female servant.

And he smiled.

'Good. Looks like I don't have to feel too bad.' He thought as the maid approached him.

And his brow furrowed at how silently she moved.

This...might be a problem. Now, he kind of wished she was a regular female servant.

'No wonder there are no other guards...she must be the big boss.' He thought concerningly.

Oh well. Not everything in life was easy.

"Greetings. I am Migi, Head Maid of the Otsutsuki Estate and caretaker of his property. How might I be of assistance?" The purple haired, blue eyed maid stared icyly at him. Well, time to stall.

With that, Suigetsu gave an approving whistle.

"Well hey there cutie!" He greeted back with a flirtatious smile and a wink. He started walking forward, leaving the view of the receptionist and walking towards the rather beautiful woman.

"DON'T JUST FLIRT WITH HER! STAY FOCUSED ASSHOLE!" Karin screamed loud enough, his ear was ringing, but he physically held back the urge to cringe in reaction. He was trying to stall for the time she gave him, so the least she could do was not scream in his ear about it. He kept up his flirting act, even though the stoic maid seemed completely unfazed.

"Do not proceed to come any closer. Please, state your name and business." Migi strictly requested, her hands still folded neatly in front of her. Suigetsu stopped as requested, now about six feet from hee. Just the slightly closer distance made him feel the woman's aura of strength even more.

But his starting act made her keep her guard down. She saw what Suigetsu wanted most people to see.

A flirtatious, carefree idiot. In his experience, his jobs never went easy when people took him seriously from the get.

And when they did, he only enjoyed it. The woman might just give him a good dance.

"Well, I was here to see Indra, but I'd rather be here to see you cutie! How about a date with me one of these nights? You look like you might enjoy a drink or two. How many minutes are left until you're off the clock?" Suigetsu questioned, keeping his flirtatious gaze on the woman before him.

But he was thankful Karin caught on that he was really talking to her.

"Two minutes left. It's on it's way and will take you straight to his floor, nonstop."

"I'm never off the clock." Migi stated coldly and with absolute rejection of Suigetsu. Suigetsu faked a depressed and hurt look before closing his eyes and giving a delightful one.

"Well, that's depressing. Lady like yourself looks like you could use some R&R. Rest and relaxation. You know—"

"Please, state your name and business. If all you require is to see Indra-sama, I advise you to contact him directly or go to his hotel where he is staying, as he is currently not on this property." The maid explained with a curt bow of her head. Suigetsu stopped talking, and with a smile still on his face, his eyes opened.

And in his lavender eyes was a plain fury. One that wanted payback.

"Not on this property, you say?" He asked her. Migi's purple eyebrows furrowed and her eyes gave a stern warning of a glare.

"Indeed. He informed me he was back at his hotel, about twenty minutes from here. The Hilton. You may ask for him there." Migi said what Suigetsu, at this point, knew was a full blown lie.

"Huh. That's funny." Suigetsu said, closing his eyes as if he was indeed humored by something she said and his grin widened. Migi tilted her head, giving a look of inquiry.

"Funny, sir? What is funny?" She asked. Suigetsu shoved his hands into his pockets, and opened his eyes again to stare Migi down. This time a glare was in his eyes, all with a smile still on his face.

"Yeah, you look like you don't know what 'funny' is. Or what 'fun' is. Never being off the clock and all that." Suigetsu snickered and Migi's ice blue eyes narrowed.

"That's besides the point though. Anyway, Migi-Chan, you see, I left some Ketchup at his hotel room. Twice now. I figured he'd oughtta know. Well, he knows about the first time, but this time was totally my bad." Suigetsu chuckled out with a playful and light smirk, lifting his hand up apologetically. Migi's eyebrows knitted closer together, filling with confusion.

"Ketchup, sir?" Migi asked, completely thrown off and confusing her more.

"I cannot believe you being an idiot is helping out right now. One minute and the doors are only going to stay open for ten seconds. Got that?" Suigetsu heard her.

"Yeah, Ketchup." He answered Karin, rubbing his neck a bit. Migi tilted her head, catching the way he answered. He answered as if he was talking to someone...and not her.

And that's exactly what Suigetsu wanted.

"My Ketchup is over there right now...I got it there today to cook up a nice surprise for Indra." Migi's brow furrowed a bit more, still confused.

"And with that surprise...he owes me a particular Cherry. That's what I came here for." Suigetsu informed. Migi's eyes suddenly widened a bit, an expression of alarm and realization appearing as much as it could on her emotionless features. It told him everything he needed to know.

Everyone's always surprised when the bumbling idiot shows he knows a whole lot more than he let on. A smirk came to Suigetsu's face. His half lidded eyes turned smug.

"Oh. You're quick."

The moment he gave the sarcastic compliment, he had to block a pretty strong strike from the maid. Then he had to dodge another.

"You are quick." Suigetsu complimented for real this time, before she swung around for a back kick on his head.

One he met, blocking her high kick with a kick of his own. They stood there, with their femurs locked in their stalemate. The maid's eyes widened fully in shock, and Suigetsu smirked.

"Yeah. I'm pretty quick too." He confirmed her stunned stare. Her eyes narrowed into a look that could kill, but it was a good thing he was used to Sasuke's death glares. Those were worse. He might have froze if he wasn't so used to it. And when Sasuke hired him, first as a guard for Uchiha Corporations, there's a reason he became Head of Security so fast, on top of others who had been on the Uchiha payroll years before Sasuke ever took over. All the guards were trained by professionals in as many martial arts as they could master. All overseen by the Uchiha. All tested every year.

And out of the hundreds of guards employed under the Uchiha name, other than Sebastian, Suigetsu, for five years straight, came out on top.

'Thank you, Sasuke.' He mentally snickered and gave a sharp tooth grin. With a push of his leg, she lost her balance, only to maneuver into a single handed backflip for retreat. The maid, crouched slightly in a readied stance, this time looked back with dull, ice bull eyes, duller than they were before.

And they were filled with nothing but malice.

"You know, I offered a date, not a dance." Suigetsu taunted. Migi frowned further.

"It appears it was a mistake to not take you seriously." Migi stated coldly, having already analyzed Suigetsu herself, with the few movements he showed. He smirked back.

"Well, if you feel like moving past first base and going for the home run, I don't mind." He responded, gesturing a hand for her to come at him while he got into an assuming position as well.

"Very well." She responded back and reached behind her, and brought out knives in each of her hands and Suigetsu's left eyebrow twitched and he frowned.

"Ah, come on. That's not fair at all." He complained, scratching the back of his head.

"PAY ATTENTION IDIOT!" Karin screamed in his ear just as Migi dashed for him with the knives poised in her hands. He started dodging the slices, thankfully backing towards the elevator he needed to be at.

"How long Ketchup?" He asked with a groan, dodging a swipe that could have left a nasty scar across his face. The woman was good. She was damn good. One mistake and she was going to land a bad cut on him. She was trying to limit his openings for her, before he could get a hit. All her swipes and strikes were precise and even a bit difficult to block.

"Stop calling me Ketchup! And it's literally coming right now." She growled and just as she said it, the elevator doors opened. Migi's eyes widened, eyeing the opening elevator for a split second in obvious bewilderment.

"Where are you looking?" She heard on to get kicked to her side, straight into the elevator and against the wall. She didn't grunt in pain but gave Suigetsu a glare as they got into the spacious six by six foot elevator.

"What are you doing?! She's a psycho, knife wielder and you're just getting in an enclosed space with her? Don't be stupid!" Karin yelled. Suigetsu's eyebrow twitched.

"Can't be helped. I need the key. If Indra just came down himself, I wouldn't have to be dealing with her right now." Suigetsu growled out, rubbing the back of his head.

"I'll kill you before you reach Young Master Indra." Migi seethed viciously. Suigetsu's eyes glinted.

"So, he is here. Good to know. That means that Cherry I'm here for is here too."

And then he lifted a hand to throw something in the air. Migi's eyes widened, realizing what it was when he caught it.

Hand to hand wasn't all that he was good at. It just wasn't fair because he left his favorite knives at home, thinking he wouldn't need them.

"Dropped something with that kick, didn't ya?" He taunted, beginning to toy with the blade expertly. Migi stood straight, glaring at him with awareness, when he finally stopped his knife work. With her combat knife in his hand, he got into a knife fighting position.

And the elevator doors closed behind him. They started moving up.

"You got about three minutes to make good on those words of yours." Suigetsu sneered. Migi readied herself and they dashed for each other.

---

He was still combing his hand through her short pink locks. The tears had finally stopped and she was lulled in a calm and tired state, undoubtedly from the alcohol in her system and the emotional breakdown she had. Her eyes looked so tired.

Migi had excused herself a few minutes ago, stating she had something to deal with in the lobby.

"The air is helping, right? Do you feel a little better?" He questioned her softly. She stared up at the darkening evening sky, having moved onto her back with her head still on his lap. Her hair was draped over his thigh since the position she was initially in pulled on it, to her discomfort, in which she laid it out like this.

"I don't know…" She answered honestly. She didn't know what she felt anymore. At this point right now, she felt nothing. She felt numb and void. Again, she felt like this blank shell of a person, heart and soul gone from this flesh and somewhere in oblivion.

His hand gave a comforting stroke to her face and the other just and gently continued combing her hair. He stared into her eyes somberly, seeing an emptiness in them. The light that usually graced her eyes and made them shine like emeralds were dull and void.

All because of the Uchiha...

"When it gets dark out, and if the night is clear, how about we try to count all the stars we can find. Just like we used to." He suggested, trying to take her mind off things. Her eyes shifted from the sky to him. And it appeared to have completely wiped her mind of what happened just moments ago as a drunken smile came to her face.

"Lately I've been, I've been losing sleep." She sang out of nowhere and he recognized the song. They weren't in each other's presence when the song came out, but he knew it well...and used to think of her when it came on. He caressed her face.

The chorus of the song by One Republic always felt like they were straight from his experience of his years without her. How he felt for years, since they were separated...

"Dreaming about the things that we could be." His voice sang, stopping her with surprise. His voice was soft and gentle. He sang with longing in his tone and his eyes displayed it. She stared in awe. His voice was truly beautiful, enough that she could only concentrate on his voice and nothing else.

"But baby, I've been, I've been praying hard. Said no more counting dollars, we'll be counting stars." He continued singing tenderly, these lines in particular all to inline with his and her past together and the promises he himself had made and failed. How he wished and hoped, how he prayed one day, they'd be together with nothing to worry about like they did back then in the slums.

No more counting dollars. Just sitting with her, counting the stars she taught him about, together, in a home of their making.

"Yeah, we'll be counting...stars." He finished, and his fingers trailed near her lips. His thumb tenderly stroked across her bottom lip, all too tempted to kiss her when he felt how soft they were. And he remembered kissing her. He remembered how addictive her lips felt against his and how he wanted more. Sakura's eyes gleamed, all too innocently.

"I didn't know you can sing!" She exclaimed joyously. He chuckled warmly, continuing to stroke her hair and his other fingers moved from her lips, to stop the temptation he was giving himself.

"Did you like it that much?" He questioned and was about to get her answer, when a certain alarm on his phone went off. A distinct one. One that made his eyes widen and his body tense. He sat up and grabbed his phone. His eyes glared wide eyed at the red message on his phone.

INTRUDER ALERT

'Damn it. Why now?!' He mentally seethed. He had her calm and at ease. She was happy with him at this moment and now he had to be torn from her. Any time he was torn from her and got back...she was back to crying for the Uchiha again. He didn't want that. It was a repetitive pattern so far, of his being in bliss with her turning into utter turmoil. Sakura sat up, turning to him and giving a confused look.

"What's that? Is something wrong? Why'd you stop?" His eyes shifted to her, cringing with desire. Her still drunkenly blushing face stared back. She gave him an intoxicated and ever sweet smile that reminded him of the old days.

And he didn't want to leave her to end up the way she had earlier.

"What is it? I liked hearing you sing. Can you keep singing to me?" She asked him, all too temptively with that drunken purr of hers. His brow furrowed with slight agony and he caressed her face, shielding the phone from her.

"I have to deal with this. It's urgent, but I want to place you somewhere for a moment, Sakura. I'm having company...and I'd rather you not have to deal with anything you don't need to." He tenderly explained. Her face turned into one of dismay and disappointment.

"But, I don't want anybody here…I want to hear you sing more." She whined quietly. Indra gave her a tender and promising smile.

"It shouldn't take me long. Give me ten minutes—fifteen to twenty tops. When I'm done, I'll come get you, and I'll sing to you for the rest of the night. Any and all songs you want. I'll even sing you lullabies when you want to go to bed if you want." He vowed to her, before an idea came to mind.

"In fact, is that something you'd like to do? Some karaoke, right here, with me and Migi? Does that sound like fun? Will that make you happy?" He asked and her eyes lit up. The moment they did, his heart warmed. He knew they were only like this because she was drunk and had already forgotten about the Uchiha for the time being, but when she gave that look, it always gave him instant flashbacks to the past.

She always gave him that face. That was the face he was supposed to receive. That joyous, gleaming gaze would have been the one he always had, if he hadn't lost her.

"Karaoke!? We can?" She questioned excitedly. He smiled, placing his hand on top of her head with an affectionate pat.

"Of course. If it's what you want Sakura…anything to make you happy." He promised her adoringly, and couldn't stop himself from leaning in and kissing her forehead adoringly. After a final stroke of her hair, he stood, pushing his phone into his pocket and brought out his other hand for her to take.

"Now, come. I'm just going to put you in a comfortable room so you are unbothered, while my guest is here." He tenderly explained.

And Sakura naively nodded, her hand sliding ever so gently into his waiting palm.

---

Suigetsu and Migi swiped at each other, their individual blades clashing with each other. Migi went to deflect his blade, only for him to counter her by hitting her wrist downward with his other hand. With the slight opening that created, he went for a back hand with the same empty hand. At the same time he made impact, he was given a kick to the gut, slamming against the wall for the nth time in the one minute they had been fighting in this damn elevator.

Suigetsu panted along with Migi who had also hit the opposite wall of the elevator, and gave a mutual glare of respect to the purple haired woman.

He had to hand it to her. She was good. Damn good. He usually was able to pin someone in a knife fight in a minute or less, but the woman kept up almost perfectly.

"Since when could you fight like this?!" Karin asked him in his ear, sounding absolutely astonished and watching the whole fight from the cameras. Suigetsu smirked haughtily.

"Did you think I got my job just off good looks?" He quipped, getting back into position just as Migi did.

"And just who is it that employs you?" Migi questioned with a glare. Suigetsu raised an eyebrow and his smirk dropped.

As if he'd just give up Sasuke's name like that.

"Why would I tell you about my day-job? I'm here on my own accord for Cherry." Suigetsu retorted and when stating why he was here, gave a meaningful glare.

"A man of your talents, should be working for the Otsutsuki name." Migi claimed. Suigetsu gave a feigned look of awe.

"I assume that's supposed to be a compliment?" Suigetsu asked.

"The highest of praises." Migi responded. Suigetsu scoffed and gave a disgusted glare. After what that bastard pulled, there was nothing high about him.

The bastard was as low as someone could get.

"I'd rather be jobless." He retorted, and clashed blades with her again. Migi glared as their blades locked.

"Suigetsu, you're going to reach the penthouse floor in about another minute. You have to take her out asap!" Karin warned. Suigetsu smirked with acknowledgement.

Guess it was time to end this.

"Read you loud and clear Ketchup." Migi and him went on to trade swipes and blows, dodging and blocking each other's attacks equally.

"My Lady must be quite important to you, to dare to go this far against a prime member of the Otsutsuki house. What is your concern with Young Master Indra's woman?" Migi seethed. Suigetsu's eyes narrowed, turning completely serious.

The memory of Sakura's glowing face, her eyes closed in delight and that brilliant smile she gave him during lunch that one time.

And the reason she smiled like that...she smiled so beautifully and joyously, like that, because of Sasuke.

"His woman?" He seethed and with unheld back strength, twisted the blade to deflect Migi's arm. Her eyes widened, staring at him in surprise as the blade, this time, left her hand, compared to his other attempts to deflect it.

'He...was holding back?' She realized, as Suigetsu raised his leg and gave a powerful kick to her abdomen. This time, she grunted and gasped, the air being knocked from her despite her years of being conditioned for a fight like this. Before she could fall, Suigetsu had her by her collar and slammed her against the wall, with the combat knife to her throat.

Because he was going to make sure the maid heard his next few words.

"That woman is not his. She never has been. That woman...is my friend. A friend Indra and someone else hurt. That's the only reason she's here with that bastard Otsutsuki!" Suigetsu seethed to her. Migi glared back at him.

"That bastard really played me for a fool and I'm pretty upset about it. That's why I'm gonna be the one to take her back. I'm gonna bring her home, where she belongs!" Suigetsu swore, taking the knife from her neck and knocking Migi out, with a side slam of her head to the wall. He stared down at her slumped body with a glare, before letting out a comical exhale of exasperation.

"Wooo! Holy shit, I think she's a bigger bitch than you, Karin." He exhaled, running a hand through his hair tiredly.

"Would you just check her for the goddamn key already asshole? The elevator is about to open and I'm going for the cameras leading to his suite." Karin seethed. Suigetsu snickered, doing as she said and searching the maid's pockets. It appeared the penthouse was keycard operated, if the gold card he pulled out was indeed the key. He didn't find a regular set of them. He rolled his eyes.

Rich people.

"Were you...just playing with her the whole time?" Karin questioned him over the line. Suigetsu was lifting Migi's unconscious body over his shoulder and faced the opening elevator doors.

He gave a smug look.

"You could tell?" He asked. Karin then let out a number of sounds, none of which came from a place of good mannered words.

"ARE YOU SERIOUS?!" She screamed, and this time, he had all the liberty to cringe.

"Gosh! Don't scream in my ear Karin! You almost blew it for me earlier!" He growled at her.

"You mean when you were flirting with her?" He heard Karin grumble and he tensed.

If he didn't know better...that tone she just gave sounded like the ones she gave when speaking of Sasuke giving attention to another female. Like she was jealous.

"It wasn't like that, Karin. I was getting her guard down. Otherwise, I'd have to take her out right there in the hallway of the lobby." Suigetsu explained. Putting Migi down in the hallway against the corner.

"And the problem with that? I have control of the camera feed." Karin growled. Suigetsu smirked.

"Well...a fight's no fun if it just ends in five seconds. To be honest, I'm always apprehensive and reluctant to fight women, but thankfully, she was a good opponent. I figured I'd try my skills. Make sure I'm really top dog." Suigetsu blandly stated and walked into the hallway. There was a single door leading down it, that being his obvious destination.

"You moron! She was going to kill you!" Suigetsu snickered and Karin's reaction.

"What? That's the fun part. Were you worried?" He teased only to not receive a response. His face became one of realization as he walked towards the door with the keycard in hand.

"Hey...I had it handled. I swear." He said reassuringly and inserted the keycard. The ding that sounded was followed by the unclicking of the door and he was able to pull it open.

"Just...don't do something so stupid like that with your life in danger again." He heard her say as he walked in to the grand penthouse. It was decorated in a scale of white, black and gray. Expensive and executive looking with a lovely floor to ceiling view of the Senju River across the way.

But his eyes fell on the lone man seated in the black matching couch chair facing him with a drink in his hand. Suigetsu glared. Had he been waiting for him? Did Migi somehow send him an alert during their fight? How? There was time for her to do that. That was the point of breaking in here without giving Indra any time.

Storm the castle and not give the bastard any time to move Sakura. That was part of the plan. So…if Indra was already waiting for him...

No. It shouldn't matter. He suspected Indra would somehow get an alert, even when Karin hacked the camera feeds and any alarms to the building. There was no way Indra had the time to move her and Karin should have the elevators locked down now to buy him time. On top of that, if he did move Sakura out the penthouse, Karin would have seen it, being the eye in the skies right now.

He was certain. Sakura was still here and with that fact, his resolve was solidified.

"So, it's the Uchiha's lapdog." Indra greeted condescendingly, and stood with his drink still in hand and pushing the other hand into his black pockets. He gave a slightly troubled glare.

He had just put Sakura in the safe room, where she wouldn't know anything going on. He just got here and sat down for either Migi or the intruder to come through the door.

He had to admit, that was close. The Uchiha's lapdog really wasn't all that he appeared to be. When he first met him that day, he didn't think much of the white haired man apparently tasked with keeping an eye on Sakura by the Uchiha.

Staring at the violet eyed man, who hadn't broken a sweat, apparently, he underestimated him.

"Yo." Suigetsu greeted back, holding up a peace sign up by his tilted head with a taunting stare and a smirk.

---

That's all my friends! Next chap will be up sooner than this, hopefully. Just gotta do my final edits.

Suigetsu: Tell me I wasn't FUCKING AWESOME.

Heh. Gotta admit, you were. Even Karin too, a little.

Karin: Ugh! Did you have to make me such a villain?

Well, you're going through redemption, what more could you ask for?

Karin: FIRST OFF

-CRASH BOOM, Sasuke Enters-

Sasuke: LONE WOLF!

Oop. I'm outta here. See ya next chap! SASUKE; KARIN'S HERE! -runs like the wind-

Karin: WAIT! HOLD ON!

Suigetsu: -disappears-

Karin: SUIGETSU!

Sasuke: -death glares- You...

Karin: Wait! Wait! WAIT! SASUKE WAIT! LONE WOLF! I SWEAR I'LL GET YOU BACK FOR THIS!