Steam was rising from above the pot. The smell of broth filled the kitchen. Sakura was cooking dinner, humming under the breath. Another day spent alone.

Sasuke left a week ago for missions, giving no specific date for his return. It had always been that way. Nearly twelve months ago, they settled by the woods, on the outskirts of a small village where no shinobi lived. The peace and quiet and the respite from recent traumatic events gave Sakura moments of relief.

Every two days she came to the village, offering help, for a little money. She treats people with a variety of herbs. Not once since then has she used chakra.

Sasuke instead busied himself with missions. Either those entrusted from Kakashi, which came with letters and were not very safe, or those from the residents of the small settlement.

He was at home quite rarely. He showed up every week, maybe more, and stayed for a maximum three days. And he never said when he would return.

But Sakura didn't mind. She always slept with a lit candle, warding off the darkness. For the first two months, she slept in her room, but she noticed that she fell asleep faster when she could feel Sasuke's scent. So they decided to change the arrangement. They slept together in one bed.

For Sakura's added comfort, when Sasuke was away, they took in a kitten. The pet kept her company, fighting off nightmares.

She would never have guessed that the simplest life, with no fights or missions on her mind, would be her salvation.

The kettle began to squeak, letting Sakura know about itself. She took it off the burner and turned off the gas. They needed to save money. The money Sasuke was making wasn't much. Even more so Sakura's. Kakashi tried to give them more than he should, but the situation in Konoha was not interesting. Letters delivered by their former teacher were being sent illegally. If Kakashi was caught, Sakura didn't even want to know what would happen.

"I'm home."

She looked at the clock, then at the food, and finally turned back in surprise. Sasuke, soaked from the rain, stood in the hallway. His already too-long hair was sticking to his forehead.

Sakura beamed at this surprise. Sasuke walked up to her and kissed her on the lips.

They were not together.

But they weren't just friends either.

Sakura honestly didn't know what they were.

Pushing the bowl away, Sasuke planted her on the countertop. He placed kisses lower and lower.

"Sasuke-kun, dinner."

"Shh."

He covered Sakura's lips with his own. She opened her mouth, giving him deeper access. Sasuke rode his fingers along her blouse. He finally put his hand underneath, squeezing Sakura's breast. She moaned.

Sakura longed, oh how she longed for this.

Their little 'arrangement' came out quite by accident. One evening, as they were going to bed, Sasuke kissed Sakura goodnight. But it didn't end with just one kiss.

That night, seven months ago, they gave themselves over to passion.

She felt Sasuke slide her panties down to her ankles. She didn't have time to scramble to figure out what was happening when he put his first finger inside her. Sakura moaned, louder this time.

He moved his hand slowly at first, then added a second finger, without changing the pace. Sakura, unable to stand, began to move her hips.

"That impatient?" he asked with a smirk.

"If you can't do the job right then..." she stifled a shout, tilting her head back.

Sasuke sped up, putting his thumb on Sakura's clit and she clung to him like a last resort, feeling how close she was.

She pulled her blouse up, catching a nipple between her fingers. Sasuke put the other one in his mouth.

Moments later, she was climaxing on the table where she had just made dinner. Damn Uchiha.

"How was the mission?" she asked, catching air greedily.

She saw a bulge on Sasuke's pants. Sakura ran her fingers over it, pleased with the effect she received. The boy pushed his hips forward wanting more.

"Good. Usual send-off." she squeezed him "Sakura, stop..."

He picked her up in the arms and took her to the couch. Sasuke sat her on his thighs. The girl began to ride him, rubbing against Sasuke's pants. She took care of his belt.

Quickly she dealt with the extra material. She took out his cock and caught it in her hand, seeing Sasuke's eyelids tighten. She moved her hand from top to bottom, smiling contentedly when the boy couldn't control the sounds he was making. Each moan was a small victory for Sakura.

A bird flew in front of the window. Sasuke's pet approached him, carrying a message in its paws. Kakashi had picked the perfect moment. Although, it had been a long time since they had received a letter from him, noticed a girl.

Sasuke busied himself with reading, while Sakura climbed down from Sasuke and positioned herself between his legs. She licked his cock from underneath all the way up. Sasuke ran his fingers over her head. He continued reading as Sakura kissed his head and began slowly putting it in her mouth. The boy purred, moaned and then leaned over her, showing her to stop. Sakura looked at him puzzled.

"What's wrong?"

"Just pack the things you need." she got up from her knees and the boy from the couch, pulling his pants up.

"A...?"

"I'll take care of it." he kissed the girl, showing his gratitude for everything she was doing "But now we don't have time."

Sakura walked quickly to the kitchen putting on her panties and wiping down the countertop. She set the pot aside, wondering if they would at least have time to eat dinner.

And what was that actually about?

She moved on to the bathroom, taking care of her needs, the to her room and the living room. She packed only three blouses and one pair of pants. Then she put her backpack down on the couch. Sasuke left the room.

"We still have a while to go."

Understanding the boy's allusion, Sakura put on her lunch and poured tea. They sat down at the table. Kitten came to accompany them.

"Will you finally tell me what happened?"

"They closed the gates of Konoha. No one can come and go. And something is coming to us."

"And that's why we should run away? Can't we stay and face this thing?"

"Even if I wanted to, Kakashi asked us not to intervene. He himself doesn't know what it is or how many of it there are."

Sakura watched him eat. She didn't know what to say to that. They had made a life for themselves here, and she didn't want to return or leave. She liked the quiet, peaceful days with Sasuke.

And now they had to start living again like before. Uchiha finished eating and took his backpack from the couch, putting it on his back. Sakura did the same, but could not accept Sasuke and Kakashi's decision.

"Sasuke, let's think it over. Everything is happening too fast. Maybe..."

"Sakura..." he grabbed her arm and pulled her back. She noticed the sharingan's flashes "Shikamaru?" he asked before the boy stepped inside.

The eighteen-year-old looked terrified. Strands of his hair had fallen out of the ponytail, sticking all over his face. His clothes were dirty from mud.

"Let's get out of here, now!"

If Shikamaru was losing his temper it meant things were bad. They didn't even get a moment to think. Sakura took the cat in her arms and they all ran out the back door together. They trampled the tomatoes and flowers, but in the back of her mind Sakura knew that they wouldn't go back to that place again. The place that was their shared home.

Leaping over the fence, they continued running through the forest. She didn't miss it. She had spent too much time between the trees over the last few years of her life. It was around the greenery that they fought the most important battle, saving the world from extinction.

The sky clouded over, as if to warn people of the coming changes. The air became colder, making Sakura and kitty shiver. Cat was mumbling in her arms.

"Let's stop here." Shikamaru slowed down.

They stood in a bright spot. There was as much sunshine as needed to see each other.

"Kakashi sent you." Sasuke stated.

"Almost. I got the missions from the Hokage, but Kakashi asked me to warn you. I don't know when or how he found out, but someone dangerous was walking towards you. Did you have something important at home?"

Sakura and Sasuke thought about it, but nothing came to mind. She shook her head.

"No, probably not,"

"Then maybe they just wanted to kill you." they looked at the boy. They were still wanted, that hadn't changed. However, there was no indication that the Hokage was putting much effort into finding them. Neither Sakura nor Sasuke had ever come across the shinobi from Konoha "Now the Hokage wants your heads. Very much so."

"Something new." commented Sasuke.

"What's going on in Konoha?" Sakura needed to know if her family and friends were safe.

"It's not good there. I'm chasing time, I have to get back before dark, otherwise they will get suspicious." he pulled a letter in a red envelope from his pocket, "They closed the gates to trap the residents. No one has seen Naruto for three months, but as Kakashi supposes, he has been locked up somewhere." Sakura gasped for air. Sasuke caught her wrist. He didn't want her to interrupt Shikamaru. His grip, however, betrayed that he was also worried about his friend, "Kakashi told me that he was also being hunted. I don't know if he will continue to walk freely on the streets of Konoha when I return. The Hokage made a deal with someone. He bragged about it on the village forum. Before, he didn't reveal any strange obsessions about having more power than, the one he has, but now... he wants to conquer the whole world."

He finished speaking and there was silence. Sakura squeezed the pet more tightly in her arms.

This is what she and Sasuke had fought about earlier. This is what they denied themselves a free return to Konoha, at any time, and a life among friends again.

This is what made them suffer so much.

And now the vision of war hung in the air again. Only this time it would be different.

The Hokage had the ANBU and the rest of the shinobi under him. In fear, they would obey him, not oppose or turn against him. Small villages will give up their lands to save their inhabitants. Large countries will start a fight with Konoha, ending it with unnecessary bloodshed.

Everything was wrong. Why couldn't they live another couple or even a dozen years in peace, together.

"What do you want us to do?"

Sasuke didn't let himself be thrown off balance. He calmly analyzed the information he had gathered in his head.

"Take this letter to Suna. It is a message from Kakashi to Gaara." Sakura accepted the envelope "And then go back to Konoha and get Naruto out of there. He is our hope now."

Sakura squeezed the kitten tighter in her hands. She couldn't take it with her, but she didn't have the heart to leave it in the forest to die.

"Will you take him? My parents will definitely take care of the cat."

Shikamaru accepted the pet from the girl. He handed them a map and disappeared into the depths of the forest. Ordinary days can be treacherous, that's what life has taught Sakura.

"Sasuke-kun, that's all... I..."

"Do you want to talk, Sakura?"

His eyes offered reassurance. Calming her nerves and fear for her friend, who was sitting somewhere in Konoha maybe beaten, maybe catcalled or no longer alive, Sakura embraced Sasuke around the waist and sank her face into his frame.

"I missed."

She had always missed and would never stop, even if Sasuke only disappeared for a few hours. He was her home, and it was at home that Sakura felt most comfortable.

Strong arms rested around her neck, giving her the warmth she so desperately needed.

"If I could, I would run with you far away from here and shut myself off from everyone and everything, but Sakura, clearly the fate of the world depends on us for the second time. Come on."

Despite the internal pain, after a few months of peace, Sakura and Sasuke started their old life anew, based on the uncertainty of another day and the blood on their hands.

The road to Suna was shortening at a rapid pace. Sasuke had already passed three side villages belonging to the Land of Wind with Sakura. They would soon enter a place that had once been an enemy of Konoha.

Sakura, following right beside him, ran with determination painted on her face. Her hair had grown a bit and reached just past her shoulders. The bangs also added to the girl's beauty. She looked beautiful.

"Sasuke-kun, do you see that too?"

Stopping, he looked ahead. Another small village could be seen in the distance, but something didn't seem to be right here. Turning on his sharingan, he saw a complete lack of chakra, except for one strange cluster.

Approaching the village, the sight of blood cut across the sand. Dead bodies.

"Oh my god..." Sakura ran up to the first woman.

She checked her pulse, but it was clear that she was dead. The woman's throat had been slit, and she hadn't even tried to fight back. She looked like an ordinary civilian.

Streaks of blood stretched all the way to the entrance. Sasuke followed the trail, and when he stood at the village gate he was met with the sight of literal carnage. Dead people with their throats slit lay on the ground. Some had dismembered bodies and full marks of struggle. So they must have been shinobi.

"Sakura, maybe..." don't come in here.

But the girl was already inside and clasping her hands in anger. She turned to Sasuke, and the look on her face moved the boy. How much he wanted to protect her from this world and cruel people. From seeing the massacre in which innocent people died.

However, he could not do it, he had no way. This was their life, they were part of this system.

"Why?" she asked, with tears in her eyes, knowing full well that Sasuke did not know the answer either.

The universe was laughing now, coming up with yet another, crueler form of reminder of how terrifying another human being can be. What harm they can do to others. And above all, how meaningless human existence is.

These people died in vain. Sakura with Sasuke will also one day die in vain.

Approaching her, Sasuke grabbed Sakura's hand. He intertwined his fingers with hers, letting her know he was here.

"Are they all dead?"

Once again looking with his sharingan at the entire village, Sasuke didn't see a single tiny source of chakra. Even the strange thing was gone.

"Gaara is waiting for us."

Sakura nodded sadly. They had to move on. That was what it was all about now - moving from one point to another.

"I couldn't help them." she whispered.

Sasuke understood her. She had studied long and hard for herself and others. She had no intention of ever feeling useless again. She didn't want to stand idly by and watch people die. And at that very moment, there was nothing she could do.

Just as Sasuke couldn't do anything.

"Not everyone can be helped, Sakura,"

"I know..."

He dragged her and they found themselves back on the road. In the back of his mind, Sasuke still had that terrifying sight, but he tried to push it out as best he could. After a short time, the walls of Sunagakura could be seen in the distance. They piled up, proudly surrounding the village. The sand, clumped together, obstructed the view of the center. Sakura turned to reach the entrance. Sasuke and the girl were approaching the guards guarding the settlement.

"Stop." one of them spoke up.

He hid his face under a scarf. He and his colleague crossed their weapons, preventing entry. Sakura pulled out an envelope, turning to the page with Kakashi's signature.

"What are you doing here?" asked the other.

"We have come to see the Kazukage. Some important news to report." Sakura explained.

The men looked at each other, then one of them returned to his seat. The one who remained indicated with his hand to move behind him. Sasuke watched as sand got into his shoes and, stirred up by the wind, even flew into his face. The residents of Suna turned to look at them. He could hear whispers carried through the air. Some were surprised, some angry. Some had to know, others didn't.

Going deeper, the red-haired boy stood two meters in front of them. His white outfit blew in the wind, and his face expressed no emotion. Sasuke stepped closer, bowing gently. Gaara did the same, turning to them.

"Sasuke, Sakura." he looked at the two of them respectfully, "Welcome to Suna. What brings you here?"

"Why don't we talk inside?" suggested Sakura.

Boy led them to his office. He took a seat behind the desk, placing his elbows on the tabletop and placing them under his chin. Sakura handed him an envelope. Gaara opened the letter, and as he delved into reading the contents, the frown on his forehead deepened as well. After reading, Gaara put everything to the side and waited moments before speaking again.

"Thank you for bringing me this news. The situation looks bad, but I still hope that Kakashi will succeed in remedying the problem."

"And if not?"

"Then, Sakura, unfortunately, bloody deeds will happen." he approached the girl, catching her hand "When word reached me that you were alive after all, I felt something along the lines of relief." he let her go, sending her a grateful look "Of you Sasuke for that I am proud. What are you going to do now?"

"We're going back to Konoha. We need to get Naruto out of there."

"Ah, yes, Naruto. That's a wise decision." he sat down at his desk again "It is getting late, however, perhaps you would take up the offer to stay for this one night?"

Sakura looked over at Sasuke, silently showing him that she would like to get some sleep before the trip. Despite the obvious rush, one time wouldn't hurt to give yourself a rest. One never knows how long it will be until they can enjoy such luxuries as a bed again.

"With pleasure."

They were led to a hotel. Sakura asked for a room with one bed, to which Sasuke acceded without problem. They had slept together long enough, they didn't need to occupy more beds. After leaving their backpacks inside, they went downstairs. There was plenty of food, and even more people. Choosing products to plate, they circled around the tables. A bit of salad, a couple of potatoes, and a bit of beets were chosen by Sasuke. Sakura similarly applied sundry food.

Moving a little away from the crowds, they sat down at a table and ate their meal in silence. Only now did Sasuke feel that the couple of hours' journey had taken its toll on his stomach. By the time the food landed in his mouth, his stomach clenched, letting him know the lack of nourishment for the last time.

He ate greedily, and so did Sakura. After waiting a while to take in what they had eaten, they headed back to the room. The sun had set some time ago, and darkness covered the sky. Sakura lit the candles inside, making a pleasant atmosphere.

"I'll go wash up first,"

"Aa."

Sasuke watched as she pulled fresh clothes from a backpack, then disappeared behind a door. The sound of water being let out hummed in his ears. He lay down on the bed, waiting for his turn. After half an hour, Sakura decided to leave. Droplets of water were bathing from her hair, soaking her blouse. The shirt framed the girl's body, emphasizing everything Sasuke loves about her. The short shorts showed off her long legs.

Sweeping past Sakura, Sasuke locked himself in the bathroom. He dealt with what he had and came out, freshly smelling. Sakura was already lying down with her eyes closed, but not asleep. Sasuke watched her for a moment until she opened her eyes and looked deeply into his irises.

"Come." she patted the spot next to her.

Blowing out the fire on almost all the candles, he walked over to the girl. One source of light stood on the table next to Sakura. Sasuke didn't have the heart to blow out the flame, even if he was next to her, because he knew how she reacted to the darkness. And silence.

He moved closer to her, embracing her tightly. His breathing was louder than usual, showing that he was still there. He waited for Sakura to fall asleep before going to bed himself. This was his daily routine when he stayed at home.

Sleep, however, did not come easily to her. She wriggled all the time, unable to find a good position. Sasuke felt slowly that he was drifting off, so he had to open his eyes from time to time.

"I can't sleep."

Sasuke knew a few ways with which he could help, but one seemed to be the best.

"I can help."

He rode his hand lower and lower, reaching her shorts. He waited, wanting to make sure Sakura had no problem with it. She didn't answer him, but caught his hand and placed it between her legs, breathing heavily. Sasuke began to massage her through the material. Slowly, thus placing kisses on her neck.

Sakura moved her hips, rubbing her bottom against his crotch. He cursed silently, knowing he would have to deal with it himself later. Sasuke sped up a little, but he knew it wouldn't be enough for her.

He pushed the quilt aside, turning Sakura onto her back and removing her shorts. He also got rid of her panties. She was wet, but not as wet as he wanted. He went down, putting his hand under her shirt and squeezing her breasts. Quiet moans could be heard bouncing off the walls. Sakura was writhing with excitement this time. Pressing her hips against the mattress with one hand, he reached out from under her T-shirt with the other and began to massage her again.

First Sasuke kissed the inside of her thighs, then her hips and finally what she was waiting for. She moaned louder, covering her face with the hand. Sasuke licked and nibbled gently so as not to cause pain. He pressed his fingers against her opening, entering her. Sakura arched her back, unable to control the feeling of bliss. Gasps and moans accompanied Sasuke the whole time, while doing good to his friend.

Friend. A strange word for their relationship, but they had not yet discussed it. Sasuke still possessed a fear of bonding with Sakura. He wasn't sure if he deserved to accept her love anymore. But by the same token, he had to hurt her a bit by not confessing his own. There was nothing he could do about it, unfortunately.

"Sasuke-kun, I... oh..." he felt a squeezing under his fingers.

Sakura climaxed, covering her face with a pillow so as not to be too loud. Removing his fingers, Sasuke kissed her once, then moved up and kissed her a second time on the lips. Sakura wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling him close.

"Thank you." she muttered, and Sasuke heard the weariness in her voice, "What about you?"

"That's the last thing you should worry about." he kissed her forehead "Good night."

Sasuke lay down next to Sakura, waiting for her to fall asleep.

The rest of the night promised to be peaceful. Sakura did not dream, giving her mind a rest. Sasuke wriggled next to her from time to time, nothing out of the ordinary.

A faint wind hummed, flying out the open window. It had a calming effect, adding a crispness to the room. Sakura circled to the other side, her back to Sasuke.

Time passed at a normal pace. The clock was ticking in her head. Sasuke began to wriggle more. Gentle strokes of the quilt, gasping. Sakura slowly awoke from her sleep.

Until Sasuke shouted.

She pulled herself up. The boy held his hand over the heart, breathing heavily. Nightmare.

"Sasuke-kun, relax." she touched his shoulder very gently.

Sakura had no intention of scaring Sasuke. A couple of times Sakura happened to wake up with him when he had a bad dream. She then tried to calm him down by showing that she was with him. But Sasuke always walked away. Sakura wanted to understand this. Why was it that when she cried in the middle of the night because of nightmares, Sasuke refused to leave her even for a second, but when it was his turn he didn't want to be near Sakura?

"Sasuke-kun, I'm here." she stroked his back.

Feeling the touch of Sakura's fingers, he shuddered. He pushed the quilt aside and got out of bed. He didn't even look back.

"I need to be alone."

He left the bedrooms, making his way to the living room. Sakura wanted to respect his privacy, so she stayed. She spent the next couple of hours trying to sleep again. The incident did not give her peace of mind. She was so anxious to know if Sasuke was feeling better already, had gone to bed or was sitting up and pondering.

When it finally dawned, she went first to the bathroom, taking care of her needs, then walked to the kitchen. From it she had a view of the living room. Sasuke was lying on the couch, breathing deeply. However, he had fallen asleep. In silence, Sakura prepared tea from the herbs lying on the counter. Before she set the cups on the table, Sasuke rubbed his eyes.

"Hey." he greeted.

"Hi." Sakura sent him a smile, "I made something warm."

Rolling off the sofa, Sasuke sat down at the table. Sakura across from him was blowing on hot water. Aside from the decor, everything looked the same as before. Quiet mornings with a short chat, feeding the cat and eating a meal together. They felt at home then.

And all they needed was their company.

"How did you sleep?"

"Fine." she took a sip of tea "And you? Are you okay?"

"Yes. The same as usual."

Saying this, Sakura understood as much, that it was about Itachi. Sasuke had gotten over his hatred, then his desire to avenge his brother, but he still hadn't come to terms with his death. Itachi left him without any answers, disappearing from his life. Maybe if Sasuke had been able to talk to him at least once it would have changed everything.

"I can't assure you that everything will be fine, but remember - I'm always here." she grasped his hand, stroking it gently with her thumb. He did not move away.

"Aa."

"Well!" she set the mug on the counter with a bang, once again returning to her cheerful mood "We'd better change and pack now. After breakfast, we'll leave right away. We have to be full of strength! We're going back to the place of..."

"Our doom."

"That's not what I meant, but okay." Sasuke also put down his cup "I occupy the bathroom first."

Sakura took her mission outfit, changed her clothes, brushed the teeth, cleaned the face and left. Sasuke quickly did the same. Prepared, they went downstairs with their backpacks. The cafeteria was as crowded as yesterday.

Choosing food, they circled around the tables. Sakura put herself on toast along with scrambled eggs and salad, while Sasuke chose four slices of bread, topped with cheese and cold meat. He scraped up another salty roll on the way.

As they ate, they relished the taste and juiciness of the local dishes. Sakura even managed to treat herself to an apple pie.

They set the dishes down and headed to the lobby. Gaara was talking to the receptionist when they arrived.

"Are you two going already?" he asked in his calm tone.

"Konoha is calling us." Sakura wrinkled her nose "Thank you very much for staying. It was really nice."

"I'm the one who thanks you for coming to see me."

Gaara extended his hand to Sakura. She happily shook it. Sasuke only nodded in gratitude. They parted ways with Gaara and then left the village. To reach Konoha in a few hours, they had to run very fast. Too fast for Sakura's taste after a year of unused chakra.

Stabilizing her breathing was the hardest part. At this pace, the air was a blur. Sakura had nothing to draw into her lungs. Three times they stood, where Sakura bent over and leaned against a tree fighting for her life, while Sasuke stood over her, belaying.

"Are you sure you can do it?" he asked in defeat on the tenth.

"Yes. Take it easy, Sasuke-kun."

And they resumed running. Legs begged for a stop, toes begged for freedom. Sakura pushed forward.

"Stop." Sasuke stopped on a branch.

Sakura did the same, almost falling by braking too fast. She looked at the boy. Sasuke had a focused expression on his face. He turned on his sharingan.

"What's up...?" he silenced her.

"I saw the same thing in that village."

He jumped down from the branch. Sakura followed up the hill, watching the area carefully. She didn't notice anything. Until. At the edge of the forest, near a small village, stood three white figures. Sakura had seen this before. But not in her memories. And it looked a little different. Obito called it Zetsu.

The individual was white and black, and here Sakura saw what seemed like only one half of him. They were talking to each other, in hushed voices. The two of them suddenly fused with the ground, showing the third one better. Traces of blood could be seen on the whites of their skin. It glistened in the sunlight. Sakura looked at the village behind him, barely visible from such a distance, but sadly found that blood was also trailing on the grass.

Sasuke joined her, pressing against the tree trunk and closing her mouth. He looked at her with his eyes telling her not to make a sound. Sakura obeyed him.

He looked out once more and lowered his hand.

"No one is alive, right?" she asked, with tears in her eyes.

Sakura didn't know these people, but she didn't need to know them at all. Every time an innocent person died, her heart squeezed. In her opinion, ordinary civilians, wanting to enjoy every day, did not deserve such a cruel death.

"No one." Sasuke resumed his run. They were close to Konoha, they couldn't stop "What the hell was that?"

"Zetsu."

"I heard about him when I was still working for Konoha. He looked different in pictures."

"He also looked different in Obito's memories."

Sasuke looked at Sakura. He said nothing more. After two hours, they saw the village gates. Four ANBU were guarding the entrance. They went around the walls unnoticed. They didn't have a plan for the entrance, so they crouched by the wall. Sasuke checked with his sharingan to make sure no one was circling the area.

Making sure, he turned back to Sakura.

"We have houses on this side. Entering shouldn't be difficult, but we have no idea what's on the other side. If we get caught, we're screwed."

"Shouldn't there be some kind of secret entrance?"

"I've never heard of one."

Sakura sighed.

"Neither have I."

Her back was leaning against the wall. At night it would be safest to try to get inside. The sun was setting behind the horizon, leaving a maximum of half an hour of light outside. They will just have to wait and try to get in over the top.

A rustling sound reached them from the forest. They took cover so as not to be noticed.

"I said I don't know!"

They associated the voice. And they were well aware of the sound of the beating.

"Where. They. Are!"

"I have no idea!"

"You fucking..."

Sakura saw, although she didn't want to. The much larger man threw the girl to the ground. His fist met her face. The girl wailed in pain. Sakura was unable to move from her position. Too many emotions were boiling inside her at once.

Sasuke, however, did what he had to do. He made his presence known, and when the man looked into his eyes, he sent him two days of agony. When the man fell unconscious, Sasuke dragged him far into the woods. Sakura finally moved to the bleeding girl.

"Kana."

Too much to tell, which is exactly why I've been absent, but it also had to do with being a little overwhelmed by everything and another project that takes up a lot more of my time ;p

I publish chapters veeery irregularly, for which I apologize, but lately I don't know how to hammer in regularity. Never mind, thank you to every person who reads my works! I try to give you fun and a temporary break from reality, and I'm glad to see you enjoy what I write here 3

The only thing I can promise, because I don't like to read unfinished works myself, is that I will finish all my stories! (ps. if anyone doesn't know, I uploaded a new one some time ago, you can check it out, cute and canonical ;p)