Her Experience

by Tiny.Dncer

Sakura has been taking care of her sick civilian mother alone since she was 8. But now a full fledged ninja placed on team 7, she must learn how to stop holding herself back and let her team in, although, that proves challenging when her teammates are the wild and childish Naruto Uzumaki and her cold closed off long time crush, Sasuke Uchiha. (Better explanation inside.)

30. Reunion

Sorry for the wait, it's been a chaotic two months. -_- This story along with my other fanfic KPD: Case Files (don't worry I haven't abandoned it) are now cross posted on AO3. My handle there is Tiny_Dncr

"Sakura's thoughts..."

"Inner Sakura..."

Memories...

---

They stood, only slightly shielded by a rock formation in the midst of a grassy terrain, sporadic rocky outcroppings, and a few leafless trees disrupting the relative flatness.

"This is it?" Yamato questioned his wood clone?

"The entrance is underneath that rock formation directly in front of us." The clone answered.

"So…under there is Sasuke." Naruto stated seriously.

"Yup."

"We're coming Sasuke-kun. We'll get you out of there."

"All right. Let's go." Naruto still felt put off by Orochimaru's earlier digs at his "obsession" with Sasuke. He'd prove Sasuke wasn't just property Orochimaru owned. He'd get his best friend away from that disgusting snake no matter what.

"Wait." Yamato said, stopping Naruto before he could even take a step.

Yamato tapped his wood clone, shrinking it into nothing but a small seed in the palm of his hand. "Swallow this first, Naruto." He held out his other palm offering an identical seed to Sakura. "You too, Sakura. That way, if we get separated, I can locate you right away."

"What is this?" She asked taking the seed into her hand to examine it more closely. It was no bigger than a food pill.

"These seeds are transmitters for tracking. It's a ninja tool that only resonates to my chakra. I planted a few of these on Sai's clothing and his meals."

"So that's how you were able to follow him." Sakura murmured, putting two and two together.

"That's a useful trick. And he can subdue the nine tails, at least somewhat…no wonder Shishou placed him on the team."

"But when…?" Naruto asked. He hadn't seen Yamato do that, and they'd all been together most of the time, as far as he could remember. Just how sneaky was this guy?

"I got out of the hot springs first, remember?"

Naruto's eyes widened as he recalled Yamato getting out after warning him not to peep on Sakura, leaving Naruto alone with Sai.

"Now do you understand why I splurged for those luxuries, the hot springs, the fine dining, all out of my own pocket?"

"You were creating an opening…so you were suspicious of Sai from the beginning." Sakura clarified.

"It makes sense. Shishou probably warned him about Sai when she made him Captain."

"Yes, it was just as Lady Tsunade said, so I planned to keep a close eye on him from the beginning." Yamato affirmed. "But enough about the past, let's focus on what's ahead."

"Sasuke-kun…and Sai. And to get to them, we'll likely need to face Orochimaru and Kabuto." It would undoubtedly be tough. Her chakra network was functional again, but she was far lower on chakra than what she should be for walking into the evil lair of the monster she hated the most. "But this might be our only chance. I'm not backing out, Shannaro! We're going to bring Sasuke-kun back together!"

Naruto and Sakura both swallowed the small seed without any further hesitation.

"Ready you two?"

"Yes sir!" Sakura answered, her fist tightening.

"Sasuke…here we come!" Naruto answered firmly.

"Our order of infiltration will be me first, then Sakura, and Naruto, you'll bring up the rear."

"Makes sense, as the medic, I'll have equal access to both of them if I'm in the middle, and I'll be less likely to be subjected to attack. I really can't be running in this time. I don't have enough chakra for attacking and healing without forcing faster chakra production, and that always leaves me drained, and with the recent damage to my chakra network, I don't know how safe it'll be for me to do that…which means I need to be meditating as we go to fill my daily reserve as much as possible before the fighting starts."

"The infiltration method?"

"By the book, I'll use earth style jutsu, and we'll approach from under ground."

Naruto nodded, his eyes serious. They'd finally see Sasuke again.

---

They came to the end of the earth-jutsu made tunnel, only to reach a rocky face blocking any further progression.

"The hideout's completely surrounded by rock." Yamato said, laying his hand on the boulder blocking their way.

"Let me blast a hole through with my rasengan!" Naruto growled impatiently.

"Wait! If you use such a flashy jutsu, you'll alert the enemy!" Sakura warned, equally as impatient but restraining her urge to shatter the rock with her bare fist.

"What we need right now is stealth…" Yamato agreed.

"Then how…?" Naruto questioned in frustration.

Yamato scanned the boulder until he found a small crack. "Found it…the more solid the rock face, the less force need be applied to a small fissure, and…" Yamato summoned a sharpened wood beam, wedging it into the small crack until it gave way, punching a square shaped hole in the rocky wall, big enough for them to crawl through. Sakura had the easiest time with it, being the smallest and most flexible of the three, but soon enough they all stood within the dark hallway of Orochimaru's underground lair.

"Infiltration accomplished. What's the next step?" Sakura asked quietly.

"First we look for Sai." Yamato answered, equally quiet, before focusing in on his seed trackers. "This way."

Yamato led them through the maze of passage ways, keeping low and checking around corners with a mirror to make sure the coast was clear.

"Just a little bit further!" They raced down another hallway, until they came to a heavy wooden door. Yamato's finger extended into a wooden key, matching the lock on the door, a promptly unlocked it. He cracked the door open, looking inside. "There you are." He pushed the door open wider, striding into the room followed by Naruto and Sakura.

"Now, why don't you tell us what's going on." He ordered, as Sai turned to face them.

"Yeah jerk! Why'd you betray us?!" Naruto shouted, grabbing Sai's jacket roughly.

"I wouldn't make so much noise here if I were you. It'll lead to trouble." Sai answered calmly, giving Naruto his blank smile.

"You lousy—!"

"Naruto!" Sakura cut in, in hushed admonishment. Sai was right. They couldn't risk getting caught and blowing what might be their only chance to get Sasuke back.

Naruto silently glared at Sai's disconcerting smile, before releasing his jacket. "Whatever!"

Sakura took a deep breath, she had to remain calm. "Here." She said, holding out Sai's picture book. "You forgot this."

Sai stared at the book she held out to him for a few seconds, his face impassive. Wasn't she mad? He betrayed the team? Why would she calmly return his property to him?

"Thanks." He said reaching out and taking the book from her.

"Danzo gave you an ulterior mission, didn't he?" She said, deciding to get right to the point. Sai probably wouldn't understand or appreciate any sort of nuanced approach and every second they wasted was a second they could be discovered. "Is he trying to ally with Orochimaru for some purpose, and selected you to be the go between?"

Sai stared at her blankly. How did she know about Danzo and his mission? Had she figured it out on her own, or had someone told her? Well, none the less, she was missing the mark, and he couldn't reveal his actual mission, even if he wanted to. But now that she'd laid down this suggestion, there would be no harm in letting her believe it…neither her nor Naruto would forgive him if they knew his real mission.

"He's proposing operation: Destroy Konoha, take two, isn't he?" Yamato asked, backing Sakura's question and building off it.

"No, you're…" Sai, began, unwilling to let them believe that big a falsehood, fake smile in place. If only it diffused tension as well as Sakura's did.

"Stop smiling! I know you're just faking it! Everything you say is nothing but a big, fat lie!" Naruto nearly shouted, struggling with his volume control once again.

At that, Sai figured correcting them would do no good. He was better off going along with them at this point. "Well, now that you've finally figured me out, seems my mission is officially a failure. But since I can't take all of you together, and since you've guessed so much already, there's no point in hiding the truth any longer. You are correct. The plan was to get rid of Konoha as we know it."

Sakura's eyes narrowed. "That was too easy."

"What?!" Naruto gasped.

"My assignment…" Sai explained, with his empty smile, "was to find and opportunity to approach Orochimaru and entice him to help destroy Konoha."

"No matter what kind of ninja you are, you aren't supposed to reveal your mission so easily…"

"Keep talking. I want all the details." Yamato said, holding a kunai out threateningly.

"What more is there to know?! He's a traitor and a—"

"Do not rush to judge me, Naruto, until you have all the facts. I was also ordered to secretly report back Orochimaru's activities to Lord Danzo, in short, to act as his spy."

"Enter a conspiracy with Orochimaru while playing him at the same time. That's an extremely dangerous game." Sakura murmured, still unable to shake the feeling that there was something Sai wasn't telling them.

"Well, if Konoha did fall, we expected Orochimaru to try to betray us at some point, so consider this our way of maintaining the upper hand."

"So…Danzo wants Konoha for himself, and you were sent in, alone, to set all this in motion…" Sakura confirmed, a part of her buying it while the other half couldn't help being a little skeptical of Sai just spilling this so easily.

"I was specifically chosen for this mission because of my abilities. The intelligence I write in ink can transform itself into little creatures that can defend themselves while traveling back to Konoha."

Sakura's brow furrowed, her anger peaking. If he wasn't lying, this plan meant death to many shinobi and civilians alike. Her mom's broken bloody body flashing through her head. "If Konoha falls, a lot of people will die! Do you have any idea of the consequences of what you're doing?! The last time Orochimaru attacked…my mother died. An innocent civilian…how many more?" Sakura growled, her fists tightening.

"Well…I'm just following orders." Sai answered with his blank smile.

"That's right…that's a mindset some shinobi have…Zabuza thought like that too…calm down Sakura, we can't lose our temper and risk getting caught…we just have to reason with him."

"Sai—"

"Oh, and Sai is just a name I was given for the purposes of this mission. I'm actually nobody."

Immediately, Sakura grew defensive for Sai's own sake. "This is a result of Danzo's training."

"I am merely an extension of Lord Danzo's will. I myself do not exist. Therefore, it's useless to say anything to me."

"You're not nobody!" Sakura snapped sharply, making Yamato and Naruto glance at her. They both recognized that tone. It was the same one she used to tell Yamato that he was more than just a clone of the first Hokage, or tell Naruto that he wasn't a monster despite housing the Kyubi. It was a tone that conveyed so much care for the person she was addressing, that them saying anything belittling about themselves angered her. Sakura eyed the picture book in Sai's hand. "Maybe that's what Danzo wants you to think, but it's not true and you know it, or else why carry that picture book around? We already talked about needing to feel in order to make art…" Sakura nodded to the book, "those aren't just your feelings though. You drew that as a gift for someone you had a bond with—for your brother." Sai said nothing, but he wouldn't look at her. "And you hang on to it because it is the only thing that proves you actually do exist."

She was taking a shot in the dark with this, but the way Sai suddenly looked up at her, listening silently, questions in his eyes, told her that she wasn't too far off the mark, and it gave her the confidence to keep going.

"Maybe it's getting through to him…"

"I told you this before, but that book confirms it. You're not as emotionless as you'd have everyone think. Counter to what Danzo's training may have you believing, not even shinobi can cut off their feelings completely…you couldn't."

Sai raised the book, glancing at the picture of his brother before looking up at Sakura. "How does possessing this book translate into proving my existence?"

"It's just like with your drawings—you've formed a disconnect between them emotionally and mentally…you draw to vent the feelings you have but can't allow yourself to feel. And you carry that book around as a reminder that someone was bonded to you as a brother, even if you don't remember or understand what that means. The fact that you had a brother, and were a brother at one time, it's as life affirming as the drawings you create. Abandoning that book, means abandoning your identity as a brother. And that's something you just can't bring yourself to do. Do you know why?"

Sai didn't answer, his hand tightening on the book. It was just like last time, when she talked about his art…he couldn't help wondering if she was right. If he really did feel things, and care about his interactions with people? But then, if she was right, what did that make him? All there was for him was root…and everything she said about him ran counter to the requirements of a root operative. That was all there was for him, all he existed for…and if he failed at that, then what was left?

"Because despite what Danzo wants you to think, your bond with your older brother still matters to you. It's that important." Sakura finished, watching his reaction closely.

Sai was staring at her, wide eyed, his normally blank expression betraying…something.

"I might be misreading it, but he seems a bit…lost. Am I getting through to him? Is what I'm saying enough to punch a hole in that kilometer high wall of brainwashing Danzo put him through?"

"You don't want to erase your relationship with him." She continued earnestly, hoping that if she continued to punch whatever crack she'd made in his mental defense, she really would trigger a breakthrough and bring Sai firmly over to their side.

"…relationship…?" Sai echoed softly. Was it true? Did he really have a bond with his brother? A valuable one that he didn't wish to leave behind or ignore, even though his brother had died long ago? Was that…was that what Naruto had with Sasuke? And Sakura? Naruto said she was in love with him, and he…felt something with her…it might not be quite the same thing as Naruto and Sasuke, or he and his brother, but that was still a bond, right? But…Sasuke didn't feel that anymore. He hadn't cared in the slightest when Sai had mentioned their names. So why were they still holding on so tightly? Their relationship with him…was it that important to them?

Yamato saw Sai's open and vulnerable expression and, unfortunately in Sakura's opinion, decided this would be a good time to get some more answers. "Sorry, but we flipped through your picture book. The centerfold is the only illustration that's incomplete."

Sai's eyes narrowed, his guard rising.

"By the flow of the visual narrative, from cover to cover, it seems the next logical battle would be with your brother. Sai, I know you're from the foundation."

"Foundation? That must be the name of Danzo's marital faction he runs…wow. They have branding and everything…how official."

"As Sakura's indicated, you received special training from Danzo to kill all emotions. He uses evil exercises similar to that which used to be practiced in Kirigakure, the Blood Mist Village…"

"Evil exercises similar to that of the Blood Mist Village?"

It's kind of a killing spree among classmates. Students who'd been friends, eating from the same dish, as undergrads were divided into pairs and forced to fight against each other to the death. Think of it. Comrades who had trained together, lived together, shared each other's every hope and dream…

"He doesn't mean the exercise Zabuza talked about does he?! But that would mean…He can't really think that Sai would—?!"

"So, did you do it? Did you kill your brother, Sai?"

"No!" It was the loudest his voice had gotten throughout the whole conversation. "This book…it was supposed to be a gift…but just before I completed it, he…" Sai closed his eyes and smiled, "got sick and died."

Sakura's hand reflexively fingered her mother's necklace. She knew what that was like, watching someone get sick and die. And if Sai's brother hadn't completed whatever Danzo's training entailed, and wasn't recognized by the state as a full-fledged shinobi, he wouldn't have had access to free healthcare—based on what she heard about Danzo, she highly doubted he would have provided any medical support to those under his training regime—he sounded like a survival of the fittest type.

"That smile again…"

When my brother died, I didn't know what kind of expression I was supposed to be making.

The best way to defuse a troublesome situation is by smiling, even if it is fake.

"I think I'm starting to get a better read on him…before he was trying to use that fake smile to blend with us, but now he's trying to use it to cover any cracks in the emotionless facade. That, or he wants to have an expression, but this is the only one he has any idea how to make…either way, this fake smile is more for himself than for us…"

"We may not have been related by blood, but he was the closest thing to family I ever had."

Naruto's eyes saddened. He knew what the was like. That's what Sasuke was to him. The three of them had all been orphans, alone. Sasuke and Naruto had each other, until Sasuke left, and Sai had his brother, until his brother died…he vaguely wondered if it all happened around the same time, or if Sai had been alone for much longer.

"There are a lot of children from families torn apart by warfare in the foundation. My brother treated me like a real sibling." Sai looked down at the book again, feeling emptier than normal…was that what sadness felt like? "This picture book…what I wanted to show him the most was the final centerfold…but after he died, I couldn't remember what I had been planning to draw."

"So it was a grief or trauma response of some sort…I can diagnose it, but I have no idea what I'm supposed to do to treat something like that…It feels like there's been a breakthrough, but I'm not entirely sure with what or what the next steps would be! I wish Ino-pig were here, she'd at least have some idea of what you're supposed to do next with this sort of thing!"

Yamato glanced towards the door. "We need to move, now. We'll finish this somewhere else."

He grabbed Sai, and Sakura and Naruto followed him as he rushed away.

---

They regrouped outside the hideout by a rocky outcropping. Yamato had Sai tied up with his wood style. "Sorry Sai, but I'm going to have to leave you with my Wood clone standing watch."

Sai said nothing, debating. He needed to finish his mission, but on the other hand…Sakura's deep read of him still bothered him…if she was right—and it was starting to feel more and more like she was—did he really want to continue being a root member? But if he didn't, what else was there? His brother was gone. Dead. His only bond…but…could he form another one?

Naruto punched his open palm. "All right, now down to our real business! Let's go rescue Sasuke!"

"And what if he doesn't want to be rescued?" Sai asked, eyeing the patch of dirt next to him. "I actually got to meet him…but Orochimaru is always at his side. Cross him and he'll tear you to pieces and use your body for his experiments. Besides…Even though Sakura told me you think of Sasuke as a brother, and you told me she's in love with him, he said that both of you mean nothing to him. So why…do you still care so much? Why stand up to the like of Orochimaru and risk your own life to save someone who doesn't want to be saved? Why? It's not like anyone's ordering you to…"

Naruto was quiet for a moment before breaking into a fox-like grin. "When I first met Sasuke, I totally hated him…but at the same time, I also really enjoyed being around him. 'Cuz he…really accepted me more than anyone else. I'm doing this because Sasuke is my friend…and that's a bond that can never be broken."

Sai's eyes widened. There it was again. "A bond…But still…to go up against Orochimaru…?"

"If he tears my arms off, I'll kick him dead. If he tears my legs off, I'll bite him dead. If he tears my neck off, I'll glare him dead. And if he pokes my eyes out, I'll curse him dead."

Sakura smiled sadly. "What a Naruto-like sentiment."

Sai glanced her way. "And you? A brother…is a bond I can understand. But being in love…especially if it's one sided…is that worth the risk for you, Sakura?"

Sakura gave a slight nod, her perfected fake smile in place. "Whether Sasuke-kun loves me or not…the same way Naruto said Sasuke-kun accepted him more than anyone else…Sasuke-kun understands me in a way only my mother did. And there were some things he said to me before he left that…"

Sakura…thank you…for everything.

Don't die while I'm gone, Sakura. Please.

Sakura shook her head a little, her smile falling into a more calculating expression. "Besides, you said Orochimaru is always by his side. That snake isn't one to take kindly sentiment or obvious care for others. Sasuke-kun might care for us more than he can safely admit in Orochimaru's presence."

"That's quite the speculation…" Sai murmured, eyes wide. These two…this was what having a bond really looked like…could…could he bond with them as well?

"I'd rather try and be wrong about that, than be right and leave Sasuke-kun to be destroyed by that rotten snake bastard." Sakura answered savagely, her green eyes hard and stormy.

"That's right! And Sakura-chan's never wrong! So let Orochimaru try and cut us to pieces, we'll still find a way to steal Sasuke back!" Naruto declared.

Sai stared at them both. What would he have to do to be accepted by them like that? What would he have to do to forge a bond with these two…and how could anyone have been so willing to walk away from bonds like this? But then, if Sakura was to be believed, as Naruto seemed to unwaveringly, maybe Sasuke hadn't really walked away from these bonds…at least, not completely.

"Let me create the lookout so we can go back in." Yamato said.

A whooshing sound alerted all of them to the barrage of Kunai hurtling towards them. Yamato, Sakura, and Naruto, leapt out of the way, as Kabuto dropped down in front of Sai.

"From the looks of it, Sai, you've been captured." Kabuto said casually pointing out the obvious. "Well, you don't appear to have betrayed us…I'll give you the benefit of the doubt." Kabuto smirked, cutting through Sai's wood bindings with a chakra scalpel.

"Yeah, cause you're the beacon of benevolence." Sakura drawled coolly.

"Damn…I really don't have enough chakra for a full fight right now…I'm supposed to stay back, even if I hate feeling useless, I might really have to this time around."

"If you try to stop us, Sai, we won't hold back!" Naruto warned firmly.

A Naruto clone dropped down on Kabuto from the rock face above, a rasengan swirling in his hand, but Kabuto easily kicked the clone into non-existence.

"You're wasting your time." Kabuto dismissed.

"No way to know without trying!" Naruto shouted back.

"No. No. I'm not talking about that. When I look at you, it's really pathetic. People change. Sasuke is no longer the boy you knew."

Sakura's fists tightened, and she was about to yell at Kabuto that he didn't understand the first thing about Sasuke, but stopped short when Sai suddenly grabbed hold of him from behind.

"Wha?!" Kabuto glanced back at Sai, who held him in place.

"Sai! What's he doing…did we…get through to him?"

"What are you doing?" Kabuto questioned dangerously.

"If people change, then so can I."

"What?!"

"But some things don't change…bonds…I'd like to learn more about them." He said, his eyes fixed on Naruto and Sakura.

"Sai…you…"

Sakura couldn't help the smile breaking onto her face. She'd succeeded in the secondary mission Tsunade had given her after all.

"Welcome to the land of emotions Sai!"

Yamato quickly cast his wood bindings on Kabuto…turns out they may have succeeded in their mission to capture the Akatsuki spy after all. He summoned a wood clone to keep watch, and they all gathered around.

"Sai…what's up with you?" Naruto asked, still not entirely sure of what just happened. Had Sai really come around to their way of thinking?

"I'm curious about this bond you and Sasuke share, that keeps you going after him…the how and why…watching the two of you makes me realize that perhaps I haven't been able to erase my bond with my brother. And if you're right, Sakura, if that really is such an important thing to me…perhaps I can figure out why by observing the bond between you and Sasuke, Naruto. And…if I'm going that far, I may as well try to reconnect with and better understand my feelings…you two are probably among the few that can help me figure that out."

"Naruto got through to him!…we both did! That means there's hope for deconditioning other's in Danzo's program as well…although let's not get too ahead of ourselves. For now, let's just focus on helping Sai. Tsunade-sama will be so happy! This is gonna be a huge middle finger to that uptight ass hole, shannaro!"

Sakura smiled warmly. "I'll help however I can Sai, so if you have any questions, you can come to me any time…I'll do my best to answer without decking you."

"That's right! Welcome to Team 7, for real this time!" Naruto grinned widely. "You got two more bonds already! And once Sasuke's back, you'll see just what that bond means!"

Kabuto snorted. "You just don't get Sasuke at all!" He chuckled.

"I don't recall asking for your opinion four eyes!" Sakura snapped. She really hated that guy. "Like you understand the first thing about Sasuke-kun!"

"I understand that even back during the chunin exams, Naruto mattered more to him, then pathetic, useless, little Sakura. And even then, he cared about Itachi more than either of you."

"Enough. Where is he?" Yamato cut in.

"By now, he's probably finished training and is resting in one of the inner rooms. This place is riddled with self contained rooms, you know. You'll have to check them one by one in order to find him. But if you're not careful, poking the wrong bush will flush out some snakes."

Sakura closed her eyes and sighed. "Let me guess, the sleeping quarters are grouped together, which means Orochimaru's private quarters are located in the same vicinity." The idea of walking straight into that snakes room was wildly unappealing.

"If only there was a way to scan buildings the way medics can scan bodies…but releasing chakra into rocky just breaks it…I've broken enough to know…" Sakura shook her head. She'd have to revisit the idea later when she had time, chakra, and the focus to do so. For now, finding Sasuke was more important.

"Ding ding. That's correct. At least you've always been clever Sakura-chan." Kabuto answered, his eyes raking up her form. Clever and pretty. What a dangerous combination.

"Thank you for your honesty." Yamato muttered dryly.

"Oh, no need to thank me."

"Because we're going to get killed anyway?"

"Yes."

"As Naruto said, there's no way to know without trying." Yamato turned to Sai, Naruto, and Sakura. "Come on, let's go."

---

Sasuke slumped onto his bed, completely exhausted. Orochimaru's training was always vicious and bordering on lethal…he'd learned a powerful new jutsu, as promised, but he knew there were plenty who would argue no amount of power would be worth this torturous hell. He knew that wasn't true though. If it made him strong enough to kill Itachi, avenge his clan, and stop him from any threat he posed to Naruto, Kakashi, and Sakura, it was worth it. If Sakura was still alive, his mind whispered darkly.

His horrible week of Sakura-being-stabbed nightmares had cast some morbid doubt…but that Sai person mentioned Naruto and Sakura…he'd used past tense, but the way he spoke about them implied that they were both still alive, not that he'd entertained the idea that Naruto wasn't. The thought had never crossed his mind…Sakura on the other hand had a maximum life expectancy of sixteen, and he was having recurring nightmares of her death.

Despite his abject exhaustion, he dreaded closing his eyes and allowing sleep to take him…he didn't want to see it again…didn't want to see her run through, her blood splattering on him, her body falling limply into his arms, the life fading from her nature-green eyes. He knew he needed the sleep, his body needed to recover, but would it even be restful? The past week certainly hadn't.

He shifted onto his side, closing his eyes, his exhausted body pulling him into sleep he wasn't sure he wanted…until he felt a weight in his arms. The familiar, soothing scent of jasmine, aloe, lemon, sage, and something vaguely like hospital antiseptic hit his nose, a mix that while slightly different than he remembered, unmistakably belonged to Sakura. His eyes cracked open, and he glanced down to see a head of silky pink hair tucked safely against his chest.

---

"All right, we'll split into two teams here." Yamato explained as they once again stood in a corridor of the lair. "Sakura and I will be one pair; Naruto and Sai, the other. If anything goes wrong, just manipulate your chakra. It'll activate the tree seed inside you and alert me. I'll come running right away."

After their nods of affirmation Naruto and Sai headed off in one direction while Sakura turned and started heading down the opposite.

"Sakura…" She stopped, turning to Yamato, as he caught up with her. "I'm not entirely sure what to make of your judgement in situations regarding those you care about, but you're clearly smart…Sai. Do you trust him?"

Sakura was quiet for a moment, her mind flashing to Gaara and Chiyo. Temari had said Naruto had the power to change people…he'd done it again with Sai, and she'd never doubted that ability before.

"I don't think he told us everything about his mission…it felt too easy. He didn't really say anything we hadn't said. Even if some of it's true, I don't think that's all there was to it. But…I also think he meant what he said about bonds and wanting to understand them more. He's been trying this whole time to connect with us, even if he didn't go about it well. And that was before he even was aware that's what he was trying to do. Same with his art…whatever training he received didn't take as strongly as he thought it did, so he was always suseptiable to coming around to Naruto's way of thinking. And Naruto's never met a mind he couldn't change."

Yamato nodded, seeming to accept her stance. "You talk as if Naruto is the singular reason for Sai's change."

"It was seeing how far Naruto would go for Sasuke-kun that brought him around."

"It may have been the last push he needed, but your discrediting all the ground work you laid. Sakura, you're the one that's been understanding him, explaining himself to him, reaching out repeatedly. You're the one that made him realize he was holding onto his brother, to that relationship. You're a healer." In all honesty, he was a bit tired of Sakura underselling herself. No one else had ever looked at him as anything more than a tragic experiment or pale copy of the First Hokage, until her. This girl needed to start recognizing how valuable her kindness and open-mindedness was.

"Well, yeah. Lady Tsunade trained me herself. I'm a medical ninja." Sakura stated blankly, not seeing how that was related to Sai's change in mindset.

Yamato shook his head. Healer and Medic were not the same thing. Kabuto was proof of that. If they had more time and weren't in enemy territory, he would have sat her down and explained the difference. But for now, they had to find Sasuke. "Listen, I know you have more combat skill than your standard medical ninja, but if we do stumble onto anyone who isn't Sasuke, especially Orochimaru, you're to fall back immediately and let me take care of it. Is that clear?" He was certain she was running low on chakra, after the event on the bridge, and they needed to be sure she had energy available to heal if the need arose.

Sakura nodded in understanding. Normally, she would have at the very least insisted that if it came to battle she could handle herself, but the fact of the matter was, she was exhausted. Her head pounded, her body ached tiredly as a remnant from the damage done by the nine-tails—she'd need probably at least two days rest before everything was back to normal on that front—really there was no argument she could make.

They pushed open door after door, level after level, but there was nothing. Sakura let out a tired huff after the nteenth door. "He's not here either…"

Yamato suddenly stiffened.

"What is it?"

"Naruto and Sai are in trouble."

Sakura immediately turned and started back the way they came. "Let's go!"

They took turn after turn as fast as they could until they skidded to halt behind Naruto's tell tale orange and black jacket.

"You again, Orochimaru." Yamato muttered. It was to be expected, but it didn't make the situation any less bad.

"Hmph…" The Snake man muttered. "Remember Naruto…this makes twice that I've let you live. A debt I hope you'll repay by eliminating at least one more Akatsuki member for me." Orochimaru's cold amber gaze shifted to Sakura. "Sakura-chan, so lovely of you to come all the way to my hideout…as much as I'd love to experiment with that fun little family curse of yours, Kabuto tells me that against anyones expectations, it was actually you who took out Sasori, so I'll allow you your freedom for much the same reason. And now, if you'll excuse me, I've got some unfinished business with Sai." Orochimaru whisped away, presumably to follow Sai, who was nowhere to be seen.

"Jerk!" Naruto growled, while Sakura let out a relieved breath. As much as she hated Orochimaru, a trill of terror always ran through her when in his presence, and she wanted to avoid reactions as much as possible—no matter how much control she could wrangle, the reactions were still unbelievably painful.

"Naruto, where's Sai?" Yamato demanded.

"Oh no…he went to go find Sasuke! We've got to find them before Orochimaru does." Naruto's mind raced in a guilty frenzy. He'd been the one to send Sai ahead without backup! If something happened to Sai and Sasuke because of him—they had to catch up with him fast! "It'll use up my chakra, but my shadow clones can go one way while you and Sakura go the other way, Captain Yamato!"

Sakura's attention caught on a book lying on the ground…Sai's book. It was open to the middle page, except this time, it was a bit different. She picked it up her brow furrowing. "The centerfold…" It now showed Sai and his brother holding hands, both of them smiling.

"Yeah…" Naruto smiled. "He finally remembered. He said that was the dream drawing of the two of them that he had wanted to show his brother."

"They're both smiling." Sakura murmured. It was such a sharp turn around from what Sai had been like only hours before—unable to recognize how important his brother was to him.

"When he drew that picture, I saw him smile a real smile for the first time from his heart."

Yamato knelt next to Sai's pack, opening it up. He still wasn't over his suspicion of the boy, and when he saw the black notebook in there, he knew he was right to be suspicious. "Oh no."

"Now what's wrong?"

"I found this in Sai's pack. This type of bingo book is standard issue for black ops members. It lists one's targets for assassination." Yamato explained, holding out the book for them to see.

"An assassination list?" Naruto glanced at the crossed out faces on the book pages. "So what do the X marks represent?"

"The people he's already killed."

Sakura closed her eyes in thought. "So Sai does assassination missions for Danzo's organization."

"It makes sense. If Danzo's faction is an offshoot of the Anbu, which already handles things like assassinations, why wouldn't his more militant, less peace loving faction also carry out assassination missions?"

Yamato's eyes widened. "Look…" A picture of twelve-year-old Sasuke stared back at them.

"N-No…" Sakura gasped. "That's not possible! Shishou hasn't registered him as a missing nin!"

"Why is Sasuke on Sai's assassination list?!" Naruto demanded.

"Danzo must have gone ahead and declared him a Root target on his own…His face isn't x'ed out yet…so that's what this is about."

"What is? What's this about?!"

"Sai's mission wasn't to become the conduit between Danzo and Orochimaru. His real top-secret mission is to assassinate Sasuke."

"…I knew he wasn't telling us something, Shannaro!"

"But…that's not possible! I mean just now he said he was going to rescue Sasuke! And I saw him smile from his heart—I really think he's changed!"

"…Unless it was all just an act to draw you out…it's like that time I punched him…a smile can help one achieve one's goals…" Sakura murmured sadly. She wasn't sure what to believe…her instincts told her Sai wasn't telling them something, but they also told her Sai had changed—they'd gotten through to him. He'd never have been able to fool Naruto with a fake smile as he used to be. She wasn't sure which was right…all she knew was Sasuke's life was on the line, and whether that threat was Sai, Orochimaru, or both, she needed to save him.

"The owner of this bingo book could do it. Look at this…this guy, listed next to Sasuke, he's a Kirigakure Jonin who had taken a hard-line attitude toward Konoha. So Sai seems to have been assigned to dispose of individuals who pose a threat to Konoha, and Sasuke is one of those too…"

Her fist tightened. "No he isn't! Sasuke-kun would never harm Konoha—he has no grudge against it! The only reason he left was to kill Itachi! And why the hell isn't he in that damn book?! Itachi's the one they should really be going after!" Sakura shouted, infuriated.

"Wait…why isn't Itachi in this bingo book? He is in the standard Anbu one, so why not Danzo's?"

"Sasuke left to join Orochimaru, knowing that the Sanin wants to take over his body. Even if Sasuke has no grudge against Konoha himself, Orochimaru does. Danzo's ultimate goal is to destroy Orochimaru's future host body. That's why Sai was trying to get close to Orochimaru. They weren't going to betray Konoha. In fact, quite the opposite, it's precisely the kind of tactic the foundation would employ." Yamato explained.

"Then what are we waiting for?! Let's go find Sai!" Naruto barked, they had no time to waste.

---

"Sakura…?"

He felt her eyelashes flutter open against his chest. She mumbled something and shifted, looking up at him, allowing him to see those spring green eyes that reminded him what life was supposed to be. They were out of place in this dark underground prison.

"I'm tired, Sasuke-kun." She murmured sleepily, tucking back against his chest.

"You're alive…?"

"Mhm."

"…You were stabbed…" Sasuke said slowly, never taking his eyes off the top of her soft pink hair. His arms, which were wrapped firmly around the small of her back, tightened against her. He shouldn't be dreaming this. He knew he shouldn't. But the nightmares had been so dreadful…just this once, he'd fully indulge in her presence, for the sheer relief it provided.

"Mhm." She hummed quietly. He felt her eyes flutter open again, and her chest move against his as she inhaled. "Yeah…I…It was a hard battle…I don't really…"

"Did it scar?" He asked quietly. The whole conversation was quiet, whispered…partially because the intimacy of them being in each other's arms, and partially because he was aware this had to be a dream. Sakura wasn't really here. She couldn't be, no matter how real this felt. A small treacherous part of him whispered that this may have been a reality, if he had never left Konoha. He and Sakura could easily have grown into this, if he had stayed when she told him she loved him…if he had let himself fully feel what he knew he felt but couldn't admit out loud to anyone yet.

He felt Sakura nod against him.

"But medical ninjutsu—"

"Doesn't usually leave scars, but depending on how severe the wound, whether or not it's poisoned, how well executed the medical ninjutsu, or how late it's applied…scars can still happen. Ibiki-san has a lot of scars, remember?…Kakashi-sensei has the one over his eye."

"Aa…Does it bother you?"

She shook her head, and he felt her silken hair brush against his chest. "No…It means I survived something that no one would have thought I could…"

Sasuke let out a slight huff of laughter. "You love proving people wrong."

She looked up at him, smiling prettily. "It's my favorite pastime."

"Tsk. Don't lie. Your favorite pastime is dancing and trivia games."

Sakura blinked at him for a moment, her eyes more awake. "How'd you know I like to play trivia games?"

He supposed that was fair. He'd never seen her play them, but whenever anyone asked a question she knew the answer to, her eyes lit up and she'd immediately start reciting some fact, probably verbatim from the source she learned it. He'd just assumed based on her demeanor that it was something she enjoyed.

"Hn…" He sighed, thinking of his nightmares the past week. "Why are you here?"

"You need to rest Sasuke-kun…that sadist is putting your body through too much and you need proper sleep or you're going to do a lot of damage to your system." She lectured, in her stern, caring way. Typical Sakura, knowing just what he needed…her presence made everything better, made the rage in him quiet, lessened the considerable tension he carried in his body…which was why he couldn't allow her to come with him. He needed that rage, it was his fuel. That tension kept his instincts on high alert, kept him sharp, kept him alive. He would need all of that if he was going to kill Itachi. Then he could go back to her and allow her presence to wash over him like a soothing balm, and release all the knots he carried. But he knew she was right. It wasn't good for the body to be in such a high alert state for such a prolonged period. He had needed to feel her against him, alive and well…he'd needed this break from the horrible nightmares.

His arms tightened around her, pulling her even closer, so she was fully against him. He couldn't allow himself these dreams too often, but on occasion…just this once.

"S-Sasuke-kun!" She gasped. He could feel the heat emanating from the blush on her cheeks. It made something animalistic inside him purr, knowing that he still had this effect on her. And a childish part of himself insisted that he should at least have this much of an effect on her, given how much of an effect she had on him. It was only fair.

"Thank you…for surviving."

Sakura blinked up at him for a second before smiling prettily again. "You know, Sasuke-kun, there are other ways of saying thank you.." Her hands tightened against his shirt as she leaned up and gently pressed her lips against his. He was quick to return the action, not even surprised at this point…on the rare occasion he had pleasant dreams about Sakura, they usually wound up kissing…sometimes doing even more than that.

One of her hands wove it's way up to his face, cupping his cheek while the other held his shirt tightly in her dainty but calloused fist, their kiss deepening.

He was enjoying the feeling of exploring her mouth with his, when he heard the faintest of sounds, felt the slightest change in pressure…his eyes snapped open, and he was PISSED.

"…Who's there?" He demanded, with icy calm, feeling chakra mixed with some type of liquid substance at his back.

"My cover's been blown…but I can still take action." Sai answered plainly, from where he was crouched behind Sasuke's cracked open door.

"What do you want?"

"I'm here to…take you back to Konoha!" Sai declared. "My mission was to kill you. At first I was going to, but…"

Cuz he really accepted me more than anyone else.

Naruto thinks of Sasuke-kun as a brother.

She's in love with him, you moron.

Whether Sasuke-kun loves me or not…Sasuke-kun understands me in a way only my mother did.

I'm doing this because Sasuke is my friend…and that's a bond that can never be broken.

"I want to help protect this bond you three share…that Naruto so desperately wants to hold on to. And Sakura as well…her smile's always a little bit fake and sad, and I'm curious to see what it would look like for real…"

Sasuke's rage sky rocketed. This asshole just woke him up from the best sleep he had in weeks, only to rub in his face the one thing he can't afford to have just yet. And why the hell was he so fixated on Sakura's smile?! She was too good for that emotionless freak! He completely tried to ignore the fact that apparently Sakura's smile was now always fake and sad, but it still sunk into the back of his mind and made him bristle angrily. And of course, he couldn't reveal any of that, without putting Naruto and Sakura in more danger. He had yet to take a life, the only one he wanted to kill was Itachi…but Sai was making him rethink that…

"A bond…? That's your excuse for disturbing my rest?" Sasuke's eyes opened, sharingan swirling murderously, and there was a huge explosion.

---

The corridor around them shook, small rocks falling from the ceiling and walls.

"It came from that way." Sakura said turning to face one of the branching corridors, her dancer's ear quickly identifying the direction of the rumbling despite the echoing earthen corridors all around them.

"I sense Sai's chakra!" Yamato affirmed.

They immediately took off down the corridor. Sakura pumped her legs faster than she had in a long time. It almost felt like racing with Kiba—it had been a long time since she'd done that, she should really do that again soon. But this time, the speed wasn't fun. She was exhausted, and more than that, Sasuke was in danger. She flew down the hall, her footfalls silent, until she reached the end of the hallway, and made a sharp left, where sunlight streamed in from an opening.

---

Sai grunted, on his hands and knees. Sasuke stood at the edge of the crater, silhouetted against the sun. "Wow…" He muttered, rising shakily to his feet. "I didn't expect you to shake off my jutsu so forcibly." Was that always his reaction to being woken up? Or had he said something that touched a nerve?

---

Sakura didn't wait for Naruto or Yamato. She took off down the corridor towards Sai's figure, and in no time at all, she flew out into the light grabbing his collar.

"Sakura! What're you doing?!" Sai gasped in slight surprise, taken aback by her silent speed. He hadn't sensed her approach at all, although now that he thought about it, he never really had sensed Sakura's chakra before, she must have an incredible amount of control to suppress it so thoroughly at all times.

"Quiet you! Now you're gonna give me some answers, and this time, you're not going to lie!"

"…Sakura?"

---

The second she'd come dancing into the light, his breath caught in his throat, his eyes widening. He wasn't even sure for a second if he was totally awake or not. She couldn't be here—she shouldn't. This was the last place someone like Sakura belonged in. And more than that, she looked scarily similar to how she looked in his dream. His mind had apparently aged her with terrifying accuracy. The only difference was her clothing, but she was just as beautiful as she was in his dreams. He hadn't been able to stop himself, her name rolling off his tongue easily.

And that's when he'd seen her eyes as she turned to him…that shade of jade green that he could always easily read her emotions in. They looked so lonely as they locked with his, and it shook something deep within him.

If you leave I'll…I'll be very lonely.

He hated himself for doing this to her. But then the dream of Itachi stabbing her, of Sakura bleeding out in his arms flashed through his mind, along with images of Itachi killing his mother and father in front of him. His resolve hardened. He'd left so he could take care of Itachi before he could take anyone else away. He hated himself for the pain he was causing her, for leaving her alone. But she had Naruto and Kakashi…even if it wasn't the same, it was for the best. He'd come back to her if he survived, and if he didn't…she was always far too kind, caring, smart, warm, loving, graceful, beautiful…well, she was far more than he ever deserved in the first place.

"S-Sasuke-kun…?" She murmured, her hand slipping away from Sai's collar.

"He…he looks so similar to my dreams…I'm almost not sure if I'm dreaming—no, I know I'm not, but…it's erie how similar the two are, the only difference is the clothes…"

"Speaking of, that open shirt—holy fuck Sasuke-kun's hot! His chest! And those abs! Think he'll let us touch 'em?!"

"I really hate you, you know that? You come out at the most inconvenient times, damnit! I can't be distracted like this right now!…Sasauke-kun…he looks tired…really tired. He must not be sleeping well…"

He had to fight the urge to flinch. She still said his name the same way. It sounded so sweet and warm when she said it…so comfortable and safe. Nothing like how he felt when Orochimaru or Kabuto addressed him…cold, dirty, angry. He also couldn't help but noting how her cheeks flushed as she looked up at him. He could understand why, feeling the wind ruffling his open shirt, further exposing his bare chest—he'd opened it when he went to sleep, for comfort, and he was grateful for having made that choice. However selfish of him it was, there was something reassuring about knowing he still had that effect on her.

This was dangerous. His emotions were too near the surface. If Orochimaru caught him slipping, who knew what sadistic thing he might do to Sakura in the name of testing Sasuke's resolve. That, or she might actually manage to convince him to go home before he got enough power to take care of Itachi…and then she and Naruto would be in just as much danger as they were before, and Itachi still wouldn't have paid for what he'd done to their family. He needed to get a grip on himself fast.

Luckily, in true best friend fashion, Naruto flew in providing him exactly what he needed—an excuse to shift his focus away from the teammate he never wanted to hurt, to the teammate he knew he could trade blows with. And it wasn't just trading blows with him, Naruto brought out his competitive side, made his blood boil, and more then that…He and Naruto could communicate with their fists. The combative feelings Naruto elicited in him were the perfect cover.

"…Sasuke…" Naruto gasped, looking up at him.

"So Naruto…you came too." Sasuke drawled. "I assume this means Kakashi's here somewhere." He had to keep his voice flat and face neutral. Orochimaru had eyes everywhere, and he couldn't afford to divulge the care, concern, or connection he felt to his former teammates. Unknowingly, he pulled a card from Sakura's deck, hyper focusing on the rivalry and anger Naruto sparked, and letting that flood over everything else.

A man stepped out from the ruble that Sasuke didn't recognize. "Sorry, but Kakashi-senpai could't make it. I'm here in his stead. We of Team Kakashi are here to take you back to Konoha."

"Team Kakashi, huh? So…" His eyes trailed lazily to Sai. "Is he my stand in? He said something about wanting to protect the bond between me and Naruto, but…looks like this one is just another weakling too." He had to say it out loud. Remind himself why he walked away. Konoha wasn't making him strong enough. He needed more power. He'd tested and proven it when he and Naruto fought in The Valley of the End. And how easily he'd blown off Sai's jutsu was further proof. He'd made the necessary choice.

Sai suddenly drew his Tantō, pointing it at Sasuke, drawing Sakura's eyes away from him, and both annoyingly and helpfully, it sent a sharp spike of irritation through Sasuke. He liked it more when her spring green eyes were trained on him—it had been so long since he'd last seen them in his waking hours, and he especially hated them turned on someone who was supposed to be his replacement on the team. But it also took some of the pressure off, made it easier to appear careless to the situation.

"Sai!" Sakura growled. "You're not still thinking of your mission, are you? You're real mission—it was to kill—"

"Yes. My top secret mission was to kill Sasuke." There was no point in lying to them anymore. He had no desire to. He wanted to really build a bond with these two, and bonds built on lies would crumble quickly. Besides, he doubted he could truly lie to Sakura. She seemed to always have some notion—however vague—of the things he was withholding, even the things he seemed to withhold from himself. "But I'm done following orders. From now on, I want to think for myself." He declared. "I feel like you can help me remember, Naruto…bring back those old feelings I thought were lost. The things that were once really important to me…and Sakura, I think you could help me to understand them…what those feelings really mean. As for you, Sasuke, I really don't know that much about you…except that Naruto and Sakura are willing to risk everything for you to keep that special bond you all share alive, in the name of friendship. I still don't understand it fully. But I think you do, Sasuke. Don't you?"

He hated him. Sasuke hated this washed out, blank boy, who was throwing in his face everything he couldn't afford to have yet. Of course he knew how precious his bonds with Naruto and Sakura were. Naruto was like a little brother…someone who understood what it was like to be alone…someone who understood him, when no one else even tried. Someone who could still understand him, communicate with him, in a way no one else could. And Sakura…he couldn't afford to look closely at the depths she permeated within him. He couldn't afford to listen to the small voice that never stopped screaming that he should seek her out, pull her to him and hold her tight, apologize profusely and beg him to make him feel like he actually had a home again, the way her mere presence had turned his empty apartment to a place of warmth and comfort.

"Yeah…" Those feelings…they were all too distracting. Put too much at stake, gave him too much to lose…and with his brother at large, his brother who actively wanted Sasuke to hate him, who killed his whole family for it and was targeting Naruto for the tailed-beast inside him, and took far too keen of an interest in Sakura, during their first meeting…Sasuke couldn't do it. He couldn't have those bonds just to have them taken away again, in whatever sick game his brother was playing. Naruto and Sakura meant nothing to him—they couldn't mean anything to him until Itachi was gone. "…I did. And that's exactly why I had to cut them off." He forced his eyes to stare passed Naruto and Sakura's hurt expressions. "I have different bonds now. The bond of hatred between my older brother and me…"

Itachi flashed through his mind, his sharingan swirling with menacing laziness.

You're still too weak…you don't have enough hate…

"Personal ties cause confusion. Precious memories only make you weak."

Naruto's jaw clenched tightly, remembering their argument during their last battle.

What can you possibly know about me? You've got no parents, no brothers…you were alone to begin with so what can you possibly know about me?! This pain is born from my family bonds! How would you ever know what it means to lose anything!

He still remembered his own answer.

It's true I don't know a thing about having brothers or real parents.

"Why Sasuke…"

He still remembered the next big question Sasuke asked him.

Why? Why do you waste so much effort on me?
He still remembered what he told Sasuke in response.

Because for me…you were part of my family. So that why…I have to stop you!

"…Why, on that day…"

If that's what you think, then all I have to do…is sever that bond!

"Why didn't you just kill me?! That would've broken it! Or maybe you're can't! Maybe you're afraid! Huh?!" He'd held on to what Sakura said to Jiraya in the hospital. It had taken root in him as one of his most core beliefs. Sasuke had left him alive that day because he couldn't go through with killing him. Because he, and Sakura, and Team 7 still meant a great deal to Sasuke.

"…Naruto…" Sakura murmured softly, glancing worriedly at her teammate.

Sasuke stared down at them silently for a long second. He couldn't say that he left Naruto alive because the blond doofus was right. He was still his best friend—almost like a brother. And his real, evil, clan-murdering brother said that to get the mangekyo, he needed to kill his best friend. He couldn't say that he wanted to find a different way. A better way that didn't involve him stooping to Itachi's level and killing someone he cared about. He couldn't say that one of the last things he wanted to do was take someone else away from Sakura, the girl he never wanted to hurt, and hated himself for hurting. He closed his eyes to collect his words, pulling the very near memories of his brother to the surface of his mind, igniting the burning hatred in his veins and making his hostility rise.

"There's a simple explanation…it's not that I couldn't break the bond between us…I was simply doing as my brother did before me. It was just a strategy to gain power."

"What do you mean?!" Naruto challenged.

"I don't need to explain anything to you. The only thing you need to know, is that your life was only spared on a whim!"

Very suddenly, Sasuke was next to Naruto, his arm on his shoulder, facing the opposite direction, with an air of silent power and threat.

Yamato's eyes widened, staring at Sasuke who'd seemed to appear next to him out of nowhere. He was fast! He hadn't even seen him move!

"When did he…Sasuke-kun's always been fast. It only makes sense that he must have gotten faster…but it wasn't even like he was a blur. If I didn't know better, I'd have thought he teleported."

"That reminds me…didn't you use to say your dream was to become Hokage? Instead of wasting all that time chasing me, you should've been training. Don't you think?"

"Sasuke-kun!" He heard the admonishment and warning in Sakura's tone, but just like everything with her, their was a gentleness to it that bespoke of the love she still carried…Sasuke ignored her as best he could, but she was making this so damn difficult!

"This time, you could lose your life on a whim." He continued, pretending he'd never heard her speak. He withdrew his sword from his sheath menacingly, making the threat clear. Of course, he really had no desire to kill Naruto. He felt like he could before, but couldn't bring himself to do it, and that was when Naruto was actively provoking and challenging him. He'd been unstable back then too. But now, he was stable, and well on the road to obtaining the power he needed. He had no desire to kill Naruto…not today. But they didn't belong here. They should leave now and stop chasing him. And he'd say what he had to and put on whatever show was necessary if it got them away from him and safe.

"If someone can't even save a friend, then I don't think they deserve to be Hokage…do you, Sasuke?" Naruto answered seriously.

"Hn…" Sasuke's grip tightened on his sword, preparing to attack but he'd barely managed a twitch before the movement suddenly stopped. A small gloved hand had closed around the blade, holding it tightly from behind him. She always had been quick, and able to move silently. He couldn't sense her chakra either—she must be keeping it suppressed. That was hard to do at all times. The only give away that it was her behind him, and not the pale faced freak, was the wave of jasmine, aloe, lemon, sage, and something vaguely like hospital antiseptic…it was scary how accurate his dream was…even the slight changes in her scent. If his dream had gotten that right, what else had he been right about? The nightmares came back to him in flashes, triggering anger and self hatred fueled by fear that made his stomach flip. And he couldn't let any of that show..

"Let go, Sakura." She'd end up cutting her hand if she didn't, and her hands were frequently handling plants, oils, and alcohol, to make soaps, shampoos, ointments, cures, tonics…raw ingredients that probably weren't good to get in open wounds. "Stay out of it."

Sakura's brow furrowed in annoyance, unable to hold in her anger at that phrase. "Why is that always such a go to for you two?! 'Stay out of it, Sakura.' 'Don't get in the way, Sakura.' 'This is between us, Sakura.' The hell it is! If it involves you both, it involves me! The three of us have gone through too much crap together for me to not be!"

There was a long silence, where no one moved. Naruto stood stiff and resolute, Sasuke with his arm slung around Naruto's shoulder, his eyes staring past him, sword drawn, and Sakura at Sasuke's back, holding the blade in one hand, eyes trained on the back of his head. Yamato stared at the scene in front of him. It was like the three had reached an impasse. There were stories of the legendary three way deadlock, between the sanin. How interesting that their three apprentices found themselves in a deadlock of their own.

Sasuke was contemplating what his next move should be. There was one technique he could use…but honestly he was used to fighting Naruto, but Sakura…they never even sparred before. He knew Naruto could take it, and that he'd dish it back. He also knew Sakura had trained herself to walk on water within six hours, and had trained enough that within one month, she'd been able to defeat a sound ninja that had given Lee a hard time. It had been two and a half years, and she no longer had her mother around to look after. It was a safe bet that in that time she'd trained. So who knew how strong she now was. But even so, he was reluctant to attack her. He just…didn't have the desire to. Whether she could fight back or not, the idea of potentially hurting Sakura (more than he already had) was repulsive.

Naruto and Sakura locked eyes, and she knew he was about to make a move…they'd been on a team for a while now. She also knew Naruto well enough to know that anything he was about to do would be flashy, and she didn't have the chakra to be drawn into that kind of fight.

Everything happened in a flurry of motion. Strangely enough, Team 7 was still highly in sync with each other despite all the time apart, all of them suddenly moving at once, but this time, it seemed like Sai and Yamato were also both tuned into the team 7 wave length. Sakura released the sword, gracefully flipping back away to put some distance between her and the fight commencing, at the same time as Naruto grabbed the arm Sasuke had around him, Sasuke raised the sword the second he felt her hand release the blade, ready to stab at Naruto, fully trusting the blonde to somehow counter, and relieved that with Sakura out of range, his options opened up. Sai, having read the body language of what was happening, rushed in at the same time, catching Sasuke's wrist, once again stopping the movement of Sasuke's sword, while Yamato began to use his wood release from a small distance away, the wood growing from his hand.

"You blocked it correctly." Sasuke observed his replacement dully. At least he wasn't totally useless in protecting his teammates.

Naruto leapt up, still holding Sasuke's arm, flipping into the air and using his weight and momentum to pull Sasuke's arm to the left, leaving him wide open.

"Good!" Yamato called seeing his opening, and aiming the wood beam to extend towards Sasuke's chest.

Now Sasuke was growing irritated. They didn't really think he was so weak that they'd be able to subdue him just like that, did they? He'd show them, and Sakura was now far enough away that he knew exactly which technique to use. His eyes flashed red, his body erupting in blue electricity, crackling all around him with a sound like chirping birds.

"Chidori stream!"

"Oww! Naruto grunted, falling hard to the ground. Sai had been thrown to the ground as well, both lying motionless.

"He's emitting Chidori from his whole body!" Sakura's fist tightened as Sasuke took a step towards Sai.

But next time, I'm coming with you!

"I need to get to Sai and Naruto! But Sasuke-kun's right there. I don't have enough chakra for full combat, and Sasuke-kun's faster than me…but I'm still fast and I know my dance style tai jutsu can go up against a sharingan. I won't be able to do much, but I can at least keep him away from Sai and Naruto! Shannaro!"

Naruto and Sai were hurt and would need medical attention. She wouldn't have enough to treat them if she tapped into her chakra enhanced strength. She didn't even know if she had enough chakra to attach weapons to her body. She'd just have to hold her weapons in her hand and make her dance work. Sakura curled two kunai into her hands, and danced towards him, her steps quick, light and sure. Sasuke turned, his eyes widening slightly at the sight. She was much faster than he remembered, but her dancing was still as mesmerizing as ever. Though…he'd never seen Sakura openly trying to attack him before…it was a sight he didn't like.

"Sakura!" Yamato shouted, she wasn't supposed to run in! She was supposed to stay back!

She performed a quick spin, bringing her to Sasuke's left, twirling the kunai in a deadly dance, and sweeping her leg low to trip him, but Sasuke leapt up and back, avoiding both her outstretched leg and her swirling kunai. She quickly dropped into a roll, leaping up into the air with a spin jump, her blades trailing around her like the rings of Saturn. But Sasuke's sharingan was able to see right where her Kunai was going to be, and easily blocked with his sword. He knocked one of her kunai aside, using the momentum to push himself away, but Sakura used the momentum to flip herself and spin in closer. He had to give her credit though, with the movements she was making, it was hard to follow, even with the Sharingan.

Yamato watched in shock and Sakura continued her offensive, dancing beautifully, manipulating her kunai with deadly dexterity. What was more shocking was how Sasuke was responding. He wasn't attacking the way he had Naruto and Sai, even though he was more than capable. He simply kept dodging away, letting her get in close and then ducking out of reach at the last minute. It was like…

Sakura cartwheeled closer as Sasuke once again slipped out of reach. "It's almost like we're…"

Sasuke ducked under her leg as she fan kicked up. It felt like he was dancing with her. It was obvious that he was choosing not to end this quickly, as he very easily could, but aside from the deeply ingrained instinct to not hurt Sakura…he didn't know when he would get the chance to be so close to her again. "Dancing" with her like this, it may be the first and very possibly the last time he ever got to do something like this with her—there was no guarantee that he'd survive his encounter with Itachi when he finally confronted him.

"He's going easy on me…why? He could take me out as easily as he did Sai and Naruto. If our bonds are as broken as he claims, why is he humoring me? Unless I'm right, and we do still matter to him, he just can't show it. It makes sense. He and Naruto have always butted heads, fighting him would be easier for Sasuke-kun then fighting me…feelings aside, we've literally never even sparred before. It's never been a part of our dynamic."

She twirled under his arm, bringing one of her kunai up to the side, but Sasuke blocked it with his sword before she could do any damage. She quickly tried to take advantage of the opening he'd left with her other kunai, but he pivoted his sword to block it as well. Sakura leapt up bracing both her feet on the flat of his blade, before leaping off if it, flipping through the air and landing gracefully a few meters away. She charged at him again, ready for another round—his positioning was too close to Sai and Naruto, who were still down, for Sasuke to just be standing there without any additional engagement. She doubted he'd kill Naruto, and though he had no bond stopping him from doing anything to Sai, she doubted he'd kill him either. But just 'cause he wouldn't kill them, didn't mean he wouldn't hurt them. Look what he'd done already…

Sasuke readied his sword, biting his lip. He couldn't afford to keep dancing with her. Orochimaru might come and call him on being too soft, then he'd probably take team 7 hostage and make him kill them in front of him or some sadistic shit like that…he could localize his chidori just to the sword, at low enough voltage to just cause temporary minor paralysis. That should work.

But before Sasuke was forced to enact his plan, Yamato successfully intervened, jumping in front of Sakura, stopping her.

"Captain Yamato!"

"Remember your role here, Sakura!" He shouted, stopping her in her tracks, her eyes shifting to Naruto and Sai's prone forms.

Sakura sprinted at Sasuke once again, but this time leapt up, flipping over him and Yamato both, and continuing on straight to her fallen teammates. The only reason she hadn't gone to them first was because Sasuke had been there. If Yamato was distracting Sasuke, then she had patients to attend to. She just hoped it didn't create another patient in the process.

She reached Sai first, and did a quick scan of his condition. Her eyes widened in concern as she felt the arrhythmic beating of his heart.

"Shit! This is going to take a large portion of my chakra to heal…and if Naruto's in the same condition…His body still hasn't fully recovered from the nine tails chakra, but…the nine tails will keep him alive, regardless. It doesn't want it's vessel dying…but the only thing that'll help Sai, is me…so him first."

Sakura placed one hand over the other and hovered them over Sai's chest, exhaling her chakra into him, her hands glowing a gentle green. She kept her eyes open—she was on the battle field and couldn't afford to close them—but she wasn't absorbing anything her eyes were seeing, instead focusing on the mental image of Sai's heart her chakra was painting. She surrounded his heart with chakra, and spread it through his nervous system, easing the electrical signals going haywire.

"It's strange…Sai's injury, it's enough to disable for a few hours, and healing it's a bitch, but it's not life threatening. In twelve hours his body would totally settle and be fine…Sasuke-kun could have killed both of them easily with that attack…He's trying to end the fights quickly without death…"

A loud slamming caused her head to jerk up in time to see Yamato thrown into a large boulder, Sasuke's sword piercing his shoulder.

"The block you chose was incorrect." Out of his periphery he caught the green glow around Sakura's hands as she knelt next to his replacement. So, she'd become a medical ninja. He was thoroughly unsurprised by that. It simply made sense, nothing suited her more, other than that mix of dance and tai-jutsu she'd employed earlier.

"Captain Yamato!" Sakura shouted in concern. "Sasuke-kun was always strong and skilled, but this rate of growth…it's unnatural."

"My kusanagi blade is nothing like Orochimaru's. Mine is impossible to block." Sasuke and Sakura's attention turned to Naruto as he pushed himself up shakily. To Sakura's shock, Naruto's features were fox like, his teeth sharper, eyes red and pupils slit…the fox was close to the surface again.

Then both Sasuke and Naruto froze, eyes locked on each other, as Sasuke's sharingan swirled.

Sakura looked back and forth between them while her chakra continued to relax and reset Sai's nervous system. Already her breathing was becoming a little labored, her chakra levels dropping by the second, sweat beading on her brow. Her chakra network wasn't fully recovered and the healing procedure required for Sai was draining.

"His sharingan…is Naruto trapped in a genjutsu? It's not the mangekyo, but regardless, Naruto's never been great at breaking out of gnejutsu…I'd release him, but it's not safe to stop the procedure just yet…ah shit! What do I do?! Medical ninja rule number 1: no medic ninja shall ever stop treatment until the life of their patient comes to an end. I see this through first. Then I heal Captain Yamato. Naruto can move, and there's a chance he'll break himself out on his own…I tend to the most injured first and then help Naruto however I can, that's my job as a medic…for now, I just have to trust that he'll be ok, and finish this fast! Shannaro!"

Sakura wove her chakra through Sai's nerve cells, using it to nullify the errant electricity. Sai stirred his eyes opening.

"Hag?"

"Oh good, that means you're fine." She muttered dryly, cutting off her chakra with a quiet breath of relief, just as Naruto started pushing himself up again.

Sasuke's sharingan gaze snapped to Sai, narrowing dangerously, but Yamato had taken advantage of the distraction Naruto, and apparently Sai, had provided, weaving hand signs rapidly.

Wood sprouted from the wound Sasuke's sword tip had made, shooting outward and pushing both the sword and wielder back, until Sasuke leapt back up onto the edge of the crater.

"Don't you get it?! Orochimaru's going to steal your body!" Naruto shouted angrily, pushing himself up more, the fox-like features gone from his face.

Sasuke stared down at the four Konoha ninja, his eyes taking in Sakura's hurt, concerned expression, and Naruto's angry determined one, biting his lip a little. He couldn't say out loud that he had no intention of allowing that. Orochimaru was too near. If anything he had to make it seem like he was okay with that eventuality, even if it couldn't be further from the truth. He shifted his focus to Sai and Yamato. He didn't really care about either of them, and had no desire to see Naruto's or Sakura's face when he spoke his next words.

"If it happens, it happens…so be it."

"No! He can't mean that! Sasuke-kun can't be taken over by Orochimau! Not him! Not the snake that—because of him, mom—he can't really be alright with Oro—wait…if? Isn't it a given, that staying here will result in that…why if? Unless he doesn't intend to stay…of course he couldn't say that though. Not given where we are…"

"You're still such a child, Naruto." Sasuke said tonelessly. Good for him. If Naruto was lucky, he'd stay that way. But Sasuke couldn't afford to be an optimistic, idealistic, child. Itachi had ensured that. "I don't care what happens to me or the rest of the world…" a small lie. He cared what happened to team 7. Himself or everyone else? Whatever. "…so long as I get my revenge. Nothing else matters." Their lives did, but his revenge would provide them greater safety. So it had to be this way. "To be honest…neither Orochimaru nor I are strong enough to defeat Itachi on our own. But if I can obtain the power to defeat Itachi by giving myself over to Orochimaru…I would gladly give him my life many times over." That was a flagrant lie, but Orochimaru was nearby, so he had to step up his game. And aspects of it were true. He'd always make the choice to come to the snake for training. He may hate him, but the man got results. Giving him his life though…for one, the snake would never respect his wishes for revenge, and for another, that went off the table when he threatened Sakura.

"I…I can't tell if he's lying…it would make sense if he was…he would have too. He can't be standing here telling us he has no intention of giving his body to Orochimaru. It might get him killed. But…his tone and facial expression are…very convincing. His eyes though…" Sasuke always carried his emotions in his eyes, and his eyes didn't look very fond of Orochimaru. "He's lying." Sakura decided, and she felt so sure of that, even though she had no explanation or proof as to why.

"Enough talk." Yamato spoke clearly, his voice taking a scary edge. "Naruto, Sakura, out of consideration for the two of you, I haven't taken drastic measures against Sasuke, but I see I can't hold back any longer. I'm sorry."

"Captain Yamato, don't…" Sakura tried to stop things from escalating even more. Sasuke wasn't going all out—he claimed he threatened killing Naruto, but made no serious attempt at it—all it was, was an empty threat. They were all weakened from their previous battle with Orochimaru, and Sasuke's skill level had increased so much, unnaturally so, if Sakura had to guess, as they were right now, he could have easily killed all of them with his first attack. Yet all of them were still standing, because Sasuke had no desire to kill them. But if Yamato really pushed him…

Sasuke could sense Orochimaru nearing. He had to end this…knock them all out, or scare them away somehow, before Orochimaru decided he wanted to experiment on Naruto or Sakura, or use them to test Sasuke's resolve. He needed to make it look like he had no affiliations or care for Konoha anymore—which wasn't hard. He didn't really. What he cared about and still, annoyingly enough, felt the bonds for were his old teammates. But Orochimaru would see that as sentimentality, homesickness…weakness. It was. Look how much he was holding back because he still stupidly cared. He hadn't felt this stressed in a long time, at the idea of his old team, mainly Sakura, occupying the same physical space as Orochimaru. He wouldn't be feeling this stressed if he didn't care.

"Konoha…I'm done with you…" He made a seal, and raised his hand, counting on the cold fingers that immediately encircled his wrist to stop him.

"I wouldn't use that jutsu, Sasuke." Orochimaru hissed in admonishment.

Sasuke didn't show his relief. For once, the snake actually did him a favor. But he still hated the feeling of Orochimaru's fingers on his skin. He never did like being touched, by anyone other than his family, or Sakura. His eyes narrowed in annoyance and disgust. "Let go."

"Now what did I tell you about being more respectful toward Orochimaru-sama?" Kabuto chided, having appeared, ever faithfully along side Orochimaru.

"Why should I stop?" Sasuke questioned flatly, ignoring Kabuto's chiding, and instead playing along with the established image of someone about to kill four innocent people, two of which were former teammates. So long as he sold that that was his intention, Naruto and Sakura might escape just yet.

"You know that the Akatsuki's on the move. We want these Konoha ninja to get rid of the Akatsuki for us. As many of them as possible." Kabuto smirked down at Sakura as he said it, his glasses reflecting the sunlight dangerously.

In the far recesses of his mind, Sasuke registered the implications of that—Sakura was the one to take out an Akatsuki member—but the larger part of his brain was coursing with hostility at that sadistic excuse for a medical ninja even daring to look at Sakura, the true healer that she was. Sasuke didn't even try to veil the homicidal edge his glare had taken.

Kabuto continued, unbothered, used to the violent looks he received from the young teen. He was fairly sure Sasuke spent at least a fourth of his time imagining several violent deaths for him and Orochimaru both. But the boy would never act on it so long as he needed power, and more important than their deaths, was Itachi's. So long as Sasuke was so singularly focused on Itachi, there was nothing to truly fear. Especially since Sasuke was softer than he or Orochimaru had imagined. "…Because if other Akatsuki members interfere, it would prevent you from getting your precious revenge."

"That's a pitiful excuse." Sasuke dismissed. For one, it was. And even though he didn't actually need to be convinced not to use the move, it would seem suspicious if he didn't push back at all, since he always gave push back.

"Jeopardize your quest for vengeance, or increase its chance of success…which seems the more prudent choice to you?" Kabuto questioned.

Sasuke was silent for a moment, looking back at his former teammates. This was his out, and by the hurt look on Naruto's face, and grim look on Sai and Yamato's, he was doing a good job of selling it. But Sakura…her face was serious, her sage eyes had taken on that alluring calculating light they always got when she was putting things together. He didn't know if that should make him anxious or relieved. On one hand, it probably meant that if she didn't understand him already, she would soon. On the other hand, it meant she knew his bonds were more intact than he could afford to have anyone thinking. Especially Orochimaru or Itachi.

He pulled his hand from Orochimaru's slimy grasp. "Bright boy." Orochimaru acknowledged, before whisking the three of them away from Team Kakashi, their chakra signatures vanishing.

Naruto crumpled onto his hands. Sobs shook his body.

Sakura swallowed hard, feeling her eyes stinging. They'd lost him again…if she was being honest with herself, she hadn't really expected Sasuke to come home with them, but…she'd hoped they could at least get him away from Orochimaru. And whether Sasuke truly planned on giving Orochimaru his body or not…it was still the second time she'd watched him walk away from her, and leave with that damned snake. It hurt more than she wanted to admit, like her heart was plunging into her stomach. Against her will, she felt her tears start to slip from her eyes.

Naruto was curled over his knees, sobbing. He sounded so heartbroken, Sakura couldn't stand it.

"Crying…won't make Sasuke-kun come back, Naruto." She said, quietly, feeling like an immense hypocrite as she felt the hot tears sliding down her cheeks. "We have to be strong. You and me. Together."

Naruto's sobs quieted for a moment, though his body still shook. "Please tell me you got something from all that, Sakura-chan."

"I…I'm not sure…it's hard to say…but I don't think he wanted to kill any of us. His moves…were all disabling, not lethal…and…I'm not sure, I might just be seeing what I'm hoping for…but I don't think he wants to give Orochimaru his body."

Yamato blinked at her in disbelief. "Where on earth did you get that from?"

But before he could respond Naruto straightened a little. "Doesn't matter. She has her reasons—but Sakura-chan's never wrong." He proclaimed, his face still downcast and voice rough, bit through with tears that continued to fall.

Sai looked over both of them, how much this bond with Sasuke meant to them that it reduced them to this state. He didn't like seeing them so openly sad and heartbroken. He'd help them get this bond back, no matter what. "We still have half a year left. Three makes for better odds than two. And I'm pretty strong too." He said giving them a genuine smile. It felt strange and unpracticed on his face, but he felt something lift in him, lightening a little. So this was what Sakura meant by really feeling it, fake or not.

"It's amazing. Sai's like a whole different person. Naruto really worked wonders on him." She wiped at her eyes, giving Sai a small smile of her own.

Naruto also took a rough swipe at his tears, releasing a shaky breath. "Thanks…guys…" It was encouraging. They weren't giving up on Sasuke either. When he'd asked Sakura if she got anything from the interaction, it was less about needing proof to continue believing in his friend, and more about needing to hear if he would have to go it alone, or if Sakura also still stood by Sasuke. She did. They were in this together. And Sai was throwing in his support too, even though he'd only ever seen Sasuke at his worst. It was encouraging. They were in this together.

Yamato watched as Sakura helped Sai to his feet, before going to assist Naruto. He respected their commitment to their old teammate, though he wasn't sure he shared their optimism. He had a very different impression of Sasuke from that interaction than Sakura seemed to have. He'd love to hear what had her so convinced that Sasuke wasn't lost to them. Still he admired their spirit. Regardless, one thing was clear: The fight had only just begun.

---

Author's note: So the long awaited reunion. Hope you all liked it! I'm a little worried that Sasuke might seem a little too OOC and emotionally connected. The way I see this, he's usually more closed off about his connections and bonds, even too himself, but he's vulnerable at this point because of the nightmares and dreams he's had of Sakura recently. They're catching Sasuke when he's overtired and those emotions are really close to the surface-he literally goes from the first pleasant dream he's had in weeks (featuring Sakura) to seeing her and Naruto in person. So he's catching them at a moment where they're all a bit physically weakened, courtesy of Orochimaru, and they're catching him when he's emotionally vulnerable, courtesy of his tortured subconscious and connection to Sakura. Once again, playing up their "our feelings are connected" thing in Boruto by starting it early here-yes, the reason he has a nice reassuring dream about Sakura, is because she's so physically close by. He doesn't know she's there, but a part of him senses it, because they're connected. Also, just like with the way I write Itachi, what the other characters are seeing externally doesn't necessarily match the internal dialogue. Internally, Sasuke's bonds are showing big time, externally, it's the reunion scene you get in the manga almost verbatim. I do think it's important to note that the dynamics are different between Sasuke and Naruto, and Sasuke and Sakura. He doesn't want to kill either of them. He doesn't even want to do lasting damage to either of them. But it's established that he and Naruto are competitive, always fighting, and want to/are comfortable with fighting each other. Sasuke and Sakura have never fought. They've never sparred. It's not their dynamic, so when the choice to fight them presents itself, Sasuke is far more comfortable with going on the offensive with Naruto, while with Sakura, it's completely defensive. But this Sasuke doesn't think Sakura is weak or useless. This Sasuke has never thought Sakura was useless, and stopped seeing her as weak before the chunin exams even fully started. His choice to not really fight her isn't about underestimation, or thinking she's too weak to be worth it, it's about the dynamic. I added the little dead-lock moment because I like the parallel with the Sanin, and the reunion in the anime/manga is so Naruto and Sasuke focused, and I wanted it to really be Team 7s reunion, not just Naruto and Sasuke's. Sakura using her dancer style tai jutsu was also added, again cause so much of the reunion was Sasuke and Naruto focused, and I wanted a moment that was Sasuke and Sakura.

Anyway, thank you for your patience! Please fav/follow and review! Thanks for reading this far!