Sorry if it take you all for this chapter to be edited. I had tons of assignments and projects to do. Please forgive me!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Naruto or any of its characters.

Author's Note: This chapter was written by Obviously Cute, not Blood Cobra.

Sakura passed out without Sasuke knowing it.

"You're gonna pay for this, bastard." He said.

"Bring it." Orochimaru answered.

The battle commenced for at least an hour. Sasuke was already breathless. Orochimaru looked a little surprised and amused because of Sasuke's strength.

"I'm going to fight you in another time, Uchiha." He said.

"WHY?!"

"It's useless for you to battle with me like this." He said before vanishing in a puff of smoke. Sasuke was shaking in fury. He stopped when he heard a loud "thump". He turned around. Sakura was lying on the floor unconscious. He quickly went to her.

"Damn. Sakura wake up." He nudged her but there was no response. He placed Sakura on his back when he remembered, "Hyuuga..."

He turned around again. He saw Neji standing clutching his stomach.

"Are you alright?" Neji just nodded in response.

The three of them went outside to meet the others.

"Did you get the scrolls?" Sasuke asked them.

"Yeah, we did. See?" Naruto said, showing him the scrolls.

"NEJI! What happened to you?" Tenten and Lee asked the injured ninja in unison.

"I'm alright. Don't mind me." He replied.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." He answered reassuringly. Rock Lee went over his side and helped him to walk. The other ninjas headed for the trees to go back to Konoha Village.

"Naruto." Sasuke said. Naruto faced him. "When we reach Konoha, take the scrolls to Hokaga."

"Sure. What're you gonna do with Sakura?"

"I'm gonna take her to the hospital."

"Okay."

All of them jumped on the trees to head back for home.

Naruto

Naruto entered the Hokage's office after he was welcomed to come in.

"Did you get the scrolls?" Hokage asked.

"Yes sir. Here it is." He took the scrolls out from his pouch and placed them at the table.

"Nice job. I thought you'll fail the mission."

"We're the strongest ninjas in Konoha. Why did you think that we failed?"

"Orochimaru's a strong opponent. I also had second thoughts of sending you all to fight him and retrieve these." He said, pointing at the scrolls.

"Naruto, did anyone of you die?" he asked. Naruto winced.

"None sir. But some were injured." He answered.

"Who may ask?"

"Sasuke-bastard had some cuts and bruises on his body. Neji got some wounds and a slash at the stomach. I could really see his intestines coming out." He said. Hokage raised one of his eyebrows.

"Intestines?"

"Heheheh...I was just joking." He said, scratching his head. 'Good for him.' He thought.

"Anyone else who was injured?"

"Sakura-chan was beaten and tortured." His face faltered.

"Where are they now?"

"All of them are in the hospital, sir."

"Oh...you may now leave if you want."

"Yes sir."

Naruto walked to the door and exited. He went to the hospital to see the others.

Hospital

"Is she going to be alright?"

"For the hundredth time idiot, yes. Shut up, will 'ya?"

Sasuke was beginning to be pissed off because of Naruto.

"Sasuke-bastard, can you go wake her up and see if she's alright, please?" Naruot pleaded.

"Fine, I'll do it."

He went to the right side of the bed and gently shook Sakura.

"Wha...what's going on? Why am I here?" Sakura questioned to no one in particular. Naruto's eyes glittered.

"You're in the hospital. If you want to know what happened before you were here, rest for a while." Sasuke said shortly while going to the door.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"I'll check on Hyuuga."

"Oh."

Sasuke exited the room. He closed the door then began to walk. Inside Sakura's room, Naruto kept on blabbing about senseless stuff. But of course, she wasn't listening to every single word he was saying.

Neji's Room

Neji glanced at his sleeping teammates for the last time. He went to the window, ready to jump off when...

"Hyuuga, where do you think you're going?" Sasuke said.

"What do you think, genius?"

"..."

Neji looked straight at Sasuke.

"I just have to go...take care of her..." Neji said. No response was heard from Sasuke. Neji jumped off and hid in some bushes outside so no one would see him leave.

'Good luck, Hyuuga.'

Sakura's Room

Naruto was still blabbing irrelevant things.

"Naruto." Sakura said.

"Yes, Sakura-chan?" he said smiling.

"I want to be alone for a while. Can you please leave just for some minutes?"

"Sure! I'll see ya' later, bye!"

He went outside just in time as Sasuke was heading back to Sakura's room. Naruto didn't notice him. He just continued walking and whistling, not even minding if he got hit.

Sasuke entered the room.

"Who's there?" Sakura asked while sitting up.

"It's me." Sasuke answered.

"Sasuke..." she muttered. He sat down on a nearby chair beside the bed. They fell in an uncomfortable silence.

"So, uhm...how was Neji?" she asked.

"He's...gone, Sakura." He said, not looking at her.

"You're joking, right?" she said uncertainly.

"No, I'm not."

"He can't leave. I never had the chance to thank him for saving me. He almost got killed. He can't leave. No!" she exclaimed while crying. She stood up and was about to open the door when Sasuke pulled her in a tight embrace.

"Sasuke, let me go!"

"No, I won't let you." He said. "Why are you reacting so much? It's not like you love him." He felt a pang in his heart.

'I can't believe that I said that.' He thought.

"I don't know if I love him or not. But I think I do."

Sasuke's heart started to ache so hard.

"Sakura..." He hugged her tighter.

"I SAID LET ME GO!!!" Sakura shouted. She was now hitting his chest with her closed hands. After a while, she stopped and cried harder.

"I'm sorry Sakura, I'm sorry." He whispered. He lifted her chin and pressed his lips against hers. Sakura's eyes opened wide. She froze. They pulled apart after a few seconds. Sakura couldn't say anything. She just looked at Sasuke like he's an alien or something.

Sasuke breathed in hard before saying,"I'm sorry for always pushing you away. All I wan to say is that...I'll always be here for you...even if you love Hyuuga Neji more than I."

"Sasuke..."

This time, Sakura was the one who pulled Sasuke into the kiss. She forgot about everything that she said about Neji a while ago. The one they're sharing this time was filled with more passion, not like the one they did earlier.

Neji saw all of this while standing on a tree branch outside.

Author's Note

Thanks for reading! This isn't the last chapter. There would be one last. Please review.

-B.C. ) and Obviously Cute