Too Late

Chapter 2: Shift in my Memory

By: Vampire Toy

PG-13 just in case

Disclaimer: No me own

Summary: Sasuke tries to talk to his old teammates after joining Orochimaru but finds that trying to reach them is going to be a little harder than it used to be and that he's not the only one who's changed.

"Talking"

:Sound effect:

(Inner most thoughts at the moment)

After the almost-encounter, I returned to my campsite while it was still early afternoon and stayed around there until nightfall. I was on a mission for Orochimaru, something I was doing to increase my strength and status in his little group. I leaned back on a tree and watched my small fire blaze the fish I'd caught for dinner. Only about two fish, I was only feeding one person after all; myself. I would've thought these recent solo missions Orochimaru gave me would grant me the time alone I'd been wanting. No more taking care of my teammates….no more listening to their arguments and rants or catching food for them. No more friends weighing me down….keeping me from my mission….my…. mission…..

:Sigh:

I pulled the fish out of the fire and scowled. It was pitch black; all my reminiscing had made me incinerate my food.

(You've always been terrible at cooking Sasuke… Sakura was the one who cooked….)

I muttered angrily, grabbing the hot fish with my free hand and throwing it into the woods. I looked down at my hand, seeing a few slight burns from the inferno fish; but I ignored it and tried again with my last fish.

(You'd think Orochimaru could at least teach you how to cook….that's part of becoming stronger….being able to take care of yourself so you don't need to rely on others)

I smirked to myself and nod; that's right, you're in this so you can be on your own.

(How could I be so foolish as to try and visit my old team? What use are they to me….I should be ashamed for having such an outburst and almost revealing myself….)

I scowled again as I watched my last fish go up in flames; so again I grabbed it with the same hand and tossed it into the woods. I couldn't have my camp smelling of burning fish; it might lure out animals.

(Hnn, I wonder if I could sneak into town and grab some food….) Well I COULD hide my chakara well enough to sneak around.

(So try it, if worst comes to worst, some villager will see you, and you can easily kill a villager…)

Well, this is part of my training, so I think I'll give this a try, I know my way around here as well as anyone else who's lived here all their lives.

I stood, keeping my chakara concealed, and bounding over the treetops into Konoha.

(Now, where would I find food at this hour?)

I landed behind a building and positioned my hands, mumbled a few words and heard the poof of smoke around me. I looked into the lighted street from the alleyway and walked out calmly. My new image was that of an average pedestrian; I could easily stroll around in this image while concealing my chakara, and no one would ever know I was here.

"Hey Sakura-chan! Look!" Naruto's voice once again interrupted my thoughts, and I turned cautiously to peek into the building I had landed behind. A bar of some sort, where Sakura, Naruto and Kakashi were all sitting and eating a late dinner.

(Why are THEY eating so late?)

"I can't believe Lee-san got drunk."

"You're still on that? He's fine! He's just gonna have the worst hangover of his life…"

"Ugh…"

(Heh, I guess that's what Lee was doing earlier today)

"Look!"

"Naruto!"

Naruto was balancing cup upon cup on his nose.

"Stop that! You'll break them!"

"I'm a ninja, I have good coordinat-"

:CRASH:

:SMASH:

"…..heh, oops…"

"NARUTO!" Both Sakura and Kakashi screamed.

"I'm going to have to ask you to leave." The manager grit his teeth angrily as a waiter rushed to sweep up the broken glass.

"Oh uh…."

"S-sorry about that." Sakura said meekly.

"Its no problem, I just don't ever want to see your faces here again."

"R-right…heh, come along children!" Kakashi shoved both Sakura and Naruto out the door hurriedly.

"I mean it! You come back and I'll file charges!"

"Urg….great I didn't get to finish my food…." Sakura mumbled, then turned darkly to Naruto.

"Heh? Sakura-chan? Uh….well, he said he'd file charges last time, but he didn't! So I guess he doesn't REALLY mean we can't come-"

:SLAM:

Sakura's fist crushed into Naruto's face making him fly back into a wall.

"Naruto! Can't you control yourself for ONE second?"

"Now, now….as….immature as that was, we were pushing it by going in there again after he'd told us not to…" Kakashi pet Sakura's head.

"The first time was Naruto's fault too… hnnn, come on, I'll make dinner…" Sakura muttered. I saw Naruto cheer and Kakashi smiled under his mask. Naruto wasn't always as stupid as he looked, I couldn't help but think he'd broken the glass on purpose.

"Hey Kakashi-sensei! You've already eaten you don't have to come…" Naruto pointed a finger at the teacher.

"I'm still hungry though."

"No you're not."

"Yes, yes I am."

(I guess he's trying to get to Sakura now…..even more than when I was here…)

"Guy's hurry up!" Sakura was already far ahead of them down the street and both scampered to catch up. They all walked past me as if I was no one important. I only received a polite smile from Sakura and a look to acknowledge my presence from Naruto and Kakashi.

My heart stung and I was tempted to follow again.

(You've already been through this, if you show yourself this time, at the very least KAKASHI will attack you….so you'll just have to wait…)

Wait for WHAT! I'm not going for a nice little visit!

(Sakura! At least visit Sakura!) Why should I….?

(Isn't that the reason you wanted a mission so close to Konoha?)

……….that may have been true, for a long time I'd wanted to see how my old teammates were doing; just watch them to see how much they've changed, then leave again. It was a sort of…. redemption. I told myself I was better off without them, and they were better off without me. I wanted to see out my theory to make it easier for myself to do what I was doing.

Soon my thoughts of the visit made me want to actually SPEAK to them, well….mainly Sakura, but Naruto as well, and Kakashi. I'd already ruled out speaking to Kakashi, for my own safety, and Naruto was becoming increasingly annoying to me as I watched him. Even after I was gone, he persisted to get Sakura, if he were a real friend at all he would've known that I….

(I can't go talk to her…not if I can't talk to Naruto either….she might tell him I came…)

"Oh, excuse me sir," Sakura turned to me.

"Y-yes?" my heart began beating faster and I tried my best to shake off my nervousness. I couldn't let my chakara show now, not now…

"Do you have the time?"

"Oh, uh…no…sorry…"

"Its 11:00 PM." Kakashi replied for me.

"Oh crap. You guys will have to make your own food; I still need to unpack."

(Unpack? The recent mission must have been long; I guess they returned just this morning….) explains why I saw them this afternoon.

"Aww, well, maybe tomorrow night Sakura-chan?"

"Yeah, yeah, you lazy bums."

"Thank you Sakura." Kakashi nod, "I'll see both of you tomorrow."

:Poof:

I shook my head in amusement, Kakashi never could leave like a normal person.

"Well, do you need help unpacking Sakura-chan?"

"Huh? No I'll be fine…YOU still need to unpack too!"

"No I don't!"

"Yeah you do! I remember seeing you throw your bags into your apartment, go unpack, and get some rest!"

"Feh, fine."

"Goodnight Naruto."

"Goodnight Sakura-chan!" Naruto turn and ran off into the direction of his home. I turned to watch Sakura walk to her home and contemplated whom to follow.

(If anyone has the slightest chance of not trying to beat the crap out of you, it will be Sakura)

I waited a while until she was out of sight before proceeding to calmly walk to her home.

I had been to her house only once, and she wasn't home the one time I had come.

(It was her birthday, hnn, you missed her last birthday…) maybe because I'm on the opposing side now! I muttered angrily at myself and continued walking until I reached her front yard.

(Well? It's now or never…..)

Vampire Toy: Heh, I got reviews for this, imagine that! nn' thanks guys, whelp, I shall continue, but forgive me if my updates are slow; I have three stories aside from this one I'm working on and try to upload a new chapter for each one whenever I can.

Wootness, Sasuke's not perfect after all! He can't even cook a fish XP. Bet he wants his happy team back now…whelp, the next chapter…Will he go in? Will Sakura attack him! Bwahahah, I sincerely wish she'd bitchslap some sense into him ' alas, I will make this as realistic as possible!

Thanks again for your reviews, I feed off them to live o-o so keep em' coming R & R & Flames welcome (except if you don't like a pairing/pairings in this story, if you don't like em' then you shouldn't be reading the story)