Authoress's Note: My last chapter was fast wasn't it? Gomen ne! I'll slow down a bit. Harry Potter came out. I read it, me like! XDXD I'm a die-hard SasuSaku fan, maybe I wanted to go fast. Sorry if I went too fast in the last chapter! –bows- Thanks for the reviews! I loved them! Review this time! It will make me really happy! Of course, any other authors do…

Pairings: SasuSaku (NejiTen, NaruHina)

Together

Chapter fourteen

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"I'm hungry." Naruto said after they were out of the house. Sakura and Sasuke both ignored him. They didn't go so far, until Sasuke had leaded them to a big storage house. A horrible smell filled their noses. Sakura coughed and covered her mouth with her hand. Naruto took out a torch and was about to turn in on, when Sasuke stopped him, giving him a warning look. Naruto's face fell, but put it away.

"Do you know where the girl is?" Sakura asked softly, her emerald eyes darting across the room. Sasuke nodded, but frowned. "I'm pretty sure she is in a room somewhere."

Naruto snorted. "Somewhere? Right, it will take us millions of years."

"I heard voices inside the room, it sounded like a girl. She was screaming. It sounded like someone was beating her." Sasuke said through gritted teeth.

"We can't see okay?" Naruto said impatiently. "Use your Sharingan for once. They are better than our eyes."

"I am dobe."

Finally they found the room; Team Seven pressed their ear onto the door. After five minutes, Sasuke gave them a thumb up, and Naruto grinned, without waiting for another signal, he kicked the door open, kunai in his hand, looking like a hero. "Naruto!" Sakura hissed, grabbing his wrist, trying to pull him back. He shook her hand off. "It's okay, she's alone."

The girl gasped, she struggled; tears came out of her eyes. She couldn't make a sound and couldn't move, because her hands and feet were tied, her lips were sealed with tape. Naruto put his hands up and said. "It's okay, we're not enemies. We're here to rescue you." Her expression didn't change; it was still terrified and desperate. Sakura had pulled the tape slowly away from her lips, she gasped in pain. Sasuke and Naruto untied her beside Sakura.

"Are you okay?" Sakura asked her, placing a hand on her shoulder. Tears gushed out of Tsumi's eyes, she shook her head madly. Sakura noticed, her clothes were torn; her red hair was a mess. Sakura couldn't even recognize her; she looked so different from the picture that Godaime gave to them. She took out some pills that her teacher gave it to her, and holds it in front of her. "Eat this." The girl paused, and looked at her with startling eyes. "It will help gain strength. Don't worry, we're here to help you." Tsumi hesitated; after a few seconds, she swallowed them down.

"Sakura-chan." Naruto whispered, even though it sounded like a shout. "We need to get out of here, before they come." Sakura looked back and nodded, she turned to Tsumi. "Hey, can you get up?" She nodded. Raising her hand, Naruto leaned forward and carried her onto his back. "Hold tight."

Outside the storage

"Tsumi-san." Sakura started. "Can you talk?" She nodded, and inhaled deeply. It took her a while for her to speak. "Thank you. But please, get out of here. They'll kill you too." She forced a shudder down.

"Tsumi-san, look, it's okay." Sakura said softly, patting her on the back. She looked around warily. They should really escort Tsumi as quick as possible, but she needed to calm her down. Team Seven stopped what they were doing when they hear the noise. Sakura slowly stood, taking Tsumi by the arm. They all looked ahead.

"I think something is coming." Naruto said slowly.

"Not something, idiot. Someone." Sasuke said impatiently. He smirked; finally he gets to fight someone. He was getting really bored by their conversation. All three of them jumped into the mid air, taking Tsumi with them. She looked terrified. A person appeared on the ground. Tsumi gasped. Sakura glanced at her and frowned. The person looked up, and jumped between them.

"Sakura, dodge!" Sasuke shouted, as he landed back down onto the ground. Fear rushed over him, he didn't know why. Sakura dropped Tsumi, who were caught by Naruto. "Sakura-chan!" She didn't have a chance to dodge. She, unfortunately, were hit by his fist, and then landed painfully onto the hard concrete. Blood were dripping down her mouth. Her teammates rushed over to see if she's okay. Sakura slowly got up, cursing as she stood up. She coughed some blood out. Before Sasuke could hold her back, she was gone. Then a few seconds later. The guy was hit by Sakura's incredible strength, knocking him down onto the ground.

"I think he's dead." Nauto shuddered. "Sakura-chan is scary." Sasuke blinked, as he continued to look at Sakura. Weak, he had always called her, since their journey begun. She always cried, always wanted to be near him, always wanted to impress him. Today, she did.

Sakura had rushed back to her teammates. "I don't think he's alone." She said. "We better be out of here, before anyone comes." She looked over to Tsumi, who was shuddering in the corner. "I need to heal her." Tsumi lay down. Sakura lifted her top up just below her chest, pressing her hands firmly onto her stomach; blue, glowing chakra appeared on Sakura's hands. Her teammates watched silently as she did the job. Few minutes later, her wounds on her stomach were healed, leaving a pale pink scar.

"We have to escort her." Sakura said finally, she felt suddenly so tired. Taking Tsumi by her arm, she stood up slowly. "Naruto, take her back." He nodded curtly, before jumping away with the girl. Sakura sat down, sweat dripping from her forehead, Sasuke had noticed; she lost a lot of blood. He bent down, looking at her wound. "You don't have any strength to heal yourself, don't you?" Sakura shook her head, eyes still closed. "Gomen ne." Sasuke took out some bandages. There were serious wounds on her legs and arms. It took him a while to take care of her. "Thank you, Sasuke-kun." She said gratefully, examining her bandages. She forced a faint smile. Sasuke looked away from her sincere smile, he was sick of that smile. Always so pure, so happy…

"I'm taking you back to the lodge." Sasuke said after. Sakura blinked.

"You lost a lot blood." He swung her arm over his shoulder, taking her in his arms, and jumped off. Sakura protested, but he didn't care.

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"Where is Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked Sasuke after he got back from Tsumi's house. They were in Naruto's room. Her mother had tears in her eyes, nodding and bowing at Naruto. He never had seen anyone so thankful in his entire life. "Asleep." Sasuke murmured.

"You took her back?" Naruto asked.

"Hn, who else?" Sasuke said impatiently. Naruto grinned. "Sakura-chan is a nice girl." Sasuke looked at him coldly. "I don't know what you meant by this." Naruto sighed, and sat down on a chair. "You know what I meant. She's been chasing after nearly ten years." Sasuke didn't reply.

"Sasuke, you don't want to lose do you?" Naruto smiled sadly. "I know, you are an avenger, but why do avengers cannot love? Cannot have friends, cannot have feelings? I used to love her. But at that time, she was in love with you. She only sees me as a good friend. So I gave up, and then went after Hinata. She understands me, she listens to me, now I know, she's the one for me." He turned to Sasuke, who seemed to be listening. "Sasuke, you don't want to lose her just because of your stupid brother."

"Naruto. I can't love." Sasuke murmured; his eyes filled with sadness. "I'll hurt her. I don't want anyone dead or hurt. All I wanted to do is to kill my brother, who killed my family. I can't have emotions. I don't have emotions."

"But she understands you, she is the only who understands you." Naruto said. Sasuke glanced at him, startled. "You wouldn't want to give up on her. For now, she knows you don't love her. For now, she only thought you like her as a friend." Naruto patted him on the shoulder. "Think about it." He lay down onto his bed. "I'm going to sleep. Go back to your room." Sasuke walked silently to the door, before slamming it behind him.

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Naruto's words echoed in Sasuke's silently mind. He gazed at Sakura's calm, sleeping face. Her breathing was heard faintly in the room. He poured him some water, gulping down as fast as he could. He walked beside her, and then sat down. Sasuke couldn't help caressing her cheek. He blinked, what was he doing? He stopped what he was doing. He stood up so fast that his chair fell backwards. Watching her face, her peaceful face was angering him. Sakura stirred, her eyes opened slowly. "S-Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke looked at her angrily, before slamming the door loudly behind him. Sakura looked frustrated. "Sasuke-kun!" She got out of bed, and then ran after him. She caught up with him after a few seconds, grabbing his arm with both hands. "Hey, what is wrong with you?" Sasuke glared at her. "Stop acting you are so pure and innocent, woman. I'm sick of your acting." Sakura stared at him, those words cut through her heart. "What are you talking about?"

"Always smiling and nice to everyone!" Sasuke hissed, taking her by the shoulders, shaking them. "Can't you see you're falling apart! You're not acting like yourself! Since when I came back, you were different! I'm sick of your stupid smile! Your personalities!" Sakura felt the tears rushing out of her eyes, before she could stop herself; she slapped him. She looked up with sad, angry jade eyes. She changed because him. She changed because she thought that he wanted her to. He used to dislike the way that she was chasing after him. Thus she stopped. Acting like she's fine, acting like they are just friends, was hurting her. She wasn't fine. She was in pain. Just because of the great Uchiha Sasuke.

"Look, Sasuke-kun. Just because I changed, it doesn't mean that I'm not Haruno Sakura anymore! I'm still her! The one who used to love and still loves you! The one who failed her first Chuunin Exam, the one who watched Uchiha Sasuke bitten by Orochimaru! The one who nearly died by protecting you! The one who grew her hair for you!" Sakura said, her voice shaking, her hand hurt after she slapped him on the cheek. "You're sick of me? Fine I'm leaving. I'm even stupid enough to even fall for a guy like you." She ran off without for another protest, covering her mouth with her hand. Sakura never felt so sad in her entire life.

To be continued…

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(Notes: Wasn't that sad? Yes, of course, I will continue! So please review and tell me what you think! Thank you all! Hey you know my Japanese class name is called Sakura? –big smile- isn't that cool? Hmmm… So see you in the next chapter! Ciao!)

Current mood: Feeling hungry

Current Music: Sakura Drops by Utada Hikaru