I know it's been long, to long. Please forgive me, but I'm only human.

The kunai chapter 8: Blood and fighting.

By Gasha Aisu.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Silently the three continued their journey. The woods around them gave them enough cover, yet also created opportunities for traps. The three were focussed at they continued on, Sasuke's sharingan activated.

"We should stop for the night, high chances are that our enemy is doing the same. No use exhausting ourselves," Sasuke stated, and with a angry growl, yet still with a nod Naruto agreed.

Sakura sighed before stopping on a suitable spot, a peaceful clearing, waiting for her team mates to come. Truthfully, she did want to stop. Sakura needed to meditate, make sure her cracks in her mask, her shield wouldn't get larger. Both Sasuke as Naruto rolled out their sleeping bags, and with a sigh Sakura quickly gathered some wood. When Sasuke lit the fire and Naruto took out his food, Sakura placed herself with her back against the tree. Closing her eyes, she felt herself sink again.

She reached out and her cold fingers ran across the battered chains. The Sakura, her emotions, looked up with glazed green eyes. Seeing the red eyes she figured she cried again, for hours. It explained the slightly saddened feeling threatening to overcome the normal emptiness inside of her. Her cold fingers reached up to the Sakura's neck, curling around it. Her hand was steady, yet didn't tighten. The Sakura's eyes flashed mockingly. She still couldn't do it. She still couldn't kill that part of her, her emotions.

Calmly she looked over the chains once again, making them the best she could before she straightened. There, behind her emotions, was inner Sakura. Defeated and chained to the wall, her head hung for she lost her will to fight long ago.

Suddenly she was drawn back.

Grabbing her kunai she had it at his throat before he could do anything. It was only then that Sakura noticed that it was Sasuke who had pulled her back. Strange, she didn't think he would do that. His dark eyes gazed at her, and it was only now that she noticed he had bandages in his hands. Her eyes trailed back to his eyes again. He was silent for a moment.
Then without a word he reached out and gently grabbed her arm. Somehow, Sakura couldn't bring herself to pull away, and the kunai fell useless from her grip. But it didn't matter, her wounds needed to be taken care of anyway, it didn't matter who did it.

She was surprised at the gentleness of his touches as he took care of her, smearing something on her wound on her arm, and then bandaging it. She could only watch him.

The Sakura reached out, desperate to feel him, to see him. The chains made dangerous sounds and inner Sakura awakened. She urged the emotions on, who were more desperate then before to break free.

Sakura stiffened as he ran his fingers down her arm. Slowly he turned her so that her back was facing him. She sat stiffly, but didn't move away. Apparently the fight with Ashi had done more damage then she had thought. For not a word of protest left her mouth.

"Relax," he whispered in her ear, before he began massaging her shoulders, "It won't work if you won't relax,"

His whispered words did something to her, and Sakura struggled with her emotions. She needed to pull away, he was coming too close. Yet she seemed unable to, as she sat although stiffly, and didn't even told him to stop.

The Sakura sighed as light finally reached her white face again.

"Why are you doing this?" Sakura asked, simply needing a reason. If he had none, she would distance herself again. She still could, he had no control over her. She would not allow him to.

Cruelly she reached out and smacked the Sakura back again. The chains mended again.

"You will be slowed down if your muscles are sore tomorrow," Sasuke stated. Sakura nodded and relaxed. It was slightly painful, for her muscles were indeed sore, but it was pleasantly. It was hard not to enjoy it. She convinced herself that it was only practical, but her body seemed to disagree. It was pure heaven, and Sakura couldn't help but wonder how he could give her this pleasure with hands made to kill.

"Besides, you deserve it," Sasuke added boldly, and she stiffened again. But his hands…they were so heavenly that she found herself relaxing again, cursing herself for her weakness. She knew what he was doing. She knew he was deliberately doing this so that the cracks wouldn't mend again, but she was powerless to stop it.

Sasuke smirked as he knew her eyes closed, and she relaxed into him.

The Sakura wanted to enjoy this, she needed to live again. Sasuke would save her, he always had and he would do it again. Crying out his name, she struggled against the chains, her wrist bleeding.

"Sasuke…" Sakura sighed, her eyes closed. One hand kept massaging her, the other trailed upwards, caressing the skin of her neck. It was so hard to fight it, and she almost stopped fighting.

Sasuke looked briefly at Naruto, who nodded and went for a walk. Smirking, Sasuke went back to his pleasant task, enjoying it more then he should've. Unable to help himself he leaned towards her, shifting so that he was against her. His hands urging her to relax against him. He knew it was working, he had heard the emotions in her voice when she uttered his name.

Sakura was stubborn and refused to give in. Although everything in her being urged her to. Yet she was powerless as she slowly leaned back, almost shyly. Old Sakura was resurfacing again. One arm sneaked around her, the other ran through her hair. She sighed and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Sakura…" Sasuke breathed in her ear and she shivered.

You're annoying…shot through her, reminding her.

He was part of the reason she refused to be weak again.

Her eyes shot open and she stiffened again. What was she doing? What was she allowing? Had she learned nothing in the years of quiet solitude? Had she learned absolutely nothing? She was not going to allow this!

"You're too late Sasuke," she told him, her monotone voice returning as she made a move to get up again. Sasuke grunted and seemed unwilling to let her go, but he did so anyway. Perhaps he didn't want to betray her trust, perhaps he didn't want to appear incontroll,but whater it was it didn't matter, she didn't care. Standing up, she looked down on him for a moment, before turning away again. She didn't like what she had seen in his eyes. Disappointment, guilt, determination, and other emotions he shouldn't have for her. She didn't like what she had seen in the shadows…it gave her hope again.

"I won't stop trying," he warned her impassively, before getting up as well and stating, "I'm going to find Naruto," She nodded and he was gone. Leaving her as empty and alone as before. Only slightly annoyed at herself, but even that faded as her eyes dimmed.

o.0.o.

Sakura couldn't sleep.

Which was odd, since she normally forced herself to. But now….she just had to much on her mind. Drawing her knees up and resting her elbow on them, she locked her hands together and turned to stare at Sasuke. How was it that he had been able to get so close? Why had she allowed it? Was it because she had seen herself, her old foolish self, in Monoko and now wished she could turn back? Was it because Ashi felt the same, that she thought that maybe, just maybe, Sasuke would love her as well?

Her eyes narrowed and she wondered why…why was he so determent to…

Well it didn't matter anyway. She was still the weapon, and weapons didn't dwell on useless emotions. She would forget what happened. Determent she sat back and closed her eyes. It didn't matter, she would not repeat the same mistake again. He would not get so close again.

She never noticed Sasuke staring at her for she fell asleep.

0.o.0.

The sound of a kunai being thrown was their only warning. But it was the only warning they needed. As the kunai's hit their target, their bodies turned into wooden logs.

Frowning, one of the three ninja's hidden in the bushes turned around to look and was met by the foot of Naruto. He yelled alerting the others and two looked up to a punch and a elbow from Sasuke and Sakura. Now in the open, the ninja's had no choice but to fight back, abandoning their previous ideas.

As the battle raged on, the three found that they were outnumbered. Naruto was fighting five, managing only because of his clones. Sasuke was fighting three, one on his left, and one on his right, one in front. Every time the boys left an opening, they got hit from different angles, making it hard to resume fighting again. Slowly the ninja's tired and weakened them.

Sakura was steadily slicing through ninja's who met her. She never stopped moving, her eyes cold as she found the weak spots with practised ease. Sakura paid no heed to pity, she didn't mind that she had to slice their throats, and she ignored the pain from the hits they did make. The ninja's fell in even numbers, and was never on a spot long enough to give them a chance to corner her. She was taking care of their number, making their chances higher, it didn't matter that she was disposing of the weaker ones.

Sakura jumped and suffered the attack of throwing stars and kunai's, but she ignored them as she attacked the one who had thrown them. Blood fell down besides her feet, but Sakura didn't notice the blood loss and twisted to slice yet another throat. She was used to pain, and could stand it as long as she had too.

While she stabbed yet another enemy, her eyes drifted of to her team mates. Naruto had successfully killed three, and was now fighting the two stronger ones. Sasuke seemed to be unlucky enough, and was fighting the two strongest of the group. Both the boys were bleeding heavily.

Sakura threw her body to the side, and tackled one ninja in the progress. Swiftly she stabbed a kunai, still her favourite weapon, through the guys head. Twisting her body so that she had a good grip, she swung her feet up and locked her knees behind an enemies head. Without making a sound, she forcefully swung her legs forward, making his head crash with the ground, before a quick twist broke his neck.

A female ninja charged at Naruto who just barely managed to dodge her poisonous dagger. Sakura figured that he could handle the situation and directed her eyes to Sasuke.

Sasuke had managed to kill one of the stronger ninja's. Sasuke didn't seem to tire, but he was to caught up in the two he was fighting to notice a third sprinting his way until it was to late. Without thinking, Sakura took of ignoring any of the other enemies. A female ninja stood her way, but Sakura ducked low, avoiding her weaponand managing to burry yet another kunai in her side.

Naruto's rasengan took care of the female ninja. Naruto turned to face four others who had gathered to attack him together. His blue eyes hardened before they turned red. Naruto was to busy to save his team mate.

Sasuke's red sharingan eyes widened when he saw the third, but the other two prevented him from taking action. It was obviously planned, as new jutsu's were released. The charging ninja took out his poisonous weapon, and his face twisted in a wicked expression. Sasuke fought against the jutsu and managed to shake one off, killing the one who controlled it. But another took his place, and another jutsu, a stronger one, held him firmly in place.

Suddenly Sakura was in front of Sasuke, her kunai ready.

I must protect Sasuke!

Her green eyes narrowed, and she didn't even think as of why she was so determent to protect him. If he was to weak to take care of himself, then he was only a hindrance to the village, as she had once been. At least, that was what she should've been thinking, had she acted like she normally did. She was changing, although she didn't notice.

I won't let him hurt Sasuke!

Sakura didn't think, she just acted. And her arm shot out as if on it's own, taking care of the previous threat with another thrown weapon. But another had already reached Sasuke, and there was no way to prevent him from killing him… Sasuke gritted his teeth as he stood frozen in a jutsu, unable to brake it. The jutsu was one of the stronger ones, and although it was taking it's toll on its owner, it was highly effective. The ninja grinned a wicked grin, as he ignored the pain and the blood that came from and with the jutsu. This enemy was prepared to die if it meant taking Sasuke with him.

Sakura didn't think.

Sakura wasn't driven by logic as she normally was.

She never noticed she moved.

She never noticed any of her actions.

She never knew that her emotions had been released.

All she knew was that Sasuke would not be hurt.

Suddenly a sharp pain came form her back, and she was gazing at Sasuke's surprised eyes. Sakura coughed out blood, as her eyes dimmed. Time seemed to slow as her knees bend. Slowly she fell to the ground, her pink hair dancing in the air, her headband slipping form her silken locks. Her eyes never left Sasuke's as she fell.

Last thing she saw was Sasuke breaking the hold of the jutsu.

Before darkness consumed her.

Will it be continued?

I know I know, it's a short ending especially since you had to wait so long. But the story writes itself, and I think this ending it fine the way it is. I kind of like the idea of Sakura dying here, but you probably won't be satisfied with it, will you?

Tell me what you think, and I'll decide whether I'll let her live or not.

Until next time,

Gasha Aisu.

(yes, I know I'm evil )