Sakura's eyes slowly fluttered open.

She stared up at the ceiling for a moment, her vision still hazy, then turned her head to the left and stared at the her surroundings. Her neck was a little stiff and sore so she could only manage a small movement but she managed to get a good survey of the room.

The room she was in was huge: a giant chandelier hung from the ceiling, four golden posts were at each corner of the bed. He bed was extremely comfortable as well, she was surprised, no way could this be her bed. She wasn't in that dingy little hut that was for sure.

Sakura summoned all the strength she had in her weary body and pushed herself up into a seated position, there she saw the room for all its grandeur. There was a red velvet carpet on the floor and all the furniture: the drawers, the chairs, the wardrobe was made out of the finest mahogany, which was far too rare to find in this part of the world. Whose eve room this was, they had to be rich. Everything was dazzling and new and smelled fresh so unlike anything she's ever experienced before.

Sakura thought she had to still be dreaming. This couldn't be real. Why was she lying in a huge comfortable bed in a huge and exquisitely decorated room? She held her head and laid back down, she couldn't cope with all of this. She had to think and remember what happened.

The door then opened and Sasuke walked in. He closed the door behind him and walked over to the window. He opened the curtains and a flood of light came crashing down on Sakura's face. She put her arm up to shield her eyes and sat up. Sasuke sat down on the bed next to her.

"Good morning, sleeping beauty" he said.

Sakura remembered what happened now. This was Sasuke, she looked him in the eye. She had seen him before but was too dazed to realise how dashing he was. He had a beautiful complexion and a strong jaw line. And this was just seeing his eyes too for he was wearing a mask over his face to concealing his identity. His medium length black hair was like silk and he had really broad shoulders that suggested he was quite a trained fighter.

"Y-Y-You're Sasuke, right?"

"Yes, I am. Thank you, I'm glad you know all about me."

"You're a thief."

"Please, thief is such a general term. I prefer to say that I am merely a collector."

"A collector of what? Of me? Why am I here? I remember now, you carried me here."

Sasuke laughed.

"No, I am not collecting you, although, you seem quite a catch. I simply need a new recruit on my team and have been searching all over for the perfect fighter. When I heard about the Team 7 ninjas and that little runt Naruto, it led me straight to you. My, you are pretty. I absolutely love your soft, pink hair."

He moved forward and stroked it. Sakura swatted his hand away and looked at him angrily.

"How dare you?" she said. "You can't just take me away like that. I'm going back this instant."

She didn't seem to care for his looks anymore, she was angry. Angry that she was in a strange place away. She got up off the bed and headed for the door.

"You cannot leave" said Sasuke. "We are on a ship. There's nothing surrounding us but miles of ocean."

"We'll see about that."

Sakura marched right up to Sasuke and went to slap in the face. However his reactions were second to none and he easily caught her wrist and twisted it behind her back. Sakura struggled but Sasuke was twice as strong as she was. Sakura then reached her free arm round and tried to tear Sasuke's mask off. She tugged and managed to pull half of it off when Sasuke increased the pressure on Sakura's arm and she winced in pain.

Sakura turned round and saw the right side of his face, the side she had pulled the mask off. He looked so incredibly handsome. She didn't think people like that existed in real life, only in movies. That didn't stop her struggle though, it only intensified it. Sakura knew she would have no chance trying to overpower Sasuke but she did her best at trying the wriggle and squirm out and using her petite body as an advantage.

She ducked down and squirmed out of his grasp. Then she came flying in with a kick that caught Sasuke in the mid section. He clutched his stomach and that gave Sakura just another time to land another kick right in the side of the ribs. That one knocked the wind out of Sasuke and Sakura stood up to him and held her fists up ready to continue the fight.

Sasuke was not amused. He was the great legendary bandit and warrior. There was no way he would be beaten by such a soft and delicate girl such as Sakura.

Sakura wasn't prepared to let this guy have his way with her. She was going to fight with everything she had. There was no telling what this guy Sasuke would do to her if she were to lose or to just give up. She had to win, she just had to. She was going to win.

Sakura came in with another kick but this time Sasuke was ready and caught her foot and pulled her close to him. Sakura was a little hesitant being this close to his face, his bright eyes were so hypnotizing. She tried to struggle out again, but he was so strong. He was a little hesitant too, looking at her delicate body, there was no way he would want to hit her or harm her in any way.

Sakura snapped out of her hesitation first and slammed her fist into his jaw and he stumbled backwards. Sakura knew she had to get out and get out now. She opened the door, but Sasuke grabbed her by her pink hair and pulled her back. He wrapped his arm around Sakura's tiny neck and held tightly.

Sakura was struggling desperately. For such a small girl, she sure could put up a good fight, Sasuke thought to himself. But he was at least six inches taller than her and outweighed her by around 50 pounds so keeping her still was quite easy. Although not quite as easy as he thought it would be.

His grip round her neck tightened. Sakura's vision began to blur but she fought it. She knew that passing out or fainting now would end her hopes of ever escaping. She had said that last time, but this really would be the last chance and she had to fight with everything she had. She couldn't afford to lose. Sakura had no intention of being part of this guy's prized collection.

But as much as she fought and as hard as she tried his grip was simply too powerful and she couldn't get it from round her neck. Her vision began to fade again. No, she thought. Her struggles were becoming weaker and weaker and Sasuke chuckled.

"That's it, pretty girl. Just take a nice long nap and everything will seem better in the morning."

Sakura couldn't stand his chuckling. It was so arrogant. Who the hell did he think he was? She elbowed him in the stomach. Sasuke felt it but kept his grip around her neck. Sakura's body went numb and she no longer wanted to fight, she just wanted to let herself drift to sleep and end this pain and this struggle. She was almost resigned to defeat as her hand slowly trickled down and went limp by her side.

Sasuke laughed again. All too easy, he thought. Stupid girl.

"My beautiful pink cherry blossom."

Sakura could hardly hear him. Everything around her was like far away, like she was under water. Sasuke released his grip around her neck. But that that was his mistake. Sakura was still had a little bit of fight left in her, she got out of his loosened grasp and caught him with a back hand on his left cheek. She then ripped at his mask again and managed to pull off the other side.

Now she could see him in all his glory. He was so incredibly handsome, she saw him in a light she'd never seen him before, but her thoughts were scattered. She was out of breath and the chokehold had taken a lot out of her, she didn't know whether she had anything left. But the thought of this guy having his way with her was more than enough motivation to continue on.

She rammed her shoulder into him and thrust him back into the wall. Even though she was much smaller than him, she put so much force and energy behind it that it moved him quite a distance. Sasuke was a little dazed but not hurt. He looked into Sakura's eyes again, they were glassy and glazed over. She could barely keep them open.

Sakura had expended a lot of effort with that move, but she had the advantage now and wasn't about to let that slip. She pounded on his chest continuous, she began crying as well. Sasuke saw the first sign of weakness in this girl. He clasped her wrists tightly. She still tried to pound on his chest but it was never going to work, he overpowered her so easily.

She struggled violently again only to be restrained with little effort. It was hopeless, she thought. Sasuke's face showed no emotion, he was concentrating fully on the job at hand. She wasn't going to let him win, she had pride; she had too much pride. Her vision was still blurry and she could barely make out her surrounding s or think straight anymore. She slammed her head down into his sturdy chest. That was all she could take, the fight was over for her.

Sakura fainted and went limp in his arms. Sasuke breathed a sigh of relief that she was finally out and that no one got badly hurt. He picked her up with ease. She was limp and dead weight but she was so light that it didn't really matter, she was very easy to carry.

He felt the weight in arms for a moment realising that he was in the possession of a much stronger fighter than he'd ever anticipated. No one had ever lasted so long in a fight. It wasn't the fact that she was strong physically, far from it, but she had a mental toughness that was unsurpassed. She was a stubborn girl too, he thought. Far too stubborn, refusing to give up even when she had no chance of winning. Perhaps she was more stupid than brave and strong.

Anyway, Sasuke snapped out of his reverie and carried Sakura over to the bed. As he carried her in his arms he had mixed feelings: one was of a brave noble knight in shining armour rescuing his damsel in distress and the other was the animal instinct and primitive pride of a caveman who had just captured his prey. He was in love with the girl no doubt, but he was only going to use her for his own ends.

Sasuke placed Sakura gently and tenderly down onto the bed and stroked her hair again. Certainly there were no animal instincts or primitive pride inside him now. He was concerned for her and looked over her lovingly hoping that she would wake up soon. He had never wanted to fight her, but was forced into it because he could never let this girl escape from him, not ever.

"Sleep well, my beauty. For when you awake I will let you know of my masterplan."

Sasuke left the room, turning back once to see her sleeping form. She was even more beautiful asleep, he thought. He then walked out the door closing it behind him.