Rain had begun to pound against the already softened hearth. Missing nin streaked across the sky, hidden in rain. Naruto watched in despair as a demon brother slowly slid his weapon across a young ninja's throat. Crimson showered the ground and she crunched to the wet, cold terrain. Lifeless.

"What?" the brother smirked, "she mean somethin' to ya kid?" Anger rang in Naurto's ears and before the missing nin realized, Naruto was on him, stabbing any place his weapon could find. The rain was streaming down now, and in each crash of lightning blurry images of the battling ninjias could be seen.

A ways a way, Kakshi was resisting being pushed down by two missing nin. Rin was throwing them off him, desperately trying to reach Kakshi, who seemed to have broken, or badly injured, both legs. Sakura was no where to be seen, but Ino's blonde pony tail could be spotted in the rain, swishing back and forth as she angrily dodged the bombs that were being tossed at her. Sasuke grabbed her neck and heaved her out of the way before performing his fire jutsu.

Naruto wrestled the brother off his back, turning and grabbing the mans weapon, to stick it in his own stomach. He then turned, attempting to run to the fallen ninja's side. A swift kick to the gut sent him flying backwards, into the awaiting arms of the other demon brother. He kicked outward, catching mud and clunks of grass in his sandals.

"Killed my brother," the missing nin whispered in his ear. The man moved to attack, but Sakura caught his hand, swinging him off Naruto. She then reached around and broke his neck, letting the body collapse down her side. Sakura gasped slightly when Naurto stumbled over and embraced her, but let him hold her tightly. It didn't last long.

With strong arms Naruto was knocked down, landing squarely on his ass. Sasuke stood tall above the blonde boy, glaring downwards. The moment of hostility was short lived, as more ninjas pounded the earth, attempting to tear down the village. Blood was caked on the earth, but it seemed as the rain became more and more dense, the missing nin were disappearing. Dead bodies became the ground and Rin was standing alone know, Kakashi leaning against her shoulder, his legs dragging on the ground. Many of the village's ninjas were badly injured, but continued to help catch and terminate the last of missing nin.

Hinata's lifeless body lay, embedded in the mud. Naruto was crawling towards her, her fingers stroking the pale skin. Caresing her face, the saddened man cradled her head in his lap. Silent tears streaking down his face. A low moan was escaping through his quivering lips.

"Oh Naruto, I'm so sorry," Sakura whispered, her eyes becoming bleary. It seemed the whole fight had stopped. Every ninja, good and bad was gazing at the fallen girl. Her pale white eyes facing upward, lifeless as usual, but now, distant. Hidden in the shadows of his bangs, Naruto's eyes blazed red, the familiar markings on his face becoming more disguinst. In a flash every remaning crimnal was on his knees, blood gushing from large wounds.

Only one missing nin was left, but to Sasuke's obvious shock, he had the upper hand. In the rain, the tall, shark like ninjia was grasping a shaking girl to his chest. Her arms hanging limply at her sides, and her head lolling back. The shark man grinned, a gastly smile that sent Sasuke into a frenzy. While Naruto had returned to his fallen lover's side, Sasuke was just begining his own torment. Sharingan eyes glowered in the steam the acid rain gave off. Every leaf ninja backed away, unsure what would transpire.

"Sasuke," it was faint, but her pale lips had spoken.

Sasuke POV

What just happened. Where the hell am I! My head is pounding as if a thousand drums were beating all different rhythms. It reaks of blood and I can barely breathe. What happened, there, there was.

SAKURA!

I glanced about, waiting to see the last criminal, holding my former team mate in his hands. How weak and pathetic of her, letting Hinata's condition make her vulnerable. To make matters worse, for some god damn reason we had. We had. Kissed. I don't know why, it must have been her, and me to shocked to push Sakura off. Shit, she had said my name hadn't she.

Images of the Chunin exams are blinding my sight. Her frail, teen body being grasped, sucked of all life in that goddamn sand genius's clutches. How Naurto had saved her. And now, she wanted me to save her? No, it was accidental. That annoying, obsessed child must have been delirious. Must have, past tense.

I took stock of my surroundings. Blue tile? What in, but then I realized it. I was sitting on the floor of Sakura's bathroom, Sakura lying next to me, in a fetal position. Her pink hair was slick against her head and the black cloth hung from her body. I must have lost it when I saw the shark man. How had he survived when I had killed my old, 'friends'? It must have been him who had sent the makeshift army to our village.

"Sasuke," in despair I glanced at the awoken woman, her hand clutching at thin air for me, "Sasuke, where, how did I get here," she looked up at me expectantly. I just watched her coldly.

"Who knows, maybe after the battle I came back here with you, I can't remember after I used the sharingan," I stood, glancing towards the mirror. A Bruised rib or two, tons of scratches. Nothing that wouldn't heal in a few days. "Clean up and then rest, it seams we won the fight," I exited the room, leaving Sakura laying on the floor, her head resting awkwardly against the wall.

Nightfall was evident through the tall windows at the end of the hall. The battle had ranged on since middle of the morning to midday, what had happened in those seven or so hours I was, out of it? Whatever it was, Sakura seemed pretty spooked.

After cleaning up some cuts and changing out of the blood stained garb, I walked hesitantly to the kitchen. The sterile, under used area was abundant in food, but I had no idea how to prepare it. Remembering what Sakura had said early about cups above the sink I searched the surrounding cupboards, settling on boxed soup. From the bathroom, loud, crashing sounds were sounding. Soon my temper gave way and I yelled through the door.

"Sakura, what the hell are you doing in there," with that she came out, a slight smile on her lips.

"Sorry Sasuke, was I real loud?" I rolled my eyes and turned to go back to my version of cooking. She stopped me, grasping my hands in hers, "let me take a look, o.k. That battle had to have affected you,"

Affected me! She looked as if she had just come of a battle field. Hair matted, blood seaming through her wet clothing. I allowed the medic to prod my stomach, and gather chakra to heal my ribs. After a while she nodded briskly, determined I was fine and that she had healed any internal damage. She walked, or rather, hunched over and limping, into the bedroom.

What a woman, what idiot would stay so, 'dirty,'. I returned then to my own shit, rubbing the destroyed clothing and realizing I had worn this when Saukra had kissed me. What an obsessed, puppy. Kissed me and then attempted to hold my hand. Just thinking of her small face, gasped in pleasure and in passion under me was enough to make my stomach churn. How disgusting, and the previous night, trying to, to 'hold me'. Woman, such needy creatures. And yet. No.

My hands crept there way to my blade fingering the smooth steel

(Sasuke Remembers)

"Friend of your Sasuke?" the snake man asked. However that dirty bastard had managed to escape through my grip when I killed me old, 'friends', was beyond me. Now he stood before me on a blood soaked field, holding Sakura tightly against him. His hands were lightly holding her right below the waist, and a blade was clutched in one, playing with the hem of her shirt. Slowly, wickedly his hand crept lower, resting were no man should EVER touch Sakura.

"Get your god damn filthy hands of of her!" I charged, eyes glowing wild, but he was quick and plunged the blade deep into her gut,"