Hersheys Rocks - I'm aware of it. I tried my best on this chapter and I hope it's as long as you'd like :)

So-kun - Haha it's fine

RedWillow123 - Thanks! I'll try to update every chapter as soon as I can.

ellamoony - Thank you And like I said, updates will be clsoer together this weekend.

Gaarababe - Wow thanks! I'm getting more enthusiastic about this story now that people call it 'awsome' like you did xD

poweroflove - Yeah my first one. I hope I can get better at it. It's pretty hard with my schedule. Haha

Innocent-Hope - That's what I'm trying to do Thanks for pointing it out.

Kacijo12 - Yeah. I've re-read it and it does seem to go a bit fast. In further chapters I'll try to drag it out rather than get to the point. I don't think the mood I'm aiming for is showing through. Yeah, bad grammer annoys me too. xD Thanks.

yinyang-sensei - Than you :) I'll update as soon as I can. I think I'll keep on thsi story rather then start on otehr ones, or esle I'll never finish any of them. Haha.

Tenshi-Battosai - Thanks - I'll try to make the chapters as long as I can. :p

Thanks for all teh comments guys! I never expected this much Although I'd be thankful for even one peice of encouragement. :)

Well, this chapter is longer than the last ones. I know the previous ones have been short. I guess I just need to get in the hang of writing longer. I'm used to short drabbles. Haha. This chapter reveales a little of waht Sasuke thinks of Sakura (just a bit), and Orochimaru appears. Oh, how I loathe him. -shudders-

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"Shut up."

How many times did he have to say it before Kabuto listened? Apparently Kabuto never gets the message. The silver haired man snickered as he continued to poke fun at the young man who sat in the darkest corner of the room.

"You like her, don't you? Orochimaru's prized Sasuke-kun has a soft spot." Kabuto adjusted his glasses and was practically grinning with glee.

"You're keeping her a secret from him for a reason aren't you Sasu-"

"Dammit Kabuto why don't you shut up!" Sasuke growled, finally losing his temper.

"Kukuku, what's all this fighting hm?"

Both heads snapped towards the doorway where a tall man resembling a snake strode in. His eyes were sunken deep, making his piercing yellow eyes appear more menacing than they were.

"Orochimaru-san," Kabuto's grin had faded into a serious face, causing Sasuke to smirk slightly. That certainly shut him up.

Orochimaru smiled gently if that was possible for such a horrid man and made his way toward Sasuke. Sasuke did not turn away, knowing the routine well.

"Tut, tut Sasuke-kun. Unfortunately for you I heard everything that was going on in here. Now what is this 'her' you've been hiding from me, hm?" he slid his fingers up to Sasuke's chin. Sasuke stood rigid, trying his best to control his outer appearance. Inside his stomach was churning and the willingness to wince was burning bright.

"Answer me Sasu-kun, or I'll have to strip you of Second In Command privileges," Orochimaru grasped Sasuke's chin tight, his nose flaring. This was a sign that things might get out of hand. On cue Sasuke brought up his hand and pushed Orochimaru's fingers away.

"She's nothing of importance," Sasuke replied lowly, glaring slightly towards Kabuto. Kabuto wouldn't dare to speak now. Orochimaru looked threatened as he stepped back, pulling away from his prized fighter.

"She better not be, or else you'll find me knocking on every hut observing every living soul," he looked down at Sasuke as if warning him then turned on his heel, leaving the premises. Sasuke let out a frustrated sigh and shot a deadly glance at Kabuto.

"I won't tell him anything Sasuke-kun. I know my place. After all you are higher in rank," his voice was bitter, almost dripping in jealousy.

"Hn. You'd better not," Sasuke pushed his body off the wall and started for the door. Kabuto smirked.

"Off to visit your precious Saku-." A kunai swept across the room and dug into his shoulder.

"That's a warning to you Kabuto. I don't expect you to say that name ever again."

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"Sakura?"

Sakura looked up from the floor to see Sasuke standing at the doorway with his usual try of food. She looked away hugging her knees to her chest. It had been a couple of days since he had brought her here. He hadn't said a word to her except to tell her to eat. Today was going to be different. She was going to get something out of him.

Sasuke kneeled down and stirred the rice in with the vegetables as he laid the bowl in front of her. He tapped the chopsticks on the bowl then nudged her to get her attention.

"Come on, it's lunch time-"

"Sasuke," she started with a whisper then looked up to see his face. It was emotionless as usual, cold and hard as if he were concentrating on something.

"Hn," that was his signal for her to continue. Sakura took a breath in and exhaled, watching him stir the soup now.

"I need you to tell me what's going on. You haven't let me out of this room for days," she was trying her best to stay clam, "And the mission. What were you doing there in that certain camp? You're not part of the Yukatzi… Are you?"

Sasuke shook his head and waved his hand for her to continue.

"And- you still haven't said a word to me other than 'It's time to eat'." She looked at him with her intense green eyes. She observed him feeling more uncomfortable as he started to avoid her gaze.

"Aa," was all he said as he motioned her to come closer. She hesitated, and then leaned in towards the tray. He poked at a rice ball and stuffed it in her mouth. Angry mumbled escaped her throat as she struggled with chewing it and swallowing it

"I'm not an animal! I can feed myself!" she scolded after she was done. Sasuke merely smirked then poked at another rice ball.

I had been a long while since he saw her. At age thirteen he never knew what he was missing. But now, as he watched her in her usual ranting mode, Sasuke realized what he longed for all those nights alone. Just a person he could relate to. They didn't have much in common, that was the obvious truth, but they had a connection that he couldn't put his finger on. Perhaps it was because they had been on several missions together when they were younger. Or maybe it was she was the only sane person he found after the years of torment living under Orochimaru. It's not like he didn't want to be there. He had to be there to gain power. More power equals the road to kill-well, that man, but there was something else missing. He hadn't thought about it until he heard her name in the midst of the battle.

He had been cutting a man in half at the time. How ironic it was that at that exact moment he would find life. His team was slaughtering the ANBU into pieces, and only a handful was left to retreat. When he heard that cherry blossom's name, he hesitated to discard of the body he held in front of him. Memories had rushed back to his mind and he found himself dreading every wrongdoing. Sasuke was questioning himself. What would he do after he rids of the man he still hunts for? What is the other purpose in his life?

He killed the man he held in front of him nonetheless.

A faint giggle brushed his thoughts from his mind entirely. He stared down at the pink haired girl, scratch that, young woman, who was pointing at a tomato. She looked up at him with eager eyes. Dammit. He looked away.

"Sasuke-kun," she whispers, "You still like tomatoes."