The Ripple Effect

By: Sweet Bliss

Orochimaru looked at his guests. They seemed a little mad and sort of bored. "So, now that you are all here, you can witness a very spectacular event!" Shikamaru raised his right brow and asked unenthused, "What kind of event?" The yellow orbs of the man glowed bright as he said, "Oh, it's a surprise. You'll just have to wait and see."

Ino crossed her legs as she looked the man dead in the eyes. Her expression was very irritated looking. Then in a sarcastic manner she exclaimed, "Aw! Oro went to all the trouble of throwing his guests a surprise!" The snake-like man frowned but then smirked. "You won't be acting like that when you see what's in store for you."

He snapped his fingers and quickly the group was surrounded by his soldiers. Kin grabbed a hold of Ino and Hinata while Zaku held onto Shikamaru and the now semi-conscious Naruto.

Sasuke stood in shock at her statement. "Sakura, I-" he was cut off by Sakura. She looked at him with a small smile as the tears kept flowing. "There's nothing I can do. Please, keep safe… Sasuke." Those were her final words as she exited the room shutting the door with a barely audible click.

The pink hairedneko walked into the large room, the only room she wasn't allowed to explore due to Orochimaru's surprise. She pushed open the doors to see all of Orochimaru's soldiers filling up pews upon pews. Her friends were up front with shackles around their wrists.

They looked confused by her actions but she didn't care. Her heart was aching and begging her to stop this nonsense, but none of this registered in her mind. Orochimaru waited for her on a large platform. He smiled when he saw her but there was something wicked behind the smile.

He held her hand when she reached the stage and announced to everyone, "Today, is a glorious day for the new era of vampires. Sakura has agreed to becoming our own sacrifice to the heavenly bodies above and the victory of overcoming the bitter past of our ancestors!" At this everyone applauded as Orochimaru's grip on her tightened.

"Our suffering is drawing to a close! The main event is now starting." With that, the leader of Sound pulled Sakura in front of the cross. He then pricked her index fingers on each hand and let the blood drip onto white roses beneath her, staining the beautiful pure petals. Orochimaru pulled out a knife this time and slit her pale skin just below her collar bone.

"With the blood and soul of the purest person our gods will surely help us overcome our sorrows!" Orochimaru began and as soon as it was said everyone was on their hands and knees chanting a few words Sakura was unable to catch. But almost immediately her body grew weak and she felt stiff. She couldn't move or say anything, yet she could see and hear all the things that were going. Was she really just an empty vessel now? What would become of her after the ritual?

Sasuke pounded on the doors and tried his best to get inside the room. The doors were locked and he could hear everything that was said, but he couldn't stop it. They were chanting the vows and praises to the heavens and there wasn't a way for Sakura to be saved now. It was all over. He'd failed her.

He kept pounding until blood seeped through the gloves he wore. Then he tried kicking the door in, and after a couple of hits, it finally cracked enough so he could enter. He saw center stage the pale glow that encircled Sakura. He heard the murmurings of their words. And he saw how her eyes were now dull green orbs and had no pupils in them at all. She seemed so distant.

He opened the door startling everyone and interrupted their chanting. Orochimaru snarled at this as the pale light around Sakura began to fade. Sasuke shoved past everyone to see Sakura up close. She just stared not opening her mouth to speak nor did she blink. He heard a thunderous roar of laughter behind him as the snake man spoke, "You're too late, Sasuke. Even as we speak the gods are taking away her soul and pretty soon her whole body will disappear."

The Uchiha's eyes blinked to a pale yellow color as the marks of the curse seal worked their way up his white skin. His eyes were slits just like a snake as he hissed, "Too bad, Orochimaru, I'm going to have to kill you with your own creation. This little curse may be good for something." Orochimaru stood his ground as Sasuke was completely covered by the markings.

"You don't know how to use it properly, Sasuke. You'll only destroy yourself in the process," the older vampire warned. He made a few hand signs and the vampire's hands gave off red and orange colors. Sasuke didn't seem scared at the least. "With one touch of this to your arm, Sasuke, it may explode. How will you fight me without both of your hands?"

With that said, Sasuke didn't have a chance to move as Orochimaru came up behind him. Twisting out of the way, the only thing to cut off was the cloak he wore over his regular outfit. "Smooth move, but I really was expecting more from an Uchiha," Orochimaru stated as the cloak fell around the man's feet.

Sasuke had no protection now. He'd have to fight this man with all he had. He reached for his sword only for his hand to get hit by the glow of Orochimaru's hands. His already bloody hand was now completely drenched in scarlet. Ignoring the pain he grabbed his sword and dodged Orochimaru's next assault.

He cut the shackles off of his friends immediately and ordered them to fight the subordinates of Orochimaru. He turned back to the snake man who smirked holding Sakura's limp body in his hands. "I could snap her neck right now, and the process of retrieving her soul will still happen." Sasuke stood helpless as Orochimaru just smirked. If he moved then his chances of saving Sakura were done for. If he stayed in place Orochimaru could kill everyone of his friends making Sasuke suffer even more. It was a lose-lose situation.

Just as he was about to drop his sword, something caught his eye. He activated the Sharingan and the curse marks receded. Spiky red hair, emerald green eyes and the tattoo of love on his forehead. It was Gaara.

Gaara quickly grabbed Sakura away from the startled snake and held onto her tightly as he jumped from place to place landing gracefully beside Sakura. "We figured you would need some help," Gaara said simply and pointed up when Sasuke raised his right brow. And sure enough as he said that the windows broke open as he could spot multiple people he knew.

Tsume smirked down at him as her army of wolves and werewolves jumped down to battle. Shino and Rock Lee, no longer with a fin but with legs, stood at another window as Rock Lee shouted, "If you didn't think that I wasn't cool already! I bet you weren't expecting me to be super awesome in battle and having feet! I fooled y-" he was interrupted when Shino shoved him down as he, himself, jumped to the ground.

Temari and Kankuro all dressed in their black outfits. Temari waved a smile spread across her face as Kankuro said, "We've come to save your sorry ass twice now! You owe us." Kiba was behind them as he stated, "I just had to come. Can't let my sister down, can I?" He hopped down unleashing the beast that had been dormant a few minutes ago.

Anko stood with her two comrades, Sai and Choji, behind her as she winked. "What kind of guard am I if I can't even save the future king himself? Sai nodded to show his acknowledgement and Choji gave him a thumbs up. "Ready?" Sai asked his tow teammates as they nodded, zigzagging and confusing their opponents.

Then his eyes caught the site of a vampire he'd always thought of as evil. His brother stood in the very center of it all as his own men jumped down to commence battle. His own charcoal eyes had the piercing gaze of the Sharingan activated. He smirked saying, "Can't you even defend yourself, Sasuke? And to think that you'll be king someday. Our people will be protecting you more so than you protecting them."

The younger Uchiha watched as his brother jumped down to ensue a battle with Kabuto. Almost everybody was fighting someone else and now the only one left was Orochimaru. Gaara had placed Sakura in a pew not too far from Sasuke and started to fight his own battle. Making sure Sakura was safe, Sasuke held his sword out in front of him.

"Remember, Sasuke, that I have the upper hand here?" And once again the older vampire disappeared. He shivered as he felt someone behind him and he dodged the deadly blow, earning a fairly deep cut on his right shoulder. The red liquid stained his white shirt and the blade he had been holding dropped to the ground. Sasuke sank to his knees trying to ignore the searing pain that ran throughout his arm.

His left hand found the hilt of his weapon but brought the hand back as Orochimaru stepped on the back of his hand breaking the bones. Sasuke cried out in pain as he clutched the broken hand with his bleeding one. He could tell he was losing. Orochimaru reached for his blade ready to strike and Sasuke took one last glance at Sakura.

Her chest stopped moving up and down rhythmically, signaling that her heart was slowing down and she'd die soon. 'I'm sorry, Sakura. I'm sorry,' he thought as he squeezed his eyes shut. He waited for a moment but found that the blow never came. He found himself shielded by Kakashi. "Sorry, I wasn't here sooner. We got into a bit of a tussle back in the forest." Sasuke blinked up at the man.

Had everyone came to prove a point? Were they here to humiliate him? If so they were doing a good job at it. Gaara, Tsume, Temari, Kankuro, Shino, Rock Lee, Sai, Anko, Choji, Deidara, Sasori, Kakashi, and Itachi. Everyone of them had came to save him. Even Naruto, Hinata, Ino, and Shikamaru were there to help. Neji and Ten-Ten were back at the infirmary but would definitely show up to help out sooner or later…

"Sasuke, take Sakura and go!" a voice ordered and he turned his attention to a wrapped up Ten-Ten and a bruised Neji. The Uchiha stayed rooted in place, but was quickly brought to his senses by Neji. "You've got legs still, so get her and leave!" As he said this they both made their way into the battle killing anyone who was in their way.

Without another word or movement he made his way to the dying Sakura. Her gaze was still the same as it was when he found her. Her hair had fallen from the bun it had been tied up into. The blood on her had somehow vanished much to his confusion. He hoisted her into his arms with his right hand, thanking the gods that she was light. He jumped out of the hideout and into the sky which was soon to greet dawn.

He had no idea of how to save her. It was completely impossible and he knew he should have given up. But then his friends would have been sacrificing themselves for a lost cause. They had believed in him to find a cure for Sakura. He wasn't about to let them down.

Feeling weak from the blood loss and the pain he was getting from his left hand, Sasuke clumsily tumbled into a forest. He propped himself up on his elbows and tried his best to lift his weary body up to the clearing Sakura lay in.

To his horror, her body started to disappear slowly. His legs wouldn't move him to where she lay, so he crawled using his right hand and scooted along the weeds and leaves. His grabbed hold of her almost transparent hand as he whispered softly, "Please, Sakura. I know I haven't been the best person in the world. I know I should have valued you more. I'm sorry I can't save you."

With his last amount of strength he lifted her featherweight body in his arms. He brought her head to his left shoulder as he shook her back and forth. "I don't want to be alone anymore. I've had enough of going by the rules. To hell with the rules and my ancestors. I do need you."

His orbs watered as her body began to lift away from him. He held onto her tight as he whispered the last things he ever expected to leave his mouth, "I love you, Sakura." With those words uttered he fell forwards to the ground.

"Danzou!" The said man turned to the sound of the voice. There stood a very irritated and enraged Sai. "What can I do for you, Sai?" The younger vampire glared at his mentor. "You lead me on just so you could get to Itachi and Sasuke."

Danzou smirked. "Oh, so you figured that out?" Sai growled pulling out his two swords. "Shut the fuck up, old man!" Sai then lunged forward pushing one of the blades into the unsuspecting Danzou's side. "Don't think I'll go that easily," Danzou hissed pulling out a knife and thrusting it into Sai's chest.

Sai coughed up some blood and watched as Danzou fell forward into a bloody mass. "I'm sorry I won't be able to join you in hell yet…" The raven haired boy fell backwards into Anko's arms. "Good job, Sai, you did great." Sai coughed up more blood and gave her a small, forced smile. "All for Lord Itachi."

Hinata snapped the fan on the small dagger and twisted her lilac fan, turning the man's arm all the way around snapping it out of place. Her ivory orbs watched as the man yelped in pain and clutched his arm. He was the one who refused to drop their weapon.

"Hinata, behind you," she heard someone cry out and when she spun around she saw a large man who looked as if he could swallow her whole. A large fire engulfed the fat man much to Hinata's relief. She turned to the mage she had fallen for and smiled. "T-thanks, Naruto." He nodded twirling his staff in his hand. To be unconscious just at little while ago, he was hyped up about this battle.

Obsidian orbs blinked open to be greeted by a soft beams of moonlight. He could have sworn that it was just beginning to turn morning when he was awake. It couldn't have been that long ago. He glanced over to his side to find the spot empty.

He sat up and brushed his hair back down to remove the tangles. He lowered his head. He had failed. Sakura was gone and wasn't coming back. Everyone he might've felt some concern for was gone. Mikoto, Fugaku, the rest of his family, Hana, and now Sakura was dead too.

"Sasuke?" he turned to the pink haired girl he thought was dead. She had her head tilted to the side completely confused. "I woke up this morning and you were bleeding. I had to get something to doctor your wounds with." At the last part she revealed thin strips of cloth she had ripped off the bottom of her dress.

The neko came over to him twisting the cloth in her hands. Water squeezed itself out, signaling that a river was near. Sitting herself gracefully on the ground she began to wrap the fabric around his broken hand. "What happened, Sasuke?" she asked as she tied a knot onto his hand.

The Uchiha shook his head and muttered, "Something that would take too long to explain." Sakura frowned a bit. "Uh… Sasuke…" she trialed off but he knew what she was talking about. He shifted and motioned for her to continue. But why did she have to get right on his lap? Well, that wasn't the worst part. If only she'd stop shifting about in his lap…

With a noticeable red blush making its way up her face, Sakura began unbuttoning his shirt. It was kind of awkward. If Naruto ever heard of this he'd have a fit. She felt Sasuke sigh as she fumbled with the buttons in embarrassment.

"Here," he stated simply while unbuttoning his bloody shirt. She removed his shirt quickly taking note of the large cut on his right arm. The layer of skin was completely shred to pieces and blood kept pouring out of the wound. Sasuke winced as she brushed her fingers across the scarred flesh. "Just hurry up and fix it," he ordered as her hair brushed against his cheek and bare neck.

Sakura ripped another strip of cloth off the bottom of her dress. The cherry blossom then wrapped the fabric around his shoulder. After a few rips and tears of cloth from her dress, Sakura had finished bandaging her friend's shoulder.

Here she was. A beautiful girl who always bragged about being tough. A master in any type of hand-to-hand combat and had mastered many types using weapons. She had hated Neji, whom had been gifted with such talents. And she hated his smart remarks.

But here she was. The almighty Ten-Ten fighting with the royal pain in the ass. But he had stayed with her when she was hurt. He'd even searched for her body despite all the others that needed his help. Neji stood behind her watching her back as they battled the bad guys. Maybe he wasn't really as bad as she had thought.

Sakura sat at the side of the river, washing the blood stains out of Sasuke's shirt. He was supposedly looking for food which gave her time to think. What had happened at Orochimaru's hideout? Wasn't she supposed to be dead? Where were the others?

Sasuke still hadn't answered any of her questions. The moon hung above her, offering what little light it could. As she was lost in her thoughts, the Uchiha's shirt had fallen into the water. "Oh, no," she said reaching inside the water for his shirt. Naruto really would question what went on while they were alone together if he saw Sasuke walking back to them shirtless.

She pulled out the completely drenched shirt, but fell into the river when she felt someone's hand on her shoulder. She surfaced only to meet a smirk on the raven haired boy's face. Her first guess as to what he was smirking at was the fact she'd fallen into the water. But as she threw him his shirt, his smirk only grew wider.

The neko was completely confused. "What are you smirking at?" she demanded angrily. He stooped down so he could look directly into her eyes. "I really suggest not wearing white," was all he said. Sakura realized what he was saying instantly. Her face turned a few shades of red, and she plunged herself under water to hide her embarrassment.

Sakura heard some movements in the water and surfaced her head until the water reached her chin. The Uchiha was now standing before her, smirk still adorning his gorgeous face. "You can't stay underwater forever." The neko shook her head yes as she muttered, "I can try." Sasuke grabbed hold of her arms and pulled her up.

"I am not taking care of someone sick," Sasuke said as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Well, I'm not leaving. All you'll do is make fun of me," Sakura stated heatedly. Sasuke shook his head no which made Sakura raise her right brow. Sasuke, with a smug smile on his face, said, "I won't be making fun of you since Id most likely be too busy enjoying what I saw."

Her green orbs widened at what Sasuke had just said. She furrowed her brows and stated icily, "I'm not some sex symbol for desperate, perverted men to swoon over. Horny bastards." Sasuke sighed picking the girl up bridal style and clamped a hand over her mouth. "You're better when you're quiet," he whispered to her carrying her out of the water.

The neko squirmed a bit and tried biting his hand but she couldn't force her mouth open enough to do so. He smirked and sat her on the ground beside the fire. The girl clenched her fists and scolded, "It's not nice to stare, Sasuke." The raven haired boy looked up at her from the fire. "I wasn't trying to look, it was just right in my face I had to look."

Sakura glared at her supposed friend. She didn't speak for a while as she herself watched the fire, arms trying to cover up her body. Sasuke sighed and knew she was mad at him. "Sa-ku-ra," Sasuke sighed her name, syllable by syllable. She looked up at him coldly. "You getting pissed isn't helping." Sakura snapped a twig in her hand. She threw the pieces in the fire as she stated, "Well, if you weren't such a pervert then maybe I wouldn't be pissed!"

The Uchiha narrowed his eyes and grabbed his slightly damp shirt. He pulled it on and stood up. "I'm going for a walk. Stay close by." He turned around and walked off placing his hands inside his pant's pockets.

Shikamaru let the arrow go as it pierced the mans heart clearly. When it didn't do any damage and the guy stood back up, Shikamaru grabbed a stake out of his pack. "I hope this does some good," he grumbled out as he notched the arrow on his bow.

Ino stood somewhere not too far from him as she used her magic to make the vampires explode. She smiled as they fell to the ground. "Yes," she exclaimed as the group that had once encircled her all fell forward, dead. Shikamaru smirked as he shot three more pikes at his enemies. "Damn troublesome," he muttered catching Ino's smile out of the corners of his eyes.

When Sasuke got back to camp, he saw Sakura curled up near the cackling fire. He hadn't been gone long and by the darkness of sky, he noted that it was quite late. He dropped to the ground beside his friend. He placed his left hand on her shoulder and leaned close to her.

"Sakura," he whispered and felt her move slightly. "I'm sorry, Sakura. I need you to understand that I love you." She buried her body into his. The boy blinked at her. The only times he'd ever told his apologies and confessions, she hadn't been able to hear or remember. Was he really worried about how she might respond?

He knew he would never be able be with her as long as Orochimaru stayed alive. He even knew that if he became king of his kind then they wouldn't see each other at all. He'd most likely be arranged to marry someone from another kind to form a treaty. Sasuke didn't know much about Sakura's past. He didn't know her wealth or status inside her homeland.

He was prince and a soon-to-be-king. She was a… He really didn't know what she was. It really didn't matter now. The Uchiha quietly left her side and wondered if he could change the ways of his people. Make it so that he could stay with the only people he called family. Kakashi, Naruto, Sakura… even the ones he'd met over the course of his journey.

The boy laid down on the other side of the flames. He watched the embers dance and the colors create patterns of red, yellow and orange. He wasn't tired at all and there was too much on his mind to rest. Extinguishing the fire he frowned. He had run away from his fight with Orochimaru. He had to have help from all these others. They all had entered just to say that he was always in some kind of trouble. Was he really that helpless?

Orochimaru smirked at Itachi as the king stood his ground. Orochimaru was barely taller than the Uchiha and probably wasn't as strong as Itachi. So why didn't he feel a little worried about the battle at hand?

"Lord Itachi, I would have never guessed that you were pulling strings," Orochimaru stated that devilish grin still adorning his face. Itachi narrowed his eyes as he spoke, "Our kind has been warring with others for far too long. You want all others to be against you." The snake like man shook his head no. "Yes, and when there isn't a sole on our side, I will bring peace back and be recognized as the true ruler of the vampires. I'll be referred to as 'Your Highness' because I ended this great war and I'll be remembered as the best king known to our kind!"

This made Itachi grow a wide smile. "There's one flaw, Orochimaru. My brother, Sasuke, will live on even if I die. He'll put an end to this and he'll find his own way to bring peace to our lands again." The pale yellow eyes of the older vampire flickered. "Sasuke is my puppet if you haven't forgotten. I can control and manipulate him by the curse seal. I will take over his form, giving me all rights to the title of king."

The Uchiha sent a swift kick to Orochimaru's head and the man barely dodged. The leader of the Sound vampire retaliated by punching Itachi's left cheek. Itachi stumbled back wiping blood from his mouth. He looked at the red liquid and immediately his eyes were hungry for bloodshed.

He pulled on his gloves, completely black and fingerless. He licked the fresh blood from his lips enjoying the taste. "I do wonder, Orochimaru, if your blood tastes good. I've been dying to find out ever since I saw you. There will be plenty of chances for me to find out, won't there?" His smile spread as more blood trickled down his pale skin and onto the floor below.

"Sasuke! Help me, Sasuke!" Obsidian orbs opened groggily to a world of black. The voice cried out over and over, but he couldn't find the person calling for him. The sound of their voice was oddly familiar.

With another cry out from the person, Sasuke raised his hands to shield his eyes form the blinding flash. He opened his eyes, his vision adjusting to a green field with dandelion petals flying about everywhere. In the center of the field was a lone tree with a figure beneath.

He walked up the person and immediately recognized who it was. Brown hair, that had been chopped when he last saw her, was long and flowing in the breeze. Slender figure that belonged to the girl he'd met that one fateful day.

She twisted her head to face him. Big brown orbs that twinkled with aglow of playfulness. Pale skin that was creamy upon a slight brush of the fingers. Her bangs framed her face, except for the occasional hair that would tug in the wind. Inuzuka Hana.

"Sasuke," she said a smile forming across her delicate face. She patted a spot beside her and he sat down beside her quite confused. She began to rock back and forth. "Oh, how I missed you, Sasuke! It's been dreadful here without seeing you." The sound of her voice was slightly cheery and tinkled like a bell. She plucked a dandelion that had yet to bloom and twirled it between her fingers.

Immediately the petals swirled around and scattered about. But then Sasuke noticed that one petal still remained. "Oh, Sasuke! I'm going to make a wish." Upon hearing her words, he watched as she shut her eyes tightly and said aloud, "I wish that Sasuke could stay here with me forever." She let the petal fly off and she opened her eyes, smiling. "Will you stay with me, Sasuke, and be happy forever in this safe haven away form bloodshed?"

Sasuke thought for a while. Would he really be happy with Hana? Could this one werewolf keep him away from bloodshed? He wouldn't have to witness death again. He'd stay in this small world that he knew would never e reality. His clan would fall and Orochimaru would be successor. But did those things matter to him?

But then he realized something wrong with this picture. He'd grown accustomed to bright green eyes that reflected the sun in the most perfect way. A cute neko that's mood could change in a snap depending on what you said to her. Hair that was the same color as that of her namesake.

Hana's eyes didn't shimmer like the sun and were far duller in comparison. Hana's mood basically consisted of being optimistic or swooning over him. Her hair wasn't a beautiful pink that resembled a flower. Nothing that he loved to see everyday was also seen in Hana. Sakura was unlike any other and like he'd said; he was in love with her.

He stood up much too Hana's dismay. "I'm sorry ,Hana, I can't stay with you. There's someone that I have to protect in my world. It doesn't matter if the bloodshed is horrible and deaths are everywhere you happen to look. I have to keep her form harm." The brown eyes of the girl lit up in rage.

The area was set on fire and a village appeared in the distance. Sasuke was witnessing the destruction of the small village that protected him again. "You watched as I died, Sasuke!" Hana screamed at him, the body now containing the look that he'd left her in. Her hair was cut in an odd angle. The slit across her throat leaked blood ever so slightly. All the other injuries had appeared as well.

He stepped back as Hana yelled once more, "You were too worried about that bitch! You left me to die!" Sasuke shook his head as more bodies that were on fire approached him. He backed up against other figures. He turned to face them and to his horror he saw the faces of his parents looking at him.

"N-no," he whispered stumbling back. His broken hand grazed against a guy that was on fire. Immediately he jerked it back as the hand throbbed with the burn now adorning the skin. "Sasuke," his father said as he walked forward. His mother took a step up forward also as she said, "My precious boy… you were too weak to hurt anyone."

"You weren't strong enough!" "You'll never amount to anything in life!" "You should have died along with the rest of us!" "Coward." "You ran away when it was too much for you to handle." "You will die without honor for what you did!"

Sasuke found himself backed into a corner with everyone crowding around him. His body shook and tears flew down from his face. "You are pathetic and you don't deserve the right to live." The Uchiha watched as his mother pulled out a pike and jammed it into his side. He cried in pain upon the impact.

They had begun to torture him, all wielding stakes and other implements that were wounding him. "You'll rot in hell for what you did," Fugaku said as he struck right next to Sasuke's heart. The boy fell to his knees breathing heavily as blood dripped down from every hole they had placed in his body. He looked up to see everyone had turned into skeletons, images of what they looked like now. Hana moved forward to him, everyone parting to allow her space.

Her skin was now peeled from where she had rotted. She stooped down beside him, trailing her long fingernails across his cheek, drawing blood much like her mother had when they had met. She then caught a few droplets of the red liquid from the wound and licked it making Sasuke feel sick. "Mm. It's so nice to finally know what blood tastes like. You vampires get all the fun and get to draw this succulent juice from your victims… Oh, Sasuke, do you not like something about blood?"

She did the same thing again except this time she ran her finger along his lip. Sasuke felt as she pressed her lips against his making him taste the blood she had drawn. She then bit his bottom lip drawing more blood and he began to get queasier by the second. Hana pulled back, the red blood staining her face like smeared lipstick. Sasuke felt like vomiting.

Hana pushed his head against the wall and pulled out a long pike. Sasuke, too scared to move, began to whisper, "No, please don't. I don't want to die…" Just as she was about to strike, he heard it. A call of an angel that called for him. The bodies of his parents and other relatives began to slowly fade away and Hana, too, faded away. She screamed as what was left of her body crumbled into dust.

Sasuke panted as the voice kept calling for him. He reached his hand up to the sky that now began to sprinkle rain down on the burning village. His wounds were all healed, except for his hand was still broken as when he came to this place. "Come back, Sasuke! Please, come back!"

Sasuke slowly opened his eyes as he saw a figure looming over him. Tears slipped down from her porcelain face and landed on his cheeks. He sat up, noticing his once clean shirt had been stained with blood. He probably re-opened it while he was thrashing about in his dream.

Dream. Was that all it was? It was so real to him. He could feel the burn that had been inflicted upon his body. The stakes that struck into his body felt as if they were really there. Sakura hugged him close as she wept silently. She then pulled away slightly to speak.

"I thought you were going to die. You wouldn't wake up and you were screaming. I thought I was going to lose you and I didn't know what to do!" The last part was met with sobs and choking because her throat was dry. But Sasuke heard it and he held her close to him. "I'm going to live and I'm not leaving you alone in this world."

Sasuke found himself pulled into another embrace, but for some reason he wanted more than that. And after what happened in that supposed dream he had, he really could use something to calm his nerves. He shook his head. He wouldn't do anything like that. Sex was a really big leap forward and he doubted that Sakura would agree to anything like that.

But the way she was so close was kind of making him have second thoughts. The way her chest heaved up and down in its own rhythmic pattern was turning him on. "Damn, stupid hormones," he muttered gaining Sakura's attention. She tilted her head to the side and he just looked around. "Get some rest, Sakura. We head back to Orochimaru's hideout to settle some unfinished business at daybreak."

A/N: Okay, there's a longer chapter to satisfy you. I didn't leave it as a cliffy so hopefully that makes you happy. Oh, by the way. Yes, Sasuke had admitted he loves Sakura, but she was never awake to hear these things. She has made an assumption that he doesn't love her and in the next few chapters she's beginnning to think it's only lust he shows for her.There are a few chapters left so… Leave a review and keep supporting this story! Later! -Sweet Bliss