Disclaimer: I own nothing.

A/N: Enjoy!

12

Training had always been the best way for him to relieve stress, but anymore. As he channeled more and more chakra to his arm to form a chidori, he realized this was not going to work. No matter how many trees he burnt down, how many craters he created with his chidori, the heavy feeling in his chest wouldn't go away. In fact, it would only make things worse because the more chakra he used, the sooner he had to kiss her and with everything that had just happened between them, that would be her least favorite thing to do. Sasuke wondered since when he started to consider what she wanted and not his.

A part of him just wanted to run right back to her and explain everything but another part told him he should stay away, give her some time alone until she calmed down. Besides, right now, she didn't even want to see his face.

Her tears had left his heart constricted with an uncomfortable feeling. He had raked his brain for ways to comfort her but when he gazed into her pale eyes, the hurt there had been so great that he was speechless. That was when he realized no matter what he said she wouldn't listen.

But did he regret doing what he did? Absolutely not. If he were given another chance, he would do it again. She had been so beautiful and so willing to give herself to him that being able to restrain his most primitive urges had been a miracle in itself, but he was glad he managed to do it. Even now, with the cold wind blasting at his face and the temperature dropping, the heat in his body hadn't completely gone away.

Did it mean he loved her? His hands trembled violently at the thought. How could he dare to think of love when nearly all of his loved ones had died? As if it wasn't enough, he even had to always hurt people who loved and cared about him. He killed his brother, made Sakura cry, tried to kill Naruto countless times and now, hurt Hinata's feelings. It was a curse that he didn't even try to break… until now. No one was allowed to hurt her and that included him.

"My, my, I didn't expect to see you here."

Sasuke turned sharply at the gruff voice, avoiding a kunai hurling at him. His jaw locked tightly as he assessed his situation, realizing he was being surrounded and outnumbered. His Sharingan flickered in the dark as he leaned to the left, successfully avoiding the sword swung at him. The attacker didn't even have time to pull the sword out of the tree trunk where it had embedded itself in before Sasuke slammed his chidori down his back. Noticing his chidori was not as strong as he would like it to be, he let out a curse of frustration. Normally he would have no problem defeating even an army all by himself but now, this would be a tough fight because he was almost out of chakra.

He could count there were 30 of them, all armed with weapons and Sasuke wish he had brought his sword with him. It wouldn't be easy but he was sure he could win. What really bothered him was that if this was all of them or they had backups or worst, they had another team surrounding and attacking Hinata right now. Whatever the case was, he had to end this quick and return to her as soon as possible.

"Is this all of you?" This was one of the rare times he actually spoke in a fight. He usually kept silent and let his skills and power speak for themselves but now he needed to know if Hinata was in danger, just to ease the worry starting to settle itself in his chest a little.

"I'm glad you're almost out of chakra." One man, who he assumed was the leader, laughed and yes, he really had the gall to ignore the Uchiha's question.

"I asked you a question," Sasuke growled but not let the man had another chance to answer before he rapidly performed the necessary hand sighs to blow a fireball at him. He would just kill all of them and return to Hinata, there was no need for words right now.

The man barely dodged the fireball with his left arm burned a little. This didn't bother him at all. In fact, he was reveling. The fact that the fireball didn't kill him immediately was clear evidence that the Uchiha was not at his top strength. He would win this, his team could win this. They could lose some of their teammates or even everyone but who cared? A few lives were a small price if he could get his hands on Sharingan.

"All of you, kill him!" He shouted and all of them charged at Sasuke, swords drawn.

Sasuke easily avoided the first several swords coming at him, while slamming chidori at the attackers. The Sharingan had always been his top weapon, especially when being outnumbered but with his low chakra level, it began to become harder and harder to keep it activated. He could predict the movements of the attackers but the fatigue seeping into his bones didn't allow him to counter-attack effectively.

He cursed angrily as one of his fireballs missed its target and ended up destroying several innocent trees. These men were not to be underestimated. They were strong and they worked with each other perfectly. Over half of them were down but they didn't fear for their own fates or showed any grieve for their deceased teammates. They kept charging at him and attacking as if they were made for this fight only. Ironically, it reminded him of his teenage days when he was just as suicidal as them, but not anymore. Gone were the days when he thought he had no one. He had her now and he would return to her.

Pulling his arm out of the chest of the attacker, he didn't bother to shake his arm to remove the filthy blood before grabbing another attacker's neck and slamming him onto the ground, snapping his neck and killing him immediately. Just 8 more of them… Putting all of them under genjutsu would be a quick way to end the battle, but it would require a lot of chakra and his priority right now was to reserve as much chakra as he could in case Hinata was facing the same problem as him.

Picking up the sword of one of the dead attackers at his feet, he threw it at the man who was charging at him and watched in satisfaction as the sword embedded itself into his chest, while simultaneously slicing the throat of another man with another sword. These swords were not theirs anymore. They were his now. Just 3 more of them…

One was down, burnt alive with his flame.

The next one was killed with a chidori plunged into his chest and the last one, the leader…

Sasuke flinched. He couldn't remove his arm from the man's chest. His eyes widened when the flesh around the hole of the man's chest started to solidify, trapping his arm. He was using his last breath to help his leader kill him.

Such a loyal bastard. Sasuke cursed.

Quickly seizing this chance, the leader charged at him, sword clenched tightly in his hand. He wouldn't let his teammates die in vain.

Charging more electricity into his arm, Sasuke forcefully pulled his arm out, nearly tearing this man's chest into shreds. Just one more…

Sasuke realized he was one second too late. His hands couldn't make another chidori fast enough. His lungs were aching, refusing to blow any more fireballs. If using genjustu, there was a great chance he would pass out.

Blood splashed all over his front – the leader's blood. His hand clenched his left chest, face contorted in pain. That moment Sasuke realized how dangerous Hinata could be. He had always known of the gentle fist technique's reputation of delivering very painful deaths but this was the first time he actually witnessed it. She just touched the man's back with her palm and the next moment, he was a corpse lying in his own blood.

Sasuke didn't have time to whisper her name before dainty hands cupped his face, brushing some dark locks from his eyes. There were cuts on her arms, her face was pale, smudged with tear and blood, and her hair was a little tousled but in his eyes, she was the most beautiful creature in the world.

"Quick, kiss me!" She urged.

And he did. He kissed her with all he had. He didn't care about chakra anymore, all he wanted was to feel her soft lips against his and tangle his fingers into her long hair. Did he think kissing her felt good? It was more than that. It was a sense of belonging. He belonged to her only. She had complete control over him. She could have him for all she wanted and he wouldn't complain a word.

Sasuke paused when he felt something warm and wet coating his palm. It was a familiar feeling because he had felt it for most of his life. He had grown so accustomed to it that it rarely bothered him but this time, the panic was immediate.

Hinata slumped against him, face buried deep in the crook of his neck. The knife embedded deep into her back, nearly cutting through her spine. It stared back at him, as if mocking his inability to save her, and that he would never find happiness.

His eyes landed on the leader. He was smirking in victory. It was so satisfying to watch fear and hopelessness strike his features that his smirk didn't falter when the black flame started to engulf him. At least he could take this girl to hell with him. It was hard to believe, but it seemed the infamous Uchiha knew how to love.

Sasuke's body trembled violently. Memories of the massacre started to come back with vengeance. He was useless then and he was useless now. Clutching her limp body in his arms, he leaned in to kiss her forehead. "No," He whispered. "You can't die."

His palm pressed into her back, trying desperately to stop the bleeding. His brain couldn't function properly due to the sheer panic breaking out, but he wasn't willing to let her die. He had to do something, or she would bleed to death. Maybe the old man could help? Maybe he had some medical supplies or equipment that could keep her alive while he went looking for a medic.

"You can't leave me." He wasn't sure if she could hear him, but he wanted to assure her that they would stay with each other no matter what happened. Even if she died, he would soon meet her in heave five days later. He didn't think he deserved to be in heaven, but he would fight his way there just for her.

He shifted her a little in his arm, one arm keeping pressing onto the wound, while the other supporting her neck. He would bring her back to the old man's house, leave her there and then immediately go to find a medic. "Stay with me." He whispered for the last time, ready to start going now, but the sound rapid footsteps stopped him.

The rescue team froze at the scene. Bodies covered in blood dispersed everywhere, swords plunged into their chests, throats, and stomachs. And among them were the two people they had been looking for months.

Sasuke couldn't remember there was a time he was this relieved to see his teammates. His voice cracked and he didn't realize that he was practically begging.

"Save her."

Pale eyes fluttered open.

Her dainty hands tentatively touched her back where the pain had shot through the moment she gained consciousness. Although the pain was awful, at least it meant she didn't die… yet.

"Hinata!"

"Hinata-sama!"

The voices startled her. Looking around, she let out a small gasp as familiar faces came to view. There were Naruto, Kou, and Shino, all looking at her with relief washing over their faces. Tears pricked at her pale eyes, her lips twitched in an attempt to speak but her throat and mouth were too dry. Besides, the pain at her back was making her every task difficult, even something as easy as speaking.

She didn't realize how terribly she missed her friends and teammates until now. After months of not seeing them and especially with everything that had happened between her and Sasuke that night, her pale eyes started to brim with tears, despite her best attempt to hold it back. She had promised to herself to never cry over a man again but alas, it hurt so much. If it wasn't for Naruto being here, she would have dived into Kou or Shino's arms while crying her eyes out. Ignoring the unpleasant feeling of shame, hurt, and self-pity that was bubbling in her chest, the moment her throat started to work again, his name was the only thing she could utter. "Sasuke?"

A groan escaped her mouth as she tried to get up. Not only did her back hurt but her head was also throbbing. She felt a hand touch her shoulder, gently pushing her back. "Hinata-sama, you can't get up yet." There was a sound of disapproval in Kou's voice that she had never heard before.

"Where is Sasuke?" Fear started to fill her as bad scenarios ran through her head. What if something had happened to him after she lost consciousness? Pale eyes looking around frantically, the urge to active Byakugan to search for him was so great but the throbbing in her head just didn't let her.

"He's in the room next to ours," Naruto said, believing it would be like the old time when he could always be the person bringing her relief but no, the look of worry on her face didn't change at all.

"How long have I been out?"

"Four days, almost five…" Naruto replied.

Her pale eyes widened in horror as she shot up, ignoring Kou's frantic attempt to get her lay down again. The pain at her back and the throbbing in her head was the least in her mind now. She didn't care if her head would explode or if her back would tear itself out, all she could think about was Sasuke was probably dying right now. He needed her, needed to kiss her.

Her body was moving on its own as her brain had given up on reasoning that she couldn't move yet. Her knees buckled and if it wasn't for Naruto and Kou rushing to hold her up she would have fallen flat on her face.

"Hinata, stop! You need to rest." It didn't even register to her that Shino was scolding her. Grasping Naruto's shirt, she tried to get him to understand the dire situation they were in. He was Sasuke's best friend, he had to.

"Where is Sasuke? I have to…"

The door slammed open so loud cut her off. Sakura rushed in with a worry expression she had never seen before. There were tears in her green eyes and she looked tired and distressed as if she hadn't been slept or eaten properly for days. "Naruto! Sasuke is… Oh Hinata, you're awake." That fact didn't seem to ease her at all. The distressed look in her face persisted, tears started to fall from her eyes, and Hinata thought she knew why.

"Bring me to Sasuke." She said firmly without any traces of stuttering or room for debate.

"What? No." Kou exclaimed. "Hinata-sama, you can't…"

"Or he will die." It was the nearest to a shout Hinata could summon. Then she looked straight at Sakura's eyes, trying to convey something she couldn't express by words. The medic must trust her, they must trust her.

"Hinata-sama, please, you…" Kou started again but was cut off by Naruto.

"Just trust her." It was said in a firm manner that Naruto rarely displayed. The exuberant boy had disappeared and in his place was the mature boy who always appeared when his friends were in danger. Sasuke's condition had been gotten worse in the last two days and if Hinata could help him, they must trust her.

"Don't worry. Sasuke is in no shape to hurt her." Not waiting for a response from Kou, Sakura gently took Hinata's hand and ushered her out. She didn't know how Hinata was going to help Sasuke, but something in the girl's eyes told her she was the only one capable of doing that.

The rest quickly followed with a tense air around them. Kou was beyond pissed. Just the idea of his lady in the same room with the Uchiha was enough to make him uncomfortable. Shino was silent, taking his time to observe everything. With his glasses and high collar, it was hard to decipher or even know what he was thinking.

Upon entering the room and seeing Sasuke, tears started to prickle at Hinata's pale eyes. She had expected no less, but seeing him on the verge of death with her own eyes was heartbreaking.

"Sasuke's chakra keeps depleting," Sakura explained. "I have tried transferring my chakra to him but his body just didn't accept it." She was sobbing now. The moment she saw him she knew something wasn't right with him. He didn't do any fighting or have any injuries but his chakra wouldn't stop decreasing. Even the Nine-Tailed chakra couldn't help. Naruto had shaken his head in dejection when he couldn't get Sasuke's body to accept his chakra.

Today was the worse. It had gotten so bad that he could barely move his body. She tried to ask him what had happened but he wouldn't say a word. All he said was take care of Hinata.

She remembered screaming at him that she did take care of Hinata. She had healed her to the best of her ability and her condition had gotten a lot better. She wouldn't die but he might.

She watched as Hinata's hands caressed his dark hair. The girl looked so forlorn that she would think the man who was on the verge of death was Naruto and not Sasuke.

"It's okay now," Hinata whispered. Her hands moved from his hair to cup his face, tilting it toward her.

Sakura expected Hinata to transfer her chakra to him as their two clans were far relative, thus his body was more likely to accept her chakra than anyone else. What she didn't expect was to see Hinata dip her face and let her lips touch his.

"Hinata-sama? What are you doing?" Kou exclaimed. He immediately went to stop her but Sakura quickly grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

"His chakra is recovering." She breathed, voice laced with surprise and disbelief. This was not how chakra transfer looked like. No. She didn't transfer anything. His chakra just recovered on its own. She couldn't understand why. Years of medical experience and she had never seen anything like this.

A few minutes passed by and when Hinata opened her eyes, dark pools were staring at her. She smiled meekly, flustered under his intense gaze. "U-Um… I…" She didn't get to spoke because he had already engulfed her in his arms, muffling any sound she might make.

He buried his face deep in her silky hair, arms circling gently around her waist. He could hear her heartbeat, feel her warmth, and smell her lavender scent. Until this moment he still remembered exactly how lifeless she had felt in his arms and how hopeless he had been. Just thinking about it made his entire body tremble violently in fear. His heart had been racing, his breath had been uncontrollable and his mind had been numbed. He couldn't remember the last time he had had a fear this great, probably since his clan's massacre. He had feared he would lose her.

"I thought I lost you." He whispered, pulling her flush against him. He didn't care if he needed her to survive, as long as she lived and it would be enough. Threading his fingers into her long hair, he gently cupped her face and looked at her pale eyes. A smile graced his lips and he could tell it took her aback a little. He rarely smiled after all.

She wasn't fully recovered yet. Her skin was pallid, her eyes puffy, probably from crying and she felt too fragile in his arms but to him she was the most beautiful creature in the world. He could look at her all day and wouldn't get bored. She stepped into his life, breached the walls he had built to prevent himself from getting attached and wouldn't leave. He didn't want her to anyway. In fact, he would beg her to stay.

"How do you feel?" He asked, thumbs caressing her cheeks. Leaning in, he was about to kiss her again but paused when she shifted a little to avoid him. A blush rose to her cheeks and her hands clasped together nervously.

"I'm f-fine." Her pale eyes moved from him to the side and he soon realized they were not alone.

Shino was the first one to recover from the shock. He stepped forward, pushing his glasses a little before speaking. "You should have a good explanation for this."

"So that's what happened?" Naruto grinned, putting his arms behind his head in his usual goofy manner. "And I thought there was something between you two."

"Lower your voice, idiot. She's sleeping." Sasuke scolded. After explaining everything to their friends, Hinata had retired to her room, saying that she was a little tired and needed rest. But before she could lie down, the little boy had barged in and thrown himself into her arms while crying his eyes out. As it turned out, Sasuke's suspicion had been correct. There had been two missing-nin teams and Hinata had had a hard time both fighting them and protecting Daisuke and his grandfather.

He had scolded the boy to let her rest and not bother her but Hinata, as motherly as she always was, had said it was fine and even offered him to sleep with her again. The boy didn't need to be offered twice and happily crawled under the cover to snuggle against her. Hinata then told him he could leave now and that made him frown. Was she avoiding him?

"Sorry… but really, you could have done it the simple way. Just return to the village and Granny Tsunade would help you."

"I hate that village." He bit out, sounding rather bitter.

"It's your home. We always want you back."

No. It's not. He thought. When he thought of home, he could only think about her. And yes, Naruto was right about there was something between him and Hinata. After all, they nearly had sex and she was acting like it never happened. She was even avoiding him, but Sasuke wouldn't have it. They would need to talk soon, whether she wanted to or not.

"Man, I'm so hungry," Naruto said, hand holding his stomach. "I'm heading in. Grandpa is preparing some food."

"Just go," Sasuke said exasperatedly and couldn't be happier when the blonde boy immediately left without any words. His happiness was short-lived though when his female teammate appeared.

Sasuke sighed. This was something he had to deal with sooner or later.

"Can I, Sasuke?" Sakura asked, lifting a hand glowing with green chakra. What Sasuke and Hinata told them was hard to believe. She had studied hundreds of drugs but never heard or known of any drugs that had that weird effect but after all, Orochimaru was a sick bastard.

The annoyed look on his face told her he would refuse. Being examined was one of the things he hated most but he gave in at last, although very reluctantly. "Fine."

Sakura's hands hovered above his back, moved to his head, and then stopped near his chest. A frown marred her features as she concentrated deeply. "There was something in your chakra system that only responds to Hinata."

"Sakura, I…"

"She is more than that, isn't she?" She interrupted, not looking at him anymore but averting her gaze to somewhere else. "A mean for you to stay alive, I mean."

"If she dies, I die."

"That night you didn't look like you're afraid of death. You have never been. You looked like you're afraid of losing her."

"What do you mean?" He scowled, arms crossing in front of his chest.

"When I healed her, I found red marks on her neck and chest. Are they yours?"

"Just get into your point." He growled. It was getting more and more annoying. He was offended she asked if they were his. Of course, they were his. He was proud of them and would love to make them again. They looked lovely on her pale skin after all.

She let out a small laugh but it sounded joyless even to her own ears. She turned her head a little to look straight into his dark eyes – those eyes she wished that someday would look at her and see her more than a friend and a teammate. She knew she had his respect and appreciation but that never seemed enough.

Although Sasuke had never expressed any real interest in her, she always had a strong belief that she just needed to try hard enough, persistent enough, and never give up, he would eventually realize that she was the right girl for him but that belief had shattered into pieces and she could do nothing about it.

"Is this what you came for?" He pinched the bridge of his nose, exasperated. "To question the relationship between Hinata and me?"

"No." She shook her head, gaining a suspicious look from the man. "There is something I need to tell you."

"Say it."

"I will need a few more days but…" Her attention was on him completely because she wanted to see his reaction to the next thing she said. Whether it was his eyes widened, his lips pursed, or his browns frowned, she wanted to see it all. "Sasuke-kun, I can cure you."

A/N: I'm sorry that things are not very clear in this chapter but I promise things will be much clearer in the next chapter :)

Fanfic recommendation (Part 2)

Serendipity by LuckyGem (Actually I recommend reading all of LuckyGem's stories)

I mean, this story is super duper good. I love every word of it. Just go read it and leave a comment for the author.