AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey everyone, thank you so much for the story watches on the previous chapter. Your interest in this story makes me incredibly happy. I would really appreciate it if some of you reviewed on the story so I know what I am doing right and what I need to improve on.

SNOW GLARE

CHAPTER THREE

Muffled voices filled the thick night air around her, bouncing off their surroundings as if to give her a second opportunity to grasp their not-so-secret conversation. Slowly gaining consciousness she focused on the voices, of all of them only one was recognisable, that bitch Karin is here…Great. Keeping her eyes shut she tried to calm herself as to not alert anyone to her conscious state while she tried to untie her hands that were tied tightly behind her back, Why did that impatient bastard have to have it his way?

"I say we drop her back there, why do we have to get her to help us Sasuke?" Karin whined, "She may have been taught by the hokage, but I'm sure we could've found someone else to do the procedure Sasuke. Besides isn't the goal of Team Taka to destroy the Konoha not to use it like a library..."

"He's not going to answer Karin; you just made him mad," Suigetsu advised as Karin growled in response.

Sakura's heart raced, Their goal is to destroy the Konoha now? That can't be right! Sasuke just has a grudge against the elders and Danzo he can't hold everyone accountable! Shit. Slowly opening her eyes emerald clashed with obsidian as she met him face to face once more.

"How long were you listening to their conversation Sakura?" Sasuke asked bluntly as his lips curved upwards into his classic smirk.

Staring at him intently Sakura ignored his question as she took in his beauty, not being in love with him could never tarnish his flawless skin, heavenly designed bone structure and captivating eyes. If there was a name for visual perfection it would be Uchiha Sasuke.

"Answer him!" Karin screeched as she stormed over to Sasuke's side. "You have no respect for him do you?" she added as she glared down at her rival.

Sighing softly Sasuke turned to look at the redhead, "Sit down with the others. This doesn't concern you," he ordered coldly.

Dropping to the ground instantly she scurried back to Jugo and Suigetsu, That look in his eyes just then, it was so…cold, she noted silently as he lip quivered – clearly worried.

"Are you going to untie my hands or what?" Sakura asked rudely as she looked away, "It's obvious that I can't escape I can't win against you let alone the three musketeers too."

"No," he replied instantly, "I don't trust that you won't try something."

"I like that nickname. It's pretty cool," Jugo commented to himself as Karin and Suigetsu looked at him idiotically.

Sakura glared at him. "Then what? Do you expect me to heal you without the use of my hands? Sorry I'm not a magician," she replied pertly as she scrunched up her pretty face in frustration.

Swiftly grabbing her chin Sasuke forced her to meet his gaze. "It's time for you to take in the current situation. There is only 2 ways out of this situation…" he paused as he shook her head from side to side softly, "you will only like one of them. You either help me out or die, that simple."

Sakura's eyes shook with pent up rage, He isn't joking…

Kneeling down to her level Sasuke sighed, releasing his grip on her chin. "You disappoint me Sakura. I guess we're more alike than you realise." Edging closer to her left ear he grinned, "I might not know much about love but I know that if you love someone that feeling wouldn't disappear like yours has…I guess you never loved me after all…" he whispered before pulling away.

BASTARD! Sakura screamed silently as she held back her temper.

Stroking her head as he rose to his feet, "Think it over."

"No," Sakura whispered as she raised her head, "I'll do it. But I have a condition."

"A condition?" Sasuke repeated with amusement present in his voice.

"I want to talk to you alone, that is the condition," she continued, "Sasuke-kun."

Eyebrows furrowing in confusion Sasuke watched the pink haired woman before him carefully; her expression unchanged. So this is the new Haruno Sakura, eh? Raising his right hand he signalled for the others to leave.

He's agreeing? Does he have a motive too? Sakura wondered as she eyed her crimson haired rival as she left the cave they were in.

Pausing for a moment Sasuke turned around, ensuring that the others were gone. "What is it you wanted to speak to me about?" he replied calmly.

"Sasuke…" Sakura whispered as she smiled tiredly, "can you untie me? Please?"

Almost falling over in surprise Sasuke glared at her "That's all?"

"Well no…but it would be nice to move my hands, they are what I will heal you with..." she replied.

"Hn," he replied as he walked behind her and started to fiddle with the knot, "I missed your voice..."

Blinking for a moment Sakura stared at the rocky wall before her, disbelieving what she had just heard, what?

Releasing the final knot holding her arms captive Sasuke sat behind her; his legs crossed, "Sakura?"

Turning to look at him two tears rolled down Sakura's cheeks, "I hate you."

Sasuke glared at her, "You may be different but you're still as annoying as hell Sakura."

Sakura grinned slightly, "Do you know what's funny Sasuke? I don't care about what you think," she replied hoarsely as she stood up dusting the dirt of her clothes. "Why are you acting so nice when we are alone? You've always hated me! So don't go and try messing with my mind, I'm the one that has your life in my hands, got it!"

Rising to his feet Sasuke shook his head, "I am not going to listen to you whine…While I'm gone don't even try to leave this cave..." he replied before vanishing.

Growling Sakura stomped her right foot, what a ass.

"Sakura! You're late!" Naruto yelled as he tapped furiously at her front door "We were meant to meet up for breakfast 2 hours ago!" Stopping he sighed, She's never late maybe she's still mad at my comment from last night, Naruto thought to himself as he remembered the sight of her chest through her sheer nightgown as he drooled.

Shaking out of his breast induced trance he looked in the front window to see the heater still running, the smashed statue's shards still in their original place on the floor and no sign of Sakura.

Taking a deep breath he walked back towards her front door kicking it down and racing into her house followed by nothing but silence, she'll race out in a minute and scream at me for kicking her door in…he thought hopefully as he stood in the entrance, waiting. "Sakura-chan?"

Slowly walking from room to room he finally reached her bedroom. His heart raced as he eyed a note sticky taped to her open window.

Sakura is with me.
- Sasuke

Eyes widening in shock Naruto took a deep breath as he snatched the note and ran out of her house towards Tsunade's office. SAKURA!

Groaning softly as she roused from her sleep Sakura slowly sat up rubbing her freezing limbs in an attempt to get some feeling of warmth and circulation back in them. Looking around the room she noticed she was alone, He didn't return. None of them did… she noted silently, a little disappointed for a reason unknown to her. Sasuke's actions confuse me, why did he act the way he did? It was two different extremities. Sighing she ran her hands through her mid-length pink locks, perhaps there is more to this than he is letting me know. His eyes alone were in such an awful condition.

Enough of this, I need some fresh air. Honestly what is he going to do to me if I leave the cave for a few minutes? He's not even here. Slowly getting to her feet she made her way out of the dimly light cave to be greeted by the warm caress of the sun's morning light upon her delicate tired features. The chilly yet fresh air blew gently around her, greeting her as birds chirped excitedly in all directions as they dipped and dived between the complex canopy below the cliff edge's sharp drop into the lush forest below. Sighing with relief she smiled lightly, It's such a beautiful day…Pausing for a moment her smile faded as she remembered what Sasuke had wrote in his letter…

"I can only see rather well when I use my sharingan or if it is daylight, otherwise I only see blotches of colour. I have been told that if I go untreated I may loose my sight completely."

Turning her head painfully she took a deep breath, Eventually he won't even be able to see things such as the beautiful scenery before me… eventually he will forget the appearance of everything he has ever laid eyes on…In his mind, the memory of me will fade…As if I never existed.

"I missed your voice..."

Sighing Sakura smiled slightly, I guess I'm not as strong as I thought because thinking all of this through has made me realise I missed him too. Slowly wrapping her arms across her body she pressed her eyes shut, "I missed your company too Sasuke," and I will strive to save your sight as if it was your life; because without it…everything will fade. Feeling a foreign a hand rest on her shoulder Sakura jumped with fright.

"Sakura," Sasuke whispered softly.

Turning to face him Sakura's hair flicked across her right shoulder. Jade clashed with ebony; fighting a fierce silent battle until her eyes went watery, "Sasuke."

Tilting his head to the side in annoyance Sasuke sighed. "I told you not to leave the cave," he stated bluntly. Moments of silence passed as he waited for her response expectantly.

Biting down on her bottom lip Sakura nodded, "I know. But I agreed to help so I'm not leaving you Sasuke," she replied as she rubbed her cold arms "Besides it was so cold in the cave."

Looking away Sasuke nodded, understanding. "In response to your question last night…" he started to reply as he looked back into her eyes, "I'm thankful that's why…"

"Why are you acting so nice when we are alone? You've always hated me! So don't go and try messing with my mind, I'm the one that has your life in my hands, got it!"

A gentle smile caressed Sakura's features, So I guess that's his way of saying that he was being nice to me in gratitude. "So you're being nicer because you want to…" she stated slowly as she watched him carefully, "no other motive?"

Pausing for a moment his expression changed, his lips curving angrily. "There was one other reason," he replied shortly as he met her gaze once more. "One night I visited the Konoha at night. Just to visit you Sakura," he stated as he swept his left hand through his hair to stop it blowing in his eyes.

Sakura watched him sadly as warm sensation spread through her causing all her hairs to stand on their ends. He came to see me?

"But it turned out you were with Naruto that one night," he stated as he looked down at her, his eyes expressionless.

Heart racing Sakura reached forward, grabbing his sleeve, "Sasuke…When you left it was difficult, we both fell apart we depe-"

"I saw you both doing it!" he cut in, raising his voice as he pressed his eyes shut as jealousy consumed him.

Eyes shaking Sakura remained silent as she felt tears swell in her eyes. No, no he wasn't meant to see…

"It was night that Naruto returned with the others after trying to retrieve me. After following you, waiting for a chance to pull you aside I discovered that you weren't just checking up on Naruto in the hospital," he continued, anger present in his tense voice. "Do you know why I even came?" he asked exasperatedly.

Dropping to her knees Sakura covered her ears as she pressed her eyes shut, covering them with her hands as her tears silently streamed down her ivory cheeks. "I don't want to hear it Sas-" Please stop…

"Because I realised that I cared for you," he continued as he re-opened his eyes, staring blankly up into the sky, "I was hoping you were going to ask me to stay, if you did I was intending to stay. For you, only you."

Sakura trembled as her eyes overflowed with tears for their broken past, he cared for me enough to consider returning. Looking up at him she broke into heavier sobs, nothing ever works out…

"But its different now because you and I have both moved past this," he replied as he looked down at her unphased as a gust of wind circled around her small form.

Rising to her feet Sakura shivered in pain from the words spoken. "It's not my fault!" Sakura cried desperately as she wiped tears from her eyes, "You broke my heart and Naruto's heart was breaking by seeing mine break over you! I did what I thought was the right thing to do, I tried to heal his heart!" she continued as she sniffled, "I couldn't bear to see him in the pain I was experiencing. I still loved you at that time Sas-"

Catching her lips with his Sasuke worked his mouth roughly over hers, flicking his tongue around hers as he snaked his left arm around her waist pulling her closer to his body while his right hand cupped her cheek.

Pulling her lips away tears rolled down her cheeks. "W-why?" she whimpered as she took a step backwards only to be pulled back to him by his arm that was still snaked around her, "Why are you bringing all of this up!" I am not ready to talk about it can't you tell? If I do I might fall in love with you all over again.

"I just wanted you to know that I never hated you…and I wanted to kiss you just once," he explained as a gentle smile passed over his harsh features. "Don't forget to start reading the Uchiha medical books I got for the operation," he added as he turned around and started to walk away, I won't be the one who is rejected…

Sakura cried silently as she watched him walk away; her chest heaving as she tried to calm herself down. Why is my heart beating so fast? Damn that Uchiha, she thought silently as she pressed her fingers against her wet lips.