Tortured Memories

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Chapter Four

I lost my balance and fell. I grabbed the railing, but it gave way and it caved over the side. I dangled at least two stories up and didn't feel like falling. I gripped what was left of the railing tightly and tried to pulled myself up. I couldn't, I hadn't regained enough stamina, yet.

Sasuke began to jump from the tree and Sakura tried to retrieve his arm but she was too slow. She lost her balance and began to fall. It had
happened so quickly she hadn't time to scream. She sat up and felt the sand winding around her body and shielding her in a protective cocoon.

Regrettably, I made a choice. I released the railing. I was expecting to be caught by a swarm of sand so I didn't scream. And as I came closer to the ground I began to think I was the idiot, not Naruto.

"Whoa!"

I didn't hit the ground? I didn't hit the ground! I opened my eyes and looked up. I tried to fake an innocent smile, "Hi, sensei."

"What's going on, Sakura?" he asked.

I didn't want to answer. I didn't know what to say in my answer. Why was I trying to get out? He sat me down and I just stared at him. He glanced up and stared at the busted railing. He sighed and glanced back at me.

"Sakura?"

"Uh, night, sensei."

I quickly darted back into that small room and hid. I leaned against the door until I heard Kakashi retreat back into the other room with Naruto and Sasuke. I sighed and cracked the door open. Quiet as death, I observed. I shuddered and snuck out again.

I actually made it out this time. I stood beside the door and cracked it. The moon beamed down over the river and over my face. I stepped out
and closed the door behind me. I looked around and saw nothing, no one. It was solemn and quiet.

"It's nice," I turned around to find the blonde standing behind me staring up at the moon. I smiled and turned away.

"Yeah, it is."

I folded my arms over my chest and sighed. I sat down and coiled my arms around my legs. I was hoping Sasuke'd be the one to follow me up, but Naruto was fine, too. Yeah, he was annoying sometimes, but I'd gotten used to that. Naruto was nice a lot of the time. He showed his concern for me better than that of Sasuke. I smiled at the thought; Naruto being a better person than Sasuke? Heh, most likely, but I still felt stronger toward Sasuke.

Naruto walked over and sat down beside me. He yawned and leaned back until he was lying on the ground. I glanced back at his face without turning my head and smiled. I closed my eyes and sighed. This was nice. Warm. I liked moments when we didn't fight. Sasuke and Naruto were friends. Kakashi was watching over us as he read his stupid book and me, just sitting in the middle of it. Surrounded by the people I loved.

I stretched out my bare foot and it gently touched the cool water. It ran across the tip of my toes and rushed away down river. I smiled to myself and giggled. I closed my eyes for a moment and glanced up. A pair of red eyes stared at me and another pair of yellow eyes glancing over me and Naruto. I slowly got up onto my knees; I couldn't shake my vision from the red eyes that locked with mine. I gently tapped Naruto's leg and he jerked his head up to see what was going on.

"Na-Naruto -"

"Itachi! Kisame!" he whispered.

I stared deeply at the red eyes. Itachi; the only other thriving Uchiha. I was so distracted by his stare I hadn't noticed the shark-like form of water coming at me until Naruto seized my arm. He pulled me over him and blocked me. I lay with my face against the ground and his scream echoing in my ear.

"Naruto-kun!"

Naruto-kun? Where had that come from? He fell over on my side. Panting and his eyes closed. I felt myself loosing control. Now I knew why Sasuke wanted to kill him so much. I turned and glared across the river. Only a few yards of water separated Naruto and I from the two killers. One being a former member of the Uchiha clan and the other...

Kisame grinned and flashed his shark-like teeth against the moonlight. I shuddered. I slowly stood up. I didn't really have enough chakra to do anything and I didn't have near enough strength to take them on. But I had to try. I had to try and protect Naruto, and Sasuke and Kakashi who were safe in the little house, at least for the time being.

I turned toward Naruto and stared at him for a moment. The sound of rushing water echoed in my ears. I jerked my attention from Naruto and back toward Kisame and Itachi. Again, I jumped sideways, barely dodging the shark-like jutsu. It swiped across my left arm and left a weak mark. I looked down to Naruto. He was fine.

I turned toward the two beings across the lake and that bastard Kisame was sending that jutsu at me again. This time I jumped to the right and threw about eight kunais at him. I landed, panting hard; I wouldn't be able to keep this up for long.

They weren't doing anything. And that Kisame wasn't messing with any hand signs. I grabbed Naruto and tried to drag him back to the house. It was really hard. One: he was heavier than me and two: I was still pretty damn weak. I glanced back to make sure no jutsus were coming up behind me and when I noticed Kisame wasn't over there I froze. Itachi began to walk slowly toward me and Naruto.

I turned back to try and make it to the house but found myself in front of the 195 centimeter missing-nin. I shuddered. I went to make a run for it but Kisame reached out and grabbed the back of my collar. He lifted me off the ground and smirked. Naruto fell onto the ground and Itachi closed in on us. I screamed as I tried to jerk away from his grasp and Naruto was picked off the ground by the collar of his shirt with Kisame's open hand. Kisame threw him over his shoulder and still held onto me.

"Let go of him! Put Naruto-kun down!"

There it was again. I was calling him -kun again? Was something beginning to spark between Naruto and I? Kisame shook me out of my thoughts as he shook me around, trying to shut me up. Itachi stared up at me with the Sharingan.

"Where is he?" Itachi asked, I knew who he was talking about when he said he, but I ignored it.

"Let Naruto-kun go! Put him down!"

"You should be more concerned about yourself and not Uzumaki Naruto," Kisame stated with a mischievous grin.

His words froze me. Why did I need to worry about myself? What were Kisame and Sasuke's older brother planning on doing? I jerked myself from thoughts and focused on the acts. I was about three feet in the air and Naruto was unconscious...so that meant I had to do most of it until Sasuke and Kakashi noticed Naruto and I were up here. Great.