Tortured Memories

PoD- "Sorry, school has been a major drag and I haven't been able to do a thing on any of my usual sites. Please, forgive the Panda and her Gaara. Well, here's the next chapter in TM. Thanks for staying loyal."

Senior Gaara- "We will also be re-writing many of our previous fics because the Panda's writing style has changed and the last two months of school and the three months of summer will be utterly boring for us. Enjoy and we look forward to seeing you again. Peace out!"

XVI

I woke, but my eyes stayed close. I saw a light trying to break through my lids and it would be blocked out every few moments. I knew we were moving, toward Suna still, but who were "we"? Was Sasuke here too?

I tried to lift my head but it throbbed, so I let it sit on the shoulder beneath me. I was clueless as to whose waist I was straddling, but I knew it wasn't Sasuke. His hold was too different. I noted that my arms were wrapped around his neck and hanging down his chest, and then I felt him pull me up further onto him. He was making sure I didn't fall.

We landed, a hollow sound echoing, and we moved again. We were taking by trees. I heard a few strikes from behind, followers. Then I knew, Kakashi.

I lifted my head, ignoring the spinning surroundings and pulsing in my head, and opened my eyes. I looked over his shoulder, no one was in front of us which meant everyone was behind. I moved my elbows to his shoulders and pushed myself up a little. He cocked his head and looked at me. He smiled behind his mask as I rubbed my eyes and I smiled back weakly.

"Morning Sakura," Kakashi chimed.

"Morning?" I mumbled. "Where's...?"

"Oh, don't worry. He hasn't killed Gaara yet," Kakashi replied, he already knew my question or thought he did.

"He's still...?"

"Yep. I don't know what you did to that boy but he's still here and worried too," Kakashi explained. He sensed my coming question and continued. "You gave Sasuke a scare after you passed out and you had us all worried when he came back with you, all bloody and muddy. I don't know what you went through, but it seemed like it was some kind of hell."

I closed my eyes and rested my cheek on his shoulder as he leaped from one tree branch to another. We hovered through the air, the wind flowing through my hair and lashing against my cheeks. I opened my eyes against and sighed wearily.

"Sakura! What are you doing?!"

"Please, Sasuke! You have to come back! You just have to!"

"No, Sakura! Let go!"

He raised his fist and began to hit me in the face and into my head. I knew it was hurting him just as much as me, but I knew it hurt him more to leave.

"Sasuke-kun, please..."

"Sakura! Let go! Let go!"

"Not until...you come...BACK WITH ME!!" I shouted against his punches.

"No!"

"Please!"

"Sakura, no! No! No! Let go!" Sasuke shook me and I held on to him tighter. "Sakura, what are you doing?"

"Please, come back..."

"What? I told you: No!"

"Come...home."

"Sakura!"

"Please..."

I kissed him before him objected. My tongue traced his lips, I felt him go weak under me and gave me free range. My hands tangled around his hair at the nape of his neck and one grabbed his headband. I felt his fist against my head flex and release. Then his palm grazed across my hair and crawled down my beck. He pulled me closer and his hands held onto my hips as I let my stomach lean into his chest.

My head fell heavy and then my arms numb. I fell and his arms grabbed me before I was off of him. I felt consiousness slipping and his arms craddle my back and knees. Then he stood and moved.

"Sakura!" Naruto shouted. "What happened? Is she okay?"

"Yes Naruto," Sasuke answered.

"Sasuke?" Kakashi approached. "What in the world happened to her?"

"It's a long story," Sasuke replied.

"Sasuke!" I gasped.

I sat up from Kakashi's back and looked back. My head spun and as Kakashi landed on another tree branch my whole body jerked. Everyone stopped behind us as Kakashi ceased and I stared wide-eyed. He stood toward the back and looked at me with a gentle smile.

"Sakura..!" Naruto cheered. "You're awake!"

Naruto joined Kakshi and I and I smiled at him without taking my eyes off of Sasuke. He as slowly making his way up from the back. I slid off of Kakashi's back and stumbled. I thought I was going to fall but Sasuke was ther to catch me. I stared up at him as his arms held me.

"You came back this time," I whispered.

He nodded. "There are some things I needed to do," he answered smiling.

I kissed him softly on the lips and then he brought my up onto his back. We were off again and I leaned my head on my beloved Sasuke's shoulder.

"I love you Sasuke."

"I know."

"Welcome home Kazekage," Kakashi stated.

Gaara nodded to him and then turned to me. "Thank you for all your help," he stated.

"Oh," I was taken aback, "Your...welcome, Kazekage-sama."

He stepped toward me and Sasuke's hand wraped around my waist and shoulders. Gaara glared at him and all I could do was hold Sasuke's hand and inhale his scent. Gaara and he held that way for a very long time, eyes locked onto each other and trying to scold their way into the other, and I watched, that was all I could do in his amazing grasp. I sunk into him and stared up at Gaara. He took a long meaningful glance at me then turned away.

This was more than I had ever wanted. This was so much better than my horrible dream. I was standing in Sasuke's arms while he defended me against the Kazekage, my sensei and personal idiot close at my side, we were about to go home and still Orochimaru was gone. I turned in Sasuke's hold and reached up to him. I wrapped my hands into his hair and kissed him like I'd been gone for twenty years. He held me tighter as the kiss ran on into the night and we were two lovers doomed to loom in our own sorrows, each other's pain and our endless love.

I was laying across his chest by the end of the night, breathless and bare, looking up at the Suna stars, they were so much brighter than Konoha's but I longed those dull stars of home. Sasuke's arms were tangled around me still and our blaket pulled up to my neck. I smiled and kissed his arm until my lips were numb, but still I couldn't tear from him. This was the best night of my life and nothing could ruin it.

I cuddled deeper into him and he had to shift into a more comfortable spot. I rolled over after awhile and stared at him. He gave me a crooked smile and I rested my chin on my arms as I folded them across his smooth chest.

"Sasuke," I whispered as seductively as I could.

"What is it?" he asked suspiciously.

"Why did you come back this time? What changed?" I prodded.

"I changed," he stated blankly.

"How so?" I went on.

"I wanted you this time. Before we were both still children and I found nothing about you appealing, but this time..." he stopped and looked away.

"What?" I asked joyfully. I propped myself up on his chest and he pulled me back with his cool arms. "What about this time?"

"No. Forget it," she groaned.

"Sasuke!" I stared deep into his face. "That's not fair," I whined.

"Too bad," he replied.

"Tell me!" I hissed.

"It's too embaressing."

I stared at him. Embaressing? Sasuke had never came close to having that emotion before, let alone admitting to it. I rolled off his chest and sat on the ground beside him. Embaressing? I hugged my legs.

"What could be so embaressing?" I pouted. "Well?"

"I wanted to sleep with you! Okay! Happy? I wanted to be close to you! I wanted everything you had! I wanted you!"

We both looked away. I was red and I'd ever been and more and I was sure Sasuke was the same. I pushed back my hair and pulled the blanket up against me while Sasuke did the same. We both turned to look at each other.

"Oh, I see. So, will you leave now?"

He shook his head and lay back done. "No, it was way too good to leave now. I want to make sure I have a chance to have you again."

I went red and lay back beside him. He rolled over onto my and held himself up with his arms as he kissed me. I wrapped my fingers into the back of his hair and let his lips control mine. I couldn't help but love each movement he made and I couldn't help but move insync with him either. He pulled away and smiled devilishly.

"So, can I have it again?"

"Sasuke!" I pushed him off and wrapped the blanket around me. I ran, collecting my clothes and heading back to town. "No!"