Lyrics from "Cold" by Crossfade.

…I never really …
…wanted you to see…
…the screwed-up side of me that I keep…
…locked inside of me so deep…
…that always seems to get to me…
"Sasuke-kun?" Sakura called. She shifted through dirt and rocks to where Sasuke had been standing a minute before. After not being able to sense his chakra, she became worried and started looking for him.

He wasn't hiding from her, she knew that. He wouldn't have had time to escape that earthquake-like jutsu she had recently perfected.

With a small triumphant squeal from Inner Sakura, the real Sakura found him, his body lying dangerously near a large crack in the ground.

"Sasuke-kun!"

She rushed over to him and checked his pulse. She sighed as she felt the small, weak thump that signaled to her that his heart was working. She then checked his vitals, making sure he wasn't hurt. All he had was a slight concussion and a few scratches. It seemed he had concealed his chakra right before he passed out, and he was so well trained at it, he could keep it concealed even while unconscious.

But why would he do that? she wondered.

Sakura kneeled in front of him and started focusing her chakra back to her hand. As she healed one of the few scrapes she had caused on his arm, Sasuke suddenly cried out in pain. He grimaced and reached for his neck. Sakura jumped back as soon as she saw familiar purple and black demon chakra slowly rise from his skin.

Sakura panicked. She grabbed his shirt collar and a kunai and sliced the fabric open a few inches. The curse seal had gone from black to looking like little flames slowly disappearing.

It's going away? But then why is the demon chakra still coming out?

Sasuke groaned and his body jerked. His eyes opened rapidly. Sakura saw them and gasped.

His Sharingan had activated and the white around them had turned black. His skin was getting darker and his hair had started to turn purple and grow longer. There was a black four-pointed marking across his nose. His body jerked again and he rolled over onto his stomach, gasping and moaning in pain. Two large bulges had formed where his shoulder blades were.

"Sasuke-kun," Sakura whispered, horrified. "What's happening to you?"

"Sakura-chan! Get away from him!" Naruto yelled, jumping in front of her.

"Naruto! Naruto, what's wrong?" Sakura cried, grabbing the young man's leg. "Tell me what's happening!"

"Just go! In a clearing about forty meters southeast, you'll find Hinata. Take her and go to Tsunade-sama. Describe what Sasuke looks like to her and tell her I'm holding him off. Go!"

"Naruto, what ever this is, you can't fight it on your own!"

"Sakura." Naruto glared at her. "Just. Go."

She nodded and headed towards the clearing he described.

"Sasuke, get a hold of yourself," Naruto said in a stern voice to the gasping man. "You shouldn't have done that in front of Sakura. You really worried her."

Sasuke, who had since rolled back over on his back, turned his head to face him. His long purplish hair covered his eyes, so Naruto couldn't see the expression on his face other than the grim line of his mouth.

Naruto, who was sitting down, holding a kunai—just in case—and watching Sasuke carefully, started humming.

The last Uchiha bared his teeth and suppressed another cry of pain. He didn't want Naruto to see him in this weakened state. It was better than have an anxious Sakura here, he had to admit. But no one—not one person—was supposed to see this happen.

"Sasuke-kun, Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru said, chuckling, "when you kill me, you'll regret it. Eventually you'll feel pain unlike any other."

The young man smirked. "Any pain would be worth murdering you, you bastard."

Orochimaru grinned, his snake-like tongue sliding out of his slightly open mouth.

"Don't say anything you'll regret later, my Sasuke-kun."

He didn't regret it. Killing that horrible thing was worth this.

"Naruto," he managed to utter, trying to lift his head off the ground. "Gomen. For everything."

His head lolled and he slipped into unconsciousness.

Sakura ran as fast as she could with Hinata clinging to her. She was carrying her piggyback style. It was a good thing Hinata was so light, or Sakura would not have been able to reach Tsunade quickly.

"Sakura," Hinata whispered. "It's…it's Uchiha Sasuke….he's back."

"I know," Sakura said soothingly. "He's been back for a couple of days."

"Oh…"

Sakura reached the village and jumped from roof to roof until she arrived at the Hyuuga compound. Once she did, Hinata had recovered from the breakdown she had and promised to go inside and rest. After that, Sakura searched for Tsunade and was relieved when she found her in her office, doing paperwork.

"Tsunade-sama," she said, almost out of breath. "I need to tell you something urgent."

The Hokage looked at the clock, then at Shizune, who nodded.

"I'll be outside," she said, bowing and leaving.

Tsunade waited patiently for Sakura to figure out how she was going to put this.

"Um, Tsunade-sama," she began. "It's Sasuke-kun…"

Naruto's eyes widened as Sasuke stopped breathing. He dropped the kunai and rushed over to him.

"Teme, you can't die! Sakura didn't even use all of her strength! Wake up!" he yelled, shaking his shoulders.

Sasuke's skin returned to normal, his hair shortened and went back to black, and the strange wings that were emerging out of his back withdrew. Curious, the frantic Naruto looked at where Sakura had sliced his shirt open. The curse seal was completely gone.

"Nani…? Did you know this would happen, teme?" he said quietly for once.

Sasuke breathed in, deeply and raggedly. Naruto relaxed his grip on his shoulders and sighed as Sasuke continued breathing slowly.

"What's this?" Tsunade asked as she jumped down from a tree. "He's back to normal?"

Naruto nodded. "Yeah. I think he's unconscious. His breathing is a little slower than it should be."

Tsunade checked his pulse and opened his eyes, peering into them.

"He's unconscious but he'll be alright," she assured Naruto. "Help me get him to the hospital."

Sakura sat once again at Sasuke's bedside, though this time she was fighting the urge to fall asleep. She had been frantic ever since Tsunade had left without her to figure out what was wrong with Sasuke. Shizune had even threatened to put her on a sedative, but Sakura controlled herself after that. Sasuke would wake up at any time, and Sakura wanted to be there when he did. She thought she was responsible for what happened.

"Sasuke-kun, I'm so sorry," she said, leaning closer to the bed.

He didn't move or respond. She sighed and closed her eyes, allowing them to rest a little while. Just as she was drifting into sleep, Tsunade woke her up.

"Sakura, we need to talk. Come out into the hall with me."

"Hai, Tsunade-sama."

They both looked to see if anyone could listen to their conversation before Tsunade started talking.

"Sakura, when Sasuke wakes up, I want him to stay over at your apartment until we can make sure he won't run away again," she told her.

"Sorry, Tsunade-sama, but why my house?" Sakura said, a frown forming on her lips.

"You succeeded in knocking him unconscious, didn't you?" Tsunade said, smiling. "If he tries to escape, just bop him on the head."

Sakura frowned deeper. "Tsunade-sama, he was trained by a Sannin and—"

"So were you."

"But—"

"Sakura, I know you. You can watch him for a couple of days before we locate an ankle bracelet that will tell us where he is at all times. Consider this a mission."

Sakura looked down at her feet and bowed. "Hai, Tsunade-sama. I will do as you say."

Tsunade grinned and put her arm around her student.

"Sakura, you've grown so much. I'm proud of you."

Sakura barely had time to look up as Tsunade disappeared in a puff of smoke.

She's probably gone off to search for some sake, she thought. But I'm really glad she's proud of me!

Sakura beamed and went back to sit by Sasuke's bed. She didn't think he'd like living with her for a few days, but she was ecstatic.

Only the thought of Sasuke-kun could make me this happy. I'm so happy he's back.

Sasuke woke up a few hours later. When he turned over to see Sakura slumped over in a chair next to his bed, he almost smiled. She looked so funny, sitting hunched over as she was. She hadn't been this peaceful since he arrived, he thought. He had caused her a lot of worry and he had been cold to her a few times.

He really hated himself then.

Looking at the fluorescent light fixture above him, he sighed quietly. He didn't want to wake her up. She had probably been upset when he passed out and went into Stage Two. And he had never wanted her to see him like that. He had never wanted any of his old friends to see him like that.

"Sasuke-kun," Sakura whispered.

He looked back over at her, apprehensive, thinking she was awake. Her eyes were still closed and he relaxed. When she started to say more, though he frowned.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke-kun. I didn't mean to hurt you so badly," she said quietly and full of emotions Sasuke couldn't identify. Living with a cold, evil bastard hadn't done much for his range of emotions.

He watched her carefully, wondering what she meant. She hadn't hurt him other than knocking him unconscious with that incredibly strong punch. And she hadn't even hit him directly! He shivered at the thought of her hitting him instantly with full force. He'd be dead in less than a second.

"I deserve being treated like the way you treat me. I'm a weak, horrible person," Sakura said quietly.

Oh, how he hated himself. He hadn't known he caused her this much pain. In this situation, he was his father and Sakura was him. He clenched his fist and vowed to make up for whatever emotional and mental pain he caused her and Naruto…that dobe.

"Even though you have many faults, Sakura, you're not a horrible person," he imagined himself saying to her.

"You may be weak, but you have more admirable qualities than bad ones."

"You are annoying sometimes, but it would be weird without you talking continuously."

Sasuke shook his head. "Hn. This is too hard. They were right. I am a cold, heartless bastard."

In the corner of his eye, Sasuke saw a puff of smoke. Kakashi stepped out of it, coughing.

"Damn powder," his old teacher muttered before turning to see the young man on the bed and the young woman slumped over in a chair. "Hello, Sasuke. What did you do to Sakura?"

Sasuke glared at him. "You see her sleeping, and you think I did something to her. Your faith astounds me."

Kakashi frowned under his mask. "You did betray my faith once before. What's to stop you from doing it again?"

Sasuke unintentionally glanced at Sakura.

"Oh, I see," Kakashi said quietly.

Sasuke looked back at his teacher, glaring again. "It's not like that. I…We…I just want to be friends with them again."

"What about the second half of your goal?" Kakashi pondered. "What other woman could you stand living with day after day? One who barely knows what you've gone through and only wants you for your looks? Or one who tries to understand you with her whole heart and soul, one who loves you more than anything else in the entire world, one who tries to make you happy?"

Sasuke's glare disappeared and he looked back at the still sleeping Sakura.

"She'd do all that…for me? A traitor and murderer?"

"You're not a murderer," Kakashi said. "You used to be an avenger. You then showed your true loyalties and became a hero when you got rid of two of the most feared ninja in this region. And now you're just Sasuke, who lost his family in a tragic way and is just hoping to find happiness again."

"I think you've read too many of those porn books, Kakashi," Sasuke said pointedly.

Kakashi frowned.

"Sasuke, I came here for a reason. Tsunade-sama wants you to stay at Sakura's apartment for the next few days to see how you and Sakura can handle it."

"Why can't I go to the Uchiha compound?" Sasuke asked angrily.

"Consider it your first mission in seven years. I assume you'll follow orders," Kakashi said, disappearing in the same way Tsunade had.

Sasuke frowned and went back to watching Sakura. She hadn't said anything since Kakashi came and he wondered if she was just pretending to be asleep. After about three minutes of waiting to see if she was awake, he relaxed and slid down into the sheets. If he was going to be living with Sakura, he was going to need extra sleep.