Chapter 4: Sasuke?

Sakura went stiff and winced as the kunai pressed harder to her neck. She was hoping that this was the person she was thinking of.

"Are you Sakura Haruno from Konoha?"

Sakura desperately wanted to nod her head so that if it was Sasuke she could see his face again. Just at least once more. But she wasn't stupid, she wasn't going to let her heart get in the way again.

She took in a ragged breath and stayed completely motionless. The stranger seemed to get irritated by her lack of cooperation and pressed the kunai harder into her neck.

"Was that boy with you Naruto Uzumaki?"

Sakura kept up her game of being cool, collected, and silent, but inside she was as scared out of her mind! The stranger growled lowly losing the patience he had been allowing her to have.

"Answer or I'll kill you!" he growled darkly digging the tip of the kunai into her neck but just enough to hurt her not to do any real damage. But damn it hurt like a … But Sakura continued to remain silent not giving in. Just 'cause she was a girl she wasn't going to give into him.

He cursed under his breath. And before Sakura knew what was happening he had flipped her over his foot and caused her to fall on her tail bone. The fall onto her tail bone caused her back to shoot millions of needle like pain up and down her spine until she felt a single tear well up.

But she quickly blinked the tear back into her eye so no one would see it. She looked up as the person jumped onto her and pinned her wrists down straddling her stomach with his knees, she struggled and bucked to try desperately to get him off of her.

The stranger squeezed her wrists warningly as if to say 'struggle anymore and I will break them.' Her struggle calmed down a little and the man moved his head to the side so that the moon could light up her face. The strangers grip on her wrist let up the slightest bit.

She blinked against the blinding light of the moon. She tried to get a good look at his face but then…

"Sakura, what are you doing here?" the stranger whispered.

"Sasuke-kun?" she whispered back, that's when he moved his head just slightly and Sakura saw the raven black spikes of his hair.

"Sasuke."

"What are you doing here?" Sasuke asked more coldly this time. Any trace of his gentleness was wearing thin fast.

Sakura didn't answer but just stared up at the man she reserved the biggest portion of her heart to. The one who had always protected her when she was his little love struck teammate on team 7. Now she needed protection from him.

She turned her head and whispered, "Why do you think we're here Sasuke?"

Sasuke's grip on her wrists tightened in anger, obviously no one had ever played word games with him before. No one was stupid or brave enough, and he didn't like that Sakura was the first one to try it to him.

"Why are you here!?" Sasuke said raising his voice and tightening his grip into a vise grip so tight he could easily break her wrists in a second if he wanted to. Sakura yelped in pain and wriggled trying to fight back tears but her struggle was stopped by his knees gripping and digging into her sides. She couldn't let him see her cry.

"You know why we're here Sasuke, we're here for the same purpose that we're here every time. To find our lost teammate who disappeared three years ago." Sakura answered looking past his face at the moon.

Sasuke glared down at her, but suddenly his face looked completely emotionless. Sakura was stunned by the quick change of moods. He slowly got up and chuckled darkly, Sakura sat up rubbing her back waiting for him to talk to her again.

"Your teammate wasn't lost… he left and the teammate you knew is dead. Your teammate died three years ago. Go home, and stop looking." He turned on his heel to walk away.

"No, he's not dead!" Sakura yelled tears forming in her eyes. Sasuke stopped walking but kept his back to her. "I know he's alive in you somewhere! I saw it when you looked at me! Orochimaru hasn't killed him yet, don't give up! Don't be a quitter." Sakura voice went a lot quieter on the last part. But she knew he had picked up every word she had just said. She knew as soon as she said it, it was a mistake.