A/N - Last part of the bundle!

And also my favorite chapter out of all of them.

Let's go. On this journey. Together.

DISCLAIMER - I do not own Naruto

Song used for this chapter - Two Door Cinema Club - What You Know (Vibe Maker Remix)

If there was one thing they couldn't take away from the Northridge students, it was their spirit for a good party. Shit, even the kids back home with their rich cars and expensive drinks couldn't beat out the people here.

And I would strongly argue that it was mostly due to the students personalities.

They didn't act like rich kids. They weren't snobby or trying to show off something new every two seconds. When you went up to talk to anyone here, they were all completely down to earth. Back home it felt like everyone was detached, like the only connections they had was with their money and what it could buy.

It's probably why I always felt so alone growing up.

But here? Their connections were with people. And everything about it was foreign to me.

Everyone acted like they knew each other for years, and honestly that very well might have been the case. But it wasn't just with the people they knew, it was with people they just met too. I couldn't tell you how many of the random party goers came up to kick it back with me while we took shots, or the girls that dragged me to dance just to bounce around and act like complete fools.

They were all so fucking happy, and it was infectious.

For awhile there, I was genuinely happy too...

But as always, the side effects to the drugs and drinking hit me hard. As I felt the pills begin to wear off, I became too self aware. Drinking was a stimulate that I loved to entertain, tossing pills into the mix to captivate the high.

But drinking was also a sedative so strong it left me immobile, incapable of moving as the high faded while gently plummeting me from the sky. And I never fell and landed on solid ground, I always seemed to plunge into an ocean where nothing drowned but me. Never my thoughts. Never my past. Never my anger.

I winced as I heard my mother screaming again that I was pathetic and worthless.

My heart began to hammer as I watched her throw her glass filled with alcohol into a wall, accusing me that it was all my fault, but I didn't have a clue what was.

My hand twitched tighter around the neck of my bottle of beer, remembering how I clutched at my ears while trying to tone out the sound of breaking glass with cries of my sobbing.

And the itching in my fingers echoed from the pain in the past as I went outside and just kept punching without the will to stop.

"Sakura, I don't feel too good."

Blinking, I looked down at Tenten who had slouched onto my shoulder, eyes too heavy to keep open. Her slurring mumble convinced me she had enough partying for one night, so I took a look around. The music was still thumping at my ears, vibrating my entire body just as it pounded through everyone still dancing. But out of the crowd around us, no where in immediate sight could I find the rest of the gang.

"Sakura..."

Tenten's whine captured my attention again, she was clinging at my sweater as she clutched her stomach. Placing my beer on the floor, I moved my arm around her waist, "Alright, let's get out of here."

"I want to go home," she begged.

"Yeah, that's where we're heading," I promised, heaving her up from the couch and slowly walking towards what I hoped was the door to leave.

As I navigated with her through the sorority house, I tried to see if I could catch any of Tayuya's friends, or Tayuya herself. It was incredibly stupid of me, but out of all the time we spent together today I hadn't bothered to grab her phone number.

But it did give me an idea.

Finding a clear spot against the wall, I propped us both on it as I asked Tenten, "Hey, let me see your phone."

She blindly dug into her pocket, handing it to me a second afterwards without question. Turning on the screen, I asked, "Can you unlock it for me?"

Again, she did so without a second thought.

Quickly, I scrolled through her contacts, looking for any name that I recognized. Again, by some bad stoke of luck, nothing popped out to me. She most likely gave everyone nick names, contacts like 'Hippo' and 'Sandyman' were filed for random numbers throughout the list. But, by some determination and a second time through, I caught a name that I actually recognized.

Within a few rings, I got an answer.

"Tenten, where are you? We've been texting you all night."

"Uh, hey sorry," I started off, struggling to hold up Tenten while holding the phone to my ear, "Konan, right?"

"Sakura? Hey, is something wrong?" She asked quickly with worry.

"No no, everything is cool. It's just that Tenten is passed out right now, I was wondering if you knew her address so I can get her home," I explained while taking another look around, hoping again to catch any of the gang. "Or I can just meet up with you guys. Where are you at?"

"God, we thought she went home already and passed out. We left forever ago. But then Temari texted us awhile ago saying she wasn't at home when she got there, and we've been freaking the fuck out," Konan exhaled in relief, "Thank god she's with you. We didn't have your number either so we didn't know if you went home early too. Tayuya texted she had checked your place, but she said that you weren't answering the door. And Tenten wasn't answering any of our messages. God we did such a shit job keeping everyone together. Tonight's been a fucking mess."

I stood there without knowing what to say. It was strange having someone sound so worried over my well being. Even if it was mostly for Tenten.

"Oh, alright. Yahiko just texted Temari, she said if you take Tenten to your place she'll be there to pick her up."

"It's alright if she crashes at my place honestly," I assured while giving Tenten a glance, "She doesn't look like she's up for movement as it is. I'll grab a cab and she can sleep with me for the night."

"Are you sure? You just met us."

I snorted, "With how Tenten has been acting? We've been friends for years. It's seriously no problem, just let Temari know she can swing by in the morning to grab her."

"You're amazing, alright we'll tell her. And make sure you text us when you get back home so we know you made it safe."

Smiling slightly, I promised, "Don't worry, I will. I'll see you later."

Hanging up, I went ahead and shoved Tenten's phone in my own pocket as I straightened us again while giving her a sigh, "Alright Tenten, we're going to go home now."

"Okay," she said quietly, pulling at my heart strings with how cute she sounded. I could swear up and down she was just a kid after all.

Grabbing a cab on campus didn't seem like too much of a hassle, but I was thrown off when I attempted to pay the man and he waved me off in refusal. When I frowned and asked him why not, he simply pointed at my wrist and assured I was covered.

Sheesh. No wonder people felt a certain way when Titaniums were involved.

Well, with what I couldn't pay the man in money I replaced with my profuse gratitude as we arrived at the apartment building that looked more like a luxury hotel. During the ride Tenten had fallen asleep, and I felt bad enough for dragging her along this far, so I settled for picking her up. The girl was as light as a feather, almost feeling like she weighed nothing compared to the weights I lifted when I had been going to the gym, still I tried to hurry. Holding her during the elevator ride depleted my energy as we made our way all the way up to the last floor.

When we finally arrived in front of my door, Tenten curled at my neck as her arms loosely wrapped around me, I was torn on what to do. I really didn't want to wake her up, but I needed to grab my keys.

Just as I was about to regrettably stir her enough to stand, the door behind me swung open. I glanced back curiously and was stunned to see Ino rushing out with eyes that frosted over with distress.

"Oh my god, there you guys are," she said with a breath of relief, "I've been so worried. Seriously."

I blinked, confused on seeing her. It was impossible to mistake who's place she came out of, but it threw me off anyway. As Ino fretted over Tenten in my arms, I watched as Tayuya strolled out a few seconds later, a deep frown on her lips.

"I need to grab my keys," I muttered with a small frown of my own while looking down at Tenten, "I don't want to wake her up."

"Which pocket?" Ino demanded, and when I told her she dug without shame until she grabbed the pair of keys.

Within a few seconds, the door opened as I strode in first. Without bothering to stop, I went straight to my room and laid down Tenten gently on my bed. I rubbed at my neck as I looked down at her, wondering if I should change her clothes or not. Luckily Ino was right behind me, and assured she'd take care of it if I had any clothes to spare. I dug into my closet and left her out a random hoodie and a pair of shorts. Ino focused right away on taking care of Tenten, so I left the room respectfully without knowing what else to do to help.

When I came back into the living area, Tayuya stood there with her hands in her pockets and a frown still on her face. As soon as she spotted me, she strolled over and placed her palm face up as she demanded, "Give me your fucking phone."

I dug it out without question, though I was confused with the aggravation in her tone. I even unlocked it without a second thought before handing it to her. As I stood there, I watched as she dialed in her number and saved herself into my contacts.

Afterwards, she shoved the device back into my hand, biting out, "I don't know how the fuck we didn't exchange numbers before, but we aren't going to make that mistake again. Because seriously Sakura, what the hell."

I blinked, looking down at her number before glancing back up at her. Small smile pulling my lips, I accused, "You were worried?"

"Shut the fuck up," she grumbled, looking away while glaring at the near wall.

"She was beyond worried," Ino informed as she walked up to us, looking like she was given back the ten years of her life that must have been shaved off after tonight. "We both were. First day here, and we not only lose you but Tenten too. We were seriously freaking out."

"Ah, speaking of. Do you have Konan's number? I said I'd text when we got back," I explained.

"I'll add you into the group message. Just send me a text so I can get your number," Tayuya grumbled, still looking beyond annoyed.

I gave her an amused look, "Being so worried about me is, well... kinda gay, Tayuya. Do you have a crush on me or something?" She snapped her eyes back at me, glaring a hole through my skin as Ino laughed. I smiled at the sound before assuring, "Come on man, I'm fine. Lose the attitude."

Tayuya didn't get a chance to respond before we heard Tenten whining from the room loudly. "Inoo. Come back and sleep with me!"

Ino rolled her eyes before walking off again, leaving me and Tayuya alone again. Pulling off my hat, I tossed it on the nearby kitchen counter where the bar stools sat. Ruffling my hair, I asked, "You good man?"

"I've had more peaceful nights," Tayuya complained, the sigh leaving her lips seeming to exhale the rest of her agitation. "Temari was the worst one, completely freaking out about Tenten. And then I felt like shit losing tabs on you like that."

"It was my own fault," I muttered while dropping my hand from my hair, "I was zoned out for awhile there with Tenten on some random couch. I didn't know you guys left already."

"We left to see if you guys were home, hoping for best case scenario. Of course the very opposite happen. I'm just fucking beat, I'm ready to pass out."

I nodded an agreement, feeling the same way. Glancing towards my bedroom doorway, I couldn't help but ask, "I didn't cock block you, did I?"

Tayuya snorted, "Nah, she's just a friend. More so of Tenten's than mine."

My eyes slid back to her, wondering if she were telling the truth, but she was already moving past me and aiming towards my bedroom as well. Sighing, I instead wandered over to the couch, plopping down in exhaustion as I rubbed at my eyes. A few moments later Tayuya came back out, closing the door quietly as she did so, "Looks like the two of them will be kicking it here."

I shrugged without feeling anything particular about the information. Tayuya didn't offer much else afterwards as she went to leave. Grabbing the door, she lifted her hand in a motionless wave without looking back, "Their both your problem now. I'll see you in the early afternoon."

"Later," I called back just before she left.

And just like that, everything settled into silence.

And I hated the silence...

Sometimes the silence was too loud for me to breathe in.

Sometimes the silence was choking.

I sat there for a moment, staring ahead, not knowing what else to do. I knew I had to move, to keep myself occupied, but I felt as immobile as I did an hour ago as my vision began to tunnel. It was late anyway, the party was done. What was there to keep attention?

The pills had worn off.

The buzz of the drinks no longer hummed within my mind...

There was nothing for me but silence at this point.

And I just couldn't fucking stand the silence.

Because the silence pounded like a drum.

As a single minute tumbled by, just one, I started to rub at my eyes, taking in a shaky breath as I felt fear begin to vibrate through me.

When a minute turned into two, just sixty seconds afterwards, my hands began to tremble as I realized even with my eyes closed, I couldn't escape the visions.

Thirty seconds after that, my grip on my eyes started to tighten as I tried to convince myself I was fine.

Because I was.

I was just fine.

Nothing in the past effected me anymore...

In a total of three minutes my heart began to slam against my chest, screaming over and over I wasn't fine, pleading for escape as memories flooded like water pouring into a room.

At four minutes my eyes began to sting with the pain just beneath them, as if the overflowing couldn't be held back any longer...

A second after that, my fingers began to blindly snatch at anything to pull me away from the thick water I was starting to drown in, crumbling as I caved under the weight of the memories, wanting to scream along with the pounding of my heart that traveled up to my ears that I was never fine.

I gripped at them tightly, hoping to stop the noise.

Sometimes the silence was too loud.

Sometimes the silence drummed with a pounding beat.

My head fell to my lap, tears springing from my eyes as I felt my throat constrict. Fingers tightening and clinging at my scalp, I panicked.

Clawed.

Tore at the surface of where I knew I could breathe again.

My fingers itched as if covered in scabs from the past.

The girl sobbed in a corner, scratching at the walls to keep from dragging her nails across her skin.

The scratching turned into tight fists. Punching until blood coated her fingers.

Her throat felt raw from screaming at the top of her lungs.

I tightened the grip on my ears, lips parting as I felt the overwhelming need to scream.

But I couldn't get enough air, I was choking.

Suddenly standing, as if I was finally breaking to the surface, I grabbed the nearest object to me and swung it above my head, aiming to crash it towards the ground. As if shattering it would shatter the silence.

But just as I was about to collide it with the floor, the door to my room opened.

And just like that, the silence stopped.

My eyes snapped to the glowing blue orbs that hovered at the door, watching me as I watched her worry begin to frost her gaze again.

In an instant, I was slamming back into my body all at once. As if for the first time I realized what I was doing. I snatched away my gaze and looked at the vase in my tight grip, still lingering within the air. Swallowing, I slowly placed it back onto the coffee table, throat suddenly dry as my sporadic mind finally settled.

"I was going to ask if you wanted a blanket..."

I sat back onto the couch, refusing to look at Ino as I replied, "I'm fine, thank you."

She stood there for a moment before closing the door.

I took in another shaky breath, repeating to myself I was fine.

But just beneath the surface my heart was still slamming against my chest, screaming that I wasn't.

(1) My favorite song out of all them, by the way.

Alright, great. All done. That wasn't too bad right?

Yeah, it has a complete different feel. And it's a bit dark. Thank Kat for that, seriously she's starting to influence me. Speaking of, I got her approval before posting. So this is stamped with the official seal.

So what do you guys think?

I rewrote, and rewrote, and rewrote that scene at the end. Honestly, I wanted you guys to FEEL it. So tell me if I managed to reach you through the freaking screen.

I'm already working on chapter 5, seriously it might even be posted by tomorrow.

:D just another headache to take care of honestly. What am I going to do with myself.

Ohhh welll!

Read review, tell me what you think!

Shycadet loves. Out.