Disclaimer: What do I own? NOTHING!


He thought that it might have been the lighting, or lack thereof, that made her skin visibly paler. His mind raced through other possibilities but none really seemed to hold his attention. Sasuke's gaze traveled up and down her kneeling form from his position beside her closed doorway.

Ten minutes. A good ten minutes he had been in her room without her even turning her head to greet him from her reading. It almost irked him, but his lips remained knotted.

He knew about the pregnancy and mentally cringed every time the thought came to his mind. A child was one of the last things that an eighteen year old needed. Especially, when the said eighteen year old still had much more to do in life. There was still his goal that, though confident, still had the possibility of ending disasterously. His eyes glazed over at the thought and Tsukiko's words came back to him. Why did she make him doubt himself? Every word that she spoke make his mind move on a new course, never failing to produce a headache. But just as much as she was the problem, she was also the solution.

"Are you planning on standing there like a pouting child all day?" Sasuke's gaze fell into a hard glare, un appreciating of the unneeded comment. He saw her smile in a light hearted matter. His grip slightly tightened on his arms as they folded together, only succeeding fitting the said image.

"When was the last time you went out?" Her dark eyes finally graced his and he noted the signs of sleepless nights. The line of her mouth did not change but her gaze softened before turning back to the crumbling book that lay in her hands. She took a deep breath, parting her lips ever so slightly.

"You are supposed to be training. You always train in the morning," she commented with a heavy heart. It was not that she did not enjoy his company, it was actually quite the opposite. She just couldn't have him break his usual routine for her sake. It would cause suspicion...

"It's been a month then..." Her gaze met his again with a blank expression and the materials in her hands fell from her grasp onto the empty table. Orochimaru forbade her from even leaving the room in which she resided in, let alone feel the sweet kiss of the sun. The evidence was her sickly skin.

"It's better this way," she explained with shaking hands, "there is no temptation..."

Sasuke's gaze narrowed at her fazing form. "Temptation?" He repeated, letting the meaning of the word sink into the air and skin.

"Freedom..." She whispered because it was a forbidden word. One craves the unattainable and Tsukiko is no different. Since childhood she was no better off than a prisoner.

"What is that to you?" Tsukiko's gaze was strong against his as if she was searching his soul for the answers. It was a mystery to her as to why Sasuke would willingly give up his freedom for this life. Sure, there was always revenge but...

She closed her eyes, taking a breath to cease her shaking hands. She succeeded with help. Her eyes met his again, but this time they were much closer. Sasuke's hands had clasped themselves around hers in a gentle grip.

"Simple," he reasoned, "freedom is when one is able to do what you want." However, he only received a small, lethargic smile and a slow shaking of the head. "No..."

"Freedom is being able to think what one wants and then be able to back up the thoughts with actions. To have freedom," she earnestly looked up at him, "is to fulfill ones dreams..."

She could picture fields of gold before her with their light caress upon her fingertips while she ran through it with open arms. She imagined the soft breeze guide her as the subtle fragrances of the summer flora beckon her. There'd be playful butterflies, newly hatched, dancing about in the sun and she'd smile at the entertainment. If only...

"Tsukiko?"

His voice brought her back to reality; back into the cold darkness of the room and the unforgiving hand of those around them. But, it also brought her back to him and his warm hands and tempting gaze.

One of her hands slipped out from between his and reached out for his cheek. "Your dreams can be reached, Sasuke," she found herself speaking. "But..." she pushed herself into him with her forehead against his collar bone.

"... but not here..."

She almost regretted the words, but found a comforting flame continue to grow inside him, feeding off of them.


She thought it was another silent day and part of her felt grateful, but another part of her mind nagged at suspicion; enough to cause a pulsing headache in her temple. She squinted in annoyance while messaging it lightly after setting down a small vile of white liquid.

Tsukiko reseated herself on the bed, ignoring the protesting creak of the old mattress. Silence settled in once more until her eyes became sharp and ears attentive. Slowly, she raised her head in realization at the growing tension that she felt in the air.

Her eyes widened before she threw herself to the ground just as an explosion blew out the walls and ceiling of her room. Her hands did little to protect her ears against the booming, but the bed did prove to hold up to the crashing debris. She held her breath from the dust and didn't release it until the last of the boulders ceased to move. Only then, did she release her breath and open her eyes.

Tsukiko saw a small shimmer of light from her position from under the shadows. She blinked the dust away from her eyes to be sure that it was light. Struggling, she tried to pull herself out from under the bed but found that she could only crawl a few inches before being unable to move any further.

Reaching out, the tips of her fingers hit the rays of light. Oddly enough, she found it warm.

"Tsukiko?"

'Sasuke?'

She heard footsteps and in a flash the warm light covered her dust covered limbs and face. She closed her eyes in shock of the brightness, feeling herself being hastily picked up. She let out a slight gasp as pain filled her right leg. Blood ran down her calf as she gripped Sasuke's shirt.

His pace stopped and she felt the breeze on her bare face. Opening them, she a group of people in the ruins of the exposed lair. She took in their appearances, noticing that all eyes seemed to be staring in her direction. Sasuke's grip on her tightened causing her gaze to be adverted to his.

Sasuke broke the bonds with the people of Konoha long ago, but seeing his old friends stirred up his thoughts. He hardened his gaze as well as his heart.

"Let's get going," Orochimaru spoke from beside them but Sasuke had yet to break eye contact with the intruding group. Before Tsukiko could look back at the foreigners, Kabuto had completed the jutsu and they were transported to unknown land to her.

"We'll head to the North-West lair," Orochimaru instructed, beginning the trek to the next hideout.

The North-West hideout was stationed under a mountain which housed many similar passageways. Like the other one, it was dark, damp and eerie. It hardly felt any different to Tsukiko, who had only known the Southern hideout.

There was a knock at her doorframe and the closing of her door. "Settled in?"

She looked up from her exploration of the bookshelf before smiling up at Sasuke. "Quite," she commented, standing up straight. There wasn't much one could do with no possessions of any sort. "You know," he took her hand and led her to the bed, "you shouldn't be standing on your leg."

She weakly smiled, "I'm fine," she explained. "Kabuto healed it yesterday after we arrived." He didn't seem all that comforted knowing that Kabuto treated her, but he dropped the subject and took a seat on the bed with crossed arms.

"You have everything that you need?"

She nodded, "I can manage." Standing up she knotted her fingers together in anticipation of his future response. "You..." She took a breath to re steady her voice, "you recognized the people that came to the lair last week, didn't you?"

She was met with silence, yet she knew that he did. The group may have had a few changes, but they were the same people that he grew up with in Konohagura.

Cautiously, she ventured further. "What were your friends like?"

"They are not friends," he responded with a glare. She merely brushed it off, "If they were not important to you than you would not have looked at them in such a way."

He abruptly turned towards her and snapped, "You wouldn't understand!" Tsukiko's lips parted in slight shock as she stared back at Sasuke with widened eyes before she took a breath. Her mouth fell into a natural, small smile before she settled herself next to him on the cot.

"You are right," she spoke softly, "I never had any friends to come after me and I never had a home to leave." She heard his breath heave in and out of his strong lungs as his form bent. His hand supported the sides of his head while he attempted to clear his mind in silence.

"I may not understand what you went through, Sasuke." She placed her palm upon his shoulder and leaned against it in a light manner. "But," she breathed slowly, "I know you are not happy here..."

An Uchiha was never one to just take orders and follow a leader, no matter how superior they may be. They were prideful and strong willed. Sasuke was no different...

Tsukiko felt Sasuke shift beside her and she pulled her head up to stare at his deep eyes. "Twelve months," he stared the countdown.


Thank you so much for reading! I had this chapter written for months, but me thinking that the scenes were on the awkward side prevented me from want to post it. Hope it is okay. Special thank you to warning746, Wasipi, psychotic luv, Abandon All Hope, and a nameless reviewer! You all give me inspiration and motivation to keep writing!

I would love to hear from everyone again! Until Next time!

-Sin