Title: Promises

Summery: Kabuto takes something very dear to Naruto. Sasuke makes a promise to Sakura.

Disclaimer: Don't own it. Damn.

Author's Comments: Sorry it took so long for this chapter to come out. I've been busy. School's about to start soon so I won't get to update as much. Keep up the support.

Story Starts

Kabuto fingered the small silver ring that hung around Naruto's neck. The blond had been unconscious for the past hour. Kabuto turned the ring in his fingers and noticed an inscription. A promise is a promise, dope.

Naruto's eyes slowly blinked open. He soon registered Kabuto and the ring in his hand and jerked his head to the side. "Get away from me, you bastard! Don't touch that!" he growled.

Kabuto chuckled. He wrapped his fist around the ring and with a simple jerk ripped it off its chain. He dangled it in front of Naruto's eyes. "You want this; do you, Naruto-kun? How bad do you want it?"

Naruto growled, his cerulean eyes burning with rage. "Give it back! That's mine!"

Kabuto rolled it in his fingers. "I never picked you as a jewelry person, Naruto-kun. Where'd you get it?"

"None of you damn business! Now give it back!" he struggled with his binds, causing them to dig deeper into his flesh. He grimaced. "Damn it, give it back!"

"No." Kabuto pocketed the ring. He pulled a kunai out and quickly dug it into Naruto's arm. "Now, let's begin."

Naruto glared even as he winced in pain. "I'm so gonna kill you as soon as I get loose. And when I do, I'll pry my ring out of your cold, dead fingers."

Kabuto laughed. "Stronger people than you have tried to kill me, Naruto-kun. But I look forward to the day when you can kill me. If you ever can." He pulled his kunai up and down Naruto's arm. "Maybe today I can make you scream."

Naruto smirked. "I'll never scream for you. You're not that good."

The Monster Goes RAWR

Sasuke struggled to get out of his ropes. He growled as they burned his wrists and he felt blood drip down his hands.(1) "Let me go! Are you just gonna let them torture him?! Let me go, you bastards!" He shouted. "Do you even care if he dies?! He's been there for three days! He only has a few days left!" he got no response so he continued to try and get free.

"It's no use. There's chakra in those ropes." Sakura said as she stepped in. She leaned against the door, holding her arm in an uncomfortable way. She let out a sigh. "Why can't you just accept Tsunade-sama's offer? All you have to do is tell us where Orochimaru's hiding and we can go rescue Naruto."

Sasuke turned his head away. "I can't. The moment one of your guys is even sensed there, Naruto will be as good as dead. The only hope he has is if I save him." He gritted his teeth. "And I will! I'll save him! Even if I have to kill you all, I'll save him!" he felt his chakra spike.

Sakura stared at him. "Calm down, you'll just wear yourself out." She opened the door and looked around nervously. She looked back at him. "Sasuke, can you…keep a secret? Please?" she smiled.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "A secret?"

Sakura pulled a kunai out and twirled it around. "Don't tell anyone I'm the one who let you go, okay?" she walked behind him and started to cut the ropes. "If Tsunade-sama finds out, I'll be in big trouble. She probably won't let me be her apprentice anymore. So you can't tell."

Sasuke stared at her. His hands fell limp to his sides for a second. He started to flex them. "Why? Why are you doing this?"

She bent don't and started on his ankles. "The other day…when Iruka-sensei was here. You said that you loved Naruto. I could tell you meant it." She placed her hands on his wrists and began to heal them. "It's funny. Those are the words I wanted to hear so badly a few years ago. And now I find out that Naruto's the only one who gets to hear them." She grinned at him. "I never would have guessed that you were gay, Sasuke."

Sasuke looked away, his eye twitching. "You don't have to say it like that." When she started to laugh he glared at her. "What's so funny?!"

She shook her head and stood. "Nothing." She watched him stand and stretch slightly. She looked at the floor. "Sasuke, I want you to promise me something."

"Yeah, what?"

"Promise me that Naruto will come back." She made a peace sign. "And tell him when he does; I'll treat him to ramen. All he can eat!"

Sasuke stared at her for a second before chuckling. It wasn't long before he was laughing out loud.(2)

Sakura's eyes widened in shock. "S-Sasuke-kun? Are you okay?"

Sasuke nodded and held his stomach. "I'm sorry. It's just…you reminded me so much of Lee, I couldn't help it. It was just so funny."

Sakura crossed her arms across her chest and gave him a stern look. "You've spent too much time with Naruto."

Sasuke smirked. "Maybe. But nothing's gonna stop me from being with him. That's a definite."

Sakura nodded. She reached down and de-attached her weapon's holder(3) from her leg. She tossed it to him. "Just in case you need it. Now go get him."

He nodded and took off in lightning speed out. As he passed her he said one thing. "Thank you, Sakura."

Sakura stared after him, a smile on her face. "Good luck, Sasuke-kun."

The Monster Goes RAWR

"He's what?!" Tsunade shouted, slamming her hands on her desk. "How the hell did he escape?! Wasn't anyone watching him?! Damn it!"

Shizune flinched at Tsunade's yelling. "Ts-Tsunade-sama…forgive me. I don't know how he managed to escape. I went in his cell this morning to give him his breakfast food rations and he was gone. I'm so sorry."

Tsunade slumped down into her chair and ran a hand through her hair. "Who the hell was on guard duty last night? I thought I said that I wanted only top Jounins guarding him. Now, tell me who's deserving of punishment."

"It was a Jounin by the name of Daiki.(4) He was found bound and gagged in the hallway. He doesn't know who attacked him."

"Tell him he's not aloud to go on missions for a month, for not being able to sense the enemy's presence." Tsunade said with a sigh. "Great. Now we have no bargaining chip and Orochimaru still has Naruto. We can only hope he stays true to his word and releases him. Fat chance." She went through the papers on her desk until she found the note that had been left on Naruto's dresser. "We have but a day until Orochimaru says he'll release the fox. Is he just bluffing? Does he even know how to release the seal?" she scratched her head. "The only person I thought would know how to is Jiraiya, and he's obviously not a threat."

"Now, that's not very nice, Tsunade." A voice came from the windowsill. They looked over to see Jiraiya sitting there. He smiled and waved. "I heard that my troublesome student got kidnapped."

Tsunade leaned back in her chair. "Impeccable timing, as usual. What took you so long?"

Jiraiya grinned. "I was doing some research a couple of villages over. Word around the hot spring was that Naruto had been kidnapped by the Third Hokage's killer. So of course I rushed over here."

"At least I can say you care about the shrimp." Tsunade said. "So, you got any ideas?"

Jiraiya climbed off the window. He stretched. "Well, I overheard you saying that Sasuke escaped. And that he had help. I don't anyone managed to get into the village to help him. I've never seen security so tight. It was a pain in the ass for me to get in, and I'm a legendary Sannin. So that makes me believe one thing; someone from Konoha aided him. Sasuke didn't have that many friends when he left, and out of the few he did have only two would risk there lives and status to help him escape. One of those two has been kidnapped."

Shizune gasped. "You can't be…are you suggesting that Sakura-chan helped him? She would never. That would be disobeying a direct order from Tsunade! Sakura knows better than that!"

"Sasuke was her teammate. She had a crush on him for years. She cared about him." Tsunade sighed. "As Jiraiya said, she's the only one in the village who would risk so much to help him. Can't really blame her. Naruto's life is on the line as well. Wouldn't you do all you could to save someone that meant so much to you. To save your teammates."

Jiraiya grinned and patted Tsunade on the back. "Yeah. For example, Tsunade here would do anything to save my life! Wouldn't ya, Tsunade?"

Tsunade grabbed his wrist and bent it back. "Shut up."

Jiraiya yelped in pain and held his wrist. "You don't have to be so cruel!"

Tsunade growled. "Stop joking around and get serious. If we don't figure out a plan, Naruto will die."

Shizune sighed and looked out the window. "It seems that all our hopes lay with Sasuke and how much he really does care for Naruto."

"Well, Naruto's crazy about him." Jiraiya stated simply, scratching his ear. "That brat talks in his sleep. For the past two and a half years I had to listen to it. Oh, Sasuke. I miss you, Sasuke. You're a bastard, Sasuke, but that's why I love you." He sighed. "I found it hard to believe that a kid who came up with such a genius idea as the Harem Jutsu could be gay. But then I figured out he was bi so…"

"You're getting so off topic…" Tsunade stated. "What are we gonna do?"

Jiraiya shrugged. "I plan on looking around, but I'm putting a lot of faith in Sasuke. Sakura wouldn't have let him go unless she was sure he'd save Naruto. You taught her right, didn't you Tsunade?"

"He'll save him." Sakura said from the doorway. "You guys figured out it was me pretty quick." She walked in and stood in front of Tsunade's desk. "I'm sorry I disobeyed you, Tsunade-sama. But I had to do it. I'll take whatever punishment you have."

"I'll deal with it later. We have more important things to worry about. We are putting a lot of hope in Sasuke, I'll admit. Jiraiya, I want you to take Sakura, Kakashi, and Sai with you on your search." Tsunade ordered.

Jiraiya groaned. "Great…more brats…"

The End

(1) Ooh…rope burns hurt like hell… (2) Total LOL, man. (3) Don't know what it's called…-- (4) made him up. I own him! Mwahahaha!!!

Kainichi: There we go! Another chapter ish done! Thanks for the support from all my fans.

Naruto: -crosses arms- Why am I being tortured again?

Kainichi: Don't worry, Naru-chan. Your ninja in a gay, sexy outfit is on his way!

Sasuke: My outfit isn't gay!