A/N: This chapter's a little Sasuke-centric, just about how he feels about what's been going on in his life. After the Shikamaru and Kakashi thing, of course. Kakashi's all action-y for those he wanted to see him kick some ass.

Chapter 10: Forgiveness in Love

Shikamaru rubbed his eyes tiredly, trying not to fall asleep at the keyboard. He had found fourteen signatures that had touched his computer that didn't check out, and he had been up all night trying to find out who they were. Half of them were home computers going to the wrong place, three were his own computers that he hadn't recognized the print of at first, and three more were government investigation satellites. The last one, however, was encrypted, though some probing made it obvious it was someone in Konoha. Gotta dig a little deeper, he thought to himself, shaking his head to clear his thoughts.

PASSWORD, huh? Five character password, letter or numbers… He typed in a few common code words, which obviously didn't work, as he knew they wouldn't. Then he picked out numbers, starting with 11111, and working his way through all of the possible combinations. Hm, nothing. Lazy as he was, Shikamaru did have a very long rope that was difficult to get to the end of. He smirked. No encryption was too tricky for him to hack, and so he continued, using a series of letters, starting with AAAAA, but after that gave him no result, he wracked his brain for another combination. He glanced at the clock and saw it was four in the morning, and yawned.

Okay, okay, let's try the Full House Method. He put 11AAA in the box, and went from there, and when that harbored no results tried the opposite and inverse of that: AAA11, 111AA, and AA111. The computer wouldn't give, but he was far from done. Another hour passes, and then another, and as Shikamaru was about to finish and get some sleep, the computer beeped. " AKTI8: Password Accepted." That woke him up better than any caffeine pill, and he sat up straighter in his chair. Sweet, I have access to this guy's computer now, he though smugly, knowing that he had outsmarted yet another electrical device.

Now onto the computer's system, he sifted through the any items that might be suspicious. Nothing… He slumped back into his chair. He had exhausted all of the codes he had picked up, and for what? He reached for the monitor button, but just as he was about to press it, something caught his eye. Narrowing said feature, he read aloud, "LX-375 Government Issue Explosives, hm?" Wheeling his chair so another desk in his room, he examined the pieces he was able to take from Ino's house and examined them closely. He narrowed his eyes. "I knew it!"

On the metal the same insignia was engraved, and this person was the one who bought them. They also killed Ino's parents… and tried to kill her. A few more clicks brought up a document with all of the seekers names on it, and people set next to them. He narrowed his eyes. Sasori and Deidara with Ino's and mine, and the names Hidan and Kakuzu with Sasuke and Sakura's, Zetsu with Neji and Tenten, and Kisame and… His eyes widened. Kisame and Uchiha Itachi Naruto and Hinata. Uchiha Itachi? "Dammit! I gotta tell Kakashi-san!"

An unfamiliar voice questioned, his voice sleek and smooth as velvet, "Really?" Grunting, he turned to the side and saw a black haired man watching him impassively, his red colored eyes piercing into his own, making Shikamaru freeze in his seat. He was still for a long moment, and then fell backwards off of his chair, wanting to get away as soon as possible. He flew out the door, urging his legs to go faster, and slid on the tiles as he turned the corner, bracing his hands against the wall to prevent himself from smacking his forehead against the divider. Almost there!!

Suddenly he was sent flying down the hall, pain searing from his back as multiple things embedded themselves there. "Kakashi-san," he yelled at the top of his lungs, knowing that he was mere feet from the man's door, and the silver haired man must have heard him. "Fuck, Kakashi!" Still his door didn't open, and Shikamaru felt completely helpless as the black haired vampire walked slowly towards his prone form, unable to do anything to protect himself. Suddenly Itachi turned around and caught a throwing knife that had been heading for his body, and glanced around for the owner.

Suddenly the crimson-eyed man ducked, his eyes narrowed, as someone tried to kick him in the chest. He was forced backwards as he avoided more punches from a silver haired force. Kakashi flipped forward on his left hand and attempted to trip up the Uchiha, but the vampire merely avoided the attack. But the Seeker wasn't trying to hurt him, just get him away from the injured Shikamaru, and he knelt by the brunet. "Shikamaru?" he questioned, pulling the four knives from his back and tossing them aside. "I need you to go call Sasuke and Naruto, tell them the situation. On second thought, there's a list of people in my office, just call them all and explain what's going on."

"Right," he said groggily, the blood loss affecting him more than he would have liked. He ran off in Kakashi's room as the man with the eye patch turned to hold off the vampire. He tore the list down from the wall and picked up the phone, and began to call the people on the list.

…:oOo:…

Sasuke took a deep swig of the water he had poured himself, wiping his forehead of the sweat that had accumulated there. I don't think I've ever been that worried in my life, about anything, he mused, rubbing his temples in a way to soothe his headache. He glanced down at the blood on his hands, Sakura's blood, which he hadn't wiped off yet. He clenched his fist. The crimson stain on his skin made him realize just how dangerous this job was, and just how easily he could lose Sakura because of it. He narrowed his eyes to a dangerously slim level. I will never let anything happen to her, he vowed, clutching his glass tightly.

It was hard to believe that only a few months ago he hated her guts. He couldn't get away from her fast enough for his liking, the newbie, pink haired girl an annoyance to his every day living. She was too good, too talented, and he was selfish, and didn't want her to steal his limelight. He hated her for showing him up, for making him feel second best to a girl. Now, he felt shameful, even more than he had before because of Hinata and Tenten getting hurt, and clenched his glass harder.

But that's all different now. He knew that he had to work with all his teammates to be able to get this job done, and he knew that they all cared about him, and he them. Especially Sakura. His feelings for her were fuzzy and hard to discern at the moment, but he knew they were deep and true. She meant the whole world to him, and he would do anything to see her smile.

It had been the worse feeling in his life to hear her scream in her room last night. She sounded so afraid, like she was in deep trouble, and he had felt his heart dip into his shoes at the sound of it. The worst scenario had flickered into his mind, the vampires had found her, she was getting maimed and killed. It had taken every ounce of his self control not to go in there, sword in hand, and kill anything, or anyone that scared her. It was just a dream she said, but he knew better. It was a nightmare, a terrible, pillow gripping nightmare. Sakura was strong, and something small wouldn't upset her like that.

Sasuke was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he missed a pair of feet coming down the stairs to the kitchen, and his cup finally gave way under the intense pressure he was inflicting on the glass, and shattered in his grip. He winced as the shards dug into his hand, his own blood dripping out to join Sakura's on his skin. "Sasuke-kun, are you okay?" He turned around and saw the subject of his thoughts standing in the doorway, biting her lip in concern. Her emerald eyes caught the blood on his hands and she sighed, pulling a small medicine kit from the pouch attached to the back of her shorts. "Here, I'll fix that for you."

She sat down in the chair next to his and took his hand, examining the cut closely. She opened the kit and pulled out a pair of tweezers, and began to take out the glass pieces embedded in his skin. Sasuke watched her work, her soft hands leaving a tingling sensation wherever they brushed his skin. She took a roll of gauze from her bag and, after cleansing the wound thoroughly, she wrapped it up with the greatest care, treating his hand gently. As she began to pull her hand away, he gripped it tightly in his, not letting her leave. "Hold on Sakura," he said as she gave him a curious look, wondering why he was holding her back. "You still have yet to keep your promise."

"Promise?" she questioned in confusion, but after watching him for a moment, she remembered and sighed. "I know I promised… but it's something… I'd rather not talk about." He gave her a hard look and still refused to let her go.

He stated coldly, "You don't trust me." The concept hurt, but it was the only possible answer he could come up with.

She replied in frustration, trying fruitlessly to get her hand away from his without aggravating the wound he inflicted, "It's not that Sasuke-kun. I trust you with all my heart, truly I do. It's just… hard, I guess, to talk about it." Because it would mean completely opening up to someone, she thought to herself, watching the Uchiha through guarded eyes.

"Please Sakura," he whispered, letting her hand go and taking her face in his hands. She felt tears well up in her eyes, and bit the corner of her mouth, trying to stop herself from blurting out what she had kept from everyone, even Ino, all these years. "Trust me Sakura, I beg you. I just want to help you." Her defenses were falling at the sight of those enigmatic black eyes, the ones belonging to the man who had, months ago, confided in her his dark secret. Revenge. This dark angel wanted to help her so bad, she could tell by the tone of his voice, the feel of his hands on her face, and the look in his endless orbs.

Her tears spilled over and he looked alarmed, but she put a hand to his mouth, making him stop. "Thank you." Her voice cracked, but she didn't care, it got the message across to him, and she shot him a tiny smile. She stood up and he followed her to the living room, where the two of them sat on the leather sofa next to the window in the wall. Sakura leaned against his shoulder, and he interlaced their fingers comfortably, making her smile. "My dream then, Sasuke-kun?"

"Yeah."

"It was an actual occurrence, something than happened when I was five years old. My brother, his friends, and I went out for some groceries, and because I loved my older brother so much I wanted to go with him so badly. My mother agreed only because she knew my brother could take good care of me, and we went." He heard her pause, trying to get her thoughts together, and felt her squeeze her injured hand in his, making them both wince. "Well, she was right," she breathed, her voice full of tears. "On the way home, while I was picking flowers for my brother's girlfriend, they were attacked by an angry coven of vampires, who knew that the three of them were Seekers for another organization." She sniffed. "A-and… while trying to protect me… they were all… all…" A hysteric sob broke out in her chest, but he didn't need her to go on, knowing exactly what she meant.

"Sakura…" Sasuke took his hand from hers and wrapped it around her shoulders, holding her in a protective embrace, wanting to protect her from the ghosts of her nightmares. "It's okay, I'm right here, it's okay," he assured her in a soft voice over and over, trying to calm her shaking, sobbing form.

She told him, her voice shaky, "It's all my fault they were killed. If I hadn't insisted on going with none of it would have happened, they would all be okay. They wouldn't have had to worry about protecting me!!"

Suddenly, the boy looked disappointed and angry with her and pulled her back, giving her a glare. "Sakura, shut up," he ordered furiously, his hands shaking madly on her arms. Her eyes widened in shock, watching him with apprehension. "Just shut up. Do you have any idea what the hell you're talking about?! You're brother risked his life to save you willingly, do you understand? He loved you, and so did his friends, they wanted to keep you alive! You had to stay alive!!" Her tears stopped flowing when she realized that Sasuke looked regretful, and… and sad. "I would have given anything for the power to save my family, believe me. But I couldn't… I could just sit there and watch. Your brother refused to do that, and I'm glad he did."

"What?" she asked, her mind not comprehending what he was saying.

His eyes were passionate, unbelievably passionate, and it made her wonder if this was the same Uchiha Sasuke that she had known since she had started work here. "I'm glad he did, because I never would have met you." Sakura felt tears spring into her eyes as he said it, her bottom lip trembling. He must be lying, she insisted to herself, trying to keep herself from believing those too sweet words that came from his mouth. He hugged her gently, and she burst into tears once more, though this time from happiness rather than sorrow.

She questioned, her voice still disbelieving, "Truly, Sasuke-kun? Truly?" She would have to hear it from his own mouth to really believe it, otherwise it seemed like a harsh lie, only there satiate her for a moment before her heart was torn from her chest again and thrown into the gutter, broken and hurt forevermore.

He smiled. It wasn't a smirk or a grin that one usually saw on his face. It was a true, heartwarming, loving, gentle smile. "Truly," he replied, as his lips met hers. It was for a split second, only for a second, and he felt something warmer than blood flow through his heart, making the muscle pound erratically in his chest. They stood up, Sasuke taking the incentive and deepening the kiss, making Sakura pull his face nearer. "Sasuke-kun," she whispered against his lips, and he put his hands on the sides of her face, holding her closer. But before things could progress farther, Naruto burst into the living room, causing them to jump backwards in shock.

"Sasuke!" he called with a dangerously serious look on his face. The Uchiha glanced up at Naruto, knowing something had to be wrong if he didn't call him 'teme'. "I got a call from Shikamaru. Uchiha Itachi is in Konoha!" His eyes widened in shock, and, for a moment, he was silent. Then they narrowed and a smirk adorned his lips, the expression on his face making Sakura feel anxious.

He questioned in a deep voice that wasn't quite his own, "When do we leave?"

A/N: Sorry it's such a short chapter. But I really didn't know what to write after that. The little purple "Go" button is your friend, remember.