~*Deliverance*~

Chapter Two : A Change of Scenery

One month later...

Sasuke strode stealthily down the dimly lit corridor of Oto's main hideout, the flickering candles on the walls casting the hallway in an eery glow that only intensified the already ominous aura of the place. It was finally time for him to be taken as Orochimaru's next vessel, he knew. Why else would the Sannin summon him to his quarters, and now of all times? This being the case, Sasuke mentally prepared himself for the battle ahead. Orochimaru was weaker than him, that he knew, but it would be no easy feat; to assume so would only be arrogant and prove to be his downfall. When the heavy wooden door of his teacher's chambers came into view, Sasuke banished all previous thoughts from his mind to focus on the task before him. Flashing through the necessary hand signs Sasuke sent a bolt of Chidori through the door, the wood splintering upon impact and the singed material meeting his nose, and he heard a surprised hiss from within.

"Who are you?" Orochimaru inquired from inside the room. Without a moment to waste Sasuke unsheathed his Kusanagi and cut the door down with a series of precise, masterful slices. He stepped forward out of the door frame and into the room, which was considerably darker than the previous dimly lit corridor, with the bolt of Chidori in his left hand and his Kusanagi thrown over his shoulder in his right one and Orochimaru observed him coolly.

"I knew... It'd come to this." The Sannin panted, his body slick with sweat. Orochimaru was in a sorry state, to say the least. He had thinned over the past month, skin ashen with diaphoresis and ebony hair brittle, and he was shaking uncontrollably, panting to catch his breath; though Sasuke was unsure if the latter was truly from his condition or rather from being stabbed by his Chidori. Probably a combination of the two, he guessed.

"I have nothing more to learn from you. I will not show you any mercy... Even if you beg for it." Sasuke said as the curse mark spread over his body in the form of black flames. Swirling red eyes glowed in the darkness when he activated his Sharingan.

"You are weaker than me. There is no point in sacrificing my body to you." Sasuke continued as he advanced through the room.

"Those are big words... From the leftover Uchiha." Orochimaru sneered. His arms had been used to block the attack and, as a result, the bolt of Chidori had impaled both the limbs together before stabbing into the wall behind him and the bed he laid upon.

"Hmph. If I hadn't been so weak I never would have sought you out, now would I?" Orochimaru was silent, glaring at him in response.

"You only wanted me because you, the Legendary Snake Sannin, couldn't take down Itachi... Isn't that right?" Sasuke taunted. Kami, how long had it been? Nine years. Nine long years that he had to put up with Orochimaru and his tainted ideals, his underhanded ways and his dirty tricks. Sasuke had wanted to stand up to the snake bastard for years, and now he finally could... Right before he cut him down.

"Perhaps the world at large would consider you gifted, but you are no where near the level of an Uchiha. Before us, the greatest genius in the universe barely comes off as average... As someone who carries that name, from my point of view... Your attempts to obtain our power are so disgusting and pathetic that it's almost comical. Saturating yourself with drugs and medicine? Transferring bodies? Your methods are pointless. Do you even have a goal anymore? You claim to be seeking the reason behind existence, yet all you do is make petty excuses for playing god with people's lives..." Orochimaru watched him, silent seething at being put in his place, and planned his next move.

"...You sicken me." Sasuke spat and, in a flash, he was standing right before Orochimaru with his Kusanagi aimed at his throat. The Sannin's mouth opened then and a white figure slithered out, slicked in saliva, and flew to the other side of the room. Sasuke turned and observed the hideous creature as he allowed the bolt of Chidori to fade into nothingness.

"So this is your true self... A scaly, white serpent. You wanted to take over other peoples' bodies so badly that you experimented on your own... Now you're a pathetic shell of your former self."

"Come on, Sssasuke-kun... It's time to give me your body!" The snake lunged at him with jaws open wide and the Uchiha leaped up and evaded the attack before a dozen smaller white snakes slithered out from the skin of the larger one to attack him before landing. Sasuke spun in mid air to dodge them and, with a dozen quick slices of excellent precision, beheaded the snakes that threatened to strike him. He landed in a crouch position and the Sannin hissed menacingly before sending out another hundred white snakes of normal size. At this Sasuke sheathed his Kusanagi in its scabbard strapped to his back and shrugged off his tunic.

As the snakes slithered around him, starting at his feet and going up his legs, the curse mark continued to spread until the black flames intertwined around his whole body, turning his skin an ashen grey save for the black four-point star between his eyes and over the bridge of his nose. The white of his eyes faded into black which contrasted greatly with his swirling, crimson pupils. Starting from the roots of his raven hair it, too, turned a grey-blue as it grew down to his waist. The snakes then covered his whole body, compacting him in an attempt to strangle him whole.

"Though the snake dreams of soaring through the sky it is forever doomed to crawl on its belly..." Suddenly the serpents were obliterated, as if a bomb had been set off in the center. Pieces of snake exploded everywhere, bloody body parts strewn about the room in heaps.

"But you will have your chance to fly, snake... In the talons of a hawk." Sasuke stood completely unscathed amongst the disregarded snake bodies, fully in the curse mark's level two form. Giant wings in the shape of webbed hands protruded from his exposed back.

"Ssssssasuke!" Orochimaru hissed before lunging once more... Only to be sliced in half with the utmost ease by Sasuke. At once the wings morphed into his back and the curse mark receded, his hair shrinking and growing black, eyes turning back into obsidian, and his skin a pale alabaster once more.

"Over already? That was far too easy..." Sasuke muttered with slight boredom. His eyes widened when his legs buckled underneath him, and he fell to his knees in a coughing fit.

"Ungh..." Sasuke grunted as he doubled over, barely able to move his limbs. The great, white serpent on the ground began to wriggle until both parts were whole again, and it gave a dark chuckle as it healed itself.

"Finally feeling the effects, are we? These white snakes can taint the air with their paralyzing venom..." Orochimaru condescended.

"I am undying, and you are a whelp whose jutsu are still too weak to kill me. Heheheh... You're mine!" The Sannin howled before lunging at his prey. Sasuke blinked, and the next time he opened his eyes he was no longer in Orochimaru's quarters at the hideout. He observed his new surrounding calmly, brow furrowing slightly in confusion. The floor was... Spongy. Upon closer inspection Sasuke realized he was standing on flesh, blood vessels popping out of the raised body tissue. There were no walls or a ceiling, only darkness. The air reeked disgustingly of the internal organ that surrounded him and the atmosphere was hot and moist.

"What is this place?" Sasuke murmured to himself, eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"An alternate dimension inside me... And the place I can carry out the soul transfer ritual." A sickeningly sweet voice informed him. The flesh below him suddenly twisted up into a column and the face of Orochimaru morphed the side that was facing Sasuke, who remained silent.

"It's already started." Without warning, tendrils of the flesh beneath Sasuke began to wrap around him, the slimy film sticking to his skin. Other people encased in similar flesh cocoons appeared, who Sasuke assumed were Orochimaru's previous vessels... There were dozens of them, everywhere. The Sannin hissed in satisfaction as body tissue entrapped Sasuke, who remained still and glared back at him.

"Heheheh... Those eyes... Those eyes will finally be mine!" Orochimaru howled in delight.

Not too far away Kabuto was collecting medicine for his master, unaware of the conflict going on. He rifled through drawers of herbs and vials, selecting some and disregarding others. A single lit candle sat on the table top amongst jars of snakes, centipedes, toads, newts, and mice, casting the room in a dim glow.

"This medicine is not enough anymore... At best he can last until tomorrow, but more than likely he'll need to do the soul transfer ritual today." Kabuto muttered to himself while collecting various medical ingredients and mixing them in a silver flask.

"Still... I never would have imagined that Sasuke-kun would be so willing to give up his body... Heh. It doesn't matter. Even Sasuke-kun won't be able to survive the ritual." And with that he departed his medical office, shutting the door carefully behind him. Kabuto walked leisurely down the hallway deep in contemplation when he suddenly smelled a familiar coppery scent tainting the air; before he had time to realize what it was though, he turned the corner to find a trail of blood down the hallway leading into Orochimaru's room. He was momentarily shocked before his ninja instincts took over.

Kabuto crouched down by the side of the wall with his back towards it then took a quick peek around the corner... And there stood Sasuke amongst the blood and gore, pieces of snake strewn about the whole room. What is Sasuke-kun doing here? Kabuto thought in confusion with a scowl. His gaze flicked around the room before settling on the body of a familiar great white serpent and his eyes widened in realization. The giant snake has molted... Has the ritual ended already? What the hell happened? Sasuke spoke to him even though he was not facing the medic ninja.

"Kabuto." Said man stood from his defensive position when he no longer felt any threat. His body tensed involuntarily when Sasuke began to advance forward in his direction... But the Uchiha simply walked past him, ignoring his presence entirely.

"...Which one are you?" Kabuto asked quietly, eyes narrowed in suspicion. Sasuke stopped walking but did not turn to face him. After a moment of silence, he spoke.

"Which one do you think?" Sasuke drawled and next thing he knew, Kabuto was no longer in the poorly lit corridor. Rather, it was the same dimension Orochimaru used for the soul transfer ritual. Kabuto's head whipped around to quickly scan his new surroundings before he drew a conclusion. This must be where the soul transfer ritual takes place... His thoughts were interrupted when he noticed two beings standing in the distance, both wrapped in body tissue which seemed to pulsate. He recognized one as Orochimaru and the other as Sasuke, and when the tendrils of flesh from the former reached out to the latter, Sasuke glared. The signature black flames from the curse mark erupted over him and the body tissue which encased him. The figures meshed together, a gap of struggling muscle in between them, when a large section of flesh came from Sasuke and stabbed right through Orochimaru.

"Nani?! This can't be happening!" Orochimaru shrieked in disbelief as Sasuke stood free of the fibers that once held him. "This can't be! I created this dimension, there's no way-"

"Know this, Orochimaru. Against my eyes, none of your jutsu... Actually, you know the rest, don't you?" Sasuke's voice dripped with mockery. Kabuto could barely make out the forms of a multitude gargantuan creatures behind the Uchiha, jaws open wide with incisors gleaming. The darkness prevented him from seeing any details but Kabuto knew those creatures were horrendous. This... This is horrifying...! Sasuke-kun's will power is eating away at the dimension!

"I refuse! I refuse to let this happen! I will not die here, I am Orochimaru; I am immortal! I am destined to the true meaning of life! Destined to take control of everything... In the world..." The Sannin's voice faded into nothingness, and Kabuto was once again in Oto's hideout.

"Orochimaru-sama is dead... Iie, wait... It's more like-"

"I have taken over." Sasuke stated clearly with a slight smirk. Kabuto was left alone in the hallway, mouth agape with shock, and Sasuke walked away. Now it was time to hunt down his bastard of a brother.

Meanwhile, in Konoha...

Sakura panted in exertion, perspiration dripping down her strained frame. Her breathing was ragged as she furrowed her brow in concentration. Come on, one more push... One more push, and it'll be over...! Sakura gritted her teeth and pushed with all her might as a muffled grunt escaped her lips, her hands clenched tightly into fists. Get out, dammit! With her last burst of strength, Sakura pushed... And her old refrigerator flew out the door of her apartment, landing on its side in the ground in a cloud of dust. Sakura sighed contentedly and wiped the sweat from her brow, a victorious smirk spread across her face.

"Ha! Stupid old thing, I've been trying to get rid you for ages!" She glared at it and stuck her tongue out childishly. Spring cleaning had crept up on Sakura this year, and it was already March by the time she got around to it. Her apartment was almost done, neat and tidy inside, though she hoped she wouldn't have to be there for much longer...

Sakura sighed and her hand came up subconsciously to finger the cord around her neck, the pendant hidden protectively underneath her shirt. It's been a month, and there's still no sign of Sasuke... Of course there wouldn't be, what was she expecting? It's not like he would write or something. Sakura was already keeping their recent reunion a secret, making sure no one knew she had interacted with a fugitive and missing-nin without following proper protocol. The consequences would be dire if anyone were to find out and so she made sure not speak of it, even though she desperately wanted to tell Naruto that Sasuke would be back someday soon. Oh well. He'll be back soon anyway, it'll be a surprise.

Deciding to dispose of the refrigerator later, Sakura gathered up her cleaning supplies and headed over to the Uchiha Compound. Her spring cleaning wasn't limited to her own dwelling, it seemed, and she figured it would be nice if Sasuke came home to a clean house. Casting a quick genjutsu Sakura started walking, taking the road less traveled just to be on the safe side and to make sure no one saw her. She ducked under a tree and entered through the overgrown backyard, the tall grass tickling her exposed thighs under her shorts and medic skirt strapped around her hips. Treading carefully, Sakura tip-toed through the weeds and she held various cleaning supplies.

"Ow!" She hissed, instinctively taking a chakra-enhanced leap away from the spot to land on the patio near the house. Sakura dropped what she held and inspected the angry red scratch on her calf, blood dripping from the wound. A stray thorn branch was the culprit, she concluded upon further inspection. It wasn't a major injury she decided, nor one that she should waste chakra on since she had work at the hospital later that day, and instead entered the house after removing her shoes. There should be some bandages in here somewhere, maybe...

Despite the fact that the house was abandoned Sakura kept quiet as she padded down the dark hallway, the wooden floor cold beneath her bare feet. She shivered lightly, rubbing her uncovered arms with her hands. The house still had furniture inside, covered with white sheets to keep the dust off, but when she flipped the light switch nothing happened. There wasn't any electricity, as she expected, so she'd just have to make do with the sunlight coming through the windows. Sakura felt as if she was imposing, invading Sasuke's privacy, but she remembered that he wished for her to move in when he returned and so she figured it was alright. She was only looking for bandages, after all.

Sakura found the item she sought in the kitchen, from a cupboard under the sink in a first aid kit. She wiped the dried blood off her skin before wrapping the clean, white wrappings around her calf, tying it off in the back. Putting the red and white box back where she found it, Sakura stood and inspected the deserted manor. Dust coated every surface, giving her the urge to sneeze at every turn, but other than that the house was neat. Stale air hung within the dwelling from being sealed for so long, making her nose wrinkle. The dust, she decided, would be the first thing to go, and she'd open the doors and windows to get some fresh air.

"Alright, let's get started!" Sakura stated cheerfully to herself before getting down to business.

It wasn't until noon that Sakura had to stop her cleaning, since her shift started in fifteen minutes. The dust in the living room, kitchen, and dining rooms had been cleaned, the white sheets disposed of, and the stagnant air had been let out through the open windows. She had just finished wiping down the floors and table tops, and though she felt that she had accomplished a lot, she also knew that it was far from over. There were still all the bedrooms and guestrooms in the main house, the atrium, the foyer, various hallways... The list went on and on, but Sakura was determined. She would fix this place up before Sasuke returned, she vowed.

Sakura left the cleaning supplies at the house, intending to come back after her shift, and departed the Uchiha Manor. She quickly bounded over the rooftops after making sure no one witnessed her leaving the abandoned house, arriving at the hospital only a few minutes later.

"Konichiwa, Sakura-san!" Greeted the young receptionist behind the desk cheerfully, a polite smile on her face.

"Konichiwa, Yume-chan." The pinkette nodded her head respectfully before heading down the hall to the changing room to don her work clothes. She pulled on her dark, claret-colored scrubs and tied her hair back out of her face in a low pony tail, the ends of her bubble-gum hair lightly tickling the nape of her neck. Sakura looked into the mirror and checked herself- for what, she wasn't entirely sure- and she smiled, pleased with her current appearance. She left the changing room happily, a slight spring in her step, and went to the reception desk to gather her workload for the day. She was in a good mood lately, she had noticed, and other people had questioned her on it. She had simply told them that she had no reason not to be cheerful, thus carefully evading their probing questions. Of course she couldn't tell them the real reason she had been so happy ever since she got back to Konoha. It was their little secret, for now.

Hours came and went as Sakura treated various patients, the spring in her step never faltering for a moment. It was three o'clock when Sakura took a short ten minute rest, going to the break room to have a snack and replenish some of her lost chakra. It was a common thing for the doctors and nurses at the hospital to do, strongly encouraged to keep up their strength, and so the break room always full of healthy foods. When Sakura turned the corner she bumped into Tsunade, who was just leaving.

"Gomen, shishou! Please forgive me." Sakura chimed, bowing apologetically. Tsunade rolled her eyes and seized her up, arms across her rather large chest.

"Oh, cut it out, Sakura. It's fine." The older woman chided, and Sakura smiled.

"Okay, see you later!" She made a move to the break room, but Tsunade blocked the path. Sakura stared up at her, confused, as the Hokage regarded her though narrowed eyes.

"Why are you so happy recently?" She inquired. Sakura's smile froze on her face and she gulped silently.

"Oh, n-no reason, really... Things have just been going well recently, you know?" Sakura laughed nervously. This did not go unnoticed by the Sannin.

"Oh, spit it out, Sakura! I know something's up! What is it?"

"Uh, shishou, really... There isn't anything..."

"It's a boy, isn't it?" Tsunade's red painted lips twisted up into a Cheshire grin. Sakura stared at her wide-eyed like a deer caught in the head lights.

"A boy? Of course not! I have more important things to deal with, and besides, I don't even like boys!" The words flew out of her mouth before she could stop them, and Tsunade stared at her in shock. A few moments of silence took place before the Hokage busted out laughing, clutching at her sides. Sakura flushed red, realizing her declaration, and stuttered another excuse.

"That's not what I meant and you know it!" She demanded, glaring. Tsunade sobered up and looked at the aggravated woman before her.

"Now there's my hot-headed apprentice!" Sakura sighed, having enough excitement for one day.

"So." Tsunade began, a mischievous glint in her eye. Sakura raised an eye brow at her in question. "...What's his name?"

"Shishou..." Sakura ground out, losing her patience.

"Oh, I'm sorry... What's her name?" Tsunade didn't allow Sakura to answer that question, and instead laughed until tears came out her eyes. "Oh Sakura, that's the funniest thing I've heard in a long while. You just made my day!" Sakura remained silent, trying to calm her suddenly upset stomach. She swallowed tightly, her body breaking out in a sweat.

"Sakura, are you okay? You're looking a little pale..." Tsunade remarked, concerned over the welfare of her student.

"I'm fine, shishou. I just need to sit down for a while. I must have used up too much chakra, that's all..." Sakura reassured her worried mentor. She moved toward the break room door only to sway on her feet, gripping the wall for support.

"Sakura!" Tsunade called out, placing a glowing hand on her shoulder. The feeling of foreign but familiar chakra searching her body was the last thing Sakura remembered before she fell unconscious, everything going black.

Sakura woke up on a stiff hospital bed, her head clouded and memory distant. She glanced at the window and noted the darkness, concluding that she must have been out for hours now that it was nightfall. The door opened quietly, almost on cue as she woke up, and Tsunade walked in carrying a clip board with what Sakura suspected had her own medical record on.

"What happened?" The pinkette inquired, sitting up carefully. Her stomach churned painfully in protest and Tsunade stepped forward, placing a bowl in her lap. Inside was a bunch of various fruit and a scoop of azuki bean paste, a syrupy juice coating the contents. Shiratama anmitsu... Sakura smiled lightly, though she was confused why Tsunade had brought her favorite snack. What was the occasion?

"What do you remember?"

"I was standing outside the break room talking to you when all of a sudden I felt really sick... I was hit with a sudden wave of nausea and broke out in a sweat, then fainted." Sakura reported dutifully. Tsunade nodded in agreement and wrote something down on the chart. Ruling out amnesia, probably, Sakura assumed.

"You were going into anaphylactic shock." Sakura's eyes widened in surprise. Anaphylactic shock? But I'm not allergic to anything... What could have caused it...

"I found a cut on your lower calf, which seemed to have gotten infected and spread through your blood stream." Tsunade informed her, as if reading her mind. Sakura nodded in realization and took a spoonful of the sweet dish in front of her, reveling at the taste. Though her stomach protested the thought of food, she knew it'd be better if she ate.

"What was the cut caused by?"

"I was walking through some tall grass when I got cut by a stray thorn branch." Sakura said honestly. Tsunade watched her closely, thoughtfully.

"We ran some blood tests while you were unconscious to see if there was anything else you may be allergic to."

"And what were the results?" Sakura inquired between bites.

"Well, there was nothing other than the thorn plant. It was quite a coincidence that you managed to come in contact with the one thing you're allergic to, but at least we know about it now. By the way... Where did you get the cut?" Sakura's mind reeled for an excuse, not wanting to give anything away.

"I was out training before my shift started. I must have ran into it in the forest somewhere." She shrugged. Tsunade nodded, not entirely believing her story but deciding not to pry. Tsunade stood at the foot of Sakura's bed, staring at her intently. The silence was stifling and made the bedridden woman uncomfortable.

"Anything else, shishou?" Sakura asked nervously. Tsunade blinked, her thoughts interrupted. She took a deep breath and shifted, sitting on the bed beside her student.

"Sakura, you're pregnant." Tsunade said softly. Now the silence was deafening, though Sakura was too shocked this time to break it again. The shocking news overrode the discomfort.

"It came up in the blood tests while I was looking for other potential allergens. I wasn't looking for pregnancy or trying to pry but it's protocol to test for it along with various STD's, you know the drill." Tsunade continued. Sakura was still quiet, rendered speechless by the announcement, and simply nodded. Shiratama anmitsu long forgotten, she raised her hands and placed them carefully over her abdomen. She looked down and stared at her seemingly flat stomach in disbelief.

"Sakura... You don't have to deal with this alone, you know. I'll support you no matter what you decide to do. If you want to have the baby, give it up for adoption, or have an abortion..." Sakura's head whipped up in surprise.

"Oh no, I'm not having an abortion. I'm keeping this baby." Inside Sakura was terrified, but also overjoyed. She was going to have a child... She was going to have Sasuke's child. It was everything she had ever dreamed of, and she knew the news would make Sasuke ecstatic. His clan was finally being restored, starting now, with the heir she carried. A wide smile spread over her face, her hands caressing her stomach lovingly.

"Well, good then." Tsunade said, a genuine smile on her face. Then something occurred to her. "Er, Sakura?"

"Hmm?" She didn't look up.

"If you don't mind me asking, who is the father?" Sakura stilled. She hadn't been prepared for this situation- she didn't have a story ready to explain this.

"I... Don't know." She lied through her teeth, not meeting her gaze. Something akin to pity flashed through Tsunade's eyes and she put a hand on her shoulder.

"I understand. It'll be okay, as long as you love this baby. I'll be here for you, and so will Shizune, Naruto, Kakashi... Ino." Sakura groaned out loud at the last name, already dreading the interrogation she'd receive from her loud-mouthed friend. She wasn't looking forward to being the next piece of gossip going around the Konoha rumor mill, though she concluded that it was inevitable. Sasuke, she thought as she rubbed her stomach now full of life, please come back home soon.

A/N: Sorry for the long wait! I got caught up working on some other stories. I already have most of the next chapter written as well and it will be up in the next week, I promise. Review are welcome, thanks for reading! x3

Japanese vocabulary:

Iie: no

Gomennasai: I'm (so) sorry

Gomen: sorry

Nani: what

Konichiwa: good afternoon

Extended Scene...

Tsunade: ...So does this mean you do like boys after all? ;D

Sakura: Shishou! xI