Chapter 18

Courage


A man stayed crouched before a window – or a rectangular hole on the wall intended for a window, to be exact. On his shoulder perched a long rifle, its barrel extending over to the window sill and pointing out to the starless night sky. Every now and then, his head fell forward as he fought against the natural need for slumber.

Sasuke approached him from behind.

The Uchiha took one stealthy step after another, gripping a pistol in one hand. With the man's back to him, Sasuke held the gun at arm's length and leveled it at the back of his skull. The goon jolted in surprise and clutched for his own rifle.

"Drop your weapon." Sasuke said.

The man didn't move at first, most likely debating if he should fight back or not. Then slowly, he lowered the rifle onto the ground and raised both hands in surrender. Sasuke kicked the gun a few feet away before turning to the side, where two squad members took cover behind a wall.

"It's clear."

At this moment of inattention, the man twisted around and swiped Sasuke's hand, attempting to knock the pistol off his grasp. Half expecting this possibility, Sasuke caught the man's arm with his free hand, elbowed the bearded chin, and struck the gun over a mop of brown hair. Defeated, the man gave a weak grunt and slumped to the ground.

The two squad members rushed to the scene. They rolled the man face-down and cuffed his hands at the back, while Sasuke spoke to his earpiece.

"We got the sniper at building 4."

"Copy that. He's the last of them. The other snipers have been taken care of. We may proceed to the next stage."

He faced the two squad members. "I'll go ahead."

"'Kay man. We can handle this from here." One said.

Sasuke started running to the stairs as the static voice continued.

"What? Wait a minute, Uchiha. You're supposed to go there with the backup. Wait for them first. Don't be reckless. Stay right there. That's an orde–"

He shoved the communication device into his pocket and set his eyes on the staircase. He could get in trouble for defying the chief's orders, but he couldn't care less at this point. Time would not pause and wait with him.

Itachi had called and said that Sakura would now be relocated to where Sasuke and the others should pick her up. While waiting for them to infiltrate the area, Itachi would have to make sure that Orochimaru stayed at one place; prevent the criminal from making an escape until the backup arrive to apprehend him. That was the plan. And Sasuke was still abiding with it. He just modified the time frame a little, acted on his own terms a little, and ignored the squad leader's instructions. A little.

He stepped outside to join the summer night breeze and headed straight to the building where Sakura was in, the LED flashlight illuminating the way. The crunches of gravel under his feet were no more than whispers in the construction site that was vast enough to fit an average amusement park. Although they had cleared the snipers in the compound – with the help of Itachi's info – the rest of those thugs could still linger on the grounds, exactly why they had to move in groups.

Sasuke hissed, eyes scanning the surroundings. Forget about precautions. He could handle those goons by himself. To retrieve Sakura was the priority. Every second was vital and he couldn't spare any of it. He just owed her father, of course. He had failed his own mission of keeping the Harunos away from Orochimaru's claws, so he had to make up for his failed duty.

If anything, he was doing this for his own peace of mind. He had to fix his error and make himself useful in this operation. That was his only reason for feeling eager to retrieve Sakura. Nothing more. Nothing less. He was sure of it. There was no other reason. No other reason.

When they discovered that Sakura was kidnapped, Sasuke was left with no choice but to reveal his real identity to the older Haruno and talk him out of cooperating with their investigations agency. Kizashi had insisted on letting some of his guards join the rescue squad and had agreed to have Sasuke accompany him in facing Orochimaru. The original plan was to drive off with Sakura and Karin, and then make a move to arrest those criminals. But everything turned to nothing at the last second. Because Sakura wasn't with them.

Sasuke glared at the medium rise building he meant to go into. For now, there was only one thing in his mind: he had to bring Sakura out of this place. At all cost.


Her own heartbeat was the loudest sound Sakura could pick up. She shut her eyes and prayed the rhythmic beat wasn't loud enough to give away her location.

The strange man from a while ago brought her at an unlit hallway that was perpendicular to the main corridor. At the opening of the hallway, a pile of large boxes blocked almost two-thirds of the path, hiding her from direct view.

Sakura faced the boxes, unable to stand the pitch black behind her. The remaining one-third of the path gave way for the main corridor's yellow light to stretch onto the portion of the floor beside her feet. That should be enough to calm her forming anxiety.

Manda's replacement had told her to just stay here and wait. But for how long? What was he up to anyway? Maybe he'd changed his mind? What if he chickened out and decided that letting her escape was doomed from the start? What if he escaped on his own?

Sakura shook her head. No. She was doing it again. She was putting doubts in places where there should be no room for any. That had happened before at the Root District, and it only led to more disaster. Sasuke was right. She did have trust issues.

Realization married lightning and struck Sakura. That's it! Sasuke… Manda's replacement looks a lot like Sasuke…

The dark hair and eyes… Even their chiseled jawlines were somewhat similar. So there were other people who resemble Sasuke's appearance. And here she thought that kind of beauty was restricted to one person.

Wait. What?

Sakura shook her head once more, her short hair whipping around and hitting her cheeks. What kind of thoughts was she having at a time like this? Goodness. She needed to watch out for her surroundings more than anything.

Focus. Focus. Focus.

Still, she couldn't help wondering if the man's Sasuke-ish aura had something to do with why she wanted to trust him.

Footsteps sounded at the main hallway, and Sakura tightened her grip on the 2x3 lumber she'd been holding. As long as she remained quiet, she wouldn't be found out. The footsteps became louder, passed by the other side of the boxes before her, and then continued down the corridor. She waited for more noises, but there weren't any other footsteps.

A little curious as to who might that be, Sakura eased her way from behind the boxes and onto the lit portion of the path. What if that was Manda's replacement? Maybe he… forgot where he'd left her?

With one foot forward, Sakura leaned towards the main corridor and craned her neck to the right. She barely made out Kabuto's retreating form when a hand covered her mouth from behind and yanked her backwards.

Her spine collided with a torso, and a forearm was placed across her midsection, locking her arms in place. It took a second before she registered what happened, and when she did, Sakura stomped her sneakered foot over a combat boot. A masculine grunt came from the person behind her, but his hold didn't loosen. She stomped on his foot once again, and then struggled to free her arms.

"Stop it." He growled.

Seriously, this wasn't the time to be thinking about his voice. Sakura shut her eyes and tried to focus on the matter at hand. Maybe if she stopped moving, he'd let his guard down. She felt herself being spun around, arms held firm against her sides.

"Hey." His breath fanned her face, and it could only mean the person's own face was close – too close for her liking. An earthy refreshing scent danced in the air between them, flashing the picture of a certain someone behind her lids.

Dammit! Stop thinking about him! Focus!

With her eyes still shut and her self-annoyance at its peak, Sakura pulled her head back and launched it forward with as much force as she could muster. With a loud bump, her forehead clashed against another forehead, tilting the world from its axis and inducing ant-sized vibrations throughout her skull. The impact left a fading hum in her ears.

It did hurt. Like hell. But nothing like her good old forehead couldn't handle. She had never been more proud of it until now: the secret weapon that wasn't really a secret – her blessed forehead.

The man groaned in pain before finally releasing her; and just then did Sakura open her eyes, took a step back and raised the lumber, ready to swing it at his head and finish the fight once and for all…

Then she didn't.

She blinked. It couldn't be… "Sasuke?"

Dark eyes shot a glare from under the hand pressed on his forehead. "No shit."

"What are you doing here?"

"What do you think?"

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry!" Sakura studied his forehead with the dimmest shade of yellow the main corridor's light could offer. "It's just that you took me by surprise… You didn't have to restrain me like that, you know. I really thought you were one of them and…"

I assumed you're just a wild imagination.

As he gazed down at her, Sakura eyed him like she was seeing him for the first time. Together with the light, her eyes caressed the contours of his high cheeks, the slope of his nose, and the slightly visible lines between his furrowed brows. His usual tornado-struck hair casted shadows down his forehead, concealing the forming reddish patch of skin there and accenting the darker shade of his eyes.

He's real… and he's here.

Everything switched to slow motion as Sasuke raised a hand to cup her face and leaned forward to match her height. She couldn't move. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't speak. She couldn't do anything but gape at his nearing hand and melt from his intense gaze.

Is he going to…? Oh no! What should I do?

His fingers brushed her cheek, and Sakura flinched in pain – a sudden reminder of Manda's hit earlier. It still hurt, and she would bet a bruise had formed there…

Realization struck again.

Oh. He's just inspecting it.

Somehow, she was a bit disappointed with that discovery.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes into a piercing glare. "Who did this to you?"

He shook her shoulders, demanding an answer. Even if his anger wasn't directed at her, Sakura felt like her knees would surrender at keeping her legs vertical. Or was it because of his proximity and of the fact that he was touching her? Was it possible to survive an electric shock? …Because some high voltage electricity flowed throughout her arms and neck, spreading a tingling sensation beneath her skin. Unable to bear the tension she knew was one-sided, Sakura stepped back to put distance between them and formulate a coherent response.

"That… that doesn't matter."

Sasuke opened his mouth to cut in, but Sakura continued.

"More importantly… How did you get here? How'd you know I'm hiding at this place?"

His gaze alternated from one of her eyes to the other, as if fighting an internal battle. "Long story. First, we should get you out of here."

A dash of light appeared from the pitch black hallway, and both turned at the same time. In an instant, Sasuke stood right between her and the potential danger.

"Hey kid, hold your horses. It's us." A whisper came from deep down the hall, and then more flashlights joined the first one.

As the strangers drew near, the faint light also clung onto them, giving form to three muscular men. They were all wearing black tactical vests, equipped with ammunitions and firearms.

The man in the middle, the tallest one, paused right before them. "You really got into the chief's bad side this time. I'm tellin' you, you better have a valid excuse."

Sasuke stayed in place. "That's not your business, Kisame."

"Hey, hey, hey, can't I be concerned for my friend's little bro–"

A gunshot cut Kisame's words, echoing in the halls and stopping time for an entire two seconds. Nobody moved or made a noise, all frozen with time and in a state of surprise.

With a growl, Sasuke geared the clock to life. "Shit. Itachi."

"Who?" Sakura breathed, but he didn't seem to hear as he stepped past her, intending to run towards the main corridor. But the bulky man grabbed his arm, stopping him in his track.

"We got this." Kisame jerked his chin to Sakura's direction. "Get her to safety."

Sasuke didn't respond; and for the first time, Sakura saw a foreign emotion in his eyes that might also be present in hers at the moment: fear.

"Don't cha worry. We'll bring him back in one piece. Men, let's go!" Kisame and the two others dashed away, leaving a light punch and a pat on Sasuke's shoulder as they run past him.

From how it looked like, those men were pretty close to Sasuke. But weren't those police officers? Sakura chose not to pry on that matter for now, seeing as Sasuke's frame stayed rigid and his head bowed to the floor.

What's happening? "Sasuke?" She whispered, trying to calm her own anxiety by focusing on him and keeping her mind from wandering off to memories related to the loud noise.

He finally looked up, face relaxed to indifference. Then he reached for her hand and dragged her into the dark hallway.

"Come on." He muttered.

With the flashlight's aid, they ran along one hallway after another, drifting at intersections and speeding at straight paths. At the end of one hallway, they entered a wall opening and arrived at a staircase – an emergency exit. Without wasting a second, they rushed up the concrete stairs, frantic breaths competing with their footsteps. Just before they reached the next landing, shuffles of feet sounded from above them.

They paused halfway up the stairs.

"You sure it's from down there?" A man's voice.

"It's got to be. Let's check on Orochimaru-sama." Another answered.

Sasuke cursed and pulled her to the nearest doorway, where they ended up at another lit corridor. They stood near the exit, waiting for the men to pass by.

Just then, more distant gunshots disturbed the building. Sasuke's grip around her wrist tightened, almost restricting the blood flow there. Still confused at his uneasiness, Sakura kept her complaint to herself and stared at his controlled passive face.

Quick footsteps sprinted past the landing, fading as those men continued down the stairs. Again, Sakura and Sasuke prepared to make a run for it; but before they could reach the door, figures emerged from a connecting hallway. They froze, heads turned to the new comers. Manda stood there with another thug, gawking at the both of them.

A sneer flashed on his face. "Well looky here. If it isn't the little princess and her bodyguard… Where do you two think you're going?"

Sakura clenched her teeth as the two men neared them. Sasuke stepped forward, one arm outstretched to the side with his back to her, acting as a human shield.

"Step back." He muttered.

Manda snickered. "Yeah, you better do that, princess. 'Else you might jump in the way again and be a punching bag. You askin' for more bruises? Tsk. Wouldn't want to ruin that pretty face more than I already have."

In a flash, Sasuke lunged forward and threw a punch at Manda's direction. The latter dodged and attempted a punch of his own, which the Uchiha avoided with ease. At Manda's second attempt, Sasuke caught his arm in midair and twisted it to the base of his spine.

The other man rushed to help his comrade, but Sasuke kicked him on the stomach, making him stagger backwards and double over. At that second, Manda turned around, pulled back his free hand, and landed a blow at Sasuke's face, effectively freeing his other arm.

Manda pointed at the man. "You idiot! Get the girl!"

With that warning, Sakura raised the 2x3 over one shoulder, holding it as if it were a baseball bat. Her eyes stayed on the man that was easing towards her like a predator. Behind him, Sasuke made a move to attack, but Manda was quick to block his path.

"Tsk. Not so fast. I'm your opponent, remember?"

Sasuke's growl signaled another fight between them, while Sakura shifted the focus to the bald man before her.

"Stay right there." She said, voice unsteady. Okay, that was a stupid thing to say. The man continued advancing forward, one arm clutching his stomach and the other creeping to his back – no doubt to pull a gun.

Sakura gasped, alarmed to have another look at that metallic object up close. As soon as his hand came back to view, she stepped forward and swung the lumber at his knuckle. The gun flew out of his hand, clanked against the wall and clattered onto the floor, just about three meters away. Before he could retrieve it, she swung the lumber one more time and struck his shoulder.

"Ow! That did it." He growled, eyes blazing with the intent to kill.

A shiver run down Sakura's spine as the man raised his good fist, drew it backwards, and catapulted it straight at her. She stepped back, preparing to swing the lumber at him once again.

'Don't counter the force with another force.'

Then the lumber paused midway and she ducked instead, avoiding the punch. She frowned. How would she take offense then? She tried recalling Sasuke's words as the man attempted another blow.

'It's more about blending with your attacker's motion and redirecting its force.' …Blending?

Sakura eyed the man's arm, studying which direction it would lead to.

To the right. So she stepped aside to the left and the man's fist flew over her right shoulder with a swooshing sound.

The man attempted another blow.

To the left. So she stepped aside to the right.

He attacked again.

Huh? She avoided.

And again with the same move.

Seriously? He's more predictable than I expected. Sakura avoided the hit. Doesn't he realize he's making a pattern here? Does this guy even know how to fight without using weapons?

At his next left punch, she dodged and shoved his arm further to that direction. She then stuck out one leg, tripping him to the ground with a wince-worthy thud.

"What the…" He gaped at her for a brief moment before curling up from the floor. As he anchored an arm to stand back up, his eyes held more fury than before.

With a burst of panic at his possible revenge, Sakura angled the lumber backwards to gain more momentum and swung it straight to his head with a loud thwack, sending him sprawling back to the ground and unconscious.

She stared with horror. He isn't dead, is he? There's no blood… that's a good sign. What about internal bleeding? Oh no, please don't be dead.

Despite that possibility, she felt a satisfaction at managing to bring him down. It might just be luck that she had encountered an average-built opponent and not some bulky type of thug. But still, facing them wasn't so frightening after all; and she had been so worked up with the idea of fighting these guys. She had forgotten to consider one thing: like her, they also have their own weaknesses.

A grunt sounded behind her and Sasuke crossed her mind in an instant.

He's still fighting Manda!

She was about to turn around when an arm hooked around her neck and yanked her backwards against a solid chest. The person spun around, dragging her with him. As she faced the opposite direction, the chunk of wood slipped off her grasp and rolled away; but she almost didn't register it. She was too preoccupied with the sight before her.

There stood Sasuke. One arm outstretched towards her. A gun in his grasp. Aimed at her.

Sakura shifted her gaze from the gun's muzzle to Sasuke's dark calculating eyes. He stared back, searching her own eyes for some reaction or maybe figuring a way out of this situation; she wasn't sure.

"Throw it away, or else…" Manda's voice rumbled behind her as something cold and metallic was pressed against her right temple.

She wasn't afraid. Sakura wanted to think so. But her trembling form and blurring vision said otherwise. Sasuke averted his gaze and sighed, before lowering his arm and tossing the gun aside.

Sakura gasped. "No, it's fine. Pick it up! Don't listen to him."

Manda prodded the metal on her head, making her a flinch at the increased contact.

Sasuke clenched his fists, glaring at the pistol on the floor. With a strong kick, he sent the gun skidding down the corridor. "Let go of her."

A deep snigger broke out of Manda. "What makes you think I'd do that? Heh, silly boy. In the end, you're just a dumb bodyguard." He lifted the gun from Sakura's head and aimed it straight at Sasuke, who didn't look alarmed at the slightest. "Any last words? Say goodbye to your princess over here."

Sakura stared at the gun. She couldn't let this happen. Sasuke had always been the one saving her, and she never had the chance to return the favor. This time – even just this once – she wanted to do the saving.

With that fuel in mind, Sakura gripped the forearm under her chin and bit down as hard as she could, eliciting a scream of pain from Manda and loosening his lock around her neck. She shoved his other arm to the side, where Sasuke grabbed and twisted it until the gun fell out of his grip.

Manda cursed through gritted teeth, before swinging the arm Sakura was at, throwing her off to the ground. Then the two men exchanged kicks and punches once again, gaining distance away from her as they fought. Somewhere within the fight, the gun Manda had dropped skidded further away, joining the one Sasuke had kicked earlier.

Sakura sat up on the floor and cheered for Sasuke in silence. She had to admit that Manda was tougher than the still unconscious bald man behind her. She wanted to give Sasuke a hand… but how? If she attempted to step close, the situation might only get worse. As the fight continued, Sasuke was slammed against the wall; and in an instant, Manda's hands were on his neck, strangling his throat. The former tried prying off the hands, but to no avail, his face turning paler by every second.

A rush of adrenaline ran through Sakura. With a racing heartbeat and trembling hands, she scanned the ground for the lumber.

Sasuke needs help. And fast.

Then her eyes landed on it – the pistol she had struck from the bald man a while ago. Desperate, Sakura crawled over to it, palms damp against the rough concrete flooring. As the pounding blared in her ears, she grabbed for the gun and stood up. Just like what Sasuke had taught her before, she pointed the metal downwards and pulled back the slide until it loaded with a click. She inhaled a deep shaky breath and blew it through her mouth, before raising her outstretched arms in front and aiming the gun at Manda, who stood at arm's length from Sasuke.

So what if the booming in her chest was way faster than normal? So what if sweat dribbled from her brow as she closed an eye to peer through the gun's front sight? So what if it took a great effort to steady her trembling hands?

Sasuke stole a side-glance at her, and then managed to shove Manda's chin upwards before kicking him away to the opposite wall. Consequently, Sakura followed Manda's movement with the pistol. This was her chance. He was open.

While Sakura tightened her grip on the gun, invisible forces also compressed her insides, squeezing them until she felt numb all over and the only thing that mattered was to make the pistol function as it was designed to. She could miss the target. She may even panic after pulling the trigger. Right now, she may be scared to the bone and muscle tissues. But…

So what?

She exhaled.

BANG!

Her arms jolted with the gunshot's force, throwing off her aim.

Manda swiveled his head to her direction, then turned to the bullet clinging on the wall, just inches away from his shoulder. "Holy… shit." He glared back at her and charged forward.

She fired the gun once more.

Manda screamed.

Blood flowed out from his abdomen.

Sasuke hit him on the head.

Manda slumped to the floor.

Blood spilled off to the floor.

She gripped the gun still.

The atmosphere changed, as if the air was contaminated. Sakura inhaled acid and her lungs sizzled as air came in contact with them.

Sasuke ran to her side and carefully took the gun from her hands. "Hn. I'll say it again… Not bad."

His voice sounded distant, as if he were speaking from inside an aquarium and Sakura stood at the other side of the glass… Or was it the other way around?

He tapped her shoulder. "Hey, you okay?"

Dark spots clouded her vision, but Sakura dragged her gaze away from Manda's limp body to a set of comforting coffee black eyes.

She nodded. "Fine. I'm fine."

Her stomach rallied against her words as it functioned in reverse, making her taste the ramen she'd eaten a few hours ago.

Quick footsteps came from the fire exit, and then more aquarium-contained voices followed. She was moved beside the doorway, where a wall that resembled Sasuke's back obstructed her view. She peered over his shoulder. After the floor swayed, figures walked through the door, all dressed like the three men they had encountered earlier. Sasuke spoke to some while the others checked for the two knocked down men.

Sakura didn't bother making sense of their conversation and focused on blinking the dizziness and nausea away. It wasn't long before Sasuke pulled her up the stairway and she found herself running off with him. When they reached the open, more of those soldier-looking guys surrounded them. She even recognized some of their own guards with the group. They nodded at Sasuke and let them continue running.

"Sakura-chan!"

That specific shout rivaled the distant gunshots behind the aquarium glass.

She knew that voice. Sakura scanned the area and spotted the sun in the middle of the night. It sat atop the person sprinting towards them.

"Naruto?" She said, relief flooding her at the sight of another familiar face. But the mess of emotions won over and nausea crashed back. She wanted the discomfort to stop, but her body wouldn't cooperate with her mind's command. As they neared Naruto, even her thoughts decided to join the mess. In her head, the act of shooting Manda replayed on its own and escalated the horror.

She could tolerate hitting a target in a shooting range, but to do that to an actual person was a different story. She had been too focused in saving Sasuke, she hadn't realized she almost ended another life in exchange. And she wasn't in the place to do so… to take one's life. If she did that, then she was no different from those people who killed Sakumo-san and Obito. Just the thought made her feel disgusted with herself. She felt like a murderer.

Naruto engulfed her in a bear hug as soon as he was in reach. "Geez, you really have a knack of worrying others, huh? I hope this'll be a lesson for you, Sakura-chan. You know better than to sneak out just like that. Next time, count me in, alright? Though it'll probably cost me my job…"

"Yeah, I'm sorry…"

Blonde eyebrows furrowed. "Sakura-chan? Are you alright? You look so pale… and why do you have a bruise on your face? Did this teme do something to you? 'Cause if he did, I'll–"

"No, I'm okay." Sakura slurred, while Naruto tilted along with the tower crane at the background. "I just… need to sit down."

"Okay then, let's go to the ambulance over there. It'll take a few steps from here, though. You think you can keep walking?" Without waiting for an answer, Naruto turned around and squatted, before grinning at her over his shoulder. "Here, let me give you a ride."

Above the mixture of dread, relief and self-disgust, Sakura found herself smiling. "Thank you, Naruto."

She had just taken one step forward when the ground disappeared and her feet floated in midair. Sakura yelped in surprise and reached for a support, which turned out to be Sasuke's nape. Before she could comprehend what just happened, she was already folded over a set of strong arms, one side of her body flushed against him.

Sasuke turned to Naruto. "It's faster this way. Let's go."

His chest vibrated as he spoke, and as they walked away, all she could focus on was the soothing steady beat against her left ear. The sound made Sakura keep her complaint to herself: the fact that he should really quit snatching her on a whim. But even if she were to say that out loud, she might not bring herself to speak… because she couldn't make him look down… because his face was merely inches from hers… because she might actually faint this time around.

Despite the spinning of her surroundings, a part of her kept still… enjoying the warmth radiating from Sasuke and allowing her heart to absorb it. If only she could stay this close to him for all the existence of time… If only that wish wasn't exclusive to her… If only Sasuke could, by some miracle, like her too… If only.

As soon as they arrived at the area where ambulances and cars were located, the medics rushed to Sakura's aid. They insisted on taking her straight to the hospital, but she refused and convinced them to just reserve the ambulance for those who would need it most. So instead, Sakura settled inside one of the cars, letting the breeze enter from the backseat's open window. The overwhelming emotion from a while ago faded with every exhale of breath, leaving her less tense.

Outside, the soldier-looking guys and uniformed police officers escorted more and more of Orochimaru's men into the rest of the vehicles. Others were led into the ambulances not so far from Sakura. At one ambulance, two medics just hoisted a cot inside, and lying on it was Manda. His hands were tucked under his back and were most likely cuffed, while his face was contorted in pain.

He's alive…

A heavy weight mingled with the air in Sakura's lungs and escaped her as she sighed. What she had worried most didn't match the actual scenario. Again. Just when would she learn her lesson? Wasn't one incident enough? Even Shizune's advice from her therapy sessions tended to get lost in the chaos of all her worries. Shizune had told her to draw away her attention from unhelpful thoughts and point out the things to be grateful for. Now that she thought about it, her Kakashi-sensei had mentioned a similar advice.

'Focus on what's going right.'

Yes. What mattered now was that Sasuke was safe, they were all out of direct danger, and that these strange soldier-looking guys and the police would take care of the kidnappers.

Sakura poked her head out the window for the blonde leaning against the car. "Hey, Naruto?"

His back straightened and wide blue eyes rested on her. "Hm? Do you need anything, Sakura-chan? You can just tell me, you know. The teme can't get in the way this time 'cause he's getting spanked for acting like an ass, although he already is one since birth. You see, he misbehaved and deserves a punishment, so we should let him reflect on his wrongdoings and stand by the sidelines in case he needs people to guide him to the right path because, you know, that's what friends do."

Sakura blinked. "I don't really get that… but anyway, I just need to ask something. Do you–"

"Oh! If you're asking where your dad is, well, he's in the hospital. No, he didn't have a heart attack because you ran away from home or anything like that. We just thought it's best for him to stay out of all this fuss. Dr. Tsunade's there for her shift, and we'll all be going there for some standard check-up after this anyway, so…"

Oh, right. She still needed to prepare an apology speech for her dad and her shishou; another lost then found thought of the evening. "I agree, dad has already worried enough; he shouldn't be in this dangerous place. Thanks for the info, but… that's not what I want to ask. Um… By any chance, do–"

"Really?! Then perhaps you're wondering how I've been doing. You know, we live under one roof but you've barely talk to me at all this summer, so I know you miss me. Well, to be frank, I–"

"Will you please just let me finish my question?!"

Naruto rolled his eyes and let out a tired sigh. "Why yes, Sakura-chan, I'll hear you out. You know, anger isn't the best way of expressing yourself. Geez, you can try asking me nicely."

Sakura's brow twitched. "Believe me, I tried. But that approach doesn't work for you. Why don't you stop cutting me off for a change?"

He pursed his lips, and then ran his thumb and pointer across it, zipping an imaginary zipper.

She sighed. "Okay, so… Do you know–"

"C'mon, Sakura-chan! You can ask me absolutely anything and I promise I won't cut in anymore…"

Sakura sent a warning glare at playful blue eyes.

Naruto grinned. "Nah… I'm just messin' with yah. It sure is great to see you back to normal. Okay, I'm ready for the million dollar question."

Against her will, a smile appeared on Sakura's face, before she pointed at the men conversing with Sasuke. "Do you know who those guys are?"

"Hmm… That's a tough one." The blonde tapped his chin and peered up the sky. "Can I phone a friend?"

"Na…ruto."

"Okay, okay… Sheesh, I really shouldn't be the one explaining this. Those guys… happened to be some special force from Otto. They work hand in hand with an investigations agency there."

"Then why are they talking to Sasuke?"

Naruto opened his mouth to respond, but then a scream beat him to it.

"Itachi!" Sasuke ran to the two approaching figures. The taller one was Kisame, supporting the other man whose arm was slung over his shoulder. That man was injured… and that man was Manda's replacement!

Medics hurried to them and assisted the injured man onto an emergency cot. He had a gunshot wound on one shoulder, judging from the spreading red stain on his grey shirt.

"What happened?" Sasuke said, following the cot to the ambulance.

The lying man stayed quiet and covered his eyes with his forearm.

"Itachi! Talk to me, damn it!"

"I'll live, little brother. It's just a scratch. Don't be such a crybaby in front of your girlfriend."

Sakura's spine stiffened with a crack… or was that sound from her heart?

Girlfriend? Sasuke has a girlfriend? With hesitation, she scanned the area for any possible candidates, still listening in on the conversation.

"'Just a scratch' my ass. It's draining your blood." Sasuke said.

"So that is why they're taking me to the hospital. You just solved the mystery."

The medics hoisted the cot into the ambulance as Sasuke stood by the door. "I'll go with you."

"Get your own ride."

"I choose this ambulance."

"I object." Itachi craned his neck and turned to Kisame. "Take him away."

"Wilco." Said man gave a mocking salute, before grabbing Sasuke by the arm. "Let's go, kid. Your beloved bro don't want you near him."

He dragged Sasuke to the car Sakura was in and asked her to scoot over for the Uchiha. After that, Kisame sat on the passenger seat while Naruto took the wheel. The car revved up to a start in time with Sasuke's words.

"What happened to him?" He grumbled, directing the question at Kisame.

"Kabuto got ahead of us. When we got there, Itachi's already bleedin' while fightin' him and Orochimaru."

"Did you catch those two?"

"No need to ask, kid. I'm in this mission… safe to say it's a success before it even started. Now, about those two; they'll be in our care for a while. After chief Nagato's done with the interrogation, we're gonna have to hand them over to Konoha's Police Department."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "You can't. The chief of police would just bail them out."

"That won't happen, 'cause Danzo's right behind bars as we speak. That guy's not as sneaky as Orochimaru. Turns out he's also besties with other criminals, so it's easier to find an informant for him. He got arrested this afternoon."

"Good. Now I'll just get back at Kabuto for starting a ruckus. If it weren't for that first gunshot…"

Kisame cleared his throat. "Actually, that one's Itachi. He said Orochimaru provoked him and he just lost it."

Sasuke shook his head. "What an idiot."

"What do you expect? You're brothers. It runs in the blood."

"Shut up. Itachi better not be critical, 'cause I have yet to beat him up myself."

"Aw… How sweet. Now what did I tell you, I got him back in one piece, didn't I? The scratch aside, that is. Man, he's so lucky to have a badass friend like me. I mean, if I weren't me, I'd be jealous of me. You know what I'm sayin'?"

The car screeched to a stop at a red light, throwing them all forward.

Kisame glared Naruto. "Hey, you wanna get us killed?"

Shadowed blue eyes glared back. "That's your fault, you cocky old man! Your loud mouth disturbs my driving. Why don't you shut the hell up and save us the agony of hearing your self-worship? How 'bout that?"

"What the fuck does my voice gotta' do with your vision? And who're you calling a loud mouth? Are you hearin' yourself? You got my ears bleedin' on our way to the mission."

"Oh yeah? Well, I was nervous and I vent by making small talk. At least I don't broadcast my greatness no matter how I know it. Okay, sometimes I do, but not as worse as you do."

"Heh, if you call your useless blabbing small talk, I can't imagine you makin' a speech. It'll probably break every damn glass within hearing range."

"Thanks for the tip, old man; but just because it happened to you some 50 years ago, doesn't mean it's gonna happen to me too. Your arrogant talk's the useless one and you know it."

"Hey, I ain't that old! You said it yourself; I'm older than you, so you better pay me some respect. You got that?"

"Sure thing, gramps."

The car resumed running as the two continued bickering. At the backseat, Sakura ignored them and glued her eyes on the window. The knowledge that one of the kidnappers was Sasuke's brother still lingered in the surreal category. Although Itachi did mention he wasn't on Orochimaru's side, she still didn't know the whole story. She had never wondered much about Sasuke's family… not until now. Sakura turned to the said Uchiha, whose eyes were shut as he kneaded his forehead with one hand.

"Does it hurt?" She said.

Sasuke glanced at her and dropped his hand. "Yes." Then he nodded to the front. "From those two."

"Oh. I thought it's because of the headbutt. Again, I'm sorry about that."

He shrugged and turned to the window. "Don't do that again. To anyone."

"I won't, unless of course the occasion calls for it."

"Then come up with something else. NEVER use that move."

"I feel okay with it, though. My forehead could somehow tolerate the hit."

A muscle in his jaw twitched. "Annoying. You were hurt, weren't you?"

"Yeah, kind of…" Sakura stared at his profile, disbelieving. He banned her from using that move, because he was worried she'd hurt herself? So he might have said that as a bodyguard, but she might as well enjoy the moment. Out of nowhere, a smile challenged her into a fight she barely won. "Okay, I understand."

"Hn."

Unable to let the chance pass, Sakura jumped straight into the topic she wanted answers to. "I… didn't know you have a brother."

He remained still. "That's part of the plan."

"And what's the rest of this so-called plan?"

The car paused at another red light and silence crossed the street. With nonchalance, Sasuke met her gaze and started speaking in a foreign language similar to the one Itachi had used back in the windowless room: A language that could only make you understand shock and confusion.

Wow. They really are brothers.

When Sasuke finished talking, his explanation didn't sink in. A part of his statement forced her mind to take a short break, and Sakura couldn't process anything but the end of his last sentence… the echo of the words 'I'm leaving.'