Here's the next chapter everyone. Enjoy

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto but that would be a very good Christmas present if whoever does own it feels like giving it up.


Ch. 12: The Ultimatum

The group was searching for any sign of the Akatsuki. They followed every lead. Kakashi even had them split up into smaller teams so that they could search in more places at once. It was beginning to look as if they would have to wait until the Akatsuki attacked them. Kakashi didn't like the idea. That would mean that the enemy would get to choose when and where the fight would take place. That wasn't a choice you wanted to leave in your enemy's hands. There didn't seem to be a hope for it though.

At least on thing was going right. The two groups got along wonderfully. This made Sakura very happy. She had been worried that the teams would hate each other simply because they use to be enemies. Luckily that didn't happen. After the first few days the teams began to mix together. That invisible line that had been there the first night vanished. Sasuke was the only one that still kept his distance but that was just who he was. It didn't surprise anyone. They also weren't surprised when Sakura always kept him company. What did surprise them was that he let her without a single complaint.

Sasuke, Naruto, and Kakashi discussed their options when it became obvious that they would find the Akatsuki unless they wanted to be found. The three of them found a way to choose the location of the battle. If the Akatsuki wanted Naruto they would eventually have to come after him. If they set up camp some where the Akatsuki would eventually show up. So that's what they did. In doing so they would get to choose the playing field they fought in.

Kakashi sent Kiba and Akamaru to get supplies from the closest village. Meanwhile the rest of the teams set up camp. Because they weren't moving anytime soon. Kakashi told them to go ahead and use the tents. The problem was that they didn't have enough. Kakashi didn't see the point in spending money on tents when everyone could share. So he made everyone share...except for two people. He decided that he was going to be one of the ones that didn't share. He was the leader after all. After a moments thought Jugo got to be the other. It wouldn't do for his other personality to come out and kill his tent mate.

Karin and Ino grinned at each other as their thoughts ran along the same path. Karin spoke first, "Who'll share with Sasuke? He doesn't get along with anyone."

"That's not true. He gets along with Sakura," Ino replied.

Kakashi looked at the two. You could tell he was smiling behind the mask, "Then I guess Sasuke will have to share with Sakura."

Sakura didn't complain and neither did Sasuke. In fact he didn't seem to show any emotion on the subject at all. Naruto was the only one not fooled. He new the the less emotion Sasuke showed the more important the topic was to him. With a few exceptions of course. Sasuke did have a temper when provoked after all. Sasuke acted emotionless when normal people would be displaying tenderness or love.

Sakura looked over a Suigetsu at then at Karin. She knew that Ino and Karin were playing matchmaker. 'Two can play this matching game,' she thought to herself.

"That leaves you with Suigetsu, Karin."

"What?!"

"Well, think about it. Ino will share with Shikamaru. Naruto and Hinata will share. Kiba and Akamaru. Jugo will have to sleep by himself because of the split personality thing. Kakashi refuses to share so that leaves you with Suigetsu," Sakura said innocently.

"But we hate each other," Karin objected.

"But there's no one else. You'll have to share with Suigetsu," Sakura said with a smile.

"I'm afraid she's right, Karin," Kakashi agreed.

Karin looked over at Suigetsu who was grinning. She just knew he was doing that to torture her. So she glared at him and stormed off to finished preparing their tent. She saw Suigetsu lay down next to the spot she had chosen and then begin to fall asleep.

"Oh no you don't. You better get up and help me, Suigetsu, or I swear you'll be sleeping outside. And I hope it rains on you," she said.

He grinned, "Such hostility."

"Get your lazy ass up and help me right now."

He looked over at her and then closed his eyes again with a smirk.

"You don't think I'll make you sleep outside do you?"

"Oh, I know you will but I don't care."

"Why you...you...I can't think of a single thing bad enough to describe you right now," she growled at him.

He sat up and looked at her. Karin could have sworn that she saw hurt in his light blue eyes. This was Suigetsu. He never got hurt...did he? Of course not. It all the time she had known Suigetsu she had never seen him hurt. Not to mention she had said much worse things to him before so why would this one hurt him. Then again those things could have hurt him and she just didn't notice.

Suigetsu stood up and said in his usual tone, "I don't have to take this abuse. I can get abused anywhere."

With that he turned and walked way. Karin watched him in confusion. She didn't get it. What was bothering him. Sure he sounded like his usual self but something had been wrong. She just couldn't put her finger on it.

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That night Karin allowed her eyes to wonder over the group until they landed on a certain silver haired man carrying a large sword. When she realized she was staring she tore her gaze away. What in the world was happening to her? Every time she let her thoughts wonder they would always lead to him and then her eyes would search for him. Then she would end up staring at him like an idiot until someone either caught her or she realized it herself. It didn't make any sense. She hated him...didn't she?

"Karin, are you alright?"

Karin turned and saw Sakura standing next to her. Her emerald eyes held concern. The two that had started out as rivals were now good friends. It was odd now that Karin thought about it. Since realizing that she didn't love Sasuke she discovered that Sakura wasn't all that bad. How had that happened? One day she couldn't stand the girl and now they were great friends.

"I'm fine. Just confused."

"About what?"

"I don't know." The two sat there for a moment before Karin spoke again, "Hey, Sakura, can I ask you something?"

"What?"

"What does it feel like to be in love? I mean truly in love."

Sakura blinked. She hadn't expected that question from Karin. The red head must be in one of her thoughtful moods. Karin often made the medic wonder if it was possible to be permanently PMSing because that girl changed moods so much it made Sakura's head spin.

"Well...it's different for everyone. It mostly depends on the circumstances. Why?"

"Hypothetically speaking. If a girl thinks she hates a guy but finds herself always thinking about him and staring at him...could she be in love?"

Sakura considered this before asking, "Does she watch out for him?"

"Yes but they're on the same team so she's suppose to."

"Does she trust him?"

"Yes."

"Does she get upset if he's hurt?"

"She doesn't know. She's never seen him hurt."

"Can she imagine him hurt without being scared?"

"No," Karin whispered.

Sakura decided to risk being wrong and asked, "Does the idea of Suigetsu hating you hurt?"

"Yes."

"Then yes. I'd say you're in love."

Karin's eyes widened when she realized that she gave herself away, "I..."

"Don't worry, Karin. I won't tell him. Though I think you should."

"Have you told Sasuke how you feel?" Karin asked. She was expecting Sakura to say no that way she could use it against her in the argument. Sakura couldn't tell her to tell Suigetsu her feelings if Sakura hadn't told Sasuke about hers.

"Yes. Several times actually."

Karin looked surprised then asked, "Did he return your feelings?"

"I don't know. He never answered me. I presume he doesn't."

"Doesn't it bother you?"

"Yes, but there's nothing I can do about it so I don't worry about it. Karin, whether he returns my feelings or not doesn't matter. It won't change the way I feel about him so I told him. He can hate me or not. It won't change a thing."

"How could I be in love with Suigetsu? I hate him...at least I thought I did. We do nothing but argue and fight. He's arrogant, lazy, self centered, and a sadistic dumb ass. How could I love someone like that?" Karin demanded.

"Sasuke is arrogant, distant to the point of coldness, emotionless, and entirely too quiet for his own good but I love him anyway."

"But..."

"But nothing Karin. There isn't a why or a how. It just is. You just do. That's all there is to it. Love doesn't have rules or anything so trying to explain it will do nothing but give you a headache. All you can do is accept how you feel and hope that he feels the same."

Karin thought about it for a moment. Then grinned. She would tell Suigetsu. The red head was too self confident to sit there and worry about whether he would feel the same or not for very long. He had to feel the same. She was perfect for him and if he hadn't realized it yet then she would just have to show him.

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"Get ready. Several members of the Akatsuki are heading this way. Apparently they've decided that we are a threat. Itachi Uchiha is among them. Remember don't look him straight in the eye no matter what," Kakashi warned the team.

Everyone agreed and then they began to get ready for a fight. They didn't have to wait for very long. Which was a good thing considering they were getting impatient. The group had been waiting for what felt like weeks.

Sakura decided to stay out of the way. She knew she could handle a fight with one of Akatsuki but she needed to save her strength so she could heal her team if they were injured. That was her job as a medical nin so she stood on the sidelines and watched. She did prepare herself to dodge any attacks or to fight if it became necessary. No way would she become a sitting duck.

They arrived. Each member of the Akatsuki was prepared for a fight with the other team. The leader had decided that they would never get to the nine tailed fox unless they took care of those surrounding its host. So he sent all of them to deal with it and to bring the jinchuriki back to extract the fox from him. Two of the Akatsuki had special targets among the other team.

Kisame was to fight Suigetsu. The shark man was the only one with enough sword skill to fight with the Suigetsu. Not to mention Suigetsu's ability to turn into water made it difficult for anyone but a water jutsu master to fight with him. So Kisame got voted to deal with him.

Itachi of course was to fight with Sasuke. This time however the leader ordered Itachi not to let his brother leave the battle alive. He didn't want the younger Uchiha to ruin any of his plans and he would just to get to Itachi. The problem had to be dealt with. Itachi was the one assigned to deal with it.

Itachi stood in front of Sasuke, "Well, hello little brother. It's been a long time."

Sasuke didn't say a word.

"Fine don't speak. It doesn't matter. Your team will die here and if you get in my way so will you."

"In the way of what?"

"Why the host of the nine tailed fox. What else?"

"You won't get him Itachi. I won't let you take anyone else that matters to me away."

"We'll see, Sasuke."

The fight between brothers began. They attacked each other trying to find a weak spot in the other's defenses. Both had their sharingans activated. Blood red eyes looked into each other. The movements they made were so fast that no one could keep up with them. No one bothered to try except for Sakura. She was determined to make sure that Sasuke lived through this.

She looked around and saw that everyone was fighting someone. Then Naruto jumped into the fight with Itachi. Sakura was surprised when Sasuke didn't complain. The two made a wonderful team. They didn't even have to speak to each other. All the communication seemed to come through a glance. She wasn't surprised by that. The two of them had always been the perfect team. Then Naruto moved on to protect Hinata a few minutes later. It was as if Naruto was asking if Sasuke wanted the help. Sakura decided it must have been that silent communication thing that they did. Naruto offered...Sasuke refused...Naruto left a few moments later.

It looked as if the Akatsuki was going to loose. They had come into the fight underestimating the group. None of the Akatsuki had thought that the younger ninjas from Konoha or Team Snake would have the strength to fight them. They paid for that misjudgment. They may not have used up a lot of chakra but they were all injured and that cost them. The good guys were winning.

Then it happened. Sasuke got the upper hand in his fight with Itachi. They had been fighting for hours and now they were both beginning to tire. Thank god Naruto started to help Sasuke. Those few minutes had made all the difference between how exhausted Sasuke was versus Itachi. Itachi was knocked back into a tree and Sasuke was moving in for the killing blow.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Sasuke Uchiha," a calm voice said behind him.

Sasuke looked over his shoulder and his onyx eyes widened. Kisame stood there behind Sakura. His sword was up against her neck. He had noticed that Itachi wasn't holding up well and managed to get away from his fight with Suigetsu. Sasuke's eyes moved over to her friend that had been fighting the shark. Suigetsu was unconscious and there was a puddle of blood underneath him.

"Suigetsu!" Karin cried as she ran over too him. "You better not be dead you idiot or I swear I'll kill you."

Light blue eyes cracked open a little and he whispered, "Karin, you need to rethink your logic...you can't kill...someone...that's already dead."

"I'll bring you back to life just so I can kill you."

He smirked, "Didn't see the blonde coming. He placed a bomb on me."

"Rest, Suigetsu. You'll be just fine. You better be just fine or I'll make you wish you were dead."

"That logic of yours."

"Even when you're hurting and possibly knocking on death's door you still pick on me. You idiot."

Sasuke turned back to Itachi. He hadn't moved. The point of Sasuke's sword was against his throat. If Itachi moved one inch the sword would slice his neck. Then it would be over. Sasuke would have avenged his clan. Itachi would be dead. His arm muscles tensed to make that final move.

"I wouldn't unless you want this young girl to die, Sasuke," Kisame warned.

"Sakura! Let her go you shark faced freak." Ino had started to go help her friend but Shikamaru grabbed her, "Let me go Shika. I've got to help."

"He'll kill her if you come anywhere near him. Her only chance is if Sasuke does what he says," the genius responded.

"That's right. If you kill Itachi I'll kill her."

"How do I know that you won't kill her anyway?" Sasuke commented.

"You don't."

Sakura didn't make a sound nor did she move one muscle. She new that she was going to die. Sasuke would never give up his chance to kill Itachi. Nothing could make him. Suddenly the younger Uchiha's head turned and he looked at her. His onyx gaze stared into her emerald eyes.

"Sasuke-teme, what are you waiting for? Let Itachi go or Sakura will die," Naruto commanded.

Sasuke didn't respond. He didn't even look away from Sakura. Her eyes didn't look away from him either.

"I told you I'd just hurt you again," he said quietly but she heard him.

"I know. I told you I would just forgive you again. It's ok, Sasuke-kun. I understand and I'll forgive you again. Just like I promised."

He blinked then looked down at Itachi. For the second time in his life time stopped. The only two things in the world were him and Itachi. The two sharingan users stared at each other with those blood red eyes. Neither moved or spoke a single word. The whole world seem to hold its breath for Sasuke's decision. Then suddenly it let out the breath it was holding as Sasuke made his choice.


Cliffy. I love those. Anyways I hope you liked this chapter. Now Review so I can right the next chapter. Oh and by the way. If I don't update before Christmas I would just like to say Merry Christmas everyone.