Chapter Eight: Of the Sounds Angels Sing

Disclaimer: You know I don't own Naruto!

"Sasuke! Sasuke!" Sakura cried, panicking.

"Shhh….It'll be alright." He replied, stroking her hair as he scanned for enemy shinobi. But the trap had apparently forced them to flee along with the rest of Cell Seven.

Now, he had to get them out of there. Suna was two days behind them and Konoha was at least another forty-eight in front of them considering Sakura's injury and the high probability of being shadowed and attacked.

"Hold on." He said as he lifted her onto his back and took off in the opposite direction—into the safety of the uncharted forests surrounding the large expanse between Sand and Leaf.

Sasuke stopped several hours later as the sun set behind them.

"Sakura, can you heal yourself?" He asked.

"I think so…but I won't be able to see for a few days…." She replied.

"It's alright. Just do what you can."

"Sasuke…" She whispered as she gripped the shoulder of his shirt, "Please don't leave me."

"I won't." He promised as he settled in beside her.

Sakura had fallen asleep shortly after repairing her severely burned eyes.

With her resting, the Uchiha decided to position himself in the trees—where the better vantage point would help him detect an enemy presence.

And at some point he must have drifted off…because Sakura panicked when she awoke. Luckily, she had the mind not to scream or vocalize her hysteria and was quick to mask her chakra signatures again.

It was then that she found his chakra signature.

Forcing her breathing back to a normal rate, she curled back against the tree and tried to remember what Tsunade had taught her: During her training, Tsunade often told Sakura not to close her eyes—because in a real battle it would mean death. But that obviously meant they were exposed and vulnerable to any debris or light-based attack.

In case she ever found herself in such a position, Tsunade had taught her how to use her chakra to sense the world around her: A type of echolocation.

But it also announced her position to anyone within a ten mile radius and was to be used only for emergencies. No matter how badly she freaked she could not use it!

"Sasuke…" She whispered.

He materialized beside her a moment later.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

"Sorry…I panicked…"

"It's alright. I should have told you where I was." He sighed.

"But I'll remember next time." He smiled as he ruffled her hair.

Sakura nodded, leaning her head against his chest and falling back into a deep sleep.

"I want them both!" Kabuto yelled.

"The girl was injured…we stand a chance of finding them.

"Chance? You will!" The nin'i shouted.

The frightened subordinates assured him they would and scampered out of the room.

'Like rats…' He thought with a smirk.

Sakura woke up again, drifting between consciousness and a nightmare…she couldn't see…couldn't feel..couldn't hear…

Jarring herself to awareness she reached instinctively for a weapon.

"Sakura!"

She felt her hand pushed down and a sudden rush as she was pulled into Sasuke's arms.

"It was just a nightmare. You're fine."

She resisted the urge the cry, the saline stinging her wounded eyes and making the tearing worse.

"I hate being like this." She sobbed.

"Like what?"

"Helpless…a hinderance…"

And the dreaded one…

"Weak."

"Don't ever say that again!" Sasuke snapped, then softening, he added, "We lean on each other so that no one's ever weak."

"We'll be alright." He promised.

"How can you be so sure?"

"You seem to ask that a lot. I just am, Sakura." He smiled.

For some reason, it seemed good enough…better than good…

Perfect.

"We've found them." The Oto nin whispered as she cued her squadron forward.

Sasuke heard it first…

The light snap of dead material beneath the careful feet of shinobi.

"Sakura, we have to go." He told her as he lifted her arm around his shoulder, supporting her around the waist with his free hand.

"They're too close." Sakura replied, feeling their chakras manifest. "Save yourself."

"I don't think so." He responded as he stepped forward.

"I'm slowing you down. Go!" She snapped.

"You really are annoying."

"If my chirping gets you to safety I think I can deal with it." She replied dryly.

"I said no, I mean no."

"Stubborn fool!" She exclaimed.

"Would you have it any other way?" He smiled.

She opened her mouth and stopped…

Of course not…because Sasuke without a snide comment or an ego to rival Neji's wouldn't be Sasuke.

"See." He smirked as he leapt into the trees, "I was right."

Sasuke set Sakura down and took her hand as he led her through the brush.

"Run." He told her.

She stopped, feeling the dense brush around her even without her eyes.

"I can't see."

"I'll be your eyes."

He pulled her forward through the thorny bushes, clearing paths for her to follow by trailing his residual chakra signatures. And allow there were some close calls, she never hit at branch or had a thorn tear into her skin.

Some hours later, Sasuke finally said, "I think we've lost them."

"I think so." Sakura agreed.

That's when she felt a chakra manifest behind her.

Reacting on pure instinct, she spun, driving her chakra-haloed at the person.

"Sakura! No!" Sasuke cried.

He dove at her, pushing her away from Kakashi and cushioning her fall.

"Sasuke!" She cried, not realizing he was the one holding her.

"It's me!" He told her.

"Sakura, what' wrong?" Kakashi asked as he knelt beside her.

"I can't see." She replied.

"That flash grenade burned her eyes. She healed herself but she may not be able to see for a few more days." Sasuke added.

"We've been searching up and down for you. So when the Oto nin moved we followed after them. But we were discovered and forced to take them out." Kakashi told them, "Tsunade has reinforcements on the way."

"What about Naruto and Sai?" Sakura asked.

"They're in the clearing on watch."

Their was a sudden skitter in the grass and while Sasuke and Sakura readied themselves for a fight, Kakashi bent to pick up a mouse.

"Sai's calling." He told them simply, helping Sakura to her feet.

They didn't have to walk far before Naruto was happily crying out to her.

But when she turned in the opposite direction of his face, he realized something was wrong.

"Sakura…what happened?" Sai asked as he cupped her face.

"Nothing that can't be fixed." She smiled as she hugged him and then embraced Naruto.

But when the time came to move out, it was Sasuke's hand that she took.

TBC