Chapter Twenty-Three: Fallen, Forgiven, Forsaken...Forgiven? pt.1

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto!

'Damn.' Kabuto thought. She was recovering much faster than he anticipated. He would have to move that night for his plan to move.

A minor inconvience.

Sakura woke as her window creaked. Looking over, she saw the shutter slam against the wall.

Standing, she pulled a hospital robe over her shoulders and walked towards it. Looking out over the expanse out of habit, she pulled it closed and latched it.

"Sakura, you seem pale."

She spun to face Kabuto...too fast. Flinching, she clamped her hand over the wound in her stomach.

"I could have told you moving so quickly would have torn open thestitches." He smirked.

She knew she didn't have what it took to take him in her condtion.

She reached for a nearby glass...she would need to make noise.

Kabuto disappeared before her eyes.

"Wh..what?" She wondered out loud.

"Sorry," He smirked as he appeared behind her, "But Ican't have you causing problems."

Sasuke wandered through the streets aimlessly. He still couldn't believe his execution hadn't been ordered.

'Wonder how Sakura is...'

And then he saw a figure by the gate, someone flung over their shoulder. Wondering if it was a shinobi needing help, he ran towards them.

He was stopped dead in his tracks.

"Kabuto!" He spat.

"Ah, Sasuke. How are you?" He replied as if it were a chance meeting on the street.

"Release her!" He demanded.

"Or what?"

Sasuke moved to take a step forward.

"Sasuke, I wouldn't forget that lovely tracking seal Tsunade gave you."

Grasping at the mark on his neck where the curse had once been, the Uchiha stepped back. He was forbidden from taking even one step outside of the gate or the seal would activate...and drain his chakra dry. He would die almost instantly.

"I'll see you soon." Kabuto smirked as he strolled off down the path with Sakura's bleeding form flung over his shoulder.

"Get me the ANBU now!" Tsunade screamed as Sasuke finished recanting his story.

"I want Uzumaki Naruto and Hatake Kakashi as well." She added as she began to furiously scribble orders.

"Lady Tsunade I want..."

"No way in hell, Uchiha." The Kage snapped. "I don't have to remind you that her injuries were a direct result of your twisted ideas of power. You simply played Naruto, a forgivable offense on his part."

Sasuke hung his head his shame.

"If Kabuto has even a tenth of the resources at his disposal that we believe he does, Konoha is in for a fight. I want Sakura safely within our borders before then. ANBU Black Ops, you will be dispatched to Suna to procure aid. Team Kakashi, you have your orders." Tsunade said as she cued the move-out.

"He was last seen in the Land of Rice Patties." Sai said as he flung himself into the trees.

"We'll go there first." Kakashi replied.

TBC