Chapter 8- The hands

Sasuke sat up the second he regained consciousness. He ignored the pain in his head as he did so and cursed loudly, the Eternal Mangekyo sharingan Spining wildly. That fucking bitch! Was the only thought he could think. He quickly stood up from his place inside the rock formation (he concluded Sakura had created it) his chakra coming off him in poisonous waves. He barely had time to register that he was dressed in his old Akatsuki cloak with an Akatsuki ring on his finger before he started making hand signs. (He didn't even want to stop to think how much that unnerved him to see that ring.) His left eye started bleeding as he activated amaterasu. He then made a hole in the rock with chidori and walked out of the flame engulfed structure. Fucking Sukura. After a quick look around it was fairly easy to see which way Sakura had gone, the wake of destruction was fairly obvious. Without a second thought Sasuke sprinted off toward Sakura, promising to seriously injure her when he saw her.

Sakura was washing out Sasuke's shirt when she felt his aura flair. Flair with intent to kill. Sakura froze what she was doing in fear. It's so…dark… I've never seen a chakra this chaotic….

Sakura quickly snapped out of her thoughts as the sounds of falling trees sounded through the forest. She judged about two seconds before her got to the river she was currently standing in... With his shirt in her hands…

"Fuck" she said.

Then Sasuke was there, both hands secured around her throat (Sakura didn't want to think about the odd sense of déjà vu going through her at the moment), his red eye immediately capturing hers in a furious glare.

And the world went red and black.

Tsukuyomi Sakura's thought echoed in the red sky as she turned around in a circle quickly, taking the area. There was nothing anywhere in the vicinity. She knew she was in a bad situation, Tsukuyomi could last for years, should the wielder wanted it to, all her thoughts and memories could be ripped from the deep recesses of her mind. All at the wielders command. All at Sasuke's command.

Fuck, how the hell am I going to get out of here? The thought, again echoed around the space eerily.

"You can't" came the cold reply. Sakura's eyes widened as she turned around slowly, to find Sasuke standing behind her. It felt like years as they stared at one another, but Sakura knew that time held no meaning in this realm. She knows everything there is to know about this technique, everythin g but how to use it, seeing as she didn't have the sharringan. Itachi hadn't left her with out that… particular experience during her training. In fact it was one of his favorite was to…punish her.

Sakura knew her thoughts could be heard by Sasuke. And watched curiously as he glared at her. She suspected he didn't like the fact she knew his clans secrets. And boy did she know them. Sasuke's glare deepened and Sakura grinned maliciously. She knew about the eternal sharingan, how in order to gain true power the Uchiha had to kill their family members. She knew about the secret bases and store rooms, how to get in, how to use the information found there. She knew about the history of the Uchiha, she knew of their sightless killings they had made in order to gain their respect and power. Did Sasuke know all of this? Sakura supposed he didn't considering the way his teeth were clenched. Sakura supposed he also didn't know the details of the uprising that was going to take place, but didn't because Itachi had mu-

Suddenly Sakura was rather uncomfortably chained to a wall with Sasuke glaring down at her.

"You know nothing" He said strained. Sakura merely cocked her head to the side and looked back up innocently, images Itachi had shown her swimming through her head, images of the massacre, of his and Sasuke's battle, of horrible things the Uchiha had done.

Next thing she knew Sasuke was sliding a katana into her stomach. She dutifully ignored it and choose instead to speak.

"Wow Sasuke, great way to treat your partner." She rolled her eyes. "If I had known this is what it meant to kick your ass, I would have come after you years ago."

Sasuke merely twisted the katana. Sakura winced out of habit. Damn that hu- Sakura cuts of her thought process and instead thinks about her plans. Let's see after this whole… mess blows over I have to finish up-

Sasuke brings out another katana and another and another and sticks them in her.

-washing all my stuff. I should probably bath too. Hmm maybe force Sasuke to take one as well. Then I have to find dinner-

Sasuke lets out a growl. And begins imbedding the blades into Sakura's flesh, twisting each to make sure she feels as much pain as possible.

And cook it. Lord knows Sasuke will be sulking the entire night. I swear he's just like Itach-

Her thoughts are broken by the sudden electricity running through her body via the 17 or so swords inside her. She gives up on planning, instead she waits for the jutsu to end patiently and silently, trying to keep her thoughts or misery buried so Sasuke won't hear. She supposes she is right. He is just like Itachi-

Suddenly it's over. She's standing back in the river, Sasuke's shirt still clutched in her hand as Sasuke storms off toward the camp. Sakura fights to keep her thoughts buried, as Sasuke vanishes from site. Once he's gone the flood gates open and all the agony she had pushed back comes to the surface. She covers her mouth with Sasuke's shirt as she sobs, tears rolling down her face. At the moment she is thankful for the hundreds of times Itachi put her through Tsukuyomi in an effort to force her control her thoughts and emotions, or else she would have broken down way before now. Heck she would have fallen apart the second she found herself in that red and black world had it not been through the years, or what felt like years, she had been tortured in the same place by Itachi. It was almost normal for her to be there, still scared the shit out of her though, she just didn't show it anymore in the presence of the torturer.

Sakura's crying stopped a few moments after it started as she collected her thoughts. Quickly swiping the tears from her eyes, Sakura went back to washing the cloths. It was going to be a long night.

Sasuke returned to the camp site fuming. She had bested him, stayed strong in the Uchiha family's mental torture chamber! How was that even possible? She had thought about the multiple, no hundreds, of times Itachi had put her through it. Sasuke flinched at that. Anger flared up inside of him at his brother. How could he do that to Sakura? He felt confused, he was mad at Sakura for everything she had done over the course of the day, but he felt furious at his brother for hurting her, and repeatedly. Sasuke ground his teeth together and punched the nearest object. The bastard! How dare he? Then Sakura had gone as far as to liken him to his brother! He would never be like that… that monster. He was furious at himself for dropping to the level of Itachi. As Sasuke walked in to the camp, he could stop the nagging voice in the back of his head that kept saying

You are just like him.

Sakura was just finishing gutting the fish when Itachi spoke to her.

Aren't you glad I trained you to be strong now? He asked with mild scoffed at his words.

Training? You tortured me till I gave into what you wanted. She stated plainly. Memories of her 'training' flashed through her head. She pushed them back along with the bile rising in her throat. Be strong Sakura, she mentally chided herself.

I was making you stronger. He replied impassively, sending images of her previous imprisonments within Tsukuyomi. She flinched at a particularly bad time when he had set her on fire and electrocuted her at the same time. She took a deep breath and tried to calm her chaotic chakra.

Whatever. She answered passively, gathering her things as she started to walk back to the camp. She was slightly nervous to see Sasuke again; he neck throbbed where he had strangled her. She was sure it was bruising. Itachi proceeded to continue showing her flashes of her training. Amusement radiating from him as her felt her confusion and fear.

I told you he was dangerous. Itachi drawled in a bored tone, but Sakura could feel his sick amusement at her fear. Sakura merely sent him a mental glare. She felt him mentally chuckle at her anger.

Go away Itachi, I'm busy. She said angrily. She was mad at him for reminding her of the pain she had suffered. It was too closely related to the pain she had suffered at the hands of Konoha. At the hands of those who were paying off the war debt. The hands…

Sakura stopped her thoughts, freezing in her walk back.

Oh dear, you are angry aren't you? Very well I will leave you be. Itachi said, and Sakura breath a sigh of relief when she felt his presence leave her mind. It was far to crowed as it was.

Calming her chakra, Sakura did a few breathing exercises, ignoring the pain it caused her throat to do so.

Sasuke looked up as Sakura walked back into the campsite. He watched as she looked at the smoldering remains of her rock formation. Her eyebrow twitched in annoyance before she turned and glared at him. He merely raised an eyebrow at her response. She sighed then set to work getting a fire started.

He felt anger well up inside of him as he watched her do a small katon to start it. How did she know that jutsu? It was an Uchiha family secret, meant for those of his clan only! It was a disgrace to have someone like her preform it.

"How do you know that jutsu?" He grit out at her in anger. She looked up at him blankly, before smirking.

"Itachi taught it to me." She answered amused at his anger. Sasuke turned away in disgust. It was silent in the clearing while Sakura prepared their dinner. Sasuke couldn't help watching her as she moved. IT was just so strange to see her move with the grace she now possessed. He didn't know what to think of it ( he chose to ignore the little voice that questioned if she was that graceful in bed aswell…). He also couldn't deny that she was strong too. As strong as he was, not that he would ever admit it out loud. He then wondered what had caused her to become as cold as she was. What could have possibly turned Sakura, one of the most loyal people he knew, against her beloved village? After some deliberation he decided to ask.

"Sakura." Her name rang through the clearing as Sakura took their dinner off the fire. Sakura turned to look at Sasuke curiously. He seemed to be struggling with something. Sakura walked over and took a seat next to him, annoyed that her lips tingled in remembrance of his. Sasuke was silent as she handed him a fish.

After a few minutes of silence Sakura got annoyed, "Just spit it out Sasuke." Sasuke looked over to her and Sakura sucked in a breath at emotion in his eyes. They were filled with confusion, his ever present anger and… compassion? Sakura shook the thought away, it was completely ridiculous. Sakura almost dropped her gaze from the intensity of the look he was giving her, before chiding herself that she shouldn't be intimidated by him.

"Why…" Sasuke paused as if thinking, "Why did you leave Leaf?" Sakura tensed up immediately. Fear filled her, before she squashed it down. The tension never left her as she attempted to keep the images back. It didn't help. She fought desperately as the walls she had built around her memory were ripped apart by that simple question. The memories started coming in waves. She was drowning in them.

Their hands. So many hands. Touching her. Everywhere. No escape. The pain. being torn in half from the inside out. Tsunade. The pain! They were everywhere. The hands. That room of fine silks and gold furnishing, that room of horror. Her prison. The hands. Her parents. The hands. A single sentence whispered "thank you" . The hands. The hands. The hands. She was dying. Protect Hinata. The hands. The hands. The hands. The hands. The hands. The hands. The hands. The hands. The hands. The hands. The hands. The hands.

"Sakura?" Sakura felt something on her shoulder. NO! She didn't want it, no more! Kami, no more! She scooted away from the hand desperately. Not again! It hurt! The hands! They hurt her! Silent tears poured down her cheeks as she curled into a ball, rocking back and forth. No more! The hands! MAKE IT STOP! She begged something, anything, just make it STOP! NO MORE!

Sasuke watched at first in confusion, then in horror as he watched Sakura fall apart. She had gone stiff at his question before her eyes widened in utter terror. She seemed to be fighting with herself as her hands clenched and unclenched. He watched as she slipped from reality into her mind, her whole body shaking in fear.

"Sakura?" he questioned reaching out to shake her into reality. She turned to look at him and he shivered at the blank look of terror in her eyes. He started when he realized she wasn't seeing him, she was looking right through him. He watched frozen as she started screaming and scrambling away from him, tears spilling over her eyes. She curled into a ball and started sobbing,

". The hands. The hands. The hands. The hands. The hands." She sobbed. Sasuke sat, arm extended frozen and confused. The hands? What the hell did that mean? And why was she reacting like this? He had suspected she was mentally… unstable, but kami! This was something else. What the hell had that village done to her? Sasuke was suddenly furious at Konoha. His sharingan activated and he clenched his fist in anger. They would pay for whatever they did to her. He glanced back at her form, she was still mumbling but it was completely incoherent words. He felt a sudden need to wrap her up in his arms and shelter her form her own mind. His eyes narrowed at his thoughts. This was ridiculous! What the fuck was he supposed to do? He stood up and paced around running his hands through his hair. Her turned back to look at her, red eyes taking in her fluctuating chakra. He walked over to her, his mind made up. Her kneeled down to look her in the eyes. He was shocked to see her looking at him, in pain. His heart wrenched painfully.

"Sasuke, it hurts." Sasuke froze at the terror in her voice. She sounded completely broken. "Make it stop, please, just make it stop!" she whispered.

Hi sharringan spun once as he knocked her unconscious, her body slumped, all tension gone. His sharringan deactivated as he took a shaky breath and said something he had never said before.

"I'm sorry" Sasuke said as he gently lifted her up and moved her to her bed.

A/N: hey guys. yes I'm sorry i haven't updated in a while! I have one word for you. IB. yes i have the pleasure of taking Ib high level math and high level phisics so i'm swamped! SOrry for the slowness, but i'm working on writing this any chance i get. I've also been playing around with a new story im writing called Nerviosa. It should be up soon aswell. Anyway i hoped you enjoyed this cahpter!

~Lots of love and chocolate!,~

Your Bismuth Killjoy,

Lexie