A/N: This one will be in Sasuke's Point-Of-View. This chapter is going to be short. I'll explain why at the end of it. But I've tried to put in as much interesting things in here as possible! Sorry!

空の絆: Bonds of the Sky
CH 6: Recurring Dreams

It's been two months since we arrived to the new hideout. This time, it was an abandoned mansion. It had plenty of abandoned streets.

Ayame was still Ayame, but she seemed more mesmerized with the window we finally got. I always saw her looking out the window, watching the sky and the empty streets. Occasionally, she'd call my name and wave.

She'd come with me to train most of the time, but there are certain days when she "rather mope by the window". Sometimes, I just don't understand her.

I'm surprised at how I can actually deal with her… She rants at me everyday, tries to stomp on me (although she ends up hurting her own foot), and once in a while, she curses at me.

…

How does she even know those words? She has… a colorful vocabulary and knowledge of cursing… Did Sakura teach her that?

No, I doubt it.

~.~.~

"Ne, Sasuke!" Ayame shook me awake.

"What do you want?" Personally, I don't mind if she wakes me up. But it can get annoying when she shakes me too hard.

"I found a small village nearby! They have shops there!"

I rolled my eyes and went back to sleep again. That was until her words processed in my head. "You found what?" I hissed. If she found a village nearby, that means she stepped out of the mansion! "You went out of the mansion!"

"Relax, Sasuke. I told the guard that I was going to take a walk out of the mansion. I even told him that if I wasn't back in half an hour, he can go alert you." Ayame grinned. "Anyways, anyways, I found a village nearby and there are so many different shops there!" She grabbed my wrist. "Can I go and buy some clothes? Can I? Can I?"

"Do you have any money?"

"Of course!" Ayame took out a lilac wallet from her pillow. "I've been saving up these past 2 months." She opened it, counting all the money she had. "I think I'll have enough to buy at least five clothes. So… can I go?"

"Are you sure there was a small village there?" If there was, there might be some weapon stores around…

"Of cour-!" she paused, "Yeah, yeah, I know. What if I run away? Remember the deal that I made with you? I won't escape until you release me." Ayame crossed her arms. "I intend to keep that deal too."

I blinked. "I wasn't really thinking about that…" I could understand why she thought about the deal though. "I was just planning to go with you."

Ayame blinked back. "Oh." She then pointed at me. "Do you have any money then?"

… Shit. Come to think of it, I never did shop much (even for weapons, since Orochimaru stole them enemies he killed).

A smug smile spread across her face. "You don't have any money, don't you?" I only rolled my eyes, causing Ayame to laugh at my face.

"Well, if you're still planning to go, I'm gonna be in charge of today's activity: Shopping!"

My eyes narrowed. "There is no way I'm going to shop with you."

She poked me. "I didn't mean it like that. I just meant that if you want something, I'll try to pay for you." She grinned at me again. "So what do you say?"

…

Truthfully, I think Ayame is one of the strangest girls I've ever met. I nodded and we headed out immediately. We had to climb up a slightly steep hill. It only took a few minutes until we reached the small village she was talking about.

It seemed empty, but I did see shops and small restaurants ahead. "I don't think they'll open at this time of the morning."

"Huh?" Ayame looked up at me in confusion. "I didn't come here to shop yet. I just wanted to show you that!" She pointed straight ahead, where the sun was rising over the horizon. "Isn't it pretty?"

"I guess so."

"You have no appreciation of nature…" Ayame mumbled. "But isn't it refreshing? The sun's warm light washes the cold chills away." She looked back up at me, smiling. "I wish Sakura-Nee was here. She would've loved to see this."

My eyelids lowered. That name always made me reminisce back to those times. It's unlike me, I know. But I've always felt that Sakura was… different. "Do you miss her?"

"Of course I do." Ayame still smiled. "But if she knew I was with you, I'm sure she knows I'll be safe."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing much, really." She sat on the grass, hugging her knees. "It's just that… you're like a big brother to me."

I was slightly taken aback. I didn't expect her to say anything like that. "A big brother?"

"Yeah… You protect me when I'm in danger, you sometimes help me with my training, and you also have a tendency to pat my head once in a while." Pat her head, she said? Did I really do that? "If I knew you were this nice from the start, I would've changed my view of you."

Hmmm… Her view of me? "What was your view of me?"

Ayame was silent. "A cold-hearted, ruthless, and emotionless jerk who had no respect for others." For a little girl like her, she sure knows how to use words. "But, I just think you're like an older brother." She looked back at me with a smile. "You don't mind if I think of you as an older brother, right?"

I stared at her for what seemed like the longest minute in my life. "Hn, I don't care."

Her smile grew wider. Strangely, her smile made me want to smile back.

But she reminded me so much of those times with Team 7, it almost chilled me down to the bone. Ayame looked so much like Sakura, I feel something hits me every time her image appears. Her too-bright attitude reminds me of Naruto, so I would act a bit cold towards her. When she's calm, she reminds me of Kakashi.

I've always hated those times. It was when I was distracted from the goal I wanted to accomplish: Kill Itachi. Team 7 distracted me so much that I almost forgot my purpose. Now, the feeling came back when Ayame came.

"Sasuke?"

I looked down when I felt her tug at my sleeves. "What?"

"Are you okay? Your face was scrunching a bit just now."

"It's nothing to worry about."

Ayame nodded, forgetting about what just happened. "Let's go back, unless you want to train."

"Why don't you go back? I'll be training."

"Okay. Bye." With that, she disappeared into the forest, going back to the hideout.

Again, she is one of the strangest girls I've ever met.

~.~.~

Breakfast was the same as usual.

Ayame was silent, even when Orochimaru was asking her a question. I would catch Kabuto glancing at her from time to time. Whenever he does, I can see her stiffening. I can understand why she would though. Almost any child would stiffen when he glances at you.

After we were done, we went back into my room. She complained about Orochimaru again. But this time, she included me in it.

"I mean, how can you stand being with that creep?" Ayame paced, no, stomped back and forth. "He's like a pedophile, Sasuke, you know that!" I nearly snorted from laughter. "It's like he's waiting until the right time to pounce at you or something!"

My eyes narrowed. She may be a six-year-old, but she's smart. That's similar to what I found out about Orochimaru the moment I decided to train under him.

~.~.~

But her intelligence… It reminded me of…

"…Sakura…"

"Huh?"

When I realized I said Sakura's name out loud, I mentally smacked myself. "It's nothing." I glanced at Ayame, and I thought I saw something like fear in her eyes. Maybe I'm imagining things. "Ayame, do you hate staying here that badly?"

"What kind of stupid question is that?"

"Answer me."

"Well, I wouldn't say hate…" Ayame crossed her arms, slightly pouting. "I don't really mind being here now."

"Why?"

She turned away, her back facing me. "That's why. I don't know why I don't mind being here anymore…" She banged her head against the wall. "What's wrong with me?"

I only watched with amusement. To think, about two and a half months ago, she was always ranting and complaining at me about leaving.

Now, she doesn't care or mind.

~.~.~

"Sasuke-Kun!"

I wheeled around, finding a figure running towards me. Who can that be?

"Sasuke-Kun!" The figure came closer and closer. I realized that it was Sakura.

"Sasuke-Kun!" I wheeled around again. It was Sakura again, but she had longer hair.

Just like the beginning of our team.

"Sakura…?"

They both stopped in front of him. Long-haired Sakura was smiling brightly. Short-haired Sakura was smiling less brightly though.

I looked from one Sakura to another. What was going on?

Then, I heard crying. Something tugged me. I looked down.

It was Ayame.

"Ayame? What's wrong?"

She didn't reply. She continued to cry and cry.

"I missed you so much, Sasuke!" She hugged my leg and started sobbing.

I reached out to Ayame, but she vanished the moment I touched her. I looked up and the two Sakura were still there.

I reached out to them both, and they also vanished within my touch.

"Sasuke-Kun…"

I turned around again, expecting another Sakura. There was.

Her hair was a bit longer than the short-haired Sakura. She also looked a bit older too.

Tears were streaming down her cheeks.

"Sakura, what's wrong with you?"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

With that, she broke down, continuing to repeat 'I'm sorry' over and over again. I was flustered.

"What are you talking about?"

She couldn't hear me.

"Sakura!"

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

~.~.~

I woke up, gripping the covers tightly. I touched my forehead. There was a line of sweat on the back of my hand.

"Sasuke, are you okay?" Ayame was next to me, a worried expression on her face.

"It's nothing. Go back to sleep."

"… I heard you…"

I stared at her. "What?"

"I heard you say my name… and Sakura-Nee's name again." A sad expression replaced her worried one. "I'm sorry… I didn't… I didn't think I'd do this to you…" She collapsed on her knees. "Was I causing you those dreams you've been having lately?"

That's right. I've been having dreams like that one since a few weeks ago.

I suddenly embraced her. Both of us were shocked at my action, but I somehow knew why I did this.

"It's nothing, Ayame. Don't worry about it."

"But…"

"Just go back to sleep."

Ayame hesitated, but she nodded and went back to sleep.

I waited until she was asleep, then I went outside. I sat on the roof of a wall, listening to the sounds of the night. What did that dream mean? Dreams like that have been appearing lately and they all involved Ayame and Sakura. I can't tell if my subconscious is trying to tell me something or if Ayame really reminds me of Sakura.

"Damn it…" I gritted my teeth. This was a first for me to feel this frustrated ever since I left Konoha.

What is the message behind those recurring dreams?

~.~.~

A/N: Again, I apologize if this chapter was short. Now, I will tell you the reason why though. After this chapter, one year will have passed. Naruto still didn't return to Konoha with Jiraiya yet. That will be until another year. :P This is why this chapter was short. I'm sorry for the inconvenience. ^^" I tried my best to put something interesting here… TT3TT