I'm sorry it took me so long to update friends; I knew what I was going to write, I just did not have the time to write it. I've been sick for awhile; my free time has been dedicated to sleeping. Thank you for being patient; now here's Chapter 23!

FYI: I had someone try to plagiarize my story; this story… It left me kinda down for a while… hopefully the person will take it off of her account, and hopefully your reviews will make me feel better. (Thank you to Trinnerti for letting me know).

This chapter is dedicated to one of my biggest, and most loyal reviewers Selphie108! Sorry it took me so long to update, babe, but this one is dedicated to you.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

Chapter 23: True Intentions Finally Revealed

"What the hell does Orochimaru want?" Sakura asked again; she was now glaring at the slowly dying red head.

"He wants you, my dear."

"He wants what?" Sakura asked again quickly; her mind was trying to register what Sasori said, it just wasn't clicking. What would Orochimaru want with her?

"He wants you," Sasori stated again with a gasp. He slowly stumbled toward the ground and landed on his knees. He stared back up idly at the pinkette. "That curse mark… It is the curse mark Orochimaru strictly saved for the strongest female he could find; this female would be his intended mate."

"His… mate?" Sakura asked as the color slowly drained from her face. It had been clear from the beginning… She knew Orochimaru had wanted something from her, it was just hard to understand…"Why?"

"He needs an heir," Sasori stated with another rough cough; blood began leaking out of his woodened exterior. "It should be obvious girl; Orochimaru wishes to take over Sasuke Uchiha's body, and then mate with you afterward; it would create the strongest vessel possible for himself."

"Kakashi…" Sakura said hesitantly while looking back at the silver haired man. Kakashi couldn't look Sakura in the eyes; his own eye darted from the cave roof until it found a particularly interesting spot on the ground.

"I asked Itachi about it when we were fighting," Kakashi said with a sigh. He walked closer to Sakura and placed a hand on her shoulder; his eyes still couldn't meet Sakura's. "Itachi had noticed your curse mark much like Sasori had; I wanted answers. Itachi said that once your curse mark finishes you will no longer have control over yourself; there is nothing that can be done about it."

"You have said one truth, Copy nin," Sasori stated as his eyes began to glaze over. "Since I am no longer able to meet him, I will allow you this once shred of hope. My informant works under Orochimaru; if anyone can help you, he can. Meet him at Kusagakure within ten days time."

With his final words, Sasori of the red sand was no more, and that's when Sakura lost it.

Tears barreled down her cheeks in rapid succession, and she fell to her knees. "What am I going to do Kakashi?" Sakura asked between sobs; Kakashi sank to his knees beside the pink haired young woman, and placed his hand on her back; he hated to see her cry. "What are we going to do? I don't want anything to do with Orochimaru."

"We're going to meet Sasori's spy," Kakashi said with a firm nod. Wrapping his other arm around Sakura, he squeezed her tightly; their bodies fitting together almost perfectly. "We need to make sure Naruto and Gaara are okay; we'll head for Suna after that."

"Okay," Sakura said with a slight nod. She slowly stood with Kakashi's help and wiped her tears away. Kakashi's arm was still wrapped around Sakura's shoulder, and he held her tightly against him.

"I'll protect you, Sakura," Kakashi said with conviction, his arm giving Sakura a little squeeze. He started to lead her out of the cave, before she stopped. Looking up in Kakashi's eyes, she smiled lightly.

Detaching herself from Kakashi, Sakura walked back toward the puppet's lifeless body. "If we're going to meet Sasori's spy, we are going to need evidence Sasori was the one who sent us," Sakura's tears were gone as she spoke to Kakashi softly.

"I agree," Kakashi nodded his head while walking up to the pink haired girl. The girl was kneeling over Sasori's body; with a tired sigh, Sakura removed Sasori's Akatsuki ring from his finger.

"It's the only thing," Sakura muttered while placing the ring in her medical pouch, "that we can be sure belongs to Sasori."

"If we are to meet Sasori's associate in ten days time you know we cannot go home, Sakura," Kakashi stated while grabbing her hand again softly. "We have to head straight from Suna to Grass."

"I understand," Sakura said with a slight nod. She glanced over to Kakashi and sighed. One of Sakura's hands went to her neck where she rubbed it tenderly. "I wanted to go home to discuss your leaving with Tsunade, but now… I don't even want to see her."

"It's okay Sakura," Kakashi said while stroking her hand slightly. "We're together now; that's all that matters."

"But how long will that last?" Sakura asked herself quietly as Kakashi walked a few paces in front of her, trying to locate Naruto's chakra signal. "I sense Naruto and Gaara, but there is a strong chakra near them."

"That would have to be Sasori's partner," Kakashi said with a nod. The two kept running, and soon were in the middle of an intense looking battlefield. "The Akatsuki always are in pairs of two."

Dodging an explosion that was headed their way, Sakura and Kakashi separated and headed to where Naruto stood panting. Gaara was kneeling a few feet behind Naruto; Gaara looked even paler than Sakura had seen him last.

"Sakura help Gaara," Kakashi called to the pinkette as he launched himself at the remaining Akatsuki member. "I'll help Naruto take this guy down."

"Yes, Kakashi," Sakura called as she found herself next to Gaara. With her hands glowing green, Sakura slowly guided her hands over Gaara's body. "What hurts?"

"Nothing," Gaara spoke with a glare; his glare wasn't directed at her, but the long haired Akatsuki blonde. "I'm fine."

"Gaara don't take me for a fool," Sakura muttered as her hands found Gaara's chest. Closing her eyes, Sakura concentrated on the tiny cuts that marred Gaara's body. "The faster you tell me where you are injured the faster I can heal you."

"I was caught in an explosion," Gaara muttered while looking the opposite direction of Sakura; his eyes remained on the battle between Kakashi and the blonde Akatsuki. "I cannot move my left arm."

Smiling slightly, Sakura moved her hands to Gaara's arm, and in a few minutes Sakura had fully healed it. Opening her eyes, Sakura glanced towards Gaara and smiled.

"WATCH OUT!" A voice screamed from behind the two.

Sakura's eyes widened as she turned her head slightly. "Art is a bang!" Sakura heard someone yell before she dived forward.

Sakura closed her eyes tightly as she heard a loud blast, almost like an explosion. Her body collided hard with Gaara's, and the two were flown back through the air. Sakura cringed when her back hit hard against a tree; the tree cracked and splinters flew through the air on contact.

Kakashi's eyes widened as the Akatsuki member shoved his hands in his pockets, and brought them out just as quickly. Kakashi's sharingan eye swirled in it's socket as Kakashi's hands came together to form a few hand signs.

Kakashi's hands finished their hand signs, and his eye started to swirl even more. A large portal was created; it was almost like a rift in space.

Kakashi watched as Naruto's eyes widened as he screamed, "WATCH OUT!"

Kakashi's eye widened a fraction as the Akatsuki brought his hands together and smirked. "Art is a bang!" He yelled as his hands form the 'kai' symbol.

Kakashi flipped backward as the blonde was dragged into Kakashi's vortex; it was only after he had cast his explosion, however. Kakashi landed in a ditch, his back padded with a mound of dirt. Kakashi glanced up just in time to see the blonde Akatsuki disappear in Kakashi's own swirling vortex.

Kakashi cringed slightly as he got up, he ignored it however and looked towards his teammates. Kakashi found Naruto a few yards away from himself; Naruto was also lucky enough to land in the ditch just as Kakashi had.

Glancing backwards, he found Gaara leaning against a tree; Gaara's sand was out behind him and had taken most of the impact when Gaara had collided with the tree.

Turning around completely, Kakashi's eyes wandered to the only female member of the team. When he found her, he started jogging over to her quickly.

Sakura was leaning against the bottom of a tree; her breathing was heavy, but that was not the thing that concerned Kakashi. Turning his jog into a run, Kakashi noticed the large tree branch that struck Sakura through the abdomen.

"Sakura," Kakashi called as he appeared beside her. "Are you alright?"

"Ge-t this out-t of me," Sakura said quietly as her hands darted to her abdomen, they were already glowing emerald green.

Kakashi nodded his head, and snapped the branch the was protruding out of her body. Sighing slightly, Sakura pulled her body out from the branch, and quickly began to heal her stomach.

Sakura's breath became even more ragged as she finished her healing. Her curse mark began to glow, and Sakura cringed even more as she moved her hand away from her stomach and moved it to her neck.

"Sakura…" Naruto walked up to Sakura; his mouth frowned slightly as his eyes stayed on the glowing mark on Sakura's neck. "What- what happened?"

"It's a long story Naruto," Sakura stated with a sigh; her neck finally stopped throbbing as she stood to her feet. "The most important thing right now is that I am significantly low on chakra; we need to get back to Suna so I can rest."

"And there we will discuss where we need to go next," Kakashi spoke while taking Sakura's hand. She ended up leaning against his chest, and Kakashi couldn't help but smile. "I think Gaara-sama will not mind if we take a detour after leaving Suna."

"You all have helped me greatly," Gaara said with a nod. "If you need, I can tell Tsunade you are on assignment for me."

"We'll talk more about it once we return," Kakashi stated. "There's things I wish to discuss with you in private, Gaara-sama."

"Then so be it," Gaara stated with a nod. "We will start heading back."

Gaara sat behind his desk; before him stood Team Seven. He sighed before standing. "I am sorry to hear what is happening to this team," Gaara said with a frown adorning his features. "It is unfair for one person to continuously tear it apart.

"Because of what you have told me, and since you are technically under my command," Gaara started. "I am assigning you a mission to meet the spy of the former Akasuna no Sasori; I will not discuss this with your Hokage. This is a personal mission for myself, for the Kazekage of Suna; you cannot and will not refuse this mission."

"Hai Kazekage-sama," the three members of Team Seven chorused.

"Good," Gaara stated with a slight smile. "I would accompany you myself, but because of what happened a few days ago, the council is refusing my request to leave. But I will have Kankuro and Temari accompany you."

"We greatly appreciate this mission, Kazekage-sama," Kakashi stated with a bow. "I know you understand what we are facing; that is why Team Seven thanks you for allowing us this personal mission without talking to Tsunade-sama first."

"I feel like I owe you," Gaara stated while he stood. "You leave for Grass in two hours; meet Kankuro and Temari at the Gate; dismissed."

Team Seven exited Gaara's office, and walked to their shared hotel. "Are you going to explain it to me now, Sakura-Chan?" Naruto asked as the two walked into the hotel together; Kakashi followed behind slowly.

"It's what happened at the Forest of Death, Naruto," Sakura said while running her hand across her neck. "Orochimaru placed a curse mark on me. If the curse mark reaches its final stage I will be completely under his control…"

Sakura watched as Naruto remained silent as the trio entered their hotel room. Sakura glanced towards Kakashi, but stopped when Naruto spoke again.

"I'm going to change my promise to you, Sakura-Chan," Naruto said with a sheer set of determination. "My promise isn't to bring Sasuke home; my promise is going to be to stop you from becoming something you don't want to be. I promise I will not allow you to become a monster."

Sakura smiled and walked towards the blonde. She hugged him tightly, and sighed. "Thank you, Naruto."