A/N Thank you so much to those who read! And I want to specially thank sasusakufan2357 for reviewing my story. Thanks so much! XD This update is for you.

Oh and please read and review!! I want to know your opinion. Even if it's a flame, I just want to know what you think.

Anyways sooooooooooo sorry for the long wait!!! I just have had no inspiration to write and I kind of lost my confidence since no one seems to like my story but I'll try to update sooner.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto (Unfortunately, because if I did Sasuke and Sakura would be together! XD)

"Talking"

'Thinking'

'Memories'

Sound

Chapter 3: The Mission

Sasuke and Sakura had been traveling for hours now and it was getting dark. They were in the woods and there were trees everywhere. They had been traveling silently the whole way because Sakura still wasn't herself after the interrogation. It brought back some memories she'd rather not remember.

'I don't want to go back,' thought Sakura. 'I can't face them, not after what happened'.

'It was dark in Konoha. All the lights were out and the streets were empty. There was blood splattered all over the walls.'

Sakura winced as the memories flowed through her mind.

'People were running for there lives as a masked stranger with a sword drenched in blood chased them to kill the rest of the villagers. Then ten of the village's best shinobi appeared to fight the masked enemy.'

'The masked ninja stopped and stared at the shinobi and froze for a second. Then one of the shinobi stepped forward and began to yell at the masked ninja.

'"Leave our village!!!" He yelled. "Or I'll have to beat the shit out of you, believe it!!"

'The masked ninja began to laugh.'

"Hey we need to make camp", came Sasuke's cold voice and it woke Sakura from the memories.

"Fine," she said a little colder then usual.

'What's her problem', wondered Sasuke as he looked at the cold expression on her face.

They came up to a clearing about 50 feet in diameter and set up camp. They set up two tents and built a fire in the center.

Sakura began to head into the woods to be alone.

"Where do you think your going", demanded Sasuke.

"For a walk," she replied in a voice so cold it almost made Sasuke shiver.

"I don't think so", he replied in an even colder voice as he glared at Sakura.

"What, are you that worried about me", replied Sakura with a sarcastic tone.

"Hn. I don't give a damn what happens to you, but I can't have you running off back to Konoha because then I would have to deal with Orochimaru," he replied as he continued to glare.

Sakura just glared right back and said in an almost sad voice, "I have no reason to return. I can't go back."

Sasuke just stared at her, shocked at what she said. So while he stared Sakura walked away into the woods.

'What did she mean by that', he thought. 'What could of happened to her.'

He paused and stared at the sky. There were so many stars and it gave light to the whole surrounding area.

'Whatever it doesn't matter anyway, but I better follow her to make sure she's not up to anything', he concluded and then followed her into the woods.

Sakura walked through the woods for a while until she found a stream. It was thin and long and it flowed all the way through the forest. There was a huge boulder on the edge of the stream. Sakura climbed on top of it and laid back and watched the stars.

Sasuke followed her to the stream and watched her from behind a tree. She closed her eyes and looked like she was thinking.

'Sakura-Chan,' came Naruto's voice as he ran up to his pink haired friend. 'Happy Birthday', he cheered and gave his friend a big hug. 'Make sure to come over tonight we have a surprise for you,' he said. 'Woops, I wasn't supposed to tell you,' he put his hand behind his head and grinned one of his big grins.'t

Tears began to well up in the corner of Sakura's eyes. She jumped off the rock and closed her eyes. Sasuke thought she was about to start crying, but instead she punched the boulder with a chakra filled fist and sent chunks of the boulder flying everywhere.

Sasuke stood there in shock at her strength. Then Sakura turned and headed back to camp and Sasuke followed her back.

Sakura arrived at the camp first and sat by the fire and rested her eyes. Then she heard Sasuke's voice say, "you should go to bed we have a long day tomorrow."

Sakura about fell over from the shock. "What do you think your doing," she yelled. "You shouldn't sneak up on people like that."

Sasuke smirked, "What, did I scare you."

Sakura just growled and went to her tent to sleep.

Sasuke took the first watch and sat by the fire to make sure they didn't get attacked.

Halfway threw the night Sakura woke up and went out to take her watch.

She came out and sat by Sasuke who seemed to be deep in thought.

"Aww, what's the matter," asked Sakura in a teasing voice.

"Hn," was all he replied.

Sakura saw that he was upset so she asked again but this time she was serious.

"I'm fine," he replied coldly and then went to his tent to get some sleep.

'Sasuke what happened to you. Your even colder then you were before,' thought Sakura. 'I'm not going to become like you if I'm here am I?'

Sakura sat there alone keeping watch and as she did she began to recall memories. She was about to start crying when she heard a noise. Then she began to sense a chakra.

'This chakra is strong, really strong. I should probably wake Sasuke, but he looked like something was bothering him so I'll leave him alone. And besides I can handle this guy.'

Sakura then grabbed her stuff and ran into the forest after the chakra presence. But when Sakura got close she froze at what she saw.

Standing in front of her was no other than Sasori of the Akatsuki. (A/N In my story Sasori's alive.)

Sakura gasped as she stared at her opponent. 'I didn't think it would be Akatsuki,' she thought in horror.

"Why are you here?" she asked after gathering her strength. And she stared him right in the eyes. Well his puppets eyes.

"Oh look she came right to me", he smirked as he looked at the girl. "Good, now I don't have to wait." He began to walk toward Sakura.

"What!" screamed Sakura in shock as she slowly began to back away. 'He's after me. Maybe I shouldn't have come here by myself after all.'

Sakura took on a fighting stance and glared at Sasori. She pulled out a kunai and stood there ready to fight.

"Fiesty aren't you," he said as he stopped walking toward her. "Doesn't look like you're going to let me take you without a fight."

"Damn right", Sakura growled as she bared her teeth.

"Fine if it's a fight you want it's a fight you'll get, but I wont go easy on you. I don't like making people wait," he replied and he jumped pack and brought out a couple of his puppets.

"What do you want me for?" Sakura asked in a deep, low voice. She was irritated. She felt pissed. What did he want with her. She was in no mood for this.

"Enough talk. Time to fight," he replied and then sent his puppets at her. They had long swords held out and ready to strike.

Sakura growled and put up her kunai and blocked the attack. Then she disappeared and appeared behind them and with great force punched the puppets and shattered them into pieces.

"You're fast," replied Sasori. "I guess I'll just have to get serious."

Sasori brought out one of his better puppets. The Kazekage. (I think that's who it was.)

He began to use his iron sand. I took Sakura off guard and hit her arm as he dodged it. She fell to the ground. Her arm was dripping blood badly, but she stood up and continued to fight.

She tried to punch the puppet but it flew up into the air.

'It's too fast', she thought. 'I have to think up a plan.'

The puppet made some more Iron sand to hit her with and hit gave her another serious injury.

"You're not as fast as I thought", he said. 'This should be easy.'

He then had his Puppet make up a huge block of iron sand to crush her with. It began to fall toward her, but all she did was stand there. Then when the block was just about to crush her a smirk spread across her face. Right then the block hit the ground.

Sasori smirked thinking the battle was over. Then when he let his guard down, Sakura appeared behind him and punched him with all her strength.

His body shattered and revealed another body. It was his real form. He looked so young but his whole body was a puppet.

Sakura gasped in shock when she saw this. 'That body he had before was just a puppet.'

Sasori began to laugh. "Well you're not as easy as I thought you where, but there is no way you'll survive."

Then fire shot from his hands. Sakura was barely able to dodge it, but in the process she received a severe burn on her left side. Sakura fell to the ground from her injuries.

Then his puppet appeared behind her and held on to her. And well he held on to her a huge Iron block appeared above them and began to fall toward them.

Sakura tried to squirm and get away from him but he held her real tight and she was hurt still and she couldn't get away.

'Damn, what should I do?' thought Sakura frantically.

"You are so worthless and useless", said Sasori.

'You are so useless. It's you're fault he's gone. It's your fault he died.'

The block began to get closer to her. Right before the block hit Sakura closed her eyes and made some hand signs and her eyes darkened. Then there was a huge, loud Boom!

Right then Sasuke heard the noise and woke up. He came out of the tent to find out what happened, but he found that Sakura was gone.

'Shit", he mentally cursed. 'Where is she?'

Then he began to run toward where he heard the sound and he found a huge block of Iron sand in a huge crater in the ground.

He looked around a little more and spotted Sasori. "Akatsuki," Sasuke growled when he saw the robe and ring on Sasori.

'Oh no, where is Sakura?' he thought frantically.

Then he saw her lying still and badly injured a few feet from the boulder. 'Sakura!!'

Sasuke grew mad. Really mad. He ran toward Sasori who was approaching Sakura and caused his chidori to appear around his hand and he slammed it into Sasori's body.

Sasori's body burst into peaces. Then Sasuke ran over to Sakura to see if she was alive. He rolled her over and looked at her badly burned and scrapped body and Sasuke could have sworn that her hair was a little darker than usual. 'Damn', he cursed.

He began to gently shake Sakura and she opened her eyes and her hair returned to normal. Relief passed over his face briefly but was then replaced by anger.

"What the Hell where you doing", yelled Sasuke at Sakura. "You shouldn't have run of by yourself."

"Sorry", Sakura whispered in such a gentle weak voice it made Sasuke's heart beat faster. "Whatever", he replied and then laid her down. "Stay here."

Sasuke then began to walk toward Sasori's body to check it out. But then Sasori appeared behind Sasuke and was about to stab him. Sasori and summoned a puppet right before Sasuke used Chidori and transferred his body into it.

Right before Sasori stabbed Sasuke though he turned around and caught Sasori's blade.

"You'll pay for hurting her," yelled Sasuke in such a terrifying voice it would send even some of the strongest men running in fear.

Then curse marks on his neck began to spread and cover Sasuke's face. He then pulled out his Kusanagi and stabbed Sasori right in his purple heart. (I think it was a heart.)

After Sasori fell to the ground Sasuke went over to Sakura who was now unconscious. Sasuke picked her up and carried her back to their camp and laid her in her tent.

'Damnit, I couldn't protect her', he mentally cursed. He wasn't quite sure why he felt such a strong urge to protect her, but he did.

Sasuke stayed up all night watching over Sakura and taking care of her wounds the best he could.

Then the next morning Sakura woke up. She looked down and saw her bandaged wounds. Then she recalled the day before and knew it must have been Sasuke.

Sakura gathered up her strength and stood up and went outside to find Sasuke.

"What the Hell are you doing up", he yelled still very angry about her running off without telling him yesterday. Sakura cringed when he yelled this.

"You are such a burden to me. You're useless, and annoying."

Sakura hated those words. Those words always made her cry.

'You're useless.'

Tears sprang to her eyes and she struggled with all her strength to keep them to fall but it was useless. The tears began to fall like waterfalls.

Sasuke's heart stopped for a brief moment when he saw this. He was speechless.

Then Sakura, so full of hurt and anger, slapped Sasuke in the face.

Sasuke stood there shocked at her reaction. But then Sakura's hair began to darken again and Sasuke saw darkness cloud her eyes. She fell to the ground and grasped her head.

"Sakura," Sasuke said as he saw Sakura.

Sakura began to fall and Sasuke reached out to her and when he touched her she went back to normal and fainted into his arms. Just then Kabuto appeared.

"What happened," he asked as he saw Sakura.

"Take care of her first, then we'll talk," demanded Sasuke with a cold look.

"You certainly do care about her don't you Sasuke?"

"Not at all", he replied with a heartless look. "Orochimaru left her to me as all and I don't feel like dealing with him if she dies."

"Sure, sure", he replied and then took Sakura and treated her injuries and laid her down to sleep.

Well Sakura slept Sasuke explained what happened.

"By the way what are you doing here?" asked Sasuke with an uncaring voice.

"I'll explain when Sakura wakes up."

Right then Sakura came out of the tent and came over to them. "What are you doing here, Kabuto?" she asked.

"Well now that you're both here I'll explain. We are under attack at the hideout by Akatsuki."

Sasuke and Sakura stared in disbelief when they heard this.

'Oh no, are they after me too,' thought Sakura frantically.

"We need you guys at the base to help defend it," he continued with a serious look.

"We don't know what they want but Orochimaru said he needed you guys in particular. He sent me to retrieve you."

Sakura's eyes widened. 'They need me.'

A/N Sorry for the long delay but here's the next chapter. Please Review and I'll try to update soon. Well I hope you like it.