It was snowing just the same around this time last year. I remember this one time I was drinking hot chocolate in front of the living room television and I had a tacky, woolen sweater on that kept me warmer than a day in July. On the TV, there was this really crappy Christmas commercial with a Santa that was too skinny and a pinup girl that was too fat and they kept singing out of tune about a sale at Konoha's downtown shopping district. My mom was really eager to go.

I wasn't.

She nagged me like she always did and I told her that if that same commercial came on again this year, I would go with her. We would go spend the 12 days of Christmas shopping for presents for each other because it was always just the two of us. And we'd go last minute and get lost in the happy chaos of the holiday spirit and that would be how we would celebrate. That's how I imagined it this year.

But I haven't been watching TV lately, so I don't know if that commercial ran again.

And I haven't really been at home, so I don't know if my mom still wants to go.

And I haven't been drinking hot cocoa or wearing my tacky sweater or feeling warmer than a day in July.

And sometimes I find myself wondering what I, the old me – the girl who did all those things – would be doing right now at this very second.

As if in some parallel universe, that girl still existed.

The girl who would spend countless hours on the phone talking to her best friend. The girl who would slave over a research paper weeks before it's due only to finish the night before. The girl who thought the end of the world involved a bad hair day and mismatching shoes. The girl who secretly enjoyed those crappy Christmas commercials because they really put her into the Christmas mood.

Would she be strong enough to stand here and risk her life?

I doubt it.

And right now, a million thoughts are running through my mind. And a million other scenarios are sprouting out and scrambling my imagination. And a part of me wished that one of those scenarios would just take over the world and pull me into safety. That way, I could become that girl again and I could just sit at home with a nice cup of cocoa and watch TV and go shopping with my mom and just live a normal, average life. The life I once hated and took advantage of. The life I missed.

But that version of me is dead now.

And it has been for the longest time. So before the rest of me goes with it, I'd like to say:

Here lies the weak, cowardly Sakura Haruno.

She's gone now and she's never coming back.

[18] The Escape

Snowflakes stopped mid-air. Breathing ceased. The world slowed down.

The weight of her entire life was resting on these next few seconds.

Eyes were closed, but her ability to perceive everything was beyond amazing. Violent hissing of the winter air. Rosette locks slapping against her face. The energetic boom of a hero's voice…?

"Hey BASTARD! You're gonna let a teenage girl save you?"

The wounded vampire cringed at his words.

The shot was moving fast, but vampires moved faster.

Before Sakura knew it, the earth moved under her feet and she was on the ground, eating snow and feeling infinitely secure. A trickle of black landed on her cheek as she saw the face of a fallen angel. Sasuke pulled her down by the ankle and crouched protectively over her a split second before fatal impact, keeping her between him and the blanket of white. She ended up on her back from a movement her mind couldn't process.

In a flash, Naruto intervened, grabbing the deadly, airborne stake with one swift hand, an agile reflex. Sakura took a second to gawk in utter amazement.

He literally came out of nowhere.

"Naruto Uzumaki, saving the day once again!" he laughed carelessly, spinning the post like a baton. The laughter ended. The wood dropped from his grip. His fingertips were frying as the skin receded to his knuckles, igniting his bones. "Holy shit, that fucking BURNS."

The hunter cheered behind his mask. He couldn't believe his luck. The damned parasites were flocking together like absentminded sheep. Exactly what he wanted – Sasuke, he knew was a target from the beginning, Sakura the unsuspecting player for the wrong team, and Naruto, Count Hero?

That was a twist.

With rapid dexterity, he drew another stake from his belt and loaded it. His days of practice paid off as he easily took aim at the blonde who was flailing his hand in the air like a child – an scatterbrained, bloodsucking child. Peering down the line of his bow. Holding his breath.

Kakashi steadied.

Ready.

Set.

"…Holy water," a voice spoke from behind. "That would explain it."

Kakashi, dazed, lost balance, but reacted without pause. He urgently thrust the back end of his weapon to the presence following him; he failed to connect and only caught the air. Next up, hand-to-hand combat, an ANBU requirement; his hunting instincts were alive and well. Relentlessly, Kakashi spun around, sending a high, powerful kick to the intruder's face. On impulse, the intruder lifted his forearm, blocking the hunter's attack that moved in slow motion to his superior eyes. A thousand openings left Kakashi vulnerable as nimble hands jabbed at valued pressure points throughout the human's body.

He dropped to the ground in seconds.

His opponent reached into his pocket, retrieving a small, delicate vile of water. The boy swished it around and smelled the putrid sanctity of the liquid inside. He eyed an untouched stake, frozen over with a coat of acid, before saying, "The stakes are laced in holy water. Careful."

"Yeah thanks, Hyuuga. That's somethin' you gotta tell us sooner," Naruto pained, throwing his fist into the icy softness beneath him.

In the distance, Sasuke was on his hands and knees, producing deep, thunderous groans that shook the air. Sakura, still caged under him, winced at the desperation lining his voice. She silently yelped as the vampire fiercely took her hand and planted it on the stake; to her, it felt like soggy, iced wood and nothing more. With his hand covering hers, they yanked it out, but his trembling didn't stop there. Another hiss, he doubled over, bleeding wildly from the gaping hole. He coughed out another pint of blood into the snow.

"Sa-Sasuke!" She sat upright, taking all of his weight and gripping his charred hand. He squeezed back and leaned into her, devouring her scent. He earned comfort from her touch and he severely hated it.

He hated himself.

Protection from a human? It was disgusting. A weakness. Something utterly wrong.

She wasn't his safehaven, she wasn't his savior. She was a meal, a possession, and nothing more. It was the smell of her that was drawing him in, he convinced himself. There could be no other reason.

Neji and Naruto appeared next to them. Sakura acknowledged their presence, but she couldn't keep her vision straight. As the adrenaline faded, the snow towered around her. Teeth chattering, she asked, "W-What n-n-now?"

"We need to leave," Neji spoke gravely, tossing her his jacket. Sakura slid it on, but it didn't smell quite right. "We don't have time to sit around. More hunters could be headed this way. And the holy water is doing a quite number…"

"But what do we do with Mr. Stakes over there?" Naruto asked, rubbing his injured hand. "And where the hell did Bushy Brows come from?"

Sakura rummaged around for an explanation only to look at Sasuke who was in too much pain to speak.

"Sorry!" Suddenly, eyes were on Hinata, running this way. "I… tried to get here…as quickly as possible," Hinata panted, catching her breath. In her hand, she had her phone that carried a text from her cousin. When she regained composure, she quickly lost it again, traumatized by the bloodshed. "W-What happened?"

"Hunters."

She was shocked still. "H-Here? In Konoha?"

"I'll explain in more detail later, but I need you to take care of Lee. Send him to the nurse, the hospital, anywhere. He's a liability and we can't have him lying around. Naruto, get Sasuke. I'll take Kakashi."

Everyone dispersed except for the two sitting on the ground. Sakura was disheartened as Naruto inched closer, ready to take Sasuke from her arms. She fought the stiffness in her limbs as she stood with him. As Naruto reached out, Sasuke stubbornly pushed past the both of them, limping and gripping the hole in his chest. He stumbled despite his pride and Naruto sped over to stabilize him.

"What the- Do you wanna crawl home, tough guy? We're trying to help you."

"I never…asked for your help," Sasuke spat lowly, shoving his friend away for the second time. 'Not from you. Not from Sakura…' Naruto tumbled backwards into the snow as Sasuke kept on marching with faltering steps.

"Sasuke!" Sakura yelled. "What's your problem!"

"You," Sasuke hissed, gripping his chest for dear life. "This wouldn't have fucking happened…if you stayed out of it."

"What th' hell are you mad at her for?" Naruto pushed himself off the ground with guns blazing. "Stop being a DICK and use your head! Sakura was freezing her ass off to risk saving YOURS!"

"WHO THE FUCK SAID I NEEDED TO BE SAVED!"

"OH MY BAD, I DIDN'T KNOW YOU HAD IT COVERED, DYING ON THE FLOOR LIKE THAT."

"HEY! 'If people are trying to protect you, appreciate it,' Sound familiar, Sasuke?" Sakura quoted sternly, stomping over to Sasuke and standing face to face.

"Tch…I only said that to shut you up."

"Well, I am NOT shutting up, so you better learn to appreciate ME, YOU SELF-IMPORTANT ASSHOLE!" she roared, placing her hands on her hips. Naruto gawked at Sakura's dauntlessness because, for a human, she was either a moron or a genius to stand up to a raging vampire with an oversized ego. "And where the hell do you get off being such a JERK? If it weren't for me or Naruto, you'd be DEAD. Like DEAD, DEAD. So appreciate THAT."

Sasuke, looking murderous and spiteful, scowled.

"If you have a death wish, that's fine with me… It's your fucking funeral."

He moved past her and used his last bit of strength to take a pathetic step, but he could only keep up the painless façade for so long. A scorching pang shot through him, making him fumble, and unfortunately into her arms. He flinched with every unbearable tremble and Sakura gripped him tight, feeling the fabric of his coat slip between her fingers.

She wasn't going to let go.

"Deny it all you want, Sasuke," her tone softened. "…you need our help."

"…"

Shit, he hated himself.

He was growing limp and weighty when Naruto took one of his arms and threw it over his shoulder. They walked and Sakura unwound as Sasuke's new keeper made the action look effortless. As they trudged to the back gate that led to the parking lot, Naruto gave Sakura a little wink for her frank outburst; it looked like Naruto wasn't the only one with guts around here. Sakura returned the flattering gesture and trailed the two. They met with Neji and Hinata who were planning the next move.

"I'll call Ko. He can drive us to the hospital," Hinata offered, tapping the screen of her phone.

"Go without us. We can't get too many people there involved," Neji stated, eyeing Sasuke's poor condition. He leaned the unconscious Lee against the chain-linked fence and kept Kakashi balanced on his shoulder.

"I-I don't think I can carry Lee by myself."

"Ko will help you. We can meet you after."

Hinata nodded and spoke into the receiver.

Neji turned to address the rest of the group. "In the meantime, we will find another way to get home..."

"Why can't your driver just drop us off at your place?" Naruto asked.

"It's out of the way and Lee is in critical condition; we don't have the time to waste. Besides, Sasuke still has his car in the parking lot. Isn't that right, Uchiha?"

Sasuke had his head hanging, bangs covering his face, but Sakura knew his expression wasn't a pleasant one. One, he was just verbally bitched slapped by a girl. And two, his precious Oto-Viper was going to be covered in blood, grime, and murky water, but as of now, he was in too much anguish to argue otherwise. Gingerly, he reached into his back pocket and Naruto was thrilled to see the glamorous shine from the Viper's keys.

"Oooh, I'll drive!"

Sasuke quickly tossed them to Neji, but recoiled from the aching aftermath.

"WHAT? Why the hell does he get to drive?"

Neji snatched the keys mid-air and twirled them fabulously. "We all know you're a terrible driver, Naruto."

"Says the guy with a chauffeur! Do you even know how to drive?"

"Guys! Can we just go?" Sakura chimed in. "It's freezing… Plus, the last bell's gonna ring any minute now. And if that happens…" She looked to Lee, then Kakashi, then to Sasuke. "…We're really screwed."

"Fine…" Naruto jutted out his bottom lip and crossed his arms. "But I call shotgun! Heheheh…"

"Rghh…," Sasuke grumbled, drooping his head even lower.

"Ko's on his way," Hinata announced. "W-We'll be okay from here."

"Then…," Neji started, activating his Byakugan to survey their route. "Shall we?"

.

The stress simmered down as they set off, meeting the snowstorm head on. Hinata, along with Konoha High, vanished in the rearview mirror. The roads were clogged with ice, pushing Neji to drive slower than usual. After some time, they reached the heart of the city and they soon trickled to a stop as traffic congested the streets. Naruto toyed with the dashboard as hisses of intermittent radio stations buzzed through. Sakura, in the backseat, rested against the car door, letting Sasuke take up the remaining space. He was barely awake and desperately needed blood and rest.

In the meantime, he decided to take advantage of his makeshift pillow.

"What are you doing?" Sakura whispered. Her cheeks flushed as he pushed his back against her. Sasuke nestled comfortably, taking her warmth for himself.

"Resting," he answered plainly, keeping one hand planted on his wound. Hesitant at first, she adjusted herself behind him and his head lowered onto her lap. His entire body relaxed and his eyes closed; deep exhale, then completely still. With their intimate backseat tendencies in mind, her fingers got lost in his hair. She started playing with his wispy, midnight spikes and the fringe framing his face. She couldn't stop staring. At a time like this, he had a quiet splendor to his features, something peaceful and gorgeous; it was like the killer inside him melted away.

But with every deadly flare and blinding rage, was that even possible with Sasuke? Just when she thought they were making progress, just when she thought they were becoming better friends…

He snapped.

And everything fell into ruins after that.

"Thank God you found us," Sakura commented, keeping her heartbroken eyes on her sleeping prince. "I…I don't know what would've happened if you guys didn't show up."

"Well, it was no coincidence." Neji kept his gaze on the road. "Sasuke was absent last period even though I caught a glimpse of him in the hallway. Something was bound to happen."

"But no one ever goes to that football field. Some students don't even know it exists…but you knew." She squinted her eyes, thinking. "You knew exactly where we were."

"…Because I saw everything."

Sakura's eyes went wide. If Neji saw, there's no telling who else could've seen. "H-How?"

"The Byakugan, the all-seeing eye. A vampire trait, so no need to worry."

"A vampire technique, of course…," Sakura relaxed. "Sasuke never told me vampires have that ability…"

"Not all do. Exclusive to only the Hyuuga clan. It gives us an incredible field of vision with a degree of telescopic sight. Hinata should know about it."

"That must be really useful," Sakura admired, fancying the potential of this Byakugan. "How about you, Naruto? The Uzumaki clan? What kind of eye technique do they have?"

Neji smirked.

"Nothing!" Naruto fumed. "Stupid ancestors messed up the gene pool."

"The Senju clan, the Uzumaki clan's relatives, had the Rinnengan. But they were very very distant relatives, so the trait died along the way," Neji clarified.

"Way to rub it in, asswipe," Naruto grumbled under his breath. "But I don't need special googly eyes to be a badass! Right, Sakura?" He turned in his seat and flashed a heroic smile.

Sakura chuckled. "Suuure, let's go with that."

"Oi, oi! I saved your life TWICE. I think I deserve a reward for this…" He scratched the invisible stubble on his chin and took a dramatic pause.

Sakura played along. "Mmm, what kind of reward? Would a 'thank you' be okay?"

"How 'bout…hmm… I don't know… a kiss?" He pointed to his whiskered cheek. "Right here! Plant one on m–AGH!" Naruto violently jerked forward and choked behind the seatbelt the second someone kicked the back of his chair. "Whatha f–"

"Shut up, Naruto," Sasuke murmured resentfully. "…You're so… loud." Sakura raised her brow as Sasuke snuggled his face closer before falling into a static state.

"I WASN'T THE ONLY ONE TALKING HERE!" Naruto spat wildly. "Feh, you're such a jealous bastard. I was only joking around…"

Sasuke didn't say anything, seemingly undeterred by Naruto's banter. The blonde muttered curses before finally finding a radio station and settling into his seat. The rapid tempo of the song scattered the mood and the beat of her heart. Carefully, Sakura played with Sasuke's hair again and noticed the disturbed expression still haunting his face.

First Lee, now Naruto… Sakura twisted locks of his hair around her finger, nervous with thought. If he was in the right condition, would he have slaughtered Naruto too?

Is he really jealous?

Gradually, the muscles in his face relaxed. He appeared passive, back to his normal, emotionless self. Putting the issue behind him.

Or maybe he really is just a light sleeper…

Sakura sighed heavily.

Was it wrong that a little piece of her was rooting for his twisted sense of jealousy?

The car bounced over a mound of snow. Sakura whipped her head around at the sound of a startling thump behind her. Despite the blasting heat, she shivered.

"Are you sure it's okay that we put Kakashi in the trunk?"

"It's not like he'll wake up," Naruto answered, bored from watching the snow fall around them. "Neji's got it covered."

"He'll wake up hours from now, at the very least, giving us plenty of time to strategize." Even so, he shifted uncomfortably in the driver's seat.

Hunters were back in town. Lifers were getting involved. Sasuke needed to recover. Konoha was falling to shit. They were back to traveling at 5 miles-an-hour in the impossible city traffic.

And not the mention the snow was getting worse.

Neji gripped the wheel and narrowed his cloudless eyes at the red light before them.

"…If we ever make it home, that is."

Hinata was left with damage control.

With a glove in place, Hinata picked out a forgotten stake covered in snow. Timidly, she tapped the edge of the wood with a naked hand. A tiny sprinkle of heat, but generally harmless. She wiped her forehead; it was good to know that, in her case, holy water wasn't as toxic. Focusing on the clean-up, she kicked powdered frost over the spots splattered in black and red, secretly hoping the continuing blizzard would do the rest.

"Hinata? What are you doing out here?"

Mr. Asuma, draped with winter attire, had a blazing cigarette at his fingers. Hinata hid the stake behind her back and cursed her dumb luck. She needed an excuse and fast, but she wasn't good at thinking logically under pressure; that was Neji's job.

"N-Nothing." The best she could come up with.

"Doesn't look like nothin'," he answered, smoke rushing from his lips. "Did you hear the final bell go off?"

"O-Oh, yeah. I just heard it," she lied, shuffling the powder under her feet.

"Ahh… It was 20 minutes ago. You know it's Friday, why don't you go home?"

'Why don't you?,' she thought instantly – he didn't seem like he was in a hurry to go home, either – but sweet Hinata Hyuuga would never speak such a quick retort to a teacher.

"I…am going home. My ride is coming. He…um, normally picks me up here."

Asuma was wary of her odd behavior. He strained to see the back gate, the only outlet to the parking lot. Hinata instantly regretted speaking. Lee was still lying by the gate and if he sees him–

"Miss Hinata!" Ko called, waving from the chain-linked fence. She noticed he was alone, no suggestion of a green jumpsuit anywhere. Relief never felt so marvelous.

"Huh, how 'bout that…" Asuma said. "You should get going."

Hinata nodded and promised a raise for Ko in the near future. She waved a quick goodbye before running, legs feeling unreal in the obtrusive snow. When Ko and Hinata were in contact, she took a minute to catch her breath.

"Is…Lee…," was all she could get out.

"In the car. Ready to be taken to the hospital, Miss Hinata."

"Thank you," she breathed out, dread slowly leaving her system.

.

Asuma received one fleeting glance and he waved from across the field before heading inside. He scratched the bottom of his boots against the tattered mat and said, "Well, he's not out there…but I could've sworn I saw him going in this direction. He was in a hurry, I know that much."

"Where does this hallway lead to?" asked Yamato, peering into a discarded room.

"Nowhere. This is the restricted part of the school." Asuma tapped the end of his cigarette. "Vacant classrooms, foul custodian closets. All from nasty budget cuts. Though I don't see why Kakashi would be anywhere near here."

"Something tells me that boy's gotten himself into a pickle," Chiyo said, listening to an aching chill in her bones. Her body never lied to her before.

"Damn right, he's in a pickle. He stole one of my crossbows," Yamato seethed, a very rare moment for him. "It was a new one, too. Ahh, he's going to ruin the finish, my hard work–"

"A crossbow? What for?"

"Don't you know?" Chiyo's face went serious. "Vampires, boy."

"Pfft, vampires, this shit again." Asuma threw back his shoulders in mocking laughter. "Yamato, ANBU higher-ups announced it themselves: There are no vampires in Konohagakure. What's done is done." The cigarette stub reached the floor and suffocated under his foot. "When are you going to let it go?"

"They only said that because the vampires in Konoha have close ties to the Kages. ANBU was running scared and had no other choice but to shut down operations."

"And you and grandma think it's wise to go against their call…" Asuma shook his head disapprovingly. "You're insane. The both of you. ANBU will silence you before the vampires even get a crack at it. The Unit likes operating in secret and with you guys going rogue, you'll blowing their cover."

"But that's the point. If we get the Kages' attention, we can take them down. They're hiding in the shadows just as much as the Unit is and if this keeps up, neither side will ever see the light," Yamato preached, earnest and true. "THIS was the purpose of ANBU. To rid the world of vampires, mass murders who are getting away with their crimes every single day."

"Alright, how much is Kakashi paying you to spew this bullshit?"

"This isn't about the money, Asuma! It's about righting a wrong! Justice! Can you understand that?"

"I understand that you've gone off the deep end," Asuma threw his hands up in defeat and headed back. "I don't know what kind of shit Kakashi's giving you, but he's been going on and on about this ever since he took the job here…"

"Because this high school is teeming with ex-operatives. If we get them all together, we have a shot–"

"This is why you came here? To rally support? No. Hell no. Hell fucking no. Kurenai and I dropped that life years ago and we're building a new life – a normal life with normal jobs with a normal family…," Asuma choked as turned one final time without looking back. "…Keep us out of it."

Then, he was out of sight.

"Heh, I hope your other colleagues react better than that coward," Chiyo muttered callously.

"He's not a coward, he's just needs some convincing…they all do," Yamato defended, running his fingers through his hair. "This is why we need to find Kakashi, he can convince anyone. He understands the gravity of the situation like no one else can believe. And with you on our side, Lady Chiyo, we can't fail."

"Where did this optimism come from?"

"Late nights… soul searching…" He punted a clump of plaster as they headed back to the lobby. "It feels good to have a purpose, Lady Chiyo. And this isn't a purpose I'm willing to pass up. It's a chance that comes once in a lifetime, the chance to finish what we've started."

"God will always give you a purpose, Yamato. All you need to do is listen for your calling."

"To be honest, I'm not much of a believer," he confessed, bashfully scratching his cheek. "But maybe this is my calling."

"It's God's plan. He works in mysterious ways…"

"I believe life just happens."

"God is the creator of life and all who live it…"

"Let's just agree to disagree," he sighed. "Once we find Kakashi, we can present our plan to the rest of the operatives and we can start up a real hunting party… and then maybe I can get my bow back."

It was dark by the time they arrived.

Sakura stirred in her unexpected sleep as the car stalled to a stop. When she woke, her neck felt stiff, but she was relieved to see Sasuke still resting peacefully on her lap. Neji opened the door and ushered them out of the car; Sasuke, barely conscious, leaned against him. Naruto popped the trunk opened and threw the limp body over his shoulder.

"Where…are we?" Sakura asked, recovering from her drowsy stupor. She rubbed her eyes, but she only saw darkness besides the white on the ground. This street was void of any lights; no streetlights, porch lights. Even the neighbors were cloaked in black. It was creepy.

"The Uchiha Manor." Neji started towards the door. "But I'm sure you've heard of this place before. Konoha's infamous Dead End?"

Sakura stopped dead in her tracks. "We're at the Dead End? Sasuke lives here?"

"Me too. I'm sorta renting a room," Naruto added, following the group.

Sakura was wide awake at this point and her eyes were finally adjusting. She remembered seeing this place the night of the party, the night she died and without a doubt, she remembered: it was the mother of all haunted houses – the one that stood in the shadows, nerve-wracking and fear-provoking. The Vampires were living at a dead end. The dead end.

In a way, it seemed fitting.

In the distance, the stately residence dominated the ghastly horizon. Darkened skeletons of bare, dying trees sprung up from the curb. The yard was vast and fenced off by elegant iron fencing that appear rusted and aged. The whole estate had an age-old sophistication to it, a kind of style Sakura could never fully appreciate without learning its history.

When they neared the porch, she had a view of the house up-close. Pieces of the handrails were broken off. Windows were cracked, crushed, and in some cases, missing completely. The paint job was withering away with time. The stairs creaked as they stepped to the entrance and Sakura's mind went haywire with images of caskets and linen-lined coffins lying far and wide – ubiquitous and essential. The spider webs on every ceiling, pentagrams drawn in blood, flaming candles oozing wax. Decaying corpses in every room, limbs and blood.

Death. Everywhere.

The perfect vampire house, she imagined.

A chill ran down her spine.

"I'll go ahead and bring Sasuke to his room," Neji called out, entering before them. "Don't wait up." He walked into the teeming darkness and he vanished into the black unknown of the Uchiha Manor. And Sasuke was then gone out of her sights, just like that.

"Sakura, you comin' in?" Naruto held the door open with his foot. She hesitated, but the hinges creaked terribly as she closed the door behind her. She heard hallow footsteps grow faint, but she stood planted, terrified of what could be right in front of her.

"I…can't see anything…"

"Oh, right. Hahaha. Sorry, forgot you were human for a sec." A snap, the lights flickered on and settled to a glistening shine. "There we go."

She froze. There we go, indeed.

Polished marble floors were under her feet. Not heaps of gory insides, shredded skin, or rotting flesh. Patterned. Expensive. Marble floors.

The house was as deceiving as the person who owned it.

"We don't really use the lights much 'cause we can kinda see in dim lighting," Naruto laughed, scratching the back of his head with his free hand. "So, uh, sorry if they're sorta shitty."

The foyer greeted her with a sparking crystal chandelier; it touched a chapel-high ceiling that seemed light-years away. The crystal branches reached down to earth, so close, she could almost reach up to feel them. A massive staircase was beyond the lighting fixture, a scene worthy of a royal palace. Or maybe this was a royal palace; the sheer enormity of the house was staggering.

The beauty of it was out of this world.

There was no way in hell this place, or anything within it, could be "sorta shitty."

Sakura was too captivated to respond.

"Sooo…I'll be out back if ya need me," Naruto offered with Kakashi still unconscious on his shoulder. "Take a look around and if you get lost, just scream or something. I'll hear ya, no problem."

"Right…scream...sure."

He became a rushed blur and disappeared, leaving her alone to take in the space for herself.

Sakura didn't know where to go first; which part of Sasuke's domain deserved the pleasure of her company? An impressive archway led to a plush, carpeted room on the right and another equally-impressive archway led to a lavished dining room to the left.

But then again, those stairs looked so inviting.

Sakura placed a finger on the intricately carved banister as she ascended; no hint of dust anywhere. She stopped at the second floor and saw the staircase continued for another two stories – jaw-dropping. From where she stood, an expertly detailed oil painting trapped her eyes. It hung above the front door and it was double in size.

Sheathed behind thick glass, bordered by an onyx frame. A firm, stoic man sat on a velvet throne. His legs were crossed and his face screamed with power and supremacy – like a king. The only things missing were his crown and scepter. There was a stunning woman standing beside his throne; her petite hand rested on the man's shoulder. She had flowing black hair that made Sakura feel a twinge of jealousy. No doubt, she was his queen. Her subtle smile was brightest part of the painting. A young man stood on the other side with a face that matched his father, but hair that matched his mother; he had the face of a prince.

Then, in front of the young man, there was a boy – a boy who stared back with eyes that flowed with ephemeral life. In the portrait, he was fair-skinned, but nowhere near as pale as the rest of his family. Nowhere near his current, older, cheerless self. There was something more human about him back then. The slight flush in his cheeks, the humanity in his smile. Whatever happened, he was a seemingly perfect blend of a beautiful bloodline.

He still is.

And this was Sasuke's world.

Sasuke's family.

A clan of beautiful murders.

'I wonder if I'll run into them,' Sakura thought, now cautious of where she treaded. She entered an expansive hallway, wide-eyed and marveled. The spotless flooring withstood her worn-out sneakers and she caught her reflection in the tiles' shine. Coral hair exceedingly unkempt, tired bags pulling at the bottoms of her eyes. The black blood crusting onto her plain, maroon sweater.

Among the curtained walls, the countless paintings, the antiques, the riches, the gold.

She did not belong here, in this house.

Or anywhere close to it.

I wonder if they'd even like me…

.

In less than an hour, aimless wandering turned into panicked strides.

Am I walking around in circles?

Sakura recalled taking a left past an exotic potted plant, then a right at a grotesque statue, and then another left into a corridor covered with intricate rugs. When she saw the same statue in her way, her inner compass spun wildly out of control.

I seriously need a map to this place…

After feeling a wave of stress, she saw a set of double doors stood welcoming her to come through.

'What are the chances of a map being in here…,' she thought dryly, reaching for the handle. So far, she has seen at least four vacant guest rooms, three pristine bathrooms, two sumptuous sitting rooms, but this was her favorite room by far.

The study.

The entire room was dim, but she expected nothing less. Sakura followed the path of a deep-burgundy runner that stretched straight ahead. Towers of books, ageless archives of the past, flanked her as she went. At the end of the carpeted trail, there was a sturdy desk accompanied by a velvet throne, the king's throne from the portrait. It was more impressive in person.

"Wow, I would find you in the library," Naruto laughed playfully, closing the doors behind him. He slapped his palms together, implying a job well done. "You really are a nerd, Sakura."

"Can it, Naruto. You obviously don't understand the magic of a good book if you can't enjoy the library," she retorted, inspecting the collection with wondrous eyes.

"Yeahhh, you got me. Books aren't my thing," he sighed, falling onto the velvet-cushioned windowsill. "I'm more a video game person myself, but wha'ever."

He saw her light up like a kid in a candy store when she cracked open a book. Her glistening eyes moved in quick-time, taking in every word with rushing excitement. In a beat, she would place it back on the shelf and look for another one to skim through. Naruto tilted his head to the side and raised an eyebrow.

"Why do you like books so much?"

Sakura raised her gaze from a worn-out journal before answering. "Hmm, I guess books are an escape for me," she stated, flipping through browning pages. "For a while, I don't have to be Sakura… I don't have to be me. I don't have to deal with all the drama or school work or stress. It's an escape. It's…an amazing thing, Naruto."

He found himself smiling. "You know…Sasuke likes spending a lot of time in here, too."

"He does?" For some reason, that was a shock to her.

"Yup, he's sits in that chair every day, except when he's getting his butt kicked by me in video games, hahaha!" His laugh was booming and wholesome; for that reason, it made an even bigger impact when it diminished faster than expected. The light in his eyes turned off.

"I never really got why he'd be up here all the time, but maybe it's like you said. Maybe Sasuke needed an escape…"

All of a sudden, the air shifted between them. Sakura has never seen Naruto so serious before. The expression on his face was tugging at her heartstrings and she could only imagine why. She flipped a page from an ancient medical journal, but found herself losing concentration. She tried not to think too much of it, about Sasuke's need for an escape. Because what did that even mean? He was and will be young and beautiful for centuries to come. He lives in a palace with riches on top of riches on top of even more riches. He has a stunning family and a circle of friends. Sure, he had his issues, but all vampires did.

He wasn't alone.

So, why would he possibly want an escape from such a perfect existence?

"Ne, Sakura. Did he ever tell you… that he tried to kill himself?"

"What?" she gasped, colors draining from her face the second he spoke. She was unable to picture it. And would never want to bring herself to. The gravity of his words kept her frozen in time and space. Then, the thud of her book hitting the ground brought her back to life.

"I know what you're thinking. 'Sasuke would never do that! He's too proud.' That's funny 'cause that's what I thought too. That's what everyone thought…" With a downcast look, Naruto gripped the cushions underneath him. "That's why I stay here – so he doesn't do anything stupid. I know it looks like it should be the other way around–"

Her eyes were wide with fear. "W-Why are you telling me this… all of a sudden…"

"Because I think you should know, Sakura…," he answered delicately. "Sasuke's broken. He's so messed up. And I don't mean just today. He's been like this ever since…" He choked on his thought. "It's like he forgot what it was like to be normal."

"You can't fix what isn't broken. This is who I am."

"His damage is a part of him now and it has been for a really long time," Naruto said sincerely. Sakura swallowed hard. "And I don't know what's been going on between you guys, today or for the past few months…But I think you can help him. I really think you can make him better. But to fix him, you gotta know what the pieces are, right?"

"C'mon, Naruto. I think Sasuke made it perfectly clear that he doesn't want help," Sakura said sullenly, picking the journal off the floor. "From anyone."

"Bah! Don't let him get to you; it's like you said! He does need our help. His head is too far up his ass to admit it."

"Okay, but I tried to help him. And granted, it was working for a while… but he's unpredictable. He just went berserk and exploded into this crazy, psychotic mass of angry emotion."

"See? He's jealous! That's a good start!"

Sakura laughed bitterly. "'Good start'? And I never said it was jealousy…"

"Did you see the way he kicked my chair? The bastard RAGED with jealousy. And when he gets like that, that's Sasuke-speak for 'I care about you.' And it's pret-ty obvious he cares." Naruto winked.

"Naruto…," Sakura sighed, feeling her face growing hot.

"Listen, I tried helping him too, for years, and no progress. Nada, absolutely nothing. And then the second you walk in, BAM, he's all over you! He's done listening to me. But you're like a breath of fresh air. No one ever tries to stand up to him, besides me, of course."

"I think you're giving me too much credit." Sakura returned the journal to the book shelf and took a seat by the window. Naruto reached over and grabbed her by the shoulders. He stared into her emerald eyes with such driven ardor.

"Just try, Sakura. Tryyy."

"I did tr–"

"Try harder," he urged.

"But I did! Do you know how frustrating this is?" she countered, her voice strained and rising. "I want to help and I try over and over again to reach him, but he doesn't want to let me in."

"Then force your way in!" Naruto jumped up and cheered with passion. "You can do it. It'll work, believe it!"

"How do you know?" she asked, questioning the boy's determined certainty. "Unless you can predict the future, I doubt that you'd possibly know–"

"Because ever since he met you, he stopped locking himself up in here. He doesn't need books anymore, 'cause he has you," Naruto spoke, resolve melting around him:

"You're his escape, Sakura!"

She froze.

"And he doesn't want to be that guy anymore. He WANTS to change and he wants YOU to help him, but he can't say it out loud because he's too much of a self-important asshole, as someone very wise once put it."

Sakura rested her head against the chilled glass and absorbed Naruto's request. Four stories below them, in the midst of the frost, she could see the scene replaying in front of her: Kakashi, armed and deadly. Sasuke, damaged before the encounter even began. And then here she came, rushing in and standing before him. Defending him. Protecting him. Saving him?

"I can fix you!"

Sakura placed her hand on the window and felt the moment slip away.

But… can I really?

"Ya know, you're a lot stronger than you think," Naruto said, half way out the door. She didn't even realize he left his spot. "Not everyone could handle the shit you had to go through. You really aren't like most people, Sakura, and I think that bastard knows it.

You just gotta remind him some more."

Hinata was starting to hate hospitals. And that was an amazing feat in itself because she rarely hated anything. She watched anxiously as the doctor assessed Lee's wounds. The ligaments in his wrists were torn. Cheekbone, shattered from a massive blow to the face. Hints of frostbite on his fingers and toes.

"We're prepping him for surgery," Tsunade reported, monitoring his colorful vitals displayed on the monitor. "His face…"

"It's…bad, isn't it?" Hinata spoke softly.

"Worse. It's like someone took a hammer and beat him in the face with it…" Even if we both know that's not what happened here. Tsunade sidestepped the nurses wheeling the patient into the hall. When they were out of earshot, she closed the door and talked through a whisper. "Are you sure hunters were involved in this?"

"Y-Yes."

"And holy water was involved?"

She nods.

"I never thought I'd see the day…the Unit and the Church, working together." Tsunade's face scrunched up in disapproval. With the two leading organizations in vampire destruction working together, this only made her life, and everyone else's, that much harder.

"What should we do?"

"Prepare ourselves," she stated with an overwhelming amount of authority and trepidation. Hinata shuddered as she watched a woman who seemed so strong and unshakable act like the end of the world was staring them in the eye.

Tsunade's thoughts were scrambling.

"Holy water corrodes still cells like no other acid on Earth. It can spread throughout the body, delaying recovery to the point where recuperation may not even be an option. It can travel through life-plasma and funnel into the heart… or so I've heard. I've never seen it being used before."

"But this is all just speculation," Hinata said, trying to bring some hopefulness into the room. "Sasuke…could still live, right?"

"Depends on the wound," she said painfully, as if she were the one shot in the chest. "Depends on how deep, how close it is to the heart, how long the stake's been lodged in his body. The prognosis… isn't favorable." Tsunade lowered her gaze. "It's certainly a possibility, Hinata… and I don't know if there's anything I can d–"

"B-but when I got there, the stake was pulled out! And, and it missed his heart by a few inches, I-I don't know how deep…but…," Hinata held back a sob and heard her voice turn into desperate pleas. "I-If Sasuke expires, Sakura would be…"

Eternally heartbroken, plagued with everlasting sorrow. She would forever be known as the girl who made a fatal mistake, the girl who fell in love with a vampire.

Tsunade already knew what would happen if Sasuke passed. It would destroy Sakura.

It would ruin her.

And in the silence, they both vowed they would never let that happen. The woman straightened her posture in a vain attempt to hide the grief. She slowly asked, "Is Sakura with him?"

Hinata sniffled. "I-I think so…" Then with a thought came a smile. "Sakura's…always with him."

"…Then I don't think he'll expire any time soon."

The Escape

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