Ok, spelling errors my bad. Sorry this is short and uneventful. I didn't want to make too much of them getting to the building. I want all the main events to happen IN the building.

Shall we continue on with this?

Living in the Shadows

(Paranoid Part Two)

Sakura jumped from tree to tree on her way to the city gates. She was nervous and excited all at the same time. She was so glad that she got paired with Sasuke but, that also meant her flaws would show even more. This time she didn't have Naruto around to mess up for her.

When she got there she saw Sasuke already talking to someone. She stopped behind Sasuke. "Am I late?" She asked.

Sasuke ignored her. He and the other man were in a deep conversation. After a while Sasuke did turn around and the man left.

"Kakashi left out some important facts." Sasuke said.

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "Important facts? Like what?"

Sasuke turned back around and began to walk out of the city gates. He explained as they walked.

"Besides that place being a maze, it supposedly filled with traps, and we don't even know what's in there. So, we could get lost so I suggest you stay close." Sasuke said.

Sakura blushed. "That won't be a problem." She ran up to him and smiled. "If you say so." She said innocently.

He glanced back for a quick moment his face expressionless. "Try…" he paused.

Sakura held her breath. "What's he going to say?! Try to wait! Try to stay as close as possible?! Try to fall into his strong arms?!"

"Could you, try not to walk so closely though?"

Sakura's mouth dropped open. "Huh?"

Sasuke stopped and turned around. "If something should attack, we wouldn't be able to defend ourselves because you're so close. We'd end up falling over each other."

Sakura backed up a little staring down at the floor to avoid having to look at him. Her cheeks burned a bright pink matching that of her own hair. "Oh, sorry" she said softly. It hadn't even been two whole minutes yet and she already screwed up.

Uh, hey there Miss Smooth talker. You're suppose to be charming not a freaking stalker. But either way who is he to talk to you like Mr. Know-it-all?

"Shut up, I just got too excited; I wouldn't want him to get hurt. He wasn't being Mr. Know-it-all, ok? He was just looking out for us."

Whatever you say.

Sasuke turned back around sliding his hands smoothly into his pockets. He mentally scolded himself. Those weren't the words he had intended to say. In all reality he wanted her that close, maybe even closer. He had intended to say "try and stay as close as you can, I don't want you to get hurt". Maybe not that word for word. But it was what he was thinking. But some how, when he opened his mouth to say the words, they had transformed into something totally different. He just couldn't do it, not now.

They walked in silence for the remainder of the two hours, Sakura trailing behind her eyes still focused on the dirt ground. Sasuke stayed ahead not bothering to look back. He was actually afraid to. Incase he got another idea to say something, he didn't want to risk his words being changed again into something worst then what he had said before.

Just when Sakura's legs were tempted to give way and collapse a speck of building rose up in between a thick screen of trees. The building looked all but welcoming and sent shivers down her back. She even thought for a second that it looked similar to the one before but shook off the thought. The last one crumbled above their heads! How could she have forgotten that?

Sasuke took a deep breath and looked back at Sakura. "You ready?" he asked.

She meant to say yes, to sound brave and determined but instead she slumped down and fell to the floor. Crossing her legs she groaned. "Sasuke, could we rest a bit before we go in?" she asked.

He raised an eyebrow. "The buildings right there Sakura, why rest now?"

She patted her legs. "They hurt." She told him.

He looked at the building and then back at her. "Sakura, its right there." He said annoyed. He was only about a mile or so from his mission. This could be all over with soon if she'd get up. As much as he liked her he wanted to yank her up and tell her to have more endurance. He was dreading this mission for some reason. He felt as if something bad was going to happen and all he wanted to do was get it over with. But as he stared at Sakura who was now messaging her legs it was obvious she wasn't ready to get up and there was no point in trying to convince her to. He sighed.

"Fine, we'll need our strength later anyway. Just, get out of the middle of the road; we wouldn't want anyone to see us."

Sakura looked up. "Who would be spying? You don't think the murderer is still around do you?" She asked suddenly getting up quickly.

Sasuke shrugged. "It's possible but, any one could cause the mission to fail." He walked towards the edge of the road and into the forest making sure the building didn't get lost in the thick of green leaves. Sakura followed.

"We'll wait here till night. It'll be easier to hide should we need to." Sasuke said putting down his bag and sitting down on the trunk of a tree. Sakura sat down beside him though making sure to keep her distance.

They say there in complete, almost awkward, silence before she stole a glance at Sasuke. He had his eyes closed now and looked relaxed but she knew him to well to be fooled. He was fully alert; he could be dead asleep and still be on guard. She sighed inwardly. Sometimes she wished she could take that away. It was good for battling and for situations when he was in danger but, she wished she could take away his stress. And even though he'd never admit that he felt pain, she knew better. After all he was only human. She wanted to free him whatever that meant.

"Oh, Sasuke. If only you would let me…" Sakura thought her eyes locked onto his handsome dark features.

She shook her head lightly, closed her eyes, and fell asleep. Sasuke then allowed himself to slightly open his eyes and peek at her. He had felt her turquoise eyes fixed upon his face. He was tempted to look back, to ask her what she was staring at. He wasn't anything worth staring at. But, he liked the sensation, the feeling knowing that her attention was on him. He closed his eyes again.

Sakura slowly opened her eyes as she felt someone lightly shake her. Her sleep filled vision cleared and she saw Sasuke leaning over her. "What's wrong?" she asked rubbing her eyes and yawning.

He stood up straight. "It's time to go." He said.

She looked at him and then at the sky. It appeared as it had just turned night. She looked back as Sasuke. "Did you, get any sleep at all. Any rest?" she asked.

He shrugged. "I'm fine. We need to go." He picked up his bag and slung it over his shoulder.

Sakura lazily got up dusting herself off. She picked up her bag and nodded. "I'm ready." She said yawning.

He eyed her a while. He wasn't too sure if he should waste more time to let her wake up, or send her straight into the mission half way asleep. He decided to go on; she would wake up after the mile walk to the building. He felt as if they had already taken up too much time. He couldn't explain it but, it felt as if someone was watching. Waiting.

They began walking towards the building, the night growing darker and darker with every step and the building growing taller with it until they were only yards in front of it. They walked towards the door and stopped in front of it. Sasuke paused for a moment and ran his hand across the dried blood. Red stains splattered every where on the wall as if someone had purposely dragged the bloody bodies along the wall as some sort of sick game. Sakura frowned but couldn't tear her eyes from the stains. It was proof that whoever did this was wicked in some sort of way. They didn't just kill them…they had slaughtered the poor ninja. Sakura shivered. She didn't want to in all of a sudden. She was afraid. Fear seemed to rush from her thoughts and through her veins.

Sasuke looked at Sakura the sense of danger overwhelming him. He had a feeling this was something more then just a little "look in to" mission. It went a lot deeper. Sasuke simply said to Sakura to stay close. She nodded understanding this wasn't a time to get all embarrassed or panicky. There was a weird feeling floating about in the air. The wind begin to blow harshly as if trying to ward them away, warning them of danger. None-the-less they had a mission to complete so with one last glance at each other they walked through the door.

Meanwhile a pair of dark, bottomless eyes stared at the pink haired ninja and the Uchiha heir. A tiny almost undetectable smirk ran across his face. "Perfect…"

Like I siad, boring but you'll have to forgive me. All in due time. I've decided...after carful consideration to add light lemon. Later on though. Not now. (But, just cuz i'm stepping outta the box imma start off kinda "amatuer" I guess you would say)