~~chapter three~~

"Sasuke." Neji adressed his team mate, "we've been looking for 3 days straight... its time to rest."
Sasuke shot Neji a death glare, he could only imagen what those men were doing or had done to Ami by now. he felt like such a failure because he couldnt find her. he hadto admit to himself now more than ever thatshe was the one and only love of his life... she wasnt like a fan girl at all, all she had ever wanted to be was his friend. he regretted pushing her away at first, yelling at her and calling her names. what a childish thing to do... but how was he supposed to know she would have become the most important thing in his life?
"Sasuke, i know how you must feel, but you wont be able to do any thing even if we do find her if your tired and weak... i can see how worn out you are..."
Sasuke kept his glare, but stopped once he saw a sufficaint resting spot. a cave. Neji walked in slightly behind Sasuke and sat agenst a wall and sighed in reliefe. Sasuke keeps walking farther into the cave and then hears laughter and muffled screams. "Neji, come on!" he shouted as he bolted torwards the sounds. 'if they hurt her...' Sasuke thought to him self as he sped up with every step.

Sasuke stoped dead in his tracks when he saw Ami. she was kneeling on the floor with her arms chanded above her head, she was soaked in blood with her head lolled down infront of her, fresh blood pouring from her face only to meet the pool of blood she was kneeling in. Sasuke could hear her murmering somthing over and over again. 'whats she- ... my name? shes saying my name? shes still calling for me to save her. whats wrong with me! why didnt i save her, why couldnt i stop them!' sasuse screamed in his head in the brief second it took for him to realise it was Ami.
some of the rouge ninja approched Sasuke and now Neji, some of them also had cuts on their faces and the rest of their bodies, 'she must have put up a hell of a fight' Sasuke thought as he saw the intensity of some of the injuries.
just then, Ami looked up to see Sasuke with tears running down his face, "Sasuke..." she whispered, before her head fell again, she went into uncontiousness.
that was it, Sasuke went balistick, he started taking the pouges out left and right. every bit of his pent up rage escaping threw his punches and kicks. Neji fought in a much more calmed manner, but still disturbed at how he saw Ami.
at some point in the fight, Sasuke realised that bringing Neji was a bit pointless because all he wanted was the byakugan, and it still handt found Ami... pure luck had found her. that helped feed the fire in Sasuke's stomace, making him fight harder. tears rolling down his face and sharigon flairing at an unnatural speed.
~~~ after a short time, there were only a few rouges left in their hide out, and a shiek filled Sasuke's and Neji's ears. they looked over in Ami's direction imidiatly. the leader had Yanked Ami up by her blood stained hair and had a sword to her thought. his smug smerk and his nose covered by an old ragged navy blue scarf and a scratched out hidden mist head band over one eye. "you two fight well... it wouldnt be over this little thing now would it?" he said a sinical voice.
Sasuke looked petrified for an instant, only for it quickly to be over lapped with rage, he took a step forward only to have the man jerk Ami and press the sword harder to her neck, causing her to hiss as a drop of blood trickled down her once porclin skin. "AMI!" Sasuke growled.
Ami peeked threw one eye at the raven and brunette males. fear saturated her hazel eyes. she smirked some at Sasuke, "you didnt have to come for me." she bearly said. "heh... heheh.. Ami... you idiot. i cant ever leave you." he said, balling his fists up untill his nails broke the skin in his palms.
"Sasuke," Neji whispered from behind him, his sight never leaving the little rag-doll looking kunoichi, "i can get him... with out hurting Ami. will you let me?" the rouge leader hadnt heard him. Sasuke nodded ever so slightly.
in a split second, Neji shot chakera threw the rouges chest... right threw his heart. he dropped his sword and fell over in almost slow motion is seemed. Ami collapsed, being held up only be her chains.
"Ami!" Sasuke shouted, worried about her, as he ran up to her and freed her. he picked her up and held her, petting her bloodmatted hair, his tears still flowing freely. Ami looked up at her raven haired hero and touched his face, making sure it wasnt just a dream. "Sasuke... my knight in shining armor." she whispered in pure love and gratitiude.
Sasuke hugged her lightly, trying not to hurt her more than she already was, "Ami... i love you. im so sorry for letting this happen. i'll never let you out of my sight again... please, dont ever leave me." he begged.
Ami hugged him back faintly, mouthing a 'thank you' to Neji silently. "yes." she said to sasuke, "yes, i'll always be here... always with you. i never liked being away from you, not for a minute." her voice still just as faint.
then Sasuke picked her up bridal style and they went back to the village.

.::at the hospital::.

Sasuke kissed Ami for the 100th time that day, "Ami, i need to ask you somthing..." he held her hand, carresing it with his thumb.
Ami looked at him, more lively than she had hours ago in the cave, her eyes sparkling like they once had, "any thing"
Sasuke squeezed her hand slightly, causing her face to turn from her normal ditzy happy self, to one of worry and concern, "Ami, will you marry me?" he wasnt looking at her yet, "were both old enough... and you said you'd never leave me again... would you make it official?" he finaly looked up at her. her missed face of surprised had turned to an over joyed one.
she hugged him, "YES!" tears ofjoy rolling down her face.
Sasuke hugged her back and then they kissed tenderly untill a nurse came in and yelled at her because she had torn open her stitches. when Ami looked down at her hands she noticed that Sasuke had snuck a ring on her figure while they were kissing. she looked shocked, it was beautifull... a saphire with 3 small dimonds on each side in the shape of triangles, on a slim gold band.
she looked at Sasuke, who looked back with love in his eyes and a smile on his face.