Chapter 3

Naruto ran down the street, his heart pounding loudly in his chest. He'd just finished looking for clues as to where Sakura had gone. How is it possible that they had no leads to where she disappeared to? There had to be clues she left behind, or something.

'Why would she just leave like that?'

He skidded to a halt. His eyes flashed to the training grounds they were together at a few days earlier.

'She started to act really funny when we both felt Sasuke's Chakra...is it possible she went in there alone?'

Shaking his head he continued to walk.

'Sakura isn't that desperate...wait, of course she is.'

He spun around and ran to the fence. If Sakura really was in there alone he needed to get to her and fast. He was about to throw himself over the fence when her words filled his mind. It would be faster if he had someone helping him. Naruto clenched his hands into fists as he forced himself away from the fence.

"Why would you go in there alone?"

Naruto found Kakashi Sensei sitting under a tree reading "Make out Paradise".

"Kakashi Sensei Sakura is--"

"Gone, I know. She left in the middle of the night."

Naruto rolled his eyes.

"Why didn't you stop her then?"

Kakashi flipped the page, uninterested in Naruto.

"Because she was very determined to find him even when I told her it wasn't a good idea."

Naruto had to hold back the urge to hit him.

"You know she can't survive in there alone. She's so...fragile."

Kakashi closed the red book to look up at Naruto.

"Sakura is a strange character. She can be all crybaby one moment and the next, she can totally blow you away with her power. I think she'll do well chasing after Sasuke, besides, I was going to go after her in a few hours."

Naruto gazed up at the tree leaves that flowed with the soft wind.

"I know she's strong, but when it comes to Sasuke she--freezes up. I'm afraid of what could happen to her if he decides she's annoying."

Kakashi shrugged indifferently.

"She knows of the risks, I'm surprised you aren't in there with her. Now it seems like you've grown up."

Naruto's blue eyes bore into Kakashi's.

"Sakura has grown a lot since I've left. I feel as if I'm still so far behind. She..."

"She means a lot to you. But you do realize her heart lies with Sasuke, even if he doesn't want it," Kakashi bluntly stated.

Naruto looked away and towards the ground. His blue eyes saddened as he remembered back to his younger days.

"Hey, are you okay? You big chicken?" His voice taunted lightly.

Naruto began to shake with anger. 'I'll never let anyone protect me again. I will be better than Sasuke!'

Darkness covered his eyes as he spoke, "He's always been better than me, and always been the one that Sakura worried about -- cared about the most."

Kakashi's eye perked up.

"And yet you still want to bring him back? You still want to save him?"

The darkness never left his face.

"Yes."

"Why?"

Naruto paused, "Because he's my brother."

Sakura wrapped her arms around the tree she was in. She had been searching for Sasuke for hours. The longer she looked and ended up with nothing the faster the others were going to find her. Her green eyes flashed to the branch above her. There, about to fall, was a leech. She reached for her Kunai and thrust it up into the middle of the creature. Moving out of the way as it fell she sighed.

'I guess it's a good thing I'm here too; I can finally see how strong I've become.'

A crack sound came from below her. He green eyes glanced down. Something wasn't right, she could feel it. Biting her lip she thought of all the possible things that could be down there, waiting for her.

Sasuke leaned casually against the tree that was next to the one Sakura was in. He had been following her for hours, analyzing her every move. She had changed immensely since he left. She now had purpose in the way she did things. It appeared she was reaching to aim some goal that she'd set for herself.

'Wonder what that could be. The only goal she ever seemed to have was to impress me.'

Sasuke went rigid when he sensed danger that was closely approaching. His eyes scanned the area from the tree tops and then he looked back to Sakura. Could she protect herself against whatever was coming?

He frowned when his old feeling of protectiveness came over him. His grip on the tree branch tightened. He left the group for that one sole reason, so he wouldn't have to deal with the fact that when he was with them the urge to protect them came over the urge to kill his brother. It was the very distraction he didn't need.

A chakra surge caused him to fade back into the darkness of the trees. There was a ninja closing in fast, a ninja that seemed very powerful by his chakra signature. He couldn't stop the smirk from coming over his lips.

'You better be able to protect yourself Sakura...I'm not in the mood to come to your aid. Let's see how much you've truly grown since the time I left.'

The dazzling green eyes widened as she felt the chakra signature approach. Without moving her head she began to scan for anything that could help her. She held her breath as she decended from her spot in the tree. Her eyes flashed towards the north into the darkness. Chakra began to build up in her fist as she searched for the person that was walking towards her.

The man stepped out into the light, making himself visible to her eyes. Sakura gasped as she faltered in her steps.

'I know that face...I've seen him before--back a long time ago, in these very woods.' She gulped as he brought his snake like eyes to rest on her.

"It's been a long time; I see you haven't gotten over that little infatuation with my Sasuke."

'His Sasuke...the boy he ripped away from us. The boy he ripped away from me.' Her eyes hardened at his words. Drawing a Kunai she shifted her posture, muscles ready to spring at the slightest movement from him.

"Curious that he no longer has any feeling for you, how does that make you feel? He's the one that's leaving you to your death."

Sakura's eyes slanted downward.

"What do you mean by that?"

Orochimaru laughed, causing her to flinch.

"The one thing that Sasuke has been able to master is the control of his feelings, or in other words, the lack thereof. For all you know he could be watching this with a sick grin spread across his face and he would never move to help you. He'd just sit by and watch as the young girl he had once almost given his life for die and he wouldn't even blink."

Chills ran up Sakura's spine as Orochimaru talked. Could it be possible that Sasuke had turned into the monster he described? Could Sasuke really aim so low to achieve his goal for killing Itachi?

Her lips turned up into a smile.

"Sasuke wouldn't stand by and let you inflict harm on someone that has nothing to do with your plan."

"If you are correct then why isn't he here? Sakura, Sakura, you do have a part in my plan, a very important role in fact." Orochimaru chimed.

Sakura's insides clenched in fear, she covered the fear with a mask of confidence.

"I won't become a part of your evil doings." She hissed through her teeth.

Orochimaru cracked his knuckles against his palms.

"Then I have no choice but to make you."

Chakra whirled around her fist as she prepared herself for the charge. Her eyes never moved away from Orochimaru, when she blinked he was gone. Nerves began to rise in her throat.

'Where did he go? He couldn't have just left--no, he's out here waiting to make his strike.'

She began to scan the area in search for the evil man, if you could even call him that. She cringed when she felt someone drop down behind her. She turned just enough so she could see who it was. Her eyes shook with emotion as she saw the familiar figure standing in front of her.

"S--Sasuke?"

He smirked at her and then raised his hand and before she knew what was happening he smacked her in the back of the neck, causing her world to fall into blackness.

Orochimaru appeared as Sasuke scooped Sakura's limp body into his arms.

"I could have done that myself."

Sasuke didn't say anything as he let his eyes fall down on Sakura's face.

"You need her, if you would have attacked her you would have hurt her, possibly killed her."

Orochimaru smirked, "It appears that there might be another reason why you stepped in."

Sasuke glared in his direction.

"There was no other reason. She means nothing to me, which is why I told you about her. You can have her for your purpose and then get rid of her if you so please."Each world that left his mouth was full of venom.

Orochimaru folded his arms across his chest as he studied Sasuke.

"You have grown strong Sasuke, now there is little left to do, but there is a few more things you must learn before I can--take what is rightfully mine."

Sasuke clenched his jaw then turned around and began to walk deeper into the forest, Orochimaru following closely behind him. Sasuke couldn't help but look back down at her soft, pale face.

'You should have listened to me when I told you not to follow me. But you did just as I predicted, and now you have to live your life with him.'

Well there's that chapter! I hope you all enjoyed it, please tell me what you thought! I love getting reviews, it just makes my day all happy and shinny. :D Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out, I've been having last minute stuff due for classes since finals is coming up in two weeks, so i've had like no time for myself. This chapter didn't really go the way i had expected it to, i was just writing and this sort of came out. Wasn't really what i had planned for the story but i decided to flow with it. If you think the idea is crummy let me know and i can try to change it or make it more interesting. Feel free to give some advice on what you think should happen next and so on. Thanks to all of you that have reviewed. Not many reviews but that's okay.

I send out lots of Christmas tree cookies to all of you that reviewed. Thank you so, so, so, much! As always I have to thank my beta reader Silver, THANK YOU! Without you this story wouldn't come out the way i intend it to.

Until next week! Toodles.