Chapter 5

"I..." she gulped again as she began to feel weak. She looked down and saw the bracelet was now glowing a light pink.

"Not much time left." Orochimaru chimed.

Sakura bit her lip as she fought with the impulse to scream 'no' at the top of her lungs.

"Yes...yes I'll stay here...and train."

Sasuke stiffened slightly behind her but she didn/t have the feelings to pay attention. Right now all she cared about was the fact that the room was spinning much too quickly. Orochimaru glanced at Sasuke and noticed how Sasuke's mouth formed a tight line, his jaw clearly clenched.

'Interesting...It appears that Sasuke hasn't smashed all his feelings after all. Well, it's time we fixed that problem.'

Orochimaru walked over to where Sakura was now panting on the ground. He could see the light sheen of sweat that covered her face. He reached down and picked up her right arm, the bracelet glowing. She cowered away from his touch. Again, something he would have to fix. He reached out and traced his fingers over the cold metal and it clicked as it opened. Sakura gasped as she felt blessed air rush into her lungs. Orochimaru clasped another bracelet on that was much lighter.

Sakura wouldn't raise her gaze from the ground in front of her. Orochimaru pushed the anger to the side and looked up at Sasuke.

"Take care of her; you need to get her ready for training. And, don't go easy on her."

Sakura flinched as Orochimaru walked away from her. The presence of the person that bent down next to her sent her over. Before she could stop herself she flung her arms around the stiff figure, as she buried her face in his chest she caught his intake of breath.

Sakura bit her lip as she tried to hold back the tears that were threatening to take over. Sasuke's arms stayed limply at his side. When he knelt down beside her he wasn't expecting this to happen. Orochimaru met his gaze and Sasuke's eyes hardened as he saw the fire that blazed there. Sasuke smirked as he wrapped his arms around the shaking form. Orochimaru sneered at him and Sasuke couldn't help but stare at him all the more.

'He feels threatened by me, perhaps it's time he realized that he isn't all that much stronger than me.' Sasuke thought darkly.

Sakura began to tremble in his arms. He flinched as her hold around his neck tightened, her hands grasping onto the back of his shirt.

'I hate people being close to me, touching me. So why am I not throwing her off?'

Orochimaru spun around on his heels and left the room. Sasuke could tell that he was angry, really angry. That's when he heard the first sob leave her mouth. Sakura frowned at herself, she just promised herself that she wouldn't let Sasuke see her weak, and here she was, crying into his chest.

'I'm crying into his chest...he's holding me, what's wrong with this picture? Sasuke...could you really have feelings buried deep down inside you after all? Is it possible that that little boy I knew so well is still in there? Bursting to come free?'

She squeaked as she was suddenly picked off the ground. Sasuke had Sakura in his arms and he was walking down the hallways that twisted and turned. He stopped to open a door and the next thing she knew she was placed on a soft surface. He untangled her arms from around him and took a few steps back from her. Sakura looked around her surroundings and realized that she wasn't in the room she had stayed in earlier. She looked up at Sasuke with questions in her eyes.

"This is my room. You're going to stay here until you feel like you're ready to come out and look around." His voice was hard as he spoke. Sakura looked down at her hands, embarrassed by the way she had held onto him.

"Thank you."

The simple remark made his blood freeze over. He reached up and rubbed the back of his neck. What should he say to that? It had been a long time since someone said anything remotely like that to him. Her green eyes moved up to his black ones. Sasuke clenched his teeth as her gaze seemed to be looking straight through him. It was almost like she was reading his mind, memorizing it. He quickly stole his gaze away from her devastating eyes.

"Sasuke..."

He cocked his head a little to let her know he was listening.

"I--I," she sighed, "I guess it's a lot to ask you to protect me from him, isn't it?"

Sasuke's right hand moved into a fist, Sakura glanced down at his hand, worry evident on her face. When Sasuke brought his face up he was smirking. The coldness returned to his eyes as he spoke.

"You mean nothing to me, Sakura. Orochimaru wants you for his own sick pleasure and there's no way I'm going to stop him from getting what he wants. You're a part of this-- team-- and you need to break all the ties you have back in Konoha. Now that you've agreed to stay here there is no way Naruto or Kakashi is going to find you."

Sakura closed her eyes as her breathing accelerated. Sasuke's words were starting to sink into her system.

'They'll never be able to find me, especially if Orochimaru doesn't want them too. It's okay Sakura, breath, everything will work out in the end. Nothing to freak yourself out over, Sasuke is just trying to get you riled up.'

Sakura folded her arms across her chest, opening her eyes.

"I don't give a damn what you think Sasuke. I will never turn my back on the village, unlike you I love the village and will do anything to make sure it's safe."

"Which is why you agreed to work with Orochimaru." Sasuke stated blandly.

Sakura bit her lip, thinking of the next come back. Sasuke's smirk grew as he advanced towards her.

"You see Sakura, you say one thing and yet your actions say another. At least what I say goes along with my actions."

"Well at least I don't act like I have a stick up my--"

Her mouth was covered by his hand, his eyes turning a deep shade of red.

"You really need to learn how to shut up." He snarled darkly.

Sakura stopped herself from pulling away from him.

"You think you scare me but you don't. I'm not afraid of you Sasuke, and nothing you can do can change that."

Sasuke got closer to her, their faces only inches apart.

"You should be. Everything about me should send shivers down your spine."

And shivers where going down her spine, but not because she was afraid of him, but because she realized how close his face was. The warmth of his breath as it hit her face was making her mind swirl in every direction. Her heart began to thump loudly in her chest.

'He's so close, just a small move from me and our lips would be touching. He's so close...its driving me insane!'

A blush hinted at her cheeks and Sasuke's smirk grew profoundly. He pushed himself closer only to lean down by her ear.

"Still the same Sakura, you still have your crush."

Sakura stiffened, trying to deny the way his breath against her ear made her feel. He stepped away from her, walking towards his weapon wall.

"When you're ready to train come find me. I'll be in the training grounds."

He didn't wait for her to reply; when she blinked he was gone.

"Jackass," she hissed to the empty room. She pulled her knees up to her chest and looked down at Sasuke's bed. The pillow looked so alluring that she rested her head on it, pulling his blanket up so it covered her slim body.

She breathed in his scent and wasn't surprised by how calm it made her feel. Her eyes closed and she drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

Sasuke beat against the dummy relentlessly. Sweat drenched every inch of his body as his muscles screamed for him to stop. He ignored all pain and continued to push himself farther.

'Why did Orochimaru have to pick her? Why couldn't it have been any other girl from the village, why Sakura?'

He punched the dummy extremely hard, causing the head to pop off.

More importantly, why did he care?

'I don't care, it's just having her in this place...she's so fragile, so innocent--she shouldn't be living in these conditions.'

'You just want her for yourself.' A voice taunted back at him, buried deep down inside him. Sasuke shook his head, trying to make the voice leave.

"I do not. She's...annoying, everything about her, from the way she talks to her ultra pink hair." He muttered profusely.

"Appears to me that you are talking about the certain girl that Lord Orochimaru has his hands on."

Sasuke spun around, his sword drawn and raised to the man's neck. Kabuto held his hands up in surrender.

"Easy Sasuke, it's not like I'm here to kill you or anything."

"Hn."

Kabuto rolled his eyes at Sasuke's non-verbal answer.

"It's going to cause some problems if you have feelings for the girl."

Anger filled Sasuke's eyes as his Sharingan activated.

"I do not have feelings for her. If Orochimaru wasn't so insistent on having her I would get rid of her right now."

Kabuto smiled as he watched Sasuke's face.

"Well, you could always change that. All you need to do is show some interest in someone..."

"That's not happening either; the only thing I'm working towards is killing Itachi."

"Ah, but what about your other goal? I believe you know of the one I speak." Kabuto reassured.

Sasuke slowly lowered his sword.

"That is none of your concern."

"Of course not, well, I hope you have fun watching Orochimaru knock up, Sakura, isn't it?"

Kabuto grinned wider when he saw the look of death radiating off Sasuke.

"Tatta." Then he disappeared.

Sasuke ran his hand through his black locks. Things just got entirely more complicated. Orochimaru had some sick plan up his sleeves...something Sasuke had to put an end to.

There was a clinking sound coming from his right, but he didn't even acknowledge it.

"So...what is it that you're supposed to teach me?"

He moved his eye so that the pink haired girl was in his vision.

"Depends, what do you know already?"

Sakura rolled her eyes as she put her hands on her hips.

"Let's see, I have really good Chakra control, I can heal people, I know how to use a Kunai," she was marking these off with her fingers.

Sasuke closed his eyes as she continued to rant off the things she knew. This girl was going to drive him insane.

"How bout we start with some things you can do with your chakra."

Sakura beamed her face clearly now in heaven.

"Yes! I'm sure I can do that."

Sasuke grunted as he walked over to her.

"All right, what I'm going to teach you is something that you've probably never thought of doing."

"Like kissing Naruto?" Sakura asked innocently.

Sasuke faltered in his words for a second.

"Uh, sure. Now, I want you to close your eyes and to think of a place you've always wanted to go."

Sakura followed his words and her eyes fell closed.

"Uh, why am I supposed to think of a place I've always wanted to go?"

"Hm, fine think of your room here. When you have the clear picture in your mind tell me.■"

Sakura bit her lip as she tried to imagine the room that she hardly knew. The only room that came in her mind was Sasuke's. Her lips formed a smile.

"Okay."

"Now, I want you to tell me what the room looks like, describe everything that you see."

"Well...there's messy bed on the side of the wall. A weapon rack on the opposite wall..."

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Is there a reason why you are thinking of my room?"

Sakura tensed, her hands balling into fists.

"I've only seen your room; the room I was in was completely dark." She huffed.

Sasuke shook his head.

"Whatever, keep going."

She kept listing off things that were in his room. Sasuke looked down at his sandals as he began to form a plan in his mind.

"Now, I want you to vision yourself being in that room."

If it was possible Sakura smiled even bigger.

'This is fun! I get to imagine myself in Sasuke's room. I wonder if it's okay to imagine him with me...'

"Use your chakra that is flowing inside you and make it take you there."

"Take me there? You mean like teleportation?" Sakura asked, clearly amazed at such a prospect.

"Yes, just like that." Sasuke muttered, his hand resting against his forehead.

'And here I thought she'd grown up. It appears that only her strength has grown, she's still much like that young girl I knew.'

Sakura looked for the chakra and felt happy when she felt it sizzling inside her, ready for her to command. Sasuke was standing in front of her just looking anywhere but at her. She reached out and felt her chakra engulf him. Sasuke's eyes flashed up to her. What was she doing? She isn't ready to teleport someone along side with her, it was going to take a lot of chakra to do that. Something she shouldn't be doing in her state.

"Sak.."

He was cut off by suddenly being wheeled out of the training room and into his room. Sakura fell down on the ground panting.

"That...was...weird."

Sasuke looked around and sure enough they were standing in the middle of his room. His eyes turned back to Sakura who was on the floor, not really doing anything to get herself up.

"I was about to tell you not to take me with you. You aren't experienced enough to do it." Sasuke snarled.

Sakura brought her green eyes up so she could see his reaction. He was furious, but not because she did something that he thought was stupid, but because she was able to do it her first time.

"Thanks Sasuke."

Sasuke fell back a step, shocked. He quickly composed himself before he let her see how her words affected him.

"Hn."

Sakura smiled as she tried to stand on her wobbling knees.

"Let's try it again."

Sasuke eyed her, calculating her every move.

'If she does it again she is sure to have herself passed out for a week, at least.'

"I can do it again. Just so we don't have to walk all the way back."

Sasuke shook his head as he walked over to her side, grabbing her arm to help steady her on her feet. Without saying a word to her he teleported them back to the training grounds. When he let go of her arm she fell on the ground again, the dirt swirling up around her.

Sasuke walked away from her to retrieve his Kunai he had lodged in the dummies chest. He put the point of the blade on the tip of his index finger.

"Stand up, we're fighting now."

Sakura took a few deep breaths and obliged. As she stood her knees shook, her breathing ragged.

Sasuke tossed her the kunai and she reached out and grabbed it at record speed.

"I don't need to use this; I can kick your butt just with my bare hands."

Sasuke smirked as he stretched his arms.

"Oh yes, I saw you use some of that super human strength, very impressive."

Sakura grinned back in happiness. Sasuke was impressed by her, which never happened. Sasuke moved his feet so he was in the ready position. Sakura mimicked his moves.

"Ladies first."

Sakura's fist began to glow a faint blue as she lunged towards him.

A figure lurked in the darkness. There was popping sound and a person stood next to him. The man turned his head slightly to let the person know he was listening.

"You were right; there is a part of him, no matter how small, that has feelings for her."

"Kabuto...you realize what this could mean, don't you?" the voice asked.

Kabuto moved his feet nervously.

"Do you really think hed fall for such a thing?"

The snake like eyes roamed to Kabuto's face.

"And why wouldn't he?"

"Well, you know as well as I that taking his revenge on his brother is the only priority. He could care less about a girl, even if she was naked right in front of him." Kabuto answered honestly.

Orochimaru smiled.

"That is a very good point. If he does not do what I think he will then I will simply have to do the thing myself. She is very unique isn't she? You know she could handle it."

Kabuto nodded his head without hesitation.

"She can handle it all right. Her chakra control makes it so she is able to handle any amount of pain. I have high hopes that everything will turn out well."

Orochimaru turned his attention back to Sasuke and Sakura. They were both clashing against each other. He could tell by the strain in Sasuke's muscles that he was holding back, he didn't truly want to hurt her.

"He has too much compassion. We need to smash that out of him."

Kabuto turned his eyes towards the match as well.

"He believes that if they do not interfere with his revenge then he has no reason to kill them."

"Then, we need to make sure they interfere." Orochimaru replied easily.

Kabuto looked at Orochimaru's face as he watched the fight. He then turned his glare back to Sasuke.

'You took everything from me. Perhaps it's time I did the same. But what to take from a man that has nothing? Something that he will miss dearly.'

Kabuto couldn't help the smile that left his lips.

"He'll be a worthy host." Orochimaru thought out loud. "He's strong and isn't afraid to get his hands dirty do achieve something he wants."

"Yes, worthy indeed." Kabuto repeated softly, eyes never leaving Sasuke.

Shorter than usual but I thought I'd get it out before I really had to start the hard studying. i don't know if that chapter turned out the way I wanted it to...hmm...oh well. It's setting up the foundation for things to come! yay! Thanks to everyone that has reviewed, i really do like reviews! They help me write faster cuz then i know someone is reading this story. I hope you guys liked it.

Till next time, tatta!