Here's the next chapter!

okay, just to set things straight, cuz some of you have the wrong idea. Sasuke does NOT love Hikari! I'm thinking of keeping it as a friendship between them, so sorry for you all who were hoping for some romance!

but there IS sakuraXnaruto in this story, and (in this chapter) a bit of shikamaruXino

hope you guys like it, and please review!

Chapter 13

"Are you serious?" I snarled, my hair whipping across my face as I turned to glare at the dark haired ninja who leaned unconcernedly against the wall of his room, his eyes lazily tracing my movements as I paced back and forth.

I couldn't leave the base now. Not now…not until I could make sure that Kabuto wouldn't lay a finger on Hana. Which was basically never, but I didn't want to think about it. And now, Sasuke suddenly springs this on me.

We have a mission, to monitor the movements of one of Orochimaru's smaller ninja villages. We will be gone until spring. Pack with that in mind.

My bare feet made soft padding sounds on the cool stone, and I felt my stomach twisting nervously as the boy spoke.

"Don't make me repeat myself." His voice was calm and emotionless as usual, but in my angered state I heard the slight exasperation in his tone, as if he was speaking to a small child.

I hissed as I whirled around mid-stride. "Oh, I'll make you do a lot more than repeat yourself, you arrogant son of a–"

But I stopped myself, because trying to get under his skin was as effective as trying to jam a kunai through a wall. His face did not change, and his eyes continued to carefully observe me, those dead onyx eyes that showed no warmth. No life at all.

Except for that moment, a week ago. That moment where his eyes burned with anger and something so torn and lonely that it hurt my chest just thinking about it. The moment when something clicked in his mind, something unknown to me just fell into place involving the green-eyed medic.

"Is this about Hana, Uchiha-sensei?"

Sasuke's lips twitched slightly downward, and I saw his hands clench into fists for a moment before the emotionless mask was pulled back over his features.

"No."

"Then why did you attack me when I told you about my dream, where that girl had the same eyes as Hana? Don't think I've forgotten about that, and I doubt you've forgotten it either. You owe me an explanation, Uchiha-sensei."

Sasuke stared at me with those dark eyes, and I was glad – as I often was – that we were the same height. It was easier to resist the urge to be intimidated, and allowed me to lift my head high and stare into his eyes with no hesitation.

"You're a fool to think that I owe you anything." Sasuke muttered, and turned away from me to begin packing his bag, his shoulders stiff as usual. My fist rose in preparation to punch him, but I realized that it would attain nothing, and let it fall to my side.

I let out a breath, and slowly and bitterly began packing my bag full of supplies and clothing. I felt my throat clenching as a sob rose in my throat, and his words pierced me over and over in the tense silence that filled the room.

The worst thing was that he was right.

He owed me nothing, and I owed him everything. I owed him my tears of sorrow and my screams of pain…I owed him for all those times that he silently listened to my babbling, without any scorn or contempt, but instead with a calm and curious patience that shed a tiny glimmer of light in my darkness. I owed him for those times in the beginning, when he carried me back to the base after I collapsed from the brutally exhausting training sessions.

I owed him my hatred.

I owed him my loyalty.

I owed him my life.

My eyes pricked with tears as the fabric of my shirt fell from my fingers.

Hana would be left alone, if I left. She would have no warning of what to expect, she would have no idea that when the cherry blossoms appeared on the tree, I was planning to sacrifice myself to spare her from Kabuto's sickening hands.

Maybe that was what I wanted to preserve, along with her life. I wanted to spare her innocent eyes from the evil that went on inside this place. As a ninja, I knew that she had seen cruelty; she had seen and experienced pain.

But there was one thing that she hadn't seen yet.

She hadn't seen evil in its purest form. I had.

Before arriving in this world, I didn't think that true evil really existed. For no matter how horrible and twisted a person may seem, there is always something good in them, no matter how small that part is. Take, for example, Adolf Hitler. As much as I wanted to see him suffer for his cruelty and acts against humanity, I knew that he wasn't pure evil. He was just – to put it simply – extremely misguided in his ideas about race and religion, and I know that that sounds crazy, but if you look at it, it's true. He was not the Devil, he was not a man made purely of sin. He was a human being, which means that he had hopes and dreams and doubts and fears just like the rest of us.

But after spending nearly half year in Sound…I have come to know the meaning of true evil, and that evil resides in the heart of Orochimaru, and in the lab where "tests" are carried out.

There was no good in Orochimaru, and if there was anything besides cruelty and hatred it was a sick pleasure at another person's suffering, and a greed for his own personal gain.

I had hardened my heart to that evil over the months, but Hana was not strong like I was. Her emotions ruled her, as was proven time and time again with her infatuation with Sasuke, and her limitless compassion for others.

I envied her…almost. She was so pure and bright, while I was tainted by the darkness that surrounded this place, the darkness that seemed to permeate the very air. Her heart was so open and warm…while mine was locked to the outside world, for I knew that the heart is a fickle thing that can be broken and manipulated.

In that sense…I both envied and pitied her.

My fingers pushed the last item into place, and I zipped the bag closed and swung it onto my shoulder. I spoke, my voice cracking.

"I need to speak to Hana before I leave–"

"No." Sasuke's response was quick and curt, and I frowned as I looked over at him. His back was still facing me, but I saw the restrained anger in his stance.

"Why the hell not?"

Sasuke didn't answer, but instead shouldered his pack and held out his arm for teleportation. I bit my lip, and approached him slowly, looking at him pleadingly.

"Uchiha-sensei, this is extremely important."

"No."

"If we get back after the cherry tree–"

"No."

"Please!"

Sasuke's eyes flashed as he moved closer to me, and the power pulsed off of him in waves of crushing chakra. He spoke clearly and softly, that voice dark and irritated at my resistance.

"If you do not obey, I will have no choice but to use force."

"Argh!" I shrieked, and felt tears filling my eyes as I stared into his dark eyes. "You're such a self-righteous bastard! You know, the world does not revolve around you, so stop acting so goddamn entitled! I don't know anything about why you dislike Hana so much that you would choke me, but if I had to guess anything I'd have to say that you're scared!"

Sasuke's face was stone, his eyes flames of onyx.

"So just go on this stupid mission by yourself! I don't want to deal with this anymore! I'm tired of the murder; I'm tired of hopelessly believing that something could ever change! Who am I kidding? I'll probably be dead by spring, either by you, Orochimaru, Kabuto, or someone else. You wouldn't blink an eyelash if I died, but yet for some bizarre reason, I would be so alone and sad if you died. But that's what you do, you bastard. You draw people in because you're lonely, you need someone to be around, no matter how messed up and evil, no matter how much you dislike them. You don't care about me as a person, so what does it matter whether I associate with you or not? I don't want to have to deal with you, Sasuke Uchiha, not anymore! Go find someone else to torment and belittle, because I'm through with you!"

I was crying now, crying like I hadn't in months. Everything I've wanted to say to him just poured out in those moments, and when I was through I gritted my teeth to try and silence the sobs that tore themselves from my throat, and sank to the ground, hugging my knees and not daring to look up at him.

It didn't matter what I said, this much I knew. I would be going with him no matter what I said or did, so I decided not to fight it anymore.

And the funny thing is that I wasn't really angry with Sasuke, I was angrier with myself. I knew that I couldn't change Sasuke, yet I continued to try, and then was angry when I couldn't. I needed to accept that Sasuke Uchiha was Sasuke Uchiha, and that I was myself. Neither of us was meant to meet, but now that we had, we needed to stick together.

"Look at me."

And all was lost in a blur of crimson, and my mind sank into the cloying darkness.

Sasuke caught the girl as she fell backward, and her head lolled over his forearm until he shifted so it was instead cradled against his chest. Her hair was out of its usual bun, and he watched as the light reflected off the thick golden strands.

Her tears were bright against her tan cheeks, and her hands – that were clenched into fists – relaxed and went limp. Instead of teleporting right away, Sasuke studied her for a moment, his eyes fading back to their usual onyx as he stared at her.

Something foreign was lodged in his chest, what was it?

Was it guilt? Was it a sense of betrayal?

Sasuke had assumed that Hikari would be like Sakura had been – always supporting him no matter what he did. He had welcomed that, almost.

But Hikari had taken that step away that Sakura had never been able to do. She had put her foot down after all this time here in Sound. It was a feeling of betrayal that Sasuke was unaccustomed to, and unlike with Sakura, it made Sasuke feel a bit guilty.

Hikari was the only person who did not know of his betraying Konohagakure, who did not know that he had tried to kill his former best friend for power. That past haunted and angered him, and to have someone who could look at him without knowing those things was like a breath of clean air after years of breathing in polluting smog.

He did not love her. That much was certain. But – even he couldn't deny it – there was a reluctant bond between them that had been formed the day she had fallen out of the sky, a bond that was not one of lovers, or even of friends.

Sasuke didn't understand what it was that drew him to her, but he didn't want to waste his time trying to figure it out.

All that he knew was that he was not going to let her walk away from him that easily.

Though the action felt so wrong and foreign, the Uchiha let his hand gently fall to her face, tucking a small strand of blonde hair behind her delicate ear. It felt unfamiliar and almost repulsive to do so, but he could not stop himself.

"I…" He began, but suddenly, Itachi's face flashed in front of his eyes, and his heart hardened once more. The coldness was back in his stance, and he stood with a flick of his eyes toward the door, only to find Kabuto standing there, staring at him with wide gray eyes.

Sasuke didn't say a word, just made a hand sign and let the smoke surround him and tug the two of them towards their destination.

The early morning streets of Konohagakure were full of snow, and the children giggled and screamed as they pushed each other into the large slopes of powdery ice. Tiny fluffs of white fell at sporadic intervals, and the sky was pale blue and bright, the clouds cheerfully floating across the sky.

Shop owners bundled up as they headed towards their shops, and they stopped to greet customers on their way, laughing and joking together pleasantly. Teachers in the Ninja Training Academy scolded their students for goofing off in the snow while they were supposed to be studying, but after a while just gave up and let them out early for the day.

There were still missions to be completed, but these rarely were above the C class, seeing as most of the complaints came from traders, as the snow blocked some of the main trading routes. Jounin and higher-level chuunin left those missions for newly arranged squads – most fresh out of the Academy – while they trained by themselves or with a partner.

Tenten and Hyuuga Neji were examples of this.

Some decided to take full advantage of the lack of higher level missions and relax utterly and completely.

Nara Shikamaru was most definitely an example of this.

The lazy chuunin was currently lazing around on the roof of one of the administrative buildings that had the wonderful addition of an overhang on the roof, so he was able to sit and watch the clouds drift by without lying on top of a thick layer of snow.

A sigh escaped him, and he closed his eyes in contentment.

But something large and wet hit his face a second later, and he shot back up, sputtering and shaking his head furiously. The snow clung to his hair and made him shudder as some of it melted and trickled down his neck and back.

A giggle filled the air and he didn't have to look to see who it was. But he did anyway, and scowled when a slender blonde girl poked her head from behind one of the poles supporting the overhang, her long straight blonde hair pulled into two long braids that hung down her front.

Yamanaka Ino wasn't in ninja attire, like Shikamaru was, instead in tight fitting black pants and a dark purple turtleneck, with a blinding white sweater that was the exact color of the snow. A long white green scarf fell down to her waist, with a fluffy white glittery poof at each end.

"Ino, I don't think you understand what a big mistake you've made." Shikamaru growled, and Ino squealed as she hid behind the pole once more. Shikamaru sighed, and leaned back once more. "But I'm too tired to do anything about it."

"Aw, you big baby!"

Shikamaru smirked to himself as he ignored her, his hand resting gently on the small pile of snow to his right, while his other hand rested behind his head. He did it casually, as if just happening to pick a spot with snow, with no other motive.

Luckily for him, Ino was quite gullible, so she huffed her disappointment and bounced over to where he was situated, and plopped herself beside him. She lay back beside him, and Shikamaru clenched his hand around a handful of snow.

"It's cold." Ino muttered, and before Shikamaru could rub the snow into her face, she cuddled closer to him, the top of her head nestled beneath his shoulder, her hand reaching out to clench the loose fabric of this thick sweater, burying her hand in the soft material.

Shikamaru could stop the blush that rose to his cheeks, and his hand slowly unclenched and let the snow fall through his fingers, while his other arm slowly lowered to drape itself across Ino's shoulder and waist, pulling her closer.

Ino seemed unbothered by the closeness of their embrace, and completely oblivious to the fact that Shikamaru was smiling to himself, his cheeks bright pink with embarrassment and in quiet contentment.

The two of them stayed like that for a long time, staring up at the clouds that drifted by, without a care in the world.

On the opposite side of the village, there was a considerably less content ninja who was currently in the Hokage's office. Uzumaki Naruto stood in front of Tsunade, his cerulean eyes wide and pleading.

"Granny, Sakura's been in there for nearly two months! She said that she would contact us after one!"

The Hokage massaged her aching temples; her golden-hazel eyes sympathetic as they watched the blonde anxiously pace back and forth. Her goof ball was worried sick, and it hurt her to see him like this. But it was necessary.

"Naruto, I know that you're worried about her, but Sakura is perfectly able to take care of herself. She probably couldn't risk blowing her cover, and I trust her judgment."

Naruto's teeth were bared as his hands clenched into lethal fists. "When are we scheduled to go get her, then?"

"Not for at least three months, because the snow would only slow you down."

Naruto made to argue, but the look in Tsunade's eyes stopped him, and for once, he backed down. His headband straps flew behind him furiously as he stormed out of the office, and Tsunade leaned her forehead against her palms with a groan.

I wonder, Tsunade thought wearily to herself, how things would have been if Sakura had refused this mission. Or even better, if this mission hadn't been necessary in the first place.

Tsunade had believed that she could sense what was to come within her village, and as a result she had everything reasonably well planned regarding missions and other assignments. It was rather strange, but that secure feeling was eradicated right after the team of ninja had returned from rescuing the Kazekage from the Akatsuki. It was a miracle that Gaara survived at all, but something about the flow of things had shifted after that mission.

Why was that?

Her gaze drifted to the four frames that held the last remnants of the leaders before her, their images imprinted onto mere paper, shadows of what they had been. Maybe if she stared at their wise faces for a while longer, some kind of solution would appear.

But their calm faces held no answers, and after a moment Tsunade got up and exited the office, slamming the door shut behind her.