Told you I'd post it the next day X) I haven't even had breakfast yet :P shh... (emphasis on the yet.)

Anyways, Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, only this story

Two days after Sasuke's assault on Sakura, she could move around freely. There were still pains near her core, but it was bearable. When she had finished her housework, she rushed out to go and see Aya.

"Sakura!" Aya smiled at her. "I see you got my present." She pointed to the necklace around Sakura's neck.

"Hai." Sakura replied. "I haven't taken it off. It's beautiful! Where did you get it?" She asked.

Aya smiled and blushed. "It is the necklace that Masa gave me when we first became friends. It's his way of saying that we would be friends forever, no matter what happened."

"Aya! I can't accept this!" Sakura exclaimed. She could only imagine how much it must mean to her.

"You can and will. It was mine to give and I hope that you will think of it as my way of saying that I hope we can be friends, no matter what happens."

Sakura was shocked and honoured. "Of course, Aya. I would have thought that anyway." She smiled at the girl.

Aya took Sakura's hand and they sneaked away into one of the more obscure passages. "So, Sakura, where have you been? I haven't seen you since the day before your birthday!" She smiled at her friend, but her face dropped when she saw that there were tears in Sakura's eyes. "Sakura, what's wrong? What happened?" She asked, worried.

Sakura turned away and shook her head, tears starting to fall. "Nothing. At least, nothing I'd like to talk about."

Aya's brow creased in worry. "Sakura, it's alright. You can tell me, you know. I can help you." She carefully helped Sakura sit down as said woman cried into her shoulder.

"Aya," Sakura choked out between sobs. "I… It's Sasuke. What he did. I… I was trying to be friendly and called him what I use to, back when we were genins. I called him Sasuke Kun. He… He got so angry at that, and before I could do anything he… He… Took advantage… Of me… I couldn't move because it hurt so bad. I've been so frightened because after that he started treating me… almost kindly. I'm so scared, Aya. I don't know what to do anymore. I just want to get away from here." She continued crying while Aya rubbed her slowly on the back.

They stayed like that for a while, not speaking, just taking comfort in each other's presence.

"Sakura," Aya finally broke the silence. "It's alright. Everything will turn out okay. You'll see. I'm here, and I'll always be here for you. I know exactly how you feel. The first time that Shinji did that to me, I felt disgusting, violated, and so alone. As if nobody out there cared. I cursed Masa for leaving me to this fate, and I cursed my friends and family. But then you came along and showed me that even in the darkest of times a friend can be found. I will help you, I will be here for you." She took Sakura's face in both hands and smiled at her. "Just hold on. We can make it through this." Sakura smiled at her, treasuring the kindness that she was showing her.

Arigato, Aya. You are a true friend."

Over the next few weeks, Orochimaru and many of his followers from Oto moved to the safe house in Ishigakure, where they stayed for four days. Then they moved to the Land of Birds, underneath Wataridori Lake. This base was smaller than Oto, but Sasuke received a room similar to his previous one. Sakura hardly saw or spoke to Sasuke in this time and only when asking him what he wanted to eat. Sakura was overjoyed to hear that Shinji was to be coming with Orochimaru, because that meant that Aya was coming too. The two girls had been terrified that one of them would have been either left behind or moved to a different base.

Sakura had noticed that Sasuke's entire manner had changed towards her completely. Where he use to be cold and rude, he would now address her politely (if nonchalantly) and would occasionally help if there was a lot of housework.

A week after the move, Sakura was relieved to find out that she wasn't pregnant. The idea of having Sasuke's child after what he had done to her was almost nauseating. Sakura no longer tried to subtly make him care for her. She had given up. She feared that if she ever tried to get close to Sasuke again, he would hurt her, probably worse than last time.

Aya was her only link to sanity and kindness. If it wasn't for her, Sakura wasn't sure if she would have survived this long.

The move had taken its toll on Sasuke. Orochimaru had become unbearable again and he had spent a lot of time trying to let Sakura keep to herself. He spent most of his time training. Now that Itachi was dead, he didn't have much purpose in life, apart from restoring his clan. And he thought that killing Itachi would be the hard part! He knew all about sex and everything it entailed, but the whole part of 'wooing' a girl was completely beyond him.

The opposite sex had never seemed more frightening.

After he had raped Sakura, he had no idea how to act around her. Kind? Yeah, how the hell was he meant to do that? Nasty? She'd probably expect that, and he didn't want her to have the satisfaction of being able to read him. So he had tried to warn her to keep away from him. It was true that he didn't want to hurt her like that again, which was strange. He usually couldn't care less when someone around him was upset. But something in her eyes had reminded him of… Well, himself, when Itachi had slaughtered his clan. The look of fear in her eyes… And the betrayal. That was the worst. She had started to trust him again (not that that was his fault!) and he had hurt her in basically one of the worst ways. He had stolen probably the only claim to innocence she had left. She had seen people die and she had been the cause of their death. She had seen torture and been tortured herself. She was no child and she would have lost many childhood friends in combat. Now he had stolen that last bit of innocence from her, and he regretted it, to a degree.

In some sick, perverted way, he was glad it was him who had taken that away from her. He was always the reason for her tears, what's one more reason for her to cry?

But at the same time, he didn't like it. He hated seeing her cry and knowing that he was the reason. Maybe because he knew what it was like to be the victim? He was unsure. All he knew was that the idea of seeing her hurt like that again was something he didn't want to have to deal with.

Sasuke sighed at his jumble of thoughts and looked at the calm waters of Wataridori Lake.

Sasuke didn't know why he had eventually returned to Orochimaru. Maybe it was because he had nowhere else to go? He couldn't go back to Konoha, for two reasons; The first reason, and lesser of the two, was that he was considered an S rank criminal. He'd probably have people attempt to kill him on sight. Sasuke smirked. Attempt. The second reason was that Konoha was responsible for the annihilation of his clan. How on earth could he face the people who had ordered the destruction of his clan? Much less raise a family there knowing that Konoha would probably try to kill them again.

No. He couldn't go back to Konoha. So after that, Orochimaru was the only other person who had ever offered him sanctuary. Albeit, the last time was so that Orochimaru could use him as his next vessel, but now the tables had turned. Orochimaru seemed to fear Sasuke. And with good reason. Sasuke had already beaten Orochimaru once, and he could do it again. In fact, if it wasn't for Kabuto and his bloody Bodisuitchi Fukkatsu-Jutsu*, Orochimaru would be pushing up daisies. Kabuto had only just finished developing the new Jutsu before Sasuke had defeated Orochimaru, and he had put it to good use, using one of Orochimaru's henchmen to trade their life in the Otherworld for Orochimaru's. It had taken a long time for the Jutsu to complete, but it had gotten there eventually.

And now, Orochimaru was back, less powerful than before, but still formidable by many standards.

But the biggest trouble on Sasuke's mind was Sakura. Every single day that he saw her, he could feel the ice that encased his heart begin to thaw just that little bit. He had started treating her politely. Something was definitely wrong with him. He didn't treat anyone politely! He could always try to push her away more by acting cruel towards her, but the idea of seeing her hurt eyes again disgusted him. It made him angry. The looks she currently gave him were bad enough! Whenever he looked into her emeralds, all he could see was the same sentence: Please don't hurt me, Sasuke. And how he wanted to tell her that he wouldn't! Or, at least, he'd try not to. But even if he did tell her, she wouldn't believe him.

Ugh! Sasuke couldn't even find peace in his own thoughts. He stood up from his spot and walked back towards the hideout.

The next couple of months passed by without much interesting happening. Sasuke continued to train, occasionally going on an errand for Orochimaru. Sakura and Aya became extremely close.

"Aya," Sakura said to the girl one day, "I have been really confused as to Sasuke's behaviour towards me."

"Oh?" Aya asked, interested.

"He's been… Polite. You don't think he's sick, do you?" Sakura said and Aya laughed.

"Why do you ask?" She giggled.

Sakura sighed. "Well, this is Sasuke we're talking about. He isn't a nice guy. He isn't polite, and yet, the other day, he thanked me." It was true. Sakura had played the scene over and over in her head, and every time it was the same.

Sakura had finished her dinner and was starting to wash the dishes. Quietly, Sasuke stepped into the kitchen to hand her his empty plate.

"I hope it was to your liking, Sasuke." Sakura said tonelessly.

Sasuke sniffed and Sakura could feel how tense he was. Almost as if he was preparing himself for some incredibly painful ordeal, one which he didn't think he'd survive.

"Aa," he said, "it was enjoyable. Arigato." He quickly stepped from the room.

Sakura turned to look at his retreating back, her mouth dangling open comically. Did he just say 'Arigato'? To me? No, it must have been something else. 'I got to…', maybe? Or 'Ari got two…'? Or… Sakura shook her head and mechanically continued with the dishes.

Aya wash rolling around on the ground, laughing her head off. "You're worried about him, because he thanked you? Oh, I wish I'd recorded that! As proof that Sasuke is partly human and not just some socially retarded, obsessive compulsive, angsty, freakish demon alien!" She continued laughing, looking as if she would never stop.

Sakura chortled. "I know, hey? It's a miracle!" The two girls continued laughing. A while later, when they had sobered, Aya started to speak.

"Sakura, I overheard Shinji saying that Orochimaru is planning on leaving again soon. I hope that we will be able to stay together."

Sakura nodded in agreement. "I'm sure we will. I think that Shinji is one of Orochimaru's better guards, so Orochimaru will want to keep him around."

"Hai. I think that Shinji wants me back now, so I have to go." Aya stood up and dashed back to Shinji's room.

Sasuke walked up to Orochimaru. "You called?" He asked rudely.

"Hai, Sasuke San." Orochimaru hissed in his usual snake like way. "In the next few weeks, we will be moving to our base on Shio Island. But we've heard that there are some people who have started to suspect it. Go to Crescent Moon Island and see if there are any there who suspect it. Eliminate them if necessary."

Sasuke nodded. Finally, he thought, a chance to get away from this bloody place. "Hai." He turned to leave.

"Oh, and Sasuke San?" Orochimaru called.

Sasuke turned to face him.

"I'm sending Karin along with you."

Sasuke groaned internally. Why her, of all people? He thought, before turning to leave.

When Sasuke gave back his empty dinner plate that night, he informed Sakura of where he would be.

"I will be gone for at least a week. I leave tomorrow."

"Hai."

See? I told you that there would be more in this one XD (smiles proudly at self)

*Bodisuitchi Fukkatsu-Jutsu - Again, another made up jutsu. I think it translates directly into "body switching jutsu," but don't hold me to that. (I wrote this chapter ages ago, but that's the general idea). In truth, I just can't be bothered to look up the exact jutsu I want. And even if I do, there's no guarantee that there will be a jutsu like that. I think I've heard tell of a jutsu like this one, but whether they will have the name of it, and then the japanese translation, is not guaranteed. So I make them up. I feel smart :)

So yeah... This chapter was more of a plot development one, along with the last. Starting next chapter, things are going to start becoming very interesting, and the main plot of the story will start. I don't really have much else to say, so preview time :)

Chapter 10 - Broken

..."TELL ME HER FUCKING NAME!" He screeched at the quivering girl.

"Sakura! Her... Her name is Sakura... Please... Please don't hurt her, Shinji. I'll do anything. Please..." Aya begged. I'm so sorry, Sakura. Please forgive me... She thought.

"Shut up, you little whore." Shinji said, before knocking her unconscious. He had a plan for this Sakura, to teach her to keep away from people she shouldn't get involved with...

Until whenever I update next :)

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