I updated a little earlier than I was going to, but I don't think anyone's complaining. Truth be told, I'm updating because I'm sick at home, or rather, I got a really bad nose bleed last night, lost a ton of blood, and could barely stand this morning :) I'm going to try and keep my authors notes shorter from now on, so I'll stop here :P

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, only Sasuke and Gaara - Who said that? *looks around suspiciously*

Sakura's eyes slowly fluttered open to see Sasuke sleeping peacefully beside her. It had been almost a week since their 'argument', if that's what it could be called. She had intended to sleep on the couch, but gave up when she realised that even if she did, Sasuke would sleep on the couch with her. It was just more logical to sleep in the bed.

Sakura sighed, content. Sasuke had been… Sweet, in the past week. He acted as if she were a frightened animal, and one false move would send her running. He would often hold her and not let go for a long time. It made her feel safe and warm. She had allowed him to kiss her yesterday, briefly. She knew that he was sorry for all that he had done and just wanted to make things right again.

Even if she hadn't wanted to be close to him, she didn't think she had a choice anymore.

She was late. By over a week and a half. That had never happened before. Her cycle was regular, no matter what had been happening. She was going to go out and do a test after Sasuke had gone out. She had been having bad cramps for the past week and her breasts had been sore for a few days. Just some of the common pregnancy symptoms. But Sakura just had to be sure. Kabuto was bound to have at least one pregnancy test somewhere!

At midday, Sakura left the room and went towards Kabuto's lab.

Karin looked from around the corner at Sakura's retreating form before carefully slipping inside the small apartment. She went straight for the kitchen and looked around for something sweet. She knew that Sasuke wouldn't be caught dead eating something that contained even the most mild amount of sugar. His whole diet revolved around tomatoes!

She opened a few cupboards, but found nothing but breads, pasta and, lo and behold, tomatoes.

"Ugh! Where is her food?" Karin said out loud

She looked in the fridge and almost whooped with delight. Off to the side, there was a small chocolate muffin. Karin brought it closer towards her and let four drops of Azalea Extract seep into the muffin. Smiling, she left the room.

Sakura crept back into Sasuke's room, barely ten minutes after Karin had left. She had actually managed to find a pregnancy test. Even better, Kabuto was otherwise occupied; no awkward encounters from him! She smiled as she retrieved the test, making her way to the bathroom.

Ten minutes later and Sakura hadn't moved. She was shaking and tears were forming in her eyes. She couldn't take her eyes away from the little red + sign on the test.

She was pregnant.

She couldn't believe it! She was having a baby… Sasuke's baby… And with the way things were going, it would be born here, in this place. Sakura shivered. Orochimaru would probably seize the child and take it away. This was no place to raise a baby!

She stayed on the toilet, crying softly, until Sasuke got back. Upon hearing the door open, she quickly disposed of the pregnancy test, and stayed in the bathroom, fixing herself up, so that he wouldn't know that she had been crying.

"Sakura? Are you alright?" Sasuke came up to the door, knocking.

"Yeah, I… I'm just on the toilet." She answered, working to make her voice sound normal. She heard his retreating footsteps as she decided that she looked presentable. She flushed the toilet (to make him think that she had been on it), washed her hands, and walked out, her face the image of calm.

"What do you want for dinner?" She asked. He shrugged his response, so she went to the kitchen and started to prepare a dinner of pasta and tomato paste. Simple and easy.

Sasuke came in about halfway through, holding her around her waist as she stirred the paste. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, until Sakura said that if he didn't move, she would burn the sauce.

They ate dinner in silence. Sasuke washed the dishes and Sakura went hunting for some more food. Man she was still hungry!

She considered telling him about the baby, but didn't know how to bring the topic up. It was too early in the pregnancy. She could easily lose the baby. If she did, she knew that he would be heartbroken. And besides, she wanted to keep this information to herself for a little while. It was selfish, but she just wanted to be able to keep this to herself, even just a few weeks longer. Sakura smiled and placed a hand on her stomach.

"What are you looking for?" Sasuke asked her, his voice void of emotion.

"Something sweet. I'm craving something chocolaty." She replied, standing on tip toes to see in the higher cupboards.

"Oh." He answered in disgust. Sweet food had never appealed to him.

"You're so helpful." She said sarcastically. She looked in the fridge, and there, standing in a little halo of its own, was a chocolate muffin. She grabbed it hungrily and bit into it, relishing in the taste.

Sasuke turned his nose up. "How can you stand that taste?" He asked her, disgust evident in his voice.

"'Ow can' oo?" She replied happily, her mouth full of the muffin. She noted casually that something tasted a bit sour in it, but quickly passed it off. Probably nothing important. She licked her fingers happily before going to the bathroom to have a shower.

She was standing in the cubical, feeling the hot water rush over her body, when a huge wave of tiredness crashed over her. She almost stumbled, and sat down for a moment, gripping her head between her hands, fighting to keep her eyes open. She went to stand, but stumbled again. What was going on? Maybe it was just a pregnancy symptom? No! It couldn't be! Lethargy usually didn't start for a month at least! She was only just two weeks pregnant! She tried standing again, to get out of the shower, but couldn't move. "What is happening?" She wondered out loud.

Sakura started to feel afraid. She had no idea what was happening. Maybe she was having a miscarriage? No, she couldn't be. There were no painful cramps in her pelvis or lower back, and most importantly, there was no blood.

What was it then? Her mind was in overdrive, despite her being cripplingly tired.

"Sakura, are you alright? You've been in there almost ten minutes." Sasuke's worried voice sounded from the other side of the door.

Sakura felt a huge wave of relief pass over her. "Sasuke… Help… Something's wrong…" She choked out. Tears started forming in her eyes against her will. She felt sad. Extremely sad. Like the breath had been knocked from her body. She wanted nothing more than to curl up and cry.

Sasuke opened the door immediately. "Sakura? What's wrong?" He asked, stopping outside the shower, giving her privacy.

Sakura started to sob. "I… I don't know… Help me… Please… I… I can't stand…" She bawled.

Sasuke pulled aside the curtain and saw Sakura huddled on the ground, her arms wrapped around herself. He turned off the shower, then went to pick her up.

"Don't look at me!" She screeched, shuffling away. She felt so insecure, so ugly. Why would he look at her?

"Sakura, it's okay. I'm going to help you." He reassured her, reaching out. What was wrong with her?

"No! I… I don't want you looking at me… I… I just…" A new wave of tears rolled from her eyes and she bent her head into her arms, crying again.

Sasuke was at a loss for words. What was going on? What was happening? Even during her time of the month she was never this bad! "Sakura, look at me! It's me, Sasuke. Let me help you. Tell me what's wrong." What was going on?

"Sasuke, what's wrong with me? I feel so… So tired and depressed… I just want to fall asleep, but I want to cry. I don't even know why, I just…" The girl continued to cry, completely baffled as to why.

Sasuke reached up and grabbed a towel, carefully wrapping it around Sakura, before lifting her bridal style. "Let's get you dry first," he said, sitting carefully on his bed.

"Hmm…" Sakura mumbled, snuggling into his chest. He slowly rubbed his hands up and down her arms with the towel, drying her. Sakura felt that she could fall asleep right there, and she almost did, closing her eyes and leaning against his body. She could feel tears coursing down her cheeks.

"Sasuke, why do you care for me?" She asked him. She suddenly had major doubts in her mind. Why would he love her? Why should he love her? There wasn't anything special about her. Her features were bland at best, she couldn't access her chakra and she was always the one being rescued. She was always annoying him and causing him problems. She was only an average kunoichi at best. What could he possibly see in her?

Sasuke turned her face up to look at him, obsidian staring intently into emerald. "How could you ask such a stupid question, Sakura?" He was amazed that she would ask something as dumb as that. Wasn't she meant to be smart?

"I just don't see why you would. It's not like there's anything special about me." She said lamely, tears still falling.

Sasuke was really confused. Where had that come from? "Sakura, what's wrong with you? How could you say something like that? You are so smart and talented and kind and strong and beautiful… What wouldn't I like about you?"

Sakura started to cry again. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked, now I've made you annoyed again." She yawned as tears ran down her face.

Sasuke sighed. "You haven't annoyed me, Sakura. I'm worried. Where has this sprung from all of a sudden? You were getting better, we were getting better, and now… Well… It's all I can do to keep you from crying. Is it something I've done? Have I hurt you again? Please tell me what I've done wrong, so that I can work to make it right." Sakura shook her head, unsure where this depression had sprung from herself.

"You've done nothing, Sasuke. It's me. It's all me. Gomen. I'm so sorry. Please forgive me for being so weak." She hugged herself, digging her nails into her forearms. She could feel the skin start to break. The pain felt good. Reassuring. Like it was keeping her away from the darkness. Keeping evil away. Keeping her hurt away. Fighting pain with pain. Sasuke quickly saw what she was doing and pulled her hands away.

"Don't do that, Sakura. Don't hurt yourself. Don't fall that way, you're too strong for that. You're too beautiful to have scars marr you on the outside as well. You're not weak. You are anything but. Here. Go to sleep. I won't leave." He pulled her tighter against him and lay down, holding her in his strong grip. She started to fall asleep against his chest.

Barely a few hours later she woke, feeling sick to the stomach. Sasuke had her wrapped in his arms, vice like against his sleeping form. She started to struggle. The lethargy and depression had passed, and now she felt as if she were about to puke. Sasuke groaned in his sleep as Sakura started to rouse him. His hand still wouldn't let her go. She would tell him to move, but felt if she opened her mouth, she would vomit all over him. She started struggling more and more against him, but he just held her tighter.

"Sakura, you're alright, just go back to sleep," he mumbled, groaning with annoyance.

Sakura shook her head and continued to struggle, making a noise of protestation. Sasuke replied by letting her go, and she made a mad dash to the bathroom, emptying her stomach of its contents into the toilet.

What is going on? She thought. It's far too early in the pregnancy for morning sickness. Something is really not right here. First lethargy, then depression, now vomiting and nausea? What the hell is happening to me? She racked her brains to figure it out, but came up dry. Vomit pooled in her throat again, and she released it into the toilet, feeling sweat plastering itself to her body.

"Sakura? Are you alright?" Sasuke's sleepy voice came from the bed and Sakura made a noise saying 'no'. "What's wrong? Are you sick?" She heard him get up and come to the bathroom door, leaning against the door frame, looking at her sallow complexion.

"I feel really -" She puked again, before raising her head shakily. "- Sick." She finished weakly.

Sasuke crouched down and felt her forehead. "You're burning up, Sakura!" he told her, before checking her pulse. It was racing a hundred miles a minute. "What is wrong? What is happening to you?" He demanded, as if she had answers. If only she did. She had no idea what was going on. None of these were pregnancy or miscarriage signs.

"Maybe I just have a flu?" She suggested, not really convinced. The flu wouldn't explain her depression. She lay her head on the tiles and felt slightly better. "I think I'll sleep here for a bit." She said, closing her eyes.

Sasuke nodded. "Is there anything you need?" He asked her. She mumbled out "water," so he got her a glass of water before sitting down and leaning against the bathroom door. He didn't sleep, just watched her occasionally release the contents of her stomach, pushing the hair back from her sweaty face and coaxing her to drink some more water.

Sakura had finally managed to fall into a light doze for a few hours, before she was awoken again, this time by sever cramping in her stomach. She gasped with pain and doubled up on the floor. "Sa… Sas… uke…" She gasped, hearing said male come immediately to her side.

"Sakura, what's wrong?" He asked her, worry dripping from his voice.

Sakura whimpered, holding her stomach tighter. Could she be having a miscarriage? "H… Hurts…" She groaned, barely managing to repress a scream. She held her stomach tighter. It felt like she had someone slicing her insides with a blunt chainsaw!

"Do you have any pain medication?" He asked urgently. She shook her head. No.

"Ran… Out…" She managed between gritted teeth.

Damn, he thought. "Sakura, I'm going to go to Kabuto. Get something to ease the pain, okay?" She nodded mutely at him. He stroked her cheek, before running from the room.

Sasuke entered the lab, looking around for Kabuto. His eyes bled red and he immediately saw Kabuto in a dank corner, leaning over a few test tubes. Sasuke walked quickly up to him.

"Ah, Sasuke San, I wasn't expecting you," Kabuto said, his voice holding unconvincing shock. Sasuke couldn't have care less.

"Pain meds. Now." Sasuke ordered, in no mood for Kabuto's antics.

"Why would I do that?" Kabuto smirked, enjoying provoking Sasuke.

Sasuke growled at him, getting angry. "Sakura is in pain. Give them to me."

Kabuto couldn't help the smug smile that stretch across his face at that. She had maybe fifty hours left. Max.

Sasuke noticed the smirk, and knew that Kabuto knew something. He pinned him against the wall, his eyes bleeding red again, a kunai against Kabuto's throat. "Find something funny, do you?" He growled. "Care to tell?"

Kabuto's smirk wouldn't erase itself, but he stayed silent. Sasuke wrapped him in the power of the Mangekyou Sharigan, anger seeping through his body. "Tsukuyomi!"

Kabuto looked up and saw that he was tied to a pole.

'Where am I?' He thought, before realisation hit him with powerful force. 'Sasuke…' He seethed.

Sasuke walked up to Kabuto, anger etched into his face. 'What have you done to Sakura?' He demanded. Kabuto turned his face aside. As if he'd tell him.

Sasuke ran up and stabbed Kabuto. 'What did you do to her!" He ordered, his voice raising. Kabuto couldn't believe the incredible pain that was coursing through his body. Sasuke stabbed him again, each time Kabuto coughed up blood.

'I can keep you here as long as necessary, Kabuto. But once you tell me what you've done, I will release you.' Sasuke bargained. Kabuto tried to ignore him. This fueled Sasuke's rage like nothing else could have.

He made sure Kabuto suffered.

After hours, Kabuto finally spoke. 'No amount of pain medication will help her. She had been poisoned with extract from the Azalea plant. She has about fifty hours left. Any medication you give her will just kill her faster. I don't have a cure.' His head flopped down, exhausted. Sasuke nodded and broke the Jutsu.

Barely a second had passed in the real world, as the two came back. Sasuke made to walk away, encasing his heart in ice again, before turning. He stabbed Kabuto in the side. "I'd kill you properly, but for now, I want you to suffer a bit. I'll finish this later." He hissed, before running back to his room, fighting the wave of depression that was threatening to overtake him.

He had to have been lying. He couldn't… He wouldn't… Not Sakura… No… Sasuke stopped and fell to his knees, burying his face in his hands. Fifty hours? That was all? "Sakura…" He managed to whisper, pain falling from his tongue. How could he be hurting so much? He thought he had buried all emotions years ago. But somehow, his heart was saying differently. His heart was shattering, falling into dust. She said that Love could only make you stronger, but she had lied. He wasn't strong now, he was weak. So weak. Love caused nothing but pain, and he had been a fool to try and believe otherwise. He got up shakily and walked back to his room.

Sakura was still on the floor of the bathroom and Sasuke walked up to her, collapsing to his hands and knees before he reached her. She looked up at him, attempting a smile. "The pain has started to subside," she informed him, wincing. She saw his black look. "What's wrong?" She asked.

Sasuke shook his head and just gathered her in his arms, stroking the hair from her eyes. She gasped in pain, but otherwise didn't protest. "Sasuke, what's wrong?" She reached her hand up, moving the bangs from his eyes and was shocked to see tears. "Sasuke?" She asked, confused and worried. Why was he crying? Sasuke, as a rule and general fact, didn't cry. It was Sasuke, for Kami sake!

He just kissed her, wishing that some poison were still on her lips, so that he could die too. He somehow managed to find his voice. "Sakura…" He sounded hoarse. How could he tell her that she was going to die? "You… You've been poisoned…" Sakura's eyes widened.

"Food or water poisoning? You know that'll pass, Sasuke." She managed to smile for him, but he just shook his head.

"No… Some sort of plant… Azalea, I think Kabuto said…" He saw Sakura go rigid at his words. She knew what this meant. 'I know the medicinal properties of every plant. I spent months studying all of them…' She had said. She knew that if it wasn't a harmful dosage of the plant, her body would have flushed it out by now.

"He said you have about fifty hours." Sakura just nodded, seeming to accept her fate. They lapsed into silence.

"You know what the worst part is?" Sakura said suddenly. Sasuke shook his head. "If I could access my chakra, I would be able to heal myself. It's a difficult process, but I did it with Kankuro once. He was poisoned by Sasori. Tsunade had only just taught me the concept of it, and then I had to use it." She sighed and held him tighter.

Her words sparked an idea in Sasuke's mind. Without saying a word, Sasuke picked Sakura up, bridal style, and fled from his room, not telling anyone anything. He wouldn't give up on Sakura when there was still someone left who could heal her.

Please don't kill me! *Hides behind Karin* Kill her!

Uh, I have no idea how the affects of the Azalea plant work, how long they last, etc. Just go with the flow... *envisions a beach in Hawaii* Hey, random thing I realised. If you are in Microsoft Word and you go to auto correct 'Sasuke', the first option is 'Sapsucker' XD HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Preview :)

Chapter 15 - Oblivion

..."It's alright, Sakura. We're just passing Amegakure." He assured her.

"No, it's not that, Sasuke. I just... I can't move my fingers or toes!" She sounded panicked.

Sakura chided herself. She knew that progressive paralysis was all a part of the poison. But still, it's one thing to study it, another to experience it. She grew cold as she realised what the next step was. Coma.

"Sasuke, how long have I been out?"...

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