Author's Note: Sorry guys for the long delay. I was very busy at the hospital that I barely had time to squeeze for my fanfic. Don't worry, I'm going to finish this. Thanks for the support.

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Chapter 13

She had been drifting in and out of sleep, never knowing if it was day or night. The room was pitched dark saved for a torch hanging just outside her door. A thick wooden door with a gap just wide enough for her eyes let's her see what was going on outside. A long, plank of wood suspended on the wall through heavy, rusted chains served as her makeshift bed with a tattered, rough-spun blanket to warm her. In the corner, a chamber pot was almost filled with her urine and body wastes. She had covered it with a piece of wood but still, the room rank of its smell but she had gotten used to it.

How long had it been since she was taken from Konoha? Five days? Eight?

A rogue-nin would check on her twice a day. When someone checks to see her, a food tray was always brought which consisted of salted fish, mushy rice and a glass of water. When she's lucky, she would find a few strips of vegetables on her meal. They did not post someone to guard her, knowing full well that she would not escape that easily.

Many times she had tried to escape them: breaking the door, slipping while her food was being served, throwing the chamber pot at their face and even feigning pain. Yet, all her efforts were in vain and it only earned her chakra-binding manacles on both wrists.

"I wonder what they are doing right now," Sakura muttered to herself. She thought of Konoha and its warm, green surroundings and the people in it: Konoha residents, Naruto, Kakashi, Ino, Tsunade and yes, she had to admit, Sasuke foremost.

"I'm sure the Godaime had sent a retrieval team for us," answered Inner Sakura, her hyperactive alter ego.

"Can they find us?"

Inner Sakura shrugged. "Well, let's just punch our way back to Konoha."

"Yeah," agreed Sakura sarcastically. "Punch our way to Konoha." And go back to Konoha as corpses. She shuddered at the thought.

Thanks to her alter ego, she was able to combat boredom and loneliness. Being confined in a small, dark room for days and nights without anyone to talk to would have driven her mad if not for the nagging but reassuring presence of Inner Sakura.

Without knowing it, she had fallen asleep again and dreamt that she was floating in a dark surrounding. When she struggled to turn around and plant her feet on the ground, she continued to sink. There was no ground to place her feet upon, there was no end around. Everything just seemed to stretch and she felt herself sinking into an abyss.

There was no way out, she thought in panic. She cried out for help but her words only travelled the empty space.

Then, she felt some force yanking her forward. She felt some pain and she felt herself falling again but this time she fell to a cold, hard, solid ground.

And she woke up with a grunt of pain.

A loud, metallic chunk reverberated around the room as the thick iron manacles on her wrists were thrown on the floor. She looked around and found herself sitting on the floor. Rubbing her wrists, she looked up to find a rogue-nin looking down at her in a bored way.

"Up, woman," he ordered in a gruff voice like she was some kind of mongrel.

It felt good to be free from those manacles. Her wrists were chaffed raw from its tight grip.

Tall and medium-built with dark hair and eyes, she guessed his age to be around early thirties. He did not even waited for her to stand up on her own because he grabbed her roughly on the arm and pulled her up to stand. Then, he pushed her towards the door.

"Where are you taking me?" Sakura shrugged away from him, looking around suspiciously. Even though he had taken off her manacles, she still did not trust them.

"To the sea," he replied, pinning her arms behind and secured it with a rope. "Move!"

They're going to throw me to the sea! Her face must have betrayed her thoughts and emotions because the man laughed at her.

She needed to escape but how?

oOo

Years of neglect have turned the officer's room into a mess. Office files, rusty weapons, maps, old pieces of clothing, plates and mugs were scattered around the room. No one would think that it used to be the room of the highest ranking official of the island fortress. From the window on the right, one has a perfect view of the sea and any incoming enemies. A dingy door leading to a balcony offers one a good view on the fighting pit where the bloody graduation rites were used to be held.

Chojuro remembered his graduation rites as if it had been yesterday. He had to face his cousin on a one on one duel to death as a last step to "graduate". His cousin was better than him, fast and brutal. It was just a matter of luck that he was able to chance a fatal blow on his head.

"The Mizukage kept asking me," he finally said still staring at the fighting pit where hundreds of Kirigakure students died.

Ao was looking out onto the sea and asked in turn. "And what did you tell her?"

"That we have some matters to attend too," replied Chojuro. "The usual things."

"Did she believe you?"

"I think so," he admitted quite unsure. The Mizukage kept badgering him about what they were doing since their absences were notable. He had told the Mizukage that they were negotiating talks with several clients across the Five Countries to hire their shinobis for various purposes. The Hidden Village of Mist was not a productive village in terms of trade and resources. Their weather had allowed a few precious crops to survive and be harvested. Kirigakure was known for its militia and a large percent of their village's income come from client requests.

"If I were her, I would not believe you."

Because you don't know how hard it is for me to lie to her. "The Mizukage trusts us. We should stop this."

"Stop?" Ao managed a dry laugh as if Chojuro had said something ridiculous. "We are doing the Mizukage a favor and the Five Countries as a whole. The negotiations have been made and we have them both. I can smell success and there's no turning back."

oOo

Cool, blue water lapped hungrily on the hull of the boat, inviting it to sail on the wide open sea against a backdrop of a pale, orange setting sun. Are they somewhere on the north that the mists have started to thicken?

"Hey there, where's Sasuke?" She called out in her loudest voice but the man had disappeared behind the thick mists.

Swordfish. The name was painted in yellow, peeling letters. Could the boat sail as fast as its name? Her captors gave her a fishing vessel on which the smell of rotten fish had clung fiercely that she can smell it a good yard away. The vessel has one large cabin only. Inside the cabin were a chipped wooden steering wheel, a thick fishing net suspended on the corner which undoubtedly served as the bed; a small, circular table with a an oil lamp; a loaf of bread and a bottle of water.

The rogue-nin have escorted her to the boat and started the engine. When the boat started to move, the man left her without even untying the rope around her wrists and just disappeared. The boat continued to move, sailing straight into the sea like a blind man with no eyes while she sat on the corner, her hands tied behind her back.

Sakura forced to free her wrists from the rope, chaffing her bruised wrists further. She shook her hands free from the rope, her skin around the wrists red and bleeding from the chaffed skin.

Immediately, she took hold of the steering wheel and turned it counterclockwise. The boat continued to speed straight.

"Come on!" She wrenched the steering wheel harder.

Is this their idea of freeing her? And where was Sasuke? What the hell was going on?!

These questions filled her with mixed emotions of anger, confusion and fear. Yes, her captors gave her a boat and freed her but how was she supposed to go back to Konoha when she did not even know where she was in the first place?

And where was Sasuke? How much did he pay them to free her? Could it be something more valuable than money like a scroll or a weapon? Was he asked to assassinate someone?

But where was he right now?

Deep inside, she was expecting him to save her in the middle of the night like in those children's stories. Maybe after he had paid the ransom, he went back to Konoha and surmised that she can go back on her own. The thought sent a painful stab inside more painful that her physical wounds.

No, he won't do that. Despite what happened to their marriage, she and Sasuke still shared a bond that is deeper and had withstood the tests of time: friendship. No matter what happens, she is still his friend.

Something is wrong. She could feel it in her bones although she can't pinpoint exactly what it was. Sooner or later, she would find it out and she would never like it.

oOo

The chains rattled violently against the Uchiha's thrashing. Those chains were made of hard iron and have been used for more than a decade for punishment. Chojuro tried not to flinch at the screams and kept his face blank as the process started.

It must be painful to have your eye taken out without any anesthesia on the site. It's like losing a limb during a battle. Yet, in the battle shinobis have an adrenaline rush and the pain is felt afterwards. They have very few medics on the village and Ao did not dare hire one reasoning out that the fewer involved, the better. The two hired shinobis who guarded the kunoichi were killed after receiving their payment.

The line of Sharingan users would end with Uchiha Sasuke's death. The pink-haired kunoichi would also die in the sea. He wondered how long the woman would last.. She was long leagues away from Konoha and sea storms are common on their country. She would be lucky if she experiences just one. And that is if she can find her way back. The woman did not know their identities which Ao had ensured before ordering her to be freed. Ao would not let them both live despite the deal they have made. If the word spreads out, it would spark tension between their respective villages. And they won't stand a chance if Konoha allied itself with Sand, Wind or Lightning.

After more than an hour, the left Sharingan eye was finally taken out and was placed carefully on a cylinder filled with some kind of preserving fluid. The eye floated lazily inside the cylinder, staring at them with accusation after being removed from its rightful owner. Ao paused to inspect the extracted eye and despite the natural cold weather, he was sweating profusely. A smile formed on the old man's lips. He wondered how Ao managed to extract the eye when he was no medic because one wrong cut of the blood vessel or nerve on the Uchiha's eye could render their entire plan useless. Perhaps, he had practiced on it during their months of planning.

Uchiha Sasuke screamed and cursed, his chakra levels high and angry. He had suggested to Ao that they should have killed the Uchiha first before taking the eye. But Ao said that the Sharingan would lose its potency if its removed from its owner who's more than fifteen minutes dead. Best to take it while the owner breathes. Ao had even compared it to slaughtering swines and chickens because the fresher the meat, the better.

BOOM!

A loud explosion shook the building and sent a rain of falling debris. Clouds of smoke and dust clouded his vision as he took out his kunai. He heard a shout, a grunt of pain and another deafening explosion again.

BOOM!

Wiping his glasses clean, he saw two figures making way towards the door. The other one was Uchiha Sasuke, he was sure of it. The one helping him escape It was hard to see who they were amidst the smoke and mist. Whoever they were, he went out after them and immediately received a kick on the stomach.

"The eye!" Ao shouted harshly, a trickle of blood running from a gash on his forehead.

"The Uchiha escaped! We need to go after them!" It should be their first priority, not the damn eye. If the Uchiha manage to contact Konoha, they would be doomed.

The smoke had somehow cleared and he saw Ao searching fervently amidst the debris. "Go after them. The bitch returned to save the Uchiha. Bring them back dead or alive."

The kunoichi returned? She was either stupid or brave, he thought. But he wondered how she managed to steal inside the room without being sensed. Did she use a special technique? Ao has sharp chakra senses or had he been so confident that she would not return? Or was he preoccupied with the operation that his defenses were lowered? And now Ao wanted him to go after the two alone while he searched for his precious Sharingan eye. "We should go after them."

Fury emanated from the old man such as he had never seen before in his years of working beside him. The patch on his right eye was torn, exposing his Byakugan with its constricted white pupils and worm-like bulging vessels around. "You will go after them."

SAKURA

"You should have not gone back!" Sasuke repeated angrily for the third time. Fresh tears of blood continue to trickle from his left eyelid.

"They don't mean for both of us to live," Sakura countered for the third time too.

Together they cut their way across the tangled branches and leaves, twisted vines and tall, wild grass. The mist surrounding them was another problem.

"They have freed you," said Sasuke. "I watched you sail."

Sakura snorted. "Yes, they freed me. They gave me a boat with scarcely a food, map, water or compass. How am I suppose to return to Konoha when I don't have any idea where the hell in the world am I? They wanted me to wander across the sea and to die in hunger, sickness or storm."

"You should have sent Konoha a message."

"I already did," said Sakura. "I summoned a slug with a message for Tsunade. The slug said I am in Land of Water."

Sasuke's mouth thinned. "Yes, we are." Then, he turned to her. "Why didn't you just anchored on any island and waited for Konoha forces?"

"I wanted to know what's happening." She felt somethingwas wrong with they way she was freed easily. And her intuition was right.

"You don't have to know," said Sasuke.

Anger flared inside her. "I have the right to know! Oh, I nearly forgot that you always decide on your own."

Sasuke was about to shot back a reply when he stopped on his tracks and turned around, deftly assuming a defensive position. "Chojuro has tracked us. Go."

"What?" He wanted her to leave.

"You heard me clearly," said Sasuke impatiently. "You have to leave right away."

"No."

Sasuke rounded on her and gripped her shoulders. "Why are you so stubborn? They will target you!"

Because I don't want to leave you, she wanted to say. But she knew he was right. They would surely target her because of her vulnerability and she would be of no help to him when that happens. "The boat is inside a cave under the cliff by the east shoreline."

She waited for him to reply but his eyes were already scanning the surroundings.

"I will wait for you," she finally said and bounded off as fast as her weight could carry her. The pebbled shoreline greeted her soon. She had hidden the boat under the cliff and to reach it, she has to trudge the waters or scale down the cliff. She had trudged the waters when she went back and she would do it again. Scaling down the cliff in her current condition does not seem a good idea.

Climbing over a large sea-washed rock, Sakura gently eased herself to the water and walked along the sides, keeping hold on the rocks behind her. Waves after waves splashed on her face and thrice she had grazed her skin yet it did not hinder her. Dripping wet from head to toe, Sakura reached the cave where she hid the boat and used the natural rocky slopes to climb on it.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Twisting around, Sakura unsheathed the rusty kunai she had found on the boat's cabinets. It was rusty and old but still, a rusty kunai is better than none at all.

From the shadows he emerged and her eyes widened as she recognized the man. He was the same one who attacked her in Konoha. Based on his looks, she guessed him to be in his late forties or early fifties. But his body betrayed the gaunt look on his face. He was tall, lean and muscled which can put a young man into insecurity. But what stood out were his eyes. His eyes were mismatched. The left eye was a normal-looking eye while the right one was a Byakugan.

White pupils and white irises... The Byakugan, there's no mistaking it. He was the guy who took out Sasuke's right eye.

"Who are you?"

"You don't have to know it because you will not live long."

She noted his head protector. "Mist Village."

Ignoring that she had noticed his head protector, he carefully stepped towards her. "How did you manage to steal inside the room?"

Sakura stepped backwards. "Dynamites and concealment," she replied. The boat they have given her some use. She found several stocks of unused dynamites hidden under the floor and she used it as a distraction. Creating some clones, she instructed them to plant it on several parts of the building then she went on her way to find Sasuke. Actually, it was easy to locate Sasuke's whereabouts because of his chakra. He was in pain and its no wonder that his chakra was intense and strong.

"Ah, dynamites." The man scratched his chin thoughtfully. "The dynamites were hidden since they banned dynamite fishing. I was sure you would not return that I lowered my sensors. Yet, I can still sense one as far as ten meters even if my chakra sensors are subdued. You have concealed yourself very well."

Sakura made no reply about that. "You wanted Sasuke's Sharingan and you used me as a bait."

She had figured it out after seeing the operation. That's why Sasuke was not with her when she was freed. He doesn't need ransom or scroll. It was Sasuke's eye in exchange for life. He wanted the Sharingan.

The last Sharingan.

"I already have the Byakugan and it just occurred to me, why not a Sharingan on the other? By taking his eyes and killing him, I'm doing the world a favor. They would thank me for exterminating Uchiha Sasuke."

Sakura can't believe what she's hearing. The world would thank him?!

"The shinobi world have not forgotten his atrocities and Uchiha Sasuke shall pay for it. You're just very unfortunate that you carry his heir. I wanted to rid you too but Chojuro said that your child would not be a threat since there's some chance that it may not manifest the Sharingan because you're not an Uchiha," he said looking down at her. "I will be the justice."

Sakura shook her head in disgust. "You're mad. You call it justice? You are just using it as an excuse to justify your actions but what you really desire is his Sharingan. You even used me as a bait. In the end, you're nothing but a greedy, coward fool."

A shuriken wheezed towards her face and she just had enough time to deflect it with her kunai. The rusty kunai was almost sliced in half by the sharp shuriken but still, it managed to saved her.

"And what do you know of justice? You Konoha fools gave him a pathetic sentence when he should have been executed. But no, Konoha does not want him dead because of his bloodline limit. They wanted his Sharingan to continue so they can use it on future wars." He spat on the floor. "Enough of this. Give it to me."

He had it right. Sasuke is the last surviving Uchiha and if he would be executed, the Sharingan bloodline would die with him too. "Give what?" She replied innocently.

"Stop playing innocent. You know perfectly well what I wanted. Give me the Sharingan eye."

"I don't have it," replied Salura coolly.

"Liar. Give it to me. Now." His Byakugan activated, white pupils constricting against an equally pale, white cornea and iris.

"I don't have it," she said again. She braced herself for his attack. She felt sorry for the child inside her. But she would fight to protect her child and if she die... so be it.

SASUKE

The great fireball illuminated the night with life. The light and warmth coming from it felt good against the cold, mist-surrounded island. Chojuro managed to escaped the fireball itself but not its tongues of flames. His clothes caught fire and he immediately rolled in the damp ground to extinguish it. He had fought the boy before. It was during the Summit of the Five Kages in the Hidden Village that he had first seen he boy with that monstrous weapon of his. Susanoo, which was Sasuke's ultimate defense had been equaled by that hammer. Well, it just proves that the sheer weapon sizes of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist were not for mere intimidation.

Where is he? Chojuro had used his hammer so many times that it already tired him and slowed his movements. He would have to finish him as soon as possible. He wondered whether Sakura had already prepared the boat for their escape.

Bright white blue electricity formed on the palm of his hand and using his chakra to manipulate it, the ball of electricity elongated to form a silver-white Chidori Sword. Normally, he uses his Sharingan with his Chidori attacks. This time, however, he would try to put up with his normal, remaining eye. He sped through the trees when he heard a loud crack and the ground shook faintly beneath his feet. He stopped on his tracks and his eyes widened as he realized what's happening. Quickly, he abandoned his pursuit on Chojuro.

"No, not her," he whispered anxiously. He had expected Ao to follow him because he was the stronger one. Besides, the cylinder containing the Sharingan eye was with him, tucked safely inside the back of his shirt and hidden by his dark, faded cloak.

He pressed his palm over his left eyelid. The pain was consistent since the eye extraction. It felt like all the severed blood vessels and nerves were on fire, licking the hollow spaces inside. Knowing that he can't open his eyes unless he wanted infection to set in, he used his head protector as bandage over it.

The start of the eye extraction was simultaneous with Sakura's voyage to the sea. Bouded by thick, hard iron chakra-suppressing chains from head to foot, he watched helplessly from the window as Sakura's boat went to the sea and out of sight. He had no idea that she would return afterwards. The hired rogue-nins who guarded and excorted Sakura were also killed afterwards because Ao had seen to it that no word of what happened and who they were reaches outside.

Not being a medic, Ao had been very careful and meticulous on extracting his left Sharingan eye. The man had prepared for it as he had a small pouch containing small knives and scissors. It was pure physical torture to have his eye poked, cut and extracted without any numbing medication at all and all he could do was to scream and curse at them. His initial plan was to activate his Sharingan once he was sure that Sakura had left the island a considerable distance. For if he activated it early on, they might send someone to get her. Despite the contract, he knew that Ao would not only take his eyes but also his life. Furthermore, it would be an insult to have Itachi's eyes transplanted to someone who's not an Uchiha.

To activate his Sharingan, he needed chakra. But Ao had blocked his chakra pathways by using his stolen Byakugan on his right eye. Not to mention the chakra-suppressing chains that bound him from head to foot. He knew that his chances of escaping were slim but he would not let them kill him easily like a trapped animal. At that time, fleeting images of Naruto and Sakura floated on his mind. And of course, he wanted to see his child. The thought of never seeing them again overwhelmed him with pain.

His left eye had just been extracted and placed on the cylinder when the explosion shook the building and sent thick, clouds of smoke, ash and dust upon them. He had managed to break some of the rusty chains using physical strength but it was not enough. That was when he felt ehr familiar chakra signature beside him. In a swift stroke, Sakura sliced away the chains with what seemed like her chakra scalpel. He was able to snatch the cylinder on the floor before they left the room in a haste.

And now he reached the shoreline which was scattered with rocks ranging from small, broken stones to ones as large as boulders. Towering mounds of earth were erected like small, chocolate hills. A faint, long crack on the ground was also visible. All of which were marks of Sakura's brute strength and attempts to defend herself.

Ao would not kill her. It was him he wanted. His eyes, his Sharingan.

"But Sakura disrupted Ao's perfect plan," a voice inside his head piped in. "And he would make her pay for it."

Finally, he found them and he did not like it.

"Let her go," said Sasuke.

"You are in no position to demand, Uchiha." Ao gripped Sakura's arms tighter behind her back and posed a kunai to the hollow of her throat. The tip gleamed under the moonlight and from its tip, a small spot of blood formed.

Sakura looked like a mess. There were small cuts on face and her lower lip was swollen and bloodied. Yet, what surprised him was she still looked defiant and stubborn.

"Give the eye or else I'll kill your little wife."

"Then, kill me you bastard." Sakura spat on the ground.

"You still have the nerve to fight back, woman?" Ao drew a small redline on the side of her jaw. "You ruined everything."

Blood dripped from the line Ao made on Sakura's left jaw. Still, Sakura did not show that she was scared or even affected. It was only by his sheer willpower and logic that prevented him from attacking Ao at that very moment.

"Release her and I'll give it to you." He saw Sakura's green eyes widened in disagreement.

"I have the eye," said Sakura all of a sudden.

Ao's visible eye travelled abck and forth to the him and Sakura. "Are you trying to play games with me? Give it to me. Now."

Sakura's mouth formed a wordless "No."

"I hid it," she added.

What is she trying to do?

A cryptic smile suddenly formed on Ao's face which he did not like at all. "You want to play? Well, let's add more player to our lying game."

Sasuke cursed under his breath as he felt the chakra signature of Chojuro enter the perimeter.

"Now we're four," said Chojuro. He walked towards Ao and Sakura.

"I have the eye," Sasuke said. He took it from inside the back of his shirt and showed it to them. "Release her and I'll give it to you."

"No!" Sakura cried in despair.

"Give it to me." Ao's eyes glinted with visible greed. "One wrong move and her blood will spill."

Grim-faced, Sasuke gave a small nod. "As you wish."

And he threw the cylinder high up in the air."

SAKURA

Everything happened in a flash.

Ao cursde in anger and released his hold on her in order to catch the cylinder which Sasuke had thrown away. Chojuro tried to grab her but when she was about to punch him, he was already thrown backwards.

"Go," said Sasuke.

Then, they heard a crash and a wail.

When they turned to look, they found the cylinder's top broken, the contents of the preserving fluid leaking out. It turned out that Ao had managed to catch the cylinder just in time but it was not enough. The cylinder slipped and fell from his hand. Before Ao had the chance to pick it up or react, Sasuke attacked him.

Without thinking, sakura rushed to pick the broken cylinder. One-fourth of the preserving fluid had already been lost. Thankfully, there was still enough fluid for the Sharingan eye or else it would dry up and shrunk after a few hours. She should just maintain holding the cylinder in a vertical position or else all the preserving fluid would spill.

"Why did you go back?"

Turning around, she found Chojuro slumped in a rock, his glasses broken. His left leg was positioned in an awkward angle.

"I knew something was wrong," she answered.

Chojuro eyed her glowing fist with wariness but he did not move from his position. "You should still have gone on. You were given the chance."

"A slim chance. You knew that I have a slim chance of surviving at sea. All alone, I could die in a storm, starve to death if the sea is becalmed. Lots of possibilities."

"Slim chance, yes." Chojuro coughed up some blood. "You returned because of Uchiha Sasuke, didn't you?"

As a combat medic, Sakura was trained to assess comrades immediately in order to perform the primary healing needed. Now, as she looked at Chojuro, she could rule out some broken ribs, a fractured left ankle and some internal organ damage.

"Yes," she answered his question. Her medic side urged her to heal the man but her shinobi side tells her to finish the man. White chakra glowed from her right hand and formed into a chakra scalpel.

"Go ahead," said Chojuro.

A few seconds of silence engulfed them and Sakura knew that she must kill the man before its too late.

"You really care for each other, don't you?"

Taken a back by his comment, Sakura asked. "What makes you say that?"

Chojuro shrugged. "You came back for him and he, on the other hand, sacrificed his precious Sharingan for you."

Sakura stared at Chojuro with wide eyes still deciding whether to kill or heal him. Suddenly, a weird idea sprang up on her mind. "Get up."

Confusion flashed across Chojuro's face. "What?"

"You heard me. Get up or die."

Staggering, Chojuro managed to stand even with his broken ankle.

"You will take us back to Konoha as fast as possible," said Sakura.

"Me?"

"Who else? Follow me." Sakura looked at him sharply and started walking.

Chojuro followed her as fast as his broken ankle could manage with an expression of confusion and apprehension. They have just crossed a few yards when Sasuke showed up. He looked at both of them with surprise.

"What's this?" He asked and from the tone of his voice, he was clearly expecting an explanation. "I thought you already killed him!"

"He would take us back to Konoha," said Sakura.

Sasuke looked at her as if she had gone mad.

"He is our enemy," he emphasized as if it was not obvious to her.

"I know."

"You're making a big mistake."

"He was part of this whole plan and he knew the fastest route to take us back." Then, she decided to shift the topic. "Where's Ao?"

"Fatally wounded," answered Sasuke. "I left him because I needed to check on you. I have expected that you would finish that guy."

"Leave Ao. We need to get back to Konoha." Her hand went to her rounded abdomen. "I'm starting to feel labor pains now."

"And him?" Sasuke looked at Chojuro with distrust and suspicion clearly written across his face.

"Please, let's leave." She watched as Sasuke's shoulders sagged in defeat and she knew he had let go of the argument for her sake.

Sasuke watched Chojuro carefully like a hawk, anticipating any sign of deceit or attack that would initiate him to kill the man. Yet, a good hour passed and nothing happened. Although weak and injured, Chojuro was able to steer the boat soundly away from the island. Meanwhile, Sakura made sure that no one has followed them. Retiring in a corner of the cabin, she took out the broken cylinder and found that only half of the preserving fluid remained.

"Sasuke," she called him. It felt odd to say his name again.

He turned around and looked at the cylinder on her hand. "You found it?"

Sakura nodded. Perhaps he thought that it was gone after the cylinder fell to the ground. Fortunately, the cylinder was made up of thick glass or else it would have shattered to pieces. "It has to be transplanted immediately."

"Now?"

"We have no airtight container for it to be stored. It should be transplanted now or else it would dry up and shrink in a short time," she added.

Sasuke threw a furtive glance at Chojuro. Finally, he assented and the transplantation started. The hardest part for Sakura was joining back the severed vessels and nerves to the eye and ensuring that the blood and chakra channels were patent and flowing. All the while, Sasuke remained quiet throughout the procedure. It took Sakura almost an hour but she did not stop until she was sure it would work perfectly.

"Close your right eye," Sakura instructed. After a few minutes, she said. "You can open it now."

Sasuke did as he was told. "Now tell me how clearly you can see."

"Clear." Sasuke responded with a voice that resonated with relief.

"Good." Bringing back the yesight was good but the Sharingan would be another thing. "I would suggest that you rest it first before activitating the Sharingan so as not to strain it."

"Thank you," Sasuke said then returned to the front deck.

Chojuro's words replayed inside her mind again. "...sacrifice his precious Sharingan for you."

"Now you have your eye back," she whispered to herself. "Did you sacrifice your eye because you felt guilty?"

They would be returning to Konoha and as soon as the perpetrators behind the abduction were punished, they would have to face their personal problem. The impending divorce would the first one they have to settle.

"At least, we're going back," piped in Inner Sakura. The labor pains have already started although they were still mild and irregular. The stress must have triggered it.

Suddenly, a gust of cold wind whipped from the open window and raised goosebumps all over her body. For unknown reasons, she felt scared as if...something dreadful was about to happen.

Author's Note: Thank you for the long wait! Please review! Few chapters left!