Sakura

Kami, I'm tired..That's all I remember thinking. I had successfully stolen the book and was now to return to Konoha and deliver it to Lady Tsunade. The fruits of my labor would be recognized and it would be known that I was not a force to be trifled with. Yes, all the glory and praise had begun to get to my head before it had even happened, and that's when I started to slip up....

Sakura was so exhausted that her chakra levels were depleting, even so, it was quite awhile before she was discovered by the enemy. Not having much chakra at the time anyway, her presence was a bit obvious and she was unable to cloak it as she did earlier on her way in. The first thing I'm going to do when I get home is sleep..I don't even care what Naruto or anyone else says. I've been on that field for days on end at a time in the past few months, and in these past few days, I've done nothing but something a tracking ninja should do. Come to think of it, Kiba would have been pretty useful in this situation.. The young woman became lost in thought as she neared the entrance's opening.

Maybe it was my carelessness. Maybe it was that I was lost in thought and pondering the fact that it was possible I might see Sasuke kun again. Maybe it was my sheer exhaustion. Whatever the case may be, I soon found myself against a cold and sharp wall..

The young woman's emerald orbs widened at the sight of him.

"Kabuto Yakushi..." she managed to utter quietly, irritated that she'd practically walked right into him and not noticed it until there was a searing pain in her back.

Of course, the insults started and Sakura was not in the mood to deal with him or pretty much anyone else for that matter.

"I thought you'd realize that we Konoha ninja never give up. I suppose I was wrong to think you intelligent. No offense."

Her retorts were partly out of irritation and partly out of the fact that, for some reason, it was fun to leave the boy with glasses surprised. It really has been awhile...A few years I think..He looks a little more mature than I remember, but that annoying personality of his hasn't seemed to have changed a bit....

"If you tell me what you're doing here, maybe I'll be kind enough to let you go. If there is no reason to kill you, I wont. Of course, it might be a little fun.." And there's that beautiful sense of humor of his..

"Hn, tempting, but I'm not going to tell you why I'm here. Let's try it this way, let go of me or I'll hit you so hard that your head spins around a few times.."

Maybe he won't notice that I have little to no chakra at the moment because I really can't afford to get caught now.. It was then that the pink haired woman's eyes widened again because she watched in horror as the glowing hand slid down her delicate neck, blood forming at the source and trickling down until it hit the ground with a splash. Sakura winced in pain, trying to gather up what strength she 'did' have so that she could at least push or kick him off and make a run for it. Kami, it hurts..It'd be less painful if I could heal it or if I wasn't trying not to lose consciousness right now..No. I can't do that. It's not an option!.

"I wonder what Sasuke would think about this. It is very unlikely, and disturbing, that he would be concerned. Most likely he wouldn't even care. I genuinely feel bad for you, even if it would be amusing for me to watch him watch me kill you, and him standing there apathetic towards the situation. If you'd like me to take you to him, I can. Maybe I'll even give you some time alone. And then maybe I'll keep you here for a bit. You can join the others. You might even be a tad bit useful to Orochimaru-sama. If not though, I'm afraid I will have to kill you." His words rang in her mind like wildfire. No...Surely Sasuke kun wouldn't just stand there and watch me die.. Sakura had to shake her head slightly, for her eyes had glazed over and taken her mind to a place it didn't wish to venture. No! I am not going to die and I will help Naruto save Sasuke kun!.

"Are you done talking..?" she asked, masking her panting breaths with her sarcasm. "I don't wish to see Sasuke kun. He's not why I'm here..and as far as dying goes, that's not on my list of things to do today., nor am I willing to stay here for any longer than I have to."

With the only remaining strength she had left, even as she felt herself being pressed harder against the wall behind her, pushing the rock into her back and making it very painful and uncomfortable, the young woman raised her foot and kicked off, hoping to at least get him off so she could get away.

"I've already acquired what I need, or should I say that my teammate has. He's already headed back to Konoha as we speak.."

Let's just hope I can still bluff because that's obviously a lie...

***I apologize for a lack of Kabuto in this chapter. I typed it up, but it somehow got deleted. I'll rewrite it again sometime, but for now I'll just sum up what happened. Kabuto gets mad at Sakura for calling him an idiot, toys with her emotions a bit, talks about Sasuke, and accuses her of lying about a teammate being there. Oh! And Kabuto fell and lost his glasses, and he kindly asks Sakura to give them to him, but lets her know that he wont let her go even if she does.