Chapter 15

Sakura blinked her eyes open and stretched out her arms. Had she really been successful in her mission? Could she go back now? The question that she really wanted answered was, would Sasuke go with her now?

She tossed the blankets off of her legs and jumped off the bed feeling slightly giddy for the first time in a while. She took a quick shower and began making her way to Sasuke's room to talk to him about it. He hand stopped mid-knock as a thought crossed her mind. Should she give him more time before dropping this bombshell on him, too?

"What's wrong?" an irritating voice broke through the silence. "Sasuke won't let you in?"

Sakura turned towards the voice while rolling her eyes. "No, I haven't even knocked yet."

Karin snorted and rolled her eyes while crossing her arms. "Of course... Just admit he won't let you in. You probably jumped him the other night."

Sakura's hand twitched. She had had it with Karin. Had yesterday taught her nothing? "Okay, first of all, gross," Sakura said pushing Karin away. "Second of all, Sasuke and I are not 'together.' We don't like each other and, we aren't dating. We can barely tolerate each other, so keep your nose out of my business!" Sakura had to bury the feeling that she had lied somehow. She also had no idea why she couldn't say, "You're welcome to him," like she had planned. Maybe she wasn't willing to wish that on anyone.

Sakura rid herself of any problems she felt about telling Sasuke and turned back to his door. She turned the doorknob and let herself in.

"Sasuke, I have something to-" she stopped short when she saw Sasuke was not in his room. It was probably around ten o'clock so it made sense for him not to be there. She decided to look for him at the training grounds and left a confused Karin in the hallway.

Sasuke was not at the training grounds, or anywhere for that matter. Sakura wasn't worried, just slightly concerned. Something about seeing him so vulnerable the day before had changed the way she thought about him. Somewhere deep down he was still just a frightened little boy.

She shook her head of those thoughts and continued to Madara's room. After running out of places to look, there was only one person she could ask about his whereabouts.

Sakura marched down the hallway and burst open the door to Madara's room.

"Where is he, Madara-sama," Sakura demanded immediately after she entered the room.

"You'll have to be more specific than that, Sakura," Madara monotoned as he looked over papers on his desk.

"Where's Sasuke," Sakura ground out.

"Oh, him," Madara sighed leaning back in his chair.

"Where Sasuke is, is none of your concern, Sakura," Madara said tapping his fingers on his desk. "You have your own mission to worry about."

Sakura crossed her arms and let out a sigh, "So, he's on a mission."

Madara waved the question aside and continued, "I have a branch of people making and inventing poisons for me, and I have suspicion that they are considering going rogue."

"Imagine someone turing against you," Sakura said. "Shocking." She pictured his eyebrows rising.

"I want you to go there and pose as a simple nurse that I am sending in response to their request."

Sakura nodded. "Where are they located?"

"Just a hundred miles north of Konoha."

Sakura knew he was trying to get a reaction from her. He wasn't going to get one.

"Come back when you receive evidence of their betrayal," Madara said in a dismissive tone.

Sakura found herself nodding again before she left the room.

The last thing she had wanted to do when she got up this morning was go on a long mission, especially one just outside Konoha. She readjusted the pack on her back and continued at a slow pace. What hurry was she in to please Madara?

A sigh escaped her lips after a few silent minutes had passed. She hated traveling alone! It was so boring. She happily remembered the days when she would travel with Itachi. Never a dull moment was spent when she was with Itachi. He would always keep traveling interesting. She shook the thought from her head.

"Thoughts in the present," Sakura thought to herself, but she couldn't keep herself from missing him.

After two of the most boring days Sakura had spent by herself, she arrived at the base of possible traitors. Why was Madara sending the traitor to check on traitors she thought to herself for the hundredth time? Maybe he didn't actually know she was a traitor... Of course he knew!

"Good evening, Ma'am," a quiet, mousy voice greeted bringing Sakura out of her thoughts. Sakura's first thought was that Hinata had been addressing her and that she should run before Hinata discovered who she was. A quick look in the speakers direction cleared Sakura of thoughts involving her old Konoha friend.

"Good evening," Sakura responded to the blonde girl that had addressed her.

"How may I help you?" the girl asked.

"My name is Sakura, Madara-Sama sent me here in response to your request for a nurse," Sakura answered.

The girl looked Sakura up and down before nodding and indicating that Sakura should follow her.

Short, short, short! Bah. Sorry about the short update...

Anywho... On with the thank yus! The people that absolutely rawk my sox off this week are: Twisted Musalih, janiisaur, (Guest), LadyMartel4000, Jasmine-.-Momo-chan, aalc95, SweetRevenge1, CJ122, SorrowoftheHeart, and xoulblade! Yu guys are awesome!

I have a request! I would like to thank everyone reading this chapter next update and to do that I need you guys to review so I have a name to thank instead of just saying "Thanks everyone!" It doesn't even have to be a real review, you can just type the word "review" and that will be okay.

Again, sorry for the sucky update.

The Fuzz \|/