Chapter 23

Everyone was heading their way towards the door, ready to work on their assigned mission but Sakura kept on standing there, her eyes focusing on her feet as if she had found something interesting on her toes.

"What are you still doing here Sakura?" Tsunade asked her. Honestly, the Godaime already had a hint or had an idea what's bugging her apprentice all of a sudden. She noticed it the moment the pinkette suddenly paused with mouth agape. It was her tag-team mission with the Uchiha. And she knows her apprentice will do everything to appeal to her to amend her decision. But this mission was important and they must work it out somehow. They must set aside any feelings and emotions. She knows the mednin knew that as well. It is nothing personal, it's all for the mission.

"Uhm…" Sakura looked at the Hokage who're now wearing her glasses and was already busy scribbling something on her parchments, "…can I talk to you for a minute?"

"The decision is final Sakura Haruno. What I have given to you as your mission cannot be changed. You might question the decision but to answer that, it is to balance the power among the four of you. I also have Sai join you once he returned from his mission but I highly doubt that he will be able to finish his own assigned mission soon, " she looked up at her fidgeting apprentice and paused for second, "Anymore questions?"

Sakura paused for a while then with disappointed face, she softly shook her head.

"Good, dismiss!" the Godaime barked.

The pinkette exited the door and saw that Naruto, Shikamaru and Sasuke were waiting for her outside. It was Naruto who approached her first.

"What did you talked with Baa-chan?" Naruto inquired.

Sakura shook her head and gave him a smile, "Hmn, nothing," then she looked at Sasuke with same smile, "Goodluck to us, Sasuke-kun," she meant it, in both ways…well, to herself particularly.

The dark-haired Uchiha just looked at her with his smoldering obsidian eyes. He was leaning on the wall then decided to walk towards her and grabbed her wrist, "I need to talk to you,"

Sakura gasped. She felt it. Just his touch and she felt a tremendous electricity run through body. It's like he was giving her a low voltage Chidori. It's a tingling sensation she can't described. She felt a delicious sensation run through her body and its giving her goosebumps. Her heartbeat became erratic. Though at that moment she already noticed he was gripping her wrist with no gentleness, but still… "E-eh?"

Sasuke did not answer, he walked and went passed Naruto, bumping him as he marched off still grabbing her arm. All Naruto could do was be astonished on what he's seeing and looked at them walked off as he stood there asking what had happened. Why was Sasuke being aggressive all of a sudden? Shikamaru just smirked.

SxS

What is wrong with him? Sakura thought. Sasuke was still dragging her, his big hands on her slim wrist. He was walking a bit fast so she had to jog-walk sometimes. There were out in the Hokage Tower area now and she had no idea where he's taking her or what he wants.

"S-Sasuke, where are we going? What do you need from me?" she asked. She looked in front of her and all he could see was his back. She quietly run her eyes towards the man's back. After five years, this was the closest she could get from him. He's really tall, his shoulders wide, his arm lean and strong and the hand that holds her wrist was big and rough. He was wearing his usual white kimono with the crest of the Uchiha visibly printed on his back. How she wanted to run her fingers and traced the Uchiha clan's symbol on his back. She swallowed. Damnit! She had to regulate the erratic beat of her heart.

She finally realized they were heading to the Konoha Hospital. "W-Wait, what are we doing here?" she asked. Oh dammit, she's still stuttering with her nervousness. He still didn't answer and just went straight inside the hospital, he turned right on the corridor still tagging her along. Sakura looked around and the staff and patients were looking at them, she blushed. Kami, she was wondering how or what do they look to the people. "Wait Sasuke! You have to—" they turned left again and kept on walking (Sakura was jogging, Sasuke has big strides lol) Sasuke finally stopped on front of a door and slide it open, drag and pushed her inside the room. There were no lights inside the room, just the slight ray of the afternoon sun which was peeking on the closed curtain. There's a single bed on the room, a table beside it and a chair. Upon quick scanning, it is a private empty room specially assigned for shinobis who will undergo before and after missions. It was where rigid examinations were done to check each ninja's health.

Sasuke went inside and closed the sliding door behind him. Sakura heard a clicking sound, Sasuke had just locked them inside the room!

Her heart was beating furiously now. Sasuke was breathing heavily. She could not see his eyes because he was slightly bowed down with his hair covering half of his face. What were they doing, just the two of them inside a private room…alone?!

"S-Sasuke…" she whispered. Her eyes were wide when she saw him moved. He was removing his goddamn kimono!, "S-Sasuke, w-what are you doing?"

This time, Sasuke looked her in the eyes. But she didn't expect to see that expression. He was scowling and he seemed in pain.

"You're annoying," he simply said huffing and scowling.

Sakura paused then quirked one brow, "E-Excuse me?"

Sasuke did not answer but she observed that he was having trouble breathing and just a slight movement in removing his kimono seemed to bring him with so much pain. He winced. Then she saw it. Her eyes become wide and the medic in her kicked in. Immediately, she was in front of him, looking at his chest, on the lower right which was slightly exposed from the kimono now. She also noted that he was now leaning on the door. She removed the right part of his kimono non too gently and right before her eyes he saw what he's been hiding. He heard Sasuke breath a "dammit"

"Sasuke, you baka! What is this?!" She shouted and looked angrily at him. On the right lower part of his chest was a large bruise now in all different colors of purple and yellow and red. It was also very sore right now, "What have you've been doing? Do you think you can walk hours with something like that? Why haven't you get yourself healed before you go to the meeting? You know it's a routine to go and have yourself a check-up if you've got injuries!" As she was shouting at him, her right hand was glowing green and laid flat on his chest examining and assessing his body, "Three broken ribs! Kami— you are walking with three fucking broken ribs!

"Just shut up," Sasuke said, still grimacing.

"No Uchiha, you shut up! You think this kind of injury is ok?" her other hand now glowing in green hovers around the colored bruise, her brows knitted and angry jade orbs looked up at him, "Your lungs were punctured because of a broken rib, do you know that?!" the glow on her hand went bigger and Sasuke frowned, "You and your Uchiha pride, I swear it will kill you someday!"

"Tch, you're annoying," he only said.

When she looked up at him, he was looking intently on her. She suddenly felt conscious and realized she was blabbering and had reprimanded him just like what she always did to Naruto.

"I-," she moved and stepped back, avoiding his stare "I-I'm sorry. I've already fixed the broken ribs, you should be able to breathe properly now. Also, as always, I leave the bruised more than halfway healed so that your body will have to heal it naturally,"

"Hn," he only answered and as if testing if what she said was true, he inhaled deep. He sighed then fixed his kimono. He looked at her for awhile then, "Tomorrow, we'll start early,"

That's it and the next thing she knew, she heard the door slid open and he was gone.

He didn't even say thank you.

She sighed then smacked her forehead in reprimanding herself. Dammit, why did she suddenly lose control like that? And yet, he was just looking at her. As if everything was nothing. She knew the moment she'll return, everything will be so complicated again. So this time, she'd set a rule to herself.

She will act naturally around Sasuke. Not the fangirl anymore, but more like with herself. She will not hide from him, she will not avoid him anymore, it was actually futile (she had tried, but with all the things going on and with her job as a shinobi, more or less they will bump each other, belong in a mission like what will happen and such), and all she will be normal around him.

And convinced herself, he will not love her ever… she had come to terms and accepted that.

…and she will forget her love to him.

I guess that would make things easier…right?

SxS

Later that evening, Sakura and Ryuna moved to their own house without much as a nod from the stoic Uchiha. He just tilted his head then went to his room. The mednin still thanked him though there was sadness on her eyes. Deep inside, she was disappointed but at the same time she can finally settle Ryuna far away from his observation. One thing she had thanked the Gods was Sasuke seemed oblivious around Ryuna while the rest of the world seemed to know the identity of her daughter.

While she and Ryuna were unpacking their not so many stuff that had just arrived, they heard a knock from the door. Ryuna ran towards it and opened, "Uncle Naruto!

"Yo! Dattebayo!" Naruto greeted them.

"Naruto, how did you find this place?" Sakura said, standing and leaving the box she was rummaging. She noticed Naruto was holding a bulky package, "what is that?"

"S-Sakura-chan, good e-evening," came a voice behind Naruto.

"Ah! Its Auntie Hinata!" Ryuna shouted, then hugged and kissed Hinata which made the Hyuuga heiress blushed

"H-How are you doing, Ryuna-chan?" she asked, Ryuna reply with a cheerful "heiki*"

"Hinata-chan!" Sakura chirped and hugged HInata, "wait, what you two are doing here?"

"Well, I asked N-Naruto-kun to tag along upon learning that he was on his way here. I-I just bumped on him in the street, and he said he's going to where you live, so…so I asked him if I could come," the Hyuuga heiress meekly said, "How are you doing?"

"Ah, we're good! Come in! Sorry, we're still unpacking and everything is clattered, find yourselves a comfortable place," Sakura said, "I'll prepare tea," The pinkette said as she went towards a box and brought four mugs and a pot. She went to the kitchen and prepared three mugs of tea and orange juice for Ryuna. Hinata let herself in while Naruto slumped himself amidst the room and set aside the bulky package he brought.

"T-Thank you," Hinata said. She sat formally beside Naruto and the couple eyed the room. "This is a nice house Sakura-chan,"

"I agree," Naruto said.

"Ne, Uncle Naruto, what is that?" Ryuna asked as she sat across the blond Jinjuuriki. She was looking at the package her Uncle bought along. Curious as she was, she can't help but to asked her uncle. Sakura came with a tray on her hands.

"Ah, this? Futons!"

"Futon?" Sakura asked.

"Yeah, I figured you need these since you just moved," Naruto smiled.

"Oh Naruto, how thoughtful of you!" Sakura smiled. Ryuna tagged the pinkette's shirt

"Mommy, what's a futon?"

"It's a bed,"

"Oh..okay,"

"So that you won't be sleeping on a cold floor, dattebayo!" Naruto said. Hinata giggled.

Naruto and Hinata stayed for a bit though when the conversation went from the recent happenings, missions and missed years to the on-going mission the Godaime had given them, Hinata volunteered to tuck the little girl to bed who was already dozing off with the coloring book she was busily working just moments ago. Sakura had already brought the futons to her room so Hinata picked the little girl up, went to the room so that Sakura and Naruto will have a private discussion about it. Even though they're friends, a mission was still a mission and their code of conduct was to keep it as discreet as possible. She went and fixed the bed to Sakura's room (which was still bare), carried Ryuna and laid the now sleeping girl to the bed comfortably. Hinata stared lovingly to the little girl and she smiled.

"You'll be a wonderful mother someday, Hinata-chan," Sakura whispered from the door. Hinata was startled a bit and turned to see Sakura standing and smiling at the door. The pinkette went inside and sat beside Hinata. From the darkness of the room, she can still see the faint blushed on the Hyuuga girl. She smiled.

"I-I didn't notice you, sorry. Are you done with the discussion with the mission?" Hinata said in a low tone.

"It's alright, we're just discussing possibilities and such, but don't worry about it. His mission is different from mine anyway,"

Hinata nodded and shifted her eyes to Ryuna again. There was this long silence between them then Sakura spoke, "When are you two going to tie the knots Hinata-chan?"

Hinata's eyes became wide and she blushed profusely "Ehhh, S-Sakura-chan! W-What are you…"

Sakura giggled. "Gomen," then she went silent for a while, still looking at her daughter, "I hope it will be soon!" She said. Hinata did not answer but just nodded shyly, her face still tainted with a soft blush. She had wanted to ask her if Sasuke had seen Ryuna, but she can't pry things like that. After all, Uchiha matter was a delicate subject. It saddens her. She knows Sakura can never love another man again, and weddings will never come true for her, yet she had to ask that thing to her!

"S-Sakura…"

Sakura shook her head gently, her long pink locks sliding from her shoulders unto her arms. She tucked it again on her ears. She smiled though still looking at her daughter, there was that evident sadness in her eyes, "Don't worry about it. I know the moment I made the decision. I just wanted to see Naruto happy. Besides…"she looked at the pupil-less girl, "I wanted you to know the joys and happiness of being a mother Hinata-chan. Both you and Naruto will be great parents. I'm excited when that day comes,"

The couple bid farewell that night and promised to come back later to help her fixed things around the new house.

SxS

Sakura woke up early, around six in the morning and prepared things right away. She had to dropped her daughter in the academy later and talked to Kurenai and will meet with Sasuke and Shikamaru in the Dango Shop. The mednin and her daughter left their house and reached the Academy and saw Kurenai standing and watching the children closely.

"Kurenai-sensei," Sakura greeted.

"Ohayou, Kurenai-sensei," said Ryuna.

"Good morning to the both of you!" Kurenai smiled. A girl was tagging her hands so she sat and told the girl to play with the other children. The little girl, who's around Ryuna's age ran but not without taking a look on the new girl wearing a long black hair and emerald green eyes standing closely to a pretty girl with long pink hair. The look on her eyes was curiosity.

"Sensei, I have to leave Ryuna here. I suddenly got an urgent mission. I'll pick her up later this afternoon if its alright," Sakura said.

"The mission is not outside the village?" Kurenai asked.

"Nope, we will just be around the village including the outskirts. We're investigating something," Sakura said, not giving much information to Kurenai. It will probably freak her out about the suspicion that the kidnapping that had occurred years ago that involved missing children, and that the possibility of the suspect were already here in Konoha.

"Okay," she said, "are you ready to meet your classmates Ryu-chan?" Kurenai asked the little girl who was silently looking at a group of girls giggling. Her eyes darted off to the girl who was tagging Kurenai's hand a while ago and she was sitting alone in the swing. She had black but short hair, with a ponytail on the side part.

"Y-Yeah," Ryuna said.

"Ok," Kurenai said, "Children! Time to return to the room now," She heard a chorus of 'awww' and grunts especially from a group of boys. Little runts! Kurenai thought then clapped her hands a few times to make them move, "Hurry now, lessons will start in ten minutes,"

She eyed the little devils walking slowly towards the building where it housed several homerooms for the children. Really, children these age were a handful but she enjoys being with these kids. She also saw the teachers, mostly Jounins, smiling and guiding the kids inside.

"Sakura, I'll wait for you inside the office?" Kurenai smiled, Sakura nodded. Kurenai left them.

"Are you nervous?" Sakura asked, sitting to level herself with her daughter. She gave her an assuring smile. When her little girl looked at her, indeed there was uncertainty in her eyes and nervousness. Then Ryuna shook her head.

"I'll be okay Mommy," she said.

"Remember to make friends ok?" She said as she kissed her. Her daughter nodded then she observed she was blinking her eyes more often then she rubbed her right eye, "are you okay?"

"Hmmm, it's just that my eye suddenly become itchy though it hurts a little," Ryuna said.

Worried, she grabbed her daughter's wrist to prevent her from scratching and rubbing her eyes, "Let Mommy see and check,"

"Maybe a dust went in," Ryuna mumbled.

Sakura looked in her daughter's eye for a moment and checked there was nothing foreign like dust in it. Then she saw it. It was not visible at first but when she looked closely, she paled. Her heart became erratic and she was like doused in cold water.

"Mom, is everything okay?" Ryuna asked worriedly. Sakura blinked and looked at her daughter. She must have seen wrong. She shook her head.

"I'm going to check it again," And one more time, she looked closely on the eye.

And there it was. From the edge of the pupil it was spreading like fire in the outer parts of the iris, that blood-red color she dreaded to see and expected.

The color of the Sharingan…the color she feared to see on her daughter's eyes.

She paled. There's no mistaking it. The Uchiha bloodline limit, the Sharingan was beginning to awaken on her daughter's eye. Though it was still 'peeking', meaning the whole eye was not completely changed to blood-red, and no tomoes were formed, she knew it was the Sharingan. The color was still small and barely noticeable, but she knew it right away. How? Why was it awakened now? She knew the conditions on how to awaken a Sharingan: emotionally stressed and strong feelings under difficult circumstances. But Ryuna was not under one of them. Yes, it's true her daughter was experiencing nervousness and slight stress right now, it was normal for children at her age but not enough to trigger the awakening of the Sharingan. That's what she's been studying in Tea, aside from the fact that behind it was to know more about the mystery of that doujutsu and prevent it from appearing on her daughter's eyes and to aid her in her ordeal with the Sharingan. Was there some conditions she didn't know prior to the awakening of the Sharingan? Was it because Ryuna was conceived not fully an Uchiha blood? Probably. She hadn't considered that probability. She looked on the left eye and there's nothing on it. It's just the right eye.

She knows fully well that bearing a Sharingan comes with the biggest responsibilities and over the edge complexities she didn't want her daughter to experience. It was a gift…and a curse in one.

And yet, in front of her, she's seeing the real deal.

"Don't move honey, there's a dust on your eye. I'll remove it okay?" she said, trying to sound normal as possible. She didn't want Ryuna to be worried. When her mission was finished, she will check her daughter one more time.

Green glow of her chakra ran from her hands and directed it slowly to her daughter's eyes. Careful and with precision, she located the chakra flow within the eye and found it was directly connected in a part of her brains which she knew was responsible for secreting a chakra to awaken the Sharingan. It is confirmed, she thought. Though the path was not fully opened, she had determined the hypothesis that it was that part of the brain responsible for the Sharingan. As much as she wanted to close the path, a small amount of her chakra was slowly rejected in that path. Not pushing any further she gave up and directed her chakra once more to the retina instead. From there, slowly, she closed the path gradually closing the awakening of the Sharingan.

She looked at her daughter's eye once more and it was gone. The pulsating red color of blood was gone. She sighed in relief.

"How do you feel?" She asked.

"Hm, it's gone. It's not itchy anymore," Ryuna smiled.

"Listen Ryuna. When it happens again, tell me..okay? Even the slightest itchiness or when you feel that your eyes hurt, even a little, let Mommy know, okay?"

"Okay,"

Ryuna ran towards the waiting Kurenai in the distant and waved towards her. She waved back and she had finally worn that serious face.

Someone, up from the second floor, behind the curtain gave off a smirk. Then the shadow disappeared.

SxS

Sakura went straight to the Dango Shop and saw that the raven-haired man and the lazy Nara were already there, sitting at the corner end of the area with plates of dango and steaming tea on the table. There were not much people in the shop this time of day. She made her way towards them and saw that maps, scrolls and pens were scattered on the table as well. They were already discussing when she came. She approached them and seated beside Shikamaru. Sasuke did not lift his eyes on the map.

"Sorry I'm late," she started.

"Not a problem, we've just arrived,"

"So, what's our plan?" she asked while grabbing the plate of dango and mug of tea.

"I went straight to the Intelligence Division yesterday and asked for the traffic of people in Konoha. Apparently, I asked them few questions that will help us narrow down the people we were looking. To make it short, I have these 3 most suspicious thugs right now," he said as he flipped a page from his board, "All of them came to the village at almost same time, two months ago and hadn't left since then. They have no serious business in Konoha and mostly, they were dealing thugs around. But upon running a quick background on this three, all of them have records for kidnapping. First, Satoru Koji, currently resides in the 3rd district and was setting up his own shop. He sells…breads," Shikamaru sighed, "I visited him yesterday and had to interrogate him, "

"Really? You were fast!" Sakura exclaimed.

"Ah, he admitted to his past crimes and said he went here to change and start anew. Even though he said that, I still need to check on him so I stationed an ANBU to tap on his every move," Shikamaru flipped the next page," and these two are the most suspicious of the three,"

The mednin looked at the photos of the two. One was small and pale built man, and under the photo was named Katsura Heio. She looked at the other one, middle aged man, full-bearded but with nasty eyes, it actually gave her the creeps. She read, Motoharu Renji.

"There were no records on them," Shimakaru said. Sakura locked her eyes on the Nara genius and he nodded, "we may have our man,"

"But which of them?" Sakura asked.

"I'm not sure yet. What we really don't know was if the kidnappings in the past were done by a single man…or there's more than one of them…right?"

Yes, there's that possibility, Sakura thought.

"I want the two of you to investigate this two. Sakura, I'm assigning Renji to you. Sasuke, you'll deal with Heio,"

Sakura silently heaved a sighed. So she will not work side by side with Sasuke. It's a separate investigation dealing with the suspects individually.

Sasuke just grunted and without saying anything, he rose from his seat, grabbed the page where Heio's information was written and left the shop. Sakura and Shikamaru went silent for a while then Sakura rose from her seat as well.

"I'll keep going now Shika. Thanks for the info," she said as she started to walk off.

"Sakura," Shikamaru called her. She turned her head, "I want you to keep an eye on Heio's as well. It's just that…I'm not sure, but I got a feeling on that guy. It just won't settle me in. Call it an intuition or something,"

Sakura smiled and nodded. She found herself on the busy street of Konoha once again, not able to see Sasuke. He must've already taken off to find his target guy.

She started her investigation and found her target, Motoharu Renji in the Red Light District of Konoha. He came out from a hostel and wad his way toward the busy streets, often greeting people along the way. He sure knows a lot of people for someone who just came two months ago, she thought. He kept on walking until they reached the Chuugokai District (China town). He was suspicious often looking left and right every time he walked and turned to a corner. Sakura stealthily followed him until she found herself in the dingy part of that District. She squinted her eyes when she saw that he entered in the backdoor of the pub. One bulky man opened up the door and based on reading their lips, the guy was asking him if he was followed. Renji answered no. So the man let him in.

Sakura stood from where she's hiding. This could be easy. She removed her hitaite and pocketed it on her pouch. Two ANBU landed beside her and knew they have been following her closely since she had started trailing Renji awhile ago. They must been on their own investigation and had recognized her.

"Report," Sakura said, not taking her eyes from the door which she constantly shift to the main door of the pub where men and prostitutes kept getting in and out of the area.

"Hai. We've been tailing this organization in hoping to catch them in the act," one masked ANBU said, she understood that he won't provide much detail and understood that they're missions just coincide with each other. Sakura looked at the two ANBU on the corner of her eye, both were men, but who, she doesn't know. ANBU's were a total enigma after all. They worked in complete stealth and in the shadows. They're the elites of Konoha.

"Understood, I'll infiltrate inside, wait for my signal," She commanded. Though she's only a Jounin, she was regarded with high esteem.

Sakura disappeared and was seen on the backdoor. The two ANBU disappeared as well.

She went inside, careful not to be spotted as well as masking her chakra. It's better to be careful. There might be Shinobis around this organization. After carefully opening and peeking on doors, she had found Renji on one of the rooms in the second floor. He was talking to someone based on the muffled sounds she heard. So straining her ears for any sounds, she went and climbed on the railings via the air vent she saw. She crawled her way and was thankful she fitted nicely inside the vent. She found them and peeked down. They were arguing on something and Renji was giving them a case.

She learned from listening that Renji has been sneaking drugs in and out of Konoha on behalf of the organization. She thought the man has no connections with the kidnappings but still she can't leave something like this go on. So before everyone could react, swiftly and fast, she had kicked the vent cover, jumped out of it and knocked out the three men she presumed as the bodyguard of the man Renji was talking with it.

"K-Konoha shinobi!" Renji shouted and tried to run. She was stopped abruptly when an ANBU was on his way. Another one was already behind the man, which Sakura finally assumed as the boss of this area. There's no way to escape now.

Renji slumped back and fall on his butt. Sakura grabbed his collar and hoisted him up, "Aside from drugs, what do you know about the kidnappings on the children 3 years ago?"

Renji was now covered in sweat, "I-I don't know, I..I was in Wave three years ago selling fish!" he stuttered. Sakura was about to aimed him a blow when one of the ANBU spoke.

"He's telling the truth Sakura-sama,"

Sakura stopped and threw Renji on the floor. So what she got was the wrong target. Obviously, if what the guy had been telling was the truth, he had gotten tired of his poverty life, took the change and end up dealing drugs for a petty organization. Now, he has to deal with all of these in a jail, not to mention that the ANBU will now have their evidence on hand. This will also probably end one illegal organization dealing in Konoha.

"Take them," Sakura said and sighed. She had to looked for Sasuke then and if Shikamaru's 'instincts' were right, they will have their answer soon.

Not if she could find Sasuke first before he killed his target.

SxS

Sasuke's eyes were like that of a hawk, eyeing his prey closely. He's expression still deadpan, but he moved with complete silence and undetected. Every since he got the report, he had found his target easily. Motoharu Heio was working in the pharmaceutical lab in the Ridge District of Konoha. He saw him left the building and has been constantly following him since this morning.

He had found no weird or suspicious things around the guy, not until he had found himself already in outskirts of Konoha, in the Western part towards the dense forest. His eyes squinted, what does a man do in this remote area? He saw Heio stopped in the middle of a small clearing.

"Come out shinobi, I know you've been following me this morning," said Heio.

Now, that startled Sasuke. From his hiding spot up in a branch, he revealed himself, emotionless. One thing on his mind, this guy was not just a normal one. He's a skilled shinobi as well.

"Oh, Uchiha huh? Well, I knew something would come up and you guys will be on my tail sooner or later," he smugly said, "So what are my charges now?"

"What do you know about the kidnappings that happened around the Fire Country three years ago?" Sasuke asked jumping down from the branch.

"Direct aren't we?" Heio chuckled. "I don't know, as far as I'm concerned I was in Rivers for a business. How should I know those kinds of things when it doesn't concern-" Sasuke threw a scroll that was already opened up. Heio's smug was erased from his face when he realized what was on the scroll.

It's an incomplete formula in creating another form of life…a homunculi. Heio paled.

Sasuke had infiltrated his vault then, Heio just realized that. He saw the last Uchiha walked slowly up to him, grabbing the hilt of his Kusanagi. "I want one question and one answer. What are you trying to do?"

Instead of answering, Heio performed a seal and slammed his palm on the ground. He had summoned a being crossed between an ogre and stone. Sasuke saw him jumped on the tree. He was trying to buy time and will escape.

The monster swayed its oversized hands to Sasuke but since it was moving slowly, he easily dodged it. It was too late that the bulky creature had shift its hand up and brought it down in a very quick move. Though a bit surprised because of its agility despite its size, he still managed to move away from it. It had slammed its arm towards the ground crushing the trees and the ground. This created a loud sound.

"Sasuke!" It was Sakura, she had arrived and found him.

"Take care of this, I'll take care of Heio," he said then he jumped to a tree following the path where Heio had run off.

"Sasuke, wait!" Sakura had tried to follow him but he was already gone and came in front of her was the hideous creature. It swung its arm again, intended to crush the petite girl, but Sakura avoided it swiftly. She didn't saw the other arm came flying across her, it hit and she was thrown across the tree, "oh you piece of shit, now you have it!" she muttered angrily. Bringing out her prized gloves and put them in, she launched a barrage of taijutsu attacks on the bulky figure, never stopping. She didn't get an all out attack considering they were near the village.

After one last chakra-infused punch on the monster, it flew a few meters away, dragging dirt and trees along its way before it completely stopped moving. By that time, few Konoha shinobis already arrived because of the commotion and of course, the tremors and sounds. The monster though summoned, did not disappear after its defeat.

"Take care of everything here," she commanded on one of the familiar Jounin she saw then jumped towards the direction Heio and Sasuke went.

Sakura had found them a few kilometers away, Heio was already bleeding profusely, Sasuke was standing close to him, the Kusanagi enveloped in Chidori on his hands. She noticed, Sasuke had activated his Sharingan and was aiming his blade on the slumped man. Oh no, we need him alive! "Sasuke STOP!"

She had made it time, she had stood in front of him before he could strike the blade on Heio.

"What do you think you're doing? This wasn't included in the mission! We need him alive!" Sakura shouted. Sasuke did not answer but instead he slowly shifted his eyes from Heio who was behind her then towards her. The pinkette shivered at the intensity those eyes gave her. This was the first time that she saw these eyes after that night. He was using the normal mode of the Sharingan, yet why there were so much agitation and hatred on it? What had happened here? She saw Sasuke clenched his teeth, the muscle on his face moved. He had deactivated the Chidori as well, still his eyes looked into her.

"Move." That wasn't a request, that was a command.

"Sasuke, listen to me. We need him alive. You can't just kill him just because you wanted to!" Sakura said.

Sakura heard a labored chuckle behind her, "What is this? The mighty Uchiha merely stopped by a little girl? You're not as cold as the rumors said it, aren't you?" Then he laughed, though he coughed blood after that. "Just because you have found out about me doesn't mean everything will end here. The world we live is an interesting place and there were a lot of people like me who hungered for power, just like you Uchiha,"

"You are talking of the past," Sasuke just said, trying to make a step, but Sakura stepped in again, giving him a stern look. They heard the man laughed again.

"Past? Present? Future? Does it matter? NO! Time doesn't matter for power! You will see those who will seek power every time,"

Why the children Heio? Why did you do that to them?" Sakura spoke, as she turned slightly towards the slumped, still standing in front of Sasuke in preventing him from attacking.

"Oh, the children…yeah I remember them. Lots of them, crying…looking for their parents," he wickedly smiled, "There are many things, but the most significant one was there scream," Heio said as he helped himself stood grabbing and leaning on the tree. "I get aroused when I hear the children screaming! It stimulates my mind and I was able to get my work done!"

Sakura was in total rage, but before her temper took control of her, she had to restrain Sasuke again. This time, chill ran through her body as she saw him activated the second stage of his Sharingan, the Mangekyou Sharingan.

"Sasuke, wait! Don't! Don't!" Sakura shouted as she saw what Sasuke was about to do. He was going to use Amaterasu on the man. They heard the devilish laughed of Heio then he made a series of seal and was enveloped in a blue flame.

Sakura turned to see, but he was already in flames. The man was still laughing though looking maliciously on Sasuke.

"Remember what I said Uchiha Sasuke, you will taste the deepest form of despair, one that will surpassed on what you had felt when your clan was massacred, one that will surpassed when you lost your only brother, more than you have lost honor and power…you will find yourself in the deepest pits of hell and by that, you can never come back!"

After that, he was consumed by the blue flame, his laugh was still heard until it fades. Sakura tried to dispel the flames by creating a series of seal for water, but it was too late. He was gone with only his ashes left. Heio made sure that his body was disposed and medical experts will find nothing on his remains.

Sakura's shoulder slumped in dismay, tiredness and what she had just witnessed. What did Heio mean by that? It suddenly got quiet around them.

"Sasuke, why do you want to kill him? I know it wasn't like you to lose control like that but you know that it was our mission to retrieve the suspect so that we can question him," she turned around to see he had already reverted his eyes back to normal. He swung his Kusanagi and flicked it so the blood would be removed. He sheathed it back to the saya* then he walked.

She will not end it up like this. She will not tolerate him ignoring her on this matter. They're now on a serious shit and will be in trouble now because Heio was dead and they'll return empty handed to Tsunade. That would mean that the case of kidnapping three years ago will end with no clear reason why and what happened.

"Sasuke!"

Sasuke stopped. She paused.

"W-What did he tell you? What things did he tell you enough to make you want to kill him?" she asked softly.

"It's none of your business," he said flatly.

"Of course it is! We are in this mission together, besides I might be able to help you or something. Was it about your family? Was it about Itachi?"

Sasuke turned around, his eyes seemed more darker than ever, "You can never help me when it comes to my family Sakura, so stop prying about it. Don't mention it ever. Again." he said then turned around.

Sakura bit her lower lip. She knew she was diving into something sensitive now. He's still the same as that twelve year old boy when it comes to his clan. The family matter was still a touchy subject to him and he still won't open up to anyone about it.

"But Sasuke, I'm your friend…like Naruto, like Kakashi sensei. At least you can tell me what he had told you. This is still related to the mission," Sakura said, avoiding to sound like she was pleading. She won't plead.

Sasuke slowly turned around, his face was shadowed by his hair.

"Friends? We were never friends Sakura. We're just comrades," then he jumped and was gone on her sight.

She stood there, agape, her heart was stabbed with a thousand knife. Shocked evident on her face. Her mouth was quivering for something to say, but guess she had forgotten what words to say as her mind went blank.

Before she knew it, tears silently flowing on her cheeks, with the forest as her only witness of the miserable she felt right now.

We were never friends.

Just comrades.

Notes:

*heiki – fine, im good, okay

*saya - scabbard