A/N: Okay, firstly I will apologize to everyone for taking so long to update! I always said I didn't want to be one of those authors but it looks like I did. Hopefully I will be able to post more frequently now, although I picked the last week of holidays to begin writing again, so please forgive me in advance for my future absence. Anyway I hope this chapter satisfies you all! Oh and I also have a question. DO you want a lemon in this story? Bare in mind it will be my first but I will try my best! So please tell me your thoughts on it & Thank you for reading. BelievingUzumaki xx


Chapter 11: Things Changed.

"Things Change. And friends leave. Life doesn't stop for anybody." – Stephen Chbosky, 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower'.

.x.

Sasuke was running. He didn't know where to, and he didn't know for how long, but it felt like his feet where starting to fail him. Sadness struck him. Peering ahead he could just make out the outlines of his team in the dark. Naruto, Kakashi, that random guy Sai and himself had all volunteered for this. And even know none of them had said it aloud, they're minds where all clouded by the same emotion. Worry.

"I think we may have a lead."

The words echoed in his mind. As soon as he heard Shizune say them, as soon as he felt hope built up, he knew he would regret it. They had been running in the same direction for hours, it was like a never-ending game of chase.

Questions started to fill his mind with doubt. Had Shizune's lead been correct? Where they just running in the completely wrong direction? Had they already passed where Sakura may be?

He felt his face crease as he frowned into the darkness. All this worrying shit was starting to piss him off. He was never one for emotions after all.

Suddenly a flash from up ahead told him to slow down, letting his feet hit the forest floor for the first time in hours. Naruto landed in a crumble up ahead, making it obvious that he let his guard down. Sai and Kakashi managed to stay composed, although they both had a similar look on their faces.

Quickly huddling into the newly formed circle that was being made around Naruto, Sasuke plastid his usual not really an expression- expression on his face. If he did have emotions, he wasn't about to let anyone else see them.

Kakashi peered around the group, eyeing each member carefully before crouching and taking up a tracking position. Strangely he hadn't said anything so far on this mission, actually Sasuke hadn't heard him talk since he was told about Sakura. Maybe it was his was of showing anxiety.

Sasuke shrugged of the thought. He didn't really give a shit, all he wanted to do was get Sakura back. Having her missing still was like a constant stab in the chest of how terrible a bodyguard he had been. Actually, now that he looked back on it he wasn't ever really acting like a bodyguard to begin with.

Feeling the unsettling feeling of guilt and self-anger in his gut Sasuke focused his attention back to Kakashi, who was still unmoving. Slowly after a minute or two he raised, looking back around his team again. Unsurprisingly Naruto was the first one to talk.

"What have you been doing the whole time Kaka-sensei we don't have time to rest!" All three team members stared at the blonde. How did that idiot even become a shinobi in the first place? Sasuke felt like he would have to talk a whole day off just to answer that question.

"I feel her presence to the north." Was all Kakashi said, mainly directing it at the two dark haired boys. Obviously none of them had time for his stupidity today.

"Alright lets get going then." All of them nodded in agreement before taking back off into the trees. Sasuke began to hear the familiar thud of his sandals hitting the branches. It was a slightly comforting noise, buts also one of impenitence.

This went on for a while. No of them spoke, only listened and waited. All hoping for the hideout to be unmistakable and obvious. He couldn't see any of his teammates anymore, the blackness had swallowed him whole.

"Down there!" He heard Sai yell from somewhere to his left.

Looking over to that general direction Sasuke felt his cold heart skip a beat. The hideout was, as he hoped, obvious compared to its surroundings. Kind of like one of Orochimaru's which hadn't been hidden correctly. A rock in the grass.

Sasuke felt his body immediately turn in that direction, descending before he had even noticed his feet hit the floor. Naruto and Sai had landed next to him as they began to run towards the entrance, the plan they had discussed many times ringing in their ears. The goal was to get Sakura back, everything and everyone else didn't matter.

That was the plan: Destroy and rescue.

Somehow Kakashi had gotten in front of them, slamming the doors open to reveal a cold drafty hallway which looked as if it went on forever. Sakura's screams echoed down towards them, making everyone flinch in surprise. Sakura was a pretty tough kunoichi, if she was screaming it must have been bad.

Everything else from then on came in flashes. Rage blurred his vision as he charged into the hideout, later on he knew he would regret this stupidity.

Naruto appeared in front, charging at an unknown enemy that Sasuke hadn't seen. For the person with the best eyes, he was doing a pretty shitty job at seeing!

Suddenly something white flew past his right shoulder, blowing up the wall behind. Sasuke's eyes locked onto the man, his attacks where so familiar.

"Hey! Didn't I kill you already!" The blonde haired bad guy yelled from ahead.

Sasuke still couldn't remember his name, but their fight came back clear as day. He had the upper hand now. But before he could think of a strategy Sasuke found himself being pushed forward.

"You two go on ahead." Kakashi yelled as another paper bomb blew up the entrance. Sasuke's head spun around to see that Naruto was the one behind his unauthorized movement, but at the moment he didn't really seem to care.

Moving his legs on his own, Sasuke charged forward, knowing Naruto was right beside him. It was obvious there would be another enemy somewhere along the way. And if they could defeat him then Sakura would be safe.

Another one of Sakura's screams pierced their ears and he knew they where close. Although, since both he and Naruto where so focused they didn't check their surroundings.

Poisoned daggers flew in from every direction, the timing this enemy had was incredible. Sasuke hadn't even activated his sharingan and already a kunai had lodged into his shoulder.

He hissed at the pain as blood soaked his shirt, but still he ran forward. Naruto let out a yelp as well but still seemed to be at his side. Neither of them where backing down, it was the one thing they admired about each other.

A red haired man appeared up ahead, grabbing both of their attention. Somehow they had telepathically came up with a plan; Sasuke unsheathed his sword on the right while Naruto pulled out his kunai to the left.

Both jumped and landed in sync, stabbing the man from either side. He hadn't moved, Sasuke noticed, since appearing from the shadows. But I guess that was a plus side for them.

"I always wanted to know what it felt like to die." The man whispered whilst leaning into both their shoulders, "How lucky am I to have this feeling twice."

And with that he landed in a pile on the dirt floor. Sasuke merely stepped over him and kept going, only just catching Naruto's; 'What the hell was he even talking about?' comment.

Sasuke could feel Sakura's chakra from up ahead. He let hope swell inside him again, this time knowing he could not be disappointed.

Appearing at a metal door he pushed it open and stalked inside, Naruto eagerly pushing past into the room.

Sakura lay in the middle of the room on her back, both of her eyes where open widely, staring at the ceiling.

"Sakura-chan!" The dobe yelled, Sasuke still quiet as he let his eyes trace over her body.

Most of her skin was covered with bruises and it was easy to see where she had broken bones. Sasuke had always though of her as fragile but with the way she looked now, it was more like if he touched her she would disintegrate into dust.

She had turned her head now. A smile lightly tainted her features as she looked at Naruto, who was kneeling next to her on the floor.

But as Sasuke walked out from the darkness and her eyes fixed onto his figure he watched as her whole body squirmed. Her eyes went wide with doubt and fear. Naruto turned to see where she was looking, his eyes finally landing on Sasuke. Shock washed over his features, but instead of saying something stupid like he normally would, Naruto put his body between them.

Sasuke felt sadness rip out the hope that he had. He was wrong before, he could still be disappointed. And as he watched Naruto block Sakura from his sight there was only one thing he wanted to say.

Why?