Stand By Me

Chapter 27 – Act Like a Man

"If I told you I'd done terrible things, would you keep all my secrets? Forgive all my sins? Don't you know that heroes don't always win?

So I need you to act like a man."

Sakura watched the kunai leave his hand, her eyes still locked on his, and for just one horrible moment – she felt that cold reminder on her throat. The imprint of his hand that would probably never leave her. He hit never came, instead – she saw a body drop from one of the trees. Sasuke shoved her back and she saw him draw his katana and jump away just as an explosive tag swished over her head. She hit the water hard and almost immediately it swallowed her up. Sakura drew a kunai and kicked herself to the surface, but she never made it. A black gloved hand of a Shadow grabbed her shoulder just as she was about to surface and held her down. Sakura struggled against his hold, her air leaving her in a rush of bubbles. Even through the gloves, his nails seemed to dig into the skin on her shoulders, she felt the moment he drew blood and then she made herself relax. As quickly as she could manage, she reached up and grabbed his wrists and with a definite crack – she snapped them. The moment after she felt the crack, Sakura forced herself up and onto the surface of the water. Her body wracked with coughs, but there was no time to breathe, the Shadow had decided to use his legs, kicking at her repeatedly. With fatigue finally gaining on her, Sakura's reflexes were delayed, and he managed to get in two kicks before she retaliated. She'd dropped her kunai somewhere in the water so she drew another, blocking his next kick and slashing through his ninja sandal. He jerked back, and aimed another kick, higher than before and before Sakura could block another Shadow lifted her and threw her back. Sakura skidded along the water, throwing her kunai as she went. The Shadow caught it and used it to slash his comrade's neck, and then he turned it on Sakura. Sakura watched the Shadow sink into the water from the corner of her eye. The other one was coming at her with an incredible speed, slashing her kunai at her. She dodged, sending a kick into his ribs, Sakura grabbed her kunai before he flew back. He drew a shuriken mid-air and tossed it at her, Sakura threw her kunai – hitting it before it hit her, but somehow he'd hidden a shadow shuriken! It slashed through her thigh and Sakura hissed through clenched teeth, as she looked down to asses the damage. Why hadn't the adrenaline hit? The zero sleep and disappointment of the previous night was nagging on her, drawing her down. All her new training was useless if she didn't have the energy to use it. Her thigh was bleeding heavily, the slash had been deeper than she'd hoped. Sakura looked up, drawing another kunai as she did, but he was already there – his fist connecting with her face full-on. Sakura let out a cry of surprise and pain and she staggered back, blood pooling in her mouth, and running from the corner of her lip. Sakura spat it out and rushed at him, she drew back her left hand, and the moment he focused on it – she hit with her right. A very satisfying crunch signaled that she broken his ribs. Sakura drew back another punch, it hit the side of his mask, sending it crashing down, and leaving his jaw at an odd angle. Sakura reared back to deliver the finishing blow but he reached out and grabbed her wrist, and it was too late when she realized his other hand was in front of her chest – a dangerous green glow about it. He was a medical ninja too.

"It's over." he said and then a blade plunged through his chest. Sakura watched his eyes go wide and then dim as the life faded from them. The blade slashed out as quick as it entered and the Shadow dropped, revealing a furious Sasuke behind him.

Sakura slumped to her knees. Her eyes closed and her muscles still tight. That attack, it had been the attack that she'd used back before Konoha's destruction, when she and Naruto were attempting to escape. She drew a shaky breath and reached a hand out to heal her thigh. It was the moment when she could feel the skin knitting together, that Sasuke grabbed her shoulders and pulled her to her feet roughly. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" he demanded.

Sakura just stared at him. How could he, of all people, even ask her that?

"You could have died! Why didn't you just take care of them?!" he screamed.

Sakura noticed that Gaara and Sai had finally arrived but she couldn't look at them, she couldn't look away from Sasuke.

"I don't know," she shook her head, "I was tired. It won't happen again." she had no idea why she was apologizing, but for some reason she felt like a child being scolded.

"Tired?" he asked incredulously.

"It's hard to get any sleep when I'm afraid you'll run off again. But – oh wait, you did. You assumed I was asleep when you decided to sneak away? I was faking. You would have realized that if you'd trusted me less...or maybe its that you just don't care."

All the emotion wiped from Sasuke's face. Like a wall had slammed down between them.

"I followed you, and so fucking predictable that you'd meet with him." she spat.

Sakura stared up at him and his hands tightened around her shoulders. For the longest time, that was what they did. Sakura's stomach turned painfully and her hands shook at her sides.

"Say something," she whispered, it was more of a plead. He didn't speak, it was like a barrage of thoughts were moving through those dark eyes, but he didn't share any of them. Her hand reached up, clutching his shirt in her fist.

"When is it?"

He swallowed, his adams apple bobbing, she could see the pulse in his throat fluttering. "What?"

"When are you leaving?" she could feel tears burn her eyes but she forced them away. She couldn't be weak, couldn't show him how much of an effect he had on her.

His hands dropped from her shoulders, but Sakura yanked him closer. "If you want me gone, you should just say the word, Sakura."

Even in his cold, hard tone, hearing her name fall from his lips as it always had felt like a whisper of a touch. "Leaving..." she said softly, very aware that Gaara and Sai were watching and not caring in the least, "Would be your decision, because its what you want. Not me."

A muscle next to Sasuke's eye twitched, but other than that he gave no reaction. She wanted to ask him to stay, but the words wouldn't leave her mouth, now that she could actually lose him...she was frozen.

Not for the first time, she wished Sasuke could just speak, could just say exactly what he was feeling, exactly what he was feeling. She felt that maybe he wished the same thing in that moment.

Sasuke's hands reached out, but paused half way. His fists clenched,and then dropped to his sides before he could touch her. Sakura gasped softly and shook her her. "Please," she whispered, "Don't...don't go again."

The moment she blinked, thick tears rolled down her face. Her throat was constricted and she couldn't seem to breathe. She'd completely forgotten their surroundings, all she knew was that – he couldn't leave. They needed him. She needed him. On their side.

The moment Sasuke closed his eyes, closed himself off from her, she stilled. Her tears stopped, her heart even stopped beating. It had been different before, losing him. Because back then she loved him but she never truly had him. Now, she'd like to believe he loved her, even cared. "Nothing is as it seems Sakura. I made a decision long ago, I don't plan to turn away from it." she had no idea what he was talking about, but it sure as hell sounded like a goodbye.

Sakura dropped her hand to her side. This was it. The end. Sakura stared at him, as if attempting to memorize him, memorize Uchiha Sasuke. Her crush, teammate, friend, lover. The way his hair brushed his face in the soft breeze. The way his thick eyelashes seemed so soft against his pale cheeks. The Uchiha arrogance that was plain in his jawline, cheekbones and nose. The curve of his lips and where they'd been. Sakura desperately wanted him to open those dark pools, and when he didn't, she let her head drop and her eyes flutter to a close, and on her next breath...his heat seemed to disappear from her.

Sakura wasn't sure how long she stood there, somehow it felt like hours when she heard her name. It wasn't Sasuke's voice. No, it was Gaara. She felt a hand on her shoulder and her eyes opened, she looked up into his pale eyes. Sakura didn't cry, she wasn't sure what he was expecting, but she felt empty. She'd lost them both now. Ino and Sasuke. Ino, was easier to accept. She'd left, but she'd fought with everything in her to stay. Sasuke didn't even go that far.

Sai was there too. She could see the worry in his eyes.

"Im fine." she said and when both of them continued to stare, she rolled her eyes. "Im fine." she stressed and slowly, uncertainly, they nodded.

"Lets move out. We've lost a lot of time."

x-x-x-x-x-

"Why isn't Kiba back yet?!" Hana growled at Kankuro, who was slightly afraid of the older girl.

"I don't know."

"That Yamanaka girl has got him so whipped!" she muttered under her breath. "Gonna get him killed." she dived back into the battle then. Kankuro could see that the Shadow had the advantage. Their chances were slim at best. Kumo would fall, it was only a matter of time. Ally or not, Kankuro knew it was time to find Gaara, he needed to be protected. Kankuro looked over at Temari, her team had arrived during the early hours of the morning. Unlike him, she was fully invested in Konoha and it's Shinobi. Don't misunderstand, Kankuro would fight with them and trust them with his life, and they could do the same, but it was the same for both sides. If it was their leader or him – they would choose the Hokage, as he would choose his brother. It was that simple, but Kiba's scary-ass, but hot, older sister was right. Where the hell were they? Hinata had returned a long time ago, and thrown herself into the battle but Kankuro could see her distraction. They were all wondering the same thing. Either Kiba and Ino had been delayed or...they had to assume the worst. A kunai connected with one that had been throw at him and Hinata moved into the spot between him and the enemy.

"Any sign of Sakura's team?" she asked, letting an explosive tag fly.

"Not yet," he answered and he thought it was about time for him to go and see where Gaara was. Kankuro looked over at Temari and it was when he turned back that he saw the Shadow plunge the syringe into Hinata's neck. She let out a terrible scream, and that was when he went into action. Kankuro swung his puppet up and at the Shadow, who saw it coming and dodged the attack. Hinata's body slumped down, the syringe losing it's grip and slipping from her skin. It crashed to the ground, shattering on impact. Kankuro pulled the chakra strings back and then propelled the puppet forward. It went at an incredible speed. Its arms shooting poisoned senbon out that the Shadow couldn't all possibly dodge. Many of the senbon hit home, and before the Shadow could fall, another puppet caught him, closing him inside of it and then Kankuro let the blades slide inside.

He went over to Hinata, she seemed to be unconscious, but alive.

"I can take her to get treated," a medic said, she was holding her hands out, as if to take Hinata from him. Kankuro's eyes narrowed. "I can get her there."

The medic smiled, "Wrong answer." and then she moved to attack, but it never came. She blinked, the smile fading from her face. She seemed to be frozen.

"Kankuro!" Temari called, rushing over. The Shadow had been caught in Shikamaru's jutsu.

"What happened?" Temari demanded when she reached him. Kankuro quickly ran through what had happened and Temari stared at the remains of the syringe.

"The obvious thing would be that they're after Hinata."

"Just what we need," Shikamaru said, moving his eyes back to the "medic". "We need to get Hinata into Kumo. She'll be safer there,"

"I disagree," Kankuro said, "Here we'll be able to keep an eye on here, make sure they don't get her."

Temari shook her head. "No, we'll be too distracted here, all of us won't be able to watch her, and it only takes one moment of distraction."

Kankuro blew out a heavy breath. "Can you take her somewhere safe?"

Temari didn't hesitate. "I can." she lifted Hinata up and nodded and her brother. "Drop the distraction. I know you're worried about them, but I don't want you getting killed."

Kankuro gave a nod as Temari positioned Hinata on her back. "I'll keep her safe," she told them, and as Shikamaru and Kankuro flanked her, they made towards Kumo.

x-x-x-x-x

"We can rest here for a few hours," Gaara suggested, but it sounded like a command. Sakura shook her head.

"No we can still-" but Sai silenced her with a hand on her shoulder. "Just a few hours."

Sakura looked between the two of them stubbornly before she sighed.

"Since you're the only one who didn't get any rest, I suggest that Gaara and I split the watch in two hours each before we set out again." Sai said and Gaara nodded in agreement.

Sakura kept her eyes on the ground, this was about her. Her lack of rest had made her a liability to her own team. Some leader she turned out to be – not to mention losing the core Kekkai-Genkai user of their team. Way to go, Sakura.

She swallowed her apology and crawled into her sleeping bag. Stubbornly, she clung to awareness, tried desperately to stay awake, but she failed and feel into darkness.

The feeling of falling soon turned into a powerful pull as she was yanked into the Void. In the blink of an eye, the darkness became day and Sakura took a deep breath to steady herself.

"You stupid bitch."

Sakura's eyes snapped up to sky blue ones.

"I-Ino...?"

Said girl gave a dark grin.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

Itachi was lurking behind Ino, looking frazzled and annoyed. Mostly annoyed.

"I should be asking you that," Ino said, jamming a finger into Sakura's face.

"We've been over this." Itachi said impatiently.

"You shut up back there." Ino snapped, and then nodded to him before mouthing 'hot' to Sakura, whose jaw dropped and then quickly snapped shut – because yes, she'd noticed too.

"Why haven't you moved on?" she asked.

"I have no idea, but heeey – you and Sasuke in a steamy shower scene! I saw that! Nice."

Sakura slammed her hand into her face and dragged it down.

"Why didn't you tell me you and tall, dark, and handsome-sama did the deed?!"

"Ino, this is important-"

"And then you just let him leave?" Ino tacked on and Sakura paled.

"I..." her voice died.

"Sakura," Itachi began and Ino threw him a glare but Sakura moved past her, "I need someone to be serious about this."

"Why?" she asked Itachi.

He opened his mouth but he couldn't speak it. "I'm sorry."

Sakura closed her eyes. "I've failed you."

There was a moment that there seemed to be a dead silence in the air and the Itachi spoke. "Nothing is as it seems."

Sakura looked up at him slowly. 'That's what he said."

"Have a little faith in him. I know he doesn't deserve it, but it is completely in your power to give it to him."

Sakura nodded after a beat and Itachi looked up at Ino, "You should talk to her, she's been...lost."

"Why hasn't she passed on?"

"She is still holding on to life, and someone is still clutching to her."

"Kiba..." Sakura whispered.

Itachi nodded. "Their tie needs to be severed, or she will be stuck here. Forever."

"I'm right here, you know? I can hear everything." Ino said, coming closer. "And whats so bad about staying. I like it here, and Sakura will come to visit." her eyes fell on Sakura. "Thank you. For what you did."

"Healing you? It was nothing..."

"No I don't mean that – and it wasn't nothing. I meant...letting me go. I felt so much lighter when you did."

"Won't you feel even better if Kiba lets you go too?" Sakura asked.

"No." Ino shook her head. "I need Kiba, and Kiba needs me." her eyes lit up. "He's fallen asleep." she pulled Sakura into a hug. "I'm gonna see how he is."

"Ino-" Sakura began, but the blond was gone.

Sakura looked up at Itachi.

"She can't stay. She doesn't belong here." he said.

"I know."

"I better handle it."

"You?" Sakura asked.

"Your hands are full, aren't they?" he asked. "I wouldn't wish this permanent stasis on anyone."

x-x-x-x-

Sakura awoke some time later. The short four hours were up but the sleep had done wonders. She felt more alert than she had in a while and she was ready.

"This is the final stretch," she told them. "Be ready to jump into battle as soon as we reach the target."

Gaara and Sai nodded.

"Once we reach point B, I'll circle and make sure that Madara hadn't sent reinforcements while you go ahead and join the battle."

"Alone?" Gaara asked, "I don't think that is the wise-"

"With all due respect, Gaara. This has been the plan all along. I can handle it. I assure you."

He seemed to back off at that. "We have five minutes to re-supply. I'll get the water. Make sure we have everything."

Sai and Gaara nodded and Sakura headed to the stream with their containers. She refilled them quickly and reached into the stream to wash her face and arms. Sakura caught Gaara's reflection in the water and met his pale eyes. "I never asked you."

"Asked me what?"

"Why you recommended me, as team leader?"

"You are a strong, capable kunoichi-"

"Really?

Gaara sighed, his eyes closing and breaking off their contact. "You healed me, during the war. I have come to respect you and care a great deal about you, Sakura and honestly, I owe you a apology."

His eyes opened and met her wide ones, Sakura caught herself. "uh, apologize?"

"I hurt you. During the Chunnin Exams. I never...told you how truly sorry I am."

"I don't hold it against you, Gaara. We're cool."

He nodded. "I didn't tell you any of this because I expect anything from you. I realize what is going on with Sasuke and I...respect that, Sakura." he gave her a small smile and then his reflection disappeared from the water.

So, by care a great deal he meant care a great deal. To say that Sakura hadn't seen it coming would be an understatement. Her cheeks burned as she picked up the water containers and carried them back. She handed one to Gaara, who took it easily. Was it just her – or was the air between them loaded? Probably just her. She carried Sai's container over the clearing to him.

When she arrived, Sai handed her a book.

Sakura gave him a confused smile and turned the book over. How to pick Mr. Right. Help! I'm stuck in a love triangle. The cover read.

Sakura scowled. "Look, Sai, I really-"

"I thought it would be appropriate, since both the Gutless Homo and the Kazekage are in love with you."

Sakura's jaw dropped, a- because Sai had read the situation perfectly and b- because Gaara was in perfect hearing distance.

The book shook in Sakura's hand. "Thank you, Sai." she said through clenched teeth and looked back down at the book.

A Spin Off to Make-Out Tactics – by popular demand.

Sakura's expression softened and she stuffed the book into her bag. "Let's move out."

x-x-x-x-

Team Sakura reached point B by nightfall and the split up with no parting words. Sakura went west, intending to make a quick circle of the perimeter, to ensure that Madara wasn't hoping to block them in. The woods seemed eerily clean of Shadow. It's almost as if Madara was assured of this victory. Sakura clenched her fists and sped up, she was eager to see the battle. They couldn't lose Kumo. It was their last sign of hope. Without it, everything would be lost. Her heart felt so heavy that she needed to stop and catch her breath.

"Sakura,"

She let out a yelp and spun around.

The dark figure stood in the shadow of the leaves, but she knew his voice.

"Sasuke."

He stepped into the moonlight and he kept coming closer until he was against her, and even then he went until she was pressed against the tree.

His dark eyes stared into her's. Burned into her's.

Sakura, despite her anger and sorrow, felt herself heat up under his intense gaze. Sasuke reached up, and pressed his fingers into her lips and then dragged them down, down her chin, down her throat, down her chest – igniting a fire under her skin. He stopped right over her heart. "Do you trust me?" he whispered, his voice rough.

"Yes," she whispered. She knew it was crazy, but she did – then again, right at this moment – she would do just about anything for him. Sasuke's hand seemed to be shaking as he dragged it back up to her throat and then around to the back of her neck. Sasuke pulled her up and her feet arched her up of their own accord. Their lips met. Desperation and heat shifted between them, Sasuke's nails dug into her neck subconsciously and Sakura's arms twisted around his shoulders, pulling him against her. Sasuke's free hand reached down, gripping her thigh and lifting it to his lip. Sasuke let out a groan as their hips met and her held her even closer. "Sakura," he hissed softly, trailing kisses down her jaw and into her neck. Sakura arched into him, her skin felt like it was on fire, under his touch, his caress, his lips, his tongue. She was so hot, everywhere. It was almost painful, but she wanted Sasuke to touch her until it hurt. To love her until her hurt.

Ok sooo an update!

I was just waiting for this weeks chapter of the manga! It went exactly like I'd hoped! SASUKE LOVE lol! He's so awesome! KYAAA, I'm still in a fangirl frenzy.

Ahem anywayyy, I'm back on a writing schedule so, depending on the amount of reviews=when I update? SO REVIEW!

Zana-Lee

xoxo