This is an eventual SasukexSakura. Rated M for descriptions of violence and language. Very little graphic sexual content.

The story is accurate up to chapter 238 of the manga and contains spoilers.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Never have, never will.

OOO

Sakura was rudely awaked with being pushed off the bed. Lovely, she groaned mentally. She looked up, seeing Sasuke preparing himself to leave. She examined his scarred, bare back. She scowled at it. The stupid jerk. ASSHOLE. She lightly shook Kenji's shoulder, drawing out a groan from the child. "What, Mommy, what?"

"It's time to get up, sweetheart."

"I'm hungry, Mommy." Sakura grimaced. Sasuke hadn't fed them in two days, and Sakura refused to give her son soldier pills. She wasn't taking them either. They only gave you a short power boost, and you would crash after that. Sakura glared at Sasuke again. It was either ignored, or he took no notice of it.

"Bastard," she mumbled. She slipped on her shoes and helped Kenji put his on to his tiny feet before letting him hop down onto the floor.

For the past fifteen days with him, they had been walking all day and night. Of course, Sakura could handle it, but her poor baby couldn't.

"Sasuke, could we, like, not walk today?" she asked him politely. "Kenji's getting tired." Sasuke's gaze toward her was black and empty.

"Good. It will help him get strong." Sakura seethed on the inside, remembering that Kenji had been so close to graduating before they left. She was going to make a snide remark about it but kept her mouth shut. The only reaction she'd get off Sasuke was his hand clamping around her neck, anyway, putting him back into control. She pursed her lips before asking him another thing nicely.

"Then could we eat? I know starvation is to help him "get strong," but only you and I are used to this, and that's only because I am an ANBU. The poor kid's not even a Genin yet. Let him eat."

Sasuke did not look back to her. "I will consider it." Sakura turned red with anger, gripping her jacket with an intensity that only threatened to rip it.

They walked and walked, the time seeming to pass by achingly slowly whilst the sun blazed down upon them. Sakura sighed. Her son was sure to get sunburned with that pale complexion of his. Sakura evilly smiled at the thought. The one he had inherited that trait from was sure to get burned too...

The sky suddenly turned gray, the brooding clouds stewing up in fury. Sasuke stared up. "Rain! It's going to rain!" Kenji cried out, covering his head. Sasuke huffed in annoyance.

"The boy is loud. A learned habit, I suppose," he commented, avoiding meeting Sakura's eyes as to prove a point. Sakura narrowed her eyes at him dangerously. I swear when we're alone, I'm gonna-

"Look, Mommy, look! There's a big snake there! A big snake!"

"A snake?" she shrieked.

At record speed, Sasuke unsheathed his sword and drove it through the snakes head, effectively killing it. "Why'd you do that, mean man? Why'd you do it, huh?" Kenji roared. "It never hurt anybody. It didn't!"

Sasuke just shook his head. That stupid, fucking Orochimaru. Spying on me again. This would be so much easier if he would just leave me alone.

The rain started to pouring down. Sakura threw her jacket over her son's head, covering him from the disastrous little droplets. "Thank you, Mommy," he said sweetly. Sakura smiled.

"No problem, baby." Suddenly, Kenji's face turned sharp.

"Aren't you going to give Mommy anything to cover herself with, Mr. Uchiha?" he yelled, as Sasuke was quite a ways from them. Sasuke looked back to the boy for a moment, finding the comment worth shooting him a look. He went back to ignoring them with a grunt. Sakura just rolled her eyes.

"Don't worry about him, Kenji. Sasuke has never been one to be gentlemanly," she said, suppressing the want to input some sarcasm. The rain continued to fall until they reached a town, the lighted lanterns creating a beautiful contrast with the dark skies and the rain. The town itself was structured as those at the continent across the seas. They used all wood in their buildings, and the roofs curved out nicely, a perfect middle ground for Japanese and Chinese structure.

"That's gorgeous," Sakura breathed. Sasuke glanced back once, seeing identical expressions on mother and child, blushes lightly dusting their cheeks. He snorted softly in amusement. Finally, Sasuke thought tiredly. It took forever to get here.

Wordlessly, Sasuke walked into a bar. Sakura rolled her eyes again but followed him anyway. Maybe Kenji would finally get something to eat.

Instead, Sasuke went to greet a white-haired woman. Sakura froze. That woman was- She recognized her. She knew her!

By her feet was the ugliest dog Sakura had ever seen. On the other side of her, there was the scariest dog Sakura had ever seen. Sakura grimaced. Interesting choice in pets.

Sasuke approached the woman known as the Mizukage. "Torino," he greeted. The woman opened her piercing, red eyes and shot a glare to him.

"You!" she snarled. "I told you to leave me alone, little fucker!" she slammed her glass down and turned to face him. Her wolf-dog stood up and growled at him as the ugly one just let out a weak 'woof.'

"Bitch, Orochimaru wants to make an alliance with Mist," he stated monotonously, too tired of saying this so many times. "He insists."

"Tell him he can go fuck his little boy toy and die. I'm staying neutral." Her eyes shifted over to Sakura and Kenji. "Haruno Sakura," she stated, eyes narrowing slyly.

"Hn," her replied. Torino stood up while Sasuke eyed her critically. Once he realized where she was going, he grabbed for his blade but held back, wanting to see how it played out first. After all, if he killed her here, it would be troublesome. He'd probably have to kill everyone else here for witnessing the murder. Her two dogs trailed behind her protectively, the wolf-dog snorting at the malicious Uchiha.

The woman sat down by Kenji. Kenji just stared at the white-haired woman. He perked up.

"Hi! I'm Kenji!" The lady smiled.

"I'm Momochi Torino," she informed him, taking his little hand and shaking it.

"It's my first time meeting an albino!" Sakura smacked her forehead. That was so...rude!

"Kenji," she warned. Torino simply had a blank look on her face when he said it. Then she burst out laughing.

"Man, that's original!" she giggled. She leaned over to Sakura. She extended a hand which Sakura wearily took her. What took her off guard was the manicured tapping of Morse code on her palm.

"Sakura, I'm really sorry, babe! I can't help you right now, but I'm in the middle of making a treaty with Leaf, and I can't tell the Uchiha, or Orochimaru'll be after me. But I just handed your son- was it Congee?- a scroll. Just smear blood onto it, and it'll summon me, no matter what I'm doing."

"Thanks," Sakura replied, tapping back. "I'll only use it if absolutely necessary."

That whole process had taken place in less than five seconds as the two women verbally exchanged pleasantries.

"Hello," Torino greeted. "I am the Mizukage, and you are?"

"I am Haruno Sakura. It is an honor to meet you," Sakura said, feigning ignorance.

Truth be told, this woman had been her ANBU captain until two years ago when she was called away for some unknown deed. So this had been it. Mizukage, huh...

They immersed themselves in small chat while Kenji petted the woman's dogs. Sasuke sighed. All women were like this: useless. And the child: useless. With a mother like that, he would probably never grow to be strong. However, he petted the wolf-dog without fear.

His father must have been remarkably stupid.

OOO

Almost all alone in the pub now, Sasuke looked outside. It was still raining. Oh, well. The weaklings would have to deal with it. He marched over to Sakura and tugged on her arm, forcing her to stand up halfway. "What?" she snapped weakly.

"We have to move, woman. Oto will not come to us," he ordered. Sakura glared at him.

"I'm here against my will, remember? And I swear, if we don't get anything to eat soon, Kenji and I will die before we even reach that damned place!" she spat, her mouth too dry to actually produce any liquid.

"You will not die," he commanded.

Sakura rolled her eyes defiantly. "You can't just command people not to die. It doesn't work that way, Sasuke. Anyway, what's so important that you have to get back there so quickly?" Sasuke's eyes narrowed.

"Orochimaru is eager to use you as the key to start a war with Konoha." Sakura blanched in fear. "If he finds the Uchiha heir my brother has spawned unto this world as well, he will possess the child's body, seeing as I am too valuable to the country right now. If the rumors are false, then he will be using you to carry my bloodline. Then he will proceed to destroy Konoha." Sakura started trembling. No! She would not let that snake take over Kenji's body. She would DIE before that happened. She glared icily at the Uchiha.

"Just let us stay somewhere until the rain lets up. Please," she begged.

This was the last time, and she had to make sure that she succeeded.

OOO

Sasuke was awoken by sudden thunder.

The electrifying bolts lit up the sky, and Sasuke admired their beauty and deadly power. He then shifted his gaze to Sakura and the boy. Watching the rise and fall of her back, he realized that it was too contrived to be real sleeping. Or maybe she was just having a hard time sleeping. He stood up from his bed and walked stealthily over to her, peering over her shoulder. Her eyes were peacefully closed and her mouth, open, had drool oozing out of it. Sasuke decided it was real.

Suddenly, bright, emerald eyes snapped open.

Thrusting her elbow back, Sakura viciously grabbed Sasuke's collar and drove her fist into his face and foot into his stomach. When she heard the cracking of bone, she quickly dove for her sleeping son and jumped out the window without their belongings. Hidden in her bra was the Mizukage's scroll. She would use it if need be.

Sasuke assessed the damages on his body. He had four broken ribs, and an area on his face was sure to bruise by the morning. His eyes flashed red, and he darted out the window, landing soundlessly. The damn, heavy rain had washed away Sakura's footprints! He growled and stomped his foot. He then resorted to jumping on rooftops to spot the woman. He saw nothing for a full thirty seconds due to the rain, but then a glimpse of pink locks caught his eye. Sasuke's lips turned downward.

No more games.

Sakura panted heavily. Five days of no eating had really caught up to her, but taking a soldier pill was not an option. Without proper medical treatment, she would die, and she couldn't afford that. Not now.

Sparing a glance at the sleeping Kenji, she thanked the Lord that he could sleep through all this.

Suddenly, a muscular arm lashed out her, hitting her square in the face. Sakura was thrown backwards and protected Kenji from getting hit by anything. The kid was still in slumber. Sakura, though in pain, was grateful for that. She stood up hastily and drew a kunai from her weapon's pouch. Sasuke, in turn, brought out his blade, glistening from water. He charged at her with precise moves, and she ducked her head down, slashing at his dominant arm. She didn't miss, and Sasuke hissed in pain. He brought his arm down and bonked her on the head, but Sakura wasted no time in bringing her leg in for a kick to the groin.

Judging from the expression on his face, that really hurt. He retaliated, slamming her against the exterior of a building, causing water droplets to fly everywhere whilst pointing his sword at her stomach.

Sasuke snarled at her menacingly, but something shook him. Her whole form was shaking. He pulled her head up from her pink locks and saw that those drop of liquid were tears.

Sakura had had enough.

Her chest was wracking with sobs and sniffles. Sasuke lowered his sword unconsciously. In the whole month that he had been keeping her under his abusive wing, this was the first time she had cried. And these were tears well deserved. They weren't there to prevent him from going to Oto, they weren't there because he had called her a name, they weren't there because he was being attacked by an enemy, and they weren't there because she loved and worried for him.

These were tears of pent up exhaustion and failure. Sasuke was at a loss for what to do.

"You fucking BASTARD!" she screamed, hitting him on the chest feebly. "You-y-y-you jerk!" She started wailing like a child now, sliding down the wall and covering her face with her hands. Eventually, she snapped out of it. She crawled over to Kenji and tried to shake him awake. He wouldn't budge. Frantically, she tried again. "No, not again!" she sobbed, putting two fingers on his neck before pushing on his chest in a steady rhythm. "Please, no!"

No pulse.

OOO

Thanks to all who reviewed, alerted, or faved! If you would do so again, I'll update. Not that I wouldn't if you didn't...

I have updated quickly.

Praise me. xD