"Let go of her!"

Slamming her fist into the ground, instead of jumping away, he simply went intangible, taking Sarada with him. He took the kunai from his side and slashed at the girl in his hands. Sarada pulled away at the last second but he managed a large cut down the left side of her face and just missing her eye. She screamed again, tears falling down her cheeks and mixing with her blood. When he went to attack her again, she managed a couple of hand signs before her body was replaced with a log just as the kunai cut into the wood where her heart would have been.

"Sakura-chan!"

Sakura couldn't see him but she heard him. Naruto was coming and she could sense others. Sarada reappeared near Bolt who was placed further away from the battle but she was shuddering, going into shock.

"Kuromaru, we need to leave!" Karin yelled.

He cursed but appeared by Sakura and grabbed her. He then appeared from the shadows by Karin. He appeared before Sarada, intent on taking her.

"Kaa-san!" Sarada whimpered, gasping and fighting off unconsciousness.

Sakura managed to break free of his grip before they could return to tangibility and with a swipe, she took out his eyes, knowing that was the source of his power. He screamed and clutched at his eyes. Sakura turned to Sarada with the limited time she gained, still intangible.

"You were so brave, darling," Sakura murmured affectionately as her tears fell. "I love you so much, Sarada. I'm so proud of you."

"Kaa-san," Sarada cried.

Sakura hushed her. "Shh, honey. You're going into shock. Hold on, sweetheart. Can you do that for me?"

Sarada nodded, trying to calm her breathing but instead of calming down, her heart sped up and she wasn't inhaling enough air.

Her hands reached for her throat, choking. Sakura's eyes widened.

"Sarada?"

What's happening?

Sakura reached out to her desperately but she only went through her. She wasn't part of the physical world anymore. She couldn't touch her. She couldn't help her.

"Sarada? Sarada?!"

Sarada was now paling as she shuddered, her body slacking as her small fingernails tried clawing at her throat for breath.

This isn't right. Sarada is alive!

"Sarada!" Sakura screamed, trying continuously to gather the struggling child but all attempts were futile.

She could do nothing as the beaten Uchiha finally went limp before her. Her vision became tunnelled, light dying like her daughter before her.

This can't be happening. No, this isn't happening! Sarada!

Sakura threw back her head, releasing a soul-wrenching scream.

SARADA!

"-ter! Ou-...swer me!"

My baby! My darling girl, SARADA!

"Out-...calm down! Outer!"

Outer?

"Outer, thank god! You need to calm down!"

But Sarada-

"We weren't awake, Outer. We didn't see any of this! This is all Kuromaru's doing, don't you remember? He's started messing with your memories again!"

I don't know...what to believe anymore...

"You need to wake up."

But-

"Now."

Sakura's eyes snapped open as her body lurched forward, coughing up blood.

Kuromaru and his twisted friends had left her alone but for how long?

'I guess it doesn't really matter, considering I'm barely managing to keep myself alive right now.'

Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, she tried to shift back and lean against the wall when she froze.

Liquid gushed out from between her legs, pooling around her.

Her water just broke.

Sasuke stood before the Uchiha compound for the first time since Sakura's kidnapping.

At his side was a recovering Sarada, her Sharingan eyes taking in the houses with a new outlook. Both clear as crystal and tainted like poison.

He almost flinched when something soft touched his hand.

Looking down, he found Sarada had slipped her smaller hand into his. He traced the hand back up the arm to the body it was connected to until his eyes met Saradas', both innocent and haunted.

"Sarada-"

"I'm coming with you," she pushed. "Don't leave me again."

His hand tightened around hers as he stepped a little closer. She hugged his leg and then led him back to their home.

He didn't know who was dreading it more. Him or her?

"Your timing could not be worse," Karin hissed as she quickly lit the candles around the dungeon.

Sakura clenched her teeth as another contraction hit.

"Hey," she hissed. "Don't bitch at me, four eyes. It's not like I planned for the twins to be born right this second, okay?"

"I know, I know," Karin rushed as she took her place before Sakura, warm towels, hot water and blankets at her side. "You're sure Kuromaru doesn't know about you being in labour?"

"I can't exactly be a hundred percent sure on that, okay? All I know is that no one was here when my water broke."

"You're lucky it was me bringing you food instead of one of Kuromaru's sick friends."

"I know and I thank you," Sakura gasped out in pain.

Her legs arched and spread, giving the red-haired kunoichi a clear view for delivery.

"Sakura, I really have no idea what I'm doing right now."

As another contraction washed through her, her entire body tensed and her back arched as a shuddering whine escaped her.

"D-Don't worry, all you need to do is help them out. I'll handle everything else."

"But Sakura," she began. "You look like shit."

Despite the harsh words, there was no bite to them. A sad smile twisted the pinkette's lips.

"We both knew I was going to die not long after the twins were born. I can feel it, even now."

Before more could be said, another contraction hit.

"How dilated am I, Karin?"

A quick glance between her legs. "Five centimetres."

"We've still got a little way to-" Sakura was cut off by a sudden coughing fit, splattering blood on herself and Karin. "S-Sorry."

Karin shook her head as she dabbed the blood away with a corner of a wet towel.

"Don't be."

Sasuke stood on the back deck of the main Uchiha manor, staring at the destroyed backyard.

Sarada left his side to stand where she had last seen Sakura. Standing at the dried splotch of blood, she stopped, staring off into space, thrown back to the day of the fight.

Sasuke still scanned the yard, committing it to memory and allowing his guilt and anger to swell and grow. Sarada slid to the ground, bangs covering her bandaged face but not hiding the tears that streaked down her cheeks.

Around them, Sasuke could sense they weren't alone.

As the sun began to set, shadows grew longer, revealing many atop the roofs surrounding the Uchiha manor. All around the Uchiha compound, the Rookies had gathered, joined by their children if they had them.

One of their own had been taken from them and they mourned her loss.

But as the sun disappeared behind the horizon of trees, the dark couldn't chase away the heated emotions swirling within them.

They wouldn't give up until she was back home and safe.

The Will of Fire lit up the Uchiha manor that night.

"How much now?" Sakura panted.

"Ten centimetres. You're good to go now!" Karin urged as she prepared the warm, wet towels.

Sakura nodded and pushed when another contraction hit. It felt so much better to push through the pain instead of trying hard not to. She grunted as she pushed, clenching her hands as her body tensed. Blood dripped from her palms, her nails having pierced her skin.

"Keep going, Sakura, you're doing good! I can see the head!"

Taking in several gasps of breath, Sakura went back to pushing.

"Come on, Sakura, it's almost out!"

With one more final push, the baby was out followed by a gush of blood. Karin stared down at the blood in concern as she quickly wiped down the baby and wrapped it up tightly before handing it to Sakura whose cheeks suddenly seemed sunken in and hollowed.

"Sakura-"

She shook her head. "T-There's no time, I don't think I'm going to make it," she whispered harshly, cradling the baby close to her as her limbs began to weaken.

"What do I-"

"Cut the last one out of me."

Sasuke stood at the village gates, staring at his two old companions.

"We're going to try and follow up on more leads," Jugo stated.

"Orochimaru's also got his snakes on the lookout as well," Suigetsu added.

Sasuke nodded as he shook their hands. "Anything you find will be helpful. Thank you."

The two men nodded before they disappeared. Sasuke turned back to the village which suddenly seemed lifeless in his eyes.

The streets were suddenly a lot less welcoming to him.

Sakura bit back a scream as Karin cut into her stomach and she was suddenly going into shock. Being able to see the chakra of the baby still within her, Karin watched as it flickered down low.

"Sakura, the baby!"

Tears trekked down Sakura's face as she fought to hold off her ailing health.

"I-I can't...I'm too weak..." she cried.

Karin's brain went into overdrive as she tried to come up with something when the answer seemed so obvious.

Taking off the bandages she used to cover her arm, she held it to Sakura's lips.

"Bite me!"

Despite her confusion, there was no time to think or ask questions. Thinking only of the dying baby within her, Sakura bit into Karin's arm.

Potent healing chakra suddenly filled her, her strength returning. She glowed as life seemed to flood back into her and she watched with her chakra as the illness was practically destroyed. It couldn't be possible!

But as her eyes focused onto the red-haired woman before her, she realised it was.

Karin's skin had paled and she lost a lot of weight.

She was forcing her life chakra into Sakura.

HOLY SHIT BALLS!

Anyone else feeling the tension in their body!

I'd probably suggest listening to 'Not Gonna Die' by Skillet.

Intense shit that is.

I was gonna add more to this chapter but it ended quite nicely here so yeah.

Just finished watching Soul Eater too xD

And watched my friend play Beyond Two Souls.

Gave me the idea to write a story where Sakura has a dark entity attached to her that kills bitches.

That would be pretty cool.

I tried watching Naruto: The Last online but;

1. Shit quality since its some dude recording it with a video camera.

and

2. I don't give a fuck about Hinata being taken.

I can't do it.

So don't forget to review!

I've got my laptop back now so maybe my chapters will be uploaded fast?

Wink wink nudge nudge O_^

So yeah, review!

Keep it real,

-Me 3