Chapter 4

After a night of restless dreams, Sakura woke just as the sunlight was beginning to pour into her room. Lazily, she lifted herself into a seated position and pulled her blanket up over her chest, then rubbed her eyes with a tired yawn. She stayed in her bed for a while, pondering about her home and wondering how her father and mother were fairing without her. Even though she had just left, she was already dearly missing home.

She sighed and flopped back on her pillow. She had such a strange dream. It was about that look on Madaras handsome face; the way it twisted so sadistically when she had told him she could heal his eyes. It was almost as if he was silently making a promise. Groaning to herself as her cheeks began to heat, she tried her best to shake the idea of being with Madara. Would it be so bad, though? She would become the Matriarch to the Uchiha clan, and obtain a substantial amount of political power. Not to mention, her own clan would never have to worry about protection, and would gain a much needed permanent ally. Their union would create strong trades, and perhaps the Uchihas could train the younger generation of Harunos in combat jutsus. Her father did seem to agree with her coming to the Uchiha capital suspiciously faster than she had thought too.. What if that was also part of his plan?

She shook head at herself. It made sense, but she needed to stop jumping to conclusions before she gets upset.

There was a soft knock on the door followed by a muffled voice.

"Yes, who is it?" Sakura said loud enough for the person on the other side of the door to hear.

"Sakura-san, it's Mikoto. I've come with some breakfast," Mikoto "Is it alright if I come in?"

"Oh! Of course." she quickly responded as she fussed her way out of bed and wrestled with her tangled hair, desperately attempting to look at least somewhat presentable.

Mikoto slid the door open, then placed a tray of food on a side table before closing the door behind her.

"Sakura-san, I must apologize on behalf of my son, Sasuke." The older woman sounded exhausted, and her voice was timid. With shakiness Mikoto bowed deeply, then rose and met Sakura's eyes. Her hands were pressed firmly against the top of her thighs as she tried to find the right words.

"He doesn't know how to interact properly with women, and he's very protective of his older brother." Mikoto's eyes were rimmed with dark circles, she clearly hadn't slept much the night before.

Sakura smiled awkwardly. "It's fine, Mikoto-san. I understand. But shouldn't it be the other way around? Older brothers are usually the protective ones." Sakura crawled out of her bed and made her way to her new vanity. She had to admit, she was excited to try some of the facial creams, powders, and lipsticks that were provided.

"Yes, that's true." Mikoto said with a small smile. She picked the tray of food up and walked over to Sakura, setting it on the side of the vanity. "You should eat something, you have a busy day ahead of you. I'll do your hair for you." She pulled the ribbon holding Sakura's hair and let the tresses cascade down over the back of the chair. Reaching for the comb on the table and a small vile, she emptied some of the liquid into her hands and began her work.

Sakura watched in awe as Mikoto expertly ran her oiled fingers through her hair. The liquid seemed to add a beautiful beachy curl to her hair, and smelled of mint. With expert hands Mikoto quickly braided and assembled her hair into a beautiful top bun, with curled bangs that fell to either side of her face.

"You'll be working in the clinic today," Mikoto finally said as she took a step back to admire her work. "But no one said you can't look good while you're there." With a wink, the woman walked to the armoire and began to shuffle through the clothes, searching for proper work attire.

Sakura smiled excitedly as she admired her bun. She eyed some of the lipcolorings, and picked a clearish pink one that had small petals inside. Using her index finger, she applied some onto her lips and was shocked at how it turned her lips a natural looking red. "Wow! This is amazing, the girls back at home would go crazy for this!" Sakura giggled as she looked to the plate of food and settled for nibbling on some of the fruits. She was still pretty full from her dinner the night before, plus she was a little nervous about starting at the clinic so soon. Her chest suddenly felt bare as she glanced below her neck in the mirror.

Her necklace was gone! Sakura palmed at her chest frantically, and groped herself to check to see if perhaps the chain had snapped and it fell into her bindings.

"Oh my god, My necklace!" She whimpered out as she turned to Mikoto. "It's gone! I never take it off, it must have fallen off somehow…" Her eyes welled with tears. That necklace had been handed down in her family for generations. Every Haruno woman born with the gift received that specific crystal necklace the day she reached womanhood. Her grandmother had handed it down to her, right before she passed. And now it was gone. She felt sick.

"Sakura-san, please don't cry! It must have come loose and fallen off like you said. I'll send out a notice and have everyone keep an eye out for it. We'll find it, I promise." Mikoto tried to reassure her, but she could see the doubt in those watery emerald orbs. "Now now, Sakura-san! No tears! I promise you, we'll find it. Uchihas are very good at finding lost things!"

Sakura didn't reply, just nodded her head and turned to face the mirror once again. Mikoto sighed sadly, and hoped the poor girls day wouldn't be completely ruined. Perhaps she could bother Itachi later to help her look around for it. Mikoto then turned back to the armoire, remembering what she needed to finish.

"Ah, here we go." Mikoto pulled out one of Sakura's medic outfits and a matching apron. She laid the clothing out for her, smoothing out any wrinkles that she could see before turning back to the young woman. "I'll be right outside, and then I will take you to the clinic so we can get started."

"We'll be working together today?" Sakura asked as she rose from her chair and walked to where her clothes were, and smiled at the older woman "How exciting, it's so much easier working with a friend. I'll be out in just a second."

Mikoto nodded with enthusiasm and made her way outside, being sure to close the door behind her.

Sakura got quickly dressed, and slipped on a pair of work sandals that she had brought along with her. She stepped outside, still smiling all the while. She didn't know why, but even though she had lost her necklace, she was still extremely excited to be of some use and help people new by working at the clinic. Maybe they would treat her kindness with kindness and help her find her necklace? Or maybe, she could learn some new techniques from the other medics?

Mikoto's hasty movements brought Sakura out of her thoughts, and the pink haired maiden allowed the older woman to lead her through the front gates of the main branch compound and into the nearby town. Mikoto chatted lightly with Sakura along the way, whilst nodding and greeting each Uchiha that passed them by. Sakura did her best to smile politely, but she couldn't help but feel uncomfortable. Everyone was staring at her, and she couldn't figure out if it was because of her crazy hair color, or her outfit.

Finally, They reached a large building That was painted with red trimming and adorned a large sign that said 'Medical Wing 1'. Sakura and Mikoto made their way up the short staircase and entered the building, but were instantly bombarded with the sounds of people with all sorts of injuries and illnesses, and medical staff barking orders at one another. A nurse that looked not much older than Sakura herself, made her way to Mikoto. The young woman spared Sakura a sharp glance before leaning in to makeshift a private conversation with Mikoto. They exchanged some whispers before the woman walked off into a room with a red sign above it that Sakura suspected was the Emergency room. Mikoto then turned to her with an awkward nod, and gestures for her to continue to follow as she lead her to the back sliding doors and into another room. Sakura noted the age of each patient varied, but their attire suggested that they were soldiers or guards, and a few possible nobles.

"You'll be in here for today. Most of these who were injured from recent scouting missions." Mikoto said as she turned to face Sakura.

"I'm confused, Missions? I thought I would be aiding those returning from the front lines." Sakura tilted her head in confusion. She wasn't exactly sure what was going on, and she mentally scolded herself for not paying more attention to the discussions during the dinner the night before.

"We believe that the Senju have already caught wind of our alliance, because they retreated from the battlefield indefinitely." Mikoto replied in a hushed tone. "A small victory for us, but they are clearly up to something. Madara-sama and Tajima-sama are waiting for the resources from your father to arrive so that we can replenish our armies and be ready for them when they finally make their move."

Sakura stayed silent. It all made sense, but she couldn't shake the thought that the Senju also knew about the resources being transported and could possibly try to intercept them from reaching the Uchiha Capital.

"I'll get started right away." She finally said, determination in her eyes. She tucked a pink curl behind her ear and got straight to work. First, checking the charts of each client and seeing which ones needed the most attention. She would work her way down from there.

Izuna sat under a large shaded tree with Sasuke quietly as he wrapped a bandage around the younger Uchiha's arm. "You know, you should really get this checked out by Sakura." Izuna spoke up as he eyed Sasuke. The young man was busy glaring at the grass, but what peaked Izuna's attention, was the beautiful crystal necklace that dangled from Sasuke's good hand. He stilled.

"You had better give that back." Izuna carefully said, shooting a look at Sasuke as the boy tensed up. Sasuke quickly fisted the necklace in his hand and shoved it in his pocket.

"No shit." He muttered under his breath.

"Sasuke, I'm serious. That necklace is important to her. If she found out you stole it she'd go psycho." Izuna gave the bandage a tight knot, making Sasuke wince and yank his arm away. "Your arm is probably fractured. Get that checked out, and return the fucking necklace." Izuna then got up from his spot and brushed off his pants. He didn't offer Sasuke a hand, instead walked off without a second glance back. 'What an idiot.' he thought. But it was directed more towards his own self. Sasuke wasn't the only one acting like a fool to the Haruno Heiress. He needed to find a way to obtain her forgiveness. But he knew that wasn't going to be easy. He noticed at dinner that Sakura was getting awfully comfortable with Sasuke's older brother, Itachi. He saw them whispering at the table to one another- in fact everyone had- and he couldn't help but feel a tinge of jealousy. That could have been him she was whispering to, but he had to go and fuck that up. Izuna kicked a rock rather hard as he made his way down the dirt path that lead to the horse stables. The rock went skipping away, then wacked the shin of an innocent bystander, who was about to say something in retaliation but once realizing who it was that sent the rock, quickly bowed his head and went about his way.

Izuna realized that he may have to swallow his pride, and seek out Itachi for some advice on how to apologize to Sakura. What he should have done was snatched that necklace from Sasuke, and returned it to the Haruno girl himself. But he didn't want to throw Sasuke to the dogs like that, and he would much rather see her reaction when she realized it was Sasuke who snatched it in the first place. Perhaps then, she would hate Sasuke more and forgive Izuna for the lesser evil? Probably not.

Why did he care so much? Why did he care, if she likes him or not? He hated how that damned woman made him feel. It was unfair, he couldn't tell if his feelings were his own or if he was simply just enticed by her because of her gift. If she didn't have that trait, would he still feel the same way or would her appeal be lessened?

He stopped in front of the stalls and tried to change the subject at mind. The horses had sensed his presence a while back and had stuck their large heads out from the stall doors curiously. Sakura's Mare eyed him with recognition and whinneded, she was delighted to see a familiar face. Izuna smiled at her, and reached into a sack that was nearby before walking up to her. He stuck his calloused hand into the bag, and when he brought it back out had a handful of oats that he offered to her. The horse reached for the oats with her lips, keeping her eyes on him. With his free hand, he brushed her corse mane out of her eyes and behind her flicking ears. The other horses, including his own, snorted with jealousy and threw their heads back into their stalls. Izuna laughed, the horses had such personalities uncanningly similar to their masters.

Once there were no more oats left in his hand, he wiped the drool off his palm on his pants and gave the mare one more pat before making his way to his own horse, offering up a handful of oats to him too.

"You could try taking her for a ride."

Izuna didn't turn around, he had already known who was behind him.

"Sakura, I mean. She asked me if I could take her, but I'll be leaving for a mission soon."

"I doubt she would want to go riding with me." Izuna replied. Absentmindedly offering up another handful of oats to his horse.

"I think after a few days, she would jump at an opportunity to get out of Uchiha walls for a while."

Izuna stayed quiet. He had a point.

The man behind him placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it firmly before he muttered something about over spoiling the horses before he walked off.

Sakura was absolutely exhausted. She wasn't even sure she could manage to make it back to her room. All the patients were treated and cared for. She also had found the time to create a list of herbs and things to make ointments. She worked through both lunch and dinner, much to Mikoto's dismay, and if it weren't for Mikoto being called on for something else, the older woman would have dragged Sakura out by now.

Sakura cleaned up her tools, and left the clinic with her shoulders slumped and her feet dragging. She hadn't worked that hard in years, back at home they rarely had horrible wounds from combats. It was usually petty things like broken bones or infections.

She walked towards the gates of the main compound, waving lazily to the guards who let her in with ease. Walking through the main courtyard, it seemed like her body remembered where her room was and took her straight there. And thank god for it too, because the poor girls mind was elsewhere. Sleep was all she could think of. A nice hot bath, and some much needed sleep. She had managed to accomplish so much in one day, that the nurses had told her that she wouldn't need to come tomorrow, allowing her time to rest and replenish her chakra reserves. Which was perfect- Sakura intended on finding Itachi and seeing if he could accompany her to the forests to gather some herbs for her ointments. She had hoped that he knew enough about the different plants to know where they grew.

Sakura reached her room, and was about to open the door when her eyes caught a note that was stuck to one of the panels. Plucking it off carefully, she held onto it as she made her way inside the room. There were some candles that were lit throughout her space- one of the servants must have anticipated her return and prepared the room. Her silk bed was made, and a nightgown had been laid out for her as well. After a deep inhale, Sakura noted with glee that a bath had been drawn for her as well. Sakura walked towards her vanity for the second time that day, and held the note up to the light as she unfolded the corners to reveal the message inside.

Sakura,

I will have to take a rain check on our ride through the forests, I have been summoned for a mission. Izuna offered to take you in my stead- give him a chance. I'll come see you when I return.

Itachi

Great. As if she was going to let Izuna take her after the things he said to her? She knew in her heart that she needed to stop being so frivolous and allow Izuna the chance to apologize, but she just wasn't ready yet. No, she would take her own to the forests. She was a big girl, she could take care of herself. And The herbs she required couldn't possibly be that deep into the woodlands.

Her mind was made up. She would go alone. With that, she crumpled the paper up and tossed it carelessly to the floor and made her way to her bath.

Rummaging through her knapsack that was strapped to her horse, Sakura made sure she had all the items she needed in order for her day. She had packed a small lunch, some tea, and several different glass jars to contain the various herbs she hoped to find. The young maiden also brought a thin cloak to cover her hair and to protect her from the hot sun.

Her horse suddenly picked its large head up, and ears pointed forwards. It whinnied softly to the girl, pushing at the small of her back as if trying to encourage her to mount. Someone is coming. Sakura fisted the reigns into her hand and while using just a smidge of chakra, was able to propel herself onto the saddle.

"Yip." She whispered to the horse to set way, but the mare was already in motion and set a steady trot towards the gates. A slight pink stained her cheeks as unavoidable attention was yet still drawn to her. Some recognized her and gave her a curt nod, while others looked on questionably. She kept her eyes forwards, and willed her mare to speed up a bit in hopes to make a clean break out the gates before Izuna noticed her departure.

She finally reached the gates in no time and as she approached the guards, she gave them a delighted smile as allowed her passage. As soon as she was a decent distance away, she dug her heels into her horses side to make the mare take off in a run. The guards raised their brows and looked to one another, wondering if they should send someone after her. But a presents behind them that started on with a calculating Sharingan, watching in her direction... had them stay put.

Sakura never felt so free in her life.

She had a wide, dazzling grin on her face as the humid wind whipped past her cheeks and danced in her hair- the hood that concealed the pink tresses long discarded to her back. She kept her horse at a steady gallop as they made their ways through town. Many of the civilian villagers moved hastily out of her way, but were enchanted by her smile and grace while she rode past.

Her heart fluttered as she saw the woodlands edge, and it seemed her horse was on the same vibe as it picked up its pace and darted straight into the forest. As they reached the trees, Sakura slowed the mare and hopped off.

"Follow me," She said to the horse. The beast just flicked its ears at her but stayed close behind.

They had walked for what felt like hours, and Sakura was slowly beginning to lose hope. Maybe she should have just sucked up her pride and allowed Izuna to take her, she should have been back by now. She searched high and low for the correct herbs and flowers but to no avail. Just as she was about to call it quits and turn around, the sound of a gentle creek caught her ears. A few more steps in, and she came across a beautiful clearing that had a witch hazel sitting towards the farthest end by the creek. Sakura squealed with glee, She could easily fill up all the jars she brought and not return empty handed. Maybe she could even sell some of the herbs, she knew that all the medical shops in town did not carry witch hazel. Maybe she would have time to wash up in the creek too? She tilted her chin up to glance at the sky, and estimated that it was possibly a few hours past noon. She turned to her horse which was hastily making its way towards the creek to drink, and pulled out her jars from the sack that contained them.

She hummed a tune she learned from her brothers, and began to daydream about them as she began to harvest the witch hazel. She stripped the bark expertly, being sure not to harm the tree so that she may return to it again in the future. Her mare was quiet and lazily grazed on the grass around the clearing, waiting halfheartedly for Sakura to finish her task. Once each of her jars were finished, she called to the mare and secured the jars safely, then made her way to the creek to wash up.

Sakura rolled up her sleeves, hiked up her skirt, and kicked off the sandals she had been wearing. Then carefully dipped her toes into the cool waters. She sighed blissfully, and enjoyed the sounds of the birds and the crickets in the grass. She could faintly hear her horse not too far away, swishing its long tail at the flies that bothered it. She laid back on the slight hillside, and glanced up at the canopy of trees and clouds above her. She didn't even realize she had begun to doze off.

Her horse gave out an alarmed neigh- causing Sakura to wake with a jolt. She shot out of the creek and hopped to her feet- only to witness her horse bolting into the forest, heading back to the village. Her heart thrummed in her ears. The birds were silent and the wind was still. Someone was here. Sakura pulled out a kunai and made her way out of creek, aligning herself with her back against the tree. Whomever it was, wasn't from the village. Otherwise it wouldn't have spooked her horse. She knew the intruder had to have been coming from the opposite direction. She crouched low and tried to steady her breathing, like how her brothers taught her. She was terrified, and slightly cursed herself for being so stubborn and not allowing Izuna to escort her. It made no sense to mask her chakra now, they already knew she was here. Sitting in the shadows of the forest, watching and waiting for her to make the first move.

"Come out," She stated firmly as she began to slowly trickle chakra into the soles of her feet. She'd make a run for it, if she had to. But she needed to know who she was up against.

It took a few moments, but slowly a man began to emerge from the wood and into the clearing. He was much taller than her, with snow white hair and white furs around his neck. His armor was that of a Senju, and he had strange red markings on his face. His eyes were an angry maroon, but nothing like the Uchihas. Sakura tensed up, and crouched lower. The man was handsome no doubt, but he was the enemy, and he was powerful. His hands were to his sides, and his shoulders held high. He clearly held some sort of status, he had the aura of a noble about him and his chakra was suffocating.

"Who are you? Don't come any closer, I'm warning you!" She pulled out another Kunai with her free hand. He watched her with mild amusement, eyeing her haughtily.

"You must be the Haruno Hime that has everyone in a frenzy," He tilted his head to the side before he continued, "What are you doing so far from home?"

" You allowed her to leave unattended?!" Madara howled, he was enraged. Word quickly spread of Sakuras departure to the forests alone, and he couldn't believe they allowed her through the gates without an escort, well knowing how valuable she is.

"Itachi had told me she would be informed of me accompanying her. She must still be upset about..." He trailed off. Everyone knew what he was referring to.

Tajima remained silent for a moment. His rough hands rubbed the bridge of his nose as he felt a horrible migraine coming on. This put a wrench in his plans. He then eyed Madara. "The Senjus have been making moves. I sent Itachi out on a mission to find the reasons for their retreat and map out their campsites. They could very well know of our deal with the Harunos."

The sounds of a horse outside in distress and the voices of people trying to calm the beast down. Rang through their ears and alerted them all. Madara rose from his seat and sent Izuna a look, before heading outside to see what was going on.

A horse with no rider, gasping for breath and foaming from the mouth was in a complete panic. Sasuke had its reigns in his hand, tugging the animals head down in an attempt to get the mare to calm itself. One of the clans women reached into the knapsack strapped to the horse, and pulled out a jar of witch hazel.

"Oh gods, this is Sakura-samas horse!" She wailed and clutched the jar to her chest "Madara-sama! She must be in trouble!"

Madaras Mangekyou Sharingan spun to life and his chakra spiked dangerously high.

"Which way."

The guards that had been stationed at the gates upon her departure trembled in fear. One of them hastily replied, "J-just past town. She went straight into the woodlands East of here."

Madara teleported out, which would at least take him to the edge of the forest and save him some time.

Izuna and Sasuke both looked at each other with knowing eyes. They knew it best not to follow too closely behind when Madara saw red. With a silent agreement between the two, they quickly made their way to the stables to ready their horses and make way for themselves.

Sakura knew she was in deep shit.

"That's none of your concern. Leave now and I'll spare you your life." Yeah, good one.

The man continued to slowly make his way towards her, and stopped once he was a few feet from her. He watched as she eyed the sword at his hip as if she was expecting him to draw it, but he did not.

"I don't fight girls." He said plainly.

"Sounds like a personal problem!" She shouted back as she flung both kunai at him; one aimed for his chest and the other straight for his head. He dodged with ease, but she attempted to use it as a distraction as she pushed off the soles of her feet and phased in front of him with a quick leap. She spun and swung a chakra infused kick at his head, and he quickly raised his arms to block. The armor on his forearms shattered under the impact, and he was pushed back several feet. Soil piled behind his feet and his arms began to throb vigorously. He was mildly impressed.

"Not bad, but you're too slow." He smiled at her, challenge glinting in his eyes.

She roared angrily, and slammed her tiny fist into the ground, causing the earth to splinter and give way. Boulders shot from the cracks of the ground that crawled well past a line of trees, causing them all to topple and moan as they fell. The earth was shredded and mauled, and the forest animals in the surrounding area desperately scampered away from the destruction.

The man flipped out of the way- he was almost hit. But before his feet could even touch the ground, another large chunk of earth came flying at him at top speeds. Regaining his composure, He quickly used a water jutsu to block the attack.

Sakura was standing at the edge of her carnage, not even the slightest bit out of breath. She held her head high- her hair wild and untamed around her.

"Don't mess with me." She said under her breath. She was not weak. She would not be taken advantage of.

The man quirked a brow at her, then made several hand seals. Water from the creek was suddenly all around her, suffocating her before she had time to even think about moving away, She desperately thrashed to get to air, but to no avail. After a few minutes of struggle, small bubbles trickled out of her mouth as she went limp, her vision started to blur but she fought to stay conscious. It couldn't end like this! She wouldn't allow it! Right before she felt as if she was about to lose herself to the darkness, the water dissipated, and dropped her in the arms of the strange Senju man. They stared at each other for what felt like forever. Her form ridged and trembling in his arms. Her skin was cold to the touch from the icy creeks water, and her hair was drenched.

"W-who…" She choked out, her eyes fluttered as she tried to keep them open.

He knelt down, and placed her gently on the ground. Staring at her form. He was absolutely captivated by her. There were many stories about the beauty of the Haruno heiress, and her abilities, but they did her no justice. He moved the hair out of the young womans face as the look in his eyes softened.

"Tobirama Senju." He replied to her, and inwardly chuckled as he saw her instantly recognize the name. "We will meet again. They are coming for you now." With that he gave her one last look, as if to try and burn her image into his mind, then disappeared.

Sakuras head lulled to the side as unconsciousness finally consumed her.

Madara had felt the tremor of the earth and heard the impact of the thing that hit it. His eyes quickly locked on to the canopy of trees that came crashing down, and the birds that cawed and fled the scene. He saw the dust rising too, and knew that's where Sakura was. An emotion that he hadn't felt in some years- dread- bubbled in his chest and piled in the pit of his stomach like bile. He quickly took to the trees, leaping from branch to branch with lightning speed.

He finally arrived to the clearing, and his steps faltered slightly at the sight before him. A hint of pink on the ground and he was there in a flash, kneeling before her as his arms cradled her head and lifted her into a seated position. She was soaked, and cold to the touch but she was still very much alive, only unconscious. His spinning eyes dragged down her body for any sign of injury, taking in every detail. He noted, with a boiling hate, that there were traces of tiny white fur like hairs on her arm. Her dress clung sensually to her body, and if it weren't for the current situation he may have took pleasure in seeing it.

The pink haired heiress stirred, and moaned softly as she came to from the dark fog that flooded her mind. She smelled who it was before she saw, and she recognized the scent easily. Fire, and sandalwood. That smell belonged solely to Madara. It brought her comfort, and she felt a swell of happiness to know that he had come for her. Of course he came for you. You have so much to offer. Sakura licked her bottom lip and slowly opened her eyes. She could blearily see him scanning their surroundings, and she could feel his chakra all around her, possibly searching for the intruders. But that man was long gone.

Madaras eyes caught something blue and shattered in the grass not too far from where Sakura was laying. Rage fumigated his mind and clouded his vision briefly- he knew very well whose armor lay in pieces.

"Tobirama," Madara sneered, making Sakura whimper. Red spinning eyes looked down at the woman in his arms, and met shimmering sapphire orbs. She looked to be on the brink of tears, but Madara was not trained in the field of comforting women.

He decided to pull her close, and hold her to him while she trembled. Her arms were locked between her own chest and his, but she clung to the fabric of his Uchiwa fan shirt and attempted to calm herself down.

"Did he?..." He asked softly

"No... God, no."

His hold tightened on her, but he said nothing.

"I'm sorry, I-"

"Enough. This is not your fault."

The sound of horses in the distance caught his ear. He slipped an arm under Sakuras legs and began to lift her up.

"I'm fine, I can-" She started to say, but the look he gave her told her to shut her mouth and go with it.

Sasuke and Izuna came into the clearing with a horse of their own and one extra in tow.

"What the hell happened here?" Sasuke blurted out as he surveyed the scene. Clearly some battle had commenced here. His eyes shifted to the small woman in his uncles arms and he frowned. She had been shaken up, just as much as her horse had been. It was clear there could have been an ambush or kidnapping attempt.

Izuna quickly made his way to his brother and Sakura, handing Madara the reigns of his horse.

"I can carry her back" Izuna said, his voice full of worry as his eyes locked on the girl. She stayed put in Madaras arms, and her fists tightened in his shirt as if to tell him not to give her off to his brother. Izuna caught this, and downturned his gaze.

"That won't be necessary." Madara said as he pulled Sakura up onto his horse and got on himself with ease.

"At least take this, Sakura." Izuna stripped himself of his cape, and offered it out to her. She stared at it for a moment before accepting it, giving him a nod and mumbling a small thanks under her breath.

Madara helped her wrap the cape around her form, then signalled for his horse to head back to the forest. Sakura shyly thumped her head against his chest, his heart beat a faint lullaby in her ears. She hated seeming so vulnerable, but she was exhausted. Besides, she couldn't remove herself from Madara even if she tried, he clearly wouldn't let her. Feeling a gaze on her as they made their way through the forest, she glanced over at Sasuke who had been watching her from the corner of his eye.

"Was it you? That made those huge cracks in the earth?" He asked her curiously, although he already knew the answer. She nodded yes to him and felt Madara shift beside her.

Sasuke was silent for a second. Then sent her a small smirk.

"I bet you scared the shit out of them."

Sakura snorted and smiled lightly back at him. He was attempting to make her feel better and she appreciated it. It was hard for her to stay mad at them when they had come for her in her moment of distress. She hated to admit it, but it was clear that they at least care about her well being. She could forgive them, eventually. Usually she would require an apology, but let's face it these men are Uchiha and 'sorry' is just not in their vocabulary.

Sasuke reached for something in his pocket, then moved his horse so that it walked side by side with Madaras. Madara kept his eyes ahead, leading his horse confidently but he was playing close attention to the younger Uchiha.

"Sakura, I believe this is yours." Sasuke turned his fist downwards and extended his arm to her. Curiously, she used Madara to lean forwards so she could take the item. Sasuke brushed the front of his knuckles against her small hand and paused as if he was contemplating on really giving it to her or not, but eventually, he carefully laid it in her palm and pulled away.

Sakura gasped. It was her necklace!

"Oh my god!" She squeaked loudly, causing the horse to shake its head in disapproval. "Where did you find it?!" She reached out and caught his hand giving it a firm squeeze and a bright teary-eyed smile before her attention returned to her pendant.

Behind them, Izuna glared furiously at Sasuke. Was he really not going to tell her that he had stolen it?

Sasuke ignored him. "I found it near the training grounds."

"Thank you, Sasuke-kun." Her voice was light and danced on the wind. It was evident to all three of the Uchiha men that Sakura had forgiven Sasuke.

Sasuke trained his face to seem neutral, and replied with a typical 'hn' Before he looked at the man behind her and willed his horse to pick up the pace, taking the lead.

She followed him with her gaze, pulling her new found necklace to her chest.

"You should get more rest, I'll wake you once we get back to the compound." Madaras low voice snapped her out of her zoning out. Sakura did not want to go back when people were still out at about. It was embarrassing, she knew that half the village was very aware of the situation. As if sensing her discomfort, Madara continued.

"We'll be taking the backroad home." He felt her significantly relax, and slowly her breath evened out, signaling her slip into a light sleep.

Ahh, you guys! I'm so fuckin' sorry this chapter took so long to drop. I hit a pretty brutal and confusing writers block- I've been just winging it every chapter which I realized isn't exactly the smartest idea. I think I got it figured out now though! Thank you all for your patience, and your awesome reviews. And to those who now follow me and my story, thank you too! It keeps me going, seriously~!

-Whiski