AN: Hello once again! Apologies for the wait; life got in the way. Two weddings, an outrageous amount of work, and training for tough mudder have been sapping my energy. That and this chapters been through more revisions than any other! Hope the wait wasn't so bad for my repeat readers I know even I can get a bit antsy waiting for a chapter after one as pivotal as the last. This one is far more subdued in comparison but just as emotionally charged if not more so. It is a Sakura centric chapter after all. So without anymore small talk I give you *drumroll*

Savior's Sonata

"Alright! As acting leader of Taka I say—"

"Acting leader my ass! I have seniority over you, which makes me acting leader!" Karin protested, not far behind the presumptuous shark-toothed man as they jumped out of the SUV, having finally reached the safety of their warehouse.

"Tch, you've got seniority alright, grandma!" he shot back, clearly not injured enough to walk away from a fight with his ever present misanthrope. The two stared each other down with bared teeth, practically chomping at the bit to tear each other apart now that their leader wasn't around to stop them.

"I should've let Kakuzu finish the job on you!" she spat spitefully in return. Now the two were practically breathing fire down each other's necks.

"You practically did! Where was our support goddamnit?!"

"Sasuke was my prime concern, naturally." defended the redhead adamantly, taking a step back to press her glasses flush against the bridge of her nose.

"Fucking harpy, when are you going to get it into your thick skull? He doesn't—"

"Sakura-san will take care of Sasuke-san." chimed Jugo, his usual quiet baritone enough to break the impending fist fight. Both irate parties watched their lumbering companion limp his way towards the patrol boat, clearly more focused on his leader rather than who was in charge.

"You trust those agents and that woman far too much Jugo. Did you forget how she assaulted Sasuke; not to mention they arrested him." reminded Karin.

"As much as I hate to say it, Karin's right. They aren't like us, never will be."

"You're right Suigetsu…they aren't like us. They're better." he admitted, finally reaching the hatch of the ship. He held his side and struggled to bend to reach the hatch. He finally got it opened and began descending, giving his comrades one last look, "They could have abandoned us…instead they saved us."

The bickering duo blinked several times at their teammate before he disappeared; trying to digest the speech he just gave them.

"Tch whatever, I'm still putting myself in charge of this operation."

"Fat chance fish breath! I'm in charge and I'm going to be the one who rescues Sasuke from those bastards." declared the redhead, stalking off to devise her master plan all the while muttering about proving herself to Sasuke.

I did the one thing I told myself I wouldn't do for him anymore. I did it when his eyes glazed over and their lids closed slowly.

I cried.

I cried when he died not two feet from me in the back of an ambulance. My eyes flooded, lips quivered as I broke out into uncontrollable sobs. The piercing tone that signified his lack of a pulse was only dwarfed by the frantic back and forth between the paramedics and Narutos own emotional display as he urged his oldest friend back to life. What little strength he clung too seemed to vanish after I clasped the handcuffs on him, practically collapsing on top of me if not for Naruto. And now, not even five minutes out from the closest hospital he faded away, practically bled dry from the removal of Hidan's serrated blades.

The paramedics scrambled to revive him with all their available equipment. Manually pumping oxygen into his still frame while the other preformed chest compressions. I watched in horror as they attached electrodes to his battered body, sending jolts of electricity through it to kickstart his heart.

I wanted to call him a selfish bastard. Berate him for putting himself in this situation; for making me feel guilty. If he hadn't acted so pigheaded and refused to seek another solution other than running headlong into danger without thinking of the consequences, maybe he'd be…

"We've got a pulse! It's weak...relatively stable, but we need to get him into the E.R. immediately." exclaimed one of the paramedics as they pulled into the emergency arrivals driveway. In a matter of seconds they had him out on the curb; rushing his gurney into the hospital. I followed as closely as possible; forgetting all about the secondary ambulance carrying Kakuzu and the battered sedan driven by Sai. Soon enough there was no space for me by Sasuke's side as nurses and doctors in scrubs surrounded the injured man and boxed me out.

"Is he going to make it?" I wanted to ask, but the words caught in my throat as he disappeared behind a pair of double doors. To think, that may be the last time I saw him relatively alive. Our last moments spent together marred by heated hateful words.

"He'll make it Sakura-chan. I know it. Teme's too stubborn to die." Naruto rested a strong hand on my shoulder, doing his best to assure me that Sasuke would escape death like he had countless times before. I smiled bitterly at his heartfelt words and nodded; he wouldn't die, not before he finished what he started. As they wheeled a heavily sedated Kakuzu towards the ICU, Sai joined Naruto and me, sporting a freshly bruised lip. Clearly the man who was a casualty of Naruto's questionable driving still had some fight left in him.

"Tsunade-sama will probably like to know about this before the media finds out about the two international criminals we've detained."

I stiffened at the idea of even attempting to explain all the events that have transpired since our abduction in Paris, but Sai was right. Naruto had a rock between his ears when it came to reports, and Sai…well as keen as he was to details the last thing he would do was omit certain events. Namely Sasuke and my relationship. Tsunade would have my badge and my head if she knew her star pupil didn't have enough sense to not become romantically involved with one of Japans most wanted criminals.

"I'll…brief her on the situation." I answered after a pause. I ran my hands through my matted hair, finally realizing how ghastly I must have looked with my bloodshot eyes and bloodied blouse. Still probably not the worst a hospital emergency wing had seen though. Quietly, I left my partners and searched for a payphone. I ended up finding a bank of phones outside, and when I gingerly grasped the black handle of the phone I gulped nervously. If I was lucky Tsunade's wrath would be dulled by a successful night of drinking and gambling, if I was unlucky…I shuddered at the thought. Slowly, I dialed my mentor's private cellphone number as I had countless times before. Whenever I needed guidance or a fierce tongue lashing, she had been there.

Ring...

Ring….

Ring…..

"I swear if this is a solicitor I will find you, gut you, and choke you to death with your own entrails!"

"T-Tsunade-sama…its me. Haruno." I spoke, my voice apprehensive compared to her own boisterous one. There was a pervasive silence that passed, save for the sound of shuffling sheets.

"Sakura…I didn't—What's happened?" questioned the older woman, her voice fluctuating quickly from that of shock and concern to a stern professional baritone, "It's about him, isn't?"

For a brief moment I contemplated lying to her. Maybe I didn't need to tell her about Sasuke and only about Hidan and Kakuzu. As silly as it sounded I still felt compelled to protect Sasuke, even from her.

"Hai…I-I've—we've taken Sasuke into custody, but he was seriously injured trying to apprehend two members of Akatsuki and needed medical attention. Hidan was killed in the fight but, Kakuzu was taken alive. We're at Kudanzaka Hospital." Despite my previous apprehension, I found the truth spilling forth with ease. I genuinely needed my mentor guidance now more than ever. Though the silent treatment she was giving me at the moment wasn't helping.

"Custody? You've arrested THE Uchiha Sasuke?"she questioned, obviously in a state of disbelief at my admission. After a short pause I could hear her begin chuckling to herself, "You have no idea how much I needed this news Sakura!"

"What? Sasuke is in critical condition, he may die!" I blurted without thought.

"Watch that tone Haruno, remember you're one of my agents not one of his thugs." she warned, clearly peeved by my outburst, "That Uchiha has most likely kept you all in the dark, but he's caused more problems for me than you can imagine."

"Naruto, Sai, and I have been trying our best to keep Takas body count to a minimum but, these Akatsuki members fight to the death…" I defended meekly.

"The bar brawl in Kabukicho that left five dead and a dozen others seriously wounded had nothing to do with Akatsuki!"

"That's not true! We were attacked, I swear!"

"For Kami sake Sakura! Chief Inspector Gaara has reason to believe you and Naruto personally had something to do with the indiscretions in Nagano! He's requested Interpol formally charge the both of you with murder and brand you terrorists!"

"But we—"

"It's even attracted the board of director's attention. They've…they've called a hearing to discuss our dealings with Sasuke…they want to charge me with conspiracy but…Sakura." there was silence on the line that sent my heart into my throat, "They want you all disavowed."

"No…they can't!" my blood ran cold and my heart stopped as the words burrowed into my ear.

"They won't. I won't let them." she promised adamantly. If Tsunade-sama was good for one thing, it was her word. She would fight tooth and nail for all of us without a doubt, "With Sasuke and Kakuzu in your custody the board will believe this was the successful undercover operation it was meant to be."

"But the rest of Akatsuki—"

"Forget about them. You've done more than I could've ever asked of you."

"Thank you Tsunade-sama." I sighed, feeling the tightness in my chest lessen and my chaotic world slowly slip back into normalcy, or some modicum of it.

"Don't thank me yet. The media and local authorities are going to be all over this in no time. This is your case, your collar. No one, and I mean no one is to take that from you, understand?" her stern mother hen voice returned and reminded me that while one storm had passed another always loomed on the horizon.

"I understand Tsunade-sama, you have my word."

"I expect a full report when I find time to assess the situation personally. You're a damn good agent Sakura. Don't forget that."

"Hai." I responded. I appreciated the praise, but some part of me felt as if it was ill deserved. The same part that tried to convince me that I was anything but a model agent. The same part that wanted me to spill my guts to her about mine and Sasukes intimacy and all my other wrongdoings. But I couldn't. Not after finding out that my partners and I were hairs away from being disavowed.

I slumped forward and exhaled deeply as I hung up the payphone with my superior. The exhaustion from the day's events had finally caught up with me. When I returned to the waiting room, Naruto and Sai were eagerly awaiting the verdict from headquarters. The blondes face blanched noticeably as I explained how we narrowly escaped being declared rogues, and it only became more sickly looking when I told him that Tsunade herself was coming to assess the situation.

Despite the dread on the horizon we all found some solace in the lull. Weeks of not knowing who or what was going to try and kill you had taken a lot out of all of us. So much so that we were thankful even for the uncomfortable chairs in the waiting room. Naruto somehow was able to stave off his fatigue a little while longer once he caught a wiff of food down a long corridor and left to investigate the new discovery. Sai on the other hand decided he'd hassle the passing doctors and nurses on Kakuzus and Sasukes conditions.

I couldn't care less for the former, but that was just the residual anger left in Hidan's wake. He would answer for his partner's crimes; for all of the crimes Akatsuki had perpetrated. It made me wonder if I could truly go forward with bringing Sasuke to the justice he deserved. It would be a decision I dreaded making once he recovered like I knew he would. He was a fighter after all, always had been. I found myself curled up on the scratchy fabric of the chair cushions, eventually succumbing to sleep with fatigues aid.

It wasn't the sun or achieving a satisfying amount of rest that woke me from my slumber. Instead, I was thrust back into consciousness by the simultaneous symphony of screeching gurney wheels, shouting nurses, and a rather talkative receptionist. I rubbed my eyes as I acclimated to the florescent lights and examined my surroundings. Sai and Naruto were nowhere to be found and the waiting room was already beginning to fill with early morning arrivals. The chatty receptionist flinched noticeably as I approached her and cleared my throat, effectively making her hang up the phone.

"C-can I help you miss?" her chocolate eyes darted between my bloodied clothes and my disheveled hair. You'd think she would have more of a stomach for that sort of thing, but judging from the way she paled at the sight it must have been the only thing setting her apart from her colleagues.

"Agent Haruno, Interpol. My…prisoner, Uchiha Sasuke. Is he out of surgery?" the words came easily as I flashed my identification, until I had to refer to my lover as a prisoner; the gravity of the dilemma seeping through my early morning haze.

"U-Uchiha? He was moved to the fourth floor ICU for observations a few hours ago but, you can't—"

"He's my responsibility. Where is he?" I demanded, my stern tone making the woman shrink in her seat and consult her patient directory almost immediately.

"Room 417…"

I wasted no time finding the nearest elevator and stuffing myself inside beside several nurses. With each passing floor my heart began thundering in my chest in anticipation of seeing Sasuke. The sight of him so weak and utterly defeated had overwhelmed me once before, and even though I was relieved he had survived the ordeal I could only imagine the state he was in. And that filled me with dread. The elevator finally came to a stop on the fourth floor and I emerged slowly. I nibbled on my bottom lip as I scanned each room, my shoes clicking loudly against the polished linoleum. When I finally found it my heart skipped a beat. Peering in through the glass partition I saw Sasuke, nearly catatonic if not for the small rise and fall of his bandaged wrapped chest. There were other people inside as well, all donning lab coats or scrubs and watching him intently. Silently I entered the room, none of the occupants any the wiser.

"This is quite the treat today, for those of you who remember your optometry courses that is. Subject Uchiha Sasuke, like many of his family and blood relatives, he was born with darkened irides. It is commonly believed that this genetic trait is an evolutionary attribute developed to protect the extremely thin capillaries of the central retinal vein as well as the superior ophthalmic vein from sun damage." explained the doctor, indicating the location of each part on one of the reports hung up on Sasuke's bedside.

"Jin-sensei? Is it true that Uchihas eyes change colors when they're angry?" questioned one of the students.

"Yes and no. Because of these thin capillaries and the abnormal amount of them, when an Uchiha undergoes an extreme amount of physical exertion or is under duress these blood vessels flood with oxygenated blood and alter the pigment of their irides. So it isn't the color changing necessarily, but—excuse me ma'am this room is off-limits." Suddenly all eyes turned to me and I couldn't help but feel anger swell in me. I didn't like how they all gawked at him like some sort of side show attraction, especially in his current state.

"Yes, this room is off-limits. That man is my responsibility by order of the International Criminal Police Organization and the subject of an ongoing investigation." I shouldered my way through the throng of med students, most of who parted willingly before I stopped at their instructor. He was a plain, tall man, having more than a heads height on me but, he seemed intimidated by my forceful display all the same, "Now leave him be or you'll all be charged with obstruction of justice."

The man's face turned bright red and flustered. Clearly he was hesitant whether or not to engage me after I effortlessly diminished his authority right before his students' eyes. The doctor sucked his teeth petulantly before inclining his head and wordlessly made for the exit, his entourage in tow. Apparently some of Sasuke's powers of persuasion had rubbed off on me in our short time together. Once their exodus was complete I gingerly made my way to Sasuke's bedside, my omnipotent façade crumbling quickly.

His hair hung limply about his paler than usual face, and for once he looked at peace while he slept. Despite his usual exhaustion and satisfaction after our bedtime activities, he always looked as if he was battling something in his sleep. Bad dreams, nightmares, night terrors, whatever you would call them, he experienced them. Cold sweats and even physical illness that caused him to rush to the bathroom and evacuate his stomach contents weren't unheard of.

"Sasuke-kun…" I whispered his name as if the simple utterance would jolt him from unconsciousness, but of course that was not the case. His eyes shifted behind their eyelids at the sound; he was dreaming. Moving the stray strands of obsidian hair from his face I examined him more; feeling somewhat hypocritical for bullying the other observers away so I could do the same in private. I pulled up a seat beside his bed and took his hand in mine, frowning at the unnatural coldness to it.

"I hate seeing you like this…Was this what it was like for you after my run in with Sasori?" I might as well have been talking to myself, who knew if my words were reaching him. It didn't matter though. I squeezed his hand and smiled sadly when it only hung limply in my smaller one, "You…you hurry up and get better, ok? We've got too much work to do for you to be resting like this."

I leaned in and planted a gentle kiss on his cheek, a single tear escaping its prison as I pulled back, "No more tears Sakura, come on."

As I settled back into my seat I spotted Naruto through the partition in an all out sprint towards the room with several other people struggling to keep up with him. I shot up in anticipation as he burst through the door panting heavily.

"Naruto what going on?"

"Big problem…Gaara coming…Wants to—!"

Before he could finish, the door was roughly shoved open and three figures entered all with sour looks on their faces and gleaming badges in their hands, "Haruno Sakura, you and Uzumaki Naruto are under arrest."

"Is this some sort of joke Gaara?" I replied narrowing my eyes at the accusing stares the siblings tossed me.

"That's what I said!" piped Naruto having finally caught his breath.

"This isn't a joke you two. You've committed some serious crimes. More than a dozen counts of murder, assault, and terrorism just to name a few." spat Kankuro, retrieving a pair of handcuffs to emphasize his seriousness.

"This is ridiculous! Your allegations are baseless, you're out of your jurisdiction, and you have no right to disrupt Interpol operations!" I returned, moving beside Naruto and mustering my best defiant look.

"Do those operations allow you to break the law with impunity and protect a murderer?" Gaaras cold words cut through the palpable tension and froze me in my place, his callous stare moving to Sasuke.

"O-our mission to bring Akatsuki to justice is not over. Uchiha Sasuke is our prisoner and we aren't going anywhere until Tsunade-sama relieves us of our duty." I swore moving to block his view of Sasuke as I returned an equally harsh glare. Unconsciously my hand found its way to my sidearm which only prompted the same response from the inspectors.

"We have enough evidence from the crime scenes to bring our own charges against all of you, Haruno. If you were a real peace officer you'd want to solve this without bloodshed." I scowled at Temari's words. She was right, fighting like this was nonsensical and would only make us look more like the vigilantes they claimed we were, if not just force them to outright kill us. I couldn't give up though. I couldn't give up on this mission. I couldn't give up on Sasuke. I opened my mouth in protest once again but was silenced when someone cleared their throat in the vestibule.

"I admire your tenacity Chief Inspector Gaara. However coming here in hopes of arresting us is a lost cause." chimed Sai from the doorway, casually sipping a cup of tea despite the tense standoff, "I'm a little late but I assume you plan on charging us for murder, assault, evading and eluding, destruction of federal property, all crimes dwarfed by our over encompassing charge of terrorism, yes?"

"Is that a confession?" questioned the redhead, scrutinizing the newcomer with his teal orbs.

"Far from it, Chief Inspector." Sai sauntered into the room and immediately brushed past everyone and made a beeline to Sasuke's bedside. He leaned down and examined the Uchiha critically for sometime before he finally spoke, "Article twenty-seven, subsection three, addendum two of Japans Penal Code states that the arresting officers of any individual who is rendered unconscious or in critical condition due to injuries sustained during the arrest reserve all rights regarding the detention of said individual until they have been subject to standard questioning and interrogation procedures."

"What the hell does that have to do with you lot? You're the ones who have crimes to answer for, the Uchihas can wait." Kankuro countered.

"Yes, about our crimes…our terroristic crimes tied to those of Uchiha Sasuke and Taka that is. You're out of your depth Inspector Kankuro, terrorism isn't something Nagano P.D. can handle, and is solely dealt with by Interpol, and their subcommittees."

My eyes widened marginally once I had some time to internalize what Sai was trying to say. The loophole lied within our status as Interpol agents. If we were to be branded terrorists and charged as such only someone with the same clearance could bring charges against us. And under Japans penal code, as the arresting officers we were duty bound to maintain Sasuke as our prisoner. We couldn't leave and we couldn't be made to leave unless Tsunade herself did so. Judging from the flustered faces of Nagano finest they had come to the same conclusion and were seriously pissed.

"This…this is a gross miscarriage of justice. I won't rest until you all answer for the crimes I know you've commited, Interpol or not. No one is above the law." bit out Gaara finally realizing that he'd overplayed his hand and lost the battle, "Make no mistake, this isn't over."

Those were the chilling parting words from the redhead before he and his siblings made their begrudging exit. Once that door was closed behind them, Naruto and myself released our baited breaths. It seemed like all we ever did anymore was lurch from one disaster into the next, hoping to come out the other side with our skin intact.

"Sai, you saved our bacon! I'm so happy, I could kiss you!" exclaimed Naruto, lunging for our pale partner with all his force and trapping him in his signature bear hug and spinning the lithe man around the room.

"We aren't out of harm's way yet. I lied to them." he droned boringly despite the life being squeezed out of him.

"L-lied? About what?" I questioned, taken back by his guile. As a seasoned undercover operative and former spy, Sai was prone to brief relapses, but I shouldn't have been surprised that the man who was always uncannily truthful to us had lied to other for our sake.

"About Sasuke. He isn't really unconscious, he's actually quite alert for someone who cheated death just hours ago." I spun around quickly at the admission, my lips parting in surprise and breath hitching at the sight of dark slate colored eyes staring back at me. Without thought, and taking a page from Naruto's book, I threw myself at him with reckless abandon.

"Hurts. A lot." he whispered hoarsely in my ear. I blushed a deep crimson in embarrassment before carefully detaching myself from him. That was the first time I openly showed him affection outside our sanctuary and in plain view of others. I was so elated that even his deep frown brought a smile to my face.

"How long were you planning on playing dead teme?" questioned Naruto, moving to my side to crowd the injured Uchiha. I watched him open his mouth to speak, but struggle to do so. I got the hint once he inclined his head towards the pitcher of water at his bedside. Greedily he drank the liquid I offered him in a plastic cup, the excess clumsily spilling from the corners of his lips.

"At least until I could stand on my own two feet. Not that it matters now that I've been exposed." Sasuke retorted lowly. I watched him struggle into a seated position in his bed; refusing all the help we offered with a gruff grunt. Eventually he succeeded, albeit after breaking into a light sweat from exertion, "I suppose now you'll want to begin your interrogation, agents." I flinched at his tenor. Despite the weakness of it, it reeked of condescension and contempt.

"It isn't like that Sasuke, we—"

"Are just doing your job, right?" he spat. His words were meant to hurt me, all of us, but all it did was infuriate me. Had it not been for his injuries I would have pummeled him for good measure. I wouldn't let him vilify our actions when they'd all been done for him. Hitting him was starting to look more and more appealing now.

"Teme! That's not fair, we saved your life!" defended Naruto, tightly gripping the railing of at Sasukes bed. It seemed like he too was ready to throttle the Uchiha for his callous words.

"Indeed. I'm sure I won't see the inside of a maximum security prison for at least another week thanks to your aid."

"More or less. It mostly depends on how punctual Tsunade-sama decides to be." chimed Sai from the corner of the room as he examined Sasukes medical files.

"Shut up!" I snapped, effectively drawing everyone's attention to myself, by then I was practically breathing fire as I stared down at the battered man. We had saved his life, and his team, and yet all he could do was berate us, "If you'd like we can bring Gaara back. I'm sure he'd be more than happy to learn you've made a speedy recovery."

"Are you threatening me Sakura?" seethed the man I'd so foolishly chosen as my lover, his eyes narrowing into menacing slits in an attempt to intimidate me despite his current state.

"You bet your ass I am." I returned with equal force. I refused to back down from this. He had refused my help once before and it almost got him killed, I wouldn't let him be undone by his own stubbornness, "You told us in the beginning that this was bigger than any of us…and I promised to see it through with you." His hard features softened and eyes widened at my admission.

"That isn't for us to decide. Tsunade-sama—"

"Tsunade-sama will listen to our report…and hopefully will see that we still have work to do." It didn't matter to me how sensible Sai's words would have been, I cut him off regardless.

"And if she doesn't?" he returned impassively, but there was another question hidden within the shadow of the first; another remnant of his spy days. He was questioning my loyalty. I opened my mouth to defend myself, but before I could do so, the door creaked open.

"Oh, you must be my patients…caretakers. I'm Doctor Shim." surmised the unassuming balding man draped in a labcoat too large for himself as he closed the door behind him, "I hadn't expected to find anyone in here, seeing as he should be out for another day or so given the extent of his injuries." All of our eyes darted towards the now seemingly comatose Sasuke.

"How long do you believe it will take for him to recover?" questioned Sai, earning perplexed stares from Naruto and myself. Despite his aversion to continue aiding Sasuke, it seemed as if he understood the repercussions of exposing him to anyone.

"Well he has some mild tendon damage from his two major wounds, but he should recover relatively quickly. An average person wouldn't have survived the surgery given how much blood he lost. He should wake later today or tonight once the anesthesia wears off and he gets some strength back." explained the doctor, all the while busying himself with machines and reports alike, "We don't often get such high profile patients. He has nearly as many nurses in his fan club as he does officers. Though I doubt the two are interested in the same thing."

"Chief Inspector Gaara shouldn't be an issue." I assured watching the back of the retreating physician as he made his way to the door.

"Well, there are roughly seven others like him in the lobby, and every major news outlet seeking a word with the arresting officers. You have your work cut out for you."

He wasn't kidding either. Every inspector and, every detective that brandished badges had come to claim Uchiha Sasuke for their own, some even bringing warrants and heavily armed officers along for the fiasco that ensued. Before we knew it the hospital had turned into a full blown sideshow attraction.

Naruto took it upon himself to handle the media, one of the few things he had a knack for. He could chalk it up to his boyish charm all he wanted but it wasn't so difficult to say "no comment" over and over. Sai and I did our best to corral the officers without creating any more inter-agency disasters. Long story short, Sai ended up breaking the wrist of an overzealous officer that attempted to arrest us for obstruction. Lucky for him he was in a hospital, but after that I was forced to send my partner far away and back to the docks, lest I risk any more issues with the authorities. We also hadn't seen or heard any news from the rest of Taka. Their involvement or lack thereof could be a blessing and a curse if they were planning an elaborate heist of their leader. Eventually hours passed and night fell and the mob thinned, having been sated or stonewalled to the point of exhaustion.

I too was drained but I couldn't rest easy after fielding so many questions about the man sleep, or feigning sleep, three floors above me. Though that wasn't the only reason. With Sai gone and Naruto making his nightly raid on the cafeteria there was no one to keep an eye on our other charge. Kakuzu was a well known criminal, despite his affiliation with the reclusive terrorist cell, and if we didn't watch him closely he was doomed to the same fate as Deidara.

Slowly I made the trek to his room, thankfully he and Sasuke weren't on the same floor. Knowing him, he'd find some way to put an end to the man despite his own injuries. I flashed my badge at the attending nurse at her station before I stopped at his door. I was walking into the lair of a killer, one who would do to me what he did for a living without even batting an eye if giving the chance. I inhaled deeply as I opened the door and crossed the threshold, surprised by the sweet smell of perfume that greeted me, not the typical scent one would expect anywhere in a hospital.

"Come to interrogate me some more agent?" he toned lowly in the dark room, his eyes gleaming menacingly thanks to the neon of the machines monitoring his vitals. Even in his weakened state he was an intimidating man. Scars covering every inch of exposed flesh, and his jack-o-lantern grin, it was enough to make my brain beg me to run, "They've sent the girl this time huh? Must think I'm a sucker for a pretty face."

"I'm only here to make sure you haven't died yet. You're our prisoner until you answer for your—"

"Save it girl." he interrupted darkly as he struggled against his restraints, most likely just to shake my resolve, "If the day comes when I have to answer for what I've done I'll do so. But I doubt you lot will live to see such a day. Associating with men like the Uchiha will only get you killed. One way, or another."

I scowled at his haughty tone, finding that just a few seconds in his presence was repulsive, despite the fragrance of the room. As I turned on my heels and began to leave he started laughing forcing my disgust to rise in the pit of my stomach just as I slammed the door. The resident nurse chastised me with a "shhh" to which I answered with a deadly glare.

As I regained my composure Sai was just making his way down the hall, holding a small pile of neatly folded clothes, "For you. If you're lucky you won't smell like congealed blood in the morning."

I could feel my eye twitch involuntarily at his blunt kindness but accepted the clothing all the same. As I made my way down the hall he questioned where I was going, but he already knew. I couldn't rest until I knew Sasuke was alright. Despite all we had been though he continued to push us away, but I couldn't let it get to me. I promised to be there for him no matter what.

My feet carried me to my destination unconsciously and just before I entered, I noticed the same sweet smell again. Coincidences never occurred twice, something had to be up. I scanned the hallways but found they were empty for the most part, save for a janitor and a few nurses chatting at their stations. Gingerly I opened his door, examining the quiet room for any other occupants, but there was only one.

"Sasuke…it's me. Are you awake?" I whispered as I reclaimed my seat at his bedside watching the rise and fall of his chest to ease my own anxiety. When I opened my mouth to call him again he turned to me and opened his dark eyes. We stared at each other for an eternity as if the tension had lingered in the walls and his sheets ever since the early morning.

"Are you feeling any better?" my words were just a whisper above the monotonous tone of his machines.

"Better." he whispered in kind, but it was hard to tell whether it was a statement or a question he was asking himself. He shifted in his bed pushing himself into a seated position much easier than he had in the morning, "Nurses have been coming in and out like clockwork. Medication for the pain they say."

"It's not the pain I'm worried about. It's the way you spoke to us today; the way you looked at me. Like I was some sort of monster." I clarified, my voice rising when all he could do was stare, his face contorted half in confusion half in shame, "Why Sasuke?"

"I was angry." he turned away from my gaze and I could feel him coiling into his shell again. The very action gripped my heart like a vice. I was losing him again. "Why? Why would you save a murderer? To spite them? To hate them?"

"Sasuke…I don't hate you. I—"

"I died Sakura." his spoke flatly, as if speaking from outside himself. His eyes stayed trained on the ceiling as he searched for his next words, "There was nothing. A black void." I stayed silent, listening intently to his tale. Death had always been a part of his life, each passing shaped him into the man he was today and his own was no exception. "In the end, before the darkness could take me, I wanted one thing the most. You."

My lips parted in shock when he finally met my gaze again, his obsidian orbs brimming with contained emotion. I was speechless to say the least. When his hand inched towards the edge of the bed I was quick to take it in my own, adding what strength I could to his own.

"I wanted to see your smile one last time." he whispered, his grip tightening in my hands. I choked on his words as the rush of emotions flooded forth. I held my tears back, I wouldn't cry. "I didn't want to die knowing you saw me as a murderer. And now, to live and never see that smile again… is a fate worse than death."

"Sasuke-kun…I could never see you like that! I was just so frustrated I couldn't stop you…that you wouldn't listen."

"You still came after everything I said. Everything I did. You saved me, and you're still here." his voice began to fade now and his eyelids decended.

"I promised, remember?" I returned, stroking his hand with my thumb to keep him awake a few minutes longer. I didn't know if it was the drugs or the near death experience that forced these feelings to the surface, but I wanted them to stay, "Stay with me Sasuke-kun."

"The medication…"

My hands left his for the moment and found their way to his face rousing him from his light slumber. I smiled sweetly as I stroked his cheek and brushed the hair from his eyes. I leaned over him and kissed his lips gently. Surprisingly enough, he had the strength to return the gesture. It had been so long that I had to pull away before we, or I, got carried away, smiling all the while.

"There's my smile." he mumbled resting his head back down and quickly falling back asleep.

"It'll be here when you wake up, Sasuke-kun"

Outside the hospital, a nurse was greeted by a crisp breeze on this particular summer evening which she inhaled appreciatively. Carefully she peeled off her facemask and dropped it to the ground as she sauntered towards the hospital parking lot, her heels clicking loudly against the asphalt. She removed her cap and ran a delicate hand through her azure locks before stopping beside a midnight sedan. As she entered, she produced a cellphone and swiftly dialed a number.

"Status?" answered a low male voice on the other end.

"Kakuzu is alive, for now. Likewise for Uchiha Sasuke. Those Interpol agents seem to have taken control of the situation." she responded with smooth professionalism. When the silence on the line persisted she started her vehicles engine and pulled away from the parking lot, "Zetsu and the others haven't ordered Kakuzu's decommission yet, but he and Hidan deviated from the plan and the penalty for capture is clear, despite our dwindling numbers."

"Understood."

"Do yourself a favor as well Itachi. Put an end to your brothers meddling while you still have the chance."

"…Understood."

Well there it is! Shorter than most and maybe not what you were expecting after the wait and if that's the case I'm sorry to disappoint. A necessary bridging chapter. I'm sure you can already guess what's in store for our rag tag group in the next chapter of Adagio and I will be hard at work trying to get it to you ASAP!

Next Chapter: Hour of the Wolf: Coda

Until next time! Sayonara!