First there was darkness. Then, came a searing pain between his shoulder blades, making him feel as if someone had set him on fire. Sasuke drifted in and out of consciousness as the pain overwhelmed his senses. His eyes, while still blindfolded, squeezed shut and his jaw clenched with such force that he swore he could feel a tooth crack.

As he suppressed another scream, he was reminded of a time he had felt a similar pain. His memory of what surrounded him was blurred but he could never forget how it felt after Orochimaru first gave him the cursed mark. The pain that overtook him currently mimicked what he felt that day in the Forest of Death. Only this time, there was no one there to hold his hand or to comfort him. Once again, he was all alone.

The last thing he remembered before waking up to the radiating pain in his back was blindly wandering the hallways before being trapped in a jutsu. But not just any jutsu. Even though he couldn't see, he knew what he felt wrap around his legs and he knew the voice that spoke his name.

Another wave of fire crawled across his skin, preventing him from piecing together the information he gathered. He arched his back against the wall, tensing his muscles with such fervor that it was a miracle he didn't dislocate any joints. He didn't know what they did to him but whatever it was, he could feel his chakra rapidly draining anytime he tried to grasp an ounce of it.

He clamped his mouth shut as best as he could, desperate to not give whoever may be lurking nearby the satisfaction of hearing him writhe in pain. His nails dug into the skin of his palm as he willed his senses to redirect the burning sensation in his back, hoping that the stinging of cuts on his hand would distract him enough to soothe him.

However, his attempts proved unfruitful and the pain only seemed to intensify. As it continued, he felt his senses dull as a sensation of lightheadedness radiated from his skull and down to his limbs. Whatever control he had over his body evaporated and he felt as if he was floating. He welcomed the shadows that bloomed to greet him, hoping that it would take away his agony. And that it did.

The next time Sasuke woke up, his arms were stiff and sore but the pain that he was so desperate to escape from was nowhere to be found. To his relief, he shifted his shoulders slightly and felt almost no trace of the burn that he was sure should have left his skin open and raw. Instead, his muscles only ached dully and his body felt weak, much like the times he had pushed himself too hard during a training session.

"Good, I was beginning to think you'd never wake up," a voice spoke from the corner of his cell, causing Sasuke to stiffen. He wasn't able to sense their presence at all.

"What the hell did you do to me?" Sasuke hissed through gritted teeth.

"No need to get angry with me, Sasuke. I'm simply following orders," the man spoke in a cool, smooth tone and Sasuke felt him draw closer to where he sat shackled to the cell wall until they were so close he could feel the man's hot breath graze his cheek.

"Traitor," spat the Uchiha with as much venom as he could muster.

The man scoffed, "That's rich coming from you. Besides, who's to say I'm not under direct orders of the Leaf? You, especially, should know what they're capable of."

Sasuke scowled but remained quiet. The man was right, he knew the evils that went on behind the facade that Konoha upheld and the amount of blood—his own clan's blood—that was shed to maintain the village's so-called peace. Even with Kakashi as Hokage and his role in saving the world during the war, Sasuke knew that he will always have more enemies than friends. And enemies, he learned far too young, lurked closer than he could ever imagine.

"Now I'm sure you have a lot of questions," the man continued when Sasuke didn't speak. "And they will be answered in time. But for now, I'm afraid you'll have to wait a bit longer here. There are some—" he paused as if in thought, "—preparations we need to make before we begin the next steps."

Growling, Sasuke fought against the chains that held him as he lunged towards the man, aiming to headbutt him with the last of his strength. However, his move never reached the man. Instead, wood beams erupted from the wall behind him and trapped him against the surface. He struggled against his restraints but only felt them tighten as splinters began to pierce his skin. Sasuke snarled in frustration as his weakened body began to falter, his chakra still drained.

"Careful, you'll only hurt yourself," the man warned.

Before Sasuke could retort, more wood beams wrapped themselves around his face, constricting his airways. Instinctively, Sasuke struggled against his binds in a hopeless attempt to clear his nose and mouth but to no avail. As he drifted back into darkness, Sasuke made a silent vow to kill the man. It had been a long time since he added another name to his list of lives to end but today, he made room for another. Yamato. He was going to kill Yamato.

Sasuke awoke, gasping desperately for air. Relief filled his body when his lungs received its source of sustenance without difficulty. He fell back against the wall, ignoring how his lack of strength caused his head to knock against the hard surface before he could stop himself. As his breathing slowed to a more steady rhythm, his mind reeled with questions.

Could it be that Konoha was working behind the Hokage's back to assassinate the last Uchiha? But no, if they wanted him dead he'd be dead by now. His tired brain shuffled through possibilities of his fate but produced no plausible answers. He was kept—literally and figuratively—in the dark and the small pieces of information he had managed to gather wouldn't fit neatly into the puzzle no matter his efforts.

Against his better judgment, the critical voice in his head wandered to a thought that left his blood running cold. What if Yamato wasn't working behind the Hokage's back at all? What if Kakashi, like the Third Hokage, considered the fall of the Uchiha clan a necessary sacrifice for the greater good? What was one life of a criminal in exchange for that of an entire village?

With difficulty, Sasuke forced the thought away. He had to believe in Kakashi—believe in Team 7 and know that the only three people who could ever love him despite his mistakes wouldn't turn their backs on him so suddenly. Besides, he couldn't rule out the possibility that Yamato truly did betray the village.

In an effort to distract himself, he attempted to survey the damage done to his body as best as he could. He shifted gently, happy to find that the burning pain from between his shoulder blades did not make a reappearance. Slowly, he moved his limbs one by one, satisfied when he found no splinters or wood beams pressing against them.

As he continued clenching and unclenching his fist like a man discovering his hand for the first time, the sound of footsteps caught his attention. Despite being blindfolded, he instinctively turned his head in the direction of the sound. At least three sets of footsteps were rapidly approaching his cell and to his dismay, he heard the familiar creak of the door opening.

Sasuke braced himself to either be dragged away or restrained again with Yamato's wood jutsu but relaxed then the sounds never reached his vicinity. Instead, the clanking of shackles and the rustle of something being dragged across the floor filled the empty cell. He concentrated and tuned in his hearing to decipher the sounds coming from in front of him. From what he could deduce, it seemed he had at least one new cellmate, if not more.

When the guards finally retreated, he continued to listen silently, trying to gather as much information as he could about his surroundings. From the sounds of their labored breathing, he could tell there were three people in the cell with him. And from the difference in their breathing patterns, Sasuke knew that one of them was conscious.

After a long while of silence, he felt the hairs on his arm raise with goosebumps, a tell-tale sign that someone was watching him, something that his instincts have always been attuned to. He stiffened, suddenly aware of the fact that he likely looked weak and, despite the situation he was in, that bothered him more than anything. Damn his Uchiha pride.

He wasn't surprised that the person was staring so intensely at him. He's sure he was a sight to behold with his missing arm and blindfold. What he didn't expect was for the onlooker to gasp, the sound interrupting the silence in a way that left him feeling tense and defensive.

More silence followed as his instincts told him that the person's gaze was still glued to him. The only thing that broke their attention was stirring from the cell wall several feet in front of him. The rough dirt ground rustled beneath the moving body and the sound of metal filled the tiny space. It looked like another one of his new cellmates was awake to meet their fate.

A male voice cursed loudly and Sasuke could hear his fists slam against the ground in agitation. More sounds of struggling followed and he could deduce that the male was jerking harshly at the shackled restraining him in a hopeless attempt at freedom.

"Souta, stop. You'll only hurt yourself," spoke a female voice next, sounding dejected.

"We have to get out of here now! If we stay any longer, we're never leaving!" Souta, Sasuke now knew, shouted as he continued to pull his limbs from the metal that bound him.

"We will get out. But we need to calm down and get a plan together first," she said, more confidence now spilling into her words.

"Yeah, since your plans work so well," Souta retorted sarcastically.

The woman scoffed. "Let's see you—"

Her words were cut off when a groan sounded and Sasuke deduced that it came from the third and final addition to his new list of cellmates.

"Sachie, are you okay?" Souta asked, concern clearly laced in his words. Sasuke made a note of how differently the man sounded when addressing his female counterparts.

"Yes, are you okay? And Mariko?" The new voice answered.

Both Souta and Mariko offered reassurance and a pregnant silence followed as the three members took in their surroundings. As they did so, Sasuke wondered if they arrived from the same facility his previous cellmate came from. The sound of her desperate voice begging to be spared still plagued his mind and he had to fight the feeling of hopelessness that threatened to overcome him once again as the thought of where she was now crossed his mind.

The stillness of the cell that the four shared was broken when the door slammed open and pounding footsteps filled the room. The hairs on Sasuke's neck raised. He may not have his sight but he knew exactly who was here just by the sound of their shoes on the ground. The torture that always followed after had conditioned his body to react with dread. Like he expected, his shackles were loosened and rough arms dragged him away with harsh force. His heartbeat quickened and forehead perspired against his will.

"Today's our lucky day," a deep male voice declared in a feigned humorous tone. "We get to have fun with you for a little longer."

Sasuke only gritted his teeth, wondering if it was worth the extra torture to spit in the man's face. Maybe, he thought. But before he could react, a voice disrupted him.

"Where are you taking him?" demanded a voice—Mariko, as Sasuke recalled.

The fierceness in her tone made Sasuke freeze. Something about it was familiar even though the voice itself was unrecognizable. Most of all, Sasuke was shocked by how she not only was curious about what awaited him, but she seemed angry like she was concerned about what could happen to him. But he pushed this thought aside. Likely, the girl was just worried that she would suffer the same, terrible fate.

"None of your business and if you know what's good for you, you'd stop asking questions," retorted Sasuke's captor.

Several beats passed before a dull thud followed by a piercing scream reached Sasuke's ears.

"Mariko!" Sachie exclaimed, almost sobbing.

The man laughed maniacally before warning, "Now all of you keep your mouth shut or I'll kick you even harder."

Silence followed, with the only noise coming from the guards dragging Sasuke out of the cell and to the room he was now dreadfully familiar with. As he was led to yet another session of pain, Sasuke's mind wandered to the girl. He only knew one person who would be so fierce in the face of danger. But he wiped the thought away. There was no reason for her to be here. Besides, he would recognize her voice anywhere and the one Mariko spoke with did not belong to her.

As the straps wound around Sasuke's wrist and the remnants of his left arm, he willed his thoughts to slow. He needed to get out of here—not only to preserve his own life but also to keep his promise to her and the rest of Team 7. He wouldn't let their efforts rescuing him go to waste by dying in a place like this. He braced himself. This time, he'll face the torture with a new goal in mind. This time, he refused to scream.

It took every last ounce of strength in Sakura's body to stop herself from launching at the guards who held Sasuke's form in their arms. And when the man's kick met the side of her head, it took even more willpower for her not to fight back. She needed to feign weakness, she knew. She needed them to underestimate her so she could increase their chances of escape.

But watching them dragging him away tore her heart to pieces. Her mind raced with images of his broken body on the ground when they were genin. The helplessness and despair she felt back then threatened to overcome her, a bitter reminder that the life of a shinobi was nothing to be admired.

"Mariko, answer me!"

Sachie's voice broke through Sakura's reeling mind, pulling her from the emotions that consumed her at Sasuke's absence. She shook her head, both to clear her mind and to shift the hair that had fallen in front of her face from the previous assault. When she looked up, she found two pairs of concerned eyes glued on her.

She mustered a smile that she knew would fool no one. "I'm okay, don't worry."

"What are you doing butting in like that?" Souta accused. His tone was angry but Sakura could sense something deeper, as if he was concerned for her and scolding her for putting herself in danger. And while his question came from a sense of curiosity, Sakura knew that he was perceptive enough to know that the man who was just dragged out of the room was more than a stranger to the kunoichi.

Sakura stayed silent, averting her gaze from the twins and choosing to stare at the ground again. She could feel their eyes burn into her and she couldn't help the irritation that built up within her chest. She failed them. They were relying on her to get them out of Root's clutches and she somehow managed to bring them even deeper into the organization. Images of her previous blonde roommate came to her mind. Would they suffer the same fate?

The vision of Sachie with those same, blank eyes terrified her. No, she wouldn't allow them to end up like that. She needed a plan of escape and she needed it now. Sakura knew not to make the same mistake she did before. This time, she wouldn't wait around even if she knew there was a treasure trove of information that could lead her deeper into Root's motive. She was going to get Sachie and Souta out first, mission be damned.

Steeling her gaze and clenching her fists in determination, Sakura lifted her head to meet each of the twins' gaze. In their eyes, she found a confidence she didn't know she was capable of. It was the push she needed to make her next announcement.

"Tomorrow," Sakura declared, "We're getting out of here tomorrow night."

Souta scoffed and if his arms weren't currently restrained, she knew he would cross them.

"We don't know enough about this place to have a plan together by then," he stated.

"I know," Sakura replied simply.

"Then how do you expect us to actually get out of here?" His voice rose with agitation. She knew he was as frustrated as she was about their predicament and she knew she was probably asking too much if she told him to trust her. But she had to try.

"I don't have a plan but I can fight," Sakura started quietly but didn't waver. "We'll fight our way out."

Souta only stared incredulously and she felt her determination falter just slightly under his scrutinizing look. But then, Sakura met Sachie's gaze and almost gasped aloud at what she found there. Sachie's brows were knitted together with conviction and the look in her eyes told Sakura that she trusted her with her whole being. The revelation left a burning sensation in Sakura's chest.

"We'll fight our way out," Sachie echoed, nodding her head furiously.

To her left, Souta sighed loudly and turned his head away from the two girls before him. A fretful silence followed as they waited for him to reply. Finally, he spoke.

"Okay, but we still need some sort of a plan," he acquiesced.

Mirrored smiles erupted from Sakura and Sachie. Souta may be at odds with Sakura at times but she knew that he at least believed in her ability to fight. He was smart and observant enough to know that she had been holding back and that her true strength was yet to be revealed. She shot him a look of gratitude when he turned to meet her eyes, letting him know that she wouldn't take his trust for granted.

The hours that followed passed quickly but much too slowly at the same time. Sakura and the twins spent most of it discussing their plan of escape. It was simple. They would avoid confrontation as much as possible but if it came down to it, Sakura would fight and they would run. Sachie protested at this but quieted quickly. There was a newfound confidence in Sakura's voice that reassured the young girl and extinguished her fears.

Looking at the twins now, Sakura found them both asleep, the remnants of the poison still present in their unaccustomed bloodstream, weakening their chakra. The silence brought back a familiar ache in her chest. Sasuke was yet to return to the cell and she feared that he never would. The success of her plan depended on having him nearby. She refused to leave this place without him.

As if on cue, the cell door opened with a groan. The same guards from before dragged Sasuke in and strapped him roughly to his spot in the cell. Relief flooded her briefly until she saw from the corner of her eye that he was extremely weakened. When the guards left, locking the door behind them, Sakura finally allowed herself to survey his body and what she found brought tears to her eyes.

He was completely unconscious, his body sprawled limply on the ground. His shirt was torn open and covered in blood. His hair stuck to his forehead with sweat and fresh, angry scars decorated his abdomen. Without thinking, Sakura summoned chakra to her hands and broke free of the chains that bound her before scrambling desperately on her knees to him.

The tears that streamed from her eyes came steadily now as she cradled his head in her lap. With a glowing hand, she ran it across his body, checking for injuries that she couldn't see. To her surprise, he was completely healed although weak and chakra-deprived. Whoever tortured him was talented in medical ninjutsu. Although judging by the way the stab wounds in his abdomen were healed, they were nowhere near as skilled as she was.

When she was satisfied that he had no other serious wounds, she allowed herself to simply look at him. Even with the blindfold across his eyes obscuring most of his face, he was beautiful. She admired the sharp lines of his cheekbones and jaw, allowing a gentle hand to trace the planes of his face. His onyx hair was soft beneath her touch. It was longer than she remembered, strands now falling in front of his face and grazing his cheek.

She caressed his pale skin, allowing herself to indulge in the feeling of his body in her arms. Even if only for a fleeting moment, she would cherish it forever. When she looked at him, a flood of love filled her to the brim, so much so that she almost struggled to breath. Her hand shook as her thumb traced the lines of his brow bone and down his nose, committing his features to memory.

He looked so much like the boy who left her at the gates with nothing but a promise three years ago and yet he didn't at all. There was something more angular about his features now. He was no longer that boy, growing into a man in the time that they have been apart. She wondered briefly if she would look different to him too. Would he notice how her hair was shorter now or how her cheeks have slimmed with age? Would he still see her as a girl or would he find a strong woman in her features?

The feeling of eyes on her pulled her from her thoughts and she turned to find Souta watching her intently. When their gazes met, she saw a plethora of emotions flash across his face. Confusion, disbelief, sadness, and finally, understanding. Suddenly, he turned away from her as if finding the moment she was sharing with Sasuke too intimate to witness.

Sakura had neglected to tell the twins that she knew Sasuke. Actually, the three of them hadn't mentioned the presence of another cellmate at all during their discussion of escape. But judging from glances that Souta shot her during their talk, she knew he suspected it. He was as observant and perceptive as always yet quiet in his findings. Silently, she thanked him for this moment of privacy.

Turning her attention back to Sasuke, Sakura gently lifted his head from her lap and laid him back on the ground. Where their skin previously touched burned and yet was cold with his absence at the same time. The aching in her chest returned and she quietly crawled back to her spot in the cell and fastened her restraints in their original position as best as she could, hoping that no one would look too closely and find that she had broken free.

Her eyes found Souta's again. He looked solemn and serious, only giving her a quick nod before leaning his head back to rest and closing his eyes. A smile played on her lips. No matter how tough he acted, Sakura knew that he understood too well the protectiveness that he saw in her actions with Sasuke. He didn't need to ask to know the emotions her heart displayed at that moment.

Breathing deeply, Sakura's gaze drifted back to the man who held every piece of her. She was going to get him out of here, even if it was the last thing she did. Allowing her head to rest against the wall behind her, she didn't dare tear her eyes away from him. Don't worry, Naruto, she thought, I'm going to bring him home.

A/N

Hi everyone! So sorry for the long wait, I've been feeling a little uninspired with writing lately and I didn't want to post a chapter I wasn't completely happy with. Although this chapter still isn't my favorite one I've written, I hope you all enjoyed and that the switching perspectives wasn't too confusing! I was really anxious to write about them finally reuniting but I'm glad I could finally put it out there.

Please expect the next chapter in about 2-3 weeks (although I might procrastinate studying and update earlier anyways...). I have an important exam coming up on September 9th that determines whether I can continue in my graduate program so I will be going on a brief hiatus until then. I promise I'll update as soon as I can!

As always, thank you so much for your support and for your kind words! If you're interested in reading my short SasuSaku drabbles/snippets, please find me on twitter! (username: ArtfullyPoetic)