Forever

SasuSaku

summary: After Sasuke came back from Orochimaru, he found a note in his apartment. From her. It was always her. But, it wasn't what he expected. After 3 years, it still wasn't what he expected her to be. Black with red clouds.

OMG YES! ONE TO GO! I hope you all like this chapter! XD

THERE IS A TIME SKIP! The beginning ((in italics)) is a narration of what happened...you'll understand once you read it.

fyi: I am OFFICIALLY a Beta-Reader! So if you want one, I will happily assist!

SOME SASUSAKU FLUFF! XD

chapter 19

Blame It On The Alchohaul

After the Kyuubi incident, Pein 'made it up' to Sakura. None of the other members know about it, though. The Tsuchikage and Otokage haven't done anything worth checking out and investigations were getting nowhere so Pein decided to wait untill something comes up, since they had other pressing matters. Things like the Koritaka. It seems as if they've found a possible location a couple years ago but still don't know the Jinchuuriki's identity. Two members have been sent to scout out the area and determine if its worth checking out.

The ANBU sent on the year-long mission to retrieve Sakura was a failure. They never saw her in the prison but almost in the base. If it wasn't for Deidara who pushed her farther down the corridor and away from their view. Sakura tripped and fell on purpose, to startle the ANBU so that they knew the Akatsuki could sense them. The people in Konoha never speak that much of the beloved, missing kunoichi. People say she died, some say she's still roaming the countries, and the most popular is that she quit being a ninja and joined a rogue band of gypsies. The original Rookie 9 and Team Gai never forgot her, especially a certain raven-haired man with alluring onyx eyes that, in an instant, can change to a fiery red Sharingan. Haruno Sakura invaded his dreams every night, he didn't know why. He supposed that he thought of her only because his friends still wished for her return. But I don't think that excuse will cover for why he still has her note and why it's kept under his pillow.

Now this is where our story continues...

3 years later

"I haven't been there in so long. I sorta forgot how it looks like." Sakura chuckled, in the training ground with Deidara. She was practicing her Taijutsu and was currently on her tenth tree. What happened to the others? They all got cut down but her non-chakra powered kicks. One by one. Needless to say, she proudly earned her spot as a powerful member of the Akatsuki. She was stronger than Deidara and Kisame, but she doesn't know about the others. She never sparred with them. She heard there was a new member, Tobi, but she'd never met him.

"Leader-sama wished to give me a scroll containing all the places the Koritaka might've been. I'll be right back, yeah." Deidara grinned, picking up his Akatsuki cloak that rested on a log. Before entering the base, he placed it on his shoulders.

Sakura rested her back against a still-standing tree, with all its neighbors fallen. Closing her eyes, memories flooded back into her mind. Good and bad.

---

Deidara closed the door behind him, leaving Sakura and Pein alone in the room.

"I am not going to say that it wasn't amusing..." Pein trailed off.

"Amusing?" Sakura asked, her tone slightly mocking.

"Yes. Amusing. I haven't had to discipline a member like that in a long time..." His head tilted upwards a bit, smirking at the memory. "But, I did not trust your words. Now that I look back on it, I can't see how the Kyuubi would survive." His hand reached for something in his almost empty desk. "Here" He tossed her a scroll.

"Hm, what is this?" Sakura asked, noticing how the scroll was sealed. The binding was stronger than most scrolls she's held. 'Must be important.' She thought.

"It's a forbidden jutsu I came across a few years ago. It's highly destructive." He said, as if trying to find the right words. "It involves three different pairs of handsigns. The third involves it taking over your body, where it does it's own handsigns and it will leave your body. Once it leaves, the jutsu will take effect."

"What is it called, exactly? What are the three stages? And what happens to my body once it's taken over me?" She blurted out, curiosity taking the better of her.

"Once it enters your body, you are completely protected and no harm can come to you. The three stages are Yuurei, Tenjin, and Saishi. Its called..." ((Yuurei- Ghost. Tenjin- Godlike Spirit. Saishi- Ritual.))

---

"Fumetsu Chi Oni..." Sakura whispered, her voice mingling with the gentle breeze. ((Fumetsu- Immortal. Chi- Blood. Oni- Demon.))

"Hey you, ready to head out, yeah?" Deidara asked, pointing the scroll at her. She nodded and stood up, grabbing her own cloak which hung from a tree branch overhead.

"Karatoka...?" Sakura mumbled, turning to the entrance of the base. Sure enough, the shinobi leaned against the wall right next to the entrance.

"Hai, Sakura-san?" His red eyes innocent. Sakura noticed that his hair was no longer short. His blonde locks reached past his shoulders and pieces strayed infront of his eyes. A bandana was placed on his head. Sakura slightly chuckled, noticing how both he and Deidara had longer hair than hers, which barely skimmed her shoulder blades.

"I've been looking for you. The information." Sakura gave little away as possible. Deidara already knew what this was about. It was just if the Koritaka was really spotted, and for how long, in Konoha.

"Oh, yeah. That. Well, the jinchuuriki is definately male. And he's been living in Konoha for the past five years." Karatoka explained. ((You know what? Karatoka and Koritaka seem the same and I never meant for that to happen! When the Koritaka appeared a couple chapters ago, I made the name up on the spot. It's funny how it came out, ne?))

Sakura nodded. "You may be dissmissed now." She turned on her heel as her and Deidara walked away. Karatoka scowled. Was that all he was good for? Information? 'Tch, I'll show her.' He thought bitterly. He knew she thought of him as a member of the Akatsuki, but no one else did.

Truthfully, over the years, he became slightly infatuated with her. She told him more...personal things than she told Deidara. Thats because, most of the time when she was sad, she'd send everyone else away but Karatoka always managed to comfort her, even after she'd thrown things at him, hit, punched, kicked, sworn at, and many other things. He always helped her. But, despite that 'bond', she kept growing cold and more distant from him. 'Was she only using me?' He gasped at the thought, shaking his head.

Once Sakura and Deidara were out of sight, he whispered, "No, Sakura-chan would never do that. She's smarter than that." He smirked to himself before dissapearing.

---

"Ex-cuse me?" The woman, who usually bowed before him, was standing up with fury, glaring into his eyes.

"I don't think you should speak to me that way, Koymoto." He casually chuckled, hand resting on the arm rest of the elegant throne.

"I refuse to take orders from you anymore! You lied to me!" She shrieked, stomping her foot down.

"I didn't lie. I simply told you I was powerful and you assumed. Besides, if you refuse to take my orders, you will hold no rank anymore." He challenged, chin resting on the palm of his hand, in the 'thinking' position. The red-head crossed her arms over her chest.

"Well...well!" She walked out of the room and slammed the door to her chamber shut. He presumed she was staying. His suspicion was confirmed when a loud string of profanities sounded throughout the dimly-lit lair. 'Oh how I fucking hate him!' and 'Screw him!' Seemed to remain her favorites.

"Seems your weaker than I first suspected, Mishi." The corner of his lips lifted into a smirk, then down again. "My mission will be a piece of cake."

---

"Teme!" Naruto grinned, his arm fell onto Sasuke's shoulder who, in turn, glared at him.

"Shut up, dobe." The usual greeting passed between them as they headed into the building. It was dark, save for the flickering lights. They went into a small booth in the corner and they watched the citizens pile in, the building growing crowded. "Why are we here again?" Sasuke muttered, glaring at everyone. 'This place could make anyone turn clausterphobic.'

"We haven't been able to talk in awhile and I decided that we could use some quality time together!" Naruto grinned. After a couple of minutes, he became serious. "I think we might have a fight on our hands." He growled, cracking his knuckles. Sasuke followed Naruto's gaze and his eyes widened for a fraction of a second.

"We can take 'em. Let's observe for now." He said, trying to calm down the jinchuuriki.

---

"Welcome home, Saku-chan, yeah!" Deidara smiled, putting his arm around Sakura's neck. Her observant eyes scanned the area.

"We gotta stay low-profile tonight but we don't have to transform yet. Just when we get the hotel room. But right now, I'm abit thristy." Sakura guided him towards the place she wanted. He slightly rolled his eyes. Well, this was predictable. He stared at the entrance to the bar. 'Ever since she became the legal drinking age, it was like her second home. And I thought medics wouldn't like to drink since it messed up your health or something...' Deidara's thoughts trailed off as they walked into the grimy place and Sakura led him to the bar stools. Before the bartender could even ask what they wanted, Sakura replied her usual.

"Give us the strongest you got." She could feel the stares of all the semi-drunk shinobi and, she could tell, that they wouldn't remember them. They'd be too wasted. She, however, was careful not to get drunk. Once she felt abit tipsy, she used her medical chakra to heal herself and then drink some more. She only became drunk when she was at the base with Kisame and the others during their usual contests.

Deidara's attention snapped to the drinks when the bartender slammed them infront of them.

"There ya go!" He smiled, walking away. Sakura easily downed hers and immidiately asked for another while Deidara took small sips from his. He could tell that, from the way she drank, she could sense them too. He looked, in the corner of his eye, to his left to see two shinobi glaring at them.

---

"I can only tell that their not Itachi and Kisame..." Sasuke whispered, Sharingan receeding. Naruto slammed his fists on the desk.

"They're the same two that almost killed me." He snarled, clenched teeth.

---

"He knows who we are, yeah." Deidara sighed, looking at his glass. It was half empty. Scowling, he took it and downed the rest. He looked to his right where Sakura was finishing up her nineth glass. He shook his head.

"Let's go. I'm done for the night." Sakura slammed enough money to pay for the drinks and alot more on the table and walked away with Deidara in tow. She cursed when she felt the two she'd been avoiding get up and leave too.

"Why'd you leave so fast? Ya get scared or something?" Naruto shook with rage he'd never felt before. They're the ones that tried to kill him, and almost suceeded.

"Hey! We've done nothing wrong! So what's your problem, yeah?" Deidara turned around and a few feet ahead of him was Sakura, who still didn't turn around.

"So who's this new member?" Sasuke asked, arms crossed.

"Wouldn't you like to-" He abruptly stopped when Sakura held her hand up. Sakura walked forward untill she stood beside Deidara. She smirked at them from beneath her hat.

"Well? I don't have all day!" Naruto bit out.

"Still as impatient and loud as ever, I see." She whispered, her fingers on the brim of her hat. She lifted it enough to not be touching her head but not to reveal anything. In one swift motion, she tossed it like a frisbe to her right. Naruto and Sasuke froze on the spot. "It's been too long, hasn't it, Naruto-kun, Sasuke?" She chuckled at their bewildered expressions. To her surprise, Naruto moved and gave her a tight hug. She could feel him tremble and felt tears seep through her cloak.

"Sakura-chan..." He pulled her closer to him, never letting up. She wrapped her arms around him as well. Its been a couple years since she recieved a sincere hug like this. "I thought we've lost you..." He was reluctant to release. Sakura struggled out of the embrace. She walked up to Sasuke wearing an insanely large smirk.

"Hiya stranger" That was enough. Those words were enough for him to loose control. He unexpectantly flung his arms around her, crushing her to him. Her arms went around his neck, pulling him as close as possible. Truthfully, she had no idea what came over her at that action. "How'd you like my letter?" She mumbled against his shoulder. "I decided that when I said I never wanted to see you again, I was wrong." Only he could hear it. With that said, he created a small space between them and kissed her forehead, before pulling her into a hug once more.

"Hm... Why are they acting so close now? Is it just because they haven't seen eachother in ten years?" Naruto asked, standing next to Deidara. After seeing Sakura, he calmed down.

"I don't think so. Saku-chan's never acted like that to anyone. I blame it on the alchohaul, yeah." Deidara laughed. Naruto joined in. Soon after, their laughing fit brought the two to stop hugging and see what was so funny.

'He's so...warm. Who knew the human ice cube could be warm?'

'She's so... different. Still herself but, in a way, a better different.'

tbc

How'd you like the pinch of SasuSaku? Alchohaul does have effects like that...well not that I've had any. I'm underaged. Erm...yeah, thats it. Im not 'legally' allowed to.

Inner Akura: "The law never stopped you from doing all the 'illegal' stuff. See, I have court pictures!"

kxa: -gasps- "Oh gee, you again!" -blocks out IA- -continues-

Well I hope you liked the chapter! Sorry it's so late. Since school starts in three hours, I must get that 1hr of sleep before torture, and this will be posted when I get home. Ja ne!

Votes:

-Pein(2)

-Itachi(3)

your INNER AKURA IS LYING THERE ARE NO COURT PICTURES authoress...

kunoichixakura