Talking: "..."
Thinking: '...'

Chapter 14: Change of Heart

“Naruto, you came for me...”

“Of course, Sakura-chan! I would never, ever abandon you...” Naruto said, as he walked closer to Sakura.

She, however, did not move. She only stared at him. He noticed this sad look on her face.

He stopped walking and looked her right in the eyes. “Sakura-chan... what’s wrong?” He saw that she bent her head down, making it difficult to see her eyes.

“It’s too late...” She whispered, but Naruto could hear her clearly.

“W-what?” He asked her, taking one step closer to her; he could almost touch her.

Her head suddenly snapped up, her eyes no longer sad. She looked fiercely at him and if looks could kill, Naruto would be dead.

“You are too late, Naruto.” She repeated, her voice as cold as ice.

Naruto shook his head, his hands reaching out to her shoulders, grabbing them tightly.

“What?!” Naruto said, the dark room they were in was echoing his voice.

Sakura continued, “I have joined Orochimaru. I can become stronger when he trains me.”

Naruto was speechless. She was joining Orochimaru. While Sakura was saying this, a snake crawled around her neck, but Sakura didn’t move an inch.

“That’s right, Naruto-kun, you lost...” The snake spoke, having an familiar voice that Naruto didn’t wanted to hear.

The snakes head transformed into a hand and arm, while the rest of the snake’s body also began to take form; the body of another snake.

“Orochimaru...” Naruto growled. There he was again, standing on the left side of Sakura, holding her with one arm around her neck where once the snake was.

“Naruto...” Sakura said, bringing Naruto’s attention to her. He saw a smirk on her face, an evil smirk.

“You have failed to protect me, you lost.”

‘I... lost...’ Naruto thought to himself, making him sick with the thought. He felt like the room was spinning, and could barely stand on his feet.

“You failed to save both of us.” Another voice came from behind Sakura and Orochimaru. Orochimaru removed his arm from Sakura’s shoulder, only to be replaced by two other arms, who were holding her tightly. Sakura seemed to enjoy the hold from the person.

“Oh, Sasuke-kun…” Sakura sighed, closing her eyes. “You are right again.”

“Sakura-chan...” Naruto said, losing all his strength from just looking at this. He didn’t even had the strength to growl at Sasuke and Orochimaru.

“Sakura-kun, Sasuke-kun…” Orochimaru began, looking at Naruto with a evil grin before continuing. “Kill him.”

Naruto’s eyes went wide, as he saw Sasuke and Sakura take their fighting position. He felt like he was no match for them, like his whole spirit was drained from his body.

“No!”

He shot up from the ground, his sweat dripping on the ground. He looked around him; he was in the woods?

“A... dream...?” Naruto looked in front of him, seeing Jiraiya and Tsunade sleeping soundly. “A dream.” He repeated to himself, wiping away some sweat.

He somehow felt so dirty from that dream. He knew there was a creek nearby. He stood up, quietly so that he didn’t woke Jiraiya and Tsunade.

He walked towards the creek, where the water reflected the moonlight. He kneeled down and made a cup of his hands to gather some water from the creek. He splashed the water that he had in his face, feeling the cold water sting in his face. He took some deep breaths, trying to calm himself.

‘What is the matter with you, Naruto? It was just a dream, get over it, you haven’t lost yet...’ He looked up at the moon while thinking that last sentence.

He sighed; they were now close to Orochimaru’s hideout after travelling for about three days. Tsunade said it would be best to rest for tomorrow, when they were going to infiltrate the lair. Naruto was against it, now that they were so close. Tsunade won the round, though, after she threatened to teach him a lesson if he didn’t obey her.

“Aw, there are no girls bathing here!” A older males voice said from behind Naruto.

“I never said there was...” Naruto said to the person, who he recognised without even turning around.

“Huh, then I must’ve dreamed it.” Jiraiya said as he sat beside Naruto. “What are you doing here, kiddo?” He asked Naruto who was still looking at the water of the creek.

“I had... a nightmare...” Naruto replied, holding his knees close to him.

“Was it about Sakura?” Jiraiya said, looking at the moon. He could feel that Naruto was looking at him, probably with his eyes wide.

“How did you know, Ero-sennin?”

Jiraiya grinned, “Because I’m one of the great three sannin!” He said proudly. He looked Naruto, seeing if he bought it.

He didn’t.

Jiraiya quickly coughed and continued, “And beside the point that we are on a journey to save her, you also screamed her name while sleeping.”

“Oh...” Naruto said, as he looked down again. And without Jiriaya having to ask, Naruto began to explain his dream; “Sakura-chan had joined Orochimaru... And it was all my fault...”

“That’s depressing.” Jiraiya said, as he saw that Naruto was getting more and more upset. He shook his head, and laid a hand on his shoulder.

“Look, Naruto, that was just a dream. You know that, right?”

“Yes, of course I know! But... what if I’m too late to save her?”

“Naruto, I thought you knew how Sakura’s mind goes?” Jiraiya said.

Naruto thought for a minute, “No, no I don’t. I have absolutely no idea how Sakura-chan’s mind works.”

Jiraiya thought also about his own question. “Mh, I guess I have the same as with Tsunade...”

Naruto’s head shot up, thinking he heard something interesting. “Ero-sennin, do you... by any chance... like Tsu-“

Jiraiya cut him of, “Quiet, quiet you. What I was trying say, is that you must know that Sakura would never choose the dark side, right?”

“N-no... I don’t think so.” Naruto said, as he gave it a thought. Sakura knew she was happy in Konoha; she was training with Tsunade, she had many friends and she is smart.

Naruto suddenly stood up, making Jiraiya jump a little with his reaction. “Yeah, you’re right Ero-sennin! Sakura-chan would never do that!”

Jiraiya smiled at him, “Right, remember that Naruto.”

Naruto nodded, “Right!” He suddenly yawned; he remembered it was still night. “Well, I’m gonna go back to bed, Ero-sennin. Goodnight.” Naruto said, as he walked back to the camp.

Jiraiya watched him go, while he still sat on the ground. He grabbed a little stone next to him and threw it in the water.

“Haha... to think that Naruto almost discovered my own secret.” He said to himself, before he stood up. He looked once more at the moon as he also returned to the camp.

“Ugh... my body... I feel so sore...” Sakura said, as she tried to move her body. She didn’t knew where she was; it wasn’t her room, that’s for sure.

“Finally awake?” A voice said at the end of her bed. Because her ears were still ringing a bit, she didn’t recognised the voice immediately. She looked at the end of her bed, seeing an all to familiar figure sitting there.

“Sasuke...” That’s right, she was brought here by Sasuke after she collapsed when she was with Kabuto.

He didn’t looked at her when she said his name, he just looked straight forward.

“Naruto will be here soon.” He said, still not looking at her.

“Naruto...” She softly whispered. Sasuke noticed the soft tone in her voice. Like back in the days, when she was talking... to him.

“Do you think he’s coming for you?” He asked her.

Her head shot up, trying to give him an angry look though she was still tired from her fever. “What are you talking about?!” She now asked him.

This time, he turned his head and gave her a cold look. “Don’t you think he’s only coming here because he wants to beat me? I am his rival, I am the one he wants to top.”

“No, Sasuke,” She told him, with more confidence in her voice. “you are wrong.” That was the first time she ever told him he was wrong.

But he wasn’t faced by her.

She continued, “Naruto is coming for me,” She saw him smirk a bit, but it quickly disappeared. “and for you.”

Sasuke suddenly stood up, scaring Sakura a bit when doing so. He didn’t say anything, but Sakura had the feeling he wanted to.

Sakura had set one foot on the ground, soon followed by another. Although she was still weak in the legs, she managed to stand.

“Are you in love with him?” Sasuke asked her. She jumped at the question; it wasn’t Sasuke to ask something like that, nor to even being bothered with it.

Sakura decided to play dumb, she wanted to hear the name from his mouth one more time. “In love with who?”

She shouldn’t have done that, and right after she asked, she knew she shouldn’t have.

Sasuke completely turned around, his eyes blood-red. Although his body language didn’t said it, Sakura could feel that he was furious.

“You know who I mean...” He almost hissed, his Sharingan clearly seen now.

Sakura never had seen him this way; Orochimaru had turned him into a whole different person, a monster almost.

“I want to hear his name from your mouth, Sasuke.” Taking little steps forward, careful that she didn’t lose her balance. Somehow, her feet were moving on their own.

She stretched her arm out towards his own arm. He was just looking at her, his eyes now redder then blood.

He made a sudden movement, gabbed her arm en threw her on the bed, with him on top. She was shocked by his sudden movement, but she didn’t wanted to show him; she tried to give him an ice-cold look as well.

“You know who, you know who I mean!” He now fully hissed. He was angry, but was is just because he had to say the name again? Was it because Sakura didn’t obey him by not answering his question? Was it because Sakura had most likely fallen for his rival? Was it...

Jealousy?

Sakura’s eyes went wide as that last thought struck her. ‘He’s jealous? No, no, that can’t be it. But why... is he so angry?’ She asked herself.

They looked at each other while Sasuke held her arms down with his, preventing her to leave. Their faces were so close but Sakura didn’t liked this moment like she maybe would when they were younger, when there were just three of them.

“Are you in love...” Sasuke paused, he was having trouble with the name, like it hurt him to say it... Or maybe his name in this sentence.

“Are you in love with Naruto?” He said it, still staring at her, never blinking, never leaving her gaze.

“Why do you care?” She asked him; he was toying with him. She continued to do so, “Why do you want to know, Sasuke?” She was on dangerous ground now; Sasuke could lose his patience.

“I heard you... when you were unconscious...” He started to tell her, while he held her down with more body pressure. “You were calling his name, you were hallucinating.”

‘What?’ She asked herself. ‘When did I do that? Right, right, I was unconscious, but I was hallucinating as well? I can’t remember any of that.’

“I want to know, the reason is not important. Just tell me.” He broke her thoughts with his cold voice.

She looked straight at him, not blinking once. “Yes, I am in love with Naruto. I love him.”

He didn’t say anything. He quickly got off her and walked towards the door. Leaving her pretty much confused behind.

He stopped walking just before the exit of the room and turned his head a little towards Sakura; “I’ll bring you some food.” And with that, he closed the door behind him, and she could hear he was locking it.

‘Yeah,’ She thought to herself. ‘like I ever wanna try escaping again.’

She sighed deeply, and although she hated to admit it, she couldn’t do anything right now. She raised both her hands and clasped them together, close to her face. She closed her eyes and began to pray.

“Naruto... please be careful.”

To Be Continued