Chapter 29

The Druid Chief's mansion was silent, as was the rest of the Druids' Land. They had all relocated to the Mist now. The two cloaked figures were alone.

"You don't have to do this, Chiyo," Sasori watched her expressionlessly, his face giving nothing as to what he was thinking away. His golden eyes were luminous in the darkness, like a cat's. Her grandson was tense; Chiyo could see it in the stiffness of his limbs and the tension in his shoulders.

Perhaps he does care for me after all, she thought dryly, after all these years. It would be the first time he's ever cared about anyone other than himself.

"Yes, Sasori. I do," she replied tiredly, looking down at the red-haired boy in the shimmering crystal case, his face peaceful enough to give the pretence that he was asleep. Vampire corpses never decayed but it seemed that Temari hadn't been able to bring herself to have the body buried. Either that, or the Druids had been too occupied with the war to have the time to plan a ceremony. "I owe him this at least."

Sasori said nothing but Chiyo could read the unspoken question in his eyes, though she was sure he already knew the answer.

She sighed wearily. "It was many years ago; long before you joined the Akatsuki," she said at last, fixing her gaze on the boy in the crystal coffin. "When his father was still the Kazekage of the Hidden Sand. I was a part of the group who had opposed to the Kazekage having a Druid for a son and potential heir. I am part of why the boy was Turned against his will and his mother killed, the reason why his father shunned him thinking the he was the reason his wife had to die. Gaara didn't deserve that. No one does. It is my biggest regret in this life."

"He will not be the same as he once was," Sasori said softly and Chiyo nodded her head sadly. "That is part of the price that must be paid." The old woman knelt in front of the coffin and placed her hands over the cool crystal, over where Gaara's heart had been mercilessly ripped from his body. Her hands began to glow, a soft and pure green. The colour of life.

"Promise me you'll watch over him, Sasori," she wheezed, her arms beginning to tremble, "And help him rebuild the Sand and restore it to its former glory."

"I cannot promise that," he replied flatly but Chiyo smiled up at her grandson one last time before slumping sideways, the light gone from her.

Inside the crystal, Gaara stirred and Sasori knelt down to close his grandmother's eyes.

xxxxxxx

"We go to war. Immediately."

Shocked silence followed the Hokage's sinister words and Sakura felt her blood turn to ice as a cold sense of dread and foreboding began to grow in the pit of her stomach. They had only just arrived at the Mist half an hour earlier and already Tsunade wanted them to go into battle. Are we even ready for this? She asked herself before answering herself gravely, When can anyone ever be ready for something like this?

Sakura's shocked gaze searched the other members of the Council and found that they appeared to feel the same as her; every set of glowing eyes were wide and trained on Tsunade; Sasuke had gone completely rigid beside her and she could see Karin anxiously adjusting her glasses on the bridge of her slender nose, hands shaking slightly. Naruto's mouth was set in a hard line from beside his father, his bright cheerfulness no longer evident. He looked like the grave and solemn Druid boy she had first met what felt like forever ago. Even Suigetsu was lacking his usual cocky and arrogant demeanour, replaced by a grave seriousness that was unusual for him as he stood protectively behind the Mizukage's seat, enormous greatsword always at the ready.

The silence was deafening until fighting and shouting suddenly broke out amongst the Councilmembers, fighting amongst themselves and some desperately trying to drown out the person next to them in order for them to be heard by Tsunade who was furiously shouting back. She had risen to her feet, as had some of the others and Sakura felt so completely overwhelmed. She felt like she needed to say something, to contribute to cacophony, but no words came to her.

The only person in the room who didn't seem fazed by the Hokage's news was the Mizukage herself, seated beside Tsunade, who nonchalantly flicked a strand of her long hair over her shoulder with a bored expression. "Was this not the way I predicted they would react, Tsunade?" she said disinterestedly, emerald eyes surveying the angry figures around the table with her cool gaze, but Sakura didn't miss the deadly seriousness concealed in the Mizukage's voice either, no matter how uninterested she made herself appear. Tsunade snarled at the woman seated beside her, baring her fangs with annoyance before slamming her fist down hard on the table. "ENOUGH!"

The room immediately fell silent and everyone who had risen from their seats, save for Tsunade, sat down again, all looking like puppies that had just been scolded. Under normal circumstances Sakura would have found this amusing. But these were not normal circumstances and there was nothing funny about the situation.

There was awkward and brooding silence before Karin finally found her voice. "But you only just arrived, Lady Tsunade-"

"And the Yamanaka child's forces grow stronger whilst we sit here and debate over the inevitable," Mei cut her off, causing the redhead to fall silent as she took in the Mizukage's words. Murmurs of reluctant agreement broke out amongst the table and Mei sniffed as though she had never doubted that she would be right. Despite being seated, the brunette still made a highly imposing figure.

The inevitable, Sakura thought, the tall woman's words echoing through her head. But it is inevitable isn't it? There always was going to be a final battle so why not finish this sooner rather than later?

It makes sense, she realized with a sinking feeling.

"The Mizukage speaks the truth," Tsunade said gravely, answering for everyone, her golden eyes hard and sharp as blades, her beautiful face wearing the same weary expression that Sakura knew adorned the faces of every other person in the room. "The longer we waist time debating over when to make our move, the stronger the enemy gets which is why we must make our move now!" Her fist slammed down onto the table's glossy surface once more, the loud crack making everyone flinch and leaving a jagged crack through the wood.

Mei snarled with annoyance. "That wood was imported, Tsunade!" she hissed angrily but the Hokage ignored her and addressed the Council. "Do not forget that we are at an advantage."

The Mizukage, seemingly having immediately forgotten the ruined table, hummed with approval, a satisfied smirk planting itself on her perfect lips. "We have acquired the positioning of the Yamanaka child's forces." Surprised gasps echoed across the table and Mei imperiously propped her elbows on the table's surface, delicately resting her chin on her long and slender intertwined fingers. "We now have the element of surprise."

Sakura had already known all this but hearing it come from the Mizukage's mouth made it all the more reassuring and she felt some of the cold gnawing at her insides fade, but only some.

I'm being silly, she realized, annoyed at herself. I've gone into battle before; I've lasted on the surface for a week. What makes this battle so different from all the others? She frowned, Why am I so afraid? It didn't take long for her to come to an answer. Because this battle is what decides everything. Even the smallest mistake can equal the end for us all. Sakura was pulled from her troubled thoughts at Sasuke's sharp intake of breath.

He was gaping at the two intimidating women and Sakura knew he was thinking back to the last Council meeting and furiously calculating every detail, every person, trying to make sense of where the intel had come from.

"Itachi," she heard him whisper, feeling a pang in her chest for him and gently intertwining their fingers under the table. From across the table she met Naruto's knowing gaze, filled with wisdom and solemnity that didn't belong in the eyes of a teenager but she knew also resided in her own. She felt Sasuke grip her hand tightly, ignoring the rest of the conversation around the table, focusing only on him. He had put up a mask, his face completely blank, betraying none of what he was feeling, giving away none of the inner turmoil that Sakura knew was raging inside him.

"I'm here," she whispered so that only he could hear her, "You can rely on me."

"Always," she heard him whisper back and smiled as his thumb traced little circles on the back of her hand.

I promised I wouldn't get involved with them. But I'll wait for when you're ready to tell me on your own, Sasuke.

"The Council is over," Tsunade said, her voice loud and powerful, "Prepare for battle."

xxx

"Doesn't this all seem so surreal?" Sasuke murmured, leaning with his back on the wall beside Sakura who was lacing up her black leather combat boots. She felt comforted by the familiarity of the leather gear and straightened before turning to Sasuke and nodding wordlessly.

"Are you afraid?" His eyes locked onto her own. Sakura thought about it. Am I afraid? She thought back to the numerous times she had thrown herself willingly headfirst into battle in order to protect the people she loved, her family, her new world. She had willingly, thoughtlessly, thrown herself into battle to save Neji and Kiba, Sasuke, to make sure that Gaara's ultimate sacrifice hadn't been for nothing and hadn't even had to think about it before agreeing to join the Guerrilla warfare up on the surface if it meant keeping their location hidden long enough for Sasuke to wake up, believing that just seeing him free and himself again made it all worth it.

When she thought about, Sakura hadn't even known about the Shadow world for that long, but it was already more of a home to her than that empty apartment building had ever been. The people she had met and the friends she had made were more of a family than her parents had ever been to her. She had been taught to be brave, braver and stronger than she had ever been in the whole of her short life. A multitude of faces flashed before her eyes. She had learned so much.

The thought of all of that suddenly being ripped away from her by Ino Yamanaka made her blood boil and seethe beneath her porcelain white skin.

I will not give you all up. Not to that bitch. Not to anyone.

Sasuke watched her intently and Sakura returned his intense gaze with equal intensity.

"I am not afraid."

He smirked. "I thought you might say that." Sakura raised an eyebrow, smiling faintly with amusement as she fastened weapons to her belt: small throwing knives and daggers, two short swords. "Is that so?"

"Hn."

Sakura looked up again when she was finished, meeting his intense gaze, focused on her and only her, and stepped toward him, leaving only centimetres between their bodies. She ran her hands lightly up his muscle-toned arms before playing with one of the buckles on his leather vest. She felt his hands rest on her elbows and the skin that made contact with his felt as though it had been electrified.

"You look so fragile," he murmured and Sakura could feel his cool breath fan across her cheeks. He trailed his lips along the top of her head. "Like I could break you."

"But you could break me," Sakura said softly and she heard Sasuke's sharp intake of breath, "If you stopped loving me." Just thinking about it made Sakura's skin crawl. The thought of that happening terrified her more than anything else. She felt his body tense against hers. "Never."

"How do you know?" she whispered, forgetting about the buckle between her fingers and focusing only on Sasuke's voice. He sounded shocked. "You can't possibly think that would ever happen. What we have..." his voice became uncertain and Sakura held her breath. "I cannot explain exactly what we have, Sakura. Only that it's more than love." Sakura felt her breath hitch and squeaked when took her chin and lifted it so that she could look up at his face.

"You're the reason I breathe," he said softly, his voice pleading her to believe him and so filled with emotion that Sakura was sure her heart had melted inside her chest. Sasuke rarely opened himself up like this; he was so rarely... vulnerable.

"You're the reason I breathe," he said again, his voice barely a whisper, and Sakura felt as though time had stopped. She forgot that they were about to go to war, that they could very well lose their lives and that that would be fine so long as it was for each other.

"I love you," she breathed and pressed her lips to kiss him, wanting to pour every emotion, every feeling coursing through her into it. Wanting Sasuke to understand her gratitude, her love for him that couldn't be explained using words, that he was the reason she breathed as well.

They parted, eyes bright and out of breath when they heard the siren, calling them to war. Sasuke touched her face, his face grave as though it might be the last time he ever got to touch her and Sakura placed her hand over his.

"Let's go."

"Hn."

They raced through the unfamiliar streets of the Mist to where the enormous masses of warriors had assembled at the bottom of the entrance balcony.

Sakura could see Tenten embracing Neji, forcing herself to stay strong knowing that it might be the last time they ever saw each other again. Naruto was talking quietly to Hinata before the shy girl uncharacteristically pressed her lips to his and kissed him like it was their last. Suigetsu and the Mizukage's squad were moving to begin ascending the steps to the surface when Karin grabbed his arm and threw herself at him. He buried his face in her hair before kissing her forehead. "Stay safe, princess. I'll see you out there." Sakura watched as Karin fought to keep her tears at bay as Suigetsu vanished with the rest of his squad.

She felt Sasuke's hand in hers, gripping it so tightly it was almost painful as they stepped forward to join their squad. Team 7: Sasuke, herself, Naruto and Sai.

They moved toward the steps and took off at Tsunade's shout, becoming blurs as they moved with the speed that only came with being supernatural. Sai knew where the Hidden Stone was and they reached the entrance in minutes.

"Are you ready?" Sasuke whispered.

"No turning back now," Sakura finished for him, just the like the first time, only, the circumstances were a lot different now and instead of excitement coursing through her, Sakura felt dread. They moved down the tunnel and Tsunade's words echoed through her head.

"Sakura. Once the fighting's started, you have to find Ino Yamanaka, and end her."

xxx

Sakura leapt over the balcony, falling five feet before landing lightly and surveying the battlefield before her as her teammates landed beside her, bristling and ready to attack. The ambush had been a success; none of Ino's soldiers had seen it coming.

Ino won't be fighting here, Sakura told herself, as Naruto and the rest of Team 7 raced off into the violent chaos spread out all around her. It didn't take long for them to be lost from sight.

Sasuke. Sakura forced the thought of him out of her mind and turned her gaze back to the enormous mansion on the opposite end of the Village. She's there. There was nowhere else the blonde could be and Sakura took off abruptly

The air in the cavern was filled with smoke and ash and it burned Sakura's throat and eyes and lungs as she plunged headfirst into the madness. It was almost as though everything was one fire. The light given off by the burning buildings and trees bathed the whole cavern in reds and oranges, the sound of the fighting made louder by the added roar of the infernos.

This is what Hell looks like.

Sakura ducked low and darted around her opponent before landing lightly on his shoulders and snapping his neck with her bare hands. She leapt forward and off of him before he hit the ground and continued forward. By the time she reached the middle of the village she had used up all her throwing blades and her swords were stained shimmering scarlet with vampire blood.

It was quieter now; battles less frequent, but almost every building in sight was on fire, broken glass from where windows had burst from their frames crunched beneath her boots and the black smoke burned Sakura's eyes and made it difficult for her to see and breathe. By the time she reached the mansion, she no longer had any weapons, having used or discarded them all in her haste to get to where Fate needed her to be. But it was deathly quiet here. The fighting hadn't reached this side yet. Sakura raced up the steps and turned back to face where she had come from.

Bodies were strewn everywhere, marking the direction of where the battle was moving and in the distance Sakura could vaguely make out the two figures belonging to Tsunade and Mei as they tore powerfully through the enemy: Mei wielding water, lava and ice and Tsunade wielding nothing but her unmatchable strength. She was sure she had also seen an enormous fox bring his opponent to the ground.

She turned back to mansion, knowing that her most powerful opponent and worst enemy lay somewhere inside its walls.

I'm coming, Ino.

She burst through the double doors and met silence. The place was completely deserted but Ino's presence burned and Sakura's skin felt like it was on fire. It wasn't anything like the fire Sasuke had, this fire hurt and Sakura allowed her senses and instincts to lead her to where she needed to go.

Everything Ino had done, every person whose will she had stolen, every person that had died because of her, Gaara, and what she had done to Sasuke and made him into and do. All those images and memories flooded Sakura's senses so that by the time she stopped in front of two overly extravagant and enormous doors, Sakura was murderous. She wanted blood. Ino's blood.

Ino was on the other side of those doors, Sakura could feel it. No turning back now, she told herself because how else could she possibly prepare herself for what was about to happen?

She pushed the doors open and strode inside, into a throne room where the throne towered upwards in the centre and whose walls were made of mirrors. And lounging catlike across the throne, her hair messy and tangled and her cyan blue eyes rimmed with dark shadows, bright with fury and wild with insanity and madness, was Ino.

"I thought you would come," she said softly, her voice echoing faintly off the glass walls and Sakura snarled. The blonde smirked. "Still trying to play at being a vampire, Sakura?" She stood and began to slowly descend the steps.

"Have you come to take my life?" She asked casually, airily and Sakura tensed, suspicious of the girl's tone of voice. "Considering how you've taken everything else from me already: my friends, Sasuke, Karin. My life should be nothing."

"They never belonged to you," Sakura hissed through clenched teeth, "You can't own people." and Ino paused on the last step and cocked her head to the side, her expression haunted and calculating, her eyes enormous and her pupils shrunken to almost nothing. "Is that so," she said quietly, so quiet that Sakura almost didn't hear it before her lips curled into a smile that froze Sakura's blood.

"You know nothing, human," and before Sakura even had the time to blink, Ino was on her. The blonde shrieked and flung Sakura effortlessly across the room.

Sakura hit a mirror, hard, with the deafening crash of smashing glass before she hit the ground and the glass shards rained down on her. She heard Ino cackle cruelly as the cuts on her arms healed themselves before she shakily pulled herself up onto her hands and knees and hissed with pain when Ino suddenly grabbed her by her hair from behind and pulled her roughly backwards so that she was only supported by her knees.

Sakura hissed again when the blonde pressed the tip of a silver dagger lightly against her neck and she felt her skin sting with the contact.

"Even now," Ino spoke in a low voice, her mouth close to Sakura's ear, "Every time I look at you. I just don't see it." Her grip on Sakura's hair tightened. "I just don't"

"See what?" Sakura snarled in response, attempting to turn her head forcefully enough to break free from the blonde's grip before Ino jerked it back roughly, causing Sakura to hiss with pain again. Ino growled from low in her throat in return.

"How Sasuke fell in love with you so easily," she whispered venomously into Sakura's ear and Sakura's hand fumbled across the ground before her fingers closed over the sharp object she had been looking for.

Inner Sakura suddenly appeared in front of Sakura's vision and extended her hand, glowing and porcelain white. "The time has come. Will you take my hand, Sakura?"

I told you that when the time did come, I would. And Sakura grasped the vampire girl's hand. I will become your mirror image.

"What are you doing?!" Ino shrieked, but it was too late. The glass shard sliced through Sakura's hair easily and Sakura fell forward as her hair suddenly came away, leaving her head feeling lighter.

Ino fell backwards and Sakura leapt up and moved quickly to gain distance from her opponent, the mirrors making it look as though there were at least twenty Sakuras gazing down at the blonde.

Ino snarled angrily as she climbed back to her feet and immediately hurled the dagger furiously, suddenly losing her cool composure, but Sakura avoided it easily, surprised by the blonde's rash move.

But Ino was no longer standing in front of her and Sakura froze with shock and surprise. Ino was suddenly behind her, and her arms were around Sakura's shoulders, almost as though she meant to hug her, but her hands were clenched tightly into fists, her knuckles whiter than they already were.

"You're still weak, human," Ino spat before she jerked her arms up and tightened her grip, instantly cutting off Sakura's breath.

Sakura forced herself not to panic as stars and spots began to cloud her vision and shut her gasping mouth tightly.

"I'm, not, human, anymore," She snarled in short breaths before throwing her head backwards into Ino's face and then violently arching her back forward and throwing Ino roughly off of her and over her, but despite being taken by surprise, the blonde was agile and landed gracefully in a hand-stand, her legs dropping into a middle split before spinning herself 360 degrees.

Her foot struck the side of Sakura's head and Sakura saw stars again when her head hit the mirror behind her before the ground raced up to meet her and the world turned black.

xxx

"Don't pass out on me again," Ino warned darkly and Sakura quickly opened her eyes.

"Get up!" Ino barked, "Before I kill you where you lie, human."

Sakura stood as slowly as she thought she might get away with, supporting herself with her hand resting on the cool glass beside her, her sharp green eyes never leaving the blonde.

"We're going to fight," Ino announced, "With weapons," her mouth curled upwards in a nasty smile, "And believe me. I do truly intend to spill plenty of your blood, Sakura." She produced a long, thin silver sword from behind her back and Sakura looked down at herself with a sinking feeling.

"And then I'm going to kill you."

"I don't have a weapon," Sakura hissed, fighting for stability and taking a fighting stance, but Ino was unperturbed.

"There," Ino said shortly and Sakura followed where the blonde's eyes were looking until her own eyes fell on the silver dagger lying in front of her, stained with scarlet.

"I took the liberty of bathing it for you while you were taking your little nap," Ino grinned, catlike, "It isn't much of a weapon, but it's better than nothing. At least it won't burn you now."

"I can't fight with this," Sakura said incredulously, forcing herself to sound as nervous and frightened as she could, "It's too short and no match against a sword."

Ino moved closer, holding her sword loosely, completely unconcerned. "That's, too, bad," she said, pausing between each word.

Sakura knew that this was the best chance she had and swung her arm back before her fist struck Ino's delicate face with all the force she could muster. Bone crunched sickeningly under her knuckles and Ino skidded backwards, the sword flying out of her grip and landing behind her with a sharp clanging sound.

Ino's nose was bleeding, the blood a scarlet streak across her face, the red contrasting sharply against the white of her skin.

Sakura aimed her dagger for the blonde's throat and Ino grinned, blood coating her teeth and her fangs gleaming brightly. "Kill me, Sakura," she taunted and Sakura brought the dagger down. She hadn't hesitated.

Ino erupted off the ground, faster than Sakura's eyes could follow, flipping elegantly in the air and landing gracefully only a foot away and kicked out, her foot striking Sakura's hand.

The kick sent the dagger flying from Sakura's grasp and Ino suddenly had her sword once again.

She laughed manically, brandishing the blade over her head before she brought her sword downwards with deadly speed, fully intending to slice Sakura completely in half.

Sakura barely had time to evade and hissed when the blade sliced through the bottom of her leather vest, leaving a thin cut down her abdomen.

She's insane.

Ino laughed again and took another step forward. Sakura was pinned against the glass wall, her eyes darting around her for some form of escape but found none.

Ino slashed the sword again and Sakura did the only thing she could do: she had already leapt high up into the air, missing the sword completely, before landing on it as she came down again and kicking Ino back across the room.

Ino wiped blood away from her mouth as she shakily climbed back to her feet. Her arm was bleeding.

"That was fun wasn't it?" She asked breathlessly, "But I'm tired of playing games now."

She flung herself at Sakura and caught her around the waist. They fell, tearing and biting at each other, and hit the ground hard.

Sakura dug her nails into Ino's injured arm and Ino shrieked before she struck Sakura across the face in return. Sakura's mouth filled with salty blood and she gagged on it as they rolled across the floor, scratching, thrashing, biting and clawing at each other with the ferocity of wild animals.

Sakura grabbed Ino's throat and closed her hands around it and squeezed with all the strength she could muster. Ino choked and seized Sakura's wrist before snapping it backwards sharply enough to break the bones and Sakura screamed as pain erupted through her entire being like a white hot iron. Ino twisted the broken wrist mercilessly until it forced Sakura to let go of her.

She grinned down at Sakura and Sakura's vision cleared as her wrist healed and the pain slowly ebbed away. She saw, with panic, the silver sword in Ino's hand.

"Last words, Sakura?"

Sakura kept silent, refusing to give Ino the satisfaction and the sharp tip of the sword pierced her skin above her collarbone, burning and Sakura held back a scream.

"Does it hurt, Sakura?" Ino whispered and Sakura spat and hissed through clenched teeth. "You're a monster. It's no wonder the Akatsuki took our side over yours."

"What?"

Ino's grip loosened as Sakura's comment fully sank in before her face contorted with terrible and violent fury and she drove the blade in further. "Liar!" She screamed and Sakura let out a strangled cry. "I'm not lying," she gasped as tears of pain ran from her eyes and Ino shrieked with fury and pushed down on the blade before twisting the hilt sharply.

Sakura arched backwards with a scream and the agony burst like lightning behind her eyes. Her body felt like it was on fire. The familiar sensation of being burnt from the inside out turned Sakura's vision white and made her skin crawl with revulsion.

I'm going to die, she thought with tears in her eyes, How can it end like this?

She tried to speak, tried to say a name but nothing escaped her mouth but blood and Ino's grin widened at the sight.

"Sasuke. I know you're in love with him," she hissed nastily before she brought her lips down to Sakura's ear, pressing the blade down harder, "He loves you too, Sakura. Think about it while you die."

Ino pulled the sword free and brought it up above her head again and Sakura shut her eyes, waiting for the final blow, when the weight pressing down on her suddenly vanished as Ino shrieked and Sakura opened her eyes as her wounds suddenly began to heal now that the silver was no longer there. Her heart would have sped up immediately because-

She saw Sasuke.

"Sakura!" Sasuke knelt over her, his dark eyes wide with concern while Ino moaned from the corner, lying in a crumpled heap on the floor.

"Sasuke," Sakura tried to say in response but no sound came out and Sasuke nodded grimly. "Don't talk," he said softly and Sakura couldn't even nod in fear of jostling and reopening her wound but Sasuke understood; she knew he did.

She's dangerous, was what she wanted to say, because she knew just how deadly Ino really was but she was too late.

Sasuke cried out with pain.

Sakura tried to reach for him as he was lifted and then flung to the side, but he was beyond her grasp now and she could barely move.

Sasuke scrambled to knees but Ino was already in front of him.

"Now, now, darling," she said between breaths, her wild and messy hair and large demented eyes making her look like a mad woman, "That's no way to behave after how well I looked after you."

Sasuke darted sideways but Ino was faster. Her booted foot connected with his ribcage and Sakura was sure she could actually hear his ribs snap as he flew backwards and hit the mirrored wall before landing awkwardly on his side.

Sakura let out another strangled cry and rolled onto her side. The wound was almost healed but the pain was still terrible.

She scrambled for her fallen dagger and pulled herself painfully to her feet, and took a step forward. It felt as though Sakura was dragging her feet through cement or muddy clay, and each step was agonising.

Ino laughed like a mad woman as she kicked Sasuke again. "Do you love me now, Sasuke?!" She shrieked as she kicked him again and it was his cries of pain that drove Sakura forward.

She reached Ino but the blonde didn't even notice. Sasuke lay in a crumpled heap on the ground, frighteningly still now.

Ino drew her sword above her head. "I won't let the human have you. I won't let you suffer the indignity of such a thing!"

Sakura brought her hand up and drove the dagger into Ino's back and through her heart. The blonde staggered forward, the sword slipping from her hand and clanging sharply to the floor.

She turned slowly and looked at Sakura with a blank face but her eyes were filled with a mixture of incredulity and horror. She opened her mouth to say something but her knees were already buckling from underneath her and no sound passed her lips.

"That was for Gaara," Sakura breathed, her own legs barely keeping her up, and Ino opened her mouth again but nothing came out.

"Tell the Devil I say hi when you're in Hell."

Ino crashed to the ground, coming to rest on her back while her eyes gazed sightlessly up at the black ceiling.

"Sasuke."

Sakura stepped shakily over Ino's body and fell onto her knees beside the raven-haired boy. She bit into her arm and roughly pressed the bleeding wound to his mouth.

"Please drink," she begged, her voice sounding strained and almost detached in a way. To her relief, Sasuke drank and Sakura waited for him to sit up after his wounds had fully healed before she fell forward into his arms.

"Sakura!"

It's finally over...