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Forgetting Sasuke	By : CutieSakura Category: Naruto > General Views: 1229 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 19
- 20
- 21
Disclaimer: Don�t own it.
~~~~~
�What was that?� Lee said, his attention turning to the direction of the sound, along with Neji�s and Tenten�s.
�It sounded like an explosion!� Tenten said in disbelief.
Neji activated his bloodline limit, his keen eyes seeking out the disturbance. �The wall�s been breached.�
�An attack?� Lee asked.
Tenten nodded, �Let�s go.�
Neji led them toward the village center. Confused civilians were stepping out into the streets, wondering what the commotion was about.
Tenten slowed, shouting, �Start evacuating to the mountain!�
�We�re under attack,� Lee added to others as they passed, �evacuate!�
Neji turned to them, �Round up as many civilians as you can and start evacuations now. We can�t wait to follow protocol. I�ll meet you as soon as I can.�
Lee and Tenten both nodded.
Neji continued on, running into Shikamaru on the way. �Status?� he asked as Shikamaru fell in line next to him.
�No idea,� Shikamaru replied. He and Neji leapt up to the rooftops, allowing for easier movement. �We were doing drills at the academy when we heard the bang. Iruka�s got the kids; I�m doing what I can.�
Neji�s eyes scanned the ground, seeing people taking off in various directions while shinobi tried to gather civilians to evacuate them, looking for discrepancies, anything uncharacteristic of a Konoha shinobi.
�Neji! Shikamaru!� a voice shouted from behind them. Neither slowed as Naruto caught up to them. �What�s going on?�
�This is it,� Shikamaru replied, �the attack we�ve been expecting.�
Another bang resounded from another part of the village. Neji�s eyes caught sight of another part of the wall crumbling. Konoha ninja were already fighting up on the towers. �They�re starting to infiltrate,� he stated.
�I was just at Tsunade�s,� said Naruto, �she�s already called for civilian evacuation, and she�s rallying all ninja to the walls to keep the attackers out.�
�Assuming the threat isn�t already internal,� Shikamaru said, looking to Neji.
�I�m aware,� he replied tersely. His eyes caught sight of a gigantic snake slithering through the opening in the wall. �A snake��
�Shit!� shouted Naruto. Neji�s and Shikamaru�s heads whipped around to face him.
Before he could explain, Jiraiya came up behind them. �Naruto! With me!� he ordered. �Neji, find anyone you can and hold the village. Stay in teams to protect one another! Keep people clear of that snake. He�s mine. Naruto!�
Naruto left with Jiraiya immediately, leaving Shikamaru with Neji.
�Shikamaru, find your team, do what you can.�
�Understood.� He vanished.
Neji continued forward, seeing the first rounds of fighting on the ground not far from the wall. As he neared, he saw two shinobi surrounded by ten. His heart sank, recognizing the two cornered ninjas.
* * * * *
�Sakura, stay back,� Sasuke said, his sharingan blazing out at the enemies in front of him. �Their hitai-ates say Rock, but they�re Sound.�
Rather than asking how he knew, Sakura took his word for it. �I don�t need your protection,� she said firmly, �but I will follow your lead.� Sasuke had an advantage, if his assessment was correct and the enemy were Sound nin, so she would exploit his advantage to the same extent. He cast a sidelong glance at her. �Trust me, Sasuke.�
He nodded to her, then at the ninja. Sakura understood immediately. �Now!� he shouted.
Without thinking, Sakura rushed at the four ninjas facing her, inciting them to charge her. She raised her leg up, bringing it down to create a huge fissure in the earth, knocking three of the four to the ground. The fourth was in the air before the ground split underneath him, coming down on her fast with kunai in hand. She performed a quick replacement, spinning around to the other side of Sasuke, who had trapped three of his attackers with wire and used a Katon Jutsu, only to find they�d replaced out.
A chakra infused punch to one and a kick to another covered Sasuke as he attacked two others with lightning speed. More kept coming.
She took a punch in the small of her back, sending her to her knees momentarily. Her sharp eyes saw the movement of a third in Sasuke�s blind spot. �Sasuke!� she shouted.
The blow never landed. The ninja was struck down hard by someone else before getting near Sasuke. �Uchiha!�
Sakura ducked, just barely missing a direct blow to her temple and swept another ninja�s feet out from underneath him. Flipping to her feet, she caught a flying kunai, sending it straight back to the attacker. �Neji!� she cried, at hearing his voice.
�Get her out of here,� Neji commanded. Sasuke turned to face Neji, sharingan eyes blazing into Neji�s own chakra infused white eyes. A look of understanding passed between them.
�I can fi-�
Sakura was cut off by Sasuke�s arm encircling her waist and vanishing from the center of the onslaught to the outside of it. �What the hell-�
They watched as Neji spun into kaiten, thrashing all the twenty-some enemies around him easily. He stopped swirling, recognizing most of the assailants were unconscious or dead and no one was immediately coming. He joined Sakura and Sasuke.
Sakura stared at Sasuke whose eyes were transfixed in the distance. �Manda�� he whispered angrily.
�The snake?� Neji asked.
�It�s him,� Sasuke replied, looking once more at Neji, �Orochimaru.�
�Neji!� they heard a female shout.
Sakura turned to see Tenten and Lee heading towards them, fending off enemies of their own. �Go,� Sakura said to him, �we have to find Naruto and Jiraiya and Tsunade anyway. Go help your team.�
Neji gave Sakura a long hard look, their eyes trying to convey all the things they wanted to say in that instant and couldn�t. She nodded to him in understanding. He left.
A large popping sound resonated through the air, followed by a deafening thud. An enormous frog stood face to face with the snake. �Naruto�� said Sasuke.
�We have to go!� Sakura said, grabbing Sasuke�s hand and taking off toward the frog.
They fought off few enemies trying to get to who they knew could be only Naruto or Jiraiya. �Sakura!� she heard a voice shout.
�Shishou!� Sakura cried, seeing Tsunade in front of her. Tsunade�s eyes darted from her to Sasuke. �We�re taking him out once and for all. Jiraiya�s already at the front with Naruto. With a combined effort of all of us, we�ll do it.�
�I�m with you,� Sakura nodded.
Tsunade turned her gaze to Sasuke. He nodded, �Let�s finish this.�
* * * * *
�Neji!�
The shout came from Tenten; the attack was in his blind spot. He quickly moved, the attacker coming into view behind his head. Before he even spun around to use juuken, Lee took the ninja out. The two men nodded before going back to their respective fights.
Gai was out in full force, keeping a running tally in ninjas taken out with Lee. Tenten�s weapon attacks were precise and lethal, and she never seemed to run out of weapons or stamina.
Neji spun once more, aware of three attackers behind him. He launched a full juuken attack, rendering the three helpless. �Tenten!�
She turned, catching his warning and blocking; the enemy nin�s blow landed hard upon a log, splintering the wood. His eyes turned to locate Tenten and instead met with Neji�s fist.
�I�m at fifty-one, Gai-sensei!� Lee shouted over his shoulder as another ninja dropped at his feet.
�Lee, my adorable student! Good work, but you must work harder to surpass me, your sensei! I�m at fifty-three!�
Lee redoubled his efforts with Gai.
�Tenten, this way!� Neji shouted, heading towards the city center. They had to make sure the civilians were evacuated.
Neji�s mind processed the information while they moved, free of attackers for a few fleeting moments. �Sasuke said Orochimaru, meaning Sound, but the enemy ninja�s forehead protectors are that of Rock. Is this a joint attack? Or a deception? Is Sand under attack as well?�
Suna being under attack, however, was not Neji�s concern. Protecting Konoha was all that mattered. �Neji! Look!� Tenten�s shout pulled Neji out of his head. He immediately saw what she was shouting about. To the left, enemy nin were advancing on a group of small children.
Neji took off, knowing Tenten was right behind him. They came down on the two attackers in full force, Neji grabbing the children out of harm�s way while Tenten rained down shuriken.
Once they were dead, Tenten turned to Neji. �We can�t just leave them here.�
�Take them up to the mountain.� She nodded, but Neji continued, �And stay there.�
�Neji!�
�They�ll need protection in the mountain if we fail out here. You know protocol, Ten. That�s where you�re needed. Stay there. It�s a direct order.�
�Be careful,� she said to him. She turned to the kids, �Everyone grab hands and hold on tightly. Stay close; we�re moving fast.� The kids followed her command and she took off with the eleven of them in tow.
Two kunai went whizzing by Neji�s ear. He caught them, hurling them back with deadly precision before taking off to the city.
* * * * *
Sasuke and Sakura ran quickly behind Tsunade, stopping only a few hundred feet away from the massive form of Gamabunta. �Sakura, now!� Tsunade�s voice boomed. She pulled Sasuke to her, standing directly behind her student.
Sakura performed five seals in quick succession before shouting, �Kuchiyose no Jutsu!�
Katsuyu appeared from underneath of them, bringing all three of them fifty feet into the air, almost level with Jiraiya and Naruto atop Gamabunta. Sasuke looked at Sakura, his respect for her evident. Her eyes were locked only on Naruto.
�Jiraiya!� Tsunade called.
�Tsunade�� Orochimaru hissed beside Kabuto, both atop the large snake, �you�re late.�
�Just wanted to make sure we had everyone for the party,� she replied smartly. Sasuke stepped out from behind her.
Orochimaru�s eyes narrowed slightly, hissing. �Sasuke-kun� you betrayed me.�
�You betrayed everyone,� Sasuke replied calmly, �so I�d say everything evens out.�
�You�ll regret this.�
�No,� Sasuke said, casting a sidelong glance at Sakura, �I won�t.�
�We�ll see about that��
Tsunade and Jiraiya exchanged a glance, both leaping into the air, advancing on Orochimaru. Gamabunta had his dagger ready to slice at Manda with the slightest move. Orochimaru�s tongue swept out, grabbing for Tsunade. Jiraiya headed straight for Kabuto, engaging him.
The tongue wrapped around Tsunade, squeezing until there was a pop. Orochimaru�s eyes widened at the slug squirming in his tongue. Tsunade came up behind him, landing only one hit before he spun around to face her once more.
�Why are we just standing here?� Sasuke asked Sakura angrily. Both she and Naruto had remained stationary since the commencement of the battle.
Sakura replied calmly, her eyes never leaving her teacher, �Naruto and I were trained for this eventuality. We�re to move once we�re given the signal, not before.�
�That�s stupid! We have an advantage!�
�Not before,� Sakura said firmly, glancing at Sasuke to reinforce her statement. �This is important, Sasuke. If you�re with us, you have to follow this order.� She could see the doubt in his eyes. �Trust me.�
�Sakura-chan!� she heard Naruto shout. Her eyes flew back to the battle. Jiraiya and Kabuto were on the ground, Jiraiya blocking Kabuto�s chakra scalpel. Tsunade was engaging Orochimaru atop Manda, her left hand in the shape of the signal.
Gamabunta, with Naruto on his head, leapt into the air.
Sakura grabbed Sasuke, pulling him to her chest. �Katsuyu now!� They started sinking, the softness of the slug enveloping them.
�Sakura?�
Sakura said nothing as they slipped down through the inside of the giant slug. Suddenly they were in the open air again, the slug gone.
Sasuke looked confused. Sakura turned her attention to Katsuyu, wrapping completely around Manda, holding the snake immobile while Gamabunta came crashing down on him.
Sakura looked up to Tsunade who vanished, reappearing at Jiraiya�s side.
�Yeeeaaaaa!� Naruto shouted from atop Gamabunta.
Manda saw the giant toad advancing, but couldn�t move or replace out as Katsuyu held him firmly in place. The dagger slashed across, causing him to hiss in fury.
At the exact moment the dagger hit, Katsuyu exploded into thousands of tiny slugs, pulling away from the snake and reassembling again next to Sakura.
�Sakura!� Tsunade shouted. �Naruto!� Sakura appeared at her teacher�s side, Naruto a second later. �You know what to do. We finish this.�
Tsunade and Jiraiya once again went after Orochimaru, leaving Sakura and Naruto to deal with Kabuto.
�Nice to see you again, Naruto-kun, Sakura-chan,� he said pleasantly. His eyes darkened upon seeing Sasuke approach. �Sasuke-kun.�
�This time you die,� Naruto said angrily.
�Oh Naruto-kun, that�s not like you. I was under the impression that your ninja way was to save everyone.�
�Only those who deserve it. Kage bunshin no jutsu!� Naruto produced twelve replications, all of which descended on Kabuto instantly.
�Naruto-kun, we�ve been through this before,� Kabuto sighed. �You ought to know by now that won�t work on me.�
Kabuto drew chakra to his hands, turning them into scalpels once more. Naruto�s replications popped immediately. Sasuke slid in, attacking Kabuto with taijutsu, hoping only to buy Naruto more time.
Naruto created more replications while Sasuke was engaging Kabuto, sending them all into the air to rain down on the two of them. Sasuke used shuriken with wires attached, sending them toward Kabuto, keeping him unable to move for the two seconds it took for the Narutos to land. Sasuke slid out, allowing Naruto and his replications to take hold of Kabuto, holding him rooted to the spot.
Sakura rushed forward, shoving Sasuke out of the way as she gathered chakra to her hand. Her fingers curled into a fist; two seconds later her fist was through Kabuto�s head, blood, brains and fragments of skull running down her arm as the replication behind popped.
�Sakura-chan, nice!� Naruto complimented excitedly.
Sakura shook her arm in an effort to clean it, her eyes meeting Sasuke�s. He looked a bit bewildered, as though in shock at what had transpired. �You okay?�
He nodded slowly.
Naruto and Sakura turned their eyes to their mentors, each atop their respective summons, locked in battle. They began to perform the teleportation jutsu, but a shout stopped them. �Sakura-san!�
Sakura turned to see Konohamaru running towards them. �We need a medic! The village center�s been hit really bad. Shizune�s overwhelmed. I was sent to get the hokage, but�� his voice trailed off, looking up to see Tsunade in battle. �Can you come?�
�Sakura-chan, go!� Naruto said.
�Yes,� she replied to Konohamaru. Sakura locked eyes with both Sasuke and Naruto in turn, the understanding between them clear: don�t die.
She turned immediately, following Konohamaru.
* * * * *
Neji finished another whirl of kaiten, looking at the dead and injured enemy ninja sprawled around him. One was still conscious. Neji approached him cautiously. Bending down on a knee, he grabbed the ninja�s arm roughly. �You�re Sound,� he stated.
�Yes,� the ninja said hoarsely.
�Why the deception? Why attack disguised as Rock?�
�Orochimaru-sama�s plan. Cause dissention between allied nations, leaving all sides open to attack.�
�Is Suna under attack as well?�
�The attacks on Sand were a diversion. Orochimaru-sama�s goal has always been Leaf.�
�What else?�
�Akatsuki... a deal� I don�t know the details� The mission is the total destruction of Konoha.� The shinobi coughed, blood spattering. His voice dropped to a whisper, �He underestimated you�� His breathing slowed before stopping completely. Neji closed his eyelids.
Another rumble sounded from nearby. Neji looked up to see Akimichi Chouji and his father triple their normal sizes, walking down the street side by side. The father-son Nara and father-daughter Yamanaka teams were on a rooftop, engaged with another small group, and by the look of it, kicking their asses. �No point in stopping to help�� he mused.
He took to the rooftops in the opposite direction, heading toward where he last saw Gai. �Knowing the two of them��
* * * * *
Sakura�s eyes widened in horror at the sight she met. A squad of ANBU held a perimeter around twenty-some injured shinobi and civilians, too wounded to be evacuated. �My God��
Konohamaru and Sakura slipped past the fighting, getting to the group. Hinata was already there, utilizing what limited skills she had.
�Sakura!� she sighed with relief.
�Hinata, how much chakra do you have left?�
�Um, I�m okay. I�m not too bad,� she replied. Her face fell, realizing the man she was trying to save was dead. She fought back tears.
�Hinata,� Sakura said forcefully, �I need you to use byakugan to determine who can be saved and who can�t. Mark those who can. Konohamaru��
Her eyes met his. �He�s too young to be doing this� a new genin� I can�t ask him to�� she thought.
�I understand,� he replied, nodding, �mercy.�
�Konohamaru, if you can�t-�
�Gramps always said you grant mercy to those who have no hope. I�ll do what needs to be done, Sakura-san.�
�Go with Hinata. I�ll do what I can.�
The first rule of battlefield medicine stated that the medic should conserve as much chakra as possible to save as many lives as possible. �Damage control�� she assessed. She would heal only life threatening injuries to prevent death before moving on to the next. They could receive more advanced medical care after the battle.
Hinata had marked two men for attention, one a civilian, one a ninja. �Second rule�� thought Sakura, �attend all shinobi first, civilians come second�� She knelt down next to the ninja, pouring chakra into his chest.
�Hinata!� she shouted over her shoulder, �Mark all civilians in black, ninja in red.�
�Okay!�
Out of the corner of her eye, Sakura saw Konohamaru hold a ninja�s hand tightly in his own, bringing it to his chest as he brought a kunai down, putting it through the nin�s heart.
Sakura fought the urge to vomit, turning her attention back to the ninja in front of her. His injuries weren�t too extensive. A few minutes stopped the internal bleeding. She turned her attention to the next red mark she found.
* * * * *
Neji saw the telltale silver hair and descended immediately. �Kakashi.�
�Neji.�
Neji stood back to back with Kakashi, facing off with four Sound nins, jounins by the look of it. �You�re supposed to be on bed rest.�
�Well, you know,� Kakashi replied in his usual bored tone, �I wanted the exercise.�
Kakashi tossed out kunai; Neji shuriken. The ninjas dodged easily, throwing out weapons of their own and advancing. Kakashi replicated out. Neji once again used kaiten, sending the enemies flying back. Upon slowing, he realized how out of breath he was.
�My chakra�s starting to get low. I won�t be able to keep this up much longer,� he said to Kakashi.
�Understood,� Kakashi replied. �We�ll stick together. I�ll cover you as much as possible.�
�Kakashi, I don�t need you to-�
�Not up for debate.�
�Understood. I�m heading to headquarters, making sure there�s no breach.�
�Then let�s go.�
The two took off.
* * * * *
Sakura was on number seven. There were four more ninja to get to, and then she could switch to civilians. The ANBU squad moved on, the threat in that immediate vicinity having been eliminated.
�Last one,� Hinata said, having finished marking everyone. Konohamaru�s kunai went into another dying heart.
�Hinata, triage only, shinobi first,� Sakura said, �worry about everything else later. If you get stuck on something, let me know and move on to someone else.�
�Okay��
�I�m�� Konohamaru started, �I�m finished.� He looked to Sakura, his eyes wide and full of tears.
�Konohamaru, come here,� Sakura ordered. He walked over to her. Sakura finished with the woman she was working on and put her arms around the young genin. He fought back sobs, clinging to her tightly. �You did what you had to do, Konohamaru,� she said gently, pulling back to look him in the eyes, �you did well, and I thank you.� He swallowed hard, rubbing his eyes. �Sandaime would have been very proud of you.�
�Thank you, Sakura-san.�
�Help me?� He nodded. �All of those people that I�ve already attended to, start wrapping bandages around whatever injuries you see. Do you have any oral pain meds on you?�
�A few,� he admitted.
Sakura fished through her pouch and gave him two bottles of medication. �Give one of these to everyone. If they have difficulty swallowing, insert it into the mouth and massage the throat like this,� she said, showing him.
�Okay,� he nodded again.
She turned her attention to another kunoichi who was struggling to speak. �Might��
�Shh, don�t talk. You need to save your strength.�
�Need to find� Gai. Maito Gai.�
Sakura�s eyes widened. �What about Gai? What?�
�Attacked. Hurt� saving me. Gai� his student� Find them� please. Help them�� she lost consciousness.
�Hinata, help her! I have to go!� Sakura shouted, dashing up to the rooftops.
Her keen eyes began scanning the ground, looking for any sign of green on green, Gai or Lee. �Lee-san�� she thought desperately.
She saw the majority of the enemy was retreating. The counter-attack was going successfully, she noted with relief. �But Lee-san� Gai-sensei... Neji!� she thought with painful realization. �He was going to find his team�� She filled with dread. �Oh God��
She increased her pace, not caring how sore her legs were. Her chakra level was okay. She�d done well conserving what she could. �I may need it.�
Suddenly she spotted him. Them. She wasn�t sure. One of the two of them. Lying face down in a field with several other bodies littered around. �No�� she thought desperately.
She jumped down, rushing over to him, turning him around. �Lee!�
�Sakura-san,� he said weakly. �You�re okay.�
�Shh,� she said. She put her hands across his chest, pouring chakra in to get feedback on the damage. Her heart sank, realizing his lungs were punctured in several places, part of his intestine shredded and his lower spine broken. She bit her lip, trying to fight back tears.
�Sakura-san� you must do something for me.�
�Lee, don�t talk,� Sakura said, struggling to keep her voice level.
�Sakura-san, please�� Lee said, grabbing Sakura�s hand in his. His dark wide eyes looked up at her in desperation. Sakura nodded. �Tell Neji that he was my greatest friend and greatest rival.�
�Lee� no��
�Tell Naruto thanks for being my friend and inspiration. Tell Gai-sensei that he was always my hero and I hope I�ve made him proud.� His breathing was becoming more ragged; she could see it pained him, yet he continued, �Sakura-san, thank you for always being there for me. I�ve always cared very much for you. Please don�t forget that.�
�Lee-san�� Sakura whispered, unable to fight back her tears any longer.
�And please, Sakura-san, tell Tenten that I love her, and that I�ll be with her always.�
�Lee-san� you can�t� Lee, no!� His hand went limp in hers; his breathing stopped. �Lee!� she screamed.
�Sakura!�
Sakura could hear someone calling her name from faraway, but it wouldn�t register. She heard something whistling behind her, but didn�t think to turn around.
�Sakura!�
Sakura�s hands were on Lee�s chest once more. �It�s not too late� not too late. He can��
�Sakura!� she heard shouted, followed by the sound of metal clanking on metal.
Powerful arms pulled Sakura to her feet. Sakura stared into Kakashi�s masked face. �It�s too late. There�s nothing more you can do. You have to let him go.�
Sakura caught movement out of the corner of her eye. Neji stood motionless, looking at Lee�s lifeless body. �Neji��
Neji turned to her, his face blank, yet she could see the pain in his eyes. She turned to him, throwing her arms around him. �I�m so sorry, Neji! I�m so sorry!�
She felt Neji�s arms wrap around her, holding onto her desperately.
Kakashi stood there, his eyes on Sakura�s. She held his gaze over Neji�s shoulder, asking thousands of questions he could never answer. The message he conveyed with his gray and red eyes was clear.
Sakura fought back tears once more. �Lee-san� I�m so sorry��
A loud crash sounded throughout the village, causing the ground to shake.
Kakashi leapt up to the tree tops. �The summons are gone,� he shouted down, �it looks like the Sound nin are pulling back.�
�It�s over?� Neji asked.
�Something had to have happened,� Kakashi replied, �the Sound ninjas are fleeing in droves.� He rejoined them on the ground.
�It�s over�� Neji whispered, squeezing Sakura. �What am I going to tell Gai? Or Ten? God, Sakura, what am I going to tell Tenten?� his voice broke.
Sakura held him as tightly as she could, praying, wishing she could turn back time, wishing she could have gotten there sooner, wishing she could have saved Lee. �I�m so sorry Neji� I wish there was something more I could do� I wish I could-�
�It�s not your fault,� he whispered into her hair. He suddenly pulled back to look her in the eyes. �Sakura, it�s not your fault.�
Sakura stared up at him, wondering if she understood him correctly. Was he talking about Lee, or about them?
�Sakura�� Neji said, staring at her intently, �I lo-�
�Sakura!� a voice interrupted, �Kakashi.� Sakura turned to see Sasuke coming towards them.
Neji sighed heavily, shaking his head. �Sasuke, give us a min-�
Sakura pried herself out of Neji�s embrace and ran to Sasuke, throwing her arms around him. �You�re alright!� she breathed with relief.
Neji growled, seeing Sakura run from him to throw herself at Sasuke, seeing Sasuke�s arms wrap tightly around her.
He held her close for a moment before pulling back. �Sasuke?� she asked. Sasuke glanced at Neji and Kakashi before turning back to Sakura. She fought back the wave of panic threatening to take over. �Sasuke, what is it?�
�It�s Naruto,� he said quietly. �He�s gone.�
~~~~~
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Forgetting Sasuke