Torture

Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

As Sakura relayed the pain, fear and dispair she had felt while captive, Kakashi could not help but hold her a little tighter as he rocked with her in his arms. He didn't know what else he could do. He felt helpless, hopefully being there would offer some comfort to the crying woman he held in his arms.

By the time Neji had returned Sakura was asleep in Kakashi's arms, he continued to rock slowly as if she might break should he stop. Neji approached the sitting man, "How is she?" he asked in hushed tones.

"She's been better... Neji, she told me everything. I don't know what to do to help her."

Neji nodded and looked up before speaking softly so as not to wake the sleeping woman, "Just give her time, I guess that's all any of us can do. I don't really know her that well, but none the less, she has always been strong and resilient. If she needs something, I am sure she will ask you. You might think about getting her to bed."

Kakashi nodded and slowly stood carefully raising the young woman in his arms. He carried her into the back room and laid her out on the cot they had prepared earlier. Tucking the blanket in around her when she shivered, Kakashi made his way to a chair in the corner and sat down, watching Sakura sleep. Soon enough, he had drifted off as well, Icha Icha forgotten in his weapons pouch.

----With Genma and co.----

Yamato and Shikamaru walked alongside Genma and Tenshi in silence for the most part. Sakura's possible condition on their minds.

Shikamaru and Yamato reguarded Genma for a moment before Yamato spoke quietly, "You think she's alright?"

"I don't know, but I hope so... it would be troublesome if she weren't." Shikamaru slowed down and pulled the pack of cigarettes from his hip pouch and lit one, taking a long drag before slouching and continuing his previous pace.

Though Tenshi had just met the Pink haired medic a few weeks earlier, she had quickly grown fond of her. She was bright and kind. She had taken great care with her considering her condition.

Genma looked towards Tenshi when she began coughing, his mind wandered to a friend who had died a long time ago now, Gekko Hayate. "You alright, I noticed you seem to have a lot of those coughing fits."

"Yes, I am fine, thank you Genma-san." She smiled lightly and continued foward. She knew she didn't have too terribly much longer, she hoped she would get the chance to see Sakura again before she passed.

They were about a day out of Konoha now and picked up speed a little, hoping to get back as soon as possible and see if there was any news on Sakura.

----With Sakura and co.----

Sakura bolted upright, breathing heavily. A scream lodged in the back of her throat. Kakashi was instantly at her side, reassuring her that she was safe now.

"Kakashi... I want to go home..."

"I know Sakura, but we have to wait for the others to arrive. They should be here soon. Lay back down and try to get some more sleep, okay? I'll be right here if you need anything."

Sakura looked up at his face, "Kakashi, can you sleep next to me please?" she spoke barely above a whisper.

Kakashi shifted a little and nodded before sliding onto the cot next to her. Sakura curled up against his side and finally relaxed when he placed an arm gingerly about her waist.

Kakashi didn't know when he had fallen asleep, he only realized that he had drifted off in the first place when he felt Sakura begin to tremble beside him. Leaning up a little, his arm trapped beneath her, he looked at her face. It was contorted in a grimace of pain and fear, with out any warning Sakura began to convulse wildly. Her back snapped up off the mattress like a taught wire and her muscles twitched, tensing and relaxing uncontrollably.

Kakashi called for Neji and set about turning her onto her side while looking for something to prevent her swallowing her tongue. She was having a seizure.

Neji burst through the door a few moments later to find Sakura still convulsing, foam forming at her mouth and Kakashi trying to pry her mouth open to get the wooden dowel into it. Neji moved quickly to aid him.

When they finally got her mouth open a scream that had apparently been trapped, ripped from her throat. Her back arched again, and her keening worsened.

-------Outside a few meters away-------

Sasuke and Naruto could see the small house growing closer, when they heard a loud, shrill scream coming from within. Naruto and Sasuke glanced at one another before taking off full speed towards the house they knew held Sakura within it's walls.

When they burst into the room Kakashi and Neji were doing their best to restrain their flailing and delerious pink haired friend.

Kakashi and Neji looked up sharply at the intrusion, when they saw who it was they visably relaxed and went back to trying to calm the now frantic girl, the siezures giving way to what appeared to be a rather horrific flash back.

Naruto moved to sit next to the shrieking girl and took her face in his hands, rubbing small circles on her cheek bones lightly with the pads of his thumbs, "Sakura-chan." he spoke softly as he tried to direct her darting gaze to his own eyes. "Sakura-chan, it's me. It's Naruto. Sasuke-teme is here to."

---In Sakura's mind---

Sakura's tried desperately to focus in on the voice she heard calling to her at the back of her mind, but was ripped away from it as the whip ripped into her flesh for the 100th time that day, Kabuto chuckling darkly from behind her. "Would you like to see your little friends again, hmmm? I bet you would... If you answer the question, I might arrange for that to happen."

---Back in the real world---

Sasuke moved to her other side and sat down, running his hands up and down her arms in a comforting manner, "Sakura, you are safe, we're here. Kakashi, Naruto, Neji and I are here. We aren't going to let them get you."

Her eyes were looking everywhere but seeing nothing. Her empty gaze jumped from face to face, her body started to relax before her back snapped up again. She tried in vein to shake her head feriously.

Naruto looked worriedly at the man who used to be their sensei before returning his gaze to the traumatized woman, whose face he still held in his hands, "Sakura... Sakura-chan, look at me... please Sakura."

---In Sakura's mind---

Sakura could not hear them, she could not see them. The only thing playing before her eyes and in her ears were whispered words that promised pain and death to all those she loved lest she speak now. Kabuto's dark laughter echoing in her mind. She wanted to cry out but tried to fight the impulse, instead trying to writhe away from his grip and the restraints. She could feel him pressing against her again and began to panic... no no no no... she would not break... she couldn't, she had to remain silent to the questions he continued to ask...

---Back in the real world---

Kakashi was still holding her wrists, Neji her legs when she began to thrash with renewed fervor.

Kakashi gripped her wrists tighter, Neji strengthend his hold on her legs as Sasuke moved to hold her midsection down and Naruto steadied her head. Kakashi's voice broke when he spoke, "Sakura, it's us, your friends... your family, you're safe... please stop, your going to hurt yourself..."

Naruto raised his eyes from Sakura's face to reguard the others briefly before returning his attention to the struggling woman they held down. "Sakura-chan..."

"No! no... no, you can't trick me... Name, Haruno Sakura. Age, 21. Rank, jonin, ANBU class medic...NRN# 01..." Her voice trailed off as her eyes drooped closed.