Disclaimer: Naruto is not of my own personal possession, just ask Kishimoto-sensei if you have any doubts.

ATTENTION: I believe that someone signed a bunch of anonymous reviews with multiple made up names. My reason for doubting that they were all different people is the simple fact that they were each submitted within 3 minutes of each other in one day. I appreciate that someone liked my fic that much, but I ask that you refrain from doing so. I feel that it's more spam than anything. If it happens again I'm going to take off the anonymous review option.

Sorry, for the inconvenience and Thank you for reading.

Warning: Multiple incidents of inner rambling in this chapter and use of the Japanese word 'kuso' meaning 'damn it'. *Mature rating still in place* Enjoy!

.xXxXxXx.

Suna? Akatsuki? Some freak accident? The reason behind Sasuke and Karin's detainment could've been any number of calamities. When their leader failed to return with the missing redhead, Juugo and Suigetsu instinctively went after them. They didn't have to guess that something had happened to them, they knew from the pits of their stomachs.

The pair of Taka checked everywhere. They would have searched until dawn if that's what it would have taken to uncover their location, but it proved to be unnecessary. They came across the alleyway strewn with over a dozen beaten teenagers.

Laying amongst the battered bodies of the forgotten Suna were one naked female and one bleeding Uchiha.

"No," the ginger-haired man breathed. He raced to his leader's side, dropping to his knees.

Looking over Sasuke's pale skin and almost eerily-peaceful face covered in crimson and discolored bruises, his hands clenching into fists. Biting back whatever raging emotion was trying to take over, Juugo fearfully outstretched a quivering hand. His fingers pressed to the Uchiha's neck and held steady until he recognized it: Sasuke's pulse.

He was alive.

Eyes growing wide, Juugo's head snapped up to find his other teammate. His lips parted to speak, but the words died just as swiftly as his mouth had opened. The fair-haired teenager was crouched over Karin's bare form, his head hanging low. There were bruises blooming on her creamy-toned flesh and markings on her throat. What had been done to her was sickeningly obvious.

Normally, Suigetsu wasn't the one to act like he cared, but right there before his two purple eyes was his own ally and she'd been raped. The very thought was revolting, but it wasn't a mere thought. No, it was all too real.

An anguished howl ripped through the air. As if maddened, Suigetsu cried out again, louder this time. It wasn't within his power to understand what he felt right then, but his chest hurt and his head screamed: He should have been there. He should have saved her. This shouldn't have happened. This couldn't have happened. Not to Karin. Not her. No. No. No!

His fists pounded against the ground by her figure, each time the pavement stealing the flesh from his knuckles and turning the cement red.

"Kuso!" he choked out the first time, the back of his hand scraping the floor. "Kuso!" The word seemed to be forced out his throat. "Kuso!"

Wordlessly, Juugo watched as Suigetsu continued his barrage until the last blow remained pressed to the cement. The larger man collected Sasuke in his arms and rose to his feet.

The orange-haired man's voice was gentle when he first spoke, "Suigetsu. We-we have to get out of here." Then it grew louder, more frantic, "Anyone could find us and we-we-Suigetsu!" It wasn't easy for him to keep his cool; especially, if his other friend was going to loose it in front of him.

"I know," quietly muttered the purple-eyed teen, ripping his shirt off over his head. Slipping it onto Karin's body, he pulled her into his arms. He faltered slightly, unused to her deadweight, then turned to face Juugo.

As the tears pricked his by now watered orbs, Suigetsu only allowed one to fall before his resolve settled. He was going to kill them. He was going to murder every last one of the bastards that had done this to his friends. Hell, he would avenge Sasuke too. The Suna weren't getting away with it.

The glow of sporadic street lights and the shining moon overhead guided the weary Taka home. Upon arriving, Karin was laid in her bed, Suigetsu tending to her, while Juugo did his best to dress Sasuke's wounds on the couch. It wasn't customary for him to act as the medic of the group.

The Taka had been through a lot, but this was the icing on the cake of down right fucked up shit. These were trying moments and the gang needed to persevere. Though they loathed to admit it, because it meant they were vulnerable, all they truly had in the world was each other then.

If even one of them jumped ship they'd crumble. Taka were standing on the edge of a very steep downward spiral. There was no room for wavering.

Sasuke had survived the beating with a broken left arm, shattered index knuckle on his right hand, not-too-dire hemorrhaging, bruising, and a few gashes. He was trampled, but alright.

Things were going to be alright, Juugo frequently told himself as he wrapped the bandages around his leader's limbs. They had to be alright. If they fell apart, what would happen to him without the Taka? He would have no where. No one. Things were going to be alright, because they just had to.

It was a long night prior to the slumbering Uchiha's wake. Groggy and aching, he opened his charcoal tinted eyes. The horrors that flickered and replayed in his brain had him jerk upright as he came to his senses, wincing as he did so.

Beside him, Juugo released a breath he hadn't realized that he'd been holding.

Earnestly, he whispered, "Thank God, Sasuke. I thought you were dead before."

"Juugo?" questioned said man, feeling disoriented. "What-? What happened? Where-where's K-Karin?" The apprehension to his tone as he articulated her name was notable.

"She's with Suigetsu," answered the older boy, motioning for his boss to lay back down. The raven-haired teen grudgingly complied. "What the hell happened to you guys? When we got there . . . you were both unconscious."

As evenly as he could manage, Sasuke responded, "Suna, five of them ambushed us. We dealt with them, but one of them must have called Kankuro. He brought over a dozen more and then they . . ." He took a slow shallow shaky breath, but it didn't help calm his nerves. "Fuck!" His balled hand came down hard on his thigh. The Uchiha clamped his jaw, biting his gums and lip hard enough to produce a flow of blood.

How could he say it? How could he tell Juugo that he watched Karin be assaulted and didn't do a goddamn thing? How does a person admit to something so royally screwed up as that?

"It's alright," soothed Juugo, he'd heard enough to get the picture. "We were just relieved to see that you were still breathing." When Sasuke didn't speak, he continued. "You should get some more rest, Sasuke. You need it."

After a short-lived argument, the Uchiha went back to sleep.

When Karin came to the next day, the Taka were at a loss for a course of action. She was completely unresponsive. Her ruby-colored eyes were open, but unseeing. Her limbs laid motionless, disconnected. It was frightening.

The rape had consumed and traumatized her.

For the next few days, Suigetsu wouldn't leave her side for the world. He slept beside Karin, helped feed her meals, read her stories, and did everything he possibly could, but it wasn't going to be enough. The Taka soon recognized and came to terms with what they had to do.

"We have to take her to a hospital."

It was like someone had finally said 'the jig is up' and everything unraveled. No matter how much they didn't want to face it, it was true. The storybook life they'd fashioned was over and it was time to face reality.

By chance, the redhead had previously mentioned where she'd lived previously with her parents. It took some footwork, but they soon found the cozy-looking one story house. Suigetsu had leaned Karin's body against a support beam on the porch, rang the doorbell, and jumped in the bushes for cover.

The following day Karin was admitted to the Leaf Psychiatric Hospital.

.xXxXxXx.

AN: This was a short chapter, but I think this was the best place to end it. Things are going to get even more dramatic in the next one.

*And Itachi's appearance is drawing very near!

Please feel free to leave me a review or message me!

I love hearing your responses to my work. 3

~RainingSprinklesDownMyThroat.