Hi readers finally updated! It was hard writing this chapter since there was so much feeling, or as much feeling as I'm use to writing. I try not to get into Sasuke's thoughts since he's such complicated character but it'd be weird if I just skipped it. And sorry for the long wait, English isn't my best subject so I need to proofread a lot before uploading. This will probably surprise a few of you who still find a lot of mistakes and typos.

Thanks to KhAeL, Midnight Twins, Aiko Tachibana, psychotic luv, AZUREciel, The Puppet Masters, an Ryuu Clan for reviewing. And thanks to all those who favorited and alerted this story.

Oh! I drew a picture of Aerie. I even made a deviantart account so I can post it up. Check out my profile for the link.

The sound was thunderous.

An unending source of water pelted against his back. Sasuke focused on the feeling of nature gravitating down on him.

He tried not to think about the many evenings when he would simply watch Aerie stuff her face with food.

Sasuke allowed the waterfall to drown out his thoughts. The noise made it nearly impossible for him to hear himself think.

He heard her laughing at him again. Despite the fact that he was there to rescue her sorry-ass, she dared laugh at him when he was mauled by a bear, which was initially set on eating her. It wasn't that the bear was stronger than him; he was just exhausted from his training.

Sasuke took a deep breath; this time for sure he would maintain a clear and peaceful mind.

The water was freezing but it didn't bother him nearly as much as the words spoken by the Hyuuga whom visited months ago.

"It is up to you to decide what holds more value, but do not forget that at the end of the day you are still alone. Without Naruto-."

"I don't need him,"

Sasuke didn't disregarding Neji's preach, he had answered him honestly. He didn't need Naruto. And he wasn't alone.

At least, at the moment, he had thought he wasn't alone.

Sasuke took another deep breath, frustrated at his own incapability to meditate.

"You know I would do anything for you," Aerie told him one night.

Sasuke opened his eyes to see Aerie grinning above him.

"I know there isn't much I can do that you can't already by yourself." Aerie waited to see if Sasuke would interject.

He didn't. Sasuke watched with sleepy eyes. She was wide awake despite the ungodly hour of when she awoke.

"But whatever it is I would still try."

"If this is a new form of 'I love you' that you're trying out; then you can stop because we've already decided on how you can prove it to me."

She felt his fingers grazing the inside of her thigh. "No that is NOT what this is about."

"Hn."

"I had a bad-dream…well, it's not just a dream…I was remembering. And I was thinking about how neither my mom or dad is as great as you."

"Oh" he replied emotionlessly.

"And I realize how it's always going to be just us. We don't have parents, we don't have friends, and if we don't have each other, then we're completely alone in the world." Aerie laid her head over his naked torso, her long legs, tangled in his.

Silently Sasuke agreed with her. His parents were dead, his brother is the monster who killed them, Sasuke had abandoned his friends from Konoha, and even Orochimaru was a questionable ally…scratch that; he knew Orochimaru could not be trusted and is very well aware what the sanin intend to do with him. Aerie was the only one who simply wanted to be with him with no intention of changing him. She didn't seek to posses him; in fact, it was he who wanted ownership of her.

"It feels horrible to feel alone; believing that nobody in the world loves you."

Her voice shook lightly and Sasuke wondered if she was crying. Aerie was hardly ever so sentimental, a blessing when she had less than a great childhood.

He grasped her cheek and turned her to face him.

Aerie watched him with large watery eyes.

He rested his forehead against hers.

"I won't feel alone…as long as you stay with me."

They were wasting his time again.

Sasuke didn't go to that training room just so he can make conversation with some traitor Orochimaru picked up.

And as if to fuel his bad mood, said traitor was an annoying twit that chose to talk about Naruto of all things.

Usually he wouldn't bother going as far as using his sharingan on someone so undeserving, but for some random fellow to come and try to chat him up like they were anything remotely close to being friends was an irritant he wanted nothing more than to silence permanently.

Sasuke was in a foul mood today, much like every other day. Seeing everyone so up and about made him spiteful and he toyed with the idea of introducing them to their maker.

Sasuke entered her room. It was properly set up like her other rooms. There were no items that indicated anyone living there; quite befitting considering the person who resides in it wasn't quite living.

There was the annoying hum from the engine running the machine-

A maddening, continuous beeping from that same device-

The ugly chunk of metal was so unsightly it compels him with a need to smash it into a million pieces.

All in all he hated her life support.

Not because he didn't think she need it, but because she does need it.

Especially since he knew it was partly his fault. And if Aerie was awake, she'd agree. Actually she would say it was completely his fault.

However, considering the state she was in, the least he can do was take the full blame. Not that she'll ever know how he rushed to her aid the moment he felt the presence of an intruder.

Her skin was a pasty white, not a hint of her usual rosy undertone. Aerie was always on the thin side, now she looks as if she only consisted of skin and bones. Her cheeks were sunken and Sasuke can see her bones protrude against her milky flesh.

She was still beautiful, in a haunting, almost creepy beauty.

If only he brought her back to Kabuto first instead of sticking around to fight Neji…

But at that time, her wounds didn't seem all that perilous.

She was expected to wake, but when she didn't come around that day or the day after that, they concluded that she was in a coma.

He went to sit on the same chair that has familiarly became his chair.

Sasuke was silent as he waited.

"My, my, if it isn't Sasuke's little darling," Orochimaru stepped into Aerie's self-proclaimed training ground with Kabuto by his side. "What are you doing out here, alone and defenseless?"

"Fuck off."

"How dare-!"

"It's alright Kabuto." He turned back to the hot-tempered red head, "I see you've taken up Sasuke's rash language."

"What do you want," she bit out harshly.

"A favor."

"I decline." Orochimaru chuckled as if Aerie was an amusing simple-minded child, "Don't be so quick to decide, this might be something you want."

"There isn't anything I want from you. Now go away," Aerie was irritated.

"How would you like to be the mother of Sasuke's children?"

"I'm pretty sure that's not something you should be offering." Aerie did want to be the one who gave birth to Sasuke's kid but she knew she wasn't ready, and she didn't think he had the maturity level to be a parent either. If she did ever want to talk about parenting, Orochimaru would be the last person she wants to discuss it with.

"No, but if you were to ask him, I'm sure he wouldn't say no to you. You've been together for a while and yet you are still not pregnant with his babe, I can only assume it's due to some contraceptive method he's using. If you we're to tell him that you-."

"I'm on the pill, he's not using anything." As if she can ever make Sasuke take five seconds to put on a condom. He isn't at all patient enough. "I'm done with this conversation, buzz off."

Kabuto glared at her.

"You're on birth-control pills…voluntarily." Orochimaru looked incredulous by the notion.

"Is Sasuke aware of this?" Kabuto asked.

This conversation was definitely weird. Aerie wondered why Orochimaru would be hung up over whether she was knocked up or not. "I would hope so considering I manage to stay without a child for so long with no help from him." Aerie cursed herself for continuing to talk. There were many things between Sasuke and herself meant never to be shared with outsiders, especially outsiders neither of them can trust.

"I see."

Aerie mentally thanked the lords that the conversation with the snake-man was finally over. She wondered if this was anything like the birds-and-bees talk parents often have with their kids. Although Orochimaru was unfit to be either a mother or a father.

"You do realize that Sasuke is very interested in reviving his clan." Orochimaru went on.

Aerie let out a very dramatic frustrated sigh.

"It's cruel of you to deny him an heir."

"Well he hasn't bothered me about it so I guess it's not exactly killing him inside."

Kabuto thought back to his other task for the day.

He was currently leading Sai to his room where we would stay until Orochimaru found any other use for the pale boy.

Along with making a data book as Orochimaru instructed, Aerie was due for another shot.

"Excuse me."

The medic nin was pulled from his thoughts. "Hm?"

"I'd like to meet everyone else who's currently in this base."

Kabuto nearly smirk at how well Orochimaru had prepared this. The sanin had been expecting the boy to snoop; perhaps that was why he moved them to a new base where there wasn't anything to be found. "There's no need to," he told the boy. "Currently, Orochimaru's only subordinates here are Sasuke and myself."

"…I see"

"However, there is one other person here. She doesn't work for any of us but she goes wherever Sasuke goes."

Sai hardly react, but even Kabuto can see that his curiosity was peaked.

"I can show her to you. She is Sasuke's… well I suppose you can say she's his ward."

"Sasuke's ward?"

It's hard to imagine Sasuke having anyone to take care of. The person Sai had met was impatient and cold. Both Orochimaru and Kabuto had no control over his behavior.

"It'll be a treat," Kabuto said mischievously.

"How odd, it's been two days and she hasn't even stirred," Kabuto mused, not at all concerned.

"Do something about it."

"I'm afraid there's nothing I can do, Sasuke. If she isn't waking up now than I don't think she's meant to."

Kabuto felt a swish before he felt the cold blade of Sasuke's sword pressed against his throat. The medic panicked at the thought of Sasuke discovering what he did.

"Then get out." Sasuke snarled.

Kabuto let out a mental breath of relief. Quite the opposite, it wasn't that Sasuke knew anything; he was just pissed off at the snooty tone Kabuto was using with him.

The older man took his leave.

Sasuke went over to the sleeping girl.

"Enough with the melodramatics Aerie, get up."

She was still.

"Won't Sasuke mind that we are disturbing his ward?"

Kabuto gave Sai a sly grin, "Trust me, she won't care, and Sasuke should know how important these visits are for her."

Sai said nothing as Kabuto swung the door open. The first thing he noticed in the dark room was an enrage Uchiha glaring at him with eyes more evil then their first encounter.

"You again."

"Uchiha-sama" Sai greeted politely.

Sasuke ignored him and turned to Kabuto, "Why the hell is he here?"

"Calm down Sasuke. I just wanted to give Aerie her medicine before I forget," he explains nervously. Should have known that Sasuke would be here, Kabuto was starting to question his decision of visiting so soon. He could have at least made sure Sasuke had already started his training.

The silver hair medic inched his way in, Sai being not so sensitive step in after him.

Sasuke observed them both like a hawk over his prey.

"Sasuke, I believe you're expected at training room two," Kabuto informed him.

The raven hair faltered for a moment, but quickly recovered. He gave the pair one more heated death-glare before stepping out.

Kabuto sigh in relief as if a cloud of poisonous fume just lifted.

"What does this girl mean to Sasuke?" Sai asked, looking at the unconscious female.

"Her name's Aerie. She's… special to him."

"In what way?"

"I guess you can call them lovers."

That was another surprise fact about the cold hearted Uchiha. Sai wondered if Naruto and Sakura knew about her.

"But I feel even that is a lie."

"A lie?"

"One thing I noticed from watching the two is that they don't love each other for themselves."

"Then what are they in love with?"

Not caring to clarify, Kabuto went on with his duties; the medic took out a syringe with a clear liquid inside. "She's in a coma, for over about a year now. She was quite bothersome when she was well and active. Even now she's still a pain."

Sai wanted to know the truth but he knew he had no right asking Kabuto for more information about Sasuke. "Do you find it troublesome to take care of her?" he decided to participate in the new topic.

"You can say that. She goes wherever Sasuke goes. And I'm usually the one who has to set up the equipment." Kabuto waved his hand indicating the heavy machinery Aerie was hooked to.

He inserted the needle into her vein. Sai watched as Kabuto ejected the liquid into her bloodstream.

"How long can she survive like this?"

"As long as it needs to be."

Sai glance curiously at the furtive medic. His gaze shifted to the empty syringe.

"Something to help her sleep," he answered.

"Sasuke, we need to talk."

The Uchiha boy glared at the pasty white man for summoning him during his meditation. He wasn't all that bothered since he came to hate staying still, but nonetheless he was pissed at being ordered around.

Orochimaru stared sternly at his favorite pupil, his wicked smile swiped cleaned off his face leaving only a solemn frown. "I placed you on a cell of four to complete a mission and you were the only one who managed to survive it. In fact you did so well at surviving that you were completely untouched while the other sound ninjas were brutally maimed. Tell me Sasuke, did you at least try to save them?"

"I gave them the task of surviving and they failed," He stated simply.

It was a difficult mission, but it was not a problem for the talented Uchiha, he dealt with worst. It was because he didn't want any one dragging him down; he told the other three shinobis to watch the camp while he dealt with Orochimaru's enemies. While he was away, the three was ambushed and slaughtered.

Sasuke knew he was capable of keeping his teammates alive, but at that time; they were unimportant to him. They still are.

Orochimaru knew Sasuke didn't do all he could, he knew the boy let his comrades die on purpose and he was surprise to see that he wasn't all that remorseful.

It was what Orochimaru hoped for; he had assumed that the boy wouldn't advance without shedding some blood. But this steel cold Uchiha who thought about nothing but himself carried the air of an unstoppable, raging warrior.

"Those were three of my minions you just done away with. I thought I already told you how understaffed we are?"

Sasuke looked bored with the topic.

"Fine, we'll change the subject. I gather a few girls whom you might be interested in," his tone change to a more pleasant tune. With a wave from Orochimaru's boney hand, Kabuto open the large wooden door and in stepped five girls.

They were all had tall willowy figures and a somewhat light complexion. One thing about all these girls that irked Sasuke was their hair color. They all sported a different shade of red.

The girls batted their eyelashes at him, some going as far as positioning themselves in a provocative pose.

"Sasuke, may I introduce you to Kinomo, May, Karin. Laur-"

"Enough" Sasuke cut off Orochimaru. "Whatever the hell this is, I'm staying out of it."

"Don't leave just yet... I noticed that since your pet is still in her coma you've been a bit…angst-y lately. So why don't we fix that by getting you new playmate? You've met Karin before; she's a well train ninja and a healer to boost, not to mention she's grown into such a fine young lady."

"Not interested," Sasuke practically grind out of his teeth.

"This is a very good opportunity for you, I hope you reconsider."

"Fat chance."

The finality in his voice swept the formalities right off the snake man's face. "Sasuke, have you forgotten the revival of your clan? That was one of your goals wasn't it?"

"So that's what this is about."

"Your little toy is as good as dead; she's completely useless to you in that state. Since she won't bear you an heir there are plenty others who will strike at the chance."

"…"

"Alright then, take your time. But remember, these girls are at your disposal."

Sasuke's training was going remarkably well. It was the only thing he enjoy doing. He had to throw himself in it; else he'd be swept away in his regrets. His focus was top-notch. His awareness to his surrounding ran continuously at work. Never did his mind sway within his emotion. Sasuke will see everything but himself.

The need to fight, the struggle for survival, and the rush of adrenalin; he basked in those thrills.

The training field was the only place he didn't see his own ugliness. He was much too absorb within the fast moving environment to start picking at his own thoughts. It was only until his body collapsed from fatigue did his sentiments caught up to him.

It was hard for him to judge himself. Whenever he took the moment to, he felt sadness, anger, rage, bitterness, depression, guilt, weariness and then he felt somber.

Sasuke laid in silence.

His room felt cold, like every other room he's been in.

But he didn't find it uncomfortable, in fact, he barely noticed it anymore.

Sasuke wondered if he was always so despondent.

He was moving forward, strength wise; he was a lot stronger now. He was closer to killing Itachi, and even closer to defeating Orochimaru. Even if he did feel like he was back to square one, there was no denying that he was a formidable opponent.

When Sasuke first left his home village, he was alone. In the dark, empty room, he sat by himself. It felt like that again. Like moving backwards. Perhaps he was always meant to be this way.

Sasuke was sick of feeling so much; it backfires on him eventually, leaving him with nothing but self-loathing. It was much easier to not care. The only emotion he should feel was hate for his brother. He was foolish to be so moved and involved in a girl when he had so many unfinished businesses to be resolved. Sasuke was in over his head and now he was paying for it. He was more confuse, more bitter, and more alone than ever.

He had to close himself off.

It wasn't fair to Aerie, but it wasn't unfair to him either.

Aerie was trapped within her own mind and there was nothing he can do to save her. He couldn't wait for her forever; he had other things to do. He wasn't prepared to stop in time with her, at least not yet. Sasuke knew he couldn't keep her here with him anymore.

She made him hopeful; he was always expecting her to wake up at any moment. It was easy to say that she was a hopeless case, but believing it was the hard part. He had to be rid of her.

However, Sasuke could not ignore that Aerie wasn't completely gone; every part of her was still there. Her body was still warm and breathing. And the Aerie he knew, despite being dormant, was still listening. Sasuke wonder if she would cry when he stops visiting her. He knew she would which was why he continued to sit beside her even when he has decided to shut her out. He just couldn't stand to leave her to herself.

Like him, Aerie's biggest fear was to be alone, but she wasn't as strong as he was, Aerie would never face her fears, she would never adapt. She couldn't be alone.

But he couldn't be with her.

A few distance away, three leaf shinobis hid behind clump of mountainous rocks.

Their leader, a captain yamato, spoke "We'll conduct the infiltration in single file. I'll go first followed by Sakura, and then Naruto."

The two younger ninjas nodded in response.

"What's our infiltration plan?" Sakura asked, pulling on her gloves. It's been a year since her last meeting with Sasuke. She went off the handle but hopefully she can play it cool this time. She wondered how Aerie was doing, if they were still as intimate as before or maybe they had a falling out.

"We're going in from underground."