Authors Note: Hello readers! Due to a family member passing, I was away for quite some time. However, I am back now. Over the time I spent away I have been working on my writing and improving, so I will be going over this story and revising the first two chapters. Nothing major will be changed but I do feel like I was sticking a little too close to the show when I first started, so I will most likely be adding a different 'Password' for Team 7 to use and trying to make the storyline a bit more original so it's more enjoyable!

The changes I will be making are in no way going to impact the rest of the story, so if you have already read to chapter two there's no reason to read back unless you would like to! To any new readers, I hope you enjoy! The pairing is still up in the air but this story is going to mostly be plot/action first and romance second. I have never had a Beta before but if anyone has any suggestions or tips on how to find someone to Beta for me I would be so thankful!

Be warned, this is an AU, so things will be different! Adding to the fact that I'm basically inventing my own Cursed Seal do not be surprised if Sakura has an affinity for a charka you aren't used to her having! That being said, I by no means want my version of Sakura to be Mary-Sueish. I'm working on keeping her as true to her original self as possible given the circumstances but if anyone notices that I start slipping please remind me nicely.

Constructive criticism is always welcome! Just remember I'm only Human and I do make mistakes.

That's enough of listening to me rant, please enjoy my story!

Title: If I Live

Author: ALightLit (Previously Remy Alvera)

Beta: -

Type: AU

Status: Incomplete - Ongoing.

Rating: T (Rating may change due to maturing characters.)

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Kishimoto!

Pairing: Undecided.

Word Count: 4,584

Intro: It took one minute, one choice, and one girl, to mess all of Orochimaru's plans up. Sakura Haruno managed to beat fear – with love. She moved in front of her crush as a last resort. However, every victory has its price.

R&R

In The Beginning | Every Second Count's

I'm going to die.

Sakura Haruno, to put it gently, was not feeling very confident.

Team 7 wasn't even an hour into the Exam and everything already seemed to be going to hell. First Naruto managed to get himself caught - five minutes in mind you - and they almost lost their scroll, and then they just so happened to run into the worlds biggest fucking spider.

She still cringed when she thought of all of those gleaming eyes following her every move.

Luckily, the three teens managed to get away unscathed for the most part and now they sat in the undergrowth, all huddled much closer than they had ever been before.

"We can't just trust appearances. We have to know if each of us really is who we say we are." Sasuke was saying, after their first run in with another participant it became scarily clear that they couldn't trust on looks alone, it nearly got them killed twice now.

Cute little spider my ass.

The pink-haired ninja sent a scathing glare at Naruto, who still looked rather sheepish about the whole ordeal from earlier. They were just coming to the startling realization that they might be more or less outclassed.

"Alright," Naruto shrugged, rocking back in forth from where he sat in the dirt. "So what do you suppose we do, Oh Wise One?"

"We need a password, one that we only know – the three of us." Sasuke stared intently at the mossy ground, a frown marring his sharp features. Sakura mirrored his frown, while Inner was squealing about how cute Sasuke-kun was even in dire situations, she was not quite sure if they should be wasting time with passwords and such when they could be searching for a scroll.

Then again, when was Sasuke-kun wrong?

"When does a Ninja strike?" She asked tentatively, Sasuke nodded.

"Uh, what's that?" Naruto looked like a lost puppy, Sakura rolled her eyes.

"It was in one the first lessons Iruka-Sensei went over with us at the Academy." Sakura explained shortly. She wasn't quite sure if it was a good idea to use something so universally known as a password, but she wasn't really going to tell Sasuke-kun otherwise.

"Right," Naruto looked rather lost.

"That'll be the question," Sasuke looked at both of them. "The answer is; A Ninja waits until the time is right, when the enemy sleeps and drops his guard, when his weapons lie forgotten in the stillness of the night. That is the moment for a Ninja to strike."

Sakura nodded in understanding. Naruto looked more confused than ever.

"Do you maybe, have anything shorter than that?" Sasuke turned to glare at their teammate.

"No, Dobe!" The Uchiha hissed.

"Alright, alright! I just thought it was gonna be a password, not a pass speech." Naruto looked away glumly while mumbling about Sasuke being a Teme.

They all settled back for a second, clearly content to have a moment to relax when Sakura realized how...oddly quiet the forest had suddenly become.

Just when the female on the team was about to voice her concern, a kunai swept through the air – slicing open Naruto's right cheek in the process.

"What the hell was that?!" The blonde gasped, jumping up.

"Move!" Sasuke screamed as a monstrous burst of wind flew at Team 7, tearing up the ground and trees alike before sending them all flying in different directions.

Sakura yelped as she was sent hurtling into a nearby tree. She slammed into the tree so hard she felt something pop, and then she was falling down to meet the hard ground.

Stars and black spots alike marred her usually perfect vision for what felt like ages. Sakura lay very still as her back throbbed painfully. She squeezed her eyes shut and didn't open them until she felt more steady.

A pale face was hovering above her own.

With a startled scream Sakura shoved herself backward from Sasuke, knocking the teen down in the process. He threw her an indignant look.

"Sakura?" He breathed out a sigh of relief despite his clear annoyance at being pushed away. The girl in question slowly stood up on shaky legs.

"Sasuke-kun, thank goodness, where's Naruto?" She moved to take a step towards him, but the Uchiha slipped into a fighting stance.

"First give me the password, Sakura." She saw his fingers twitch to where his weapons pouch lay and the answer bubbled past her lips instantly.

Sasuke's stance relaxed and he stepped a little closer to her. "Are you alright?" He asked. Sakura shrugged weakly.

"As good as I can be after trying to fly." The sarcasm that dripped from her voice made the usually stoic boy twitch.

"Hey, guys!" Naruto came running up behind them, grinning and waving as he went.

"Naruto, stop! First give us the password." Sakura pulled out a kunai and backed up a step so she was closer to Sasuke.

"Oh! Of course, A Ninja waits until the time is right, when the enemy sleeps and drops his guard, when his weapons lay forgotten in the stillness of the night. That is the moment for a Ninja to strike!" Naruto finished with a hundred watt smile.

Something doesn't seem right! Cha! There's no way that idiot could remember!

Sakura glanced at Sasuke, who nodded. As one they both threw their kunai towards Naruto, who rolled out of the way rather gracefully.

"What the hell?!" He yelled.

"I'll admit it; you're faster than the last one!" Sasuke sneered as he took a step forward, placing himself in front of Sakura.

"What are you guys talking about!?" The Naruto-Wanna-Be screamed.

Sakura stepped forward, standing beside Sasuke. She wanted him to see her as an equal, no matter how happy she was that he wanted to protect her.

"Naruto wouldn't have ever gotten that all right, that's why we made the password." Sakura grinned at the enemy.

"We knew you were listening." Sasuke finished for her – sporting his own little smirk.

There was a puff of smoke, and where Naruto once stood, was now a woman. An ugly woman at that.

"Aren't we the clever ones," She leered at the pair, and the rosette found herself taking a step back. "This should be interesting, when it's all over, only one of us will be alive." The lady grinned at them both, and then, the world turned red.

Is this genjutsu?!

Flashes presented themselves to Sakura and Sasuke – images of them both broken and bloody; of them both dead.

Sakura screamed as she fell to her knees, shaking and gasping for air as she went. It all seemed so real, the pain, the blood, the fear, it all felt so real she was certain she was going to puke.

"S-Sakura?" Someone was speaking to her in the distance, so far off that the girl was almost certain it wasn't real. The rosette didn't answer; her whole body shook as tears streamed down her face. The woman let out a cruel laugh.

"You're both paralyzed with fear," She clicked her tongue. "This was disappointing." She sighed, pulling out two kunai.

No, I have to…move…I have to…do something…anything…come on, Sasuke! He let out a roar as he pulled out his own kunai, and shoved it deep into his own thigh as the woman threw her weapons at both of them.

When Sakura actually snapped out of the genjutsu's after effects, she was on a tree branch, with Sasuke in front of her, panting, and bleeding. When did Sasuke-kun get hurt? She leaned forward, opening and closing her mouth like a gapping fish.

"Sasuke-kun, w-what happened?" The dark haired boy didn't answer his pink haired comrade; instead he looked around crazily, his hands twitching.

"Sasuke-" His hand clapped over her mouth painfully. Sakura's eyes widened.

I've never seen Sasuke-kun so scared before, was it because of the genjutsu? What did he see? What can I do…where's Naruto? She swallowed hard as a shadow fell over them.

Turning her head slowly, Sakura caught sight of the biggest snake she had ever seen in her life. It was rearing back, ready to strike.

"Hmph!" She tried to pull his hand from her mouth, but he wouldn't budge. Sakura jerked her head back, and cried out desperately.

"Snake!" Sasuke turned in time to see the giant head flying down towards them. Quickly, he grabbed Sakura by her wrist, and jerked them both up into the air with chakra laced through his feet for an extra push.

I didn't notice it. Sasuke's free hand balled into a fist. I'm losing it; I've got to get a grip!

The snake wound around a tree branch, and lunged at them. For a moment, Sakura could have sworn it looked like that woman and with that thought in mind, she let Sasuke pull her around.

"NO!" Sasuke twisted in the air, using his free hand to gather four shuriken and throw them towards the monsters eyes, momentarily blinding it so he could escape with Sakura a good four branches away.

To his surprise though, the snake fell dead. Sasuke was gasping for breath as he pulled Sakura closer to him, ready for another fast escape with her if needed.

Sakura was shaking; she had never been this scared before, not even when they faced Zabuza. She honestly wasn't sure if they would make it away from this crazy woman, and it didn't help that Naruto was missing.

Sakura screamed as the woman sprouted from the Snakes corpse.

"I sense your fear and desperation," The woman grinned, showing unnaturally sharp teeth. "It's only natural; the prey must never let down its guard, in the presence of its predator." The laugh that followed made Sakura shiver in fear.

This woman had to be insane, how could they let people like this in the Exams? She was a killer. She was trying to kill them! Sasuke had released Sakura and started to edge back, further away from the psycho.

"Perhaps I'll start out with your pretty little friend, eh?" She laughed again.

The woman suddenly shot forward, her own body winding around the tree branch like a snake would. Sakura screamed again as her hand snaked (no pun intended) around the rosettes ankle, jerking her forward – away from the stunned Uchiha – as the womans freakish tongue slithered out to wrap around the smaller girls wrist.

"S-Sasuke-Kun, help me!" She cried out, twisting in the woman's grip as she was pulled closer. Sakura could feel tears' burning the corners of her eyes as she realized her crush wasn't even moving, he was just staring on in fear.

Sasuke!

Hopelessness was closing in on her like a dark cloud and she could see the same in the Uchiha's eyes. When prey cannot beat the predator it flees. Doubt flickered in dark eyes and the boy edged backwards once more.

Sakura opened her mouth the scream again at the stupid boy when suddenly four kunai were embedded into the branch that was separating the woman from Sakura. The dark haired female maneuvered easily away from the weapon's though, and all eyes were directed up, towards the blue eyed, blonde haired Ninja, who stood on a branch above all of them.

"Naruto!" Sakura was practically sobbing in relief.

"Let her go!" The blond snarled, pulling out another kunai and getting into a fighting stance. Rage made his normally sky blue eyes look like rolling storm clouds.

Sasuke shook his head.

"What are you doing Dobe? Get out of here while you can!" Sasuke was yelling desperately. Naruto stared at his teammate like he was insane.

"Teme, your just gonna let that – that thing grab Sakura-Chan like that?!" Naruto practically growled at him. "Why are you acting like such a coward?"

Sasuke growled back in response. "Just let me handle it!" The Uchiha turned towards the snake woman, resolve setting his features with a grim kind of determination. "You can have it, just let her go." Sasuke reached back, and pulled out their Heaven Scroll, ignoring Naruto's protests.

The woman chuckled as her tongue slithered up Sakura's body ever so slowly, until it reached her cheek and began to creases it in what would have been a soothing manner, if it wasn't completely disgusting and creepy.

Sakura let out a whimper.

Naruto snarled.

Sasuke paled.

"Very sensible and wise," The woman began. Sakura wondered how she could talk with her tongue growing teen feet out of her mouth. "Sometimes, to save their own skin, the prey must sacrifice something even more important to distract the predator." She chuckled as Sasuke threw the scroll towards her.

Naruto caught it mid throw.

"Stop playing the damn hero Nar-" The blonde's fist stopped the Uchiha from speaking.

"Liar," Naruto sneered, azure eyes flickering red. "You may look like him, and sound like him, but you're not the Sasuke I know, you've never been like this, you've turned into a coward, you've never choked like this! Snap out of it, Sasuke!" He finished, gasping for air.

The snake woman suddenly pulled Sakura right up against her, the tongue retracting with a strange slurp sound.

"Kukuku, sad, but true," She laughed as Sakura wiggled around helplessly. "It doesn't matter; as far as the scroll goes I could just kill you and take it." She stood with one arm around Sakura's waist - effectively keeping the young girl in place - the woman nudged her thumb into Sakura's mouth.

The girl flinched as the woman spoke softly into her ear. "Bite."

Viciously Sakura locked her teeth onto the woman thumb - hard enough to draw blood, she noticed with a touch of satisfaction. The woman shuddered against Sakura as she withdrew her digit from the girls mouth smearing blood on her pale lips, and ran it down the middle of her tattooed arm.

"Sasuke-Kun! Naruto! Help!" Sakura cried, actual tears sliding down her cheeks. Taking twenty baths after this exam was on Sakura's to-do-list for sure.

Wait…I'm a girl. I have…she doesn't…oh.

It's a dude. We're being molested.

Kami help me.

"S-she's a he!" She squeaked – but her team1mates didn't hear her, though the woman-man-thing did. It chuckled and nipped at her ear. She screamed again.

"Sakura!" Naruto hollered as a giant puff of smoke blinded him for a moment. The next thing he knew he was staring at a giant snake. Sakura was being held behind the woman, seemingly tied up by one long but small snake that was twisting around her body and cutting off her air supply.

"Let her go!" The blonde yelled again, charging the woman once more with his weapon raised. The snake batted him away like he was nothing more than a stick.

"Naruto," Sasuke stared with wide eyes as he friend slammed into a branch, and fell limp. Sakura was gasping for air, her face turning red.

"D-do…some…s-something…Sas…uke…" She choked the words out desperately, tears streaming down her face.

Sasuke looked between his two closest friends, and suddenly, his fear was gone.

I need to protect them. I can't let them get hurt because I was too…weak. The words his brother would say echoed in his mind, and with that resolve Sasuke charged without another thought, throwing more kunai towards the snake. The large serpent was too big to move out of the way, and soon it joined it's brethren on the tree – dead and bleeding.

Sasuke caught Sakura before she slipped off of the snakes large head. Carefully, he cut her free of the other snake and pulled her back to safety, before turning back towards the woman.

"I won't let you hurt my friends." The Uchiha snarled, rage darkening his pale features as his eyes bled into red, before attacking.

Sakura wheezed and gulped down the air around her greedily as she watched the ongoing battle. She felt beat up and violated, but she couldn't leave Sasuke-Kun alone to face that…thing. They hadn't abandoned her, she couldn't abandon them.

Shakily she stood, and jumped into the battle.

The enemy swung towards Sasuke so fast that his limbs moved in a blur just as Sakura landed behind her Teammate, she grabbed his shirt and yanked him out of the way. Sasuke sent a thankful look towards the pink haired girl before rolling out of the way to avoid a kunai.

"You've become rather troublesome," The man whispered, appearing behind the girl while one hand gathering Sakura's hair up and the other wrapped around her neck.

"Sakura," Sasuke took a step forward, but the man-thing, squeezed her neck tighter – cutting off her air ways again.

This is a passing trend I don't quite agree with.

"Kukuku, Sakura, how fitting." The man pulled her head back further, exposing her neck.

Is he going to kill me?

She felt her knees go out at the thought, her breath coming in gasps. His hand fell away from her throat, and Sakura started to cough and sputter, the man was too caught up in enjoying Sasuke's reactions to notice when she pulled out a kunai.

Have to get away. Have to help Sasuke, I have too…

"Sakura, what are you doing…" Sasuke's eyes widened as she swept the sharp weapon back, slicing through her hair like it was nothing. The man gaped at the girl, and was too surprised to notice when she shifted slightly, and stabbed the kunai down into his foot.

He let out an enraged roar, and kicked the girl away towards an awaiting Uchiha's arms. Carefully, he moved Sakura behind him, and moved forward, making hand seals the enemy swept down to pull the kunai from his foot.

"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu!" Sasuke roared as fire shot from his mouth, hitting the man in his moment of weakness and making him fly backwards into the tree.

The man screamed in agony as his face seemed to melt until the flames died down, and all was silent.

Sasuke stumbled and fell to his knees, but Sakura was beside him in a second.

"You did you, Sasuke-kun!" She smiled at him, and he managed a shaky half smile back as he leaned on his teammate.

"Paralysis Jutsu!" Sakura gasped as she fell to her knees, and Sasuke let out a scream of fustration.

"Not possible!" He cried, trying to stand up straight.

"Such skill at such a young age," The man's voice turned deeper, and it almost looked like his face was falling off. "You are a true Uchiha." He chuckled.

Sakura felt like there were weights being pressed down onto her. She gasped for breath as her arms shook, fighting to keep her up and not pressed against the tree.

"You'll do nicely, you're definitely his brother." Sasuke let out another yell.

What do I do? He's going to hurt Sasuke-kun, what do I do!

You've got to move!

"Who are you?" She cried out.

"What do you want!?" Sasuke echoed.

He laughed. "My name is Orochimaru, but as too what I want, that will have to wait until we meet again, and that won't happen until you finish this test with the best score of all." He held up their Heaven scroll that he had gotten from Naruto at some point in the battle, and set fire to it.

"No!" Sakura cried out, pushing herself up higher. "I don't know what you want, but you can just beat it! If we never meet again it'll be too soon!" The girl snarled, showing more violence than what Sasuke was used too, and he glanced down at his teammate in surprise.

The man laughed. "Oh but we will," Suddenly, his neck expanded, and his head was shooting right towards Sasuke.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion. Sakura could taste copper in her mouth as something swelled in her chest.

No! What are you doing! MOVE YOUR DAMN LEGS!

All at once, the weights were gone, and she jumped forward, pushing Sasuke out of the way. Breath fanned over her neck, and then, she felt teeth sinking into her skin.

"Sakura!" Sasuke tried to move forward to help her, but he couldn't, the Jutsu still had a hold on him and he was now sprawled on his side, staring up in horror at the scene before him.

Pain exploded in her neck, traveling down her shoulders and through her body as the man pulled away, his face twisting in rage. As soon as his head was back on his body – the way it should be – he jumped forward, catching Sakura before she crumbled to the ground.

"Foolish girl!" Orochimaru seethed, grabbing her chin and twisting it to the side so he could get a better look at the now forming Curse Mark. The pink haired brat had got in the way, she had ruined his only chance to take the damn Uchiha.

Sakura let out a scream of pure and utter agony as her body convulsed.

Sasuke cried out for him to get away from her, but for once, he was ignored by the Sannin who turned Sakura so she could look at him.

"You are going to die," He snarled, his nails digging into the girls quickly paling skin. She reared back in her pain, breaking from his hold and snapping her teeth harshly onto the mans fingers. Warm blood slipped into her mouth and down her throat, making the girl choke as he hissed in pain. Though something akin to interest flickered in his golden eyes.

"If you do not…I will be back to collect you." He chuckled, before letting her fall to the ground, where the pink haired girl withered.

"What did you do to her!?" Sasuke yelled. Orochimaru turned towards the Genin with a frown. He didn't have enough chakra to put a Curse Mark on the boy now, and if he did it was unlikely that either of them would live, it would have to be another time.

"A gift that was meant for you, however, if she lives…" He smirked at the boy as he slowly sunk into the earth, leaving Team 7 with chilling parting words.

"I will be back." Then he was gone.

Sasuke could move again, and he rushed to Sakura's side as she let out another scream. He grabbed her hand, letting her cling to him as she cried.

"Sakura, Sakura you'll be okay! Kami, what did he do to you…" Sasuke pulled her closer showing true concern for his friend as he tried to comfort her.

One more pain filled scream, and then Sakura's world went dark.

"Sakura?! Sakura, wake up! Open your eyes!" He looked over desperately at Naruto, who hadn't moved from his fall at all.

Sasuke was alone, and he didn't know what to do.

Things you might want to know:

How did I get this idea? I've read a lot of fanfictions in my day, but so very few touch base on the possibility of this. The fact that something like this could have happened is so startlingly amazing I couldn't really pass it up. Some of you may not believe that Sakura could live through something like this, but I believe it all has to do with motivation.

If you have the will to survive, and if you don't fight the Curse Mark, I'm pretty sure you can live through the process.

/ / /

What pairing will this be? Right now all of the choices are up in the air. I've had a lot of requests for this to be a Sasuke/Sakura story or a Orochimaru/Sakura story. There are a lot of options but this story will be focusing on the plot/character development more so than romance. I am always willing to hear out suggestions or idea's though, so don't hold out on asking!

/ / /

Thank you to everyone who has reviewed this story and followed it so far and once again I apologize for the gap in time of posting! Please continue to leave reviews! At the end of each chapter I will be asking small questions (i.e. What is your favorite anime? Favorite Jutsu? Favorite Clan? etc.) and I would love for some feedback! It's amazing to get to know the people who are reading my story and to maybe even get some ideas from the readers!