TWIST OF FATE

AN:

Sorry guys. The /// which is supposed to signify the flashback on the previous chapter was missing – formatting messed it up. --;

Disclaimer: Characters from Kishimoto. Inspiration from Judith McNaught.

Chapter 3: Out of the frying pan and into the fire.

"Just where are you Sakura?" she smacked her forehead on the cool glass panel of the elevator. A soft 'ding' emanated from somewhere, a sound that signaled Hinata that the elevator already reached the ground floor. Mustering all her strength, she smoothed her cap and exhaled, and stepped out of the elevator to meet Sakura's fiancé and her impending doom.

Something vibrated inside his coat pocket that effectively pulled him from his thoughts. He took the phone absentmindedly, not bothering to flick a glance at the caller ID.

"Sasuke." Karin trilled the moment he flipped the phone open and grunted.

His lips issued an automatic reply. "Not now, Karin. I'm tired."

He heard a muttering of expletives and a clashing sound of what he assumed to be a hardbound book coming in contact with a wall. "You're always making up excuses."

Not in the mood for a verbal brawl, Sasuke replied in a bored tone. "Cut to the chase will you? What do you want?"

"You're avoiding me, lover boy. What's the matter?"

You're fucking ruining our setup, and you're fucking stepping out of the line, that's what!

"Stop being delusional Karin. I'm not avoiding you. I'm just busy."

Karin snorted on the other line. "Right, Sasuke. That explains your flight behavior kicking into overdrive at the mere mention of my name, whenever I appear in the same room, during meetings –" she huffed and continued. "Honestly darling, are you going to file a restraining order on me now? Or was it just a 'mere coincidence', as you often put it?"

"Look, I-"

Karin cut him off rudely before he could continue. "Come over here and see the sarcasm in my eyes. What the fuck is wrong with you, Sasuke?"

He itched to click the end-call button.

"You're doing a great job pissing me off, Karin." Sasuke snapped, having just about enough. "If you don't mind me ending this call prematurely, continue harping. Be my guest."

The effect was instant. Karin didn't say anything though her frequent sighs were audible.

"Look, I'm sorry. We can talk, but not today." He regretted shouting at her but he doesn't have the time to listen to Karin's whining.

Karin didn't even dignify his apology with an answer. He heard a small 'click', conveying that his caller, obviously upset, had already dropped the line.

Why that b-!

Sasuke swore under his breath and glared at the girl sitting across him who was boldly batting her fake eyelashes. With angry strides, he crossed the distance between the couch and the concierge's desk like a bull.

"If ever 'princess' Sakura would be so kind to step down from her pedestal and grace me with her presence, tell her I'll be outside." Sasuke growled at the poor man cowering on his seat.

Just as Sasuke left, Hinata quietly appeared from the corner and walked towards the reception desk. Schooling her features to a calm and collected demeanor, he greeted a visibly shaking concierge, a far cry from the haughty man behind the imposing desk that ordered bellhops and chambermaids with such ferocity he reminded Hinata of Roman Emperors.

She cleared her throat to call his attention. "M-my name is H-Hinata Hyuuga, Sakura Haruno's a-assistant-"

"Thank God you're here! I was just about to ring you again. He's outside." He waved an imperious hand at a passing bellhop, who immediately walked over. "You may follow him, Miss Hyuuga. Also, please send my greetings to Miss Haruno."

Unsure how to respond, Hinata just nodded and followed the bellhop who was already ushering her towards the staircase that leads to the hotel grounds.

Trailing after the bellhop in fogged consciousness, she was silently praying to Kami, to her guardian angel, to anyone up there who would care to listen, for a divine intervention, a distraction, or even a miracle to happen.

I hope he understands. I hope he won't send me to jail. I hope he'd not tell Mr. Haruno that Sakura's missing! I hope he'd help me find her!

She was distracted from her musings when the bellhop stopped and opened the door for her. She murmured her thanks and trod outside.

She had a preconceived notion that the man he is about to meet is a thin, pale, over bred pompous male, having been exposed to a couple of Sakura's 'fanboys' back in Kumo. She'd have enough practice dealing with those types, and the thought lifted her mood a little.

The bellhop cleared his throat to get her attention, and then pointed towards the direction of the tower. She bowed her head in gratitude and willed her feet to walk.

One by one, she passed the trees and the shrubbery that obscured her view of him.

And then she saw a tall, pale man standing stiffly, looking at something - she knew in an instant that it was HIM. Despite the fact that he was wearing an impeccably tailored suit and his eyes were protected by shades which undoubtedly cost astronomical, there wasn't a gleaming necklace, golden seal or massive rocks in sight, (She pictured Naruto to be showcasing all these things just to impress Sakura, like all her 'devotees' back in Kumo are so fond of doing) everything about him still set him apart and stamped him indelibly as 'privileged'.

She quickened the pace, the soft grass muffling her tentative steps.

So, that's what he's looking at. Hinata thought as her eyes wandered towards the huge gemstone that was crafted into a leaf, currently suspended halfway down the tower and supported by thick rope attached to a pulley. She remembered Sakura admiring it yesterday…

Sakura.

She felt a lump in her throat, but quickly berated herself. This is not a good time to cry.

Hinata was five steps away from the brooding figure when he slowly turned around. She literally shivered under his gaze and considered retreating – what was playing behind those dark glasses, she wasn't sure. But she doesn't need a genius to tell that he was not pleased.

Unruly raven hair framed his face, his bangs falling artlessly on his smooth cheeks. His square jaw was set with a cool purpose, and confidence was emanating from every inch of his broad-shouldered frame, right down to the tips of his shiny leather shoes. He was already frowning when he was watching her approach, and Hinata's fear promptly escalated to panic.

She was secretly counting on her own ability to calm and cajole the affronted fiancé into seeing reason, but the man whose dark brows were drawn together in a scowl of grim displeasure looked about as malleable as granite.

Hinata bit her lip to prevent it from trembling. He was probably wondering where the hell his fiancée is, and why me, Hinata Hyuuga, not Sakura Haruno, is standing here before him?

He folded his arms on his chest. And yes, he's clearly annoyed. Hinata mentally added.

Sasuke wasn't annoyed, he was stunned. He'd expected Sakura Haruno to be a giddy, 20 or 21-year old with bouncing curls and rosy cheeks, decked out in lace, ruffles and trendy clothes.

Standing before him, was a composed, pale young woman with high cheekbones and glassy, extraordinarily large, light eyes that were set off gracefully by russet brows and a luminous fringe of long lashes. He couldn't figure out if her hair was black, with a tint of indigo or indigo with a tint of black, as it was pulled back into a bun and concealed by a tattered hat. Instead of ruffles, she was wearing jeans and a sensible, yet unattractive, white button down and his first thought as he held out his hand to shake hers was that Naruto Uzumaki must have been either mad or blind to describe her as "pretty little thing, comparable to Aphrodite even,".

Sasuke can read expressions, and he can read them well. Despite her outward composure, she looked completely tense, frightened, as if she already sensed that something was terribly wrong. And so, Sasuke changed his mind in sugarcoating everything and decided that the best course for both of them is the direct one.

"Haruno-san," he said after quickly introducing himself – he wasn't sure if she caught his name for she was momentarily distracted by that damn leaf that is now swinging dangerously halfway down the tower. They should pull that up now; the thick rope looked flimsy and might not be able to handle the heavy sculpture much longer.

"Uzumaki-san, ano… I'm so-" Hinata began, keeping her voice as calm as possible even though her insides were clammy.

Uzumaki? Sasuke was peeved, but pushed it away. Now is not the time to get ticked off over something so trivial such as this.

"Haruno-san." His voice was steely, conveying a strong message that she should shut up and listen. "I'm afraid there's been an accident." Guilt tore him as he added tightly, "Naruto Uzumaki got into an accident and is now in a coma."

For a moment, she simply stared at him in shocked incomprehension. "Kami, in a coma? He isn't here? What are you?"

Sasuke's eyes twitched. And I certainly do not appreciate to be called a what.

But then, weighing the gravity of the situation, he decided to push it away again. His gaze went back to observing the affronted fiancée. He had expected her to dissolve into tears at the very least. He had not expected her to withdraw her cold hand from his and say in a dazed voice, "How…sad."

She turned her white eyes on him. "Excuse me, but I will need to find Sakura first. Ano, would it be okay if we talk later? This is urgent." She turned and took several steps away from him, towards the direction of the tower.

Sakura? That's her. Why does she need to find 'herself?' Sasuke fought the urge to laugh at the absurdity of it all. Naruto and Sakura fit perfectly together. (No offense, Naruto and Sakura fans!)

His job is done, and he doesn't have any intention of talking to her later, or whenever. As a last minute decision, he called out to her, just to give the name of the hospital and Naruto's room number.

"Haruno-san-!" he called, but his voice drowned out by an alarmed shout from above the tower, as one of the ropes attached to a winch that supported the leaf sculpture snapped:

"STEP ASIDE! LOOK OUT!"

Sasuke saw the danger and lunged for her, but he wasn't in time. The rest of the ropes plucked itself from the winch, which sent the sculpture to forcefully swing wide, striking her in the back of the head and sending her flying onto the ground on her face. Already shouting to the hotel staff and several workers up the tower who witnessed the scene, gaping in shock, Sasuke crouched down and turn her over in his arms. Freed from the confines of her tattered hat and hair tie, her long indigo hair splayed across her face. Her head fell back limply and blood began to run from the huge lump at the back of her scalp.

"How is our patient today?" Dr. Kabuto Yakushi asked as the maid ushered him into Sasuke's study. Despite Dr. Yakushi's brisk tone, he felt as pessimistic about her chances of recovery as Sasuke, who was sitting in a chair by the fireplace, his elbows propped on his knees, face confined in his hands.

"No change." Sasuke said, rubbing his hands over his face before he looked up. "She's still as death. The nurse I hired for her are under orders to keep talking to her as you suggested. I even tried a few minutes ago, but she didn't respond. Hell, it's been a week!" He exclaimed as frustration edged his voice. "Can't you do something?"

Kabuto resisted the urge to tell Sasuke to get some rest, because he knew it would be futile. Instead, he said:

"She's in God's hands, not mine. However, I'll go up and look in on her. If you'll excuse me…"

"Damned lot of good that's going to do." Sasuke fired at his retreating back.

Ignoring his sarcastic outburst, Kabuto walked up the stairs and turned right at the top. When he returned to the study several minutes later, he found Sasuke sitting as he had been before, but Kabuto's expression had brightened considerably.

"Evidently," he said briskly, "my visit did some good. Or perhaps she simply liked my voice better than you or the nurse."

Sasuke's head jerked up. "She's conscious?"

Kabuto nodded in reply. "She's resting now, but she came around and was even able to speak a few words to me. Yesterday I doubted her chances, but now I think she may pull through."

Now that he announced all that he has to say on the subject, Kabuto looked at the deeply etched lines of fatigue and strain on Sasuke's face.

"Get some rest Sasuke. You look like the very devil." he said with the blunt familiarity of a longtime friend. "I was going to suggest that we go up and check on her but the sight of you might frighten her into relapse if you don't have some sleep and a shave first."

"Ha-ha. Very funny." He mock-laughed, but was relieved that Uzumaki's fiancée is already awake. All that's left to do is to talk to her, have his chauffeur take her to the hospital where Naruto is confined and everything will be back to normal.

"I don't need any sleep," Sasuke added. He walked over to his desk to pick up the brandy bottle. He pulled out the stopper and poured the brandy into two glasses – he held one out to his friend. Slightly lifting his own glass in a gesture of a toast, he said, "To your skill bringing about her recovery."

"It wasn't my skill; it was more like a miracle." Kabuto said, hesitating to drink the toast.

Sasuke shrugged. "To miraculous recoveries then." He raised his glass to his lips, but stopped when he saw Kabuto shake his head.

"I didn't say she recovered, Sasuke. I said she's conscious and was able to speak."

Sasuke caught the hesitation in his voice. His piercing onyx eyes narrowed sharply on Kabuto's face, demanding an explanation.

With a reluctant sigh, the doctor surrendered to the demand. "I was hoping to tell you this after you'd had some rest, but the fact is that even if she pulls through physically, there's still a problem. A complication. Of course, it may be very temporary. Then again, it might not."

"Stop talking in riddles, what the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"She has no memory, Sasuke."

"She what?" he demanded, gripping the glass tightly.

"She doesn't remember anything that took place before she opened her eyes in her room upstairs. She doesn't know who she is, or why she's in Konoha. She couldn't even tell me her own name."

Kabuto's revelation was enough to send Sasuke to a self-induced comatose.

Cliffhanger. Dundundun!

Hinata's prayers were answered, but the outcome was catastrophic. Damn you fate! shakes fist at Mr. Fate XD

As you can see, Hinata mistakes Sasuke for 'Naruto', and Sasuke mistakes Hinata for 'Sakura'. This is starting to get complicated! What will happen next? XD

Watch out for the next chapter! Show me some love people! Drop a review! Hehehe! Seriously though, I would like to hear more what you guys think about the story. ) Are my descriptions very long-winding? Dialogues lame? Please let me know.

Chapter dedicated to the following:

Angeloflight120

Dragonstar-dreamer

kenshinlover2002 – She's suffering from amnesia. Why is she not in the hospital like Naruto? Will be discussed in the next chapter. Thanks for reading! )

Bitter-Blood-Sacrifice – Thanks for reading!

inconstant heart

deception-M – Yep, she's Sakura's assistant, more like the governess/chaperone-type. Thanks for reading! )

DarkSmile

Melodramatic Writer – I'm not familiar with the movie, but I'll go look it up. Thanks for reading! )

luvmobako1 – There ya go! ) thanks for reading!