Disclaimer: In the Land of Snow, Team 7 is assigned to protect Princess Koyuki, the rightful heir to Sosetsu(enter last name here). But what happens when one of there team mates is captured, instead of Koyuki? Can they save her, before Donte(or watever it was) gets his hands on the crystal? Read, and find out.

Land of Snow: Sakura's Secret

Chapter one: I Took It

Sakura POV

I sat in my chair, remembering what Kakashi had done. He had taken the Hex Jewel, and I had tricked him. He replaced a fake...with a fake. I had the real Hex Jewel, and no one knew. Hidden around my neck and beneath my shirt, it lay untouched. Wincing, I grabbed my stomach where a giant purple-ish black bruise forms, the pain immense. Sasuke looked at me, noticing my hand over my stomach he looked back at me.

"Sakura, you really should get that healed." Everyone looked towards me.

"N-no I'm really OK." I took my hand away from my stomach and looked outside, feeling everyone's gazes on me. Including Princess Koyuki's. Standing, I grabbed my pack and went to my bunk room, irritated. Sasuke was so...ugh just irritating lately. But, then agian, I like him! Sighing, I zipped my shirt down and stared at it. It was no bruise, I'd been coughing up blood and I began to wonder if I'd broken something. A knock on my door brought me back to reality. Walking over, forgetting about my shirt, I opened it.

"Hey, Saku-" He looked down, and I followed his eyes to see my bruise in plain view. His eyes showed anger. "Sakura that thing isn't going to heal itself and-" He saw the Hex Jewel dangle around my neck. "Sakura...did you..?"

I quickly made up a lie, "No, I didn't. Kakashi-sensai gave me a fake to fool the Snow nin, he has the real one, but you can't tell anyone." He nodded. Good. He fell for it.

"Sakura, zip up your shirt, please." He coughed silently, seeing someone down the hall. Blushing, I did so and winced when the zipper touched my bruise. He grabbed my hand I swear my face couldn't get any redder. "Follow me, your getting that bruise healed. Kakashi-sensai will-NO!" I ripped my hand out of his grasp. He stared at me. "Sakura, if you don't get that bruise healed, it could-" I coughed again, and blood splurted out onto my hand. He stared in fear, and my vision began to blurr. Maybe he was right.

"S...Sasuke.." I managed to whisper before falling onto the hard floor, paralized with pain. Sasuke was yelling my name, but I couldn't hear him. It was like I had gone deaf. Then, others came, and Kakashi-sensai was among them. My vision cleared just enough to see him look at me in anger. I feared he figured out I had the Hex Jewel, but then saw fear. He must've just been angry at me for not telling him about my bruise.

"She's just paralized for the moment, probably from her bruise." Sasuke looked at me, and all I could do was stare back with tears forming in my eyes.

"Stand back, Sasuke." Kakashi zipped my shirt down, and I thanked Kami when the jewel slipped down behind my neck. He did some hand-signs and green chakra began to flow out of his hands. I felt the warm sensation of the chakra flowing into me and healing my wound, that I closed my eyes and smiled. It was like being in a grove of Sakura trees, dancing in the warm sun. Then, as soon as it came, it was gone, replaced with the coldness creeping over my skin.

"Put her in her room, she needs to sleep." Sasuke nodded, and lifted me into his arms, then carried me back into my room. Now, on a day I wasn't paralized with pain, I would've been leaping with joy. But, then again, if you were in a state like this, it wouldn't be 'joyful' at all. He sat me down on my bed and then helped me underneath my covers.

"Sakura. Why do you do this to yourself." It was no question, but a command.

"Because I...I.." He leaned closer to hear better. "I want to be strong...like you and...and Naruto..." I closed my eyes, and fell into a light sleep.

Sasuke POV

That just kept repeating into my head: I want to be strong...like you and...and Naruto...

A soft knock on the door brought me out of my thoughts. Standing, the words kept repeating and repeating. So that's why she's been a little late every morning they were training. She had been trying to at least become as strong or stronger than us. Trying so hard.

"She's trying too hard." I gasped, turning to meet the Princess.

"What's wrong with that?" I asked.

"If you try too hard, you end up hurt in the end. That's why I gave up a long time ago. She's trying too hard. Trying to hard to protect me. That bruise shows the proof." Koyuki narrowed her eyes and turned, ready to leave.

"Wait," She stopped. "Sakura's not one to try hard things. She's too weak to-" I stopped, realizing what I was saying. She had protected us in the Forest of Death. She had tried to tell me that I should've told someone about the mark. She's been trying ever since the chunnin exams. Even when she faced off Ino. Naruto had told me how amazing she was, how I should've been there to see her. "N...Nevermind." Koyuki began walking away, disappearing down the hall. I turned back to Sakura, and noticed scars I hadn't seen before. I widened my eyes, seeing the bruise on her stomach re-appear. The Snow ninja had done something. Something that made her bruise come back. Something that I didn't like one bit.

"Kakashi-sensai!!" I yelled, running down the hallway.

"What? What is it? Did something happen to Koyuki-Sakura's bruise came back." I said breathlessly.

"That's impossible." He stared. "Your joking."

"I'm not. Come look." I motioned him and we ran down the hallway, making people stare and then follow. "Her bruise appeared, see-" I stopped, seeing the open window and bed covers thrown off.

"Where's Sakura?" Kakashi asked, running into the room.

"Sakura??" Naruto yelled out the window. There was only one thing that showed us as to where she was.

"Donte." Koyuki whispered just before she collapsed, unconcious.

Cliffy!! BUAHAHAHA. Review now or no more story . nah, just jokin! but, plz review -does cute wittle kitty eyes and puppy dog eyes including the lip at the same time- PWEETTTYYY PWEESSSEEE :"3 -Neko