Kari's head was reeling. What does he want from me? Is he going to kill me? Why go through all the trouble of saving me if all he was going to do was… Orochimaru noticed the distress on her face. "Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you. I just have a question." Kari sat all the way up and let the covers fall to her waist. She placed the pillows behind her so she wouldn't place any excess stress on her muscles. She winced as she twisted slightly, the pain from her cuts still fresh.

"Yes?" Kari replied, trying to hold a calm demeanor. Orochimaru shifted in his chair and leaned in slightly.

"As you might have noticed it is rather…empty down here." Orochimaru looked around the room as he spoke. "This place is bigger than just this room and mine, and I'm the only one here…" Kari swallowed the lump in her throat. "I know you don't know me very well, and you are able to refuse, but would you stay here with me?" Kari had learned when she was little to not trust strangers, but something in his eyes told Kari that he wasn't out to get her. No, Kari sensed something in his eyes that she couldn't quite place, something akin to sadness but closer to dejection, rejection. She shut her eyes and leaned back against the pillows. Kari's thoughts raced to her family. How could I just leave them? My mother, my father, my brother? She was overwhelmed But, they don't even know I'm alive…it would be so easy just to stay and let them think…it would be easier for them…She sighed. On top of that, who's to say he'd help me find my way home? I might end up dying anyway. Kari opened her eyes, preparing to respond. "There is one other thing I must tell you" Orochimaru rested his chin on his fingers. "If you stay, you'll have to follow my rules." Kari let out one last sigh.

"I-I'll stay" she stammered out, not sure if she should regret her decision. Her heart pounded in her head as she slumped into the bed. Under the covers she wrung her fingers waiting for him to respond. She looked in his direction casually and noticed a fleeting smile grace his pale lips.

"Good," he said pausing to stand. "If you'll excuse me a moment" Kari watched his figure disappear from the room. Her stomach churned and she felt as though was going to be sick. A tear escaped her eye as she thought again of her family. Before she had time to dwell, Orochimaru reappeared before her with something in his hands. Not letting Kari see, he placed it on the side table drawer and sat down on the bed next to Kari. Turning to face her, he pushed her hair away from her face. "Kari…" She felt her pulse quicken as he spoke her name. His hand traced the silhouette of her face and came to rest on her chin. He drew her face closer to his and Kari felt his cold lips crash into hers. Unprepared, she was paralyzed by the new sensation. Orochimaru's free hand wrapped around the back of her neck and her breath hitched in her chest. Unable to breath, she panicked and tried to withdraw from Orochimaru's grasp. He let her pull back but maintained his grip on the back of her neck. Kari felt herself blush immediately and stared a whole into the bed in front of her. It wasn't as though she hadn't kissed people before, there had been her childhood friend who grew to be more than the boy next door, but there was something different about this situation. Kari could feel the intensity of Orochimaru's gaze on her face but couldn't bring herself to meet it. Instead, she felt herself drawn to him. Fighting every ounce of common sense she drew herself closer to him. Orochimaru smirked slightly, but Kari didn't notice. He pulled her on top of his lap. She shifted her weight uncomfortably as she tried to find the best position. Just as she sat still she felt his lips on hers once more. This time she was able to respond. She leaned into Orochimaru as they kissed, and just as she thought she understood what was happening, he pulled away.

"Now Kari" he said with a pained smirk. "Let us not get too hasty." Orochimaru's smile widened.

"But…" was all Kari could manage. Now confused, she tried to remove herself from his lap without success. The hand son her lower back and neck made it impossible to move. She panicked just for a brief moment as she felt herself lose all control of the situation. I shouldn't have stayed. This was a mistake. Her heart raced as Orochimaru reached for whatever was it was that he had placed on the nightstand before. A new wave of panic passed through her as he unfolded a long strip of fabric. Blindfold. Kari once again tried to pull away but this time with more desperation. Orochimaru once again held her in place, he was hopelessly stronger than her.

"Hold still" he said softly as he pulled her in closer. Kari slammed her eyes shut as the fabric made its way across them. She felt his experienced fingers tie the two loose ends together. "Good, See, wasn't that easy?" It was all she could to o control her asking as he wrapped his arms around her body. Kari braced herself for the next sensation, but it never came. He just held her and nothing more. She willed her muscles to relax. "I told you I wouldn't hurt you" He slowly slid Kari off of him and helped her lay back down. Still blindfolded she laid with her body pressed against his an his arm around her. Frightened she slowly drifted off into sleep.