"Where is Sakura?!" boomed a deep commanding voice. Appearing from the shadows stood a tall and dark haired ninja. His eyes were sharp, and his black bangs framing his handsome yet arrogant face. His arm was bleeding excessively from a recent battle but he was still physically powerful to walk the great distance he had.

"You're, you're Itachi! Those Sharingan eyes! You must be!" the old fisherman stuttered helplessly.

"Where is she?!" shouted the ninja once more, this time sounding more aggravated. The ninja gripped the old fisherman's throat threateningly.

"She…she moved…" the old man replied with difficulty.

"I will repeat my question and you better answer me directly. If not, I'll tear your flesh piece by piece." hissed the ninja impatiently.

The old man coughed and shook his head. Screaming with anger, the ruthless ninja dug his kunai straight into the man's throat. The elder's blood splattered on the young man's face and he felt the warm blood touch his lips. He licked it cruelly.

"You should have answered, old man." With that, he stood up and kicked the man's body before leaving, making the corpse fall carelessly into the deep waters. While heading further into the center of Konoha Village, he felt the presence of another fisherman who ran away fearing his own safety.

"I must not waste time," muttered the ninja, looking intently at his severe wound, "Only she can heal me."

"If only he would return," wished a pink-haired girl softly. Her hair was shoulder-length. She wore a crimson dress that flowed down to her knees gracefully. Her fingers were tugging unconsciously at her pink bangs as she recalled her past memories.

Sakura was standing on a grassy lime-colored hill with scattered white lilies. The wind blew softly and she felt the grass tickle her ankles. She gazed dreamily down at the village in front of her. It was her home; it was where she had lived her entire life. It was where she had made wonderful friends, and among them were the three utmost important people: Kakashi-sensei, Naruto and Sasuke-kun. She flinched at the thought of Sasuke.

Suddenly, an Anbu member appeared in front of her. He was tall and had brown chestnut hair. 'I wonder what's under the mask,' Sakura wondered.

"Nandeska, you shouldn't be just protecting me. The whole village needs you more than I do. I'm fine on my own."

"We have reason to believe that Uchiha Itachi is after you. An Anbu member has reported that a dead fisherman was spotted near your old house. One of them escaped and informed us that Itachi demanded for you. He must have known where your former residence was."

Sakura's eyes widened. "Itachi?" Her knees began giving away but she forced herself to stand straight.

"Is that all?" she asked calmly.

"..Hai." the Anbu responded. He stood there, immobile. She waited, but he never left. She looked around and then stared back at him.

"Then you should leave." Sakura told him coldly. She hated feeling weak and hopeless, something she thought she had outgrown over the years. When he left, she decided that she wouldn't be so weak like this. Now, there was an Anbu that was determined to stay by her side.

"I'm a medical doctor trained by Tsunade and I'm a Jounin. Isn't that enough for you?" Sakura asked impatiently.

"Gomen." The Anbu was about to leave when Sakura felt a pang of faint guilt.

"Matte. Sumimasen. What I said earlier…" Sakura said apologetically.

"Ie. It's alright. Soyanara," he said briefly and disappeared.

'I don't know what is making me snap like that,' wondered Sakura, "I've been feeling frustrated lately…"

"What does Itachi want with me? I don't even…" confused and lost in her own thoughts, Sakura didn't even hear someone running towards her.

"Sakura-chan!!!" wailed a blonde young man with faint whiskers. The blonde man jumped on her back and wrapped his thick arms around her neck, unintentionally squeezing her.

"Get off!" Sakura grunted under the blonde's weight. 'Damn you!' screamed the inner Sakura.

"Treat me to some ramen?" Naruto pleaded. Over the years, his face has turned more masculine and looked more mature, however his personality has obviously not changed a bit.

"GET OFF YOU DAMN BAKA!!!!" shouted Sakura throwing Naruto down on the ground with immense force.

"Gah!" Naruto said, letting out a cry of pain.

Sakura looked at him with irritation written all over her face. She placed her hands on her hips and said, "Jump and wail like that on me again and I will seriously hurt you."

"Seriously?" Naruto's eyes widened. He looked so innocent all of a sudden.

Sakura gave him a look. "Ie."

"Sakura!" Naruto was about to lunge at her to hug her, but she stepped out of the way quick enough to make him fall flat on his face.

Sakura sighed and looked back down at the town before her. She always loved to go on this hill. It was the highest hill in Konoha and she usually went up here to simply enjoy the view and reflect on things.

"Sakura-chan?" mumbled Naruto. Rubbing the large lump that just formed on his head, he slowly got up.

"Hai?"

"Hokage-sama wants a word with you." Naruto said seriously.

"Eh?" Sakura turned around to face the beaten Naruto. She grinned. He looked ridiculous, and to think he managed to become a Jounin. 'So Tsunade-sama wants to speak with me…'

"What are you smiling about?" Naruto asked curiously.

"Nothing." Sakura shook her head.

There was a slight pause and a sudden first idea popped into his mind. "AH! Is it because you have finally realized your attraction to a handsome blonde guy like me?" Naruto asked happily.

Sakura gaped at him and blinked.

"Eh?!?!?!"

Sakura pounded him on the face and yelled loudly, "Why would I like a guy like you?!"

It was evening when Sakura got back to her apartment. The sky had darkened and the clouds came quickly clogging what was left of the setting sun. Walking quietly, she hummed a tune and thought about what Tsunade-sama said.

"I sent an Anbu to protect you."

"Hai.." Sakura began.

"You reject my offer?" Tsunade raised and eyebrow, daring her subordinate to continue her sentence.

Sakura paused. "Well, you should be a little more faithful. I am after all your former student and I-" Sakura was interrupted by Tsunade's silencing finger.

"Just be careful."

Sakura was a former student of Tsunade and her medical and fighting skills were one of the best in Konoha. She was naturally good at molding chakra, learning a few jutsus were easy. However, learning about the human body and its functions were more difficult to comprehend. Sakura has always been excellent in her studies, but during her medicine training, she had to work twice as hard. Now that she had thought about it, she owed the strict and gamble-addict Hokage for what she had become.

Back in the present time, Sakura continued on walking and humming dreamily.

Suddenly, she heard movement and sensed a presence. She reached in her back pocket but then the enemy quickly threw a kunai at her pocket to stop her. She hadn't sense the enemy so near!

As expected, Anbu members appeared and began attacking the enemy. She tried to catch at least one glimpse of the attacker but he was too fast. All she saw was an immense black shadow with red sharingan eyes. It must be Itachi. The Anbu were right.

Sakura was about to back away from the fighting scene when Itachi's hand grabbed her from behind. She opened her mouth to scream but the other hand cupped her mouth. Sakura attempted to bite him but failed miserably. His grip was firm and rough. Itachi flipped her on to his back and jumped quickly on to a nearby tree. She tried a summoning spell but he stopped her easily with his hand. Had the Anbu members not noticed that he kidnapped her? That was when she saw Itachi's clone fighting the Anbus. Kusooooo

Sakura found herself being carried by Itachi further and further away from the battle scene. That was when she noticed his left hand. It was bleeding horribly, and she could tell Itachi was trying to fight the pain while carrying her.

Out of nowhere, several kunai shot at Itachi. One of them hit Itachi on the back, extremely near Sakura."Damn you!' the inner sakura shouted. Itachi quicken his pace and they lost the Anbu. Knowing that Itachi was weakening, she pounded her fist on his back, pushing the kunai on his back even further. He growled in pain and quickly hid under the roots of a huge tree. He pulled her off of him and for the first time, looked at her.

Sakura gasped. "Sas-"

Staring at her with sharp Sharingan eyes was Sasuke. His bangs a slightly longer then when she had last seen him and his face was angry and alert.

Go! Escape now! 'KILL HIM!' screamed the inner sakura.

"Sasuke-kun…" her eyes widened she stared at him in disbelief.

She couldn't move an inch. She wasn't able to lift her kunai or perform any jutsus. She couldn't stand up either. Straining her mind to move her muscles but failed she let out a cry of misery. What was he doing here? Why did he want to see her? She was so sure it was Itachi. All along…

You see, I deleted this story awhile ago, but when i went to the sasusaku forum I found and saw my story on his/her list of recommendations for sasusaku, well I felt like putting it back up again. Lol. Well forgive me, for taking it down. But beware, I've been having major writers block for practically all my stories. ;