Hello everybody. This is my first fan fiction so don't be too hard on me. I accept suggestions, criticisms, advice etc. Please rate and review.

(Flashback)

"I'd better get a move on if Taka's to make a good impression in the Akatsuki. Then only can we become official, individual Akatsuki members;" Thought Sasuke, as he got ready for his big day "I wonder who I'll get as a partner….."

His thoughts were cut off as he heard Suigetsu knocking impatiently on his door. "Will you get a move on?" "It's starting to tire me to always have to wait for you all the time."

Then the next second, the door opened with a cold Sasuke leaning on it. He looked at all the team members. Suigetsu was sighing impatiently, Karin gave him a cold look and then turned her head, she's been like that ever since the whole Danzo episode "Like I care", Thought Sasuke. Finally there's Jugo, Jugo just gave Sasuke a vague smile. "Come on" he sighed.

They had reached the gate to the Akatsuki HQ when they spotted a lot of people going in. "What's going on?" Sasuke asked Madara. "Oh! That's right, you don't know." "We have an exam to select as many members as we want."

"There's a chance that none of you pass, however there's also a chance that all of you pass." "So, it's like the final stage of the chunin exams" said Sasuke thoughtfully.

"Absolutely correct" Madara said "now we wouldn't want to be late would we?"

"Shall we?" Madara enquired smiling evilly, moving the curtain aside. Sasuke shrugged and stepped inside.

"Wow!" Suigetsu exclaimed. They were staring at a sea of strangers. Sasuke saw everyone in groups. All except one.

She was a hooded figure, so no one could see any part of her body. She was tall, as tall as Sasuke. The only thing you could say about her was that she was about seventeen. His age.

END FLASHBACK

Why the hell am I thinking about that? Sasuke asked himself in his mind, while the cool air of the porch hit him.

He was perfectly happy now. He was back in Konoha, married to a certain pink haired medical kunoichi and he was soon to be a father. What could be better?

Well if Itachi was alive then that would be awesome but you can't have everything can you?

The only worrying thing was that Sakura was being followed. Other than that, everything was fine.

"Thank god I came back to Konoha before Madara completely poisoned my mind. I totally owe it to Naruto". Thought Sasuke. Naruto was like a brother to him and he would do anything for him, though he would never show it.

"Sasuke!" Sakura cried from the kitchen, "Dinner's ready!"

As Sasuke was getting ready for bed Sakura showed him some pictures. "Hey Sasuke I found some pictures of you as a baby and your family, although I don't know who this baby girl is in this one picture."

Sasuke looked at the picture and gave it a look of surprise.

"What is it?" Sakura asked him.

"Nothing, it's just that I don't remember her." Said Sasuke, "Why do I feel like I've seen her somewhere before?"

"Oh! That's a bit strange but anyway night-night."

The next day they both set out to do their jobs. Yesterday's situation concerning the picture was still in his head but he pushed it to the back of the mind.

"Don't overdo it." he told Sakura. "I won't, I promise" Sakura said smiling.

Then they both set off in different directions. Sakura to the hospital where she was the head of the medical core and Sasuke to the ANBU black ops head office.

"HI SASUKE!"Naruto screamed in his ear.

"Don't scream in my ear, dobe" Sasuke growled Naruto snorted "Teme"

Sasuke glared at him, however didn't have time to beat him up as the head of the ANBU came and gave them their missions.

"Naruto, I'll leave a note for Sakura, you and Sai go ahead." Sasuke said as Naruto simply nodded and along with Sai, wore his mask and set off to the Konoha gates.

(In the note)

Sakura,

Gone on a B-ranked mission. Will be back in 4 days. Mission is to deliver a scroll to the Kazekage.

Sasuke

"I can't wait to see Gaara again" Naruto said excitedly as he leaped through the trees.

"Naruto, please keep your cool" Sasuke growled.

Naruto scowled and said nothing.

Sunagakure was two days away, so just in case, they set out a bit early. As soon they reached Suna, they took off their masks. Then they made their way to the Kazekage's head office.

"Hey Gaara!" Naruto screamed. "Dobe, what did I tell you." Sasuke warned him. "Hey you people. Calm down" said Sai.

Gaara watched the situation with fascination.

"Kazekage-san, the scroll" Sai said.

"Please call me Gaara." Gaara said in his deep, serious voice while taking it.

"Y-yes sir" stammered Sai. Gaara read the note and raised his eyebrow. "What is it Gaara?" asked Temari, who had just come up.

"Nothing, it's just that I have to make a new group in the 'Any Range' core because two extra people are arriving."

"Any range group? Then they must be good because that's a very difficult group to enter and only has the very best people in it" said Naruto.

Gaara nodded "I've also been summoned to discuss the matter with Tsunade due to my position as Regimental Commander and then report to the Raikage".

"It seems these people are quite special" said Temari turning around to face Naruto, Sasuke and Sai.

"How's Shika-honey?" she asked them. She was engaged to the lazy genius.

Gaara looked at her in disbelief and then shook his head.

"I thought at least she was sensible" he muttered to himself.

"What?" she asked him. Gaara turned his head away.

"I'm to go with you three to Konohagakure. Temari, you can come too. I'll meet you others near the Suna gate in two hours. Meanwhile, you three can rest" said Gaara.

"Hai!" they said and left.

(2 and half hours later)

"Where are they?" Temari wondered aloud.

Gaara raised an eyebrow. "Eager to see your fiancé?"

Temari glared at him, but didn't reply. Instead she got her revenge another way. "Shouldn't the Kazekage get married? You're old enough you know. Nearly nineteen."

This time it was his turn to glare at Temari. "It's not compulsory you know" he muttered as Temari snickered.

The next moment Naruto, Sai and Sasuke arrived. "Sorry we're late, Naruto insisted we have ramen, so we had to go looking for a store" Sai said apologetically.

"It's okay, let's go" Gaara said shortly. Sai winced, however no one except Sasuke noticed Sai's slight intimidation.

In a day or two they neared the gates of Konoha where they heard a high-pitched scream.

"What's that?" Gaara asked as he heard the scream.

"I think that was Sakura. Come on." said Sasuke urgently.

It didn't take them long to track where the scream came from.

"Sakura!" Sasuke cried out as he saw her lying in a heap on the floor. Then he saw two figures on her side facing the other side where another figure was facing them. That figure had an orange mask on. "Madara!" Thought Sasuke angrily.

He noticed that one of the two figures was hurt very badly and was barely holding on.

However he also noticed that Madara's arm was ripped clean off. "Wow! That's highly impressive. The only person to have known to even scratch Madara was Hashirama Senju. These people must be really good" Thought Sasuke.

"Well, that is it for me. Since your reinforcements have arrived. I hope to meet you both again, Black Raven and you Lioness of Blood, especially you." Said Madara and with that he left.

"Damn you Madara! You always run away like a dog with your tail between your legs" the slender figure cried out in frustration.

Sasuke winced as he remembered Konan saying the same thing to him.

"Sasuke, shouldn't we go down there?"Naruto asked anxiously.

However Sasuke was in shock as he just realized something vital, "Black raven, wasn't that Itachi's title? And the Lioness of Blood, I've heard of that title too"

He was interrupted as there was a loud thump as he saw the slender hooded figure had collapsed from exhaustion and was about to hit the ground as she was on a tree when he saw Gaara's sand stopping her from falling.

Gaara himself looked a little surprised himself.

Then the whole group jumped down as Gaara's sand gently deposited the figure on the ground next to Sakura. Sasuke rushed over to the other hooded figure.

"Who are you and how dare you take my brother's nickname?" asked Sasuke.

The figure said nothing and instead removed his hood. Sasuke stared in shock again as did the others.

"I-Itachi, how are you….but you"

Itachi cut him off "I was spared. The disease I had went in the last moment. It's complicated. I'll explain the rest later foolish Otoutou I was taken care of by my little assistant over there" He pointed to the slender figure.

"Kazekage-San, please remove her cloak for me. She needs some air." Said Itachi.

Gaara, who was standing next to her, bent down to open her cloak. However the next second she stirred and opened her eyes only to see Gaara's turquoise eyes staring right down on her own onyx ones. They stayed like that for a moment before breaking away their eyes from each other. The next moment four figures emerged from the forest.

Those figures were that of Neji, Hinata, Shizune and Ino. "Sakura!" Cried Ino. Then she and Shizune ran over to her checked her damages. Both looked surprised.

"What is it?" Sasuke asked worriedly. Ino and Shizune frowned. "Nothing at all. She's perfectly fine not even a scratch on her." Ino said slowly.

"Who did you people fight anyway?" asked Shizune.

"Madara" Sasuke said quietly.

Shizune's and Ino's eyes bulged.

"Hey, don't take credit for something you didn't do." Said a weak yet crystal clear voice from Gaara's side.

Everyone turned to see who had spoken.

The cloaked girl had taken off her cloak. Everyone was captivated by her beauty. She had flawless skin and hip-length pure black hair braided very neatly in the back. She also had a hip-length side-fringe which diagonally covered half of her face. She wore a black top with a symbol of a yellow lion in the middle and loose cream coloured shorts until her knees with chakra bandages on her arms and legs. She had a slight tinge of red on her fair cheeks and had pearly white teeth and red lips. She was Sasuke's height. Her Konoha headband had a slash like all other Akatsuki members. However the most fascinating thing about her was that she looked like an attractive feminine replica of Sasuke.

Okay thanks for reading the chapter. All doubts will be cleared in the next chapter. See you guys again. Bye.