A/N: mmmkay so this is an ItaSaku one-shot for xxToxicxLovestormxx!She helped me when I was writers blocked on Cat and Mouse so I felt that I should write this for her birthday :D. Her birthday was November 29th and I decided to make her a one-shot but my computer crashed thus taking all my documents with it. How sad. But how wonderful that this was finally posted! She cheers me up a lot when I do talk and message her and such, anyways Happy (late by like 5 times 3 billion) Birthday!
PS!!!: This is the longest one-shot I've ever written in my life. It's longer than my chapters for my stories. .
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto! But I DO own Michi!
Michi: unfortunately
Takara: aww michi you know you love me :P
Mic: wheres the proof?
Takara: on my DA account ^_^
Michi:THATS BECAUSE OF SAM AND YOU KNOW IT
Taka:O.O run before he explodes
Michi: .
WARNING!!!: SPOILERS FROM THE MANGA ABOUT ITACHI! SO IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO KNOW,DONT is no lemon in this BUT it IS IMPLIED!!
Summary: After Itachi is captured by Konoha, Sakura is given the task of interrogating him. In order to gain secrets they are allowed to ask each other questions without boundaries and make a bet on who will break within five days. But five day's is all it takes to change everything.
Five Days Change
You are so beautiful
You are the kind of girl
That has the chemicals
That makes me fall in love
Difficult, so very difficult
You are the kind of girl that makes me
Fall in love
(You are so beautiful: Escape the Fate)
"Dammit Itachi! They've got us surrounded!" Kisame growled.
He was right. Itachi had already done the math, one of them wasn't going to make it out alive or make it back to the base. The leaf shinobi were known for their determination and their strong fighting spirits. It was how he remembered it when he was a leaf shinobi…
"Kisame"
Kisame turned to Itachi, "What?"
Itachi paused for a brief moment, "Go on back to the base, I can take care of them."
Kisame's eyes widened, "Uchiha Itachi, are you harvesting some unknown ultimate power that I don't know of that can help you defeat ten anbu?"
Itachi remained silent.
"Didn't think so."
"One of us needs to report back to Leader-sama. You have the scroll, go ahead and go. I will catch up."
"But-"
Itachi shot Kisame a sharp look. Kisame shrugged and headed off.
"Follow him!" Itachi heard one of the Anbu call out. Itachi stepped out from the tree's blocking the path of the Anbu.
"Uchiha Itachi! Either co-operate with us and come by your own free will or we will take you by force."
Itachi activated his Mangekyou Sharingan and put several Anbu into a deep Genjutsu. Itachi ran towards another Anbu with is Katana in hand and slashed his stomach. He turned around and made a hand sign, "Katon Gokakyu no Jutsu!"
As the fire started to rage towards the three remaining ANBU he awaited to see the remnants of the ANBU. When Itachi was satisfied that he saw nothing left, he turned around and walked towards the tree's. Out of the corner of his eye he could see a little flutter of pink. He looked to see there were cherry blossom petals drifting to the ground.
Itachi thought nothing of it since there were several cherry blossom trees in full bloom so he continued his way, that is, until he noticed the sudden swirl of the blossoms petals swirling around him. Then, a petal cut his skin.
"One." A voice said.
Itachi narrowed his eyes, it was a Genjutsu. How could he not see it with his Sharingan activated?
"Multiple layered Genjutsu, Uchiha. You'll be here for while."
Another slash at Itachi's skin.
"Two." The voice said, "I also trained with a Sharingan wielder. He helped me find a way to create this Genjutsu. "
Itachi felt another slash at his body making the voice chuckle, "Three. Oh, and if I reach ten, you'll be unconscious."
"Who-?"
Slash.
"Four."
"Hn."
"Five. Heh, you and Sasuke are so much alike."
"You know my otouto?"
"Six. Knew. He left the village, I'm sure you heard, must be proud of him for following your footsteps, sort of. Seven"
Itachi could feel himself becoming tired, were the cherry blossoms petals like anesthetic making him slowly loose consciousness?
"Those who require Orochimaru's assistance are fools."
"Eight. You've got a point there."
"Who are you?"
"Nine. Well I'm the girl who's kicking your ass."
"What is your name?" Itachi fell to the ground, losing consciousness.
"Ten." Itachi could hear the triumphant smirk on the girl's face, "Me? Heh, well I'm Haruno Sakura."
And then, there was darkness.
"Ah, and the weasel's awake."
Itachi opened his eyes and looked to the side where the female's voice was coming from. Pink hair. Green eyes. She looked weak enough.
"Hn."
The girl who was sitting on a chair inside of his cell frowned, "Ne, don't be like that Itachi-san! Well, I would be upset to if I was you. I mean, you just got your ass kicked by a girl."
Itachi tried to run at the girl but was stopped by chakra chains. They were draining his chakra and keeping him from making any sudden movements.
The girl started laughing, "Maa Maa, a bit hasty now aren't we?"
"Who are you?" Itachi stared at the girl.
The girl feigned a hurt expression, "I'm hurt Itachi-san, you don't even recognize my voice?"
Itachi thought for a while and remembered that same voice from his challengers.
FLASHBACK
"Me? Heh, well I'm Haruno Sakura."
END
Itachi stared once more at the bubbly looking girl, "You're Haruno Sakura?"
The girl clapped and grinned, "So you do remember! Yes, Haruno Sakura in the flesh." Sakura got up and ruffled Itachi's hair, "And here I thought all Uchiha's were dense."
Sakura walked around the large cell with a slight skip in her step making Itachi grunt.
"You do not look strong."
Sakura turned her head towards Itachi and smiled, "No, I don't. But that's one of my best qualities, being able to deceive."
Sakura pulled up a chair in front of Itachi, "So, Itachi-san. Mind telling me what you and your idiot of a partner were up to with that scroll and what it was for?"
No answer.
Sakura smiled, "That's fine." Sakura sat back, "I've got all day, week, month, year. You name it."
Itachi merely sat there. There was no way this girl who didn't seem fit to be a proper shinobi, was going to make him show any emotion.
Sakura frowned, "Just as a warning, if I don't get answers soon Itachi-san, I'll have to start hurting you."
"So you're the one in charge of interrogating me?"
Sakura grinned, "Yup."
Itachi smirked. He would have this girl crack before she knows it herself. There was no way she would be able to withstand his Mangekyou or his twisted personality. He would put thoughts into her head and have her break before she could make him say a word. Five days is all it will take.
As if reading his mind, Sakura nodded, "I'll enjoy this challenge Itachi-san."
Sakura stood up and walked out of the cell, "Ja ne!"
The sound of a heavy metal door closing echoed through the dark room.
I'll enjoy this challenge too, Sakura.
.Day one.
"Ohayou Itachi-san!"
Itachi looked up at a smiling Sakura.
"Ne, how did you sleep Itachi-san?"
"Hn."
"I'll take that as a, 'Well I slept wonderfully Sakura! Thanks for asking! How about you?' Well I slept like a rock."
"Thus proving your inability of being a shinobi." Itachi said.
Sakura sat down on the chair and placed a tray on the table next to it, "No, because rocks don't sleep Itachi-san."
Itachi stared at the girl, noticing the dark lines beneath her eyes.
"You did not sleep at all?"
Sakura folded her arms, "Well someone has to do the healings at the hospital."
"You are a Medic?"
Sakura rolled her eyes, "Thank you captain obvious. Yes I am medic. The head Medic to be exact"
"Then should you be telling me such information?"
Sakura shrugged, "Anyone could have found that information out by looking at their villages files."
"Hn."
Sakura chuckled, "Are you hungry Itachi-san?"
No answer.
Sakura smiled, "You probably are," Sakura moved her chair and the table in front of Itachi and placed the tray of food in her lap and took the chopsticks in hand, "Hmm, rice and onigiri. Along with tea of course."
"I can feed myself."
Sakura laughed, "I'm sure you can Itachi-san. However, I did not say this food was for you now did I?"
Itachi stared at the girl who continued to grin at him.
"Just kidding Itachi-san, this is yours."
Sakura held the tray of food in front of Itachi, "You said you could feed yourself. Eat."
Itachi struggled to move forward, the chakra chains were making it extremely hard to do so.
Sakura picked up the chopsticks and brought some rice to his mouth, "You failed. Now I must feed you."
Itachi stared at the food, refusing to eat.
Sakura sighed and put the chopsticks in the air and made several turning movements and had the chopsticks stop once more in front of Itachi's mouth, "Itachi-san, the bird cannot fly into the cave unless the cave is open."
Was she…mocking him?
Sakura smiled, "Well I guess you don't have to eat if you don't want to…"
Itachi's stomach growled.
Sakura giggled, "But I think your stomach wants nourishment." Sakura narrowed her eyes, "So just open your damn mouth and eat."
Itachi's head snapped up. How could someone who seemed so bright, vibrant, happy, and innocent suddenly act so cold?
Itachi smirked and complied to her wish, making Sakura smile once more and feed him until he had finished his food. Sakura smiled, "There, that wasn't so bad now was it? Now for some questions!"
Itachi raised an eyebrow. She honestly thought she could get answers from him?
"I have a proposal for you Itachi-san."
"Oh?"
Sakura nodded, "If you answer my questions. I will answer yours."
"And why do you think I have questions for you kunoichi?"
"You can call me Sakura Itachi-san. And as for the questions, even though you are an Uchiha," Itachi didn't know if whether or not this was a compliment or insult, "you are still human. All humans share the same traits such as curiosity."
"Have you ever heard the phrase 'curiosity killed the cat', Sakura?"
"Several times. But the cat used its fourth life and got back up."
Itachi smirked. The kunoichi was sharp and quick to think. She intrigued him.
"Very well, Sakura. I will play your game."
Sakura smiled, "Then I'll be seeing you tomorrow."
"No interrogation?"
Sakura laughed nonchalantly, "I do run a hospital, Itachi-san. Sorry to disappoint you but my life doesn't revolve around you Uchiha's."
"Hn."
Sakura grinned, "Ja ne!"
Sakura sighed and walked into Tsunade's office, "Shishou."
Tsunade looked up and smiled, "Sakura! Just the apprentice I wanted to see! How's the interrogating going? Did you offer the exchange?"
Sakura sat tiredly on the chair in front of the desk, "Hai. Uchiha-san agreed to the terms."
Tsunade smiled and nodded, "Excellent. I knew you were the right one for the job Sakura."
Sakura leaned forward, "About that shishou, why was I assigned to this? Ibiki-san is the best in the interrogating area, as for me, I have no real experience."
Tsunade leaned back in her chair and folded her hands, "Sakura, you have a certain quality that Ibiki doesn't have."
"I have many qualities that Ibiki lacks. So which quality makes me so lucky as to be the Uchiha's interrogator?"
Tsunade smirked, "Simple. You're a female."
Sakura rolled her eye's , "Please shishou. You honestly think that the Uchiha will be shaken by a mere girl? I thought we both learned from Sasuke that all of the Uchiha's hormones were non existent."
"Wait one minute Sakura, it's not only because of that reason. Despite what you think you are actually a very interesting person. I've tried to read your movements several times when we train but you always surprise me. You have an intelligent mind Sakura. You have the ability to draw people in and have them second guess their thoughts. When I met you I thought you would stay weak. You proved me wrong. Believe me, this will be easy for you."
"Well I'm glad one of us has faith in me."
"That plus I need you to prove me right. I just bet against Ibiki and I'm running low in cash."
Sakura's eye's twitched. They were gambling about her success?!
Sakura stood up and stretched, "I'll head over to the hospital now."
"Make sure to get some rest in."
"Who need's sleep?"
Tsunade chuckled. Obviously a depleted Sakura was much more interesting than lively one.
.Day Two.
"Ready Itachi-san?" Sakura smiled as she sat in the metal chair in front of Itachi.
Itachi nodded.
Sakura grinned, "So you want to go first or should I?"
"You just went did you not you?"
"Ah, good point Itachi-san so what do you want to ask me?"
Itachi looked at the deep dark circles beneath Sakura's eye's, "When was the last time you slept?"
Sakura looked puzzled, "You're not asking anything about Konoha?"
"Not as of now, but you still haven't answered me."
Sakura ran a hand through her hair, "Ano… five maybe eight days? I'm sure you do not sleep that much yourself."
"A proper shinobi must attain proper health."
"So you do sleep?"
"Every human requires rest do they not?"
"H-hai."
"You should sleep."
"And when have you cared about my health?"
"It is no use to ask you for valuable information when you are half asleep."
Sakura forced a smile, "Continue with your questions."
"Tell me about your family."
"I do not take orders. Only questions." Sakura smirked.
"Hn."
"Hn ' isn't a question."
"…can you tell me about your family?"
Sakura forced a smile, "Simple. I'm the only Haruno left. Why are you asking?"
"Curious. What happened to them?"
Fake smile, "Invasion. Cloud shinobi came and attacked the village. My parents were the few unfortunate that had been killed."
Itachi stared at the fake smile plastered on her face.
"You do not mask your emotions very well."
Sakura's smile faltered, "Nani?"
"You try to cancel out your sorrow with a smile. It's weak."
Sakura snorted, "You and Sai would get along wonderfully."
"Who?"
"My teammate."
"The artist?"
"Hai. Any more questions?"
"Why do you keep up such a façade?"
Sakura tilted her head, "What are you talking about?"
"You act like a childish girl who always seems happy."
"What if I'm not acting?"
"A shinobi is never always happy."
"You're wrong."
"How so?"
Sakura huffed, "Whatever, just drop it. What were you and Kisame doing so close to Konoha's borders?"
"You're changing the subject."
"Answer the damn question Uchiha."
Itachi smirked, "The real you has emerged."
Sakura took in a quick breath and sat back in her chair and crossed her arms.
"And yet you are still childish, Sakura."
"Are you going to answer me?"
"We were retrieving a scroll."
Sakura narrowed her eyes suspiciously, "Well I knew that, but what kind of scroll?"
"A scroll based on sealing's."
"What is it for?"
"The Kyuubi."
Sakura stiffened, "Why?"
"I'm sure you can guess."
Sakura sighed angrily, "I really hate your stupid organization. You know that?"
"I am aware."
"I hate you Uchiha's too. You're all the same."
Itachi lifted an eyebrow curiously, "Oh?"
"You and Sasuke are both arrogant and anti-social. Well, you're somewhat more social than Sasuke I'll give you that."
"Tell me Sakura, what is it you have against Uchiha's?"
"You're both traitors. You both think of only yourselves. You betray the ones you love even if they just wanted to care for you and you leave them there just to…you know what? Let's call it a day."
"What did my otouto do to you that makes you so emotional?"
"THAT is none of your business Uchiha. Now if you'll excuse me I'm go-" Sakura stood up so fast that the blood rushed to her head and due to her fatigue, she collapsed.
Itachi was…shocked?
The kunoichi, even though she would show her emotions, seemed strong. How could fatigue win against her?
The door flew open as two Jounin rushed in. One examined Sakura as the other made his way towards Itachi.
"What did you do Uchiha!"
"Hn."
"Did you attack Haruno-san?"
"No. She collapsed from exhaustion."
The shinobi narrowed his eyes suspiciously and walked towards the pink haired kunoichi's still, but breathing, body and picked her up bridal style and walked out of the cell with the other shinobi in tow.
Itachi narrowed his eyes at the two incapable shinobi. How dare they touch what was his.
…
What was his?
Itachi wanted to cause severe damage to something, anything to clear his mind of the kunoichi that had somehow etched her self into his thoughts and irritated him but at the same time, intrigued him.
Itachi leaned his head against the cold wall and smirked. Things were bound to get interesting.
.Day Three.
"Wake up Uchiha."
Something hit Itachi's stomach hard. Then his face. Itachi looked up to see the dark silhouette of the shinobi that he had encountered the other day.
Itachi narrowed his eyes at the annoying man, "Where is Sakura?"
"That's none of your concern. Here."
A tray was dropped onto the floor beneath Itachi.
"You're a smart prodigy right? I'm sure you can figure out how to eat that."
The man stalked out of the cell and slammed the heavy metal door.
As much as he hated to admit it and damage his pride, it was…unnerving how Sakura was not there.
Itachi closed his eyes and let his mind wonder for hours. The only thing that brought him out of his thoughts was the door opening. He didn't open his eye's to see his visitor. It was probably the annoying Jounin again.
Itachi heard a small gasp.
Itachi opened his eye's as a dark silhouette hovered in front of him and knelt down and touched his stomach. A warm surge of chakra entered his body and mended what he guessed was a broken rib.
"Sakura."
"Kami Itachi, I swear I will sleep every night from now on."
Itachi smirked, "No –san?"
Sakura rolled her eyes moved her hand to Itachi's cheek and healed the bruising and wiped the blood from his mouth. Sakura stood up and stepped on the tray filled with food.
Sakura looked at Itachi with concern, "You haven't eaten anything?"
Itachi was silent.
Sakura walked hastily to the large metal door and left the room and closed the door.
Seconds later the annoying Jounin smashed through the three foot thick metal door and made a crater in the wall next to Itachi.
Sakura stomped inside the cell towards the shinobi and pulled him up by his collar and pinned him to the wall.
Itachi raised his eyebrow at the sight.
"Ryuu this is MY prisoner. MY prisoner's are supposed to be treated with respect and are to be treated well. If you cannot drill this into that empty and arrogant head of yours I will gladly suggest an S-ranked suicide mission for you to attend by yourself. Am I clear?"
The annoying brunette Jounin snorted, "Whatever Sakura. You think I'm too good looking to be killed."
CRASH.
The part of the wall next to Ryuu's head was crumbled from Sakura's fist.
"For all I care Ryuu, you're nothing but an annoyance. You can die."
Sakura threw the man through the hole in the metal door and glared at it.
The fury in her eyes and the hardened lines in her face was an intriguing and pleasing site to Itachi. A deep will and determination was etched into her emotions.
Sakura stuck her head through the hole that she had made in the door and said sweetly, "Aoki? Will you be so kind and let Shishou know that cell 6A is in need of a new door and the cell needs repair? Arigatou! Oh! And bring me some warm food for Uchiha-san!"
Sakura walked back towards Itachi and picked up the tray and placed it by the door. Sakura turned around sharply as she heard a small laugh...from Itachi.
"Were…were you just laughing at me?"
"You are a very interesting person Sakura."
"Erm, so I've been told."
"What happened to the 'happy childish' you?"
Sakura shrugged and sat down, "I figured it was of no use to put on such a façade if you noticed." Sakura smiled, "But I am happy and childish, just not all the time."
The other Jounin that Itachi had seen the other day walked through the hole holding a tray with shaky hands.
Sakura walked over to him and smiled as she took the tray and ruffled the man's short black hair, "Arigatou Aoiki-kun! Don't be scared it's not you I'm mad at."
The man visibly relaxed, "Hai Haruno-san."
Sakura walked over to Itachi and set the tray down on the small table next to her chair. She smiled at Itachi and said as she reached into her pouch, "Shishou said I can take you off of the chakra chains."
"And the catch?"
Itachi felt something cold wrap around his wrist, "You have to wear this chakra bracelet. It's the chakra chains without the chain. Now hold still while I unlock these."
Sakura stood up and unlocked one of the chains and held Itachi's arm in place, "Move your arm down slowly, the blood flow and circulation is weak because you've been chained for so long, alright?"
After Itachi's arm could be lowered properly, Sakura did the other and placed another chakra bracelet on him.
Sakura smiled, handed Itachi his food tray, and said, "Now you can feed yourself."
Itachi complied and ate what he was given.
Sakura smiled, "I'm surprised you haven't asked if it was poisoned."
"You need me for information, do you not? What use would I be to you if I were dead?"
Sakura smiled, "True."
After Itachi had finished, Sakura sighed inwardly and took out her clipboard, "So Itachi, can you please tell me the names and descriptions of each Akatsuki member?"
"That's classified information."
"But you agreed to the terms."
Itachi thought for a moment, "Then I shall ask you a question of the same value."
Sakura nodded, "Very well."
"Which members do you already have?"
Sakura flipped through a few pages on her clipboard, "You, Kisame, Deidara,Sasori, Hidan, and Kakuzu."
"Four out of the six are dead."
"I am aware. I witnessed three of the deaths. I killed one of them myself."
"Sasori."
"That is correct."
Itachi was silent for a moment, "You are strong."
Sakura's head snapped up, "W-what?"
"You killed one of the best in Akatsuki."
"It wasn't just me. If Chiyo hadn't been there I wouldn't be here. Now how about those descriptions?"
"Tobi. He has a childish but dangerous personality. He wears-"
"An orange mask. Yes, we've encountered him. We just never knew his name. He's powerful too."
"Zetsu. He has a split personality. He is a cannibal and can maneuver through earth objects."
"He's the one with the venus flytrap correct?"
"Yes."
"Continue."
"Konan. She has vivid blue hair along with several piercings, she has the ability to make herself into paper and track others because of that."
"She? Is she the only female member?"
"Hai."
"Continue."
"Pein, our leader. Like Konan, he also has several piercings and vivid colored orange hair. He posses the Rinnengan."
"Rinnengan? What's that?"
"Eye's more powerful than the Sharingan."
Sakura shuttered. He definitely sounded powerful.
"Is that all?" Sakura asked.
Itachi nodded, "I could have lied. Those might not be accurate."
"You didn't lie."
"Can you be so sure?"
"Hai. Despite what other may think, you're honest. You keep to your word. I was wrong about you and Sasuke being alike. You are opposites."
"Tell me what my otouto did to you."
"That's personal Itachi. Gomen ne."
"You agreed to the terms as well, did you not?"
Sakura gave Itachi a half hearted smile, "I did."
Lucky for Sakura, she was saved when Tsunade walked through the door.
"Shishou!"
"Sakura, I hear you've damaged another cell?"
Sakura flushed, "H-hai."
Tsunade chuckled and then looked serious, "We have no other place to keep the Uchiha."
"Then what do I do?"
Tsunade sighed, "As much as I would hate to do this, he will have to be kept under house arrest."
Sakura furrowed her eyebrows, "Meaning…"
Tsunade looked at Sakura, "How much space is there in that apartment of yours?"
Sakura's jaw dropped, "You cannot be serious!"
"If you learned to control yourself from destroying all of the cells then you wouldn't have to do this Sakura."
"But-"
"I will give you chakra seals to mask the little chakra he has so no one would suspect he is there, alright?"
Sakura let out a disgruntled sigh, "Fine."
Tsunade smiled, "Now, work on a Genjutsu to disguise him."
Sakura smirked, "Right away, Shishou."
Tsunade left the cell and chuckled. She felt somewhat sorry for the Uchiha. He had no idea what kind of Genjutsu Sakura would use to mask him, but Tsunade did.
"It's alright Aoiki-kun, does he really look dangerous?"
Aoiki smiled, "I suppose not."
"See? There really is no need for you to accompany me. I am sure I can manage, besides, he does not have that much chakra."
"Well, alright. Ja ne Haruno-san."
"Ja ne."
Sakura looked back at Itachi and suppressed a laugh and said under her breath, "If only you knew what you look like with my Genjutsu."
She could feel Itachi's irritation rolling off of him in waves. Yup. She would enjoy this.
"So you're not going to tell me what my appearance looks like?"
Sakura turned around and grinned at Itachi, "Nope! I'll let you figure that out."
As the two made their way towards Sakura's apartment, Itachi noticed he was getting several glances his way, many kids would smile and jump up and down as they saw him and their parents would smile at him and then nod towards Sakura who would bid them a good day.
As the two reached the street Sakura's apartment was on, a child raced up to Itachi and grinned at him and turned to Sakura, "Sakura! Is Naruto helping you out at the hospital again today by wearing this weasel costume?"
Itachi twitched.
'So that's the Genjutsu she placed on me? She's dressing me up as a weasel?'
Sakura snorted and ruffled the kid's hair, "Hai Koji-kun! He helped me today."
The child grinned at Itachi and waved, "Well Ja ne Naruto! Next time you're by the academy teach me something will ya? Ja ne!"
Then he ran off.
As Sakura opened the door to her apartment and let Itachi in she released the Genjutsu and burst into laughter and stole glances at Itachi's displeased look and started laughing once more.
"G-Gomen Itachi but you honestly have no idea how much fun it was to come up with that."
Itachi shot Sakura a glare, "I'm sure."
Sakura walked in the kitchen and smiled, "So I'm famished. What do you want to eat?"
Itachi raised an eyebrow, "Can you even cook?"
Sakura huffed, "Of course I can. It's not only antidotes and medicines that I can make."
Itachi walked into Sakura's small kitchen and grabbed a pan and set it on the stove.
"I-Itachi? What are you-"
"I highly doubt the things you will cook will be edible."
Sakura narrowed her eyes, "You're such a-"
"Besides," Itachi continued, "You collapsed yesterday. You should take care of your own health."
Sakura looked suspiciously at Itachi who was currently boiling rice in her kitchen.
…
Correction.
S class criminal Uchiha Itachi was cooking for her in her kitchen…for her.
He was cooking for her?
Sakura wasn't sure if she should be terrified…or amused. So she merely shrugged her shoulders and headed towards her bedroom, she felt overdue for a shower.
"Itachi if you can't find anything just ask, okay?"
"Hn."
"Glad to know we understand each other so well." Sakura mumbled as she closed the door to her room after hearing Itachi's faint chuckle.
Hopefully he could figure out where everything was in her kitchen because she really didn't feel like postponing her long awaited shower.
Knock.
Knock.
Ignore it and it will go away Sakura. He'll knock once more and then think you can't hear because of the water and then he'll just wait till you're done. That's all there is to it. Just wait it out and it will all get better.
Sakura agreed with the little voice in her head and decided not to answer the door. The water was too warm and comforting to leave anyhow.
Sakura rinsed the soap from her hair and turned the water off. She took the towel that was hanging on her shower curtain and wrapped it around her self and took the other towel and rubbed most of the wetness out of her hair. Deciding it was time to leave the warmth of the steam from her shower she pulled back the curtain and nearly screamed.
Sakura stared at Itachi who was leaning calmly against her sink as if it was completely normal to be there.
"Wh-what are you doing in here Itachi?! Get out!"
Itachi smirked as he looked at Sakura from head to toe. He looked back at Sakura's face and noticed the faint blush apparent on her face as well as her angry expression.
"Tea?"
"Um…what?"
Itachi sighed and stood up straight, "Do you have tea?"
Sakura shifted uncomfortably, "Now that you mention it I ran out just last night. I'll have to buy more in a bit."
Sakura walked towards Itachi and pushed him towards the bathroom door and out of her room, "Now if you don't mind, Itachi, I have to get some clothes on if I am to buy more tea."
Itachi smirked, "Clothes really aren't a necessity Sakura."
Sakura stopped and looked up at Itachi who was smirking down at her making her blush. She looked back at the floor and slammed her door shut, "B-bastard!"
Sakura emerged from her room several minutes later wearing her casual navy skirt and white shirt with her read tank top over it. She walked into her kitchen and grabbed her brown bag that she always took with her whenever she would go out and buy groceries. She turned around and looked at Itachi. She couldn't leave him alone…
Sakura groaned as she realized she'd have to throw another jutsu on him to disguise him once more. She'd be going to the civilian market anyhow so it's not like no one would notice the henge…
Sakura sighed and made a few hand signs and put a henge(transformation jutsu) on Itachi to make him look like a boy about her age with short scraggily brown hair and eyes.
Sakura sighed and walked back to her room and asked Itachi to follow her.
She rummaged through her drawers and through her closet and smiled when she found what she was looking for.
Sakura brought a large box from her closet and set it down in the middle of her bedroom floor.
"Find something your size in here, we can't have you walking down the streets of Konoha in an Akatsuki cloak."
Itachi looked impassively at the box, "Whose are these?"
Sakura tossed Itachi a dark grey shirt, "Clothes that Yamato, Kakashi, Naruto, and Sai said that they either don't want or they no longer fit."
Itachi unbuttoned his cloak, "And you have them because…?"
Sakura rolled her eye's, "They're comfy and I wear them for training."
Sakura eyed Itachi and searched for pants while she mumbled, "You look roughly about Kakashi's size…"
"And how would you know this, Sakura?" Itachi said as he smirked.
Sakura blushed, "Pervert. I'm a medic I know these things."
Sakura threw a pair of shinobi slacks at Itachi and she pointed to the bathroom, "Change in there and meet me in the living room when you're done. If they don't fit try to find something else."
Itachi caught the pair of slacks and followed Sakura's instructions and then they both left.
"Hm, these look fresh, I'll buy these." Sakura paid the vendor and walked to the next stall and looked at the fruit.
Itachi sighed. They were supposed to buy Tea. Just tea. Then Sakura decided to look at the rest of the products and buy herbs for medicines and vegetables and fruit for her pantry.
The food he cooked had probably gone cold.
Itachi sighed once more. Sakura turned around as she hear Itachi and grinned, "Sorry about this but I haven't been to the market in forever."
"Hn."
Sakura rolled her eye's and turned around.
"Hag."
Sakura jumped and looked at Sai, "Oh, hey Sai."
Sai nodded and then looked over Sakura's shoulder at the stranger.
"Who's that?"
Sakura tried to think up of a name, "Um…Taichi"
Sai nodded at the man who nodded back.
"S-so why are you here Sai?"
Sai eyed the stranger suspiciously as he answered Sakura, "There is a vendor here who sells paintbrushes. They're of good quality and there is a certain size I need."
"Oh, well I was just about to head back to my apartment so I'll see you later, okay?"
Sai looked back at Sakura and nodded, "Ja ne."
"Ja ne."
Sakura walked alongside Itachi towards her apartment, "That was close."
"He suspected something."
Sakura nodded, "Sai's always one to notice things."
Itachi followed Sakura to her apartment and once they were there, he had warmed the food up once more as Sakura made the tea. Once the food was ready, the two sat down and ate.
"Itadakimasu." Sakura said as she ate.
Itachi watched Sakura as she ate, "You do not think I poisoned it?" he asked.
Sakura swallowed and shook her head, "You also need me for information right?"
Itachi nodded and took a sip of the tea and let the meal be finished in silence.
As Sakura was finishing up her last few bites, she noticed Itachi looking at her.
"What is it?"
"You said I could ask you a question that's classified earlier, did you not?"
Sakura nodded hesitantly, "I did."
"Then," Itachi continued, "What is it that you have against my otouto?"
Sakura paused. She should have known he'd ask her.
Sakura stood up and walked over to her couch and sat down. She really didn't want to talk to Itachi about it while looking at him. It was too embarrassing.
"You want the full story, or the short?" Sakura asked.
"Full."
Sakura winced as she heard his voice trailing closer and saw him come into view as he seated himself on a chair across Sakura's couch. Guess there was no hiding her emotions from him.
(A/N: The story isn't exactly the same as it was in Naruto…I know that so don't flame me for it but I did it like this so it could flow easier and relate well. If you don't like my jumbled up version I'm terribly sorry!)
Sakura sighed, "At Konoha Academy, I was top of the class. I used my intelligence to gain attention, mainly Sasuke's. I was one among his many fan girls and when I heard I was apart of his team I was psyched. So naturally, whenever the time came, I used my intelligence to get noticed, for him to acknowledge me."
Itachi watched as a small smile crept onto Sakura's face, "Me and Naruto didn't get along very well. Ha. That's an understatement. I hated Naruto, I always thought that he was out to ruin my life and come between me and Sasuke. Then, we had the chunin exams."
Sakura gave a small chuckle, "I had been acknowledged as the weak damsel in distress Sakura among our team. It was during the chunin exams that we had gotten closer to each other. Sasuke and Naruto finally had to work together to finish the exams and I had to grow a backbone. Sasuke had been attacked by Orochimaru and Naruto had fought him as well. They both became sick and I was left to watch over them. A team of Sound shinobi had obviously found that I was the weakest and attacked, my friend, Lee, intervened to protect me and became injured and unable to fight."
Itachi watched as Sakura tried to hide the small tears that were trying to find their way out from behind her eyes, "I grew tired of always having to be protected, so I fought back. I had held my own for a while, not well, but I had done it. I looked at Sasuke and Naruto and realized that if the shinobi kept their harsh attacks, I wasn't going to make it out of live, or so I thought."
Sakura coughed trying to clear her dry throat, "Sasuke had saved me. He was scared of what he had done, he realized it wasn't him, it was the curse seal Orochimaru had branded him with. I was so scared of the Sasuke that went to the extremes to save me…he looked ruthless. It wasn't like him. After the Chunnin exams, we all realized how much we need to depend on each other. We would be unstoppable as a team. After that…we became close. All of us. We were a team. A family. Kakashi-sensei was our dear beloved father and Sasuke and Naruto were the two brothers that would constantly bicker and annoy the hell out of us."
"What were you in that 'family' scenario?" Itachi asked.
Sakura gave Itachi a sad smile, "I was the mother and the sister. I watched over all three of them and made sure that they were okay and got the help they needed. If they had problems, I'd try to help. Naruto had become the annoying brother and Sasuke no longer saw me as an annoying fangirl. It was something I had always wanted. I wanted Sasuke to not see me as annoying, but as a teammate, and he did."
Sakura then shot Itachi a glare, "Then you showed up to try and take Naruto. Sasuke heard about it and rushed over there thinking he could kill you and save Naruto and return to Konoha as some hero. Instead, you landed him in the hospital and he got pissed off on how you thought Naruto was more worthwhile so he challenged Naruto to some stupid fight and his pride was hurt because Kakashi-sense intervened and stopped the fight. So, he left and went to that pedophile Orochimaru."
Sakura crossed her arms and refused to look at Itachi who was observing her.
After a short silence Itachi spoke, "That isn't the full story, Sakura."
Sakura shot a glare at Itachi, "Why do you insist on knowing so much about my stupid little life?! Can't you see it hurts to think about it?!"
Sakura was now standing in front of Itachi and could hear her self practically screaming at him.
Sakura took in a deep, shaky, breath and stared at the ceiling, "You have no idea how much your damn brother hurt me."
Sakura wiped the tears that were trailing down her cheek. Crap. She had promised herself not to cry in front of him. She had promised herself that Sasuke wouldn't make her cry again. Promises were meant to be broken.
She seated herself back down, feeling that she was unable to stand because of her emotionally unstable mind. She tried to choke back the sobs that were desperately trying to make their ways out of her.
"You are right Sakura," Itachi said breaking the tense silence, "I do not know. That is why I'd like for you to tell me."
Sakura took in another shaky breath and looked at Itachi, "Why do you care?"
Itachi was struck by the question.
Why did he care?
It wasn't as if she belonged to him, yet alone had feelings for her.
The day Uchiha Itachi held feelings for anyone would be an utter shock.
Itachi looked at Sakura, "I don't."
Sakura glared, "Then why?"
Itachi merely shrugged, "Curious."
"Do you think it's funny to laugh at my pain?"
No.
"Do you see me amused, Sakura?"
Sakura examined the stoic Uchiha and sighed, "The night Sasuke left, I had gone to eat ramen with Naruto. As I was walking home, I had…this feeling that something wasn't right. Like someone close to me was leaving. And I was right."
Sakura was mentally punching herself for opening up to him like this, "Sasuke was on his way out of Konoha, I tried to stop him. I…I had told him to stay, that I couldn't stand it if he was gone. I told him that I knew what it was like being alone because the thought of not being with him was lonely. I said I'd find a way to make him happy. Always. I even said I'd go with him. I told him I loved him. But in the end, he chose revenge. I couldn't alter his path. He had one goal and one goal only in his mind at the moment."
Sakura looked over at Itachi, "And that was killing you."
Sakura could feel the rage building up, wanting release. She glared at Itachi, "Why couldn't you just leave him alone? He had been able to live with what had happened because Team 7 was there for him!"
Sakura stood up once more and rushed at Itachi and pulled him up to eye level using her insane strength.
"You had to come back into his life and childishly fought with and ended up screwing his whole fucking team over! You just had to push him over the edge by reminding him of his past and your existence! Haven't you fucked his life up enough already?!"
Itachi stood up straight, escaping Sakura's grasp and examined the broken Kunoichi. She appeared strong, but underneath her rough and solid exterior was something fragile, easily broken, and withered.
"I hate you." Sakura said through a choked sob.
Itachi looked down as Sakura started throwing futile punches at his chest.
"I hate you, I hate you, I hate you!" Sakura's sobs had finally broken free as she no longer had the strength to fight anymore yet alone stand.
So she fell.
She fell into the hated Uchiha's arms.
She was withering, just as all Cherry Blossoms would.
Itachi watched as the broken Kunoichi sobbed in his arms. The information he had given her was definitely worth less than what she had given him. This confession was like an open window into her very soul. It was a window that he wanted to shut and close the blinds to so he could never peer into it again.
Itachi then noticed Sakura had somehow fallen asleep amidst his pondering. Itachi sighed and picked the sleeping Cherry Blossom up bridal-style and carried her into her room and placed her onto her large sized bed.
Itachi looked down at the sleeping tear stained kunoichi and made his way out of her room.
'Tomorrow' he thought,
'I shall tell her my story.'
Itachi closed Sakura's bedroom door and made his way silently to her couch.
.Day Four.
Sakura started to squint her eyes.
She could feel the annoying sun's ray's shining in her room through her totally useless curtains and onto her face.
She groaned and flipped over and buried her head in her pillow, that is, until the scent of something utterly divine and delicious had entered her nostrils.
Sakura sat up and stared at her bedroom door. She could either take a shower and get all nice, clean, and ready for the day; or see what that scrumptious smell was and then have to walk all the way back to her room to get ready.
The latter didn't win.
A few minutes later Sakura emerged from her shower and dressed into her regular training clothes and quickly blow dried her hair and tied her headband into her hair and walked out of her room and into the Kitchen.
She really didn't want to face Itachi after her emotional breakdown last night, but it was futile. She had to interrogate him after all.
Sakura stared at her table and swore that she had never seen anything so delicious in her life. She looked up and scanned the room for the Uchiha but could not find him.
The screaming whistle from the tea kettle had startled her.
Sakura walked hurriedly over to the kettle and removed it from her stove and prepared the tea.
"What are you doing?"
Sakura yelped and nearly fell backwards from the surprise but was caught by none other than Itachi.
Sakura blushed at her clumsiness (and possibly the fact that she was clinging onto Itachi for her dear life) and steadied herself as she stood up, "A-arigatou Itachi."
"Hn."
Sakura rolled her eye's and took down a few teacups to use, "Where did you come from anyway Itachi?"
Itachi stood right behind Sakura as he reached for the plates on her top cabinet shelf, unaware of course, on how awkward it made Sakura feel.
"Your pantry."
Sakura leaned forward to see around Itachi as he was taking down the plates, and looked at the pantry door that was ajar.
"Oh."
Itachi walked over to the table and set the plates down and Sakura took hold of the tea kettle and poured the tea into the two cups.
Itachi came up behind her and reached around her waist and grasped the two teacups and bent towards her ear, "Sit."
Sakura shivered involuntarily and did so and thanked Itachi as he set her tea in front of her. Sakura eyed him suspiciously as he sat on the opposite end of the table.
"…is this your way of saying 'sorry for making you cry from telling that awful and painful story Sakura, will you ever forgive me?' you know, an apology?" Sakura asked.
"Hn."
Sakura smirked and took a bite of the curry Itachi had made and greedily ate at it until it was gone along with her tea.
Having been finished as well, Itachi took both of their dishes and dumped them into Sakura's sink and sat back at his designated spot at the table and looked at Sakura who was fiddling with her hands.
"Sakura."
Itachi watched Sakura's head snap up, "Yes?"
Itachi bent forward and folded his hands onto the table, "Now, I'll tell you my story."
Sakura stared at Itachi from across the table. She hadn't expected him to tell her anything without her asking for it. It only made sense; she let him in on a painful piece of her life, so he'll tell her…something else?
Sakura nodded at Itachi, "I'm listening."
"Being the eldest Uchiha and the prodigy left me a great amount of expectations to be fulfilled without disappointment. I had graduated from the academy at a very young age and became an ANBU at thirteen leaving me almost completely occupied with both missions and clan meetings since I was to be named the heir to the clan's name. Despite what you may think, I do not hate Sasuke."
Sakura narrowed her eye's, "Then why-"
"Let me finish, Sakura."
Sakura nodded.
"The Uchiha clan was a corrupt clan. We wanted power, we thirsted for it. We are a greedy, vengeful clan. Before Konoha ever came to exist, war was the only thing the shinobi world ever knew. Clans were hired to destroy other clans and countries. There were two clans that were feared as the strongest, and those were the Uchiha clan, and the Senju clan of the forest. Eventually, both the Uchiha clan and the Senju clan grew tired of the countless wars and made a truce and became the leaders of Konohagakaru after we had established the village in the fire country, others began to do the same. It became peaceful, but as you know, peace does not last long."
Sakura nodded waiting for Itachi to continue.
"Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama, the heads of the clans, were disputing over the position of 'Hokage'. But as you know, Hashirama became the first Hokage. Uchiha Madara had become furious because his own clan had decided to choose Hashirama over their own flesh and blood, so he left the village and challenged it by releasing the nine tailed fox. Uchiha Madara was said to be defeated at 'The Valley of The End' and to make sure a rebellion such as his was not repeated, the second Hokage gave the Uchiha's the title of the Military force to show his trust."
Sakura nodded, "It was looked at with the highest respect among the villagers. It was an honorable position."
Itachi nodded, "Or so it seemed."
Sakura furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, "What do you mean?"
"The real purpose of the position was to distance the Uchiha clan from governing the village and to keep them under surveillance. A few of the clan members had wanted rebel after realizing what was going on but made no move since many had thought they were trusted. However, the spirit of the nine tailed fox had appeared causing suspicion from the leaders since the Uchiha's Sharingan was the only power that could control the demon."
"Of course," Itachi continued, "The leaders had thought it was the Uchiha clan's doing even though in all honesty, it was just a natural disaster that caused the demons spirit to awaken. The leaders thought the Uchiha clan was leading a rebellion. We were then guarded and surveillance by black ops and forced to live separately from the rest of the village in the Uchiha Compound. The third Hokage was the only one who voiced any opposition to the idea, but Danzou and the village elders would not listen. The Uchiha clan had never been trusted. We had become discriminated."
Sakura frowned, "But you didn't do anything."
Itachi shook his head, "It did not matter, Sakura. We were deemed untrustworthy."
Sakura nodded, "Okay continue."
"The clan had become tired of the segregation and discrimination, so they began to plot a coup d'état to take over the village. It was exactly what the leaders had feared would happened, so they had planted a spy within the Uchiha clan."
Itachi stared at Sakura giving her a chance to take in the information and formulate exactly as to who the spy was.
Sakura's eyes widened as she looked up at Itachi, "No."
Itachi nodded, "I was given the position as the spy, for both the village and the Uchiha clan."
Sakura tilted her head in confusion, "What do you mean?"
"Mine and Sasuke's father, Uchiha Fugaku, was the leader for the coup d'état. He had asked me to become a black ops to spy and inform him of the village's plans. To feed him Konoha's weaknesses. But my village comes first before my corrupted family. The appropriate title for what I was would be a 'double agent'. I had experienced first hand at a very young age the trauma's of war. I despised it. I wanted to live a life of peace, whether you believe this or not is up to you."
Sakura waited for Itachi to continue.
"Seeing my want for peace and a solution to my clan's differences, they used me for a mission that only I would be able to complete. They gave me a secret mission, and that was the annihilation of the entire Uchiha clan."
Sakura stared at Itachi wide eyed, "N-no. They wouldn't-"
Itachi looked hard into Sakura's eye's, "If my clan was to be left alone, without a doubt a war would have started within our borders leaving Konoha vulnerable to attacks thus leading to a fourth ninja war. The safety of my village and it's inhabitants came first. The third Hokage had tried to make a truce with the Uchiha clan, but it failed. I was the only hope left for stability."
Sakura looked suspiciously at Itachi, "You couldn't have done it by yourself. All this time I've been thinking you had an accomplice. Was I wrong in my accusations?"
Sakura saw as Itachi gave her what may have been a small smile, "No. You are correct. There was someone there to assist me."
"Who?" Sakura asked.
"Uchiha Madara."
Itachi looked at Sakura's shocked but disbelieving eyes, "You said he had died Itachi."
"I merely said he was defeated. He was thought to be dead, but I was the only one with knowledge of his survival. He is part of the Akatsuki after all, and I had asked him to assist me since he had wanted revenge for the Uchiha clans' betrayal towards him."
Itachi looked off to the side, "I had failed my mission though. I was unable to take my brothers life."
Sakura gaped at Itachi, "You mean Sasuke shouldn't be alive at this moment?"
Itachi looked back at Sakura, "Precisely."
Sakura shook her head and looked down at her table, "Then why?"
"He was innocent. He knew nothing of the corruptness that his clan held. Why should his life be taken when he had done nothing wrong?"
"Then, how did the Hokage and the village leaders allow him to live?" Sakura questioned.
"I asked the third to protect him from knowing the truth of our clan. I wanted him to believe that the Uchiha clan was an honorable clan. I threatened the elders and Danzou if they laid their hands on him, I would leak all there was to know of the village to the enemy countries. I had left after that."
Sakura stood up from her chair and shook her head trying to rid the tears that threatened to spill, "Then why did you say all those horrible things to Sasuke?! Why were you driving him with so much hate?! Do you want him to kill you?!"
"Yes."
Sakura's head snapped up from his answer. Shocked.
"Why?"
Itachi stood up as well and stood in front of Sakura, "Do you believe that if you were in my place, you would want to live?"
Sakura bit her trembling lip realizing as to why he had been caught by her in the first place.
"You requested the mission for that scroll so you would be captured by Konoha, interrogated, and killed. Didn't you?"
Itachi nodded.
"Then what was on that scroll?!" Sakura said as her voice cracked.
"Nothing."
Sakura looked up into Itachi's eyes, "But…what about Sasuke? Wouldn't you rather have him kill you then us?"
Itachi nodded once more, "He would have reached news of my capture and returned to Konoha. He would have been ordered to kill me and gain what he wanted. The Mangekyou, power, and revenge."
Sakura choked out a sob and shook her head, "Baka. How can you stand it? The pain you have to deal with every day? You're living a life of a criminal when you are the victim! Stop living this lie already!"
Itachi stared at the tearful girl that was pleading with him.
"Why?" he asked.
Sakura swallowed the lump in her throat and daringly wrapped her arms around the eldest Uchiha, "You don't deserve a life like this."
Itachi stood frozen in place. He hadn't heard those words from anyone. All this time he had figured 'I betrayed my clan and ran to the Akatsuki and betrayed my village. I deserve this miserable life.'
Itachi brought his arms up to the pink haired kunoichi's face and tilted her head to his view, "Sakura."
Sakura was about to ask 'What' when she suddenly felt Itachi's lips crash against hers. Sakura had slid her eye's shut and wrapped her arm's around the Uchiha's neck allowing him to slide his hand to the small of her back as his other hand wound itself in the now tangle of pink hair. Sakura felt something warm slide itself across her lip asking for entrance and she complied. The forbidden pair had explored each other's cavern, fighting for dominance, that is, until a knock was at Sakura's door.
Sakura growled in protest and felt Itachi smirk against her as he pulled away allowing her a few seconds to make herself look somewhat tidy and answer the door.
Sakura opened the door to reveal Ino.
"What is it Ino?" Sakura said trying not to sound annoyed.
Ino grinned, "Tsunade wants to see you."
Sakura nodded, "Okay, tell her I'll be there in a few minutes."
"Got it."
Sakura shut the door and turned around only to see that Itachi had disappeared. Sakura had furrowed her eyebrows and walked into her room seeing that it was probably the only place he had gone to.
"Itachi?"
Sakura grunted as she was suddenly pushed down onto her bed with the Uchiha straddling and smirking down at her.
Sakura slightly blushed, "Itachi, I've got to go see Shishou."
"Hn."
"And I kind of need you to get off of me for that."
Sakura caught her breath as he bent his head down towards her ear.
"No."
Sakura rolled her eyes, "I'll be back, I promise."
Itachi chuckled and allowed the girl to leave.
"What is it Shishou?"
Tsunade looked up from her papers, "Ah Sakura! How are things with Itachi?"
Sakura nearly clapped as she successfully hid a blush, "Fine."
Tsunade nodded, "Do you have any new information?"
Sakura took in a deep breath, "Yes."
Tsunade motioned to the seat in front of her desk, "Have a seat. What did you find out?"
"Uchiha Madara is alive."
Tsunade dropped the papers she held onto the floor, "What?! It's impossible-!"
"That's what I thought as well. He is part of the Akatsuki."
Tsunade covered her face with her hands and mumbled into them, "That's just great."
She removed her hands and looked back at Sakura, "What else did you learn?"
Sakura leaned back in her chair, "Do you have time?"
Tsunade nodded, "Plenty."
Sakura took in a deep breath and retold the story that Itachi had told her, but her Shishou had a different look on her face.
"Sakura, this is a grave matter, if the elders found out you knew it would cost you your life. My own life and job as the Hokage would be put at stake as well."
"But Shishou-!"
"No 'buts' Sakura. This information is extremely confidential. We are not to speak of this again, do you understand?"
"I don't see the problem with it Shishou." Sakura said a bit frustrated.
"Sakura, by knowing this information and believing the fact that it's true means that you are questioning your village's authority. That, according to the elders, is a crime. They could hunt you down if they knew you knew!"
"But Shishou-!"
"Sakura" Tsunade said with a hard, forceful voice, "Go home."
Sakura stood up and mumbled a goodbye to her Shishou and left, unaware of another presence hat had heard what she had said.
Sakura walked inside her apartment and let out a long, heavy sigh as she removed her shoes and walked back to her room where she assumed Itachi was.
Sakura heard water running in her bathroom and concluded that Itachi was probably taking a shower. She nearly laughed when she had realized the only shampoo she had was her strawberry shampoo. The great S-Class Criminal Uchiha Itachi uses strawberry scented shampoo. Sakura giggled as she laid down on her bed and closed her eyes and inwardly sighed.
Was it wrong to tell Tsunade that? She didn't think that telling the Hokage such important information would be dangerous.
"You're back."
Sakura glanced at Itachi who was standing in the doorway of her bathroom.
Scratch that.
Sakura stared at a half clothed Itachi standing in her bathroom doorway with a towel wrapped around his waist.
Sakura tried to hide her blush by looking the other way and nodding.
Itachi smirked, "What did your Hokage need?"
"Information."
"About me I presume."
Sakura nodded.
"What did you tell her?"
Sakura sat up and pulled her knee's to her chest, "The truth. What you told me."
It was quiet for a brief moment until Itachi had interrupted the silence.
"What?"
Sakura looked up at Itachi alarmed, "What's wrong?"
"Sakura, you can get assassinated by your own village by telling her that information."
Sakura buried her face in her knee's and mumbled, "So I was told."
Itachi stared at Sakura's curled up form, "She told you that?"
Sakura nodded.
"Why did you tell her?"
It sounded more like a command rather than a question. Sakura frowned.
"Because, you didn't do anything wrong."
"Sakura-"
"I mean, what am I supposed to do?! Stand by while something as unjust as that is overlooked?! It's wrong!"
Sakura found herself once more pressed against the bed with both wrists placed on either side of her head and Itachi above her.
"Sakura. Calm down. This is no your burden to bear."
"But-!"
"It's alright."
"No it's not…"Sakura said in a small voice as she pouted.
Itachi smirked and lowered himself to capture the girls lips. Sakura buried her hands into the eldest Uchiha's slightly damp hair and traveled down his bare torso with a slight blush on her face. Sakura felt a smirk against her lips. Sakura frowned and pulled back. He teased her, she'll hurt his pride.
"You smell like a girl."
Sakura gasped as Itachi kissed her once more, allowing him to enter and explore her mouth once more. Sakura answered back and kissed Itachi back with full force. Sakura took a quick intake of breath as she felt the Uchiha tugging slightly at her shirt.
Itachi brought his lips to Sakura's ear, "Tell me if you want me to stop."
Sakura bit her lip and took in a breath, "Itachi."
Itachi looked at Sakura.
"Don't stop."
(A/N: Nope, no lemon. But if you want one in this, I can write an alternate part for it by making a separate chapter for it. Just tell me if you do :] )
.Day Five.
(A/N: try listening to 'Unbeautiful' by Lesley Roy during the next part. It helped me write it :])
Sakura opened her eyes and smiled at the already awake Itachi, "Good morning."
Itachi merely nodded and traced the features on Sakura's face with his fingers. Sakura closed her eye's, memorizing the feel of him tracing her face. She hadn't felt this much at peace in several years. She liked the feel of someone being beside her. She felt less lonely and more complete than she had ever felt.
"It's the fifth day."
Sakura opened her eyes and looked at Itachi confused.
"The bet."
Sakura's mouth formed an 'o' as she recalled the challenge.
Sakura laughed, "We both spilled our secrets. It's a tie."
Sakura laughed at the blank stare Itachi was giving her. It was as if he didn't like tying with anyone at anything.
Sakura sighed and got out of bed and dressed her self for the day's events. She rummaged around in the large box she had that contained the clothes she had received from her team mates and threw some of the articles of clothing at Itachi and walked into her kitchen and made some tea and leaned against the counter inhaling it's soothing aroma.
Sakura took a few sips of her tea and was about to finish it when loud, forceful knocks were pounding on her door.
Sakura furrowed her eyebrows and opened the door and dodged a dew flying Kunai.
"What the hell?!" Sakura said as two ANBU black ops were blocking her doorway.
"Haruno Sakura, you have been committed with treason. You and the Uchiha must come with us or we shall take you by force."
Sakura pulled her gloves from her pocket and swiftly placed them on, "Over my dead body!"
Sakura punched the floor causing the two ANBU to lose their balance and fall. Sakura rushed to her room where Itachi had already opened her window and followed her out.
"Where are we going, Sakura?"
"Shishou. There's no way she ordered this!"
Sakura and Itachi had tried to approach the Hokage tower but were constantly being pursued by ANBU black ops.
Sakura growled, "Dammit!"
Sakura looked at the small chakra bracelets on Itachi's wrist and ground her teeth. She pulled Itachi behind a building as they avoided the ANBU and eventually lost them. She took a blade in her hand and forced chakra into it and cut the chakra bracelets and let them drop to the ground.
"We have to get to Shishou. I need to know what's going on."
Itachi nodded and led the way to the Hokage tower.
Sakura and Itachi jumped through the window into Tsunade's office and saw her sitting at her desk with her head buried beneath her arms.
"Shishou! What's going on?!"
Tsunade snapped her head up and looked at Sakura, "Sakura, I'm sorry! There's nothing I can do! The elders took this upon themselves, apparently Danzou heard our conversation."
"Why aren't you being pursued?" Itachi asked.
Tsunade looked at Itachi, "It would be too suspicious if the Hokage was assassinated by her own ANBU."
Itachi nodded.
"Shishou! What do I do?!"
Tsunade looked at her prized and favorite apprentice. Her daughter. Tsunade sighed and looked up at Itachi.
"Take care of her Uchiha. You're the only one I can trust to protect her."
Sakura looked horrorstruck at her Shishou, "Sh-Shishou! What-?!"
Itachi nodded and pulled Sakura's frame towards him, "Hai."
Tsunade looked long and hard at the Uchiha, "Itachi, this is your last mission as an inhabitant of Konohagakaru: Protect and take care of Haruno Sakura with your life."
Itachi nodded, "Understood."
Tsunade stood up, "Now go, I'll try to find a way to distract those damn ANBU."
Sakura bit her lip and blinked back the tears, "Shishou…"
Tsunade gave Sakura a sad smile, "Goodbye Sakura."
With that being said, Itachi picked Sakura up bridal-style and ran towards the borders of the country of fire.
Sakura looked up at Itachi, "What will we do now?"
Itachi continued to jump from branch to branch, "I have to complete the mission."
Itachi stopped and set Sakura down on the branch. Sakura looked back at her village and could make out the cloaked, masked, ANBU figures searching for her through the village.
She turned back at Itachi and gave him a small smile, "Yeah…I suppose you do."
And with that, the two left the village.
Innocent.
A/N: OMG. You have NO idea how long this took me to write. But I hope you're all satisfied. Especially the birthday girl :]. I really loved writing this. I personally think it's one of the best things I've written (next to No man's land and Love and Betrayal but those aren't posted yet ^^;)
There will be no sequel for this unless and idea hits me, other than that gomen ne.
Yes, yes I KNOW Itachi was OOC at parts but you have to realize that I was trying to bring back the old Itachi from before the Uchiha Massacre. I was trying to show that people can change by someone's simple influence :]
Thank you to my dear editor Butterbiscuits72 whom I believe is like my sister even though we aren't but we all know that we were separated at birth….lol
Please Read and Review!
Thank you for reading!
Takara Makoto