I know I promised not to start another story until my HP/LoR one was done, but this one has been bugging me forever. Plus I'm procrastinating finishing the last few chapters of my book.

I haven't watched or read all of Naruto so a lot of my knowledge is from google and other fanfics, so don't be surprised if some of it doesn't quite go along with the series.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Sad, but true.


Prologue

"What are you doing here Naruto?" Sasuke's black eyes regarded Naruto with halfhearted interest. His sword at his back itching to be drawn. "I don't have time to play with you right now."

"Tck. I'm not here to fight you, teme." Naruto kept his distance from his former teammate as they stood across from each other in the clearing. It had taken him weeks to track the missing nin down and he wasn't going to waste this chance by fighting, no matter how much he wanted to.

"If you're here to try and talk me into coming back, you're wasting your breath and my time." Sasuke turned to leave not even sparing the blonde a second glance. He wouldn't attack him. Not when he said he wasn't going to fight. His word was one of his best and worst traits. One that would get the blonde idiot killed one day.

"I'm not here for that either."

Sasuke paused at his words, curiosity getting the better of him. "Then what? You just wanted to talk with an old friend? Because we aren't friends anymore. When are you going to get it through that thick head of yours?"

Ignoring Sasuke's insults, Naruto took a step forward. "It's Sakura."

The sound of his pink haired ex-teammate's name caused Sasuke smirk at the blonde as he turned back around. "Is she still alive? I would have thought she'd have gone and gotten herself killed already."

Even as Sasuke said the words Naruto knew they were a lie. He wanted to know about her or he wouldn't have even bothered to answer him. He'd always had a backwards way of showing that he cared.

"She's missing."

"So?"

That one word said more than a dozen could have. He didn't expect Sasuke to declare undying love for their teammate or swear to find her. Not without some motivation and motivation was not a department Naruto was lacking in. Not after what he saw.

"She's been missing for almost a year." Naruto continued as if the shinobi across from him hadn't even spoken. "She went on a simple C Rank escort mission and never came back."

"She's probably dead." Sasuke mocked even though the wheels in his head began to turn. Sakura could handle herself, even if she couldn't beat him in a fight. It had his interest peaked for sure.

"She's stronger than you think. But it's not that she's missing. It's how she is missing." Naruto held his hands out to emphasis his point. "They won't let us look for her. Grandma won't even tell us anything about where the escort was or who it was for and nobody seems to recall Sakura ever mentioning when she'd be back."

"You keep coming after me, even after the Hokage forbid it. I don't see how it would be any different now. Does she even know you are here?"

Naruto grit his teeth. He hadn't asked for permission to track Sasuke down. No one, not even Kakashi, knew what he had planned. He was actually on another mission he had finished up weeks ahead of time and was dragging it out so he could find the elusive prick. Sakura was worth that much, at least.

"This is different. She was Tsunade's apprentice. They wouldn't just give up on her without even sending someone to look for her. It's like they don't even care that she's gone. They have already listed her as a missing nin, without even questioning it."

Sasuke frowned. "I still don't see what you expect me to do. Or why you think I would even care? She turned rogue, so what? Maybe she got tired of your big mouth. It happens." He held his arms out like to say, 'Look at me.'

"They wouldn't have just dismissed her so easily. You don't understand. Sakura has responsibilities. People she cares about and that care about her! She wouldn't just leave. She's not like you!" He pointed a shaking finger at him, his rage threatening to break free.

"Then she's dead." Sasuke stated. "As a shinobi you should be used to loss. Say a prayer for her and move on. Like I intend to."

"But she's not dead, that's the problem." Naruto paused, his voice low as if afraid to admit it. "I saw her."

"Then what do you need me for? Go after her and leave me alone or next time I won't stay around to chat." Sasuke prepared to jump into the trees when Naruto next words caused him to stop.

"She was with Itachi."

Anger filled Sasuke's eyes and his sharingan activated, spinning wildly. "What do you mean she was with Itachi? Is she crazy? Did she get some kind of insane idea to kill him for me so I'd come back?" He appeared in front of Naruto in an instant, gripping the blonde's shoulders. "Only I get to kill my brother. I have to do it. Or it means nothing."

Naruto frowned. "It's not like that. At least I don't think so."

"Then what game are you playing?" Sasuke's grip tightened on Naruto's shoulders causing him to wince.

"Sasuke she's wasn't just with Itachi, she was with Itachi."

Sasuke let go of Naruto with a laugh. "You mean like they teamed up? You must have been mistaken. The Akatsuki wouldn't take in such a weakling."

"Maybe they needed a medic? She isn't in the bingo books just for her strength alone. She brought Gaara back from the dead. It's been said she has already past Grandma in her abilities. I'm not sure she has joined them anyways, she wasn't wearing that stupid cloak of theirs." Naruto's lip curled into a grimace, "If she has joined their forces I doubt Itachi was much interested in her abilities. Medical or shinobi wise."

Sasuke stared at the blonde for a moment, a million questions running through his head as he tried to piece together what he had heard. Why would Sakura be with Itachi? What did Itachi want with her? And why was Naruto looking at him as if he was hoping Sasuke would figure it out on his own and not make him say it?

"You think they are lovers." Sasuke shook his head. "You're delusional."

"I wish, but seeing one of your best friends being fucked up against a wall is a little hard to miss."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed "Then it's rape."

"Not from where I was standing. She seemed quite happy to be there." Naruto cringed at the memory of the girl he'd had a crush on for years with another man. Sure he was with Hinata now, but that didn't mean he wasn't a little weirded out to see her in such a position.

"He could have used genjutsu on her. Made her think it was me she was with."

This time it was Naruto's turn to laugh. "You still think she's so in love with you that she hasn't had other lovers? It's been five years Sasuke. She dated Kiba for two years, but broke up with him when he wanted to get married. She wanted to focus more on her career in the hospital and didn't want to be tied down." Naruto spit out. Kiba was his friend, but the mutt was nowhere near good enough for the medic nin. He was happy she had broke it off when she did or Naruto would have tried to intervene. "Last I heard she and Kakashi were screwing like bunnies, but even he said she broke it off with him shortly before she left for this last mission."

Sasuke gaped at the mention of his pinkette screwing around with their former sensei. The very thought of her with the older shinobi made him ill. What could she did she even see in him?

"I know right?" Naruto laughed at Sasuke's face, scratching the back of his head. "Took me forever to get the visual out of my head. Plus the jerk admitted Sakura has seen his face, but would she tell me? No. Best friend my ass!"

"Anyways, why would your brother even bother?" The blonde switched topics mid-rant. "I wasn't even aware he knew who Sakura was let alone go out of his way to mind control her into doing him." He tapped his chin in thought. "I mean she is in the bingo books now, but still hardly worth the effort. He can't be that hard up for a lay. Unless-"

"He's taunting me." Sasuke growled. "He knew he was being watched and it would get back to me."

"Now I wouldn't say that." Naruto exclaimed, waving his hands in front of him. This wasn't going the way he had hoped. Sasuke was suppose go into a jealous rage and promise he would save Sakura from his brother, not add fuel to his revenge driven fire.

"I'll take care of it." Sasuke announced, disappearing before Naruto could protest.

"Well shit. I hope I haven't done something I'll regret." Naruto frowned, then shrugged, a grin coming to his face. "But at least he'll find out what's going on with Sakura for me."

The blonde jumped into the trees and headed toward the village. It would be good to be home for a while. Maybe he wouldn't need Sasuke. Maybe Sakura has returned already. Or maybe she was in deeper than he wanted to admit.