Chapter 1
Prompt:
"Are you insane?"
"Do you really want me to answer that?"
The door flew open with a gust of cold air and the chains on her wrists felt a little bit warmer. The unmoving shadow in the doorway added to her chill and a shiver ran down her spine. It took her only a moment to recognize him, and the realization filled her with dread. It seemed that no matter who opened that door, she would be horrified.
"What are you doing here!? I told you not to come back for me! You're going to be killed!" Her voice echoed around the stone space with an angry hiss. She sat up taller and glared at the man that no one could ever predict. How infuriating!
"I came back to free you," he stated simply. His voice was low and even. It seemed to hang in the silence that came after it. Her astonishment was replaced quickly by dread, and her eyes strained in the darkness to see his face. She was searching for something that she would not find in his expression. Her frustration grew.
"Argh, you idiot! Leave! Please! Before they find you here!" She was angry, but her whispered voice was heavy with sorrow, both for his assured demise, and for his departure from her life once again. The last time had been hard enough.
He stepped into the room and the door closed with a quiet click behind him. The pitch black of the space hummed with his chakra presence. She had missed his energy. It calmed her and she acknowledged that his actions were not unpredictable. She knew him too well. He would never give up. He would never leave her behind. Not after…
His hand touched her cheek, but she did not startle. She had expected his advance. She tilted her face into his palm and willed the tears to dry in her eyes. "Why?" she whispered hoarsely, terror audible in every syllable. "Why did you risk yourself to come here?"
He said nothing. She did not expect an answer. She knew why he had come back, but he would never utter his reasoning. He stood slowly and removed his hand from her face. At his retreat, her tears spilled over, leaving hot streaks over her chilled skin. She felt his heat as he moved behind her to fiddle with the locks on her chained wrists and ankles. The soft clinking of metal instruments against her shackles increased her anxiety. She prayed that he would work quickly.
"They are coming," he said calmly, but his deep voice seemed to boom in the silence and she felt the hairs on her arms rise. She could feel his body tense behind her, his chakra gathering for a fight. His hands seemed to move quicker on the locks. After a few moments, the cuff on her right wrist fell away. Without speaking he placed a tool into her freed hand and she immediately began to work on her left. How was he so calm and collected? They were both going to die!
He freed her ankles at nearly the same moment they heard the first footfall in the hallway. She spun on her knees to face him in the darkness. "Please just get out of here! If you run, they won't catch you. Please. I can survive," she begged, her eyes brimming with tears once again. "We can't fight them and win."
"You are underestimating yourself." His refute was quiet and sure. "I am confident in your abilities in battle. I assure you we can exit this room with little trouble." He stood and moved around her so that he was between her and the doorway to the room. "Finish your work on the lock and prepare to leave."
His instructions snapped her out of her panic and she quickly picked the lock and dropped the metal cuffs to the ground. She gathered her feet under her and shakily stood. Her knees ached as they straightened to support her. When was the last time she had commanded her body on two legs? Her quick assessment was halted when the footsteps stopped outside the door to her cell. She stilled in preparation for a fight, gathering what little chakra she could to her hands and feet.
The door opened slowly and a hulking man stepped into the small space. The figure paused in the doorway and laughed. "Uchiha Itachi. I had wondered if you would ever cash in on the favor I owed you. It seems now is the time." The grating voice of the blue shark man addressed his former partner with amusement.
"Yes," Itachi quipped. His tone gave away nothing, though she could tell that he was tense and defensive as he stood between herself and the mist-nin.
"I should have known it would be for the girl," Kisame snickered. "I never thought I would get to see this little Cherry Blossom again. Tobi's been very consistent with his checkups on her and he insists on being her only visitor."
"Enough talk. Hatake and his team will only be able to keep them occupied for a short time. We leave now," Itachi explained. He swung his pack around and pulled out a swath of dark fabric. He settled his bag back onto his back and handed her a cloak. She took it in a daze.
Her mind was reeling at that name. Hatake. Kakashi-sensei. Why was he here? Why was he risking himself for her? She was so happy to hear his name, but upset at the danger that he was in because of her. The swirl of emotions left her unsure and confused. Frustrated, she refused to move when the two men started for the door. "What is going on?" She demanded. "Kisame, what are you talking about? You're helping us? And what does Kakashi have to do with this? What are you planning to do when-"
"Sakura," Itachi drawled, his voice seeming to caress the word. It was the first time she had heard her name spoken aloud since before he had left. He had her full attention immediately. His eyes softened as he took in her reaction. "We must leave now."
She nodded, her mind whirring with questions. She threw the cloak over her shoulders and fastened the snaps in the front. She was barefoot, but there was no time to worry about that. Itachi led the way into the hallway and she followed quickly, finding her footing on her unsteady legs. Kisame fell in line behind her and shut the door. Then they were moving.
The ninja moved swiftly through the dim corridors. Itachi wasted no time in finding the exit and they flew through the door and onto the grass. In a moment of joy, Sakura gasped at the feel of the soft, damp earth under her feet. Itachi turned his head to appraise her and she met his gaze with a fiery look of her own. He increased his pace.
When they were a good enough distance from the Akatsuki's hideout, Itachi signaled that they should stop. Sakura stopped and braced her hands on her hips, panting. She had no real way to discern how long she had been kept in that cell, but her body's seriously malnourished frame told her it had been longer than she thought.
She gave herself a quick once over while she caught her breath. Her clothing was ragged, dirty, and smelled strongly of sweat and blood. Through the tear in her pants, she inspected the injury she has sustained before her imprisonment. It was healed, but it was garish against the pale skin of her thigh.
She snapped out of her inspection when she felt Itachi's gaze on her. She looked up to meet his eyes. The crimson of the sharingan was intense as he watched her. "We need to get to the rendezvous point. Can you continue?" His words were curt, but she could sense the concern and fury behind them.
"Yes," she nodded. "I can continue for a while." She turned to regard the blue haired shark man. "Are you defecting now, too?"
"No, but I owed Itachi. Now my debt is paid." His response was gruff and he pulled Samehada from his back. His hands worked on the wrappings of the sword as he began to walk away. "I suggest that you move on. I am obligated to join the fight against your comrades. We will never meet again."
Sakura swallowed hard and nodded. She moved to Itachi's side and the pair watched as the large blue skinned man jumped into the trees and quickly vanished from view. She turned to face her companion, and he gestured for her to follow him.
The run was torturous. Sakura's stamina was nonexistent, and what little strength and chakra she had scrounged up was gone. It wasn't until they stopped that she collapsed. Itachi knelt at her side immediately, his hand going to her forehead. He seemed to give her a once over and, after deciding she was not harmed past her exhaustion, silently stood from his crouch.
"Do not worry," he murmured. "They will be here soon." With this declaration, he turned his back to her and began to survey the area. At his reassurance, she allowed her eyes to close. Sleep was impossible at a time like this, but she could at least give her eyes and body as much rest as she could before they would need to move again. Her worry and fatigue were making her mind drag, and she couldn't make sense of what was happening.
Why was Itachi here? Who had he come with? Why was he allied with Kakashi? Did Lady Tsunade know what was happening? A pang of longing rang through her at the thought of her master. She hadn't seen Tsunade in nearly a year and she desperately missed her teacher's company. The Fifth Hokage was wise and strong and everything Sakura wanted to be. A small smile curved her lips as she realized she would see her again soon.
She heard crashing through the trees to her left. It was far off, but headed in their direction. She sensed chakra. A lot of it. At the sensation, her eyes snapped open and she sat up. Her head spun as she moved to stand, but her dizziness made her slump back down onto her backside. She was panicking, but Itachi was not moving to flee. He had moved at the noise, but only to stand between her and the incoming ruckus.
A moment later, a man in an orange jumpsuit landed in front of Itachi with a quiet thump. Others landed in the small clearing behind the blonde jinchuriki, all whom she recognized. He was carrying a body over his shoulder and she couldn't suppress the anxiety that occupied her thoughts at the sight of the blood. Her fingers twitched, devoid of any chakra for healing. Were any others hurt?
"Naruto! Is anyone injured?" His name left her lips in surprise, and the question following was merely a reflex. At her voice, he looked up and grinned. Uzumaki Naruto would never be kept at home for this mission.
"Sakura-chan! I'm so glad you're alive," he called to her. He laid the body he had been carrying on the ground. The black cloak of the Akatsuki seemed to blend in with the darkness around them, but the glint of blood on the face of the victim was unmistakable. The only female Akatsuki member lay dead between Naruto and Itachi.
"A few small injuries, nothing serious. Konan was the only casualty," an achingly familiar voice spoke. Hatake Kakashi stepped forward to address Itachi, who nodded at the information. Kakashi continued to advance past the Uchiha and to Sakura where she sat on the grass. His visible eye closed in a grin as he squatted down next to her. "Yo, Sakura. How are you?"
She couldn't keep herself from pulling him into a hug. He fell forward onto his knees and his arms wrapped around back and pulled her closer. "You idiot, I'm fine. What are you doing here? Who is in charge of this mission?"
"Ah, that would be something that you need to discuss with Itachi when you have the time. For now, we need to get moving back to Konoha." He stood up, and offered her a hand. With his assistance, she was able to get to her feet. Naruto rushed to her side and embraced her.
"Please tell me that you didn't volunteer for this," Sakura complained after he released her. She knew the answer of course, but she didn't want to believe that her knuckleheaded friend would be so stupid as to enter into this willingly. She knew that of course he had, that was his nindo.
His answering grin was all that she needed. A deep feeling of gratitude blossomed in her chest, but outwardly she frowned. She grabbed his ear and scolded him for putting himself in danger for her. He attempted to placate her anger, but knew that she was truly happy to see him, despite her aggressive actions.
Itachi watched as the pink haired girl's fiery attitude shone through even in these moments. His admiration for her was ever-growing, and he wanted nothing but to be by her side in that moment. However, they were not safe yet, and the travel home would be difficult for her. He moved toward the three teammates, who straightened at his approach.
"We must be moving. The cover of darkness will not be an advantage for much longer," he said quietly. Their faces became instantly serious and Naruto nodded to Itachi. The blonde man moved back over to hoist the body of Konan onto his shoulder. Kakashi motioned for the team to follow and the began the tiresome journey back to Konoha.
"What happened at that hideout? Why did Uchiha Itachi come to me and beg for your life?" The Fifth Hokage questioned ruthlessly. Sakura could feel her anger rolling off her in waves, but she knew her master was only upset because she had been dragged into such an insane situation. After her discharge from the hospital that morning, Sakura had been immediately summoned to Hokage Tower. Now, she stood at attention in the middle of Tsunade's office as the busty blonde woman paced hotly across the floor in front of her desk.
"Shishou, I'm so sorry. I never meant for you to get involved. I didn't know he would come here. I thought he would find his brother." The words were rushed and did little to explain the situation. She wasn't sure how to describe her time in the care of the notorious Uchiha Itachi. She still wasn't sure she was even awake.
Tsunade huffed in frustration and crossed her arms over her chest. "Are you engaged in a relationship with that man? I can think of no other reason why he would risk so much. An S-Class Missing-Nin does not infiltrate the village that exiled them for just anyone. The only reason he came here, and made a huge scene mind you, is because he knew he had no other choice."
Sakura's heart jumped and she wasn't sure if it was from fear or from excitement. "I don't know if we are involved Shishou. It's very complicated and hard to describe. He helped me when I was hurt, and I returned the favor. We needed each other in a desperate time. It created a bond between us that even I do not fully understand." She let out a sigh and clasped her hands in front of her with embarrassment. How could she tell her master that she was as surprised at his actions as Tsunade herself was?
"He got on his knees and begged me to help him save your life," Tsunade said quietly. She turned her back to Sakura and moved to sit at her desk. Her burning gaze was fixated on her pink haired apprentice as she brought her hands up and folded them in front of her face. She feared the worst for the young woman, and she hoped that she had not compromised their village or herself.
Sakura's eyes slid shut and she sucked in her breath. How dare he make such a fool of her? How dare he endanger himself by coming to the village that was seeking to destroy him? Why would he put his own life and freedom at risk for her? He went to her master and admitted that she was weak and in danger! How humiliating! How utterly and incredibly insane!
But, he had done it. Against his quest for power, against his hatred of Konoha, and most of all, against his life's goal. He had risked his own life to go to her home and request aid from his enemies to save her from the masked Akatsuki member. He had put his pride, hatred, and ambition on the back burner. For her.
"May I speak to him?" The words tumbled from her lips in a broken tone. Her heart raced and she clenched her fists. Her eyes opened to meet her master's own. Tsunade's eyes glittered with understanding. "Please, shishou. Let me see him. Let me talk to him."
"Lower level 3, Cell Block 4."
"Thank you, Lady Hokage. I will report back." With her gratitude shining brightly through her green eyes, she bowed to her master and quickly took her leave. Her mind was oddly blank as she made her way to the levels below the tower. The Anbu guards at the third level gates nodded at her and let her pass. Her footsteps echoed down the corridor as she approached the second cell on the right. She took a deep breath and willed herself not to explode.
When she looked into the cell, she wasn't surprised to see that he was quite roughed up. His dark eyes were tired, and there was dried blood on his forehead and matted into his hair. He was clad in nothing but a dark short sleeved shirt and dark pants. She could see the chakra binding seals on his wrists and ankles. She wilted as she surveyed his condition. He was hurting because of her.
When she finally met his gaze, her heart jumped. His eyes were burning with something she couldn't place, but the intensity of it sent a tingle down her spine. They stared at each other for a few moments, the darkness of his eyes and the lightness of her own. Dark and light, meeting again at last.
"Are you insane?" She blurted the question, her fists clenching at her sides.
"Do you really want me to answer that?" His voice was level and quiet, but she startled at the words. Was he… making a joke? Anger welled up inside of her at his blatant disregard for his own safety.
"Asshole! What were you trying to do, get yourself killed? Of all the selfish-"
"I obtained my objective, did I not?" He interrupted her scolding in his quiet voice. His mouth quirked up slightly on the ends into the smallest smile. "And, as you can see, I am very much alive. If I had been trying to get myself killed, I would have gone to find my brother."
"Damn you, Uchiha Itachi. How dare you infiltrate my home and make a fool out of me? My skills are in question! My master is wondering about my loyalty! My friends are skeptical of me! Who are you to drag me into this mess?" Her blood was boiling and she was about to pry open those metal bars so she could really give him a piece of her mind. But she stopped when an unfamiliar sound came out of the man that sat on the floor of the dark room.
He was laughing.
It started low in his chest and burst from his mouth in a melodic sound. Sakura was stunned into silence and she froze with her hands on the bars of the cell. His mouth was open in joy and his head tilted back as the music spilled from his throat. His broad shoulders shook and his hands wrapped around his midsection as he bent over his crossed legs. Sakura stared at him in awe. She had never seen this man laugh before, and she was amazed at how beautiful it made him. Yes, the man was definitely insane, but she was right there with him.
When his laughter quieted, a small smile remained on his face. He stood and walked to the door of the cell where she remained frozen with her hands clenched around the cool metal. His face was mere inches from her own and he brought his hands up to cradle her face.
"I owe you my life, Sakura. It is only fair that I would risk my own in order to ensure your safety." His voice was soft and she melted into his hold. Their eyes locked and she knew that there was much more to be resolved. His serenity was something she was not used to seeing from him and it confused and frustrated her. However, she could not help herself being drawn to his ever present warmth and strength.
"I am a medic. Anyone in my position would have done the same." She was still flustered at his attention, but she needed to keep speaking. "You helped me first. If it weren't for you, I would have died in that storm."
"I helped you for selfish reasons. You owed me nothing. But you helped me out of the kindness of your heart. Very few people in this world were ever kind to me, and only two of them are living. I could not simply leave one of those people behind. You helped me to realize that I can be redeemed. I have done horrific things, but you treated me like any other person in need of assistance. You gave me the courage to leave the Akatsuki and to right the wrongs I have done in this world. I know that it will be difficult and I know that not everyone will accept me. I will be hated. However, knowing that there are people like you, who are so selfless and loving and truly alive, made me realize that I owe more to this world than I was giving it. Thank you. Thank you."
She was stunned at his confession and his gratitude. His appreciation rolled off him in waves and her head spun at his newfound openness. It seems that his defection had shown him that not everything needed to be kept perfectly in check. There was much more to him than she had come to know. She wanted to discover all of him.
Their redemption would not be easy. He had informed the Hokage that she had performed life-saving healing on him, and that alone could brand her as a traitor to the Hidden Leaf Village. There would be many discussions, many meetings, and many battles. Danzo and the Elders still held much say in the Hokage's decisions, but they were determined to bring the outdated leaders to justice. A lot of planning needed to be done. Anxiety twisted in the pit of her stomach.
"Itachi, I don't know what to do," she whispered. Her hands covered his where they still rested on her cheeks.
"Do not worry," he answered in his usual calm tone. "We will do this, together."
She looked up and their eyes locked. She broke into a grin.
"Right!"
AN: Hello everyone! This is my first publication on the site and I am so excited to continue to publish chapter in this collection. Hopefully, I will start some multi-chapter stories in the future, but for now I only have time to do installments of one shots. Please let me know if you have any suggestions for stories, as I am open to it all! Thanks for reading!