Chapter One: Unlikely

Sakura was always the sort of child wandering off from the grown-ups.. Always exploring, managing to get into places she shouldn't be. Sometimes those places were quiet places, sometimes they were filled with other adults who over looked little children who weren't suppose to be there.. and other times.. well..

"I swear I wun tell anywun! Pwease! Jus let me goo!"

The small pink blossom cried this out desperately as the sinister looking shinobi with the hidden leaf headband held her by the right wrist, her form dangling in the air. Sakura was only a child, and she was struggling uselessly to get out of the hold this man had on her. She had wandered in on something she hadn't of, she didn't know what the man had been doing, and she couldn't comprehend the torture he had been carrying out on the other man.

"Now now, hush.. I can't have any witnesses, even little girls."

Sakura didn't exactly know what this man planned on doing with her but the feeling of being threatened still lingered and just the fact that this man was holding her by her wrist made her continue to struggle.

"What exactly is it…."

A lazy slow masculine voice drew out from the darkness…

"Do you plan on doing with her?"

That was when the figure stepped into the light that was cast by the single interrogation style ceiling light hung from the ceiling, the man was a young adult. He had medium length black hair that he kept pulled back in a low pony tail, and he had piercing dark eyes that were at that current moment trained on the man that was holding the young one. A moment of pause seemed to take over the man who held Sakura, he let her feet touch the ground but still held her wrist.

"Sh..she saw me.."

The man who had just joined the scene would take a couple of steps forward and look over to the torture victim, and then back to the man in front of him. Taking a slow measured breath in, he'd adjust the white vest that he wore over his black standard ANBU uniform and look the man in the eyes..

"Let her go."

His voice was stern, as these words were uttered; he knelt down slightly and offered a hand to the crying little pink haired girl. The man who held her wrist slowly released it and Sakura, who had been watching the new man looked up at him with new eyes.. Tentatively she reached out and took his hand, he gave a slight, very slight smile, his fingers wrapping around the small hand and he stood back up.

"Well, let's take you home, shall we?"

Sakura looked up at him as she wiped her eyes with her free hand and she nodded. He began to walk out of the room, she followed in step, sticking close to her protector, she trusted him as much as she could he had saved her after all.

He looked down and saw that she was practically walking against him; this made him wonder how long she had been in there before he had walked in. He decided to talk to her to possibly rid her mind of any fear she had of this place, at least whilst they were making their way out of it.

"My name is Itachi, what's yours?"

Sakura looked up curious at the strange name, pronouncing it out loud before telling him hers..

"I-..ta..chi?"

Itachi nodded, and Sakura seemed pleased with herself at the correct pronunciation.

"Sakuwa Hawuno"

Itachi took a moment to decipher the little one's name, stopping and looking down at her. He already knew who she was, where she lived, and how old she was, this display was purely all for her peace of mind. He'd kneel down and look over her wrist, inspecting it for damage.

"Well… Sakura Haruno, looks like that wrist needs some healing."

The last thing he needed was to return her to her mother with a severely bruised wrist, he wasn't sure how bad the bruising was going to be, but it was starting to bruise already. Besides this would give him a chance to change out of his ANBU clothes, he couldn't very well go around in these to take the little girl home. He hadn't really thought it out too much when he had stepped in to stop what was going on in these clothes, but that could be salvaged. This girl was young; she could be influenced to think this was just a dream.

Sakura had been looking shyly up at him through her bangs; he was still a new person even if he had saved her. She had realized just now that her left wrist was starting to get sore and she took it from him and held it close to her as if he were going to make it worse. Itachi didn't make a move to grasp her wrist again; he simply stood back up and held his hand out for her to take once more. Sakura looked up at his hand and reached up with her right hand, taking his hand slowly, it seemed she still trusted him despite having just met him.

Itachi grasped the small hand gently and began to walk toward the infirmary/morgue, whilst the little one was being healed he'd go get changed. He probably had a solid five minutes or so to change and get his stuff from the locker he had it in. Honestly he didn't like altering someone's memories but he didn't have a choice in this matter. In a little more than a week he had to commit something horrible, he couldn't have a little girl telling someone what had happened today.

They reached the infirmary/morgue and Itachi lead Sakura into the bright room which was occupied by a single living woman. Despite Sakura's previous encounters with those in this place, the woman seemed kind, welcoming. Her blue eyes looked from Itachi down to her, and she seemed to take on a worried expression. Itachi exchanged some hushed words with her and the woman nodded, then kneeled down to look into Sakura's eyes.

"Hello there sweety, my name is Tusabi, can I see your wrist?"

Whilst Tusabi had Sakura's attention, Itachi made a move to let go of Sakura's hand, and this prompted Sakura to grasp his tighter. Itachi looked down at the little one and sighed silently to himself then began to speak..

"I'm not going to leave you here; I just have to change… I will be back to take you home after Tusabi has healed your wrist.."

He felt her grip loosen on his hand, and he gave silent thanks in his mind before slipping his hand out of hers.

Sakura didn't look towards Itachi's fading footsteps to see that he had left her alone with this strange woman dressed in all black, she also didn't fight the woman when she picked her up and set her on a cold steel table. Little Sakura was in autopilot, allowing this woman to look at her left wrist, to poke and prod, but Sakura's attention turned to her wrist when the soreness began to fade, being replaced by a soothing feeling. The woman's hands were glowing a soft green and she was moving them this way and that over her wrist. This was that healing that Itachi had spoke of? Sakura had never seen it done before; when her mother had seen a doctor she was usually shooed out of the room.

Itachi had reached his locker and had begun to change, taking off his ANBU uniform, placing it within the locker. He then took out his Uchiha clan shirt and grey pants, putting his shirt on he seemed to let his mind dwell on the fact that he was going to alter a little girls mind in a matter of moments. The possibility occurred to him that it wouldn't hold as she got older, but that wasn't his problem. He just needed enough time to successfully complete his last mission without being compromised. After he put his pants on, he'd put his shoes on, and finally his headband.

He headed out to the infirmary, it wouldn't take long to get back, and he knew that the wrist was a simple thing to heal, she was probably already healed. His steps quickened, it only took a few moments and he was in the doorway of the infirmary, the little one's bright green eyes darted to the doorway looking at his form, as if to confirm that it was him, and not someone else. She was still sitting on the table, and this made Itachi uneasy for some reason, one often associates this steel table with bodies..of the nonliving variety.. It provoked him to take a few strides forward and scoop her up into his arms and hold her on his hip.

Sakura seemed to jump slightly when she was picked up, but she settled quickly when she realized this meant she was going home.

"Sakura…"

The voice drew her attention up, her green eyes gazing up into Itachi's own eyes, but she did not find those dark piercing eyes, she found a crimson sea..a red sky enveloped her instantly. It didn't take long, within that moment their eyes met, the little girl's body went limp and she was out cold in his arms. She had fallen under the influence of his sharingan, and she'd awake tomorrow with the impression that today, meeting him, the other man, it was all just a dream. Tusabi had been watching quietly from her chair in the corner, she hadn't dared say a thing, she pretty much guessed what had occurred. She figured it was best she not say a word anyway, she wasn't exactly one of Itachi's favorite people anyway.

The rest of the task of taking Sakura home was simple; he had guessed Sakura had a bad habit of wandering off, as her mother didn't question him when he returned a sleeping Sakura. He was grateful for the lack of questions, it made it simpler, he didn't enjoy deceit, he simply wanted to get on with his night, and this little one had proven to be a bother in more than one way. Second guessing oneself is not a nice feeling. He wondered if the memory alteration would hold up if they ever crossed paths again, well, it was unlikely they'd ever cross paths again anyway.