A/N:ok, so many of you wanted me to change this into a full story, right? So I started a new chapter! Little did I know that my school was going to go real hard on me from the first day! I swear I had homework in every subject! And to make it worse, I started on a Tuesday and I have soccer on Tuesday's and Thursday's…so yea! I am very frustrated right now! But your reviews made it ALL better!!! ON WITH THE STORY!


Chapter 2: Sickness of the Heart

She sighed as she slipped on a navy blue sweatshirt. Today was the day. Today, she would take Tobi to court. Today, she would watch Tobi get interrogated in front of the mass majority of Konoha shinobi. Today, it would be decided if Tobi would live or die.

Sakura didn't know what she wanted the Akatsuki boy's fate to be. One part of her, the proud shinobi of Konohagakure, wanted Tobi to be killed for all the damage he did as a member of that damned organization. The other part of her, the loving friend, thought everyone deserved second chances, and wanted him to live.

Over the past few years of being a shinobi, Sakura's dominant side had definitely become the one where Tobi would die. But when she saw that boy, that boy with so much enthusiasm and courtesy, she couldn't help but smile. That's what Tobi seemed to be good at, making people smile. Though, after many of the village noticed his cloak, they did anything but smile. But no one expected them to. Common sense was to not talk or to even make eye-contact with Akatsuki. I mean who would do that?

Sakura tugged on her pink biking shorts.

Sakura wouldn't. But it was her job as a ninja to watch over him, even if she did get a little more personal with him than she had wanted.

She put her waist length, pink hair in a bun and sighed once more. "Today's the day, Sakura…" she whispered to her reflection in the mirror. "So don't screw up…"

She fiddled with her forehead protector. Needless to say, she was very worried. "And whatever you do, no matter the decision, do not cry," she ordered herself.

Sakura closed her eyes. "Emotion is a weakness." She placed her forehead protector on her forehead. "Letting it show is fatal." She tied and tightened it around her head. "A true shinobi…" Her hands silently fell to her side. "…does not have any…" And like that, her eyes became hard, her face, like stone.

She walked out of her room and into the kitchen. She saw Tobi watching television on the couch (her kitchen is behind the living area).

He turned around. "Oh! Good morning, Sakura-tenshi!"

She nodded his way. "Good morning, Tobi. Did you rest well?"

Tobi nodded furiously. "Oh, yes! Tobi greatly enjoys the couch! Back at the hideout, Tobi sleeps on a bed!" exclaimed Tobi happily. He began to shake his head sadly. "But Tobi doesn't think it's very soft though…"

Sakura ignored his cuteness (A/N: how impossible is that?). "Did you have breakfast?"

"Hai!" He jumped off the couch. "And Tobi even made some for Sakura-tenshi!"

She followed him to the stove.

"See? The eggs are eyes and the bacon's the mouth! Tobi is a good boy, yes?" He showed her the plate of food that resembled a happy face and then looked at Sakura,

She was staring at the beautifully made breakfast with wide eyes. Why was he so kind to her? Did he not know what could happen to him? Did he not know the decision would be made today?

Sakura shook her head. He acted so innocent all the time, totally oblivious of what was happening in the world. War was ever-present, people were dying. Shinobi were dying. He might not have understood it, but her people were all against him. But innocence is bliss, and oddly, Sakura wished that she had some left.

"Sakura-tenshi?"

"Thank-you, Tobi." She grabbed her plate and decided to spare him a smile, if it were the last one today, or forever. "Thank-you so much…"

She stared up at him lovingly for a second as the bell rung. Sakura gave Tobi one last smile and then went to the door, opening it.

"Hey, Sakura-chan!" yelled a certain, hyper-active blonde with a smile.

"Naruto." She looked over to see a pair of onyx eyes. "Sai. What's going on?" she asked as she moved out of the door way to let them in.

Sai looked back at her. "We need to talk…" he said impassively.

Her eyebrows furrowed. "About what?"

"About Tobi," someone whispered in her ear from behind.

She turned around. "Kakashi!" Sakura jumped on him, hugging him as he kissed her forehead.

"Hello, Sakura."

Naruto sat on the couch, unmoved by Sakura's actions. Kakashi and Sakura had seemed to be having a steady relationship for a while now and he had grown quite use to it. They were rarely seen together because of missions and Sakura's monstrous shifts at the hospital, but when they were, even the village people knew they were sharing something more than a bond between teacher and student.

Sakura glared up at him. "About Tobi?"

Kakashi nodded. "So if you may?" he asked gesturing toward the boy standing in the middle of the kitchen and attempting to balance a pan on his head.

She sighed and then walked over to the young Akatsuki. "Tobi, I need to talk with my team, do you mind leaving us alone for a bit?" inquired Sakura sweetly, but without a single grin.

Tobi nodded his head and seemed to be smiling behind his mask. "Tobi knows how Sakura-tenshi feels with privacy! Sometimes when Tobi goes to the bathroom, he closes the door so no one can see him!" shouted Tobi to what seemed to be the whole world. Sakura didn't mind though; no emotions were playing on her face, though deep inside she was thinking, 'sometimes?'. As for Tobi's sudden remark, she found it utterly disturbing, but not one grimace passed her features. And if one did, it was like an arrow that curved in its flight and landed on only one of Sakura's jaws, causing the small facial expression to look slightly uneven and crooked. "But where is Tobi to go?"

Sakura's eyes widened for a quarter of a second as if she were jumping off of her train of thought. "Would you mind staying in my room for a while?"

Tobi nodded his head. "Tobi thinks that Sakura-tenshi's room is beautiful!"

She was confused at how ecstatic he was about her room. Her room wasn't fancy in the least. Between missions and hospital shifts, she couldn't do much. It consisted of four things; a bed, a bedside table, a chair, and a desk. Simple, clean, and she didn't mind it that way at all.

"Ok, Tobi," she sighed. "Enjoy my room…" she said as she watched Tobi scamper to the room with so much excitement, she almost laughed. Almost.

Sakura took a seat in the chair next to the couch Naruto and Sai had seated themselves in. She looked at them, and they stared at her. She glanced across to Kakashi sitting in the other chair; he in turn stared at her also.

She glared. "What?"

Naruto leaned in closer to her. "Are you sure he's not going to listen in?" he whispered as he sent scornful looks towards Sakura's bedroom.

Sakura scoffed and looked toward the side. "Tobi would never."

"You think too much of him," spoke Kakashi in all seriousness. "Akatsuki is Akatsuki, Sakura."

She sent her piercing jade orbs his way. "So?"

"You're attached…aren't you?" asked Naruto, surprise written all over his face.

It was never like Sakura to get attached to missions like this, nor patients at the hospital, actually. And that's what he was, merely a mission…right?

She didn't justify his question with an answer.

Sakura glanced at Sai. His face was hardened and the boy hadn't seemed to share one fake smile toward his team the whole time. His eyes seemed switchy, though. As if he was trying to listen to something mysteriously. She glared at him. What were they doing here anyway? They were questioning her like she was the one getting interrogated. But she wasn't just angry about that. She had also noticed how defensive she was being. She hated being that way.

"And what's up with you?" she asked this time to Sai.

His eyes narrowed. "His breathing has stopped…"

Her eyes widened. "What!?" But she wasn't questioning his breathing at that time. Her mind was far from that. How long had Sai been listening in on him? Zeroing in on his every move, every breath? How could he?

In a matter of seconds, Sakura was in her room. "Tobi!" She found him laying face down in the pillow, his face snuggled into the downy softness.

Sakura jumped on the bed, pushing him on his back as a big breath escaped his lips.

"Tobi, what the hell are you doing?!" she screamed.

He waited a while, catching his breath. "Sakura-tenshi's pillow sure smells nice, like strawberries or…" He snapped his fingers. "CHERRY BLOSSOMS! But Tobi thinks he was sniffing a little too long…"

She paused trying to catch her own breath. "…Are you crazy?" she whispered. "Do you seriously think that was smart?"

Tobi whimpered a bit as he tried to think. "Not really…" he mumbled. "Ouch!" he screeched as he was pushed on the ground by Sakura. "Tobi's head hurts again…"

Sakura growled. "PLEASE try not to get yourself killed before your trial, Tobi!"

She went to the door and then closed it, staring at the door with indifferent eyes.

"You're lucky that Sai noticed," chuckled Naruto. "Tsunade-baa-chan would've had your ass if he were killed before interrogation!"

Her eyes narrowed as she turned around swiftly, grabbed Sai's neck ,and smashed him into the wall with such force, it cracked. "You don't trust me?!"

Sai's eyes were emotionless, Kakashi's narrowed from behind, and Naruto's looked worried. "Sakura-chan?" he whispered.

Her grip tightened. "You don't trust a teammate?!"

Sai still gave her an impassive stare, but said nothing.

She pulled her fist back about to strike when Kakashi grabbed her wrist, pulling her into a hug and making her drop Sai to the ground. Sakura was shaking against his body. She was scared and confused. He kept one hand around her waist and then let his other roam up and down her back, soothingly. Her body stiffened from the sudden change from anger to calmness as she took a few short, uneven breaths, and then melted into his embrace.

"It's not you he doesn't trust," he murmured softly into her ear. "It's him." She placed her hands on his chest and looked down. "Sai is only looking out for you. You know if it were any other Akatsuki you would not be doing this. He is still one of them. And you can't change that…"

Sakura sighed softly. What was she suppose to retort to that? That he was different? That he had done nothing wrong? That had to be one of the stupidest excuses in the world! He was still the same. He was still one of them.

Kakashi let go of her. "But if you can't choose between your village and an Akatsuki member…" He shook his head. "You better clear your mind and get it together…" he said solemnly as he walked out the door.

Sakura's eyes widened. That was a harsh hit to the heart.

Sai followed suit. "Choose wisely, Sakura," he mumbled using her real name.

Naruto gave her a sad smile. "I know you'll choose the right thing, Sakura. You've always aced every other test." And then, he too, walked out.

She stood there, gawking at the door in silence. He was wrong. This was different from the simple question "shuriken or kunai?" or the common project of an attack plan, or even the more familiar question of "life or death?".

This was between being there for her village, and being there for a friend.

Tobi stumbled out of the room. "Is Sakura-tenshi ok?"

Sakura stared at Tobi and then walked slowly into her room, hopping in her bed. She rolled into a ball, and blew her rosette locks out of her eyes. What was she to choose?

Tobi came in and sat next to her placing his hand on her head. "Sakura-tenshi isn't warm, so…" Tobi gasped. "Tobi has heard of this! This must be the "sickness of the heart"! Do not worry, Sakura-tenshi; Tobi will cure!" He pulled himself on the bed and held Sakura tight. And for once, she let him do that.

She snuggled into him. "Maybe a nap before I take you to court?"

He shook his head. "Nope! Tobi is not tired!"

She scoffed slightly. "I was talking about myself…promise to stay put, Tobi?"

He nodded. "I would never leave Sakura-tenshi alone, that would be rude! And Tobi wants to be a good boy!"

"You are a good boy, Tobi…" she cooed, sweetly. She put a barrier around the house, anyway. You could never be too safe with Akatsuki living in your house and she didn't want Tobi wandering off, did she? Her smile only grew as he hugged her tighter. She would find a way to be loyal to her people and her new found friend. After all she was an angel, according to Tobi. And angel's always kept their promises.


A/N: I was going to put the WHOLE interrogation in this one, but I found it too much and you guys wanted an update so I had to shorten it a little, hope u don't mind! So I hope you liked it! It was fun to write and I'm expecting some reviews cuz it's a school night and I can almost FEEL the bags forming under my eyes…it hurts…Well anyways! REVIEW!!!luv u and laterz!

--SAYURI--