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Chapter 2

It had been three days since Sasuke had returned, and things were starting to fall back to normal. Kakashi was always late to their training exercises, Sasuke and Naruto would be trying to out do each other calling one another "dobe" and "teme", and Sakura and Sai would be shaking their heads at the two idiots. Surprisingly, Sai and Sasuke had become friends, even though Sai was essentially Sasuke's replacement.

Things between Sasuke and Sakura, however, were nearly at a stand still. Sakura tried to avoid being alone with him for any period of time, and often went to work early rather than have him walk her home.

"Sakura, can I talk with you?" Sasuke asked after she had just gotten after work.

"Uh, sure Sasuke, walk me home I guess." She answered reluctantly.

"I just wanted to apologize." He said looking at her. She picked up the pace slightly and didn't dare look at him back.

"Apologize for what?"

"For leaving, for knocking you out and leaving you on a park bench, for everything Sakura." He gently grabbed her by the arm. "Please, forgive me."

"I confessed my love to you Sasuke, I asked you to take me with you, why didn't you let me help you?" she finally said what had been bothering her since he left.

"I didn't want you to get hurt, I didn't want you to become a missing nin because of me. You are to good of a person Sakura, I couldn't let you ruin yourself by taking you with me." She sighed, understanding what he meant. "But I thought of you every day. Every decision I made I wondered if you would agree, every time I was sad I thought of something annoying that you would say or do to try and cheer me up." She laughed a little at that, but finally met his eyes. "Sakura, you and Naruto were my first friends, my best friends, and I was an idiot to leave you for power."

"I forgive you Sasuke, but we need some time, to rebuild what has been lost between us. I want to know I can trust you again." They resumed their walk and in a short time, they were at Sakura's apartment.

"Good night Sakura." Sasuke said, with his sly little smirk. The first time in a long time, Sakura blushed. She had that feeling she had when she was chasing Sasuke all around like a love- sick puppy. She turned away quickly, said good night and went to take a cold shower.


Three days in the woods, Ari realized how much she loved the outdoors. She would meditate for six hours, trying to summon and control Anna, and then fight her until dinner time.

"Damn it!" she shouted, she still was not able to bend Anna to her will and she could feel Anna getting stronger. She decided to pack it in and get something to eat.

She thought about the Akatsuki a lot, about her future, and if she ever really wanted to go back to her world. She had just put a can of soup in a pot to be cooked on the fire when she felt a chakra pattern coming towards her quickly. She masked her chakra and jumped up into the tree she was standing under, grabbing her sword in the process. The chakra stopped, as if confused by the disappearance of the other chakra in the woods. Again it started coming closer, until it was right in her camp. The fire showed little light in the complete darkness of the woods. She saw a shadow, moving towards her fire. She crouched low and then sprang from the tree, sword ready to strike. The man didn't see, feel, or hear her coming as she pressed her blade into his neck. The man swung around and brought his own blade against hers. He pushed her too hard and she tripped to the ground, his blade was now at her throat.

"Not too bad, but you still need work." His stotic voice broke the silence of the night,

"Itachi! What the hell are you doing here?" Ari asked, sounding extremely annoyed. Itachi reached his hand down and she took it. Once she was on her feet, she gave him a glare.

"Leader wanted to check on your progress." He moved to the fire and sat on a log that was near it. Ari sighed and sat down neck to him.

"Well, I have learned better control of my chakra, and as you can tell, my swordsmanship is ok." She paused, looking into the fire.

"And Anna?"

"Well." She paused looking at him; he stared back in a kind of 'don't bullshit me' way.

"I'm working on it." She blushed slightly and looked away.

"Show me." He commanded.

"Same old Itachi, no 'hi hows it going' only get to work lazy weak girl." She muttered angrily as she moved to a clearing to begin mediate. Soon she was able to bring Anna to the surface.

"You think you are strong enough to take me on?" Anna laughed at Ari. "You need me, you have always needed me!" She pushed past Ari and tried to come out of Ari's body. At the last minute Ari forced Anna down with every ounce of strength she possessed. Anna just laughed and fizzled away inside of Ari. Ari broke out of her meditation, drenched in sweat and breathing hard.

"That doesn't look like working at it that looks like failing." Itachi said impassively. Ari just glared and lifted her wet shirt over her head. Itachi looked away politely.

"Oh please, like you have never seen a half naked girl before." She said with a smirk, putting on a clean shirt and a sweater over it.

"I have seen plenty. It seems as though Anna is getting more control of you than you realize." Itachi stated looking at the girl seriously.

"What are you talking about?" she smirked and streached her arms over her head, showing a bit of her toned stomach.

"You just removed your shirt, and blatantly opened your body for my review. Ari, herself would blush at the thought of that." Itachi concluded. Ari opened her mouth slightly, piecing together what Itachi had just said. Realization hit her like a ton of bricks, as she saw how right Itachi was. She buried her head in her hands with a groan.

"What am I going to do?!" she cried in frustration.

"Let her out, and fight her." Itachi said simply and stood up. "I will return two days from now. You will have her under control then." He demanded and took off running through the woods. She stared at the place he had been standing.

"Yeah right. Easier said than done." Ari grumbled and started working on dinner.


Itachi stopped a few miles away from Ari's camp. He sighed and sat under a large tree with a heavy thud.

He never thought much of the insolent, sometimes annoying, twig of a girl. She was strong, he couldn't argue that, but she always held herself back. She always let others do the hard work when things got tough. He was going to let her save herself this time.

Itachi closed his eyes and drifted off to a light, guarded sleep.


A/N: I have no classes tomorrow so I will be able to get another chapter or two tomorrow! Thank you to all my readers, keep up the reviews, they are literly the highlight of my day and make me all giddy.