She left as quickly as she could, she cursed herself, once again she had spoken too much around Neji. What was wrong with her? Did she ever learn? She sighed, the whole good bye affair had taken far too long and it was 8:27 pm. She did not have much time to spare.
There was only one place left to go and she took her time for this one, she arrived at her destination and knocked on the huge door. She walked in and saw her mentor, her friend, and her hokage drinking away.
She sat down and her hand found Tsuande's. "Tsunade-shishou, I will be fine." she said and hoped it was true, she needed to come back to her life. She would not die out there and when her mentor's face came up she saw her tear-stricken cheeks and tear-filled eyes. "Oh, Sakura-chan. You are far too young! I should… I should have never taught you anything, you should had stayed innocent and naïve to the world. You don't deserve this!" she said and Sakura thought she heard a sob from their fiery hokage.
Sakura stood up silently, "Tsunade-shishou, in a couple of weeks, could you give these letters to the people addressed? And could you do me a favor and regularly send flowers to my parent's graves and to… Leona's grave too?" she asked in a small voice, her loved ones were dead and they would want flowers once in a while.
Tsunade nodded and Sakura left the shoe box filled with small memoires and letters on her desk. She went over and hugged her sensei hard, sorrow filling her. She stepped back and got a hold on herself, as she walked out the office. She promised to return to this very office and congratulate Naruto when he became hokage.
She walked towards her home, taking every piece of memory with her, Konoha would fill her senses and her heart. And that is how she intended it to be.
XxX
They waited in the shadows, she should be leaving around now and they would have to wait a couple of hours at least. One of them was anxious, others were dazed, how could a small girl become a part of their organization? But what they were all thinking was Would she keep the loyalty their leader said she would?
No one knew. But they waited, the shadows becoming their allies for the night, because waiting was all they could ever do.
XxX
She ran at a moderate speed, she would have to look out for possible threats, her own strength and when she arrived to their meeting point, she would have to be wary. As she ran away from her home town she couldn't help but think of Sasuke Uchiha. "I wonder what ever happened to him?" she mumbled.
It was dark and yet she could see the light, it was the beginning of a new day… and her life. It was around 2 am when she arrived at the inn and she waited outside, she could sense them, not with chakra but with their life energy. It was her own technique and it worked wonders.
"I know you are here, I can sense you." she said into the trees and soon, she was greeted by five figures, all dressed in Akatsuki cloaks. "Haruno-san, glad you could make it." it was obviously Pein who answered. "Yeah, now my question is how long are we going to travel?" "Not much." a big one said, "you must be Kisame." Sakura said and he grinned, attracted to the young fiery ball. Sakura smiled, she was intrigued by these men, criminals or not they would be interesting to work with.
She found herself walking towards them, and she nodded at all of them. "You already know who I am, but I will introduce myself either way. I am Sakura Haruno. Apparently, your medic for a while." she said and with that, she waited.
One by one, they came closer, probably due to compromise more than anything else. She also was blind sighted and her instinct was to fight, she hissed instead. "don't worry little kitten, it is just procedure." one of them said, Kisame she remembered.
She was being carried and even though her mind was screaming at her to not do it, she fell asleep.
XxX
Itachi was looking at the young doctor, she seemed too naïve, too confident. Why would she trust them so much? And why did she look so familiar? He looked at her pink hair and remembered, it was his little brother's old teammate. She looked at all of them in the eye, as if we were all mere humans with no capacity at all.
Her green eyes, emerald, he corrected himself, searched through them as if looking at their souls and It made him curious, what could she see? Death, sorrow and the small, insignificant feelings that remained in the if existant hearts?
He watched when Deidara blindfolded her, and she licked her lips, as if controlling herself. He followed her body language and he waited until she hissed in surprise. He smirked, apparently she was a brave one. He did not care much for that, she would just serve the purpose and that was it.
XxX
Sasori looked at her, she was pretty alright. But there was something in her that made her beautiful and the artist in him would not let it rest until he found what that was, was it the pain in her eyes? Or the way she moved, confident and all? He did not know, but the leader said she was a remarkable kunoichi and he did not say that about anyone. She was an interesting one.
As they moved towards the base, she fell asleep on kisame's back. It was intriguing because no one who had ever been carried by Kisame had enough trust to fall asleep and lower their guard that way. She must have been tired.
XxX
Deidara's eyes traced her body, he bet sasori-danna considered her beautiful, and since they were both artists he would admit it. Her pink hair swayed with the wind as we all ran towards our base, she was going to be needed and Deidara could not help but compare. She seemed a radiant person who had been filled with pain, and yet she smiled.
He looked at her from the corner of his eye, she looked so peaceful he had to smile. She reminded him of a little sister he once had, pain came to him and he tried to distract himself. That had been another time, when he was happy. He would have to let go of that sooner or later. Funny he found himself it was the latter, he was not ready to give up those memories yet.
XxX
Sakura woke up to a comfortable bed, she had been laid down huh? Weird, she looked around and her stuff were all in this room, an Akatsuki cloak was resting itself on a chair and clothes were laid down on a small wooden desk. She blinked and sat up. Checked herself for any injuries or oddness in her body and found none. She sighed and rolled off the bed, stood up and stretched like a cat.
It was her morning routine and she looked around, empty enough. Good. She locked the door and proceeded to change her clothes, she grabbed the fishnet base, the black shorts and the red tank. Placed her green combat boots on and packed her normal pouch with kunais and scrolls. The usual stuff.
She smiled at herself, brushed her teeth, used the bathroom and brushed her hair into her usual do. She walked out cautiously and looked around, no one close. 'Good, now I have to get around without being attacked.' she thought, she walked down the hall and found herself in kitchen with a dinning room attached to it. She smiled, if there was one thing she was, it was a great cook.
She looked for the right ingredients and started with the meal, soon she heard footsteps and a woman was close, Sakura turned and dropped the spoon the was cooking the rice with. There, in front of her was a pregnant woman, Konan to be specific. Konan was one of the most powerful kunoichi, which explained she was being guarded now. But Sakura did not understand.
Konan looked half asleep but Sakura knew how those cravings were, she picked the spoon up and washed it so she could continue using it. "You must be the new doctor." she said and Sakura nodded, the meal would take some cooking time either way, so she sat down.
"Sakura Haruno" Konan said and Sakura nodded again, she did not look pregnant yet, but a good doctor like herself knew. "You must be… the reason why I am here?" she ended it as a question. It was a shock, and she would have never expected it. Just as she was coming closer, Deidara and Itachi arrived into the room. Sakura paid no attention to them, "Do.. You mind if I do a quick check-up?" she asked unsure of what she would say.
Itachi was looking at her and deidara was sniffing the room. Sakura could not think and when konan looked at her Sakura could tell she was suspicious. "I swear on the name of my name as a doctor I will not hurt you", she promised and konan nodded. "Do you mind if I ask who the father is?" Sakura mumbled and Konan smirked, "My husband Pein", now Sakura was more than shocked. She smiled at Konan warmly.
"Okay, do not try to push my chakra out okay? I am only going to check the normal stuff and if anything hurts, pinch my shoulder okay?" Sakura said and knelt down. She took a deep breathe in and out and her chakra went to her hands, she put her hands gently on the missing kunoichi's abdomen and closed her eyes. Konan took a sharp intake of breath and Sakura smiled, "It happens, your body is not used to this. Give it a minute." she said and continued. There it was. A small fetus, about a month and a half old. She smiled happily, she loved the miracle of life.
Sakura opened her eyes and blinked as she saw the whole Akatsuki organization around them, looking closely at what she did. Sakura's hand was still glowing, taking genetic information to talk about, that way she would be prepared. "Did you plan it?" Sakura asked and konan looked down on her, "No. it was a… surprise."
"Would you like to know what I found out?" she said and konan looked at her and then at Pein, unsure. "I know you must be feeling confused, you want it to be a surprise, but then again you want to be prepared. I'll tell you something.." Sakura noticed her own voice becoming quivery "Life will throw many things at you, but one thing we must do is protect you at all costs. I am only speaking for myself when I say I will deliver this baby safe into this world." she said and stood up, going back to the food on the stove.
"I wanted.. An abortion." Konan whispered and Sakura spun back so fast it was unbelievable. An abortion? No way in hell. "No." the pinkette said and some members looked at her with icy looks. "You do not want that," Sakura said and she felt her emotions bubble up. "And I will not perform an abortion," the food was ready and she shut off the stove, and darted back to her room. Where she could be in peace.
It was about an hour later when a knock was heard against the wood and Konan's voice was weak against the solid wood. "Can I come in?" she said and Sakura opened the door. She was escorted by deidara and she let them in. she closed the door tight after them.
"I understand my mission and my position in the group. But I will not perform murder on an innocent child." she knew just how much that would kill her inside, and she breathed in. Konan was looking at her, "I.. I want my baby," Konan started saying, "But lets face it, both of its parents are missing nin, not to mention Akatsuki members, the baby could very well grow without its parents." she said and Deidara seemed somber beside Konan.
"I know that, I lived through the same a couple years ago." Deidara looked up and sat on he bed beside her, "what do you mean, Sakura-chan?" she smiled at the affectionate -chan, it reminded her of Naruto. "I was.. Pregnant", she said and looked down, "I became pregnant at age 18, I was scared but he was there with me. We were going to get married and we would raise the baby together with his family," Sakura was getting teary eyed and she smiled at her own weakness.
"I was about 6 months into my pregnancy when I was visiting the graveyard of Konoha, It was my parents anniversary of death and I was being escorted by my friends and my fiancée. We got ambushed, and.. And I got hit. The hit was meant for one of the Hyuuga elders, and I got hit instead. I lost my baby girl that day". She was crying now and Konan could think of nothing to do.
Deidara rolled his eyes and hugged the crying girl. Sakura sniffed and deidara thought of something, "Hey Sakura-chan I know what will cheer you up, you too Konan-chan!" Sakura looked up, she was starting to like Deidara as a friend. This could work out, she thought with a smile.
Deidara seemed as a nice person, but she always had to look behind herself. She should trust no one, but then again, those rules were always broken were they not?
XxX
It had been some rough two months and Sakura had developed a good relationship with the missing nin who called themselves Akatsuki. They were actually people when you got to know them and Sakura cared for almost all of them.
Kisame knocked on her door just like any other morning and she woke up to a nice feeling, she felt cared for and even though most of the Akatsuki members would never admit it, they at least did not want her to die. She stretched but this time, she felt something move beside her. She screeched and felt a pair of masculine arms surround her frame. She tensed and slowly turned around, there in nothing but boxers laid Deidara. She sighed in relief, and pinched his arms. "thank goodness it's you." she said and walked towards the bathroom.
She took a quick shower and walked out in a towel, but imagine her surprise when she not only found Deidara but Kisame and Itachi too. She froze and stared at them. "Guys, what is it?" she asked and Kisame smirked, "Wow Queerbag you did not tell us that Kitten was in such a great shape. So you did not want to share?" he teased and Sakura rolled her eyes. "Shut up, fish man. Like I would ever sleep with you." she said and shoo-ed them out. Itachi stood there, gave her a look that said we-will-talk-later and left. Itachi had been acting weird ever since her drunken incident.
Apparently, (she did not remember) but she had kissed the great Uchiha, and he had been at least a bit intoxicated and kissed back… in front of the whole organization and that was something. She shrugged it off, it was probably nothing mayor. She changed into a sundress for today and walked out, she did not always have to wear combat clothes and a change was nice once in a while.
The little stud in her bellybutton ring glowed and she put the light out. She walked towards the main chamber, a.k.a. Konan's room. She was starting to show and her cravings were hitting it off. She knocked and walked in to see Leader… cuddling to Konan? She smiled at them and was about to walk out when Pein called for her. "Sakura! Thank Kami, I need to get out of here, she's making me cuddle…" he whispered as If it was a bad thing.
Sakura giggled and the Leader walked out with the dignity he still had, konan was laughing in bed. "He's falling for it, sooner or later he's going to go mad." she teased and Sakura nodded, and walked over to the pregnant woman, check up time was up and Konan was getting a bit pale.
"Would you like to go out today? You could use some sunshine", she suggested and Konan seemed fine with the idea.
She left her leader's wife to change for herself and walked out to the kitchen, the guys had become quite dependant on her cooking lately and she could picture them all sitting there, acting like they had nothing better to do that wait. She smiled when she found them doing just that.
