Empty Bliss
Summary: Her hand clenched over her heart, her other arm holding her up, her palm flat on the wooden floor. "What you saw…you do not repeat. If you do, I will kill you." His whisper was deafening to her ears, as if he had shouted. The resounding anger in his voice made her flinch. ItachixSakura
Notes: Hey all! Thanks for reading, hope you enjoy this chapter! nervous I'm hoping I've got some fans ;;
Funny how a lot of people put the story on alert but do not review, is it really that hard? XD Ah well…its something I suppose.
Warnings: Bad language, fighting.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything if I did I would have Itachi and Sakura together in the anime…with a bit of Sasuke! ;D
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Thoughts in italics
"Speech"
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Chapter two
The dance of Night.
It was like a dance, every time Itachi got close enough to Sakura, she would dart away again, both so graceful in the way they moved. She teased, while he possessed, she ran while he chased. It was like a game of cat and mouse.
Sakura was starting to enjoy the dance of the night; she hadn't been able to let go since she got there. She didn't know how she was doing it, though. Perhaps Itachi had lowered the voltage down on her little device…just enough for her to move around, perhaps?
She knew already he had put a shield up around a certain part of this forest. So she had only a little ground she could cover, but she supposed that was just to make sure she didn't escape.
Then suddenly, an arm had circled her waist, pulling her against a hard chest. She panted from all the exercise, flinching in pain when his hand brushed one of her wounds.
"Got you kunoichi," Itachi murmured lowly in her ear. He was disappointed; she wasn't as good as he was beginning to think she may be.
"Hm, I don't think so Itachi! Let's see how much power you have given me back!" She said, and with a grin she sent chakra to her foot; she pulled her leg back quickly and then stomped the ground with all the force she had.
It worked, Itachi dashed away quickly, hidden by the trees. That was too close; I didn't know she had that type of strength.
Sakura smirked in triumph at the huge crater she had made in the earth, she quickly darted the opposite direction Itachi had gone.
She was started to get exhausted, though. She had been running for what seemed hours, and using her chakra recklessly like that was very dangerous, especially when she didn't have her right equipment on to do it.
"I'm quite impressed, once again. You have potential, though you are Tsunade's apprentice and she has taught you a lot of useful things, you still lack in speed. Your attacks are full of power, but what if your opponent is as quick as lightning? You wouldn't get a chance to use your attacks, would you? Hn, I'm guessing you would use genjutsu instead, that is your main field, isn't it?" Itachi's voice was coming from somewhere near her, but she just didn't know where!
"It depends, who the opponent is." Sakura said matter-of-factly while scanning the trees around her, looking for Itachi.
"What if your opponent was Sasuke?" His voice came from right behind her this time, and she quickly spun around.
He was gone, she gasped in shock and pain as she felt a sharp kick to her ribs. She vanished in a puff of smoke, going high up in the trees, looking down at Itachi as he smirked, and closed his eyes.
"I wouldn't fight Sasuke so there is no point in thinking of what I'd do." She snapped, rubbing her side. She couldn't heal it or any of her wounds though, he couldn't feel her chakra!
"That is your weakness. I could draw from that, anyone could. It would devastate you to see Sasuke killed or in pain…and it is so easy to start a genjutsu with that." He tsked her, "A shinobi must have no weaknesses."
She growled loudly, hating those words that had been said to her over and over. "Fuck you, Itachi!" She screamed, jumping down towards him, aiming a kick to his skull, planning to break it. He dodged easily, seeing her attacks as if she were a genin.
"Too slow." He said quietly, watching and anticipating her moves as she lashed out in anger. He grabbed her leg as she tried kicking his mid-section; he caressed her soft skin, noticing the outrage on her face. He chuckled and flipped her over his back, sitting on her abdomen, holding her hands above her head.
"You see? You have two main weaknesses. Sasuke and you hate being called weak." He stared down at her as she struggled against his grip.
"Get off of me!"
"No, I quite like sitting here."
"Get. Off. Of. Me!"
"Shhh kunoichi, sleep." He whispered the last part, staring into her eyes with his sharingan. He sent her to sleep quickly and silently.
--
Sakura awoke the next day with a very big migraine. She groaned heavily and looked around. She was on her own in Itachi's bedroom, she noticed her wounds had been bandaged and she had a new set of clothing on.
If that stupid criminal took off my clothes…
"Don't look so worried kunoichi. Its nothing I haven't seen before, if not better." She jumped, and then glared at him menacingly.
"Bastard," She said defensively. She knew she didn't have the best body or best looks. She got over herself as soon as she turned 16. No one had ever wanted her, except Lee and Naruto. She didn't have the best curves or the best boobs, or the best looks. But she didn't think she was exactly plain.
Everyone always told her she could be Tsunade's daughter because of their boobs…yeah they were kinda big but she didn't like them. "Stop thinking about your looks, silly kunoichi." He said with amusement. While she had been thinking, she had automatically touched her body, feeling if it was okay. She hmphed at him and turned over, not looking his way.
"How childish," He criticized her. She was worse than Hanako, and what a terrible temper she had! "For the next week I'm going to be training you, before we go on a mission. Leader has deemed you trustworthy, for the time being. But if you don't behave, you will be dead. Just think of Konoha and Sasuke."
"I already know that!" She said back, turning to look at him with a sneer. Before she knew it, he had her neck in his large hand.
"Just remember your place kunoichi. I don't want to have to hurt you." He whispered darkly in her ear.
Sakura turned her face away from him, fear freezing her body. She had let her tongue slip, again.
I've been around Tsunade-sama too much!
He let her go, before swiftly leaving the room.
--
One week later.
Sakura looked at the uniform Itachi had given her with thought. The skirt was kind of short, but the sorts made up for that, she supposed. Shrugging she put the normal Akatsuki cloak on over it.
Coming out of the bathroom she glanced at Itachi. "So…where are we going?" She asked anxiously.
"We're going to Orochimaru's hideout, to get Sasuke and take him to Konoha. But remember, if you break your word kunoichi…" He trailed off, eyes glinting.
She nodded her head quickly. "I know." She mumbled hastily, following as Itachi walked out of his room, pursued by Kisame. She had met him a couple of days ago. Yep, Sakura and Kisame didn't get on well.
"Itachi, why are you bargaining with the girl? We should just make her become a medic-nin for us!" Kisame moaned, not wanting to go to the snake's lair.
"I'm a medic-nin Kisame, which means that if I heal someone, I can also kill them very easily. Don't underestimate me." She growled, eyes flashing dangerously. She looked away with a huff, noticing Itachi's lips twitch in amusement.
Over the past week, she had studied the way he reacted to things. If you watched closely you would notice little things, like a tiny crease in his brow when he was thinking, or a twitch in his right eye, which meant get the fuck away…
It scared her, how much Itachi and Sasuke really were alike. She heard Kisame grumble loudly, one shiny, sharp tooth sticking out from his blue lips.
Sasuke…
She was happy that she was doing this for Sasuke…she would do anything for him. Sad, it seemed he never knew how much she truly loved him.
Loves him.
Perhaps he did, but he ignored it…because of the path he had chosen for himself; the path that had been chosen for him.
"What are you thinking so deeply about that you actually aren't talking?" Kisame's snide voice came from her left.
She just glared at him, huffing before looking away. "Bastard," She muttered.
"Kami, for a woman you love to swear!" Kisame growled at her, moving so he was on Itachi's side. He couldn't stand the pink headed little shit!
When they stopped to rest for the night, and Kisame had gone to look for some logs, Itachi sat Sakura down and stared at her.
"When we get to Orochimaru's…I do not want you to show you have any feelings for Sasuke, you are a part of Akatsuki now you must have no attachments." He stated softly.
Sakura glared at him, "You're telling me to pretend I have no emotions at all? I have a lot of attachments, Itachi. I was brought up to show how I felt, to follow my heart. I will not turn my back on that side of me." She stubbornly rebutted.
Itachi smirked. "Hn, then try not to act so…in love with Sasuke in front of Orochimaru, or Kabuto for that matter." He murmured, turning his head to look deep into the orange and blue flames of the fire.
Just then, Kisame came back and a silence descended upon the three. Sakura had never thought the first time in 4 years that she would see Sasuke…but as a part of Akatsuki? Sasuke would probably see that as betrayal on his part…but he had betrayed her and Konoha! He probably didn't care about what she did anyway.
"You're quite lucky the first time Orochimaru tried taking over Sasuke's body there was a fault in the procedure and he had to take over someone else's body." Itachi commented 10 minutes later.
Sakura snorted but said nothing. She turned on her side and tried to get some sleep, the flames of the fire keeping half of her warm.
--
Kiba sniffed around in the air, catching a waft of Sakura's scent. "She was definitely here last night. But her scent is near faded; they must have left early this morning." He sniffed around some more, before smirking.
"This way!" He yelled to his comrades. Naruto, Neji, Ino, Hinata and Lee all made their way behind Kiba.
"I hope we get to her before anything bad happens to her." Lee said worry etched into his words and face.
"I'm sure she's fine! Forehead girl can look after herself, she has grown up." Ino said, confident in her words.
Neji agreed with the blondette, along with Hinata. "S-so you think A-Akatsuki took her?" The timid, stuttering girl asked.
Naruto nodded his head vigorously. "An onlooker said they had seen an Akatsuki member around the area Sakura had gone to."
A heavy silence filled the air. Everyone knew how much Sakura meant to the blond. Once Sasuke had gone off, all he had left was Kakashi and Sakura for comfort. And now she had disappeared…
--
"ANBU are getting closer to us. If we don't hurry up, we might have to fight them. The Kyuubi vessel is with them." Kisame explained slowly to Itachi and Sakura.
Sakura gave Itachi a pleading look, "Please don't fight them," she begged; gripping the sleeve of his Akatsuki cloak.
Itachi stared at her, before answering. "We can't waste time on your friends."
Sakura rolled her eyes but was grateful, before they set off on a much quicker pace. "You might have to give me a bit more chakra if you want me to keep up this pace for the day," She said to Itachi.
She saw him nod and felt a zing of power go through her; she smiled again before turning to look at what was in front of her.
They moved through the forest like that right through the day and night. By then Sakura was pretty worn out. Itachi didn't look tired, that or he really could hide his emotions that well; Kisame on the other hand seemed rather worn out, complaining he was hungry. They stopped and Sakura slumped down against a large tree.
"I'm sure they won't catch up to us for some time." Kisame panted, getting out the water he had. He passed it to Itachi, and then Itachi passed it to Sakura.
"We will hit Sound village within the next day." Itachi confirmed, sitting beside Sakura.
"Kisame, gather some more water." He said it quiet enough, polite enough. But that didn't stop Kisame from giving him a short, sharp glare before walking of. Itachi turned to Sakura, she looked exhausted. She glanced at him, and felt nervousness flood her system.
There was a long silence between them. Itachi stared at her with red eyes while Sakura looked anywhere but him. She didn't hate him, she knew that. But in her more foolish days, she had thought she did. Solely because of Sasuke and her love for him…she had seen that he wasn't so bad. He was a ninja, and if he was a ninja for Akatsuki, he had to do what he had to do.
One thing that still plagued her thoughts about him was why he killed his entire clan. She had mused over it a couple of nights in Akatsuki HQ when she couldn't sleep. He didn't have any proper reason why he killed them and she was still a little scared to ask him why he did it.
That was personal, private. She had no right to pry into his life, no matter how curious she got. She sighed tiredly. "I'm going to have a small nap." She mumbled, weariness making her fall into a light slumber as soon as she closed her jade eyes.
Two days later and the trio were outside Orochimaru's lair. Itachi went forward, opening one of the hidden doors for guests. Sakura walked behind him, nervous while Kisame was right behind them, yawning in boredom.
Once they got to the main room, they saw Orochimaru sitting in his normal chair. "Itachi-kun, Kisame-kun…and who is this? Haruno Sakura? What a surprise, ne, Sasuke-kun?" Orochimaru taunted evilly.
Sakura's heart skipped a beat as Sasuke came out of the shadows. He stared at her with indifference, his posture was slack; he did not care about them being here. He seemed at ease.
"Sakura…" It seemed forever since he had said that name; it took some time to get used to it rolling off his tongue.
…Sasuke-kun!
AN: Another chapter done. Hmm yeah, another cliffhanger too! Haha yes I'm evilllll! Read and review please, I can't go on without reviews!