Blood Stain

Chapter Two – Home

A nauseating odour of sweet blood surrounded Sakura's senses. Her teeth chattered together as she rubbed her cold shoulders with her aching fingertips. She sucked in a stiff breath and then spluttered as a heavy foot pushed her over onto her stomach making her chin hit the ground.

At the few quiet moments she would have each day, Sakura rejoiced in the knowledge that she had at least not cracked as quick as some of her past teammates believed she would have. It was that which kept her going – that and the thought that maybe when this was all over she'd be welcomed home with open arms.

When she was all alone, Sakura already anticipated the arrival of her past redheaded enemy, Sasori. And this time he arrived much earlier than expected. She watched him suspiciously as he came over to her, shutting the large metal door behind him.

"I'm not going to tell you again." He said, tending to her newest injuries. She flinched at his touch as always, he was freezing.

"Then stop telling me." Sakura replied annoyed. Sasori glared at her and for a few seconds, silence ensued. Sakura sighed.

"Am I boring you?" Sasori spoke. Sakura eyed him but he did not look up to meet her gaze.

"I'm still trying to figure out why you bother with me."

"It won't benefit you to know." He explained softly. Sakura raised an eyebrow but thought better than to question Sasori when he was in a mood such as this. But she had no doubts he was withholding information from her.

"Pein will want to speak to us soon. I can't say he has much patience," then he paused. "And when his patience finally wears out, he will dispose of you himself." He informed her. Sakura wanted to say she was already aware since he'd told her this all before but to be reminded threw her back into reality and assured her that death was on its way.

She could reward herself with a fake sense of security just a little more.

"Go. You don't want to be late for your meeting." Sakura replied quietly. Sasori left her quickly and in his absence she became lonely once more. Just how long would she have to wait until enough of her chakra was restored? She couldn't fight them all without nourishment in her body.

Honestly, she didn't know how much more she could take.

Sakura hadn't been expecting this. Pein of all people to visit her and with no one to witness what he may do to her. His evil Rinnegan was fixed upon her. He walked towards her until she backed straight into the wall behind her – there was nowhere to run. What was he going to do? Stupid-self, she cursed. She should've at least mentally prepared herself for his oncoming assault. What Kisame had done a few nights ago had definitely shaken her enough to where she was frightened just to close her eyes. And whenever she by herself she ended up resorting to animalistic behaviour, sleeping in one corner of the room, going to the bathroom in the other corner. Frankly, she couldn't even lie at this point and say she smelt half-decent. Her own dreadful stench burnt her reddened eyes.

"Do you have anything to say, kunoichi?" Pein asked her shortly. She was very surprised with his tolerance of her. But that didn't mean her death would be any less painful when he finally gave up on questioning her.

Sakura no longer had anything to say. What could she say? He knew she wasn't about to give up, as stupid as her plan was. But she knew she couldn't live with herself, if she did manage to get away, if she gave in. That would be too easy, that was not what she signed up for.

She simply shook her head at the akatsuki leader and avoided his ringed irises. For a moment he merely stood in front of her, perhaps waiting for her to swiftly change her mind. But she didn't. Then he went to the door and in came Deidara, and in the presence of his leader, there were no humorous smiles.

"Leave at midnight." He instructed Deidara. The blonde man nod shortly and stepped out of the man's way. Then Pein turned to Kisame and Itachi who stood side-by-side waiting outside of the doorway. "You two, you are aware of what needs to be done with the girl."

Sometime later, when the cold room around Sakura was completely silent, she allowed herself to rest her head on the wall in the corner of the room. Slowly she permitted her bloodied body to relax. This rest was short-lived. The large metal door flew open, slamming against the wall.

She was done for.

She watched, shaking, as Kisame skulked towards her. He tightened his grip on samehada and braced himself to completely annihilate her. Sakura was sure that this was the end. Then she noticed Itachi approaching close behind the tall blue man. He did not make eye contact with her but his blazing red eyes illuminated the dark room.

She dropped her head. As if Itachi would give her any comfort in her death, he'd probably kill her with a single glance. Make her insane like he'd made Sasuke with just one look. Sakura's body became limp. There was no fighting back, and possibly if she'd been so stupid as to want to fight back, she now knew it would no doubt be impossible. A futile dream.

Taking a lasting look at Kisame and then away to the ground beneath her, Sakura exhaled.

Shock flooded through her as the excruciating pain she had been expecting did not hit her. Slowly, she looked through the small gap provided by her pink lashes. Kisame grinned at her, unnerving her still. "Luckily, for you, I'm not going to kill you yet." He explained stepping backwards.

Itachi turned towards the door and began walking out once he'd made sure Kisame wouldn't go back on his promise. "But you are coming with us, pinky." The shark-man said.

"Hurry up Tobi!" Deidara shouted angrily. Tobi quickened his pace but still slaked behind his master's quick walking.

"I'm coming senpai!" he exclaimed. "Ow, it's so hot out today." He complained, shielding his masked faced with his arm from the hot sun.

"I saw them running through here; they gotta be here somewhere, yeah." Deidara said. Tobi groaned. He really hoped they could just get back to Deidara's bird and fly back home but he knew Pein would brutally murder them if they returned without doing what had been asked of them.

"Well, what do you know?" Deidara said suddenly as he halted. Tobi ran to catch up with him.

"Huh? What do I know, senpai?" Tobi asked confused. Deidara reached back and slapped Tobi, knocking him to the ground.

"Be quiet, yeah!" Deidara scolded him. "Look who it is." He said pointing at the clearing of trees where in the centre stood a man whose gaze was locked on the two of them. In full view of the stranger, Deidara approached him slowly.

Tobi waddled forward to stand beside his senpai, he introduced himself. "I'm Tobi, and I'm a good boy. This is Deidara, my senpai!" he shouted giddily.

Deidara held up a hand to silence Tobi. "Shut it, you." He commented. Tobi retreated back; afraid Deidara would strike him all over again. Deidara he turned his attention back towards the raven haired young man. He smiled cockily at him.

"So," Deidara laughed mockingly. "You're Uchiha Sasuke? I can't say I'm very impressed. How on earth did Orochimaru lose his life to a brat like you?" Sasuke didn't answer but in a second his blazing red Sharingan began to swirl, locking onto his two targets.

"Sharingan? Not as though I haven't seen that before, un." He said noticing the shinobi's eyes. From the time he'd met Itachi, the sight of the Sharingan had been burnt into his memory. And as an intelligent Rock ninja, he knew as much as he could berate his opponent, Sasuke would not be an easy match.

His earlier defeat by Itachi taught him that.

Deidara readied himself as his fingertips pulled at the soft clay in the pocket of his robes. He'd never fought Sasuke before and he was sure that despite his calm facade, he wouldn't stand about all day waiting as he Deidara sized him up.

"You're a smug one aren't ya?" Deidara asked. "I think it's all that Uchiha blood you got in you, pity they're all dead now, ain't it?" he was genuinely surprised when Sasuke didn't lunge towards him when his comment was made. Maybe he could push his buttons even more so then.

But before he could begin, Sasuke grabbed hold of his katana. Deidara felt Tobi flinch behind him when he saw the Uchiha holding the large weapon. Deidara didn't let it faze him as he leaned back confidently. "Hey Tobi, I think Sasuke actually believes his glare is scary. Let's teach him a lesson, you and I." he snickered.

"Oh no. We're gonna' hurt Itachi-san's brother? We must apologise to him later." The masked man said dreading the moment he saw Itachi next.

At the mention of his brother, Sasuke quickly demanded, "Where is Itachi?" His piercing glare was unwavering.

"Well check you out." Deidara grinned. "Sure, sure. If you win, we'll tell you where your big bro is. And when you lose, we'll wipe the floor with ya, un."

"How do we even know she's asleep?" Kisame asked a little quieter as he walked with his partner through an almost pitch black forest. Sakura wrists and ankles were bound making her movements restricted and controlled.

"I put a sleeping jutsu on her. Hurry up." Itachi said yet again as he led the path to the nearest akatsuki base. Not quite, Sakura thought.

"Damn it! What does this girl eat? She's so heavy." He complained agonisingly, he shifted the kunoichi round onto his other shoulder in pain. Itachi ignored him knowing very well that a girl of Sakura's size would hardly be a problem for his large companion, especially when he'd carried much heavier shinobi before.

"Which base are we going to?" Kisame asked Itachi. Itachi eyed Kisame and shook his head.

"I take it you weren't listening again during this meeting." Itachi stated.

Kisame groaned loudly. "Of course not. That man bores me to tears." He yawned loudly like a bear making Sakura jolt and her arms and legs flap about but she successfully continued to play dead.

Just analysing the two, Sakura could decipher that the two men would not be so stupid as to let any information slip whilst she was around, sleeping or not, but it was worth the try to listen and observe anything that might come in handy later on.

The men continued on in silence for an hour or two ahead of Kisame raising a question. "I wonder how Deidara's doing." He began. "If he's beaten your brother to a bloody pulp yet." Sakura did her very best not to move at all the mention of Sasuke but she couldn't help but ponder why they would pursue Sasuke. He was still loyal to Konoha wasn't he?

She could be sure. After all, he'd never join the akatsuki unless he was allowed to enact his revenge on Itachi and Sakura knew how important avenging his clan was to him. She couldn't imagine the heartbreak Sasuke had probably gone through for so long knowing there was nothing he could have done to prevent it.

Itachi was a monster and Sakura would do anything she could to bring him to justice at the hands of Sasuke and the village council. However, surviving this ordeal was her number one priority. How could she help her village if she allowed herself to be killed? Tsunade would be ashamed she ever wasted her time training her.

Sakura mentally winced at the strength of which Kisame held her in place. His thick fingers dug into her ribcage, bruising her pale skin. She wanted only to give him a piece of her mind for trying to assault her the other day but knew he'd only try for a second time if she did. The thought of him on top of her once more was enough to make her shudder and almost shed a tear. He was terrifying.

As the two continued speaking along the way, Sakura noted just how little Sasuke's brother spoke. If she was correct, he spoke he even less than Sasuke did. Nonetheless he didn't seem as evil as she had imagined when she first knew of him and the horrid massacre that had taken place. She shuddered to think of the heinous act that had been committed that night as she slept comfortably.

Thinking back to her childhood, the thought unexpectedly seemed far away from her as the journey went on. And the more she tried to remember her young life, the more she forgot and her mind began to blank. Within seconds she lost consciousness.

When she awoke with a sharp inhale, the only door of the room she was now in shut spontaneously and the locking of it could be heard throughout. She started to panic. Racing off the hard bed she had been placed on, Sakura fiddled with the door-handle but the door would not reopen. She stared around the dark room. It looked like any other except the windows on the other side of the room had been blackened out with what looked like an opaque paint. Only a minute amount of sunlight was able to pierce through into the bleak chamber.

After a while long while Sakura was able to calm herself down and control her rapid breathing. Panicking would get her nowhere. She gingerly approached the plain bed she'd been resting on and sat down on it, bringing her knees to her chin. Staring at the broken ropes that had once held her ankles and wrists, Sakura finally admitted that she was; she could no longer lie to herself anymore.

Perhaps she would have been better listening to Sasori for now she could be sure whatever they planned to do with her would not be good. What if she never escaped and she was made to stay with the akatsuki forever? She'd go mad if that happened. Sakura curled into a foetal position as the tears she'd kept at bay began to explode forth from her.

She didn't want to die.

What if Neji had been caught and interrogated when she was captured by the akatsuki? It was crucial that Naruto be given enough time to prepare before another shinobi war broke out. She would blame herself if the last she heard of him was the nine-tails being extracted from him, killing him in the process as he screamed.

And Hinata, she'd made Sakura promise Neji would come back alive. How could she face her now if she managed to escape and Neji didn't?

No.

She couldn't think that way. Neji was stronger than her, giving him the benefit of the doubt may keep her sane for a few more hours. Then, she'd not be able to do it any longer. After all, she was in akatsuki territory now. And no matter they did to her, no one would be able to help.

Close to the ground and short of breath, Deidara cursed.

Sasuke watched the man closely. At any sudden move, he'd charge again like the time just a few minutes ago he'd almost stabbed Deidara through the heart. And it didn't help that a childish and unhelpful Tobi was standing back hysterically crying for his senpai without so much as a thought to help and intervene.

If they failed this mission, it'd be on Deidara's head as Tobi seemingly was never punished for screwing up missions. I bet him and Pein must be fucking, otherwise there's no way he'd get away with all this shit he pulls, Deidara thought angrily.

"Senpai." Tobi whined loudly. "Maybe we should just go, he's too fast. We can't catch him!" he hung his head low and then skirted towards Deidara to help him up. Deidara swatted him away, still small of breath as he staggered on feet.

"Maybe we should just show him to Itachi?" Tobi suggested. Deidara threw Tobi a menacing glare. As much as he hated Itachi and encouraged the thought of his younger brother's will to kill him, Pein would have his head for compromising their location. Especially considering they'd relocated so many times in the past few years.

"I'm not losing to another fucking Uchiha." Deidara growled under his breath. He spat a ball of blood onto the grassy ground. He managed to get to his footing as he wiped the sweat that dripped from under his forehead protector.

"What? Senpai! You're gonna' keep going?" Tobi screeched.

"Shut up, Tobi." He spat brutishly, he held himself back from hitting the swirl-masked man in hopes of saving as much energy for a larger impact on Sasuke. He definitely needed the extra help. "And stand back. I'd rather die here then have Pein murder me for not doing as he asked when we get back." He explained gravely.

He looked to Tobi again and shouted, "Move back!"

Tobi shrieked. "Oh no, this can't end well!" Tobi cried.

"You should listen to your friend. You're already dead." Sasuke said confidently. He placed his sword back into its sheath and then spoke, "You've lost. Where is Itachi?"

"Don't get ahead of yourself, little boy." Deidara replied. "Fucking Uchihas." He muttered slowly whilst reaching into his pocket.

"Let me show you the meaning of art." He yelled quickly throwing a large hunk of clay before him. It exploded in a blast of white spoke, obscuring even his own view but he'd be damned if he lost to another high and mighty Uchiha.

As the white cloud flooded across the forest, Tobi could be heard spluttering and crying. "Ah! It's in my eyes. Senpai where are you?" he wailed. He picked up speed and hid behind a tree. From his hiding place he looked around skittishly.

Sasuke waited patiently for the fog that surrounded him to slowly dissipate. A perk of having the Sharingan meant he hardly needed a clear battlefield to fight the akatsuki member; he'd kill him either way. He drew out his sword with a sigh and poised it in front of him.

A large shadow transcended above his head.

The large bird he'd first spotted Deidara flying on appeared swooping over the trees, Deidara was on its back grinning. "Stupid akatsuki." Sasuke murmured. Looking at Tobi who was crying and moaning, Sasuke promised himself he'd end this quickly and then continue with his hunt.

"She is valuable to us." The man said confidently. He crossed his arms and leaned on the wall behind him. Back at the akatsuki base, Itachi did not buy the man's act, whatever it was Tobi concerned himself with always led to new destruction. Something dangerous.

"What are you planning?" Itachi asked him straight. The man chuckled, scratching his chin beneath swirled mask he wore constantly. If he wanted to keep up his pretence, he'd successfully wear it and never take it off. If he wanted to intimidate his followers, he'd allow them the pleasure of seeing his Sharingan eye.

"That's alright Itachi, I can exercise my plan without your help." He said confidently. He began to walk around Itachi, circling him. He observed the Uchiha who was stoic in his presence. "If only you trusted me…" he breathed, laughing again.

"If you trusted me, your little brother wouldn't have to get hurt." He explained flippantly. "We could work together. For old time sakes, right?" he laughed.

"Remember those days when we worked together? The Massacre? Killing as many as we could until we made it into tomorrow's news? I remember those days - I miss them. I know you do as well." He said evilly. The corrupt undertones in his voice showed Itachi that the man would never change. Itachi only wished that things didn't have to be this way, but that was a childish fantasy.

Tobi continued walking around Itachi until the Uchiha made eye-contact with him. His Sharingan was heated in an instant, as a warning to Tobi he should keep his distance. "Don't worry Itachi, I'll take good care of the world when you're gone." He said sincerely. He walked away and left the base allowing the cold that had once been invited in to leave once more.

Only, Itachi did not know how much longer he could keep Tobi's cold evil from destroying everything he had once loved about the cruel world.

For a very long time it seemed, Sakura laid in bed afraid to make a noise. She was so still, fearful that Kisame would return if he knew she were awake but if she was honest with herself she knew that whether or not she was asleep wouldn't stop him. All she could do was pray.

Preceding the door silently unlocking and opening, little sounds, the moving of large objects and dropping of objects surrounded her. Sakura's thoughts were enwrapped; from what she could gather, the akatsuki members had spoken about multiple other bases. Just where was she now? She'd make a mental note, so far she knew of two. Her next job was to decode where they were and how many more she might come into contact with.

When Konan drifted through the doorway Sakura quickly sat upright and stared her down. The woman looked at her uninterestedly. She marvelled incredulously, how a kunoichi so beautiful and graceful ended up in a criminal organisation such as this one. But from what she had seen of her, she was as passive as Itachi and as threatening as the akatsuki leader.

"Come with me." She said moving out of the doorway. She motioned Sakura towards her quickly, as though she needed to hurry. Was she going to let Sakura escape? Childishly she wished it were the case but was doubtful.

"Why?" Sakura croaked. She cleared her throat and dreamed of a warm drink to soothe her achy throat.

The woman appeared to be in distress as she walked through the doorway into blackness. Sakura quickly chased after her down a dark corridor. Catching sight of Konan's bright blue hair, she followed her closely, dreading the worst as they came into a bright sparse room.

Sakura shielded her eyes from the light, basking in it willingly although it pained her. Looking around it became clearer to her where she was. The 'base' as the akatsuki members called it, appeared to be any other house in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by thickly laid out trees. The room had windows, not blacked out like the others, and contained a chair and mirror on the wall.

Possibly it maybe belonged to somebody once. Only to be stripped of all its levity. Turning around Sakura spotted Itachi coming out of another doorway at the back of the room, his eyes were focussed on her. She closed her eyes and pulled her attention from him, she wouldn't let him hurt her.

For a moment the two akatsuki members just watched her, a small distance behind her side until she could take no more. "I'm not going to tell you anything if that's what you're staring at me for." Sakura told Konan, directing her words at Itachi also. The lady hardly cared for them.

Too quickly for Sakura to react, Kisame came climbing into the room from what looked as if it were the front door which led out of the house, he was bleeding profusely.

So this is what they'd been waiting for. "Kisame, what happened?" Konan commanded him. The large blue man hit the floor with a huge rippling thud the moment he saw her. The woman flinched at he suddenly collapsed. Sakura stepped back in shock only to jump forwards with fear as she noticed Itachi standing so closely behind her.

"Sakura, I order you to heal him." Konan commanded her swiftly. Slowly Sakura's eyes reached the blue haired woman's. Surely she was stupid to think Sakura would just do it? But the determination in the woman's eyes hinted that she was not joking, and she expected full compliance. The room fell silent.

Kisame then groaned, breaking the spell of quiet over the base. Sakura took this as her only attempt to leave the base and escape. Turning, she ran as fast as she could through the dark of the rest of corridors of the base, large footsteps followed her. Her chest ached with the fear that they may catch up with her.

The noise in her ears, her own hysteric breathing added fuel to the fire. In front of her she saw a door coming closer and closer as she darted through the hallway.

She launched towards the door-handle and shook it but it didn't budge. She froze, desperately trying to catch her breath as she wracked her brain hoping there would be some other way out. Turning to find another exit, Sakura's eyes met red.

And then she was falling, drowning in a pool of blood. She tried to hold her breath but the shock on her mind and body overwhelming. The impact of suddenly hitting the ground from nowhere brought new alarm to Sakura's conscious. She vomited a fountain a blood before noticing a greyish blob in front of her, not too far away.

She didn't understand what was going on, but she was sure that that greyish blob would not hurt her.

It was Sasuke.

"Sasuke! You've come back!" she said reaching out for him. He was so far away, and yet she believed as she stretched out her fingertips, she could reach him. She winced in pain, maybe he could save her? It was unreal. Tears were flowing freely from her emerald eyes and then in a dark flash he disappeared.

When she blinked in disbelief, he reappeared on the ground before her covered in red and ash. Flames viciously licked at his feet before vanishing as though they'd never been there at all. Sakura choked and sobbed as she fell to her knees. His eyes were gone; had been ripped from his skull. Sakura turned in horror, catching sight of Itachi towering behind her, holding a pair of bloody eyes in his bloody hands. His Sharingan was swirling hypnotically.

Was she going to die?

The pain that consumed her from then on was excruciating. Her eyes burned until she could no longer see. Shots of pain eased through her until she emptied the contents of her stomach, retching and heaving. She could take no more, she needed it to end.

Gradually the ground beneath began to break, splitting into sharp shards. She fell through red and black, eyes scrutinised her from every angle. A breeze suddenly whipped passed her, lifting her as she floated through falling sky.

With her last nuance of strength, she opened her eyes and watched as a crow, as dark as the night, fluttered towards her from a distance. It stared at her fiercely with its Sharingan before melting into a pool of blood that flew freely beside her as she continued falling through the red heavens.

This was the end.

"What happened, Kisame?" Itachi asked his partner, returning from Sakura's room. He hadn't intended on using his genjustu to torture the girl, but her compliance was proving to be difficult to force. His skills of illusion were unrivaled and if used at full strength, he was sure her mind would have turned to sand within seconds. Itachi forced his attention back to his partner.

The blue man coughed as he regained consciousness.

"That little brat tried to blow up the entire forest the minute he saw me." Kisame muttered coughing into his hand. Slowly his body allowed him to come into a seating position. "Kakuzu and Hidan went after him after Tobi alerted Pein what happened."

Konan came to his aid and helped him up. "Where is Deidara?"

"He's dead." He replied getting to his feet.

Konan slowly recoiled. Itachi watched her, waiting for her to respond and give instruction to him. "I must tell Pein." She managed slowly. "Is the girl in her room?" she asked Itachi remembering back to Sakura collapsing just a few minutes ago. Itachi nodded.

"Keep her safe until I tell you otherwise." She said getting ready to leave.

"As you wish." Itachi replied. Konan exited the room and soon exited the base altogether. He wasn't sure when she would come back but he anticipated he wouldn't have to wait too long.

Sometime later, looking around her room in a daze, unsure of what had previously taken place, Sakura sighed miserably to herself. She was sure the sun was going down, allowing a bright orange glow to flow through the room in beams of piercing light. She awoke, everything hurt, the pain, imagined of course put her in a trance. And when she realised everything she'd seen was perhaps more false than she first thought, her heart began to ache with unease. Don't think about it, close it off from your mind. She advised herself.

Without a sound Itachi entered the room.

Sakura froze as he walked up to her and placed the tray in front of her by her feet. She could only stare, petrified that he would attack her and rip her eyes out like he'd done to Sasuke. Or had it really happened? She wasn't certain; but it had appeared to be so real.

She swallowed a lump, holding back the tears that were about to force their way out of her sore and tired eyes.

"Eat." Itachi said edging the tray closer towards Sakura.

Her entire body froze, this was the first time she had faced Sasuke's brother alone. And with no one to call for help, what could she do but listen?

Defy him of course.

"No." she managed to whisper.

She already disliked the Uchiha, but after what he'd done to her, messing with her mind, she was sure this was just another trick. Itachi didn't approve of her disobedience but would leave her be for the time being, and so he did, leaving the room for around twenty minutes to give Sakura some peace.

But as soon as he returned, he inspected the tray he'd given the kunoichi. She refused to touch it, let alone eat it. "You aren't hungry?" He asked solely inspecting the apple, glass of water and bread in front of her.

Sakura shook her head angrily. Of course she was hungry! She hadn't eaten in days, but she wouldn't take this out of character act of kindness to stupidly disobey the ninja rules she'd been taught as a naive Genin. Never take food from strangers; never eat anything you haven't prepared with your own hands. Even if it didn't take much to prepare an apple, some water and stale bread, Itachi could've done anything he wanted to it.

For all she knew, she could wake up to Kisame touching her again. She shivered.

Maybe he was doing, the badly injured, Kisame's job to underhand her whilst he recovered so he could finish what he'd started that first night in the akatsuki cellar. She shuddered to think what Itachi was planning alongside the blue man.

Making the effort to show Itachi she would not be fooled, Sakura maintained eye-contact, as difficult as it was with the Uchiha. She waited to see if he'd give her some pointless speech about how he wouldn't poison her food or make poising her so obvious, but that declaration never came.

Itachi simply took the tray in one hand and commented, "Well, I will dispose of this then." In a flash he was gone and the door locked behind him.

Sakura watched, her mouth agape in shock. You bastard!

And hour or two later after rolling around restlessly on the hard mattress, the door to her holding chamber was opened once more. Sakura didn't know what other nonsense she'd have to deal with before she had a heart-attack.

"Sasori?"

"You look surprised to see me." He said neutrally. He walked in, shut the door and observed her from top to bottom. As usual making her uncomfortable, as though he were undressing her with his emotionless eyes, ready to attack. "I must say I'm very shocked to see that you're conscious considering what you've just been through."

"Huh?" Sakura was perplexed. And then she experienced haunting flashbacks of Sasuke lying dead on the floor covered in ash – a crow with the Sharingan melting before her. "What happened?" she asked swinging her legs over the side of the bed.

Sasori searched her eyes; she was noticeably unaware of what had taken placed. "Itachi put his Tsukuyomi over you. It is good to see that you aren't harmed by its after effects. Many people die of insanity once they've been through it. Unable to then separate reality from a dream."

Sakura felt as though those people had gotten away lucky. "I don't remember looking him in the eyes…" she gasped.

"No one ever does." he said shortly. "Deidara is dead." Sasori added.

"You're lucky."

"What?" Sakura replied, confused. He took her hand into his and pulled a kunai out from his robes. He sliced the palm of her hand and lathered her blood over his knife as it appeared. Sakura gasped and struggled to break free from his grip, still tired from the day's events.

"From now on I will be your partner." Sasori said holding up the shiny red kunai in the light provided by the blackened windows. Then he licked the blade, allowing it to cut into the flesh of his tongue. Sakura watched in revulsion. "Henceforth you will be a member of the akatsuki. Until death do we part."

"I'm not marrying you, Sasori!"

"Come on, this must be a joke…" Sakura murmured wearily. Finding herself sat in a closed room with Itachi was unbelievable. Never in her most erratic nightmares did she believe she would be faced with this horror.

"I can assure you it is not." Itachi said taking a seat opposite Sakura. He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Itachi, stay away from me." She instructed him insecurely. Lacking his akatsuki robes, Itachi appeared more like a standard shinobi and less like a menacing killer but she knew with or without the akatsuki clouds he was capable of committing horrid actions against his peers. In a single night he'd once killed his entire family, butchering her would not be much of a struggle.

As the thought settled that Itachi was not about to listen to her command, Sakura was forced to relax. "But why Sasori?" she groaned. If she was going to be forcibly partnered with somebody, she hated to be stuck with Sasori and now she would have no choice but to work with him and perform corrupt criminal deeds.

"You are both medics and Sasori is in need of a partner." Itachi replied softly. Sakura allowed the low ambience of his voice to settle in her subconscious. Itachi's aura forced her into a slow submission.

"God," she sighed, placing her face in her hands. "Anybody else, anybody I swear…" she chanted inconsolably.

"Are you implying you'd prefer to be my partner?" Itachi probed. Sakura's head flew up to gawk at Itachi in disbelief.

Itachi allowed a pause. "Then I suggest you stop complaining, kunoichi." Oh God, he isn't going to start with that 'kunoichi' thing as well. She had a name!

"For your information, Uchiha, I have a name. And I'd appreciate it if you used it." She said self-righteously. She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back in her chair, mimicking Itachi's movements as he watched her.

Before she could take her next breath, her body hit the ground and her arms were pinned above her head, stretching her body out like a pagan sacrifice. Itachi straddled her and held her in place when she finally came around to understanding the position he'd propelled her into. Leaning close to her, Sakura felt the warmth that radiated off of Itachi's being and felt the tickling strands of luxuriously long raven hair against her cheeks. Her heart jumped into a new rhythm, simultaneously Itachi warned her, "I appreciate the reminder, Sakura."