(A/N) Just like the writer's strike in New York, my writer's block has also ended. Actually, this was pretty easy for me to write. So, more lovely reviews are welcomed.

Notes:

THIS IS EDITTED!!

Italics: Thoughts, dreams, flashbacks, emphasis

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I do not own Naruto.

Captive

Doubts

"Doubt can only be removed by action."- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

-0-

Sakura awoke with an ANBU standing over her bed. To add to that, he had a creepy bug mask on. Her first reaction was falling out of the bed. When she collected herself, she stood up, her nightclothes disheveled. She was a sight to see in her t-shirt and boxers.

"Who are you?" she asked, biting back her anger.

The ANBU took off his mask to reveal Shino's face. Sakura hadn't seen him since she went on a mission with him and Hinata to Kirigakure when Kiba was ill. At the time, he was only a jonin. But now he made it up the ranks to become an ANBU officer. Sakura was jealous to say the least.

"My apologies, Miss Haruno, but the Hokage wishes to speak with you."

"You don't have to use formalities, Shino, we're friends," Sakura said, happy to see a familiar face.

"My apologies…Sakura," Shino said.

He then disappeared in a flurry of bugs. Sakura knew he was antisocial but that was just strange.

"Couldn't she have sent a letter or something…?" Sakura mumbled.

She stumbled around, still half asleep. Walking over to her desk she saw an envelope with her name scrawled on it. Curious, she picked it up. She didn't recognize the handwriting.

'Maybe Tsunade sent a letter after all,' Sakura thought, sliding her finger through the flap, careful not to get a paper cut.

She took the folded paper out and read it.

Sakura Haruno,

I have heard from reliable sources that you are interrogating Itachi Uchiha. I am writing to you to give you a warning. If you continue this assignment, I will personally see to your demise. Hopefully you realize that nothing good will come if you succeed. This is just a forewarning to help you understand the consequences.

It took Sakura a minute to comprehend what the letter had said. She looked at the paper, searching for a signature, but there was nothing else. The only thing Sakura knew was that Tsunade was not the one who had written it. It was someone who didn't want this assignment to be a success and would kill her if it was.

-0-

After the initial shock wore off, Sakura got dressed and headed towards the Hokage's office. As she walked through the streets of Konoha, the medic wondered why Tsunade summoned her. She hadn't been training with her lately so it was not for that. What could Tsunade want?

Sakura entered said person's office with a sigh. The woman was passed out at her desk with a sake gourd in her hand. She was blowing a snot bubble and drool was coming out of the side of her mouth. It was at times like those she wished Shizune was still there. They would have laughed and maybe take a few pictures. Of course, they wouldn't have let the Hokage find out.

Sakura sighed again.

"Tsunade-shishou," Sakura said next to the Godaime's ear. "Wake up."

The woman didn't stir.

Sakura put her hands on her hips, thinking. Then she lowered her mouth next to the Hokage's ear again.

"Orochimaru's back."

The Hokage's bloodshot eyes opened and she jumped up on her desk, subsequently breaking it.

"Let me at that snake bastard!" she snarled.

Then she saw Sakura. Tsunade glanced around the room, searching for the other sennin.

"Oh, it's only you," Tsunade said, stepping off the wreck that was once her desk.

They both looked at the remains.

"That's the third desk this week, Tsunade-shishou," Sakura stated, cleaning up the papers off the floor.

"Whatever," the Hokage said.

"Um, what is it you wanted me for?" Sakura asked hesitantly, putting the papers on a surface that the Hokage hadn't yet destroyed.

"Yes, about that," Tsunade said sitting in the chair that used to be behind the desk. "I hear you're interrogating Itachi Uchiha."

'If you can call it that,' Sakura thought.

"Yes, I am," she said aloud.

"Well, I was wondering," the Hokage started," if you would like to relinquish that duty."

Sakura looked at her master, not the least bit surprised. She suspected that Tsunade would be angry with Ibiki for giving her a mission without her consent. And for having her interrogate Itachi when she had ANBU looking for the base was the icing on the cake.

'Perhaps she did write the letter,' Sakura thought.

She then shook that off, knowing her master would never think of threatening her. She considered her a daughter and would do anything to protect her. Sakura considered the woman a mother, and would do anything to assist her.

What did surprise Sakura was the fact that she actually sided with Ibiki. Even though he had used her, he was putting Itachi to good use. It was easier to get the information from him instead of searching for the base without any clue to where it was. Besides, Itachi was very interesting, if not unbearably exasperating.

"No, I don't," Sakura answered.

Now it was Tsunade's turn to be surprised.

"But you don't have any interrogation skills," Tsunade stated.

"No, but annoying the prisoner has been working well for me," Sakura said only half-jokingly.

"Annoying Uchiha is not going to get him to say anything," Tsunade said, her voice harsh. "Besides, I didn't want anyone interrogating him in the first place."

"But Ibiki thought it would be-"

"To hell with Ibiki," Tsunade interrupted, her infamous temper flaring. "I would have him off the interrogation force this instant if he wasn't our best."

"But he does have a point," Sakura said softly, trying not to ignite the Hokage's temper. "It'd be easier to get information from him than lead a wild goose chase."

"Sakura, do you know why I don't want anyone to interrogate Itachi?" Tsunade asked.

Sakura shook her head.

"Because he's not secure."

Tsunade continued, seeing Sakura uncomprehending expression.

"We don't have enough power to lock up Itachi Uchiha firmly. His chakra is just too strong and we can't drain all of it. He's able to break through the chains and perhaps even escape the prison if the seal was broken."

Sakura felt cold shivers make a path through her body as she stood, too stunned to speak.

'So all of the times…'

She thought back to the first time the ANBU told her they had captured the infamous Uchiha. She wondered how it was possible to detain such a man. As it turns out, he hadn't been detained at all.

"B-but, he hasn't broken out yet," Sakura managed to say.

"Which is lucky for us," the Hokage stated. "And that's why I want you to stop healing him, too."

"I can't do that," Sakura stated firmly.

She didn't say that just because she needed to heal him to interrogate him. It was because every time she saw him injured, something inside her broke. Even if he was an S-class criminal, he was still human.

"Sakura-" Tsunade began.

"No," Sakura said, certain of herself. "I'm going to continue this mission no matter what. We're going to get answers from him and we're going to find the Akatsuki's base."

Tsunade sat down rubbing her temples.

That was the first time Sakura had actually confronted her master like that. Usually she did whatever the Hokage said. When Tsunade said 'jump' she asked 'how high?'. When Tsunade said 'run' she asked 'how far?'.

But not this time.

"Fine, do whatever you want," Tsunade said eventually. "I know I can't stop you."

Sakura beamed.

"Thank you, Tsunade-shishou," she stated and ran out of the room.

The Hokage sighed and looked for a sake gourd in the cabinet on her wall. When she opened it, she found it empty. The Godaime blinked a few times and then laughed in spite of herself.

Sakura was becoming quite like Shizune.

-0-

'Déjà vu,' Sakura thought as she entered the cell that held the object of her nightmares.

Once again, doubts clouded her mind. Both her master and someone unknown were against her. The only person on her side was Ibiki, and he had tricked her into doing this.

Seeing Itachi on the floor, she pushed her doubts aside. He was once again in bad shape. She sighed, got on her knees, and began healing him. Afterwards, she repeated what she did every day, and walked over to the other end of the cell, waiting for him to wake up. When he did, she bombarded him with the question that was on her mind.

"Why didn't you escape before? You can break through those chains."

"How could I escape?" he said.

Sakura balked.

Thinking about it, she figured that he was right. They probably do the torturing in here. And afterwards, he's too week to even stand; she has to heal him just so he can open his eyes. Not to mention the seal on the door. It's almost impossible for him to escape.

'At least Tsunade has nothing to worry about.'

Sakura sighed trying to summon her courage. She closed her eyes, wishing that everything was much easier than it was.

She heard a rattling of chains and then a loud clanging sound as they fell to the floor. She opened her eyes to find Itachi standing, looking at her. Even without chakra, his presence was intimidating.

Sakura decided to ask him the big questions. No more stalling.

"Where's the Akatsuki base?"

Itachi didn't say anything.

"Where are the other Akatsuki members?"

Still no answer.

"Who are all of the Akatsuki members?"

Again no answer.

"Stubborn…" Sakura mumbled. "You know it'd be much easier on you to just answer the questions."

"So I can die in here?"

"You're going to die in here anyway," Sakura said.

"I'd rather die with honor that as a traitor."

"You became a traitor when you left Konoha."

"Hn," Itachi said, smirking.

Sakura's heard that before. It seems that Sasuke was more like his brother than Orochimaru. Even before he turned his back on Konoha, he was like Itachi.

'Betraying Konoha must run in the family.'

Sakura noticed she was letting her mind wander again. That always happened when she was in there. It was so depressing, she didn't want to think about what she was doing. After reading the letter and speaking with Tsunade, she realized how important this assignment was. She had to get answers from Itachi.

So, she decided to do it the only way she knew how. Standing up and walking ver to Itachi, she grabbed his shirt and pushed him up against the wall. Itachi couldn't fight, but she sure as hell could.

"Now, you're going to give me some answers or I might just have to break your spine in half," Sakura growled.

Sakura was letting her true colors shine through. She might not have the Hokage's strength, but she did have her own. She wasn't going to let Itachi or this place get to her. She was not only a healer, but a fighter, too. She won't hesitate to kill Itachi.

'Why didn't I do this before?'

Sakura realized it was because she was afraid. She was afraid of Itachi, Ibiki, and the cell. She was afraid of everything. But not anymore. She was not going to have any more doubts.

However, Itachi didn't seem fazed at all.

"As I said, I would rather die with honor than as a traitor," he reiterated.

"We'll see about that," Sakura said, drawing her fist back.

She let chakra gather in her hand, and aimed at his face. But her fist didn't land. It was caught by another hand.

-0-

(A/N) I love cliffhangers. Do you love them, too? I bet you do. Anyway, I'm running out of food to bribe you with, so I'll offer a teddy bear. C'mon, it's soft! I bet you want to review now!