Sasuke and Naruto both had kunai in hand, lunging towards each other. Sasuke's blood red eyes looking into Naruto's clear, crystal blue with a hint of a smirk on his face. Just as Sasuke disappeared and appeared behind a surprised Naruto, a deep voice broke their concentration.

"Hey now guys, we have a message from Konoha." Jiraiya eyed the two boys, Naruto collapsed on the ground and Sasuke's kunai he had dug into the ground beside the blonde's head, carefully avoiding him. Naruto's eyes widened at how close the weapon was to him.

"Geez Pervy Sage! You could have announced yourself!" Naruto stood up and through his arms up, gesturing towards Sasuke. "HE COULD HAVE KILLED ME BY ACCIDENT."

Sasuke smirked. "You weren't scared, were you, Dobe?"

Jiraiya sighed. "HELLO NARUTO AND SASUKE, I'M ENTERING YOUR SPARRING MATCH NOW. Is that what you wanted?" He joked. "Really, Pakuun was just here, Kakashi must have sent him."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "And?"

Naruto looked from Sasuke to Jiraiya.

Jiraiya began again. "The Hokage has ordered us to come back to the village. I don't know if they know we've found you, Sasuke, but I'm sure they'll be glad to know you're alive."

Naruto grinned and smacked Sasuke on the back. "I know someone who will be THRILLED to see you, Sasuke-kun." He put on his best impersonation of their pink-haired teammate.

Sasuke smiled, inwardly, of course. "How long has it been since you've seen her?"

Naruto's smile slowly faded as he started to think. "ehh. I'd say about.. a year? I don't know," He turned in Jiraiya's direction. "OI, Pervy Sage. How long have we been gone this time?"

Jiraiya was packing his belongings and scrolls into his bag. "I think it's been maybe 11 and a half months." He shouted back, offhandedly.

Naruto turned back to Sasuke and smiled, "Well, there ya have it. 11 and a half months."

Sasuke's mouth straightened into a thin line. "I haven't been in Konoha since I was 13."

Rolling his eyes, Naruto began packing his own stuff into his bag. "I left when I was 14 to begin my training with this old guy." He gestured to Jiraiya, and then continued. "I returned when I was about 16, but only stayed for about 6 months." Naruto grinned at Sasuke. "Then I shanghaied Pervy Sage into another trip to come find you for almost the past year."

Jiraiya groaned loudly. "Oh and what a joy it's been." He said, rolling his eyes.

Sasuke smirked at the idea of the old man having to spend years with the hyperactive knucklehead ninja. His small smile faltered when he caught Naruto's eyes. He was facing him completely now, blue eyes staring into his own.

"You miss her. Don't you." Naruto said. It wasn't a question.

Sasuke avoided the eye contact. He wasn't going to have his eyes betray his feelings. "Of course not. She was the weak link of our team. I'm just making sure we still have something to protect when we go home."

Naruto's eyes narrowed and he looked at him suspiciously. Sasuke met his gaze now.

More than anything, Naruto.

Sasori turned his head to Itachi, just as everyone else did, eyebrow raised.

Kisame's grin faded. He didn't remember the pink haired girl from any of his and his partner's missions.

Surprise was in Sakura's eyes, but her tone didn't show it. "I see you know my name?" She said, nonchalant.

"Hn." Was the only reply.

"Anything else?" Sakura continued.

"You're a top medic in your village and rival even the Hokage herself in medical skills. You will serve us well."

Sakura snorted. "Serve you? Not on your life."

Kisame's grin began showing again as he watched the tension between the two tighten. Deidara smiled a little at how her personality clashed with the Uchiha's.

If Itachi was angry or even humored, he didn't show it. "You will do what I say, when I say it,little girl."

Sakura's eyes widened a little. The memory from 5 years ago was still clear in her head.

"Until next time, little girl…"

This was next time. Sakura's heart beat a little faster. "What do you want?" She reiterated the question from her childhood.

Itachi stared into tear stained eyes and paused, as if not wanting to give away more than he had to. He finally found the perfect amount of words.

Sakura's eyes widened at his familiar response. "You will see in due time."

ANBU Sakura took over, sealing away her emotions and suppressing the event. "That's what you think."

Sasori looked at the medic inquisitively. She was a feisty one. His eyes looked passed her towards his fellow artist. A single blue eye looked at Sakura amused as well as admiring. He pursed his lips and rose from the table. Everyone's eyes went to him.

"I believe dinner is over." With that, Sasori turned and left.

There was a silence, Kisame stood now. "I think he's right…" He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, walking out of the room.

Deidara rose from his seat and started towards the door, eyeing the pinkette until he was out of her line of vision.

Sakura looked up from the table shyly to Hidan.

He let out a laugh. "Sorry, Pinkie. If you think I'm sitting here with you and that fucking lunatic, you're on some shit." He got up, approached the doorway, then left the room.

Sakura sighed and rose as well, with the intentions of leaving. Just as she was walking by Itachi's seat, a hand flung out and grabbed her. She looked down at him, confused, but also angry. Her thoughts were cut short as crimson and black swirls began to blur her vision and she fell unconscious.

Ino sat outside the Yamanaka Flower Shop on a bench, her face resting on her elbows, which were rest on her knees. A shadow before her caused her to look up.

"What's wrong with you?" Shikamaru asked, raising one eyebrow. Choji behind him.

"Just thinking." Ino answered, Shikamaru rolled his eyes.

"About what Ino?" Why are girls so troublesome…

"Nothing. Girl stuff." She rose with a smile.

Choji and Shikamaru sighed in unison. They didn't want to talk about boys and nail polish. Choji piped up from behind his bag of chips. "Why don't you talk to Sakura about it?"

Ino looked up. She hadn't really seen Sakura around lately… "To be coming from you Choji, that actually sounds like a good idea. Where is Billboard Brow?" She said with a smile.

Choji looked at Shikamaru expectantly. "Hey, hey. Don't look at me. It was your idea. I don't keep up with her…"

"Whatever. I'm sure Sai knows." Ino said, turning to leave.

Shikamaru grabbed her arm. "Actually, Ino. I see two people who on any day a few years ago could probably tell you Sakura's exact latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates."

"Shikamaru, you know, it's annoying when you talk like th—"

"SHIKAMARU HEY." A flash of orange and black was running towards them.

Ino turned around at the voice.

"Naruto?" Choji and Ino said simultaneously.

The blonde grinned, his arms thrown up behind his head casually. "It's been a while guys. Look who me and Pervy Sage found."

Sasuke appeared from behind the knucklehead.

"Hn."

Shikamaru's jaw clenched. Of all people to show their face in this village…

Ino's eyes narrowed on Sasuke's midnight blue. "Uchiha."

Naruto dropped his arms. "What's your problem?" Worried eyes on Ino's intense glare.

"Well, as strange as it might sound Naruto, I do recall it was that bastard behind you who left my bestfriend heartbroken, on a cold bench in the middle of the night." She said through gritted teeth.

Sasuke smirked. "It didn't seem to bother her, now, did it?"

Naruto turned to look at Sasuke, eyes wide and screaming 'WHAT ARE YOU DOING?'

Ino pounced, but Naruto caught her in mid-jump. "Ino, calm dow—"

"Just who does he think he is!?" She started yelling. "He thinks that he can have any girl he wants? That he can desert the village for years, then when he's 17 come back here and be forgiven!?" She stuck out a fist to try and hit Sasuke over Naruto's shoulder, but she was too far away. "Newsflash Uchiha! You're OLD news around here."

She jumped down from Naruto's grasp and rejoined her old teammates. She began walking away, the two boys following her. Ino stopped again. "And if Sakura were here, I think you'd see how much it didn't bothered her. Asshole." She didn't turn around when she said it, just kept walking.

Alone, Naruto finally turned to Sasuke. Although his face emotionless, his eyes fixed on the ground ahead of him showed he was deep in thought.

"What the hell was that about?" He said throwing his arms up. "I told you, you're going to have a hard time being accepted back! But NOOO. You just take the liberty to start a fight wi—"

"Where is she?" Sasuke asked, eyes not moving from the spot he was looking at.

Naruto looked confused. "What are you talking abo—"

"Ino said if she were here. Meaning she isn't. Where is she?" Sasuke's eyes finally met Naruto's. They held an emotion in them that Naruto wasn't familiar with seeing in his comrade's eyes.

Naruto fell silent for a minute… "Well… I'm not sure, I guess we could check with… Granny Tsunade?"

Sasuke nodded and began running in the direction of Hokage Residence, Naruto right behind him.

"You guys can't all just come bursting into my offi—"

BAM. The doors flew open.

"Granny, Hi. So." Naruto began, already out of breath from the run. Sasuke walked in behind him. "I found Sasuke." Naruto gestured to the figure walking in the door behind him. "Pervy Sage is at Ichiraku's talking to Kakashi Sensei. We got your message to report back to the village." Naruto doubled over on his knees. "What did you need?"

Tsunade looked at Naruto incredulously.

"OH. And where's Sakura?" He threw in matter-of-factly.

Tsunade took a deep breath. "Okay. Everyone sit down."

Naruto's brow furrowed. What? Everyone? His eyes scanned the room and discovered what she meant. Shikamaru was beside the Hokage's desk, Ino beside him. Kiba and Akamaru were off by the window, Kiba's arms crossed across his check leaning against the wall. Kurenai, stood beside Ino, an encouraging hand on Hinata's shoulder. Neji and Tenten stood in a small huddle in the back corner with Lee and Guy stood on the other side of Tsunade's desk. Shino stood in the other corner, alone. The loud chattering amongst everyone finally registered in Naruto's ears.

"Asuma and Choji have left to go get Sai and Kakashi." Tsunade looked down, her face worried. "Then Sai will answer all of your questions."

A few minutes passed, while the room was full of people, nobody moved. They either talked casually and quietly, or just stood silent. No one approached Sasuke, or Naruto for that matter. The door opened, though, and everyone's conversations ended.

Kakashi walked in, a grim look on his face, followed by Sai's emotionless one. Kakashi walked by Naruto, and then stopped. He looked up, his dark grey meeting bright blue. His eyes went to the person standing beside his former student. Kakashi returned his eyes to Naruto. "I always knew you'd come back together…" He said softly, placing his hand on Naruto's shoulder. He looked to Sasuke. "It's good to see you." He gave a small smile behind his mask and continued past them. Kakashi wasn't happy. Actually, he seemed depressed.

Tsunade frowned a little at Kakashi, then her attention came back to the situation at hand. "Sai… You need to tell them."

Naruto looked up. His confused glance to the others in the room was not the only one.

Sasuke was the first to speak, in unison with Ino. "Tell us what?"

Sai tooked a deep breath and began. "Captain Haruno has been captured by enemy shinobi."

The room was silent, cold even. Everyone's eyes were fixated on the emotionless Foundation shinobi.

Sasuke and Naruto had the same thought. Captain?

Sakura awoke in a warm room. She was lying in a bed, the morning sunshine pouring in through the window. The sound of talking in the next room cleared her sleep-heavy thoughts. Her eyes shot open, the ceiling coming into view. She sat up quickly and put her legs over the side of the bed and looked around. The room wasn't too big, and it didn't have much in there. It was sort of… bare. There was a wooden desk with a chair, a bookcase housing scrolls, and a handsome man sitting in a chair in the corner. He didn't catch her attention at first because of how still and silent he was, but when he did, she jumped slightly.

"And how did I end up here?" She asked staring at him annoyed, a hint of anger in her voice, but not the sound of an argument-starter.

"No idea." Itachi replied, smirking a little at his sarcasm to her idiotic question.

Sakura rolled her eyes. "I meant why am I here."

"This is my room and the only place I can monitor you. If you'd like, I can escort you to the dungeons..."

She shrieked and jumped out of his bed.

HIS ROOM? That's where he rests. Where he thinks. Where he sleeps. Where he… her mind didn't want to continue.

Itachi's lips grew into a thin line as he watched to kunoichi bothered by the idea of being in his bed.

Foolish.

"We have some business to discuss." He said coolly.

Sakura looked at him disgustedly. "I have no business to discuss with you." She spat, venom coating every word.

It happened in an instant. Itachi was standing in front of her, staring down into hateful green eyes. "You will do as I say."

Sakura glared up at him, then stopped. There was something different about him. He saw her expression and turned his black eyes to crimson. It occurred to her that she just caught Itachi Uchiha offguard. She riled him up so bad with her defiance that he actually just sprung into action without even activating his Sharingan… Or he just didn't sense her as a threat, but her ego wasn't going to assume the latter of the two.

"I'd like to see you make me." With the little chakra she could muster, she kneed him in the stomach. The force would have thrown a weaker man into the desk across the room, but Itachi planted his feet onto the ground firmly to create friction to stop him from flying backwards. He caught his balance and lunged at Sakura, catching her in his grip and throwing her against the wall. The talking in the next room stopped. With his hand at her throat, he leaned in.

"How am I doing?" He said, his monotone voice laced with ice.

She looked up at him and reared her fist back. She closed her eyes and threw it in his direction. Sakura waited to feel it connect with him, but it never came. When she opened her eyes she saw how Itachi had ducked to evade her punched and swept his leg beneath hers and knocked her into the floor. He turned to walk back to his chair in the corner as she lay on her stomach below him. Just before he was able to sit down, he heard her voice.

"You shouldn't underestimate your opponent, Uchiha." She said in a mischievous tone.

If it weren't for his Sharingan, he probably wouldn't have moved fast enough. The small bookcase that was sitting against the wall was now in the hallway outside of his room, the broken down door in its path. As Itachi stared at the damage with unbelieving thoughts, but a calm face, he did not notice the pink-haired woman charging at him. He turned around just as she was about to connect her fist to his back and grabbed her below the jaw and slung her into the hallway outside of his room.

Sakura hit the wall with a loud thud. Itachi was now pressing her against the wall with a kunai to her throat.

"That will be enough of that." He said coldy, his crimson eyes piercing her jade emeralds.

Sakura's eyes narrowed. "Will it?"

Itachi looked down. She had a sharp piece of wood from the small bookcase pressed to his chest. It was extremely capable of breaking through his chestplate and severing his heart. Itachi stared down at the kunoichi. He was surprised she could handle herself so well.

A sigh broke the tension in the air. Sakura and Itachi turned to see four Akatsuki members. Hidan, Deidara, Kisame and, Sasori were standing there. The redhead was the first to speak; the other three were grinning and trying not the laugh at the sight before them.

"It's only 10:30…" He stated.

Kisame let out a howl of laughter. "Looks like the kunoichi is giving you some trouble this morning, eh Itachi?"

Hidan laughed even harder at this. Deidara was beaming at the pink haired ninja pinned to the wall, fire still present behind her green eyes. The amazement on his face was obvious and he didn't take her eyes off her.

Itachi looked back down at Sakura, her makeshift wooden dagger pressed against his chest; he took in the sight of her. Her face looked like that of an innocent little girl upset about not getting what she wanted, which contrasted heavily with the position they were in. If she wanted to, she might be able to kill him right there. Well, wound. Not kill. Itachi Uchiha wouldn't go down that easily. The raven man looked back over to his fellow Akatsuki; catching Deidara's staring eyes cutting through the kunoichi with admiration. He threw in kunai into the wall closest to the others. The weapon barely grazed the blonde's cheek, causing a thin line of blood to appear.

"It's rude to stare." He said coldly and turned to leave.

Sasori let out a small sigh knowingly, while Hidan and Kisame's laughter stopped. They looked around to the pyromaniac, clearly confused.

Sakura lowered her weapon and let him go. Itachi walked until he came to the end of the hallway and turned left, going down another hallway and out of sight. Deidara watched him go all the way down the hallway through narrowed eyes. He lifted a hand and wiped off his cheek. Sakura walked down the hallway towards the small huddle of Akatsuki.

Kisame slapped his hand onto her back approvingly as she passed. "Looks like you gave him a run for his money, Pinkie."

She smirked and kept walking down the hall past the group of them. Although she was almost out of sight, she heard a distinct, "I could get used to her," come from Hidan.

Author's Note:

This chapter was a little boring, sorry! I don't know how many times I typed out a good 2 pages and then erased everything! I'm indecisive, hahah. I'm still trying to figure out how I want this story to go. I think I might make Kakuzu a bad guy. ;p Hope no one objects! Not sure, but I think that's what I'll do. Anyway, sorry for any literary errors & R&R. Help me out; give me suggestions about what should come in later chapters! I might consider it or it might inspire a good idea of my own! But, next chapter will be up shortly & I hope the story will pick up.

Until then,

ERVictson.

xoxo.