Oh boy, chapter 4! It took a lot longer because I've been busy for the last month, but here it is~! In the original fic, chapter 4 was one of my favorites and it's the same here. I think this is my favorite chapter so far!

Have as much fun reading as it was to write and remember to leave a review!


"Sakura, what was that about?" Naruto asked anxiously.

"I found the Akatsuki," Sakura replied simply, turning her attention to the car mirrors periodically to check for anyone chasing them.

Naruto, on the other hand, was a little hung up on the Akatsuki thing.

"Goddamn, Sakura can you drive any faster?!" He cried, turning around in his seat and watching the growing darkness behind them.

"Not if you don't want to be pulled over!" She responded, starting to slow down.

"Besides, I don't think we were being followed. I just wanted to make sure."

Naruto turned back around and sat property in his seat

"And you scold me for getting into too much trouble." He mumbled.

Sakura's heart rate began to stabilizing again as the two rounded the corner and drove down the streetlight lined road. Her head burned with a lingering guilt. She endangered both Naruto and herself by doing something so stupid. Sakura could deal with endangering herself if it was just her. It wasn't though, all Naruto wanted tonight was to hang out with her and she kept leaving him behind. The only time they got to be together the entire night, she left him in the car and got the Akatsuki pissed at her.


The young woman pulled up the house and parked in front, the music was still thumping, the party commenced without them.

"Naruto," She began.

"Are you going to be alright?"

Naruto looked at her with a half serious expression. "That depends, are you staying?"

Sakura smiled back at him warmly. "Yeah, yeah I'm staying.

Once they arrived back at the party, it was as if nothing had happened. No Akatsuki, no forest, only blaring music, flashing lights, and chocolate cheesecake.

Naruto and Sakura remained outside for the duration of what was left of the party. They tried their best to make significant conversation but it seemed like the night's events had a stranglehold on them.

"Guys!" Ino cried, spotting them and sitting excitedly between the two.

"Where have you been? I haven't seen you all night!"

"Around," Sakura replied.

"Around." Ino parroted.

"I was feeling nauseous so Sakura drove me to the store to get some stomach medicine." Naruto interrupted.

Nice save.

"Oh, I hope you're feeling alright then!" Ino said, patting the blond haired man on the back.

"Don't worry, I'm good now," Naruto said exhaustively. Sakura wasn't sure if it was part of the act or not, there was probably some truth in his tired words.

Not long after, a drunken Kiba stumbled outside to find his blond haired buddy.

"Naruto, you ready to go yet? I'm ready whenever." He slurred.

Naruto nodded and got up from his seat. "I think I'm ready to get going. See ya, everyone!"

He and Kiba waved to the girls in the chairs as he left.

The moment they were gone, Ino turned to Sakura with a serious expression.

"Okay Sakura, what really happened with you and Naruto? Ino demanded.

Sakura cringed to herself at the question. She suspected Ino would catch on quickly. Sakura was hoping Ino wouldn't interrogate her about it but interrogation was a very Ino thing to do and Sakura hadn't prepared for such an undertaking.

"Do you mind if I tell you in a few days? I'm still shaken up by it."

Ino became suddenly filled with sympathy. "Are you going to be okay?"

Sakura nodded, slumping over in her seat. "I promise everything is fine. You don't need worry. I've had a long night is all."

"Then are you leaving?" Ino asked.

"I think I will," Sakura replied, taking out her phone and texting Dorian to pick her up.

After that, she said little to anyone preferring just to review the night's event on repeat in her head. Ino had long since gone back to her party, and Sakura ending up watching the few glittering stars in the sky.

As soon as her phone vibrated, Sakura inconspicuously left the party without a word.

"Hey kiddo, how was the party?" Dorian asked, pulling away from the curb.

"How I thought it would be mostly. Not for me."

Dorian nodded understandingly. "Doesn't seem like something you'd enjoy much. But hey, you went right?"

"Yeah..."

Sakura leaned her seat back wearily. "I'm done for the night."

"Wow," Dorian chuckled. "You're certainly a different person from who I was at your age. Already done and it's only 12."

The girl responded by rolling over in her seat and moaning loudly.

"Okay, okay, straight to your house!"

Slowly, Sakura's eyes opened to Dorian hovering over her, shaking her awake. "Time to go, sleepyhead."

Groggily she stumbled out of the truck and lumbered up to her house.

"See ya later Sakura," Dorian shouted from their truck.


The girl dazedly waved at their coach/ surrogate parent and unlocked the door to her house. Her real parents would likely be getting home soon and she wanted to be asked as few questions about what happened at the party as possible.

Without wasting another moment, she climbed the stairs and edged past her fighting shit to get to her room. The moment her head hit the pillow, she was out like a light.

The weekend went by slowly, and in that time Sakura developed a nasty habit of periodically looking out the window, expecting to see an Akatsuki member staring her down. Ino had texted her over and over about what had happened, but Sakura wasn't quite willing to humor her yet. It would have to come out, not now though.

After the weekend, Sakura fought the urge to stay home and be alone but she went to school nonetheless, not paying attention to practically anything until lunch time.


"Okay, you gotta tell now," Ino demanded, not at all joking around.

"Don't worry, we won't judge," Tenten assured calmly.

Sakura's frowned to herself, this was it wasn't it? She knew this might not matter as much to them as it did her. Finding the Akatsuki was a mistake, but she was dumb enough to look into it. And she was damn afraid she'd pay for her little misadventure.

"I... I found the Akatsuki and their base at the burned out house when I left the party to return Yahiko's phone to him there."

The girl's' eyes widened in terror at the revelation.

" Is Yahiko in the Akatsuki?" Ino breathed.

"I'm pretty sure. I heard his voice in the cellar where they caught me. I would like to say Konan is a member too but I don't know for sure."

Tenten and Ino were utterly dumbfounded by the news. Good guy pretty boy Yahiko was in the Akatsuki.

"Sakura, I wish I would have attended the party just to be there with you," Tenten said distantly.

"I don't think it would have changed what happened but thanks," Sakura said sadly.

"Well, I know who's going to be uninvited to my next party. I honestly can't believe he is with that gang of pricks. Konan too if she's with them. It's mind boggling how much I feel deceived! Yahiko was even talking about how he was too busy helping with his wheelchair-bound best friend to party!"

"That's the same as what Konan said," Sakura whispered aloud.

The three girls were so entranced in their conversations that they were startled by the shadow looming over their table.

"I think I've heard just about enough." A close by voice snapped.

There, standing with her hands on her hips and a puppy-murdering scowl was Karin.

"What do you want?" Tenten blurted, less willing to be friendly because of Karin's history with Ino.

"Nothing from you." Karin jeered back.

"Sakura, on the other hand. We need to talk."

"I'm sure it isn't Sakura you want, is it? She doesn't have anything to do with you!" Ino suddenly barked to the surprise of her friends. She was right, but she was also speaking out of her own personal anger towards Karin.

"Ino, you aren't involved. Sakura, today would be nice." Karin commanded, completely ignoring her former friend.

Sakura glanced at Tenten and Ino who gave her a puzzled and exasperated expression respectively. Regardless of her own confusion, she agreed to the red haired girl and was hastily rushed into the nearby bathroom. Karin quickly went through every stall to make sure no one else was there. When she was sure they were alone, she locked the door.

Tensing up, Sakura backed away from Karin, instinctively balling her hands into fists. "What's this about?" The pink haired girl asked firmly.

Karin rolled her eyes and folded her arms over her chest. "Calm down Punchy. Listen to me and there won't be any need for a fight."

Relaxing a little, Sakura took another step back. "Fine, what is it?"

"Your little altercation with the Akatsuki, don't let it happen again." Karin threatened.

Sakura gave a small, knowing, glance. "It was an accident, I won't.-" she paused, a thought flashing into her mind. She might never get another chance to ask about Itachi if she didn't ask now would she? Perhaps Karin would be willing to explain what she heard about him getting sick in the Akatsuki base?

"But I do having a question... about Itachi."

Karin flashed an irritated glare at Sakura and sighed to herself. "No Sakura, I'm not answering any questions about Itachi. Period."

"But I'm concerned about him and Sasuke." Sakura protested.

Karin's scowl only deepened with Sakura's insistence on knowing more. "Gods, you're dense. Uchiha business is Akatsuki business. If I were you, I would stay away from the Akatsuki and the Uchiha. Just keep out of where you're not wanted."

Sakura's blood boiled with anger at Karin's demand that she stop trying to help Sasuke- no stop interacting with him. She didn't care how it might hurt her, he needed support at such a time.

"Hell no, I'm not leaving Sasuke because some pretty girl bitch tells me not to with not even an explanation as to why!"

The absolute fury in Karin's face was terrifying to witness, Sakura could see her trembling in rage at the insubordination Sakura displayed.

"Oh, if only you fucking knew! Then maybe you'd have second thoughts. But ya know, it's okay, I was only here about the Akatsuki. You dick around with the Uchihas all you want. Just don't come crying to me when it goes bad." Karin snapped, unlocking the door and pushing it open.

"At least I don't abandon my friends like you did with Ino!" Sakura cried, giving Karin pause.

"Trust me, she wouldn't want anything to do with my life now." She said and left abruptly.

"That's probably right," Sakura growled when she was gone.

When Sakura returned to the table, the girls were leaning over in interest at what had happened.

"Did you beat her up?" Ino asked humorously.

"Gods, I wish. No, she told me to stay away from the Akatsuki and that was fine with me, but then wanted me to stay away from the Uchihas so I said fuck off."

"What an asshole," Tenten remarked.

"I'll say," Sakura replied, playfully taking a fry off Tenten's tray.

"So is this the end your adventures with the Akatsuki?" Tenten asked, countering the fry thief with her own thievery of Sakura's pudding.

Sakura thought for a moment about what she said. What it meant more than anything. The Akatsuki- and Karin made it abundantly clear they didn't want her meddling in their business. Yet she now had the strongest proof ever that there was a link between the Uchiha and Akatsuki. If there was any doubt left after Friday, it was gone now. And that killed her, to know she would have to leave the puzzle unfinished.

The rose haired girl's expression sunk at the realization, and her friends caught on instantly. "Why does this seem like more of an 'I should but I might not kind of deal?'" Tenten questioned dryly.

Sakura winced at the tone her friend used and bowed her head in shame. "Because it is..."

Her friends frowned in disapproval, then Ino leaned to the side, watching a small girl with dark skin and curly hair walk up behind Sakura. "Hey, Sak-"

"Sakura! Hi!" The girl greeted loudly, cutting Ino off unknowingly.

Sakura turned around to meet the mischievous Moriko face to face.

"Moriko... hi," Sakura said with a bewildered undertone.

"Someone left this note on my table, and it's addressed to you! Here!" Moriko declared, handing the note to her.

The young woman raised an eyebrow and opened the note.

Sakura Haruno,

I know about what happened Friday night. This note isn't meant to scare you or warn you about the Akatsuki. I am grateful you entered the picture because I feel you can help. Tomorrow after school, go to Deidara's Information Brokerage in Central Konoha and ask for information on Madara Uchiha. Deidara knows you're coming and that I sent you. There is an overwhelming need in my eyes for you to be caught up in our situation. Tell no one, including other Akatsuki members, the vast majority don't know what I'm doing or that I'm letting an outsider into our issues. When you have the information, meet me at block 23 house 5. I wish you luck and hope to see you soon.

-N.U