I do not own Naruto or the first 8 chapters of this story

"My lady, you must stay away from Lord Uchiha. If he was to find out your secret than everything would be over." Pein warned. "If you were to be discovered than the whole reason for your secret life would be ruined."

Sakura was mildly disappointed by this.

Itachi was a nice man and he seemed very interested in making a friendship with her but Sakura knew that the secret for her whole life in hiding was more precious than any friendship she could form. Knowing that 18 years of hard work and secrets and maneuvering could be killed by this one man was enough to keep Sakura away from him. So she took Pein's warning and went back to her normal days at school. And for a week everything was normal; Deidara and Sasori would visit her often, forming bonds with her, and she easily evaded Itachi who seemed M.I.A for a while. It wasn't until the following Thursday that she even got a glance of him, when that happened it was like seeing a ghost.

It happened in the courtyard, one of Sakura's most favorite places to be.

She was sitting at an outdoor table surrounded by other students, minding her business, when suddenly she just happened to look up and see Itachi walking down one of the stairways into the courtyard.

"Shit." Sakura didn't give a second thought to jumping behind the closet bushes, yanking her bag along with her. Everyone stared at her as she practically jumped army-style over the bush and got into a feudal position behind it, rocking back and forth on her heels.

"If he sees me I'm upside down cake in cheese." Sakura whispered to herself, edging up slightly to see over the bushes.

"Well, I like my upside down cake without cheese so we can't have that happening."

Sakura turned to see Sasori, out of no where, sitting right beside her in the bushes. She blinked, fumbled as to how he got there, then grabbed his arm and yanked him forward. Sasori stumbled but followed her pointing figure over the bush to where Itachi had settled at one of the tables a fair distance away. "Itachi? Why are you avoiding him?" Sasori asked casually.

"I just- am!" She said firmly.

Sasori raised an eyebrow.

"Oh shush and help me get out of here!" She demanded frantically.

"Fine, fine." He reached out and took her hand, standing slightly and pulling her along the bush edges over to the closest stairwell which happened to have a huge wall beside it that they hid behind instantly. "You know, Princess, you're really bossy."

"I am not!" She pouted.

"Don't worry, it's cute." Sasori gave a slight smile, staring at her from behind dark red hair. His hand squeezed hers.

Sakura shut her mouth and stared back. This was new, the feeling inside her. She didn't know much about society or how it worked but every girl knew that when a boy held your hand and looked at you like that it meant something. She felt her heart beat faster.

"T-Thank you." She mumbled, looking down at his shirt.

There were people passing through the stairwell, walking out into the courtyard and walking up into the dorms. No one minded the two that stood against the wall, hand in hand. Sakura wished someone would come and stop this embarrassing situation before her blood pressure went any higher. Still, she didn't take her hand away. His skin was slick like wood.

"I thought I saw you two."

Shit. Sakura knew that voice.

They looked at the bottom step of the stairwell where, sure enough, Itachi was standing with a rather amused look. When he saw Sakura's hand entangled in Sasori's, the amusement left. His glare settled on Sasori, eyes sharp in distaste.

"Sorry, am I interrupting?" He questioned.

"Yes." Sasori said happily.

"No!" Sakura squeaked, pulling away. "We were just- uh…"

Both boys were looking at her. She knew her face was stained red.

"Just- just comparing hand moisturizers!" She said brightly.

"…Hand moisturizers?" The amusement came back to Itachi's face, he smirked at Sasori. "Oh. I didn't know you cared about your skin so much, how feminine of you."

"Shut up." Sasori snapped, glaring at the Uchiha. "I do not!"

"Well, anyone would want to have skin as soft as Sakura's." Itachi walked up the stairs between them, Sakura barely took a step back. "It is as sweet as silk, don't you-"

He reached up to touch her cheek and Sakura panicked, stepping all the way back until she bumped into Sasori's chest. Itachi frowned and when she didn't move Sasori's hands went to her shoulders, holding her flush against him. A smirk danced on the red head's face.

"…I should be going." Itachi turned and went back down the stairs, leaving them.

"You really are avoiding that kid huh?" Sasori said, light as a bean. "How silly."

"It's none of your business." Sakura said, stepping out of his hands suddenly and turning on him. "But…don't tell him I'm avoiding him. It would be rude for him to know."

"Don't worry Princess, your secret is safe with me." And then he hugged her.

Little unknown secret: Sakura had never, ever been hugged by a none-family member before. Let alone a man.

Her cheeks darkened right away as she felt his chest press against hers and his arms wrap snuggly around her shoulders. Sasori was a great hugger, this everyone knew; his arms were long enough to curl around her, he wasn't tall so their fronts matched up perfectly and he wasn't shy about doing it, Sasori never held back anything. He did what he wanted and did it right.

He smelled warm, if that made any sense.

Sakura could hear her heart in her ears.

"Damn it." Pein said calmly.

He was standing on top of one of the school buildings around the courtyard, binoculars held up to his eyes and a slight frown touching his face. Through the lenses he watched Sakura intensely and realized something.

Not only was Itachi Uchiha a problem but this Sasori was a problem too.

Obviously the red head liked the Princess and Pein couldn't have that. As a royal, Sakura would be wedded off to someone of more status. A commoner fling at college was a problem. It was Pein's job to get rid of problems in her life. He supposed he could just get rid of Sasori all together but that would make things a little complicated, and Sakura would surely get angry with him.

So, how to get rid of the red head of question then?

Pein looked around, trying to think of a plan, when his eyes settled on a long streak of blond hair just off in the distance. A smirk crossed his cheeks.

In a matter of minuets he found Deidara at the dorm rooms, sitting off in the lobby with an art project of sorts in front of him at the table. When Pein came into his sight Deidara didn't look happy, he got even worse when he heard what Pein had to say.

"What's up?" Deidara tried to play nice.

"You know Sakura is my girlfriend right?" Pein asked.

"What, are you bragging?" Playing nice wasn't going to work.

"That redhead. I want him away from her." Pein said, ignoring Deidara's smart mouth comments. "He's flirting with her all over the place."

"Sasori is?" Deidara frowned deeply. "No…they're just friends."

"Friends don't hold hands with their friends or look at them like he does her." Pein said. He started to walk away, the look in Deidara's eyes let him know that his work here was done. "He likes her a lot, I can tell. You need to watch out for her."

No. Deidara didn't want to believe it. Sasori knew how Deidara felt about Sakura, he knew. Best friends don't do this to each other.

Still…

Sakura remembered the Uchiha family vaguely.

She'd never met them of course, being in hiding and all. One day the Uchiha family had decided to visit, staying at their castle for a time. The Uchihas were a wealthy family, the father was a Duke and the mother a Duchess. So, if Sakura and the 73 people that came after her were to die, Itachi's parents would be King and Queen. Anything under 100 people of death to lead to royalty is considered very, very wealthy and honorable.

This is what Kakashi had told her when she asked him who was invading her house.

She was young and didn't understand much, but listened as Kakashi told her all he knew of the Uchihas. Supposedly they were stubborn, intelligent and strict. Considerably unsocial. At the time she never heard of the Uchihas having a son.

Stubbornness was common in their family. They were determined to get what they wanted.

Right now Itachi wanted to know what the deal with Sakura was.

Even with Sakura avoiding him like the plague Itachi hunted her down in a matter of seconds that weekend. He found her in the library, sneaking around to make sure she didn't see him until it was too late. It wasn't until he stood right behind her, watching her read at the table against the wall, that he exposed himself. He reached out and tapped her shoulder, when she turned to face him the shock and alarm was evident in her eyes. He glared at her.

"How are you?" He asked casually.

"Fine." Sakura said. "Just, ya know, reading…"

"Yeah you do that a lot." Itachi walked around to sit across from her at the table. "So, you and Sasori huh?"

"What?" She blinked in question.

"Are you two together?" He asked.

"Together?" She still looked confused. "No. We're not together right now. But I imagine that I'll see him later."

Itachi rolled his eyes. She obviously thought he meant where they together as in the same room. Not together as in dating. Still, if she didn't understand that than obviously they weren't dating. She was still open game. "Would you like to go to the theater downtown this weekend? I hear they're putting on a very interesting play, it's an American plan nonetheless."

"That sounds lovely." Sakura said, avoiding his eyes. "But I can't."

"Why?" He wasn't letting her off the hook.

"I just can't." She was nervous.

"But why?" Poor trapped little mouse, she just couldn't get away this time.

"I just can't ok?" Lying wasn't programmed in her yet, unfortunately.

"Why are you avoiding me?" Itachi asked, staring hard into her eyes.

"I'm not!" Sakura jumped inside.

"Don't try to lie." Itachi said firmly. "It's not nice."

"Itachi…I don't know what I'm supposed to say…" She was very uneasy.

"Look just answer the question. Did I do something wrong?" He asked. "Did I offend you? Is it because of your boyfriend, Pein?"

"No! You didn't do anything." Sakura waved her hands defensively. "It's just complicated."

"I'm not buying that." Itachi said, crossing his arms. "Obviously you're avoiding me because of something. It's only complicated if you make it complicated. Just explain it to me and I'm sure I'll understand. I don't know what's wrong, nothing has happened between us so there's no reason for you to act this way. It's rather annoying when people try to lie, you shouldn't make a habit of it Sakura and honestly-"

"Ok stop!" Sakura put her hands down on the table, annoyance evident in her eyes. Sakura's temper wasn't the best, this everyone knew, and it blew easily under pressure. "You have no right to talk to me this way."

"No right?" Itachi frowned. "Of course I have the right to know why I'm being ignored."

"You really want to know?" Sakura stood, grabbing her book. She leaned down close, whispering to him. "I know who your family is. You don't know mine. I want to keep it that way."

Itachi, for the first time in a long time, was caught completely off guard. He leaned back and stared at her with narrow eyes, at loss for what to say. She was watching him carefully, slightly uneasy that she'd given too much away but she held her ground and made sure that her intimidation was firm. Itachi was faltering under her eyes and that's when Sakura knew.

She wasn't the only one trying to hide her identity.

"What did you-" Itachi shut his mouth tight. "What do you want?"

"I want you to stay away from me." Sakura said. "And stop trying to get to know me."

With that Sakura walked straight out of the library.

She expected that she looked all badass like those women in the movies who totally owned the bad guy and got him running to the hills. Still, she was a little shaky. After all, Itachi learned something about her; that she was important enough to find out who his family was and that her own identity was a secret too. This would either make him back off or make him curious and determined to find out about her.

Of course, it was the later.

"Sakura!" Itachi called out.

She was at least three blocks from the library when it happened, her whole body froze like a statue. Carefully she turned and was shocked to see Itachi walking after her.

Sakura bolted out of there. Fast.

Yes, it looked ridiculous and Yes, Sakura knew Pein was probably following close by but No, she was not going to let Itachi catch her. If she had to run down the middle of crowds of people on her way back to her dorm, risking looking like a complete idiot to all her fellow students, Sakura was going to do it. She was that freak out.

Running fast, Sakura didn't stop for anything. She looked back to see Itachi still behind her, chasing her. She kicked it into high gear, thankful that she'd decided against wearing a skirt and sandals today. This was no way for a princess to act, she didn't care though. Sakura had to get away. She had to.

When she got to her dorm she ran down the closest hallway, trying to find a place to hide.

"Sakura?" Sasori's voice came. He was caught her arm as she ran by, pulling her back to face him. "Are you ok?"

"I need to hide!" Sakura yelled urgently, grabbing his arm. "Itachi's after me! He's close, I know he is, he can't get me! Please, help me."

"In here." Sasori yanked Sakura into a broom closet just as Itachi turned down the hallway.

It was quiet in the little room, Sasori leaned against one wall and Sakura opposite him. They stared at the door, as if daring it to open. When it didn't Sakura relaxed, letting out a sigh of relief. That was close, too close.

"I think he's gone by now." Sasori whispered.

They didn't move.

She stared at his eyes through the semi-dark room, seeing the dark orbs stare back intensely. His legs bumped hers, she felt warmth though his jeans. Sasori was a very warm person, not personality wise but physically. He radiated a warmth that reminded Sakura of blankets and heaters and the sun, the sand of a dessert. Being this close made her feel warm too, she liked it.

"You have nice eyes." Sasori said casually.

"Well…so do you." Sakura said back, just as casual.

"You have nice clothes."

"You have a nice smile."

"You have nice skin."

"You have a nice smell."

"You have nice hair."

"So do you."

As they went back and forth like this Sasori was moving closer to her, pushing off his wall and taking a step closer to hers. The space between them was small enough, as it grew smaller she felt the warmth of his body melt into hers. Before too long he found both her hands, holding them in his own. He didn't make a move to kiss her or hug her like before, all he did was hold her hands and stare into her eyes. It was all very innocent.

Too bad it didn't look that way.

The door opened suddenly, letting a bright light in that blinded both of them for a moment. When Sakura's vision came to she found Deidara in her eyesight, his hand on the door. There was a very sour look on his face. Even with her social skills, Sakura knew something was wrong.

"Aren't you two just the cutest thing?" Sarcasm dripped off Deidara's words.

"Dei, we weren't-"

"I don't wanna hear it. You knew, you knew how I felt." Deidara slammed his hand on the door dramatically before stalking off down the hall.

"Deidara." Sasori went after him, leaving Sakura in the closet. He didn't even look back at her.

And then Sakura was cold inside, cold all over too. Only her hands were warm.

(End)