SUPER IMPORTANT NOTE AT BOTTOM!!

CHAPTER 4: Family

Standing on the forecast deck was Sakura Haruno. She was currently looking out into the sea, which was getting deeper due to the rain, until her eyes stopped at a small piece of land. As the ship continued to sail toward it, it grew bigger and bigger.

We reached land, she thought to herself. Steadily, she walked on the bowsprit to see more. When she got to the furthest she could go, she stopped, and looked out more. This must be the Land of Mist .

Suddenly, a wind picked up, tossing her back and forth on the skinny piece of wood she was currently on. She let out a scream as she slipped off.2 0Closing her eyes, she waited to plunge into the depths of the deep sea.

"Next time, how about you don't stand on here when it is raining," came the taunting, yet cool voice of Sasuke. His arm was wrapped around her waste, dangling her off the ship. Quickly, yet carefully, almost skillfully, Sakura noted, he pulled her up. She found herself pressed against Sasuke, chest wise. He smirked at her. "You were looking out at the sea, right?" he asked.

Sakura nodded, looking at him in awe. Sometimes, he really could be kind.

Turning her around so that her back was placed against his chest, he pointed out at the land before them. "We're almost in the Land of Mist ," he explained to her.

"I've noticed," she spoke. She titled her head up so she could look at him. "May I ask why?"

He looked back down at her and smirked. "Because of you," and her eyes narrowed a bit. He chuckled. "You're interesting, you know that?"

"What would be interesting is if you would stop avoiding the question and answer me," Sakura interjected, raising her left eyebrow.

Again, Sasuke chuckled. He skimmed his lips over hers and stopped when they were fully on top of hers. Then, he talked, his lips still over hers. "Since you are the key to the Onyx Seas , we have to gather the three artifacts. You are the only who can decipher them."

In that instant, Naruto called them inside, captain's orders. Sakura guessed he didn't see their current position, for he did not yell. She opened her mouth slightly to tell Sasuke to let go. Big mistake. He took advantage of that moment and slid his tongue in her mouth.

She could have bit it, but did she? No. She took it in. She took him in. And it felt good, for some odd reason. It turned into a feverish kiss, him kissing her, she kissing him back, though it was not as good as Itachi's. Coming back to her senses, she pushed him away. He pulled her up in his arms and jumped off the bowsprit and onto the forecast deck. Putting her down, they walked downstairs and inside. He didn't even say a word, a neither did she.

When they got inside, Sakura left Sasuke's side and walked over to Itachi's. He bent his head down to her ear and whispered, "What did he do, now?"

She shook her head and whispered back, "Long story," while still looking at Sasuke. He looked back at her, capturing her gaze.

"We have made land in the Land of Mist ," Itachi stated in his cold and commanding tone. The crew nodded. Sakura glanced up at him.

"So, what's the plan?" Neji asked patiently.

Gaara unrolled a heavy looking map and placed it on the table. He pointed his finger to the coast of Mist . "We're here now," he said. He went to a part of the map that looked like mountains that were not far off and drew a circle. "The cave is here…which is where the relic is."

"Ah, so all we have to do is a couple of miles of walking and BAM," Naruto exclaimed as be banged his hand on the table. "We're there."

Gaara nodded.

"But wouldn't that be too easy?" Sakura asked, still looking at the place where the circle was drawn. "I'm sure there will be other pirates looking for the relic, too."

"Yes, but do they have you?" Sasuke asked. Sakura nodded her head. "Then I suppose they cannot read it."

Silence went around the room as they drank Sasuke's observation in.

Naruto was the first to speak. "You know, I saw another pirate ship heading here a few waves back," he went to a window and pointed to a part of the ocean that was covered in fog. "It had a red and white checkered flag—ooh and with a tree on it. Weird, right?" Sakura gasped and they all turned to look at her.

"Something wrong?" Itachi asked as he put his hand on her back.

She looked up at him. "That's my father's special Navy ship," they looked at her sternly now. "He's coming to take me home," she concluded. "I don't think I want to go, though," she whispered, though they were able to hear it. Tear s filled her eyes.

"Do you really think we were going to give you up that easily?" Sasuke chuckled.

Naruto laughed. "No way. We need you!"

Sakura looked at them and smiled.

"Ok guys, get your weapons and get ready to head out," Itachi instructed. The four left the room, leaving only Itachi and Sakura.

"Itachi," Sakura called, but stopped abruptly feeling him lift her chin up with his finger.

"No…it's too dangerous," Itachi said, reading her mind. Sakura pouted. He smirked. "We cannot let them get a hand on you," and with that he walked out, grabbing his sword.

Itachi-Kun…be careful. Please.

"Do you think it was smart, leaving Sakura alone on the ship?" Naruto asked as the CrimOnyx crew headed toward their destination. "I mean, she is all alone. One of us should have at least stayed there with her."

"No," Gaara interjected. "She is fine. With that fan of hers, I'm sure she is safer than we are right now." Naruto looked down at the ground that his feet walked on.

"Naruto does have a point, though, Captain Itachi," Neji said with a look of deep thought across her face. "If what he saw and what Sakura said is true, when we get back she may not even be there."

"You think of all the negatives," Sasuke said acidly. "She already showed us—twice, let me remind you—that she can fight."

"And you should know," Naruto snickered, remembering how, a few days back, Sakura saved him from Sasuke's deceitful blow.

"Hn, maybe I will turn back and go stay with her," Sasuke said with a20sly look plastered on his face.

Itachi raised his eyebrow as they continued you walking. "And why is the change of heart, little brother?" he asked.

Sasuke walked up to Itachi, not stopping, though. "It just dawned on me that Naruto may be right," he began. I don't have to explain myself to you."

"Though he is the captain?" Neji asked. Sasuke grimaced.

"Realize your place," Itachi said as he walked on ahead.

"Yeah, besides," Naruto brought in. "I know you just want to back there to take advantage of her like you did this morning," so he had seen that.

Everyone stopped dead in their tracks, except for Itachi who continued to walk, but slowed down a bit.

"Naruto," Sasuke grinded out, his teeth clenched together. All eyes were on him, other than Itachi's who tried to seem as though he did not care.

"Well, it's the truth and you know it," Naruto said as they all resumed walking. "She almost fell off the bowsprit, but Sasuke caught her by the waste, and pulled her back up to his chest—," Sasuke cut him.

"Shut it, that's an order," Sasuke commanded.

"No, no, Sasuke. Naruto, continue on," Gaara said.

"He put his lips to hers and when I called her, she obviously tried to tell him to move, but when she opened her mouth, he slid his tongue in," by now they had reached the opening of the cave. "She seemed so defenseless, but I didn't know what to do," Naruto added in.

Suddenly, before they could rip Sasuke to shreds, a sword flew out and almost hit Naruto. Quickly, he put his sword up to deflect the blow.

"What was that?" Naruto asked quickly. Everyone took their swords out, steadying themselves in a battling position.

"A sword dobe, what else?" Sasuke asked Naruto. Looking at his brother, they both nodded at the same time. He turned his Sharingan on and Itachi, the Mangekyo. Neji turned his Byakugan, while Gaara got his sand ready. Naruto's eyes turned red.

"So, it seems the CrimOnyx crew has come to grace us with their presence," a sly voice said out nowhere. Naruto's hand clenched around his sword.

"Ah, yes. The fox-demon, Naruto," another voice said. "And Gaara, the master of sand." Suddenly, people came out of the ground.

"This would explain why it's not misty here," Neji interjected. "We're on top of people."

"And you must be Neji," one came up from behind him, putting his finger to Neji's face. "I want to keep this one," said the voice again. No doubt about it, it was a guy's. Neji mentally gagged.

"AND THE U-U-UCHIHA BROTHERS!!" came another voice. They were all male. No females.

"What a gay bunch!" Naruto screamed as he ran toward a bunch of them and lashed through them. Half of their bodies fell off.

"How true," Gaara stated as his sand grabbed a lot of them, threw them into the nearest wall. They fell to bits of rubbish.

"It's not working," Neji called, swinging his sword around and around, throwing to hit them.

"Itachi, they just regenerate themselves as soon as we slash them," Sasuke called to his brother as he managed to kick some below the hips.

"I see that," he stated calmly. They continued to fight, though. Not stopping to even think of a plan. They'd been in tighter positions than this. A lot, to be exact.

Suddenly, a kick sent Sasuke flying. Everyone stopped as they turned to look at the dead pirate who walked toward Sasuke, sword raised high. Swiftly, he brought his sword down, right to his face.

…

…

A fan blocked the blow. Sasuke opened his eyes to see a nice view of Sakura's rear in front of him. With both hands on her fan, she struggled to stop the blow. "Sasuke, dammit, move," she growled out.

She soon saw his arms against hers, his hands holding on to the fan. "No way in hell am I going to let a girl save me and run like a scared pup," he grounded out back to her. She smirked as, together, they pushed the dead mummy off. Slamming her fan down she was able to cause a tornado, taking some mummies out.

Quickly, another one came toward her. Itachi grabbed her by the waste and jumped up. When they were right above his head, he brought his sword down. Finishing the blow, Sakura used her fan and waved it, knocking the body into others, which disintegrated. He smirked at her. She smiled back, giving him a quick peck on the cheek.

When they settled on he ground, she called, "Let's go," and, without a second thought they jumped on her fan and headed toward the ship.

Getting there, Naruto asked, "What about the artifact?" Everyone's face turned solemn, except for Itachi and Sakura's. She burst out laughing, reaching into her shirt.

"You mean this?" she asked, holding the weird shape artifact out.

"Nice one, Sakura!" Naruto said as he hugged her. Everyone else nodded.

As she looked at them, mainly one in particular, she thought:

This is the life I want…

A life in where

I have a

Family.

OKAY, there's your next chapter, out the same day I told you it would be. I am getting good at this. I know it seemed rush, but that's just for the next chapter. Some of our favorite characters will come in.

ANYWAY THE IMPORTANT NOTE IS: I HAVE MADE A WEBSITE FOR MY STORIES AND WOULD LIKE YOU GUYS TO COME CHECK IT OUT!!

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MissSakuraUchiha