Chapter 7

" Sakura? What are you doing here?"

" I came to see you."

" But why?"

" Because I miss y-you"

Don't cry. Please don't cry." The black-haired boy wrapped his arms around her. She couldn't stop crying no matter how hard she tried. ' Please stop." The heart wrenching sobs continued, shattering the man's will.

" Y-you're so warm." She said, pressing herself closer to his body.

" Sakura, I want you to listen to me. Stay away from him. I don't want to see you hurt anymore."

" W'what are you talking about?" She could feel him trembling with unspoken emotion. He wanted her, but refused to listen.

" I-I want to see your face." She looked up. His red eyes looked sorrowful and pained.

" Say my name and you will be freed forever.' She shook her head hard.

" No. I don't want this to be the end. Please I don't. I don't." Itachi stared at the girl. It pained his to let her go but she loved his brother. She loved Sasuke. Right? She him not Itachi.

" Fine then. Take this and keep it safe forever." Sakura handed him a small package. " Keep it safe."

" You've been working on that flag for some time now, Sakura." Kakashi stated one afternoon. It had been a month since the events. She carried it everywhere. Every time they stopped, she would pull out a needle and threat and begin sewing. It had become an obsession.

" Yeah, but the sooner I finish it, the sooner it can fly again right?" He hadn't thought of that.

" I suppose." he said smiling from behind his mask.

" So what does it stand for?" Naruto had come back from the Sand Village. Gaara was close at his heels. He didn't seem to notice or care.

" I don't want to talk about it." Sakura put the flag away and began walking towards Kakashi';s home. " I'll see you later." She had been ordered to stay with Kakashi while the ANBU Black Ops searched for Itachi. Rumors were being spread that Sasuke was in the vicinity as well. They knew who they were looking for and wanted to keep Sakura safe at all costs, so the put her in the custody of Kakashi until they were found.

Sakura's possessed state had been at a minimum since the last encounter with Itachi. She never really got over it. He wouldn't have minded if it hadn't been affecting her normal life.

What's the matter Kakashi? You don't want to leave her alone for long now do you? Something might happen. Not that you would care now would you. The silky, black voice came into his head, making Kakashi freeze He had been watching Saukra, but now as he looked around she was nowhere to be seen. Suddenly the images of her bloody, broken body came into his head, sending him to his knees. I would run now. The black voice said.

" Sakura... Why are you here?"

" I told you already."

" That's NOT what I am asking!" She flinched. He instantly regretted yelling, but when she looked up at him with tear stained eyes. Her words completely shattered him.

" I...I want you to erase my memories."

" What?! Why?" She hiccuped.

" Bec-cause, If you leave. I don't want to remember the things we did. I d-don't want to live with that kind of pain!"

" Sasuke? What are you doing?" Kakashi nearly ran into him in his rush to find Sakura.

" Where is she? He said flatly. So she wasn't there. This made Kakashi nervous.

" I don't know. She was coming back here. You don't think..." Sasuke nodded once, rendering the man speechless.

" Let's go."

to be continued