Chapter Eight
"We have to save her!"
"We know that Sasori. Please calm down!"
"I will not fuc-"
Sasori's ranting a raging was cut short as Deidara jumped on him, his hand over Sasori's mouth. "Be quiet Sasori-danna, un! All this shouting ain't helping Sakura-chan or giving us time to think! Un!" Deidara hissed at him.
Sasori fell silent but all he wanted to do was to shout. To scream. To yell. Anything to get rid of the anger inside him. Though he knew that it wouldn't bring Sakura back to him.
All of the Akatsuki members were thinking. This was how it worked with them. They all thought of their own plans and took the one they thought would work the best. So their tactics of battle always were different which was what made them so unpredictable and why so many people feared them. Sasori at the moment couldn't think and therefore was placing all his trust in the men around him to think of something quickly.
"I GOT IT!" Kisame shouted jumping to him feet and startling the others.
"What!?" Yondamine asked taking a step towards him.
"Okay what we do is…"
"I am so sorry Sakura."
"Naruto…"
"The Uchiha's weren't acting on my orders. Please understand that. Tusande still has some control over the Shinobi in Konoha."
"Naruto…"
"I have a plan to get you out of here, really I do. We still go with our original plan, just bring it a few days forward…"
"Naruto!"
Naruto fell silent and looked at Sakura.
"What is it Sakura-chan?"
"You shouldn't be here."
"Sakura…"
"You can't help me anymore Naruto." Sakura interrupted. "What Konoha is going to do to me, what they have already done to me, there is no way our plan will work. My body is broken Naruto. Itachi saw to that. My hands are crushed so I can't perform hand seals. I'm bound in black maiden's hair and chains so they wouldn't work even if I could. Tomorrow I stand trail and they will no go easy on me. Not now. Leave Naruto. I deserve my fate." When Naruto didn't move Sakura shouted at him. "Leave Hokage!" Sakura could see the hurt in his eyes but she couldn't afford for anyone to get close to her now. All her strength was focus on keeping her baby alive as long as possible.
"You idiot Kisame! That is not going to work. ANBU will be watching her to closely. They won't let her escape this time."
"Shut up Hidan. I don't hear any idea coming from your direction. At least I though of something."
"Will you both shut up, un! You are giving me a headache, un!"
"And ever considered that my wife is also still carrying a baby!"
The Akatsuki fell silent as this knowledge once again hit them. They would have to move carefully if they wanted any hope of getting both Sakura and her baby out alive.
It wasn't until the next morning that Zetsu came up with a plan, with Maya's help, and it was set in motion.
"Haruno Sakura. For the crimes of killing your clan and the Uchiha clan ten years ago, escaping from jail ten years ago, killing over three hundred ANBU, training with the Akatsuki, and being a member of the Akatsuki, for marrying the S-class criminal, Sasori of the Red Sands, you are hereby sentence to death. However this punishment will not be fast but will be carried out over two months."
Sakura fought not to cry as this was read out by Tusande. She couldn't believe that she would never see Sasori again, or any of the other Akatsuki members. One traitorous tear rolled down her cheek. All of her old friends saw this and it was then at the moment that they knew she was in pain.
"Sakura…" Ino clutched Shikamaru's hand tightly.
They along with Hinata, Naruto, Ten-Ten, Neji, Lee, Kakashi, Gai, Kiba, Shino, and Chorji were the only ones silent in that court room. The other Shinobi were in an uproar cheering that Sakura was about to get what she deserved. Sakura had not been permitted to speak through out the entire trail.
An hour later the screams of Sakura could be heard as Itachi was torturing her with his sharingin. The village was silent like death. No one left their house so they could escape the full blown soul wrenching screams. Most of them were over joyous that Sakura was feeling pain but they couldn't stand to hear her screaming.
Naruto and Hinata sat together on a window sill the window open. They blanched every time a scream ran through the streets, but they felt like they had to listen. Their children were in a different room which Naruto had sound proofed.
"I can't believe this is happening. If only I had insisted that I rule that hearing."
"They wouldn't have let you Naruto-kun. They wanted someone who had never met Sakura before. And that wasn't you. You did everything you could to help her. Now we just have to do what she said."
Naruto held his wife close to him not wanting to ever let go.
"I only wish that Sasori was here to help her."
They one again fell silent at another scream, but they both looked up as someone knocked at their front door.
Meanwhile Shikamaru was trying to calm Ino down who was raving.
"This isn't fair! You saw how she looked in that courtroom! We've been wrong all along! Sakura is innocent!"
"INO!" Ino fell silent at Shikamaru's shout. "We have no proof that she is innocent. We are only guessing. The only thing that we know for sure is that she killed her father because she admitted to that. She is still saying that Itachi killed the rest of her clan and his clan but every thing else say that she did it…"
"But…"
"But!" Shikamaru held up his hand to silence her. "But Itachi is good as creating false evidence I know Ino. But we can't just jump to conclusions at the moment. Look we're both jourin. Tonight we'll go to her and talk to her. She won't lie to you, I know that. You two used to be best of friends once."
"Well you're not going without us."
Ino and Shikamaru turned to look where Naruto, Hinata, Kakashi, Gai, lee, Neji, Ten-Ten, Chorji, Kiba, and Shino were climbing in trough one of the windows.
"We believe the same as you two. That's why we're coming with you. It will be easier to get to see Sakura with me with you." Naruto said.
"The Hokage has full access to anywhere in Konoha. No one will tell him he can't see Sakura." Kakashi said looking as the shocked Ino before she realised that her mouth was open and quickly shit it.
"We want to help her." Ten-Ten said still climbing in through the window. Neji went over to help her. Both of them got looks saying 'Is there something going on with you two' till Neji glared at them. Ten-Ten hit him and glared at him herself. Rubbing him head Neji finally said;
"We're dating." Everyone smiled at them but the moment was ruined as Sakura screamed once more.
"Shut that window!" Shino shouted over Sakura's scream. Kiba ran forward and slammed it shut.
"What the hell is Itachi doing to her?" Lee asked looking out the window not really wanting to know the answer.
"Whatever it is, he's causing her a lot of pain." Shikamaru answered.
"One question…" Ino said lifting one finger. "Why did you come in through the window?"
They all looked at eachother and shrugged.
"Dunno… It was Neji's idea!"
"It was not, Lee... It was Naruto's!"
"Hey I'm the Hokage! I would never think of something so stupid… it was Chorji!"
"Huh?"
"Go back to eating Chorji. These guys are just being childish." Ten-Ten said shaking her head. "We're all being watched closely because we were friends of Sakura, so we had to sneak in. Sorry Ino." A big 'oh…' went through the room as they remembered why they had come in through the window. "Of course Naruto is the only one who can wander around freely and anyone with him but we just couldn't take any chances." Ten-ten continued.
Shino moved next to Lee who was still facing out the window. "The sun will set soon and Itachi will be made to leave Sakura alone till tomorrow. That is when we will go to her. I sent some bugs to make sure that it is only Sakura in her cell when we go."
"Is there room in your party for one more?"
Everyone turned around to see Sasuke standing in the doorway.
"Sasuke-kun?" Ino looked confused and her mouth was open slightly again. Discreetly Shikamaru lifted his hand and shut it for her.
"Why are you here Sasuke?" Kakashi asked.
"I want to help."
"And why would you want to do that? You helped get Sakura-san into!" Lee said.
"Because Sakura said something once to me, I need to see if what she said was true." Sasuke was leaning against the doorway he arms folded across his chest.
"What did she tell you?" Gai asked looking as Sasuke carefully.
"She said it more to Itachi than me, but it still caught my interest. She said 'I won't continue to go down for what you did'."
"I knew it! She is innocent!"
"Ino!" Sasuke said sharply shutting her up. "Sakura killed her father. I was there when she did. Both she and I were appealing to her family to break the engagement between her and Itachi. For that she is guilty. If she killed the rest of her clan and my clan I… we don't know. She did kill all those ANBU. She did train with the Akatsuki. She did become a member. She is married to Sasori of the Red Sands." Sasuke's eyes clouded with hatred as he said Sasori's name. "And she is still married to him. For all that she is guilty and is still classified as an S-class criminal. So she may not have killed her clan or mine but that will not redeem her of other crimes. Her punishment would have been worse if I hadn't convinced Itachi to keep quiet about Sakura training with Orochimaru!"
A gasp spread through out the room. That Sakura would associate with Orochimaru was too much for them to believe. But for some reason they knew it was true, or at least possible. But still, now they had more questions to ask Sakura.
"Okay Sasuke. You can come with us."
"Stop please! Oh god Itachi! Please stop! STOP!"
Sakura sobbed as pain racked through her body as Itachi once again tortured her in the illusion he had her in. A scream escape her lips again.
"Why should I stop Sakura? I'm having so much fun getting back at you."
"Ah! Why do you need to get back at me?" Sakura had to pause in what she wanted to say as tears ran down her face like waterfalls. "You're the one who ruined my life!"
Another scream came from Sakura. She had no idea how she would survive the next two months of torture. She was bound to die before that time if Itachi continues to torture her the way he was.
Suddenly all the pain stopped abruptly. Sakura fell heavily to the stone floor, the illusion broken. Panting and sobbing as small shots of pain ran through her body all Sakura could see was the feet of Itachi who was standing in front of her. He bend down and grabbed her by the collar pulling her up roughly so she was looking into his eyes. Sakura cried out at the pain of being jerked upwards.
"Sorry to say that I have to leave my love." Itachi said a smirk on his face.
"Don't… call… m-me… l-l-love." Sakura panted.
"There was a time once when we would have happily married. Do you remember that day Sakura? Kura-chan."
"What do you want Sakura?"
"Itachi-san. I was just wondering if…"
"If I would talk to my father about breaking the engagement?"
"Y-yes." Small Sakura said bowing to Itachi.
"Sakura?"
Sakura looked up at Itachi who was suddenly in front of her knelling so they were at eye level.
"Itachi-san?"
"He won't listen to me. I know that already. Our families are set on seeing us marry when you are sixteen. Would is be so bad to be married to me?"
"Itachi-san…"
"I know you love my brother. And I don't want to get in the way of that, but there is nothing you, or Sasuke, or I can do about it."
"You should have married Lenora-chan."
"I know Sakura. I know. But she wasn't a true Haruno as you know. If she had been then yes you would have eventually married Sasuke." Itachi placed a hand on top of Sakura head and ruffled her hair. She smiled sweetly at her his head to one side. "Dry your eyes Kura-chan and smile for me. When you are sixteen we will marry. I'm sorry Kura-chan but there is nothing we can do about that." Itachi said quickly when Sakura face fell. "And we will keep the Uchiha clan alive. We can always divorce after the three year period and then you can live out your life with Sasuke. Kay?"
Sakura flung her arms around Itachi and he gladly caught her. He had always envied his brother for having her love. He had always wanted it. He did want to marry her and live with her as his wife for the rest of his life. But he knew that would never happen. But that didn't mean that Sasuke got to have that life and he couldn't. He knew Sakura was about to break and with her power something would happen. There was only one way he could make sure neither he nor Sasuke got her love. And he would do it if he had to. But she would never know. Never know about his love for her.
"Kay Itachi-san."
"You loved me b-back then…"
"Now I know I'm not that easy to ready Kura-chan."
"You w-were back then."
"That's in the past now."
"You would n-never ha-have given me up i-if we had ma-married. Wo-would you?"
Itachi looked away from her and at the wall. He still loved her slightly. It was hard not to. She was so pure and beautiful even with the different hair colour. She was still his little Kura. Looking back at her Itachi did something he though he would never get to do. He kissed her.
Sakura gasped at contact, but found that the kiss took away so much of pain in her body. It was a gentle kiss and sweet kiss. One that held emotion that had been bottled up for ten years. Sakura's eyes were open, Itachi's closed. His brow was brought together in a tight frown, something akin to pain it looked like. The kiss was never deepened but just stayed as lips against lips. Itachi's hand was clasping Sakura's neck pulling her to him trying to be a gentle as he could be. He knew he had to be careful if he didn't want to lose his heart to her for the second time.
After what seemed like hours Itachi finally broke the kiss and moved away from her slightly. Sakura who was still weak from his earlier torture dragged her way to a wall to prop herself up as Itachi's back was faced to her.
"You arsehole. Why did you do that?" Sakura snarled.
"I'll be back tomorrow. Goodbye Sakura." Itachi walked to the cell door and left. Two guards walked in and roughly dragged Sakura to another wall where they chained her up. Wrists in cuffs and ankles in shekels.
"So much for the great Sakura S-class criminal huh?" One of the said spitting at her.
Another bend down and ripped her head up to look at him by her hair. "You killed two of my brothers. You have no idea how good it was to hear you scream for mercy. But you won't get any 'cause you never show any." He threw her head back down painfully. Sakura cried out as pain once again ripped through her body. Itachi's kiss had made her forget that. These guards laughed at her pain.
"She won't survive." The first one said.
"Nah. Itachi will kill her before the two months is up. We may have to talk to Tusande about getting something that all of Konoha can enjoy."
Both laughing the left the cell and locked the door behind them. Softly Sakura cried into the darkness. She wanted to kill Itachi for what he just did. She could still hear the guards laughing at her. God she wanted to shut them up. When Sakura heard two thumps and that the laughing had abruptly stopped Sakura looked up and almost cried again as she saw all her old friends of Konoha standing in the door way.
"Naruto? Kakashi-sensei? Hinata-chan? Lee? Ten-Ten-san? Ino-chan? Oh my God…"
"Sakura-san!"
"Sakura-chan!"
"Sakura."
All of them were next to her in a second undoing her bonds and pulling her into their arms. For half an hour there was hugging and crying as old friends reunited. When everyone was comfortable as possible in the cramped cell Kakashi started to rub ointment onto the cuts on the wrists and ankles where the metal had cut in.
"What are you guys doing here?"
"Because we believe that you didn't kill your clan or the Uchiha clan."
"Notice the 'believe' in that sentence Sakura. We don't know."
"Sasuke? What the hell are you doing here?"
Okay yes i know there is some ItaSaku in this chappie but this is a SasoSaku fanfic really!
But anyway I won't be uploading the anything on this for about three weeks as i'm off to France for a holiday and there is no internet connection where i'm going sorry.
But please leave reviews because like i've said before it really is hard to write stories unless i know people are interested in the story. And unless i know people are interested i don't write as good or as fast.
Thankyou.
Hope you enjoy this chapter
