Haruno Sakura sighed in relief as she took a small sip from her teacup

"Sakura, wake up. It's time."

Itachi gently shook the sleeping kunoichi until she rolled over into him. She breathed deep and smiled as she smelt fresh rainwater. She opened her eyes and grinned up at the man she thought loved her. "Time for what?" She questioned sleepily. Stretching, she sat up and moved to kiss his lips gently. He moved though so she only kissed his cheek. It perplexed her, making her frown, but since 'it was time' she figured there must be a reason he was pulling away like this.

He stood straight and took her hand, pulling her to her feet as well. "You must find Sasuke." The words were soft but sounded more like a command. Immediately, she was awake. Well, awake enough to understand she had to get changed. He thrust her original clothes into her arms. This was another thing that didn't make sense. She shrugged it off and warily changed in front of him. It seemed the last part of her designated job would be fulfilled now. He was releasing her, allowing her to run. But still, he wouldn't give her weapons back.

Sakura had to hurry, almost jog, to keep pace with the Uchiha as he went outside. Kisame was already out there, pacing. "Itachi, why did you get me up so early if I had to wait three more hours?" He all but shouted. He didn't really receive an answer to his question; he was just ordered to hand over his sword for the moment.

"Fight the kunoichi for a few minutes," Itachi told his partner before rounding on Sakura. "Once you are finished fighting, you will run toward Sasuke." He pointed in the general direction that his brother would be. After a while, she would simply feel the younger Sharingan user and go right to him. It was easy enough and there would be a trail for him to follow once he reached a certain point after Sasuke was convinced to eagerly, and blindly, hunting his elder brother.

Sakura's eyes widened as Kisame smirked at the command. He snickered and dropped his sword as he lunged for the stunned medic. It was good that her shock was still present; it allowed his first punch to land and sent her sprawling backwards a few yards. She blinked out of her stupor. Groaning, she stood up and was ready for the next attack.

Punches and kicks were delivered, neither letting up on the other though Sakura wasn't able to land any seriously damaging blows. Kisame was too quick for her but relented when Itachi quietly gave the order for her to start off. It would be roughly an hour for her to be able to find the boy and he wanted to get everything over with as soon as possible.

So, with a lingering look, Sakura took off an disappeared into the leaves in a flurry of fluttering pink strands.

"What now?" Kisame asked, rubbing his ribs where the medic had gotten a decent shot in. He moved to stand next to the Uchiha and took his sword back. "You wait here. If there are others with Sasuke … preoccupy them." Narrowed crimson eyes looked into pitch black before turning his back and starting off in another direction away from the base. He wouldn't lead anyone to the base and risk the others. This would also allow him more room and less interferences while he got what he needed.

Sakura panted as she ran top speed, jumping from branch to branch. Now that she was able to get away, she had to find a way to protect both men. She loved them both and, like her dreams, she was stuck in the middle. She had to keep Sasuke away, perhaps get him back to Konoha. It was save Sasuke from whatever Itachi meant to do, and it would save Itachi from death if his little brother was able to get in a fatal shot. She didn't want to see that gleaming blade in real life, and certainly not with anyone's blood on it.

By the time she picked up a small sign of Sasuke's presence, she was breathing fire. Her lungs burned and needles stabbed at her throat with every breath. Her muscles ached as well. They were being torn with how hard she was pushing herself while her heart pumped battery acid through her veins. She would tire herself out long before she got to her target and wouldn't be able to stop him. She slowed down, conserving some energy.

It took her another few minutes before she got a clear feel of her old friend. Again, the medic slowed. She jumped down to the ground. Her hair was a mess, bracken from the trees stuck in the pale strands, a few scratches over her body from her fight with Kisame, and dirt was all over her from that first hit that sent her to the ground. She jogged toward the singular chakra signature that was clearly the pirate-outfitted shinobi. This would have to be handled gingerly, she would have to be a bull in a china store with this one – dancing around the breakable object that was Sasuke's caged rage and pushing him away from the base.

A glimpse through the underbrush of black hair caught her attention. Sakura brightened and rushed forward. "Sasuke," She called, knowing her voice alone would tell him he was safe. He turned, face expressionless as always. She had grown very used to that look and felt odd not seeing the insomnia lines underneath the obsidian eyes. "Sasuke," She said again, quieter, her eyes full of worry. The kunoichi was glad he had stopped and eagerly moved to stand feet from him.

"I'm not going back," Was her greeting, the tone dark. Sasuke frowned at the pink haired woman, knowing she would want him to immediately go 'home' with her. He had a mission of his own and had nothing to do with her or Konoha. "What? Oh, no, no. I'm not here to bring you back." She said hurriedly, confusing him. He glanced around, looking for someone else as if she were just the distraction. He was also scanning the area for other chakra sources. His frown deepened when she was the only one here.

"Then what is it?" He was wary of what she was going to say; every time he ran into an 'old friend' he was reminded of what he once had and told he had to return. He didn't like that they practically ordered him to go back with them. He lightly fingered the hilt of his sword as he waited for her answer. It seemed weird that she would be out here all on her own and sounded so urgent when it had nothing to do with home.

"Your brother, he wants you to go to him. But you can't. Please, Sasuke, you can't go to him. You have to go somewhere else. I know something awful is going to happen." She pleaded with every fiber in her body. Her eyes alone spoke volumes of her caring for him. She stepped closer, ready to restrain him if she could. She didn't like being so direct but she seemed to have picked it up while living in such close quarters with Itachi. At least she hadn't picked up the telltale 'hn' yet.

"My … brother? He's here? Which way?" That was the only thing he heard. Itachi was near and he had to take his revenge now. His eyes bled red as his rage heightened. He didn't care how she knew, why she knew, or that she was trying to save him. The only thing that mattered was avenging his fallen family and making his brother suffer for all that he had put him through. He started off in a random direction, intent on scouting the area for miles in order to find the other Uchiha.

Sakura shook her head, cursing herself for failing already. She shifted to stand fully in front of him, hands on his bare chest. "No, you can't. Please." She begged him. Tears started to well up in her eyes. Her cheeks were in danger of becoming wet for her friend as they had many times before. "Just … just stay here with me for a little while. Come to the nearest village with me. You don't have to come home." Her breathing started to pick up in her panic.

"Sakura," Sasuke warned her with just that one word. Her name didn't roll off his tongue like it did Itachi's. His voice was still some kind of velvet, but it didn't hold allure in it. There was something off about it. Even at his most commanding, Itachi hadn't sounded so harsh and cruel as Sasuke did with just saying her name.

That was when the tears fell creating small streams down her face. "Please." The word fell on deaf ears though. The youngest Uchiha pushed her hands away and started off the way she had come. His Sharingan eyes scoured the forest in search for any sign of the man that caused the struggle she had obviously been in. He may not care much, but he was as observant as ever. He had to be if he was to track Itachi this far, for this long.

Then a spike of chakra caught his attention. Red and green eyes snapped to the general direction it had come from. It wasn't near the base, but it was close enough that even Sakura would be able to find her way from where Itachi was back to her prison of sorts. She shook her head and rushed after Sasuke when he took off. She called for him until her voice was hoarse, trying to convince him futilely to run away, not to play into this game. But he wouldn't listen. All the raven-haired man heard was the roaring of the wind as he ran and his own pulse pounding in his ears.

It was today that his revenge would be had. His suffering would be put to rest in the clearing where Itachi stood, alone. He would fall among the scattered flowers, his blood staining the delicate petals red. The Uchiha clan would have their peace, as their last son stood victorious and finally able to find a new way of life. He couldn't be sure how he would be accepted if he went back to Konoha, not that he was sure if he would even go back. But now was not the time to swell on that. He had to concentrate on the singing of his blade and the feel of it piercing his brother's heart.

They both stopped when they came to the edge of the clearing. Sakura stood further back in the tree line as Sasuke stepped forward. The tears still hadn't stopped but she was numb to the feeling. Her mind raced with different scenarios. She saw them both dying, one or the other dying, and even her own death trying to protect both of them. She started circling around to watch and look for the best opportunity to stop them both from hurting the other.