Chapter 10: Come to Me
-X-
A bang on her door was enough to fill her senses with dread.
Naruto dropped by the day before, talking to her like everything that happened... well, like everything that had happened didn't happen at all. She understood his silent plea and they spoke about different things, about her training with Tsunade, about his training with Jiraiya, and about Sasuke. Just when she thought everything would fall into a semblance of normalcy, said young Uchiha entered her bedroom via her balcony.
He came looking for Naruto, of course. The ensuing discussion – or argument, rather – between them had Sakura at wit's end. Unable to take their endless bickering any longer, Sakura stood from her bed and proceeded to throw both young men out.
What was more frustrating, she simply couldn't look Sasuke in the eye without remembering how his older brother's eyes seem to darken whenever he looked at her.
"What is wrong with you?" he asked tonelessly. His confusion, combined with his blatant rudeness, only served to anger Naruto.
"What do you think is wrong with her, teme!" Naruto's eyes narrowed with hurt. "She got suspended and yet you didn't even visit her!"
"Naruto," she called from her bed, but the blond ninja was too fed up with their teammate to listen.
"I want her back with our team, you idiot! I really hate the way you treat her! She's a Jounin for crying out loud, and all you do is belittling her at every chance you get!"
And that made Sakura snap. Standing, she pointed at her balcony, her messy hair clinging to her face and hiding her gritted teeth.
"Get out."
"Sakura-chan, I'm jus –"
"I love you guys, but I can't deal with you right now. Get the hell out of my home."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"What I just said, Sasuke. If you two are going to fight, then get the hell out of my home. I have enough to worry about already," she said, raising her eyes to his, her scowl turning into a wicked sneer as she spoke. "Besides, you don't want to be seen with a suspended shinobi, right? Your family wouldn't be pleased."
Naruto gaped in stunned surprise, while Sasuke scowled darkly.
"You have no right to speak about them–"
"On the contrary, Sasuke, I have every right. Especially when they think this suspension will stop me from being myself. Go tell your father all about it, go right ahead."
Yes, Sakura was that mad. An old, stupid, stupid Uchiha idiot who felt perfectly fine about pulling some strings to have her suspended while taking offense to something only she should have been offended by. A stupid, stupid blind and pigheaded teammate that only felt her suitable to be around when a cool mission was in sight, and a – another stupid, stupid – gah! That stupid, arrogant, idiotic man!
Sasuke narrowed his eyes and stormed out of her apartment. Naruto, on the other hand, didn't know if the storm had passed. Sakura lowered her head, not wanting to meet her brother's eyes.
"Sakura –"
"Let it rest, Naruto," she said with a heavy sigh. "It's the first time I've stood up to him like this, and it won't be the last. I'm sick and tired of this."
"I know," he said. "I just don't want you guys to fall apart, that's all."
And that was the crux of the problem. Two days had passed since then and she hadn't seen hide nor hair of her teammates. Then the sound of someone banging on her front door came, rattling her already frazzled nerves.
Breathing deeply, she opened the door to find the – Uchiha – bane of her existence. The very one who kissed her stupid and showed a hint of gentleness in his gaze the last time he had visited her, confusing her to the point of insomnia.
"Itachi-san," she whispered, eyes wide with surprise. Outside the door, a few passersby lifted a brow or gaped at the sight of the Uchiha Heir at the young medic's door.
"I bear bad news, Sakura," he said in a low tone. "May I come in?"
"Of course, of course," she said hastily, stepping aside to allow him access to her abode. "What's going on?"
"Naruto-kun... has been kidnapped," he said softly, closing her door behind him. She stared at him, trying to process the magnitude of what he just said.
"...What?"
He offered her a scroll. "We thought he was safe here," he murmured with a flat tone akin to irritated dejectedness. "Tsunade-sama got the report this morning. Naruto-kun did not sleep in his home last night, and his kunai pouch was on his night stand."
Knowing full well that Naruto simply didn't step out of his home without his pouch, Sakura's eyes went wide in horror and her legs buckled. Itachi caught her before she hit the floor, both kneeling in front of the door.
"Oh my God..." she whispered, hands trembling. "Naruto... and the Akatsuki... no, that can't be... please," she lifted her emerald eyes to meet his turbulent onyx ones, "please tell me he's okay..."
Itachi closed his eyes and shook his head minutely. "I do not know."
A sob broke the uncomfortable silence, as she buried her face in her hands. Itachi had his hands on her shoulders, feeling her emotions rippling and shaking her frame. He just stayed there, not knowing exactly what to do in a case like this. Sure, he had been the 'bad news crow' to other ninja families when a casualty made its way into his subordinates. He had seen how mothers, fathers, husbands and wives broke down when they learned of their loved one's demise.
But now, seeing that she didn't start to wail like others had, he felt a little at a loss.
And nothing prepared him to see her raising her head, her emerald eyes dark with fury and even a bit of bloodlust.
"I need to get him back," she said simply, clutching the scroll he had given her. "I don't care if I'm suspended – he's my brother, and I will bring him back."
His eyes narrowed with blatant approval. "Open the scroll, Sakura," he said in a low, intimate tone that meant a myriad of things. "I'm summoning you for the retrieval mission."
If Itachi had ever doubted that she would participate in this mission, the way her lips frowned hard with determination and her eyes burned with rage – just like he had seen when she fought Sasori of the Red Sands – killed those doubts in an instant. Now, more than ever, he was certain that Sakura would even travel to the depths of hell just to get Naruto back.
"Time of departure, Taichou?" she asked, her gaze back to his. He smirked slightly at the way she addressed him as they both stood.
"Two hours. Go see the Hokage. She needs to speak to you."
Nodding obediently, she waited until he opened the door. "Itachi-san," she said softly. He stopped, and she continued. "Thank you. I owe you one."
"No thanks necessary, Sakura," he said lightly. "But I might take advantage of your offer soon."
She refused to acknowledge the fact that she was blushing as she marched to her room to put her kunoichi garments on and gather her weapons and medical tools.
-X-
Being suspended was the worst thing ever, Sakura thought as she snuck around the Hokage tower, leaping into her shishou's window. The sight that greeted her was her mentor's amber eyes fixed on hers, as if she had known that Sakura was going to come through that way.
She nodded at Sakura and stepped back to allow her entrance to the office, but she didn't say anything until the pink-haired kunoichi slid the glass-pane close and rounded her desk, standing at attention.
Only then, Sakura saw her surrogate mother's eyes. Sunk and hollow, the Slug Princess Tsunade looked as if she was about to break down crying. And she knew why.
Naruto.
Only Team Seven and Shizune knew of the Hokage's fondness for the loud, blond ninja. It was more than sympathy for the brat, Sakura had observed, because her shishou had confided her about the loss of her little brother and her lover. The pink-haired medic knew that Tsunade regarded Naruto as if he was her own son, just like she regarded Sakura has her daughter.
It was a matter of bonds, she figured, as her eyebrows knitted in concern for her surrogate mother.
"Tsunade-sama--" she started, but a pale, manicured hand rose to refrain her from speaking. The blonde lowered her eyes to an object in her desk, and Sakura gasped when she recognized her own hitai-ate.
"I have known of Uchiha-taichou's request for you to join this mission," she started, flicking her amber gaze to Sakura's. "I told him about your punishment, but he won't take another medic but you. I don't know what is going on between you and the Uchiha Heir, Haruno, but your penance for your lack of respect regarding a superior such as an ANBU Captain needs to be delivered, now."
Taking the headband in her hand, she presented it to her pupil.
"Bring him back to me, Sakura."
The strain in her voice made the pink-haired female realize how badly shaken her mentor was about this whole ordeal. The perfect excuse had been found. This was her 'punishment' for her insolence towards Itachi not so long ago.
"Hai, shishou," she whispered fiercely, taking the hitai-ate and gripping her mentor's fingers in her hand. "At all costs."
"No, Sakura," the Hokage shook her head with a sad smile, noting the change on her pupil's address of her persona. "I don't want to lose you as well. Just... try your best. Show that idiot Uchiha Fugaku that you are more than he thinks."
"I will, shishou," she smiled with determination, clenching the metal plate on her palm. "This is my promise to you."
A knock sounded on the door announced the arrival of ANBU Alpha team and the remainder of Jounin Team Seven into the office. Kakashi offered Sakura a hidden smile, while Sasuke avoided her eyes as he stood next to his brother.
"The orders are the following," Tsunade spoke in a low, detached tone. "You are to retrieve Uzumaki Naruto from the Akatsuki, taking down as many opponents as possible. The Kyuubi belongs to Konoha; the Yondaime Hokage had ensured that when he sealed that wretched tailed beast into his very own son."
Sakura gasped, while Sasuke stood a little straighter, both surprised by this unexpected information, but the Hokage paid no heed.
"You are to rescue the Kyuubi vessel and the Yondaime's legacy, alive. I'm sure I don't need to tell you this is an S-Class mission. The Akatsuki had been a pain in our asses for too long. I want it taken down. I want that organization see of what kind of steel the Leaf is really made of.
"Itachi, Kakashi, you both understand the importance of this. Naruto is to remain alive at all costs, for the release of the Kyuubi will be a disaster for all the shinobi countries. Yamato, I'm counting on you and your jutsu."
"Hai, Hokage-sama," said the brown-haired man with a grim nod.
"The Alpha team has gathered all the intel we have collected throughout the years about the Akatsuki members. I want Team Seven to learn all they can about their opponents. Sakura, I authorize you to unlock the chakra seal if you need to. Sasuke, Shisui, Sakura, be aware of your temper: these are not your regular enemies. These are top criminals, and I want you to think carefully before attacking them."
"But if they want to extract the tailed beast they'll need a considerate time to do so," Sai piped in. Tsunade nodded, furrowing her brow even more.
"It would be perfect if you crash their summoning ceremony," she said. "Kakashi, Sakura and Itachi know the communication jutsu. I'll send Team Gai and Team Shikamaru out behind you when you deem it feasible."
"Hai," was the response of the seven shinobi.
"Konoha won't stand for criminals or demons," Tsunade's voice became lower, harsher with her contained anger and anguish. "Konoha doesn't bow her head to anyone. Make them remember that."
Sakura stretched the red cloth that bore her insignia as a kunoichi and tied it to her hair with a practiced motion. Her heart leapt and sang with wild joy at the familiar weight of the metal upon her head, and her emotion showed in the savage smile that graced her pale features.
Itachi smirked faintly, a gesture that was caught by his cousin and his brother.
"Leave it to us, Tsunade-sama," he said with his deep, professional tone. "We won't disappoint you."
"I'm counting on you."
-X-
Flying through the branches, the seven cloaked figures gathered together as they made their way across the lush forest. It had rained in this part of Fire Country, making the atmosphere humid and grim.
Sakura hadn't said a word since they left Konoha. Alpha ANBU team knew how worried Team Seven had to be, so they left them to their own devices. Sasuke had closed himself from everybody, taking over the Jounin team even though their leader was Kakashi. It was fine with the silver-haired ninja, though. Sasuke practically radiated killing intent, so it was best to just leave him alone. However, the Copy Ninja was more worried by Sakura's silence.
Kakashi didn't know what had happened for Sakura to get suspended, seeing as she was one of Tsunade's right hands. But something was for sure, he concluded when he caught wind of a certain Uchiha Clan Head being severely injured in a sparring session with his very own elder son. The outcome of everything that had been handled by Uchiha Itachi himself was more than satisfactory, in his personal opinion.
"Sensei," Sakura professional voice filtered through his ears. "How are your injuries from your last encounter?"
"Ah, they're fine!" he exclaimed cheerily, rubbing his chest in an absentminded manner. "Just a little sore because of training, but everything is back into place."
"Tch," he heard her scoff, as she jumped onto the tree branches next to him. "Can you be any more reckless? Be careful, Kaka-sensei. Maybe next time I won't be able to save your sorry ass."
"Ouch, let's pray for that not to happen then," he countered easily, knowing perfectly well that Sakura would destroy heaven and earth to save her teammates, regardless of how she fared in the process. He merely humored her grumpy statements because he wanted to let her know he was as worried as she was for Naruto.
And there it was, that glint in her verdant eyes that screamed her restlessness and concern for her brother's wellbeing.
"We're going to get him back," he murmured loud just enough for her to hear, and he was surprised when Sakura's eyes hardened in frustration.
"Can you promise that?" she asked, leaping ahead to get to Shisui's side.
He couldn't, and they both knew that.
-X-
Resting breaks were never relaxing, especially in a retrieval mission, Shisui mused as he accepted Yamato's water canteen. It had been a long journey to Grass Country, only stopping two or three times to refill water provisions and to get a breather. Two days later, they were camping at the very forest line that marked the borders of Fire and Grass.
Team Seven was as silent as they were since they left Konoha, Sasuke looked especially frustrated and angry because of their lost teammate. Only the Gods knew what those bastards were doing to Naruto-kun. Apparently, Sakura had the same thought because suddenly she stood up from the tree root she was sitting on and started to pace around the campsite.
"Try to get some rest, Sakura," Kakashi's voice came from behind the orange-covered book, but his student paid no heed. "This is the last stop before entering Grass Country."
Sasuke's head whipped round with Sakura's to face their team leader. "Why are we entering Grass anyway?" the younger Uchiha asked, narrowing his eyes.
"We need information from an Akatsuki member," Itachi's deadpan voice came from behind his weasel mask. "And we happen to know the location of one of them."
Sasuke stared at his brother, narrowing his eyes. "Orochimaru?"
Sakura groaned when she saw the ANBU Captain nod curtly. "Great. This is just great. As if that stupid snake doesn't already want to give us a hard time every single time we step out of the village, now we're going to pay him a visit of courtesy."
"You've had encounters with him?" Shisui asked, surprised. It wasn't the first time they got wind about Orochimaru's special customs, especially after his defeat in the last invasion. It was truly a blessing that most of the Uchiha ninja were around to counteract the effect of the serpent's summons with their Katon, as well as provide the necessary backup for the ANBU that were supporting the Sandaime. Their efforts had been to no avail, though, because the loss of the Third Hokage was one that still weighed heavily on Konoha's memory. Their only consolation was that most of the village had been saved.
Then there was also Naruto's extraordinary performance in bringing the Ichibi vessel down.
They had been mere children, but Team Seven started its brilliant career by having a blond knucklehead in their midst.
Sakura clenched her jaw and nodded. She wasn't going to tell Sasuke's brother and cousin that Orochimaru wanted to get his slimy, dead hands on the Sharingan, because her Uchiha teammate had bound them to silence. Surprisingly, Kakashi had backed him on that, and Naruto and Sakura just had to comply, much to their displeasure.
Kakashi didn't miss the quick look that Shisui and Yamato shared at Sakura's admission, but just when he was going to say something, she shook her head and looked up to the sky.
"It's getting late."
The rest nodded, and proceeded to pack and clear their resting site. It was time to continue their mission.
However, there was a certain Uchiha that observed the slight glance that Sakura had thrown at his young brother. They were hiding something, and it was obvious that Sasuke had silenced his pink-haired teammate, because that livid look didn't leave Sakura's eyes as she finished putting up her gear together.
...Maybe it was true what he had investigated about Orochimaru, but until he got some more information about what Team Seven knew, everything would only come to a moot point.
-X-
As Yamato's hands clasped together and opened a hole in the ground after they secured a place behind a few boulders, Itachi relayed the plan they had devised.
"We do not really know what Orochimaru is plotting, so I advise you to keep to each other. Yamato and Sai will bring up the rear. Shisui and I will take the lead, and Team Seven will be in the middle of the formation. Remember that this person is not to be taken lightly."
A mutter of "as if we don't know that already" from Sakura was their acknowledgment of his orders, and one by one, they entered Orochimaru's base.
The hideout was cold, dark, and downright disgusting, Sakura thought as they made their way carefully through the maze-like hallways. It was a necessary precaution; a misstep could spring a trap. After all their encounters with Orochimaru and Kabuto, it was a lesson they'd learned quite thoroughly.
"Sakura, Sasuke," Kakashi murmured beside the kunoichi, hands stuffed in pockets. Sakura knew better than to assume he wasn't prepared for battle. "Get in formation for Royale, just in case."
Both jounin nodded. Yamato and Sai noticed how they started to walk outside of the line they were walking, yet within reasonable distance of their sensei. Sakura reached back to her pouch, taking her gloves and pulling them on as they searched.
Kakashi stopped suddenly. "I smell something rotten," he said, lifting a hand to silence his team. The Alpha Team kept silent as he turned his head, searching for the origin of the smell. After he located it, Itachi and Shisui let him take the lead wordlessly. It was better if someone with sharp canine senses like the Copy Nin went ahead.
Sakura and Sasuke followed the two Uchiha ANBU, until they reached a wide, circular hall. Then, everybody could perceive the awful stench. "Kami help us all," one of the ANBU muttered, as they took in the gruesome scene in front of them.
A charred corpse lay next to a Kabuto that was practically drowning in a pool of blood. A little ahead, several wooden bodies were scattered around the hall, but just one stood out of the rest.
"Sasori," Yamato whispered, as the ANBU took off their masks.
"He's dead," Shisui observed. "By the looks of it, it seems that he and Orochimaru killed each other."
"Not yet," Sakura whispered, making her way to the wooden doll that gave her such a hard time in Konoha and almost killed her. "You're still alive, Sasori. I can feel it."
"Maybe," a smooth voice came from the broken puppet. "But I am at my limit. It would be best if you finish me off."
"Not until we got some information," Yamato started, but Sakura leaned onto the puppet and placed her hand onto the red seal.
"Where is Naruto?" she asked with a low, controlled voice. "Tell me and I'll personally rid you of your misery."
A little self-deprecating chuckle came from the fixed-eyed puppet. "Who would have thought that I would be at the mercy of a Leaf ninja, especially such a deceptive-looking kunoichi. You would have made a beautiful puppet, Haruno Sakura. I am impressed you could survive my poison."
Her gloved hand dug into Sasori's chest. "Tell me what I want to know," she pressed in the same controlled voice. "And I'll tell you how I survived."
"It is not necessary. I know you are the Godaime's apprentice. It was just a matter of time that someone broke my poison scheme. How very remarkable. As for your friend, I am certain he is in Amegakure."
"What?!" Sasuke snarled. "Why in Amegakure? Are you trying to fool us, Akatsuki?"
"It is rumored that the Akatsuki main base is in the Hidden Rain," Itachi's voice sounded collected and business-like. "Is that true, Akasuna no Sasori?"
"Indeed," the puppet said with a cold tone. "It is truly a pity that I could not fight you, Uchiha Itachi. And even worse that you did not accept our invitation. Our leader was not pleased with your decision to remain in that weak village of yours."
Sakura's fingers gripped the cylinder that kept Sasori's life with a growl. "Why are you here then? I thought you all were needed for the ritual."
Sasori chuckled again, this time sounding amused. "How significant that such a strong woman holds my life in her hands. Yet again, she is such a walking contradiction."
Sakura scoffed, already sick of the situation. "I'm going to show you another contradiction then," she let go of her grip and stood. "I won't take your life. I won't give you the pleasure, because I don't take lives from defeated enemies. Uchiha-san, he's all yours."
And then she walked away, not really feeling like turning her head when she heard a sword ringing and the sound of steel piercing flesh. But then she noted that Kakashi hadn't stepped over the fallen Akatsuki, preferring to walk to the other fallen foe.
"Kabuto is still alive," he noted. "And the other body is Orochimaru."
"That's just sick," Shisui observed, making his way to examine what was left of the Sannin with Yamato and Sai re-sheathed his ninjato. Sakura, being the medic she was and her calling deep ingrained into her very bones, wandered near her sensei, watching the battered handyman of the man that gave them so many headaches in the past.
"He's poisoned," she intoned softly as she kneeled next to Kabuto and pushed some chakra into his system. "It's starting to shut his organs down."
"You... a medic," Kabuto coughed out. Sakura nodded, watching him carefully. "We... thought you... dead."
"I'm pretty much alive, thanks to my own garden," she shot back with a sneer. "They killed each other?" she asked, motioning with her head at the charred corpse and the puppet.
"...Hai. Akatsuki wanted... Orochimaru-sama..."
Sakura placed her glowing hand around Kabuto's throat. "He's gone now."
"Sakura-san, pl-please..."
"Do you know anything else about Akatsuki and its members?"
"The...journal in...his room."
"It doesn't matter if you're lying to us," Kakashi said as he towered over Sakura. "Your master is dead, and you're about to die as well. You might as well do something to save your soul."
Kabuto nodded briefly and closed his eyes. "Not... lying."
"Very well," Kakashi answered. "Sakura, do you want me to--"
"It's not necessary, sensei," she whispered, raising her hand from Kabuto's throat. "He's gone."
A tense silence settled over them as they realized she had finished the medic-nin off.
"You did well, Sakura-san," Shisui said, as Itachi pushed a scroll back into his pack. A new sword-like injury was on Orochimaru's burnt body, but no one thought to ask them about it. "He would have spent more than five hours of agony if you hadn't."
"I know," she whispered, standing up and reaching for her canteen. "I didn't do it because I pitied him, but because I know how awful that poison is. It was the same Sasori inflicted on me."
Another silence fell over the Konoha ninja, until Itachi nodded to his cousin.
"We need to split up to locate Orochimaru's room. Be careful, we do not know if his demise disabled the traps. Yamato and Kakashi will go to the left hallway. Shisui and Sasuke, go to the right hallway. Sai, use your ink animals to scout the base for other people. Sakura, you will come with me."
Nobody dared to say anything, walking away to comply with the Captain's orders.
But Sakura stared up at the Uchiha, who suddenly looked at her with intense eyes.
"Come."
-XxX-
AN: Damn you, Sasori, and damn your character! It was because of him that I was stuck in this chapter. Never again! DX
Again, another half-assed chapter. I'm really sorry, but I'm sick of this story. What happened to Itachi, plus what happened to Kakashi in the manga is making me have a foot outside the fandom. I took a break from this because of my writer's block with this story, but also because I'm pissed at the manga. I don't know why I keep reading it; I guess I'm a glutton for WTF-ery.
Now it's a matter of pride, finishing this thing. I also want to thank to the people who was kind enough to send me private messages and reviews in concern of this story. Believe me when I tell you that I read them all and took your requests to heart; I opened Word almost every day and tried hard to make this work for you guys. Thank you, really. I really appreciate it. I am so, so sorry for making you wait!
Thanks for reading, and I apologize in advance.