What was Lost, What was Gained

ch. 10

Sakura's POV

Staring into Itachi's eyes, my flesh began to burn. Trembling, I looked down at my hands and body. I was on fire!

"Ahhh!"

I screamed trying to put out the fire, falling to my knees I patted down my body. The fire just continued to grow and burn. I looked back at Itachi, his eyes completly on me, that's when it hit me. How could I have been blinded so easily by the pain. Clasping my hands together.

"Seal release!"

I shouted. Instantly the flames demenished, I was gasping for air as if the smoke was still consuming my lungs. I looked over at Sasuke who had gotten to his feet and had a kunai in his hand, he hadn't moved since I was caught in the genjutus. Anyone else would have taken some offense to this but I knew why. He couldn't come chasing at me, show a weakness. Not at least when he knew I was capable of escaping myself. It was already showing alot of weakness Sasuke just being with us, if Itachi ever saw past just the team. Even those were thoughts I didn't want to travel to. My eyes traveled back to where Naruto was. He was still unconsious laying against the tree.

"You have grown since the last time I've seen you little brother."

Itachi said in a plain voice, his eyes never left me. My hands cletched and relaxed.

"Itachi. This time I will kill you!"
Sasuke took off towards his elder brother. Itachi's attention turned away from me and I charged after Naruto. I was so close to Naruto when I jumped into the air to escape the path of a fireball. I saw Itachi and Sasuke fighting in the distance but what was standing in the tree was no doubt a clone of Itachi's. My feet slid to a stop my eyes focused on the clones feet.

"You're strong to escape my genjutus."

He said, jumping down in front of Naruto's body. I braced my feet with my fists in a defensive pose.

"Itachi! Get away from him!"
I ordered. My teeth cletched together. I saw from the corner of my eye Sasuke was busy fighting the other Itachi. I saw Itachi turned his attention to Naruto's unconsious body.

"The nine-tailed fox. I finally have you, time for us to go and introduce you to Leader."

Itachi headed towards the tree, his hand extending towards my teammate.

"Don't turn your back on me Itachi!"

I charged and shot my right fist at his back. He disappeared from in front of me but I kept chasing him. We bounced from one tree to another, each punch or kick he dodged.

"You're taijutus is useless if you can't touch me."

He won't be able to use genjutus on me, he knows I'm able to get out of anything he can create. Sooner or later he's going to get tired of running...what's his next move?

The branch crack catching Itachi's attention that one second.

"Got YA!"

I jumped and extended my leg, this time I was going to hit. Instantly, I crashed into the tree spliting it into shattered lumber.

"What?! Where did he g..."

I froze. A tight grip held my head and pushed me to my knees, while another grasped around my neck. Itachi appeared in the corner of my eye, his face plain.

"Did you really think I would be that careless. Too think you are a greater sannin than Tusnade."

He said in recongized disappointment. His hand began to burn my flesh.

"Acid!"

"Correct. A poisonous jutus that can eat away at your flesh till I slit your throat completly. Once you're out of the way, my brother will fall next then I'll have Naruto."

I felt another sensation of burning chakra flood around my neck. If I tried to throw a back punch he would take that brief second it would take me to build my chakra and kill me. My choices were very limited.

"Sasuke, how would you feel if I killed this girl?"

Sasuke was standing there watching from across the field, his eyes cold and still. So, the Itachi he was fighting was the clone and I had the real Itachi. His grip tighten around my neck but Sasuke's face hadn't changed.

"Say you don't care whether or not I kill this girl and then you and I can take our own fight else where. I will leave Naruto here and we will fight, just us. You'll finally have your chance to...what do you call it? Get your revenage for our patheic clan."

Sasuke's eyes tighten and his lips pressed together in a straight line.

"You're wasting your time Itachi. You should know Konoha instructs its ninja to take their own life if necessary to complete a mission."

I moved slightly feeling exactly how tight a grip he had on me, it was unbreakable.

"Itachi I will give up my life if it means saving this mission."

"Maybe you would, but that would be your choice. I'm asking my brother."

I winced in pain as the acid took another round on my skin.

"What you should know also about Konoha ninja. They have this belief that friends are worth giving your life for, so that's why I'm asking my brother. His answer should be most interesting. Sasuke, did you really think I wouldn't recongize our own mother's wedding ring."

My eyes dropped to my left ring finger, Itachi was so observate that he even noticed the ring for the three seconds when I was standing still.

"Sakura knows what my dream is. Another moral Konoha teaches, never let anything stop you from reaching your dreams. My dream is too kill you, Sakura knows that one goal is my life."

I wonder if my face showed how horrified I was at his words, the words that were signing my death warrent. My face dropped, I was staring at my boots.

Why am I so surprised, Sasuke and I have gone over this for months, his dream to kill Itachi is everything to him. The goal he has deicated his whole life too, and here I am wanting to put myself between that.

"Well, little brother? What's your answer, because here are your options. One, you pick her and I promise you I will escape with Naruto. or Two, Choose her death and you and I will take our fight elsewhere. Naruto will eventually awaken and return to the village and I can chase after him another day."

"If you would live that long."

Sasuke growled.

"Was that your answer?"

Sasuke didn't say anything but kept his pose across the field. This eyes locked on mine, they were blank and cold. He was detaching himself from any emotion he held, my eyes began to water.

"Kill me Sasuke!"

I sensed Itachi tense behind me the instantly relax.

"Sasuke please! This is your chance! If he's serious about his threat then that moment while he takes my life you can attack! You can drive him away from Naruto and kill him yourself!"

I had to wonder when it was exactly when tears ran in perfect rivers down my cheeks falling onto the grass and my boots.

"...Sasuke...I want your dreams to come true, that's part of my dream...please."

I beg. My hands began to tremble again.

"Sakura..."

Sasuke said in a low unaffectinate voice. I smiled.

"Sasuke..."

My eyes widen with the flow of pain. I fell onto my knees, blood spashed onto my face. Hitting the ground I see Sasuke in the distance, his head turned away. My voice was gone, as a stream of blood dripped out of my mouth. Sasuke didn't look over as I drifted into darkness.