Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto in any way. Yeah, I need to start doing these things...

There were a few things Sasuke could not stand for. The greatest of these things was likely to be his older brother, Itachi. Konoha, and its memories of childhood and innocence was a close second. Right after that was being woken up. If he was asleep during the day, it was for good reason, but some people did not seem to comprehend this.

Sleep was a good thing. Sleep meant his chakra reserves were refilled after a long, strenuous training session with Orochimaru. Being rejuvenated meant he could train more in a day. Training more in the day meant less time he would be stuck around a lowlife like Orochimaru in Sound. Leaving Sound meant finally hunting down his murderous, betraying older brother, whom he hated.

Yes, Sasuke liked sleeping. Being woken up, especially after what felt only a few minutes since setting his head down on the pillow, he did not like. Rising to be greeted by that queer, suspicious Konoha nin with his phony grin had to be even worse. For that bizarre, aloof shinobi to bring up the topic of Naruto, of all things, made his mood deteriorate further.

Naruto was a subject Sasuke preferred to avoid, if possible. Thinking about that final battle they had shared made him feel weak, pathetic, because in the end, he had not been bold enough to kill his 'closest friend,' and gain the Mangekyo, as his aniki had instructed him to. Deny it as he tried, and claim that he had failed to put Naruto to death because he had not wanted to follow Itachi's orders to become powerful, Sasuke knew it was all sham.

He had not been strong enough then to defeat the person he was closest to, and that was the true reason he had been unable to slay Naruto. Naruto was a reminder to him how spineless he truly was, and with his newly gained fortitude, Sasuke did not need to muse over that part of his past. At the moment, it was the future that mattered in all sincerity, and if anyone dared utter that he was incompetent, than he really would complete what he should have a year and a half ago.

For now, though, before reclaiming any of his lost dignity, Sasuke had to get his revenge on Itachi. It was what he had been fighting for since the tender age of eight, and his petty self-respect could wait until after he completed his goals to vindicate the Uchiha clan's massacre.

When that awkward Konoha nin, with his unsettlingly wide smile, said that Naruto saw him as a brother, and that they had bonds left unbroken, Sasuke's temper had reached its peak.

Sasuke already knew about the pitiful connection as teammates Naruto had deluded himself into thinking was important had been the reason for the faulty rescue attempt. He knew that Naruto saw him as the brother he had never been gifted with. Frankly, however, Sasuke could not care less. He had a brother, and he really did not want, or need, another one. Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi, and whatever other hopelessly insubstantial shinobi they spent their time with, could make their own little, happy family. Whatever the case, they could count him out.

He had a family, once upon a time, and they were his only reason for living anymore. They were his every living thought, and even in death, they would be his everything. He had lost his family, no thanks to his villainous brother, and he did not need a do-over. Though he initially planned to build up the Uchiha clan again after putting Itachi in hell, where he belonged, Sasuke was not so presumptuous to think whatever children he had in the future would be his real family. His true family was dead, and nothing he did would ever reverse that.

So, when this self-assured shinobi who knew next to nothing about him personally had to gall to say he wanted to save him with Naruto, Sasuke had lost all reason. It was an understandable reaction, he reasoned, for him to be angry that some bystander thought himself capable of deciphering him, and the nonexistent connection he shared with Naruto. It was logical for him to practically blow apart his quarters, and want to murder the overconfident stranger. Not a single subsection of his mind questioned this rationalization.

Sasuke had been slightly surprised that the useless nin had managed to escape the downfall of rumble mostly unscathed, not that he had showed it. As he anticipated, not moments after he had blown his quarters sky-high, the remaining members of team seven scrambled out of the dark passages of Orochimaru's hideout. Sakura, with her short locks of pink blowing about her pale face, dashed into the light, quickly followed by a flustered Naruto.

He knew the instant he saw the kunoichi that something was off about her. Not that he had been looking all that forward to her fawning over him again, but there was this feeling that something was missing. He had never officially put her into his schemes of reconstructing his nearly diminished clan, but Sasuke had considered her to be a convenient, able woman for him to use in founding his dwindling clan.

She had practically promised to assist him in growing his clan up to substantial numbers again, and it was disappointing to see that she had changed her mind. There were plenty of other willing females to bear him heirs, but Sakura, she had proclaimed love for him. While he could never return her sentiments wholeheartedly, she would have been loyal enough to give him plenty of children.

Who, though, was so capable as to woo the kunoichi, Sasuke wondered. Women were fickle creatures, he was well aware, but there had been such conviction in her tone as she had begged him not leave, and he had never doubted she would someday be of use to him. He had held some faith in the easy female, because she could have made life simpler. Though she would have clung, and sought more affection than he was capable of, she would never have been able to deny him anything, because she had always been so susceptible to manipulation.

She stared up at him, not in awe, but in pure, raw fury. He gazed back down at her, not thinking much of her appearance, until something caught his eye. Her red vest was tattered and torn around the collar, and in the moment he had looked her over, a metallic glimmer had captured the sunlight, and he noted a silver chain around the slender column of her neck.

His fast look-over had switched over to Naruto, before he realized he had seen that very necklace somewhere before. Sharingan flashing back to her haggard form, he inspected the piece of jewelry more closely. Where could he have seen it before? Sakura had not worn it as a genin, he was sure of that much, so he had seen it on someone else. Who had given it to her? Curiosity overtook him, and in a rapid step through air, he was standing down at her level.

Sakura felt her heart stop momentarily when Sasuke suddenly appeared before her, his taller form daunting. She froze in absolute horror at the scowl on his face. She had every reason to fear for her very life, because it would not take long, at their current proximity, for him to determine what had changed about her in the year and a half they had not seen each other.

She stepped back slowly, trying to gain some distance between them, to protect herself as much as she possibly could, but a large hand shot out and caught her shoulder, stopping her before she could get very far. His free hand grabbed for the necklace, gently bringing it up into the light, the dainty chain hanging in tendrils between his rough, calloused fingers.

Her vision turned red and her breath caught in her throat when the priceless gift Itachi had bestowed upon her was yanked off, the delicate chain snapping under the force of Sasuke's pull.

Sasuke seethed quietly for a moment after taking the chain from her neck, examining it more closely, before he was certain he knew where he had seen the necklace before. How Sakura had gotten her hands on it, he had not a clue, but Sasuke did not like the implications made by her current ownership of the jewelry.

The last time he had seen the necklace worn, it had been on his cursed older brother, Itachi.

He brought the cool metal to his nostrils, taking in first the sweet scent of Sakura's skin and perspiration, before detecting a much stronger scent beneath it. A completely masculine suggestion, that was not older than a few days. He knew to whom the fragrance belonged, without a doubt in his mind, to that of his brother. The urge to gut the woman where she stood was so very tempting.

"Look at what Sakura-chan has here." He growled mockingly, dangling the heirloom out of reach, yet in her eyes. "A lovely little penchant from your new love, is it?" He asked sarcastically, mimicking a sardonically sweet voice she had never heard on him. She gulped, her mouth going dry. It was not beyond her notice how his fingers were itching to grab the nearest weapon at his disposal.

Behind his back, Sakura saw Naruto and Sai inching towards them, in an attempt to draw Sasuke's attention from her. She knew they would not bother to help her if they knew what the rogue was saying under his breath. It would be no good, however, whatever they did, because with the killing intent he was currently releasing, none of team seven was going to make it out alive.

"Of all the people, it had to be him, right, Sakura?" Sasuke continued darkly, the hand that had been holding her in place by her shoulder moving to sweep her hair from around her neck. A murderous light hit the glare in his eyes when he caught sight of what he had been looking for. "I suppose this is of his doing as well?" He muttered, indicating the faded, reddish mark on her neck that had been hidden through layers of hair.

Sakura could not find the proper words to respond to him. Lying to Sasuke would only anger him more. Instead, she stood as still as she could, her eyes not leaving his face for a moment. "Sasuke, please, it is not what it seems...it is much more complicated than you think." She finally told him, wishing she did not sound as weak and helpless as she felt.

Sasuke seemed to ignore her comment all together. "I wonder, what else has he done to you, Sakura?" He asked tauntingly, his voice dripping with venom and hate. "Was he a good fuck? Good enough to betray your own village?" He fumed mutedly. She turned all different shades of bright red. Her fiery spirit took control then, something in his words clicking in her head.

Taking him by complete surprise, she decked him in the jaw, sending him across the opening because of the use of her chakra control. Though the punch had been powerful enough to take care of plenty of worthy shinobi, this only served to anger Sasuke further. Spitting blood out of his mouth, he steadied himself, glaring long and hard at the ferocious woman his older brother had claimed.

Sasuke would not have it. He would not be defeated, yet again, so easily. In unreadable, godly speeds, Sasuke hurtled himself towards Sakura, a hand wrapping around her fragile neck, and his lips closing in on hers. She wanted to scream, to free herself, to die, even, but found herself unable to.

Tsunade slammed down her empty sake glass with enough force for it to shatter. She had just finished reading the lengthly mission report Yamato had turned in after the failed operation. In normal circumstances, she would not have read it so hurriedly, but the mental state of her apprentice had concerned her. She was not sure what, but something on that mission had gone wrong, and Sakura was now paying the price of it.

The last she had seen of the young medic, she had been clutching a snapped necklace to her chest, her face carefully blank, though pale and covered with bruises. Her eyes had been a dull, forest green, all of its luster somehow lost in the course of six days. The only thing Tsunade could guess, as the report had been unspecific to what passed between Sakura and her Uchiha teammate, that it had to do with that brat.

Tsunade knew Sakura had found out who ANBU-san was during her mission to Suna, and could understand the girl's need to let the idea settle in her befuddled mind, but she was now starting to show mental instability. In most cases, the girl would have sought her advice and condolences, but she had not yet, and this was what worried Tsunade the most. If Sakura did not confront all the issues she now found herself surrounded by, she was never going to handle it fully.

Already she had sent Kotetsu to retrieve Sakura, but Tsunade had a feeling about why it was taking the man so long. Obviously, she had barricaded herself into her own home, and the traps she had set were found to be rather complicated to pick apart and get through. The Hokage unconsciously bit on her lower lip, ignoring the faint sting as blood broke free from her skin.

Downing one more glass of Nigori sake, she decided it was time she took matters into her own hands. She pushed her chair back and stood from her desk, paying no heed to the copious amounts of paperwork that was still inhabiting her working space. At the moment, her dainty, broken student was more vital than changing the trade routes into Kirigakure, or whatever other nonsense she had to deal with as Hokage.

With new vigor, she stomped from the room, not even noticing when Shizune pleaded with her to get something done for once. No one else was brave, or perhaps stupid, for that matter, enough to face off with the Hokage, and persuade her into signing treaties as she should have been.

As was expected, Hagane Kotetsu was still working to break through Sakura's well placed defenses. For a moment, Tsunade watched in amusement as the poor, abused chunin messenger struggled with a summoning Sakura had prepared as a trap. She then huffed, coming to the conclusion that she had planted everything for Kotetsu's benefit, assuming it would be him that she sent.

This clearly was targeted towards that chunin, and would have no effect on her. So, without any further ado, Tsunade stormed past Kotetsu, bypassing every obstacle with ease. Reaching the door, she knocked, but after a minute of Sakura not answering, her impatience got the best of her, and Tsunade broke the door in. Splinters of wood flew in every direction, and with no invitation, she entered the establishment.

It was dark. As in, there was no light. Tsunade would have thought that the apartment was empty, if it were not for her own instincts. A soft sob could be heard from the back of the apartment, where Tsunade knew Sakura's bedroom was. Frustrated slightly, the busty woman marched down the narrow hall to find her student. This ridiculous farce had been kept up for long enough, but it was all ending now. That Uchiha brat had screwed this up more than she thought he would, after the last time they had spoken.

There was Sakura, curled into the fetal position, tears dribbling down her pasty-pale cheeks, leaving red trails behind them. Yes, Uchiha Itachi had made a messy job of Sakura, and her being confronted by Sasuke had clearly made matters much worse. Now, she was left to pick up the pieces of her misused apprentice. Those Uchiha bastards were not going to get away with this, she decided with the twitch of her eyebrow.

Sakura's gaze lifted from the spot on the floor she had been staring at blankly with the slow approach of her teacher. Neither woman knew what to say. Admittedly, the Hokage was a woman rough around the edges, and in such a delicate situation, she did not know what to say or do. Awkwardly, though, she crouched down next to Sakura, placing a hand down on the girl's shoulder as it heaved up and down with her distressed, choked cries.

"I swear, I'm going to pummel that brat this time." Tsunade muttered under her breath. Sakura sucked in harshly, looking her right in the eyes.

She had been afraid of this, that Tsunade really had known all along who ANBU-san was in reality. What did it mean, though; she wondered curiously. She wanted to beg for answers to her questions, but knew not where to even begin. A good thing to know first was probably why, as the Hokage, Tsunade had not chosen to send hunter-nin after Uchiha Itachi, since he had been in every edition of the bingo book since he was twelve (becoming an ANBU captain at such a young age deserved some merit, even if it was not quite what anyone would want, to be listed in a book with a heavy price above your head).

Nonetheless, Sakura could not be certain that it was even Itachi that she was talking about. It could have been Sasuke, seeing he was the one to put her into such a pathetic state of being. Sasuke had been the one to snatch her precious necklace, then taunt her about Itachi. He had been the one to nearly kill her for her seemingly sudden change of feeling. It would make sense for her shishou to want to snap the Uchiha in half for such charges.

It was ironic, when Sakura thought about it. Itachi was an S-class criminal for the conviction of multiple murders, and every shinobi of Konoha was under orders to capture, or if possible, exterminate him on sight. Sasuke was the victim, the poor child who had seen his trusted, older brother massacre his clan, and had run off to be powerful enough to slaughter said criminal. Yet, despite the charges he faced, Itachi had never harmed her in any way, and had treated her with a gentleness and care even she was unfamiliar with. If caught, he would receive the death penalty, but Sasuke, who was apparently welcomed home to Konoha with open arms, had almost killed her.

So, Sakura asked for her teacher to be more specific. "Who do you mean, Tsunade-shishou?"

She had forgotten that she was upset over her failure on the mission, and that Sasuke had broken her chain, but days after Itachi had gifted it to her. The long necklace was looped about her fingers, her fist clenched about it. After the damage Sasuke had so callously caused to her present, she had no intention of letting it out of her sight again soon. Besides, like Itachi himself, the cool metal calmed her slightly, as if by some supernatural charm its previous owner had placed on it.

Tsunade looked at her student, who was thankfully no longer crying, a dubious expression on her face. It had been quite obvious of whom she was speaking, but if the girl wanted her to spell it out for her, then she would. It was likely that Sakura had been afraid of her knowing that ANBU-san was really Uchiha Itachi, and this would sooth the distressed kunoichi, if by a little.

Still, it was irritating that Sakura was playing the ignorance card. "You know perfectly well who I am talking about, Sakura." She grumbled quietly, pulling the younger kunoichi to her feet after having stood herself up. Sakura had been curled up in the dark for so long that she felt dizzy, and almost sick to her stomach, at standing on her feet. Tsunade found the dim room to be too depressing for her personal tastes, and so she pulled the other girl out of her little pit, and brought her into the kitchen, turning on the fluorescent lights with no mercy.

Sakura groaned at the attack of unwanted lighting, covering her eyes to prevent herself from being blinded. She sighed though, sitting across the table from her shishou when she took a confident seat. The Hokage graciously laced her fingers together, deciding to wait for Sakura to adjust to the change before continuing further. It took a moment more for her to turn her attention to the busty woman.

"If it was not clear when I said it, I meant that boyfriend-patient-asshole of yours. A certain Uchiha Itachi." The elder kunoichi finally clarified. Sakura froze for a moment, before turning a violent, tomato red at Tsunade's implications. Itachi was not, in any way, shape or form, her boyfriend. That would mean fraternization with the enemy, which as a loyal shinobi, Sakura could never contend to. They were something, she could admit, but he was not her boyfriend.

So, Sakura stared at Tsunade, unable to even think of what she should say. A long silence ensued, and the busty Hokage was content sitting in it, not so much as a word passing between them. Sakura sat across from her, meanwhile, sweating bullets. It felt like such a dangerous situation, as if everything hung in the balance.

"What is going to happen now?" Sakura asked quietly. "What will my punishment be?" She continued, not denying that she had a relationship, whatever title Itachi had in her life, with the missing-nin. It would be best not to plead herself innocent, when all evidence proved her guilty, or her sentence would become much more grievous. Her only hope was that Itachi would not be hurt because of her association with him, even if she would be penalized. It was her wrong choice in involving herself with the man that she was being punished for, and she could not blame him for that.

Then again, if he were an innocent man, instead of the nuke-nin he was, then there would be no problem with their relationship anyway. She mentally shook her head. She would not mull over what could have been if Itachi had never killed off his clan; all it would serve to do was give her a bigger headache than she already had. Besides, Sasuke would never have left, and she would probably still be the pathetic kunoichi she had once been, pining over her teammate hopelessly.

Tsunade gave her a strange, imploring look at her question, before chuckling quietly. "I am not going to punish you for anything, Sakura."

Visible relief washed over the younger kunoichi, followed quickly by bewilderment. Why would Tsunade allow her to get away with consorting with the enemy, when she clearly deserved to receive some form of punishment? It did not make sense to her, and by the confused expression on her face, Tsunade could tell. She smirked to herself. It seemed that Itachi had not shared some vital information about his background with Sakura. If she did know the truth of Itachi's tragic past, she would not question Tsunade's logic.

"Tsunade-shishou, I don't understand." The girl mumbled.

She paused for a moment, before vaguely explaining herself to Sakura. "Uchiha Itachi is not the man that most people think he is." She told her wisely. This much Sakura already knew. Itachi was supposed to be a murderer, but he was likely to be one of the kindest, most gentle people she was acquainted with. It did not add up that someone so caring could ever find the hatred in his heart to kill his own mother and father, the very people that had brought him into this world.

"Yes, I know that, Shishou." Sakura breathed out slowly. "What two things I don't get is how you know that, and what exactly makes him so different from what we assumed he was." She sighed exasperatedly. Tsunade laughed fully this time at Sakura's befuddlement. The girl frowned, not particularly liking that she was being laughed at.

"I don't have the liberty to tell you about Itachi's past. If you really want to know, then you will have to tell him in your next little meeting." Tsunade replied with a snicker. Again, Sakura flushed bright crimson with embarrassment. She did not know how Tsunade had even figured out about her relationship with Itachi. Sakura had not thought herself to be so transparent, but if she could be read through by Tsunade with just a look, then she needed to work on showing less of her emotions.

"How did you find out that ANBU-san was Itachi?" Sakura asked quietly. Tsunade smirked, feeling rather proud of herself.

"I knew from the beginning. I was the one to diagnose him, and to do that, I needed a sample of his blood. His records are still kept in ANBU headquarters."

Sakura sputtered. "But you said you had no idea who he was! From the very start, you said that!" She exclaimed.

Tsunade rolled her eyes. "Obviously, I wasn't telling you the truth. How would you have reacted if I said 'Sakura, new mission: treat Uchiha Itachi's deadly disease. Be nice, okay?'" She asked sardonically.

Sakura huffed, understanding her teacher's standing point in the situation. She certainly would never have stooped to healing a missing-nin, no matter how well paid she was for the job. She would have flat-out refused the mission, if she knew that her patient was not just a missing-nin, but the man who had tormented her beloved Sasuke. Then she would have questioned Tsunade's reasoning in commissioning said mission, and where the Hokage's loyalties truly laid.

"How could you tell...about...us?" Sakura then asked awkwardly.

A deviant grin crossed the woman's lips, as if she were the devil's advocate. "You didn't do a very good job of hiding it, Sakura. The day you kissed that damn brat, you had been sighing and staring into the distance like a lovesick fool. I can see the signs easily enough."

Sakura had turned so violently red at this, she was sure she would start turning purple at any moment.

"But-t, Tsunade-shishou, I-

"Oh, for god's sake, Sakura. You don't need to be so bashful. I have spoken to that stuck-up Uchiha all about this. I know everything that's going on between you two."

Yep. She was now the lovely color of blotchy purple. Words failed on her lips, and she could only stare in shock. That had not been what Sakura had expected her teacher to say. Itachi had been talking to Tsunade about her? Where, and how did they meet? What had he said? All these things she wanted to ask, but she could not find her voice for the life of her.

Tsunade's eyes softened though, and she decided to take it easy on the disconcerted kunoichi. She had seen for herself, from both of the shinobi, that they had inexplicable feelings for each other. She knew Itachi cared for Sakura, and vice a versa. She doubted, however that they knew how the other felt. Itachi was such a socially awkward man, while Sakura had a hard time facing her emotions, after having been hurt once.

Whatever the case, she sincerely hoped that they could work things out with each other. Sakura could use a little more love in her life, and Itachi seemed, so far, to be her match in everything. If Sakura found a way to stop Itachi from giving his life for Sasuke's pointless vendetta, then Tsunade had full confidence they would make one another very happy.

"He cares for you, Sakura." Tsunade murmured, more to herself than to the kunoichi to whom she had been speaking. Sakura had been surprised to hear her teacher say this, and was not sure if she should respond to her statement. Itachi had made it obvious that he felt something for her, but she had never been able to tell if it were simply a physical attraction, or if it were possible for him to be interested in her for emotional reasons as well.

She knew her student was going to be heartbroken if Uchiha Itachi did go through with his initial plan, and allowed for Sasuke to fulfill his petty revenge. Tsunade did not want to see Sakura go through the same things she had. The girl had seen enough pain, and that Uchiha was only to give her more of it, if he went with his scheme. With this in mind, her jaw tightened with annoyance.

It had to be prevented before it could be started.

"Before that idiot does something stupid, you need to stop him."

It was quick, precise, and to the point. Sakura blinked at the sudden order. What did Tsunade know about Itachi that she did not? She had the feeling that whatever Tsunade was alluding to was somehow important. She gulped, silently pondering over what Itachi could do that was considered 'stupid.' For a moment, she had been slightly amused that someone had dared to call a man like Uchiha Itachi an idiot.

"What is he planning to do, Tsunade-shishou?" She asked after a pregnant pause, as she allowed her mind to process what her teacher had advised her. It almost sounded as if his very life was in danger, though she had a hard time imagining that. Itachi was the most powerful shinobi she knew, and she found it highly improbable that he would deem it necessary to worry for his own safety.

Tsunade was tempted to tell her ignorant student everything, down to the last details of the Uchiha massacre, and Itachi's intentions for Sasuke and herself. It did not feel right, however, and she could not do it. As much as she wanted to protect Sakura from the damage that Uchiha was going to cause to her mentality, it was not in her place to share Itachi's darkest secrets.

If Sakura ever learned about the Uchiha massacre, then it would be from the person who really witnessed it. It would be cruel of her to share something no one knew, to keep that intimacy, that trust from growing between them. When Itachi finally opened up to her, her shock and horror should be genuine. Her sympathy should be something she felt from deep within.

She let her gaze sweep Sakura's dainty form, and her eyes fell onto the silver chain still tangled into her fingers. It was damaged, and it was because of that simple predicament that her student had lost all sense. Though the report of their mission had been vague as far as their confrontation with Uchiha Sasuke, but it was easy to infer the younger Uchiha brother had been the one to snap the necklace in two.

She recognized the simply made jewelry easily enough, because she had seen it on Itachi the last time they met. Though he had not realized it then, Itachi had become somewhat possessive over the pink-haired girl. With sigh, she wondered what he would do to retaliate for Sasuke's abuse of his woman. It was sure to cause her problems, whatever he decided to do.

"I can't tell you what that Uchiha prick intends to do. All you need to know is that it's dumb as fuck, and you can't let it happen." The blond Hokage finally responded with a dark tone. Sakura quickly nodded in agreement, though not completely comprehending just what she was agreeing to, in fear of her teacher's temper being awakened. Even she, who took after Tsunade in almost every way, was not immune to her horrible moods, and had reason to want to steer clear them, if possible.

"How will I know what he is doing?"

Tsunade gave an apprehensive look. "You will know, Sakura."

AN: An update! *happy dance*

Lol. I have a song stuck in my head, and I just can't get it out of my head! Grrr.

Sasuke is a douche, but he was really fun to write in the chapter. Don't worry though. I still hate him with a flying passion. That's my brother's term. Strange, I know. I think he was dropped on his head as a baby.

Okay, yeah. I'm being all random and retarded because I'm hyped up on four cups of coffee. I was feeding the addiction. Stupid me. Please excuse whatever foolishness that was written above.