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Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto!

Chapter 10

Instead of the predicted capitulation of his prisoner Itachi was quite confused to see the dainty girl smirking. "You know, that's an old trick." she just said and vanished. Itachi tried to detect her through the darkness of the room but something was wrong with his sharingan. Normally he was able to see nearly everything with it but right now he could only detect several different shadows-he just wasn't able to see this stubborn girl anymore.

Crap he thought. What did she do to my eyes during the examination? My eyesight is even worse than before!

He still pressed the byakugan-boy (don't know how to spell that! please tell me so I can correct it if it is wrong.) to the wall and couldn't move away unless he wanted to release his hold on the windpipe of Neji for a short moment. He was pretty sure that Sakura would take advantage of that even if it was just a second of carelessness.

He gave up searching for her shadow-like form and concentrated at his surroundings. Even though Sakura was excellent in suppressing her chakra trail she would make a mistake sooner or later.

Meanwhile said girl was pressed next to a wall and performed several different and complicated looking hand signs. She had found a scroll of secret jutsus during one of her countless tries of cleaning up the Hokage-archive. Not that she had stolen them or anything like that-she had just borrowed a few and forgot to give them back until she was able to master three of them. Now silently thanking her inner-self who had quite stubbornly told her to leave the feelings of guilt behind while she had packed the scrolls inside her pouch she did the final sign and was soon able to perform a highly pro-like genjutsu.

Feeling her chakra spinning over Itachi like some kind of silent sand storm she moved towards the sharingan user to detect if her with training spent nights had finally paid of.

Grinning happily while waving her hand in front of his face she cautiously lifted his strong hand away from Neji's neck. Itachi was inside of some kind of parallel world right now and due to her earlier performance of genius-like potential she prevented him from using his strongest weapon. Due to several caped chakra-lines inside of his eyes she was able to move his arm as freely as she wanted to. Smirking like a little girl who had found the hiding-place of the candies she positioned his arm over his head in a coward-like position. If someone would find him like that-Deidara for example- they surely wouldn't let him live that down. The great Uchiha covered in fear because of a girl-even though it wasn't exactly true but she was sure that the other Akatsuki members could care less.

Stepping away from her former kidnapper she kneed down to help the coughing Neji up again. He had landed on the ground as soon as Itachi had released his hold on him. He nodded a thank you to her and then moved his glance towards the stone-like body of the Uchiha.

Itachi was still waiting for Sakura to make her move. It seemed like she had been vanished completely and forever but of course that wasn't possible. He still had Neji pressed against the wall and this girl would never escape without her friends. She was way too loyal to leave them behind. Concentrating back again he got quite cynical about this whole situation. Would she really be patient enough to wait for such a long time? That was totally untypical for her earlier showed character. Maybe she has used some kind of genjutsu. After all she has cancelled my sharingan so most likely she had planned that from the beginning. Itachi angrily thought. But then a sweat drop appeared on his head. Oh shit. I have never learned how to annihilate genjutsus. I've always counted on my sharingan during situations like that.

Gritting his teeth he tried to remember his lessons in the academy. But he had been way too cocky to actually listen to what their teacher told them about cancelling genjutsus. "Crap!" he hissed. "That girl tricked me. This time for real!"

To confirm his suspicion he slowly released the long-haired guy. But he didn't move an inch. He stayed hanging over the ground what made a rather strange view. So he really was under the influence of one of this damn jutsus. Concentrating again he made a few basic hand signs-the only ones he could remember- and whispered "Kay" but nothing happened. Obviously her technique was way to strong to be removed such easily.

He had to wait for someone else to push chakra inside his body to release the genjutsu again. Oh, how he hated that girl at the moment.

Sakura noticed the strange glance Neji gave the stone-like body of Itachi but didn't pay any attention to it. "Well, I think we have to take his keys and then try to find Sai." That's some kind of déjà vu experience Sakura thought with a sweat drop forming at her forehead. I just hope we will be more successful this time.

From the corner of her eye she could see Neji moving towards the Uchiha and putting his palm at his arm. "What are you do-"but her yell came to late. Neji had already pushed his chakra inside of Itachi's body. That would instantly remove the jutsu she had anathematised him with. And truly to her thoughts the Uchiha quickly moved his arms back into a fighting position and looked confused at the pale-eyed boy standing next to him with his hand still touching Itachi's sleeve. Said man had tried to remember some long lost memories when he had suddenly felt the presence of unknown chakra inside of his body. Having clamped to it he was able to reach reality again. But he would have never thought that Sakura's friend would help him recovering again. Suspiciously he shook of Neji's hand and moved backwards to contemplate the current situation. He had always been one to plan every nut, bolt and screw.

But right now he didn't seem to be the only one who was more than just confused. Sakura was staring at her most likely ex-best friend and opened and closed her mouth like some kind of fish. A pink fish.

Snorting due to the absurdity of the moment Itachi received a half hateful and half sad glance from the pink-haired girl.

He had already seen her once with that look in her beautiful-he had to admit that- green eyes and that had been when her friends had betrayed her, He had watched every move of them from behind a bush to examine her strength and personality before he would meet her personally. But it was different to actually see her standing so closely in front of him and nearly crying. "Why-Why have you done that, Neji?" he could hear her whisper softly. Surprisingly he could feel some kind of pity inside of his heart. But it soon vanished when he saw her straighten up again-her moment of vulnerability had obviously passed. "So you are one of them. You want to have Sasuke back in Konoha again? He's a traitor, Neji!" she shouted but then she calmed down again. "But…so are you, aren't you?

Itachi could exactly see how much Neji was hurt by her words. But he had to admit that she was obviously right. Leaning back to enjoy the show he continued to watch.

"Sakura, please…" the boy started but was immediately interrupted by said girl's cutting voice: "Don't you dare to make excuses! I have seen it with my own eyes! We would have been able to escape if you hadn't helped that idiot!"

Itachi twitched "Hey!" he hissed. "I'm standing right here so don't call me an idiot!"

But he wasn't noticed at all. Sakura continued her speech:" I thought you wanted to help me to get away from Itachi. But it was all a plan, right? You were ordered to act like you would protect me to come with me. Inside of this base to watch me. To hinder me from escaping and breaking the deal?" with the last sentenced her voice was low and broken. She obviously had surrendered.

Finally Itachi thought but it didn't go like we have planned. She shouldn't have known that Neji and Sai are participating in the deal I have made with Konoha.

He heavily sighed and stepped forward again. "Come with me. We will go back to your room for now." As predicted Sakura slowly nodded. This part of the deal had obviously put her over the edge and she didn't struggle when he laid a hand on her shoulder and carefully pushed her towards the door. Looking back at the beaten boy he could easily see how depressed he was right now. But Itachi just gave him one of his cruel smirks and continued to lead the way after having closed the door again.

Well, let's just see how I can use that for my advantage.

Kakashi heavily sighed and closed his favourite orange book again. Ever since Sakura had been captured he was quite depressed. Reading his perverted book without her running after him and scolding him just wasn't the same. He laid down at the roof of the Hokage-building again and watched the clouds passing by like he had done million times before. Hearing a loud yell coming from inside the building he sighed. Here you go again! He thought lazily while he slowly got up and jumped through the open window. It had been repaired only hours ago and he really hoped that it would last longer this time. After all it was the money of the village which was spent for it and they could surely invest it better. In the library for example.

Receiving an evil glance from Tsunade he changed his slouched posture and straightened up again. Lazy or not he was still a ninja and that currently drunken woman at the other side of the table was his Hokage. "How may I help you, Tsunade-sama?" he asked overly polite. Since Sakura had left the village the only person who could rudimentary replace her spunky personality was her master, so Kakashi often tested Tsunade's capability of good-placed punches. He had to admit that she was nearly as strong as his former student. But only nearly.

Faking a smile he listened to her slurred answer:"I want you to rescue Sakura, im-imediately!"

Sighing again he slowly answered:"We have discussed that already, Tsunade-sama. Sakura will come back soon but right now we can't do anything. It was Naruto's biggest wish to have his two team-mates reunited again."

"Yeah, I know that, Kakashi! But I don't want to loose Naruto nor do I want to loose Sakura."

"Mhm." the grey-haired man said and looked out of the window towards the sunset "neither do I."

Hope you liked it! Having any clues about the second part of then deal? The presumptions I have received so far are good but they aren't completely right ;)

Votes so far:

SakuraXItachi: 11

SaiXSakuraXNeji: 8

DeidaraXSakura: 2

NejiXSakura: 4

SaiXSakura: 1

It may seem like I have crushed the idea of NejiXSakura but don't worry. I still have some tricks in my bag ;) Just vote and you will see ehat I am able to do!

Cya serafina25