Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

Chapter 11

During the past two weeks Sakura made it a point to spend some time with each of her friends. She actually had cleared parts of her schedule to spend one-on-one time with her closest friends.

She spent every afternoon with Kakashi training and then going to dinner with either him or the other members of Team 7. It was as if Sakura wanted to spend as much time as she could with each of them.

They had gotten closer than they ever were, and for some reason Kakashi felt that there was something that she wasn't telling them, but decided to not say anything because of how happy she had been. He ignored her odd behavior and was just happy that the pinkette was spending more time with him and had a genuine smile every time that he was with her.

She had finished a week of work in the hospital and had already started her ANBU Medic training. It amazed Tsunade how Sakura could whip up and implement plans in such little time. Her expertise was renowned all over the Shinobi Nations and many of the skills taught to medic nins were special modifications or new jutsus that Sakura created. One could consider Sakura's notes as medical textbooks in their own right, worthy of grazing the shelves of the Academy. Almost all of the new policies in ANBU field medic training were implemented when Sakura joined ANBU two years ago.

Because of her crazy schedule the upcoming week with ANBU, Ino managed to convince Sakura to go out for a couple of drinks.

It was around 6 pm and she was getting ready. Even though she was visibly exhausted, she promised to spend tonight with Ino and Hinata at a nearby dance club, where the rest of her friends would show up.

The light of her bedroom window was on. Kakashi could sense her moving about the apartment as he looked on from across the street.

He had noticed that there was something different about Sakura and he wasn't sure if it was due to what he had said to her about how hard ANBU could be, or she had simply decided to live a little and not immerse herself in those dangerous missions without enjoying life.

The Copy Ninja crossed the street and silently climbed a tree and looked into her room as she finished getting ready. The pink haired woman was standing in front of the mirror brushing her hair dressed in a black loose fitted skirt that reached her mid-thigh and a red colored sleeveless blouse.

His eyes widened as he gazed at her, and he thought that if anyone caught him right now they would only confirm what everyone always said about him, that he was a perverted old fool. As much as he always hated hearing things like that, he ignored it because they weren't true. Sure he read Jiraiya's novels in public, but he could count in one hand how many women he had willingly been with, and things were so different with Sakura. There was never a time that he crossed the line with her, but here he was, wishing that she would one day notice his growing feelings for her and one day see him as more than a friend.

Kakashi then noticed that she took a hair pin from the dresser and held it in one hand as she closed her eyes and kissed it and then held it to her heart before she twisted her pink locks and placed it in her hair.

It was the first time that he had seen her do such a thing and he suddenly became curious as to who would have given her such an item. She would have never done that if she had bought it herself. Something inside him just told him that she was already taken and it hurt, it hurt like hell but… he could try… no... he could walk away or he could knock on her window.

Kakashi saw the smile on her face and even though a part of his heart broke, he concluded that it must be someone special to her.

He had been too late, taken too much time and now… there would never be a chance.

Kakashi was sure that it was someone who he did not know, because she never spoke to anyone about this new guy. There was a 98% chance that she would have told Ino by now and he would have somehow heard this through the rumor mill. He wondered when and where she would have met this person, since she had been in the village for the last two weeks and ANBU missions prior to that.

He suddenly started suspecting some of her closest friends because he didn't smell any different scents on her. Naruto was in a relationship with Hinata, Neji and Tenten were together, Shino was engaged, Shikamaru had some weird relationship with Temari of the Sand, and Choji held a torch for his own blond teammate.

Could it be Kiba? No, he was going to step up as clan heir, he couldn't pursue a partner now without approval of the clan. Sai? The two had gotten close but he had never sensed those kinds of emotions from either of them. Lee would have shouted it from the rooftops and Gai would have already mentioned the youthful accomplishment of his student in finally getting the girl.

Before he started suspecting any man from his own generation, she turned off the lights and walked out of her room.

He hid his chakra as she left her home and walked towards the center of the village.

The silver-haired ninja looked down at his hands, hung his head in defeat, and sighed as he let the single Camellia flower he had brought her fall to the ground as he jumped on the rooftops and trees towards the training grounds and away from her apartment. Whoever made her smile like that certainly had a strong hold on her heart. As much as he wanted to try, he would step back and let her be happy. She deserved to be happy, and he could never take that away from her.

In a safe house near Iwa, the blond explosives artist laid in bed, in excruciating pain.

Deidara looked at the ceiling of his bedroom and thought of all the possible ways that he would have gotten injured. He hadn't directly fought anyone in close combat since he fought Sasuke's clones and his last mission for the Akatsuki went off without a hitch. It was reconnaissance and therefore didn't have to fight anyone. He was able to use his kekkei genkai and hadn't seen any problems until two days ago.

Somehow the mouths in his hands started to close and refused to open up. He felt that he was being consumed from the inside out. Deidara knew that there was something wrong with him and he needed to get a message to Kisame and Itachi. They were the closest to him and he knew that out of all the Akatsuki, they would be the only ones to possibly come and help him.

He slowly got up from his bed and painfully made his way to a desk to write a note. In it he explained everything that had happened since his encounter with the younger Uchiha.

As much as he despised getting any help, or admitting that he actually needed it, he sealed up the scroll and walked to the back of his house where they kept messenger birds. He attached the scroll and let it fly towards the safehouse where Kisame and Itachi were based.

The elder Uchiha might know more about his little brother's skills than anyone else. No one else in their organization would be able to figure this out.

Crimson eyes kept watch on the house of the explosives artist. The dark-haired man chuckled and said, "It won't be long now. We'll see how well you can fight against me without your precious kekkei genkai."

"Man Itachi, I hadn't had a work out like that in years. I'm glad that you let me go in first, you usually end up having all the fun and finish them all off before we even begin."
The usually stoic Uchiha responded with a, "Hn."

The tall blue man chuckled and said, "Well I guess we can go home, the information we got here was extremely valuable."

Kisame held onto several scrolls that their leader had wanted them to acquire from Waterfall. Itachi decided that he would look over the documents before he delivered them to Pein.

Itachi calmly said, "Yes, so it seems."

They silently made their way towards their home on the border of Fire. Itachi had reverted to his stoic, emotionless persona while around Kisame and had managed to avoid all the questions that were directed his way.

The last two weeks without Sakura put a different perspective on his life. It is as if life with her was a dream, a dream that he didn't want to wake up from.

Itachi had thought of his lover every day since they departed. He craved her touch, needed to feel her warmth, be lulled to sleep in the soft embrace of her arms.

As Itachi continued to make his way back to their safe house, Kisame kept looking at him and wondered what could have happened to him to change his hard exterior. He was absolutely sure that it was a woman, but had no evidence of it. Itachi was the most private person that he had ever met. That being said, very few people could read the subtle signs that the Uchiha Itachi, prodigy of the renowned Sharingan wielders of the Leaf would have someone on his mind.

They neared their home and as soon as they got there, they immediately set up their protection seals around the doors and windows.

Itachi grabbed the scrolls and quickly scanned them for any information that could be of use to the Leaf.

The evening progressed and both men had just sat down to eat a late dinner when a messenger hawk landed on its perch and activated the seal.

Kisame was about to get up to get it but Itachi stood up and said, "I will get it. Last time you scared the hawk and we missed a very important scroll from Konan-san."

Kisame laughed at the memory as he took a piece of fish and took a huge bite for emphasis.

Itachi turned around so Kisame couldn't see him roll his eyes in amusement.

He unrolled the scroll and as soon as he read it, Itachi re-read it just to make sure that the words hadn't changed. He pinched the bridge of his nose as he contemplated the possibilities and then sighed. Orochimaru had always been one to use devious means to get what he wanted. The fight with Sasuke was the only thing different and for a kekkei genkai to be disabled would have to mean that someone had medical knowledge. The fact that his foolish little brother had spent a significant amount of time with that treacherous snake, and was now in possession of said man's own summons caused a knot to tighten in his stomach.

This was bad. If Deidara was indeed without his kekkei genkai he would be vulnerable to attacks.

He thought about all the possible outcomes and deep down he felt that this was a trap. Itachi walked inside and took a seat next to Kisame and informed him of the situation. Kisame cracked his knuckles and said, "So do you think that those rumors of Deidara going crazy with his stupid explosives is all a set up to throw people off?"

Itachi raised and eyebrow and said in a detached voice, "Deidara might be a lot of things, but when it comes to his "art" there is no way that he would ever think of allowing any sub-par materials to be used. He is one of the few missing nins that enjoys using a signature element in all that he does. I think you might be right, Kisame-san. We need to investigate this before it reaches anyone else in the organization."

Kisame smiled and said, "I'm looking forward to another fight."

Itachi glared at the man but said nothing. He hoped that Konoha wouldn't send anyone to investigate. He stood up and said, "We leave in an hour since we have to stop and hand over these scrolls from Waterfall to Pein-san before they start asking why we took so long. I will wait for you outside."

Kisame grinned and went to go pack his things.

In Konoha, Tsunade had sent Kakashi and Naruto on a special mission to Iwagakure to investigate some reports on the Akatsuki member known as Deidara. That was three days ago.

She looked at the papers that she was just handed and took a swig of her saké. Something felt off about the reports, the explosions weren't like the usual explosions used by the famed terrorist, and they were getting closer to the borders of Fire.

The Hokage of the Leaf was trying to find out who amongst the ranks would be suitable to go investigate the other situation regarding the Akatsuki.

Neji's recon team had sent a report from the field via messenger hawk that it looked like some of them were on the move and heading towards Iwa.

She didn't want Kakashi and Naruto to be ambushed.

She grabbed the bottle of saké and refilled her cup once more.

Tsunade didn't like the information in the reports that she was reviewing, but she had no other choice but to send Sakura to go and confirm the information and possibly assist Kakashi and Naruto. Her last recon mission was a success and she had a better understanding of the area since her last mission.

Tsunade hated sending out her pupil for a job like this but decided to send her anyway since she was most prepared and familiar with the surroundings.

She called in one of her messengers and instructed them to call in Sakura, Yamato and Sai immediately for a S-class ANBU mission.

When they showed up Tsunade explained the situation and Sakura immediately tensed when she heard that Akatsuki was involved. Her ANBU mask was already on and she was able to hide the worried look.

Tsunade spoke, "Yamato will be captain, on this mission. I expect you to track down the other Akatsuki members. We have reason to believe that they might be on their way to Iwa to join Deidara. Kakashi and Naruto are already there investigating some reports on discrepancies on the use of explosives. There is a possibility that there is a person that is impersonating Deidara and we don't want any Akatsuki members together in one spot. It might be a trap and I need for the three of you to support Kakashi and Naruto in any way possible. I don't have to stress the danger of encountering any Akatsuki members, be careful and stay safe. You leave in an 30 minutes. Get out of here, I need to speak with Yamato."

Sai and Sakura bowed to their leader and made their way out the door. Sakura turned around and as she was closing the door, she took a last look at her shishou and said a silent goodbye.

Tsunade watched her apprentice close the doors, and when it was just the two of them in the office, she looked at the ANBU captain and said, "Tenzou, I have a reason to believe that Uchiha Sasuke is behind some of this, I think he is luring his brother out. The reports say that the explosive material is not the same. Either Sasuke is behind this or some other copy cat wannabe trying to get some attention. I need for you to keep a close watch on the original members of Team 7, Kakashi included. I don't know how emotionally invested they still are in him or if their judgement will be clouded. That blond brat will undoubtedly become emotional and I don't know how Sakura will react. She has become more level-headed as the years have passed by and she says that she has gotten over her crush, but that damn kid broke her heart and crushed her self-esteem. I don't want her to freeze up if she has to be forced to end him."
He bowed his head and said, "I understand Hokage-sama. I will do everything in my power to either capture or neutralize him."

Sakura dashed home as soon as she left the Hokage's office. She quickly packed for the trip but then walked along her walls and looked at all of her framed pictures. She allowed her emotions to come out and with some tears, some soft smiles, and remembering some great times she headed upstairs to collect the only things that mattered to her in her room.

Sakura took the scroll where she kept Itachi's cloak and picked up the only two pictures in her bedroom, the picture of her parents and her copy of Team 7 as a new genin squad. She grabbed the hair pin from her dresser and then sealed all the items in the scroll that she would keep inside her ANBU armor, close to her heart. Before long she ran towards the gates of Konoha after taking in and memorizing all the sights and smells of her beloved village.

Soon enough, her Captain and one of her closest friends stood next to her, ready to depart.

With a simple nod all three ANBU lept into the trees and made their way towards the border of Fire towards Iwa.

It would take them about two days time to get there, if they continued on without stopping for long periods of time.

There was a loud explosion that rocked the foundations of his home. Deidara opened his eyes and quickly lunged out of the way of a beam falling right on top of his bed. His body screamed at the pain that shot through his arms down to his hands.

He pulled himself up and before the next explosion detonated, he jumped out of the window only to be thrown a couple of yards away from the blast behind him.

There was dust, debris, and the acrid smell of an all-consuming fire.

He wanted to succumb to the darkness and welcome unconsciousness but he knew that he was in danger. His instincts screamed the word 'Run!' but his body couldn't move fast enough or follow any commands.

Amid the settling dust and crackling of the fire he heard a sinister laugh from behind him.

Deidara turned around and looked at the younger of the Uchiha's. His eyes grew wide as he stared the cold hard gaze of the Sharingan.

Sasuke smirked down at him as he slowly stroked a small snake wrapped around his arm and said, "Your useless without your bloodline limit. I'm glad the little present that this little one left has worked marvelously."

The blond realized that his suspicions were right, Sasuke had done something to him to stop his bloodline limits. He looked up to glare at the younger man.

Sasuke crouched down next to him and said, "Tell me… Is my brother coming?"

Deidara wasn't particularly loyal to Itachi but he hated this bastard so much that he would say just about anything to piss him off.

"You will never beat him… he's stronger than you… he has everything that you don't. You… are… still too weak… to face him."

Something inside Sasuke snapped and he grabbed Deidara by the collar and said, "Are you sure that you want to say such a thing?"

Deidara laughed in his face and said, "You are a brat… you know nothing of true pain."

Sasuke's chidori began to form in his free hand and Deidara's eyes widened by a fraction but he didn't tear his gaze from him.

Sasuke's hatred was reaching its peak, he felt the chakra signatures of his teammates and yelled at them, "Karin get them back to run the perimeter. I will deal with this one myself."
The three members of Team Hebi went back into the trees and left them.

Deidara used this distraction to jump back from Sasuke's grasp.

He painfully settled into a fighting stance. The artist was a long-range fighter but without his abilities he would have to resort to taijutsu and try to avoid falling prey to the Sharingan. For once in his life he prayed that Kisame and Itachi would arrive.

Sasuke charged and they clashed in a blurred dance of arms and legs. Deidara wasn't able to cause much damage due to his weakened state but he wasn't a member of Akatsuki for nothing. He gave him a decent fight and managed to evade some of his genjutsus. Fighting Itachi had taught him how to counter some of them as well.

Sasuke suddenly felt Karin get close enough to yell, "Sasuke-kun, we have Konoha ANBU and your former teammates getting close. They will be here in a bit."
He continued to fight Deidara but yelled, "Is HE coming. I don't give a damn about anyone else!"

She used her abilities and then after several moments, she screamed out, "YES!"

There was a dark gleam flash through Sasuke's eyes and Deidara looked at the cold glare and he knew that there was no way that he would survive this fight.

(a couple of hours before)

"Will you hurry up Kisame-san, we have already lost too much time." Itachi knew that if any Konoha nins were sent out when they left the safe house they would be arriving around the same time that they would. Sakura must have already informed them of all the Akatsuki safe houses, It was only a matter of time and distance. It was noon already and they needed to leave to get closer to Iwa.

Thoughts of his beloved Sakura flooded his mind. They might not be able to go through with their original plan.

With each step towards Iwa he changed parts of their plan, he needed to make sure to stay alive and see her again. He needed to do what he needed with Sasuke and get away from him and Kisame as soon as he could. He would find her and they would reconsider their plans if needed.

They neared the borders and for some reason the pull of a familiar chakra was calling to him. It felt sinister, full of hate, and longing for revenge.

He looked on ahead, clearing his head and focusing about what was to come. In his mind he said, 'I am coming foolish little brother. I will help rid you of this curse.' His hands curled around the small piece of paper, with a special seal written in his own blood.

Itachi closed his eyes and spread his senses. He could feel many chakra signatures converging in one spot.

He looked at Kisame and said, "We must hurry he is surrounded and I feel that there are many people heading towards him."

Kisame gave him a toothy grin and said, "Finally a good party!"

Both increased their speed and attempted to close the distance between them.

Kakashi's ninken had heard the explosions as they ran a recon perimeter. They poofed back to their master and informed him of what they found. Naruto only had to look at Kakashi to convey that they were going. They ran towards the large pillars of smoke coming from the edge of the horizon. That amount of smoke could only mean a large explosion, where they would find their target.

They didn't expect to find their former teammate running his hand through Deidara's chest as the crackles of his chidori died down. Kisame and Itachi approached the clearing from the opposite direction at the same time the body of the blond explosives artist hit the ground.

Sasuke looked up and gazed at the shocked faces of his former sensei, Naruto, and Itachi's partner Kisame. The grin on his face grew wider as his curse mark flashed and his Sharingan locked with the crimson eyes of his older brother.

Sasuke didn't bother to clean the blood off of his hand as he stood up and said, "You die today brother."

Itachi closed his eyes, saying a silent prayer as he felt his brother's presence come up right next to him.

With inhuman speed, Itachi grabbed both of Sasuke's wrists and then disappeared with him in a flock of crows.

He missed the arrival of a pink haired ANBU who looked up at the sky. He couldn't have known about the tear that fell behind her mask and the whispered, "Be safe my love."

The one's left now faced Kisame and the arrival of Sasuke's new teammates.

A/N: sorry the story kinda jumps around from pov to pov but I needed to get across that a lot of things were happening simultaneously, so I will try to clear it up some:

Deidara writing a note to send to Itachi and Kisame happens on the same day, that they finish their mission and head home.

Naruto and Kakashi were sent on their mission a few days after Sakura went out with Ino and the girls (I didn't go into that because it wasn't relevant and wouldn't have moved the story along, let's just say it was a fun night and nothing happened.)

Sasuke had set up fake explosions weeks/days before Deidara started having pain. He was trying to bring heat on Deidara, so rumors could be started. Those are the explosions that Tsunade had sent Kakashi and Naruto to investigate. The intel that Neji had sent via messenger was when Itachi and Kisame were going towards Iwa but before Itachi and Kisame decide to make a detour to see Pein. Neji could listen in because, thanks to Sakura/Itachi's intel, they knew that the Akatsuki only placed the protection seals after they arrive at their safehouse. Leaf ANBU had time to bug the house and Neji could always read their lips with his Byakugan. Thanks to the intel that Sakura had given Tsunade, they now knew the locations of the safehouses and were just keeping a close eye without attacking.

Itachi and Kisame head out towards Iwa and Neji sends a message to Konoha at the same time. Tsunade immediately sends out Sakura, Yamato and Sai. They are only couple of hours behind Itachi and Kisame, while Kakashi and Naruto are already there. Since Itachi and Kisame have to make a pit stop to see their leader, Leaf ANBU has time to catch up on distance.

Please don't kill me about Kakashi, this will NOT be a love triangle fic. I just needed someone in Konoha to sort of know that there was someone in the picture without really divulging Itachi and Sakura's relationship status.

This was the hardest chapter to write, so many things going on and just trying to figure out how to make them go together. Forgive me if it is all over the place.

Next chapter might take a bit longer because it involves a major fight scene that I have already re-written twice. I will take my time with the next specific chapter because it is really important.