The sound of a few crackels from the fire could still be heard the next morning. Sakura rolled over to her side, pulling the blanket as she went. Itachi peeked open his eyes to see that he was no longer covered, and grabbing the blanket, pulled it back over him along with her with it.

Putting his arm under her head, he took her arm and wrapped it around his waist so that he could pull her in close. Her hair was a mess that covered her face, and the look of it made him happy although he did not smile. Brushing his long hair out of the way, he then proceeded to brush hers away as well.

Sakura could feel him next to her, and without opening her eyes, she rubbed her leg up between his and stuffed her face into his chest. With the arm that he had thrown over her, she hugged him in so tightly that it made him arch his back uncomfortably. Realizing that she couldn't keep him that way, she released her grip so that he could relax.

The chilled morning air coupled with their body heat made for a most pleasant atmosphere. As they lay entangled with the sheets, Itachi secretly wished that he could stay there on the floor with her forever. Staring down at her sleepy face, Itachi took a mental photograph of the one person that he felt belonged to him, and who he also felt, he belonged to. He would die to protect her without hesitation, and was somehow comforted to know that he had found something that important to him, something he felt was truly worth dying for.

A creek came from the upstairs hallway, and soon Kisame came walking out onto the stairs.

"Had a good sleep?" Kisame asked, grinning.

"Hai..." whispered Sakura, smiling and rubbing her nose on Itachi's chest. Realizing that she was still naked but that Kisame could not see her body because of the angle, she reached down for the blanket and pulled it up so that it covered her head and Itachi's shoulder.

Itachi took this opportunity to cop a feel. Looking down at her with an eyebrow raised, he stroked his hand down her backside, slowing when he reached the top of her cheeks. Sakura giggled and blushed with excitement. Squeezing him close, she gently placed tiny kisses upon his chest, making him jump from the tickles.

"I don't know what you're doing under there, but please stop," said Kisame, watching the scene with disgust, but chuckled when he turned his back to them.

"There's a storm coming," said Kisame, smelling the air. "It's going to be a long one. We'll have to stay a day at the very least."

Kisame walked over to the back door and opened it to reveal a wide porch. Stepping out onto the veranda, Kisame looked back and forth, observing the wind and watching the movement of the clouds.

"I'm going to send a message to Deidara. He should be able to contact Konoha on our location," Kisame said, stretching.

The thought of going back to Konoha did not bode well with Sakura. She knew that if she went back, Itachi would not be able to go back with her. She'd be left alone all over again, and the thought made her sick to her stomach.

Itachi noticed that Sakura stopped moving. Looking over to Kisame, Itachi jerked his head to tell him to leave them. Immediately getting the hint, Kisame nodded and went out the front door to get the message to Deidara.

Still with an emotionless expression on his face, Itachi slowly lifted the blanket off of Sakura's head. She had her head tilted down and away so that Itachi couldn't see her face, so he picked her up and pulled her onto his chest for a hug.

Sakura sighed heavily. She knew she didn't have to say anything about what was wrong, and the silent communication between them was all that was needed to be said. Holding her tightly, he watched her draw tiny circles on his chest with her finger and smash her face into him when she was done. Sitting up, Itachi placed his hand on her face and stared at her intently until she looked him in the eye. As she stared back at him, her eyes began to get teary, at which point Itachi proceeded to pull her in for another hug.

Sakura could feel her heart breaking all over again. She knew that it was not long before she would have to return, and she found herself once again confused as to which path she should take. Now that she knew what it was like to be back in Konoha without him, she wondered what it would be like to walk the same path as Itachi.

"Don't think about it," said Itachi.

Kissing her forehead, he got up to put on his clothes. Sakura got up to do the same. With their backs turned to eachother, Itachi's face had a more solemn look than usual as he pulled over his shirt. Sakura looked down at the ground as she did so as well.

Walking out onto the veranda, Itachi sat to lean against a post, letting Sakura sit between his legs and lean back against him. Soon the rain began to trickle harder until it began to pour, the wind blowing towards the front of the house so that it shielded them from getting wet.

Sakura entwined her fingers with Itachi's and looked out into the rain as if trying to foresee the future, wishing that the storm would never end. Itachi stared down at her, holding his precious belonging with his whole heart. Though he had told her not to think about it, he himself could not help but imagine the outcomes of their fate, and each time he came to a conclusion, he found himself alone.

Itachi knew that if she went back to Konoha, it would have to be alone. If he brought her with him on his journeys, he didn't know what she would think of all the decisions he would have to make as a member of Akatsuki. She probably wouldn't stick around very long. As he considered all of the possibilities, never once did he think about leaving Akatsuki. There was just too much he had running with them. There was one thing, however, he knew that he could never give up, and that was Sakura. He wouldn't be able to stop loving her, even if he tried.

"What are you thinking?" asked Sakura, noticing that he was far off someplace else.

"Mmm?...Nothing," he mumbled, hugging her close.

"...You know what I love best about you..." said Sakura, smiling and looking downward. "You never have an expression on your face and your eyes are glazed over when you speak to everyone else, but when you look at me, your eyes tell me everything."

Itachi said nothing. He knew it was true. There was something about Sakura that softened his expression every time he looked at her.

So...thought Itachi. This is my weakness...

Suddenly the front door burst open and Kisame came barging in. Sakura immediately got up so that Itachi could stand and walk over to Kisame who had a look of worry on his face.

"Deidara has informed me that he's met up with the group from Konoha, but there's a problem. Deidara's received word that Orochimaru is on the move. Apparently he's coming to claim Sasuke, and the only way to get him back is to silence the girl. Orochimaru may not be able to eliminate you, but if killing Sakura is the closest thing he has to getting Sasuke back, he'll do what it takes."

Itachi looked over his shoulder at Sakura. Narrowing his eyes, Itachi feared that it would have resorted to a confrontation like this.

"There's just one more thing," said Kisame. "Deidara said that Orochimaru had sent Kabuto to go looking for Sasuke..."

Itachi immediately looked back. The presence they felt the other night was Kabuto's. That meant that Kabuto was aiming to kill Sakura, but why would he wait when he had her in his sight?

Sasuke...thought Itachi. He's waiting for Sasuke to show up first.

However, just as Itachi turned around to look at Sakura who was still standing on the veranda looking at them, a figure with black hair could be seen approaching from behind her. Suddenly the flash of sword was seen and before Sakura knew it, she turned to see Sasuke's sharingan eyes and his sword unsheathed, blocked by Itachi's kunai as he stood between them.

Fast...thought Sakura.

As Sasuke stood there locked with Itachi, his eyes flashed over to Sakura that sent chills up her spine. He was still after her even with Itachi right there.

Suddenly an explosion went off, blasting the front doors open. As the dust began to settle, Sakura and Kisame saw the gleam of Kabuto's glasses.

As Kabuto stood before them, Kisame stepped in between him and Sakura, cocking his head as if to say, "you're not getting past."

Sakura slipped on her gloves, she was getting ready to fight.

"No, Sakura," said Itachi. His breathing hadn't changed, regardless of the struggle before him.

"So, Sasuke," said Kabuto from the other side. "You just couldn't let it go, could you."

"Butt out, Kabuto," said Sasuke darkly.

The look that Kabuto got after he heard Sasuke's response told everyone looking at him that this time, Sasuke meant business, and that even Kabuto was scared to intervene.

At that moment, Sasuke managed to complete his slice, causing Itachi to jump back. However, as Itachi jumped back his hand stuck out to feel where Sakura was standing. The problem was, she wasn't there. Looking sideways, he couldn't see her.

"Too late, Itachi," said Sasuke standing in front of him.

Dashing forward to strike him, Itachi dug his kunai into Sasuke's heart, and immediately understood. It was another copy.

As the copy dissipated before him, Itachi looked around to see where Sakura was taken, but all he saw was the struggle between Kisame and Kabuto as they lashed out at eachother, Kisame's sword against Kabuto's devastating chakra cuts. Faced with the one enemy that could weaken his main source of attacking just by getting close, and seeing that Sasuke had disappeared yet again, Kabuto knew this fight was going nowhere. So, taking his leave, Kabuto disappeared as well.

Being left behind, Itachi's gut wrenched at him as he was pissed off at the fact that he let Sasuke get away with Sakura. One thing was for sure, and that was Sasuke wouldn't kill her unless it was in front of him. The desperation he felt to get her back unharmed was overwhelming, but he did not show it.

"Kisame," said Itachi.

Kisame nodded.

Grabbing everything they had left behind, Itachi bent over and swept up Sakura's headband that was still sitting above her pillow. He then headed straight out the front door, alongside Kisame. There was only one real option that they had now, and that was to hope that Sasuke would come to find them. However, Akatsuki never left things to chance, so Itachi and Kisame set out to make another one.