Chapter Ten
Sudden remembrance
Sakura bolted upright. She was alone in the living room, sitting on the couch. She was trembling all over, and tears made their way down her cheeks. She suddenly made her way to Itachi's room. She clutched her ribs on the way, because of her medical training she knew she broke three of them. She went down the empty hallway. Itachi's door was closed, but she abruptly opened it. "Itachi…" Her voice sounded half mad, and half sad.
Itachi's sharingan eyes pierced through the darkness, "What happened to your formality, Sakura-san?"
Sakura turned the light on. Itachi could see tears in her eyes, "I remember everything!" She shouted. Itachi stood up. Sakura approached him, with tears rolling down her cheeks. Sakura began to hit Itachi in the chest, and he let her. "Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you let me keep my memory? I've felt a part of me missing this whole time, and it was you!" Sakura calmed her breathing, but continued to hit Itachi. "Why didn't you ask me to go with you?" Itachi caught her by the wrists. Sakura stopped hitting him and collapsed into him. "Why?" She cried even harder. Itachi embraced her in a hug.
"I did it to protect you." Itachi whispered. He didn't even try to hide it. He missed her too much to.
"To protect me? Itachi, I believed you, when you said you were innocent. I-I Lo…" She quickly looked away and paused while tears rolled down her face.
Itachi lifted her chin with his hand. "Say it."
"I don't think I can. I'm so hurt right now." Sakura looked down again.
Itachi brought her chin back up, "I meant what I said, when I left."
Sakura smiled slightly, "Then why did you make me forget?"
"I didn't." Itachi objected. "I didn't want to hurt you. I didn't make you forget your past, but rather made it so when you were ready to remember, you would."
Sakura cried into Itachi's chest. Itachi took her robe off, and laid her down on the bed. "Your ribs are broken." He observed.
She nodded, still crying. "They could've waited." She brought her hands up to her ribs, and started to heal them.
Itachi looked concerned, "You shouldn't have interfered." He said sternly.
"It was just instinct to protect you." She said with a weak smile.
He brushed his hand over the bruise Deidara made on her face. "I wanted to kill him, when he hit you. I could've blocked easily."
"I know." Sakura said, "I wanted to make a clear point." Sakura finished healing her ribs. They were still soar, though. She leaned over to Itachi. "Let me heal your eyes now." Itachi nodded. Sakura sat up and began to reach out to touch Itachi, but stopped. She was remembering the last time she fixed his eyes. "Itachi?"
"Hn?" He replied.
"Did you see it too? I mean," She thought for a moment, "I guess, they were flashbacks of my past. Did you see them too, when we touched each other?"
"Yes, Sakura, I did. It hurt every time." He said honestly.
"Close your eyes." Sakura demanded as she touched his temples. Her hands glowed blue. She stopped. "Okay, open." Itachi did as he was told. Sakura examined his eyes. She held up a finger. "Follow my finger." She began to move her finger around, and smiled. "They look better. Do they feel better?"
Itachi nodded. They were silent for a long moment, until Itachi spoke again. "Sakura, I'm sorry for what I've put you through."
Sakura began to weep again, and Itachi held her close. They both laid down on the bed. Eventually Sakura cried herself to sleep, and shortly after Itachi began to feel sleepy. Sakura, I promise I will always protect you. I love you. With that thought, Itachi fell asleep as well.
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The entire ANBU stood before the hokage. The hokage stood silently for a moment, before speaking. "I'm sure most of you are aware of the situation here. Sakura is with the akatsuki, and she has valuable Konoha information. It's time to make the akatsuki our primary target." The hokage paused for a long moment, her attitude changed, "I have something to inform you all on. This is top secret and must remain between the ANBU. As you know, Sakura was announced a missing-nin, a little more then a year ago. The truth is, she was kidnapped by the akatsuki, an elected herself to be a spy. Every time she would come in contact with Kakashi, she would give him some inside information on the akatsuki. This was consistent, until six months ago. That was the last time we've heard from her. Do everything in your power to get Sakura back alive. Everyone leaves tomorrow morning. Kakashi, Naruto, and Nezzumi, stay a bit. The rest of you, are dismissed."
"Yes, ma'am." The entire squad said before disappearing, leaving three ANBU behind.
The three walked up to Tsunade. Tsunade waited a moment, "This has gotten out of hand. We haven't heard back from Sakura in six months. Something's wrong. She's either dead, or she is an official missing nin."
Naruto stood silent. He was shaking with anger, Nezzumi noticed. She lightly brushed her hand over his. "Why didn't you tell us any of this?!" Naruto screamed furiously, making Nezzumi flinch. "I can't believe you two knew about this and didn't even let Nezzumi and me know? You made us think she betrayed us this whole time!"
Tsunade's eyes narrowed, "Naruto, you know why I couldn't tell you. First, it would've been a conflict of interest, and you would've put Sakura's life in danger. Not to mention, yours (even more so), and Nezzumi's."
Naruto was still shaking with anger. Nezzumi looked down. Kakashi was kneeling down, silently, until he broke the silence, "It doesn't matter now. Sakura either needs our help, or she needs a good beating to bring her back."
Naruto looked determined, "We will bring her back. No matter what, I'll bring her back." He growled.
Nezzumi smiled, "That's right! We wont let her get away this time." She suddenly got nervous, "Itachi still doesn't know I'm alive." Tears welled in her eyes.
Naruto embraced her. "It'll be fine Nezzumi. If anything, that works to our advantage, right? He'll be so shocked that you're still alive that we can take Sakura-chan back, no problem."
"True." Nezzumi said sadly. Her sharingan eyes narrowed. "I'm going to confront my brother. He should know I'm alive."
Naruto looked shocked, "Nezzumi, you could put your life in danger by doing that."
"Perhaps, but I don't believe I would be. I need to do this, please." Nezzumi looked to Tsunade for conformation.
Tsunade nodded. "If that's how you feel, then you may let him know you're alive, but be smart about it, don't get yourself killed."
Nezzumi nodded, with a slight smile. Naruto crossed his hands. "It's a bad idea." He protested.
"It's already been decided, Naruto." Tsunade stated sternly. "Now, you all leave in the morning. You are dismissed."
Naruto reluctantly left Tsunade's office after Nezzumi. Kakashi waited a moment, "Tsunade-sama, do you think it's wise to let Nezzumi confront her brother, and send Naruto right to the akatsuki?"
Tsunade rubbed her temples. "Kakashi, Nezzumi is going to do what she wants, weather or not we allow her. She'll make sure both of her brothers know she's alive. As for Naruto, he's determined to get Sakura back. No, it's not wise to send him to the akatsuki, but I believe that he'll be fine. He will get Sakura back, I know it."
Kakashi nodded. "It'll be nice to have Sakura back, ne?"
"Yes, it would." She paused, "But we cannot assume that she is the same Sakura that we knew."
Kakashi nodded. He sighed. "Good night, Tsunade-sama."
Tsunade waved him off. Kakashi jumped out the window, and disappeared into the dark.
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Sakura woke up when she felt the warmth against her leave. She sat up in Itachi's bed. Itachi was standing by the window. She walked over to him, and looked out the window. Besides the rain, everything seemed still outside. Sakura made her way into Itachi's embrace. "Itachi, what's wrong?"
"Something isn't right." He mumbled.
"You feel it too?" She asked, "I feel like something big is going to happen."
"Nothing will happen to you, as long as I'm around." Itachi said.
"I know." Sakura replied. "I won't ever let anything happen to you either." She smiled.
Itachi slightly smiled. He kissed Sakura on the forehead.
"Itachi?"
"Hn?" He replied.
"Why don't we go back to bed?"
Itachi smirked, "Is that what you want, Sakura?" He playfully pushed her onto his bed.
Sakura smiled. "Are you going to kiss me again?"
"Well…" Before he could answer, Sakura pulled him down to her lips. She pulled him as close as she could get him to her. They kissed passionately, neither of them wanted to stop. Itachi began to move his hands alone Sakura's curves. Slowly they pulled apart; her jade orbs met his sharingan. "I love you, Sakura."
Sakura let a tear escape her eye. "I love you, Itachi."
Itachi whipped away the tear. "You shouldn't cry when you're with me."
More tears came, "I know. I'm just…I'm just so happy I finally remember." She paused for a moment, "You have no idea how much I missed you."
He kissed her forehead, "I think I have some idea." His expression saddened.
"I wish you would've taken me with you."
"Well, it wasn't safe for you, trust me." He paused for a moment, "What's done is done."
Sakura nodded, as she rolled over. "Yes, and at least now we have each other."
Itachi climbed over her, and laid next to her. He embraced her tightly. "Nothing will separate us again."
Sakura leaned against his chest and quickly fell asleep. Itachi stayed awake, he felt the need to protect Sakura. He held her close. Something just wasn't right, he disliked this feeling. He closed his eyes and enjoyed Sakura's warmth. He was glad that she remembered and understood. He couldn't shake the feeling and was disturbed all night.