HOT DAMN. I have been trying to upload this chapter for TWO DAYS! But after troubleshooting my laptop and doing some cleaning up i finally got it to let me upload! YAY ^-^

Anyways, I have already finished a few chapters ahead so that i can regularly update. Since i will have very little time to write since Sakura-con is a month away and i havent even started on my last cosplay Dx

Can you say procrastination?! Ugh, i cannot believe i let it get this close without even STARTING. I will post the next chapter in about a weeks time!

Anyone here going?!


Fresh earth. That was the first thing Sakura detected as she slept soundly. What a comforting smell, it reminded her of Itachi in a way she didn't understand. There was a part of her that cared so deeply of what the eldest Uchiha thought of her, yet the pinkette was unsure why. When did she start thinking and caring about him? No matter what she tried whenever she had though of Itachi, it brought calming feelings. Sasuke on the other hand, brought rage and the lust to spill his blood.

'Why?'

That one word echoed inside of her head in Sasuke's voice. Yes, why was it she hated him so? Why did she think that her friends and family in Konoha had abandoned her? When she tried to get to the bottom of these feelings, her head would pound and screech. Soon she would give up, and move on how to please Itachi.

A sudden change in the smell around her caused a stur in sleep. She knew who it was, Sakura always will remember how Itachi smelled. Not only from the earth around her but a mix of his own musk. It was much different than Sasuke. The memory of how close he was to her as he pulled their lips together for that split second. A sweet smell she would not forget, even if she had wanted to.

"Sakura."

His deep voice vibrated through her body. Opening her eyes, she took in that she was back at their hideout. Itachi stood over her, looking down with those eyes that looked so much the same as the younger Uchiha's yet completely different.

"Hai Itachi-sama?" Lifting herself into a more respectable postition, she addressed him. Pink hair spilled around her, untamed from the previous events. Dirt had caked it's way onto her soft skin, her outfit a disaster and torn. She did not seem at all embarrassed to have so much skin showing infront of Itachi as she stared up at him.

He remained silent, bending down to a crouch so he was eye level with the sitting kunoichi. Sakura remained still as he reached his hand to cup her chin.

"Do we need to start over?" It was a simple question with so much meaning behind it, yet she knew exactly what he was talking about. He wanted to know if Sasuke and the others broke through to her. If she felt anything other than loyalty to the eldest Uchiha.

"Of course not." Green eyes lowered a bit. "I am yours."

Satisfied with her answer, the man let go and stood to leave her to clean up.

Outside Itachi heard the girl rise from her bed, possibly heading to shower. It was time for him to take his leave, heading towards his own room. Once inside, he let his relief show just a small bit. He had gotten her back, and better yet it seemed as though they had failed to bring her mental state back. He could tell from her body language, the konoha ninja had bothered her mind just a bit. Nothing a small genjutsu won't fix though.

Deciding the young girl had enough time to clean up and change he proceeded down the hall he had took his leave from, approaching the closed door she was behind. A soft knock and an even softer 'Hai.' was all that could be heard in this section of the damp underground hideout. Itachi was greatful he had decided to seperate the others from them, the volume at which they conducted themselves was almost umbearable.

He palmed the door open to see Sakura standing, already knowing it was her master on the other side. She had changed into another kuniochi outfit, dirt and grim had been washed clean of her skin. The long pink locks no longer a mess, yet still hung down her body.

"Sit." Itachi was a man of few words, yet Sakura listened to them all.

As she did as she was told the man did the same, taking a chair opposite her own. Now they sat facing eachother, in silence. Itachi reached out his hand, a small gesture to comand her to do the same with her own. She complied with his own action.

Once his fingers brushed her own Sakura could tell the beating of her heart did not speed up as it did when Sasuke touched her. Her pulse remained the same, there were no shivers of delight nor a fire that burned with passion where his fingers lay on her wrist. Although it was a soft touch, much softer than Sakura would have anticipated with the eldest Uchiha, it gave a much different effect on her body than when Sasuke had grabbed her much earlier. Why did this sadden and confuse her so? She should be delighted that her master was portraying such a gentle touch with her. That he was even touching her should send her pulse into over drive, as it did before she was captured by Konoha.

Itachi noticed the hint of confusion on the kunoichis features, assuming it was because she was not sure what he was about to do. He had done good to make sure his touch was soft as to not worry her, she may have thought he was going to put her back into her mind. Instead he slowly turned her wrist over, revealing what she had obviously forgotten about. A small black form was upon her delicate wrist, the seal that held her chakra at a dangerously low level. Emerald eyes widened just a bit at remembering what Itachi had clearly figured out without asking about.

It took no time at all to break it for the Uchiha, with that he stood. Sakura followed.

"We will only be staying for another day so you can recover some of your lost chakra." The statment came out as it always did. Full of power and commanding. "You will only be dead weight if we leave now."

Sakura nodded her pink head with understanding. Itachi had no intention of keeping anyone around who slowed him down. One question did weigh on her mind.

"What about Sa-" She stopped for just a split second before recovering herself. "You're brother? I failed, and i would like to make it right."

Itachi stopped his pace towards the exit, letting her continue.

"I am most positive he, along with the others, will be coming after us."

He knew she was right about that, which is why he had decided to move from the current hideout. It may take them a while to find it, but they would find it none the less.

She continued. "Let me finish what you have trained me for." A feeling sturred inside of Sakura, a feeling she knew all to well. She had the urge to kill. And for the first time since being with Itachi, it sickened her.

The man she addressed remained quite for a minute before answering her, still his back facing the girl. "Very well. We will leave tomorrow, find an advantage ground and wait for them to find you." With that being said he took his leave.

He would let her finish what she started, but this time he would stay to watch her do so. It would be much more satisfiying to see the woman Sasuke loved kill him, instead of that boy. Sai. Although, the odds where now even more towards the success of his brother with out his life. Itach would stay and watch. Make sure his youngest brother would not have the chance to do anything to Sakura. To HIS Sakura.

Naruto groaned for what seemed like the thousandth time. They had found Sakura's trail earlier the next day, yet it was taking far to long to complete where it lead to. Tsunade was right, there was more than just Itachi.

"Naruto. Knock it off." Sasuke's annoyed tone was sent towards the nine-tails. He was just as frustrated as his teammates, and Naruto's groaning of impatience did nothing to help anyone.

"It just ends! How does it just end!? We have gone back and forth several times today already, there's noway we have missed anything. It just... it's just gone!"

"We are missing something. Something we cannot see." Sai piped up, surveying the area once again where the tracks seemed to just disappear.

"Hn."

Night was approaching all too soon for the team.

Kakashi sighed. "Let's make camp nearby. We won't find anything in the dark. Take shifts to watch this area, maybe someone somewhere will slip up." He rubbed his temples.

The team set off to a nearby location, deciding against a fire. Anything to draw attention to themselves this close to an Akatsuki sighting was a bad idea. Especially if they wanted to find Sakura before it was too late.

Sasuke had volenteered for the first shift on keeping watch. He welcomed the silence that came with the night air, high up in the tree. It seemed so peaceful around the forest like area.

Closing his eyes, which he found he did quite often now, he sent out a slight pulse of chakra. Trying to pick up any strand of life from Sakura. He just needed to feel her around him. When he recieved no such thing, a sigh escaped his lips. He couldn't help but feel that if he had realized his feelings for the beautiful kunoichi, they wouldn't be in this mess. He would have come sooner, he would have been there to protect her. She would be looking at him the way she looked at his brother. Said his name with that sweet voice of hers.

"Sasuke."

Well... that wasn't the voice he wanted to hear.

Annoyed, once agian, he opened his eyes to see Sai. Will this guy just leave him alone?!

"Hn."

Sai ignored the indifference of the Uchiha. "You're shift is over."

Sasuke was a bit surprised, yet the position of the moon was there to confirm what the boy stated. He was so lost in thought he hadn't noticed.

"Hn." Once again giving the man the same response. Sasuke did not want to be around Sai, and spent most of this trip avoiding said person. Something about him felt off, as if he shouldn't be trusted. Even if Naruto and Kakashi stated otherwise. While he had kept his distance, the Uchiha knew better than to not keep his eye on the other. If it was one thing he knew for sure, it was that this man could not be trusted around himself. Or Sakura for that matter.

Sasuke got up, stretching his legs. He took in one last, deep breath of the cool night air. Letting his ebony locks tickle his cheeks. He would enjoy his hair not so long, yet the Uchiha tradition still kept him from cutting it. Tradition was something he would never break, even if the practice no longer exsisted.*

Sai had settled into the same spot Sasuke had just occuppied, letting him jump down to the camp where Naruto and Kakashi slept soundly. Waiting for their turn to be woken up to watch. He took his place to sleep, and let it take over. Thoughts of pink hair and green eyes filled his every dream.

Sai felt Sasuke's chakra settle as he fell asleep. "You can come out now."

A cloaked figure came from another tree, landing directly infront of the boy. Silent as the night, and calm as the air the person stood waiting to be addressed properly.

Sai held no fear of this person.

"Itachi-san."


END! alright, again this was a shorter chapter. But overall i am happy how it turned out! Now i am off to do some sewing! If yall wanna keep up with my progress go ahead and give me an instagram follow :)

My cosplay insta is : Arminbaebae

My personal : Jenicholle

** FUN FACT of the day: Uchiha's do not cut their hair unless defeated in battle. Interesting huh? :)

Hope to hear from you all as to what you thought of this chapter!