Chapter Twelve:

Bull kept close to Sakura's legs as she followed behind Madaara and Sasuke into the current labyrinth of the Akatsuki living quarters. The corridor was narrow and there wasn't much room for both her and the massive dog, but they managed to fit. Itachi's ghostly figure had vanished again. It was really disturbing how he'd simply vanish and then reappear at seemingly random moments. She wondered if he was observing invisibly or if he'd gone to some unknown location-perhaps one even he didn't know about.

She had to admit there was a fear that he'd just suddenly vanish permanently on her and then she'd be stuck in the midst of the Akatsuki with men who wanted to kill her and destroy her village.

"And these rooms over here will be yours," Madaara said stopping next to a pair of doors at the end of the hall. It would certainly make it more difficult to sneak out with all the echoing stone floor and the great length it would take to travel from those doors to the building's exit. "They used to belong to Itachi and Kisame."

"We appreciate your hospitality, Madaara-sama," Sakura said when Sasuke simply glared at his ancestor. Perhaps he didn't want to be sleeping in the room of the brother he killed, but now realized truly was his beloved older brother and no traitor but rather one who sacrificed everything for his sake.

Madaara started laughing hysterically once again, sounding just like his silly Tobi persona. "Perhaps he takes after Itachi after all! The sullen, silent type." He stopped laughing abruptly and turned to Sakura and she carefully avoided his visible eye. "I hope you are not like the shark man, Sakura-chan! You will have to floss after every meal!"

Bull nudged Sakura in the back of her knee. "While I agree that flossing is important, I can assure you that I am not like Kisame," Sakura said.

"Feel free to roam about the compound," Madaara said walking away from them and back toward the central part of the residence. "You won't find anything I don't intend for you to find, so don't waste your time. I'll send news of your next assignment shortly."

Sakura waited until Madaara was no longer in sight before she reached out for the door knob. Sasuke stopped her with his hand wrapped around her wrist. "Let me check it out first. If this was truly Itachi's room then it is most likely booby trapped."

He had a good point, but then Sakura liked to think that if the place was rigged with explosive devices that her guardian ghost would have showed up and walked her through the disarmament. And therefore with his not being present as a warning deterrent ergo the coast was clear. And aside from that having Sasuke take charge and keeping her out of harm's way reminded her too much of her pre-teen years when she was practically useless as a team member-she was neither weak nor useless any more.

"All right," she agreed releasing the knob and stepping back. If there was the off chance that there was indeed some sort of explosive device she'd much rather it hit Sasuke than her. Of course, if Neji had been with her he'd have used his enhanced vision to see if there were any traps. It probably would be wise to not mention that fact to her current partner. The boy already had an inferiority complex-there was no need to further exacerbate it! Her thoughts also drifted to other team mates. Sai would have had one of his ink creations slip into the room and inspect it for anything suspicious and Naruto would have charged in and with his enhanced healing abilities would have recovered the hard way from any traps.

Sasuke started to turn the knob, but paused and glared at her over his shoulder as if he'd heard her thoughts about Neji, Sai, and Naruto. She smiled encouragingly and he averted his eyes and pushed open the door.

He scanned the room, his dark eyes darting to every corner. His Sharingan activated to see if there were any traps laid beyond the visible spectrum. And then Bull pushed himself past Sasuke's legs and caused the rogue ninja to slightly lose his balance and stumble into the room. Bull settled himself at the foot of the bed as if he were home, he walked in a circle with his tail wagging and his nose sniffing the floor and then plopped down on his rump and stared at them expectantly as they remained near the doorway.

"I guess that means the coast is clear," Sakura said with a cheery smile. She was grateful that of all the dogs Kakashi had insisted she take that he'd chosen Bull. He was a giant of a dog and if any dog would help her keep Sasuke at bay it would be a dog that was about the same mass as him.

"That dog could have gotten us both killed," Sasuke growled straightening himself and glaring at the affronting dog at the foot of the bed. Bull's tongue lolled out and he barked once and kept his tag wagging playfully. Apparently, Sasuke scare tactics failed to work on the dog.

"But he didn't. Itachi wouldn't let us just walk in here if he'd left a trap that could kill us," Sakura said moving toward the bed and falling back onto the soft mattress and wrapping up in the comforter. It was definitely Itachi's room-the comforter had the same scent as his cloak. Other than the bed, a dresser in the corner, and an uncluttered desk with some spare parchment and a set of ink pens the room was empty.

"Itachi's dead. He couldn't stop us if he wanted to," Sasuke said moving to the opposite side of the bed and sitting down with his back against the headrest.

"I wouldn't say that," Sakura said quietly. "With as far as he has planned out things who's to say this wasn't exactly what he thought would happen." She kicked off her shoes and started rubbing her toes across Bull's belly. He seemed to enjoy the attention.

"A letter for guidance and some petty cash is hardly enough proof for you to assume everything is safe regarding him. Even dead, Itachi is a powerful adversary, but he's not a god and he certainly isn't omnipotent regardless of this hero-complex you seem to have developed on him."

Sakura fought a grin. The boy had no idea just how correct in that Itachi was still a powerful adversary considering it was Itachi that had stayed Sasuke's hand when he attempted to kill her a few days ago by chopping her in half with his blade. "I don't know why you're getting all comfortable on the bed. This is my room," Sakura said arching her neck and looking at Sasuke from her angle.

"He's my brother."

"And you killed him and I'm a girl and I don't want to sleep in the shark man's room."

"You've your dog. I'm sure he can keep you safe from the big, bad wolf."

"I'm not worried about the big, bad wolf. I'm worried about the big, scary shark with the rows and rows of sharp teeth."

Sasuke folded his arms over his chest.

"Well I'm not leaving," Sakura said.

"Neither am I."

"There are so many extra rooms in this maze of a complex. You can stay in one of the other rooms. I'm sure you're uncle wouldn't mind."

"My uncle wants to keep us together where he can keep a close eye on us and since you're my woman it makes sense to put us in adjoining rooms."

"What if Kisame comes back? Would you want to have him walk in on you in his bed?"

Sasuke shuddered. "I see your point. We can share this room. We've done it before on missions."

"Twelve year olds sharing a bed is different from a couple of seventeen year olds," Sakura pointed out.

Sasuke closed his eyes and leaned back his head. "You planning on ravaging me, Sakura?"

"You wish," she answered before fighting off a yawn. Why was she so tired? Maybe there were some side effects to the whole time-space-multidimensional travel that lead to exhaustion for those unused to the process.

She couldn't be sure, but she thought she heard Sasuke say, 'If you only knew,' before she drifted off into sleep.

Sakura found herself once again on the familiar Konoha training grounds. This particular location was the one Ino and Shikamaru's team utilized the most before Asuma's death. Itachi was sitting lotus-style in the middle of the field with his eyes closed in a meditative pose. Sakura moved to sit beside him but with her legs stretched out in front of her.

"Do you like my quarters at the Akatsuki hide out?" he asked without otherwise acknowledging her presence.

"It's a bit spartan, but your bed is really comfortable."

"I used to have a wall scroll of the Golden Temple of Kyoto on the wall over the desk, but its gone now," Itachi said in defense. "It's best not to let a group of sadistic terrorists know what things you care about most. I worked hard to give them no ammunition to use against me. Only Kisame might have held suspicions of my true loyalty to Konoha."

"Should I be worried about him then?"

Itachi's eyes snapped open and the ebony pools of darkness she'd grown accustomed to stared back at her. "You should be scared out of your mind of him."

"Great."

"However, I didn't say you should be worried. Kisame and I were friends. He suspected in my last couple of months that I had an odd fixation with you. He will harm neither you nor Sasuke. His target is Naruto. Though, right now it may be more Bee."

"That's good to know. I have absolute faith in Naruto. If he can defeat Pain he should be able to survive your best friend. But I'm still not sleeping in his room."

"It's great that you are so devoted to your friend," Itachi murmured. He cleared his throat and turned towards her. "I'm not sure that sharing a bed with my brother is a better alternative that Kisame's room. If you take into account that Kisame has never tried to kill you and that Sasuke has-a couple of times now-you might find folly in your logic. Sharing a bed with the man who tried to kill you is not something I'd expect the most intelligent girl at the academy in the last decade to decide is the safer option."

"Bull can sleep between us. He's probably even more effective a barrier than Naruto ever was in our Genin days."

"Technically, Sasuke is still a Genin." Itachi pulled out a kunai from the inner folds of his shirt and began to twirl it idly in one of his hands.

"I wonder how'd he feel if I were to point that out to him," Sakura mused tapping her lip.

"Like a homicidal maniac." Itachi set down the kunai and reached over and pulled Sakura's hand away from her face. He started tracing the lines that were etched across her palm. "It's a lie that you can predict the future based on lines in your palms. If that were true I'd still be alive."

"So fortune tellers are a sham, was there a point you were trying to make?" Sakura asked snatching her hand away uncomfortable with the warm, tingling sensations Itachi's fingertips were causing. Her dreams with him were disturbingly realistic.

His posture slouched. "I think I'm depressed."

"You can't be depressed. You're a ghost."

"I don't think there is anything more I can do. Maybe my business is complete and I should just-" he paused and threw his hand into the air in frustration, "cross over," he said completing his thought.

"No!" Sakura shouted turning so that she faced Itachi directly. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and hugged him tight. "Don't you dare leave me in the middle of this mess! I need you! You have to guide me through this!"

"Sakura," Itachi said lightly placing his hands on her shoulders and pushing her away so he could look into her eyes. "I'm very tired. You're a strong konichi and I have great faith that you and Sasuke working together will save Konoha and put an end to Madara when Naruto finishes his training and joins up with you. There's never been a team stronger than Kakashi's Team Seven. And that's not even taking into account the loyalty and devotion of your other friends and teammates-like Hyuga."

"You're bringing Neji into this? What? Are you jealous about my ex-boyfriend? Don't you dare give up Itachi Uchiha! I need you!" For a moment it seemed like his dream body shimmered and lost some of its solidity. Sakura clutched at him and tears sprang to her eyes. "Do not leave me. I need you," she whispered with her face pressed against his collar. She could feel the warmth of his flesh against her cheek. He seemed so real.

"I may not have a choice. I've been losing blocks of time. It was not my intention to let you go down the corridors of this place without me at your side, but I was simply not here. I don't know where I was exactly. It was like a void with no stimulus."

"Itachi, your body is here. Maybe we could..."

"No!" Itachi said pushing her away and rising to his feet. "If I were to see my body I'm sure I would feel closure and vanish. If you want me so badly you must at all costs stay away from my body." His eyes bored deeply into hers and she saw fear in his dark depths. "Do you understand, Sakura?"

"Maybe, with Kabuto's techniques I can find a way to reconnect your soul with your body." She stood and grasped his hands. "Maybe I can heal you!"

"Did you not just agree that fortune tellers are a myth? Death is permanent. And I don't want to be alive in that body. You have no idea how ill I was for these past few years."

"But I can fix it! I can fix you!"

"Some things, Sakura, are not meant to fixed," he said pulling out of her grasp. "Very well, I will do my best to stay with you. Perhaps there is something more we can do that might encourage my spirit to stay in your proximity." He posed himself into a fighting stance. "In the mean time, I shall give you a sparring contest worthy of a challenge unlike my foolish little brother."

OoO

Sakura felt her shoulder being shaken and her dream with Itachi vanished in an instant. Her last vision of the man was of a sad expression in his dark eyes. She sat up and promptly bumped foreheads with Sasuke.

"Try to be a little less violent with your partner," Sasuke grumbled rubbing his forehead with a sour expression. He was sitting at Itachi's desk on her side of the bed. "Did you take some sort of sedative? You were rather difficult to wake up."

"I was tired-most likely a side-effect of the teleportation technique that brought us here." Sakura looked around the room to see if sunlight was spilling in through the curtains to signify morning, but then realized they were underground and there were no windows. "Why'd you wake me? Is Kisame back?"

"No. But there is some food if you're hungry."

Sakura noticed there was a tray on Itachi's desk with rice balls and an assortment of sushi. "That's not Kisame right?"

Sasuke snorted and seemed surprised by his own response to the jest. "It's safe. I had some earlier and I'm still alive." He handed her a cup of Jasmine Green Tea. "Why don't you drink some of this first? Free up some of those free radicals of yours."

"If I didn't know any better I'd think that was an attempt at humor," Sakura said accepting the cup of tea and wrapping her hands around it. "Do you have any food for Bull?"

"He already ate his share," Sasuke said gesturing toward the giant dog who was sleeping in front of the door.

"When did he move over there?"

"After he ate."

They sat silently for a while both drinking their tea. Sasuke was the one to disturb the tentative peace. "Do you ever think about what it would have been like if I hadn't left?"

Sakura set down her cup of tea and placed her forearms on her thighs and leaned closer to Sasuke. "It's possible that we might have grown together as a team. We'd probably be a very good team working together dependent on one another with a solid trusting foundation. However, because you abandoned us, Naruto and I did what we had to and grew stronger individually. Now, if we were to all reunite as a team we'd be unstoppable if we still had the trust of our youth."

"I really didn't have a choice." He popped a rice roll into his mouth and chewed slowly with a sullen expression on his face. " I would have driven myself insane if I'd stayed."

"Yes, you are so obviously sane now." Sakura's eyes roamed throughout the room in search of any sign of Itachi. Once again she was disappointed to see nothing indicating his presence.

"More sane than you it seems. What are you looking for?"

"I'm a ninja and therefore I observe at all times."