it's been a while ne? Sorry it took me so long to update, but i will try and finish this story...i just have no idea where its going

They travelled for three days. Deidara and Kisame had carried Tobi's shrouded corpse between them, Sakura carried medical things and clothes using a special jutsu. Itachi carried nothing except guilt.

He closed his eyes briefly against the pain his mind was putting him through. He barely spoke to Sakura, or anyone. She was MINE first echoed in his mind, the thought that Sakura had once loved his brother, and hated him ran constantly through his mind, as did the fact he couldn't protect her weighed heavily on his heart.

Kisame and Deidara barely spoke both noticing the tension between the couple and grieving over their (obnoxious) comrade.

"We're here" Deidara said pointing upwards.

A small hillock stood here clear of everything except for grass and a single Japanese maple it was silent but for the quiet murmur of the wind blowing through the grass.

"Where are we?" Sakura asked quietly, she hadn't spoken much in the last few days, she was disgusted at herself I couldn't save him

"Tobi told me he wanted to be buried here should he ever die…it's his clan's burial ground, he is….or was the last of his clan" Deidara said quietly

"Zetsu" was all Itachi said

"Master sent us" Sakura didn't flinch as a man immerged from the tree beside her, though she felt like screaming.

"Hey Zetsu!" Kisame shouted "what brings you here?"

"Dinner"

Kisame's jubilance fell immediately and Deidara growled "No"

The two coloured man twitched his head to one side causing the plant his head was surrounded by the shudder slightly "The master asks for Tobi's ring and I am hungry"

"You can't have him; he's going to be buried HERE with his family!" Deidara yelled Kisame grabbed him as he lunged for the plant man.

Zetsu for most part looked shocked "fine….." suddenly he was behind Sakura and had ripped her backpack from her shoulders

"Hey!" she yelled

She froze as a tendril Zetsu ripped her shirt sleeve off revealing a sluggishly bleeding wound. "Perhaps…..we should devour her…..she does not belong to us" he slowly licked the blood trailing down her arm.

Sakura closed her eyes against the tightness in her throat, she wasn't sure if it was the man strangling her or fear.

"Let her go Zetsu" Kisame said quietly

The man looked up at the three men and saw none of them were amused, he closed his eyes wearily and opened them again "I haven't had a mission in some weeks…..the hunger brings pain" he glanced at Sakura's wound and released her "I need…..flesh"

There was a ripping noise and Deidara came back on scene holding something he threw it to the plant man. "Zetsu, I forgot" Deidara said "But I cannot give you more"

Zetsu held the limb up to his black side, it was Tobi's arm, with the ring "It will be enough…thank you Deidara" He immediately melded into the tree trunk and was gone.

"Sakura?" Kisame asked seeing the woman hadn't moved, she didn't respond.

-Slap-

Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes as she held a hand up to her cheek. Itachi stood in front of her, eyes dark. His slowly put his hand down.

"You….." Sakura didn't speak anymore

"Why the hell didn't you tell me you were still wounded?" Itachi snapped "You're lucky he didn't rip your arm off!"

Sakura gritted her teeth and then glared at him "It would have been better then having my head bitten off" she said quietly before turning and running past Deidara, Kisame and her fallen pack.

No one tried to stop her

No one missed the tears that streamed freely down her cheeks

"Itachi…." Deidara began

"Its none of your business" Itachi snapped at the blond man, he shrugged and made his way past. Kisame followed but paused by his team-mate "If you touch her in anger again, and I find out about it, I will BITE you" he said then carried on.

Kisame and Deidara finished burying Tobi by sunset they stood by the grave, unsure what to say; finally they just bowed and walked away back to the campsite Itachi had made.

He was sat at the entrance to the camp, staring off into the direction Sakura had run earlier, it was getting dark now; the only sounds were a hooting owl and the fire crackling.

The moon shone out over the silent dark forest before Kisame finally went to sit beside his partner leaning against the tree trunk.

"I'd rather you killed me" Itachi said after a while

Kisame frowned "What?"

Itachi looked at him, his eyes black "If I touch her again in anger….I'd rather you killed me"

"What happened?" The shark man asked, looking over his shoulder to where Deidara was fast asleep.

"I don't know, I was…angry at..."Itachi shook his head unable to explain

"You were angry at yourself and at Sasuke" Kisame said cocking his head "Angry at Sasuke for hurting Sakura and making her feel guilty, and at yourself for making her feel that she cant tell you things, like how her shoulder was still injured, you've been pretty cold to her for the last three days, and you and Tobi weren't THAT close"

Itachi stared at him

"And possibly a little angry Sakura didn't attack Zetsu, though to be honest; if she had he WOULD have killed her"

"I hate you" was all Itachi responded

"Hell that's why I'm your partner" Kisame responded with a grin "I know you, and you hate me…but not enough to kill me" and then he stood, dropping his cloak and jumping into the river.

Itachi was left alone to brood. He tilted his head back onto the tree trunk, and came face to face with green eyes

She flipped over from the branch she had been hanging from, landing gracefully beside him. "Are you angry at me?" Sakura asked, not meeting his eyes.

Itachi took in her appearance. She had ripped the other sleeve off to use as a bandage for her shoulder, and her eyes were puffy and looked sore. Sakura looked miserable.

Warm arms enveloped her wrapping her in them and a clock. "I could never be angry at you…….It's what Kisame said"

"Sasuke is a "she flicked her hands out indicating she couldn't even find words to describe him.

Itachi sighed "I just….it angers me he took things from you, things you could never give again, and then treated you like you were nothing"

Now it was Sakura's turn to be confused, then suddenly it clicked "The only things I gave Sasuke were my heart, and now horrible nightmares, I mean I know we were engaged…….That's what's been on your mind?"

"Er…." Now it was Itachi's turn to be embarrassed "Hn" he settled for

Sakura chuckled quietly and snuggled deeper into his arms, staring upwards at the clear night sky.

Hours later Itachi looked down at the sleeping woman in his arms "I'm sorry Sakura……Thank you for……forgiving me"