okay, so it's been two weeks since the last update. i'm sorry it's taken so long, but i was figuring things out with my beta (props to "Chocoholic princess") and once all of the thoughts made sense, they were put down on (metaphorical) paper... so, after all that planning, here are the results...

I might not understand exactly what you're going through, but I do understand not having anyone there for you, he thought.

Itachi wasn't dumb, he knew Sakura needed space after her rant, that's why he had left her alone. Not wanting to move any further away from her though, Itachi stepped to the wall opposite the bedroom's door, slid down it and let out the breath he didn't know he was holding in a sigh.

I just wish she would understand that this decision is in her best interest.

He closed his eyes, allowing his mind wander to thoughts of Sakura. A small smile graced his lips at said thoughts.

All I've got to do is keep this up until he's far enough away from here. Yeah! This plan will definitely work.

Sakura smiled as she noticed there was not one difference between her own body and her shadow clone's. it was flawless.

"I'll hide under the bed while you go check to see where he is, okay?" The shadow clone nodded at her command.

Once the original Sakura was beneath the bed, shadow clone Sakura made her way from the room in search of Itachi, whose sleeping form she tripped on.

She screamed as she fell to the floor, but was saved at the last moment from hitting her face on the wooden floorboards by a pair of strong, masculine hands.

"You really should watch where you're going, Sakura," came his deep voice. "Which begs the question, 'where were you going?'," he asked as he helped her to her feet.

Sakura turned to face Itachi, but as she looked to his eyes, she noticed that, not only were they not in their Sharingan form, but they were also unusually blank. Sakura pushed this aside, thanking whoever was out there that Itachi wasn't using the Sharingan, else he would be able to see through her shadow clone.

"Coming to find you, of course," she said as though it was blatantly obvious and that it were stupid to think she would be doing anything else.

"What were you doing though? It's kind of weird that you were just sitting outside my room like that. It's as though you were trying to trip me up just so you could catch me."

He let out a slight chuckle.

"I was waiting outside of our room, Sakura, because I knew you'd need time alone and I didn't wish to impose on anyone else."

Sakura remained silent. She then broke it a moment later.

"It's still weird, Itachi."

His lips turned upwards at his.

She always knows how to make me smile.

"What are we waiting around here for, I thought you wanted to leave?" she paused in her path back to the bedroom to look over her shoulder at him with a cheeky grin. "Or have you changed your mind about that?"

Itachi's smile broadened as he shook his head and pushed her further into the bedroom, closing the door behind them.

"And miss the chance to spend time alone with you?" he spun her around to face him and gave her a gentle kiss on the lips. "I don't think so."

Itachi let her body go and moved to her pack to check over what she was bringing, whereas Sakura was still slightly dumbfounded by the gentleness of that kiss, as she only knew of the rough, passionate kisses he could bring her.

She was woken from her thoughts, however, by a quick nudge to her shoulder.

"Sakura? You still there?"

She turned to face him, only to see the questioning look on his face as he held her lace panties.

"Don't you have any normal underwear?"

She grabbed at the panties and her backpack, pulling them close to her body as though to shield them from his calculating gaze.

"I don't question the way you dress, do I? I mean, I saw everything I needed to yesterday, and let me be the one to say this before you embarrass yourself further, 'briefs'? Really? How old are you, six?"

He moved to the other side of the room to where his pack lay on his own bed and pulled it over his shoulder, preparing to move out.

"I assure you, that was a one-off chance and I was not expecting them to be on display for any other to see, you just picked a bad day."

"I picked a bad day? Itachi, I don't know what that Sharingan of yours has done to your brain, but you were the one that initiated what happened yesterday, not me. You could have done something about," she pointed to his crotch, "your little 'problem'."

He stared for a moment then let his pack fall from his shoulder as he took slow, seductive steps towards her body.

"Oh, Sakura, you don't understand how you affect me with your cruel words."

He was mere inches away now.

"'Cruel words'?" the distance between them had Sakura frozen with shock, the only thing keeping her going was the want she felt for this man.

He lowered his head closer to hers. He hummed in agreement.

His face was now so close she could feel the warmth of his breath upon her face, causing her eyes to close and enjoy the feeling. She felt his calloused hand reach up to her the side of her face in a way that brought shivers through her body.

She couldn't wait any longer for him to bring them closer, so she leapt into action and pulled his face down towards hers, thrusting their lips together in a somewhat violent kiss.

He tried to pull away for air, but she only brought them closer, not allowing any air to come between them. He merely smiled against her lips at the action.

He brought his hands up to her shoulders and physically forced himself away from her. Once away, he turned his head slightly so she wouldn't be able to just bring him straight back for more.

They were both panting quite heavily. Itachi only dared to glimpse at Sakura when his breathing was stable, but that one look caused him to lose all the self-control he had left.

"What have I created?" he laughed as he pulled her back to him in a kiss more passionate than the last.

"Take me, Itachi," she gasped out between breaths, "Take me now!"

He took the hint and began undressing her, pulling his shirt over her head, as well as his, then pushing her against the bed. At the contact her body made with the wooden object, Sakura let herself fall, bringing Itachi down on top of her form.

His hands moved slowly down her sides to the waistband of the pants she wore. He let his hand inside her waistband to let it explore, first making its way to her well-rounded butt, then slightly lower to her panties. As his skilled fingers made contact with her heated core, she let out a gasp.

He wanted more noises out of her, so he continued pushing his fingers against the piece of cloth. She let out a low moan, expressing the pleasure his fingers were bringing her, but she wanted more.

She brought her own hands down to meet his and pushed his finger past the wet material of her panties and straight to the cause of her soaking underwear, eliciting a louder, more delicious moan from her.

Once she knew he had gotten her message, she pulled her hands away and tugged at his pants.

"These need to go," she almost ordered as she attempted to rid him of his pants, only to find she couldn't reach far down enough without stopping his ministrations.

He could feel she wasn't able to rid him of his clothing, so he forced himself away from her to help, pulling what remained of her clothing away as he added space between them.

He was admiring her body when the door suddenly opened.

"Sakura, I just wanted you to know that…" then Konan looked up at the scene and froze.

and now you're upset because i cut the lemon short... well, mwahahah! well, until next time, readers (don't forget to review please?)