A/N: Gosh! I've spent two days typing this chapter. It's about twice as long as my usual ones. If you people want the chapters to be longer, then let me know, also have in mind that it's gonna take longer for me to put them up. I liked this chapter. It was kinda fun to write. I had some issues with Itachi's charcter though, but like how he turned out.

I'm going to Sweden tomorrow and will be gone all weekend, so there wont be any updates in a couple of days. I have to go to this stupid funeral and shit 'sighs'.

Anyway, hope you like the chapter. Reviews are still very much appreciated. Thanks again to everyone who has reviewed this story so far. You guys keep me going.

I guess that's all for now.

On with the chappy:


Chapter Fourteen:

After staring up at the ceiling for almost half an hour, Sakura finally decided to try on the dress. She wondered what had made the two S-class criminals buy it. Maybe she should ask them later on… if Itachi ever let her out of the room again. She sighed and rolled out of bed before making her way over to where she'd dropped the dress when Itachi had pushed her. She discarded her cloak and quickly stripped out of her clothes, hoping no one would enter the room in a while.

The dress hung perfectly over her slim form, making her almost non-existent curves more visible. It almost reached all the way down to the floor, so she grasped parts of the dress and lifted it a little as she made her way to the bathroom to see what it looked like on her.

A gasp escaped her lips as she saw herself in the mirror. She looked gorgeous, almost angelic. As she turned around to take a look at the back of the dress, she heard the door to the room open and then close with a loud bang.

"Shit," She whispered and quickly shut the bathroom door. "Please don't let it be him, please, please, plea-"

"Sakura," Itachi's deep voice cut her off. "What are you doing in there?" he asked as he knocked on the bathroom door.

"I, I'm just taking a shower," He heard her call through the door.

"Hn," He grunted and made his way over to the bed. Seconds later he heard the shower running. Glancing around the room, he noticed Sakura's clothes lying in a messy heap on the floor. Raising an eyebrow, he went to pick them up, accidentally letting a black floral thong fall to the floor. Sharingan eyes stared at the object on the floor. "Sakura," Itachi started and picked the thong up while letting the other clothes fall to the floor. "Where'd you get this?"

Sakura paced around in the bathroom, trying to figure out a way to escape the angry Uchiha on the other side of the door. He had obviously seen something he shouldn't have and she cursed herself for not thinking about that issue earlier.

"Sakura," His voice sounded through the door as his fists banged non-stop on the only thing in between them. "Where did you get these? I know you can hear me."

"I don't know what you're talking about," She replied nervously and looked through the shelves and closets in hope to find something she could use to defend herself with IF he would get through the door.

"Open the door, kunoichi," His voice was dangerously low and sent unpleasant shivers up her spine.

"The name's Sakura," She growled and quickly slapped her hands over her mouth. Itachi was already angry and her provoking him was not making it any better.

"Open the door," He said again.

"No," She replied and folded her arms across her chest to make her point, not caring that he couldn't see her.

Sighing, Itachi went to the bed again and threw himself down onto it. He tossed the thong to the side and placed his hands underneath his head.

"If you wanted the door gone, you could have easily broken in already," He heard her shout from the bathroom.

"I have no intention in opening the door, kunoichi. If you'd rather stay in there that's fine with me." Smirking, he closed his eyes. 'Let's see how long it will take before she decides to come out,'

Sakura turned the hot water off and sat down on the toilet. This wasn't how she'd thought this evening would end. Itachi was seriously having issues and she hated that he was always trying to control her.

She had lived all of her life in other people's shadows. Sasuke and Naruto had always protected her when they were on missions. Kakashi was always keeping an eye on her and treated her more like a girl than a ninja. She wanted to be able to be herself and to grow as a person as well as a kunoichi, but it was hard since people never gave her the chance.

Sakura's chakra control was great. Kakashi had said so when she first joined Team 7. Tsunade, her second sensei, had taught her how to put chakra into her hits and kicks and in that way get the infamous super-strength. The slug sannin had also taught her a lot about medicine which probably was Sakura's biggest interest and top priority at the moment. She wanted to learn new things, heal people and help them.

Sighing, she got off the toilet and walked over to the mirror. Her hand whipped the fog away before she looked herself over once more. Things had to change. She wasn't that 12 year old girl anymore. She was growing up and now was the time to let people know.

Turning around, she brushed her hands over the silky smooth material of the dress before placing her hand on the door handle.

It was now or never. She unlocked the door and slowly pushed it open, thinking; 'Let it sink or swim.'

Quick feet clashed soundlessly against the tree-branches as a shadow made its way through the thick forest. With a mission to capture a certain pink haired kunoichi, they increased their speed. Leader would be so proud when they returned that they might even get a taste of this special cherry blossom. Smirking devilishly they jumped onto the ground. Nothing could stop them. Not the rain, nor the dangerous storm which seemed to come closer. Missions like this were their speciality. They had never once screwed anything up. This time it was bound to get harder though, since the Uchiha prodigy was the one whom kept a watchful eye on the kunoichi. They didn't fear him though. They knew all about the Uchiha's attacks and weaknesses and they knew they would eventually get what they wanted.

The bedroom was nearly pitch-black when Sakura had finally turned off the lights in the bathroom and closed the door behind her. The only light came from a nearly burned out candle on the bedside table on Itachi's side. She narrowed her eyes as she took in his candle-lit features; cursing herself for actually finding him more attractive than her husband.

She fiddled nervously with the wedding ring on her finger. Was he asleep? She eyed him curiously; her stern look got replaced with a softer one as she drank in his handsome features. His soft hair had fallen messily around his face. His eyes were closed, making him look more relaxed and a bit younger. The lines on each side of his nose had softened a bit. They weren't as hard as they usually were which also made her question his age. She knew he was older than her, but by how much?

Pushing the thoughts away, she gazed down at the floor to where she'd left her clothes earlier on. They were still there. She quickly picked them up before making her way over to her side of the bed where she noticed the thong lying messily on her pillow. Scoffing, she snatched it up and placed it on top of the other clothes before putting them down on the floor. She sat down on the bed, placed her elbows on her knees and muttered a quiet; "Bastard,"

The bed shifted after that. A warm hand gently stroked her bare back before a finger slipped under one of the crossed straps.

"What are you doing?!" She snapped and turned around quickly. Itachi lay before her. One hand held his head up as the other one rested near her thigh. His onyx eyes looked into her emerald ones. "Hm?" She added angrily and felt his hand move ever so softly over her clothed leg. "Stop it!" She growled and pushed his hand away. "I hate you,"

He closed his eyes as a smirk formed on his lips. He knew something had changed since she came out of the bathroom. The way she held herself made it obvious she wanted respect. She wanted a saying in things. She wanted to be included, not held outside of things. He opened his eyes again. Her innocent eyes flashed with anger. Her breathing was rough. He found himself wondering how far he could push her, and before his mind had registered it; his hand was once again on her thigh, drawing lazy patterns on the silky fabric of her dress.

Sakura slapped his hand away and got off the bed, crossing her arms above her chest in the process. She stared at him with her lips shut tightly together.

"Hn," He grunted and plopped down on the bed again.

"Will you stop that?!" She yelled and threw her hands in the air.

"What?" He questioned and rolled over to look at her.

"Stop your hn-ing. I have never met anyone with a lousier vocabulary than you Uchiha's."

"I would watch my tongue if I were you," He told her. "You know you're-"

"Oh shut up!" She yelled. "I'm tired of this. I'm tired of always having you keeping an eye on me. I'm tired of always being told what I can and can not do. I want freedom, Itachi. I want to have a saying in things. I want to…"

She stopped as she realized she had somehow ended up on the other side of the room with her back against the wall. Itachi stood in front of her. His onyx eyes travelled over her face before resting on her now slightly parted lips.

"What do you want?" He asked quietly. His hands stroke her bare arms softly.

"Itachi, what are you…-"

"Ssh," He whispered and moved in closer. "Just tell me what you want," His voice was low and husky.

"Itachi, I…"

"Tell me," He demanded and squeezed her arms hard, hearing her yelp at the sudden pressure he gave her. He loosened the grip a little and went back to stroking her arms.

"I want to go home," She said quietly. "I want… I want Sasuke,"

"Sasuke doesn't care for you Sakura,"

She let her head drop and took in a shaky breath. As much as those words hurt, she knew he was right. Sasuke had only chosen her to help her revive his clan.

"Sasuke loves me," She said weakly and tried to keep her tears from falling. She knew it was a lie, but it felt good to say it. She wanted to believe that he did love her.

Itachi placed his hand underneath the kunoichi's chin and gently tilted her head up, making her look at him. When seeing the pain written in her eyes, he felt his heart twitch. How could his brother be so foolish? How could he play with this special girl's heart the way he had done? Itachi may be a heartless murderer, but this girl before him, had somehow gotten past the walls he'd built around his darkened heart.

"Sakura," He spoke softly and whipped one of her tears away with his thumb. "You know he doesn't love you, so why do you keep telling yourself he does?"

She fought the urge to slap him. He was hurting her.

"Sasuke is like me in a lot of ways," Itachi continued and placed his chin on top of her head. "We don't let ourselves be controlled by feelings."

"Please…" she begged. "Stop,"

"Get over him Sakura." He told her. "You deserve someone better. Someone who can give you what you need." His hands made their way over her arms to her shoulders. "Get over him."

She shook her head no, whispering; "I love him."

Itachi grasped her shoulders and looked her straight in the eye. "Do you really?"

Sobbing loudly she tried to get away from him. Stomping back to the bathroom, she found herself being pulled the other direction.

"Itachi, stop it." She cried. Her tears stained her lightly flushed cheeks. "Just, stop…"

He drank in her features. Never in his life had he seen somebody as beautiful as her. The light glow from the candle gave her an almost angelic aura. Her normally pink hair was now more of a soft purple glow. Her eyes glittered by her unshed tears, making them look like diamonds. He felt his heart contract as he looked at her. She didn't deserve to feel like she did.

"Itachi," She whispered and locked eyes with him. "Itachi, please…"

Panicking by her pleading voice, he did the only thing he thought would shut her up. He kissed her.

"What are they doing?" Deidara whispered.

"I don't know," Kisame replied in the same quiet voice. "They aren't saying anything,"

"Let me hear,"

Kisame stepped away from the door to Itachi's bedroom and watched as his blonde friend pressed his ear against it. "You hear anything?"

"No," Deidara whispered and pressed his ear harder to the cold wood. "Wait, yes I hear…-"He quickly stepped away from the door as the edge of a kunai pierced through it a few inches away from where he'd just been. Kisame burst out laughing as he noticed the shocked expression Deidara wore. It quickly disappeared as the blonde joined the blue man with fits of giggles as they both walked away from Itachi's room.

Itachi led the sobbing girl towards his bed. He had no intention in taking advantage of her when she was in this condition. However, he wouldn't deny her anything if she wanted it, whatever it may be.

He placed her softly on the edge of the bed. His lips still locked on hers. He felt her small hands fiddle with the hem of his shirt, contemplating whether to take things to a different level or not. Deciding to take things in his own hands, he stepped away from her, leaving her breathless before him.

"I'm sorry," She whispered and folded her hands on her lap while biting her lip uncertainly. "I didn't…"

"Sakura," His voice made her look him in the eye again. "It's ok."

She looked down at her lap again, rolling the wedding ring Sasuke had given her in between her thumb and index finger. She had just kissed her husband's brother… why wasn't she feeling the slightest bit guilty about it?

She sighed and got off the bed, walked straight up to Itachi and pressed her lips hard onto his while her arms snuck around his waist.

Itachi blinked a couple of times before pushing her lightly off of him. "Sa-Sakura…?"

"You asked me what I wanted," She started and stepped closer to him. "And… I want you." She added with more certainty he'd ever heard her use before.

"Are you sure?" He asked quietly and watched her lick her lips as she came up only inches away from his face.

She tossed the wedding ring to the floor and closed the tiny gap between herself and the elder Uchiha. "I'm sure."