Wow, I kinda got carried away with this! A whopping 1400 words! (Audience completely silent) hehe... well then. Let's get on with this. So this chapter is just another little set up, for some serious angst. Also I'm thinking of changing this from adventure to tragedy... can you guess why? Well read on, and don't go telling anyone I own Naruto, cuz I don't!

They arrived at the Akatsuki headquarters later that day. It was located in a cave similar to the one they met Leader in earlier. Itachi lifted the seal and lead Sakura in slowly. Kisame followed behind, replacing the seal.

There was a short hallway, and at the end a large double door stood, set into the stone. Sakura paused for a moment, studying the walls. It appeared that the cave walls had been smoothed down. Itachi waited for her at the end of the hall. She turned back to him, and gave a tight smile. A smile that he returned.

'Did he just smile? That was actually kind of creepy...' Inner Sakura said. Sakura had to agree it was rather unlike Itachi to show emotion. She wondered what he was thinking about...

Itachi's smile faded, 'that was odd... I haven't smiled to anyone in years...'

He focussed on the task ahead, introducing Sakura. He doubted Leader would be there to explain, so he would have to make the others believe she was worthy. He looked over at Sakura, who was approaching. She looked tired and sad... almost weak.

Sakura saw Itachi step up to her. He was close... too close. She inhaled sharply, her mind reeling. 'Is he doing what I think he's doing? He can't be thinking about that! Not now... I mean, not ever!' She was considering pushing him away, but found herself paralyzed.

Itachi was less than arm's length away now, he was leaning down. Sakura held her breath and... She shut her eyes, expecting the unlikely. She held them shut for two, five, ten seconds, then...

Itachi picked a leaf out of her hair and rubbed a smudge of dirt off her face. She had to look presentable for his comrades, or else they'd tear her apart.

Sakura blinked. 'He was just... fixing my hair? What the hell?!' She felt her cheeks get warm with embarrassment. She laughed, trying to ignore the fact that she thought he was going to kiss her. She pushed past Itachi, wrenching open the doors.

Itachi smirked, 'she expected more. Perhaps she does have feelings after all.' He followed after her.

"Who the hell are you, un?! A voice shouted from inside. Itachi sighed, it was Deidara, so impatient.

"Deidara! Would you kindly shut-up? We have some things to explain," Kisame yelled closing the door firmly behind him.

A figure approached from the shadows, "it seems you do, why have you brought Haruno Sakura to our lair?"

Sakura furrowed her brows, "how do you know my name?"

The person smirked, "I know a lot of things, Sakura-san." Kisame just growled.

"Sasori, please stop scaring our guest."

"Gladly, let me fetch the others, I'm sure there's a reason for all this," with this Sasori left the room, walking down a narrow hall.

"This is the common room, we have a television and a couch, but not much else. If you look to the right, through that arch is the kitchen, and down where Sasori went are the bedrooms. There are ten of them," Kisame explained as others entered.

"Who's this?"

"Yes, who is it?"

Itachi just scowled, Zetsu's split personalities always bugged him. It was unnatural, so was the fact he was basically a plant.

A few more members filed in, sitting on the couch or leaning against walls.

Itachi took a deep breath and began, "Everyone, this is Haruno Sakura, a kunoichi from Konoha. She will be staying here, as an unofficial member," that made a few members gasp or re-evaluate her, "she is a medic-nin and an experienced fighter. Do not take her to be weak, for she could probably defeat most of you."

Sakura waited for Itachi to continue, but then realized that he was finished. She shuffled her feet nervously and smiled at the members. 'These guys are S-ranked criminals... but they seem so friendly...' She retched at the thought. 'No, I should hate them... should hate!'

Her mind was against her. She wanted to hate them, but the only ones she could think to hate were her friends back home. They abandoned her... left her alone. Even after her parents died, no one came... Naruto was off with Jiraiya, and Sasuke... left. She wanted to get away from all that, from the pain of those memories.

For weeks after Naruto left, she kept expecting... no hoping that he'd show up on the horizon, asking her to come with him. To stay as his teammate, but he never came. No one did.

She kept a smile plastered on her face for a few more moments before realizing how stupid she probably looked. Everyone just shrugged and went off on their way, so soon Sakura was alone.

Deidara stood from the couch and was going to return to his room when he saw Sakura still just standing there. He put his hands in his pockets awkwardly. "Hey... do you want me to show you to a room, un?"

Sakura looked relieved at the man... teenager... she studied him closer, he actually only looked around eighteen or nineteen.

"So do you, un?" She snapped out of her thoughts, and smiled.

"Yah, that would be great, thank you..." she trailed on, not remember his name.

"Oh, it's Deidara, un."

"Yes, Deidara. Thanks." She followed him down the hall.

He led her past the first nine rooms, then stopped at the tenth. "This is your room then, un." He showed her in, then stood awkwardly. "I guess I'll just go then..." He turned slowly.

"Wait, Deidara. You don't have to... we could talk a little... that is if you're not busy," Sakura said hurriedly, she didn't want to be left alone.

Deidara shrugged, "sure, what do ya wanna talk about, un?"

Sakura just looked around the room, noting the small futon propped up against the wall. "Are we allowed to change our rooms at all?"

"Nope, we need to keep them clean. That's just in case we need to bolt one day, un," he explained. Sakura frowned. "Ya, I know it sucks. I've argued that we should at least be able to put some art up or something, un."

"You like art?"

Deidara smiled widely, "Art's a blast, un."

Sakura laughed at his comment, and loosened up a bit. Then he asked, "so how'd a Konoha shinobi wind up here, un?"

Sakura stiffened, "well, I was on a mission to stop the two intruders that murdered our ANBU patrol squad and... I... was sent to investigate."

"And it was Kisame and Itachi..." Deidara added.

"Yes, and we were losing bad, then I defeated Kisame and all that was left was to beat Itachi. Unfortunately I was caught in his genjutsu and used up all my chakra to break out."

"Wait, you broke out of Itachi's genjutsu?!" Deidara asked, shocked.

"Ya... it wasn't all that hard, but it did leave me defenseless and near unconsciousness..." She didn't want to tell Deidara about her inner self. It would probably freak him out.

Deidara stared in awe, "you know what? You have just earned yourself a place in my good books. So now, you get to see my art collection, un!" Sakura just laughed and nodded.

Deidara ran/skipped down the hall to the fourth room. He threw open the door and stood aside for Sakura to survey his collection.

Sakura reached the room and looked in. What she saw amazed her. "Did you make all these?!"

Deidara beamed with pride, "yup, that's what these hands are made for, ART, UN!" Then he ran into his room, dragging Sakura with him. "This is what I've been working on."

Sakura looked down at the stone bench and saw a beautiful, half-made swan. Every feather was artfully carved out of clay, its slender neck curved gracefully backwards.

Deidara stepped before the swan, and extended his arms and placing his hands on the unfinished body. As his hands glided over the clay, small feathers began to be etched out.

"How are you doing that?" Sakura asked, dumbfounded.

Deidara looked down sheepishly, then held his hand out to Sakura. On each of his hands were mouths that smiled and stuck their tongues out at her.

"Is this a kekkai genkai of sorts?"

"Well ya, they're pretty horrible, aren't they, un?"

Sakura shook her head, "not at all, they're amazing. I've never seen anything like it. What I wouldn't give to be able to study their structure and chakra links!" Deidara raised an eyebrow. "Oh, sorry! I just get a little carried away..."

"No, that's okay. It's kinda nice for someone to take an interest in me..." Deidara looked down sadly.

Sakura touched his arm, "how'd you end up like this? I mean... a criminal?"

I'm pretty sure that chapter didn't make you feel sad, happy, excited or anything, but I sure hope it filled you with a need... a need to REVIEW! yay! Let's see who reviewed today... blah blah... ooh, yay, praise! Wait... what is this!? A flame... grr. (Grabs computer, flings it out of the window...) Haha, just kidding. I've never gotten a flame for this... yet. But if I do, that's what happens!

Remember, flames are different than criticism. And I don't anger THAT easily. I do need some feedback however, so please press that review button! XD