Disclaimer: All Naruto Characters are the property of Masashi Kishimoto
Rating: M (ItaSaku)

In the Silence

Chapter 14- The Forest Holds Our Secrets

"Well I'm glad your safe Sakura." Tsunade was sitting behind her desk her hands splayed out over papers in front of her. She looked over her apprentice's shoulder towards her team and with a menacing smile dismissed them.

"But baa-sama! I want to stay with Sakura, she just got back!"

"Come on Dobe." Sasuke grumbled grabbing the back of his best friend's collar and tugging him out of the room. Kakashi nodded once and followed his team.

Tsunade leaned back in her chair, her eyes coming to rest on Sakura once again. They had spent the past hour reviewing what she had gone through in the time she had been with Akatsuki.

"Now tell me what it is you can't say in front of your team." Normally Sakura would have smiled to know that once again Tsunade was ahead of them all. But what she had to say this time was far more important than humor. She watched her shisou for a moment before jumping straight in.

"Uchiha Itachi is loyal to Konoha."

Tsunade's eyes widened and she leaned forward, her elbows resting against her desk.

"Explain."

So she did. She told the Hokage Itachi's story. How the village had ordered him to kill his clan, how he had done so, preventing a civil war. She told her about his connection with Jiraiya and how now that the Sanin was dead, Itachi was left without a contact, without someone who could pass information to the person who needed it most.

"Me." Sakura nodded at her mentor's words. Her brown eyes were narrowed in concentration as she digested the words. "So Uchiha Itachi's intention was never to lore Naruto closer, only to make contact with the person who could relay information."

"Yes." Her words were soft.

"He's cunning. Not only did he create the perfect plan but he chose the perfect person. There are few people in this world that I trust as much as you Sakura; that means that what he tells you will have a better chance of being believed."

Sakura blinked away sudden tears at Tsunade's words. To hear them from the woman she respected most was like the fulfillment of everything she had worked so hard to achieve. Tsunade saw them and smiled.

"Its true so don't go crying on me." Her words were tough, brazen and demanding, and yet as the last one slipped away Sakura knew that she was trying just as hard not to cry. Suddenly though, the older woman became serious once again. "Sakura, I need you to keep all of this to your self. Do not even tell the council members."

As if.

"If they were to find out, they would kill you."

"What?!"

Tsunade tipped her head forward slightly, "Is it really so surprising Sakura? You know that they killed an entire clan, and would have killed Itachi to keep the secret if he weren't as talented as he was. Do you really think that they would let one little medic stand in the way of what they believed to be the safety of the village?"

Sakura hated the way she said that. "I am not just a little…"

Tsunade smiled and put up a hand, "I know your not, your team knows, your friends know, and I imagine that now even Itachi knows. But the council is too busy watching Naruto right now. They have a tendency to, shall we say, overlook what does not blatantly stand out."

Well that was true enough. "I understand. What would you like me to do?"

"Well, it seems that you are now Itachi's connection to me. It is up to you to figure out how to gather information from him as he sees fit to give. I hope I need not remind you though that if you are found in the presence of Akatsuki you will be labeled a traitor, and I will not be able to save you Sakura."

She nodded.

"Alright then, you are dismissed, and reassigned to active duty with your team after two weeks of recovery time, since between you and me it is obvious that your little "kidnapping" was not as detrimental as it might have been. However if you try to step in before your two weeks is up I will cut your missions."

She laughed internally. This was the teacher she knew and loved. A woman able to council you softly one moment, and threaten your very existence before her the next. Sakura was under no illusions however that she wasn't completely serious. Tsunade rarely joked about such things. By giving her two weeks "vacation" the Hokage was assuring herself that her apprentice really was safe, sound, and home. "Yes Hokage-sama."

Tsunade sighed and wrinkled her nose. "Now get out of my sight before I cry. Dismissed." Sakura smiled and stood, but before she left she stepped quickly around the desk and gave her Master a hug, then disappeared out the door.

Tsunade leaned back in her chair for a moment, willing herself not to react. Damn that girl could get to her. The time she had been gone had almost taken twenty years off her life. Sakura was like a daughter to her. If something had happened she didn't know what she might have done. She sighed and gave up, smiling slightly.

Everything had turned out fine, and now this new situation with the eldest Uchiha had popped up. Konoha was in for an interesting if dangerous future.

She just hoped they were all up for it.

Sakura strolled quietly down the street back towards her home. Part of her wanted to go to the hospital to say hello, but she knew that Tsunade would just see it as her trying to step into work again. It was better to avoid problems before they happened.

"Hag." Her eyebrow twitched slightly but she plastered a smile on her face and turned to Sai who was standing near the entrance to the library. He was holding several books, and a small smile lit his own lips. A smile almost too small to see, but Sakura knew it for what it was.

"Fake." He said.

"Real." She replied.

He nodded and so did she. It was a greeting that had grown between them. Sakura knew that many times she wore her emotions on her sleeve whereas Sai hardly ever showed them. So they called what they saw. His smile was real, hers was not.

"What are you doing?"

"Just picking up some books, the newest one promises much in teaching the way of smaller gestures, like winks." He tried but ended up only looking as if he had something in his eye and she laughed. He smiled again. "Real."

Yes it was real. Fore some reason despite all of his arrogance and inability to understand basic emotions when they had first met, Sai could always make her laugh. During the time before Sasuke had come back, Sai had been made a part of their team. Now that the Uchiha was back, he had resumed his old place, but the artist never seemed to mind. He still joined them from time to time along with Tenzou when the Hokage needed to send out larger teams. Every now and then the two of them would disappear into ANBU, but thankfully they always came back.

Sakura was pretty sure that the Hokage knew how much the two ANBU had become part their lives, and refused to let them loose themselves behind their masks again. For that she was thankful.

"Where are you going?"

"Home I guess, Tsunade put me on two weeks of mandatory vacation." She glowered slightly. Sai chuckled.

"The Hokage is very wise, I think I will walk with you a ways, we are going in the same direction."

For several minutes they strolled along in silence just enjoying the presence of each other until they came to Sai's street. "Well I turn here. I hope to see you soon Ugly, perhaps once your "vacation" is over we will be teamed again." Sakura noted the look on the artist's face and stored it for later observation.

"Alright Sai, it was good to see you too." He nodded and walked away- his own way of saying 'Im glad your home, and safe'.

She continued on towards her own home, turning her mind towards what he had said. What was that about? Sai knew something and was trying to let her know. His loyalty to ANBU prevented him from ever actually saying anything, but over the years he had learned to give their team slight advanced warning. This was just such a time. She stored it for later and kept walking towards her home.

"Sakura?" A soft voice caught her ear but she knew who it was and turned with a smile.

"Hey Hinata." The dark haired kunoichi walked towards her and smiled before leaning in quickly to give her a small hug. Sakura easily returned it. Over the years she and Hinata had become much better friends since their love of Naruto inevitably tied them together. Sakura had never understood the young heiress's almost frail demeanor and had been estatic to see her grow into herself as they got older. Now 23 Hinata was no longer the stuttering push-over her adolescence had seen. She was still soft spoken, and polite to a tee, and many times deferred to the opinions of others, but when it came to important things, Hinata could hold her own.

"I'm so happy your safe Sakura. When Naruto came back and told me what happened he was in pieces. He thought that he was loosing someone important all over again." Her pale eyes were dark with her memory. "When he demanded another team to come with his to look for you, I told the Hokage I was going." She laughed slightly. "You know its funny. Years ago I would have never demanded such a thing. It never occurred to me that she might have had someone else in mind to go."

So the Hyuga had been Hinata, Sakura was glad. She leaned in and hugged her friend once more. "Thank you."

Hinata returned the hug and smiled once they let go. "You mean everything to us Sakura, we weren't just going to give you up without a fight." For the second time that morning she had to hold back tears. The two women walked down the street for a bit, catching Sakura up on what had happened in the village while she had been away, and what Sakura herself had done while with the Akatsuki. "They made you fight?!"

"No, it was optional, they couldn't afford to force me to do anything since they were trying to lore Naruto to me. But sitting around isn't exactly my style, and besides, it gave me a chance to study them." Like the way Kisame was blatantly hilarious, or how Deidara loved creating art just about as much as he like making it explode. Like how Hidan was messed up and Tobi was a child willing to trust almost unconditionally.

And Itachi. How even now he was fighting for them, paying a price alone that was not just his to hold. How he smiled slightly when he could no longer conceal it behind his mask or how his night-dark eyes were so much more penetrating than his sharingan ever could be.

"Sakura…" How his voice slipped away into silence threatening to be lost…

"Sakura?" She turned and looked at Hinata who was watching her, calling her name.

"Oh sorry, I was just thinking how nice it was to be home." An easy lie, she was getting better, and it hurt.

"That's alright. Your probably tired, so ill let you go, your home anyway." She smiled again but this time it didn't reach her pale eyes.

"You sure you don't want to come up, im sure I still have tea."

"No thanks, actually I promised to meet Naruto at Ichiraku…" The two women laughed, some things never changed.

"Alright Hinata. Thank you so much, I really appreciate it." The heiress smiled.

"I am your friend Sakura, if you need anything just ask, though Naruto will probably get it first." They hugged again before Hinata turned down the road with a wave and left. Sakura sighed slightly, suddenly aware of how tired she was and made her way slowly to her apartment. Once inside she shuffled to her room and collapsed on the bed, asleep before she could even take off her shoes.

He was standing behind her. She could feel his cloak brushing softly against the back of her arms, his heat searing her back and her neck. She turned, but didn't see him. He was still there, still behind her, she simply couldn't turn far enough. The world was black and white, inverted and dark, like a technique she had never been on the receiving end of.

"Sakura."

His deep voice. Controlled and searching.

"Sakura chan?"

And it was gone.

She opened her eyes to see Naruto standing over her. Irritated that he still continued to barge into her home in the morning without knocking, she sat up and swung at him, catching his chin on the edges of her knuckles as he tried to stumble away. She yawned and rubbed her eyes.

"Yeesh Sakura-chan! That hurt! What was that for?"

"Naruto how many times have I told you to knock before you come in?" he opened his mouth to say something but she continued "And how many times have I told you not to stand over me while im sleeping?"

"But I did knock! You just didn't hear it. And I was trying to wake you up, I cant do that from the door!" He was pouting with that puppy dog look again and she had to hide a smile.

"Fine, what is it you want?"

"Teme and I are training in about and hour. Kakashi might come too. I wanted to see if you were interested. Even if you don't train, we just want to spend time with you." His face was scrunched with worry and love and an adorable sheepish want to please. She gave into her smile.

"Alright Ill come. But you have to go make tea first."

He jumped towards the door with a smile and ran out of the room and towards the kitchen where she could hear him looking for her kettle. She stretched again and tried to shake off the feeling that he was still behind her. What was that? She looked around, but everything was just as she had left it. Even the window was still closed and locked. Ha! She thought to herself like Itachi would stoop to something that cliché. Have you lost your mind Sakura?!

Ignoring herself she stood and got dressed washing the previous day away with a hot shower. About twenty minutes later and she found herself in the kitchen at her small table, tea in hand and Naruto babbling away. Despite the past few weeks, the morning felt utterly natural. Naruto usually appeared on her doorstep in the morning and shared tea with her. Thus the reason she knew he wouldn't burn down the house when she told him to go make it.

They would chat for a while, discussing unimportant details and small stories before going off to train. Some mornings even Sasuke would join them, though it was rare, and every now and then Kakashi would show up. But for the most part it was just her and Naruto. They had fallen into this pattern while searching for Sasuke, and never bothered to break it.

"How was lunch with Hinata yesterday?"

"Great!" he proclaimed through a sip of tea. "How did you know?"

"I ran into her on my way home. She told me she was on the second team that came after me. I knew that there was a Hyuuga but I wasn't sure wether it was her or Neji."

Naruto nodded and smiled. "She didn't give Tsunade ba-samma much of a choice in the matter. The second team formed and she said she was on it so I guess that was that." Sakura could hear the pride in his voice. Hinata really had changed, but all it had done was make him love her more.

"So when are you going to ask her?" He blushed and looked into his tea.

"Ask her what?"

Sakura smirked. "To marry you dimwit."

"I, well, I… damn Sakura-chan that's not a fair question!"

"Sure it is."

He glowered. "I don't know." He admitted "I was thinking of asking her at a festival…"

"Naruto that's great!" He smiled slightly,

"You think?"

"Of course, do you have a ring?"

"No, I haven't found the right one yet. Maybe one of these days ill drag you along and you can help me. Sasuke sure as hell wouldn't." She laughed. It was true. She could just picture Naruto trying to drag his best friend into a jewelry shop. As soon as they got inside, the clone Sasuke would disappear.

"I'd be glad to. Anyway, finish your tea, don't you have to meet him soon?"

Naruto looked at the clock she had mounted on the wall. "Oh shit!" Gulping the last of his tea he ran out of the room, and Sakura followed him, more slowly of course, closing and locking the door behind them.

She then proceeded to spend an easily enjoyable day with her team. True to their schedule, Naruto and Sasuke trained, beating each other brainless in the process and coming to her when they were done so that they could be healed and do it all over again. Kakashi showed up at about mid day and laughed with her about their stupidity only to go join in himself. He and Sasuke had been working on a teamed attack with their chidori and it was coming along quite well. Naruto almost didn't dodge in time when he was side tracked by a clone of Kakashi who was reading an old copy of Icha Icha. The tables turned again though when Sasuke teamed with Naruto and the two friends went after their former sensei.

This continued for hours, each pairing differently and attacking each other. At one point Sakura considered joining in but just couldn't bring herself to do it. And her reason was utterly and completely stupid. She felt like if she fought now, for no particular reason, that her last connection to him would be broken.

The last person she had fought was Itachi.

She could still see the pained look in his eyes when he told her to attack him so that he didn't have to fight her team. To save them. The look on his face when he told her to use everything, even his own jutsus. The way he moved, holding back his strength to play a part, the way he staggered when his role was complete.

The way he disappeared.

So she didn't fight. Instead she watched them. Watched the way Sasuke's moves were so similar and yet utterly different from his brother's. The way Kakashi used his sharringan with the same kind of precision that came from years of practice.

No matter how hard she tried to think of something else, inevitably her mind was drawn back to him. It was infuriating. What had he done to her?

By the time the sun had started to set the three men in front of her were all sprawled out differently, heaving sighs and gasps for air after an entire day of beating the snot out of each other. Naruto was plastered on the ground in the center of the field, unwilling to peel himself up to even a sitting position. Sasuke was leaning against the trunk of a tree, having slipped down against the base, and Kakashi was above him on one of the lower branches, his nose buried in his book once more. She chuckled and left them where they were, knowing that Naruto would probably drag them off to Ichiraku for dinner.

The sun slipped quickly beneath the trees and Sakura walked silently down the paths that connected training grounds. She would visit her parents tonight. She hadn't been to see them in so long. Sometimes she still had trouble admitting that they were gone. But when grief threatened to take hold of her again she was always able to find refuge in the arms of her team and surrogate family.

She sighed peacefully, inhaling the soft scent of pine and wind and the distant smell of possible rain, reveling in her alone time. She loved walks like these. Moments when she could just escape from everything, even those she loved. Moments that were all for her, her and the forest. She was still about a half mile from the cemetery, so she picked up her pace weaving in and out of the trees as she went and not bothering to stay on the marked path. Not only was she an expert tracker, she had grown up walking these woods. There was no chance of her getting lost or even attacked. The perimeter of the village was guarded far too heavily now for something like that to ever happen. Naruto might have commented about her walking by herself at night, but it would only have given him a headache after she hit him. She was more than capable of taking care of herself thank you very much.

Near her she could hear the babbling of a small brook that followed one of the lesser used paths and walked towards it. This late in the fall- since it was warmer in Konoha then where the Akatsuki had been- the water was already getting cold, its source probably spilling from somewhere up in the mountains. She stopped by it for a moment and dipped her fingers in, enjoying the little chill that went up her arms. The water was clear and smooth. Every now and then she could see a little minnow dart through the little ripples, but it was rare, most of them had already gone down steam with the coming winter. A rustle of feathers in the distance made her look up but she was alone. Solitary in her moment.

Before her, her reflection rippled in the water, gazing back at her solemnly. Short bangs of coral pink hair fluttered in front of calm jade eyes while the rest settled over her shoulders. Her hair had been short ever since she had cut it in her first chunin exam. There was no reason except vanity to grow it out again, and when Sakura truly thought about it, she realized that she liked her hair short. Not only was it more practical, easily tied back and out of the way when need be, but it suit her, framing her face and bringing more attention to her eyes.

Now if that's not vanity I don't know what is. She berated herself with a silent giggle. She trailed one finger over her reflection, disrupting the soft flow of water.

"It seems that the role of guardian is far larger than I anticipated. Sasuke never wandered so far from the safety of the village."

She must have still been tired. Sakura was hardly ever exhausted enough to be plagued by walking dreams. But that had to be what this was. He would never be here. Never so close to danger when so much rode on what he wished to pass on. Never so close when secrecy was the only course of survival. So close to her village, her team. So close to her.

"You are careless."

Nevers and dreams be damned, he needed to stop talking before he ended up with a fist in his face. Her fingers, trailing in the water only moments before, clenched and she gritted her teeth to stop from saying something stupid.

She stood abruptly and turned, jade eyes flashing in the dim light. "I am hardly in need of a guardian Uchiha. If you would like to announce your presence after your finished showing off by sneaking around, do not insult me, a simple 'Hello Sakura' could do just fine."

His form was just barely fluttering on the edge of the shadows, engulfed by those cast by the trees. But she could see him.

"Hello Sakura."

She had mentioned that she hated him right?

"What are you doing here Itachi? How did you even get passed the boarder?"

His eyebrow rose slightly and she glared harder, internally kicking herself for asking that question. So she went for snide. "Oh that's right, I forgot, you're a genius." He continued to gaze at her without speaking. Her eyebrow twitched slightly. He shouldn't be here. It was dangerous, and far too soon after their little escapade in the north. Another ninja could come through here at any time, see Itachi, see Sakura and get the wrong impression.

"I have information that is vital for the Hokage. It cannot wait."

That sobered her. "Continue."

"Pain, the current leader of Akatsuki, is attempting to gather the support of surrounding hidden villages in an attempt to overthrow Konoha. Small bands will be sent in one at a time to weaken your defenses and lower your numbers until Pain deems the village ready for a full out assault. He intends to capture Naruto in one of the smaller battles and use the Kyuubi in the final attack."

"And just how does he expect to get Naruto?"

"Through the Akatsuki of course."

"So you…"

"Yes."

Sakura was undecided if this was good or bad. Itachi was obvious ally one of the most powerful Akatsuki and he was on Konoha's side, which raised Naruto's chances quite a bit. But when it really came down to a fight with all of them, she didn't know who would prevail- or which side Itachi would visibly take.

"Thank you for the information. I will be sure to pass it on to the Hokage." He nodded solemnly and when he looked back up she could see that his eyes were no longer crimson. Trying to keep the past out of her mind she focused on the present. "Itachi I suggest you leave now, I have to go back into the village before Naruto or the others come looking for me." And I don't want you getting hurt.

He smiled slightly and she narrowed her eyes at the look. It could imply noting good.

"On the contrary, I have no where else to be tonight as the other Akatsuki believe me to be on a mission. I was hoping to stay the night in Konoha. It has been some time since I have been within its walls."

"WHAT?!" Surely her chin was scraping the ground right now.

"You seem surprised."

"Itachi, what are you saying?! You can't just stay in Konoha. They'll find you!"

"Are you so sure of that?"

"Do you remember who's on my team?!"

"Yes."

"Well then you should know that even if your brother doesn't figure out it's you, Kakashi will. You can't just hide yourself from them."

"Sakura where am I standing?"

He must have gone insane. He was standing in front of her. She could see him. Hear him. Feel his chakra.

"Itachi your right…."

It was gone.

A ninja's chakra signature admits a low feeling that shinobi are trained to pick up on. Even when someone has theirs completely sealed one could feel it if they were a couple of feet from each other, the way she and Itachi were now. His had been concealed, but she felt him. But now….

It was as if he had completely and utterly disappeared.

"What the…"

"There is no need to worry for my safety while in the village."

Her heart leapt past her chest and lodged itself suddenly in her throat. He was behind her, his words ruffling the hair on the back of her neck for all the space that was between them- which was almost nothing. She had never seen him move, never heard him, never even felt him. Even now, only inches apart, it felt as if she stood alone with someone utterly un-shinobi behind her. His chakra traces were gone.

"Itachi… you can't… its too… I…" Her mind fumbled over the words as she felt his fingers suddenly tangle in the back of her hair, the tops of them brushing just slightly against the back of her neck.

That wasn't fair. She breathed and tried to ignore the shivers that his touch was sending up and down her spine.

"Im staying Sakura."

Shit.

She stepped away and turned to face him, trying to glare again and praising the chill that had immediately claimed the warm spots his fingers had traced over her skin.

"Fine. But you had better come up with one hell of a Henge! If anyone even starts to suspect, I will kill you myself for being such a fool!" And with that she turned and stomped away, leaving a grinning Uchiha standing behind her as she growled her way back towards the village.

She was so dead.

Chapter 15- Playing the Part

A/N: Heya! Another chapter... check. Yay!! I hope your enjoying it. Sorry it took so long but school comes first. I made it long though, so that should make things all better!

I just want to send a shout-out to Freedomwings26, Uchiha-Aki, and Hisoka-ai9 who have been reading this story and have continuously given me wonderful reviews throughout the chapters. See, you get noticed when i see your name again and again. I really cant tell you how much I appreciate what you write, it makes me want to keep writing.

More stuffs between Itachi and Sakura coming up. You are severely warned. XD

Till next time!