A/N: Wow, I'm really sorry about the late update guys. I'd written most of this a while back but wasn't happy with it so didn't finish it. It's a bit longer than usual to make up for the lateness. I hope you enjoy it. Please tell me what you think!

WARNING: This chapter contains scenes of a slightly sexual nature.

Chapter 21: New Moon

Crouched behind a bed of rocks, a girl observed the distant indistinct shapes converging on her hiding place. As they left the shadow of the trees, the moonlight transformed the obscure forms into recognisable shapes. The silvery light bounced off their short hair, clothes and metal-plated headbands. Shinobi. Her heart-rate sped up and she grasped at the loose soil to ease some of the tension.

Breathe in and out. In and out. The constant litany concentrated her focus and forced her to remain calm. There was still a chance that they were just passing through; a lone band of ninjas traversing the wilds. As they neared, one bent to touch a mark on the ground and the girl involuntarily stiffened. Trackers then. She involuntarily glanced at the small copse of trees to her right and reassured, felt her muscles relax slightly. She was not alone.

A few specks of rain dashed against her cheeks. It had been four days since Sakura had left Konoha yet it felt as though she'd been gone her whole life. When she had first proposed the idea of leaving with Deidara he had warned her of the consequences. She would be ostracised from her village, maybe for good. Friends, neighbours, colleagues, people she'd met on the street would hate her for her decision to abandon her village, even worse to work with the man who had helped assassinate the leader of their closest ally: Suna. The fact that Gaara recovered from the incident was moot point. Chiyo baa-sama had died in the process of reviving him and the Ichibi could not be restored to his body. Not for the first time she wondered what Naruto thought of her.

Not a single one of them would stop to listen to her reasoning. Of that she was certain.

With a sigh she pushed the heavy thoughts away and returned her attention to her quarry who were almost within hearing distance. Silently she retrieved a sealed scroll from her backpack; it contained incendiary devices. Even on the run Deidara had not been lax about her training. As her foes came within striking distance she unfurled the paper with a flick of her hand and in the same motion lobbed the explosives in their direction.

Chaos ensued as the stony landscape transformed into a hailstorm of rocks and debris. The fire from the explosion lit the scene, illuminating the commotion as the shinobi scrambled out of the way, arms raised protectively over their heads. Sakura sighed as she stowed the empty scroll away. Explosives really weren't her style. She wished Deidara could have taught her a technique that she felt comfortable using. It didn't come easily to her. Such a simple technique, according to him, shouldn't have her gritting her teeth in concentration every time she used it.

A flash of blonde streaked across her vision. Deidara had joined the fray. The thudding of the bird's great wings caused Sakura to instinctively cover her ears as the movement of air made them feel weirdly decompressed. Deidara circled above the retreating figures, a steely glint in his eye as one stumbled backwards onto a mine that he planted earlier. Sakura resisted the urge to flinch as he screamed. The other three shinobi broke free and scattered, dodging his clay grenades; two headed towards a defensible hillock. In the confusion Sakura lost sight of the other.

She rose fluidly from her position and hooked a few kunai around her fingers for precaution. Darting towards the battle, she watched as Deidara drove the two shinobi against the rocky side of the hill. A faint sound behind her caused her to spin into a crouch, striking out blindly. Her uncontrolled punch caught the third shinobi in the side. A grievous blow. The fight was over in moments. Not waiting to draw breath she continued to run towards Deidara and the others. Still trapped, she saw one bite his thumb hard enough to draw blood whilst the other continued to defend his companion. In a flash of realisation, Sakura knew what he was about to do. She hurled her kunai with all her strength at the shinobi, knowing that if he succeeded the outcome could not be good. The first glanced off the stone above their heads and the second narrowly missed his knee. The third went wide, slamming into the side of the man protecting his ally. The force of impact knocked him into the man behind him and they fell in a tangled heap. Not stopping to sigh with relief Sakura sprinted up the hill, cresting the ledge the moment the second man found the strength to place his bloodied hand upon the ground.

Hundreds of dark wings erupted from the very earth, creating a chill cutting wind that knocked the medic backwards. She barely had time to defend herself before sharp talons tore at her exposed skin, itching to rip and tear her face into ruin. A shout from above told her that Deidara was facing a similar problem yet the speed of his clay construct was unmatched: a familiar thudding sensation and an onslaught of air ruffling her hair told her that he'd just passed overhead. Acutely aware that time was running out, she curled defensively and formed the correct seals at lightning speed. Warm blood trickled down her forearm as she slammed her palm into the earth, erecting an earthy dome that protected her from the savage birds outside.

Now what?

She could hear muffled thuds as the birds battered against her small prison. Instinctively, she called up her chakra reserves to heal the deep furrows on her arms. The soft, comforting glow lit up the dark interior as she considered her options. There were two shinobi still out there. One wounded by her kunai and the other completely unharmed as far as she could tell. This was without factoring the summoned birds of prey into the equation. She felt her insides twinge at the thought of leaving Deidara out there to deal with them alone, although rationally she knew he'd had worse odds in the past. Sakura had only been a missing-nin for four days and already she was tired of the constant vigil that must be kept at all times, the running and the fighting. Life had been much simpler before but it was no use wishing things were different. She had chosen this lot, to stand with Deidara against the Akatsuki. It was too late to change her mind.

The medic ran her fingertips experimentally along her forearms, feeling the smooth unblemished skin beneath them. There was no more point in lingering. Gently, she touched the wall of the dome, sketching out a rough doorway with her fingers. The earthy interior disintegrated upon her touch, leaving a small Sakura-sized hole for her to climb through. Her forehead brushed against the roof, showering her with soil. Spluttering slightly, she re-emerged onto the battlefield.

Dead birds littered the floor, their scrawny legs pointing skywards whilst their glassy eyes watched her accusingly. Shuddering slightly she averted her gaze, not wanting to confirm the species although she was pretty sure that they had been some kind of falcon. Further on she discovered a discarded arm, the body nowhere to be seen. Well that accounted for one of the shinobi at least.

The sound of steel on steel clearly borne on the wind drew her attention to the north where Deidara was fighting in the distance. A few more specks of icy rain dashed against her skin alerting her to the deep rainclouds settling overhead. She broke into a jog, picking her way across the jagged landscape, her eyes fixed on the horizon. The clay bird swooped in for a dive as Deidara let several bombs loose and the ground was peppered with explosions. As he came out of the dive, Sakura saw the bird jerk back suddenly. A thick silvery rope had wrapped itself around its tail. As she followed the rope back to its origin, she realised what it was: water from the river. The jog became a run.

In one violent motion Deidara severed the tail and formed a new one out of the bird's body, creating a slimmer version of the original. As he flew out of striking distance, Sakura watched his progression with a frown. She had been on that infernal bird enough times now to recognise when something was wrong. It wasn't just slower, it also took longer to respond to his commands. Refocusing on her enemy she saw that he had encased his arms in long tentacles of water, still fed by the river behind. It was like an umbilical cord, maintaining the jutsu by a constant flow of water. Slowly, a plan began to form in her mind.

As she crept stealthily towards her destination she kept one eye on the fight. She hoped that Deidara would keep him sufficiently distracted. Using the boulders to mask her presence she managed to travel unseen. Unable to help herself she kept glancing worriedly at the sky as Deidara dodged and weaved between the tentacles, looking for an opening. On the final turn, the bird was a little slow and the hard water slammed against its side. Biting her hand to stop herself from calling out, Sakura watched as Deidara tumbled from the bird and connected with the ground.

Horrified, she took two steps towards him and then stopped, hating herself. Running to Deidara would only get them both killed. Better that she carry out her plan first. She ran upstream following the river, no longer caring if she was spotted. Deidara would need every second she could give him.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, hating herself for choosing undisputable logic over emotion.

She formed the seals and plunged her hands into the deep, cold water, ignoring the river's cruel bite. It was nothing. As her palms made contact with the riverbed a thick barrier rose from its depths, diverting the course of the river. Hands covered with muck and grime, she raised her head towards the enemy shinobi, satisfied that her plan had indeed worked.

Wasting no extra time she raced back towards her adversary, forcing her mind away from speculating on Deidara's potential injuries. She could worry later. The shinobi was ready for her. The first punch he turned aside easily, using her own motion to carry her past him. Blows that would have shattered his bones upon impact he expertly turned aside. Losing patience she slammed her heel into the ground, causing the earth to rupture as it was forced violently forwards. Annoyingly he dodged even that. Angrily, she sprang at him intending to rip him apart with her bare hands.

He collapsed before she had the chance, a deadened look in his eye.

"Deidara!" Sakura rushed towards the man standing in front of her, engulfing him in her warm embrace. She inhaled his scent; woody with a hint of explosive powder.

"I'm fine, yeah," he said exasperatedly, yet he returned her hug all the same.

She stepped back, smiling faintly. "We'd better go". She shot a final glance at the dead shinobi, eyes drawn to his forehead protector upon which the moonlight clearly gleamed. A mixture of fear and sorrow shot through her. "Konoha," she breathed, crumpling beside the motionless figure. She traced the symbol with her finger. "I guess I truly am a traitor," she sighed, rising again with a heavy heart and turned to face the black of night.

"Sakura," Deidara began, reaching for the her shoulder comfortingly. "They gave us no choice".

"That doesn't make it right," she replied, back still turned. "They were just doing their job. They thought they were protecting Konoha," she said sadly. "I thought I was too".

"You are still protecting it, yeah," Deidara's hand sought hers. "If you want to avoid more situations like this we need to leave now".

She nodded and squeezed his hand reassuringly. "I'll be okay".

Together they began to pick their way through the labyrinth of sharp, pointed rocks, eyes focused on the ground. "Are we going to take the bird?" Sakura asked after a minute of traversing the terrain.

Behind her Deidara shook his head, forgetting she couldn't see him. "No," he sighed. "The clay was completely ruined by the river water and there isn't enough left for another. Today you get your wish; we're walking the rest of the way, yeah".

Sakura's lips quirked up into a smile. He knew how much she hated travelling on that thing. She would learn to love it one day he had promised her. She had warned him not to hold his breath on that one.

Before she could think better of it she asked him, "does it bother you, killing Konoha shinobi?"

"No," was his immediate reply. "An enemy is an enemy. It doesn't matter to me where they come from. It only bothers me because it bothers you, yeah".

"Oh," was her reply. She half-wished she hadn't asked but what had she been expecting? The protection of her village was her desire, not his.

She halted, pausing their progress. "Do you think I made the right choice in leaving Konoha?" Sakura asked him, searching his eyes for a hint of what lay behind them. Deidara rolled a spare piece of clay between his fingers, playing for time.

Finally, "I don't know, Sakura," he said. "If we take down the Akatsuki then yes I suppose".

"And if we don't?"

Deidara didn't reply.

"Please tell me this place has running water".

The ramshackle building complete with a half-caved in roof and overgrown garden was spectacularly failing to meet Sakura's most basic expectations of what was to be their little hideaway. Based on appearance she wouldn't be surprised if the second story had a floor, let alone a decent bed to sleep in.

"We travelled two weeks for this? I shudder to think what your usual accommodation looks like," her attempt at light-hearted banter was ruined somewhat by the icy glare she shot his way. She stalked off in the direction of the house, not waiting for the silent blond to catch up. Secretly she'd hoped for something similar to the inn they'd stayed in previously; something quaint, homey and with a romantic backdrop. While mountains in the distance were dramatic and inspiring, the rest of her fantasy lay buried inside the ruins of their house. The long grass stung as it whipped past her bare calves; she hoped there were no snakes lurking nearby though judging from the racket she was making they'd long since made themselves scarce. Killing her fellow villagers had taken its toll. She knew she was being more snippy than usual but she was powerless to stop the snarky comments from tumbling out.

One hundred metres from the shabby red front door she stopped in her tracks, stomach lurching horribly.

"What the hell!" she stared deliberately at the ground and hissed out of the corner of her mouth at Deidara. "You never mentioned him." She backed up defensively, crouching into an aggressive stance. "We need to leave, now".

Deidara glanced towards the house, immediately spotting the source of her agitation. A dark figure blocked the doorway, arms folded menacingly. "Ah fuck," he sighed, "I was hoping he'd be late".

"You knew about this?" she hissed disbelievingly, throwing a swift glance at the man, avoiding his sinister red eyes as best she could. He looked as though he'd never been late in his life, she thought incredulously.

"I thought you said no one else knew about this place," she replied in an undertone through gritted teeth. Fists curled her body tensed, readying to rush at the intruder. Sensing her intention, Deidara grabbed her arm warningly. The look in her eyes almost caused him to let go. "What the fuck is the matter with you?" She snarled furiously, attempting to wrench her arm from his grasp.

"Calm down, yeah," he breathed in her ear. "I won't let you fight him".

She shot him a look of pure venom.

"Sakura, he's on our side," Deidara continued, glancing back at the cool, detached figure leaning against the porch. "Itachi wants to bring down the Akatsuki as much as we do, yeah," he explained.

"And you believe that?" Sakura asked incredulously. "Do you know what this man has done? There's no way I'm sharing a house with Itachi fucking Uchiha".

He released her pretty quickly after a sharp elbow to the ribs and watched ruefully as she stormed off in the direction of the mountains, sensing that to follow her would do more harm than good. "Well that didn't go quite as planned, yeah," he sighed, running his fingers through his hair distractedly. He traversed the rest of the overgrown lawn towards the man in question ignoring the warning signs; slightly narrowed eyes, folded arms and aggressive stance.

"We could have found a medic," Itachi stated coldly, "any medic, but you had to bring her". Icily, he swept past Deidara and into the gloom of the house. "This is on your head. I trust you will keep her from doing anything rash".

"And who's going to stop me?" Deidara muttered aloud, glaring after the retreating figure. He massaged his temples lightly, hoping to avoid the inevitable headache that would follow.

It was past sunset when he found her. She was perched on the lip of an overhanging rock, watching the world below the frigid mountain. Even in the dim light, he couldn't help but admire the way her hair cascaded down her shoulders and nestled in the smooth curve of her back. If she were to turn around it would be her eyes which held him however. An owl hooted softly nearby. It wasn't often that words failed him. He just didn't know how to begin.

She heaved a great sigh, the night air transforming it into mist.

"You had two weeks to tell me about Itachi," she began, her back still turned to him. "Why didn't you?"

Slightly relieved that she wasn't about to start shouting again, he joined her on the smooth triangular-shaped rock. Cold seeped up through his trousers upon contact. She was still staring out at the horizon, not trusting herself to look at him. Oddly it gave him a faint sense of victory.

"I don't know," he answered truthfully, "there never seemed to be the right time to do it".

She absorbed his words silently, her thoughts remained unspoken. Deidara wished he knew what she was thinking. On impulse he sidled closer to her and wrapped his arms around her torso, positioning her so that her head lay upon his shoulder. He took it as a good sign that she didn't protest.

"I've been thinking a lot whilst up here," she said, nestling against his body to exact more warmth. "I was more shocked than angry," she tilted her head up to face his, "If you let him come here you must have had a good reason. I never gave you a chance to explain".

He entwined his fingers with hers and they sat in companionable silence for a few moments.

"We can't do this alone," he murmured into her soft silky hair. "We can't do this without him".

"How can you be sure he won't turn on us?"

Deidara shrugged. "He's had plenty of opportunities".

"That's not exactly reassuring," a small smirk graced her lips. "Itachi has a lot to answer for and I find his motives questionable. I'll go along with it for now but if I see anything even slightly suspicious-," she let the unspoken threat hang in the air.

They huddled closer against the chill air, lost in companionable silence.

"Look," she startled him out of his thoughts, drawing his attention skywards. "It's a new moon. A time for new beginnings". She laughed, showing how little stock she took in her own words. "But who believes in that crap anyway?"

A distant look entered her eyes as she huddled closer, her eyes reflecting the light of the moon. With a sinking feeling Deidara recognised that look. The look she wore whenever she thought of home.

"Hey," he said gently brushing his thumb against her lower lip. "They still care about you, yeah. You may still be able to go home when all of this is over".

"After what I've done? I doubt it". Her voice was bitter. "My only hope for salvation is to destroy the Akatsuki".

He placed a light kiss upon her soft lips, hugging her tightly. He marvelled at the feel of her skin against his, her lungs expanding and contracting with each breath. It was hard to believe that his whole world lay wrapped safely within his arms.

"You are my salvation," he spoke softly in her ear, hearing the beating of his own heart hammering in his chest. "You saved me from myself".

He heard an intake of breath. After a short pause she answered. "Funny, I sort of view you in the same way. I came alive when I met you," she whispered, slowly placing tantalising kisses on his jaw line and down his neck.

"Do you know how much I want you right now?" Deidara massaged her hand in circular motions.

"Oh I think that is pretty obvious," she said mischievously, her words laced with sexual tension as she traced the outline of his hard length under his trousers. "You realise this is probably the last time we'll be alone together for a while," she smirked, biting her lower lip.

They should have known then there was no turning back.

When they stumbled back down the mountain a hour later, only a discarded pair of underwear remained as evidence.

Tired and a little sore, Sakura remained cheerful the next morning as she sat the ancient oak table, enjoying the best breakfast she'd had in two weeks. Ironically, the kitchen appeared to be one of the few parts of the house that had not fallen into complete devastation. Ivy framed windows revealed glimpses of the blue misty mountains outside and the oak kitchen units, although a little dusty, were in remarkably good condition. Her fingers brushed against Deidara's as she reached for her knife causing them both to smile faintly. The conversation had been lacking slightly since they'd returned from the mountains the previous evening. She cut into a delicious looking sausage and dipped it into her beans before eating it. The taste was heaven.

"What?" She'd caught Deidara staring at her.

"Nothing," he cleared his throat.

Heat rose to her cheeks as a dark figure swept into the room. Sakura watched in silence as Itachi cut off two slices of bread from the loaf and began to toast them on the grill. A bout of hysteria gripped her and she had to force her gaze back to her breakfast to avoid losing it. Just the very thought of eating with him was causing her to have a nervous breakdown. The truth was he terrified her. Deidara's hand clasped hers under the table and she fought to return her breathing to normal.

"Thanks," she mouthed silently. His stoic expression was not particularly reassuring.

She needn't have worried.

Itachi didn't so much as acknowledge either of them for the several tense minutes in which he cooked his breakfast. Sakura wolfed her food down as quickly as she could without being rude, determined not to catch anyone's eye as the tension was so thick it could be cut with a knife. When she was three-quarters finished, Itachi swept past her with a plate of toast, eggs and bacon. At the door he turned abruptly.

"Sakura. A moment please".

The sigh of relief that the medic had been holding in transformed into a tight, constricted sensation in her chest. She glanced at Deidara but his face was unreadable.

"Fine," she replied setting her fork down with a clatter, feeling distinctly outmanoeuvred. Feeling betrayed that Deidara had not jumped to her defence, she gave him the much deserved finger as she left. Itachi led her through the dilapidated house and out into the sunlight.

"I can tell you don't want to be here so I'll make this brief," Itachi began, his crimson eyes boring into hers. She wanted to jerk away but found herself rooted to the spot. Her heart thudded uncomfortably against her ribs. "You being here is a mistake," he continued unfeelingly. "Your very presence endangers the success of our mission".

Sakura's eyes narrowed. "I'm not leaving if that's what you mean," her voice was equally cold.

"If you can hold your own against me in battle, you can stay," his eyes glinted malevolently.

"I'm here because I want to be," she countered. "I did not risk everything to fall at the first hurdle. If my presence is going to be such a problem for you, then why don't you go?"

"I also have too much at stake to leave," he said quietly.

"Well then I guess we're at an impasse," she sighed, leaning against the chipped white porch. She ran her finger along the paintwork. It felt strange somehow. She frowned slightly.

"Do you know who the leader of the Akatsuki is, girl?" He jerked her out of her reverie.

"My name's Sakura," she corrected automatically. "And no".

"Well I do," Itachi glared, "and trust me, if you can't even fight off the genjutsu I've been using on you the past few minutes then you have zero chance of beating him".

"What-?" She exclaimed, switching to a defensive stance, senses straining for the slightest imperfection in the illusion. He could be lying, she reasoned as she scanned her surroundings, alert for the slightest change.

"Don't bother," Itachi said tonelessly as he walked past her back into the house. The scene disintegrated before her eyes.

"Sakura?" Deidara repeated exasperatedly, "I said are you going to eat that, yeah?"

"What? Oh-" She looked down at her half-eaten plate of food. "Yeah, sorry. Just got lost in thought I guess".

She was sitting in exactly the same place she had a few minutes ago, fork held limply in her left hand. With a jolt of horror she realised that she'd never actually left. That little bastard, she thought venomously, I'm going to kill him.

"Actually, I'm not hungry," she pushed away the remainder of her meal, her insides churning. She rose from the table, feeling white-hot anger race around her veins, her pulse thudding in her ears.

"What is it, yeah?" Deidara had risen also, a mixture of surprise and concern on his features.

"It's nothing," she brushed him aside dismissively and stormed from the room in search of the Uchiha. When she found him, it would not be pretty. A hand yanked hers back, causing her to stop in her tracks.

"It's Itachi isn't it?" he said.

"How?"

"You think you're the first one he's pulled a trick on like that?" Deidara growled. "Why do you think I trained so hard to resist genjutsu?"

"I didn't know you had..." she trailed off.

"Come on," he led her outside before she could think through the implications of that comment. "Itachi is a law unto himself. Going after him will accomplish nothing. Let's see if I can teach you a thing or two, yeah".

"Thank you," she whispered, planting a light kiss on his lips. He pulled her closer, teasing her lips open with his tongue. She moaned into the kiss, feeling his erection against the thin fabric of her shorts.

"Deidara," she mumbled, into the kiss. "Deidara," she pushed against him to no avail. "Deidara, stop".

Finally, he did.

"If you continue much longer you'll convince me of what a good idea it would be not to train," she pleaded.

"Sounds like a plan," he grinned, sweeping her into his arms.

Within less than ten seconds, Sakura had completely forgotten the conversation. Whatever it was, it could wait.

"Deidara, stop," she giggled, desperately trying to remain silent. "We can't".

His hand caressed her right breast, the little mouth attached to it gently teasing and nipping the small hard bud. "Please, not here," she breathed, half-heartedly attempting to pry him away from her. She missed the seclusion of the bushes, out of sight and ear shot of the house.

"We're both adults, Sakura," he argued, running his fingers tenderly through her slightly wavy long hair. "There's no reason to hide anymore".

They lay entangled in bed together in one of the upstairs rooms, admittedly one of the better ones despite there being a gaping hole in the wall instead of a window and a skylight that was not part of the original design. Sakura stared at the stars winking through the crack in their ceiling and conceded that it was pointless to resist any longer.

"Okay," she caved, smiling that secret smile that was reserved only for him. She wriggled closer, inhaling his seductive scent as she leant in to kiss him. His tongue was demanding and possessive igniting excitement in the pit of her belly as he slid her body underneath his, trapping her between the sheets. She stroked his hard, lean muscled arms as she pushed him back into a sitting position, straddling him. Their mouths locked again in a feverish passion. He hugged her body closer to his, enjoying the feel of her smooth flesh under his hands.

Breaking apart, she shot a nervous glance at the closed door.

"Don't worry," Deidara murmured into her hair. "He won't come in here".

Kissing her lightly, he wrapped his arms around her torso and pulled her on top of him. She grinned, finding her favourite part of him and giving it a squeeze.

"I love it when you do that," he murmured.

"Me too," she ran her fingers under his clothing, shirking off his vest top in one swift motion. She placed butterfly kisses along his torso, descending towards his navel.

"Don't stop," he groaned, threading his hands through her pink, tousled hair.

She didn't. Needless to say, another sleepless night ensued.

On the way downstairs to breakfast the next day, Sakura almost had a heart attack when she ran into Itachi on the stairs.

"Training starts in two minutes," he said, eyes narrowed as he took in her bed hair and sleepy expression. "I hope you took the time yesterday to prepare. Prove to me that you're serious about this".

Oh shit.

Suddenly she remembered what was at stake and immediately felt guilty for her actions yesterday. Whatever happened next, she knew would be no less than she deserved. The worst thing about it was that she couldn't place the blame entirely elsewhere. She could have trained if she'd wanted to, just more attractive activities got in the way. It did annoy her however that Deidara had completely disregarded her concerns once his mind had been turned elsewhere. He should have realised how important this was. All of a sudden, the idea of withholding sex from him felt really appealing. After all none of this would have happened if he'd listened to her. Maybe it was petty, but Sakura didn't care.

She had a feeling that this week would turn out to be very interesting indeed.

Haha. Am I being evil here? Let me know what you think about Sakura's decision. And Itachi, living with them. Verry awkward. Wonder how many of you guessed that would happen. Let me know what you thought and what you think will happen next.