READ THIS CHAPPIE CAREFULLY!

It will explain a few things about Sakura's reasoning (and a few other things) that have – apparently – been driving you all into madness lol.

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Scattered Clouds, Disappearing Mist

Incentives

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Akatsuki no Sakura's chakra was humming in the air, soothing him while Itachi leaned further back against the rock he was resting against, his dark eyes loosing the firm hold on the bright sunlight as he closed them, wincing slightly as his chest began to burn. Ignoring the stabbing pain, he lifted his hands off the cool ground supporting him, folding them calmly in his lap, waiting his turn.

She'd be mad when she found out; she was always strict when it came to him and his health.

"Hold still sempai."

"It's just a scratch Sakura-san."

Kisame's curt laughter sliced over his thoughts, drawing Itachi's tired gaze up the side of the rock where his large partner was seated, chuckling at Sakura's determined face as she healed the deep gash across his cheek.

"Maybe I should just call you wife," the shark-nin chortled good-naturedly, his sharp teeth gleaming in the sun when her hands fell away from his now healed skin.

Itachi started slightly at that, and looked over at the pinkette, who was rolling up wads of bloody gauze, her emerald eyes light as a mischievous smirk crossed her face.

"And maybe you should fall into a clear water pond and drown Fish-face."

"Oh, that's cold."

Sakura laughed at the large man, her whole face flashing like a lake's reflection in the sun.

"I learned from the best Kisame-sempai."

She slid off the boulder and landed next to the silent raven, her gaze still on Kisame as she tucked away the bandages inside her cloak.

"I'm surprised I could even teach you anything Pinky."

Itachi's eyes fell shut when another wave of pain pounded his lungs, blurring over his vision, his stoic face belying the fierce pounding in his temples. He could feel Sakura's presence as she knelt down in front of him, mirth still present in her voice when she bit back a reply.

"I meant Itachi-sensei. I don't think anyone can learn anything from you."

For some reason, her retort brought a small smirk to Itachi's face, but he made no other moves to join in their battle of wits, absolutely silent as he allowed Sakura to unbutton the front of his cloak.

"And I'm surprised he could teach you anything."

"What're you trying to say Fish-face?"

"I'm saying you're so hard headed, it's a miracle anything he says manages to stick in your brai-"

"Kisame-san… shouldn't you be doing reconnaissance? I'm sure our enemies could easily find us out here because you are not being vigilant."

The Uchiha's unexpected words silenced the pair, he noted with satisfaction, thankful his emotionless personality had gotten to them so much he hadn't even needed to open his eyes. The glare he would've sent them could make any man cower and flee.

Their sarcastic voices had been doing nothing to calm his pounding head.

"Eh, of course Itachi-san."

With no more than a slight grumble, Kisame jumped off the rock and headed for the forest edge, loudly cursing at Deidara who was frantically trying to get away from his new partner, bumping into the shark-nin in his efforts to escape a childish hug from the masked man.

"Well someone's in a good mood today."

His forced his weary eyes open to stare coolly into her own, the faint twitching of his smirk lifting upwards his only reply. Sakura giggled before gathering chakra into her hands, gently pushing his cloak away from his chest as they began to glow a vibrant green.

"Sit up straight sensei."

He complied without a word, his eyes closing as his vision began to swim in strange blurs. Itachi forced his breathing into calm, even breaths when her hands pressed hard into his sternum, just above his lungs. The dizziness burning in his brain began to fade back to a gentle spin as the pain billowing under her hands began to soothe, her healing jutsu spreading through his chakra networks and his internal organs.

"This isn't good."

Onyx opened to dark emerald and a frown. Sakura's jutsu left his body in a gentle hum as she stared at his chest with an unyielding look stretched over her face, as though staring at his pale skin long enough would enable her to see the complicated systems of blood, muscle, bone, and chakra underneath.

He grunted in reply, nothing to say, already knowing what she meant.

Her hands touched his flesh once again, her chakra spreading over him like a welcoming blanket over a sick child in the darkness of the night.

"It's getting worse. Dammit, why is it getting worse?!"

Catching the hint of desperation in her voice, Itachi captured her hands before she could set another jutsu on him, the contact of his fingertips on her wrists immediately telling him how low her chakra was getting. Sakura stared at him in surprise and he calmly returned her gaze, the chakra slowly fading from her fists.

"It's been killing me for awhile now Sakura-san."

"I… I know, but-"

"You can't always heal everyone. Remember that, if nothing else."

Her pulse ran wild underneath his fingers as her head dropped low, a long sigh escaping her lips.

"…I know…"

Slowly, softly, Itachi released her, nodding slightly as her gaze lifted up to his once more, free from tears and determined as she shifted back into her medical-nin mode with a determined frown.

One glowing hand fell over his chest again, and she scowled, her gaze darkening with concentration while she ran her hand over his flesh.

"I'm gonna try a stronger medication for you," she said with finality, her hand dropping. "The infection that was eating at your lungs has gotten into your bloodstream. Apparently, the antibodies in the medication have been exposed so long to the enzymes attacking you, they're basically useless."

"Don't bother."

Itachi still wasn't sure how he'd gotten the infection, but it had been killing him ever since he'd massacred his clan; an additional punishment for his already tormented mind. It weakened him, too much to be comfortable, and he was tired of it. He knew he was going to die, so there really was no point in prolonging the inevitable; he'd come to terms with that a long time ago.

Sakura's hands on his cheeks snapped him back to reality, and he found himself staring up into stern emerald.

"Yes I will bother Itachi. You mean a lot to me, and I know life means more to you than that!"

Her grip on his skin burned slightly, her words biting and true.

"If I don't give you a stronger medication, or you don't take it, then you will not live out past this next month. You won't to be able to die in front of Sasuke at this rate! You'll die before you even get a damn chance! Is that what you want?"

They silently glared at each other as her words settled in; one in resilience, the other in mild enjoyment. Finally, seeing how her resolve wasn't going to bend, Itachi sighed and lowered his gaze, fighting back the hint of a smile that tickled the edges of his lips.

"Gomen."

The warmth of her hands lifted off his cheeks as she pulled away, a small notebook materializing out of her sleeve with the flick of her wrist. She jotted down a few notes before it disappeared just as quickly as it had come.

"Alright, I'll get it to you as soon as I am able. You have to take it though alright? Promise?"

To his utter amusement, she extended her pinkie towards him, her lips stretching to the first genuine smile he'd seen in weeks, adding a childish look to the already childish gesture.

And for some reason, he linked a slender pinkie with her own, allowing her to move her hand up and down in a hand – pinkie – shake.

"I promise."

It was so amazing, her fearlessness towards him. Even when they had first met, when his six-year-old eyes had stared down into her one-year-old ones, she had gazed up at him in challenge, unafraid and confident, as though she knew how special and strong she was.

It was also kind of sad really, that her seemingly unbendable will could force any man to do whatever she commanded them to. Her voice always had a hard edge to it, as if daring anyone to not do as she instructed. Any Uchiha would be proud.

A nostalgic smile slipped over his mouth, making her pause before she grinned back at the almost unbelievable sight.

"What?"

The Uchiha shook his head slowly, leaning back once more against the cold boulder.

"Kisame-san was right. Maybe we should call you wife. You worry about us too much."

Though why, he could never imagine.

Sakura rocked back on her heels, her grin dimming the sunlight.

"Well, technically, I am your wife, since I'm of legal age, and I'm not with anyone else."

The way she said it, so easily and without much thought, made his smile slip.

"You love Sasuke."

She stared at him, her head cocked to the side.

"Yes… I love him, but I also love you as well. Same with Naruto-baka, and Dei-kun -"

He glared at her, cutting her off instantly.

"You know what I meant."

She returned his glower before sighing deeply, settling fully onto the grass with her arms wrapped around her knees, drawing them up to her chin.

"Yes, I'm in love with Sasuke-kun. I think I always have been. But, still… it's not like he loves me back. Sure, he wants to be the one who takes me back to Konoha, but that's only because I'm the reason he lost his chance of power with Orochimaru. Beating me and taking me back is like his own vengeance."

You have it all backwards Sakura.

Itachi slowly buttoned up the front of his cloak as she spoke, soaking in her every word, trying not to smirk at her obliviousness.

The reason my otouto wants you back is because he loves you. He can't stand the fact that you are with me, and by being in my presence, you keep him from his revenge simply because he has to choose between us.

"Hey sensei… do you ever think about… what your life would've been like… if you hadn't been ordered to kill your clan?"

His onyx eyes slowly drifted back up to her face, a moment forgetting she knew the truth of it all.

"Sometimes," he admitted. "My clan would've gone to war and Konoha would've been torn apart. I would've either killed them all anyway or died by their hands. I said I'd protect Konoha; I still mean it."

Sakura grimaced at his flat tone, a wry smile forming on her lips.

"I mean with us. Would you have married me if none of what you just said happened?"

"…I made a promise, so yes, I would have. But, that doesn't change the fact that you would still be in love with Sasuke."

"And that doesn't change the fact that he still wouldn't love me sensei."

"Hn."

Sakura rolled her stiff shoulders, stretching the tight muscles until Itachi heard the faint pops of muscle knots coming undone.

"I think we would've been married, sensei… and, as weird as this sounds, I don't think it would've been a loveless marriage at all. Once I got used to the cold-hearted bastard that is all you, I think I could've really grown to love you, like I have now."

Itachi remained silent at her bright smile, musing her words as they swirled in his brain.

"Stay the hell away from me un!"

They turned to see Deidara scrambling up to the top of a rock, kicking out wildly with his feet at Tobi, who had his arms wide, apparently still unable to have caught the blonde in a big hug.

"But Tobi is sempai's new partner! Hidan-san said Tobi and sempai must be friends!"

"I don't care what that bastard said un! I don't associate with brats!"

"But sempai –"

"No! Stay away from me un! Stay away- Gah!"

Loosing his balance, the bomb specialist fell off the boulder and rolled to the ground, suddenly at the mercy of an ecstatic Tobi, much to his horror.

"Tobi got you sensei!"

With that, the orange-masked ninja leapt onto him as the blonde tried vainly to crawl away, Tobi's arms wrapping firmly around him. With a stream of colorful words streaming from his mouth, Deidara tried to fight Tobi off, as seeing any attempt at escape was futile. They met in a tangle of limbs and curses mixed evenly with happy cries, rolling on the ground in an indistinguishable mess.

"Will you excuse me for a moment sensei?"

Itachi looked over towards Sakura who was eyeing the scene with a 'so-immature' look. After his nod, she rose and marched over to the dueling pair, a scary growl rumbling in her throat as she pulled the two apart by their collars.

"Enough the both of you! I'm trying to have a decent conversation with my sensei, but with you two going on I cant even hear myself think! So knock it off!"

They fell instantly limp in her grip, staring up at her with terrified eyes – will, Itachi guessed Tobi was terrified, the way his annoying voice had just cut off like that.

"You two are supposed to be partners, so get along dammit! Deidara just let him hug you for Kami's sake! He's wearing a mask; he cant bite you, no matter how hard he tries! And Tobi; stop bugging the crap out of Deidara just get a rise out of him! If I have to do this again, I swear I'll kick both your asses so hard you'll feel it for the rest of your lives, got that?!"

And Itachi hid a smirk behind the high collar of his cloak as the two vigorously nodded their heads and she let go of them, clapping the imaginary dust from her hands as they hit the ground face first.

- - -

"Rengakure?" (1)

Yamato nodded his head, noisily crunching up the last of his walnuts with the pleased smack of his lips. His companion shot him a strange look as he ordered for a new bowl, shoving the empty one over next to the other drained three at the edge of the counter.

"Haven't you ever heard of it Sasuke?"

His dark eyes met the Uchiha's, who was twirling his chopsticks thoughtfully over his almost completely devoured bowl of sliced tomatoes.

"It sounds familiar… on the boundary of Fire Country right?"

"Yea, just on the outskirts of Konoha actually. A small village, just about, oh, thirty miles south west… not too far."

Sasuke slid a tomato slice into his mouth, his eyebrows creasing as he chewed slowly, taking in the information.

"And it was attacked? The villages near here are peaceful, mostly recreational spots. Besides maybe money, there's no merit in taking out a small village like that."

The ANBU captain stared over at the Chunnin with a smirk, not looking away until a new bowl of walnuts was placed before him.

"Your observation skills are as sharp as always Sasuke," Yamato mused, greedily shoveling a handful of nuts into his mouth. "And you're right; besides money, there is no real reason to attack a small village like Rengakure. But it was attacked all the same, which means money wasn't what they were after."

With a frown, Sasuke slid his chopsticks underneath the remaining tomato slices, easily gripping them all at once and plopping them into his mouth with not so much as a few drops of juice oozing out. He chewed as he thought; silently going over the reports he had been recruited into organizing for Tsunade in his mind.

"They were looking for something then… or someone," Sasuke quipped, swallowing his tasty treat as he looked over at Yamato. "You said south west. If I recall correctly, there have been rouge ninjas springing up all over in that region."

The brunette chuckled as he scooped up more walnuts, nodding his head in satisfaction.

"Rouge ninjas are the culprit behind this attack, and yes, you're right on the money. They're looking for someone, but by the way they swept through the village like that, it was more like they were trying to catch someone's attention. Whoever it is… they now their opponent well."

He could feel Sasuke's calculating gaze stretch over his face, even as the raven lifted a hand and asked for another bowl of tomato slices.

"You know who they're after, don't you Captain?"

Yamato chuckled and elbowed the smirking raven, downing the rest of his walnuts with flourish.

"Why Sasuke it's my job to know. I am ANBU after all."

The Uchiha suddenly went somber and serious, a half-hearted scowl marring his face as he pushed his empty bowl aside.

"It's Sakura isn't it?"

Startled, the brunette simply nodded quietly, his face falling as he watched Sasuke's eyes darken with something akin to sadness, not even taking note more tomatoes had just appeared in front of his face.

"Yes, it's believed to be her. The men – well, actually the man – who is leading the group that raided Rengakure was once a subordinate of Orochimaru's."

Sasuke looked up at him, brows furrowed.

"So they want revenge for his death?" he asked, a faint growl edging every word.

"That's definitely a possibility, but I think it's more on the lines of revenge for all the deaths dealt under Sakura's hands, by his orders."

A raven eyebrow rose, commanding him to explain.

"Sakura was his go-to shinobi, and for her training, he made her do many missions, just like we have here, including assassinations you know. You remember how she became Chunnin don't you?"

"You mean…"

"Uh-huh. One hundred returning soldiers slaughtered in under ten minutes. Orochimaru proved right there that he could control her. Even with all her training, Sakura would not have been able to pull that off. Not even Kakashi or I, for that matter, could do that.

"That incident was not the first either, nor the last. About a month or so under his thumb, Orochimaru sent Sakura into Otogakure, and had her kill a top ranking general who he believed was siding against him. But, unlike the slaughter, that first kill was clean, showing her skills as a kunoichi.

"However, a year after that, Sakura was sent to attack a village outside Otogakure, and killed the families of a few Oto residents, mostly shinobi working closely under Orochimaru. Apparently, he wanted to set an example since his men were uneasy being at war with Konoha and all, so he sent Sakura to 'give the message.' It was while surveying the damage that our ANBU started noticing her style changed, becoming more uncontrolled and animal-like. Her inhuman strength was used in such a strange way, it seemed as though she never even focused on a target, just took out everything that got in the way.

"It didn't take too long to figure out Orochimaru was controlling her, making her do his dirty work because she could do it quickly and in such a way, people passing by would think whoever was dead had been taken out by a wild animal."

"He gave her the curse seal," Sasuke concluded, shoving tomatoes into his mouth, "and forced her into the second level. I fought her once when she went into that state. She looses herself almost entirely since she can't control the power… Hell I couldn't control mine very well either until Kakashi sealed it."

The raven swallowed hard before continuing, his face darkening as though his own realization disgusted him.

"But no one sealed Sakura's, and Orochimaru could easily have put a controlling jutsu on her while she couldn't fight him off, making her kill that way, because, in that state, she doesn't attack like a shinobi at all but like a hungry animal, which would through off any ANBU hot on his trail."

"Bingo."

Sasuke slammed his chopsticks against the table so hard they snapped to twine in his hands.

"Dammit. That bastard made her become a criminal, and she's paying for his stupidity."

"Hmph. Especially when you look at her seal."

The intensity of the onyx eyes crashing onto his face made Yamato almost uneasy as he saw how shaken up the youth was becoming, so chose his words carefully.

"Orochimaru gave her the Chi no Juin, or the Cursed Seal of Earth. It's not as powerful as your own - the Ten no Juin, or Cursed Seal of Heaven - but if awakened and controlled by someone with a large capacity for chakra, like Sakura, it's extremely destructive and deadly, as you've seen.

"What makes it so powerful is the fact that it's a curse from the soil and land from the earth itself, unlike yours which is more demon, meaning the soul trapped in the seal is a creature – usually reptile - similar to something you would see anywhere around you.

"For instance, the only other wearer of the Chi no Juin I know was Kimimaro, part of the Sound Four that helped Sakura get to the Valley of the End the day she betrayed Konoha. In his second level, it's said he turned into what resembled an extinct reptile, or dinosaur if you'd like; probably raptor. In any case, he could move more quickly and gained more chakra, and if his mark hadn't been sealed, the results of his attack would've been more disastrous than usual.

"But, as you said, Sakura hasn't had hers sealed, so she is incapable of controlling the cursed chakra, and the fact she has an animal soul trapped in her mark explains her strange fighting style in the second level. You told me once that when you'd fought, she'd bitten your arm and almost lost the range of speaking correctly. That wasn't just animalistic, it was animal. Orochimaru more or less planted a wild and dangerous beast into her blood, incapable of thought or remorse." (A/N: Yes, Animal I Have Become by Three Days Grace is her theme song lol.)

Sasuke looked like he wanted to kill something, and Yamato was slightly surprised his tomatoes hadn't shriveled up or burned to crispy waifs by the intensity of his glare.

"They want to kill her then? Fine."

The Uchiha met him stare for stare, his eyes sharper than steel.

"When do we leave?"

- - -

Itachi Uchiha slowly sat down on the boulder by the water's edge, his eyes swiftly scanning over the multiple scars and jagged wounds on Sakura's bare back before he fully turned away from her, a frown momentarily slipping over his mouth.

The roar of the waterfall was deafening, drowning out all sound in a rush of violent water. Each plunge of the falls sent up a cloud of cool vapor, and Itachi unbuttoned his cloak a few snaps, allowing the chilly current to caress his skin, helping him relax as he waited for Sakura to finish bathing.

She stood under the falls, facing the vast rock wall that supported it high over her head, a steady hand gripping the stone as the water slammed down on her shoulders. Her long hair was parted and splayed down her front, leaving her entire back bare and at the mercy of the rushing falls as they forcefully cleaned the still healing wounds scoring up and down her spine in an explosion of tainted scarlet.

What bothered him was not that he himself had made those wounds during their training, but rather that she had not shown she thought putting forth the energy into healing them was worth it. In fact, the reality that she had any scars at all surprised him, considering her immense healing powers and flawless technique, and that she allowed them to be.

"Almost done sensei!"

Itachi grunted in response, even though she probably couldn't hear him away, and closed his eyes, forcing his busy mind into quiet meditation as he waited for the pinkette. He didn't know how long he sat there, but finally opened his eyes as he heard her splashing through the water, enjoying the feeling too much to bother walking on top of it.

"Leader-sama has given me a mission Sakura-san."

She stopped before him in her net shirt and garters, thoughtlessly drying her hair with a towel.

"Alright, when do we leave?"

"I'll be there tomorrow. You will be in Rengakure by morning."

Her hands paused and she stared up at him, fear in her eyes.

"What do you mean? They're not hurt are they?"

Itachi looked away with a sigh, his eyes searching out village just beyond the forests surrounding the Akatsuki's hideout.

"Kokuzoku and his men destroyed it."

"That bastard."

"Hn. Apparently he wanted to catch your attention."

The Uchiha turned back towards Sakura, and she smirked, her eyes sparking dangerously.

"Oh he's caught it all right. And after I finish healing everyone, I'll hand his ass to him."

"Don't be rash Sakura-san," he warned, a frown escaping his emotionless mask. "You're compassion for others will be the death of you if you're not careful."

He looked back over the horizon, towards the village that desperately needed Sakura now.

"Besides, Tsunade-sama must've heard about it by now. My ravens move very quickly in times of haste. She's more than likely sent you're old team out after you."

"Naruto and Sasuke-kun?" Sakura whispered quietly, a twinge of remorse in her voice.

"Yes. Remember Konoha wants Kokuzoku as well. You'll need their help in defeating him and his men… unless you want to end your life uselessly."

"Their help…?"

Sakura began to shake, catching his attention as he caught the vibrations through the ground. The towel dropped from her grip to the ground, her hands fisting as her eyes disappeared under the shadow of her bangs.

"Why would they want to help me sensei? I've acted so cruel to them, so cold. Why would they suddenly embrace me if I asked for help?"

Her fists opened and she looked at them, as though she saw something he himself did not.

"No matter how many times I tried, I couldn't break my bonds with them, just like I cant seem to get the smell of blood off my hands. I'm not like you sensei. It's hard for me to turn a harsh face towards the ones I love most. Of course, I've done so because it was easier for me to fight them if they thought I hated them, and it was easier for them to fight back because they didn't see the soft side of me that wanted to come out, but it still hurts, because even though I say such terrible things to them, all I want most is to laugh with them again."

"Then stop putting on the mask Sakura-san."

She stared up at him in bewilderment, her eyes wide. Her mouth opened but no sound came out so he continued, placing a firm hand on her shoulder.

"You have no need for masks like I do. Sasuke and Naruto think you hate them but still love you. If you show them your true self, they will not hesitate to help you. I however, hide behind my mask because Sasuke hates me, so I must be indifferent, even though it hurts."

"Sensei…"

"When you see them in Rengakure tomorrow, be yourself. Even though you belong to Akatsuki, let them know you have not severed your bonds, but also that they have to earn the right to take you home. If they want to take you back, let them fight you so they can earn that privilege."

- - -

(1) Rengakure = Village of the Lotus; 'ren' in this case can also be translated as romance or love.

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Please Read!

If any of that was confusing to you, please PM me alright? Also, I'm aware that not everything was explained, and I would just like to point out that this is intentional seeing that part of the plot is trying to figure out just what Sakura is up to.

Some of you were asking about what it was Sasori told to Sasuke a few chappies back. That too will be explained in time. It was not relevant to the events of this chappie and so was not included.

And I would just like to say now about what I'm sure will be on all your minds. Yes, Itachi is dying. Yes, this is intentional because, YES this is true to the manga.

Itachi died because of an illness, and because of everything he had done, it was his wish to be able to die in front of Sasuke. It is stated in the manga itself that he 'kept himself alive forcefully with medications' because of his goal, and so I'm gonna stay to this because I love Itachi, and that is a part of what makes him such a powerful character.

I don't want anyone to claim Sasuke killed Itachi because he DID NOT.

I read and reread the chapter of the ItaSasu fight carefully before I even started this fic. Itachi WON folks. He had Sasuke backed up against the wall, defenseless. Does that sound like Sasuke was winning? Didn't think so. Don't believe me? Read the manga… number 43 I believe it was. It has Itachi in the background and Sasuke screaming in the foreground. Read the fight then read carefully what Tobi/Madara tells Sasuke about Itachi. I swear it's all there and I'm not making this up.

Sorry that was ranty… I'm just so tired of hearing "Sasuke killed Itachi" crap. He didn't… the illness did.

Oh, and it's come to my attention that this story has reached 300 reviews. Arigato to everyone! I hope you all keep enjoying this story as much as I am writing it lol. Thanks to all the people who have stuck through since the beginning. You guys are all crazy awesome! X3

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(A/N: Whew this is done! 10 pages I might add ;P. Since it was mostly dialogue, I just kept going lol. Man this was LONG. Owel. Hope you all enjoyed. Until next time! R&R plz!)