I Do Not Own Naruto

Chapter 35

"Where do we start?" Hinata asked quietly as she looked at the map Shikamaru had for them. She looked over all the markers, red for Itachi, blue for Sasuke, and pink for Sakura, and looking at this map she realized just how much her friend got around and how far the Uchiha brothers traveled. They were all over the world, and according to dates they got around fast. She looked at every marker and couldn't see a pattern in their movements.

"Start by thinking of the Uchiha brothers as individuals and not a unit, then assume Sakura is working with Uchiha Sasuke, now we cross those appearances with reports from those area and maybe we'll figure out what's going on," Kakashi said coolly. Hinata just nodded as they began looking through old records for hints of what was going on.

Honestly Hinata was worried, very worried, for Sakura. The Uchihas terrified her and she couldn't imagine where Sakura found the strength to be around one willingly. She had had an encounter with Uchiha Itachi and his shark pal during the Chūnin Exams, Sakura had been with her as had Ino but both she and Ino were terrified. She was knocked out quickly by the Uchiha, and she'd admit it was not pleasant. Vaguely she recalled lightning slashing out of the forest when Itachi made a move on Sakura, but she was wavering in and out of consciousness and had chalked it up with delusions rather than reality.

"I don't think Uchiha Sasuke will hurt her," Ino announced as they looked over the stacks of reports.

"Why?" Chōji asked as he looked over his reports and munched on his chips. Hinata just looked blankly at the large man and then at Ino and sighed.

"I don't think so either," Hinata murmured softly as she continued looking over the reports. Naruto gave her a questioning look and she looked nervously for Ino to support her and tell her about that time in the Forest of Death when the girls had been paired together against Gaara and his siblings.

"The Second Chūnin Exams, when we were put together against Gaara and his siblings, there was…an incident, Uchiha Itachi showed up and tried to take Gaara," Ino explained.

"I remember that, you all claimed Sakura fought Itachi," Kakashi slid her and Ino a lazy look which had her blushing a bit in embarrassment as she looked at her hands.

"Ino and I both swear we saw lightning before we passed out and you're the only other one we know…" Hinata trailed off. The group absorbed this slowly.

"You're not lying, I was about to be taken, Sakura was standing over me and there was a shadow before her, Itachi seemed…amused," Gaara said calmly. They all thought about this.

"Sakura has known him for a long time then," Kakashi mused.

"Yep, and he's never hurt her in the past so I'd think he wouldn't hurt her. It's weird to think an Uchiha might have a heart if he cares for her at all," Ino shrugged. Hinata agreed with her friend, it wasn't that she found it hard to believe that the Uchiha cared about Sakura but the reality of it was that she found it difficult to think of the Uchiha as having a heart. Sakura was an easy person to love, once you got to actually know her. Until then…

Good luck!

Sakura was foul tempered, determined, aggressive and sometimes just plain mean, but once you got to know her you realized those were some of her best qualities and sometimes they were what kept you alive in the heat of a battle. She was also courageous, she was fearless, loyal, loving, caring, kind, gentle and protective in ways that made Hinata think of an older sister or mother. There was nothing that scared Sakura more than her friends being in danger. But when she was scared for them she was also at her most dangerous in Hinata's experience.

"I think he might even protect her," Hinata mumbled to herself.

"I think I know where they might be, at least I've narrowed it down to two possiblities." Shikamaru announced, they all looked at him. Hinata just slid behind Naruto as they all leaned over the map.

"I think he's probably got a ton of hideouts all over the world but Sasuke is known to disappear for lengths of time which makes me think he might have a home base. Though I wouldn't be able to find it without actually knowing where to look I think I have an idea as to where they might be." Shikamaru admitted, "I think he's here, there are a ton of little islands here in the Land of Water, and most of the sightings after he disappears for long periods of time are at our village; and I don't think an Uchiha would stick around our village for a hideout so I think those were times he was probably there for Sakura, and in these islands or here, near Turtle Island or in the Land of Lighting or in the heart of the Land of Water. He must have a hideout in this area, there are thousands of uncharted islands in the Land of Water and I think he might be hiding out here between the Village Hidden in the Mist and the Village Hidden in the Clouds."

"We move out at first light then," Kakashi decided because Shikamaru's logic was sound and it was a good starting point for them.

"What's Itachi want us to do? Wander around until the brat shows up?" Kakuzu growled.

"Patience, Uchihas do not hold patience and if we do we will find him. Sasuke is bond to make the first move," Hidan replied calmly as they continued walking. But he agreed with his partner that this was pointless, if Sasuke chose to then he could remain hidden for a decade, but Uchihas were hateful creatures and they obsessed on revenge when they felt it was due to them. Sasuke was no different. They stopped when a group of crows flew down then morphed into Itachi.

"Start your search here," the Uchiha ordered as he threw a scroll at them then disappeared with the crows. Hidan opened the map and smiled then.

"We have a starting point," he informed Kakuzu who grumbled as they started racing off for the Land of Water. It wasn't much but it was enough for him at the moment, perhaps they could draw this unruly Uchiha out…

Sorry I post the chapters out of order and I noticed just now, so I'll just repost them together. Sorry though!

That's all for now folks!

Still working on 36 Weeks & Counting!

Enjoy Healing Pain! =)