Itachi's Promise: Forty-Nine

"That will never happen," Sakura replied.

"It already is happening," Madara told Sakura, Sakura looked towards the Hokage tower and then back at Madara.

"That's not possible," Sakura replied.

"Yes, it is. You were trained by the Hokage and now your standing outside the village only with me," Madara said, Sakura looked back at the mass of ninjas behind her and wished Itachi and Sakura would step from the crowd.

Sakura watched Madara for a second, until she felt someone behind her and she was out. Sakura fell limp into Fugaku's arms as he pressed harshly down on to Sakura's neck and then caught her before she hit the ground.

"Let's go," Madara ordered, the pair must have travelled for less than a few minutes, before they reached a small cottage tucked away in a group of trees.

Fugaku handed Sakura to Madara and then ran back the way they came, Madara entered the cottage and set Sakura down on the empty bed in the room, before checking on Orochimaru who lay in the other bed barely awake.

"Heal him," Madara ordered, as Sakura came round.

"No," Sakura replied, trying to sit up but having a kunai pushed against her throat.

"Heal him," Madara ordered, Sakura shook her head and Madara stepped forward invading Sakura's personal space.

Madara whispered in Sakura's; Sakura pulled away from Madara and looked up at him.

"Is that all your going to do?" Sakura asked.

"Madara, leave for a minute," Orochimaru ordered, Madara left hoping that Orochimaru would hurry up and die or Sakura would heal him.

"Sakura, come here," Orochimaru said weakly.

Sakura crossed the room to Orochimaru and knelt down beside him.

"Sakura, don't heal me," Orochimaru ordered, Sakura looked shocked at Orochimaru and then hid the expression.

"Orochimaru, who did this to you?" Sakura asked.

"Madara, he forced me into this deal. He got angry one night when I didn't do what he had told me and he beat me to the point of death. He has tried common medical ninja, but none of them could fix what was wrong with me," Orochimaru told Sakura.

Sakura waved a hand over Orochimaru's body, examining his injuries and then stepping away.

"How are you even alive?" Sakura asked, looking at the injuries inside and outside.

"In a lot of pain," Orochimaru answered coughing, blood ran from Orochimaru's mouth and ran down his chin.

"Orochimaru, are you okay?" Sakura asked, leaning over and helping Orochimaru.

"Yeah," Orochimaru coughed.

Madara walked in the room and Sakura looked back at him.

"Heal him," Madara ordered.

Sakura looked at Orochimaru and stood up from her kneeling spot at the side of the bed. Madara grabbed Sakura by the collar and slammed her into the wall; Sakura smirked and was then slammed harder into the floor.

"Go on kill me, Madara," Sakura tormented gently.

Madara grabbed Sakura by the hair and pulled her to her two feet, Sakura climbed to her feet feeling the pain of her hair being pulled. Madara kneed Sakura in the stomach and smirked.

Hidden Leaf Village – Village Gates

"Where is Sakura?" Sasuke asked, keeping close to his brother and trying to find Sakura.

"I don't know," Itachi replied, making his way through the crowd with his brother beside him.

Itachi took two ninja down at a time, keeping his little brother safe at the same time and hoping his mum had been able to unfreeze the Akatsuki and they were all here somewhere. Sasuke had been cut deeply in the side with a sword and Itachi watched as Sasuke was barely managing to fight on; for the last few minutes Itachi had stayed extra close to his little brother in hope of keeping him safe. All his hope vanished when Sasuke was stabbed through the stomach with a kunai and he dropped to the ground, Itachi was by his brother's side instantly and had him up on to his shoulder. Itachi left the battlefield with Sasuke hung on his shoulder; his brother's breathing short and uneven with the wound was bleeding heavily against Itachi's shoulder. Itachi ran as fast as he could towards the hospital, hoping that someone there could help him. Itachi entered the hospital and two nurses came running to Itachi's side as soon as they noticed Sasuke's condition. Itachi was taken away on a bed and Itachi had to return to the battlefield; Itachi arrived at the battlefield and groaned as he Kakashi trying to defend an injured teammate. Itachi jumped from the roof, landing next to Kakashi and ordering him to get the man off the battlefield and to the hospital immediately. Kakashi threw his teammate over his shoulder and nodded to Itachi before heading towards the hospital. It was then Itachi looked through the gates, seeing something that had him stop and stare at the figures. Madara stood through the village gates, Fugaku standing proudly by his side and Sakura crumpled in front of her feet. Itachi was the first to see Sakura and yelled her name, Itachi pushed past Sound Ninjas to get to the Village gates.

"Sakura," Itachi called, watching to see if Sakura moved at all.

To Be Continued...Please Comment.