Immersion

by Sara Nero

With Uchiha Itachi being named the Rokudaime Hokage Sakura Haruno has been assigned to be his right-hand-man and advisor. Now, the pinkette had not only to deal with Tsunade at the Hospital, but an Uchiha who obviously took joy out of driving her insane and messing with her mind. Non-Massacre.

20. Late Night Sessions

CHAPTER 20- Late Night Sessions

Itachi rubbed his left temple as he leaned back in his seat, the upcoming headache already making itself noticeable.

"So, you mean to tell me that he still refuses to cooperate despite of knowing of the consequences that will follow?" Itachi repeated, receiving a curt nod from Shikamaru who was standing at the other side of his desk in return.

"We even told him that we would withhold any information regarding future changes in his teammates condition until he would tell us what exactly happened on the mission, but he just continued to ignore us." Shikamaru informed him, hands in his pockets as Itachi pursed his lips.

It had been over a week ever since they managed to prevent their injured Shinobi from escaping the hospital and so far, they still didn't manage to find out what exactly happened on the mission that killed his teammate and put the other in a critical condition.

Yato refused to tell them anything for reasons unknown to them, even though he was a loyal Shinobi of Konoha and knew of his responsibilities and duty to the Hokage. Itachi remembered Sakura telling him about how he said something about Konoha having betrayed him the day he tried to escape but other than that, he kept his lips sealed.

Tsunade's autopsy results just confirmed what he already assumed about the death of his teammate, his death caused by the Chakra scalpels and toxins that they released in his body lining up with what Yato said about Konoha.

Whoever attacked them must have been some of Orochimaru's men and if Yato remembered anything important that would later turn out could have prevented any future attack, Itachi would hold him accountable for any injury his men would suffer and judge him accordingly.

"His teammate" Itachi mumbled, voice low as his dark eyes slid up to look at Shikamaru. "How is her condition?"

Shikamaru shook his head. "She's stable, but Tsunade-sama thinks that she won't wake up for another month or two."

Itachi's face fell. That was not what he wanted to hear.

"Why don't we have Sakura try to interrogate him?" Shikamaru suggested as he saw Itachi's expression darken. "She managed to get something out of him before so maybe she can work with that and try to get through to him?"

Itachi considered Shikamaru's words and found sense in the younger male's words. Sakura had already fought against him and even managed to get him to talk to her so if she were the one to interrogate him on a more emotional level like at their encounter, she might have more luck than them.

"Where's Haruno now?"

"The archive." Shika instantly returned, having seen the pinkette on his way upstairs to Itachi's office. "She wanted to go through some files I think."

Itachi, although mildly surprised that Sakura was in the building without him knowing gave Shikamaru a curt nod as he leaned forwards in his seat to rest his elbows on his desk, fingers intertwined.

"Send her to the hospital to interrogate Yato and tell her to come meet me at my office afterwards." He ordered and Shikamaru gave him a lazy salute before he turned around and exited the Hokage's office.

As soon as the door closed and Itachi was once more left alone, the Uchiha closed his aching eyes to shield them from the light that filled his office.

It's been two days since Sakura healed his shoulder and he sparred against Shisui and ever since then his eyes have been giving him a hard time. The aching in the back of his eyes wouldn't fade and only double whenever he would activate the Sharingan, much to his annoyance.

He knew that he should probably tell a certain medic about it in case it was somehow related to the Chakra scalpels that were stuck in his body days ago but he didn't mean to unnecessarily concern her when it could just as well be a side effect from having used the Sharingan too often lately.

Besides, after he made his intention in her office known his little advisor had done a splendid job at avoiding him for the past forty-eight hours.

Itachi smirked.

He definitely looked forward to seeing her this evening.

X

"Remind me why I am doing this again when it's my day off?" Sakura muttered as she and Shika were making their way through the hospital's corridors and towards the room that Yato was being held at.

"Because it's the Hokage's order?" Shika offered but Sakura merely scoffed, expression holding deadly intent as a certain Uchiha's face flashed before her vision.

"I seriously have to have a talk to that pigheaded Uchiha." Sakura mumbled as they rounded a corner, Yato's room that was located at the end of the hallway entering her sight as she made out Kaito and Shizuro in the distance.

As one could clearly tell, Sakura was in nothing close to a good mood all thanks to a certain Hokage. Ever since the night he told her of his intentions of making her his and simply disappeared, Sakura barely got a wink of sleep.

Her mind was filled with all kind of questions, starting with if he was actually serious or if it was just one of his latest schemes to drive her crazy. Whereas Sakura didn't doubt the sincerity of his words since Itachi never lied and the way he had looked at her that night gave her no reason to think that he was anything but serious, she simply couldn't believe it.

Besides, the mere fact that he had ditched her at her office just like that and dared to order her to interrogate the guy that literally punched her in the face when he knew very well knew that it was her free day was enough to make her want to break another rib of his.

What she would most likely do after her and Yato's little chat would be over.

"Haruno-san, Nara-san." Kaito greeted as Sakura and Shikamaru reached them. "We have already informed Yato-san about your arrival."

Despite of her annoyance directed towards the Uchiha heir, Sakura managed to shoot Kaito and Shizuro an amiable smile.

"Thanks you two." She affably returned before she glanced at Shikamaru who was standing next to her, looking nothing less than bored. "Ready?"

Shika nodded and with one last smile directed at Yato's guards, Sakura made her way into the room, Shikamaru silently following behind.

As Sakura stepped into the room, her eyes instantly found the bed that Yato was laying in as she heard Shikamaru close the door behind her. The male was sitting on the bed with a book placed on his lap, a frown marring his face as his left hand was hand-cuffed onto the bed.

It was not an unfamiliar sight and Sakura figured that Yato could consider himself lucky that he was only handcuffed to the bed so that he wouldn't escape again. She had seen other patients at the hospital that were sedated daily to keep calm or even strapped to the bed in combination with a chakra seal.

The hospital could be a scary place, especially for criminals but as he was no criminal and simply refused to cooperate, she could understand how they were unsure of what to do with him. Whereas they couldn't just let him leave with all of the valuable information of his fight, they couldn't keep one of their loyal shinobi at the hospital against his will for too long either.

"Yato-san." Sakura called, her voice not unkind as she stepped into the middle of the room as she offered him a mild smile. "My name is Sakura Haruno and I am one of the head medics of this hospital."

Yato didn't even bother to acknowledge her by lifting his eyes from his book, but Sakura expected no less as she curtly glanced at Shikamaru who was leaning against the closed door, arms crossed above his chest as he lifted a brow at her as if asking her what else she had expected.

Sakura turned to look back at Yato and moved to stand by the locked window, her back leaned against the windows til as she looked at him.

"You don't seem to be in the mood to talk." Sakura observed as she her eyes fell on the book that was placed on his lap, instantly recognizing its cover. "Though I am impressed. I never expected you to be one for books, especially one like Shadow War."

At that, Yato lifted his eyes from the page he was currently reading to look at Sakura through a narrowed gaze. "What would a young woman like you know about war-classics?"

Sakura's lips curled upwards into a small smile, relieved that she now had something to work with as she arched a brow.

"Why wouldn't I? It's a classic that is beyond beautifully written and has a brilliant plot." Sakura responded, causing him to huff and return his attention to the book.

"It's one thing to read a book, but it's another to understand it." Yato spoke, his voice hostile as he turned a page. "If you would've understood the book, you wouldn't be standing in this room."

Sakura's eyes narrowed as she instantly realized the underlining message that his words held. "It's up to the reader how to interpret the book and the characters, though I think that as loyal Shinobi of Konoha both of us can easily relate to the characters and their actions, don't you agree?"

Sakura could see the way his hands tightened on the book as her words had the wanted effect on him. She didn't know whether it was a coincidence or fate that she had decided to read the book last summer whilst being on a mission with Hinata and Choji but Sakura was certain that with its help, she may finally be able to crack Yato's shell.

"You seem like a smart girl, Haruno." Yato started, his eyes finally catching hers once more as he shut his book close and looked at the medic with an open frown. "I doubt that you haven't noticed the parallels that this book holds with our current reality."

"I did." Sakura confirmed, eyes hard as she looked at him. "Though there are some significant differences, especially if one looks at the characters."

"If there were, I wouldn't be handcuffed to this damn bed." Yato growled as he tugged at the handcuffs to prove his point. "It's just the same just like they all are just the same and because of that, me and my teammates are in such a condition in the first place."

Sakura narrowed her eyes as she pushed herself off the windows til and crossed her arms above her chest. He seemed to be convinced that he, a loyal Shinobi of Konoha got betrayed by his own village and lost his teammates because of that and Sakura didn't doubt that there was a reason for him to suddenly think like that.

"We take on missions knowing that they could be our lasts, it's our job as a Shinobi and something that you and your teammates knew when you accepted it." Sakura reminded him, expression stern as she looked at Yato, whose eyes were burning with rage.

"It was a suicide mission and the Hokage knew it." He hissed, expression furious as he leaned towards Sakura. "He sent us into their territory knowing that we were going to end up like the ones before us."

"You think that he intentionally sent you there to get you killed?" Sakura asked, voice incredulous as she looked at Yato in open surprise. "Why would the Hokage risk to loose some of his best Shinobi by sending them on a suicide mission?"

Yato let out a humorless laugh as he leaned back against his bed, the book on his lap long forgotten as he looked at Sakura with a dry smile. "We are just their puppets, Haruno. Sacrificing some of their men to make a point means nothing to them and it would do you well to remember that."

Sakura merely frowned in return. "What makes you think that it was a suicide mission?"

At that, Yato scoffed as the corner of his lip curled upwards into a humorless smirk. "Shouldn't you as the Hokage's advisor know best? For all I know you could have been the one who signed our death with your own hand."

Sakura's eyes narrowed dangerously at the accusation but knew better than to take the bait. "It was supposed to be an escort mission to a civilian village in Wind. You were supposed to safely escort your subject to the village because of his former relations to the royal family, so what makes you think that the Hokage wanted to get you killed?"

Yato's smirk fell as he tightly clenched his jaw. "He knew of the subjects identity and knowingly sent us straight into their arms. They were waiting for us to cross the villages border and attacked us from all sides the moment we did."

"You think that he used you as part of a bargain with one of our enemies?" Sakura asked, the surprise in her voice clearly audible as Yato finally snapped.

"He let us escort one of their own men back to their hideout!" He roared, eyes wild and burning with sheer fury as he tugged against his handcuffs. "My teammate died protecting one of our enemies just because of some deal made between Konoha and them!"

Sakura felt her heart go out for the male in front of her, the pain he felt at the loss from his teammate clearly visible as she dug her nails into her forearm.

"There is no such thing as a deal made between Konoha and someone who would cause our men harm." Sakura curtly clarified, her voice hard as she looked Yato straight in the eye. "If the Hokage had known that the subject you were supposed to escort had relations to someone who wanted to harm Konoha's Shinobi, he would have never sent you."

"Even when it meant to keep the Kyuubi in his little collection?"

Sakura's body froze upon hearing Yato's words, eyes sharp as he looked at the male in front of her with a grave expression. "What did you just say?"

Yato seemingly noticed that Sakura knew what he was talking about and leaned his back against his bed, eyes burning as he looked at the pinkette in disgust.

"They told me all of it." He told her, voice barely above a whisper as Sakura clenched her fists, finally understanding what was going on. "Now tell me, how should I trust a village that didn't hesitate to send me and my teammates on a suicide mission for the sake of power?"

Sakura pursed her lips into a thin line as she stepped closer to Yato's bed until she was fully standing in front of it, blood boiling as she tried to remain as composed as she could.

"You trust the words of your teammate's killer over your Hokage who is trying his best to keep his men as well as the village safe by putting their health over his own daily." Sakura spoke, her voice sharp as it cut through the tension that filled the room like a knife. "You know nothing of what the Hokage has done to keep everyone safe from the ones that want to harm Konoha from the inside as well as the outside."

Sakura grabbed the side of his bed and leaned towards Yato who was still frowning, emerald eyes burning as she tightened her hold on the metal. "It were the likes of the ones that attacked you that proposed such plans and left when the Hokage refused to let his men get slaughtered for the sake of power. It were the likes of them that have killed our men for the past months in hope of setting us under pressure so that we do exactly what they made you think we did, and the Hokage who is working day and night to find out who is behind these attacks to eliminate them and to keep us safe."

Sakura watched Yato clench his jaw as he broke their gaze and instead, fixed it onto the window behind her in silence. He obviously found sense in her words but Sakura knew that it would take some time for him to come to fully accept them and to realize that he fell victim to a rather obvious attempt from their enemies to get him to turn against Konoha.

"Your teammate died protecting the village, not the traitor that you were supposed to escort." Sakura told him, eyes softening as she took in the way Yato closed his eyes. "Konoha will punish his killers, but we can't do that without your help so please help us find them and make sure that something like this doesn't happen a second time."

Yato didn't look at her when she straightened and stepped away from the bed, expression holding nothing but pity for the young man on the bed. "Your teammate needs you, Yato-san. Don't let her wake to finding out that she had lost both of her teammates, she deserves better than that."

Yato merely lowered his head and Sakura knew that he made his decision as she turned to look at Shikamaru who was still leaning against the door, expression hard.

"Please take notes of anything that may be of help for us." Sakura told Shikamaru who in return silently nodded and pushed himself off the door so that Sakura could leave the room.

The medic shot him a small, grateful smile and threw Yato one last glance over her shoulder before she exited the room and made her way towards the Hokage Tower with a heavy heart.

X

When the door opened without the guards announcing his visitors presence, Itachi didn't even bother to lift his eyes from the report he was reading as he heard the door close a moment later.

The sound of her sandals hitting the tiles of his office filled the room as the steps grew gradually closer, only stopping when they reached the front of his desk,

For a moment, there was silence as his guest seemingly didn't even think of taking a seat and instead-

"That file better be damn interesting for you to not even look at me, Uchiha."

Itachi's lips curled upwards into an amused smirk as he lifted his eyes from the paper and settled them on his advisor that was standing on the other side of the desk with a frown, lips pursed and arms crossed above her chest.

"I hope that your bad mood has nothing to do with your interrogation." Itachi spoke, the teasing glint in his eyes betraying his blank expression as he watched Sakura's brow tick.

"You got some nerve." Sakura ground out, obviously trying her best to stay composed as she dug her nails into her forearms. "Consider yourself lucky that I managed to get him to talk so that I didn't waste my day off."

Itachi closed the file he was reading and placed it atop of the staple of others that he had yet to read before he leaned back in his seat and motioned towards the empty chair in front of him. "Do have a seat, Haruno."

He could see her eyes shining in annoyance before she reluctantly did as told and sat down in the chair opposite of him, crossing one slender leg over the other as she as well leaned back against her seat.

"Was there a reason as to why you wanted me to do it?" Sakura inquired, eyes narrowed in suspicion as she looked at Itachi. "Other than to annoy me, of course."

Itachi arched a brow as he rested his elbow on the arm-rest of his chair and placed his chin onto his palm. "Why would I want to annoy you?"

At the way his eyes twinkled in the evening light that filled his office, Sakura fought the urge to scoff.

"You make it a habit of annoying me lately." Was all she said as she thought back to their last encounters, instantly feeling her body tense as she stubbornly held his now curious gaze. "Yato believed that you sent his team on a suicide mission."

Itachi noticed the way she pointedly changed the topic and whereas he decided to let it slide for now, he would make sure to mention it later on.

"What caused him to believe that?" Itachi asked, his voice low as onyx eyes hardened. Sakura's expression turned somber as she thought back to her talk with Yato and exhaled a soft sigh.

"His team got attacked the moment they entered the village and as the fight progressed, it turned out that their subject was working with them." Sakura explained. "Apparently, they told Yato and his teammates something about Konoha having made a deal with them what lead Yato to believe that they were sent as part of a bargain."

Itachi's eyes narrowed dangerously as the temperature in the room palpably dropped. The Uchiha heir straightened in his seat as he looked at the pink-haired medic with a frown, clearly displeased by what she had to report.

"Was there anything else he told you?" Itachi asked and upon seeing Sakura hesitating, his eyes narrowed.

After a moment of silence passed, Sakura eventually spoke up. "They told him that you sent them out of fear to loose the Kyuubi to them."

A heavy silence followed her words as Itachi thought over everything that Sakura had just told him. Whereas he knew that Orochimaru and his men were most likely behind the attack judging by the chakra scalpel that was stuck in the body of the fallen member of the team, he didn't expect them to try to manipulate his Shinobi into doubting their village and its leader.

He now understood Yato's refusal to cooperate with them in finding their attackers because he most likely believed that they would try to silence them so that no one would get wind of Konoha's alleged dirt that they tried their best to keep hidden, even if it meant to sacrifice some of their own men in order for their attackers to stay silent.

"Did you manage to get him to cooperate?" He eventually asked, instantly receiving a nod from Sakura.

"He is currently with Shika. I think I was able to make him see reason, even though it wasn't easy and there were a couple of times when I risked another black eye, but it was worth it." Sakura told him and even though the last part was meant to be taken lightly, she could see the way his eyes swiftly scanned her body for any injuries.

Sakura's eyes softened at the way Itachi's hardened and she couldn't help but feel bad for him. He was already working hard enough to keep the village and its citizens as well as Shinobi safe from any possible threat directed at them and now, he also had to fight to keep their trust in him.

She had come to know the man in front of her well enough to know what thoughts were most likely running through his mind and whereas it was understandable, he couldn't possibly take the blame for what happened.

"It wasn't your fault." Sakura spoke, her stern expression betraying the warmth her eyes held as he looked at her. "You couldn't have known what would happen."

Itachi knew that she was right, but it still did little to rid him of the thoughts that plagued his mind. She obviously knew that for when he stayed silent, too deep in thought he felt a sudden warmth on his forearm that ripped him out of his thoughts.

His eyes snapped upwards to find Sakura leaning slightly towards him, her slim hand resting on his forearm that was placed on his desk as she shot him a frown of disapproval that poorly concealed her concern.

"Stop it."

Almost instantly, she felt his tense body relax under her touch and Sakura couldn't help but wonder if her words have actually gotten through his thick skull. Sakura then moved to remove her hand from his arm but before she was able to fully pull it back Itachi reached out to firmly grab it into his own, causing Sakura to freeze.

She looked up at Itachi and expected to see the familiar teasing glint lighten up his eyes but when his onyx eyes regarded her with an intensity that caused her stomach to flip, she realized that he was serious.

He gently allowed their arms to rest on the desk that separated them as he held her slim hand in his own, marveling at how perfectly it fit into his own as Sakura tried her best to ignore the way her heart skipped when he intertwined their fingers.

"What did I tell you about personal space, Uchiha?" Sakura spoke, eyes narrowed as she experimentally tried to remove her hand from his but as expected, all Itachi did in return was to hold it tighter in his own.

"I can't recall having a conversation like this."

"Then we should seriously have one."

The corner of Itachi's lips finally tugged upwards and Sakura tried to remind herself that she was mad at him for the same reason that she should be mad about now. The feeling of his bigger, warm hand that was holding hers tightly however was giving her a hard time to remember that.

"I don't think that there's a need for that." Itachi returned, causing Sakura to narrow her eyes as she once more tried to remove her hand from his but once again found herself unable to free her hand.

He wasn't going to get his way with her whenever he felt like it and to prove her point, Sakura tightened her hold on his hand and channeled her chakra into her finger-tips, the warmth they radiated causing Itachi to look at her with an arched brow as the pinkette leaned forwards.

"I think that I told you that I'd break every bone of yours until you learn to not to mess with me." She told him, hands still intertwined as she felt him run his thumb over the back of her hand, the motion causing a shiver to run down her spine as his dark eyes looked at her.

"I think that I have made my intentions more than clear the last time we met." Itachi spoke, voice low as he tightened his hold on her hand despite of the way her chakra filled tips of her fingers dug into the back of his hand in return.

Sakura felt her heartbeat fasten its pace as she narrowed her emerald eyes. "Oh, was that before or after you left just like that? I can't seem to remember that part."

As soon as these words have passed her lips, Sakura felt herself getting tugged forwards so that she was halfway leaning over the desk, Itachi moving forwards as well so that he could use his free hand to grab her chin.

"It would be in your best interest to heed my warning." Itachi spoke, eyes gleaming as he took in the way Sakura's burned dangerously in the orange evening light. "Because once I decide on something, it's permanent."

Sakura huffed as she bravely tilted her head forwards to narrow the distance between them, ignoring the jolt of electricity that shot through her when she did as she looked at Itachi with challenging eyes.

"I won't let you have your way with me that easily, Itachi." She spoke, voice low as she felt him tighten his hold on her hand. "It would be in your best interest to heed my warning."

Before Itachi was able to say anything, the sound of someone knocking on the door filled the office and Sakura instantly tugged at her hand, smiling in triumph when Itachi finally relented and let go.

"You may come in."

Itachi leaned back in his seat, eyes moving from Sakura to the door to see two Anbu guards enter.

"Hokage-sama." One with a white cat-like mask spoke as they offered their Hokage a short bow. "We've returned from our mission and are here to give you our report."

Sakura took it as her cue to leave and moved to stand up when Itachi's low voice stopped her.
"Where do you think you're going, Haruno?"

Sakura's eyes snapped to Itachi, shining with confusion that she didn't bother to hide. "To the hospital?"

Itachi hid the smirk that tugged at his lips strategically behind his once more interlaced fingers as he looked at his advisors innocent expression in amusement.

"There still are some things that need my immediate attention." Itachi told her, causing Sakura to frown.

"And how does that concern me?" She returned, still not understanding what he was implying as she crossed her arms above her chest.

"You are my advisor, Haruno." Itachi deadpanned. "Your opinion as well as suggestions are required regarding certain matters."

Sakura pursed her lips as she looked at him and tried to discern whether the Uchiha was serious or simply teasing her by reminding her of her position. After a few moments passed and there was no sign of his usual smug smirk, Sakura guessed that she had no choice but to trust his word.

"Fine." She sighed, shoulders slightly slumping as she looked at Itachi. "I guess it's going to be a long night, then."

The ghost of a smile appeared on his lips as his eyes gleamed in approval. "I need you to get a classified file from the archives."

Sakura arched a brow, curiosity obviously piqued. Whereas she had previously believed that she had to help him with rather ordinary matters, a classified file may prove to bring some more fun to it.

"Sure." Sakura returned. "Which one?"

"File D371."

Sakura nodded and untangled her arms before she threw the two Anbu guards that were patiently waiting for their conversation to end out of the corner of their eyes a pointed glance. "I'll take my leave then."

Itachi gave her a curt nod and Sakura turned around to leave his office with a small frown. As soon as she closed the door behind her and offered the guards a small smile, she made her way downstairs to the Archive where she had been this morning already to research some of the rogue ninjas of the village.

She didn't know why she did it, but she knew that in order to know who they were up against she had to become familiar with her opponents.

It was weird, she had to admit. To look into these filed and read their mission reports, their personal data and to even see their pictures made her feel the strangest way. They all have once been loyal shinobi to Konoha and to know that they were now fighting against everything they once believed in and stood for was making Sakura wonder just how deep their sense of betrayal must have run.

Unfortunately, she wasn't able to go through even half of them until Shikamaru arrived to take her to see Yato, but when Sakura finally entered the Archive for the second time this day and found the file that she was looking for, she felt like maybe she wasn't the only one with the idea of getting more familiar with their opponents.

"It's a highly classified file, dear." The woman behind the reception desk told her as Sakura placed her palm over the sensor that would confirm her identity to her. "Only the Hokage and a handful of others have ever been permitted to look into it, so please be careful."
Sakura offered the elderly woman behind the desk an amiable smile as the sensor turned green and she removed her hand from the device.

"Of course." Sakura promised before she offered the woman one last smile and exited the archive, the file in her hand suddenly feeling like its weight doubled. When she made her way back upstairs to Itachi's office, Sakura lifted the file and looked at it with a heavy heart.

Something about it didn't sit well with her. The numbers that were boldly printed on its cover were mockingly staring back at her and even though she knew that she could simply open it to look whose it was, she decided against it.

She knew that if Itachi wanted her to know, he would tell her by himself and if he didn't, then she made no loss by getting her curiosity piqued without receiving answers.

Sakura continued to walk towards Itachi's office, a feeling of uneasiness following her like a shadow until she finally reached her destination.

As soon as the guards spotted her they stepped aside, allowing her to enter his office and with a small smile directed at them, Sakura pushed the large doors open and entered.

Her eyes instantly fell on the tall silhouette that was gazing out of the window with his back to her as she softly closed the door behind her.

The previous orange evening sky that has now fully turned into a beautiful shade of royal blue filled his office with a darkness that was only broken by the small lamp on the wall to her right, the soft orange light it emitted casting a shadow over Itachi's tall form.

"I got your file." Sakura spoke, her voice soft as it broke through the heavy silence that filled the Hokage's office. She didn't move from where she was standing, eyes locked on his back as she felt the uneasiness in her stomach increase.

She instantly noticed how their previous light atmosphere had shifted into a more serious one and even though she was used to it given his position, she knew that what would expect her would most likely cause her another series of sleepless nights.

"Have a seat, Sakura."

His words were soft spoken and yet, echoed with a hardness that instantly made Sakura comply and take a seat, the file neatly placed in her lap.

For a couple of moments, only the sound of the clock ticking broke the silence before Itachi spoke up again.

"I strongly opposed to getting you involved in this matter." The Uchiha heir admitted, voice low as his eyes were fixed on the village that laid beneath him. "But I have come to realize that telling you would be inevitable and that your help may be more needed than I have previously anticipated."

Sakura furrowed her brows as she tightened her grip on the file. She had a feeling that she knew where this was going and even though she wasn't too delighted upon hearing that he was practically forced to tell her, she could understand him.

"It's about Orochimaru, isn't it?" Sakura spoke, her voice soft as she saw Itachi stiffen ever so slightly in return.

"In order to understand him, you have to know everything about his time in Konoha and after his exile." Itachi told her, voice firm as past pictures flashed in front of his eyes. "Tonight, you will find out everything about the Legendary Sannin Orochimaru."

Sakura felt a shiver run down her spine as her eyes fell on the file on her lap, the light in her eyes dim as she stared at the black numbers, the uneasiness that had previously followed her like a shadow turning into a heaviness that weighed down her chest.

"It's his file." Sakura realized, emerald eyes darkening as she glanced back up at Itachi who now turned around to face her, expression blank and eyes hard.

"I want you to look at this file and memorize every detail that may seem of importance, be it his medical condition or behavior pattern." Itachi instructed, his onyx eyes holding a firmness that Sakura had last seen when he had told her of the rogues on their mission with Kisame. "There is one thing, however, that was not documented in his file that you need to know of."

Sakura instantly straightened as her mind drifted back to her talk to Tsunade a few days ago, her expression softening as she realized what Itachi was about to tell her.

She never expected him to tell her about it, if she were to be honest. It was not her place to ask about that day and she doubted that he would ever tell her on his own without having a good reason for it.

It seemed like now, he did.

Itachi's eyes darkened considerably as he looked Sakura dead in the eye and spoke.

"Sixteen years ago, Orochimaru decided to take Sasuke as his vessel."

X

It was in the middle of the night when Itachi woke up to someone tugging at his blanket.

"Nii-san." The small form whispered as the tugging became harsher. "Nii-san, wake up!"

Itachi opened his eyes to come face to face with his little brother who was looking at him with teary eyes, lip wobbling as he clutched on his sheets.

"Sasuke." Itachi spoke, voice rough with sleep as he looked at his smaller brother with soft eyes."Did you have another bad dream?"

The small boy bopped his head as a tear run down his pale cheek. "This time he was hiding under my bed. Can you please go look?"

Itachi's gave his brother a reassuring smile before he moved to get out of his bed and crouched down so that Sasuke could climb onto his back.

As soon as he felt his little brothers arms around his neck, Itachi made his way towards his brothers room that was located at the end of the floor as he did the previous nights when Sasuke would seek him out after a nightmare.

It has been like that for the past two weeks. Sasuke would come into his room, crying because of a nightmare he had and asking for Itachi to check for any monsters under his bed. Even though he had brought it to his parents attention, Sasuke refused to tell them anything when asked about it and instead, continued to seek out Itachi every night.

So, being the caring big brother he was, Itachi checked Sasukes room for any monsters whenever he sought him out and would stay with him until he would fall asleep.

"So, you say that he was under your bed?" Itachi whispered as they finally reached the room and felt Sasuke nod against his back in return.

The Uchiha heir sat his little brother gently down on his bed and moved to look under it but as expected, there was nothing.

"You can go to sleep." Itachi told him with a warm smile when he came back up and rested a strong hand on his little brothers head. "There are no monsters hiding."

This time Sasuke, unlike the nights before, didn't seem to convinced and pouted. "But you didn't look with your Sharingan!"

Itachi frowned at his five year old brother. "You want me to look with my Sharingan?"

Sasuke fiercely nodded in return as he crossed his small arms above his chest, face scrunched up into an adorable frown. "You can see better with it!"

Itachi sighed but complied nonetheless and activated his Sharingan. He heard Sasuke gasp in delight before he bent down once more and looked under his little brothers bed for any monsters but again, there was nothing.

"See? No monsters even with the Sharingan on." Itachi said, his lips tugging up into a smile. "Now go back to sleep."

Sasuke, although reluctantly, listened to Itachi and laid down in his bed, his hand holding onto Itachi's sleeve as the elder boy sat down on the bed next to him, crimson eyes watching over his brother as he drifted into a deep slumber.

Itachi smiled softly at his brothers sleeping form and tugged the blanket higher to shield him from the cold night air, ready to go back into his own chambers when he suddenly felt a shift in the air behind him.

"Ah, look who we've got here." A voice behind him spoke, causing Itachi to freeze in place. "Did little Sasuke have another nightmare?"

Itachi's eyes flashed in the dark as he turned around to look at the intruder with burning eyes, his body placed so that Sasuke was hidden from his sight.

Itachi could make out a tall form standing in the doorway, golden eyes piercing through the darkness as they looked at him.

"You are the one behind them." Itachi realized, his voice low and dangerous. He was the one responsible for his little brothers tears and for that, he would pay with his life.

"I just wanted to get to know little Sasuke a little better before I take him with me, Itachi-kun." He insisted, tone light as he stepped further into the room.

Itachi felt the blood in his veins begin to boil as his eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. He wanted to do nothing more than to kill him right then and there but before he could do that, he needed to find out just who this man was.

"Of what use would a five year old be to you?" Itachi asked, voice dripping with suspicion as golden eyes sparkled with amusement.

"He is my key to immortality, dear Itachi." He spoke, voice akin to a hiss as the moonlight finally illuminated the intruders face. It was a face that would haunt Itachi for the next year. "And you shall be the first to witness my powers once he is mine."

Itachi's lips merely curled up into a cold smile as he looked at the snake-like man with steely eyes. "You are a fool to believe that I will let you have Sasuke."

Orochimaru's smirk fell as he narrowed his eyes. "You don't know who you are facing, Itachi-kun. I have heard you to be quite an intelligent young boy, so you should know better than to call one of the legendary Sannin a fool."

Itachi's smirk brightened as he watched his arrogance bring him his own downfall. Now that he knew just who dared to intrude into his home and threaten his little brothers life, he would be sure to make him regret it.

"You are nothing but a traitor foolish enough to believe that he would be able to get out of here alive and with my little brother." Itachi whispered and when he saw Orochimaru's golden eyes burn with anger, he acted.

Faster than the eye could see, Itachi moved under the cover of the shadows the moon casted and formed a series of seals as he reached Orochimaru, who in return was forced a step back and right into Itachi's trap.

The sannin cursed as he found himself unable to move and realized that he was caught in a genjutsu as Itachi formed the seals that enabled one of his home's alarms that would wake his parents.

Orochimaru hissed as he formed the seals needed to break the jutsu and just when Itachi heard his mothers concerned call for him, the sannin managed to free himself.

"We will see each other again very soon, Itachi-kun." The snake sannin promised with a bitter grin as he flickered out of existence, leaving Itachi to stand in the middle of the room as his parents burst through the door.

He saw his mothers concerned eyes but was unable to speak as he turned his head to look at Sasuke, who was groggily sitting up in his bed and rubbed his eyes as he looked at his parents in confusion.

It seemed like there was a monster ought to get Sasuke after all and just like with the monsters before, Itachi would be the one to rid the world of it.

X

"After that day, his visits became more frequent and daring. The only ones that knew of Orochimaru's interest in Sasuke were my parents, Shisui, and the Hokage. We wanted to keep it as low as possible."

"So that any possible spies that Orochimaru had planted in the village wouldn't be on guard." Sakura concluded, voice barely above a whisper as her eyes softened.

Itachi in return nodded. "Shisui and I took turns in watching over Sasuke for the following months and when my parents had left for Clan business one night, Orochimaru made his final attack. It was that night that I killed him in our own backyard. The Hokage confirmed his identity and that it was indeed Orochimaru's body and not just one of his tricks."

Sakura pursed her lips, eyes darkening with concern as she looked at Itachi. She didn't need to ask what both of them were thinking. They had no reason to doubt Itachi's and the Sandaime's judgment so now, they had to find out how Orochimaru managed to survive.

It was a lot to take in. Hearing that Sasuke had once been Orochimaru's target was causing her stomach to twist in a sickening way but what shattered her heart was the haunted look that Itachi's eyes held as he told her what happened.

She was slowly starting to understand how Itachi turned into the man he now was. At such a young age he was forced to witness a war that had claimed thousands of innocent lives, killed members of his family and friends that he held dear. He was forced to shed blood without knowing the reason behind it, without being allowed to question it and years later killed a legendary sannin to protect his little brother.

She also knew that he was the youngest assigned Anbu captain there was, his skill surpassing his age and slowly, she understood.

Sakura understood just how much Konoha had destroyed Itachi and why he accepted the position of the Hokage when Tsunade offered it to him. He could have stayed in Anbu or carried out missions until he would officially be named the head of the Uchiha Clan and receive a seat in the Council.

He wanted to make sure that Konoha's villagers and shinobi would never be forced to witness what he did. The world of a shinobi was a cruel one and he knew that he couldn't protect everyone from its dark sides, but no one knew both Konoha and the darkness better than Uchiha Itachi.

After all, she doubted that anyone else was forced to decide between killing his entire clan and allowing a civil war from happening.

"Thank you."

Itachi's onyx eyes flickered in confusion as he eyed Sakura, out of all the things he expected her to say this being the last.

"Thank you." Sakura once more repeated, this time more firmly. "For everything you have done to keep the village and us safe. If it weren't for you, many of us including Sasuke would be dead, and it's because you sacrificed your own happiness for ours that we all got this far and our village is as peaceful as it is, so thank you, Itachi."

Itachi looked at Sakura in silence, onyx eyes drinking in the way the dim light of his office covered her in a soft orange glow. He tilted his head slightly aside as he watched the sweet temptation sitting in front of him, the brightness of her soul shining right through her emerald orbs.

"It was a sacrifice worth making." Itachi returned, gaze growing more intense. "For many reasons."

Sakura offered him a small yet genuine smile before she allowed her eyes to fall back onto the file that was laying in front of her.

"It's hard to believe that someone like this had once been a loyal shinobi to Konoha." Sakura commented as she opened the file. "And yet, at one point of her life Tsunade-shishou had trusted him with her life."

Itachi hummed lowly. "His hunger for power was greater than the love he held for his friends and family and in the end, this will be his downfall."

Sakura's eyes softened as she started to read Orochimaru's file and took in all of the mission reports, medical tests that had been run on him and general information.

"He was an orphan?" Sakura mumbled as she leaned back in her seat and glanced up at Itachi, who curtly nodded as his eyes skimmed over what seemed to be a report.

"Yes. He was considered a prodigy by the third Hokage because of his determination, knowledge and talents." He told her, causing Sakura to fall silent once more as she continued to look through his file.

The following hours passed in a comfortable silence and when Sakura finally turned the last page of Orochimaru's file, it was already three in the morning.

She had to admit that after reading his file and hearing Itachi's story, she was finally able to picture the sannin better.

The pinkette run a hand through her long locks and gently rubbed her eyes as she looked up at Itachi who was leaning back in his seat and eyed the mission report of their trip to Suna.

Even though his posture was relaxed, Sakura could easily see that his expression was tense. His eyes were fixed on the report and it was then that she noticed how he was lightly frowning, as if he was straining to read what was written on the page.

She had seen it happen once before with Kakashi. At first, he refused to admit that something was bothering him in the first place but after he went temporarily blind after he used the Sharingan for two days straight on a mission, he eventually admitted that his eyes have been giving him a bit of trouble.

That's when she remembered the incident on the ship on their way to meeting Kisame when they got attacked. Back then he had overused his Sharingan as well up to the point that his eyes started to bleed ever so slightly and even though he showed no signs of blindness, Sakura was sure that using this Sharingan as often and long as Itachi did had its consequences.

But knowing Itachi, he would never admit it so for now, Sakura decided to simply keep an eye on him until the next time and then, she would react.

Sakura let out a soft sigh as she stretched in her seat, the soreness of her muscles after sitting for the past hours straight making itself noticeable. Itachi must have felt the same because shortly after she felt his eyes on her he placed the file he was reading on the table and stood up, much to Sakura's confusion.

"We should get some fresh air." Itachi announced, obviously feeling the same way Sakura did. "After that, we'll discuss what you got from Orochimaru's file."

Sakura nodded in agreement, happily accepting his offer as she moved to stand. "Mind if we'd stop by my apartment? I would like to change into some more comfortable clothes if I crash at your office."

Itachi nodded and Sakura smiled before she looked towards the door. "What do you want to tell the guards?"

The ghost of a smirk that appeared on Itachi's lips was the only warning she had before she she felt herself getting pulled flush against him and within the next moment, found her surroundings blur.

She placed her hands flat against his chest to steady herself and within the blink of an eye, she found herself standing outside of the Hokage tower.

Sakura glared up at Itachi as she once more felt the ground beneath her feet, lips pursed. "You really need to stop doing that."

Itachi merely lifted a brow as he tightened his hold on her wrist. "It was the fastest way to get out of there unnoticed."

Sakura mirrored his expression, emerald eyes shining with suspicion. "So that you get to touch me without me being able to punch you for it has nothing to do with you preferring to teleport us out of the tower instead of taking the stairs?"

Itachi smirked. "That's just one of its perks."

Sakura rolled her eyes as she pushed herself off of him, mildly surprised that he let her go without any hesitation before the two of them started to walk through the empty streets of Konoha.

The crisp night air was gently caressing her skin as she hugged herself, a small smile on her face as she allowed her eyes to drift upwards to look at the starry night sky.

"It's a beautiful night." Sakura mumbled with a faint smile before she closed her eyes, unaware of the way Itachi's dark eyes drunk her in. "It's unfortunate that people don't appreciate the beauty the night holds."

She looked stunning in the moonlight, the way her head was slightly tilted backwards and her long, rosy locks fell past her shoulders to reveal her neck bewitching him.

"It's a beautiful sight indeed."

Sakura smiled upon hearing his words and turned to look at him, her eyes sparkling in a way that equaled the stars that brightened the dark night-sky.

"Who would have guessed." Sakura spoke, the teasing hint to her voice clearly audible. "First the ocean and now the night-sky, I am impressed. You are more perceptive than I have thought you to be."

Itachi's eyes in return sparked. "You'd be surprised if you knew the full extend of it."

"I am sure." Sakura returned, tone playful as she returned her eyes to the night sky. "How comes that you are trying to manipulate others perception of you then?"

At that Itachi's expression morphed into a reserved one. "Of what use would it be if I were to manipulate their perception of me?"

Sakura, oddly comfortable with the way they were strolling through the empty streets hummed softly in return. "You make people believe that you're a heartless monster. You use the fear and respect that they hold for you to modify their perception of you, even though you are nothing like what they believe you to be."

Itachi's eyes sharpened at her words. "Just because I became lenient around you doesn't mean that I am not that person anymore."

"You never were that person." Sakura curtly returned, finally removing her eyes from the sky to look at Itachi with a soft smile. "You may be the most stubborn and infuriating person I know and god do I want to punch you every five minutes for purposefully pissing me off, but you are anything but the monster that you have made yourself out to be."

Soft raindrops were starting to fall from the sky as Itachi remained silent, unable to deny the truth her words held. The duo continued to walk in silence, the smile of content on the pinkette's lips accompanying them all the way to her home.

"We're here." She announced as they came to a halt after they rounded a corner. "My apartment is right across the street. I'll just get changed and then we can go back to your office, it won't take longer than two minutes."

"Two minutes, Haruno ." Itachi warned as he leaned with his back against the wall from one of the neighboring houses and closed his eyes. "Don't be late."

Sakura rolled her eyes as she gave him a mock salute and turned around to jog towards her apartment. Itachi exhaled a soft sigh as he crossed his arms above his chest and listened to the soft humming sound the street lights created.

He knew that his advisor had a habit of running late so he didn't expect her to return for the next five minutes but when the first three minutes passed and there was no sight of her, an uneasy weight settled in his stomach.

He waited for another minute but when there was still no pink hair to be seen, his eyes narrowed into dangerous slits before he pushed himself off the wall.

Just then he heard the sound of a window shattering and within the blink of an eye, he was standing in front of Sakura's door.

The seal that shielded her home from any intruders was broken, the remains of its chakra lingering in the air as he rushed inside.

It was not hard to find her thanks to the yell that definitely didn't sound like it belonged to Sakura that came from the bedroom and when he finally reached it, he was surprised by the sight that greeted him.

Sakura was holding a nearly unconscious beaten male that seemed no older than them against the wall, her other arm hanging limp by her side as it was covered with splinters of glass.

"You got one last chance to answer my damn question before I am going to break every bone in your body twice." Sakura hissed as she tightened her hold on his collar, causing the male's head to slightly loll aside.

Itachi's eyes narrowed as he took a step closer, crimson eyes taking in Sakura's battered state. "Sakura. "

"I found him and his friend going through my things." Sakura told him without bothering to glance at him as her eyes narrowed dangerously at the one she was holding up. "His friend left with one of my combs and I doubt that they needed it because they were running short on them."

Itachi's eyes darkened as he realized what was going on before he watched Sakura roughly slam the male against the wall once more, earning a pained hiss from him.

"Damn bitch." He growled, voice gruff as Sakura offered him a humorless smile.

"I can show you how much of a bitch I can be if you won't answer me what the hell you need my DNA for." Sakura told him and when the male snickered, she frowned.

"I'd rather kill myself than tell you Konoha rats anything." He hissed and at that, Sakura rolled her eyes.

"Of course, how silly of me." Sakura sighed before she pulled her fist back and punched him straight into his face, knocking him out cold as she allowed his body to slump down onto the ground. "Have fun with Ibiki then."

Itachi watched the scene in front of him in mild amusement as he moved closer to Sakura who was now cradling her bleeding arm to her chest, an apologetic smile on her lips as she looked up at Itachi.

"Guess it did take me longer than two minutes after all." Sakura sheepishly said, causing Itachi's eyes to soften as he walked over to grab her face and tilt it upwards so that he could have a proper look at it.

Her lip was cut and her left eye lightly bruised from what he assumed must have been quite the punch that they managed to land on her and Itachi felt the blood in his veins grow hot with anger.

Sakura watched his Sharingan brighten and the corner of his lips curl downwards in displeasure, the deadly intent on his face more than obvious what caused her heart to skip a beat.

"I am fine." She swiftly whispered in assurance, causing Itachi's eyes to snap from her cut lip back to her eyes. "It's nothing I can't heal when we're back at your office."

Itachi, still obviously displeased allowed his hand to travel to the base of her neck as he run his thumb over her pulse. Right now, he wanted nothing more than to kill the ones responsible for this but as much as his fingers itched to snap the now unconscious male's neck, the way her eyes shone softly in the darkness reminded him that she would not approve of it.

So he didn't.

"I really shouldn't let you out of my sight." Itachi mumbled as he allowed his Sharingan to fade out of existence, instantly noticing the way Sakura's expression morphed into one of relief.

For a moment, he really looked like he would kill their little friend right then and there and the mere fact that he didn't just because he most likely knew that she wouldn't approve it warmed her heart.

"I think that two creeps sent by Orochimaru to sneak through my stuff and steal some of my hair is something I can handle." Sakura reminded him with a soft smile but when she accidentally brushed with her bloody arm against his torso, she winced. "Although I should probably heal this."

Itachi's eyes moved down onto her bleeding arm, the shards that were stuck in her arm glistening in the moon light before he looked back at her.

"I will get someone to clean up this mess and to lock him away." Itachi informed her, expression stern. "I expect you to be healed by the time I return. As soon as I am back, you're coming with me."

Sakura gave him a curt nod and when Itachi stepped back, she was surprised to feel disappointed by the loss of his touch. "I'll keep an eye on him."

Itachi returned her nod and glanced at the unconscious male before he flickered out of existence, leaving Sakura on her own once more.

A soft sigh passed her lips as she moved to get a towel and sat on her bed before she gently picked the shards out of her arms. She channeled her chakra into her forearm and allowed the cuts to fade, leaving only rosy flesh in its wake.

Her eyes drifted from her injured arm to the unconscious male and Sakura couldn't help but wonder if this guy knew how lucky he was that he was still alive.

She thought back to the way Itachi's eyes brightened with deadly intent and just the memory of it caused Sakura's stomach to flip in a way she couldn't deny she liked. Ever since he declared that he would make her his, she couldn't help but be even more aware of him and the way he acted than she already was.

Whereas she tried to ignore the effect all of these things had on her prior to his claim, she was unable to ignore them now that she was certain of his intentions.

And that was the source of her current dilemma.

She couldn't deny that she was drawn to him, the urge to be close to him too strong for her to ignore so that it was starting to become harder for her to resist it. Sakura knew that it was only a matter of time until she would be forced to give in and even though she knew that it would be fatal to lose her heart to the Uchiha heir for various reasons, she also knew that it was too late to make a run for it because her heart has already decided on what it wanted.

And that scared her beyond belief.

It took her a total of ten minutes until it was fully healed and just when she was about to move on to heal her eye did she feel three chakra signatures enter her home, two of which she was familiar with.

"Yo."

Sakura smiled with relief as she saw Kakashi lean against the doorway to her bedroom, the sight of her teacher instantly erasing all of the dark thoughts that plagued her mind as she stood up from her seat on the bed.

"Hey." Sakura returned, voice soft as she watched Itachi enter the room followed by another male she didn't recognize. "Got assigned to do the dirty work again?"

Kakashi exhaled a deep sigh as he pushed himself off the doorway and stepped into the room. "All because my student punched someone unconscious again. Did you at least break his nose?"

Sakura in return smirked. "Just like you taught me to all these years ago."

Kakashi shot her his usual eye crinkle as he gently ruffled her hair, but Sakura didn't fail to notice how his eyes scanned over her body to make sure that she didn't have any more injuries when he thought she wasn't looking.

She smiled at his concern before she looked at Itachi, who was leaning with his back against her wardrobe and caught her eyes with his own, her traitorous heart instantly skipping a beat.

"I guess that it's our cue to leave then?"

Itachi straightened and pointedly looked at Kakashi, who in return nodded as they exchanged a silent message that Sakura was unable to decode.

She arched a brow at Kakashi who in return winked at her, causing her to roll his eyes at his refusal to fill her in before she grabbed a fresh set of clothes and looked at the Uchiha.

"I'll get changed and then we can go."

Itachi hummed shortly in approval as Sakura made her way into the bathroom to swiftly change into a pair of her knee-length thighs and a white shirt that reached her mid-thigh while Kakashi and the other male took care of her intruder.

When Sakura caught sight of her reflection in the mirror she winced at the redness beneath her eye that would surely turn blue if she didn't heal it fast enough.

Her pink hair that reached her lower back was messy in a way that fortunately didn't make her look too much of a nutjob while the cut on her lip wasn't bleeding anymore.

She sighed.

She had seen better days but in the end, she was glad that only her window was damaged during their fight.

Sakura exited the bathroom just to find Itachi already standing by the front door, obviously waiting for her while there was no sight of Kakashi.

"He already left." Itachi informed her, earning a nod from Sakura as Itachi's eyes scanned her from head to toe. "Ready?"

Sakura nodded and with that, the duo made their way back to the Hokage Tower. Instead of strolling through the streets like they did on their way there, this time they used the more traditional route by jumping from rooftop to rooftop, Itachi leading the way and Sakura following close behind.

When they reached it and entered it through the window, Itachi held out his hand to help Sakura inside, which she accepted with a small smile.

The moment Sakura's feet touched the office ground, the wooden doors opened and revealed a trio of Anbu guards that stepped inside, closely followed by a familiar figure that had Itachi instinctively pull Sakura slightly behind him.

"Hokage-sama, Haruno-san."

Itachi's eyes narrowed as he looked at the only person that could possibly worsen his mood any further. "Shimura-san."

Danzo's lips curled upwards into a cold smile as the Anbu guards left the office, closing the doors behind him so that only the three of them were left in the office.

"I was just on my way to the library when one of my men told me about a commotion at your advisors apartment." Danzo spoke, eyes falling on Sakura who in return stiffened. "I am glad to see that you are unharmed, Haruno-san."

Sakura could feel Itachi tense as Danzo directly addressed her from where she was halfway shielded from the council-members sight by the Hokage himself. She rested a hand on Itachi's upper arm, instantly feeling him relax under her touch as she she stepped forward so that she was standing next to him.

"Your concern is appreciated, Shimura-san." Sakura calmly returned, forcing her lips up into a polite smile. "But it was nothing of high importance, merely a young boy foolish enough to break into the wrong house."

Itachi inwardly commended Sakura for coming up with such a believable story and gave a curt nod in agreement. "We just arrived ourselves and planned on writing the report."

"Of course, I wouldn't want to delay you." Danzo spoke, his voice raspy as he looked from Sakura to Itachi. "I trust that you are still investigating the incident at the hospital?"

Itachi's eyes narrowed ever so slightly as he looked at Danzo, the gleam his eyes held not sitting well with him. "I can assure you that everything is currently being taken care of, so there is no need for members of the council to be concerned."

The smile on his lips froze and Sakura could easily see the spark of annoyance that filled his eyes as Danzo inclined his head.

"Remember that the council will be at your immediate disposal if you encounter anything that may concern Konoha's safety, Hokage-sama." Danzo spoke, but Itachi's face remained stony.

"There will be no need for that. If the situation calls for it, my advisors counsel will be enough." Itachi curtly returned, the finality in his voice not going unnoticed by either Danzo or Sakura.

"Of course." Danzo spoke, eyes drifting back to Sakura who felt the temperature in the room palpably drop. "Well then, I hope that her counsel will aid in keeping Konoha safe."

Sakura forced her smile to stay on her lips despite of the underlining jab at her as she gave Danzo a curt nod. "You have my word."

"Well then, I will take my leave." Danzo spoke and as he turned around to leave the office, his eyes lingered on a certain file on Itachi's desk for a moment too long.

Sakura tensed as she noticed and inwardly prayed that Danzo didn't recognize the number of the file as the council member finally left without as much as another word.

As soon as the door shut close, the pinkette exhaled a breath that she didn't realize she'd been holding as she looked up at the tall male next to her in concern.

"Do you think he knows who this file belongs to?" She asked, brows furrowed while Itachi clenched his jaw. He was certain that he told the guards to not let anyone inside while he and Sakura were in his office to prevent exactly that, so to say that he was pissed that they had so bluntly ignored his orders would be an understatement.

"Perhaps."

Sakura, noticing his sudden shift in his mood frowned. She knew that he wasn't too fond of Danzo, as was she, but that was no reason for him to look like he wanted to do nothing more than to tear the doors down.

"What's the matter?" Sakura inquired, the concern that laced her voice more audible than she would have liked but when Itachi merely ignored her and moved to stand by his desk, she frowned.

"Oh no, you won't ignore me." Sakura declared as she followed him so that she was standing next to him, arms crossed above her chest. "What's gotten you in such a bad mood?"

Itachi merely remained silent as he tried his best to stay calm as he heard her question. His mood had been quite good until Orochimaru's men managed to break into Sakura's home, managed to get her DNA and to hurt her, not to mention that Danzo didn't lighten his mood with his jabs at his leadership skills.

Then, there were also the guards disobeying orders that made the latter possible in the first place so it should be understandable that his mood was not one of the best.

"Let's just get to work, Haruno."

Sakura felt her heart clench beneath her chest as he brushed her off and felt her irritation spark as she grabbed him by the upper arm, ready to give him a piece of her mind when she suddenly felt him grab her wrist and spin them around so that she was seated on the desk with Itachi caging her in, onyx eyes gleaming dangerously in the dim light as he looked at her through narrowed eyes.

"You really don't listen." Itachi dangerously muttered, causing Sakura to glare at him.

"Well that makes two of us then." The pinkette retorted, the smell of his intoxicating scent clouding her senses. "I just wanted to know what got you in such a sour mood and you give me an attitude!"

Itachi growled as he leaned closer so that their foreheads brushed against each others, his eyes taking in the small bruising beneath her eye which only fueled his anger. Hadn't her told her to heal it?

"Orochimaru's men managed to break inside your home and even hurt you, is that something I should be happy about?" Itachi wondered, the sarcasm that laced his voice causing Sakura to huff.

"Yeah, because the whole thing with Danzo didn't have anything to do with it." The pinkette said, eyes burning as she stubbornly held his gaze. "I know that you're not too fond of him, but that's no reason for you to give me an attitude, Uchiha."

Upon hearing her call him by his last name something in his eyes flashed as he pushed her further back, causing Sakura to slightly lean backwards in surprise.

"Itachi." He corrected with a growl that caused Sakura's heart to hammer against her rib cage. "You really should stop talking now."

Sakura scoffed as she defiantly tilted her head upwards to look him dead in the eye, the challenge her emerald orbs held causing Itachi to tighten his hold on her wrists. "And you should seriously stop giving me orders that you know I won't listen to, Hokage-sama."

Itachi suddenly grabbed her wrists and harshly tugged them forwards so that Sakura was roughly pulled against his chest, lips pursed as she stubbornly glared up at him.

"You will obey them." He ordered, voice dangerously low as he watched the gorgeous pinkette in his arms huff, her defiance visible and only causing the blood in his veins to burn even more.

"Oh really?" Sakura breathed, eyes darkening as a taunting smile ghosted over her lips. "Make me."

Too late did she realize her mistake and within a heartbeat, Itachi's eyes brightened up before he roughly grabbed her by the neck and slammed his lips against hers.

Sakura inhaled sharply against his lips and held to his collar to keep steady without his support, the blood in her veins rushing at full speed as she felt Itachi use his other free hand to pull her closer by her thigh.

Sakura, too stunned to react at first, needed a moment to realize that Itachi was actually kissing her even though they had just been fighting and when she forced herself to push him away for the sake of her pride, she felt him tighten his grip on her neck and growl softly in warning against her lips.

That was all it took for her to finally give in and in the next moment, she closed her eyes, threw her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, fervently deepening the kiss.

The moment she did, Itachi could have sworn he had lost all of his senses, all of him solely focused on the tempting woman in his arms. Her soft lips against his felt like heaven, her sweet taste leaving him wanting more and her body in his hands felt like she was just made for him.

Sakura sighed softly against his lips and in return, felt his grip on her thigh tighten in a way that she was sure would leave a red mark but at the moment, she didn't care.

When Itachi reluctantly pulled slightly away to allow her to get some air, their lips still brushing against each other he opened his eyes to look at the pinkette.

She had never looked more beautiful.

Her hair was slightly tousled, her chest rising as she gasped for air through her slightly parted and swollen lips. She looked up at him through hooded eyes, green eyes clouded as her hands rested on his shoulders.

She looked ravishing.

He knew that there were thousand of unasked questions running through that pretty little head of hers, worries and concerns about the future that awaited them but with due time, he would prove her that there was nothing to be worried about because as long as Itachi was breathing, he would ensure her happiness.

Instead of telling her exactly that, Itachi decided to once more lean forwards and softly catch her lips with his, this time more gentle and he was pleased to feel her return the kiss the instant his lips touched hers.

He moved his hand from the back of her neck to wrap his arm around her waist, keeping her firmly against him as he savored her taste.

Sakura marveled at the way his lips gently caressed hers, his firm grip on her waist only making her heart beat even faster as she lost herself in his caress. Nothing had ever felt as right as this, and even though Sakura knew that she should be scared because she knew that from this day on, there would be a huge shift in their relationship, she wasn't.

Having Itachi kiss her felt right, being in his arms felt like it was the way it was supposed to be and that was all that mattered to her.

X

A/N: Well, here it finally is;)

I know it took me slightly longer to update and for that, I apologize!

I wanted to THANK YOU for your awesome support by reviewing, following, etc. You guys don't know how much that motivates me to update faster, seriously.

Seeing how much you like it makes me really proud of my work and pushes me to do better, so I hope that you'll continue to support me!

I also hope that you liked this chapter (and the kiss ) and if you did, please tell me by dropping a review!

Now that Itachi is making his moves and Sakura is slowly starting to realize how she feels about our favourite Uchiha, what do you think will happen next?

See you guys next chapter!:)