Immersion

by SaraNero

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.

27. Bridge

Quick Note: I made myself a Tumblr where I'll post chapter sneak peeks before the actual update, One-Shots, etc. You can find me there as ,,ff-saranero". I hope to see some of you there so that I can get a chance to interact more with you guys.

Now, on with the actual chapter!

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CHAPTER 27- Bridge

When Itachi entered the hospital once more, he was fully aware of the curious, if not even envious looks he received.

As promised, he came to pick up the pink-haired medic after her shift, his lips nearly curling upwards into a smirk when he thought back to when he had parted with her mere hours ago. He was sure that he would receive quite an earful for it but that only made him look forwards to seeing her again even more.

He made his way towards her office, knowing that she usually spent the last minutes of her shift in there to organize all of the files and go through what would expect her when her next shift would start. It was when he waited for the elevator to arrive that hushed voices from the far left reached his ears, his attention caught when a whisper of Sakura's name left one of the nurses.

"She's so lucky." One of them sighed. "How did she manage to get the Hokage wrapped around her finger?"

A snort followed her question. "She probably made good use of being his advisor. I don't think that it'll last though, you know her temper is just as bad as Tsunade-sama's. Do you think that the Rokudaime would get seriously involved with someone like her when he could have anyone else?"

Itachi's face fell into a frown, annoyance washing over him upon hearing them talk about Sakura in such a disrespectful way. The voices were getting closer so he didn't bother to move, eyes fixed on the elevator in front of him that had yet to arrive.

"It would be a waste." The first agreed. "Sakura-sama is already close with the village's best looking guys, how unfair would it be if she gets the most gorgeous and strongest of them all? I mean she is strong and a skilled medic, but as a woman she's pretty average."

"I think it's really just her connections that got her so far." The other muttered, voice laced with obvious annoyance as she spoke. "I mean, why else would he want her?"

Just then they rounded the corner and when Itachi's onyx eyes finally fell on the two nurses they froze in place, eyes widening before they swiftly inclined their heads. He recognized one of them to be the one that had nearly thrown a syringe into Sakura's head all these weeks ago when the pinkette healed his broken rib after their sparring session. He didn't remember her name, but he clearly remembered her trying to get Sakura to leave the room so that she could finish him up.

It didn't surprise him the least to find that it was her who talked in such a matter of the pinkette, her jealousy of Sakura having caught his attention even weeks ago.

"Hokage-sama." They greeted in unison, eyes fixed on the ground. They obviously hadn't expected to run into him and even though Itachi briefly entertained the idea to ask them their names and drop by at Tsunade-sama's office, he dismissed it when he noticed the way their bodies were practically stiff out of fear that he may have overheard them.

Just then Itachi heard the soft chime that signalizised that the elevator arrived, the two nurses waiting a moment longer before they once more straightened when he didn't say anything but just as they moved to pass him, Itachi's voice filled the hallway.

"She doesn't deem it necessary to waste her time gossiping about others and downgrading them just to make herself appear better." Itachi's deep yet firm voice sounded, causing them to freeze in place. "Whereas her temper is most certainly a very entertaining trait of hers and her intelligence and skills are also remarkable, I can assure you that there are countless of other things that make her anything but average as a woman and more than alluring."

His lips curled upwards into a smug smirk as he made his way into the elevator and left the baffled nurses behind, clearly content before the doors closed and he rode up to Sakura's floor.

When he exited two medics nodded their head in acknowledgment which he returned before he finally reached the familiar door just to find it already open.

As he entered, he was greeted by the sight of Tsunade standing in front of Sakura's desk, the pinkette seated on top of her desk with a pout while the Godaime's chakra engulfed hand was hovering over her forehead.

"I trained you better than to get hit by that punch." He heard Tsunade mutter darkly under her breath, causing a wave of confusion to fill him before he noticed the large bruise on Sakura's forehead when Tsunade slightly moved her hand aside.

Itachi frowned at the sight, but before he was able to ask what happened he heard Sakura speak up.

"How could I have possibly known that the first thing he'd do when regaining consciousness would be punching me?" Sakura huffed, earning a snicker from Tsunade as she healed her.

"You were the one knocking him out during the fight, so what did you expect, a hug?"

Sakura opened her mouth to retort when she finally noticed his presence and when her eyes snapped to his and she noticed his rather displeased expression, her lips turned upwards into a sheepish smile as she inwardly cursed his timing.

Why did she feel like a child getting picked up from school by her parents after a fight?

Tsunade turned her head to look at Itachi before she removed her hand from Sakura's forehead, a sigh passing her lips before she returned her gaze to her student and narrowed her eyes.

"Don't overdo it, the hit you received wasn't a light one." Tsunade chastised, earning a deadpan look from Sakura in return.

"I would know considering that I was the one who got punched." The pinkette dryly returned as she moved to loosen her ponytail, Tsunade merely huffing in return before she looked at Itachi.

"Good luck with her." The blonde drawled as she passed him by, offering him a light pat on his upper arm before she left the office.

Sakura run a hand through her hair to loosen it as she watched Itachi fully step inside and close the door behind him, a small smile on her lips upon seeing him despite of knowing that he was obviously not too happy upon hearing that she got punched.

Though she had to admit that it was rather funny when she thought back to it.

Itachi wordlessly walked over to stand in front of her, dark eyes fixed on the pink bruise on her forehead that would probably take some hours until it fully faded before he lowered his eyes and scanned her face for any more injuries.

"I am fine." Sakura assured him, lips twisting in amusement as she looked at him. "I am surprised that you managed to hold your promise, though."

Itachi didn't seem too convinced but upon not finding any more visible injuries let it slide, eyes sparking with mild wonder. "I told you I would."

Sakura merely smiled before she gently hopped off the desk and moved around him to walk over to her chair. She swiftly shrugged off her white coat and hung it over its back before she pulled on her beige coat and shot him a smile.

"I am ready. Shall we?"

Itachi nodded as he held out his hand, Sakura's tinier one easily slipping into it as they made their way out of her office.

After they left her office Sakura was highly aware of the looks she received and even though Itachi felt rather pleased that he was able to show them that she was his, he had expected her to leave him to walk alone after his little display of affection earlier.

Sakura didn't disappoint him for the second they stopped in front of the elevator and she removed her hand from his to straighten the collar of his black shirt, the pinkette shot him a smile that was sharper than usual.

"You know I'll still pay you back for your little scene downstairs." She sweetly told him, pulling slightly harder on his collar than needed, causing him to look down at the smiling pinkette in amusement. "Don't think I'll let it slide by just like that."

"Really?" He mumbled, enjoying the feeling of her small hands on his chest as she straightened out wrinkles that he knew his shirt didn't have. "You're rather enjoying this though, if I am not mistaken."

Itachi knew that he was right when Sakura's smile turned into a smirk. "Do you think I didn't hear the nurses and medics whisper about our scandalous little love affair? Some even were as creative as to say that we'd have an arranged marriage because our babies would be a bundle of power."

Itachi's lips quirked upwards into an amused smirk that mirrored her own, clearly finding humor in the staff's creativity.

"The children part I cannot disagree with."

Sakura huffed in amusement before she gently patted his chest when she was done straightening his shirt. "I begin to think that you're enjoying this more than I am."

"Maybe I am." He lowly mused and Sakura rolled her eyes, though the smirk never left her lips as the elevator finally arrived and the duo made their way inside.

They swiftly reached the first floor and when they exited, instead of taking her hand Itachi settled for wrapping his arm around her waist instead, enjoying the way she shot him a surprised look that he pointedly ignored as they walked through the entrance hall.

Itachi was highly aware of the whispers and looks they received, most of them of admiration and jealousy as they watched Konoha's most powerful couple stride through the hall as if the hospital belonged to them.

The aura of authority they emitted was palpable to everyone on the floor, the way they carried themselves screaming superiority and gaining attention from every person present.

They both received nods of acknowledgment on their way out, Sakura from the staff and Itachi from fellow shinobi that were admitted to the hospital and currently patients.

It was nice to finally be able to walk with her by his side without having to hide the position he held in her life, the way the pinkette's amiable smile never left her lips despite of the looks of admiration she received only proving him once more that she truly was unlike others.

Whereas most would have enjoyed the looks they received Sakura was rather modest, not ashamed to show them that he was hers but not showing off with him to put herself higher than them either.

"Where are we headed to anyways?" Sakura asked as she curiously looked up at him when they exited the hospital, the chilly night air causing her to wrap her coat tighter around herself.

"To get something to eat." He told her, hand on her waist tightening when he felt her small body shiver against the sudden cold that greeted them. "After that I'll walk you home, there are some things that I want to go over with you."

Sakura nodded, knowing that despite of their change in relationship she was still his advisor and he the Hokage who relied on her objective and unbiased opinion.

"Sounds good to me." She told him with a smile, glad that she would be able to spend some time with him before they would have to go back to work. It was rare that they managed to get some time to themselves and after the past days events she really needed a break.

Itachi remained silent as they walked through the crowded streets of the village. It was already dark outside and yet the shops and food courts were busy and filled with customers that seemingly didn't mind the time. It was understandable if one thought about it because after all, a shinobi didn't have the luxury of a fixed daily routine and thus the shops and restaurants stayed open for most of the night, much to their delight.

Sakura sighed in content as the smell of food reached her nose and her eyes caught sight of the brightly shining signs above the restaurants and food-courts, mouth watering at the thought of a hot meal after her long shift at the hospital that didn't allow her to eat more than two energy bars.

Itachi noticed the way her eyes brightened with a pleased smile and made his way towards the stand that sold her favorite food, Tempura, as Naruto had told him on the way to the hospital after their training session.

Judging by the way Sakura's lips curled upwards into a delighted smile, the blonde was right. He swiftly ordered their food and mere minutes later they were already on their way back to her apartment.

"How did you know that I liked Tempura?" Sakura asked, genuinely surprised that he knew but Itachi merely shot her a small smirk that told her that he wouldn't name his source, causing the pinkette to pout.

"Well, tell whoever told you that I said thank you." She told him, eyes falling on the bag he carried with a happy smile. She had tried to take it from him but the Uchiha heir merely gave her a pointed look that told her that he'd carry it. Though she hadn't let it rest on her and tried to reach for it once more he had grabbed her hand and continued onward, causing the pinkette to sigh.

The duo reached her apartment not too much later and Itachi followed the pinkette inside, Sakura hanging her coat onto the wardrobe before they made their way into the living room.

They sat down and unpacked the food, Itachi sitting on one end of the couch while Sakura nestled into the other, a content hum passing her lips as she inhaled the smell of her favorite dish.

"Just what I needed." Sakura sighed as she took a bite of the fried shrimp, savoring the taste before she looked at Itachi. "What did you want to talk about?"

Itachi glanced up at the pinkette that was curiously looking at him, a small smile about to form itself on his lips when he took in the sight of her happily munching on the shrimp before he stopped himself, the reminder of what he wanted to talk to her about returning the heaviness that weighted down his chest.

"I interrogated Danzo." He started, her eyes widening with surprise for the split of a second before she pursed her lips and lowered her chopsticks at the sudden mentioning of the former council member.

"Oh." Was all she could say, pictures from the explosion flashing involuntarily in her mind that she had fought to suppress ever since.

Itachi sensed her sudden change in mood but knew that as much as he wanted to, there was little he could do little to make it better, so he decided to swiftly inform her of what he managed to find out instead.

"According to Danzo, Madara plans to attack the borders by the end of the month." Itachi told her, causing the pinkette to tense as she looked at him with open surprise.

"What?" She breathed, expression turning blank at the news. "This fast?"

Itachi nodded, sharing her dismay. "Apparently the disappearances are linked to Orochimaru. It seems like he uses them to test their capabilities so that they'll be prepared to extract the kyuubi and seal him within another that will bend to their will."

Sakura felt her heart skip a painful beat, her blonde haired friends face flashing in her mind before she tightened her hold on her chopsticks.

"He wants to create a shinobi strong enough to contain the kyuubi so that they'll have full control over it and its owner."

Itachi once more nodded in confirmation, the way her emerald eyes darkened in concern causing him to frown lightly. "I plan on sending someone to the borders to keep an eye on anything suspicious. Danzo also mentioned a hide-out in Sound that he believes is their man one."

For the next moments Sakura remained silent, obviously going over the information he had just provided her with. Her food was sitting on her lap, long forgotten as she remembered the last time they had been in one of Orochimaru's hideouts.

If what Danzo said was true, chances were high that they would find Orochimaru in Sound but it never was a good idea to simply storm in there without a plan considering that it was filled with his men and the sanin himself would also be there.

Then, there was Madara.

So far they had almost no information about him other than that he was above Orochimaru and lead the plan to get the kyuubi and bring Konoha down with the help of its loyalists.

"Planting someone in Orochimaru's hideout would be too dangerous." Sakura mused, lips tilted downwards as she returned her eyes to Itachi. "What leaves us with only one choice."

"We need to attack the hideout the moment they attack the borders and Madara tries to get Naruto." Itachi declared. Even though it would be very tricky to find the right timing it was the only chance they had for even if they would manage to defeat Madara during his attempt to get Naruto and the kyuubi, Orochimaru would still remain and try to find other ways to get what he wanted.

"We would have to split up." Sakura grimly realized as she looked at Itachi, the light frown on his face still firmly in place as a moment of silence followed her words. They would have to carefully think about who would stay behind to defend Naruto and who would go and defeat Madara based on whose skills were most suited for which position.

"Sasuke will most likely stay behind." The pinkette mused, knowing that Sasuke would not willingly leave Naruto behind if he knew that he was in danger. Whereas she also wasn't too fond of the idea of leaving the village to fight off Orochimaru, she wouldn't be as opposed to it as the others. Orochimaru had killed Jiraya and hurt both her mentor and Naruto in the most painful way there was, so she felt like she had to be one of the people that would go to the hide-out.

"What about Kakashi?" She inquired. "He is one of the strongest and has the Sharingan."

"That's why I need him to stay here." Itachi returned, voice firm as he thought of the copy-nin. "He needs to keep an eye on Naruto since he is the target. Kakashi has the Sharingan just like Sasuke so the chances of Madara failing in acquiring the kyuubi when the two are by Naruto's side are high."

Sakura's lips pursed into a thin line, knowing that he was right. It considerably reduced the amount of high-level shinobi that they could send to Orochimaru's hideout, and that was not a good thing.

Just then Sakura realized that she had forgotten about a rather important person, her eyes falling on Itachi who easily caught her eyes with his own firm ones.

He never said where he wanted to go.

"Where will you go?" She asked, her voice having dropped a few octaves lower as she watched his frown ease and it was then that she realized what he planned to do, her stomach sinking.

"You want to go to the hide-out, don't you?"

A moment of silence followed her words with Itachi simply regarding her with his expression unreadable before he finally spoke.

"Orochimaru has managed to deceive us once before already, and I won't allow him to feign his death for a second time. He will die by my hands."

Sakura felt a heavy weight settle on her chest at his words and even though she had already expected his answer to go along these lines and his reasons for going were valid, she had a bad feeling about it.

And after what happened the last time she had experienced it, she knew better than to ignore it.

"I'm coming with you."

The words were out of her mouth before she realized it but when she saw Itachi's eyes narrow she knew that he obviously had other plans for her.

"I need you to stay at Konoha." He told her, causing her to mirror his expression by narrowing emerald eyes into dangerous slits. She obviously didn't like what she heard but there was no other way and this time, Itachi wouldn't budge.

His mind was set and she would have to accept it.

"Why? Naruto has Kakashi and Sasuke, you need me more than they do." She argued, failing to understand how she could be of more use at the village than with him.

"Madara is one of the strongest shinobi to have existed. The boys will need you to heal and aid them because he will not go easy on them." Itachi told her, voice firm as Sakura clenched her jaw, clearly displeased.

"Tsunade will be there to heal them." She once more tried and even though Itachi's frown lightened ever so slightly, the hardness in his eyes remained.

"The loyalists will target the Hokage tower and attempt to defeat Tsunade once they realize I am not there." He reminded her and even though she knew that he was right didn't mean that she liked it any better now than she did five minutes ago.

"Who do you want to take with you then?" Sakura asked, still rather obviously opposed to the idea of staying behind while he would leave.

Itachi however already expected her question. "Shisui will be coming with my group. With the Sharingan he will be able to take out most of them without having to engage them into a physical fight, hence lowering the chances of us getting injured."

Sakura's expression remained grim but just when she was about to ask him what they would do in case of one of them getting hit by the scalpel without her there to heal them, she remembered her talk with Tsunade.

"I actually may have found a way to prevent you from getting affected by the chakra scalpels." She told him and Itachi's eyes flashed with curiosity as he remained silent and Sakura took it as a sign to go on. The pinkette fixed her eyes on her now cold food on her lap as she idly poked it, expression thoughtful. "We have run some tests on Jiraya's blood and it turns out that the scalpel that he used was based on my chakra and covered by a foreign one. If we manage to figure out how he did it we may be able to immunize you and your group by injecting a mix of your own chakra with it into your bodies so that even if you get hit, it wouldn't affect you."

Itachi let out a low hum in return, obviously pleased by the news.

"It would be highly beneficial." Itachi agreed as he noticed the way Sakura still seemed rather less than enthusiastic about the whole ordeal. "Do you think that you'll be able to find out by the end of the week?"

This time Sakura turned to look at him, her eyes flashing with surprise as she caught his calm, dark ones.

"A week?" She uncertainly echoed, her expression turning thoughtful as she looked at him. "Maybe, but I can't guarantee it. I am not sure whether it will actually work and if we'll find a way to find out what other chakra Orochimaru used but I will try my best."

Itachi nodded, obviously not too put off by her thoughtfulness. "I am confident that you'll find a way."

Before Sakura could help it her lips curled upwards into a small, reluctant smile. His faith in her managed to lightly brighten up her mood and fuel her motivation of finding a way to immunize them against Orochimaru's greatest weapon, though she still wasn't too keen on having Itachi take off without her.

Itachi seemingly noticed for he gently set his food aside and reached out to gently caress her cheek, eyes softening. He as well didn't like the thought of leaving her behind but as the Hokage and an experienced shinobi, he knew that it was the right thing to do.

And judging by the way she had ceased with her protests, Sakura knew that too.

"Remember what I told you." Itachi mumbled, his thumb tenderly brushing over her cheekbone as he looked her straight in the eye. "I will always come back to you."

Sakura heaved a sigh but nodded, the conviction in his voice easing her concern as she placed her food on the table, appetite lost.

"What do we do about the borders?" She asked as she moved back to lean sideways against the backrest, brows pinched together in thought. They may have figured out a way to take care of the attack but that didn't mean that they could allow Orochimaru and his men to continue abducting their men to run tests on them.
"I will send Shisui and his team to have a look at it." Itachi eventually decided, Sakura nodding in agreement. Shisui would be best for the job since he had witnessed the scalpels more than once himself and was vaguely aware of what was going on.

"What about the others?" Sakura suddenly asked. "They will have to know about the attack some time soon so that they can prepare."

Itachi's lips thinned as he thought over her words. He knew as well that it was only a matter of time until he would have to inform the others about what was going on but he didn't want to burden them with a possible attack that wasn't even confirmed.

He didn't trust Danzo's words enough to cause a silent uproar until he managed to confirm it himself.

"I will tell them in time." Itachi finally settled on saying and even though Sakura's emerald eyes shone uncertainly, she knew better than to question him. She had faith that he would tell them when he thought would be the right moment and the pinkette grimly realized that she would have to prepare herself soon, both physically and mentally.

The past weeks have been hard on her and with all that has been going on she barely found any time to train, much to her dismay. She had to be in top shape by the end of the month and even though they didn't even know to what extent the attack would be if it actually happened, she knew that they had to be prepared for anything, anytime.

As Sakura looked back at his familiar onyx orbs she was suddenly reminded of what she had seen in Shisui's eyes a few days ago, emerald eyes narrowing as she looked at the Uchiha heir. Even though to others Itachi may have seemed in perfect condition and health Sakura knew that the past weeks have put quite a strain on him, his body and especially his eyes.

It's been weeks since that night on the ship and Sakura still hadn't had a chance to have a look at his eyes but now that he was here right in front of her, she decided to take her chance.

"Can I have a look at your eyes?"

Itachi arched a brow at her rather sudden request, the firmness on her face mildly surprising him.

"My eyes?" He echoed, low voice laced with curiosity as he looked at the pink haired kunoichi in front of him in wonder. He knew that Sakura could be rather unpredictable at times but he failed to understand how his eyes were related to anything they have previously talked about.

She merely nodded in return, eyes never leaving his. "A few days ago when you saw me with Shisui at your office I was actually checking his eyes because of something I saw. It's the same thing I saw in yours back on the ship and I want to make sure that the Sharingan isn't putting a too big strain on your eyes."

He could clearly remember the night on the ship and how his eyes have given him a rather hard time but he had swiftly dismissed it, knowing that they had more important things to worry about. Now with what was going on however he could understand Sakura's desire to ensure that his eyes were alright, so he found no reason to deny her request and eventually nodded.

Sakura's lips tilted upwards into a smile before she moved to sit straight on the couch and invitingly patted her lap.

"Lay down."

Itachi briefly wondered if he had made the right choice by letting her have a look at his eyes before he did as told and moved to lay on his back, head resting on her lap as he looked up at Sakura.

Her eyes were already fixed on his, though rather than looking at him she seemed to look through him, the medic in her having obviously taken over as she gently rested the tips of her fingers against his temple.

"I will run some of my chakra through your optical nerves, so just try to relax." She softly instructed, her fingers already warming with chakra as she looked at him. "I'll tell you when to turn the Sharingan on."

With that being said she started.

As she had done with Shisui, she allowed her chakra to gently run along the nerves before she expanded it into mingling her chakra through his pathways. She could easily see that they were slightly damaged after regularly using the Sharingan and knowing Itachi, he most likely didn't rest his eyes enough to allow the damage to properly heal before he activated it once more-hence the strain.

Other than that, however, there seemed to be nothing out of the ordinary. She hummed lowly as she took in the sight of the small inflammation in his chakra pathways that fortunately wasn't too worrisome before she spoke.

"You can turn it on now."

Itachi allowed the chakra that run through his veins to gather in his eyes, the familiar hum filling his ears as his vision sharpened in a way that was more than natural to him. His enhanced sense of sight allowed him to carefully analyze Sakura's expression as her vibrant emerald eyes remained locked with his, her chakra softly mingling with his as she allowed it to run through his pathways.

Itachi wasn't sure whether it were only minutes that passed or hours as she worked to heal the damage he had caused, lips pursed into a thin line and brows pinched together in concentration but he didn't mind.

He always savored the feeling of her familiar chakra mingling with his, the way it calmed him and soothed the dull ache that he had grown accustomed to allowing him to relax and rest.

After some time Sakura eventually allowed her chakra to fade and rested her hand on his forehead, Itachi allowing his Sharingan to fade out of existence but otherwise making no move to get up.

"You need to rest." Sakura gently admonished, her fingers finding their way into his long, silky hair. "After Madara's attack and our last mission the strain on your eyes has increased. If you're not careful and give your eyes the rest they need your vision will decrease, especially since you have to summon a huge amount of chakra into your eyes to activate the Sharingan."

"Hn." He softly returned, the feeling of her slender fingers running through his hair relieving him of some of the tension that filled him. He knew that she was concerned for him and that he would have to listen to her so that his Sharingan wouldn't give him any further troubles but for now, the Uchiha heir was set on enjoying her presence.

A wave of warmth overcame his body and Itachi allowed his eyes to fall shut, the sound of Sakura's soft humming filling his mind and lulling him into a tempting darkness that gradually became harder to resist. She had a way of doing that, making him forget everything around him and all thoughts that plagued his mind by simply being by his side and providing him with a place where he could truly rest without having to worry about anything.

Sakura's lips tilted upwards into a tender smile as she watched village's most feared shinobi relaxing on her lap, her heart swelling with warmth.

As the tips of her fingers gently run through his hair she didn't notice that her eye-lids became heavy, the soft hum that passed her lips slowly fading into silence as the moments passed before her eyes fell shut and she followed the Uchiha heir into a deep slumber.

X

"How could something like this happen?" Fugaku inquired from where he stood on the small platform in his office, arms crossed above his broad chest as narrowed eyes were fixed on the kneeling shinobi in front of him.

Two of his men had just returned with the news that three of their Clan members that were assigned to paroling the border have disappeared and to say that Fugaku was mad would have been an understatement.

"There were no signs of an ambush." One of them said, their head still respectfully lowered in front of their Clan's head. "They have disappeared, presumably at the same time and left no trace behind."

Fugaku frowned, dark eyes shining with disapproval. To loose three of his men without any of them knowing where they have disappeared to nor who was responsible for it was beyond alarming and knowing that by the following morning most of the Uchiha Clan elders would be aware of the incident, Fugaku found himself with no choice other than to involve his eldest son.

"Seek out Itachi." He ordered, the command stern and allowing no objection before he turned around to face the wall, brows furrowed in thought. "I expect him at the compound within the next hour."

He heard the two's soft footsteps echo through the office before they left to fulfill their orders, leaving Fugaku in his office to stare out at the sleeping village with skillfully concealed concern.

His Clan rarely lost any of its members and when they did then only because they died in battle on one of their missions so to hear that three have suddenly disappeared without a trace was unsettling. With the help of their Bloodline trait they should have been able to foresee any attacks directed at them and if there was a battle they would have never allowed it to stay discreet enough so that others wouldn't notice. They knew how to act in case of an ambush and were trained for all kinds of scenarios so to hear that no one had noticed them disappear did not sit right with him.

He needed to inform his son about it so that he could take the appropriate measures to deal with this incident since it didn't only concern the clan, but also Konoha as a whole.

It was by pure chance that it were members of his clans that were assigned to paroling the borders this night and that therefore he was the first one to get notified about the incident but Fugaku knew that as both the future heir to the Clan and the Hokage Itachi would have to be the one to decide on how to handle the matter.

He knew that his son would manage but knowing how cruel his Clan would be, he hoped that he had prepared Itachi well enough to be able to solve this matter without displeasing the elders.

X

Itachi noticed the suppressed Chakra signatures even before they entered.

The Uchiha heir opened his eyes and found himself staring at the dark ceiling of Sakura's apartment, his head nestled on her lap as the sound of her soft breathing broke through the silence. His eyes fell on the pinkette that was nestled in the back of the couch, her hand still in his hair and face relaxed.

Itachi carefully lifted his head from her lap and before he sat up. It seemed like someone was approaching her apartment and even though Itachi didn't recognize the signatures, he had a feeling that they were looking for him.

Onyx eyes narrowed before he turned his head to look at Sakura's sleeping form, her long pink hair that was slightly tousled shining against her light creme-colored couch as her rosy lips were lightly parted to release slow, even breaths.

Itachi gently slid his arms under her legs and shoulders and carefully picked her up into his arms before made his way towards her bedroom. He felt her body tense in his arm and just when he gently laid her onto her bed he watched her face scrunch up into a light frown.

"Itachi?" She mumbled, voice laced with sleep as she peeked at him through half-lidded eyes.

The Uchiha heir covered her with the sheets before he sat down on the bed next to her, hand reaching out to gently caress her cheek.

"Sleep." The soft murmur echoed through her silent bedroom as he felt the signatures gradually come closer. He allowed his chakra to flare for the split of a second so that they would stay outside, knowing that they would get the message while Sakura looked at him in concern.

"What's wrong?"

"I am being summoned to the office." He explained, voice low as he gently traced her jaw with his thumb. "I'll find you once I am done."

Sakura gave him a nod, the earnest shine in his eyes easing her concerns. She allowed herself to lean into his touch, savoring the feeling of his warm hand for one more moment before she felt him lean over and place his lips on her forehead.

With one last look at her he rose from his position of the bed and left her room, heading straight towards the chakra signatures that were now waiting for him in front of her apartment. As Itachi exited he was mildly surprised to see that instead of two members of Anbu it were two of his father's men that belonged to the police force that had sought him out, his blank expression betraying his feelings as the cold night air hit him.

"Hokage-sama." They greeted, bowing low before Itachi gave them a nod and they once more straightened. Itachi instantly noticed the small frown on the face of the one to his right, causing a wave of apprehension to wash over him as he thought of what could have possibly made them seek him out at this hour.

"Something happened." Itachi realized, earning a grim nod from the one to his left.

"Fugaku-sama expects you at your home." The one to his left said and Itachi felt his forehead crease with a light frown before he offered them a light nod.

"Thank you, you're dismissed."

The two left without another word, leaving Itachi behind to wonder what could be important enough for his father to have send someone to fetch him. It couldn't be anything good, that much he knew, and after deciding that there was only one way to find out he made his way back home to where his father was already waiting for him.

The moment he entered his home his feet carried him towards the small hall that was reserved for meetings and was located in the back of the house, the small light that pierced through the darkness from the end of the corridor telling him that his father was already there.

When Itachi entered the room he found his father seated on the small table placed in the middle of the room, his expression grim as he caught sight of his eldest son.

"Father." Itachi greeted as he made his way over to the empty seat opposite of him and sat down.

Fugaku watched his eldest son for a long moment, seemingly debating on how he should tell him before he settled on the direct approach.

"This night three of our men that were assigned to paroling the borders have disappeared."

Itachi's eyes narrowed sharply at the news, the heaviness in his stomach returning as he asked. "Disappeared?"

Fugaku in return nodded. "All thee have disappeared without as much as a trace. As soon as the others noticed they sent someone to inform us while the others scanned the area, but there was no trace of any of them."

Itachi was sure that his displeasure showed. He could understand why his father had called him, considering that it was not only a matter of the Clan but also for the Hokage.

"I have heard rumors of paroling shinobi along the coast disappearing and planned on sending a team out to verify it." Itachi told him, causing Fugaku's eyes to harden upon hearing his sons words.

"You should have done so faster." He told his son, clearly displeased. "We have lost three of our men, the Clan will demand answers."

Itachi felt a wave of irritation overcame him but kept his expression impassive. He knew that the Clan would give him one hell of a time as soon they would get wind of the news that the shinobi that disappeared belonged to their family but since it was a matter that he not only had to take care of as the Uchiha heir but also as the Hokage, he would make sure to set them straight.

"Just because they belonged to our family doesn't mean that their lives are worth more than the other ones that may have been abducted if the rumors are to be trusted." Itachi curtly returned. He was painfully aware of the fact that the Clan only had its own interest and well being in mind but that didn't mean that he would act upon their will.

He refused to get used by them, especially now that he was the Hokage and they believed to have a right to pressure him to find them for the wrong reasons just because he was an Uchiha.

"I know." Fugaku agreed, his lips curled downwards. "But you know that the clan won't share our opinion."

"I will take care of this without them interfering because they believe to have a privilege due to our shared blood." Itachi declared and Fugaku watched him for a long moment as he weighted his words.

"Very well then." Fugaku spoke after a moment of silence, a sigh following his words though his posture remained as stiff. "As the Hokage you may take care of this matter in whatever way you deem fit, but don't forget that you're also the heir to the Clan."

Itachi's lips curled upwards into the ghost of a bitter smile. How could he ever forget if he was constantly reminded of the fact, and not in the way that one would appreciate. It seemed like they only wanted him to act the part of the heir whenever they needed a scapegoat and not when things were going smooth.

"I will do everything in my power to find them." Itachi promised, earning a curt nod from Fugaku in return, the elder shinobi knowing that his son would keep his word.

"You are free to go. I think that there are a few things you'll have to take care of at the office." Fugaku advised him, the underlying message his words held not going unnoticed by Itachi whose eyes slanted for the slightest of bits.

He knew that Fugaku only had his men's best interest at heart but Itachi couldn't help but feel like even now as the Hokage, his father expected him to follow his wishes.

He wasn't as bold as to openly order him to do anything but Itachi was not oblivious to the way his father liked to advise him how to do certain things on a regular basis.

Forcing these thoughts aside, Itachi rose from his seat and with one last nod directed at his father made to leave the room. The second his fingers brushed against the door however, his father's voice stopped him.

"You weren't at the office."

Itachi stilled, eyes narrowing at the sudden comment that he knew his father had purposefully made. It wasn't a question- a statement more than anything that was made for the purpose of confirming his suspicions. For a moment Itachi considered simply leaving, aware of the fact that his father most likely already knew where he had been but wanted to hear it from himself for reasons unknown to Itachi.

"I wasn't." Itachi confirmed without turning around. His voice was flat and echoed through the room with a firmness that took Fugaku slightly by surprise, the elder Uchiha arching a brow at his son's unexpected admission.

It was no secret that Itachi liked to keep to himself and even though he couldn't recall a time where Itachi had lied to him, he didn't expect his son to straight out admit it. He knew that Itachi knew what he was implying but he seemingly didn't care much whether his father knew or not.

"You can't afford to waste any time, especially in days like these." Fugaku told him, though the hardness in his voice was not as prominent as before. Rather than admonishing him, it seemed like he was advising his son but Itachi merely tightened his hold on the door, eyes gleaming dangerously in the moonlight. He knew that the topic of Sakura would be brought up sooner or later but he hadn't expected his father to straight out comment on it, especially when they have only gotten together.

"I am not wasting my time." Itachi curtly returned, the edge in his voice causing the tension in the room to palpably grow. "Nor will I tolerate anyone trying to get involved in a matter that is mine and hers only."

Fugaku's expression remained hard but the moonlight that bathed his face illuminated the softness in his dark eyes. He had already suspected his son to pursue the pinkette and after the genjutsu incident Fugaku had to admit that he approved of her. She was a strong kunoichi and a skilled medic, the influence she had on both Sasuke and Itachi not going unnoticed by him but as the Clan's head, Fugaku knew that not many would be too delighted to hear of his son's involvement with the Godaime's apprentice.

He knew that Itachi was well aware of the fact but seemingly didn't intent to let anyone try and change his mind about the matter, his stubbornness a family trait that he couldn't deny. Fugaku would always have his son's back but he wanted him to be sure of his decision and aware of the consequences that may follow.

"As the Clan's head, I'd like you to reconsider and think of taking someone of our Clan." Fugaku stated and as soon as the words have passed his lips he could feel the temperature in the room drop dangerously. He knew that his son did not appreciate his words, a small sigh passing his lips before he continued. "But as your father, I will support your decision as long as you are certain that she is the right one and worth it."

Itachi straightened, caught off guard by his father's sudden approval as his hold on the door loosened. He hadn't expected his father to approve of their relationship so easily and once again he was left wondering just how Sakura managed to pull people in her ban.

Itachi turned around to face his father, onyx eyes instantly catching sight of the ghost of a smirk that quirked his lips upwards at the surprise that he was certain showed on his face.

"She is one of the village's strongest kunoichi whose skills may even surpass the Godaime's." Fugaku acknowledged, voice calm. "Her reputation is spotless, her ties to the village inseparable and her experience as both a field-nin and in the office thanks to the Godaime and now you are second to none. She is a worthy match of a Hokage and Clan-head and I know that Shisui and Sasuke also treasure her greatly."

Itachi watched his father in silence, for the first time in a long time not knowing what to say. To hear his father praise Sakura in front of him was the least thing he expected him to do, especially tonight but it did manage to lift a burden off his chest that he hadn't realized weighted him down.

To have his father's approval would make everything considerably easier, not to mention that Sakura would be delighted to hear that someone like his father praised her. It surprised him as well, but he guessed that he was right after all because Sakura was a worthy match for a Hokage, both skill and reputation wise.

"You approve of her." Itachi mumbled, the wonder that laced his words causing Fugaku's expression to soften.

He knew that he was strict and also harsh, but as much as he wanted to see his sons succeed and become strong shinobi, he also wanted them to be happy. Fugaku knew best how much someone, especially a shinobi that had witnessed so much needed a piece of happiness needed a light in the dark that daily surrounded them and if that came in form of a person, he wouldn't deny them that.

"She is a great kunoichi." Fugaku admitted before his voice dropped a few octaves. "But she's also a good girl and I see no reason as to why I shouldn't approve of her."

Itachi felt some of the tension leave his body and inclined his head. For the first time in years he felt like a sort of understanding had passed between him and his father, one that he would not forget and greatly appreciated.

"Thank you, father."

His father shook his head in an almost helpless manner, a sigh passing his lips as his posture relaxed. It seemed like she meant a lot to his son if they way Itachi suddenly seemed like he had just rid himself off a huge burden that he carried was anything to go by.

"You're my son, Itachi." His father told him, his voice now growing more serious as he sternly held his gaze. "I only have your best interest at heart, even if our philosophies may differ."

Itachi nodded, grateful of his fathers support. When he finally left the room he felt considerably lighter, the thoughts of a certain pinkette causing the shadow of a smile to flicker over his lips.

He wondered how Sakura had managed to gain his father's approval. He would have to make sure to ask the pinkette upon his return.

His smile faded as soon as it appeared at the realization that it would take him quite some time until he would be able to return to her. He would have to go to the office and arrange a meeting with an Anbu team that would once more properly scan the borders and the area where they disappeared at for any signs that may give them a lead.

After that he would have to talk to Shisui and summon his team to investigate on the matter by trying to find out if any of the neighboring villages may have caught sight of something suspicious.

While they would do that Itachi would have to send word to Gaara and ask for his cooperation on the matter and prepare for his Clan's meeting that would most likely take place in the early morning hours as soon as they would get wind of what happened.

Itachi sighed.

It would be a long day.

X

Sakura felt the cold night air bite at her skin, a shiver running down the length of her spine as she entered the familiar Hokage tower. She just returned from a rather long shift at the hospital and even though she wanted nothing more than a nice, hot bath and some sleep, her feet had carried her there instead of her apartment. The pinkette heaved a sigh, not too bothered by the change of plan since she had planned on paying Itachi a visit after not having seen him for the past two days anyways.

Sakura's lips quirked upwards into a smile as she thought of the Uchiha heir, the ring on her right hand he had gifted her warming as she stepped inside.

The moment she entered the building however Sakura felt her senses sharpen, alarm bells going off in her mind as her smile faltered.

The pinkette looked around and noticed that the reception hall was surprisingly empty, the silence that filled it unusual considering that the sun had just set. A heavy stone suddenly settled itself in her stomach and with each step she took towards the hallway that lead her towards his office she felt her body grow more tense.

The moment she had rounded the first corner however, Sakura came to an abrupt stop when her eyes caught sight of a familiar blonde. Her eyes widened in terror as she sharply inhaled, the blood in her veins running cold at the sight of her teammate seated against the wall, chest covered with blood and blue eyes that were usually shining with life empty.

"Naruto!" She called as she rushed to his side, dropping to her knees as her hands instantly found their way to his face. She gently cradled his limp head in her hands and tilted it up so that she could look him in the eye but she felt her chest constrict when he stared unblinkingly back at her, face cold against her skin.

This couldn't be happening.

"Naruto." She called, this time more urgently before she slid one hand to his shoulder so that she could gently shake him. "Come on, wake up."

He didn't react, nor did he blink and Sakura felt tears prickle the back of her eyes, the wave of terror that overcame her leaving her breathless.

Her emerald eyes frantically scanned her surroundings as she held Naruto close to her chest, tears cascading down her cheeks as she looked for anyone that could help her or at least tell her what happened but when her eyes fell on a familiar raven haired male that was laying unmoving on the floor a few steps away from them, her breath hitched in her throat.

"Sasuke?" She whispered in dread, the adrenaline that rushed through her veins leaving her deaf to the world as she recognized her teammate's fallen form. She gently moved Naruto in her hold so that she could gently lay him on the floor before she run her hand over his cheek in one last tender caress before she rose from the floor and made her way to Sasuke's unmoving form with shaky legs.

The instant she reached him she fell on her knees next to him but the moment her eyes caught sight of his face they widened in horror at the sight that greeted her.

There was a deep gash on his neck and Sakura didn't even need to scan his body with her chakra to know that he as well was no more. She felt her body shake as her vision blurred, the air filling her lungs in sharp breaths as she stared at her dead teammate in sheer shock.

This couldn't be happening.

"Sasuke." Sakura whispered as her shaky hands reached out to gently fist his shirt, her tears streaming down her face as she looked at him with wide eyes filled with disbelief. "Oh god, Sasuke."

Sakura's felt a wave of hot pain overcome her as a gut wrenching sob tore through her chest, grief hitting her full force as she continued to shake him.

"Wake up." She begged him, the dread that filled her chilling her to the core. They couldn't be dead. She had just seen them yesterday, what had happened and where were the others?

She heard no sounds of a fight what meant that Konoha was not under attack but other than Naruto and Sasuke there was no sign of anyone else in this building, nor did she feel anyone's chakra signature.

Sakura suddenly stilled, her fuzzy mind clearing just enough for a thought to hit her. There was no one around except for Sasuke and Naruto and there were no sounds of battle and even though it could have been an assassination attempt, Naruto and Sasuke wouldn't have gone down without a fight.

A loud, alarming and destructible fight.

A chill suddenly overcame her as she stilled, her eyes zeroing in on her hands on Sasuke's chest as she realized what was going on.

Just then she felt a signature brush against hers, the icy sensation causing Sakura's heart to clench as apprehension filled her stomach.

She knew that signature.

"You are smarted than I expected, Haruno Sakura."

Sakura stiffened as the familiar voice reached her ears, hands tightening on the front of Sasuke's shirt the moment it broke through the heavy silence. The relief she felt at the realization of just what was going on was accompanied by a surge of rage as the pinkette clenched her jaw before she released Sasuke's shirt and rose back to her feet, fists balled by her sides as she felt the blood in her veins burn hot.

"Madara Uchiha."

X

It was shortly after noon when Sasuke made his way to her apartment. They were supposed to meet at the training field two hours ago but when the pinkette didn't show up Sasuke had assumed that she must have been summoned by either Tsunade at the hospital or his brother at the office.

When the receptionist however told him that Sakura's shift had yet to begin and he had stumbled across one of his fathers men who informed him that Itachi had been stuck in a meeting with the Clan elders since early morning he grew concerned.

He decided to check Sakura's apartment next, hoping that she had overslept but when Sasuke finally reached her apartment door that he froze.

The young Uchiha felt his teammate's chakra flicker in distress and without a second thought rushed inside, headed straight towards her bedroom. He reached her bedside within the blink of an eye, the black in his crimson eyes already spinning as he took in the sight of his teammate.

She was laying on her back, her long pink hair sprawled over her white pillow and the sheets only reaching her waist. Her face was scrunched up in a frown, a thin layer of sweat covering her forehead as her eyes moved beneath closed lids. Her chest was rising and falling in a steady rhythm and Sasuke narrowed his eyes before he gently sat down on the bed next to her.

To others it may have seemed like she was just having a nightmare but considering that in all their years together Sasuke had never witnessed Sakura having one caused he knew better.

He slowly reached out to rest his hand on her forehead, noticing with dismay that her skin was hot under his touch. The mere fact that she didn't notice his presence was alarming as well and deciding that something wasn't right with the pinkette, he moved his hand from her forehead to her shoulder and gently shook her.

"Sakura." He gently called as he shook her, eyes narrowing sharply when she didn't react. He shook her slightly harder, his crimson eyes taking in the way her chakra flared in return and when she still didn't wake he realized that something was definitely wrong.

His eyes narrowed in concern as he scanned her still form and when his crimson orbs once more caught sight of her chakra sparking his eyes widened for the blink of an eye when the realization finally hit him.

Genjutsu.

Sasuke instantly moved his hand so that he could rest the tip of his fingers on her forehead, his eyes flashing as he allowed his chakra to sharply enter her body in a way he had done countless of times before.

"Kai!"

His eyes narrowed when Sakura's chakra continued to flow steadily through her, calm despite of his attempt of freeing her of the genjutsu. Sasuke narrowed his eyes, his thoughts flashing back to when they had attempted the same with Itachi but it hadn't worked.

Though it was different with Itachi since it was his own Sharingan that pulled him inside, he couldn't shake off the feeling that the same person was behind this as well.

How he managed to pull Sakura under a genjutsu he wasn't too sure of but as a shinobi Sasuke knew better than to ignore his gut feeling.

Sasuke wasted no time and pulled the covers off her, his arms sliding under her back and legs before he pulled her into his arms and stood. His grip on her was tight as he looked down at the pinkette's peaceful expression, a hot wave of irritation flaring in him. If his suspicions turned out to be right and it was the very same person that placed Itachi under the genjutsu he would have to hurry and find a way to get Sakura out of it.

He pulled her close against him before he made his way towards the hospital, all the while hoping that he had arrived at her apartment in time before the damage would be too big.

He jumped from roof too roof at a speed that left his form invisible to the naked eye, a mere flicker in the light as he reached his destination in a matter of moments.

Tsunade was buried neck deep in paper-work when the young Uchiha rather suddenly appeared in her office and whereas she would have been surprised at his sudden visit any other time, the moment she caught sight of her apprentice in his arms she jumped to her feet.

"What happened?" She demanded as she moved around the desk to get to the duo, concern brightening her honey orbs the moment she took in the unconscious sight of the pinkette.

"Genjutsu." Was the only explanation the young Uchiha offered her, Tsunade's eyes snapping up at him in mild surprise before her lips quirked downwards at his hard expression.

"Judging by the look on your face it's no ordinary genjutsu." She muttered before she motioned towards the couch and Sasuke instantly complied, carefully laying the pinkette down before brushing a loose strand of her hair out of her face.

Tsunade was at his side in an instant, her hands already glowing green with her chakra as she allowed her palms to hover over Sakura's chest.

Her face was scrunched up in a frown as she focused on the task at hand while all Sasuke could do was watch in silence as the Godaime tried to figure out what exactly was going on.

She scanned Sakura's body for any abnormalities and even though she was unable to find any, she could instantly tell that Sasuke had been right and that the genjutsu was under was a rather strong one.

"You were unable to break the genjutsu."

It was a statement rather than a question but Sasuke nodded nonetheless. Tsunade's frown deepened as she allowed her chakra to roam Sakura's body. She had heard from her apprentice about the time Itachi was stuck in the genjutsu created by whom they believed to be Madara Uchiha and she was fairly certain that he also was the one behind this if the fact that even someone as skilled as Sasuke was unable to disrupt her chakra flow and get her out of it.

"We need someone strong enough to disrupt the chakra flow." Tsunade announced, causing Sasuke's frown to harden.

"Naruto should be able to do so." Sasuke replied after a moment but upon hearing his suggestion Tsunade's expression turned thoughtful, amber eyes never leaving Sakura.

"Naruto will only be used as our last resort." She told him, much to his confusion as he looked at the blonde with dark eyes that were filled with suspicion. It seemed like she knew more about whoever cast the genjutsu than he did but judging by the fact that other than that she offered him no explanation as to why Naruto was off limits, she obviously wasn't about to fill him in.

"I will get him and my brother then." Sasuke mumbled and when Tsunade remained silent, he shot her one last look before he flickered out of existence, leaving his teammate in the care of the Godaime as he headed for his mansion.

X

"We have to do something!"

Itachi fought the tick in his jaw as he coolly looked at the Uchiha elder that seemingly liked to repeat himself, lips thinned as he spoke.

"I have already sent a team to the borders. By tonight we should know more." Itachi calmly returned for what felt like the hundredth time before they once more fell into a fit of mumbles, the conference room filled with whispers and murmurs while he tried his best to remain patient.

He had been stuck in this meeting with the elders since the early morning, the Uchiha Clan elders having demanded answers and information that Itachi was unable to provide them with, much to their obvious disapproval.

It went like this for the past hours and even though he wanted nothing more than to get out of there, he know how important that meeting was. He needed to assure the Clan that he had everything under control to keep them from interfering for as long as possible if he wanted to actually make some process.

They were already pressuring him and not even half a day had passed ever since the news have reached them of three of their men disappearing. He may be the Hokage and future head of the Clan but he couldn't make wonders happen and return their men within an hour.

He knew that they knew this as well, but they obviously didn't care.

It was when a knock sounded on the door that a hush fell over the occupants of the room, Fugaku's expression stern as he looked at the door in wonder of who would be as brave enough to interrupt such a meeting.

Itachi lifted his eyes upon hearing the door open and felt his father next to him tense with obvious surprise, onyx orbs darkening as they caught sight of his little brother in the doorway.

When he noticed the light frown and the tight grip he had on the door however, Itachi felt his stomach drop.

He knew that Sasuke knew better than to interrupt a meeting with the Clan elders but judging by the fact that he did just that and without seeming the least bit apologetic about it as well, Itachi instantly realized that something must have happened.

"Sasuke." He greeted, voice holding an edge that his younger brother didn't fail to pick up."Is something the matter?"

Sasuke's eyes darkened as he held Itachi's gaze, pointedly ignoring their father whose expression displayed his disapproval before he spoke.

"The Godaime needs you at the hospital." Sasuke told him and Itachi could feel the blood in his veins freeze when Sasuke's jaw clenched in a way it only did when he was worried. "Now."

The Uchiha heir held Sasuke's eye for a moment longer, the silent question in his eyes causing Sasuke to incline his head for the slightest of bits as an answer.

Itachi turned to look at his father. He seemed anything but pleased by the fact that Itachi would have to leave the meeting but knowing that his son had duties as the Hokage he knew better than to object and reluctantly nodded.

The Clan elders that have watched the exchange in wonder remained silent for the most part, the only exception being an elderly woman that scoffed when Itachi rose to his feet.

"The Godaime should know her place." She huffed, clearly disapproving of the way Itachi was ready to push his Clan duties aside for the sake of answering the Godaime. "Whatever she wants from you can certainly wait."

Itachi's eyes flashed dangerously at the elder but knowing better than to give them the explanation that they obviously expected, Itachi merely inclined his head as a parting gesture before he left the room, Sasuke following him like a shadow.

When the door finally closed and they crossed the corridor Itachi's pace fastened as he shot Sasuke who was walking next to him a look from the corner of his eyes. "What happened?"

"I found her in her apartment under a genjutsu." Sasuke explained as they exited the mansion, noticing the way Itachi's chakra flared at the information. "I couldn't get her out of it and brought her to the Godaime. She told me to get you and Naruto."

Itachi's mind was already spinning with thousands of thoughts at once, adrenaline rushing through his veins as he realized that it must have been Madara's doing and without another word to his little brother Itachi disappeared into a blur, Sasuke following close behind.

The duo reached the hospital within moments and when Itachi entered her office the first thing he noticed was the Godaime that was seated on the couch next to an unconscious Sakura, glowing fingers resting on the pinkette's temples.

The second she noticed them the blonde looked up, expression grave as she caught sight the deadly expression on Itachi's face. The anger he felt was radiating off him in waves, causing the tension in the room to palpably thicken as the Godaime heaved a small sigh.

She could only watch as he moved towards Sakura, Sasuke wisely staying a few steps behind as he watched his brother crouch down so that he was on eye level with his unconscious teammate.

The Uchiha heir gently run the back of his hand over Sakura's flushed skin, his anger sparking as he allowed the Sharingan to bleed into life. He had just left her at her apartment hours ago, sound asleep without anything being amiss as he promised to seek her out once he was done.

Itachi didn't appreciate others messing with what was his and once Sakura would be freed of the genjutsu and safe once more, he would make sure to make Madara realize that as well.

He placed two fingers on the center of her forehead like Sasuke had done minutes ago and pushed as much chakra as possible into her before he mumbled.

"Kai."

He had already expected it to not work, but the irritation he felt when it actually didn't caused his Sharingan to brighten. Her chakra didn't even seem the slightest bit disrupted and continued to flow steadily, keeping her in the genjutsu and out of his reach.

"It's him." Itachi lowly confirmed and Tsunade heaved a heavy sigh at his words, expression grim.

"I have thought as much." Tsunade muttered in return as Itachi felt Sasuke's curious eyes bore through the back of his skull. Before he was able to offer his little brother the explanation he knew he deserved however the sound of the door getting slammed open caused their eyes to snap up to catch sight of a breathless Naruto and a frowning Kakashi.

The blonde's wide blue eyes swiftly scanned the room until they fell on the unconscious pinkette, panic sparking in his eyes as he lunged forwards.

"Sakura-chan!"

Itachi was on his feet in an instant, blocking the pinkette from Naruto's sight as Sasuke caught his teammate by the collar and firmly held him in place while Kakashi calmly stepped inside and closed the door behind him.

"Naruto!" Tsunade bellowed in disapproval, expression scrunched up in a frown as she looked at the blonde that struggled to get out of Sasuke's hold.

"What's wrong with her?" Naruto demanded to know, expression filled with a mixture of concern and anger but when he felt Kakashi rest a hand on his shoulder as both a silent warning and a sign of comfort he eventually ceased his struggling and settled on a glare.

"Genjutsu?" Kakashi guessed and Tsunade curtly nodded, her fingers rising to her temples at the sudden commotion in her office.

Itachi snapped his eyes to the Godaime, the disapproval in his eyes visible as he spoke. "You called the kyuubi's Jinchuuriki?"

Naruto and Sasuke looked at Itachi in confusion at the way he addressed Naruto but before said blonde could open his mouth and demand to know what he meant by that Tsunade fixed the Uchiha heir with a sharp look.

"If we don't come up with another way to break the genjutsu we have no other choice than to let Naruto do it." Tsunade snapped. "We don't know what he's doing to Sakura."

Itachi's chakra flared at her words, crimson eyes fixed on the frustrated Godaime. "We don't know what he'll do if we expose him to the kyuubi's chakra. He may as well be only waiting for us to do just that and make him walk into his trap."

"Do you think I don't know that?" Tsunade sharply returned, honey eyes shining with the same concern he felt for the pinkette. She as well didn't want to expose Naruto to such a danger but they couldn't allow Sakura to remain in the genjutsu any longer, especially since they didn't know for how long she was already kept inside before Sasuke found her.

"I take that you didn't manage to get her out of the genjutsu?" Kakashi coolly spoke, obviously trying to break the tension that filled the office. Itachi's eyes slid over to the Copy-Nin who despite of the circumstances seemed rather calm, his hard eyes displaying the concern for his former student.

Itachi eventually nodded, causing him to hum lowly in return but before Kakashi was able to reply Naruto finally snapped.

"Why don't you let me get her out?" He exclaimed, the knowledge that Sakura was stuck in a genjutsu and that they didn't allow him to get her out of it even though he was more than capable of doing so irritating him greatly.

Sasuke obviously agreed with Naruto for he looked at his brother in silent question, eyes narrowed as he allowed his hold on Naruto's collar to loosen.

"Unfortunately, it's not that easy." Tsunade told them before she looked up at Itachi whose frown hardened. He knew that they would have to tell them what was going on sooner or later but he knew that Naruto would be blinded by his anger and concern if he did and wouldn't think straight if he were to be pulled into the genjutsu as well.

And if that were to happen, Madara would be one step closer to his goal.

Kakashi watched Itachi with dark eyes, instantly realizing that whatever was going on was more serious than they had previously anticipated. The strange part about it however was that in comparison to the others, Kakashi seemed to be the only one vaguely aware of the shift in Sakura's chakra even without his Sharingan on, his own chakra itching to get released.

"May I have a try?"

The words have left his lips before he realized it and Tsunade's eyes narrowed in obvious surprise before she glanced up Itachi who eyed the silver-haired nin with calculating eyes at his sudden request.

Sasuke and Naruto looked at their former sensei with open surprise but Kakashi merely ignored them and crinkled his eye at the obviously hesitant Uchiha heir in what he hoped to be reassurance.

Itachi realized that Kakashi seemed to have something in mind, the way his eyes darkened despite of the way it crinkled eventually convincing him to step aside and allow him to go to his student.

The worst that could happen would be that it didn't work either and even though Kakashi's chances of getting Sakura out were considerably lower because he only possessed one Sharingan, Itachi trusted the copy-nin enough not to question him.

Kakashi as well was aware of the fact that if Itachi was unable to get Sakura out of the genjutsu he wouldn't be able to do so either but as he stepped forwards and knelt down next to his pink haired student he couldn't deny the way he felt his skin tingle.

Almost by its own will the Sharingan bled to life. Kakashi could instantly make out Sakura's steadily flowing chakra and when he placed his fingers gently against her forehead he felt the chakra in his fingers greedily pulse, begging to get released.

Itachi felt the shift in the air the moment Tsunade did, the tension in the office palpably rising as onyx eyes caught amber in mild surprise. A silent thought passed the two before Itachi lowered his eyes back to the unconscious pinkette and watched Kakashi narrow his eyes in concentration.

His eye flashed crimson before he pushed.

X

"You've got some nerve." Sakura growled, emerald orbs burning with rage as she seethed with anger.

She couldn't believe that she had almost fallen for his trap. For a painfully long moment she had believed her teammates to be dead, the sheer terror that had filled her upon finding their bodies a memory she would never be able to forget because of him.

She knew that she should be scared that she was standing in front of Madara Uchiha all on her own without any back-up, genjutsu or not, but rather than fear she felt mad.

Yes, Sakura Haruno was downright pissed.

"I have to say that I have been looking forward to getting a hold of you for the past days, especially after our last meeting." He told her, the smoothness of his voice causing her temper to flare dangerously.

"Flattering." Sakura dryly returned, her anger now concealed by a blank expression. She knew that he obviously tried to rile her up on purpose and it would do her no good if she were to give him the satisfaction of knowing that he was getting under her skin, especially after the show he just pulled. "Though I wonder what interest someone like you could have in a mere medic like me."

The mask in return let out a low chuckle, the sound causing a chill to run down the length of her spine before he spoke.

"There is no need to be modest, you are much more valuable than you give yourself credit for."

Sakura arched a brow, barely catching sight of Naruto and Sasuke's bodies disappearing into thin air out of the corner of her eyes before she leveled him with a clearly unimpressed look.

"If you think you can get to the Rokudaime Hokage through me, I'll have to disappoint you." Sakura coolly returned, inwardly patting herself on the back for keeping her anger out of her voice. "He is not one who'll get lured out by something like that."

The masked male merely hummed in return, obviously not believing her as he folded his hands beneath his back. "What makes you believe that the Rokudaime Hokage is my main interest?"

Sakura's lips pursed into a thin line as she inwardly wondered what he was trying to play at. He seemed to be genuinely interested in her answer, dare she say even curious and the pinkette swiftly realized that she had to be careful and watch her words because else he may be able to turn them against her later on.

In this genjutsu he had the upper hand and since she knew she wasn't strong enough to free herself of it just yet, she'd have to wait until she'd find an opening.

"I don't think that you would put someone under a genjutsu and fight them if you had no interest in them." Sakura calmly returned, voice firm as her eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

His reply came in form of a low chuckle, confusion sparking in her at the amusement that laced the sound.

"Whereas the Rokudaime Hokage is indeed a rather interesting person, there is someone else that finds him more interesting than me." The mask revealed, causing her confusion to grow. Itachi wasn't his main target?

"Orochimaru is under your command." Sakura challenged and if he wouldn't have worn the mask she was certain that he had quirked a curious brow. "He listens to your orders."

"The Rokudaime's and Orochimaru's business is their own and as interesting as he seems, I don't plan on getting myself involved in their little fight." He calmly returned.

Sakura allowed her confusion to show as she pinched her brows together, not knowing whether she should believe him or not. He was, after all, just as responsible for the attacks as Orochimaru was and since he was the one that planned on changing the shinobi system by using Konoha's rogues, she shouldn't trust his word.

Though Sakura found no signs of a lie in his tone, she knew better than to trust the word of the man that planned to kidnap her best friend.

It was then that it suddenly hit her, her heart to skipping a beat as her body stiffened when she finally figured out what Madara was getting at.

He wanted to lay on the low and observe before he acted. The genjutsu served as a mere test so that he could see how skilled Itachi was and if he would pose a problem when he'd attempt to take Naruto from them. He used Orochimaru to take care of Itachi, knowing that the Uchiha heir was set on eliminating Orochimaru for what he tried to do with Sasuke while Orochimaru wanted Itachi dead so that he could get to Sasuke.

But why did he come for her? She was also an obstacle on his way to get Naruto, but so were Kakashi and the rest and so far Itachi and her were the only ones being targeted and personally attacked.

"You aren't after me."

It was a statement, but the silent question that accompanied it was not going past the masked male who tilted his head aside upon hearing her words.

"I am not." He admitted, his deep voice cool and posture as relaxed as ever. She could feel his eyes on her, his gaze heavy even through the mask and causing a shiver to run down the length of her spine as she bravely held it.

Within the blink of an eye their surroundings suddenly changed, her body tingling at the foreign chakra that brushed against her exposed skin. Within the next moment Sakura suddenly found herself standing in the middle of Konoha's cemetery, the moon hanging high in the sky and illuminating the familiar graveyard she had last visited mere days ago.

"You wonder why I have sought you out."

Sakura's expression remained blank, though the way her lips thinned for the slightest of bits betrayed her straight face.

"To you I may be a threat, but not one big enough to hinder you from getting Naruto on my own." She admitted, her voice curt and firm. "Yet instead of going for Kakashi or Sasuke, you chose me."

A moment of silence followed her words in which he simply seemed to regard her, the pinkette fighting the urge to shudder under the palpable intensity of his gaze before he eventually inclined his head.

"Their strength may slightly surpass yours but you are more valuable than them." He told her, all traces of his former amusement gone and instead replaced by a somberness that caused her emerald eyes to sharpen.

"How so?" She dared ask, curiosity piqued by his words. His interest in her made no sense. Sakura knew that both Kakashi and Sasuke were greater threats to him especially with their Sharingan and even though she knew that she came close to them, it didn't explain why she was more valuable than they were.

"You are the bridge that connects them."

His words caught Sakura off guard. Out of everything she expected him to say, this was certainly none of them and she found herself unable to hide the flash of surprise that sparked in her emerald eyes. Before she was able to respond however, his voice broke through the silence of the night once more.

"It's a shinobi's duty to keep the village and its citizens safe." He continued, his deep voice firm and solemn as Sakura felt herself tense. "Tell me, Haruno Sakura, if you had to decide between a comrade's life and following the village's orders, what would you choose?"

A heavy silence fell the moment the question has passed his lips and Sakura felt her chest constrict as she kept her eyes fixed on the orange mask. She didn't know what he was trying to get at or why he wanted to know her answer but for some reason she couldn't help but shake off the feeling that his question had a greater meaning, that his words carried a weight that she had yet to understand.

That he expected an answer he knew only she could provide him with.

The pinkette clenched her jaw before she forced her body to relax despite of the thick tension that filled the cool air around them, her emerald eyes shining with determination as she looked up at him.

"Those who don't follow the rules are scum." Sakura announced, voice hard and emerald orbs bright with steely resolution. "But those who abandon their comrades are even worse."

The moment the last word passed her lips Sakura felt the temperature around them drop palpably. Madara remained silent and merely watched her while she bravely kept her eyes fixed on his mask, not willing to let him get through to her.

"I see he remembered my words." He mumbled more to himself than to her but Sakura caught them nonetheless, frowning in confusion but before she was able to make sense of it he spoke once more. "If handing over the kyuubi would ensure the safety of the village, would you risk thousands of innocent lives for the sake of one?" He challenged but Sakura didn't waver. Her expression merely hardened in return, lips curled downwards as the fire in her eyes sparked.

"I won't turn my back on my comrades." Sakura responded in a beat. "Turning my back on my comrade would be the same as turning my back on the village. As a kunoichi it is my duty to protect the village and its citizens, just as its my duty as a friend to keep them safe."

He didn't reply and merely watched her as the seconds ticked by but Sakura didn't allow herself to get intimidated by him. She had half-heartedly expected him to be amused by her words but to her surprise it seems like he actually considered her answer, almost as if he had actually wanted to know her opinion.

"There was once someone like you." He suddenly said, though Sakura instantly noticed the way his voice lost its hardness and the pinkette vaguely wondered if she only imagined the way his voice slightly softened as he spoke. "She as well was the bridge that connected her comrades and shed light on the darkness that hovered above them."

Sakura's frown eased as she eyed him, her shoulders loosing some of its stiffness as a heavy weight settled itself in her stomach. She knew where this was going, heard the words he didn't say and slowly begun to realize why she had caught his interest.

"She died." Sakura realized, voice barely above a whisper and when he clenched his fist, she knew that she was right.

"In this world nothing goes the way you want." He told her, voice hard. "The longer you live, the more you'll realize that reality is always dominated by pain, suffering and emptiness. All that exists in this world and happens has both a dark and a light side. As long as there are winners, there are bound to be losers, and the egoistical desire to keep peace births wars, just as love bears hatred."

The weight of his words settled itself over Sakura's heart as her eyes flashed with understanding. The pinkette couldn't help but notice the bitterness his voice held as he spoke these words and she instantly realized that he was speaking from his own experience, of his own feelings.

"The world is not only painted in black and white." Sakura returned, her voice slightly softer than before. "Loss is a constant companion of ours, especially as a shinobi, but it's what makes us treasure every moment of our lives since we know that there is no guarantee that we'll live to see the other day."

"Villages are ready to betray the very people that give their life to keep it safe. Innocent lives are sacrificed because they fall prey to their wicked plans and schemes to bring one another down." He coldly snapped, his anger audible as the tension in the air increased. "The only way to prevent from any more lives to be lost is to change the system and in order to do that, the power of the bijuu is needed."

Sakura pursed her lips at his words. She had already known what he wanted to use the bijuu for, but she would have never guessed that he only intended to do so because of the losses he suffered under in the past instead of using them for the lone sake of power.

She knew that it was no excuse for his actions. He was responsible for the lives that have been lost because of his attacks and the fact that he was willing to sacrifice Naruto and the others for his plan to change the system was enough to keep his words from making her waver.

However, a small part of her couldn't help but pity the man in front of her.

He seemed to firmly believe that it was the only way to prevent any more pain, the faith he once held in his village gone and replaced with pure hatred because of what it had taken from him.

"I won't allow you to sacrifice any more lives for what you believe will be for the greater good." Sakura calmly announced, her voice firm and mind set. He was someone who had lost his way and even though she would try to reason with him, she knew that chances were slim that he would listen to reason. Until he would do so he was her enemy and Sakura would not endanger her comrade's lives by allowing him to get under her skin.

His fist loosened from where it hung by his side as the silence between them stretched after her announcement. For the split of a second Sakura could have sworn that something beneath the orange mask sparked in the moonlight but before she was able to determine if it was only her imagination or indeed reality, he once more folded his hands behind his back.

"How ironic." He mumbled, the sound causing a cold shiver to crawl over Sakura's skin as his eerily soft voice reached her ears. "You who remind me so much of her will be the one risking her life to stop me."

Sakura pursed her lips upon hearing his words and slightly lowered her head. She may not know who he was talking about but she could easily tell that he had cared greatly about her, her death having obviously had a great impact on him.

"She wouldn't have wanted you to become like this." Sakura softly returned, a part of her still hoping that she would be able to make him see reason, however slim her chances were. "There are other ways to make a change."

He merely scoffed at her words, the sound bitter as it broke through the silence. "Look around. All of these people have lost their lives because of this shallow shinobi system that brings nothing but pain and grief. How long do you think will you and your comrades have left until your names will join the others?"

"We lose our lives protecting others from the likes of you that try to destroy everything we fought to protect." Sakura snapped, her voice cutting through the night air like a sharp knife as her eyes narrowed dangerously. "Whereas its true that there will always be some that will misuse the power that the villages granted them, I place my faith in the ones that fight them and risk their lives to protect the innocent from getting killed."

"Innocent lives will always be taken if the system remains the same." He lowly returned but Sakura's emerald eyes merely darkened in return.

"You can't blame the entire system for things individuals do to." Sakura sharply returned, her temper sparking as she leveled him with a deep frown. "You try to change the system and sacrifice innocent lives because of things individuals are to blame for."

"It's the only way." He solemnly returned. "It has to stop and I will be the one to put an end to it for the sake of everyone."

Sakura couldn't deny the disappointment that she felt at his unwillingness to listen and allowed her displeasure to show. She had hoped that she would be able to at least make him waver for the split of a second, to make him reconsider but it seemed like it was to no avail.

"You will fail." Sakura told him, her voice firm as she calmly held his gaze. "Just like your comrade showed you the light in the dark, I will prove you that there are still good people despite of the bad."

Her words were filled with the determination she felt as they stood under the night sky with the moon as her witness. She would keep her word and bring him down, if only to show him that the good still existed and that change was still possible even in less extreme ways.

Sakura's surroundings suddenly blurred and the pinkette lifted a hand to her head when a wave of dizziness overcame her. She felt a hard tug at her chest that was accompanied by a sharp pain in her head as she fought to keep her eyes open at the strange sensation.

"It seems like it's time for us to part." She heard him say and Sakura forced her eyes to lift so that they met his masked face once more, jaw clenched. His posture was relaxed, voice calm despite of her announcement and for some reason, Sakura thought that rather than mad or irritated, he seemed accepting of her intentions.

She had no opportunity to say any parting words for the tug on her chest increased to the point her chest constricted in pain, whispers of familiar voices that she couldn't place filling her ears as she was forced to close her eyes.

A pained grunt passed her lips as she felt her surroundings shift in a way she swiftly realized was different from when Madara did, her head throbbing painfully.

She barely heard his footsteps as he approached her over the sound of the adrenaline rushing through her veins but when she forced her eyes to open and she noticed that he was standing right in front of her she froze.

She willed her chakra to enter her fist but the moment she did she felt the blood in her veins burn hot, a breathless gasp escaping her as it refused to comply. She tried to move backwards to put some distance between them but her legs were rooted to the spot, the tug growing more intense as her hazy eyes managed to make out the image of two gloved fingers reaching for her.

She inwardly screamed at her legs to move out of harms way but when they didn't listen all she could do was watch as his fingers came to gently rest on her forehead, the soft brush against her skin causing her breath to hitch in apprehension.

But the blow never came.

Instead, he looked at her in silence but it wasn't his gentle touch that caused her breath to hitch, nor the way the air around them thickened that caused her throat to run dry.

It was his eye.

His exposed, lone crimson eye that she had first seen when she was a genin and would recognize anywhere. The familiar black pattern that distinguished it from the others she had witnessed in her life spun steadily and even though she knew that she should never meet the gaze of a Sharingan wielder, she found herself unable to look away.

She felt no fear, the familiarity of the sight unconsciously assuring her that his eye would never hurt her and only protect her, as it had done for the past years.

Because it was his eye.

Recognition caused her to shakily inhale a breath that did nothing to ease the pain in her lungs but before she was able to utter a word, she felt the air around them snap sharply.

It was breaking, and at the worst time possible.

She felt the tug increase and even though she knew that she should be glad that she was getting freed it was bittersweet, thousands of questions running through her mind that she knew would not get an answer to.

He removed his hand from her but didn't step away even when their surroundings blurred, his lone eye firmly locked with her bright emerald one and when Sakura finally felt all air leave her lungs, she heard him speak.

"Until we meet again, Haruno Sakura."

With that, everything went black.

X

A/N:

Well guys, here's another chapter!

I hope that you liked it. Next chapter will explain what happened in this one for anyone that's confused by what was happening and doesn't know how Madara managed to get Sakura in the genjutsu and how it was different from when he did it with Itachi.

It will also shed light on Madara's identity, intentions etc.

I hope that you enjoyed this chapter and would be more than happy if you could tell me by leaving a review!

I have noticed that the last chapter didn't get as much feedback as the others and I am beginning to wonder if it's because I update faster than usual and that because of that, some don't manage to catch up with what's going on. If that's the case, please tell me!

Anyways as always, I am beyond grateful for every follow, favorite and review that you guys left! I see you all and am more than thankful for all the support I received so far. I'm always happy to see familiar names in the review section as much as it excites me to see that new people that just stumbled across this story like it and share their opinion on it!

I sincerely appreciate everyone who reads this story and even takes their time to follow, favor it and even review it!

Your support is what keeps me going and motivates me to push myself to update faster.

Love y'all and see you next chapter!

Xoxo,

Sara.