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.

31. Home

CHAPTER 31- Home

X

It was cold.

A shiver danced across her exposed skin from where she was huddled in the corner, head sideways leaned against the cool brick wall and eyes barely open.

Her muscles were sore and her entire body was aching from the strain she put on it, the dull throb in the back of her head from where it harshly hit the ground when they had thrown her into the cell the only thing keeping her from slipping into the tempting darkness that whispered sweet promises to her.

They hadn't shown her even the smallest spark of mercy when she had surrendered, roughly restraining her while others snapped the chakra suppressants on her wrists. She hadn't bothered to struggle against their hold until she watched them hurl Shisui up onto his feet, the two that held him not mindful of his injuries or weak state that he was in as they led them back into the cell.

The back of her head still felt warm and Sakura absentmindedly realized that the bleeding still didn't stop. Due to being unable to tap into her chakra to heal it, all she could do was hope that it would stop by itself before the darkness would finally take over her, something that she had tried to fight for the past hour she had been locked away for.

The warm weight on her lap was the only reason she didn't give into the temptation yet and when emerald eyes drifted down to the pale face on her lap, her chest constricted.

She would bear this pain if it meant that she would get them out of here and back home.

Her limp hand weakly squeezed his from where they rested on his chest, the faint thud beneath his chest keeping her own calm. People were waiting for them at home, praying for their safe return and Sakura would give everything in her power to fulfill her promise.

Onyx eyes flashed in front of her vision as she blankly stared into the darkness in front of her, the ghost of his touch causing her heart to clench painfully in her chest. It's only been a little over two days and yet she already missed him, the way his eyes glistened with mischief and his lips curled up into the smirk she wanted to punch and kiss just the same warming her body from the inside.

He was counting on her, trusted her enough despite of his own concern to bring Shisui back and when Ino's tear-filled eyes filled her mind, Sakura tightened her hold on the Uchiha's cold hand.

She would get them out of here, even if she would have to break every bone in her body to do so.

X

"Hokage-sama, we received word from the borders."

Itachi glanced up from the papers he was reading, brows furrowed as he looked up at the Anbu messenger. The tension in the office palpably increased as Itachi laid the paper down on his desk and intertwined his hands in front of him, the anxious tug at his heart betraying his blank expression.

It's been two days ever since Sakura and her Team left Konoha and fourteen hours ever since they last heard of them. Itachi had tried his hardest to keep his mind off of her by drowning himself in work for the past hours, knowing that it could take some time until they would get word from them again but to hear that there were news already left him mildly surprised as well as slightly concerned.

"Report."

"Our missing men have returned to the borders approximately two hours ago." The masked man revealed and even though Itachi felt some of the tension leave his body, he knew better than to think of this mission as a full success just yet.

"The team?"

Onyx eyes sharpened when the Anbu member hesitated for a moment too long.

"The group of our missing men was lead by Yamato." He revealed, and Itachi felt his heart still in his chest. "According to Yamato, there have been some complications regarding the retrieval of Shisui Uchiha. So far, all we know is that Haruno Sakura and Hatake Kakashi stayed behind to ensure his safe escape."

Itachi closed his eyes, an inaudible sigh passing his lips. He had expected there to be some complications, but he had hoped that they would all make it back together at least. To hear that Sakura and Kakashi stayed behind meant that they didn't manage to get Shisui out for whatever reason there was, and even though he was beyond relieved to hear that his cousin was still alive, he knew that this could change very swiftly.

"Tell my father and his men to remain on stand-by." Itachi ordered, eyes fluttering open to reveal hard onyx orbs. "If we don't hear from them within the next six hours, I'll go down there myself."

"Yes, Hokage-sama." The masked male inclined his head before straightening once more. "I will send word to Fugaku-sama."

Itachi exhaled softly through his nose, lips pressed into a thin line as he slightly leaned back in his seat. "Is everything prepared?"

The Anbu officer once more nodded. "Mikoto-sama has just arrived, so everyone is present."

Itachi inclined his head and pushed his chair back so that he could move to his feet. Sakura had been right when she said that he was needed in Konoha to keep the others calm, a small frown tugging at his lips when he thought back to when he had told her teammate's of her and Kakashi's mission.

Safe to say they weren't pleased, as was his Clan as they heard that an emergency meeting was being held at the Hokage Tower this evening.

It was time to get things under control, and even though he was not looking forward to meeting his Clan elders and spending the next hours arguing with them, it was something that needed to be done.

It was about time that he set some things straight.

"Thank you, you're dismissed."

The Anbu officer bowed down before he soundlessly exited the Hokage's office, leaving behind a troubled Hokage.

He had faith in Kakashi and Sakura and knew that they most likely had something in mind when sending Yamato and their men away while they stayed behind, but he hoped that whatever they planned would end up with the three of them returning alive.

He didn't want to imagine anything other than that.

Itachi picked up the white coat that was placed over the back of his chair and shrugged it on, the thin material weighting down on his shoulders as if it was made of steel before he exited his office.

Offering the guards in front of the door a nod, the Uchiha heir made his way through the empty hallways of the Hokage tower and towards the familiar room that was located around the corner, steps softly echoing through the empty corridor as he approached it.

Two guards were already standing in front of the closed doors, their backs straight and upon seeing him approach, they visibly stiffened.
"Hokage-sama!" They greeted in unison, bowing down to the waist and Itachi fought the urge to sigh at the action. Offering them a curt nod, Itachi allowed the left guard open the door for him before he entered, his blank mask slipping back into place with practiced ease as his dark eyes fell on the room's occupants.

Seated at the round conference table were his Clan's elders and most high-ranked members, their disgruntled expressions no rarity for him but when he caught sight of his mother's warm smile, he felt some of his annoyance fade in an instance.

Itachi made his way over to the vacant seat to her right that she had undoubtedly reserved for him, the soft murmurs of the elders filling the otherwise silent room as he took a seat, expression grave and hard.

"Elders." He greeted, his smooth voice giving none of his feelings away as he inclined his head. They returned the gesture, and even though some kept their frowns, a handful offered him a small smile that he found he couldn't return.

"Itachi." His uncle's gruff voice sounded, the Clan heir keeping his expression schooled at the lack of respect in his voice as he addressed him without his title. He was leaned back in his chair, arms crossed above his bulky chest as he looked at him with eyes that at first glance looked like his father's but lacked their warmth. "I hope that you bring good news."

Itachi caught his narrowed eyes with calm onyx ones as he placed his interlaced hands on the table, allowing a moment of silence to pass before he spoke.

"Our missing men have returned to the borders." Itachi announced, but instead of finding their expressions slack with relief, all their eyes held was mild approval. "The team I sent managed to free everyone but one, and two of them stayed behind to ensure that he as well will be freed within the next hours."

He felt his mother glance at him in mild concern but kept his eyes firmly set on the elders seated opposite of him, the frown on his aunt's face nothing less than hostile.

"Who?"

"Shisui Uchiha."

Murmurs erupted at the revelation but Itachi expected no less and remained quite for the following moments to give them the chance to absorb the news. Shisui was one of his Clan's best men and he knew that if they were to loose him many would be displeased, if only because they lost a skilled member that bore their Clan's name.

"The other three have safely returned?" The raspy voice of one elder over-toned the mumbles that filled the room and even though Itachi already had a feeling where this would go, he nodded in confirmation.

"They will be put under Godaime-sama's care to ensure that they will fully recover without any complications."

The elder nodded, apparently satisfied to hear that the Godaime herself would see to them and it was another uncle of him who spoke next.

"The two that stayed behind." He started, and Itachi's eyes instantly snapped to the tall brunette that was seated on the far left. "Who are they?"

By now the murmurs have died down and Itachi found himself the center of attention once again, though he knew that it was for all the wrong reasons. He knew that he hadn't asked out of concern but rather to ensure that it weren't any of their Clansmen and judging by the curious looks he received from the others they just wanted to know who stayed behind to satisfy their own curiosity.

They were obviously just waiting for him to give them an opportunity to nag at him and Itachi fought the dry smirk that tugged at the corner of his lips.

"The one's who stayed behind were Hatake Kakashi and Haruno Sakura."

They obviously haven't expected his answer, some eyes widening briefly upon hearing the name of his advisor whereas others frowned in suspicion. His mother remained perfectly calm by his side, offering him the silent support he needed without blinking an eye, already knowing whom he had sent to get Shisui and the others.

"You sent the Godaime's apprentice to retrieve them?" A female elder asked, not bothering to hide her surprise and Itachi almost arched a brow. Judging by the others expressions there were equally as surprised and Itachi swiftly realized that news must have traveled fast about the change in their relationship if their reactions were anything to go by.

Not that he minded. He wasn't going to deny her and this was the perfect opportunity to prove them that he would not allow his personal feelings to overshadow what he felt needed to be done in order to protect the village.

"She is one of the strongest kunoichi we have, I don't see any reason as to why I shouldn't have sent her." Itachi smoothly returned, the underlying message not missing them as they exchanged wary glanced at the sudden revelation. He was challenging them, daring to say anything against his choice or her in general because this would be the only opportunity they would get to voice their concerns and thoughts.

He would not tolerate their immature acts any longer.

"What will you do if you don't hear back from either her or the copy-nin?"

Itachi's eyes slid back to his uncle, the challenging spark in his eye clearly visible but instead of giving into his attempts of driving him into a corner he remained calm.

"If we don't hear back from them I will meet my father and his team at the borders and discuss any further actions." He coolly returned, and the other male arched a brow at his words.

"Despite of Hatake and his team volunteering to stay behind, you want to risk your life by seeking them out?" He challenged and Itachi's gaze instantly sharpened. "For all we know they could already be dead and the ones behind the abductions are just waiting for you to walk into their trap."

The temperature in the room palpably dropped, the other members of his Clan wisely choosing to remain silent as Itachi's eyes hardened. The Uchiha heir had already expected their conversation to head that way, and even though he was fully prepared didn't mean that he appreciated the degrading way they spoke of her.

"I trust her judgment." Itachi declared, noticing the flashed of mild surprise in their eyes upon hearing that not Kakashi had decided to stay behind for Shisui but her. "They wouldn't have decided to stay behind if they thought they wouldn't make it back alive."

The male opposite of him arched a brow, his lips curled upwards into a dry smirk that held no humor. "Are you certain that you're not acting on your personal feelings rather than what's best for the village?"

Dead silence filled the room after his words as everyone held their breath, waiting for the Uchiha heir to react. They all knew that it was an underhanded comment directed at his and Sakura's relationship, some shooting Itachi pitiful glances whereas others stared at him with open curiosity, wondering if he would catch the bait his uncle had not so subtly thrown at him.

Itachi's onyx eyes sparked dangerously as he looked at the older male, the tension in the air suffocating.

He was pissed.

His uncle has always been the most outspoken one in regards of his leadership qualities and decisions, trying to enforce his opinion on the rest of his Clan so it didn't surprise him to hear him so openly question him and his judgment.

But just because he had expected it didn't mean that he would tolerate it.

"Isn't that exactly what you are doing?" Itachi challenged, low voice cutting through the air like a knife. His uncle's eyes narrowed in warning but Itachi firmly held his gaze, determined to finally put him and the rest into place. "You propose to leave Shisui behind for the sake of keeping the Uchiha's heir from risking his life, knowing that once he is gone you'll lose the biggest influence you have and only opportunity to imprint your ideals on the village because its Hokage is the Clan's heir."

His uncle's eyes widened with cold fury before he harshly slammed his fist onto the table, the sound echoing through the eerily silent room.

"You dare speak to your elder like that?" He barked, the ones seated next to him exchanging concerned glances while Itachi remained unaffected by his sudden outburst. "You may be the Hokage, but you should know your place in the Clan!"

"It's because I know my place that I speak like that." Itachi curtly returned, onyx eyes darkening in displeasure as he took in the sight of his visibly furious uncle. "As the Hokage of the Village, every citizen is my responsibility just like how as the heir to our Clan, the well-being of our members is of utmost importance to me. If you would know your place as both a shinobi and member of this Clan, you would know better than to disrespect me and my judgment like that."

A heavy silence followed his words as the other members of his Clan looked at him with badly concealed shock. Itachi was known to be rather reserved and hard to irritate, but it seemed like even his patience had its limit and that limit was reached now.

The way his broad shoulders were straightened screamed superiority and the steely edge his voice held left no room for objections. In this moment he looked every bit the leader he would one day be, and even though it was what they have wanted for the past years, the aura he emitted was nothing less than deadly.

The Uchiha heir had finally enough of his Clan's antics and was ready to put them into place.

"Not only have they rescued dozen of our men, but they willingly stayed behind for one of our own to ensure that his life would not be lost." Itachi sharply reminded them, and when half of them didn't meet his gaze his eyes sparked dangerously. "They are my responsibility as much as they are yours, and instead of questioning others and trying to make misplaced sacrifices you should appreciate the effort they did to keep one of ours alive when they could have just as well left him to die to save their own life."

Dead silence followed after his words, his Clan members exchanging guilty glances with one another as Itachi kept his eyes fixed on them. He was certain that he had gotten his point across and even though he knew that it would take some time for them to fully accept it and change to happen, it was about time to start.

He would no longer allow his Clan to act upon its own selfish desires, and as its heir he would ensure that all of this would finally come to an end, whether they liked it or not.

They were straying onto the wrong path, a path that would lead to nothing but pain and destruction and Itachi would not allow his entire Clan to suffer because of the choices and opinions of certain individuals.

Itachi knew that enforcing his own will onto the Clan was also wrong and that they needed to find a compromise, but he would no longer allow them to use him as their puppet and make use of his position as both the future patriarch as well as the Hokage for their own benefit.

Him being the Hokage had nothing to do with him being the heir to the Clan, and he would make them realize that one way or another.

"He is right."

Itachi's expression remained blank as his onyx eyes slid over to one of the female elders, a sigh passing her chapped lips as she caught the others shocked eyes. They obviously hadn't expected her to speak up, and even though Itachi was one of them he kept his expression schooled.

Himoza Uchiha was one of the elders who never beat around the bush and was known for straight out shared her opinion, but if she was one thing other than snarky, it was fair.

And they all knew it.

"We shouldn't question the Hokage's choices when so far they have done us only well." She declared, dark-gray eyes sliding back to Itachi as her lips thinned. "You can say what you want, but all of you know that this boys judgment is far better than most of ours put together, so instead of trying to find flaws in his choices, look for the good in them."

Itachi's blank expression betrayed the pleasant surprise he felt upon hearing her so openly take his side. Whereas Himoza rarely voiced her support, she as well as some others had jumped in on his defense a couple of times before whenever they believed the others to get out of line. It was the first time she displayed her approval of him as the Clan's heir so openly and when he saw her eyes soften at the corners for the slightest of bits, he knew that it would stay that way.

He curtly inclined his head as a sign of gratitude that she returned with a wry up-tilt of her lips, and it was when his eyes moved back to the others and he caught sight of similar expressions on their faces that he found himself mildly surprised.

It seemed like his little speech in addition to Himoza's declaration of support have had an even greater impact on them than he had initially thought.

"It's obvious that you have great faith in your people." One who didn't seem much older than his father commented, though his voice was not unkind. "I agree that it was an admirable choice from Haruno-san to stay behind and risk her life for one of our own, and I think that acts like this should get appreciated instead of questioned."

Itachi's eyes never left his, the underlying meaning of his words not passing him by and when he watched the older Uchiha's lips curl upwards into a small smirk, he knew he wasn't mistaken.

They trusted his choice regarding the pinkette, and even though that didn't mean that they approved of her yet, it was the first step into the right direction.

"Agreed." His mother's soft voice followed, the firmness of her words not betraying her stern expression. "We should be grateful that we haven't lost one of ours thanks to her and my son's judgment. Our Clan would not be where it is today if we were to leave one-another behind, and I think that some of you need to be reminded of that every once in a while."

Silence followed his mothers words and when Itachi's eyes fell on her, his expression softened for the smallest of bits.

As the Clan's matriarch, his mother was a highly respected woman but Itachi knew that it hasn't always been this way. She as well had to prove them that she was worthy of the title as the Uchiha Clan's matriarch and considering that to this day no one dared object or question her, it had worked.

His mother may be kind and have a soft heart, but there was a reason people highly respected her for both her intelligence and diplomatic skills.

Mikoto Uchiha was a dangerous woman, and one would be a fool to underestimate her.

The warning in her voice had been clear and Itachi knew that no one would attempt a repetition of tonight after his and his mothers less than subtle warnings.

With his Clan taken care of, all Itachi had left to worry about was the safe return of a certain pink-haired woman, the silver-haired copy-nin and his cousin.

X

When Shisui woke, the first thing he noticed was the agonizing pain in his head.

He felt dizzy.

Even though his eyes were still closed everything was spinning and when he tried to recall what happened, it took some moments until it finally came back.

His eyes were stinging painfully beneath his closed lids, the pain like that of a thousand tiny needles pricking his orbs and when he tried to open them, he felt a soft warmth settle over them.

A soft shush broke through the silence that filled his ears, the sound causing Shisui to tense as he tried to sort the voices to one of his teammate's, and though it sounded painfully familiar he knew that it didn't belong to one of them.

The warmth from his eyes moved to his forehead and even though they were still closed, Shisui would recognize her feathery touch anywhere.

He didn't know whether he was hallucinating or if his subconsciousness made him imagine her presence but he found that it didn't matter because her touch was enough to numb his pain.

"It's okay." Her gentle whisper reached his ears like a sweet prayer, the sound breaking through the ringing that filled his ears and making him relax in an instant. "I'm here now."

Shisui felt the warmth beneath the back of his head shift ever so slightly and when he realized that he was not laying on the cold floor of the cell but something warm and soft instead, he wondered if maybe this was not a dream after all.

Forcing his eyes open despite of the dizziness that cursed through him, Shisui was greeted by the sight of blurred emerald eyes that were looking down at him in mild concern, his vision slowly clearing until he was able to make out the face of their owner.

Her back was leaned against the brick wall, her small hand resting on his forehead as she flashed him one of the smiles he had always loved.

"Sakura?" He rasped out, brows pinched together in confusion as he realized that this was very much real and not a hallucination. Concern caused his chest to constrict as he wondered what she was doing here and how she had gotten locked away in the cell with him in the first place.

The last thing he remembered was getting dragged away from his teammates into Kabuto's laboratory and from the moment his body hit the examination table, everything went black.

"Yeah, it's me." She returned, voice barely above a whisper as emerald eyes sparked with concern. "How are you feeling?"

Shisui closed his eyes as another wave of dizziness overcame him, the only thing making it more bearable being the warmth of her touch on his forehead.

"I feel like shit." He grimly admitted, a hiss passing his lips as he tried to turn his head to the side to get a proper look at her. "What are you doing here?"

Even though his vision was still slightly hazy, Shisui easily caught sight of the dark shadows under her eyes that only highlighted her sickly pale skin. She looked not much better than he felt and when she pursed her lips into a thin line at his question he felt himself frown in concern.

"I was part of the team that was sent to get you out of here." She told him and Shisui narrowed his eyes in concern. That would explain the absence of his team members, but not why she was seemingly the only one left with him. If they were able to free the others then why wasn't she with them?

He narrowed his eyes in mild confusion before it finally clicked and the moment the realization of why she was with him hit him his bis body tensed.

"I was at the laboratory." He realized, eyes shining with guilt when he saw her lips curl upwards into a small smile that only confirmed his suspicions.

So he was right after all.

Instead of leaving him behind, Sakura decided to let herself get captured so that she would be able to help him from the inside and even though he felt his heart warm at the length the pinkette was willing to go for him, his eyes narrowed in disapproval.

She shouldn't have endangered herself like that. Whereas he couldn't deny that her presence sparked a flicker of hope his chest, the rational part in his mind reminded him that now not only he was in trouble, but she as well.

He wouldn't forgive himself if something were to happen to her because of him. He loved her like the sister he never had but always wanted, and just the thought of her being in danger because of him was enough to set him on edge.

She needed to get out of there before Kabuto would get his hands on her. If she were to go through the same torturous pain he did mere hours ago he would never be able to live with himself.

Besides, how the hell did she get past Itachi?

Knowing his little cousin, he would have rather have her locked away in his office to keep her in the village than to even think about letting her go on a mission as dangerous as this one.

"You should have left with the others."

A sigh escaped the pinkette above him and to his confusion, the smile that played on her lips seemed more amused than concerned. Her feathery touch drifted to his temples and before he could ask her what she was doing he felt a familiar warmth enter his body, causing his eyes to snap open wide in surprise.

What the-

"Relax." She gently willed, her chakra warming him as it slithered through his aching body. "Don't want anyone to find out before I got rid of the pain, do you?"

Shisui pursed his lips into a thin line, his body involuntarily relaxing under her touch as he found himself wondering if she was an angel sent to lull him into the afterlife or if the chakra suppressors fixed on her wrists were broken.

For some reason, the first option seemed more realistic to him at the moment.

"How?"

Sakura's smile turned into a small smirk at the wonder in his voice, her emerald eyes piercing through the darkness and twinkling like she had a secret she didn't want him to know.

"You think I'd come in here unprepared?" She mused as she moved her free hand to gently rest on his forehead. Her touch was lacking the chakra but Shisui found it greatly comforting nonetheless, the pain in his body already beginning to fade into nothing more than a dull throb. "I can't access much of it, but enough to take some of your pain away for now."

"What about the suppressants?" He questioned, careful to keep his voice low in case someone were to overhear them. "You shouldn't be able to use any in the first place."

"I'll tell you later." She promised, her voice barely above a whisper before she glanced over her shoulders, eyes narrowing at the darkness before they found his once more.

A light frown tugged at Shisui's lips as he noticed the sudden hardening in her eyes, her lips curled downwards in a way that caused a flash of concern to fill him.

He watched through half-lidded eyes how she moved her hand from his forehead to her hip and out of his sight, something cool getting pressed against his lips not even a moment later.

"Drink." She softly urged and Shisui wordlessly complied, parting his lips to swallow the bitter liquid as it run down his throat. His brows pinched together in disgust, whatever she had given him leaving a burning trail in his throat and when his questioning eyes met Sakura's she merely offered him a sympathetic smile.

"I know, but it should pass in a few minutes." Her words of assurance instantly rid him of any doubts he had, the feeling of her thumb brushing over his sweat-covered brow easing some of the sharp pain in his head. "It's been two hours ever since they got me, and they should be coming to get me any minute now."

She felt Shisui tense beneath her touch, his lightly hazed orbs filled with concern as he looked up at her. They didn't have much time, and she needed him to properly listen to her so that everything would work out the way she needed it to.

When she had overheard the guards wondering about what Kabuto would plan with her in hushed whispers a few minutes ago, she knew that she had not much time left and needed to wake Shisui. He fortunately responded to the small zap of Chakra she shot into his body almost instantly and not even a minute later, his familiar eyes fluttered open in a way that made her heart drop with relief.

They would have to hurry, and even though she had wished that Shisui had some more time to rest and recover, the time he had would have to suffice.

"I won't let them lay a hand on you for as long as I am here." Shisui declared, voice hard and leaving no room for arguments. He knew that he was in anything but a good condition, but if he would have to fight them until his last breath to keep her safe then he was willing to do so. Sakura was in this mess because of him in the first place and he wouldn't let her suffer if he could prevent it.

"Shisui-" Sakura started, lips pursed into a thin line but the Uchiha's dark eyes sharpened as he cut her off.

"Sakura, I won't sit back and watch them take you away if I can help it."

The pinkette heaved a small sigh in return and allowed her chakra to fade when her limit was reached before her calm gaze met his firm one, emerald orbs hard.

"You have to." She said, the deepening of his frown not missed by her but before he could retort, she continued. "I need you to let me go and stay here."

Shisui's brows pinched together in mild confusion, unsure of what to make of her words. She seemingly had a plan and even though the knowledge that there was a plan was able to ease some of the tension that filled his body, his eyes remained hard even as she continued.

"I'll be taken to the laboratory to get examined." She once more started, expression stern as she looked down at the light frown on his face that refused to fade. "Whatever happens, I need you to stay awake. The potion I have given you should take care of some of the pain, but it won't last longer than a few minutes so when the guards get me, don't stop them."

Shisui frowned mildly in confusion, the hint of urgency in her eyes betraying her calm voice and when the sound of footsteps reached their ears, Sakura's eyes sharpened.

"It's going to be hard, but you can't close your eyes no matter what." She whispered, her thumb stilling on his brow when the sound of low murmurs behind them broke through the silence. "Promise me."

Shisui's frowned, concern as well as confusion filling his dark eyes as he looked at her but he knew better than to object and despite of how heavy his heart felt in his chest offered her a small nod.

He knew that she had her reasons, and even though he knew nothing of them yet he knew that it would be best to listen to her, especially if there was a plan.

Her lips tilted upwards into a small smile at his nod and when the sound of the voices behind them grew louder, she knew that it was time.

"Don't worry." Her voice was eerily calm as her smile softened, her fingers brushing against his temple when she removed them from him. "I'll be fine, trust me."

When she felt the chakra behind her shift Sakura didn't flinch, but when the two masked guards rested their hands on her shoulder to pull her up, Shisui's hand shot out to encircle her wrist in a death grip.

His eyes sharpened as his hold on her wrist tightened in an overprotective way she knew all too well. He knew what would expect her at the laboratory and didn't want her to go through the same, but even the slightest movement made his body protest and his mind even more hazy than it already was. The pinkette may have a plan, but the mere thought of her getting anywhere near that freak was enough to make his blood run cold with dread.

She was his family, his responsibility and knowing that he couldn't even protect her because of the state he was in made him furious.

Her bright gaze caught his stormy one, the frustration in them clearly visible and Sakura gently rested her hand over his from where he had held onto her wrist.

"Shisui." She fought to keep her voice firm despite of the pain in her heart at seeing him like that. It would be for the best, as he would later come to find out, but for now she needed him to do one thing. "Trust me."

His gaze lingered on her face for a moment longer, the disapproval in his eyes visible but when she gently pried his hands off her, he didn't protest.

Flashing him one more reassuring smile, the pinkette allowed the guards to pull her up on her feet before they each roughly grabbed one of her arms and led her out of the cell, leaving an anxious Shisui behind to watch them disappear.

X

Sakura didn't even bother to hide her glare at the guards as they roughly pushed her through the door, lips curled into a snarl as she caught sight of the familiar silver-haired male that was standing next to the examination table.

"Kabuto-sama." She heard the guards greet him, the respect that filled their voices making her want to roll her eyes. "We brought Haruno as you requested."

His eyes moved from the syringe that he was currently filling with a transparent liquid to fall on her, lips tilting upwards into a visibly pleased smirk upon seeing her.

"You can bring her to the examination table." He told them, the guards next to her nodding before she felt herself getting pushed into the direction of the metallic table.

Despite of her instinct screaming at her to free herself and get the hell away from him and all the tools that were laid out on the small tray next to the examination table she forced these voices into the back of her mind, gritting her teeth when she felt them harshly push her onto the cool metal.

Forcing her body down, Sakura clenched her jaw when she felt them remove her chakra suppressants from her wrists and replace them with the metallic shackles to keep her hands locked next to her hip, her ankles following next.

Her emerald eyes were fixed on Kabuto who was preparing for the examination, the syringes that were filled with a liquid Sakura was all too familiar with making her narrow her eyes. To think that someone seemingly so dull was supposed to be the one behind all of the experiments and creation of the Chakra Scalpels was beyond her understanding, and if it weren't for the sadistic glint in his eyes when he caught her narrowed eyes with his she would have doubted that he was worth the trouble he caused.

Having been taught by Kakashi to look underneath the underneath however, allowed her to see past his rather unimpressive exterior and if Shisui's condition was anything to go by, he was a medic with skills that were not to be underestimated.

"Leave."

The order was curt yet firm and without needing to be told twice, the two guards offered the silver-haired medic a curt bow before exiting the room without as much as another sound, leaving Sakura in his hands.

The pinkette forced her body to relax despite of the adrenaline that rushed steadily through her veins, her narrowed eyes never once moving from him as she watched him organize the tools.

"I've been looking forward to meeting you, Haruno."

Sakura fought the shudder that dared shake her body at his chilling voice and kept her expression impassive as she arched a brow.

"Did you now." She drawled, voice flat and expression rather unimpressed as her eyes followed him to the sink. "I'm afraid I can't say the same for you."

The only reason she had been looking forward to meeting him was to make him pay for all the pain and hurt he caused with his creation, but she had a feeling that telling him would only amuse him further so she remained silent.

"I heard that you have witnessed my most recent creation." He conversationally commented, ignoring her last statement and the pinkette tensed when the face of the fallen white haired sanin flashed in front of her eyes. "As a fellow medic, I hope that you were as impressed by it as I hoped you'd be."

Sakura's lips curled downwards into a scowl as she watched him dry his hands before he turned his body back around to look at her, the satisfied smirk on his lips only serving to irritate her further.

"As a fellow medic I was nothing less than disgusted." She curtly returned, watching Kabuto arch a brow at her as he moved towards the examination table. "As medics, it's our duty to find ways to heal others, not to kill them."

Kabuto let out a thoughtful hum as he moved to grab one of the three syringes, pushing slightly onto the lower part to let some liquid drop out of the top without looking at her.

"Yet as shinobi, it's our duty to find ways to kill others, not to heal." He smoothly returned, eyes shining behind his eyes as he tipped his head aside in curiosity and finally looked at her. "Isn't that rather contradicting?"

The pinkette frowned at his words, irritation sparking in her chest. "It's not if you know that there is a difference between fighting to survive and protect, and killing to gain power out of one's selfish desire to stand above others."

Kabuto's smirk widened into a sharp grin upon hearing her answer, eyes holding hers with a curiosity in them that made her skin crawl. He had heard a lot of the Godaime's infamous apprentice, her skills and her temper that matched the legendary Sannin's own, but to see the fire spark in her eyes in person was even more captivating than he had anticipated.

"It will be interesting to learn you, Haruno." Kabuto mused, Sakura's eyes following him as he stepped towards the table she was laying on and placed the needle against her flesh. "Since no one will come anytime soon, there will be plenty of time for you to satisfy my curiosity."

Sakura stiffened as she felt him slide the needle into her flesh before pushing the liquid into her body, gritting her teeth at the burning sensation that set her blood on fire. She knew that it would hurt, having used i too many times on others herself, but the liquid he injected her seemed to be a higher dose to ensure that she wouldn't wake up for a while.

Once Kabuto emptied the syringe, he laid it back onto the tray before catching her burning eyes with his amused ones as she clenched her shackled fists from beside her hips, a low growl ripping from her throat as she felt the liquid slowly spread through her body.

Due to its higher dosage it spread faster and steadier and Sakura knew that she had not much time left until she would be lulled into a dreamless slumber.

She allowed her chakra to purify it as best as it could without alerting him of her using it and when he merely continued to watch her with that creepy smile of his she knew that he didn't notice.

A medic he may be, but as a shinobi he either wasn't the brightest or merely too confident in his skills to notice that she still had some chakra in her reserves.

Limited, but chakra nonetheless.

"It's a pity." Kabuto sighed before he moved to get something from the tray and when Sakura's eyes fell on the glowing scalpel in his hands she froze, wrists pushing against the cool metal that kept them fixed in place. "I would have loved to talk to you first, but it seems like it has to wait until after I've run some tests on you."

Sakura eyed the scalpel through narrowed eyes, the sight of the tool that had taken so many innocent lives making her feel sick. The mere knowledge that he used her very own chakra to enhance and ultimately use it to cut her open caused her temper to spark and when she felt a small shift in the air behind her, she knew that it was time.

"You have taken countless of innocent lives with your creation." Sakura announced, her voice dark and filled with nothing but cold anger as she caught Kabuto's silver eyes with her own emerald ones. "So it's only fair if I take yours with it."

Sakura channeled all the chakra she had left into her wrists and snapped them harshly upwards, the force of it breaking the shackles that kept them fixed on the table before grabbing Kabuto by the collar and slamming his head down onto the tray where his utensils were laying on.

The silver haired medic let out pained grunt as he collapsed on the ground, clearly caught off guard by her sudden escape and Sakura swiftly freed her legs before she grabbed one of the syringes and leaped off the table, narrowly dodging the scalpel that Kabuto had swung at her as he moved back to his feet.

His wide eyes were filled with fury as he looked at her, one hand holding his bloody nose while the other tightly gripped the scalpel in his hand. His crooked glasses were still seated on the bridge of his nose, the round glasses shattered but Sakura could still see the dark glare he shot her.

She firmly held his gaze with a hard one of her own, hand tightly holding onto the syringe as she pressed her back against the sink to prepare herself.

She ignored the light wave of dizziness that overcame her as her chakra continued to fight off the sedate he injected her. She knew that it would take some time until it would be fully purified, so she needed to hurry and take him down, her limited time ticking away with every second that passed.

"How?" Kabuto snarled and Sakura's lips curled upwards into a small smirk at the rage that brightened in his eyes.

He hadn't anticipated a second attack this soon, if at all, but that only proved how he was too confident in his own skill and failed to remember that not only was Sakura a medic herself and prepared for cases like this, but she was also a shinobi and never went into a battle unprepared.

"Let's get this over with." Sakura darkly muttered, eyes burning with anger that she had suppressed for too long as her knuckles turned white from her death grip on the syringe.

He would pay for every life his creation had taken and with that thought in mind, Sakura charged.

X

Shisui was on edge.

It's been fifteen minutes ever since Sakura was taken and with every second that passed, his frustration and concern grew. The silence of the cell was deafening him as he rested leaned his head against the cool brick wall behind him, hazy eyes blankly staring at the ceiling above him, unseeing.

He shouldn't have let her go.

Shisui clenched his fists as the traitorous voices in the back of his mind kept on whispering to him, filling his mind with thoughts of all the terrible things Kabuto could be doing to her, the pain she could be feeling and with every whisper that echoed in his mind, his anxiety grew.

She had a plan, that much he knew by now, but what if it didn't work? What if she was mistaken and things went wrong, leaving her at Kabuto's mercy while he was unable to get her out of there?

He was slowly going insane, guilt gnawing at him while regret was slowly suffocating him.

His nails dug into the skin of the palm with a force that drew blood, the image of his little cousin's disappointed expression flashing in his inner eye as he forced his eyes shut.

Itachi trusted him to protect her, he was counting on him to keep her safe while he couldn't and so far, Shisui had only done nothing but the opposite.

He was already feeling dizzy, his headache gradually getting stronger as darkness crept into his vision. Sakura had told him that he needed to stay awake and he tried his best to fight the tempting lull that willed him into a deep slumber but with every minute that passed it was getting harder and harder for him to withstand it.

Whatever Kabuto had done to him left him feeling barely alive. If it weren't for the shadows of the agonizing pain that remained in his body he would have already believed himself dead, his dull senses and perception of his surroundings making him feel like he was caught in a genjutsu rather than being in the reality.

It was hard, keeping himself awake whilst trying to blend out the voices in his head that kept on whispering to him, but he would fight it.

Keeping his promise to her was all he could do to help her now and if it he needed to stay awake for whatever plan she had, he would do it.

A few more moments of silence passed, and just when Shisui felt his eye-lids grow heavy to the point it hurt to keep them apart, he felt a small shift in the air around him.

It was so small that he would have barely missed it, but when he moved his eyes to the entrance of the cell and caught sight of one lone crimson eye that pierced through the darkness, he felt himself stiffen in surprise.

"Kakashi?"

The shadow was in front of him the second his name passed his lips, mismatched eye's drooping in the familiar way he had believed he would never see again before he felt his arm getting lifted and slung around a broad shoulder.

"Let's get you out of here, ne?" Came his familiar voice as he pulled the Uchiha on his shaky feet.

Shisui let out a deep breath as his vision blurred at the sudden movement and felt Kakashi's hold on him tighten in an instant, his chest easing with relief at his friend's presence and support.

"What about Sakura?" Shisui breathed as Kakashi lead him out of the cell and into the corridor, wincing when the bright lights greeted his sore eyes.

"She's taking care of Kabuto." Kakashi explained, voice low so that they would remain unnoticed. "We'll meet her by the entrance."

Shisui frowned, worry etched onto his face as he shot Kakashi a concerned look. The thought of Sakura taking on someone like Kabuto on her own was enough to unsettle him, but what concerned him even more was the knowledge that she was still drained from their first attempt of freeing them.

He realized that this must have been the plan she had hinted at before she was taken away and thus was most likely prepared to fight, but he was still worried for her well-being.

"She's not in good shape." Shisui told him as they passed the unconscious guards and hastily made their way down the stairs, Kakashi's firm grip not once loosening. "Are you sure that she'll be fine?"

Kakashi opened his mouth to reply but when they reached the bottom of the stairs and a kunai whizzed past their face, the silver haired man let out a small sigh.

"I have a feeling that Sakura-chan is better off than we are."

Shisui grimaced when Kakashi dodged a scalpel and helped him jump out of harms way, almost tumbling when his feet hit the ground once more. He lifted his dark eyes to catch sight of the dozen of masked shinobi that were advancing on them before he glanced at Kakashi who let out a disappointed sigh.

"Looks like it won't be a stealthy escape after all."

Shisui inwardly groaned.

X

The pinkette dodged his glowing fist and lifted her leg to slam her heel into the examination table, successfully snapping it in half as Kabuto jumped a few feet away from her.

Sakura let out an irritated growl as she charged, ducking when he hurled a mess at her and throwing her body to the left to avoid his Chakra-engulfed fist.

She struck back and aimed for his throat, the male moving his head last second so that her fist only grazed his shoulder instead. He used that moment to swing his fist at her stomach and when Sakura jumped to the right to avoid it, she felt a hot sting in her hip.

A curse passed her lips as she stumbled back, hand instantly finding the now bleeding cut as her burning eyes snapped up to shoot him a hot glare. The cut wasn't too deep, but it hurt nonetheless and her chakra was still trying to fight off the sedate while also healing her what left her unable to heal it.

"You're really starting to piss me off." Sakura grumbled, taking in Kabuto's sweat-covered forehead and crazed expression. The thrill of the battle was getting to him, she realized, and Sakura knew that this would be the best chance to get him.

"I'll enjoy taking you down so that your body will be mine to learn." Kabuto grinned, the feral glint in his eyes causing the adrenaline in her body to pump faster through her veins.

The pinkette's lips curled upwards into a wry smile as she watched him twirl a glowing Chakra scalpel in his hands, knowing that the next minutes would determine the outcome of the mission and when he charged, she didn't hesitate.

She met him halfway, dodging his punch and grabbing his collar with one hand but before she was able to lift her glowing fist to his face, she felt a hot searing pain explain in her left shoulder that made her freeze in place.

She sharply inhaled at the blinding pain that overcame her, Kabuto's triumphant smirk inches away from her face as his eyes glowed with content. She didn't need look down to know that embedded in her shoulder was the glowing Scalpel she had seen in his hand mere moments ago and even though she was prepared for the pain, it hurt like nothing she ever felt before.

Her emerald eyes narrowed as she gritted her teeth and tried to push the pain down but when she felt,Kabuto twist the blade sharply in her shoulder, a dry gasp escaped her.

Her entire body felt as if it was on fire as her lips parted into a muted shout, Kabuto's smirk brightening into a grin as his silver orbs savored the sight of her usually calm expression scrunching up into a pained frown.

"Pathetic." Kabuto sneered as he dug the scalpel deeper into her flesh, earning him a pained grunt from Sakura who held onto his collar with a trembling hand. "A medic getting killed by the very tool she uses to save lives with."

Sakura gritted her teeth at his words, her head slightly lowering and emerald eyes never leaving his victorious silver ones but when he caught sight of the sudden twitch of her lips, he frowned in confusion.

"Ironic indeed, isn't it?" She rasped out, and before Kabuto could even do as much as blink she rammed the syringe that she had kept concealed in her free hand deep into the side of his neck and emptied its content with one hard push.

Silver eyes widened in shock as he stumbled back, the sudden loss of support causing the pinkette to drop onto her knees as Kabuto yanked the now empty tool out of his neck. One hand was gripping on the edge of the ceramic sink to support his body while the one that held the syringe shook, whether it was out of fury or shock she wasn't sure.

"You little snake." He growled, trying hard to keep himself on his feet as the sedate rushed through his system. He wasn't prepared for her attack and at this rate even his chakra would have troubles to fully purify the sedate without feeling some of its after-effects. She had successfully caught him off guard and even though she had managed to land a good hit on him, he was certain of his victory.

"It's too late!" He bellowed, voice strained as his knees were gradually beginning to feel numb under the weight of his body. "You won't get out of here alive, you'll be dead within the next minutes."

Sakura's hands that were placed on the cool floor in front of her clenched into fists, her burning emerald eyes shielded by the rosy locks that framed her face. She could feel her own chakra fight against the one the scalpel spread in her body, the blood in her veins burning hot and despite of the agonizing pain that filled her body, Sakura gathered all the strength she had left and moved onto her feet, ignoring her bodies screams of protest.

Her legs were shaking unsteadily and her heartbeat echoed loudly in her ears as she lifted her emerald eyes to meet Kabuto's narrowed ones, pale rosy lips curling upwards into a pained smirk as she lifted a trembling hand to her shoulder.

"You seem to have forgotten something." Sakura breathed, her strained voice breaking through the silence of the laboratory as she firmly wrapped her fingers around the scalpel's hilt, eyes never leaving Kabuto's.

"Not only am I medic, but also a kunoichi, and I never go into a battle unprepared."

And with that, Sakura gritted her teeth and pulled the scalpel out of her shoulder.

Kabuto's eyes widened in sheer disbelief at the sight, body shaking with fury as silver orbs fell on the glowing tool that was tightly clenched in her trembling fist.

"Impossible!" He exclaimed, pressing his back further against the sink as he fought to say steady on his feet. "You shouldn't even be able to even touch it!"

Sakura's eyes narrowed into dangerous slits, fighting to keep the pain down as she took a step towards the silver-haired medic. The shock on his face was a mild compensation for the pain in her shoulder and even though the scalpel did a number on her, she wouldn't allow it to bring her down.

She would end this, once and for all.

"I was trained by the Godaime herself." Sakura coldly reminded him, the scalpel in her hand warming as she tightened her hold on it. "Did you think we wouldn't be able to unravel that little mysterious creation of yours?"

Sakura slowly walked towards Kabuto who seemed torn between fighting her and making a run for it, but the pinkette left him no time to contemplate his choices.

Within the split of a second she was in front of him, one hand roughly grabbing him by the collar as she pointed the scalpel's tip to his chest with the other as her lips curled upwards into a disgusted sneer.

His eyes were burning with a mixture of emotions as he looked down at her- hatred, shock and a slither of panic brightening his eyes in a way that made Sakura feel sick to the stomach.

He didn't deserve to feel these emotions, not after all the pain he and his experiments caused.

"Countless of innocent lives have been lost because of your creation." Sakura declared, hold on his collar tightening when Jiraya's face flashed in her mind. Her emerald eyes were burning with cold fury as she looked at him, and out of all the emotions in his eyes the one that would have given her a reason to hesitate she couldn't find.

Regret.

And with that, his fate was sealed.

"Now, it will take yours."

Sakura didn't hesitate as she rammed the scalpel into his chest, a pained gasp sounding from him as his wide eyes remained locked with her burning ones even when the glowing blade tore through his flesh and embedded itself deeply into his heart.

She dug the scalpel deeper and a pained gurgle followed the motion as Kabuto's eyes widened even further behind his broken glasses.

Sakura's hand shook as she held onto the glowing tool with a bloody hand, her knees burning under her weight but she forced herself to ignore the pain for the sake of ensuring the medic's end.

Even as blood trickled down the corner of his lips they curled upwards into a weak smile, eyes gleaming behind the shattered glass as he caught her burning orbs with his.

"You're too late." He rasped out, a shuddering breath passing his lips as he held her eye. "Even with me dead, Orochimaru-sama will still succeed."

A soft huff escaped Sakura as her lips curled upwards into a dry smile that didn't reach her eyes. Even in his dying moments he had faith in Orochimaru and whereas his devotion to the snake sanin was remarkable, it was just as foolish.

"He won't." Sakura firmly returned, slowly loosening her hold on the scalpel and his collar when the light in his eyes slowly dimmed. "I'll make sure of that."

With that she stepped back, the loss of support causing Kabuto to collapse on the ground in front of her and when she watched the fallen medic take his final breath, his smirk not wavering even in his dying moment, she felt her chest ease with relief.

It was done.

Kabuto was dead, and with him all chances of any new experiments and scalpels.

A wave of dizziness rushed over her and Sakura swiftly reached her hand out to steady herself against the nearby wall, a hiss passing her lips as she felt the burning sensation in her body grow worse.

She knew that she wouldn't regret taking the prototype vaccine Tsunade had created with her and even though it wasn't fully completed yet and the blonde was reluctant to use Sakura as her guinea pig, the pinkette knew that it was their only chance.

Not only was it the perfect opportunity for them to test it out, she was also certain that it would come in handy during their mission and she had been right.

She wasn't going to go into one of Orochimaru's hide-outs without having some sort of protection for her and her teammates and even if it wasn't completed, it would at least slow down the spread of the foreign chakra in their body and left them with more than enough time to get to Konoha so that Tsunade could extract them.

She had to admit that it was risky, but it was worth it.

Now that Kabuto was dead, all she needed was to find Kakashi and Shisui and get out of there.

With newfound strength, Sakura pushed herself off the wall and made her way out of the laboratory and towards the familiar staircase to get to the others but just when she reached the top of it and was about to make her way down she froze when the sound of shouting reached her ears.

The pinkette grimaced as she realized that Orochimaru's men must have found Kakashi and Shisui and with an inward curse the pinkette straightened before she leapt down the stairs and made her way straight towards the battle.

Sakura's eyes narrowed when she reached the bottom a moment later and saw at least two dozen of Orochimaru's men filling the hall, a quarter of them on the ground either dead or unconscious while the others were charging at Kakashi who was still holding on to Shisui, his crimson eye open wide and tomoe spinning wildly.

They were gradually getting cornered and Sakura knew that it was her cue, adrenaline rushing through her veins at the speed that left her deaf to anything but the soft buzz that filled her ears.

Channeling her chakra into her fist, Sakura leaped inside and jumped in front of Kakashi and Shisui to cover them with her own body before she slammed her fist into the ground with a loud yell.

The floor beneath them opened with a loud groan that forced their masked attackers back, the walls shaking at the force of her punch and when the pinkette straightened her fist shook.

Blood was dripping from her bruised knuckles as she narrowed her eyes, chest heaving with every breath that filled her lungs. She wasn't in the best condition to fight, but Sakura would be damned if she would let that stop her from doing so nonetheless.

Her comrade's eyes instantly snapped to their savior, Shisui's face falling with relief upon seeing her as Kakashi's eyes crinkled softly when they fell on his former students slender back.

"Ah, Sakura-chan, how nice of you to join us."

Sakura glanced over her shoulder and swiftly scanned their bodies for any injuries, emerald orbs narrowed as she took in Shisui's panting and Kakashi's bleeding eye before she returned her eyes to her approaching opponents.

It seemed like she had joined them just in time before they managed to land any serious hits on them and even though they were not in the best condition, she was confident that they'd make it out alive.

They may be outnumbered, but his men were clearly outclassed.

"Well boys." She called, fists clenched tightly as she let out a small growl. "Let's do this."

Sakura disappeared into a blur, taking on three at once as she dodged their fists and jumped up to slam her heel into one's temple while she grabbed one of her Kunai's and hurled it right into anothers chest. She landed on her feet with the grace of a cat before she tackled the third, her fist colliding with his face the moment his back hit the ground.

The air behind her shifted and Sakura instantly leaned to her right from where she was still seated on the now unconscious man, her chakra-enhanced hand grabbing his fist that he aimed at her from behind before twisting it sharply.

His pained cry pierced through the rushing sound of adrenaline that filled her ears as she roughly yanked him forwards, making him stumble and fall onto the ground next to her with his hand still in hers.

The pinkette harshly kicked him in the spine before she released his fist, barely managing to dodge the Kunai that was coming for her forehead as a sharp cry sounded from behind.

Her hands shot out to grab the back of one's collar who attempted to jump at Kakashi, twirling him around before slamming him into the nearest wall.

Kakashi shot her a small glance as thanks, his Sharingan eye bleeding and Sakura grimly realized that they would have to get out of there before he'd get worse.

Sakura made a jump for another but felt herself getting harshly kicked in the back, stumbling forwards but able to catch her footing in the last moment. She swiftly twirled around on the back of her heel, fist aiming for his head but he was faster and caught her wrist, twisting it an an angle that earned him a pained yelp from the pinkette.

Sakura gritted her teeth and lifted a leg, slamming her heel into his temples and successfully making him loosen his grip on her a moment later. The pinkette used her free fist to land a chakra-filled punch on his chest, her attacker letting out a grunt as he flew backwards but not without dragging her a few steps with him.

Sakura landed on her knees with a grunt, a sharp jolt of pain running through her arm as she landed with her hands on the ground in front of her to prevent herself falling flat on her face. The pain in her wrist told her that it was most likely sprained but she had no chance to dwell on the matter for not even a second later she felt the air behind her shift sharply, causing her to tense in alarm.

Sakura whirled around to sit on her back, arms lifted to shield her face behind her crossed chakra-filled forearms as she braced herself for the blow.

It never came.

Emerald eyes fluttered open to be greeted by the sight of a familiar broad back, her savior's figure at least two heads taller than her as it shielded her from the attack. She felt her heart beat loudly in her ears as she slowly lowered her arms, eyes catching the blue skin of his exposed neck and her eyes instantly widened in recognition.

Impossible.

Sakura's heart jumped in surprise as she watched him angle his head to look over his shoulder, the familiar sharp grin he flashed her causing her lips to part in disbelief.

"Need some help, princess?"

Sakura's face broke out into a relieved grin as she met Kisame's dark eyes, the rush of adrenaline that filled her upon seeing him lending her the strength she needed to get back to her feet. She didn't know where the hell he suddenly came from or how he found them in the first place, but what she did know is that she had never been more happy to see him.

"Did I ever tell you how much I love your fancy entrances?" Sakura breathed as she moved to cover his back with her own, eyes taking in the fresh dozen of men that surrounded them.

She instantly felt some of her concern vanish when his overwhelming chakra signature brushed against hers, the knot in her chest loosening as the thrill of the battle hit her with full force. Their chances of getting out of there alive had just drastically increased with his appearance and Sakura would make sure to thank him later for lending a helping hand.

"I'll make sure to remember that for future references." He purred and Sakura's smile only widened in a grin.

"Careful, wouldn't want Itachi to hear you now would you?" The pinkette teased and the blue-skinned male threw his head back to release a roar of laughter that echoed loudly through the hall.

"I knew you two had the hots for each other!"

Sakura's grin sharpened as her eyes fixed on the closest six, the familiar feeling of her chakra rushing to her balled fists soothing her and filling her with newfound energy. Her eyes swiftly scanned the crowd before they found the head of silver she was looking for, catching his drooping eyes in an instant.

"Get the others out of here!" Sakura called, her back pressed flat against Kisame as Kakashi's eyes flickered to the unfamiliar blue male.

The copy-nin visibly hesitated for the split of a second before he nodded, Shisui throwing her a concerned look as Kakashi tightened his hold on him and went for the staircase.

They would have to keep the others busy so that Kakashi and Shisui could free the others and get them out of there with the help of his Sharingan. It would put a huge strain on his eye and Sakura didn't like the thought of him doing it but it was the only way to get Shisui and the others that were still locked away in the prison cell safely out of there.

What left Kisame and Sakura to get their asses out of there on their own as soon as Kakashi and the rest were gone.

"Wanna bet who takes out more?" Kisame growled from behind her and Sakura let out a small sigh, lips curling upwards into a smirk that didn't betray the gleam in her eyes.

"Are you sure you can keep up with me?"

She heard him snort behind her. "Speak for yourself, I'm not the one who looks like I just crawled out of my own grave."

Despite of the dozen of men that were approaching them at full speed Sakura couldn't help but snicker as she flexed her fists, ready to remind him that she could still crack their skulls even in her state.

"This is going to be way more fun than I thought." Sakura drawled, Kisame humming in agreement and with that, she jumped.

She charged at the one closest to her and kicked him in the ribs, sending him flying into two others before she dogged a fist and grabbed their forearm to slam him into another that came from her right, successfully knocking both of them down.

Planting her feet on their fallen bodies she jumped towards the next handful, her chakra filled hands punching one in the sternum as she rammed her elbow into another. She crouched down to avoid a kunai that came for her head before she swiped her leg and formed a series of seals in the process, her chakra barely enough to form two Shadow Clones that would back her up.

She could hear Kisame behind her roar in glee, her lips twisting into a smile as she jumped aside to avoid one's kick. It was when she landed another punch on one of their faces that she felt the air around her shift in a familiar way, telling her that Kakashi and the others have safely managed to get out of there and her eyes instantly found Kisame's narrowed ones.

"Wanna get out of here?"

He swiftly swung the enormous sword at another approaching duo before he flashed her a grin, dark eyes gleaming in the dim light. "If a girl as pretty as you asks, how can I say no?"

Sakura rolled her eyes but couldn't fight the amused smile as she landed one last kick into one's chest before she made a run for the entrance corridor, Kisame following close behind.

She was running as fast as she could, the voices and shouts behind her getting closer and when she caught sight of a flicker of black in the distance in front of her, she cursed.

"They're trying to block the exit!" She called, coming to a halt and forcing Kisame to stop as well. Sakura turned her head around to catch sight of the ones that followed them drawing gradually closer and allowed her chakra to rush into her uninjured fist before she harshly slammed it against the side of the hallway.

The corridor instantly grumbled and collapsed behind them, successfully trapping the others inside the hide out as Kisame let out a pleased hum, clearly impressed. "Nice one, princess."

Sakura offered him a weak smile and tried to ignore the sharp pain in her hand as they continued onward, heading straight towards the handful of men that were blocking their only way out.

She had channeled all of the chakra she had left into that punch, the rest that cursed through her body needed to fight off the last bits of the sedate and chakra scalpel what left her with nothing but taijutsu to rely on for this fight.

Kisame apparently noticed for as soon as they neared the exit he caught up with her, eyes shining darkly as they fixed on his target.

"Let me clear our way." He told her with a low growl, tightening his hold on his already pulsing sword and just when they exited the hallway and reached the staircase that lead upwards he charged, clearing the way for Sakura to rush up the stairs.

She tried to blend out the pained grunts that sounded behind her as she rushed up the stairs, taking two steps at a time and keeping her eyes fixed on the gradually nearing evening sky.

A scream behind her echoed, urging Sakura onward and with one last leap she was finally outside, the chilly evening air hitting her adrenaline-filled body with full force.

The roaring sound of the waves clashing against the rock penetrated the buzzing in her ear and when Sakura whirled her head around to look for her companion and didn't see his large, blue form she froze.

"Kisame!" She yelled, heart hammering against her chest when she didn't hear him respond and just as she was about to go back inside for him a blur of blue lunged for her.

Sakura let out a surprised yelp as she felt Kisame grab her by the waist and throw her over his broad shoulder like a sack of potatoes, eyes wide as she turned her head to shoot him a startled look.

Kisame merely flashed her a grin and tightened his hold on her, the glint in his eyes telling her that whatever he was going to do was most likely going to be something she wouldn't like and when he made a run towards the edge of the cliff, her stomach flipped.

"Hold on tight, princess!"

Sakura didn't need to be told twice and dug her fingers deep into his back, eyes clenched shut as he leaped off the edge and into the deep currents below.

Rose-colored tresses were flying upwards in the wind as they descended towards the raging currents below, Kisame's hold on her not loosening as the chilling air rushed by her face at a speed that could cut skin.

When the sound of the waves below them neared Sakura braced herself for the inevitable impact, eyes tightly clenched shut as she held onto Kisame for dear life but when it never came and they suddenly started to shoot upwards once more, emerald eyes flew open wide in surprise instead.

Her eyes shifted downwards to see the huge current beneath Kisame's feet that carried them further away from the rock, the rushing sound of the water below them deafening her to anything else and Sakura felt her chest instantly ease with relief at the sight, though her hold on him didn't lessen a bit.

"Relax!" She heard Kisame call over the rushing sound of the water, his head turned so that he could give her a wink. "Itachi would kill me if I let you drown."

Sakura felt torn between kneeing him in the face for his Itachi comment and crying out of relief for getting spared of a swimming session in the cold water below them and in the end, settled on giving him a glare that she was sure looked less intimidating than it should.

She shifted her eyes back to the hideout that was gradually getting further and her hands instantly found her weapon porch that was strapped to her thigh to take out her Kunai, the small pack attached to its hilt blowing in the wind.

She tightly gripped the weapon and narrowed her eyes before she flicked her wrist and hurled it towards the rock with practiced ease, watching it become a blur and head straight towards the hide-out and the second it vanished out of sight a loud explosion sounded, orange flames brightening the rock that made Kisame instinctively tighten his hold on her waist in alarm.

"Give a guy a warning, pinky!" Kisame called from behind her and Sakura allowed herself one last look at the now burning rock before she angled her head to meet Kisame's half-hearted glare with a sheepish smile.

"Sorry, but I'd rather not have them going after us."

Kisame merely grunted in return and after a handful of moments he leaped odd the water and into the air, making Sakura grab the back of his shirt with a startled yelp before Kisame's feet finally landed on solid ground once more.

The pinkette's hands were trembling by the time Kisame slowly moved her back on her feet, his arm firmly circled around her waist to keep her steady as she tried to calm her rapidly beating heart.

Definitely too much adrenaline at once.

"I really should do that more often if I get you to cling to me like that." Kisame mused, earning a half-hearted glare from the pinkette that he returned with a knowing smirk. "Too bad Itachi put dibs on you first."

"Thank god he did." Sakura muttered as she took a step back to get the blood properly rushing through her numb legs once more, Kisame's arm in reach in case her legs would give in.

Sakura flashed him a small thankful smile. "Thanks."

"Always a pleasure, princess." Kisame purred, strapping Samehada to his back before he jerked his head to the right with a smirk. "Let's get you back to the others."

Sakura's smile never left her lips as she followed Kisame back towards the path her team had previously come from, her legs still feeling rather wobbly under her weight.

Now that the adrenaline was finally starting to wear off she felt the exhaustion and pain hit her full force, her shoulder burning while her muscles ached in protest with every step she took.

She was almost fully drained of chakra and even though it had finally managed to flush the sedate Kabuto had used on her out of her body, she could still feel it working on purifying the foreign chakra.

It would take at least two more hours until she'd regain enough chakra to use it for herself, but she was grateful that they managed to get out of there alive and mostly unharmed. The aching of her sore muscles and pain in her shoulder and sprained wrist were something she'd gladly take in exchange for her friends and her own lives.

What reminded her-

"What the hell were you doing here anyways?" Sakura asked as they entered the forest, emerald eyes narrowed in curiosity as she watched the tall, blue-skinned male next to her.

She doubted that Itachi had sent him after them, knowing that by the the message would have reached Kisame they would have already broken free, what meant that the shark-like male must have been near by before stumbling across them.

"I have actually been assigned to locate Kiri's missing shinobi." Kisame told her, a smirk tugging at his lips as he caught her gaze. "Now imagine my surprise when I find you already there, battling almost two dozen of these rats on your own."

Sakura arched a brow at his words, visibly surprised at the revelation. So Kiri has been trying to locate their missing shinobi as well, and since Kisame was the only one who somehow managed to get intel on the hide-outs locations, it made sense that he was able to stumble across them when he did, already familiar with the last they have been to together.

Even though the timing was eerily convenient, Sakura was not going to question it and settled on a low hum instead. Even though they would have been able to make it out on their own, Sakura knew that they wouldn't have been able to free the remaining prisoners in the process so Kisame's unexpected arrival had been of great help.

Besides, it was always good to see him.

Sakura's lips curled upwards into a smile as she eyed the tall male next to her with a fond expression, genuinely happy to see him again. She had wondered when they would see him again but who would have known that it would be this soon, less that it would be when he would lend her a hand in escaping one of Orochimaru's hide-outs?

She certainly didn't, but that made it all the better.

It didn't take them long to find the others and when the duo stumbled across the group that was gathered in the nearest clearing, Sakura felt her heart drop with relief at the sight.

Seated on the ground were a dozen of shinobi, conversing in low mumbles as they rested on the cool grass to regain some of their energy. Even though they still looked rather exhausted the relief that filled the clearing was clearly palpable and when emerald eyes found a familiar duo leaning against a broad tree-trunk in the distance, she instantly felt her chest warm.

A relieved smile made its way on her lips as she passed the group of scattered shinobi and rushed towards the two males, her body a mere blur before she slumped down on her knees in front of her two boys.

"Thank god." She breathed, lips curling upwards into a smile as she caught Shisui's surprised eyes with her own, sparkling ones.

"Sakura." Shisui breathed and before she could do as much as blink, she already found herself getting pulled into a bone-crushing hug, lean arms wrapping around her petite frame with a strength that surprised her.

His familiar scent filled her senses as he held on her for dear life and Sakura instantly relaxed in his hold, her lips curling upwards into a smile as she buried her face into his neck. She still couldn't believe that they had made it and he was back with them, alive.

Her concern for the Uchiha turned into a rush of overwhelming relief as she wrapped her arms around his middle, trembling hands tightly gripping the back of his shirt.

"Idiot." Sakura mumbled into his shoulder, her voice muffled by the material of his shirt as she felt him tighten his hold on her in return. "Do you know how much you scared us?"

"I'm sorry." He mumbled before he pulled back, catching her concerned emerald eyes with his apologetic dark ones. "I didn't mean to worry you guys."

Sakura's expression softened as a sigh passed her lips, all of the tension leaving her body at the sight of him alive and, relatively, well.

"I'm just glad that you're alright." She told him, voice barely above a whisper as she watched his lips curl upwards into the cheeky smile she had prayed she'd one day see again.

"Me too."

Sakura's eyes then slid over to Kakashi who was still shielding his eyes with his forearm, eyes narrowing in concern as she shifted her body to face him.

"Kakashi-sensei?" She softly called, her hands reaching out to gently take a hold of his forearm. The only response she received was a soft grunt that made her frown in concern and when she gently pulled his arm away from her eyes she winced at the sight that greeted her.

Even though his eyes were closed she could easily see that blood that leaked from the one that carried the Sharingan, the crimson liquid running down the length of his cheek.

It seemed like getting them out of the hide-out with his Sharingan had put an even worse strain on his eye than she had expected and without a second thought, the pinkette channeled the bit of chakra she had left into her palm and gently rested it above his closed eye.

Even though he was only barely conscious he instantly calmed under her touch and cracked his good eye open to look at her, offering her a small smile that was hidden beneath his mask.

"You did well."

The soft-spoken praise earning him a bright smile from Sakura, his former student's eyes sparkling despite of the dark circles beneath them. He could instantly tell that she was beyond exhausted, her skin as pale as Shisui's and hand slightly shaking from where it hovered above his pained eye.

It were in moments like this that he liked to admire just how well the pinkette had matured as a kunoichi over the years.

When Sakura had proposed her plan to Yamato and him, Kakashi had known that it was rather risky and didn't hesitate to voice his concerns to the pinkette who firmly held her ground against him.

He trusted her skills, and even though he knew that Sakura was a strong kunoichi who could endure much more than others he was still concerned for her well-being. Not only was she his teammate and former student, but also one of the people he cared greatly about.

One of the only one's he had left.

Despite of his concerns, she had just taken out one of Orochimaru's strongest men all on her own despite of the state she was in, and Kakashi was beyond proud of her.

His eye fell on the approaching male that he had last seen when they were fighting against Orochimaru's men, curiosity sparkling in his visible orb as he caught the sharp smile on his blue lips.

It seemed like Sakura was familiar with him if they way they had acted around another was anything to go by, and even though he didn't know where his sweet little student could have possible met someone as intimidating as him, he was grateful for him lending them a hand.

"I just send word to the Mizukage." Kisame told her, head angled downwards to catch her eyes with his. "Back-up should be here by midnight."

Sakura pinched her brows together as she contemplated his words, emerald eyes falling back on the duo in front of her. It would be around six more hours until midnight and by then, Itachi would have most likely send out a team on his own to look for them since they didn't get back to him yet.

She usually wouldn't have minded to wait, but considering the state both Kakashi and Shisui were in as well as the fact that the Uchiha was dressed in nothing more than a thin shirt, waiting six hours in the cold didn't seem like a too good idea.

"Itachi's waiting for us." She sighed, turning her head to meet Kisame's eyes with a small smile on her lips. "I think it'd be best if I get them home."

Kisame lightly frowned at her words, obviously not too keen on letting her go off on her own like that and let out a low hum.

"You sure you'll make it on your own?" He asked, eyes shining with mild concern. "You look quite tired yourself and if Itachi gets wind that I let you travel back like that on your own he'll beat my ass the next time he sees me."

Shisui arched a brow at the familiar way the tall male mentioned his cousin, curios eyes falling on Sakura who merely let out a small sigh at his concerns.

"I'll be fine." Sakura assured him when she removed her hand from Kakashi's eye and carefully put his arm around her slim shoulders, pulling him up with her. She wrapped an arm around his waist to steady him as Shisui followed suit, leaning with his back against the tree for support as Sakura flashed Kisame a small, disappointed frown.

She wished that she could spent more time with him, but unfortunately duty didn't give her the luxury nor the time to catch up with her friend. It was a pity, especially since they have been reunited just now and she would enjoy his company greatly after all that happened, but it seemed like she would have to do that another time.

"You better come visit us soon or I'll make sure to have Itachi drag you to Konoha."

Kisame's smirk widened into a grin and a chuckle passed his lips, eyes gleaming with amusement as he looked down at the pink-haired woman in front of him. Even though she looked like she would faint any minute she was supporting her comrades without a single complaint and was willing to push herself to her limits for their sake, a trait he certainly admired.

The first time they met he had instantly been taken with her, the fire in her eyes a nice change to the usual dullness that greeted his sight and the perfect match for the stoic Uchiha.

Whereas she was one bundle of strength and power, her kind heart and compassion balanced it out perfectly, what in his eyes made her one of the strongest kunoichi he had encountered so far.

She had his respect, as both a friend and an equal.

"Wouldn't want you and Itachi to miss me too much." Kisame purred with a wink and Sakura's eyes softened at the familiar teasing, knowing that it was his way of telling her that it wouldn't be the last time they saw one another for a few years.

The pinkette tightened her hold on Kakashi and regarded Kisame for a moment longer, lips tilted upwards into a soft smile as she looked at the tall male with sparkling emerald eyes. "Thank you, Kisame."

The shark-like male merely grunted and reached out to rest a heavy hand on the top of her head, a sharp smile on his lips. "Don't get yourself in too much trouble and keep an eye on Uchiha for me, will ya?"

Sakura gave him a nod and when he removed his hand, the pinkette turned to look at Kakashi and Shisui, eyes hard despite of how weak she felt. The border wasn't too far away, but since she had to support them and they would have to take a couple of breaks in between, it would take them slightly longer until they would reach it.

It would be hard and she would be beyond drained by then, but she would have to do it.

For the sake of her friends.

"Let's go home."

X

Itachi clenched his fists from where he was standing in the conference room, concerned onyx orbs that were looking through the tall window fixed on the dark forest that was laying ahead.

It's been seven hours since they last heard of them and by now, it was well past midnight.

The past hours have been sheer hell for Itachi, his mind reeling with possible scenarios and voices in the back of his mind reminding him of all the things that could have gone wrong on their mission.

It's been after the agreed six hours passed and they had still not heard from them that he made his way to the border, his father and his team already expecting him with grim expressions.

The tension in the Headquarters was suffocating when the Hokage entered, his stormy expression putting everyone on edge as his father had led him into one of the conference rooms, followed by the two guards that had accompanied him and a handful of Anbu.

There was no need for empty reassurances, all of them aware of the anything but pleasant circumstances that could have kept the missing trio from returning by now and Itachi rather appreciated the silence that filled the room once Anbu exited, leaving him in the company of only his father.

Fugaku rested a supporting hand on his son's shoulder, well aware of the burden that he carried as both the Hokage and just the young man he was. He had hoped that Itachi wouldn't have to come down here and that the missing trio would be found beforehand but it seemed like things were not going they way they had initially hoped.

"Nara is briefing the team." Fugaku told him, his voice not betraying his firm expression. "They will set out in a few minutes."

Itachi lowered his head, his eyes never moving from the window as he pursed his lips. He wanted to go with them, but both Shikamaru and his father had insisted that it would be best if they would let Anbu scout the area first and even though every fiber of his being wanted to protest, as the Hokage his hands were bound.

Itachi was growing more restless by the minute, and when his onyx eyes caught a flash in the darkness of the forest behind the window, he had believed his sleep-deprived mind to play tricks on him.

His eyes narrowed as onyx orbs bled crimson, body tensing and when he heard his father step forwards to move next to him, his own eyes narrowed as he looked outside, Itachi felt his heart still in his chest.

In the deepest part of the forest, hidden beneath the dark shadows of the night was a brief flicker of pink that the moonlight illuminated. It was a mere spark, a split of a second, but it was all that Itachi needed to know that it was not a fabrication of his exhausted mind.

There was no fooling his eyes.

"Unbelievable." He heard his father breathe next to him and within the split of a second, he vanished.

Itachi was out of the Headquarters faster than the eye could see, his father's shouts for the guards only barely reaching his ears as the cold winter air hit his skin.

His surroundings passed in a blur, his feet carrying him towards his destination at a speed that was second to none and when his crimson eyes finally caught sight of a spark of pink mere meters away, Itachi halted.

The eerily silence in the forest was broken by the sound of dried leaves and twigs getting crunched beneath dragged footsteps and when she finally stepped out of the shadows and into the moonlight that shimmered through the leafless trees, Itachi's heart stilled.

Only mere meters away from him was the woman that had plagued his mind for the past three days, dragging her bruised and battered body forwards with slow, sluggish steps. She was holding on to two, familiar and unconscious bodies, their arms wrapped around her neck as her trembling hands tightly gripping on their wrists to keep them upright.

The bright moonlight bathed her pale skin in an ethereal glow, soft pink tresses framing her small face as dull, emerald eyes that peeked out from beneath half-lidded eyes were fixed on the ground in front of her. Her chakra signature was barely palpable and it was only when his father, Shikamaru and a handful of Anbu landed next to him that she noticed her company and halted.

She dragged her eyes upwards and when hazy emerald clashed with familiar crimson, her lips curled upwards into a small, yet relieved smile that made his heart clench in his chest.

"Itachi." She breathed, his name nothing but a mere whisper into the darkness and when she saw his eyes gleam in return, she knew that it really was him.

She made it.

The realization that she had finally reached them left her painfully weak. Her entire body was hurting to the point it was hard to breathe, legs burning from the weight they carried and when she felt her knees wobble dangerously, she didn't fight it anymore.

The second her hands slipped from Shisui and Kakashi her eyes fluttered shut, world tilting as her legs finally gave in and just when her body was about to hit the ground she felt a pair of familiar arms catch her and pull her flush against a solid chest.

Her cheek was resting in the crook of his neck, the warmth his body emitted hot against her freezing skin and when his intoxicating scent filled her nose and soothed her senses, her lips pulled upwards into a soft smile.

His strong arms were firmly wrapped around her waist as he gently lowered them to the ground, his embrace sending a rush of warmth through her exhausted body as she buried her face deeper into his neck.

Itachi needed to feel her, to have her a close to him as possible to know that she was there, in his arms and alive. The feeling of her tiny body against his loosened the knot in his chest and silenced the traitorous whispers in his mind, his hand slipping to the back of her head to pull her closer against him.

Two Anbu had taken Kakashi and Shisui from Sakura the moment they had seen her eyes roll back and after his eyes briefly flickered to his cousin and the copy-nin to ensure that they were alright, he heaved a sigh of relief into her hair.

"Itachi." He heard her mumble against his neck, her voice making his blood run hot as his crimson eyes lowered to meet her beautiful emerald ones that were peeking out from beneath dark lashes.

She was barely conscious as she lifted a trembling hand that was covered in crimson to his face, the gentle touch causing his chest to constrict as she offered him a tender smile.

His fingers dug deeper into her waist, the soft caress chasing all of the dark thoughts that filled his mind away in an instant as he lifted a calloused hand to grasp her weak one with his own.

"It's alright." He affectionately mumbled, chest rumbling as he spoke. "I am here."

One look into her eyes was enough to pull him out of the hole he had fallen into for the last days, her smile his undoing and as he sat in the dark forest, holding on to her like she was his life-line, he thanked the heavens for returning his light to him.

Slipping an arm under the back of her knees, he moved back to his feet with the pinkette nestled securely in his arms, crimson eyes briefly flashing to his father who was already watching him.

Shisui was already on one of the Anbu's backs while Shikamaru carried Kakashi, both looking exhausted but otherwise fortunately unharmed. He was beyond glad and relieved to see them alive, but if the state the trio seemed to be in was anything to go by it had been a close call.

"Shisui passed out an hour ago and Kakashi-sensei around fifteen minutes before you found us." Sakura mumbled, her voice soft yet loud enough for the others to hear to ease their concern. "I healed the worst of their injuries during our breaks, but they're both drained of chakra."

Shikamaru threw the pinkette a concerned glance as Itachi gazed down at the woman in his arms, once again impressed by both her willpower and devotion and instinctively pulled her closer.

She was obviously just as bad off as Shisui and Kakashi, if not even worse and the fact that she had dragged them all the way to the borders and even spent what little chakra she had left to heal them instead of herself made his heart swell with pride.

"Rest." He softly willed, his hold on her tightening as she nuzzled her face into his neck once more, emerald eyes peeking out under heavy-lidded eyes to gaze up at him with a warmth that reached his heart. "You're home now."

She vaguely felt him move a moment later, the warmth his body radiated shielding her from the crisp winter air as she smiled against his neck and allowed a soft, pleased sigh to pass her lips.

He was right, she realized as her eyes fluttered close.

Even though she was hours away from Konoha she was already at home, the familiar scent that surrounded her bringing her comfort that not even her apartment could give her and as her exhausted body finally gave into the soft, lulling darkness that called to her, Sakura didn't mind. Because after three long days away she was finally home again, in the arms of the man she loved.

X

A/N: Guess who's back? Me and Kisame!

I had planned on bringing him back for quite some time now and I have to admit that I really missed writing him.

If everything works out the way I hope it does, next chapter will contain some ItaSaku fluff, Shisui and Team 7 and tears so I hope you're prepared!

As always, thanks to everyone who followed, favorited and reviewed the last chapter.

I am happy to hear that you liked the last chapter and if you enjoyed this one as well, tell me by dropping a review!

Also, quick shout-out to lilgummybear for the sweet and encouraging message! Hope you liked this chapter:)

Since this will be the last update for 2020, I wish all of you a Happy New Year and hope that the next will bring you nothing but health, joy and much love!

As always, stay safe and see you next update!

Love,

Sara