Chapter 16

Disbelief

"Foolish little brother, I'm not here for you."

That simple sentence kept ringing is Sasukes ears. He stood protectively in front of his old teammate, not wanting to give Itachi a chance to take away any more people from his life.

He had taken enough as it was.

He could hear how Sakura gasped, probably out of fear. He couldn't blame her, the sight of Itachis Mangekyou made even him tense.

He knew what it could do to a man.

"Go, I'll distract him," he said, hoping Sakura would take the hint and run. She was nowhere near Itachis level, if it came down to a fight. She would just perish, just like everyone else from his life.

"Too late, little brother," his brother whispered from behind him. Sasuke turned around hastily, but the sight that met his eyes was not one he expected to see.

Itachi had an arm around Sakura, but it wasn't there to hold her down, more like caressing her. He had a kunai at her neck, but it was not touching her skin, it looked to be there only for show as she wasn't even trying to fight back.

"Isn't she beautiful, so delicate, just like her namesake," Itachi whispered and looked into Sasukes eyes as he reached down to place his lips on Sakuras bare neck. Sasuke couldn't breathe, he could only watch as his brother caressed her like a lover would.

"Sakura," Itachi whispered her name like one would a prayer, inhaling her sweet scent like a dying man in need of a breath.

"Release her! You bastard!" Sasuke yelled, but his body just wouldn't move. He was stuck there, forced to watch as his brother touched Sakura. It was then that he heard it, a moan, it made him freeze all over.

"Itachi…" it was so quiet that Sasuke almost missed it.

"Hmm?" Itachi hummed, a small grin working its way onto his lips.

"Please," Sakura gasped, as his brothers hand made its way onto her perky breast.

…

"Why did you place him under a genjutsu?" Sakura asked, she was clearly being careful and he could understand why. But soon she would know that she was in no danger from him, ever. The genjutsu Sasuke was under was a simple one, he had managed to take him by surprise. It would show Sasuke anything, that he was afraid to see at that moment.

"To amuse myself," Itachi said and took the first few steps towards his price and the frozen Sasuke.

Sakura took a few steps back, but stopped as she felt a tree behind her. Itachi almost grinned, but held himself back. That would just frighten her, doing so now would be awfully counterproductive to his ultimate plans.

"What do you want?" Sakura asked sternly, keeping her face carefully neutral.

"To talk." Itachi wanted more than just talk, but he would have to take baby steps with her for now.

"I'm listening."

"But not here," Itachi said with a nod in Sasukes direction. He knew the genjutsu would hold Sasuke down for a few more minutes, but it was not nearly enough for what he had planned. It wouldn't do for his foolish little brother to attack him, when he was busy claiming his prize.

"Wouldn't want anyone to interrupt," Itachi said mostly to himself and stepped in front of Sakura. He could only marvel at her willpower, she wasn't shaking in fear like the rest of them. No, Sakura was facing him like she would face any other opponent.

He had never felt so proud of anyone.

"Very well, but Sasuke remains unharmed." Sakura said and crossed her arms in defiance, there was a cute little frown on her pink lips. It almost made him chuckle.

"Hn." His plans were only for her after all.

He held out a hand for her, not sure if she would take it. Imagine his surprise as she placed her small hand slowly onto his bigger one. Her hands were cold, but he denied himself the pleasure to press his other hand over hers in hopes of warming it. But he did close his hand around hers, hoping to warm the small appendage in his hold.

He pulled her closer to teleport them to a safer location, not giving her time to pull away.

…

Sakura knew it was stupid of her, idiotic really, but it seemed like the only way to keep Sasuke safe. There was no love lost between her and her old teammate, but she didn't want him dead. Naruto would be devastated.

Itachi didn't seem to be in a mood to fight, luckily, and talking she could manage, if it meant that Sasuke remained unharmed. She could always introduce her right hook to Sasukes face later, if she made it out alive.

"Why did you place him under a genjutsu?" Sakura asked, hoping it wouldn't anger him. Doing so would be really bad for her health.

She had suspected that Itachi had used a genjutsu on Sasuke after telling him that "he was not there for him", but after Sasuke remained still and stared off into the distance for a full thirty seconds, Sakura was quite sure of it.

"To amuse myself," Itachi said and took a step closer.

To keep a safe distance, Sakura took a few steps back. She almost gulped as she felt a tree stop her further retreat. She didn't want to put Sasuke in danger by attacking Itachi, not if there was another way. The clearing was too small for her to use her powers effectively without hurting Sasuke in the process.

"What do you want?" Sakura asked, her voice gaining some of its usual strength in her need to protect her old teammate. She was still being mindful of how she talked, it wouldn't do to anger the Uchiha Itachi. She was nowhere near his league, would he decide to attack, so better play it as safe as possible, right?

"To talk."

That wasn't too reassuring. Sakura knew that Akatsuki was still after Naruto and using her as the bait seemed like a logical choice to make. Sakura just hoped Itachi wasn't there because of that. Saving Sasuke wasn't worth the risk of placing Naruto in danger.

"I'm listening." Sakura said, hoping to play it safe.

"But not here," Itachi said with a nod in Sasukes direction. Sakura did see that one coming, Sasuke was sure to attack as soon as he broke out of the genjutsu he was under. There was no talking or reasoning with the younger Uchiha when he snapped, Sakura couldn't trust him to not attack her as well.

With a few more quick steps, he was in front of her. He looked at her for a moment, as if thinking what to do next. Sakura couldn't read his eyes, but they seemed calm enough to make her own little demand.

"Very well, but Sasuke remains unharmed." Sakura said and crossed her arms. Sakura could see a ghost of a grin on his lips, the sight of it almost giving her a stroke. No matter if he was a double agent or not, if a man as dangerous as Itachi grinned, there was a massacre on its way.

There was a pun somewhere in there.

"Hn."

That seemed like an okay, her "Language of the Uchihas" was a bit rusty.

Sakura almost flinched away from him as he raised his arm, but relaxed when he didn't attack. He held it out calmly, as if expecting her to take it. His red eyes looked at her, looking almost peaceful, telling her that it was her turn to act.

Sakura thought about the risks, there were quite a few. It seemed like Itachi really just wanted to talk, he had always seemed like an honest man. More so now that Sakura knew about the massacre and how Itachi was not to blame for any of it. Getting over the chock had taken her a few days and she had been really wary of the Elders lately. Every time they looked her way, Sakura felt like they knew.

So yes, she felt like she could trust Itachi, in some cases even more so than her own village.

She placed her hand gently on top of his larger one, a gasp escaping her lips as she was pulled into a firm, warm chest. She was just going to protest how he was manhandling her, when she felt his chakra rise.

They left the clearing in a scattering of crows, just as Sasuke broke out of his genjutsu.

…

Beta Notes: None yet

I have been rereading this story and trying to clean it up a little.

I found so many mistakes and errors it almost made me want to rewrite the whole thing. But as one of my first stories written in English, I'm glad most of you ignore most of my errors. I'll clean them up when I have the time, some chapters are already ready.

And thank you for so many 'get well wishes'! Makes me want to hug the lot of you!

P.S.

Yes yes, I am aware that those last two parts are similar, but the reason for that is quite simple: I wanted to show you both of their feelings and not mix them up in one piece. I did clean it up some to be fair.

Simply put, deal with it.

Cheers!

And as always, thank you for reading and have a nice day!

R&R

TY

-Hana