Itonami: Thank you to all of you who reviewed! They were few, but your words and encouragement meant a lot. I dedicate this chapter to all of you. Hope you like this one!

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Naruto.

Chapter 2

Haruno Sakura quickly scanned the cover of her mission folder. A smile played on her face as she read who the leader of it was. A computer printed name was on the file and it was first thing her eyes saw: Uzumaki Naruto. He'd led dozens of ANBU missions; he was one of the most trusted and powerful ninjas in the Godaime's honored circle of shinobis. She was almost always on missions with him and luckily, she was his friend from when they were genins, so she knew how he liked to get things done. But when she opened the file, there was nothing in it. Raising a slender eyebrow in a puzzled manner, she made sure nothing had fallen out of it.

Her search was interrupted by his voice. "Sakura-chan, want to go get some ramen with me? I'm buying!" Naruto called from outside her apartment.

She ran to the window and waved. "All right, Naruto! Let me go get my jacket!" She called down to him and then sped to the chair that held her jacket over its back and grabbed it off. Locking the door behind her, Sakura followed her friend to the Ichiraku ramen stand nearby.

"You know, I could be rich off the money you spend on ramen." Sakura commented off handedly. Her friend grinned broadly.

Naruto was handsome in his own way, as Sakura would describe, and his unruly blonde hair stuck all over the place like a porcupine. His eyes were still the bluest eyes that she had ever laid eyes on and he was a miraculous head taller than her. He was leaner and he changed his orange jumper suit to just a simple orange shirt with his red swirl on the back that signified Uzumaki. He was still hard-headed and loud, but his amazing strength and skill made up for it. Many people were still skeptical of him, but he was still striving for their acknowledgement. She knew he would be able to gain everyone's respect soon.

"Sakura-chan, what are you thinking about? Hurry up and order your ramen! I'm hungry!" Naruto said, almost sounding like the same twelve-year old blonde five years ago. But that wasn't possible because his voice was deeper and more mature, and he sounded more thoughtful, more aware that she was being bothered by something.

The pink-haired jounin dazzlingly smiled. "Oh, sorry, Naruto. I'd like to have the seafood ramen, please." She turned to look at her friend as she rested her head on her delicate hands propped up by her slender elbows. "So, why this invitation to ramen all of a sudden?"

The grin on his face faltered ever so slightly, but he regained his happy composure. "Just treating you, my beautiful friend, to my favorite food. But I did want to talk to you about that mission that you've been assigned. You've only got a couple weeks rest from Neji's, but Baa-chan wanted to explain it personally to us. That's why the folder didn't contain anything. She called for a meeting tomorrow at noon. Supposedly, it was really urgent and she needs you there." He said, looking at her squarely in the eyes.

The Hokage needed her…

During these times of war, medical ninjas were vital parts of a mission. She was a vital part of a mission. Sakura was a demand for ANBU missions. But Tsunade-sama usually placed her in the most critical missions that were about to take place. Stress was now a daily part of life. She barely had enough time to herself, but she loved the work. The best part about it was saving lives that could have been lost if she wasn't there, but the worst part of it…was losing them. The lives that were beyond her reach and any hope of saving sometimes came to haunt her. Especially that one boy…the one that she couldn't stop from leaving…

"Oi, why do you keep drifting off on me? Am I really that boring?" Naruto asked, waving a calloused hand in front of her face. She slapped at it, though she was more displeased with herself that she fazed away when her friend was talking.

"Gomen, Naruto. I don't know what's wrong with me today." She sighed heavily. Naruto put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"You'll be all right, Sakura. I promise. I'll look after you." He whispered to her in a serious tone. One of his blue eyes winked at her broadly and ruffled her hair messily.

"Naruto!" She giggled, trying to punish the blonde in some way while trying to fix her hair again. But his words rang inside her like a bell, and she knew that Uzumaki Naruto meant them wholeheartedly, and he would go to extreme lengths to keep his word. That was his ninja way.

Their ramen went untouched as they talked and laughed for a little while longer. He asked for the time and almost fell over backwards in shock. "I have to meet Hinata-chan in five minutes! I'll see you later, Sakura-chan! Be prompt tomorrow, or Baa-chan will be mad as hell!"

Sakura chuckled at the irony. He was something, all right.

Tsunade gazed at the ANBU assembled at her command with tired eyes. The elite, far greater than what she could have ever imagined, but still so young and killing at her command. They never hesitated to do anything for the Leaf. It was their honor to die for it.

The white eyes belonging to a Hyuuga stared at her from the far left. Hyuuga Neji.

The girl with the sharpest weapon accuracy sat next to him while sharpening a curious looking weapon. Tenten

A lazy looking jounin sat next to her, his eyes half closed and sighing every other minute. Nara Shikamaru.

The Hokage's number one apprentice watched her sensei very carefully with her emerald eyes. Haruno Sakura

The confident young shinobi with the dream of being the Sixth Hokage sat next to her, and for once, his face was serious and piercing. Uzumaki Naruto.

And the top taijutsu specialist of Kohana gazed at her with fire determination in his large black eyes. Rock Lee.

Tsunade cleared her throat. All ears listened carefully. "I have called this meeting because I expect that you will not back out of this mission. This is dangerous but I see that if this mission is not successful, the Leaf will be in great trouble. I have contemplated on each of your strengths and weaknesses, and decided that this team will be the best for this mission. There will be absolutely no room for failure."

Neji's eyes flashed curiously at her words. No room for failure?

She went on. "I have organized you six to take the mission of eliminating the two sole survivors of the Uchiha clan."

Sakura took a few minutes, trying to absorb Tsunade's words through her shock. The Uchihas…Itachi and Sasuke. They were to die under the Leaf's hand. She found it suddenly hard to breathe. Naruto's hand was squeezing hers beyond the point of letting circulation, but she didn't even notice. Her green eyes were wide mixed with emotions of both horror and despair. Kill Sasuke-kun!

Neji tensed beside Tenten, grasping the arms of his chair at the news. His face clouded in worry and anger at the bitter memories of five years ago. How he had almost died and caused Tenten not to eat in three days, just sitting by his side, waiting for him to get better. But he was glad. He finally got the chance to see that bastard die. He would make sure he suffered for everything he had done. No mercy would be shown and no grace would be given. Uchiha should just die now and make it easier for himself.

Shikamaru groaned inwardly. Damn, this is troublesome. I hope Naruto can control his temper this time.

Lee cast a dark, worried look to Sakura, who was sitting there in disbelief. Naruto was looking equally taken aback but rage started to swirl slowly in those cobalt orbs.

The blonde had actually never forgiven Sasuke from two years back, when the Uchiha heir refused to go back to the Leaf for the second time. No matter how much of a friendship they had before, it was shattered that day.

Sakura was there also, calling Sasuke's name over and over again, her face streaming with tears, as she begged him to come back again…come back to her, and she told him how hard it was living without him. But her pleas fell on deaf ears and the Sharingan user murdered her heart by sneering at her spitefully in words Lee still could not forget to this day:

"If it's so hard to live without me then just kill yourself. I'll see you in hell sooner or later." Sasuke insulted her dignity and honor, by telling her that she was not strong enough to live without him. That was never true. And hell was never a place where Sakura could go, because she was an angel…an angel that loved a demon so corrupted and black, that he would condemn her to the fiery pit where only evil dwelled.

Lee's hands bunched up in tight fists as he recalled those terrible memories. He clamped shut his eyes to calm himself down, but snapped open when the chair beside him was violently knocked over.

"Tsunade! You can't send Sakura to do this! Do you know what that bastard did to her that day! Do you! It will kill her see that shithead again! No! Sakura can't go! I—!"

The Hokage cut in. "I was already told of that, you baka! Sit down and listen to me!" Naruto was still shaking with rage, but Sakura pulled on his arm gently, motioning him to sit. The angry ninja grabbed his fallen chair and slammed himself down, crossing his arms and glaring at the Godaime.

Tsunade let out a tired sigh and when she spoke, her voice was soft and she looked directly into her rosy haired student. "I know you have been through a lot these past two years. You have grown in strength, skill, and heart since then. But Sasuke has grown also, although in different ways. He has multiplied in strength, his Sharingan powers are horrifying, and he has doubled his hatred for his brother. He left Orochimaru to seek his own way to his brother. The boy is still hell-bent on revenge. Itachi and his Akatsuki have destroyed numerous villages. They spare no one.

"But this mission will require a lot of thinking and planning. This is why I have assigned Haruno Sakura and Nara Shikamaru will be joining you. They will have to come up with some sort of plan that will have the ultimate goal of somehow pitting the two brothers against each other…till one dies. The other that remains standing will be eliminated by this ANBU team. Sakura will not even have to see Sasuke or Itachi but since she is a medic-nin, she will go with you to help heal injuries."

Sakura stood up. "Tsunade-sama, you know I can take care of myself and fight. You've taught me almost everything you know. I don't want to be just a medic-nin or a just a strategist. I want to take part in this mission…as an ANBU shinobi."

"Sakura-chan! You can't!" Naruto interrupted. She wheeled on him, glaring at him with pained, angry eyes.

"Can't I! Why not, Naruto? Are you afraid I'm just going to faint or start begging on my knees when I see him like I did two years ago! That—that bastard! I will fight him! I will be a part of this mission as ANBU. I earned my place here. You know it, Naruto. Emotions don't play any role in missions, right, Tsunade-sama?" Sakura gulped painfully and stilled her heart. "S-Sasuke-kun…doesn't mean anything to me anymore."

Silence was the only that existed in that room. Lee stood up. "I believe Sakura-san can do it. We all can. If we don't, Itachi will surely bring the Akatsuki here. Our Village needs our protection. We must do this, we must by setting aside our emotions and selfishness and simply complete this mission."

The others slowly nodded in agreement. Tsunade looked sternly at them. "Good, the mission will start two days from now at 0800 hours. You are dismissed."

Sasuke sat on the lowest branch of a tree while he sharpened his kunais. Ebony eyes, cold as steel, gazed lazily at the object in hand. Pressing his finger on the tip of it, he watched a droplet of blood ooze from the miniscule wound. Thin lips curled at one end to create a smirk very well known. The darkening day matched his mood. The Uchiha licked his blood off and put the kunai back in his holster. He stretched his long legs and well defined arms until a few satisfying cracks reached his ears.

"Sasuke-kun, what are you doing all alone?" A voice drawled from below.

The missing-nin saw the pale, hollow face of Orochimaru.

"I told you to leave me alone, Orochimaru." Sasuke said, jumping down from the tree. He began to walk away.

"Tell me what's bothering you, Sasuke-kun. Is it more power you seek?"

The Uchiha turned his head. "No,"

Cat-like eyes narrowed dangerously at the retreating figure. "If you walk away now, I will show you how I deal with deserters later."

A soft, resounding chuckled could be heard. "I look forward to it…Orochimaru-sama." His deep voice was full of sarcasm and scorn.

Darkness enveloped him and he disappeared from view. I will find you, Itachi. You will rue the day you decided to kill my family. Sasuke's eyes turned bloody red, three blades swirling madly around his pupils. The Sharingan was the ultimate weapon. No one would stand in his way.

Sakura was on her knees in front of him, interrupting a brief exchange of blows between Naruto and him. 'Sasuke-kun, please come back. Come back to me; come back to your friends! It's...it's so hard to live without you. Please, I would do anything!'

'If it's so hard to live without me, then just kill yourself. I'll see you in hell sooner or later.' His handsome face was twisted with malice and cruelty, mocking her with a voice that she longed to hear.

Her tears dripped from her face, as she stared at him in shock. 'W-what?'

'You are a weak piece of nothing. Why would I come back to something as pathetic as you?'

'You've gone too far, you bastard!' Naruto shouted from behind, his Rasengan ready and charged full blast.

He scoffed at the sudden memory. "What losers…I don't need them. I never needed them, ever. Especially her. I even forget her name now." That was a lie, though. He could never forget her. She loved him even then. But he never understood.

Haruno…Sakura…she told him five years ago that she loved him with all of her heart. He wondered if she still had a place for him somewhere in there. Sasuke laughed bitterly. "Thinking about her is dangerous territory, Uchiha. It's over. She's gone."

Sakura tiredly walked back to her apartment, thinking about the mission ahead. 'S-Sasuke-kun…doesn't mean anything to me anymore.' Did I truly mean that? She no longer got those jittery feelings whenever she thought about him, and she didn't miss him so much anymore. Unlocking her door and kicking off her shoes, the jounin walked in dropping her keys at her kitchen table and put on a kettle for some tea.

Plopping herself down on the couch, she sighed and rubbed her temple. The news hit her hard. Sasuke was a danger to Kohana and Itachi was an even worse threat. She had a duty to the village. No matter how attached she was to him before, those affections left her two years ago. Or had they? No matter how much she told herself that, there was an unmistakable feeling of longing for his presence to be beside her. It was an awful feeling.

Missing someone and longing for them were on different levels.

She heard the kettle whistle madly and she ran to turn off the stove. Making tea to soothe her mind, Sakura decided to hum. It always got her mind off of things. She had to rest up for the mission. It could be the last one she would ever be on. Sakura wouldn't dare mess this up.

Thinking about the mission, she started to plan. "Shikamaru is the main strategist. I think I should go call him. Maybe he's not feeling too lazy to get a head start on this mission."

Stretching her lithe figure, she called up the Nara residence. "Hello? Shikamaru, this is Haruno Sakura. I was thinking about the mission and wondered if you and I could get together and start on the plans and tactics…you will? Great, where can I meet you? Where? Choji's? Why? They have a place where you like to watch clouds at! …Ok, fine. I'll see you in about an hour then. Bye."

Sakura shook her head. "He likes to watch the clouds? Shikamaru is one odd duck."

Forty-five minutes later, Shikamaru was heading towards the Akimichi residence in a lazy gait with his hands shoved in his pockets. "Why does Sakura have to be so hard-working? I guess she likes to prepare in advance. How troublesome."

"Shika-kun, over here!" Someone shouted behind him.

Slowly turning around, his lazy brown eyes landed on Yamanaka Ino. "Yo," he said, taking the time to actually raise a hand in a wave to her.

"Where are you going?"

"Sakura wanted to start planning for our mission two days from now."

The blonde looked thoughtful. "Ah, don't forget our date tonight! I'll see you later, Shika-kun!" She said, waving behind her shoulder while she skipped away.

Shikamaru sighed. "Today is a busy day. What did I do to deserve this?" He pleaded to the sky, as if it held the answers to his problems.

Sakura saw the tall, lanky shinobi as she walked to her destination. "Shikamaru!" She ran to catch up with him. "You ready? I really don't have any place to start. I asked Tsunade-sama where Uchiha Itachi was currently located, and she said near in the Mist Village. The other Uchiha's location is not yet known. She informed me that she sent a few scouts looking for him."

Shikamaru nodded and stretched. "Sasuke left the Sound to venture on his own two years ago, when he found out that Orochimaru was keeping secrets from him. No one knows where he ran off to. Frankly, I don't care, but now his whereabouts are crucial for our mission." He took out a map from his jounin vest. Spreading it out on where they were sitting, he point to a certain area. "Here, is the Sound. If Itachi is here, Mist, then logically speaking, Sasuke would go southwest to engage him. Correct?" Sakura nodded. The tactician continued, "but since scouts haven't seen him near there, Sasuke is probably in this middle area between them. But what I don't understand is, if Sasuke is so bent on avenging his clan, why didn't he try to kill Itachi by now?"

Sakura was silent. "Maybe he doesn't know Itachi is there." She breathed softly, staring at the map. "Sasuke could be looking for him. This is impossible. He could be anywhere by now!"

Shikamaru glanced at the girl beside him. "C'mon, we can do this, right, Sakura? Don't get so frustrated now. Do you have anything you do when you get frustrated or stuck?"

Sakura tapped the side of her head. "I like to pace. It helps with the stress."

"All right, then just pace around. I'll think, too. Two heads are better than one and it's less troublesome."

The two jounins did their individual thinking processes. One sat down with the fingertips of each finger touching each other while the other paced up and down, slender brows furrowed in deep concentration.

Minutes flew by, then soon hours passed.

Abruptly, the two of them looked at each other and cried at the same time, "I got it!"

Author's Notes: There it is. Long work. I very much hope you enjoyed it. The story will start taking bigger, wilder, faster twists soon! I hope you look forward to them. I look forward to writing them. Keep reviewing, please! I've had some requests for Itachi x Sakura. I still don't know how it's fully going to turn out.