The following week that Sakura spent in the company of the Akatsuki went by much like the first day. Sakura found that it was easier for her to nap through the day in short intervals to avoid the nightmares of her lost past. Not to mention that at night she was simply unable to sleep - she'd be wide awake from sundown to sunrise. She even wondered if it had something to do with the mental damage she was starting to recover from.

The headquarters for Akatsuki usually remained empty, save herself and Deidara; Kisame vanished for most of the day and, often, Deidara for the night. When Sakura was alone she'd while the hours away sitting in the den area or outside training on the wooden platform beside the building. They were surrounded by dense forestry and Sakura was never able to guess exactly where they were. So she'd given up trying to figure out. (Deidara and Kisame just fixed her with an intense stare whenever she asked.) Deidara left halfway during each day and would return with food for Sakura, and what she didn't eat would be eaten by the other two in the evening.

They did have one visitor, however. It happened when Sakura had been, like on most mornings, going through her usual katana routines before starting with kunai drills. She'd turned to bring the sword in an uppercut and found herself face-to-face with the man Deidara explained later was Sasori. He would've looked like any other guy her age if he hadn't caught her sword with a huge scorpion-like tail that extended from behind him.

They'd stared at each other for a full minute before he held out his hand, in which was a paper bag. He'd let go of her sword, which she immediately sheathed and bowed in apology before taking the bag with a squeak of thanks. He simply nodded and with that, he turned and walked back into the building. Sakura recorded it as being the longest time she'd ever held her breath. The creepiest thing about that encounter was that she still didn't know whether he was still there or had departed.

During late-night dinner/breakfasts the trio would sit in the same formation around the table as the first time they had: Kisame and Deidara next to each other with his halberd lying behind them and Sakura on the other side. She'd learned much of them, yet little at the same time. Deidara would often turn to his fascination with art until Kisame threatened to lop his head off with 'Samehada.' When they weren't arguing about what art was they were asking her endless questions about herself. In fact, she thought wryly, they only thing they probably didn't know was the number of hairs on her head. What little she knew she'd tell without a problem, and they answered what little they could.

She'd learned that Deidara had mouths in both of his hands, and that he manipulated clay. He demonstrated with an exploding puppet that took out seven trees on the edge of the training platform, and with a fully flight-capable bird. Kisame simply showed her the power of his sword Samehada by taking out eleven more trees; then Deidara, jealous that Kisame had downed more trees than he, went to the other side and blew up almost thirty trees.

Briefly she wondered if there was still smoke coiling skyward.

"Could you hand me the rice…yeah?" Deidara asked her. She slid the bowl across the table to him. He quickly snatched it and helped himself to it. It was the first time they'd had something other than sushi (they still had some on the table for Kisame) and they were enjoying it while it lasted. This night it was just Sakura and Deidara, since Kisame hadn't returned from whatever he did during the day. Sakura drank down the broth of her ramen and set her bowl down, content. "That was a nice change from sushi." Deidara grinned and nodded.

"Deidara…" She said slowly, in the tone indicative of a serious question. Deidara paused mid-chew. "I was told that Orochimaru left Akatsuki because he was afraid of Itachi-san…Is that true?" Deidara took the opportunity to chew his food while thinking on his answer. Sakura waited patiently; she was used to this pattern. They always had to think their answers through to be certain that they didn't cross any invisible lines and accidentally disclose information that was confidential.

"That's what we think…yeah." He said, finally. "He was obsessed with immortality…yeah. We guess he wanted the power of the Sharingan to get stronger…and maybe the Sharingan could make it easier for his body-transfer process…yeah. Hey, do you know how to use it at all?" Sakura blinked and cocked an eyebrow. "No, I don't…Kakashi tried to explain it to me but I never had the opportunity to practice it…" Deidara laughed. "That's our fault…yeah?" She nodded and grinned.

I never even thought about that… She pondered, If I go back to Konoha I must ask Kakashi to teach me about the Sharingan. Immediately she squashed a little voice in her head that screamed, Ask Itachi! Hell no…He'd probably kill me. He knows more than that old geezer! the inner voice whined. Oh, shut up. We don't know how much of a trouble we're causing to these guys. And when he gets back with… She refused to say his name, for fear of choking up, Kyuubi inside of him and…whatever becomes of…I'll be dismissed.

It never occurred to her exactly what they would do with her once their task was complete. By dismissed, would she be sent off on her way or killed since she was no longer of use? She shuddered, but couldn't bring herself to ask Deidara. She didn't think she wanted to know the answer.

"I can't really picture Itachi-san teaching you…" Deidara said slowly, "But it wouldn't hurt to ask…yeah?"

The voice in the back of her head cheered, Hell yeah! I'm likin' this guy!

"He wouldn't want to teach me," :She blurted out quickly, "When he gets Naruto's Biju I'm going to be killed off anyways, aren't I?" Deidara looked at her, shocked. "Killed off…?" Then his expression grew very serious, almost deadly. "Contrary to popular belief, we Akatsuki do, in fact, have a sense of honor, Sakura-san." His voice was sharp, and the lack of 'yeah' at the end made him even scarier. Sakura trembled and looked down.

"I'm sorry, Deidara…It's just…" She faltered. Just what? That she was afraid of dying? Well, of course - who wants to die! But in the chaos of her life being here had given her some order, some semblance of a way of life. She didn't know anything else outside of it. What would she do if she went back to Konoha? To the people that she would cause pain because she would look into their eyes and not know their name when she should…She swallowed hard. I don't want to go there. She thought. Everybody there's just a missing piece of the puzzle of my mind, and all the pieces have been thrown in the fire.

Deidara still stared at her, but the intensity and anger had been replaced with a solemn curiosity. "You don't wanna go back to your village…yeah?" She bit her lip, thinking of the consequences of answering, then shook her head. Deidara nodded and they sat in the uncomfortable silence that followed. Sakura fought back a sudden welling of tears. God, how weak is this? She scolded herself. I know I can't stay here. When Itachi gets back he'll send me off or take me back…All I can do is either stay there or leave on my own. And I don't think I can bear staying there…

Deidara finally cut the silence. "Do you have any special abilities?" He'd finished his rice and had cluttered their dirty bowls onto a corner of the table. Sakura furrowed her eyebrows. "Not that I remember." Deidara paused, then smacked his forehead. "Right…yeah."

"I was trained as a medic-nin, according to Kakashi. He said that I was trained by Tsunade."

Deidara blinked. A moment of silence. "As in the Sannin? Current Hokage Tsunade…yeah?" Not sure where he was going with this she simply nodded. To her surprise, he whistled. "Not bad…yeah. I should've known…Surprise surprise…yeah. No wonder you've got excellent chakra control…yeah. Then again, that would explain the mediocre taijutsu…Heh." He caught her chopstick easily before it embedded in his eye. "Point proven," she laughed.

Both Sakura and Deidara jumped as the outside shoji door was thrown open to reveal Kisame, sporting a large body over his shoulder. Sakura got to her feet. "What's wrong, Kisame?" She asked immediately. Kisame shook his head and pulled the body off his shoulder. Sakura gasped. Itachi!

Deidara walked over as Kisame set Itachi's prone body on the green couch. "What happened to him?" He asked in a low, urgent tone. Sakura didn't miss the glance in her direction. "I'll explain later," he replied. "Itachi-san's used up a lot of his chakra trying to get control of Kyuubi…"

"Damn…Nothing we can do…Hnh."

Sakura moved next to Deidara and looked down at Itachi's face. It had never occurred to her that Itachi could actually be weakened; that must've been what was the most surprising to her at the moment. Her honed senses saw red chakra radiating slowly off his skin. Her mind reeled. This must mean Naruto's…She bit her lip to force back another wave of tears. "He's losing control…" She whispered. Deidara and Kisame, who had been hastily whispering to each other, turned to stare at her. "Huh?" asked Kisame, confused.

Deidara's face took on an expression of understanding. "You can see it…yeah?" She nodded. "His chakra's being overcome by the Kyuubi's…" As if to emphasize the severity of her observation Itachi's whole body shuddered. All her other thoughts stopped. If he remains unconscious he's going to die.

She moved toward his head and her face hovered over his. "Itachi…?" She whispered. Deidara and Kisame watched her, unable to find anything to do and unsure of what she planned to do. "Sakura?" Deidara queried, but she quickly waved a hand to silence him. "Itachi-san," she repeated, "You won't gain control over it if you remain unconscious." Tentatively, her hand gripped his shoulder. After being sure that he was unconscious, she quickly tugged open the dusty Akatsuki cloak. She focused her chakra into her palms and pressed them against his chest, forcing her chakra into his body.

For a moment she thought it hadn't worked and started pulling more to her hands when one of his hands flew up and caught her forearm in a grip tight enough that she actually heard the bone snap in half. She gasped at the pain. Kisame moved forward to pull her away.

She looked up to his face, and Itachi's eyes snapped open. She could see the Sharingan but the whites of his eyes were replaced with blood-red. She shivered in terror. Kyuubi…

"Where is Itachi?" She asked the conscience of the Kyuubi. She kept her eyes locked on his. Her response was a feral growl that turned the blood in her veins to ice. "Show me Itachi." She demanded, but her voice quivered at the end. Itachi's body sat up and hurled her across the room and she hit the wall with a sickening crunch. Before she even cried out the Kyuubi had moved across the room and pinned her there with a clawed hand, choking her.

"Show me Itachi!" She said again. She prayed her theory worked as she drew more chakra to her eyes.

Show me Itachi.

For a brief moment she saw everything stop. Kisame, running toward her, had frozen in the air. Next to him, Deidara, pulling clay together into one of his exploding puppets. Then her vision swam and the sight before her eyes melted and re-formed itself. Now, the colors of her location was inverted - her hand before her had turned black.

Holy hell…I did it!

She pushed aside her brief moment of victory and took in her surroundings. There was nothing around her, but in front of her was an open gate, and on the ground…

"Itachi!"

She ran over and kneeled down beside the still form of the actual Itachi. You'd better not die…She thought to herself. You killed Naruto for this, this is what you wanted, you fool! She rolled his body over so that he was facing her and did the same thing she'd done before; she sent a wave of chakra into the body through her hands. After several seconds of waiting, she pushed another wave of chakra into his form.

It seemed to be enough. Slowly, Itachi's eyes opened. He looked up at her, and she sighed, though out of relief or exasperation she wasn't sure. "I can't believe I'm doing this," She said, getting back to her feet. "How can I find the Kyuubi?" She asked him, watching him get slowly to his feet. Even in a state of near-unconsciousness his movements were smooth and lithe. Bastard… She thought, Take your time, there's only a crazed demon on the loose in here.

"I will find it." He said simply. Sakura growled and whirled around so her back was facing him. "Don't be humble," she snapped, "You're not that great. You have almost no chakra left, anyways - you'll just die." She almost slapped herself for insulting Itachi; he was the stronger one, and he wouldn't hold back if he wanted to kill her. She froze, expecting him to stab her or something.

"Focus the chakra into your eyes, and make your demand."

She nodded. Her mouth had gone dry. He's actually helping me. He's helping me to help him.

Hell yeah! This punk is gonna OWE us good! The voice in her head screamed. She took a deep breath and did as he instructed. Her eyes shot open and she said into the silence, "Show yourself, Kyuubi."

Silence. "Wha…?"

"Use more chakra." Itachi said calmly, showing no hint of panic or irritation. In fact, he almost sounded amused. She turned and glared at him, just to make sure he wasn't smirking. "Sharingan is extremely complex and taxing for one unaccustomed to its use."

Now she knew he was doing it to irritate her. She scoffed and turned her back to him again. She focused as much chakra as she safely could into her eyes, then opened them and said a second time, "Show yourself, Kyuubi." Again, silence. She almost stomped her foot. "I did not come here trying to save your ass, right after you kill off one of my former friends, just to get shown up like this!" She growled. She turned, intent on giving Itachi a piece of her mind, but found that rather than looking at her he was gazing intently to the side.

Why you--! Sakura raged. The nerve of this man!

Then their surroundings shook. And in front of Itachi materialized the monstrous form of the Kyuubi. Sakura instantly fell into a defensive stance, but was surprised to see the nine-tailed fox take a calm seat before them. "Well, look who's awake." The enormous demon said. "Just when that brat was beginning let me use my chakra…And his pink-haired little friend here to help you, even. I wouldn't have thought you the betraying sort…Sakura."

Sakura, stung by the words, looked away. "I…" She couldn't find a way to justify herself. Had she really betrayed him?

"You can't just go rampaging around like that!" She said, trying to veer away from the subject of her. Itachi had silently turned and faced her. "Lend me your chakra," he stated, devoid of all emotion. She stared incredulously at him. "For what?" She responded skeptically. Itachi jerked his head in the fox's direction. "Seal." Hesitantly, she nodded and turned her palms toward him, pouring the rest of her chakra to him. She reserved for herself just enough to return from the hypnosis-induced dimension. When she drew her hands away he turned and walked toward the gate.

"You can't seal me," the fox said matter-of-factly. "The Hokage had to sacrifice his life in order to seal me, and neither of you have enough chakra to perform a jutsu of that magnitude. What do you possibly think you can do?" Sakura looked to Itachi for an answer, but gaped.

He was standing on the other side of the gate, and had shut it on himself. The seal wasn't in place, but the door itself was difficult enough to shut that he'd used up a fair amount of the chakra just to shut it. He would have enough to open it back up. "I did not say the seal was intended for the Kyuubi." He said simply. Sakura gasped. "You…"

"What a turn of tables for the traitor," The fox said cheerfully. Sakura didn't even hear him. "You intended to let him take over the whole time…?" Itachi looked at her, his perfectly emotionless face still. "Leader will need the ring from her, Kyuubi. That is my price." The fox nodded and stood, stepping toward Sakura. She took a step back. "Ring?"

"Orochimaru's ring for your body…Very well." Sakura's feeling of shock and hurt changed into one of pure loathing. She turned to Itachi. "You…" He calmly lifted a hand and brushed a stray hair out of his face. She still glared at his red eyes through his contrasted black hand.

Whoa…Wait a second. Alarm bells exploded in her mind.

She fell to her knees, the shock finally overcoming her. "You -- I can't believe you, Itachi! I..." Her statement was replaced with a scream of painas the Kyuubi's mouth closed on her arm, the teeth ripping into her shoulder and fingers. Her free hand went to her kunai pouch and she swung her fist in the demon's direction. It jerked its head and shredded her arm, then its grip released before the kunai was embedded into its nose. She lurched forward, clutching the shredded remnant of her arm.She didn't have enough chakra left in her to heal it. The Kyuubi spit the blood out of its mouth, and a shiny, gleaming something landed on the ground in the puddle of blood with a clank.

It's that ring!

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

Sakura shook her head and sat up after the explosion. The tears on her cheeks had burned away in the heat given off by the explosion. She couldn't see Sasuke anywhere. She blinked several times, trying to adjust her eyes - no, Sasuke's eyes. She opened her clenched fist and stared down at the object in her palm. "A ring..." She said slowly. What should she do with it? She looked at the kanji. "Kuchin...The Void." ...Orochimaru's...? If Sasuke needed me to keep this...What could make it so important? It's just a ring.

Still...

Once again, she summoned more chakra to her right hand, forming it into a scalpel. "I'll put it where nobody can find it...Sasuke." A tear fell from her eyes and splattered on her forearm, where the point of her scalpel hovered for an apprehensive moment...

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

"Ah...Thank you, Kyuubi. I would not have guessed the location without your assistance. I have no more need of you." Itachi's voice drew her out of the flashback. She looked up from her still position on the ground to look at him. Even though he was talking to the fox, his eyes were focused on her. As in on her. Her eyes widened. What is he...What's he talking about? Apparently, the Kyuubi was thinking the same. "Is that your way of dismissing me, Uchiha Itachi?"

"No," he said, "This is my way of sealing you." Sakura grinned. Kyuubi was too busy basking in his own glory to see that Itachi had been forming seals under his cloak. By the time the Kyuubi's grin-like snarl was gone from his face, Itachi had completed the seals and suddenly Sakura found herself kneeling not next to Kyuubi but by Itachi himself. Kyuubi, likewise, had been swapped and was now behind the closed gate. "You traitorous--" Enraged, the demon fox lunged toward the gate. Itachi ran forward, forming more seals. His hands pressed against the closed gate just as the Kyuubi crashed into it--Sakura squeezed her eyes shut.

And was greeted by silence.

She opened her eyes to find that Itachi was now the only thing in front of her; the gate had vanished. Sealed away. She sighed. Damnit...Now I'm too tired and relieved to be angry at him. "You could have warned me, you know." She growled, clutching her arm. She looked down to the ring, paused, and picked it up in her good hand. Trembling, she rotated it so the kanji faced her guiltily in the inverted light. The Void. What purpose does this ring serve? She looked up to Itachi again. I have some questions for you when we're back...Itachi-san.

"The damage is only here. End your illusion now." Sakura nodded. "Alright." She got to her feet and shook her head. She focused the last of her chakra to her eyes. With them closed she didn't see the intense look the Uchiha gave her, observing her. Her eyes opened and she turned to him with a blank expression.

"What do I say to end this?"

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

Wow, Sakura reflected later that night, I hope I never, ever have to do that again. She looked exasperatedly over to the wall, where a nice big caved-in spot marked the part she had caved in when Itachi/Kyuubi threw her. She hadn't budged from the couch since Deidara had placed her there. I've gotta save up enough chakra to heal my broken arm...AND examine my back! Stupid fox... Her expression sombered. Naruto...Are you really gone? A sudden stab of pain overcame her chest. "Ah..." She groaned. "Must have broken a rib, too..." Oh, who am I kidding... A single tear slid down from her red eye. It's my fault Naruto's dead...I'm sorry, Naruto...Should I have left Konoha at all? Briefly she was overcome with a sense of anguish.

I don't belong anywhere anymore.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

Several hours later, she opened her eyes to see Itachi sitting at the table a few feet away. He was watching her. Very intensely. Neither of them said anything for several minutes, but inside she was rambling senselessly. Wonder what he plans to do with me now...Wait! I'm not needed anymore - is he getting ready to kill me? Aw, crap...Or maybe he's pissed off about those insults I threw at him; if I survive I better learn to watch my mouth! I really really hope he doesn't kill me...No, Deidara said that they're above that sort of barbaric behavior. Then again, what value could I be to anybody anymore? No, stay away from those kinds of thoughts. You were trained by Tsunade, Sakura! You're better at your focal point than any other medic-nin. Hey...How is it that I remember my training? Ah, it doesn't matter anymore - I've got it, so I'll use it. So long as I survive this encounter...

"Where is the ring?" His voice was as smooth and calculating as ever. Just like the intense glare. Flawless. Punk. She thought idly.

You would do well not to insult me while you are injured, Sakura-san. Now where is the ring?

Sakura sat up abruptly. "Whoa...Itachi-san, the LAST thing I need is you in my head. PLEASE stay out of my head."

Itachi's eyes narrowed and she stiffened. There is enough empty space in your 'head' to house my own.

Urgh! Just stay out of my head, damnit!

The feeling is mutual, Sakura-san. I did not activate this, nor have I knowledge of stopping it.

"You've gotta be shitting me." She said, accidentally out loud rather then in her mind. She gasped and brought her good hand to her mouth. Ack!

The slightest, very slightest, of smirks graced Itachi's normally-pursed lips. "I do not consider myself the amusing sort." He said flatly. He stood and walked quietly over to her, kneeling down next to the couch in the same graceful way that he sat or stood or walked. Eeeehhhh... Sakura mentally groaned, halway out of terror. Was this it? Was this where he'd end her life? She saw his hands move over her chest and saw his chakra gathering and manifesting there. She took a slow, deep breath and closed her eyes. She felt his hands press lightly on her arm and winced slightly when she felt the broken bone shift and moved back into formation, then molded itself back together again.

Her heart started pounding. He was healing her? The pain in her arm was replaced with a comforting warm sensation, and his hands moved over her again. "Turn over." He said. After a hesitant moment, she complied, and he pressed his hands against her back. The warmth could almost lull her to sleep if she wasn't still wary of Itachi. She'd realized by now that even though Akatsuki was a dangerous and extremely powerful organization, they were not like the corrupt criminals that shinobi faced on a daily basis. For a brief moment a smile flickered across her face. If she could go back in time and decide to stay in Konoha, she wouldn't do it. Even though Naruto was dead because of her...

No. She wouldn't have missed this to remake old friends. She didn't know if Kisame or Deidara considered her a friend, but she certainly wouldn't have known such contentness, be it here or in Konoha

"You may turn around now." When Sakura did, Itachi was still kneeling beside her, and seeing his face so close to hers made her stomach flip just a few times. It was her first real closeup view of him, so now she noted the prominent lines on his face and the expression of severity it gave him. She also notice the pursed line of his lips, but most of all she was drawn to his Sharingan eyes, so similar to her own. So similar to Sasuke's. Even though she could think of Sasuke as a brother, she couldn't bring herself to think of the man before her as a brother as well. He was as far from that in her mind asnight was from day.

"Ano...Thank you, Itachi." She said softly, tentatively. Itachi's response was an almost imperceptible nod. In a sudden, uncharacteristic gesture one of his hands gently, almost tenderly, laid against the side of her face. Stunned and terrified, Sakura didn't move. "When I first looked into your eyes..." He said. His voice had lowered but was still as perfectly even as ever. "All I saw was the echoing remnant of Sasuke." He let the silence hang between them for a few moments. His statement wasn't necessary, as most of his usually were, but he still thought it through carefully.

"Sasuke was not able to harness the power of the Sharingan on his first attempt. You..." His voice paused and his breath hovered in his lungs for a moment. "You are not my brother. And yet, you are stronger without theneedfor hatred. That, perhaps, is where I went wrong as his brother." Sakura inhaled slowly, realizing that her breath had hitched in her throat.

"Good night, Sakura."

He stood suddenly and turned so his cloaked back was facing her. She watched his back recede as he walked with deliberate slowness and grace to the wing that the rooms were. You are made out to be a monster to the rest of the world... She thought. I see now how mistaken they are. You, and your comrades, simply have goals they do not approve of, and you have a higher sense of honor. In the intensity of the moment Sakura had forgotten of their presence in each other's minds; her words were not missed inside of Itachi's. She smiled. "Good night, Itachi."

Her cheek was still warm where his hand had rested.

-/-/-/-/-/-/

Don't worry, people - I don't intend to end it here. It almost sounds like it could be an end, but...no. I must write more! So...Sakura's able to forgive herself for killing Naruto (which she didn't do anyway, so...) and - oh, look at that - Itachi didn't take what he'd originally been there for: Orochimaru's ring! -gasp- What is the cause of her inability to sleep at night, anyways? And what will become of her presence among the Akatsuki?

That will be revealed in the next chapter.