Akatsuki no Sakura

Rating: PG-13 for language, sexual implications (later on) and graphic violence

Category: Romance/Angst/Action

Pairings: SasuSaku, ItaSaku, a little NaruHina

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. All I own are this computer,my music andmy AMVs... YAY

Chapter Four: Akatsuki's Mirage

As Sakura and the others went off to some other section of the forest, Sasuke was left with Kisame and Itachi. Sasuke's Sharingan now had the three pupils that Itachi's had, but he had not acheived the Mangekyou Sharingan yet, as he had long ago abandoned his plan to kill Naruto to acheive it. So here it was, Sasuke's second chance to avenge his clan, and he was not about to lose it. His brother was as calm as ever, and his face was still and emotionless, save a little smirk he still held from when Sakura was still next to him. Itachi was ready for him, he had a few of those Uchiha controlled wires up his sleeves, not to mention several dozen kunai.

Sasuke swiftly unsheathed his katana, and rushed at Itachi. Itachi closed his eyes and easily dodged the attack, but Sasuke wasn't headed for him. He spun around in time to see Sasuke leap in the air and plunge his beautiful, silver blade into Kisame's chest, despite the shark-nin's efforts to block him. Kisame was powerful, but slow, and it cost him dearly for not training in speed as much as in aim and power. Sasuke fiercely pulled back his blade, making Kisame's limp body lurch forward with its momentum. He wheeled around and swept his sword at Itachi's waist. Itachi easily dodged it, but his mind suddenly took a dangerous turn. Itachi couldn't help but notice that this was very much like one of his recent sparring matches with Sakura, and he remembered very well the way she swept at his waist with a roundhouse kick, and the way her body curved in a graceful arc to avoid his sweep kick counterattack to her face. They had been sparring in the hot springs, so each of them only had a towel on, and one of the main objects of the match was to keep your towel on and get the other's towel off (of course Itachi came up with this, naughty naughty Itachi!). He was so distracted in the thought of Sakura when he knocked her into the water and got her towel off, he didn't notice that Sasuke had swung up with his scabbard as Itachi was in the air. He quickly flipped backwards and narrowly avoided being hit in the ribs with a scabbard. Sasuke smirked at his older brother's antics.

"Going soft, are we, Itachi?" Sasuke hissed the words coldly, but Itachi didn't flinch. It was the same tone he himself had used so many times- most often with Sakura, for she was the only one that lived when he spoke to her like that. If he had spoken with that venemous hiss to anybody else, they would have been dead within the blink of an eye. Itachi simply smirked at him.

"No, I was merely reminded of someone with that last move of yours. Quite pitiful, Sasuke, that was too easy to see." Sasuke glared at him with his blood-colored Sharingan.

"Then why did I almost hit you?" Itachi closed his eyes and his smirk widened. Sasuke began to slowly step towards his brother, sword held in position, ready to flash through the air like lightning.

"Simply because I was thinking about that little kunoichi. She's mine now, Sasuke, face it. She might have been yours, once, but you refused her. I've seen her buried memories, and you had hurt her beyond your comprehension. Oh yes," he added, opening his eyes and looking Sasuke straight in the eyes. "It had been more than just a foolish crush, Sasuke, that girl actually cared for you, more than anything else. Why else would she have argued with you that day?" Sasuke's step faltered and he stopped. Itachi's smirk lessened a little as Sasuke became deathly serious, with a voice that could freeze Hell over.

"Sakura is not yours. She never was yours to begin with, and no, she was not mine either. I knew what I was doing to her, and I thought I enjoyed it- the thought of her crying at home because I had rejected her again and again replaced my memories of you, so I kept on killing her slowly, and it helped a little. I became addicted to her pain and sorrow, and I would listen to her sobs every night and I loved it. It helped me bury my own thoughts and violent fantasies... but she became more than just a drug I could addict myself to. That day that she left, I was trying to get her to cry for me again, but I think..." Sasuke's eyes darkened and he lowered his head. Itachi tilted his head in mock curiosity as that oh-so-lovable smirk returned. "You think...?" he taunted, waiting to hear Sasuke's answer. Maybe he could use it against him...

Sasuke's hand began to glow a faint blue, as his Chakra left his body and formed around his hand. "I think I was just trying to keep Sakura for myself a little longer, so that I could tell her why I had done what I did and apologize for it all." His Chakra grew fast, so that it looked like lightning. This was part of what Sakura had taught him... how to focus his Chakra and mold it so that he didn't need to perform seals. "But you..." Sasuke's voice grew more feral, and far more angry. His head slowly lifted to look at Itachi, who was no longer smirking.

"You stole her away from me!" Sasuke rushed at his brother, the Chidori growing bigger and bigger until it engulfed his whole body. Itachi managed to dodge Sasuke's assault of claw-thrusts, but his Chakra was wearing down fast, and he couldn't figure out why. It was then that he realized that Sasuke had developed his Chidori far beyond Kakashi's level... he had modified it so that it absorbed the enemy's Chakra and added to his own. Itachi was actually worried; he had never faced an opponent of this calibre, except for Sakura. She had a few original Chakra-absorbing jutsus of her own, but he had learned over time how to block them out and guard his Chakra, but against Sasuke's new Chidori... he wouldn't last long. Itachi gritted his teeth as he gathered his remaining Chakra into his palm Rasengan-style for his Naien Gyakushuu, and ran towards Sasuke as Sasuke ran towards him. Sasuke aimed his Chidori for Itachi's chest while Itachi aimed for Sasuke's stomach. Both attacks connected at full force with their targets, blowing the two Uchiha away from each other.

Both men hit the ground hard, the only things that stopped them form skidding further away were the trees that they eventually slammed into. Itachi managed to pull himself into a sitting position, breathing heavily, clutching his chest. Already he could feel the blood slowly filling his lungs, and he didn't have anough Chakra left to perform any medical jutsus on himself.. he would just have to wait until Sakura came back, or the ANBU found him.

Several yards away from Itachi, Sasuke lay on the ground, fighting to stay conscious. He did manage to say something before he passed out, though.

"Come back, Sakura..."

Naien Gyakushuu- obviously something I came up with. It literally means "Inner flame counterattack"

Sekhimet: I am SOO SORRY I haven't updated in so long! -bows- I was waiting for my other computer that actually has the chapters all written out, but since I got such wonderful reviews, I decided to just start over. -sigh- but thank you for waiting so patiently! I really appreciate it! Oh, I forgot to answer your reviews...

kai013: Thanks! You're my first reviewer! -hug-

pocky no miko: I LOVE YOUR STORIES! I AM SOO GLAD THAT YOU REVIEWED MINE! -glomp- Definately! Itachi/Sakura LIVES ON!

x Lindsay x: She does kick ass, doesn't she? I love the new Sakura. As for being forgiven, you'll see... the good and the bad are coming up!

chisio no hime: YAY I'm so glad you like it! This is my first fic ever, so.. enjoy!

Scarred Marrionett: interesting? You think so?

emir: Well, I finally updated! have fun! I'll try to update again soon...

little haruno sakura: thank you! i actually am beginning to like where this is going...

xx-Tsumi-chan-xx: You likie the fight scene? I hope so! Yeah, poor Hinata...

sesshomaruwuzhere: Wow, you're actually celebrating her death? Okay... oh and sorry but I know for a fact that the slug's name isn't Gamakichi, because Gamakichi is the name of Gamabunta's (Boss Toad's) son. Yes I know Naruto is a guy, he just has pretty eyes. Those yaoi fanfictions do make him too girly. Ick. Well, if you like Sasuke and Sakura that much, this is mainly ItaSaku but it has a LOT of SasuSaku in it.

Thanks again to all my readers! I really appreciate the reviews! Oh and if you have any suggestions for the story, let me know and I'll try to put it in. If you guys like ItaSaku, keep on reading. It's coming to ya.. and when it does, it's going to be MAJOR! SasuSaku fans... also coming up! There will be a tasty chunk of SasuSaku to complement the ItaSaku, so happy reading! NaruSaku fans... just let me know how you want this pairing to fit in, I'll try to work it in there- I'm very flexible and open to feedback, so go ahead and let me know if you want to see something in the story, okay? Until next time, owari!