'What is that?' Sasuke gripped the arms of his chair with such force the wood splintered beneath his fingers.
Sakura sat dumbfounded. 'No! That isn't….. It couldn't be…. He wouldn't.' she struggled with the idea that her son was now in front of her after so many years.
"It is not him." She told herself firmly yet soft enough that Sasuke wouldn't pick up on it.
"Um Sasuke I'll be back in a second." She murmured as he waved his hand to show he heard.
"Hey, wait!" she cringed he couldn't suspect anything.
Her hand had been snatched by him pulling her close to him; she felt his warm soft lips against her. "Sorry in advance if I seem a little stand off-ish."
He smirked as he watched her walk out of the box slightly flushed.
His head turned back to the arena to see Rei standing in the middle yawning. "Cocky brat isn't he." He muttered darkly.
"Rei! Give it a brake! I think he's going to pass out with exhaustion!" Sasuke heard that same voice that had mocked Corin earlier.
He watched as the boy simply flicked his wrist causing the substance to crack like a whip atop Corin's head, knocking him out.
"That's it Rei!" the boy smiled ruefully at the unknown figure.
"Who the hell is that!" he yelled angrily at the closest person who just happened to by Shikamaru.
"Troublesome as always eh, Sasuke?" to the others evident anger.
"Well its obvious is all I'm saying."
"Just answer the damn question." He muttered darkly.
After letting out an exaggerated sigh he spoke, "The Shadow Leader."
Sasuke suddenly remembered that the direction pointing to the spot set aside for him was in that general area. He back tracked heading up to see if he could, at the very least, get that idiot to shut up!
Sakura remember full well the day she had created that fatal attraction. He always told her it was her fault for being so alluring.
Flash Back
"We've got another one." The two Akatsuki members hollered as they carried a struggling Sakura up the passage way.
"Damn it! Where is Nauto! She roared.
"Oh that, yeah that was a trap for Sasuke, not you.
To bad we have to kill you. Okay I lied I'll enjoy every second of this." The leader of the group had cackled.
Itachi appeared in the back ground looking bored as usual.
That was until he saw Sakura struggling angrily but to no avail. "I could trade you your life if you trick your two comrades here." He smiled slyly.
There leader always pulled that one.
Itachi found the ones who accepted cowards, the ones who didn't, loyal bastards with no sense of well being, he couldn't be pleased.
But he was shocked when Sakura stood tall, everything about her straight and stiff as a board.
"I will not only not tell you but I will show you what I think of you and your little deal." She spat upon the ground before digging it into the dirt with the heel of her toe.
Itachi stared, entranced.
He stepped forward to the chuckling leader.
"Let me take her off your hands. I'll teach her some respect, make her suffer." He whispered coolly, all the while transfixed.
After receiving a thoughtful nod as reply, the two released her to Itachi.
He grabbed her roughly as he pulled her along thrusting her into a cell.
"Food will be here soon. Rest up you have a long day tomorrow." Was all he said.
Suddenly her fist came in contact with the rough stone surrounding her.
The next morning
Sakura was suddenly being shaken gruffly by an unfamiliar figure.
All of yesterday's events suddenly came crashing down on her as she set up staring into the onyx black eyes she usually connected to Sasuke.
"Get up. We're training." He grabbed her collar and pulled her along with him towards an open arena.
"Get ready." He hollered as he disappeared and a new shorter figure appeared.
He ran right and left attacking at odd angles.
Sakura defended herself with ease.
Itachi, try as he may, couldn't stop the awe that surrounded his features.
Lucky for him he was alone in the spectators' box.
Over the course of several days, each day Sakura growing stronger and stronger at an alarming rate.
So did something else.
A strange feeling had begun to develop in the two.
Sakura was sitting pondering the feeling in her new room, all thoughts of home long since pushed away.
She threw a pillow at the wall with such force causing it to dint in frustration.
"Don't." Itachi spoke sternly.
But Sakura could see the slight humor that always lingered in his eyes when he was around her.
She had seen his eyes when he didn't know she was lurking.
All feeling and emotions that so clearly dominated his face in her presence were completely hidden.
Or, completely gone.
He strode over to her sitting down lightly next to her.
"I'm going to have to do this before it's to late." He spoke mostly to himself than her.
He leaned close to her contrasting his usual stand alone attitude.
He grabbed her hand, pressing his lips hard onto hers.
She was shocked, but couldn't resist the temptation to kiss back.
It may be bad, but Sakura was ready to change.
K. I will leave it at that. I'm sooooo very sorry for not updating sooner. I'll try to be better about it.