Flashback
"How could you do this Sakura?" Sasuke's voice asked her accusingly. He seemed truly hurt, and it was the first time Sakura saw that broken expression on his face. "You knew how much I wanted this child, how could you be so careless?" He slapped her across the face and she went flying back into the wall.
"Sasuke, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, I wasn't thinking. I'm so sorry." Sakura cried, clutching at Sasuke's robes. She gripped her stomach tightly. "We can have another one, I know we can. I swear it!"
He turned back around at her. "How could you lose my baby?"
End flashback
Itachi stared at Sakura, slightly stunned. So that was why things between his brother and this girl was so… terribly strained? She'd lost his baby. He could imagine how livid his brother would be. All that moron ever thought about was resurrecting the clan, and he'd finally had the chance but she'd lost his child. What terrible luck for her.
Sakura cried, not as loud as she had the night she realized she had a miscarriage, but she cried nonetheless. "Why?" She wailed at Itachi. Her fists pounded on his chest weakly. "Why did you have to make me remember?" Sakura's shoulders shook with her angry tears.
Itachi grabbed the hands that were still hitting him without real force. "Forget him, Sakura." He stood there as she cried in his arms, for the second time that night. Normally, he'd find this rather… peculiar? Today though, he just felt a little bit sorry for her. A girl like Sakura would be devastated if she lost a baby, especially the baby that could have changed her future with his brother. She was so obviously smitten with him, it almost made Itachi sick.
It wasn't very long before Sakura got all cried out. She was peaceful from her exhaustion. Itachi laid the sleeping girl on the bed. Without a word, he got up and left the room, the Akatsuki cape billowing out from under him.
Sakura woke up the next morning to Itachi standing directly beside her, staring at her intently. "What?" She asked him, not meeting his eyes.
"Get up. We're going sparring."
Sakura looked at him, not really trusting the cold young man. He's not Sasuke, he's not Sasuke, she told herself. He won't do you wrong, he's better than that. She got out of bed rather quickly after that. Itachi left the room. Not wanting to lose the opportunity to leave, she followed closely behind him. After walking by several rooms which she was only slightly familiar with, they reached a set of big oak doors. Itachi pushed them open and Sakura was staring into the vast green forest. The sun shone through some of the trees. She realized that they were on a tall plateau in the middle of this beautiful place.
"We start." Itachi said quietly.
She focused on the task at hand. "What do you want me to do?" She asked him.
"Hit me." He simply stated.
Sakura grit her teeth. That would be easier said than done, she was sure. "Here goes nothing," she muttered under her breath. She charged at her opponent drawing her fist back and bringing her fist to his stomach first. He disappeared within an instant, appearing behind her. He didn't hit her, he merely stayed there long enough to show her that he was there. When she whipped around with her foot to kick him, he was gone again. He didn't show himself this time. Sakura's eyes darted. There! She saw him dart by to her right, then he disappeared once more. Her eyes followed him as he traveled quickly around her. She would never be able to pinpoint where he would be next!
Focusing herself, she forced herself to find a pattern in his movements. After staying still for about 20 seconds, she realized he was moving in circles around her, first clockwise then counterclockwise. Biting her lip as her eyes followed his position for one another time she waited for him to finish one complete rotation. Just as he began to go counterclockwise, she drew an immense amount of her chakra into her arm, and she hit solid flesh this time she struck.
Itachi was sure she would figure it out eventually, but he didn't expect her to be quite so strong. If it hadn't been for his ability to stand his ground, he would have been flung out at least half a kilometer. He stepped back as she hit him, which was a sign of defeat for him. He reappeared directly in front of her. Itachi grabbed the hand that had hit him with one of his own. With his other he drew Sakura close to him. He enjoyed their closeness. Suddenly he leaned into her and strategically placed a kiss on the side of her neck. Sakura gasped as she felt his breath tickle her sensitive skin.
Instinctively, she placed her other arm round his neck and brought him closer to her. He let go of her other hand and used it to grab a hold of her pink hair and pull her in for a kiss. Her mouth opened submissively to his, and their tongues wrestled it out. Sakura was going insane. She could feel every single muscle in his body against her. She was panting with desire, and her skin felt like it was burning. They broke apart for some much-needed air.
"You actually managed to hit me," Itachi said quietly. "But that took too long. No enemy will wait a minute for you to hit him."
That was the first thing he said? How about something to tell her what that electrifying moment was? Sakura stayed silent.
"Where did you learn to hit like that though?" He chuckled quietly, and it was the first time he seemed human to Sakura. "You can draw up enormous amounts of energy, but you'll just be wasting your chakra if you can't hit your target. First, we'll train your eyes to always know where your opponent is next."
Sakura nodded, still a bit confused. He had kissed her. She'd kissed him back. Did that mean nothing to him? How could he not feel the sexual tension between them?
Perhaps he had.
"That's enough for today." Itachi murmured. He headed back to the large house on the plateau. "Come. There are dangers lurking in these woods; you would not want to be caught alone out here."
Sakura complied. She trudged back behind him, still unsure what to make of their passionate liplock. Even Sasuke… Sasuke had never made her feel like that.
Sakura's train of thought was interrupted abruptly when a familiar face appeared right before her own.
Itachi had gone inside, but Kisame grinned widely at her. "So…" Sakura looked at him blankly. "I saw that juicy little kiss with you and the ice block." He gestured at Itachi. The ice block? Sakura cocked an eyebrow. Kisame drew her into his cape and whispered into her ear, "How bout one for me too?"
Sakura couldn't help but smile warily at his boyishness. She pecked him on the cheek and Kisame whooped loudly. With his arm hung loosely around her shoulder, they walked in, heading for the dining room to eat lunch.
Itachi's eyes narrowed at Kisame and Sakura's closeness.
end chpt
thanks for reviewing on my earlier chapters :)
just to tell you: sasuke will be making an appearance very shortly and it will be interesting