"Sakura...wake up."

Sakura's eyes slowly fluttered open to find crimson orbs looking down at her. "Itachi...," she murmured, "How did I do?" She sat up and yawned.

"Well." Itachi gave her a smirk. "The Kazekage was wounded. He'll rot." Not.

Sakura's eyes widened a tad and then drooped. She sadly looked down at her hands. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"I was supposed to kill the Kazekage, but instead...I just wounded him." Sakura then felt a droplet on her hands and moisture on her cheeks. She placed a hand on her cheek and cursed. "Damn it! I'm crying!"

Itachi wiped Sakura's tears away with his index finger, surprising her. "Don't cry. You did fine." Unconsciously, he kissed her forehead. Why the heck did I do that?

Sakura gasped at his contact. He...kissed my forehead! She blushed and smiled to herself.

"Ahem," grumbled a deep voice.

Itachi pulled back and turned his head to see Kisame by the entrance, smirking. "Kisame."

"Itachi, may I have a talk with you outside? A private one?"

Itachi nodded and stood up. "Sakura, you stay here."

"Okay," Sakura whispered. She huddled herself, still blushing.

As soon as Kisame and Itachi were outside, Kisame was the first to start off their little talk. "Itachi, are you developing feelings for our young student?"

Itachi closed his eyes and answered flatly, "No."

"I wouldn't buy that answer one yin. It's as clear as glass that you are."

"Are you questioning my answer, Kisame?"

"Indeed I am."

Itachi sent the blue man a cold glare.

"Glaring won't help, Itachi."

Itachi gave a sigh. "Perhaps I may be developing unwanted feelings for the young kunoichi."

Kisame smirked. Score! "Well, you must throw those feelings aside. They'll get in the way of the way of the Akatsuki."

"How? My feelings...they're taking over me."Itachi gave another sigh. "Just when I thought I've sealed them away years ago..."

"Actually, I think only one of your many feelings snuck out."

"Which?"

"Lust."

Itachi lokked at him with a face that said 'What the heck are you talking about?'

"Itachi, it's so obvious!"

"And may I ask again how?"

"You're desperate for contact with her."

Itachi looked away and said, "Lets not have this talk again. Some things are just better off unsaid."

As the two men were having their talk, a certain kunoichi stood by the entrance, listening to every word said.

"Itachi...has feelings for me?" Sakura whispered to herself. She closed her eyes as her tears fell. She had also heard them about her memories being changed and her forgetting happiness. She stealthily ran out of the hideout.

Sakura sat on a roof of a random house in Suna. She gazed up at the stars, deep in her thoughts...forgetting to mask her chakra. Who was I before this? Were the people who I tried to kill my, what others call it, friends? What in the world is-

She was cut off from her thoughts when she felt a cloth on her face. She tried to scream, but suddenly blacked out.

"Whoa...Sasuke-teme. You were right! She did change."

The voice was familiar to Sakura somehow. She opened her eyes to see two teenage boys and a man staring at her. She spotted a very familiar Uchiha and hissed, "Let me go this instant!" She started to struggle against the ropes that held her to a chair. She reached for her kunai, but found it gone.

"Looking for this?" Kakashi asked, holding up her pack with the shuriken and her kunai.

Sakura glared at them and spat, "You idiots! Itachi will come here and kill you all! And then I'll kill you again!" She continued to struggle, but something inside told her to stop. She gave a sigh and relaxed. It's no use! She lowered her head and started to cry.

Sasuke looked at Sakura with a straight face, yet his eyes showed pity. He took a step towards her and said, "Sakura...don't cry."

Sakura sadly looked up at him and asked, "Who was I?" The three males arched an eyebrow at her question. "I mean...who was I before this? Were you guys my...my...friends?" She then looked away and blushed a bit at her own question.

"You were a very smart and cheerful young girl," Kakashi answered somberly, as if though making a speech at a funeral. "You always smiled and laughed, even though things were bad."

"You encouraged others to keep trying," Naruto added, having the same tone and expression as Kakashi, "And you never gave up on them or yourself."

"You helped people that came from the darkness come into the light," Sasuke mumbled thoughtfully, "And like what Naruto said...you never gave up on them." That's what you did to me.

Sakura was surprised at these answers. I was that person? Wow... what's Itachi done to me? "And what's the answer to my last question?" she asked.

"Yes," the three ninjas answered.

Sakura looked up at them and, for the first time, gave a genuine smile.She cried and laughed. She was actually happy. "I'm so sorry," she sniffed, "For hurting you. I-I didn't know." She shut her eyes and wept. Kakashi untied her and she rose, her face buried in her hands. "I'm sorry..."

All of a sudden,much to everyone's surprise, Sasuke embraced Sakura. Her eyes snapped open as she blushed furiously and stood frozen.

"Sakura,"Sasuke whispered, "Please...come back to us. We miss you..." He hugged her tighter, as if his life depended on her answer. Kakashi and Naruto just watched the scene.

Sakura found her control and gently hugged him back saying, "I want to...and I will. But, I need help getting back my real memories first."

Sasuke parted from her and said, "Of course."

"Aaawwww," Naruto awed, "That was so cute! I should've brought my camera."

"I did," Kakashi chuckled, "And I took a picture."

Sasuke and Sakura both shouted at the same time, "Kakashi!"

Sakura was brought back to reality and quickly said, "I have to go. Itachi might find out that I left the hideout."

Sasuke opened the window for her and said, "See you again soon."

Sakura nodded and jumped out.

"Good to have her back," Kakashi sighed, "Now it's time to sleep."

Sakura made it to the hideout and to her luck, Itachi and Kisame were still outside talking. "Good." She quietly snuck into the cave and immediately pretended to be asleep. I WILL get my memories back. No matter what it takes. She closed her eyes and sleep slowly overtook her.


Cha! Pirates of the Carribean Dead Man's Chest rocked! Loved it! Anyway... here's Chapter 7. The climax of the story is coming. What will happen next? Hmmm...