Ch: 18 The Wrap


For some reason, Sakura felt like she'd been caught doing something that she wasn't supposed to, like a child being found with a sticky hand in the cookie jar. A cookie jar named Sasuke.

But she hadn't really done anything, save for touching Sasuke's arm earlier. Itachi couldn't possibly interpret that act as her actually bonding with her Team 7 mates or anything weird like that, because that would've just been pathetic; to develop something as trivial as feelings in the short few weeks she'd been in Konoha. She was merely doing her duty as a captain and a medic-nin, to maximize the efficacy of those she led, right?

Crap—she was rambling.

"Hi, Itachi. How are you doing?"

Sakura inwardly cringed at her own awkwardness.

He seemed to ignore her, like he didn't want to dignify that with a response. He simply motioned for her to follow.

She leapt to someone else's balcony two doors down, and faced him from behind the railing where she wasn't out in the open. He stood on the roof of the next building. Her palms were sweating. Why were her palms sweating?

Snap out of it.

She'd been stuck with the Jinchuriki and Sasuke for so long that she'd almost gotten used to being stiff and careful and paranoid all the time. She should've been relieved to see Itachi. He was, after all, one of the very few to know her secret—it should've been liberating, even, to be allowed to be the real her, finally.

"You were… less of a challenge to find than I anticipated," Itachi said, finally.

Nothing like an explosion and becoming the local pink-haired menace to lead someone straight to you, though it wasn't part of the original plan.

"I'm glad that you were able to find me," she said. Super glad. 110%.

Now that he was here, she wouldn't need to continue to be on Team 7. Thank goodness that was over—Itachi could just waltz into the room behind her, take the Jinchuriki, and she and Akatsuki could get on with their business.

As soon as Sakura had some time to mentally adjust to her partner's sudden arrival, she forced her head back into the game. She was ready. It was a wrap—the final showdown.

But where were Kisame and Hidan?

"You're sure you haven't been made?"

Er—well, she'd definitely been spotted, but no, she didn't think anybody knew her affiliation with Akatsuki. At the beginning, she thought Sasuke might've been suspicious of her, but that issue hadn't come up since.

"Positive."

"You haven't spoken to anyone of significance, have you? Outside of conducting your normal mission activities?"

"No," she assured. Well, there was Sasuke's inkling that they were being watched the past few days, but… that was probably just Itachi. "We're en route to deliver a scroll of antidotes to Tsuchikage. But now that you're here, that won't be necess—"

Itachi tossed her something.

She fumbled to catch it.

Okay, it seemed he wanted to skip the pleasantries. Itachi was always a blunt one who kept a strict list of narrow topics for discussion. That was fine. Sakura could handle blunt.

"That's your new communication scroll. Hidan was careless and broke the last one. Monitor as usual."

Her stomach threatened to drop.

Why did she need this? What was going on? Her part was supposed to be done.

"You're here to take the Jinchuriki, aren't you?" Sakura asked, carefully.

Itachi hesitated.

She didn't like where this was going.

"Kisame and Hidan are still near Konoha. They have my real body."

Hope of freedom grew smaller with every passing second, until she finally understood.

"You're a clone."

"One of many."

She'd have to continue to Iwa.

The talons of discomfort began to dig into her intestines again, twisting her stomach into knots until she started to feel sick.

She imagined going back into her room and wedging herself between two enemies, eating more meals with them, looking after them—

Fuck. And she thought she was so close.

Even if she was a spy, proficient in the art of deception, it truly did not sit well with her to have this weird ongoing dynamic with her enemies. Not to mention that things were starting to happen in which she couldn't explain.

"Also, Sakura," Itachi said, "it's being taken care of for the most part, but report anything you find on Iwa's plans. I'm giving you this, too." He handed her a round artifact about the size of her palm.

She suppressed a groan and took the thing. "What is it?"

"One of Leader's jutsus. When it's time, put it around the Jinchuriki's arm, level with where his heart is. It will restrict his movements and chakra until extraction. He won't be able to take it off. You can seal it in this."

He tossed her another inconspicuous scroll, white and plain.

She'd just add this to the growing list of things that she needed to keep hidden from Sasuke and the Jinchuriki—right next to that dark medic scroll gifted by Princess Tsunade. Hopefully this was it, because bulk wasn't going to aid in keeping things hush-hush.

"I'll be leaving, then."

"Wait—" Sakura wasn't done with Itachi just yet. During their conversation, she noticed that he looked even more-worn down since the last time she saw him. "How do your eyes feel? Do you want me to—"

"That will be all," he said.

"I'm concerned about your eyes, Itachi. It looks like you are losing vision."

"My eyes are not the priority right now."

"You're in pain, aren't you?" Sakura insisted. "Stay here. I'm going to get you some healing salve—"

"Sakura, what do you think that will accomplish? I'm a clone."

She'd have none of it. "Bring it back to your original, then. At this rate you'll go blind—"

"Don't let your emotions cloud your judgement."

"Cloud?" Now Itachi was just being ridiculous. "My concern is a medical one, because I'm a medic, and your eyes are an asset, not to mention critical to your own health and well-being."

"Remember what I told you?" he asked.

"But—"

Ugh. Yes. She did.

At the sacrifice of the individual, the collective power was their first priority. It was just easier to follow that rule when it was herself that suffered, and not those around her.

If she went inside, she'd have to shuffle around to find the healing salve. If either Sasuke or the Jinchuriki woke up and saw what she was doing, they might start asking questions. Since now it looked like she was stuck with the two of them for the foreseeable future, her official primary objective was to keep her covert operation covert until Akatsuki was ready to take the Jinchuriki for real.

"Power first, and all else will follow."

"Fine." Sakura thought back to all of Leader's quotes that had been instilled into her.

If our work was easy, everybody would do it, she repeated in her own head. Lead with strength.

According to that doctrine, it was up to individual members of Akatsuki to suck it up if they had to pick between comfort and their mission.

"Allow a few days for my original body to catch up."

A few days. So it was back to her dungeon until then—forced to look after her two worst enemies, continue the whole bonding thing over shared meals and the like. All while keeping her secret intact.

No sweat.

Really.

Her partner looked like he was about to leave again. She supposed she'd have to let him go eventually. There was only so much procrastinating she could do.

Itachi paused where he stood.

"So you've woken up," he said, looking at her.

What was he talking about? Of course she was awake.

Itachi's gaze was steady.

She studied him.

He wasn't looking at her. He was looking behind her.

The icy tip of a kunai pressed against Sakura's back before she had a chance to turn.

"One of you is going to tell me what the fuck is going on," a voice said.

"Hello, little brother."

Sakura's breath quickened. She was going to be sick.

"S-sasu—" she stammered. She'd been so engrossed in the dread of her mission that she hadn't even noticed—

"Shut up, Sakura." Sasuke's voice was deliberately cold and devoid of any emotion—not at all like the way they'd conversed just earlier in the night—as he pressed the kunai harder into her back.

She winced when it felt like it broke skin, but she dared not move.

"Are you working with my brother?" he asked.

A thickness began to build in her throat.

She looked to Itachi for help. He was as cool as ever, eyes passive and completely unfazed even though Sakura was sweating.

"It all makes sense," Sasuke continued. "Why you were so desperate to go on this mission in the first place. Why you flared your chakra and refused to set traps the first night. Why you got so drunk and loud. It was all for him, wasn't it? You were playing us the whole time." You were playing me the whole time.

No—she was mistaken. His voice wasn't devoid of emotion. It betrayed disbelief. Hatefulness. Hurt.

The thickness in her throat built into a big, solid, lump. Her mouth dried. She suddenly forgot how to swallow.

Sasuke yanked her hair painfully. "Answer me."

His pull forced her head backwards. With his other hand, Sasuke repositioned his kunai to her throat.

Her exposed neck jumped upon contact with the sharp edge of the blade.

She could feel his body against her now—their heads were close, the skin on his arms grazing against her bare shoulder, his own thumping chest at her back. Sakura racked her brain for something, anything, not even sure if she could salvage the situation or if she should just jump to Itachi's side and make a run for it.

"Itachi," Sasuke said, "I swear to god I'll—"

"What," he replied, so apathetic to the point of mocking. "Kill her?"

Sasuke pulled on Sakura's hair harder, his grip tighter, undoubtedly reflecting the uncontrollably rising anger and deep-seated thirst for vengeance bubbling in his body.

Vengeance once intended for Itachi.

Desperately, Sakura kept her eyes focused on her unmoving partner. She'd follow his lead if he thought of something, but for now, she had to do something—fast.

Her mind raced for options.

Her upper body was enclosed by Sasuke's. The railing of the balcony would restrict movement in her lower body. These were her constraints.

If she attacked Sasuke and made a run for it, her cover would be blown for sure. Akatsuki's trump card would be for naught and they'd have to start from square one. But the problem with attacking Itachi was that she'd have to do it without breaking free, and in the end, she didn't know if Sasuke would believe it.

The potentiality for either possibility was bleak.

She had to try.

Sorry, Itachi.

Sakura channeled chakra to her foot and prepared to kick the balcony and hurl shards of splintered wood toward her partner. She lifted her leg and—

Itachi vanished.

She blinked, surprised.

She tried to analyze where he might land, but he was far too quick for her to make a judgement call. Had he already come up with a counter plan?

Itachi reappeared by her side, sideways, with one hand on the rail and one foot swinging at Sasuke's head.

Sasuke dodged. He maneuvered backwards with Sakura still painfully trapped in his grip. "That's not going to work. You're too slow."

Itachi smirked. "Who said I was aiming for you?" Using the momentum of his first kick, he spun again.

His foot hit the end of the kunai in Sasuke's hand.

It impaled Sakura's throat.

There was a brief flash of mind-blowing pain like she'd never felt before. Then she went numb.

The next few seconds lasted too long.

She heard Sasuke's sharp intake of breath. He staggered backwards, involuntarily tearing the kunai out of Sakura's neck. With it came a fountain of blood.

Hers.

"S-sakura—"

They made short eye contact. She registered Sasuke's wide eyes—disbelief. Shock. Fear.

And that's when Sakura knew that she might die.

The world went hazy.

She frantically pinched at her flesh. Her fingers kept slipping off her skin. Warm, sticky, red fluid gushed over them, lubricating her hand and preventing her from getting a good grasp on the wound. She clutched and clawed. Gasped for breath. The sound resembled more of a suffocated gurgling, erupting from her throat in fits. She was completely at the mercy of her gaping throat.

The rest of the fight would have to happen without her. But that didn't mean she couldn't give a convincing performance. She needed Sasuke to think that she was on his side, even if the odds were currently stacked against her.

"G-get Itachi," Sakura strained to say. Her partner had recovered to his original position on the roof of the adjacent building. She tried to signal understanding to him—to communicate, with her eyes, that she forgave Itachi for what he'd been forced to do and that everything would be okay.

There was no look of sobering regret on his face—nothing apologetic, nothing to indicate that he needed acceptance or understanding. He hadn't even looked at her.

She didn't know if Sasuke heard her comment. His chidori tore through the exterior wall and sliding door, unleashing a high-pitched, explosive, crackling lightning. The shards of glass on the ground did not deter him as he went right through the balcony's railing, tearing it to pieces as he jumped at Itachi with bloodied feet.

Sakura fell against the doorframe onto her knees, unable to contain the spurting blood from her neck that began to form thick puddles beneath her. She flooded her hand with a burst of healing chakra, but she feared it would be too slow.

A woman screamed. Sakura looked to her right. Sasuke had blown a hole in the wall. She saw two strangers in their bed, pale as ghosts. They shuffled to their feet and ran out the other way.

"Sakura!" a voice called.

The Jinchuriki.

"Tell me what to do," he said as he dashed to her side.

Her own hand began to tingle and go limp. Her hold on her wound began to weaken, sending precious crimson liquid trickling down her neck.

"On m-my back, hold my ne-ck."

She felt herself being pulled onto his lap, with her head propped up on the Jinchriki's thigh.

"Here, let me," he said as he supported her neck and applied firm pressure to her wound. "Just try to get your strength back before you pass out."

She looked up at him with her dazed eyes, seeing that he'd been bloodied too. This whole thing was a shit show.

"Damn it," the Jinchuriki said. "What the hell is going on?"

Sakura missed what'd happened next, but the roof of the building next door came crumbling down, and she suddenly heard many panicked voices, yelling indistinctly, most likely civilians who were oblivious to why their night had been interrupted.

The railing was now gone. The balcony had transformed into a simple ledge on the second story with nothing preventing the two of them from falling if they were somehow knocked to the side. She cursed at her helpless state.

"Sasuke!" the Jinchuriki shouted at his back.

"Stay back," Sakura heard. "This fight is mine."

"Touching, Sasuke," Itachi said. "The way you two talk is like you never left Konoha. But I must get going now." He began to form a hand sign to disappear.

"I won't let you!" Sasuke yelled as he charged forward.

Itachi cast one last glance at Sakura. It was cold, and made her feel like she was a useless piece of equipment to be trashed.

The projection of his body warped, and Itachi began to dematerialize into his signature flock of crows. "Until next time little brother."

Sasuke's hand clashed with nothing but air. "Fuck!" he shouted. He whipped around, eyes glowing red in the night sky like a demon. "You," he said to Sakura hatefully, "give me one reason not to kill you."

Slowly, he drew his sword and pointed it. At her.

She remained defenseless.

"Sasuke—what are you doing? This is Sakura." With one assisting hand still on her throat, the Jinchuriki drew a kunai, prepared to meet Sasuke's sword.

"She let Itachi get away. Move, Naruto."

Where Sakura lay, she was met with shards of glass sticking out from the inside of one of Sasuke's feet. Her fate was tied to whichever one of the two weapons drawn above her succeeded.

"Do you know how crazy you sound? She needs to heal," the Jinchuriki cried.

"Naruto. Move."

Sakura could feel her breathing getting shallow and rapid, but she wasn't sure if it was a physiological reaction to her wound or a psychological reaction to Sasuke finding out her secret.

She was fighting unconsciousness now. Whatever chakra she could muster to heal herself would have to be enough.

"I'm not moving," Jinchuriki said, standing his ground.

Sasuke's words echoed as her world faded to black. Give me one reason not to kill you.

She had no idea what she was going to say when, or if, she ever woke up.


To be continued...