Chapter Nine

One Choice, One Decision

Sakura partially awakened to a voice murmuring in her ear about the Hokage and parents. A hand caressed her cheek. She stirred slightly, but didn't open her eyes.

When she had finally woke up, it was to the thought that she had slept cuddled up to Uchiha Itachi. An involuntary shudder went through her body.

She wasn't sure whether or not it was from disgust or the aching desire that was beginning to burn within her.

With a catlike yawn, she stood up and stretched, wondering what she was going to do with herself for the day.

Sakura made her way into the kitchen and found herself scrounging for food. She frowned when she found the refrigerator empty. Where the heck was all the food? She slammed the door closed, irritated and hungry.

The presence of Naruto pleased her as it momentairly distracted her from her hunger. When Sakura sensed him, she went for the door and immediately let him in.

"Hey, Sakura!"

A genuine smile spread across her face. "Hey, Naruto. What are you doing here so early?"

"You said you'd train with me today, remember?"

Well, since she didn't, probably because it was a promise made by Saku, she said;

"I'm sorry, Naruto. I completely forgot. How about we go get breakfast instead?"

"Ramen?"

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Sure, why not? I'm so hungry I'll eat anything."

Her agreement was met with a brilliant smile that she couldn't help but return. The duo left shortly thereafter in search of something to fill their empty stomachs.

"Naruto?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you think I'm in love with Kakashi-sensei?"

Naruto looked at her, startled.

"Why?"

Sakura hesitated. She always knew that with Naruto, she could put her trust with the things that were important to her and not have to worry about him blabbing to the whole village.

Only the important stuff, though.

This Naruto, however...she knew nothing about. Could she trust him?

"Can I trust you, Naruto?"

"Of course, Sakura! You can trust me!" His voice echoed with a sincerity that she was accustomed to.

Sakura hit him at the back of his head. "Quiet down, Naruto."

Naruto pouted, rubbing the spot where she hit him.

"Itachi asked me last night if I was having an affair with Kakashi-sensei."

"…you didn't kill him, did you?"

Sakura smiled. "No—but I wish I had thought of that last night." Sakura noticed then that he had nicely evaded her original question. "So…do you?"

"Do I what?"

"Naruto!"

"Okay, okay. It's really not for me to say who you're in love with, Sakura. You told me you were marrying Itachi. I accepted that. If that's who you feel will make you happiest, then go for it. I'll support you no matter what. But…"

Sakura watched as he shoved his hand in his pockets and looked away from her. "But what?" she prodded gently.

"But if you don't feel he's the best for you, then leave. I don't want to see you unhappy."

Sakura beamed at Naruto and decided to change the subject.

"So, Naruto...how do you feel about Itachi being the next Hokage?"

"It doesn't matter because he may be the Sixth Hokage—but I'll be the Seventh."

Sakura laughed then because some things, no matter what world you stumbled into, will never change.

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Sakura watched, furious, as Itachi carried his brother into their home. It took every ounce of her self-control not to knock him through a wall.

"What did you do?" she asked with barely contained rage. "Put him in our bed," she then demanded, not giving him a chance to respond and immediately went into medic mode. Itachi, knowing that now was not the time to speak, did as he was told.

"Now get out."

Itachi's brow arched—but he complied with her demands, softly closing the door behind him.

Sakura heard the door close, but her attention was focused on Sasuke.

"It's really not as bad as it looks, Sakura. You don't have to look at me like that."

Sakura's hands glowed with green chakra.

"You look half dead."

"Which means I look half alive." He tried to smile, but it looked more like a grimace—which only served to infuriate Sakura more.

"Sasuke—"

"You look mad as hell."

"That's because I am."

"Why?"

"Sasuke, you look like shit."

"I feel like it, too. Still, you should be used to this by now—in fact, I thought that you were."

Sakura didn't look into his eyes but instead continued to heal him.

"What's going on, Sakura?"

"Be quiet and let me heal you."

Sasuke lapsed into silence and let her do her job, quietly wondering what it was that his brother's fiancé was hiding.

"There. All done."

Sasuke sat up and stretched. Sakura shooed him off the bed so she could remove the sheets that had slight stains of blood on them.

"So, are you going to tell me what's going on?"

Sakura paused with the sheets bunched in her hand, then continued with what she was doing. "What are you talking about?" Sakura asked feigning ignorance.

"Sakura, I know you better than anyone."

Sakura opened her mouth to deny such a thing—then shut it. It could very well be that this Sasuke did know her better than anyone.

"I was your teammate, your friend, your lover—"

Sakura gasped.

What the hell was wrong with Saku? To sleep with Sasuke and his brother? And people thought she was in love with Kakashi as well!

Taking in the surprise and the slight disgust that covered her face, Sasuke said, "I knew you weren't Sakura."

Broken out of her thoughts by the statement, Sakura stared at Sasuke nervously.

"What—what are you talking about?"

"Did you think that I wouldn't be able to tell the difference?" Sasuke circled her slowly, looking her up and down. "Itachi may be an expert on all things shinobi—but I am an expert on all things Sakura." Sakura watched as his eyes turned cold and hard. He reminded her so much of her Sasuke in those moments that it hurt. "You are not Sakura. Who are you and what do you want with my family?"

He sounded enough like her Sasuke to help her brazen her way out this. She was used to this side of Sasuke. He had unwittingly placed her in her element.

"I don't know who you think I am. I don't know what you think I want with your family—but I am Sakura Haruno, the apprentice of the Hokage. You would do best to remember that, Uchiha."

He studied her silently, taking in her words. "I don't believe you."

"I don't care if you do."

"Perhaps you don't—but I will be watching you." Sasuke walked over to the door to leave. "By the way, Sakura and I were never lovers...but you knew that, didn't you?" The door opened then closed.

Sasuke left his brother's home, intent upon finding out exactly what was going on with his 'Sakura'.

Sakura began to mentally swear to herself and made a mental note to go visit the Hokage.

There was trouble afoot in the form of Sasuke Uchiha.

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"Where are you going?"

Sakura glanced at Itachi. He was going over some paperwork. She assumed it was clan business and didn't think he'd notice her slipping quietly out.

"To see Lady Tsunade."

"Any particular reason why?"

"There is."

She knew that Itachi was waiting for her to elaborate—but if he wasn't going to ask, she wasn't going to volunteer the information.

All she wanted more than anything was to just go home. Her earlier confrontation with Sasuke had drained her. She was tired of this odd world. She didn't fit here. She needed her boys.

She wanted Naruto and Kakashi.

She even wanted her own Sasuke.

Sakura once again attempted to leave—but his voice stopped her once more.

"Aren't you going to kiss me goodbye?"

Sakura's heart dropped into her stomach. "…no."

"Why?"

"I chose not to."

"Then you made the wrong choice."

Suddenly, Itachi appeared in front of her, successfully blocking her exit. His arms wrapped around her waist. He reached for her hand and raised it, bringing it to his lips. Sakura's eyes closed.

"Why are you trying to seduce me?" Peeved at how successful he could actually be if he put in a bit more effort.

Itachi said nothing, but took one of her fingers into his mouth, letting his tongue flicker over it lightly.

"If you truly believe I'm having an affair with Kakashi-sensei, then why are you doing this?"

"Maybe I realize that I could have been wrong," Itachi said, burying his face in her hair.

"Could have?" Sakura allowed herself to become irritated in order to push down the craving that was building inside her.

"I know nothing definite as of yet," Itachi prodded in order to make angrier.

Sakura struggled to remove herself from his embrace.

"Let me go."

"No."

"I'm tired of whatever game you're playing, Uchiha Itachi. You're under the assumption that I'm in love with Kakashi-sensei and you're wrong. I'm not. There are three people that I love more than anything and Kakashi is one of them. However, I have no feelings for you, Uchiha, aside from physical attraction. I don't want to be here with you now. I don't trust you. I don't even like you. Not one bit. I have tried to keep my temper with you but you don't understand me nor do I expect you to. But if you lay one finger on me again, I swear I will make you regret it. Now get the hell out of my way before I make you."

Itachi didn't move immediately.

"You're lying, Sakura. You can't tell me you feel nothing for me but lust and expect me to believe it—there's more to you than that. If you didn't feel even the tiniest bit of something for me, then you wouldn't stay. I don't believe you. I won't."

"I don't care what you Uchiha believe. I believe it and that's all that matters."

"Then I'll have to change your mind because you will love me, Sakura...and you'll love me forever."

"The only thing I will do is whatever I please and no one else is going to tell me otherwise. Now move out of my way."

They had reached an impasse.

The kunoichi refused to tear her gaze away from the future Hokage. She was not some mealy-mouth female that would bow to his wishes because he had illusions of grandeur. She was not that type of woman. She would never be.

"We will see, Sakura." Itachi removed his arms from around her and stepped aside, allowing her to pass. "We will see."

Sakura walked past him with her held high. Then she stepped outside, ignoring the way her hands gently shook.

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"Enter."

Sakura heard the calm voice after she requested permission to enter the Hokage's office. She opened the door, only partially surprised that she was not alone.

"Your undercover work needs improvement, Sakura."

Sakura sighed and took a seat besides Sasuke.

"What would you have me do, shishou?"

"Would anyone care to enlighten me?" Sasuke asked curiously.

Sakura made a face at him, then turned to Tsunade for permission. Tsunade nodded.

"I am Sakura—just not the Sakura you're accustomed to. I'm from a different dimension."

Sasuke chuckled. "No, seriously. What's going on?"

Sakura sighed.

"It's true, Sasuke," Tsunade assured him.

"How did you get here? Where's our Sakura?" Sasuke asked, instantly alarmed.

"We don't know—and I can only assume she's where I should be," Sakura replied.

"Is there any way that we can contact her?"

"The only way we know of is through Pakkun—and I'd like to involve Kakashi in this as little as possible."

Sakura frowned and Sasuke nodded thoughtfully.

"Sasuke, it's important that you don't tell anyone about this, especially Itachi," Sakura said.

A grin splayed across Sasuke's face. "Itachi doesn't know? That's great." Sakura stared at Sasuke, amazed at the devilish grin that covered his face. "You don't have to worry. I won't tell anyone."

Tsunade just chuckled at Sasuke's antics. This puzzled Sakura that she would give in so easily and let her tell Sasuke what was going on—but her puzzlement about Sasuke was overshadowed by something that had been worrying her ever since she embarked on her journey to the Hokage's office.

"Shishou…about Itachi. I don't know how much longer I can keep this up."

Sasuke frowned. "Keep what up?"

"I'm not…engaged to Uchiha Itachi in my world."

"…Kakashi?"

"NO!" Sakura yelled and hit him in the arm. "I'm not with anyone."

"Why not?" Sasuke asked with more curiosity than she was used to, not at all bothered that she had hit him.

"Because—" Sakura faltered. "Because there are more important things than a love life."

"Like?" Sasuke prodded immediately, trying to dissect this new Sakura.

"Like Kakashi, Naruto and Sasuke."

He said nothing, so Sakura turned her attention back to Tsunade.

"I would say let me move in with Kakashi, but he's currently being an ass. Sasuke is definitely out of the question, so...can I move in with Naruto?"

"No."

"But shishou—"

"We have no way of knowing if our Sakura is going to come back. You will not wreck her life."

Sakura waved her hands in the air wildly. "But he's all over me!"

"Then sleep in a separate bedroom, Sakura." Tsunade reasoned, unconcerned.

Sasuke laughed. "As if a door will keep him out."

Sakura looked at Sasuke. "Sasuke…about earlier. You're not mad, are you? For keeping this from you?"

Sasuke shrugged. "I got my way in the end. I can't really be upset about it."

"You're a brat, Sasuke."

"Yeah." He smirked, content. "Itachi's going to be pissed if he finds out. I hope I'm there if he does."

Sakura shook her head. He was such a typical little brother.

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They exited the office together. Sasuke threw his arm around Sakura's shoulder. She glanced up at him through her lashes.

"You want to come over, Sasuke? I'm making cookies."

Sasuke immediately became suspicious at her too-innocent tone.

"...why?"

"Can't I just ask you to come over?"

"What did you do?"

"Maybe I just want you around. It's hard being without my friends. I was very close to my Sasuke…"

She had fibbed a bit.

Okay, she had fibbed a lot. She wasn't that close to Sasuke—but she was closer than most.

"Why do I feel like I'm walking into a trap?"

Sakura looked up at him with big bambi eyes. "I don't know."

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Itachi raised his head when he heard the door open.

"Sakura, come here," he called out.

He listened for her light footfall heading in his direction. She did not respond. In fact, her steps became faint to his ears, letting him know that she had no intention of answering his call.

"Sakura!" he said a bit louder, standing and going in search of her because he knew she had no intention of responding.

He found her in the kitchen eating cookie dough with his brother. Sasuke looked up at his entrance. The look on his face was cold and calculating. It was as if Sakura was an enemy that he was studying. Sasuke looked back and forth between the two. Sakura stared at Itachi with her brow arched.

"You called, your majesty?"

Itachi heard Sasuke mutter. "I knew it was a trap."

"We need to talk."

Sakura gave him a vacant smile. "But we have company. I'm sure it can wait until later."

"I can leave," Sasuke said, standing.

"Yes. Leave, little brother."

"Sit down, Sasuke."

They said simultaneously.

"Okay." Sasuke sighed, exasperated. "Do I stay or do I go?"

"Stay."

"Go."

"I hate you, Sakura." Sasuke said.

"This is what you get for going to the—" Sakura cut herself off, realizing she had almost revealed too much information. "Get out, Sasuke."

He didn't need to be told twice. The heavy atmosphere coming off the couple was suffocating.

The silence stretched onward into eternity after Sasuke retreated.

"Where have you been?" Itachi asked, breaking the silence first.

"I told you. I went to the Hokage's office," Sakura replied, rolling her eyes. She wasn't used to having someone keep track of her every movement.

"Are you hungry?" he asked, abruptly changing the subject. He looked at her, suddenly relaxed. It made Sakura wary. She nodded her head slowly, eyeing him suspiciously.

"Come. We'll get some dinner." He turned and walked away, expecting her to follow—which Sakura did. The cookie dough that she had started in on was mainly eaten by Sasuke, who felt no need to share—and she had to steal what little she could.

Sakura caught up to him and walked by his side, saying nothing. He didn't really seem inclined to talk either, which suited her just fine. In fact, it put her at ease, reminding her of Sasuke. Sakura frowned when she thought of her Sasuke.

How was he fairing? She was certain that Naruto would take care of him, but without her there...he wasn't stable. He still had desires to destroy Konoha, but reined them in because despite all the hate he had for their village, he still loved them. Her, Naruto, and even Kakashi. But without her there…

They made it to a restaurant and were seated before she knew it.

"You're quite tonight," Itachi remarked.

"I suppose I have nothing to say," Sakura murmured, turning her head away from his intense gaze.

"Nothing at all?" he inquired.

Sakura paused. That wasn't completely true. There were things she wanted to know. Essentially, she wanted to know why this Itachi was so different from the one in her world. Why had he made the choices that he had?

"Actually, I do have a question." Itachi inclined his head, indicating that she should speak. "Why didn't you follow through with your orders to massacre the Uchiha clan?"

Itachi froze imperceptibly. This woman couldn't possibly be Sakura. Only a handful of people knew that he had been ordered to massacre the Uchiha clan. It was, what he thought, a well-kept secret. The most the public knew was that there was a small uprising because the Uchiha's were not content.

The Uchiha rebellion.

He was one of the few that knew the grand lengths the Uchihas were willing to take in order to take what they thought was their rightful status in the village.

"How did you know that?"

Sakura waved her hand dismissingly. "I know a lot of things, but that's irrelevant. I want to know why. Why didn't you do it?" Sakura leaned forward on the table, waiting expectantly for his reply—a reply he started not to give because suddenly he knew the woman before him was not Sakura. She couldn't be. She knew too much about things she shouldn't. Not only that, she was infinitely more intriguing and he wanted her. He wanted her more than he had ever wanted his Sakura. Perhaps he should feel bad about his feelings for this woman but he couldn't find it in him to summon the emotions. All he could see was the exquisite creature before him.

Why?

Why was this?

What was it about her?

Itachi's mind briefly flickered to the Hokage. The Godaime knew this wasn't Sakura, he was certain of it, and yet she accepted her. So she was no threat.

No threat to anyone but him.

His mind reviewed her words from earlier.

"You've been given an opportunity, Uchiha. This Sakura does not bear the deep binding affection for the Copy Ninja that she once did. Not yet, anyway. So you can either let her slip between your fingers—again—or...you can actually do something about this and win her heart completely and stop taking the crumbs she offers you like a pathetic little lap dog."

"Itachi? I'm waiting."

So he decided to answer her because he was mostly curious to see how she would react to his answer.

"Because of Sasuke."

Sakura blinked uncomprehendingly.

"What do you mean?"

"Initially, I had planned to go through with it. It was an order after all and I am loyal to my village. In exchange, I bargained for Sasuke's life. He was innocent after all, and had no knowledge of the things that went on in the clan. Then, I thought about the future—what he would be like after the death of his entire clan. There would only be two options: he would either be driven insane or consumed with a rage that was like no other. Neither option was acceptable to me. So I had to find another way because there's always another way, Sakura. I had only to find it. Sasuke anything less than happy was not something I was willing to accept." Itachi broke off momentarily, cleared his throat and continued on.

"The Uchiha clan—the protection of it—will fall on my shoulders. What kind of man would I be if I abandoned them when they needed my guidance the most? They are my family, and killing them would have been taking the easy way out. I am not scared of doing this the hard way. And would killing them protect them from the greater threat that loomed in the shadows?"

Sakura frowned, thinking of the threat that he mentioned.

Akatsuki.

"My loyalty then went first to Sasuke, then Konoha, then to the clan. What would happen to this village without the backing of the Uchiha clan? The devastation that could have occurred without us would have been gargantuan."

Sakura thought of all the lives that had been lost when Orochimaru attacked the village—all the deaths that could have been prevented. She thought of how Orochimaru attacked Sasuke, and all she could do was watch. She thought of all that could have been avoided by the choice of one man. Tears stung the back of her eyes, but she blinked them back.

"And you chose this all because of Sasuke?"

"You of all people should understand my choice. Sasuke is your teammate. Can you imagine what that would have done to him? I know how much you care about him. Can you imagine what he would have become had I not chosen this path? Can you blame me?"

This time, Sakura could not stop the tears that poured down her face silently. Itachi watched and wanted nothing more than to hold her in his arms and tell her that it was okay—that he would never do anything to harm anyone in this village. He would protect everyone in it at the cost of his life. But he didn't think his touch would be welcome at the moment.

So he waited.

He waited until she showed some sign that his touch would be accepted that she would not turn him away. Then he would act, and he would show her—

"You have no idea," she began, but stopped, biting her bottom lip to keep it from trembling. She closed her eyes against the pain, the tears, and the anguish. "No idea how your choices—" Sakura broke off, unable to finish—too immersed in grief for her team, her village. "Damn it. I can't do this. I can't—I have to go."

Sakura stood up and Itachi followed suit.

"Sakura, tell me what I have done to offend you and I will make it right."

Her reply puzzled him to the extreme.

"Uchiha Itachi has done nothing yet everything with one choice, one decision."

She left then and he had every intention of following her. She couldn't say something so cryptic and walk away. Especially not with the pain that was shining in her eyes.

He had only taken a step when a voice called out.

"Let her go, Uchiha. You are not what she needs right now."

"I do not recall asking you, Hatake."

"You don't understand."

"And you do?" Itachi said coldly.

"I do," Kakashi replied, folding his arms across his chest. "I will follow her and take care of her."

"No. You will not. Do not interfere with my relationship with Sakura."

Itachi turned and left then—but not before he heard Kakashi reply.

"If you had shown me that same respect...then she would have been with me now."

A/N: First off thanks to cutecrazyice for beta-ing this for me.

Second, yeah Kakashi's appearance in this chapter was kind of random huh? Where the heck did he come from? I do that sometimes. I'll make it fit.

Third, I'm kind of proud of myself. This is the longest chapter I've ever written. Sweet.