AN! I know...it's been months and I've been a very irresponsible author leaving you all hanging like that. It's just that with school, family and other stuffs...it's been hard to write. But recently I've been leafing through the reviews and suddenly...WHAM! I felt inspiration hit me and i could practically feel ideas spark! I'm going to start up weekly updates and this time, I plan to stick with this story. EVen if nobody reads it anymore...Although, leaving me nice reviews will help inspire me too *wink* *wink*

Enjoy!

I know, it's rather short but I will mkae it longer! I pinky promise *holds out pinky dramatically* - VZ

Shikamaru wasn't an overly cautious man. However he liked to be one step ahead of anybody. That way, he wouldn't have to exert as much effort to catch up. Instead, he could be relaxing, watching the clouds drift by or play shogi. Even on missions, it was easier to be ahead of the enemy. This was why he was grateful that he had placed a tracking jutsu on Naruto. Kami knows how much of a mess he'd make.

When the kyuubi container and his former teammate left the motel room they had rented for the night, the Nara heir took it upon himself to be the responsible one and make sure to keep tabs on their energetic friend. Although, when he felt Naruto move farther and farther away, a slight anxiety settled within his stomach. No, Shikamaru was not concerned for Naruto and Sasuke's well being.

They were both incredible strong soldiers who could put up a good fight. He was actually concerned with how much paperwork he'd receive from Tsunade if ever she found out that he'd let the future Hokage make a fool of himself and let his idiocy run rampant. Her words, not his. Even though it would not be his primary objective or even duty, the current Hokage would do just about anything (even blaming him for some ridiculous reason) to get out of paperwork. Of course, doing paperwork meant staying indoors, away from the clouds and actually…. doing something.

A notion that did not appeal to him in the slightest. And so, the brunette gathered the remaining members of Naruto and Sasuke's team. Hopefully they would get to them before the idiot breaks anything again.

True enough, when they arrived to the area where Naruto's chakra signature was coming from, they all sweat dropped at the sight before them.

The blonde was hanging from the ceiling (of all places) from his toes with a thin wire, which was most probably casuing bleeding in some areas and why his toes were turning purple. His whiskered face was bruised and bloody, making him various shades of blue and red. As much as Shikamaru liked red and blue, it just wasn't his friend's colors.

The peculiar thing was he was bloated. Or at least...he looked bloated. His orange jacket was large and bulgy.

The Nara heir pondered for a moment before realizing that Naruto wasn't big, there was just something within the confines of his signature orange jacket.

But before he could inspect any further, a pale arm stopped him from moving any closer to his teammate. An eyebrow arched as Neji tilted his head to the side, brown locks following the movement smoothly.

"There are hundreds of volatile chakra bombs inside his jacket. We better dismantle them and...The chakra is familiar. Most likely..."

Shikamaru waited for him to expound further.

"...An explanation can wait. For now, we better move before whoever did this returns."

A lazy shrug from the Nara was his reply.

"THAT"S RIGHT BITCH! AND DON"T EVER COME BACK!" Kiba was barking at the door, where Sasuke's team was nowhere to be found.

The Nara heir almost face palmed.

"What the hell happened Kiba?" He drawled, irritated once again by the dog and his master.

"Tch...crazy woman. She was whining about her precious Sasuke-kun..." The tracker of the team altered his voice so that instead of a rough and husky baritone, a high pitched voice came out of his mouth.

"...then suddenly, she stopped and froze. I was happy about it till she had to ruin it by wailing that Sasuke was fading away or some shitty reason like that." The messy haired boy shrugged and scratched the back of his ear, an action that his canine companion soon followed.

Neji and Shikamaru shared a look before nodding together.

They better leave. Before either Sasuke's team or the one that had did this to their teammate, returned.

Sakura finally made it to the hotel room that she and the other Akatsuki members occupied a few hours ago. As she walked into the room, she wondered…. had it always been this messy? Playing cards littered the floor, which brought memories of their little game of strip poker.

A hot blush rose to her cheeks at the sight of Hidan's muscled form. It was bulky yet not overly so. Just enough muscle to entice every woman for miles. And Itachi, it was simply unfair for a man to have such flawless and perfect skin. Although he wasn't as defined as the silver haired man, He certainly had a lean body that was more than just attractive. Finally Deidara, he was somewhere in between. Not too lean or muscly, just right.

As soon as the pinkette realized she was busy, picturing famous criminals practically naked, she shook her head in hopes of ridding her mind of such…. impure thoughts.

Sakura let her eyes wander and inspect the once clean room as she opened her small bag of belongings, which she found near a pile of charred wood. Most likely a result from Sasuke's attack on the hotel's wooden door. A pink brow twitched at her former teammate's ridiculous need to make a dramatic entrance wherever he went.

Sakura changed quietly, her mind filled with thoughts of half naked men, irritating Uchihas and how hungry she was. When was the last time she ate something?

Once she was out of the dirty and ripped yukata, courtesy of Sasuke and Hidan, she looked down at what she was wearing, feeling more comfortable in something that resembled her old uniform than some racy dress. Black cycling shorts, a red shirt that had long sleeves that flared at the ends ( one of the yukata's Itachi and Kisame had purchased for her long before. However she altered the hemline so that it would end just below her hips ) and her signature black boots.

After wiping the rest of the food that had splattered on her face and neck from her body, she looked at the mirror, inspecting the cut on her cheek. It was small and shallow. Well, compared to the wounds she'd suffered from before. With barely any chakra at all, she healed it with a brush of her thumb on her face.

Minutes later, she was out the door and in the elevator.

No, the pinkette would not wait for Akatsuki.

As much as she'd come to love them as persons not weapons…she missed her home and she was needed there.

Besides, it's not like she had much of a reason to stay anymore.

Sasori was fixed. He was no longer a pile of wood and nails.

He was whole again.

Which was her main objective after Itachi had broken him for her sake. It was guilt and responsibility keeping her here.

Not love.

…Love….

That wasn't a real excuse. She couldn't possibly explain that to her mentor. Duty was something she could reason out and not be labeled a traitor to her village but love?

For the world's most infamous men?

It was too impossible a dream to even bother hoping.

And so, Sakura exited the elevator as soon as she heard a cheery 'ding'

She walked out the door and sent chakra into the soles of her feet, readying herself to run more than a few miles at top speed.

The pinkette cloaked her form with a genjutsu and hid her chakra signature. She knew Itachi was an expert at this field however she had the element of surprise and time on her hands. Also, perfect chakra control did come in handy. He may be a genius, but even he wasn't perfect.

With a single tear trailing down her porcelain cheek, she disappeared from the lobby and the lives of Akatsuki….forever.

Itachi had never felt so betrayed before.

Even the harsh realization that his clan was nothing more than a power hungry monster who didn't care for his life didn't compare to the horrible truth he had just faced.

She was gone.

The rest of Akatsuki was more than devastated. Of course, they showed their sadness in their own different ways.

Hidan decided to slice everything and everyone in sight.

Kisame merely stared out the window, a grim look on his face.

Deidara looked like he was close to blowing himself up.

Itachi sincerely hoped he would.

He knew his blossom left them for good when he noticed a small white kitten appear out of nowhere, whining and whimpering.

He knew because she even left her beautiful kimono. The one that he had so carefully chosen for her.

He felt a foreign sensation spread from his left chest to the rest of his body.

It was…..painful.

A feeling the Uchiha would never want to experience ever again.

However it would not fade away.

Actually, it seemed to get stronger.

The red in his eyes grew brighter as the black swirled together.

It was because of her.

And so, this was when Itachi Uchiha vowed to himself, he would never let Sakura Haruno out of his sight again.

Even if it meant chaining her to him…and his family name.

Hope you all enjoyed it! Hugs and kisses to my wonderful readers and reviwers. I hope you haven't left this story like I did before. - VZ