He was not a man to be taken off guard, but what he had just felt would have surprised anyone, he took some pride in the knowledge that his reaction was not one to draw attention, maybe his eyes widened some, but otherwise nothing else could be considered noteworthy. He turned to Kisame motioning for him to go on ahead, and Kisame for his part did not question Itachi. If he too could sense the chakra signatures he did not mention it, and left Itachi behind him.
He remained calm until Kisame was far away, then he ran towards the direction he sensed his brother's chakra. Itachi had no doubt it was Sasuke's chakra, while it had felt different, (it was much more potent, stronger, yet somehow calmer) he could recognize his brother's chakra better than his own. However, Sasuke's chakra vanished as quickly as it arrived, blinded by the shock of sensing his brother so near, it had taken him longer than it should have to detect the two new chakra signatures where seconds before none was, and those did not vanish, the strangest part of all, was that these chakra signatures, felt vaguely familiar.
He rushed through the forest careful not to make too much noise, after all any chakra that felt vaguely familiar could only belong to an enemy ninja, which in his case meant it could be anyone. Careful not to alert, he slowed his pace down, activating his sharingan he could barely make out what appeared to be a woman in a cloak. What stood out to him, was the pink hair. As careful as he was being, he still managed to make some noise, but the woman in front of him paid no attention to him, instead she seemed to be focused on something else, that's when he remembered that there was a second chakra signature, this time however, he realized what he had not noticed before, the chakra was small, so either the woman was carrying an infant, or she was with child.
Itachi could make out some stirring under the woman's cloak, which meant she had an infant with her. She was so focused on the baby in her arms that she didn't notice him until he was standing ten feet away from her. "You are Haruno Sakura." He was calm as he said it, but if she had looked up at him, she would have seen the confusion in his still red eyes.
"I am not," was her simple reply, but she added, "my daughter is hungry, could you give me some privacy?" He acquiesced to her request, and waited a few minutes for her to let him know it was safe to come down from a tree he was perched in, after all he could never leave a defenseless woman and her child alone, at least that is the excuse he gave himself, but he knew there was a different reason he stayed nearby. It was in the minutes that he gave the woman that Itachi came to one conclusion, ignore. He chooses to ignore some simple facts, the seal on her forehead that matched the one on the current Hokage's forehead, the fact that she lied to him and was in fact Haruno Sakura, older somehow, but she was Haruno Sakura, and that the small glimpses of the little girl in her arms reminded him of Sasuke.
Once she was done feeding the infant and began to burp the girl, and the okay was given by her he approached hesitantly, "it is not safe to be in the middle of the forest alone."
"My husband will come for me." Itachi could hear the agitation in her voice, but still pressed on.
"It looks like it might rain soon ma-"
"Itachi-san, I appreciate the effort, I really do, but it was my husband's over protective nature that sent Sarada and myself here, and I cannot handle another protective Uchiha right now. If I leave the area my husband will have an even more difficult time finding us." There was a warning in her tone that amused Itachi but still he could also feel her exhaustion.
This time Itachi struggled to remain calm as her words registered in his mind, he blamed his late realization on the strange events, "a- are you not expected to stay quiet on these matters? It is dangerous for me to know too much."
Sakura almost scoffed when she responded, "you figured it out the moment you saw her, she looks too much like him." Then almost shyly asked, "would you like to hold her?" Sakura saw his eyes light up at the prospect, but she also saw the sadness that quickly covered it, in the end Itachi turned away from her.
"The way you speak to me I can only assume you know the truth, I will not question how you know, but the truth does not mean he would allow me to hold her. If her father would like me not to hold her, I will not, nor will I act under the presumption that he will let me near his daughter." Sakura was not even slightly taken aback by how similar her husband and Itachi thought, she still thought they were idiots, but hearing the pain in Itachi's voice she decided to respect his wishes. After all, the Sasuke that was roaming in this time, was not one to forgive, he would never allow Itachi near Sarada, and unfortunately that was the Sasuke that Itachi is acquainted with. "You said your husband would come for you, but it will be raining soon, we need to find some shelter, there is a cave nearby, we should be fine there," noticing that Sakura was going to argue he added," it is close enough that he should be able to sense your chakra when he arrives. Besides you should not stay out in the rain."
Sensing no room for argument (stubbornness was a family trait apparently), she started following Itachi, she distracted herself by focusing on making Sarada burp, because if she focused on anything else her fear would come. Sakura was not afraid of Itachi, she was terrified of being where she did not belong, of being in a time where Akatsuki was still around, she was afraid of changing the past, of making it so that Sarada no longer existed.
By the time they reached the cave it was lightly raining, as he worked on building them a fire he wondered if she would answer his questions. After all, the questions he wanted answers to revolved around her husband, around a future he did not belong in.
"Itachi-san," after five minutes of the rain filling the silence Sakura's quiet voice seemed too loud, "could you help me remove my cloak?" Sakura was taken off guard when instead of helping her remove her own, he removed his. He placed it on the ground far away enough from where the fire would be, he folded it up just enough to fit Sarada on it.
Sakura did not question how he knew she wanted to lay Sarada on her cloak, but she was thankful he knew. The silence that followed Sarada being laid down was filled with unasked questions, but Sakura decided to answer the one that Itachi was afraid to ask, "he is happy, he has moments where the weight crushes him, but they are not as common as they once were. You do not have to feel guilty, you were a child then, no matter how skilled, you were still just a child. You were used against your father knowing a parent would never fight their child, he not only knows this, but understands it. Sasuke told me so himself," Sakura knew he was listening, even if his eyes were on Sarada, his mind was processing her words.
"I am glad. Here he is full of anger and resentment, I was beginning to question if killing Sasuke would be better for everyone." Noticing Sakura's shocked reaction, he quickly added, "I don't know if I could do it, killing my brother would be difficult, but seeing him engulfed in darkness, it is not something I want, he was such a sweet boy. I did not think the darkness would ever get such a strong hold on him."
There was guilt in Itachi's voice, while some would believe it was born from the suffering he inflicted on Sasuke, Sakura knew that it was also from Itachi being aware that no matter what happened he would not and could not kill Sasuke. Not even for the sake of saving him from darkness would Itachi truly wish to hurt his brother, and Sakura understood that feeling all too well, for she too once considered killing Sasuke. "It works out Itachi-san, do not worry."
"Sarada does not appear to even be one month old, why are you and Sasuke traveling?" What Itachi wanted to ask was, did you run away with him? She said Sasuke was happy, not that he returned to Konoha.
Sakura was not deceived by his question and decided to explain, "we were traveling when we decided to get married, and when we found out I was expecting we were far from Konoha. We started making our way back, but our pace was so slow, that when I went into labor we were still too far from Konoha." As she spoke Sarada began to stir with the noise, noticing this she lowered her voice, "Sasuke wanted to wait until Sarada was a bit older to travel, but since Konoha is not too far I convinced him to leave sooner rather than later."
"Ah. And how did you end up going back in time?" That was a loaded question and he knew it by her eyes, she was easy to read, ironic for an Uchiha.
"Your brother sent me here, but I am positive it was not on purpose. It was early, Sarada was crying, which alerted the missing ninja that attacked us. I was holding Sarada, I had managed to calm her down, but it didn't matter they knew she was there, I was about to fight back, and suddenly I was here. Your brother sent us away, the fight should have ended by now. His victory is not what concerns me though." It was clear Sakura wanted to say more, but she was silent after that.
Itachi was tired of the silent questions in the air, but he knew they were both afraid of what could be revealed. What if she said something that made him waiver in his acceptance of death? What would be the outcome? Would the little girl currently napping cease to exist?
Regardless of anything the longer Sakura and Sarada remained the more dangerous it became, the most he could stay with them before Zetsu would come looking for him would be two days (Kisame would not care enough to question his absence), but it would be too dangerous for Sakura and Sarada to remain here without someone to protect them. She had claimed Sasuke was being too protective, implied it to be overbearing even, but her exhaustion was evident. No matter how great her chakra control may be, it took about six months before chakra could be used normally after a pregnancy. He couldn't leave them alone, but he also could not risk Zetsu finding them. Zetsu finding them would put even the Sakura of the present timeline in danger.
Itachi was so focused on his thoughts he had not noticed that Sakura had laid down and fallen asleep next to Sarada. He took this opportunity to approach them and study Sarada, his niece. What a strange concept, he had hoped Sasuke would one day have his own family, but he never believed it. The darkness he had created in his brother had a strong hold on him, but looking at Sarada, his niece (he had to say it in his mind because saying it out loud was too surreal, he had to say it in his thoughts because this was his niece, and he could not wrap his mind around it), he felt a sense of calm and longing.
Suddenly those feelings shattered, when he remembered because of him, this little girl would never meet Grandfather Fugaku, or Grandmother Mikoto. He gave himself the chance to imagine, if only for a second, what his parents would have said about their granddaughter. How they would have spoiled the little girl, how they would have loved her. His mother would have bought her so many dresses and dolls, she always wanted a little girl. Fugaku would have been stern, but she would have had him wrapped around her finger. He knew this, because already he knew that this little girl would only have to ask and he would give her anything.
Shaking the thoughts from his mind, he decides to act. Sasuke would come for his family, he knew this, Sakura knew this, the problem was when. Sending people back in time would have taken a lot of chakra, and Sasuke would need time to recover, if anyone discovered him with Sakura and Sarada they would conclude he is the father. Gossip spreads fast amongst shinobi, even his brother would hear, he knew Sasuke was already on his trail. Being here was dangerous, but it is not like he could ask someone else to watch over them, he trusted no one else, and he doubted Sakura would trust anybody else.
He summons a crow to watch over the area he found Sakura and Sarada, when his brother shows, the crow would be enough for Sasuke to know with who they are, whether that was comforting or not, he did not know.
He could not risk Zetsu checking up on him, and he could not risk his own timeline's Sasuke trailing him here. He did not know how long he would be unable to leave the area, he needed to lead his brother and Zetsu somewhere else as a precaution. The rain would help cover him, but it would not help much.
Sakura woke up to Sarada wide awake and kicking expecting Sasuke to be laying down on Sarada's other side. Instead she discovered that Itachi was standing by the cave's entrance watching the rain. "How long was I asleep for?"
"Long enough for me to place traps in the area and to stop by a nearby town to buy you some supplies for Sarada. I assumed you might need them." For all the answers she was expecting, that one was not anywhere near her list, and it showed, but now that she looked around her she noticed there was a few bags by his feet, unlike Itachi however, the bags appeared to be wet.
"Thank you, but you really didn't have too." Knowing he was about to protest, she added, "besides I don't think being in Akatsuki leaves you much."
"There is not much I can do for her, or will be able to do for her, so allow me to do this." There was something in his voice, in the way he was standing, that made her realize he was not looking at the rain, but avoiding looking at her and Sarada. Deciding to give him some space she made herself busy by checking up on Sarada.
Itachi could hear Sakura cooing and awing at Sarada. It was nice, more than nice he decided, to be surrounded by family, and if he closed his eyes he could imagine that they were not in a cave. After a few more minutes of Sakura playing with Sarada he heard her curse, realize what she said, and apologize to Sarada. "Is something wrong?"
"I don't suppose you bought some diapers?" He nodded a yes in her direction and began to look for the diapers in one of the bags, as he handed them to Sakura she had an amused gleam in her eyes as she said, "I am now really glad you spent the money."
"It was my pleasure; do you require anything else? I also bought her some clothes, and a blanket." There was a tone of desperation in his voice he hoped she would not notice.
"I actually do need to change her clothes." Itachi was positive she was lying about the need, but just as he was aware of the fact this was his only chance to be a dotting uncle, she was too. Sakura was giving him the chance to see Sarada in something he was giving to her. Part of him realized that it was selfish to want to have Sarada receive a change of clothes just for his sake, the other side of him understood it was his only chance. He went to pick out the clothes for Sarada but suddenly he could not decide, what would she look like in pink? Maybe the pants with the strawberry on the butt? The onesie with the bunny? Something red maybe, red would look good on her. "Seems your uncle can't decide what to dress you in. Which shouldn't be the case because he should not have bought you so many things."
Sakura had not said it to rush him, he knew this, but he did feel his face heat up in embarrassment. At the end, he settled for the onesie with the bunny, and while the rain seemed to finally be coming to an end, he wanted Sarada to be warm. Which is why he decided to bring along the small blanket he bought for her.
"You have been here for a few hours now, do you think Sasuke knows where you are by now?" Though as he said, they had been here for a few hours he still struggled to grasp that they were in fact here. Denial still had a hold on him, and he could see Sakura struggled with it too. Would his brother be able to conclude that his family was in the past?
"I hope so. It is not safe for us to be here, not for you, or Sarada and me. I honestly want to kill your brother right now. Though it has been nice getting to know you, and Sarada has enjoyed your presence as well."
"Sarada and you have been asleep most of the time." Sakura knew he was correct but he was also wrong.
Sakura abruptly stopped in the middle of dressing Sarada, gave him a stern look and said, "I have gotten to know you, and Sarada has too. You haven't left my side once, you probably used shadow clones to go buy those things for Sarada with however little money you have. You set up traps all over the area, some really advanced genjutsu from what I can tell. You've done all this for us, while sick, if being married to Sasuke has taught me anything, is that actions reveal more about a person."
Itachi did not respond to her words, but she could almost see the gratitude radiating from him, and when he spoke there was pride in his voice when he asked, "so he is a good husband?"
"Yes, and a good father, up until he sent us back in time that is. Now I'm pondering divorce." He laughed at her joke, a true laugh, one that lifted his spirits even higher than he thought possible. For Itachi it had been so long since he felt this kind of joy. He laughed because she was feisty (and probably had his brother giving in), he laughed because it finally hit him, that his brother was happy (because it was still difficult to look at this woman and child and think of them as his brother's family). Sasuke had a family, a wife and a little girl, and before he was aware of it he was crying, because he to now had a family, even if it would be short lived.
"You must think I am slightly mad."
"On the contrary," she responded with a smile, "Itachi-san, I think you are very happy."
Once Itachi composed himself, he decided to mention his plan, he knew she would not be happy, but he knew she was reasonable. "If Sasuke is not here by morning, we will go into the nearby town, we will stay at an inn, I do not have much money, but we cannot stay here for long. I have already set up traps in the area and left fake trails, I also left a crow by where I found you two, when Sasuke shows up, the crow will lead him to us."
"Why can't we stay here longer?" He saw the anger brewing beneath the surface, he wondered if she was normally this quick to anger, or if it was the stress of the day getting to her.
"It is not safe, there is a member in Akatsuki that would come to check up on me if I take too long, not to mention, your Sasuke is the one we are hoping for, not mine. Sasuke killed Orochimaru a few weeks back, that means he will be looking for me if not already looking for me. Since I never accounted for today's events, I have been careless with my trail, some may say I may even be leading him to a destination."
"They seem to both be after you, I'll stay here and wait for Sasuke, if they are after you they will not even notice me." He could see in her eyes that while she seemed resolute in her decision, she was considering the pros and the cons of staying a lone with an infant.
"Zetsu and Sasuke are not the only dangers, if they were, you would not be here. We do not know when Sasuke will come for you, it could be within two hours or two weeks, we don't know. In that time, you would be exposing Sarada to those dangers, and I would never forgive myself if anything happened to you two. You are Sasuke's family and by default mine as well.I will not let my brother lose his family. Now if he is not here by morning we will go to the town and that is final."
Sasuke had once told her that Itachi had a way of talking when he was mad, he would not sound angry, instead he would be irritatingly calm, and that it somehow made you listen and obey, she once replied "like you then?" he answered "not like me, he used to make me feel small, sure I was a child, but not even my parents could scare me like Itachi." Sakura now understood what he meant, still she glanced at Sarada considering her options, to go willingly, or fighting all the way. "Fine, but I am only doing this for Sarada."
"Now that we have decided that, I sent a clone to catch some fish, earlier he should be here soon." He heard her say something under her breath but he chooses to ignore it after all, he hadn't given her a choice or a say in the plan.
A/N: first chapter finally together at last, i put the lines so that you would know what was once its own little chapter. What i learned from this experience is to change chapter titles while I do this... lesson learned.. hopefully. I am thinking of a new summary since i dont think it fits anymore since i changed the direction of the story... to reference the author note that once was I am trying to convey that while Sakura and Itachi feel comfortable enough around each other, there is still this awkwardness in the air between them... this will not be an ItaSaku story, nothing against the pairing but SasuSaku is my only ship in general... Hope you guys enjoy the story, also i dont care if you tell me the story sucks just tell me why, and don't be afraid to tell me things you do not like about the story. Fanfiction for me is practice writing, and i cannot improve if you guys don't help.