WARNING: There is sex in this chapter. It's not vevry vivid as far as I'm concerned, but it's there. And unfortunately there's important information laced in it, so you'll have to read it :(

Anyway! I hope you guys like this one! I don't know when I can post next, probably next week I hope. I've been working less, but with Pixie, and another baby coming I've been very very tired.

"What do you think Mitsuki? Can I convince your dad to come back with me?" she whispered. She smiled when she asked and Mitsuki's face twitched into a smile as well. "Then I'd better get a move on ne? Momma will be back as soon as she can," Sakura promised. She packed all of her things and set out for the Hokage tower, Hinata and Naruto agreeing to watch over her daughter.

"You don't want me to rescind the order?" Tsunade asked.

"No. Tsunade, I need you to let me go and seek out Itachi," Sakura requested. Tsunade let out a deep sigh.

"Things are getting dangerous Sakura… I asked that no one tell you because you had just returned but… Sarutobi Asuma was killed by the Akatsuki. In return both members were also killed. I was also recently made aware that Kurenai is pregnant. She is not able to carry out missions. What are you hoping to gain?" the frazzled woman revealed. Sakura was taken aback by her disclosure. "I've also received word that Sasuke has killed Orochimaru if that's any comfort," she added. Sakura regained her composure and began to speak.

"I hope to gain an ally. I want the chance to try and convince Itachi to return to Konoha, and also to try and convince Sasuke to return as well. It would greatly increase our defenses to have them both back. That leaves only 5 members of Akatsuki and we'll know at least 4 of their weaknesses. We will also be able to start coming up with a plan to defeat Madara. Itachi had mentioned being worried that Madara would come after Sasuke as a replacement when Sasuke killed Itachi. If they're both here it's not a worry we need to have," Sakura explained.

"Do you believe you have the power to change Itachi's mind? Do you truly believe that once Sasuke learns this truth that he can coexist with his brother after all the pain he's endured?" Tsunade asked. She looked Sakura over thoughtfully as the pink haired girl prepared her answer.

"I will be able to convince Itachi to return if I can get in touch with him," Sakura assured. "As for Sasuke… Honestly I'm not sure how he will react… I can only promise that if things got out of hand and he tried to attack Itachi, Itachi would definitely take the battle away from Konoha to assure its safety."

"Give me a little time to think about it. I'll have an answer by noon tomorrow. For now please go home and rest. Don't run away again," Tsunade answered. It was a great risk to take, bringing Itachi back to the village and exposing the circumstances of his defection; even more to bring Sasuke back after that… Her student seemed so sure of Itachi though. It was already obvious that Itachi would do everything necessary to assure the safety of Konoha. If she was able to bring both of them back, they could prepare for Akatsuki's impending attack. Tsunade bet the only reason they hadn't been attacked so far was because of the elder Uchiha brother. Either way the attack was coming, and it was better to have Itachi here with his intelligence on the shady organization than not.

Sasuke was going to be the bigger problem. Even with all the evidence, to prove his innocence, and to prove he still loved Sasuke as much as when they were children, it was going to be hard to kill his desire for revenge. No matter how innocent Itachi was, it would do little to comfort the Uchiha who'd felt betrayed nearly his whole life… She would approve Sakura's request in the morning and send her in search of her lover. For now she tried to formulate a plan on how to deal with Sasuke…

It took Sakura a week and a half to travel northwest to Earth Country including spending 2 days in the Grass Country where she'd first encountered Itachi. She took another 2 weeks to travel along the border of Earth to reach Waterfall Country. None of the people she talked to seemed to have noticed men walking around in black cloaks with red clouds. She spent another week and a half traveling in Rice Field Country. She dismissed the possibility of them being in Water Country being that Kisame originated from there. As she headed back up the coast of Rice Field Country, tacking another week on to her journey she began to feel weary. After a month and a half of almost constant travel she needed to rest. She stopped at an inn along the country's northeast border and once again asked about the Akatsuki members she was looking for.

"We heard rumors about a girl traveling through the greater countries in search of such men, but we didn't expect it to turn out to be a child," the desk clerk joked. He was an older man who was slightly bald. He had a pretty cheerful disposition. A girl appeared from the back room, presumably his daughter. She stared at Sakura intently. "Anyway, how long will you be staying?"

"A week," she replied. The man nodded and took her money. He turned to the girl beside him and smiled. It wasn't lost on Sakura, that the man had totally avoided her question.

"You go help this nice girl to her room. Fix her some dinner once she's settled in," the old man instructed. Sakura followed the girl to a room on the second floor. She had long brown hair, brown eyes and soft features. She struck Sakura as timid but sweet.

"Thank you," Sakura said. The girl watched her as she put her bag down and sat on the surprisingly soft bed. She felt uneasy for some reason.

"We don't many guests here that stay for so long," the girl said. "Most of the guests that come here are on the run I think," she added, piquing Sakura's curiosity.

"Why do you say that?" Sakura asked.

"They often disappear in the middle of the night," came the reply.

"Is there something you have to tell me?" Sakura asked. The girl nodded.

"Father said not to speak about them, because they were dangerous. They stayed here for 2 nights last week," the girl began. Sakura suddenly found her heart racing. "They were very polite and quiet when they came. The one that carried a sword said my cooking was excellent and when their business was concluded in the Lightning Country they would be back to spend the night."

"Is that true?" Sakura asked in bewilderment. The girl nodded. "Why did you tell me?"

"The other one, he's the one you're really looking for right?" the girl questioned.

"Yes," Sakura admitted.

"Because of what he did to you?" the girl asked boldly. Sakura narrowed her eyes. It should be no surprise that she knew, Sakura supposed. Sasuke had heard the rumors somehow and it had been nearly 2 years since her supposed rape. Sakura slowly nodded. "Someone else is looking for him too. They came a few weeks ago traveling south. One of them was looking for you," she revealed.

"Sasuke was here too?" Sakura asked.

"I think that was his name. He said he was looking for a pink haired shinobi from the Fire Country and a man that looked a bit like himself that wore a black cloak with red clouds. He seemed worried about you. When he mentioned you the girl with him got all in a huff. Another boy that was with him started to argue with her and the final boy with them just stood quietly by. He didn't say a word the whole time they were here,"

"How long did they stay?"

"They didn't stay. They stopped here for some food and then continued south. I just thought you should know," the girl said.

"Thank you so much." After six long weeks she was finally going to be able to see Itachi.

"I'll bring you some food," the girl said. Sakura nodded and the girl left her to her thoughts. Her dinner was excellent, far better than anything she'd had since her journey began. Now she just had to wait… As the week passed she spent time with the inn keeper's daughter, Keiko. Sakura spoke of Mitsuki and Keiko spoke of the guests that stayed at the inn. She taught Sakura some of her secret cooking techniques and Sakura taught Keiko how to better nurture the garden behind the inn. She only knew this much because of her friendship with Ino. She never revealed the details of what had happened to her at Itachi's hands, but she assured Keiko that she only needed to speak with the man to give her heart some long deserved peace.

After the week went by she paid nightly to stay, telling the inn keeper that she was unsure if she was ready to move on yet. He smiled and took her money, but he grew suspicious that Keiko had told her about their previous guests when he'd asked her not to. This girl would definitely not be able to take on both of those men, and he feared for her safety as well as his inn. If a fight between such high ranking missing nin broke out, surely he'd have quite a mess on his hands…

Sakura settled into bed when the day was over. She wondered just how long she was going to have to wait for the man she loved. Waiting in good company here was far better than traveling alone however. She didn't mind so much, knowing that soon enough they would meet again. As she drifted off an urgent knock could be heard. She opened her door to find Keiko.

"What's wrong Keiko?" she asked.

"The shark looking man is back, but the other man isn't. He booked the room for tonight and he booked 2 for tomorrow. I'll bring you your food all day, just don't come out. You don't want the other man to know you're here," Keiko informed her. Sakura nodded. "I'll let Itachi know what room you're in when he arrives."

The next night brought bad weather. The sky flashed and crackled with thunder and lightning. Blankets of rain poured down from ominous dark clouds. Sakura waited patiently at her window. She never saw him come. With a sigh she just continued to wait. It was right before dawn when she decided 

she would rest because he probably wasn't going to come, that a soft knock finally came. Lightning flashed to illuminate the figure in her doorway before the power went out through the whole inn.

"What were you thinking doing this? You're putting Mitsuki in danger. You're putting yourself at great risk as well," Itachi's said. "It's common knowledge throughout most of the borders cities that you're searching for me. How will you explain it to Sasuke?"

"I don't want you to go through with this," Sakura blurted out. She had meant to calmly lead a conversation up to that point but she obviously couldn't control her mouth.

"Sakura-"

"No! You don't understand! I lied to you when we were last together!" she interrupted, tears welling up in her eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"I've betrayed Sasuke," she whispered, reaching out in the darkness for him. She'd been lying to herself then, and she'd said what she had to discourage Itachi from falling in love with her. How ironic that she stood here now hoping for him to tell her he felt the same. The clouds drifted in the sky letting the moonlight flood the room and thus revealing Itachi to her.

"No," Itachi muttered, shaking his head. "No Sakura, he loves you! You love-"

"You …I love you," she whispered.

"We can't do this Sakura. He's already suffered so much. You're all he has left!" Itachi protested.

"We are all he has left. Me, you, and Mitsuki. He'll have the three of us and-"

"Sakura this can't be… This can't happen!" he protested again.

"Every time you say that we prove fate wrong! There is a way to gain the Mangekyo Sharingan without your death. Kakashi has it as well! He said once Sasuke becomes powerful enough it should emerge on its own. That suffering is what gives you that power. You could be the brother to Sasuke that he always remembered you being. Please! I can't lose you!" Sakura begged. Tears flooded from her eyes, down her cheeks as she started to weep.

"It's not as simple as that! You don't know everything…"

"I know the truth Itachi. I looked in the box. I know what really happened. You don't need to be a martyr for your guilt! Sasuke will understand!" she choked out through her sobs.

"Sakura, I'm dying!" he yelled above her pleas. She froze. Her heartbeat echoed in her ears. She seemed catatonic suddenly. When it finally reached her brain that he'd told her he was dying, a chill crept up her spine.

"No…" she whispered. It couldn't be true… He was lying to her to drive her away… He had to be!

"I've been sick for a long time, but recently the symptoms have flared and started coming more and more frequently. I've been worrying if I was going to make it to the final battle with Sasuke…" Itachi admitted.

"Then come back to Konoha with me! Tsunade will find a cure!" Sakura interjected. Then something dawned on her. Maybe Itachi had been sick since he lived in Konoha. All this time his health was deteriorating while he waited for Sasuke to reach his level. It may have been his desperation to further Sasuke along that had made him so readily agree to sleeping with her in the first place… Maybe he was only pretending to care about her so he didn't hurt her…

"You know I can't," Itachi said.

"Why? Isn't it worth a try? Are you so intent to die that the people you're hurting mean nothing? We can ally Konoha with Suna and if Akatsuki comes for you, we'll fight them!" Sakura said through her tears that began to run dry.

"Sakura…" he whispered, as darkness crept through the room as the clouds hid the moon.

"Tell me you don't love me and I'll go. I'll let you go through with your plan without complaint. I won't contact you again," Sakura said in a defeated tone. She wiped clean her tears and though Itachi could not see it, she was hanging her head down.

"I don't love you," Itachi said with clenched fists. He was shocked that he was able to make it sound so genuine. A dim glow filled the room as the moon struggled to shine through the smoky clouds but it was only enough so they could just barely see each other. Sakura half smiled but didn't look at him. It was a good thing she hadn't been looking in his eyes when he said it or she might've been convinced.

"If I didn't know you were lying already, I would've believed you," she mused. She knew he'd said it for the same reason Sasuke had left her, to protect her. Maybe she was hoping for too much. She brushed past him in the doorway, forcing herself not to cry again. Kakashi had been wrong… No one could convince Itachi to change his mind.

She let out a small noise when she felt his hand grip her arm. Before she knew what was happening, she was being braced against the closed door. Her heart started racing as she looked at his face overcast by shadows. A moan escaped her as his lips crashed upon hers. She started breathing heavier as his lips traveled down her neck. Her arms went around his shoulders unconsciously. His hands traced down her sides, stopping at her outer thighs. He grabbed her legs and lifted her off the floor, allowing her to wrap her legs around him as well. He slammed her back against the door roughly with a groan.

"Itachi," she whimpered as his teeth left marks on her shoulder. She clung to him, wrapping her body as tightly as possible around him. His hand snaked up the back of her neck to grasp her hair. She didn't mind as he yanked her head back to expose her neck. She arched her hips, causing him to grind his arousal against her. "I want you," she whispered lustfully. She ground against him again.

His free hand unzipped her top to allow his mouth more to explore. He nipped his way down her chest, pressing harder against her light frame. The soft breathy moans that escaped her were erotic to Itachi. There was little room left for foreplay. He needed her just as badly as she needed him. Somehow he managed to get his pants down and more remarkably get her leggings off without putting her down or ceasing his assault of her body with his mouth. When he tugged the last remaining barrier to the side and slipped a digit inside her he couldn't help but smirk. She was already wet and her eyes were begging for him to take her.

"Tell me again," he demanded, teasing her with another finger. She bit down on her lip and let her eyes flutter closed as a blush came across her cheeks.

"I want you Itachi," she whispered, crying out as his fingers grazed her spot. She shivered as the pleasure coursed through her. Itachi was amazed at how intoxicating he found her. He couldn't believe how easily she had secured his heart when he'd never believed he would allow himself to give it away. "I love you," she whispered, looking up at him again. She was desperate to hear her confession returned. If Itachi remembered correctly, Sasuke had never actually admitted it, but had kissed her as though it was proof enough after all the heartache he'd caused… Clearly it wasn't enough for her and Itachi wouldn't leave her hanging the way his brother had for so many years.

"I love you too Sakura," he whispered huskily, removing his fingers. He pushed inside her with a deep moan of satisfaction. This was not like the first time. This was not a love making session; it was lust, and anger and depression, hopelessness, fear, everything that needed to be fucked away to clear the tension between them and to clear his own head. He slammed into her right from the start over and over again. If it hurt she didn't let on to it. He buried his face in the nape of her neck as he pounded into her.

"I've missed you so much… You don't know how hard it's been to live without you. Without your smile… your kiss… your touch…" she whimpered softly in his ear. "Don't make me regret giving you my heart," she pleaded. She cried out and tensed around him.

"Sakura," Itachi murmured in response. He groaned and quickened his pace, accepted over and over by her more than willing body. His shame, his guilt, his pain, all the things he'd done to make himself despicable and detestable were forgiven by this girl in a matter of hours. With her innocence and a heart only desiring to protect those she loved and heal the pain of those she met, she let him in. Her body washed away all his sins in a heated moment of passion. She was his Goddess and she had forgiven him for all he had done no matter his good intentions.

How could he tell her he would leave her again? Her and their child? He'd long ago decided he could never have the things he had with her, and somehow she'd convinced him how easy they were to obtain. They worried for Sasuke's soul and fate had given them a child to help heal him, but she also saved Itachi's soul. Now that he had so much precious to him, the desire to protect it was so strong it was almost unbearable to think of going through with his original intentions.

He reached a climax so powerful it made him dizzy. Sakura moaned as she followed right behind him. Both of them were panting and sweaty and an overwhelming urge to sleep filled the room. He pulled out of her and let her down, but did not release her. "Why?" he growled. "Why do you do this to me?" Sakura put a hand on his cheek and he looked down into her eyes.

"Please come back with me… I don't know how I could go on if I knew you did nothing to save yourself."

"I don't want the people I love to hurt anymore…I don't want Akatsuki to follow me to Konoha and let happen what I killed my clan to prevent," Itachi muttered. Sakura was shocked to find tears in his eyes, but gently wiped them away.

"Then I'll just have to find a cure for your illness so you can protect it. We'll get Sasuke to come back and we'll raise our daughter together as a family. You'll have all you desired and your sins will be forgiven. You don't have to drown in the guilt weighing down your soul. You're a hero. You sinned to protect everything you loved, while another shinobi would have done it just because they were ordered to. Your heart has suffered the same if not more than Sasuke's. You don't need to give your life away to protect Konoha. You belong in the village fighting for your ideals; your family," Sakura ranted.

"I never thought you'd go to such lengths to save me, even determined as I know you are," he whispered softly in admiration of his mate. He placed a kiss on her lips and brought her to the small bed.

"Something brought us together to prove that you weren't resigned to the fate you carved out for yourself," Sakura added.

"If you believe that with all your heart and soul, then I'll come back," he assured her. He could see the glitter of excitement in her eyes.

"Really?" she asked hopefully. He ran his fingers through her silky hair. He gave a small nod but he seemed very distant all of a sudden. "What's wrong?" she asked in distress.

"I have business to finish before I can return, if only to delay Akatsuki if they mean to hunt me down. I may also find an ally in Kisame which would prove to our extreme advantage," Itachi answered in part. She knew he must also be thinking about Sasuke.

"Are you worrying about your brother?" she asked in a whisper.

"He was already going to be conflicted about the truth, but now there's also our relationship to contend with…" he replied.

"While you take care of your business I will return to Konoha. I hear he's been looking for me. When he hears I've returned I have no doubt he'll come. I'll do what I can to keep him in Konoha, but the lack of your presence or the anger that will flare in him may set him on your trail again," Sakura said. She could see he was still hiding something from her, and one concerned look was all it took for him to reveal it to her.

"Sasuke and I will still have our battle Sakura… I know you'll do what you can but until he quenches his rage toward me I will never know his forgiveness. All the explanations in the world will not heal him the way fighting me will," Itachi said to her obvious dissatisfaction. "There's more," he interjected before she could reply. "He killed Orochimaru some time ago and gathered a group of his subordinates to hunt me down. This makes it likely that once I leave Akatsuki they may team up to exact their revenge…" he explained. She frowned. It was important that when Sasuke came, she made sure he didn't end up with Akatsuki.

"What if he finds you before he comes to me? Without knowing your condition, you could be killed…"

"What of your earlier speech?" Itachi questioned, quieting her fears. "If we were meant for this, then everything will work out accordingly. Don't fret for what we can't control. Just focus on what we can do for now. I'll return to Konoha as soon as I'm able," he promised with a kiss. She melted into his touch, feeling so tired suddenly. "I love you," he whispered as she fell into a deep sleep. He took off his Akatsuki ring and placed it on the side table next to the bed. "I'm sorry to leave you like this Sakura, but there are some things even you can't change…"