Ello! Now getting into the good stuff, Sakura is now going to expressing some kind of feelings. Her poor tomboy heart won't know what to do as she tries to figure everything out. This is a little shorter then my usual but hopefully you do not mind. Enjoy the chapter and until next time!


Chapter 24: Survival of the Fittest


"Well good to see that you are all here on time, 8 am sharp, no skippers," Tsunade smiled glancing around the room.

Sakura sighed and slid down in her chair. She had never had detention before, well once but that was Naruto's fault so it did not count. "Stupid ramen cups," Sakura muttered to herself.

"Now I will not be the one watching over you guys," Tsunade started pacing the room.

"You aren't," Tobi said getting excited.

"Oh yeah," Deidara cheered.

She broke out into a big smile which made Sakura suspicious. "No I found someone more…qualified to handle this matter, you guys have fun."

"More qualified?" Gaara asked. "Who is it?"

"You'll see," she smiled slipping out the room.

"I hope it is Kakashi and then he can have some real fun," Itachi said rubbing his hands together looking at Sakura. "Right princess?"

Sakura looked straight at the wall not saying a word to anyone.

"Are you still mad at us?" Neji frowned. "Come on woman, get over it."

Sakura took her shoe off and threw it square at his jaw. "OOOOOWEORJfldssfofisjfoiejfe ogj!"

"Oooooh are we learning a new language today," Naruto smiled. "How do you say hello?"

"Jjojgidjgdgi," Neji whined grabbing his chin.

"Hmmm little weird, are you sure that-"

"Well helllllllo students!" Gai cheered strutting inside the classroom.

Sakura sighed and banged her head against her desk. "Noooo," she moaned sadly her forehead pressed onto the cold hard wood.

"We are going to have a great detention today!"

"Yeah let's get this party started," Kiba barked swinging Akamaru around the room.

"I have a lot planned for us to do," Gai grinned brightly as we placed a huge folder on the desk.

"What idiot plans a detention," Sasuke muttered.

"Ooooh I like planned detentions," Naruto cheered.

Sasuke gave Naruto a look. Deidara raised his hand. "Yes youthful student."

"Could I get hit the restroom real quick, un?" Deidara asked.

"Of course make it quick, you don't want to miss out," Gai said opening up his folder.

Deidara slipped out of the room and closed the door quietly behind him.

"Hey-"Itachi started watching Deidara walk the opposite way of the restrooms.

"Fiiiirst we are going to play a game, everybody stand up," Gai smiled standing at the front of the classroom cutting Itachi off.

Naruto jumped up immediately ready to go.

"If you participate, I may let you out earlyyyyy," Gai singed.

The rest got up reluctantly staring blankly at him.

"This first game is called Escape and no you will not be leaving the room."

Tobi put his hand down sadly.

"It's just to see who has the best strategy and can get to the door first without being caught."

Gaara shrugged. "Sounds simple enough."

"Why don't we play makeout session?" Itachi suggested.

Gai rubbed his chin. "Hmmm I don't think I have played that one before."

"Best game ever, Sakura and I can go play in the hallway for maybe an hour," Itachi smirked in her direction. "It could run over."

Sakura's ears turned pink as she glared back at him. "Play with Naruto."

"Gosh, you kiss one guy and now you always get picked on."

Everyone was silent. Gai looked confused. "What?"

"What?! You guys were there, it was an accident, Sasuke and I just-"

"Just stop talking Naruto," Gaara suggested patting his shoulder.

"Okie dokie," Naruto said glumly.

"Sasuke and Naruto accidently kissed a couple weeks ago when they were fighting to get in the school first," Neji clarified to the confused Gai.

Sasuke glared at him. "You were never supposed to speak of it."

"Well he didn't know so I had to fill him in," Neji said sharply.

"Let's just play this escape game and get out of here," Sasuke growled getting annoyed wanting to change the subject.

"That's the spirit, okay first you will need to put on these blindfolds," Gai said grabbing pieces of cloth out of his pocket.

"Blindfolds, oh la la," Neji hummed.

Sakura gulped. "What are the rules of this game?"

"Got any handcuffs too?" Itachi asked.

"Hmm I don't think I have any of those," Gai said looking around his bag.

"He was joking," Sakura informed Gai glaring at Itachi.

"Was I joking?" Itachi asked assumed seeing Sakura's face turn pink.

"So what do we do exactly?" Kiba asked.

"Well everyone else is blindfolded as one person is picked and they have five second intervals to see if they can make it to the door without being caught. The blindfolded people see if they can stop them. Who wants to be it first?" Gai smiled.

"I will!" Naruto volunteered cheerfully as the door opened. Inside walked Sasori casually as he gave a slip of paper to Gai.

"Ahhh so you will be joining us as well, the more the merrier."

"How did you get sentenced here?" Itachi asked.

"Tsunade noticed I was absent and assumed I was most likely with you, so I have detention as well."

"You should have lied," Naruto suggested. "That's what I would have done."

Gai explained the rules to him quickly.

"Okay the rest of you, I am going to blindfold you and position you at different parts of the room, Naruto you start at the back door over there."

Gai went around to each person, blindfolded them, spinned them around a few times and positioned them in place.

"Okay Naruto you ready?"

"BELIEVE IT!"

"Okay go, 1…2…3…4..-"

"Caught him," Itachi said.

Everyone took their blindfolds off to see Itachi gripping Naruto's neck. "Wow that was fast," Kiba commented.

"Naruto you got caught so easy," Gaara said laughing.

"Well he breathes really loud so I just reach out and grabbed him."

"Keep it up Naruto," Gai cheered. "Who's next, what about you Sakura?"

Sakura stared at the hungry eyes of Neji, Itachi and Deidara. "I'd rather not."

"Coooooome in, it will be fun!"

"O-okay," Sakura said nervously walking over to the back door. Gai made sure everyone was blind folded and positioned all over the room almost like mine bombs, one wrong move and it would be over.

Sakura waited as Gai walked back to the front of the class.

"Okay, go, 1…2…3…4…5!"

Sakura maneuvered slowly around Gaara and Deidara in the five seconds she had.

"Good job," Gai cheered her on.

She barely passed by Neji who was grabbing at thin air, Itachi was sniffing the air and Tobi had decided to blow kisses to the air in hopes of landing somewhere.

"Wow your almost there Sakura!"

"What?" Sasuke growled getting angry and reaching out aggressively and pulling Kiba closed to his chest. "I got you pinky."

"Sorry could you let me go, this is kind of awkward," Kiba said hoping he was talking in the right direction.

Sakura smiled to herself seeing she was about to win. "Ha ha suckers, victory is mine!"

As Sakura reached to touch the door an arm wrapped around her waist at the same exact moment. Sakura looked up to see a blindfolded Sasori gripping her firmly.

"What you won?" Naruto said taking his blindfold off and letting his eyes adjust to the light before he looked towards the door. His eyes wided. "Oh my! So scandalous!"

"What is it?" Itachi asked curious now tore off his blindfold.

Sakura was frozen in time as Sasori's strong arm made her stomach flutter.

Sakura frowned. "What was that?"

"Wait…so who won?" Neji asked confused.

"I believe that would be a tie," Gai smiled cheerfully.

"What, I want to catch Sakura, again!" Neji said putting his blindfold back on.

"But-"

"No buts, everyone in to position," Itachi ordered.

Gai-sensei grinned obvious to everything. "Oh you guys must really love this game!"

Sakura frowned. "Yes they sure do."

She sighed as she got back into position this time being caught by Sasuke who smirked like there was no tomorrow. Next Itachi got her saying he knew her scent well more than anyone.

They were resetting when Sakura sighed deeply. "This is getting old, when is someone else gonna do this."

"Not until I catch you," Tobi yelled blindfolded, running into the wall.

"I guess she is right," Gai said. "Maybe we should-"

The door was opened violently slamming against the wall cracking the glass. Gai looked over at the person who had just entered the room.

"Yes sir, can I hope y-"

The man had on a mask quickly walked up to Gai and pushed him down on the ground behind the desk. He pulled out a butcher knife they watched in horror as they heard Gai scream and blood splattered on the board. They saw Gai's limp hand fall out from behind the desk. The mask stranger looked up at them and raised his knife.

Naruto screamed bloody and grabbed Sakura's arm. "OH MY GOSH, WE ARE GOING TO DIE!"

He bolted for the back door wasting no time to get them out. They were followed soon after the rest of their detention mates.

Kiba was crying. "Gai-sensei is dead, HE IS DEAD!" he ran tripping over his feet.

Sakura looked over her shoulder to see the masked man walking slowly towards them down the hall. Naruto lost grip of her hand causing her to fall on the floor. Sasori helped her up quickly and grabbed her hand continuing to run for dear life. They reached a fork in the hallway three ways to go. Sakura noticed that the group had split up running down different hallways.

She noticed Gaara, Kiba and Naruto running down the west wing. She started to follow them but Sasori jerked her back. They heard yelling coming from behind them assuming it was the mad man.

"They will be fine, come on," Sasori assured her turning the corner. He opened the janitor's closet pushed Sakura in and followed soon after.


Safe inside the art classroom Naruto took a deep breath. "Oh gosh, that was so scary!"

Gaara leaned against a desk and closed him eyes, he opened them up quickly. "Where is Sakura?" he noticed the pink haired girl missing.

Naruto gasped.

"I'm sure she is fine, she is Sakura," Kiba said rocking back and forth.

"Yeah but there is a SERIAL KILLER out there, this is not some normal guy," Naruto shouted loudly.

Gaara hit him over the head. "Do you want to get us killed, shut up," he growled.


Sakura gasped for air her hands resting on her knees. She looked in the darkness for Sasori.

"I think we lost him," she said wiping the sweat of her brow. "Hopefully."

Sasori grasped at the air and found a switch, he yanked it down and the dim light bulb swinged back and forth lighting up the janitor's closet. Sasori grabbed the door knock and twisted it. "It appears we are locked inside."

"Just great," Sakura growled. "Well I guess it is just the two of us."

Sakura heard a crash in the corner and darted her eyes over quickly. She squinted her eyes to try to make out what was in the darkness.

A figure came forth and stopped in front of them, the dim light shining on his face. "Make that three," Itachi smirked.

"What are you doing in here?" Sakura glared at him.

"It was a good place to hide before you locked us in cutie."

Sasori silently took a step towards Sakura. She gulped as she watched the two have a glaring match.

"That's right; Sasori likes me, well maybe," Sakura thought to herself.

Sakura thumped them both in the chest. "Okay break it up, any bright ideas how we can get out of here?"

Itachi rubbed his chin and looked around at the ceiling. "There may be one way."

"What?"

Itachi grinned down at Sakura. "We will need to use you."


"Oh my gosh, Sakura, w-what if she didn't make it," Tobi cried.

Sasuke punched him square in the jar. "If you do not keep quiet, I will kill you myself."

"That's if the psycho doesn't get to you first," Neji reminded him.

Sasuke glared him. "Well we split up, I highly doubt we will be the first, it will be Naruto."

"Very true," Tobi said rubbing his sore jaw. He looked around. "Hey where's Deidara, I haven't seen him since the start of detention."

Neji frowned. "Didn't he ask to go to the restroom?"

"Yeah he did." Tobi's eyes widened. "Oh no, he is out there all alone and he doesn't know there is a murder on the loose."

"Hn."

"Have a heart you soulless person!"

Sasuke punched Tobi again.


Sakura closed her phone and sighed. "I can't get a signal at all."

"Shouldn't Tsunade still be in the building?" Sasori asked.

"She probably left, she had Gai watching us," Itachi said flipping a coin in between his fingers.

Sakura bit her lip nervously. "What do we do then?"

Itachi stood up. "First, please stop biting your lip; we are already in enough distress. Second, I have an idea.

Sasori crossed his arms and glared at his friend. "What is your plan exactly?"

"Sakura will have to climb into the air ducts," Itachi said pointing to the vent.

Sakura laughed. "I'm not doing that."

"If you want to get out of here and save your friends you will."

Sakura mopped. "Fine let's get the vent off."


Deidara causally walked back to the classroom to find Gai cleaning off the board. He studied the empty room and the red spots splattered everywhere.

"Where is everyone? What happened in here?"

Gai looked up from his task. "Oh right, you went to the restroom. Well Tsuande thought a better way to punish the students, by scaring them; they think they are alone in the school being chased by a serial killer."

"That's awful, yeah, how could you do something like that," Deidara said shocked.

"It's youthful, it getting their little hearts racing," he grinned. "Well since you aren't on the run, we will have to put you to good use."

The masked man came inside of the room and stood in front of Deidara.

"Use me for what?"


"Okay," Sakura said standing on a bucket. "This seems a little dangerous, are you sure this will hold my weight?"

"Look it's the only way we can get out of here, you weight a lot less then Sasori and I, though I wish I didn't have to send my princess up there."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Okay I'm going."

"Make sure you survey the room from the vent before you enter the room," Sasori told her cautiously.

Sakura nodded and stood on her tip toes to get inside. Itachi came behind here. "Let me help you up." He wrapped his arms around her thighs and hoisted her up; she got a good grip on the opening and worked to pull herself inside. She growled and looked down at Itachi. "Will you get your hands off my butt?"

Itachi gave her one last push and let go. "I was just trying to help you inside."

"Whatever," Sakura looked forward into the darkness. "Okay I'm going."

"Be careful," Sasori called to her.

"Yes sweetie, do not get hurt."

Sakura started to crawl in the darkness getting far enough she couldn't hear Itachi cooing different nicknames to her.

She checked a few vents and looked into empty classrooms. "Hmmm if I can make my way to the front, I could get out of the school and get help."

She continued on crawling when she left something crawl over her hand. Sakura sighed. "Stupid bugs."

The mystery bug crawled over her hand again this time stopping Sakura in her tracks; she was near a vent and used the light to stare down at her hand. It was a spider, a big fat ugly spider. Sakura shrieked as she pressed all of her weight on the vent, it giving way and her falling out onto the cold, hard classroom floor.


Deidara stood still as he hands were bound behind his back and a bag of fake blood was put up his shirt. "Is this really necessary?"

"Yes, it has to be believable," the masked stranger said. He pulled off his mask and Deidara's eyes wided. "Sai?"

Sai rubbed his face as he looked blankly at the blonde boy. "Yep in the flesh."

"Why are you doing this for?" Deidara said curious.

"I switched schools, not that any of you would take notice and in order to get back in Tsunade said I have to scare you guys," Sai said emotionless.

"That's…new," Deidara said not sure what else to say about the method of admissions into the school.

"Come on hostage," Sai said putting his mask back on. "We have some people to frighten."


Sakura groaned and rolled over onto her back. She felt like the wind had been knocked out of her. She prompted herself onto her elbows and looked around the room. She noticed feet and looked up quickly to see Itachi's face and released a gasp. "Oh you scared me."

Itachi said nothing as he stood their silently.

Sakura gave him a confused look. "Wait a second, how did you get in here so fast?" she looked at the opened vent and back to him.

He continued to stare at her not staying a thing, Sakura studied him more closely.

Itachi glared at Sakura. Wait…he was glaring at her.

"You have no idea."

Sakura stood there silently and watched as he paced around the classroom, his hair swishing behind him. "Huh?"

"You're like two different people."

"Two different people," Sakura said confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Yes you go around teasing us, kissing us-"

"Whoooa I do not go around kissing you guys, you kiss me," Sakura said correcting him.

"Well then what about when you kissed me at the sleepover," Itachi reminded her.

"That was a dare," Sakura pointed out.

"Doesn't matter, it still counts, with Tobi, Deidara," Itachi said bringing up more examples. "But then you say you're just joking, well it's not a joke to us…to me."

Sakura gulped. "Where are you going with this?"

"Do you know how that makes me feel, do you know how hard I have to control myself?" Itachi asked her.

Sakura took a step back.

Itachi's eyes turned red. "It takes a lot of control…but sometimes I just want to let go. I don't think I can control myself…right now."

Sakura gulped loudly as Itachi advanced slowly towards her.

"I-Itachi," Sakura said quickly her arms feeling like jelly. She couldn't move them, she should have punched his lights out by now but they stayed at her side betraying her as the lion came forth to take his prey. Sakura's back pressed against the wall she surveyed the room looking for options when she noticed Sasuke sitting at a desk.

"Sasuke?"

He got up and pushed Itachi out of the way glaring at his older brother. "She does not want you."

"What are they doing?" Sakura thought to herself. Did they forget a killer was on the loose in their school?

The two started to fight each other when she felt a presence by her side to see Sasori studying her closely before he kissed her lightly on the lips and smiled his face now turned into Gaara as she watched the now Gaara person pull her close to his chest and wrap an arm around her neck.

"What is going on?" Sakura asked him now confused.

"Sakura," she heard a voice pleading and she opened her eyes to see the real Gaara looking back at her. She looked around to see Kiba, Naruto, Itachi and Sasori looking at her with concern.

"Are you okay?" Gaara asked helping her into a sitting position. The room started to spin and she started to feel dizzy. She leaned against the closest thing behind her which happened to be Itachi's shoulder.

"I feel…lightheaded," she murmured as Naruto multiplied into three.

Naruto panicked as he almost ripped his hair out of his skull. "What do we do?!"

"Shhhhh," Kiba whispered loudly. "Are you trying to get us killed?"

Itachi supported her body as she leaned against his. "Sasori and I heard your scream echo through the vent; the blonde dummy was running through the hallway and got us out of the closet. Luckily we found you after trying three rooms."

Sakura merely nodded as she soaked in the body heat of Itachi.

"She doesn't look so good, we have to get her out of here now," Sasori said.

"SAKURA IS DYING!" Naruto cried at the top of his lungs.

Gaara cursed as he jumped up and he and Kiba took turns beating up Naruto. "You-"Gaara said choking Naruto.

The door to the classroom busted open Deidara being pushed inside and the masked stranger followed.

"Deidara," Sasori said looking at his friend tied up.

"Help me, yeah," Deidara said the line they had rehearsed.

The masked stranger kicked Deidara's foot hard.

Deidara cleared his throat and said in a more pleading way "H-help meeee."

Itachi's carefully lifted Sakura up and put her into Sasori's arms standing in front of them both protecting her.

Deidara caught sight of the semi-conscious girl and bolted over in seconds. "What's wrong with Sakura?"

Itachi and the rest looked confused keeping one eye on the masked stranger and Deidara now checking on Sakura.

Deidara looked back. "Sai come and untie me already," he ordered him.

Sai growled as he tore off his mask and threw it on the ground. "Just great now you ruined everything."

Itachi glared at the boy who strangely held a resemblance to his brother. He started to step closer to him and cracked his knuckles.

Gaara released Deidara from the ropes and he was soon checking her. "What happened?"

"She fell from the vent," Gaara pointed up. Deidara looked at the long drop it was to the floor. His hands immediately went into her pink hair feeling her scalp. His desperate fingers ran over a large bump near the side of her head.

"She has a bump, she probably has a concussion."

Sakura's eyes dangerously started to close as she felt sleepy.

"We have to keep her awake, Sakura, Sakura, you have to stay awake! SAKURA!"


Sakura opened her eyes to a room completely decked out in white. She raised herself up to see she was in a hospital gown. She quickly glanced around the empty room seeing bouquets of flowers and teddy bears. She felt something scratch against her arm and noticed a giant picture of Neji lying next to her.

She shrieked as she threw it quickly on the floor, her room door opened wide as people scattered in to see her.

"Sakura your alive," Naruto cheered launching himself at her.

Neji ran over to the side of the bed. "Hey, what am I doing on the floor?"

"Why is that in bed with me?" Sakura asked getting annoyed.

"So I can watch over you, duh," Neji said adjusting the picture on the table.

Sakura shuttered as Tsunade stepped inside the room with Gai-sensei and Sai who was sporting two black eyes.

Tsuande cleared her throat and glared in their direction. "I'm sorry for the events that happened today, I meant for Gai-sensei and Sai to give you a little scare, not flat out make you believe your life was in danger."

Gai smiled nervously. "It was a youthful plan when I thought of it but it got carried away, I would never want any of you children to get hurt," he said staring sadly at Sakura.

Sakura shook her hands fanatically. "I am fine, no need to worry."

Tsuande nodded. "In the case of Sai, it appears he has already been dealt with. I hope you feel better Sakura and if there are any problems you don't hesitate to come to me." Tsuande and Gai exited the hospital room.

Sai glared at Sakura in the bed before whining and grabbing his right eye. "Keep your boy toys in check ugly," he said before leaving the room.

"So who did that to him?"

Sakura's eyes rolled over the room as they whistled to themselves suddenly interested in their shirt sleeves.

"…"

"Hmmm none of you, I would so glad to the person that did," Sakura said sipping her water.

Itachi shot up immediately. "I take full responsibility."

Gaara glared at him. "I helped too."

"So did I," Sasuke added in.

"Yeah we will do anything for you, we are your boy toys," Tobi said humping the air.

"We should get shirts made of that 'Sakura's boy toys'," Neji suggested.

"That is an excellent idea," Itachi grinned shaking hands with Neji.

"Oh no you don't," Sakura snapped. "You can't make that."

"It would be amazing, all you need to do is like wear a sexy bunny outfit and we take a picture, that's what will be on the shirt."

"…"

"I still have pictures of her in that bikini, which could work as well."

"Oh yeahhhhh."

"You know Itachi; you should have another pool party."

"Hmmm maybe I should, it has been a while…Sakura are you trying to glare at us cause it is not very effective," Itachi said looking over at her.

"Yeah do you want to look like this," Naruto said pointing to Sasuke who had his usual facial expression.

Sakura sighed and leaned back in her bed. "Well today was eventful, I should have known it was all fake, Gai-sensei did too much screaming doing his death."

"Yeah and the blood was too thick, it didn't look real."

"I knew all along," Sasuke said arrogantly.

"Righhhht you tell yourself that," Itachi rolled his eyes. Soon the two Uchiha's were at each other's throats.

"Well if there is one thing I learned today," Kiba screamed talking over the agreeing. "Just give Naruto to the murder, it is the best option or he will be the death of his all."

"What?!" Naruto said hurt.

"You have the biggest mouth ever, we would be dead if it was real," Gaara agreed with Kiba.

A nurse came inside and escorted everyone out of Sakura's room telling them they were disturbing the peace.

After everyone was gone Deidara stuck his head inside Sakura's room. He came inside with yet another bouquet of flowers.

"Gosh, you guys act like I almost died," Sakura snorted.

"You could have," Deidara said seriously. "I-"

Sakura put up her hand to stop him. "They already told me, its fine."

Deidara released the breathe he was holding in and smiled. "Okay I was worried, yeah. Well I'll let you get some rest," he told her leaving the room.

Sakura now alone stared up at the ceiling and held her stomach. Butterflies were churning in her stomach like crazy.

The nurse came back inside her room and smiled. "The doctor wants to keep you overtime but you will be released tomorrow, your dad is out in the hallway filling out some information."

Sakura nodded looking at all the flowers taking up every free surface of her room.

"Looks like someone is popular."

Sakura blushed as she shook her head. "Uhh no, my friends go a little overboard."

"Hmmm friends," the nurse said suspiciously not believing her. "Then what was all the boy toy talking about when they left."

Sakura's face turned many shaded of pink as she played with her sheets. "I don't know what you're talking about."

The nurse studied her before she rushed over and looked deeply into Sakura's eyes. "Oh my gosh!" she squealed jumping up in down.

Sakura panicked and touched all over her face. "What, what's wrong with me."

The nurse started to count on her fingers. "Glowing skin, pitch change in your voice when I talked about the flowers, the way your head titled and the way your shoulders slumped." She started jumping around like crazy.

"Uhh do you need to see a doctor?"

"No silly, can't you see, you're in love!"

Sakura's eyes widened as she looked at the woman. "Was she crazy?"

"I can tell, I know I'm right," she said pulling a romantic novel out of her nurse jacket and clutching it close to her chest. "How cute!"

Sakura sat dumbfounded in her bed staring at all the flowers. "In love...with who?"