Chapter Nine

"Your lungs are holding up pretty well since your last treatment," Sakura said. Even with her statement, she couldn't resist sweeping her chakra through Itachi's system again to double check that her findings were sound and that his condition hadn't extended to any other internal organs within his body. "How do you feel?"

"Good," Itachi answered. "I have not had any episodes since my return to the village."

"No chest pains or shortness of breath?"

He shook his head. "No."

With her hands still pressed flushed to his back, Sakura felt his inhale and she smiled faintly when his lungs expanded smoothly and without the wet, sticky sound she had come to associate with his disease. It had been nearly three weeks since the last time she had been able to examine his lungs. Between his mission and duties and her own work, his treatments had gotten pushed aside for more urgent matters and she had been itching to see how much of her work had deteriorated in the meantime. It gave her great relief to see the disease hadn't relapsed.

Satisfied, Sakura was just about to withdraw her chakra from his system when something else caught her notice. "When did you dislocate your shoulder?" she asked abruptly.

Itachi glanced at her over his shoulder. "Nearly eighteen months ago."

Sakura heard the unspoken question in his voice but she didn't immediately offer a reply as her exam moved to his shoulder and the surrounding tissue. Her fingertips were light as a caress as she assessed the extent of the damage, noting where the ligaments strained unnaturally and moved with resistance.

"Your labrum is poorly healed," she informed him. "You're not in any pain?"

Itachi shook his head.

"I'm surprised it's not bothering you. Did you seek medical treatment?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

"Shisui reset it."

This time Sakura did meet his gaze but only to shoot him a disapproving frown. "Shisui is many things but a medic is not one."

Itachi smirked but she missed it as she concentrated on the damage. It didn't take her much time to heal, having long ago become accustomed to mending old, poorly treated injures. Shinobi of all ranks were the same in this regard, all too stubborn or proud to ask for help, and after a few minutes, she ceased the output of her chakra before withdrawing her touch completely.

"How's that?"

Itachi rotated his shoulder once slowly before repeating the action again more distinctly. "I have more mobility," he said, his tone mildly surprised. "Thank you."

"Next time, get treatment. Resetting your shoulder can cause more damage if you don't know what you're doing," she said sternly, but she couldn't completely hide her smile.

Itachi nodded, faint amusement dancing in his dark eyes, but he said nothing as Sakura turned away to retrieve her medical journal from the counter. Behind her, he slipped off the table but she didn't divert her attention from her notes. She didn't even glance at him.

A week ago, Sakura wouldn't have even let Itachi out of her peripheral, too unnerved by his mere presence to lower her guard even a little. Itachi had always held an air of intimidation about him. The strong, unapproachable Heir. Untouchable, both physically and mentally.

At least that's what Sakura had thought until she saw the man behind the name. Until she witnessed raw emotion flicker across his face as he learned the truth of that morning so many months ago. His remorse and guilt was still branded into her mind, the powerful emotions unfamiliar on a face normally so apathetic she doubted she would ever forget. And in that instant, every preconceived notion, every preconception she had about Itachi had shifted. Quite substantially.

He felt more real, more human than nightmare. Able to suffer pain and anger and disgrace. A clear reminder that underneath that mask of indifference, he was still a person - still like her.

"Anyway, as I was saying," Sakura eventually said as she opened her medical journal. She leafed through the pages until she found the most recent notes. "Your lungs are holding up really well. Your disease seems to have gone into remission, which I find somewhat surprising. How often have you been sparring?"

"I haven't once since I returned to the village."

She looked up sharply, her face openly surprised. "You haven't?"

"You asked that I didn't," Itachi said as he retrieved his shirt. "Did I misunderstand?"

"No, I just…honestly, I didn't think you'd listen," she admitted.

"Well, I do try not to be an ass all the time."

Sakura stared in confusion, only for her eyes to widen a moment later. Did he just…? No, he couldn't know. Months had passed since she had insulted him. There was no way that it had gotten back to him after all this time. Unless Shisui had told him at the time.

"You heard that?" she asked, already knowing the answer. When Itachi said nothing, her face flushed red and she quickly added, "I should apologize for that. I was upset and drunk and..." She trailed off as she noticed the small smirk on his face. "And you're laughing at me."

"So I am," Itachi chuckled quietly.

The sound was rich with humor and so completely foreign that she simply stared. Mirth flickered behind his dark eyes and the teasing curve in the corner of his mouth softened his features, emphasizing his handsome face. It was as if all the stress that normally followed him around like a dark cloud had vanished with that single look, making him appear younger and unfazed by the cruelties of the world.

Her face darkened.

Of course, Sakura had long ago recognized Itachi was a handsome man. It was a well-known fact throughout the village. The dark, sexy Uchiha Heir with a cold stare that could kill - literally. Shinobi and civilians alike spoke of it, subjecting him to a number of rumors that were absurd and, for the most part, quite comical. But being on the receiving end of that look made her stomach burst into butterflies. It didn't help matters that he was still shirtless and lean and-

Stop!

Sakura looked away promptly. There was no point in hiding her embarrassment. It was all over her face and she wished nothing more than to disappear on the spot. If Tsunade knew how far she had just crossed the professional line, she would knock her into next year.

Awkwardly Sakura cleared her throat. "Uh…" What were they talking about again? Right! Training. "Well since everything appears to be fine for the moment, I don't see why you can't continue training. Just try not to push yourself too hard and let me know if anything changes."

Itachi's smirk hadn't faded. "Yes, Doctor Haruno."

Her title on his tongue in that tone did strange things to her insides, but she simply turned away to update her notes. She would not fangirl over Uchiha Itachi. She'd had enough humiliation for one day, thank you very much.

"Are you working much longer today?" Itachi suddenly asked.

She heard the rustle of his shirt as he dressed, but she didn't dare look up yet, her face still warm. "No. Why do you ask?"

"Sasuke's birthday party is tonight."

Like she could forget. She'd had to rearrange her work schedule to ensure she didn't get stuck in the hospital and she'd made a point to remind Naruto every day for the last three days just to make sure it didn't slip her teammate's mind.

"And you're asking to make sure I haven't forgotten so I can drag Sasuke there myself, right?" Sakura asked. She paused in her writing to flash him a look. "Don't worry, we'll both be there. Sasuke made me swear on our friendship."

Itachi blinked. "Sasuke knows?"

"Of course he knows," she said like it was obvious. Because in all honesty, it was. "Have you met Naruto? Unless it's a matter of life or death, secrecy is not his strong suit."

When a noticeable frown crossed Itachi's face, Sakura quickly continued, "Don't worry. I already convinced Sasuke to pretend he had no idea, so just don't tell your mother. She would wring Naruto up by his neck if she did. And that would ruin her party."

She was placating him. They both knew it but he simply nodded. "I won't say anything." She smiled in response before Itachi straightened from where he was still leaning against the examination table. "I will see you in a few hours then."

She made a noise of agreement but didn't pause in her writing until she felt Itachi stop beside her. "And Sakura," he murmured, his voice soft but still so smooth. "I always listen to you."

Then he slipped out of the room.

A small smile crossed her face as she eyed the door. He may listen to her but that didn't always mean he did what she asked. But it was still nice of him to say.

Sakura remained behind a moment longer to collect her things before she too left, securing the room behind her on her way out. She found Shizune in their office, but the older woman barely tossed her a glance as she resumed reading a report.

"You're still here?" Shizune asked.

Sakura slipped her notebook onto the bookshelf with the others, hidden in plain sight, before she leaned back against the rows of textbooks. "For another few hours." When Shizune didn't reply, Sakura peered at her curiously. "You working on something interesting?"

"Hardly," she scoffed as she tossed the document aside and ran her hand down her face. "That damn antidote still isn't one hundred percent effective. Nearly half the mice are still dying."

Sakura frowned. "Do you want me to take a second look?"

The dark haired woman glanced at her. "Would you? I mean not now, but I could really use a second opinion. There's something missing. Some component of this poison I'm not understanding."

"Of course. I don't mind. And I have a couple of minutes now, if you want."

However Shizune shook her head. "No, I need a break."

"Quick spar?" Sakura offered.

"Too hot."

"How about lunch?"

"It's like mid-afternoon."

Sakura shrugged with one shoulder. "Late lunch then."

The older woman's lips widened into a smile before she rose from her chair. "Yeah, that sounds good. I'm actually starving. I haven't eaten since this morning. That new barbeque place just opened next to the weapons' shop, I think. Wanna go there?" When Sakura readily agreed, she collected her files. "Alright, let me put these away and we can go."

Sakura watched her exit their office before she pushed off the wall to collect her things from one of the top drawers in the desk. Now that the thought of food was on the forefront of her mind, she realized she hadn't eaten since earlier that morning either and her stomach growled in anticipation. Hopefully Shizune hurried. She was suddenly starving herself.

"Sakura-san!"

The echo of hurried footsteps reached her ears a moment before her name was called and she looked up expectantly just as Oyone appeared in the doorway. Sakura's shoulders slumped. Just the look on the woman's face told her she would not be having that lunch with Shizune after all.

"What happened?"

The next words out of Oyone's mouth, nearly made Sakura's heart stop: "It's Ryota."

##

Even two blocks away, music filled the evening air and gave life to the otherwise still night. Sakura followed it like a beacon, moving at nearly a run only too aware of exactly how late she was. Sasuke was going to kill her. Mikoto was going to kill her. She wasn't sure which one she was more afraid of and she could only hope neither had noticed her absence.

The party was already in full swing. The Uchiha Compound was swarming with people as attendees milled about the grounds. A few dotted the lit pathways but the majority lingered around the large, open courtyard before the familiar, looming household that belonged to the Head of the Clan.

Automatically Sakura gravitated towards it, barely stopping to greet friends as she weaved her way through the crowd. She caught sight of Anko and Genma arm wrestling nearby while Kiba sat across from each other at one of the many tables provided, a row of shot glasses dividing the table. The sheer number of people surprised her. It seemed Mikoto had invited everyone from the rookie nine and Gai's team to members of black ops and elite jounin. Perhaps with this many people, she could convince Sasuke she had been here the whole time.

"And where the hell have you been?"

Or perhaps not.

Briefly cringing, Sakura spun on her heels to find her dark-haired teammate standing behind her with his arms crossed and a displeased frown on his face. She flashed him a bright smile. "Happy birthday!"

Sasuke's expression didn't change. "You're two hours late."

"I know," she said, dropping her placating grin. When he continued to frown, she sighed apologetically. "Please don't give me that look."

It was a moment before he loosened his crossed arms with a disappointed sigh. She almost preferred his glare to the sound. "Where were you? You said you were going to be here hours ago."

"I'm sorry," Sakura said as guilt colored her tone. "I got held up. But I brought you an amazing birthday present to make up for it."

He didn't look convinced but he fortunately didn't press as he accepted the scroll she held out towards him. The moment he released the seal, his eyes widened. "Is this what I think it is?"

"Well if you think it's a Chokuto forged by the high monks of the Fire Temples, then yes," Sakura smiled.

Her teammate was speechless as he pulled the weapon from its sheathe to study the one-sided blade. His fingers traced the kanji written near the hilt before he held the weapon up to reflect the lanterns illuminating the party. His expression was almost awed.

"The blade and the hilt have been reinforced to let your chakra move through the sword freely," she added. "It should make your lightning easier to control, even at the point."

Sasuke slowly tore his eyes away to gaze at her. "How did you…?"

"I'm a medic, Sasuke," she said nonchalantly, but there was a smirk playing on her lips. "There's a lot of people who owe me favors."

"I...I don't know what to say."

Her smile widened. "You can say 'thank you'."

In one smooth motion, Sasuke sheathed his blade before he drew her into a tight, one armed hug. "Thank you, Sakura."

The pink-haired female blinked in surprise. Her teammate was never one to engage in physical contact unless necessary. Its abruptness, its sincerity nearly sprung tears to her eyes, and automatically her arms wrapped around his middle. Her fingers clutched at the back of his shirt as she simply enjoyed the rare contact.

The moment ended abruptly as another arm fell on her shoulders. "Sakura-chan!"

Under the weight of too many arms, she managed to peek at their third teammate. "Naruto, get off. I can't breathe."

His grip only tightened.

"Move, dead last!"

Naruto grinned his all-too-familiar smile but didn't release them until Sasuke shoved him off. The instant Sasuke withdrew, Naruto slipped his arm back around her shoulders. "Where have you been? You left me alone. I've been stuck with Sasuke's uptight family all by myself," he whined.

Sasuke glared at the insult while Sakura laughed. "Sorry, sorry. I'm here now." It was then that the smell of alcohol hit her nose and she followed the scent to find a beer bottle in Naruto's hand. "Are you drinking? I didn't think the Kyuubi let you get drunk."

"He doesn't," Naruto agreed as his arm fell away. "But I like the taste."

"No, you don't."

As if on cue, he grimaced as the bitter liquid hit his tastebuds. "Alright, maybe I don't. But I gotta fit in somehow."

Sasuke sighed audibly but Sakura just laughed again before she plucked the glass out of his hand and took a large drink. Both her teammates stared until she eventually lowered the bottle again and pointed it at them. "Let's party."

With a quiet groan from Sasuke and a beaming smile from Naruto, she dragged them onto the dancefloor.

##

The longer the night wore on, the louder the music seemed to blast. At least in Itachi's opinion. Shisui had ditched him some time ago, leaving Itachi to nurse the now-warm cup of sake as he alternated between speaking with past teammates as they came and went, and eyeing the growing crowd in the courtyard before his family home.

Itachi was currently doing the latter as he vaguely wondered how so many bodies could press into such a tight space. He had caught sight of his brother some time ago, acting like he wanted to be anywhere else but Itachi also noticed Sasuke didn't really try to escape either. Perhaps his little brother was enjoying the attention of the party more than he let on.

"You have been holding that same cup of sake ever since I got here."

A small smirk curved the corner of Itachi's mouth before he canted his head towards Genma. His brown-haired teammate dug through one of the coolers lining the bottom of porch below Itachi until he found what he was looking for and unscrewed the top with a flick of his wrist.

"If my cup is full than there is no one to refill it," Itachi replied smoothly.

Genma took a long swig from his beer before he smirked, the ever-present senbon never once leaving his lips. "I can't say I've ever seen you drunk, Captain."

"Implying the need?"

"Implying I would likely find it highly amusing." Genma stopped below him, the porch providing Itachi a few feet of height, but the brown haired male made no move to join him as he too gazed at the dancing crowd of shinobi. "Are you sure you don't want to join them?"

It definitely wasn't Genma's first drink nor likely his second for his tongue to move so freely, but Itachi smirked again as he rested his forearms on the railing, his drink forgotten beside him. "Where is your better half?" Itachi asked as his gaze briefly flickered over the sparse groups chatting on the edges of the party.

Genma sighed. "Stuck at the hospital unfortunately. I'll be a lot happier once we know what the hell's going on in Grass Country." He peered up at Itachi. "Shizune said you were going to speak with the Hokage about heading back out that way. She give the okay?"

Itachi's amusement fell with the shift in conversation and he shook his head once. "Team Four is patrolling the southwest border now. She wants us to wait for their return before we head out."

"Meaning she thinks there's still a threat within the village." It wasn't a question and so Itachi didn't provide an answer. Genma sipped from his bottle before he spoke again, his voice quieter. "The last report I read said Hatake's team still hadn't found how they got into the village."

Itachi remained silent. He had his own theory on why that was, but he choose not to voice it until he had evidence to support it. Doing so otherwise would put shinobi and civilians alike needlessly on alert and the last thing the village needed was panic when the possibility of war was already threatening their security.

"I will speak to the Hokage again," Itachi eventually said.

Genma glanced up at him as understanding passed between them before he slipped away without another word.

Alone again, Itachi surveyed the crowd absently, his mind far from the present and dark with thought. The village was growing restless. It wasn't outright obvious, but anyone watching could tell in the way shops and the market closed before the summer sun dipped below the treelines, and guards could be found throughout the village like gargoyles. A shadow of a threat was lurking and the sooner they put a face to the enemy, the sooner they ensure the safety of their village.

Genma wasn't the only one itching to get back out into the field and investigate.

A familiar laugh interrupted Itachi's heavy thoughts. He glanced towards the stairs leading up to the front door just as his brother's blond teammate slipped into the house. At the bottom on the steps stood Sakura. She watched Naruto disappear before her gaze finally landed on him. He liked the way a soft smile sudden settled on her lips.

"Hey," she said. She looked him up once. "You dress up nice."

Itachi returned her smile with a less noticeable one but one nonetheless. He had slipped on a fresh, dark long-sleeved shirt that he had pushed up to his elbows against the summer heat. He had hardly dressed up, unlike Sakura who was stunning in a simple, red shirt.

"Thank you. You look beautiful tonight," Itachi murmured just loud enough for her to hear over the music. His compliment caused her smile to widen. "Are you enjoying yourself?"

"I am," Sakura nodded. "Though I must admit I'm surprised the traditional Uchiha clan would allow something like this," she said, gesturing towards the mass of swaying bodies.

Itachi half-nodded in understand. "My elders were against the idea, but my mother is very...persuasive."

Curiosity filled her eyes as she peered up at him, but she left the question unsaid. "Well Mikoto-san outdid herself. Everyone seems to be having fun."

He hummed his agreement just as a small group slipped out of the crowd to raid one of the coolers. They didn't linger long as they each grabbed a fresh drink before they left to claim a nearby table. Itachi observed them a moment. "Though I believe the alcohol did most of the work."

Sakura grinned but didn't reply to that as her gaze returned to the crowd. When she made no immediate move to return to the party, Itachi studied her, his eyes drawing back to her like a magnet. He didn't know if she was waiting for Naruto or was just choosing to linger, but he didn't mind her company. In fact, he was quite coming to enjoy it.

She looked so different than this morning, and not just because she had changed her clothes. Her body language was more relaxed, her expression more open and her laugh easier to draw. Itachi understood the shift. He was much the same way while leading his team. A professional persona took over. It was hard to be unguarded and social when duty and responsibility took priority.

He liked this side of Sakura so much more. When her personality fully came out, and she talked and smiled like she hadn't a burden in the world.

"How is Ryota?" Itachi asked conversationally.

Immediately Sakura's mood dampened. She didn't move an inch but he felt the shift in her demeanor like a change in the wind. It was a moment before she finally turned her head to look at him, but her eyes didn't quite meeting his. His heart sank.

"No," Itachi said so softly his words were nearly lost in the clamor of the party. "When?"

"About three hours ago."

Even with all the surrounding noise, he heard the quiet grief in her tone as clearly as if it had been said in a silent room. That was why she had been late. They had all assumed she had gotten caught up at the hospital. It seemed their presumptions had been correct. In the worst possible way.

"I am so sorry, Sakura."

The moment the words slipped out of his mouth, Itachi suddenly got the sense they had been in this situation before. Only before he had been the one grieving while Sakura offered her condolences. The urge to close the distance between them and comfort her like she had for him pressed against his skin like invisible hands to his back; but before he could move, someone suddenly flickered into existence beside Sakura.

"There you are! I was beginning to think I was going to go all night without seeing you."

Shisui grinned at Sakura but it quickly faded as he gauged her mood. "What's wrong with your face?"

Itachi shot his cousin a pointed stare when Shisui briefly glanced at up at him. However, when they turned back to Sakura, the look was gone and she smiled cheekily. "Nothing. My face is beautiful."

"That it is," Shisui said, his grin back in place. "Which is why I would be honored if I could have the next dance."

He bowed low before he extended his hand in offer. The gesture caused a bright laugh to bubble out of Sakura's mouth and she accepted with a curtsey of her own before Shisui helped her off the lowest stair like a noble gentleman. Before they disappeared, Sakura flashed Itachi a parting smile, completely missing the questioning look Shisui stealthily shot over her head. Itachi simply replied with a nearly imperceivable shake of his head before the duo vanished into crowd.

Itachi remained where he was for some minutes even after they were gone. He stared vacantly where they had blended into the crowd, his thoughts heavy and rolling like thunder clouds. Something about Sakura's smile troubled him. It had fallen across her face so perfectly, so seamlessly like she had done it a hundred times before. And she likely had, Itachi realized.

How many times before had she met up with his brother or her other teammates after losing a patient? How many times had she smiled while sorrow rattled inside her chest? There were many prices to living the life of the a shinobi, but Itachi had never considered the burden medics carry as well. Death did not stop for them just because they were inside the walls of the village.

This new revelation settled heavily on Itachi and he watched the throng of bodies a moment longer before he finally turned away to slip inside his family home. There was something he wanted to do.

##

A little while later, Itachi found Sakura again. She was sitting on a table in an uneven circle with a half dozen ninja from her academy class, listening more than talking. He stole her attention easily and pulled her away with no more than a soft spoken request for her to come with him. Her hand was warm and small in his but her fingers held on with hidden strength as they skimmed the outskirts of the party until Itachi pulled her inside his home.

Sakura didn't ask any question. She just followed his lead quietly until they retreated into the kitchen. "Why are we sneaking around?" she half-whispered as he withdrew his hand.

Itachi smirked secretly and nodded towards the far counter. Sakura shook her head but followed a few paces behind him, still unsure what they were doing. At least until he withdrew a knife from the block and prepared to cut into the cake made specifically for Sasuke.

Sakura's eyes widened. "What're you doing!" she asked, her voice pitched higher and raising in volume.

Itachi immediately shot her a look and she snapped her mouth shut as her eyes automatically went towards the kitchen door. When she neither heard footsteps nor felt any chakra signatures, she faced him again, her expression still unsure. "You're going to get us in trouble."

"No one will know," Itachi said confidently. He had already cast the genjutsu flawlessly.

However, Sakura didn't look so certain. "Your mom has like ten senses and one of them is knowing when her children are doing something wrong."

That was likely true, but Itachi didn't hesitate as he cleanly cut a large piece out of the beautifully made cake. Sakura was still staring at him wide-eyed when he turned around, plate and fork in hand. "You are more than welcome to walk away and feign ignorance."

But she was eyeing the cake.

When Sakura met his gaze again, there was a smile tugging on the corner of her mouth. "I can still feign ignorance."

Itachi chuckled and took her hand again before they slipped out into the garden. He led her to the far side where the ginkgo tree he had mastered chakra control on when he was four still towered. Its leaves were long out of season but its trunk was wide enough for them to lean against side-by-side as the small koi pond reflected the lanterns lining the deck.

They spoke in hushed tones as they ate, as if anything louder would summon his mother and incur her wrath. Itachi balanced the plate of his thigh as they traded the fork between them until only crumbles and a smear of frosting were left. Sakura used her finger to wipe it from the plate before she licked the last of the artificial sweetness away.

"Sasuke is going to kill you."

Itachi merely shrugged as he collected the dishes and placed them on his far side. He stretched his legs out beside Sakura's, not touching but close enough he could nearly feel her body heat. Her toes just barely reached his shins.

"Sasuke has never been terribly fond of sweets. I doubt he will care."

Sakura half-turned her face towards him, just enough for him to catch her smile before she looked away to admire their surroundings. "In all the years of being your brother's teammate, I can't say I've actually ever seen your gardens. It's beautiful."

"It is," Itachi nodded. He too took a moment to enjoy the different plants and flowers decorating the lawn. Many had already bloomed for the season and were no longer in their peak, but they were still worthy of appreciation. "I have always enjoyed the peace this place brings."

Sakura looked at him then, her smile fading. "I don't want to talk about it. If that's why you invited me out here."

Immediately he turned his head to gaze at her. "It was not my intention to attempt to pry," he said honestly. "We all have our demons. Many of which we choose not to discuss."

"You just wanted to have cake then?" she asked, her voice betraying her quiet skepticism.

Itachi nodded slowly as if he had never considered any other ulterior motives. "I always find dessert more enjoyable with company."

She stared at him before she eventually laughed softly to herself. "You are not anything like I thought you were, Itachi," she said as she relaxed back against the tree. Her shoulder rested against his in the barest of touches.

"It seems," he said slowly, "that even after all these years, we still have much to learn about one another."

"So tell me something."

Itachi blinked. "What would you like to know?"

She thought for a moment before she glanced at him. "How did you become best friends with someone like Shisui?"

The memory brought a small, reminiscent smile to his face. He could remember the day just as clearly as if it had only been yesterday and a small puff of laughter escaped through his nose.

Sakura peered at him curiously. "What?"

"I was...somewhat arrogant as a child," Itachi began slowly, his voice soft in the breeze. "I have always been very gifted in the shinobi arts. I used to skip the academy by sending a shadow clone in my stead so I could have more time to practice skills that were more to my level."

Her eyes widened in amazement. "You did what? That's incredible."

"That is what the academy instructors thought as well when I was finally caught, but that is a story for another time," he said not unkindly. "I met Shisui one day when I was training. Up until that point I had never lost a spar and so when he challenged me, I accepted."

"He beat you," she guessed.

Itachi nodded as his smile returned. "Quite passionately."

When he glanced at her, he found an amused smile playing on her lips. "And you've been friends ever since."

"Well, we were rivals first. The friendship came later, but yes."

Sakura's smile still lingered as she looked forward again to gaze at the pond. In this lighting, the curve of her lips was emphasized as was the slender column of her neck. Itachi found himself staring. "And what about yourself?" he asked, if only to make her look at him again. When her brow rose curiously, he clarified, "What don't I know?"

She pursed her lips thoughtfully. "Probably not much. I'm fairly boring."

That he seriously doubted. But he merely offered, "Tell me why you chose to train under the Hokage."

To his surprise, the enjoyment in her expression faded. Her entire form seemed to deflate a little beside him and for a split second, he wondered if he had said something to offend her.

But then she sighed and glanced at him from the corner of her eyes. "I wasn't like you when I was younger. I was...I was a bad shinobi. I was from a civilian family and I had no remarkable skill or talent," she said as her eyes dropped to her hands where they fidgeted in her lap. "I was smart. Smarter than anyone else in my class. But then I got teamed up with Naruto and Sasuke and…" She trailed off as she shook her head. "I had no right being out in the field."

Itachi studied her profile as she spoke. Shame and humiliation flickered across her face as if she was admitting her deepest embarrassment. She didn't meet his eyes, almost like she was afraid she would find judgement reflecting back at her, and he pressed gently, "So you went to the Hokage to better yourself."

"Not exactly. I only went after Naruto and Sasuke ditched me." When he didn't reply, Sakura glanced at Itachi to find he was staring at her in confusion. Her brow arched in surprise. "Sasuke never told you that our team split up?"

He shook his head slowly.

"When Sasuke left to train with Kakashi and Naruto went with Jiraiya and me with Tsunade, it wasn't by recommendation of Kakashi."

"You had a falling out," Itachi surmised.

Sakura nodded slowly. "We did. It was only after Naruto and Sasuke left the village that I sought out Tsunade-shishou."

He frowned at her tone. She spoke as if she was ashamed it had taken such extremes for her to seek help. But he didn't see it that way. "It takes a great deal of inner strength to be able to self-reflect and recognize that you needed assistance with your training. You are very brave to have gone to the Hokage directly."

She searched his face quietly, as if looking for any hints of judgment or pretenses. When she found none, she smiled. "Thanks for saying so." Even if she wasn't sure she believed it herself.

Itachi smiled in return. A little, crooked half-smile that made her stomach flutter and her cheeks warm. It was almost boyish. Cute, even. Something she would never had thought she would consider the Uchiha Heir and she looked away quickly, hoping that the evening light hid her flush. She suddenly became hyper aware of where their shoulders were now fully touching, their upper arms grazing with every breath.

"Anyway, looking back, Tsunade-shishou was the best thing that ever happened to my ninja career," Sakura continued, if only to give herself something to distract from the very masculine shinobi beside her. She laughed quietly as a sudden memory surface. "I can still remember our first training session. She knocked me through a wall and fractured my spine in three places." When Itachi shot her a bewildered look, Sakura shrugged. "It was a good lesson. I never got hit like that again. By her or anyone."

Beside her, Itachi chuckled quietly before they lapsed into companionable silence. She rested her head back against the large tree trunk at her back and gazed up at the stars peeking out between the leaves. It was a clear night with far too many twinkling lights against the blackness to count. The leaves above stirred in the warm breeze and mixed with the gentle trickling of the pond.

Itachi was right. It was peaceful here.

A sense of tranquility came over her. Sakura couldn't remember the last time she had been this relaxed, this unguarded, so unburdened by the troubles of the world. But it didn't last long.

With the quiet came the hollow ache in her chest. Just another failure on top of another. It seemed to be a common theme lately. Between being unable to diagnose Itachi's disease and creating an antidote for this poison that was still haunting the village, Ryota's death was just another blow to her ego, to her abilities.

Her eyes slipped closed. "I'm so tired," she suddenly murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

At first she wondered if Itachi had even heard her, he was so quiet. But then his arm slipped around her shoulders before he gently tugged her towards him. She went without resistance and settled against him until her head was tucked into the hollow of his shoulder.

He was all warmth and quiet strength, and when Sakura inhaled, his scent flooded her senses. She felt safe, secured as his arms kept her her anchored against him. Protected. His slow, steady heartbeat drummed against her ear. A soft, constant rhythm. Tu tump, tu tump tu tump…

When Sakura opened her eyes again, she wasn't sure how much time had passed. The arm pressed between them was beginning to tingle with the telltale signs of numbness but she was otherwise warm and comfortable. Itachi didn't moved, but she knew he was awake by the way his thumb slowly smoothed across her lowest rib over the thin material of her shirt. It felt pleasant. She didn't want to move but she knew if she didn't, she would fall asleep again and she suspected Itachi would be too kind to wake her.

Sakura sat up slowly and stretched out her sleep-stiffened limbs before she raked her fingers through her hair to smooth out any tangles. The hand on her hip fell away but Itachi remained close by.

"You could have moved me," Sakura said quietly, her tone teasing.

"I was comfortable."

She glanced at him. Itachi looked right back at her.

Something passed behind his eyes, something that made her stomach flutter with nervous excitement. In that moment, she knew she wanted to kiss him. Wanted to know what it would feel like to have his mouth pressed against hers. Wanted to know how it would feel to have their heartbeats sync up together in a single moment of time.

This new attraction excited her - but at the same time confused her. How could her feelings have flip flopped so quickly? It seemed only a few days ago, she was still wary, still hesitant around him. Had that single conversation really changed that much between them or was she simply confusing her appreciation for his support in her time of need for attraction?

Sakura didn't know and she didn't dare move. Conflict waged war within her. Itachi was her friend but more significantly, her patient. She couldn't risk ruining that relationship for...for what?

Itachi's gaze never once wavered from her. It was piercing, like he could see through her and read her every thought, her every emotion. It was nearly a relief when a sudden, loud bang echoed from the house and stole their attention.

"I should probably go hang out with Sasuke. It's his party after all," Sakura said. Her voice, though soft, sounded loud and clunky in the quiet between them. She stood and brushed any leaves and dirt from her pants. Only once she was sure they were mostly clean did she finally glance at Itachi again. He hadn't moved. "Thanks for the…" She was going to say 'cake' but that didn't quite cover it. "Thanks for everything."

Itachi was still looking at her in that way that made her stomach do funny things - pleasant but funny - and she smiled again to hide the effect he was having on her before she took a step away.

She paused again when she suddenly remembered something. "They're holding a memorial service for Ryota in a few days. I know you only knew him for a short time, but I think he would like you there. If...if you can."

Itachi's face was mostly unreadable but she saw the sadness pass behind his eyes and he nodded without hesitation. "I'll be there. And Sakura," he continued before she could turn away to leave. "I have found that when I am not getting the outcome I want, that sometimes a new perspective can help."

She frowned, not quite understanding his meaning, but she nodded anyway before she finally headed back into the house. It wouldn't be until later that night that Itachi's parting words would draw inspiration.

##

The hour was late when a knock rapped against the door of the Hokage's Office. Tsunade looked up from her paperwork, her eyes peering over the tops of her glasses curiously as she called for them to enter. Her brow arched when her student slipped through the large, oak doors.

"Sakura," the Hokage greeted, her voice relaying her surprise. "It's late. What are you doing here?"

"Sorry if I'm interrupting, shishou," Sakura said as she closed the doors behind her. She stopped a few paces in front of Tsunade's desk. "There's something I want to do and I need you to hear me out before you immediately shoot down the idea."

Whatever paperwork Tsunade had been reviewing was left forgotten as she folded her arms on the desktop and eyed her apprentice. This should be interesting. Sakura hardly ever came to her with special requests. "I'm listening," Tsunade said, gesturing for her to continue. Sakura took a deep breath before she spoke:

"I want to go into Grass Country."

to be continued...

I shifted my writing style a little bit for this chapter. Nothing too major, but I feel like I tend to over-describe sometimes so I cut back on that (or at least tried ha). Hope you guys enjoyed!

Also, just a friendly reminder that reviews tell me specifically what you like always inspire me to write me (ie, parts you liked, descriptions that really struck you, etc). Nitpicking drives me away. Many of you write me awesome reviews already, but just a head's up for the rest.

Until next time!