Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

RxR

Past events

The cool night breeze flowed through her pink hair as she rode down the street on her motorcycle. Sakura often thought that wearing a helmet was important, but she still didn't, even after the cops tell her to wear one. Sakura increases her speed weaving her way through the space between cars and lanes. Most think that just because she's a girl she can't do things like shoot or ride motorcycles.

Sakura glances at the car beside her, it was pretty dirty and old looking and the guy in it was just as disgusting as the car. The man gave her looks that just creeped the hell out of her. He looked as if he was going to devour her in one gulp so Sakura increases her acceleration going over the speed limit.

She wasn't sure if Madara was hoping to get rid of her or test her. Sakura shifts her weight to the right and slows down. She didn't want to be in the Akatsuki, but then again, she was sort of already in Akatsuki. Sakura could feel her phone vibrating in her pocket and wondered who was calling her. Sakura reaches into her back pocket and takes out the iPhone.

"What's up?"

"Sakura this is Sasuke we need to talk immediately."

"Look Sasuke I can't right now so just tell me over the phone."

"Fine I know you lied to me. I've spied on you." If Sakura didn't have her other hand on the handle of her motorcycle then she would of facepalmed.

"What makes you think that just because you spied on me. I told you Akatsuki is like family."

"Quit playing games Sakura you think I don't know."

"Sasuke quick question why are you so hell bent on whether I'm in Akatsuki or not? You seem obsessed." She could hear him take a deep breath.

"You were once my friend and I made a mistake of letting you go. I don't want to see you get hurt by associating with them." Sakura could hear the amount of emotion he put into the words he says to her. But she could care less.

"Sasuke I'm a big girl now I don't need you watching over me as if I can't take care of myself." Sakura noticed she was getting closer to her location so she brought the conversation to an end.

"I've been making my own decisions for a while now and no one is going to change that I got to go Sasuke." Before he could retort she hangs up her phone. Now thanks to him she was in a pissy mood.

The wind whipped through her pink tresses strands of the hair, slapping her face every time she turned on a street. The closer she got to her destination the tighter her grip became on the motorcycle handles. Her green eyes darken significantly as she replayed her mission through her mind.

Sakura slowed down next to an Akatsuki car. Sakura puts her hood back on to hide her pink hair.

"This mission is a little dangerous." Sakura crosses her arms, she already knew who was talking to her. Another blonde that liked to bother her all the time.

"I'm aware. Is everyone in position?"

"Yep, ready whenever you are. Do you want a smoke?" Sakura rejects it quickly she had said she was going to quit and that was what she was going to do.

"No, I don't need anything else in my system."

"Suit yourself. Hey, you're not still mad at us are you?" Sakura sighs she would rather start the mission, then talk about how she felt betrayed by them.

Sakura reluctantly gets off the motorcycle. "I'm ready to begin."

Deidara reaches for his phone and texts Sasori the A ok.

Sasori texts back that they just moved in and engaged in a battle with some of Gato's men.

"Now all you have to do is wait for the all clear signal." The shots of Ak47s going off along with smaller shots from pistols.

"Well, looks like it's my turn." Sakura's head snaps towards him silently wondering what his role in the mission was. Deidara noticed the disorientation clearly written on her face.

"We got to keep the plane grounded somehow right." He happily laughs finally getting out of the car with the signature Akatsuki jacket. The whole jacket was black with a red cloud outlined white on the back. At one point she practically begged Itachi to let her get a jacket, but that meant a commitment to the gang. She guessed that was one plus to being forced to join the awesome jacket.

She knew about everyone's position in the Akatsuki and if Deidara was in charge of making it stay here that meant explosions was due. That's when it finally hit her, "Wait a bomb! How the hell does that even work without blowing the plane to smithereens?"

"Relax Sakura, it's just a VBIED. Not too serious besides, it's on the ground next to the front wheel."

"Deidara-" Sakura says lowly, "what the hell is a VBIED!?"

"Vehicle-borne improvised explosive device. It was used for assassination, terrorism or guerrilla warfare. All I have to do is activate it since it's been upgraded since then." Deidara answers her question.

Deidara's face light up like a kid on Christmas day when talking about bombs. She never quite understood why he was so into bombs, maybe something in the past affected him somehow. Who knew?

"Just set the bomb off already." Deidara narrows his eyes dangerously while mumbling something she couldn't catch under his breath.

"Just try not to die." Sakura rolls her eyes and looks back to the plane. He activates the bomb and a small but noticeable blast goes off blowing up the wheel.

"Don't worry, I have a gun and years of combat I'll be fine Dei-chan." Deidara was visibly seething since she hasn't called him that in years.

"You little-" quickly dashing off to the plane with a large grin on her face she takes her gun out.

Cries of agony were getting closer and closer. She had one good minute to think about what she was diving head first into. Of course sixty seconds wasn't enough to think about what the mission was.

She unfortunately came to a conclusion about something. Itachi taught her all of the necessities to well survive out on the streets. Itachi created a perfect soldier for a gang. Itachi knew she never had a choice in the matter of whether she wanted to join the Akatsuki or not. Itachi slowly sapped up her youth when he started taking interest in her. Madara didn't just visit out of the blue for a hello. He didn't just give her the mission cause she was being defiant. He planned to give her the mission from the start to test her abilities. It was Itachi's long term mission to raise her change her into the perfect Akatsuki soldier. All those good times she had with the Akatsuki were fake they were her only friends. Where was she now?

Flashback

"Hello Ita-kun! Is Sasuke-kun here!?" A little 6 year old pink haired girl was beaming at the older brother of the person she was asking for.

Itachi nods and opens the door wider for the girl to come in. From what his little brother said about the pinkette she was an orphan and they met at the park one day. His little brother wouldn't stop talking about her. She was in fact his only friend since he could be a little conceited at times.

Itachi leads Sakura to the kitchen where his little brother and mother were. When Sasuke notices the girl his face immediately lightens up. Mikoto found it extremely cute when they interacted if she didn't know better she would think her little boy had a crush on the girl.

Her husband Fugaku hated the little girl since she had often been with some cops. The Uchiha family was always up to no good. But of course that was another story for another day.

"Good afternoon Mikoto-san." The girl mutters shyly hiding behind her eldest son's legs.

She chuckles even after all the times she's been over she's always been shy and seemed to cling to Itachi.

"Kaa-san! Can me and Sakura go to the park? Nii-san can watch us!" Sasuke says enthusiastically jumping up and down.

It seemed that the word park snapped Sakura out of shyness she was soon agreeing and begging. Mikoto looks at her eldest son who somehow got drafted to watch over them. She was convinced that he secretly liked watching over him. "Ok only if Itachi wants to go."

The kids turn their puppy dog eyes on Itachi who just sweat drops and nods.

')0('

They reached the park in short time Sakura and Sasuke suggested playing hide and seek with Itachi looking for them. Itachi turns towards a tree and counts to 100. He could hear their footsteps going away.

"99."

"100 here I come." Itachi turns and takes a quick look around the park. He already knew where they were but didn't want to spoil their fun just yet.

"Itachi we got to talk."

"In the shade of the many trees out walks a man with long black hair and black eyes.

The Uchiha family was always shady and dark. A mafia would be what you consider it.

"Madara." Itachi was shocked it was known throughout the family that Madara disgraced the family name. He was filled with so much hatred it drove him mad.

"I'm drafting you to be in my gang. I've been watching you Itachi I have many other people who have also decided to join. You'll be an important asset."

Itachi was shocked for a while since he did have his home life ahead of him. Hell, he was only in 8th grade. He was aware he was very smart his father often told him that.

"Madara I'm going to have to reject your offer."

A sickening grin spreads on Madara's face almost making the Uchiha cringe. "You're mistaken, I'm not giving you a choice in the matter."

Itachi was aware that if he made a single mistake in his next words that Madara would do something extremely drastic. "Recruiting a child Madara?"

"It was either you or your brother." Itachi's guard lowers at the thought of his brother being recruited.

"I'll give you a deal Itachi. The girl. If you manage to get the girl qualified for the gang then I'll leave your brother alone." Madara grin widens, he could see him trying to come up with a solution. Finally, his shoulder relaxes and he hesitantly nods.

"Glad you see it my way, of course I'll take you under my wing and teach you everything I know and you'll pass it on to the girl over there. Consider this your first mission create a bond with the girl and she'll be easy to manipulate."

Madara took a couple steps back into the shade of the woods. "Welcome to the Akatsuki Itachi."

He knew that sometime in the future his decision was going to come back to get him.

But if it meant protecting his little brother, he would do anything. He starts looking around for the children who kept their hiding places since he finished counting to 100. He found Sasuke first who "helped" him find Sakura.

"Come on, it's getting late." Sasuke pouts and whines about not wanting to go home just yet.

"How about we walk Sakura home then?" Sasuke nods enthusiastically, but Sakura looked a bit sad.

"I'm sorry Sasuke-kun Ita-kun. Obito-kun, Rin-chan, and Scarecrow-kun is picking me up today. We're going to Ichiraku ramen for dinner."

He nods, he knew who they were, they always visited Sakura at the orphanage. Itachi was convinced that sooner or later they were going to make it official and just adopt her. She was very charismatic even his mother wanted to adopt her, but was immediately shut down by his father.

The trio walks towards the Uchiha home, but is stopped by three people in their early 20s.

The guy was of course the one he knew most of all. His cousin Obito Uchiha.

Obito always wore goggles and was also considered a disappointment to the Uchiha name. Obito decided to join the police force which included betraying the family name. Obito had the usual Uchiha look onyx eyes and black hair.

Next to him was his two friends and partners. The other guy had silver gravity defying hair and an amused look in his black eyes. Kakashi Hatake.

To the left of Obito was a female with short brown hair and brown eyes that also shunned with amusement. Rin Nohara.

Why they were amused was the pinkette to the left of him. She practically bounced over to them. They were like her family and he was going to rip them away from her.

She made it look like she was going to go hug Obito but ran right pass him.

"Scarecrow-kun!" Sakura cooed hugging Kakashi tightly.

Obito had a happy look stuck on his face as he froze there with his arms out to hug the girl. Once he realized that the girl just dissed him for his rival he started sulking.

Rin laughed at the depressed look on his face. She saw how happy Kakashi gets when the little girl hugs him first. Obito was glaring daggers at the masked cop.

"Aw, come on Saku-chan you always hug him first I should be your favorite by now." Obito whined making the girls giggle and Kakashi rolls his eyes.

"That's because she thinks I'm cool." Kakashi replies back causing a full argument between Obito and Kakashi. The Uchiha siblings and the two girls stood on the sidelines as they argued who Sakura's favorite was.

Finally, she had enough and decided to put her input in it. "Come on Scarecrow-kun Obito-kun I like you guys equally. Besides Rin-chan is my favorite." The blank looks on their face turns into depressed looks.

"So cruel." Obito says.

"Indeed."

"Alright, now that that's settled let's go get some dinner from Ichiraku Ramen." Sakura grins largely up at Rin who was still laughing at her boys antics.

"Bye Sasuke-kun bye Ita-kun!" Sakura yells as she walks away holding Rin's hand.

"Bye Sakura!" Sasuke furiously waves at the disappearing girl.

X

At the small restaurant called Ichiraku ramen sat a group of four people. 3 young adults and a little girl eating happily. "Sakura we got presents for you since we won't be here for your birthday, we decided to give you your gifts early." Rin says with a small smile on her face.

"And we decided since we're like a big happy family when we come back we'll adopt you." Sakura looks at each and everyone one of the adults with shock written on her face.

"R-really?" The nod from Kakashi confirmed it and she couldn't be happier. Tears stream down her cheeks at the thought of having an actual family.

"Hey hey now kid don't start crying or you're- you're going to-to make me cry." Obito lifts his goggles and wipes his eyes claiming he got sand in them. Obito and Sakura hug each other and cry even more.

"Come on you two we have to get to the presents." Obito blows his nose into a napkin disgusting other customers.

"Here you go Sakura." Rin gives Sakura a box wrapped in red with a white stripe on it. She was so eager that she ripped the box apart.

In the box was a red dress with a white ribbon tied around the dress. Another red ribbon was lying on top of it which confused her.

Rin picks up the red ribbon with her left hand, her other hand goes under her hair covered forehead. "Don't ever feel bad about the way you look, your forehead is fine just the way it is. Don't hide it, embrace it Kami made you beautiful." Rin parts her hair and ties the ribbon holding back her hair. It was being used as a headband.

For the second time that day she was crying tears of joy. Rin smiled at her with so much love that it brought on a new feeling.

The next person to give her a gift was Kakashi also known as Scarecrow. The square wrapped present was handed to her with so much care that it almost made her nervous to open. This time unwrapping the gift with care her efforts was rewarded with a brown picture frame. But what was inside of it made her choke on her own tears. It was a picture of the four of them huddled together to take a picture. It was the only picture they ever took together and that only made it that much special.

"Whenever you get lonely just look at that picture." Everyone could tell that Kakashi was very uncomfortable so they didn't push it.

"Thank you Scarecrow-kun." Sakura says sincerely.

Last but not least was Obito who was grinning wide. Obito gives her a cherry blossom covered box. Opening it, all three of them was shocked at what was in the box. "Obito!" Rin cries out looking angrily at the now confused Uchiha.

"W-what did I do wrong?"

"You're an idiot. What sane person gives a six year old girl a gun?" Sitting in the box was a DW RZ-10 pistol with ammo and under it looked like some gloves.

"Relax, it's for a good cause you guys see where she stays she'll need it. There's sick people out there and I don't want anything like the first time we met happen again. I'll also teach her how to use it."

"That's fine and all but whose going to teach you?" Kakashi says, trying to ease the tension a bit by poking fun at Obito. The pinkette laughs loudly while Obito just gets mad.

"How can you guys just sit here and laugh when you just GAVE A GUN TO A LITTLE GIRL WHO COULD POSSIBLY HURT HERSELF." Rin says angrily.

"Rin-chan you understand my reasoning right." Obito looks sadly at the furious girl she shakes her head slowly giving him a silent answer.

"Of all gifts why a gun Obito?" Obito looked down, he knew she was right and should maybe take it back and find something else.

"Rin you and I both know that Obito had good reasons and I also believe that she should have it. we'll teach her how to use it tomorrow as a family."

"Kakashi-kun what if-"

"There's a lot of what ifs but we should just hope that none of them come true." Rin sighs feeling defeated.

"Alright, you guys win." Sakura looks at the adults confused and worried. "Does that mean I can keep the gun?" All of three them nod their heads exciting the small petite girl.

"Let's go get cake and ice cream." Obito says suddenly picking the 6 year old up and putting her on his back. They both bolt out the door on their way to a dessert restaurant.

"Rin you coming?" Kakashi says while putting the picture frame in the box with her dress and picks up the remaining gifts and is about to leave. He of course remembered to put mine on the table.

She stands up and walk side by side with Kakashi. "Kakashi-kun, do you ever wonder if you are going to die on one of these missions?" The sudden question nearly makes him stop in his step.

"Why the question so sudden?"

She sighs, "I'm thinking about leaving the police corps to take care of Sakura like a real mother." Kakashi was really shocked this was the first time he ever heard such words come out of Rin's mouth. She looks up at him with desperate eyes for him to say something.

"Are you sure you want to give up on your career to be a mother? I mean we all agree to take care of her, but you're doing it full time."

"I'm 22 Kakashi with a not so stable relationship because of my job and possibly I really have a choice?" Kakashi eyes widen and he nearly drops the things in his hands.

"R-Rin it's.. you.. me.. how!?" Rin sighs she cups Kakashi's cheek and caress it.

"I said possibly." Kakashi nods they both walk into the restaurant to see disaster. Obito was arguing with the store owner and Sakura was covered in cake while eating it. Rin shrieks almost causing Kakashi to go deaf. "OBITO WHAT THE HELL IS THIS!?" Now Rin wasn't one to curse, but when she did you knew she was angry.

Obito stops in mid sentence and turns around slowly to see the woman storming to him. "R-Rin-chan let me e-explain."

Rin stops in front of the frightened guy giving him a chance to explain. "Uh, you see Sakura wanted to have a little fun and play a prank on this man here s-so it was her fault." Obito points his fingers at the small girl who was going to soon be hyped on sugar.

"So let me get this straight you agreed to play a prank on the head baker with a six year old."

A long pause goes by before Obito dared to even mutter a word. "Uh, yeah?"

"You, you Baka!" A loud smack echoed throughout the restaurant.

X

After apologizing for the millionth time they were finally home free. The three walked in the dark to the orphanage with the little girl on Obito's back asleep.

"She must have tired herself out today." Rin smiles at the sleeping pink haired girl.

"More like crashed from all that sugar." Kakashi mumbles under his breath. Said girl was extremely hyper after eating all that cake and was still covered in the stuff. She ran away from them every time they tried to get the stuff off of her. Finally, they caught her and she just fell asleep in Obito's arms.

They reach the orphanage in only a matter of minutes. They hand the cake covered girl to the caretaker and the gifts and apologize. Of course they took the gun with them since it wasn't safe to have in an orphanage with a six year old.

After that they each go their separate ways to rest up for the next day.

Flashback end

')^('

A/N: I loved writing the flashback it was so much fun to write. Yeah, I sort of paired Rin and Kakashi *cowers away* I was thinking and thinking each day I worked on this flashback whether to pair Rin and Obito or Kakashi. In the end Kakashi won. Obito does not know about their rocky relationship.

I know I was suppose to start the mission, but some explaining needed to happen. Maybe in each chapter like an omake I should put some flashbacks of Sakura's early life.

Also Madara shows up with an offer to Itachi, he couldn't refuse literally.

A question to you guys should I continue next chapter with the flashback introducing more of Sakura's past? Or continue with the present time specifically the mission?

RxR