A/N Sorry I haven't updated, I'm having a bit of writers block. Im still unsure how Im going to end this story, though I'm thinking that it may not be a happy one.

What was Lost, What was Gained

ch. 15

Sakura POV

I had been running all day, still I haven't been able to catch a trace of Naruto's or Sasuke's chakra anywhere. Thankfully Neji told me what he told he told them. Itachi's trail was heading west towards what use to be the land of the whirlpool country. Thoughts of those two running off leaving be behind just makes my blood boil. That or makes me want to cry.

I know that I was always the weaker one, but how could they think that I was so much weaker that they just left me. I know Sasuke hates me now and saw me as someone who would get in the way...but...how could Naruto think that too?

I landed near on the shore of a stream to get a drink and wash my face. The day was way too hot, I was starving but I didn't have time to stop and eat. each second they got farther away.

"Alright Sakura, calm down. They couldn't have had too much of a lead on me. I'll catch up sooner or later."

I sighed and removed my boots, soaking my feet in the ice cold stream. Sighing in relief as the water ran between my toes. For like the fourth time I wipe sweat from my brow. It felt like the sun was getting closer, my temperature was raising faster than what's healthy.

"I can't...breathe..."

I gasped as my body felt like it was on fire.

Is this some kind of genjutus?

I struggled to clasp my hands together. My face was raining with sweat now and my vision was begininng to fade.

"Seal...release..."

I mumbled. Nothing. Nothing changed. My body fell back until I was staring at the burning sun, my body felt heavy like gravity continued to pull harder on my bones.

"Did you really think that I would you use genjutus on you? I'm an Uchiha, a genius of shinobi."

My body was almost completely enable. Itachi walked into my line of view.

"I..tach..i"

My throat is dry and scratchy.

"Ninjutus, that's what I used. I sent my chakra down the stream, when you put your feet in, thus giving me the chance to use my chakra to overheat your body and leave it paralzed."

I tried to speak again but I was to weak to even move my mouth. Itachi contiued towards me, I struggled reaching for my tool bag. My limbs trembled furiously, I pulled out a scroll. I was almost surprised Itachi wasn't rushing to stop me. Unlatching the scoll I activated it. This was a special scroll Naruto himself designed, but of course the rookies are the ones who actually created it, when you send chakra through it and it shoots into the sky and goes off like fireworks. Using what chakra I could summon the scroll blasted into the sky and gave a ground shaking bang, lights spreading in all directions. Itachi didn't even seem to notice he bent down and scooped me up in my arms, and I was powerless to stop, or even tell him to stop. The blast engulfed us both but Itachi didn't even acknowloge the flames rolling towards us.

If I die, at least I'm taking you with me, Itachi.

"Sas..uke, this is ...for you."

The flames surrounded but Itachi didn't move, but I didn't care I just closed my eyes and waited. Strangly the heat of the fire never touched my skin, Itachi was lifting me into his arms, also some how he using his chakra he was averting the flames around us.

"Thank you for your help Sakura. I can handle my brother, you are bait for the nine-tail fox."

He stated as he carried me into the woods where everything faded into a mess of colors.

Sasuke POV

Sakura's chakra had disappeared a little while ago, both Naruto and I had to keep our own incredibly low so Sakura couldn't track us as well.

"That's to be expected from Sakura. You didn't really think that Sakura would just let us go."

Naruto laughed, I wanted to smile but couldn't. I wanted to go back and see if she at least got the ring, to see if she was wearing it, or if she crushed it in her own hands.

"But that's got me worried too. Why did she stop suddenly?"

Naruto asked. Even I was wondering about that myself, its unlike Sakura to just stop.

"You don't think nothing happened do you?"

Naruto's voice gave away his uneaseiness. I turned my head away.

"Sakura is a very advanced chunin, she can handle herself.-"

I was cut off when a large explosion echoed and shoke the ground throwing Naruto and I off blance. I landed on my back while Naruto serveral feet away was eating dirt.

"What in the heack was that!?"

I shouted pulling myself up, my sharrigan was active but I couldn't see anything out of the oridinary, that was until I saw Naruto's horror stricken face. Staring in the direction of the explosion, his eyes then shot to the sky seeing the light in the form of the leaf symbol fade in the sky.

Naruto's POV

This can't be...only the rookies have that summoning signal. That summoning is only meant for life and death situatations...the camp is too far away for that explosion to have effected us, which means..."

"Sakura!"

I yelled, charging back in the direction we came. Sasuke was hot on my trail.

"Naruto! What in the heck was that!?"

He yelled, trying to catch up to me.

"Answer me Naruto! What about Sakura!?"

His voice growled, but I kept my eyes on the area the explosion erupted from. Sasuke caught up next to me his eyes focused more on me than on the explosion.

"That is a summoning flare the I thought of a few years ago, all the rookies have them, the more chakra you put in it the bigger the explosion."

"But if you put in enough chakra it would have the potential of becoming a bomb."

"Yeah, that was my idea. You either use it to call for help or it's a last minute scenerio to take out the attacker. And I mean last chance. Cause there is a good chance if you do kill him, he's not dying alone."

I cletched my teeth tightly together, imagining who could make Sakura so desprite as to use an unstable attack.

"Itachi."

Sasuke said in a low meancing voice. He was thinking exactly what I was, Sakura is no push over and even if she needed back up she's fast. She could have run back close enough to the camp where the rookies could have made contact. But Sakura was forced to use the summoning, and there wasn't much of a fight because Sasuke and I were keeping a close watch on her chakra.

"If Sakura lost so quickly, and had to use a desprite move then she was opposing someone incredibly strong or they caught us by surprise..."

Sasuke calulated.

"Or both."

I added. We jumped into the opening directly under where the explosion had occurred. The sight was almost horrifying. Sakura had used the summoning as a bomb, the area was burnt and dead.

"Sakura!"

Sasuke and I jumped into the waste land, though I wouldn't say it out loud we were looking for her body.

"Even with this explosion, we would find bodies."

Sasuke said kicking a burnt log over.

"Which means, Sakura didn't die."

I said happily, actually more reliefed.

"No, what it means is now Itachi has Sakura."

Sasuke cletched his teeth together in hatred and disgust. All my joy fled my body and was replaced with the same anger.

"What the heck happen!"

Shikamaru, and the rest of the rookies jumped from the woods into the battle zone.

Shikamaru POV

We all had seen the flare felt the explosion, dropping everything we rushed towards it. Though I gotta say finding Sasuke and Naruto in the waste land came as a surprise. Neither of them said anything, both were just staring at the ash on the ground with a pained look on their faces.

"Naruto what happen!?"

I shouted jumping next to him. He didn't answer right away, but shot Sasuke a few glances. It looked like they were having a silent conversation.

"Shikamaru. Take all the rookies and return the village, get Granny Tusnade to get squads together, anyone she can spare. Sasuke and I will send you word where to dispatch to."

'What? What are you talking about?"

"This is war, against the akasuki. We're going to need many of our powerful shinobi. Now go, and prepare because this is going to be our nly shot to destroy them!"

I stood still along with all the rookies trying to undestand what he was saying.

"Stop standing there Shikamaru! Go back to the village!"

I jumped back and nodded.

"Okay, let's move out."

One after another the rookies followed but each took a moment to look back at our teammates, as they headed in the opposite direction with murderous eyes.