Review count is up to 5. Woo. I'm also trying to catch up on America's Next Top Model Cycle 10. I'm currently on episode 4. But that doesn't really matter. . About that chapter name, I named it 'A Tearful Farewell' because of near the end of the chapter. No, Itachi does NOT start crying. .

Key:

"Quotations: Speaking"

Italicized: Thinking/emphasized word

"Italicized with quotations: Kyuubi speaking/thinking"

Chapter II: A Tearful Farewell

The fire crackled, creating a light glow in a dark clearing where the three slept as an owl hooted softly in the night. Naruto, however, could not sleep.

"Oi," he whispered. "Itachi!"

Itachi was fast asleep. Naruto crawled toward him.

Are those lines on both sides of his nose real? Naruto thought to himself. He reached out to touch one...

"Ow!" he yelled the next moment, finding himself pinned to the ground on his stomach with his face a few inches away from the fire.

"What's going on?" Sakura said, startled and standing up quickly. Itachi stared at Naruto for a moment, then let him go.

"Get some sleep," he said without emotion.

Naruto, who was surprised and scared at the same time, quickly obeyed.

The next morning, the air was cold, and a light fog lay over the land. There was a small breeze covering their scent, and it whispered through the trees without a care. Sakura tried to imitate Itachi's footsteps, considering he wasn't making a sound as he jumped from tree to tree. Naruto, however, just seemed concerned to get to the hideout and find Sasuke. Sakura knew it wouldn't be that easy, though. She also knew they would be at the hideout soon - they had been running for two days. And they were close. Within a few hours they reached a barren land with a few sentinels of stone. Itachi led them to one and began to silently burrow inside.

"Sasuke-kun," a voice hissed in the shadows.

There was silence.

"It looks like Naruto and Sakura have come to rescue you," the voice said. "And they've brought along a friend."

"Who is it, Orochimaru-sama," the other voice said, uncaring.

"It matters not," Orochimaru said. "But we must keep moving... and leave a dead weight behind."

"But what about Ma-"

"No," Orochimaru growled, "I meant Kabuto."

"Hmph."

Naruto once again distracted Sakura.

They had burrowed in, apparently detected, and Itachi seemed to know. They were running down the dark halls, and the closer they got to Sasuke's chakra, it seemed to only get darker.

You're the only one who can bring him back from the darkness, Naruto had remembered what Neji said to him on their first failed rescue attempt.

While it was still light and Sakura could still see Naruto beside her, she took every minute to do so, but only out of the corner of her eye. she still hoped he didn't notice. As it got darker and Itachi ran ahead of them, Sakura took that opportunity to inch her way closer to Naruto as they ran. She felt his warmth comforting. Naruto, however, noticed her moving closer, but decided not to say anything.

Does he feel the same way I feel about him? Sakura thought.

Does she feel the same way as I feel about her? Naruto thought. Should I tell her how I feel?

Sakura prayed that he wouldn't say anything. He had the voice of an angel, and if he opened his big mouth, she might forget about everything else and listen to him instead. Luckily, he kept his big mouth shut.

In a split second, Itachi and Naruto stopped, and Sakura almost ran into them. Two figures had appeared in front of them, and they could barely make out their silhouettes. One, the tallest, clapped as the lights came on. It was Orochimaru - standing next to Kabuto. Naruto was almost disappointed to see it was Kabuto instead of Sasuke.

"Where's Sasuke!" he yelled in anger. His glare turned to Orochimaru.

"I'm merely a clone," Orochimaru said with a smug smirk. "Sasuke and I are already far away from here... and someone else."

Naruto, who had been gritting his teeth, stopped when the clone pulled out an orb, a bit bigger than a baseball. The clone tossed it to Naruto and he caught it with quick reflexes. He stared at it for a moment.

"With that," Orochimaru started, "you can bring back two people who are deceased. You only have to think of who you want to bring back and whisper their names."

Naruto automatically stated he wanted his mother and father whom he never had. Nothing happened.

"But only," Orochimaru continued, "if you can beat me."

Naruto narrowed his eyes at Kabuto, whom he could tell was not a clone. He began running at Kabuto but Itachi held a hand in front of him and shook his head lightly. Orochimaru's clone disappeared, and Kabuto smirked.

"One of us has to stay and fight Kabuto," Itachi turned to them. He said it as if to state that he wasn't going to stay. Naruto and Sakura stayed silent, but after awhile, Sakura stepped forward.

"I'll stay."

"B-But Sakura-chan!" Naruto objected.

"Go," she said. A tear rolled down her cheek. As she looked into his eyes, they both seemed to realize they probably wouldn't see each other again. Sakura turned away from him to hide her tears, she felt something wrap around her neck. Not trying to choke her, but almost like a hug. She blushed a little when she looked back and saw Naruto.

"Try not to die," he said softly.

That makes me feel confident, Sakura thought sarcastically, but nodded lightly. She frowned when he let go of her.

"Good-bye," she said. Naruto and Itachi disappeared, and she turned to face Kabuto.

To be continued...