The few rays of light shone through the small window at the side of the bare room and were directed at the bruised frame of the kunoichi, who lay unconscious in the centre of the stone floor. Strands of long pink hair fell over her pale face and her hands were tied behind her back with hand-cuffs, specially designed for restraining ninja's and preventing them from using jutsu's.
Slowly her eyes flickered open; it took her several seconds to adjust herself to the light which she had been deprived off in the last couple of hours. Sakura groaned when she instantly felt the throbbing pain fly through her mind and her muscles ached from unexplained bruises.
Regaining her composure slowly, she turned her gaze steadily across the room which she found herself imprisoned in.
What did she expect from a cold-hearted killer?
Especially an Uchiha.
He reminded her off Sasuke and a yearning sensation spread through her muscles when she remembered her comrade's handsome face, like she wanted to run away and find him even though he had broken her heart.
But Sasuke had chosen his path, to be an enemy of Konoha. It took Sakura a long time to get to terms that she could never be side by side with him, but she swore that her loyalty was to Konoha and not her childhood feelings.
Her mind returned on how to escape from her prison. She closed her eyes and tried to summon enough chakra in her hands to break free from the strong metal restraints.
A sudden pain of electricity rushed through her body and she released an excruciating scream, sparks of electricity and current swarmed around her body; greatly affecting her muscles.
Sakura collapsed onto the ground and her cheek hit the hard stone floor, the kunoichi paused whilst she took in the pain and slowly closed her green eyes. She tried to ignore the intolerable agony rushing through her muscles but she found no strength within herself to hold the painful tears washing down her cheeks.
She managed to raise her fingers to her neck and discovered the tight metal ring wrapped around her collar, it was highly likely that the device around her neck was the source of the pain and was preventing her from using chakra.
What am I going to do? How am I going to escape this prison? How do I warn Naruto not to come after me? What is going to happen to me? Questions plagued her mind which only tempted the pain of her migraine to increase and the tears continued to fall from her closed eyes and stain her pale cheeks.
"Oi brat, we have been waiting for you to wake up." A beastly and unnerving voice echoed through the grey room.
Sakura's eyes shot open, she had not realised that there was another person in her company. Slowly she turned her head to see the rims of an Akatsuki cloak but the voice was not Itachi's.
Who is it?
Huge hands curled around her throat and lifted her from the ground; Sakura whimpered in the beast's grip and stared into the horrifying face of Kisame. His lips curled into a wide smirk and his blue skin seemed to illuminate in the sinister room.
He turned his face to his partner who stood in the corner of the prison, staring at the scene with his disturbing red eyes.
"Hey Itachi, can I kill her?" Kisame asked Itachi, his tone was filled with excitement and delight.
Itachi's expressionless face turned to Sakura and she turned her gaze away from the Uchiha, desperately trying to tell herself it was a dream and she would wake up soon to the boring red ceiling of her bedroom.
"What are you mumbling about, brat?" Kisame demanded and Sakura ignored him, continuing to tell herself it was a dream but she did not wake up like she had hoped and slowly the kunoichi opened her watering eyes, realising that it was reality.
"Answer me!" Kisame yelled at the woman but Sakura refused to obey and tried to summon chakra in her hands again, however the agonizing pain returned like the first time she had tried and the woman released a stabbing yell as the electrical current flooded her fragile body.
The Akatsuki member grinned in pleasure as he watched the woman coil in his grip from the pain and Itachi's Sharingan eyes narrowed; he slowly walked towards Kisame and grabbed hold of his partner's arm.
"Release her. We need her fit and healthy, Kisame. The Kyuubi might not accept our terms so kindly if he found out that we have been mistreating our… 'guest.' We cannot take any chances, this time." His cool toned voice echoed through Sakura's ears, sending shivers down her spine and making her want to fall unconscious once more, so she could escape the two killer's company.
Kisame stared into Itachi's eyes and grunted angrily, but he was not foolish enough to defy his partner. His horrifying eyes filled with a malicious anger turned to Sakura; he hesitated somewhat but suddenly pushed her away from his hold. She flew across the room until her back hit the wall and she yelped as part of her spine's bone, which was caught in the strong impact, split.
Her head bent over, she had given up on answering the questions in her mind and just wanted to be left alone, the pain was too much to handle. Long strands of pink hair shadowed her face, concealing the painful and angry tears which cleansed her cheeks incessantly.
Kisame stormed off heatedly, slamming the door shut as he left. Itachi released an irritated sigh and approached the kunoichi; he crouched down to her level and looked over her body for any signs of injury.
"Where does it hurt?" He asked, in an emotionless voice that matched his expressionless face perfectly.
Sakura could not find the strength to reply, she was famished and dehydrated, there was no chakra left in her and her body was weak from multiple injuries. She could almost laugh at Itachi's question, it hurt everywhere.
Itachi was growing impatient with the young woman again but he could not ignore her broken bones, if he was to make the plan succeed he had to make sure that Sakura was healthy.
"Sakura, lift your head." It was not a request but a command.
She did not want to disobey the Akatsuki again and slowly lifted her head towards Itachi, his red eyes narrowed when he saw the injuries and placed his fingers on her cheek; observing the bruises which marked her face.
Sakura had not expected Itachi to have such soft and warm fingers; it seemed out of place with the cold-hearted murderer. She could not read his face as usual but took the time to relax in his grip; although she was in the presence of a criminal somehow it felt safe.
His hands ran along her neckline, delicately and smoothly, usually the intimacy between the two of them would have alarmed her but she was too exhausted and in too much pain to realise what was happening.
His finger tips continued to press into her skin tenderly and brushed his hand along the side of her chest, sending shivers down her spine and Itachi smirked at the response from her body.
He leant forward and wrapped his hand around her back, Sakura's eyes widened when he ran a slender finger down her spine trying to determine the worst injury and he found the split in the bone. It was bleeding.
He pressed his fingers into the wound and Sakura rose up against Itachi's chest, biting her lip hard so she would not scream. Itachi realised that it would take a few days for her to heal and he cursed underneath his breath, annoying that he had not taken better care of her.
There were new difficulties in the plan and he predicted that the arrival of Naruto would have to be delayed.
"Hold onto me. I am moving you into a spare room, you need to heal comfortably." He said to her in a cold tone but Sakura made no move to obey. His red eyes turned to her irritably but he held back his anger when he saw her eyes closed and breathing had decreased. She had fallen unconscious again.
He wrapped an arm around her legs and lifted her up by supporting her back, Sakura's head leant against Itachi's chest and Itachi took a glance at the sleeping ninja. Things were increasing in difficulty and he was growing impatient with the female, he hoped that his patience would not end short because otherwise, Sakura would suffer a lot more she has had already.
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I really didn't like how I did this chapter. ;;
Not much action yet but there will be a lot more fighting and action as the fic progresses, so do not be put off if there is too much drama and romance.
Thank you for your wonderful reviews. –hugs all-