update. sorry if it's late. r and r!

"Take my eyes."

Take my eyes. Take my eyes. Take my eyes. TAKE ITACHI'S FRIGGIN' EYES?! If he's joking it's not funny!

"Not funny." I told him.
"Who told you I'm trying to make you laugh?" He glared at me.

I stared back at him. His face was serious. He seemed troubled. I sighed as I looked away. He can't really be that serious… can he?

"Don't be stupid, Uchiha." I told him. "How can I possibly take your eyes when you're using them?"

I knew I sounded stupid. I knew what he's gonna say to me. I knew what he meant; I just… I couldn't accept it. No. I don't want it to happen. I felt weird.

"It is bound to happen, Sakura." He simply said. Sheesh, for a minute he sounded like Neji and his stupid fate and destiny thing.

Itachi stood up and headed for the door. I stared at the counter, why should I care about whether he dies or not? Sasuke wants his revenge, so there he goes. I can feel that Itachi wants to give it to his brother because Itachi's guilt is killing him. But…

"You just can't, Itachi!" I suddenly stood up and faced his back. He was already under the door frame.

He didn't answer. I felt something spill from my eyes but I don't care.

"Why?" He asked almost inaudible. He stopped walking but he didn't turn around to face me. Good. He won't see my embarrassing tears.
"Because…" Come on Sakura, think! "Because… we still need to stop Sasuke from destroying Konoha, remember?" Nice one.

I heard him sigh, I quickly wiped my traitor tears and good thing I did because he faced me now. He looked amused, smirking. I couldn't tell what he was up to or what his next move is. It's really frustrating.

"I did tell you that, didn't I?" He scratched the back of his head. I raised an eyebrow. From serious Itachi who decided to give his eyes to me, to embarrassed looking Itachi who is smiling at me? Okay… hold up and freeze. Am I… imagining things? Am I even awake?

Itachi took a deep breath but before he could say anything, I cut him off short.

"You know what, it's alright. You do what you must do and I'll save Konoha by myself." I quickly headed for the door and walked pass him.

I was angry again. How could I believe him that day when he said those words? He didn't even trust me that time when he told me that. How could I be so stupid to believe in him that easily???

"Trusting issues again." I whispered to myself.

I didn't even know where I was heading. On my way to somewhere, I bumped into Pein err- dad.

"Sakura?" He stopped his tracks.
"Oh… hey." I tried to smile.
"Is everything alright? You look… troubled." He mentioned.

I noticed that he was holding a lot of scrolls and one kept on falling.

"Nothing. Just bored." I lied. "Let me help you with that." I said as I took a few scrolls from his hands.
"Thank you." He smiled at me.

We walked silently towards his office. When I entered the room, Deidara and Tobi were there. I placed the scrolls on top of his table.

"You can stay here for awhile if you want to." Pein offered as he took a seat.
"Yeah! Have some father and daughter bonding!!!" Tobi added.

Tobi received a hard bonk from Deidara.

"Shut up Tobi."
"Tobi sorry!"

I giggled which earned stares from the three. I cleared my throat as I stood up.

"I think I'm gonna go train." I said.

--

At the back of the base, just like a backyard, was Akatsuki's training grounds. I inhaled the fresh air before stretching. The wind was cool and the sky was filled with clouds.

I started sparring with a clone of myself. I kinda felt sad for awhile. I remembered my training at Konoha, I would watch Kakashi and the others spar. I would envy them, seeing their new techniques, new moves, while I was left to the side practicing chakra control over and over again.

Rain suddenly poured but I didn't care. I produced more clones of myself and started battling them. Every punch, and every kick had pure anger. I guess I needed anger management but who cares! If anger is what I need to be stronger then hell… I'd rather be angry all the time.

As I finished off the last of the clones I looked up. The gray clouds were suddenly black which means super heavy rain.

"You could catch a cold again, you know."
I sighed. "I don't easily catch colds you know."
"Hm, really?"
I smirked, "Really."

I sat under a tree and he sat beside me. Both of us dripping wet.

"They say that when angels cry, it rains."
I almost laughed. "You believe in that crap?"
He rolled his eyes. "Oh sure. I also believe that when it snows, the angels are just making snow cones."
I giggled. "You are stupid."
"Yeah… I know." He sounded serious but he regained his carefree expression sooner than I could ask 'what's the matter'.

I hugged my knees and then looked to my side. Everything that was dry before was drenched now. I closed my eyes and let my head rest on my knees.

"I'm sorry." Itachi suddenly said.

I turned my head to stare at him. I was surprised. He looked really sincere. NO SAKURA!!! DON'T TRUST HIM THAT EASILY NOW!

That was what my inner was shouting at me. Don't trust him now. Yeah, that's right. I shouldn't but… I just did.

"It's okay."

The tension between us rose again. Awkward moment.

"Um…" I looked away.
"Can I tell you something?"

"No more giving out of body parts, you hear?" I joked.
He snickered as he shook his head. "You're…"
"Hmmm?" I waited. He seemed to be thinking of something.
"You're very easy to be with." He blurted out.
"O-Oh." Was all I could say.

Why did I felt my cheeks warm up? It's cold! I'm soaked! I should be cold! There was a moment of silence between us before he spoke again.

"Maybe… maybe when the right time comes, Sasuke will realize how much he lost when he left you on that bench."
I gasped, "How did you know that?"
"I told you, your dad sends us to Konoha for double purpose. Coincidentally, I was the one he sent the night Sasuke left. And besides, you talk too much on your sleep."

I felt embarrassed. Really… I said a lot of things that night and Itachi, of all people, heard them?!!!

"You must think I'm stupid." I covered my face with both of my hands.

The heavy rain was turning into a drizzle but the clouds remained black.

"The angels must be tired of crying." He mentioned.
I removed my hands from my face then stared up. "Yeah, but the clouds are still black. They still want to cry."
Itachi stared at me, "Maybe a friend of the angels told them that they shouldn't cry because they're beautiful and their crying makes other people down here sad."
I smiled at Itachi, "Maybe it worked."
"It did."

The rain really did stop although the skies were still black. We both headed inside and we were called by Pein. He gave us a mission to the country of snow. I headed to my room to dry up. I thought about what Itachi had said to me that morning.

"Take my eyes."

If I did take his eyes, what will happen? Sasuke would be so mad at me for sure but somehow… I didn't care whether Sasuke would despise me to the depths of hell. I didn't care if he doesn't like to see me ever again. I didn't know why but it felt right… somehow. If that's what it takes to save Konoha, I'll do it.

I stared outside the small window in my room. The rain did stop but surprisingly, there were no more black skies. I suddenly remembered Itachi.

"Maybe… just maybe…" I smiled.

Maybe I'm falling.

REVIEWS PLEASE!