Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own Naruto. But wouldn't it be cool if I got a quarter for every time someone said Tomokazu? I'd be RICH! Moowahaha! My plans for world domination are finally starting to take effect!

(A/N: …well, I know I didn't have Itachi getting angry in this last chapter like I said he would, but I was writing it and then I was like "hey, I don't want to put that scene in until the next chapter!'. And so, here we are. Enjoy.)

Chapter 20

Sakura's Love: Sharingan vs. Sharingan!

Kiba stopped on the branch, sniffing the air. Beside him, Akamaru yipped in excitement, his tail wagging slightly. He crouched low, his nose running along the bark, before he looked back at Kiba with another bark.

Kiba closed his eyes for a moment, as a small smile spread across his face. He recognized that scent. And so did Akamaru.

We're coming, Sakura. And this time, we're getting you back. You aren't going with those Akatsuki.

Even if it means we have to drag you away.

Shino stood beside him, listening to his kikai as they relayed a message to him.

The two shinobi were both silent for a moment, before they turned to each other.

"We're close." They spoke in unison. Kiba grinned, and there was a small smile that could be seen from behind Shino's collar.

The cool air of nightfall whistled around them. It was a calm, cool night. Even the stars were visible, glistening bright against the pitch black of the sky. A perfect night for a shinobi attack. There was no need for excess light when you could guide yourself by the light of the moon and stars.

"Let's go tell the others." Kiba jumped off of the limb, racing back to the camp.

Itachi watched the night sky, his gaze cool and calculating. Kisame was snoring softly beside him while Sasori and Deidara slept a bit quieter a few feet away.

Soon, Tomokazu…soon you will see what happens when you take what is mine Itachi thought darkly, his lips becoming a thin line of irritation as he frowned. He leaned against the tree, one hand inside of his Akatsuki cloak. His fingers curled around the cold steel of a kunai, a comfort in the sweltering heat of the cloak.

It was strange, how his coat was scorching yet he would freeze if he took it off. The weather was anything but warm. Itachi hated cold weather. There was no significance to cold and snow. Winter was harsh and commanding. Even the strongest of shinobi could be killed by it.

Perhaps it frightened him, slightly.

To know that even the strongest shinobi in the world was subject to the will of nature…

And after I kill you, I will take the Kyuubi. Then, my goal will be complete.

And Sakura will continue to heal my eyes.

Everything will be as it should be.

Itachi felt the small ache in the back of his head, due to the strain he was putting on his Sharingan. He hated the way his eyes always pained him after he used the Sharingan now. It was as if after Sakura's healing they were raw and weak, like the skin over a newly healed wound.

Soon.

Itachi was by nature a patient person. To be a shinobi one must lie in wait for hours to remain unnoticed, sometimes. He was used to waiting to get what he wanted. He'd waited years for the Kyuubi.

But when it came to getting Sakura back from Tomokazu…

Itachi felt like an impatient little child whose favorite toy had been taken away because he'd been playing too rough.

"They're all asleep."

Itachi's eyes narrowed slightly in annoyance as he turned to look at the person standing on the limb beside him. Crimson met crimson.

Itachi's eyes trailed down to the sleeping forms of Sasuke's comrades to his own partners. "Was there something you wished to say, or did you merely wish to dazzle me with your talent for tactful observation?"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed dangerously as well, as he looked at his older brother. He couldn't stand the smirk on that face, or the Sharingan blessing those killer's eyes. He wanted to rip them out with his own hands. He wanted to kill Itachi.

And now was his chance.

"There is no one to stop me from killing you, Itachi." Sasuke hissed.

Itachi stood slowly, watching his brother with an air of boredom. "I don't have time for you."

"I'll kill you this time, Itachi."

"You aren't strong enough, little brother." Itachi smirked. "And you will never become strong enough to kill me. Your hate is weak and faded."

"I will never stop hating you." Sasuke ground out from between clenched teeth. "Never."

"You aren't strong enough to kill me because you didn't follow my directions. You went to Orochimaru for power when he could give you none." Itachi's voice was slightly amused from behind his Akatsuki collar.

"How pitiful."

Sasuke let out a snarl as he lunged.

Itachi grabbed his wrist with one hand, his kunai in the other as he slammed Sasuke into the tree behind him. Sasuke let out a small growl as the bark scratched against his back and the air was knocked out of him. His shoulder was still slightly sore from his previous encounter with his brother.

Still couldn't even…touch him…Sasuke's inner mind berated him, laughing condescendingly.

What good are you, Sasuke?

Itachi looked down at his brother, his gaze scathing. How could his brother have grown so little in strength over the past few years? Surely he had inspired him enough to become strong. What else did he need?

The moon came out from behind its veil of clouds in that moment, glinting off of Sasuke's headband. Itachi's eyes narrowed slightly as he recognized the color.

"Where did you get that?"

Sasuke's eyes were two burning coals, glaring at him with as much hatred as he could muster, but they dimmed slightly at Itachi's abrupt question. He blinked, before he realized what Itachi was talking about.

"Sakura gave it to me." Sasuke grunted. He saw something flicker in Itachi's eyes, something akin to jealously and annoyance. It made something inside of Sasuke smirk, as his own eyes narrowed in triumph.

"Or didn't you know that Sakura gave it to me? She's wearing mine as well, Itachi. Does that bother you? You bastard." Sasuke spat. "Does it bother you that the woman you raped is wearing something of mine?"

Itachi's grip on Sasuke tightened as he stared at him. Sasuke gave a small gasp as blood trickled down his neck. He couldn't help but give a smirk, even through the pain, as he watched his brother's usually emotionless eyes fill with anger. Or perhaps he was just imagining such a thing? Itachi was never anything other than cold and emotionless.

Itachi bent his head near Sasuke's ear, as Sasuke continued to struggle in his grip as Itachi's kunai dug into the skin of his neck.

"So she wears your headband, does she brother?"

…

"And you gave her yours?"

…

Itachi smirked slightly as his grip on Sasuke tightened, and the blood slowly dripped off of the kunai blade.

"But that's all she has ever given you. Because whatever it is that you wanted from her, I've taken it." Itachi watched as Sasuke let out a strangled growl, and it made Itachi smirk even more, as a strange pleasure filled him, knowing that he had gotten the one thing from Sakura that Sasuke would never experience.

No one would.

Because anyone who tried would die.

He would make sure of it.

"Does that make you hate me, brother? Does is strengthen that weak revenge of yours?" Itachi's eyes narrowed slightly.

"I'll…kill…you…" Sasuke gasped out, his Sharingan blazing.

Itachi stared down at his little brother, ignoring the small pitter-patter of the blood droplets as they fell onto his hand. "A corpse can't kill me, Sasuke." And his hand tightened on the kunai as he pressed down to cut the life out of his little brother.

"Hey you! Get back!" Kiba growled out as he, Akamaru, and Shino jumped onto the limb. Suddenly everyone was awake, jumping to their feet, weapons in hand.

"What the hell!?" Ino yelled out as they all got a good look at the scene in front of them. "What's going on?" Sasuke! What the hell were you thinking? Did you attack Itachi?

"Oi." Kisame grunted, eyes going from the Konohad shinobi to Itachi. "Don't waste your energy on the punk, Itachi." We really don't have time for that idiot's revenge plots. He's slowing us all down.

Shikamaru eyed the two Uchiha, wondering if he needed to use his shadow possession on them. Sasuke…stop being so troublesome. He already knew that Sasuke was probably the one who had attacked Itachi. Itachi wasn't the type to just jump into something like that.

What a drag…

Itachi dropped Sasuke as if he were an annoying speck of dust on his sleeve. He turned to the Konoha shinobi, who liked as if they were about to attack him.

"Keep my brother in line, Kyuubi." His eyes met Naruto's. "Or else I will indeed be the last Uchiha."

Sasuke glared at him. "You couldn't kill me! I would have stopped you, you bastard!"

"Yeah, cause you seemed to be doing such a good job of it when we woke up." Kisame sneered. "Just shut up little punk and let the rest of us do what we came here to do. You're just being annoying."

Naruto watched the Akatsuki, then Sasuke. Kisame was right; they didn't need this right now. They needed to get Sakura-chan back! Naruto then blinked as he realized that Shino and Kiba were back. "Hey, what's gotten you guys so excited?"

Kiba's grin was feral as he showed off his canines. "We're almost there. Two hours tops before we reach 'em."

"I sent my kikai to the outskirts of the Sound base after Kiba translated Akamaru's findings to me," Shino began as everyone exchanged excited smiles. "The base is heavily guarded. It seems to be a…castle."

"Orochimaru's old castle." Sasuke huffed, his eyes still drifting murderously to his brother, before he looked at the others. "It has certain genjutsu and other traps all around the perimeter." Dammit. I was so close. I know I could have killed him this time.

"My kikai are unaffected by genjutsu." Shino answered back. "You needn't worry that they would be tricked by something like that."

"The question is are those traps still there after Orochimaru's death, or did Tomokazu undo them?" Temari commented loftily.

"She is right," Sasori nodded as he spoke softly. "Tomokazu always scoffed at the precautions we put upon our own Akatsuki bases. No doubt he would undo the ones upon Orochimaru's."

"But he's also a tricky, insane bastard, yeah." Deidara growled out. "And a genius."

"That's a dangerous combination." Tenten muttered under her breath.

"Which means," Deidara continued. "That he could leave them up, believing that we would think he had taken them down, yeah."

"Argh!" Choji rubbed his head. "All this logical thinking is making my head hurt."

"Alright," Shikamaru broke in. "We need to go back to the 'heavily guarded' part. How many do you think, Shino? Could your kikai give us an exact number?"

Shino gave a small shrug as he turned and whispered into his sleeve. After a small while he nodded. "The base itself runs for a few miles all around. There are at least three Sound guards every fifty feet. Then there are a few scouts in the forest around them, for a mile or so out from the base."

The others nodded, as Shikamaru gave a small sigh. "Ok…let me think…"

"He probably has a lot of men inside as well." Lee commented. "And traps."

"We'll need a group to go after Sakura while the others distract the shinobi." Neji said coolly.

Shikamaru pinched the bridge of his nose. I can't think if you keep talking! Che. Troublesome…

"Tomokazu has probably trained his shinobi a bit more efficiently than Orochimaru." Sasori answered back calmly. "Or at least a small number of them. The rest will most likely be normal Jônin level."

"You make it sound so simple." Ino rolled her eyes. "The rest will most likely be normal Jônin level. Some of us aren't Akatsuki, thank you very much."

Kisame gave a small smirk. "The little blonde is right. We can't expect the Konoha weaklings to handle anything other than the weak guards."

"That's not—" Ino began, but was cut off by Naruto.

"We'll handle our own." Naruto answered back seriously. "Some of us are stronger than you think."

"The Kyuubi won't be much of a help to you there, boy." Kisame's eyes narrowed. "Tomokazu's Akatsuki. He knows all about your demon."

"Enough!" Shikamaru yelled out, rubbed his aching head. "I can't concentrate with all of your bickering."

There was a small moment of silence as they watched him. He gave another small sigh. "Alright, we'll need a core group to go and rescue Sakura, while the others keep everyone else distracted and get us a way out."

"I'm going after Sakura!" Ino broke in.

"M-me t-too." Hinata whispered. All of the Konoha shinobi and Temari clamored to tell Shikamaru of their intentions to save Sakura.

"Tomokazu will be close to Sakura, yeah." Deidara answered. "He's Akatsuki. He won't be easily defeated. It would be best if the Akatsuki went in the core group." And then we can get Sakura-chan out of there before she realizes that you were there too. It will be easier for all of us.

"But—" Ino began.

"Deidara is right." Naruto nodded slowly, much to everyone's surprise. "Not many of us are strong enough to go toe-to-toe with Akatsuki. And Tomokazu seems to be an extremely strong member of the Akatsuki, or so it seems, if you all want to go after him. That means he's stronger than most of you, ne?"

Sasori, Deidara, and Kisame all stared at him stoically, as if not wanting to answer.

"That means that some of us are going to need to go with you as well."

"Then you may come, Kyuubi."

Everyone turned to look at Itachi. He was watching them all with an air of boredom and annoyance. His crimson eyes glinted from behind his raven colored bangs as he continued. "The Kyuubi may come, as well as my little brother, if he would wish. And perhaps the Hyuga." He nodded at Neji.

Then I will be able to take the Kyuubi with me without having to fight off the others.

Tomokazu can kill my idiot brother and save me the trouble.

And he can kill the Hyuga as well, since he seems to be getting on my nerves.

Sasori nodded. "That would be an acceptable group." I know what you're doing, Itachi. It will be good to separate them now. And you couldn't make it look suspicious by just taking Sasuke and Naruto. They'd know something was up.

"I'm going too." Temari answered back readily. "If you need the strongest shinobi, then you'll need me." It wasn't a boast, just a cold fact as she gripped the edge of her fan. "Besides, if his kekkei genkai comes from touch, my long-range attacks will be more effective."

Deidara smiled. "She's right, yeah."

"Whatever." Kisame grunted.

"Very well." Itachi answered back. I didn't kill you the first time. Perhaps I will get the chance now. He remembered the pain in his arm from Sakura's attack on him in Stone after she'd learned he had killed Temari. Or perhaps I will merely let Tomokazu do it.

"Alright then." Shikamaru nodded, although he could see that all the others had wanted to go and save Sakura too. "But maybe not all of the Akatsuki should stay in the core group. If Tomokazu has a group of elite shinobi, we will need at least one of you, since we will be hard pressed with the other Jônin."

The Akatsuki looked at each other, seeming to have a silent conversation. Then there was a small growl as Kisame shouldered Samehada. "What the hell, I'll do it. At least I'll get to kill more shinobi then the rest of you."

The Konoha shinobi could see a small smile on Sasori's face, and a smirk on Deidara's. Apparently the exchange between them had gone as all the other's had planned, save for Kisame.

"Alright." Ino cheered. "Let's go save Sakura!"

Sai and Yamato landed on the ground in front of the large base. The night air was cool, and the guards watched them suspiciously as they walked up to them.

Yamato merely nodded at them stoically, handing them a slip of paper as well as motioning to their headbands.

The guards begrudgingly let them inside the gates.

"We'll go in and get out as soon as possible." Yamato answered as they walked down the long hallway of the base. The guards they passed watched them warily. "I don't want to be here any longer than I have to."

Sai merely nodded, his eyes drifting from the guards to their hands, which lay on varying weapons. His own sword felt comforting upon his back.

"This mission is pointless."

Yamato turned to Sai in surprise. That was not a normal response from the young ANBU. Sai always took every mission seriously. He'd always said that his only point in life was to successfully complete missions.

Yamato gave a small smile as they followed their shinobi guard, who was leading them down another long hallway.

"You don't like politics, Sai?"

Sai shot Yamato a look that could almost be perceived as annoyed, but he was still so emotionless that it was hard to tell.

Yamato shrugged with a smile. "It's necessary. I know you'd rather be on an assassination mission, or perhaps retrieval." It was common knowledge among the ANBU that Sai had pleaded—as much as an emotionless Sai could plead—with the Hokage to go and bring Sakura back himself.

"But political missions are just as important. We have to keep and strengthen alliances with other villages so that we are not seen as weak or isolated. This is the only way to keep another Ninja War from coming."

Sai gave a small grunt as they stopped in front of a door. The Sound shinobi opened it, beckoning for the two of them to walk inside.

"I don't trust these people." Was all Sai whispered to Yamato as they walked into the brightly lit room.

"You must be the shinobi ambassadors from Konohagakure. Welcome to Otogakure."

Sakura let out a small whimper as she awoke. Her entire body ached, although that was to be expected. As she shifted her arms she felt the dried blood crack off and the wounds began to bleed again.

She closed her eyes for a brief moment, as fatigue and shame washed over her. She felt dirty, and not just because she hadn't bathed in god knows how long. No, the underlying filth that she felt couldn't be washed away with water and soap.

He had touched her.

Kissed her.

Who knows what he'd done to her after she had fallen into unconsciousness? He'd been caressing her and whispering something into her ear. She looked down to see that her shirt was slightly askew and loose. Sakura could almost feel his hands tracing the skin of her stomach and chest.

"When he comes for you, Sakura…I will take you and make you mine…"

"And I will erase him from your mind forever."

Sakura leaned over the side of her chair and threw up. She hadn't eaten in a while, so it was merely bile that stung her throat and made her eyes water. Thankfully enough, the stench of the room did not change.

It had always reeked.

Sakura spit out the last remaining vestiges from her mouth, but the sour taste remained. She breathed in a few shaky breaths. Oh god, please don't let him have raped me. Please…

She couldn't tell if the pain between her thighs was due to a rape, or just from his kekkei genkai. She'd still been sore all over from that. And without her medical chakra she couldn't check to see if there was any damage.

No…I don't think I can stand that again. Please…no…

Sakura breathed in another deep breath, exhaling slowly. I must keep calm. This is probably one of Tomokazu's sick tricks. He wants me to break myself. He wants me to believe that he's already raped me so that I will think everything is lost.

I won't let him win.

Sakura looked down at her dirty and ragged clothes. Underneath was her body: beaten, bruised, and starved. Why was she being so optimistic and naïve?

He'd already won.

She was going to die here.

At least…at least I never told him anything…

If there was one thing Sakura was proud of, it was that thought. She had been strong enough to keep him from learning anything. The knowledge of that jutsu would die with her.

Maybe I won, Tomokazu…since you didn't get everything you wanted.

…but I'll still die.

So perhaps it was just a stalemate.

The Sound-nin guards stood at their posts, their posture bored and lazy. They hated guard duty. What was the point? Who would be stupid enough to attack Sound anyway?

One of the guards lifted his hand to stifle a yawn. However the yawn never left his mouth as a clean blade ran along his throat, cutting the life out of him. He slumped to the ground with a soft thump.

"One down." Tenten whispered as she cleaned off her kunai. Another corpse lay beside her, as Choji stood up from his crouched position. He gave her a shaky smile as well. Choji had never liked cutting someone down from behind. He had always preferred a clean fight, face to face.

But this wasn't the time for that.

"There should be three guards in this area." Tenten whispered. "Two in the open, the other around the corner of the wall. I'll take care of him. Hide the bodies."

Choji nodded as he began dragging the two corpses into the shadow of the trees beyond the base. Tenten leaned against the wall, edging her way across the area. She pressed against the wall as she heard footsteps.

"Yeah. I'm glad you guys came to relieve us. We've been out here for hours."

Tenten's eyes widened slightly as she inwardly cursed. Guard change. Dammit! Her hand curled around a kunai, but she placed it back into her pack as she waited for the guards to walk by.

As soon as she saw the sandaled foot of one of the guards she pulled on a small string, the metal glinting in the moonlight. The small trap she'd set at the corner sprang to life, shooting kunai at the guards from both sides. She heard an exclamation of surprise, before complete silence.

"Got 'em?" Choji asked.

Tenten nodded slowly. "Yeah. Get these bodies too. It seems there was a guard change. If they notice that they're missing more than a few guards they might get suspicious and come to check it out."

"Right." Choji nodded. "Do you think the others are doing ok?"

Tenten was silent for a moment, before nodding slowly. "Don't worry. Shikamaru planned for everything, didn't he? I mean, he made me set these traps beforehand just in case there was a guard change. You don't have to worry."

It was Choji's time to be silent. He stared up at the sky, before blinking as he gave a small smile. "I guess so."

"Now we just get inside the wall and wait for Shikamaru's signal."

"Got it."

Hinata and Ino scaled the wall silently, running low across the ground. The castle loomed over them, casting an ominous shadow over the already darkened ground. Ino pressed herself hurriedly up against the wall, trying to remain in the shadows as much as possible as she dragged Hinata along with her.

Hinata swallowed, trying to wet her dry throat as she turned to Ino. She'd never seen her so focused and serious. Not even the few times they'd been sent on missions together. Perhaps this was merely because Ino's face had always been hidden behind an ANBU mask.

"Ino, d-do you think the others a-are almost in p-position?" Hinata whispered.

"I don't know."

"W-well, do you th-think—"

"Hinata, I don't know." Ino replied tersely.

Hinata blinked, biting her lip. She knew that Ino didn't mean to snap, she was just nervous. But it still hurt.

Hinata merely busied herself with activating her Byakugan, as she surveyed the area. "I-I can see a little w-ways inside. Th-there's a lot of g-guards."

Ino nodded seriously. "If they're as pathetic as their counterparts along the wall, we won't have any problem."

Hinata nodded. "Hai."

Ino sighed. "When is Shikamaru going to give us the signal do you think?"

"I don't know. I-Ino?"

"Hm?"

"D-do you think that S-Sakura-san is a-alright?"

Ino turned to look at Hinata, and her gaze was worried and doubtful herself, but she smiled confidently. "Come on, this is Forehead we're talking about. She's stubborn. She can handle anything."

Hinata surveyed the area once again with her Byakugan. She knew she should trust in Ino, but she'd heard the small waver of doubt in Ino's voice, and she knew that she didn't believe it anymore than Hinata did.

"Right."

Lee slammed his leg into the back of one of the guards, hearing it snap as the man fell twitching before he went still. Lee gave a small frown as he turned to see Shino dealing with the other two guards, covering their bodies with his insects, making them almost invisible against the shadowed ground.

"Do you think Sakura-san will be surprised when we rescue her?" Lee asked, trying to sound cheerful.

"Let us just hope we make it in time." Was all Shino said.

Lee frowned. "Do not be so pessimistic, Shino."

"I am merely being realistic, Lee."

Lee was quiet for a moment. "You don't think that Tomokazu would kill her, do you? She is supposed to know a great jutsu that he wants, correct? He cannot kill her if he does not know the jutsu!"

Shino turned to Lee, his emotion hidden behind his glasses and his collar.

"Lee, perhaps he has already persuaded her to tell him the jutsu."

Lee shook his head furiously. "Sakura-san would never betray her village like that. She would never give into torture and pain. She is strong."

Shino gave a small smile from beneath his collar, as he remembered all those times Sakura had saved him and the others from a desperate situation.

"Hai. She is strong indeed."

"This is boring." Kiba muttered, leaning against the wall of the building. Akamaru stood beside him, sniffing the air every once and a while.

"Don't be so troublesome, Kiba." Shikamaru answered back with a sigh. "This isn't supposed to be entertaining."

"At least they could throw some real guards at us." Kiba answered back with a huff.

"We'll see strong shinobi soon enough, boy." Kisame grunted from where he stood a few feet away, looking out at the small expanse of lawn between them and the castle.

Kiba opened his mouth to answer back with something Shikamaru presumed was sarcastic, but Shikamaru stopped him with a small glare. Kiba shut his mouth, looking back across the area with his arms crossed.

Shikamaru looked out across the area himself, seeing the small glint of steel that was the signal from Tenten and Choji that they were in position. Another glint showed him that so were Lee and Shino, and Hinata and Ino.

Shikamaru gave a small sigh as he picked up one of his own kunai. He wrapped an exploding tag around the hilt, looking back at Kiba and Kisame. Kiba grinned as he noticed what Shikamaru was doing, and Kisame gave a small smirk as he gripped Samehada.

Shikamaru saw a few figures skim across the ground and he recognized them immediately. The core group were heading into their own position, waiting for the distraction that Shikamaru and the other groups would be providing.

"So it's starting, eh?" Kisame gave a small grunt. "Come on then, little Konoha shinobi. We have business to attend to."

Kiba nodded. "Yeah. And we can't be late for our meeting, now can we Shikamaru?"

Shikamaru sighed. Why did I get put in a group with two idiots? He merely activated the exploding tag, throwing the kunai to the door of the castle. It stuck, and the tag fizzled out.

There was a moment of silence.

And then the earth shook and the air filled with smoke as the tag exploded.

Sixteen shinobi burst into action.

"Down the next hallway." Neji growled out as they rushed inside, letting the smoke hide their presence as sound shinobi rushed out of the castle. They heard the sound of fighting outside, but they all ignored it as they continued running.

"Come on, we can move faster." Naruto urged as he picked up his speed. "We have to get to Sakura-chan before this Tomokazu guy finds out we're here!"

"Too late for that." Temari muttered as they ran down the hallway Neji had indicated. The explosion had rattled the entire castle, echoing off of the stone.

"Dobe." Sasuke grunted under his breath at Naruto, who frowned.

The Akatsuki remained silent as they ran, unlike the Konoha shinobi and Temari.

The entire group stopped as they entered a hallway. About fifty sound-nin stood in front of them, all looking a bit more intimidating than the guards.

"Here we go." Naruto growled with a vicious grin, the very picture of the Kyuubi with that wild look in his eyes. "Time to fight."

"Just don't get in our way, yeah." Deidara joked as his eyes narrowed, and as one, they all lunged forward.

Sai and Yamato walked down the hall, a sound shinobi leading them to their rooms where they'd be spending the night. As they passed down a dark hallway, Sai felt a small tingling shoot through his body.

He felt as if he were missing something.

He looked slowly around the hall, trying to pinpoint what it was that was nagging at him.

He stopped for a moment as his eyes widened for a fraction of a second, as the chakra signature slowly became recognizable.

Yamato looked back at him in confusion. "What is it, Sai?"

Before Sai could answer, there was a large explosion. The Sound-nin let out a curse as they all fell to the ground as the earth shook. Sai and Yamato quickly stood, as the Sound-nin jumped up.

He stared at Sai and Yamato for a moment, before running down the hall. "Don't move! Wait here until someone can come and escort you to your rooms!"

Yamato blinked as the man ran out of sight, and then Sai began running down the hallway in the other direction.

"Sai!" Yamato ran after him. "What are you doing?"

"I sense her."

"Nani?" Yamato caught up to him, frowning. "Who do you sense? This had better be good Sai. We have to obey the Sound rules while we are here unless you want to break decorum."

"Sakura."

Yamato stared at him. "Excuse me? Why would Sakura Haruno be in Sound?"

Sai merely stopped in front of one of the doors. It was then that Yamato felt it too, the faint hum of Sakura's chakra. But it seemed to be fading even as they stood there.

Sai reached out a hand slowly, touching the door. His fingers trembled slightly. He couldn't let himself believe Sakura was just waiting for him on the other side of that door. It would be too much of a disappointment when he opened it and found nothing.

He merely slid the door open anyway, his face emotionless.

It did not remain that way, as the light from the hallway illuminated the room.

Sai heard Yamato let out an exclamation of surprised from behind him. But Sai didn't understand what he said right away, as his throat tightened and he let out a small gasp of his own.

"Oh my god."

(A/N: So? Yeah, I'm the evil cliffhanger queen. I know how much all of you want to kill me right now. Sorry about that. The next chapter will hopefully be out soon. Of course, I don't know how soon 'soon' is…

Well, as you can see, everyone is here! Even Sai and Yamato seemed to have gotten themselves dragged into the horrible mess and confusion of this rescue mission. Oi.

Next chapter? The fight.

Yes, the fight. You all know what I'm talking about.

Sincerely, Lady Hanaka

Question: What hair color do they put on the driver's licenses of bald men?

P.S. Sorry that I couldn't get this out on your birthday, AJ. Happy birthday though! It's still your birthday present...even if it IS a little late. :)