-1Warnings: rated M for language violence and sexy situations ; )

Hello my faithful readers!!! Just a heads up here: any fanart, or anything like that is more than welcome!! Well, this is a new kind of chapter 4 me sp tell me watcha think !

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"Itachi, have the Leaf nin been located?" asked the hawk. Itachi blinked as it alighted on his shoulder. He never much liked the Leader's version of sending a message. Somehow possessing an animal to speak to your comrades was a little creepy to the raven-haired man. He did not flinch as the bids talons alighted and sank into the cloaks material and bit into his flesh. "Yes, the girl and I will be departing tomorrow." The hawk glared into his black eyes with his own amber ones. "Your taking the trainee? She was a Leaf shinobi, it will call unnecessary attention to us."

Itachi plucked the hawk from his shoulder and set it down on the stone on which he was sitting. "I am training her, its my call. It would be good practice for her."

"Are you questioning my authority?"

"Are you questioning mine?"

The hawk screeched. "Watch yourself Uchiha."

Itachi picked up the innocent bird which held his leaders voice and grasped its fragile neck. "Likewise." His fingers twitched and he snapped its neck. The bird's lifeless body fell to the ground and he felt the Leaders chakra leave the field.

He arose from his seat and walked back towards the compound. Perhaps taking the girl would be foolish…there was a very real chance she would know her pursuers…emotions could interfere. He smirked, all the more reason to bring her. Numbing her heart could only make her stronger. It had made him stronger. He reached up and unbuttoned his cloak. It opened and flew back around his shoulders, revealing his black net shirt, and equally black pants. His toes curled pleasantly as the grass tickled them. It was a bright sunny day. Terrible for cover.

He paused near the training field. Someone was sparring. Curious he jumped up on a tree branch and watched.

"I told you I would show you something!" said Deidara as he lunged at the pink haired kunoichi. Her cloak had been removed. She dodged and quickly pulled out a kunai. It was such a fast movement he almost missed it. Deidara sensed the metal instrument close in on his back and he ducked down and kicked her in the small of her back. She started to fall but rolled with the impact and alighted on her feet once again. Her pink hair was flowing freely around her shoulders. The wind swept up and made it whip around her face. Itachi watched closely as she pushed it out of her eyes. She was smiling.

"When you said that I assumed you meant art."

The blonde grinned madly. "Fighting is considered art were I come from."

Sakura laughed harshly. Itachi activated his Sharingan and watched her hand signs closely. Hmm fire style…interesting. To his Sharingan eye it all happened in slow motion, and in cryptic detail, but to her opponent it was blindingly fast, and almost un-seeable.

She spun around in a deadly pirouette. Flames danced out of her hands and swirled around her body in a dazzling dance of light and heat. The flames spread and grew toward Deidara. He cursed and dived out of the way. She stopped her intoxicating dance and grinned. "That will be the second time I've burned your hair Deidara."

He looked at his singed locks, then over to her. "Hmm, that would call for an evening out wouldnt you say?" he opened the clenched fist of his hand and three white blurs sprang forth. Sakura dodged them and disappeared as the small explosions detonated one by one. He grinned, "Come now, don't hide from me, I wont bite…a lot."

A hand shot out from the earth and grasped his ankle. He could see the chakra flowing through her grip. Deidara's eyes widened in shock as he was pulled underground. The kunoichi reappeared in front of his head, the only part of him that was still visible. Just as she was going to say something, Deidara's head disappeared with a 'poof', in its place a log.

The kunoichi realized her mistake far to late. Even as she made to jump away, Deidara was sitting on her back, both of her hands twisted around in his grasp. She struggled and squirmed but he held her fast.

"So kunoichi, was that artistic enough?"

"My name is Sakura! Get off of me you bastard!" He laughed loudly at her response. "What's the magic word?"

"Asshole?"

"Ah so close but no."

Itachi slid off of the tree branch. Deidara looked up. He and the Uchiha had never gotten along, but they tolerated each other to say the least. "Kunoichi, I require your assistance." he said.

Deidara sat up and Sakura sat upright next to him. Her cheeks were flushed and she began to laugh.

Itachi blinked. A memory started to come back to him, it was fuzzy at first then he saw it in sharp clarity:

-

"Father, must you set me with such a mediocre task as walking Sasuke home from school?" Itachi asked as he stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Itachi I ask nothing of you, this will be the first time I've asked you to do anything."

The teenage ANBU captain grunted and walked out the door without another word. He was still having some trouble reining in his emotions, but it would all come in time. Such was the training of a shinobi. He spoke to no one, and acknowledged no one as he walked through Konoha. Very few dared speak to him. He didn't blame them, he carried an air of indifference, and chilling cruelty most of the time. The little children at the playground looked at him, in his ANBU armor, and scattered to the other side.

He sighed and crossed his arms. Where was that little runt?

Suddenly he felt a small impact around his legs. His black eyes looked down into the jade eyes of a little pink haired girl. She had her hair tied back into a big red bow. How childish. "I-I'm s-sorry!" she blushed and looked down. Flowers were scattered around her feet. Flustered she knelt to pick them up.

He cocked his head to the side, surely she couldn't be any older than Sasuke. "Be careful, a shinobi must always be on their toes."

The little girl looked up at him, pink hair mussed, cheeks flushed, and she smiled….blindingly bright. "I know! I want to be like you, and all the great shinobi in the Fire Country!"

A woman across the playground waved in their direction, and he heard: "Sakura! Time to go home now!" The little girl giggled and smiled at him once more. "By mister! Sorry for bothering you!"

With that she ran off with a handful of white flowers, red bow askew, towards the woman.

Seconds later his little brother walked up to him. "Brother, what are you doing here?" the young boy asked.

Itachi gazed down at him. "Who was that girl Sasuke?"

His nose wrinkled and he glared after the two people leaving the playground. "Haruno Sakura…she's annoying."

"Hmph…" he started to walk in the opposite direction and his younger brother jogged after him.

-

"I-T-A-C-H-I!!!!!!!" shouted Deidara's voice.

He blinked and looked around. Sakura had stood up and was looking at him as if he were crazy. Well he probably was, but still…

"Yes Deidara?"

"I said, what is it you need her for?"

"Training."

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"Naruto stand still." Whispered a raven haired man.

The blonde, in jounin uniform that stood next to him stiffened. "Easy for you to say."

A third man with spiky silver hair shushed them both. "Quiet! Do you want to ruin are one possible chance at finding Sakura?"

Both fell silent.

Rain had started to fall in sheets, and cold air chilled them all to the bone. After Tsunade had ordered them to track Sakura, it had led them across the Shinobi nation, now they stood on the soil of Rouge Country.

Sasuke flinched as a drop of rain fell upon the bridge of his nose. Naruto noticed his reaction and let out an aggravated snarl. "What do those bastards want with her?!"

They all knew some very possible answers. It was either her medical expertise, or bait for Naruto. Either way, their little cherry blossom was probably in the hands of the dreaded Akatsuki.

Kakashi pushed back his wet mane of silver hair form his face. Over the years after her parents died she had become more and more reserved. Like a part of her had died. She spoke only when spoken to, rarely smiled, and hardly ever spoke to Tsunade. He knew why of course. She had always been so naive, and to find out the Hokage wouldn't act on the death of two shinobi had shocked her into the reality of the ninja. They were tools, to be used when needed, and never cared for by the Kage. Not all of that was entirely true…but to Sakura…it all seemed horribly true. Kakashi remembered how she used to be. Always smiling, laughing, making light of the life that dredged so many down into pits of despair. It had hurt him to see her become like them.

"Kakashi!" whispered Sasuke.

He looked up.

There in front of them stood two cloaked figures. Akatsuki.

One of them wore a straw hat. The other's head was visible. "No…" Kakashi whispered.

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Sakura stood mutely before her former teammates. She knew they would find out eventually…but she didn't want them to find out like this. On the verge of tears she made to take a step back, but Itachi's arm stopped her and pushed her forward.

"Sakura-chan!" shouted Naruto. A tear ran down her face as he stepped forward. Sasuke looked from her to the man beside her. Sakura could almost hear the cogs in his brain click together.

"Run Sakura! Get out of here, we'll get you home!"

That was it. She started to cry softly. Itachi smirked under his hat and let it fall to the ground. "She chose this of her own free will."

"Over what?!" snarled Sasuke, "Death?"

"Yes."

Sasuke let out a cry and formed the hand seals for the Chidori.

Kakashi threw out a hand to stop him.

Naruto ignored them both and ran forward to attack the Uchiha. Itachi dodged the punch and pulled out a kunai. Sakura saw it all in slow motion, like a movie…a horror movie. She heard herself cry out, felt herself move, but the deadly metal weapon sank into the boy's flesh. Her eyes fogged over as she saw the blood fly.

"Let this be a warning. Chasing after the Akatsuki is futile."

Sakura remembered Sasuke's eyes burning into her own, Kakashi fighting not to run forward, and fighting to keep Sasuke back form Naruto. She barely felt the strong arm that wrapped around her middle, pulling her away from the scene. The last thing she saw was Sasuke falling to his knees next to Naruto's body.

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Sorry for the late update!!! I hope this was long enough! Please review and tell me how this was so I can improve!