AN:

Sorry all for being SO FUDGING LONG between chapters- and don't kill me but it's another short chappie and a cliffie too… but I am like a quarter of the way into the next already- maybe it won't be months before the next one... I hope.. my muse has been trickling along- but it has been fairly steady at least the last few days...

End AN

Itachi watched as Sakura seemed to have automatically taken over as a 'mother' figure for Lyle. He smirked, but only while Sakura's back was turned.

"Don't think I don't know you're smirking at me, yes I know it's stereotypical of me to want to care for Lyle, but it's not some misplaced maternal instinct," she turns to face Itachi cradling Lyle in her arm. "We watched his whole clan die, and even though I know we didn't have a choice, I feel guilty about it. I want to help take care of Lyle so he fulfills his clans' dream."

"Sort of more a godmother than a mother then," Itachi said it without smirking, but the tone still sounded like he was smirking.

"You're teasing me," she scowled.

"I would never," but he actually chuckled as he said it. An instant later his expression returned to all seriousness. "However, you have to realize, taking care of Lyle is going to be difficult, since he can't defend himself yet, it will be up to- us," he stressed the word. "Not a decision to be made in haste. That means dealing with the powerful ninja's of Akatsuki on a regular basis for a minimum time of 10 years." He stepped closer and touched Lyle's forehead reassuringly. "I know you've been trained by Tsunade, and you're strong, I'll help you get stronger, but if you do this you have to swear to me- if I tell you to take Lyle and run, don't hesitate, don't worry about anybody else- just go."

Sakura swallowed and slowly nodded.

Lyle sensed the discomfort in the room and started to fuss.

"Sh sh sh," Sakura started rocking Lyle up and down. "I thought he'd remember like Naruto says he does."

"Lyle does remember, he just can't express himself yet. He's got to relearn how his whole body operates, re-learn how to move his legs, arms, and even his tongue, all of that made more difficult by the Biju inside him, for the first few years he will be no better than a child, but once he has the basics again, I believe Naruto and Shirei can be of use in teaching him to re-master his old skills much more quickly."

"Is it just me, or has Naruto been spending a lot of time with Shirei lately…"

"It's probably nothing, but yes, I believe so to, I suspect his reasons are not unlike your own. He was unable to do anything but watch Shirei fight Ikana."

Sakura frowned, and now that Lyle was asleep she slowly moved to set him in a hastily built crib in Itachi's room. "What do you know about Ikana?"

"Next to nothing, I've inferred from what we've seen and heard before that he's of Shirei's Clan, that he was though dead and somehow imprisoned before we were born, and I can see that even with the Biju in her Shirei is intimidated by him, meaning she suspects he's strong enough to defeat a Jinchuriki." Itachi crossed his arms and scowled. "I've never actually faced any of the few blood limits left in Mist…"

"I wasn't exactly very useful in any of those battles either, I didn't have any real ability back when we faced Haku, though I had more control than either Sasuke or Naruto, that was mostly 'cause I had less to control," she mused. "And I never even made it to the battle against Kimimaro," the scoffed, "Rock Lee, who in theory had less potential than even me, and he was the one who fought Kimimaro to a standstill, until Gaara arrived, another person Rock Lee almost defeated with only Taijutsu…"

This time Itachi scoffed, "Not to question Tsunade's wisdom in teaching a great many Medic-nin's to defend themselves with vast quantities of Taijutsu, but Taijutsu is useless in against a true assassin-nin… When the first strike is the last, you'll never lay a hand on your opponent. Though I suppose the speed element of Taijutsu can counter that a little when properly trained, I've always felt Genjutsu was a better route." He noticed Sakura just staring at him and clarified, "A Taijutsu trained Medic-nin can defend themselves, fight hand to hand to keep from being taken hostage; a Genjutsu trained Medic-nin can hold dozens of enemies at bay while still keeping her hands free to heal her teammates, I feel…"

"Then what about someone trained in both," Sakura asked while looking him in the eyes, a bold move given she knew about his Mangekyo Sharingan, even those that should have trusted him, like Naruto and Tsunade, had a habit of looking to one side when talking to him, it was probably not intentional, but Sakura's motion reminded him of it regardless.

He knew exactly what she was asking in saying that, and he smirked, he saw Sakura tense, but she didn't look away.

kaKAkaKAka

Kankuro was heading for his room when he found a pair of sand-nins unconscious against a wall. He scowled, 'guards,' he immediately realized. He looked up at the doorway they were on either side of, "Gaara," he assumed as he opened his hands from a clenched fist to release a number of Chakara strings. He stopped a second later before actually perusing… He scowled, realizing if they were after Gaara, it could only be Akatsuki. As he went to a different door and knocked-

"GO AWAY!" a voice screeched from the other side.

"Your brother needs you to protect your other brother," he scowled as he spoke just loud enough to be heard through the door.

A moment later Shikamaru opened the door, he was only in pants with a belt hastily at his waist, a moment later Temari followed, also in pants, but with a cloth tied over her chest to cover her. A smaller belt at her waist, and her fan in one hand.

"I'd scream some more, but Shikamaru's right, it was smart of you to come to us," Temari scowled.

"We have to hurry, I found a pair of guards outside the building knocked out, the fact we haven't seem any signs of battle means we may already be too late."

Shikamaru nodded, he grabbed a pair of vests from just inside Temari's room and handed one to her before they both followed Kankuro. When they got to the doorway in front of Gaara's room they found another pair of unconscious bodies.

Shikamaru knelt down and held a finger to his lips for them both to be silent. He pointed to Temari, then the door, and held up three fingers, then to Kankoru and made a motion of looking both ways. Two fingers… one… slash-

Temari took her fan and blew open the door, it came off it's hinges and flew into the room, Kankoru jumped in next taking in the scene- the window was already blown out and no one was inside…

"SHIT!"

Shikamaru was a little clearer in his thoughts, "This is bad… Kankoru, get a message to Leaf, let them see if they can send help, Temari, see if you can find Itachi, I'll see if I can find Naruro, we'll each meet at the main gates and see if we can track down Gaara's captors, they must have taken Matsuri as well since she isn't here."

"Probably holding her hostage to ensure Gaara's cooperation," Temari scowled. Shikamaru nodded.

Just as they were starting to leave, Kankoru looked over at Temari, "Look- since I didn't say it before-"

"If you apologize for ruining our honeymoon I swear I'll kill you myself, just do your job," Temari snarled before taking off.

Kankoru glanced over at Shikamaru with a puzzled look, Shikamaru shrugged, "I'd do as she says," then he leaves too.

Alone again, Kankoru scowls, "FUCK!" Then he too runs off.