Part 1

Chapter three

Searching for blood, bleeding for lost

I do not own Naruto…, …if I do so help me God

Her lips were cracked, her breath hitched as she finished up her five hundredth lap, letting herself collapse on the doorstep. She remembered when she first got here six hours ago. She was a grand totally of thirty six seconds late.

Exhausted from the travel she dispelled the genjutsu to see a beautiful white cottage covered with moss and vines. Her scraped knuckles rasped against the door only to walk into Itachi's chest. He told her the time and showed her around, escorting her the first three laps.

Slowly Sakura let her eyes drift closed, only seeing a blurry sight of Itachi looking down on her. Her eye lids shut the rest of the way, closing off all of the pictures entering her mind, and clouding them to blackness. She was still aware of the warm arms that picked her up and the tiny vibrations that rattled her spin gently. She sighed softly when she was placed on a fluffy cloud, and a heavy sheet of warm rain settled on her delicate curves. A moan escaped her pink lips as sleep encased her.

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Naruto racked his fists against the cold door before barging into the office.

"How could you…" He screamed, tears in the corners of each of his eyes.

"Naruto, keep your voice down and show some respect!"

"Respect… respect!" A letter smudged with tears was thrown down on her desk, "First Sasuke now Sakura! How could you let this happen?"

A sigh escaped Tsunade's lips, "It was her choice, I just signed the paper. It had to happen some time."

"No … no it didn't! She could die… here that DIE!"

"And that is why she left!" She slammed her hands against her desk, leaving a fine dent. "She left because everyone thinks she's weak… She left so she wont die!" The Hokage screamed, causing Naruto cower.

"I would have protected her!"

"She doesn't want to be protected!" Tsunade's voice echoed through the tower, rattling Naruto's nerves and causing the rest of Konoha silence.

Naruto took a step back, hurt.

"Its not relevant," Tsunade began to whisper violently, "She's gone."

"Let me go find her."

"No. I need you… your going to go find Sasuke." The mission will be with Kakashi, Jiraiya, Sai, and Sakura's replacement who has yet to be found. You leave in two months. I expect you to be resting, getting stronger, and eating healthy to prepare you for the mission. It will last three to four and a half years. Just in time for you to get back in for Sakura's return. If a replacement is not found in that time then your squad will be forever a two man cell until Sasuke returns to join the squad. Understood?"

Naruto hardened his face looking straight at the Hokage, "Hn…" And then he disappeared in a cloud red smoke."

[page break

Her eyes blearily opened to have a glass of something shoved into her hands.

"Drink." A gruff voice spoke irritably.

Sakura blinked twice before gulping down the drink.

Slowly her vision came back to her, She was laying under a heavy blanket in the living room. It was quaint. A nice fireplace burned brightly, illuminating the white room, and contrasting greatly to the cloaked man.

"Kunoichi, you hold more potential than I thought."

Sakura slowly sat up, placing the cup on the clear coffee table before her.

"W-why is that." She questioned shakily, stuttering over her heavy tongue.

"You completed all five hundred laps, I honestly expect for you to collapse during the first three that I escorted you in."

A warm blush reddened her cheeks as she remembered how she kept at looking him, being almost nearly impossible to keep her eyes from him. Suddenly she was pinned to the couch she sat on.

"Tell me kunoichi, why do you blush." His voice was so smooth and the contact between their flesh caused her face to redden even further.

"Aaah.. I see," Itachi backed off, resetting himself back on the chair across from her. "Your face is very readable, we will have to work on that." His hand searched through his pocket, pulling out a blue cloth mask, handing it to her. "You are to wear this."

Sakura looked at the mask, flashes of her old sensei rushing through her mind.

"No." She said steadily, "Wearing a mask shows a weakness of not being able to hide you emotions, I will learn how to hide them without the mask." She said steadily, not wanting to be anything like her old teacher. She blushed again from her outburst.

Itachi smirked at her, "That is honorable and true," Again his hand caught her chin between her fingers, "You keep on surprising me. Now… its my turn." His lips brushed Sakura's forehead lightly, and her blush spread down her neck and up to the roots of her hair.

"Rest well, your training officially begins tomorrow Sakura." His voice rung, purring out her delicate name.

Sakura.

A/N: Okay okay I hope it will suffice

And I pray you like it