Sakura had seen Itachi's perpose and tried to protest but he had crashed their lips before she could say no.

She squirmed, trying to escape the forced kiss. Itachi only pressed her harder against the tree, continuing to move his lips harshly against her soft ones. Turning her head Sakura saw Ino stare at her, a silent tear fell down her face.

Itachi pressed his tongue against her sealed carven demanding entrance, hearing but caring about the soft whimpers coming from the girl under him. He was determined to make her acknowledge he was boss in their relationship and to accept her role.

When she did not respond to his tongue against her lips Itachi nipped her lips and as she gasped he slid into her mouth roughly.

Sakura never felt as violated as she felt Itachi's tongue begin to rub against hers, she began to cry harder as her body wanted to respond.

Itachi looked up in confusion as he felt a gentle splash on his hand. His vision, just red with lust, anger and instincts, cleared as he watched her cry. Suddenly apologetic he slowly brought his mouth away from hers and instead kissed her tear stained cheeks gently, acting as though she might break.

Sakura just sobbed and hid her face in his shoulder, recalling memories that she had hidden away years ago, she felt so weak and didn't notice when Itachi slowly picked her up and let his blossom ruin his shirt, he walked away from the clearing until he came to a small stream.

Itachi sat against a tree and gingerly patted Sakura's hair. He had no prior experience with crying females and didn't know what to do.

The second Sakura started crying Ino sat up and started over to help the pink headed girl glancing at a furious Tenten being restrained be Deidara she wasn't really surprised to see Itachi's partner put himself in her path.

"Let them work it out."

"She's crying! How can I stay here when she's being harassed like that!"

Kisame shrugged his huge shoulders carelessly. "She is Itachi's; in the Akatsuki if you mess with someone else's captive that's enough to get you killed. Some of us use torture, some use fear but all the Akatsuki except Itachi have a way to keep captives in line." Kisame didn't mention that he rarely kept a captive and if he did he used threats, because he saw in her eyes that she would call him a liar.

Ino placed her hands on her hips. I don't care! That's my friend over there!"

"Just let them work it out... Itachi would kill you if you went over there right now..."

Ino would not calm down "Do you know what's going through her mind right now!"

Surprised at her passionate response Kisame shook his head.

"Exactly! You and that idiot have no clue about her! Why can't he just let her be?"

Kisame did nothing to stop Ino's tirade and as a result he got a whole speech about idiots, men, idiot men and so on. By the time Ino had thought he'd learned his lesson Itachi and his flower was gone.

"You did that on propose didn't you?"

All she got in response was a sharky grin.

After awhile Sakura stopped crying and fell asleep clutching at Itachi's cloak, said cat just stared at the calming river and let her be. He was wondering what could possibly made Sakura cry like that, even when he'd explained that she was his she hadn't cried... It must have been a very old and painful memory for the poor girl.

Itachi was still in the same position when Sakura woke up. Realizing who she was cuddling she tries to draw herself away but Itachi merely tightened his grip on her wordlessly. The medic was slightly worried but she stayed leaning against Itachi, but her back was tensed like she expected to get yelled at or be forced to fight at any second.

Itachi still didn't say anything but he buried his face in Sakura's hair and inhaled the potent smell that was only her. That only made Sakura tense further and try to draw herself away from his embrace one more time.

Itachi refused to release her but simply held on until Sakura realized they weren't moving for awhile. After that she relaxed marginally into his possessive hold and watches the slow moving river with him.

The sun set in a brilliant display of colors before Itachi picked Sakura up bridal style and carried her back to the clearing; said girl however didn't protest being manhandled as she usually would have. She was simply too tired of fighting Itachi today.

When they arrived at the clearing Ino was still ignoring Kisame with an air of pissed off female hanging heavily in the air.

Itachi inclined his to his sharky partner in thanks for keeping the angry girl away from him and his

imprintee.

Ino stood up quickly and glared at Itachi as she ran over to see if her best friend was ok.

"Hey don't worry pig I'm fine"

Ino saw through her lie at once.

"Don't feed me that bullshit forehead! Come on"

Ino lead Sakura away from Itachi and to a secluded part of the clearing where Tenten was snoring and muttering about 'Kicking that smug hugga's ass if he says destiny one more tine'

Sakura leaned against the tree and half closed her eyes, it had been a hard day but she couldn't sleep yet. The girls had to be sent back to Konoha, to the safety of their homes and friends. She knew Itachi would never let her go but if she could persuade Ino and Tenten to go she could hold the Akatsuki off while they fled.

"Ino -"

Ino didn't give her a chance of an argument.

"No me and Tenten decided while Itachi carried you off that all three of us are going to be escaping, All three of us." Ino put a slight strain on the words three and all.

Sakura knew how stubborn her friend could be but she stayed strong trying to force Ino and Tenten back.

"Ino you are needed back home! Tell Tsunade that I'm fine and to keep Konoha safe, Itachi wouldn't do anything g to hurt me, I as safe as possible with him around"

Ino flipped her hair angrily "We are not leaving you here with maniacs"

"You guys need to leave Ino! Itachi will protect me..." Ino caught on to her hesitation.

"Like he did earlier? Forcing you to kiss him just to put you in your place? What if he didn't stop?"

Sakura glared at her friend, "Exactly! What if I piss him off a little too much and he goes after you guys? No one can touch me because of him but you guys aren't included in that protection. Any one of them could do anything they want with you."

"What about when he's gone? What if one of them can't control themselves what if it happens again?"

"What are going to do against him? Huh! He'd kill you that's what! Tsunade told me not to piss him off, please go save yourself."

"Sakura I'm not going to abandon you to this."

Sakura laughed dryly, "I can't look after myself now? Fine I give just don't get you killed alright? We'll talk about escaping tomorrow"

Itachi listened to their conversation, wondering exactly what happened to Sakura and not liking what the evidence was telling him. He waited until the air was quiet once again before closing his eyes.

They rose at dawn, Sakura trying fruitlessly to get Ino and Tenten to leave one last time.

This time they traveled at a more moderate pace to let the girls get used to it, after a brief lunch however they really broke into Akatsuki pace.

Sakura frequently glanced back to see if they were doing ok but not daring to fall back, Itachi was quiet today and she didn't think that boded well.

She was right, Itachi was planning on confronting her on her plans to escape and though he wasn't nearly as mad as yesterday he was worried that he would snap and hurt his prisoner.

Itachi motioned Sakura to follow him shortly after they stopped for the night, leading her into the forest a little distance.

"So you think you're running away do you?"

Sakura knew it was too much to hope that Itachi hadn't heard them last night, she didn't reply but looked Itachi in the eye, unafraid.

"Why do insist on making this so hard on yourself? It could be so very easy all you have to do is obey me."

"You don't command my loyalty, I belong to Konoha and I have orders to go back."

"You actually think I'm going to let you go! Just give in, you're mine and that's all you'll ever be. I command you now your fate was sealed the moment you healed that cat."

Sakura refused to be riled, "I don't believe that... People can change if they want to; I refuse to acknowledge you as my friend or anything but mortal enemy"

Itachi bared his sharper than normal teeth, "Then you will be miserable for the rest of your life! You will always long for freedom but unable to reach it, if I must I will bind you to my side. And if you do manage to escape I will find you and make you watch as I destroy your precious village and friends so you have nowhere else to run. You will never be free again, you can choose to be content or you can watch everything you hold dear burn." Saying the last words Itachi turned sharply not caring what happened to her anymore.

Sakura caught up to him and jerked him sharply around, "Screw what you think Itachi! I will fight until you forced to kill me if nothing else, I will always find my way home, that's where I belong!"

"Your home is by my side!"

"And what am I going to there?"

"Whatever the hell I tell you to! Your loyalty rightly belongs to me!"

"My anything doesn't belong to you! Scum that's what you are! My loyalty will never belong to anyone like you! I'd rather die!"

Itachi glared down his perfect nose, "Too bad I don't plan on letting you get out so easily"

Sakura rushed at Itachi forcing him to duck to the side before he got run over, she kept on running, pushing herself harder then she'd ever had before Inner Sakura kept up a stream of positive comments keeping the fear at bay. She knew they couldn't beat him and there was no telling what he would do to her but she had to try.

Itachi was waiting on a tree branch ahead of her, "Go back and I will forget this ever happened"

In reply she let out a war cry and rushed at him again, she was expecting him to dodge again.

Itachi did no such thing; instead he took the brunt of her attack and wrapped his arms around her swiftly. Placing her over his shoulder, preventing her from escaping with a hand pressed on her spine, ignoring her wordless screams of fury and the deep scratches she was creating as he did so.

When they got back to camp Itachi didn't let her go, instead he grabbed a rope and deftly tied her wrist to his waist, then walked away forcing her to stumble along after him.

"Let me go!" Sakura glared at Itachi as he sat down next to the fire.

He barley glanced up, "I told you what would happen whatever turned out was your fault."

Sakura glared and tried to walk over to her friends but a harsh tug on the rope stopped her.

"Until we get to the base you are forbidden to talk to them."

Sakura gaped at Itachi, then began to untie the knot keeping her next to him, when that didn't work she tried to burn the rope. The flames liked along the rope but it held when the medic took it from the fire it was untouched.

"What the hell did you do!"

Itachi glanced up boredaly "My chraka is imbedded within that rope no one but me may remove it."

Sakura tried to get over to where her friends were tied up after fighting to rejoin her but after a few failed tries she laid down as far away from Itachi as the rope would allow her to get. Sleep came quickly for the tired girl, so she didn't notice Itachi laid a blanket over her still form and streached out beside her, an arm possivily draped over her side.

AN/ Good? Bad? Too emo? Itachi too much of a jerk? Too ooc? Tell me with that lovely button!