An/ OK! I know that I've been a jerk to my poor characters, so this chapter I'm going to make it up to you guys ok?

The next morning was quiet; no one felt up to talking and Sakura was coldly furious at Itachi. When she had woken up to him tugging on the hated rope she had snapped. Yelling at him to go the hell away Sakura turned over, only to be picked up and tossed over his shoulder like last night.

"Let me go asshole!"

Itachi looked at her, "You can follow on your own feet or you may be carried"

Sakura didn't respond until they were in the trees, "I can walk."

Itachi silently set her down and began to run, dragging the medic along after him.

The were cat kept becoming distracted by annoying thoughts that would not go away. 'Why is she so quiet? Is she mad at me? Why does she need to go back so much? What if I can't make her happy? What if she hates me? Why am I so worried about it? I never needed anyone to care about me but now I want her to, I want her to smile when she hears my name. But I also can't let her think she's boss. What can I do?' Itachi pushed the thoughts away and focused on his surroundings, ignoring the way Sakura was panting harshly and seemed unusually pale.

Sakura was feeling weak, her vision was swimming and she was going to faint. Maybe she shouldn't have pushed herself so hard yesterday but it was too late to change her actions. The pinket knew she should stop and try to heal herself but she was refusing to speak to the man in front of her and her charka was too low. Itachi had Kisame drain most of their charka to discourage running away.

Ino and Tenten took their que from Sakura; they ignored the two beside them so thoroughly that icicles grew on nearby trees. The girls could talk to each other but they couldn't think of what to say. Last night they had decided to try and get Itachi away from Sakura, then the three girls would tie the men up and try to escape. It was a risky plan but Sakura had to come back home and that was the best plan they had.

When Ino gave the signal Tenten would dodge around Kisame while Ino did the same with Deidara, hopefully the rope would bind their arms to the men's side. The girls would search for weapons on the akatsuki, cut their own ropes, and attack Itachi until he hands over their friend. If attacking him doesn't work they would wait until nightfall then ambush the pair, cut Sakura's ropes and rush back home.

Sakura held off the growing ring of darkness in her eyes, determined to show Itachi how strong she was. There was no way she would give in; that was not her ninja way!

'Come on outer! A little fever can't stop us can it?'

Grimly she pushed on; wavering on her legs a few times.

Itachi glanced back just as Sakura started to fall; he caught her just before she hit the ground and was shocked when he felt her burning up in his arms. His flower had an unhealthy sheen and when he stood up the girl groaned and curled into his chest. Even without medical training he knew that without treatment Sakura's life was in danger. Earlier anger forgotten he leaped into the trees. He tried to ignore the instinct that he needed to bring his imprintee away from the others, to protect her as she healed, to allow no one to see her hurt. Itachi quickly told the others that he was bringing Sakura to the base and to meet them there in a few days.

After leaving Itachi stopped by a small lake to ascess the situation, it wasn't as bad as he first thought. Already her body was trying to heal itself, without the charka to do so however. Without charka her condition would deteriorate before her body could even start to heal itself.

If Itachi gave some of his charka to her Sakura would be sure to survive, but it would leave him in a vulnerable position and her body might not accept his charka anyway. Sakura would be bound even tighter to him, with his charka running through her veins. She wouldn't like that at all... But if he did nothing his flower would die.

Sakura shuddered and moaned, curling in a tighter ball on the ground. That made Itachi's decision for him; he kneeled and put gentle hands on her feverish forehead. Slowly he pushed his charka into the limp form on the ground, continuing even as she gasped and tried to scoot away from his charka invading her body. When Itachi lifted his hand Sakura was shuddering and gasping for breath.

Itachi stepped away and started a fire, trying to warm Sakura.

He kept a silent watch all night; no longer would harm come to his flower due to his negalance.

When Sakura woke up then next day, she was feeling way better. Slowly she stretched and yawned; releasing all the kinks from sleeping on the hard ground. Glancing about Sakura saw the remnants of a campfire and one Uchiha Itachi sleeping against a tree. Seeing this sight Sakura smiled gently, walking over to him and brushing stray hair from his beautiful, if aloof, face. She walked off into the forest to start gathering breakfast.

Itachi woke to the smell of cooking; Sakura was up and making breakfast for him? And she wasn't trying to run away yet? Slowly striating his back against the tree he voiced his confusion.

The source of his confusion simply smiled at him. "I enjoy making breakfast, and I figured it would be pointless to try to escape just yet. I'm not feeling 100 percent, plus you took care of me I owe you something right? Don't worry I'm just bidding my time"

Stunned Itachi took his plate and began to eat while Sakura cleaned up the area. When it was all done she quickly washed the plates and waited for Itachi to lead the way to Akatsuki.

"Sakura?"

"Yes Itachi?"

"I'm sorry for yesterday."

Sakura was speechless but she followed Itachi into the trees all the same.

Sakura knew she should still be sick, her body normally took 3-4 days to heal from charka exhaustion but it had only been the night. She knew it was due to Itachi and since he was in a better mood she decided it was worth the risk talking to him.

"Itachi?"

Itachi looked back quizzically.

"Why was my recovery time so quick? Was it a new justu or something?"

Itachi smiled inwardly; of course Sakura would be curious in learning a new medical justu. He briefly wondered if learning what he did would upset her.

"Maybe I'll tell you later."

Sakura was about to protest before she saw that Itachi was teasing her. On his face was a wide grin, the Uchiha Itachi was actually smiling! Pretending to be shocked Sakura stopped on her branch.

"You can smile!"

Itachi stopped too, "I can, and I can also laugh."

Sakura pouted then bounded up to Itachi, "You wouldn't be teasing me would you Itachi?"

Quickly Itachi's face returned to normal (Much to the disappointment of his fangirls). "Come on we should be approaching the base soon.

The rest of the trip was uneventful, Sakura wondering why suddenly she and Itachi were joking around and why she wasn't fighting him. It was as though something in her balked at the idea of fighting him. Never before had she even imagined she would play around with a criminal and she wasn't enjoying her guesses why this was happening.

"You instilled your charka in me? Didn't you Itachi!" Sakura was sure of it, his charka had made her placid around him; and if he really wanted to Itachi could control Sakura's actions with his own whims in mind.

Itachi sighed as he turned around in the Akatsuki entryway. "Yes you were going to die if I didn't."

Sakura sighed angrily, "I would have made it, and I exhaust myself at the hospital all the time!" Before he could answer Sakura stormed into their room and slammed the door in his face.

Itachi wanted to break down the door but that would only make her angrier and he really didn't want to fight. Instead he went and cooked something that always calmed his rattled nerves.

Sakura sat on the edge of the bed and sighed, she didn't want to anger Itachi but she couldn't stand the thought of his charka in her body. Slowly she pushed out his charka; when she was done she had less than 10 percent of her charka left. Sakura clasped on the blankets just as Itachi walked in carrying a bowl full of steaming soup.

Itachi sat next to her on the bed and was pained at the look of utter fear in her eyes. "Please don't do that again Itachi."

Itachi just nodded slowly and slowly brushed back Sakura's hair like he had seen his mother do to Sasuke's so many times. "I won't hurt you Sakura."

The pink haired girl leaned into his cool touch, sighing because she was just too tired to care anymore. "Itachi?"

Itachi paused for a moment, "Yes Sakura?"

"Can I go visit Ino and Tenten tomorrow? Please?"

Itachi smiled, "Only if you eat this soup and promise not to plot with your friends."

Sakura nodded sleepily into his chest. "Alright, I promise."

Sakura drained the bowl, surprised that Itachi was such a good cook. Right after giving the bowl to Itachi She curled up and fell asleep on said male's chest.

Itachi felt a rush of gentle passiveness and gently moved Sakura so she was lying down properly. He then shifted into cat form and went promptly to sleep; the echo of a purr lying in his throat.

Unhappily Sakura would never get the chance.

The next morning Kabuto, under orders from Orochimaru himself, came to the base and attacked. One of his clones drew Itachi away from his room while another snuck in and drugged Sakura with a senbon covered in the potent drug. Sakura hit the ground; unable to dodge the weapon while still exhausted from using all her charka.

Kabuto smiled, the drug would keep her quiet until he reached the sound hideout.

Kabuto stopped briefly where his clones and subordinates were wreaking havoc; he called out to Itachi, "Aren't you supposed to be looking after this little flower I found?"

Itachi looked up from his fight and snarled when he saw Sakura tucked securely into Kabauto's arms. Itachi tried to rush at him but his opponent laughed and forced him back. "Let me go!"

The masked girl simply giggled, "Why should I? I'm having so much fun!"

Itachi bared his fangs at the annoying girl; soon enough she was laying on the floor but it was too late Kabuto was leaving. The furious were cat leaped at him but the roof was clasping and pain was screaming out orders. "Stop him! Don't let Itachi give chase, we need him at the hideout! No girl is worth losing our dream. STOP HIM KISAME!"

Itachi felt his knees fall under him, strong arms holding his flailing limbs in place even as he tried crawling out of the base.

Kisame shifted, restraining Itachi's arms by locking his around Itachi's body. "Itachi, dude stop that. She's going to be okay."

Itachi was in no mood to be comforted or lied to. "She's going to Orochimaru's! She will not be ok!"

He kept struggling to go after her until he could not even feel the slightest bit of her charka. Itachi continued to struggle weakly even as his body fell against Kisame's and he couldn't breathe properly. She was gone how was he going to fix that?

Kisame noticed when Itachi completely broke down. He sat there for a minute, in the grass where Itachi had managed to drag them. He stood and tried to head back to the base but Itachi would try and fight his way out of his arms. Kisame had no choice but to knock his partner out and trudge slowly back to the base.

AN/ Yes! I'm not dead! This chapter was SO hard to write but I managed somehow ^.^ you guys can thank my awesome boyfriend for helping my writers block. You should check his story out... It's by sleepingleo ok?

I don't deserve reviews for being so late but I love them any way ok?

Also… I know it's short but I thought that was a good stopping point k?