Disclaimer: I own nothing

Uchiha Wars

Last night Team 7 had separated from Team Guy to make camp elsewhere. In the morning the group continued their journey to the Chunin tower to complete their exam. Everything seemed to be going well; they had collected both the heaven and earth scrolls and would make it to the tower with time to spare.

However, there was a rip in the team.

You could tell it was going to be a bad day for team seven just from their morning's socializing. Scratch that you couldn't even call it 'socializing'. Socializing meant you had to have had at least one conversation; the only words that team 7 exchanged were clipped and short to the point. The only 'good morning' that had been said was from Naruto.

Naruto, as usual, was the last to wake up. "Goooood morning!" He hollered, as he stretched his arms wide. Neither, Sasuke or Sakura was fooled; Naruto was trying to be the friendly moderator. The only response Naruto received from them was a nod from Sakura; while Sasuke completely ignored him.

"Fish or berries," Sasuke asked in a monotone voice. It was his turn to set up breakfast. Had it not been, he probably wouldn't have said anything at all.

"Berries," Sakura replied in a curt voice.

Once they had finished eating breakfast, with a bit of special ninja bread, they began to get ready to leave.

"Pack up," Sasuke's voice brisk and firm.

They finished gathering their things, and readied themselves for the journey ahead. "Let's go" Sakura said in a clipped manner.

And if you thought it was going to get better once they were moving, you were wrong. Sasuke had refused to be anywhere near Sakura and positioned himself to the right of Naruto. While Sakura who was also mad at Sasuke positioned herself to the left of Naruto. Which left Naruto traveling in the middle of the two.

A couple hours later, they still traveled in silence. The rift between Sasuke and Sakura began to get bigger. There was so much tension in the air one could cut it with a knife like butter.

Even Naruto remained quiet; trying to avoid making the tension worse, but Naruto has his limits...

"OK, THIS HAS GONE ON FOR LONG ENOUGH, YOU TWO NEED TO KISS AND MAKE UP!" he yelled. With that well wished comment all hell broke loose.

"Hmph, you should tell that to Suki; seems like she has no problem kissing whomever." Sasuke said coldly.

"What did you say?" Sakura's voice lowered and had an undercurrent of anger.

"What do you have a hearing problem?" Sasuke shot back, an ugly snarl developing on his handsome face.

"You have no right to be angry with me!" An infuriated Sakura let him have it "If anything I should be angry with you!" She finished while pointing her finger at his chest angrily.

"Sorry for ruining your 'special' moment." Sasuke spat sarcastically, clearly he was not sorry. His fists clenched, as he turned his head away.

Sakura glared at Sasuke, but didn't reply back. She knew the best thing to do right now is to leave him alone.

If he didn't calm down bad things could happen. Sasuke's anger had the potential of getting the best of him.

Sasuke managed to retain his typical level headed attitude, though he was still experiencing an inner turmoil that Sakura had no idea about. With a serious face he whispered to Sakura, feeling ashamed and humiliated, "I made a complete fool out of myself, back there."

"I agree," Sakura quietly replied.

"It won't be happening again." Sasuke walks up to Sakura, leaning his face close to hers. With a darken look, he asks "Tell me Suki, did it ever pass through your mind how I felt?" Sakura stayed silent; staring back into Sasuke's eyes.

"Of course it didn't." Sasuke said hopelessly. "You were never interested in me, were you Suki. You were the only girl who never was."

Defeated Sasuke dealt his final blow "I won't interfere again. You and me we're done."

Sakura fell into a distressed stupor. As she looked up into his face she saw wretchedness, rage, desperation and then finally decisiveness.

There was nothing more to say. Both had spoken their piece; Sakura wants to be with Neji and Sasuke doesn't want anything to do with her. That's it that was all. Still there was a deep part of her soul that cried out to her telling her that this was wrong. A deep part that desperately wanted to call out to him telling him that she was sorry and that she only wanted him; now and forever. It was the eternal connection she had for him ever since the first time she laid eyes on him as the little shy girl. She knows that she will always question this moment and wonder if it was a mistake.

Naruto frantically tried to mend their ties once more, but it was no use. What had just trespassed was permanent damage that could not be fixed. Sasuke and Sakura were done.

Once more team 7 continued their journey; now in a depressive silence.

l

l

Inside the tower the team had opened up the scrolls and had been welcomed by Iruka sensei, just like last time. However, in this dimension they arrived earlier to the tower. The team had more time for resting and socializing. Both Naruto and Sasuke had found a corner and decided more sleep would not be a bad thing.

Sakura did not join them; she couldn't stand to be around Sasuke. She decided to get up and go looking for Gaara. She would have gone to Neji, but for some strange reason she couldn't stomach seeing him either.

Sakura was walking through the higher quarters of the tower, when suddenly she was yanked into a room by a stranger.

After a few quick blinks to regain her focus she noticed the stranger wasn't a stranger at all. It was Uchiha Itachi.

"Itachi!" Sakura said happily and hugged him. He was just the kind of person she wanted to be around right now.

However, something was off. He wasn't hugging her back, and if she was honest with herself he was acting a little odd. Itachi never just pulls her into rooms like this.

"Suki how was your exam?" he asked in his usual calm manner, but Sakura knew something was wrong.

Sakura's lips felt parched. She managed to swallow before responding. "Um it was ok. We recovered both scrolls with no serious injuries." She glanced up at his eyes to try to read him. Which was… impossible. One can only read Itachi when he wants them too. He was a skilled ninja; that could mask his emotions.

He nodded his head in approval, but he continued inquiring. "Was there anything more? Anything out of the norm?" He asked unemotionally.

"No, not really," Sakura said attempting to lie once again to Itachi.

They stood there in absolute silence for a while. Sakura placed against the wall, while Itachi trapped her; staring her down with his unnerving eyes. A good while pasted before he finally broke the silence.

"You're a very good liar Suki. Your lies have worked on the very best shinobi." he said coldly, implying that her lies had not worked on him.

"Itachi?" Sakura's voice sounded nervous.

"I know your secret Suki" he said then paused to see her reaction. "Is there anything you want to confess?"

She looks at him unsure of how much he knows. "No?" he questions. "Nothing at all?" Sakura stays still in silence staring at him.

"I'm disappointed in you." His voice reveals how true his words are. For a fleeting moment his eyes confirm disappointment. This knowledge causes anguish to rises up in her chest; it makes her look away.

Itachi sighs, and he changes his tone to become more soothing "Why were you hiding your power Suki?" he asks.

A trickle of hope begins to develop in Sakura. It may be possible that Itachi may not know the whole story. As a result her brain begins concocting another lie.

"You caught me." Sakura sounded defeated. "I didn't want to use my full power, because I felt like too much was expected of me, Itachi. I couldn't handle the pressure." Biting her lip out of an anxious habit, she takes a peek up at Itachi.

Itachi's face was still emotionless, but he gently ran his fingers over her lips; his touch feather soft and quick. It only lasted for a short moment and she barely even felt it. It was so light that it left her wondering whether it happened at all.

It was only just now that she noticed how close their proximity was. His whole body had moved so that it was caging her in. Itachi's arms were locked on both sides, and his legs were slightly parted fully encasing her in. Seeing how Sakura was also really tiny, this was not a hard feat to do.

Another intense moment of silence passed. Finally Sakura couldn't take it anymore. By now her heart was racing so fast in her chest threatening to pop out any second. The temperature even felt to be rising by the second to her.

"Itachi," She whispered looking into his beautiful eyes; unable to continue her train of thought. His ruby sharigan made red eyes look completely natural on his person. Itachi's long lashes magnificently extenuated the splendor of his lethal good looks. "You lie flawlessly, Suki; like any Uchiha naturally can." His voice felt silky and delicious in Sakura's ears.

Then he got closer to Sakura; putting his mouth just above her ear. "But…You're not an Uchiha at all are you Suki…or should I say Sakura?" His voice reverberates through her body, and it takes her a while to notice what he said. When she does process what his words her body is instantly hit with a wave of anxiety and fear.

Itachi noticed the instant change in Sakura, and continues on like it had never happened. Bringing his hand up to the side of her face, he caressed it with the side of his hand. "Wasn't it a perfect coincidence? A tiny 'Uchiha' girl was in the exact location where I was supposed to meet with a certain ninja that night. A ninja who has now disappeared."

Her eyes widened, by now her mouth was slightly parted releasing short quick gasps. She has no power to reply or to even stop Itachi from continuing his report on her.

"So coincidental even more that the Uchiha were on the verge of destruction. When the exact people who would have voted for their demise were just suddenly killed off?" Itachi's voice had gone dangerously low. He grabbed her face with his hand that had just been stroking her gently moments before.

"And along comes this tiny child from out of nowhere who no one has ever heard about." An undercurrent of rage starts seeping in.

"Trust me Sakura," he says her name with venom. "I checked there were no Uchiha citizens living in Suna that date, but I did find a citizen of Konoha who had been killed. Coincidentally around the same time the other murders were committed." Now he releases her face from his strong hold. If Sakura could think properly she would have rubbed her face in pain. However her whole system was in shock so that she barely felt it.

"A very strange murder." With two fingers he tucked some loose hair behind her ear. "It was a little girl with pink hair and green eyes much like yours." He removes his eyes from hers and turns them up to her hair.

"Her name was Sakura. She was your exact same age when you came to live with us." He stopped trapping her with his body. Instead he leaned on the wall, positioning himself between her and the door.

Itachi observes Sakura quietly, not intending to say anything more. Sakura felt like he was waiting for her to defend or explain herself, or say something, anything. Finally she gathers up enough wits to form a complete sentence.

"Are you going to tell anyone?" Her voice quiet and afraid.

A long moment of silence and staring ensues.

"No Sakura Haruno. I'm not going to tell them anything." His voice calm, as his eyes meet hers.

Well this certainly caught her attention. "Why?" She asked confused by his actions.

"I'd like to know the answer to that question as well, Sakura." His gaze on hers is curious, and his tone begins to change into a warmer one. "Did you know I was going to be ordered to wipe out my entire clan if they didn't back down from their threats to take over Konoha?"

Lie,her mind told her, so she shook her head in denial. He shakes his head slightly knowing that she is lying again, but tells her the story anyway.

"I was ordered to kill every member of my family and neighbors." One could almost pick up sadness in his voice.

Crosses his arms on his chest, he directed his gaze downward. "I know I couldn't kill my brother, he's too precious to me…" Then he brings his eyes back up to hers and a look of intense passion crosses his face. "I wouldn't have been able to kill you either, Sakura."