OOC:

So…. How do I excuse myself?
College troubles? Family woes? My fragile health?
How about… I throw away the excuses and tell you how sorry I am for taking so long to update?
I'm terribly sorry and I have missed my stories. Besides all the troubles listed above, I have also had writer's block that could kill. But, with new readings, new Manga I'm into, I have more inspiration to add the next chapter. I may start another story on a completely different anime/manga story but I will stick to this one as well and revisit my olds too. Sooo. On to the story. I have changed the story more than I initially planned it to be which, personally, I think is wonderful because it makes it more… I don't know, worth-wild? It draws you in a bit more even for me!

Now, let's move on to the story and I apologize for making you wait.

--

Huff. Huff. Huff.
Crunch. Snap.
Huff. Huff. Huff.
Crunch. Snap. Snap!

All this running was getting to be too much. Even more so when there was no specific direction to be going. Just aimless running and prayer for results.
Sakura, Sasuke and Kakashi were no where in the village so they had to be out here. Somewhere.

"Master Uzumaki?"
A young, new found ninja of the Sand Village had been sent in the search group and was the first to catch up to Naruto after he had stopped for a rest. Master Uzumaki? Was he serious?

Naruto glanced tiredly at the boy.
"Yes?"

"Finally."
The boy sighed in relieve then waved his hands sheepishly.
"I mean, I was sent to find you by the Hokage."

A jolt hit Naruto quickly and he stared at the boy, eagerly.
"Is there news?!"
He asked too quickly and too loudly, making the small boy jump and duck.

"Er, Y-y-yes. U-um… Someone was… Someone was f-found…"
This was taking too long. Standing up, Naruto marched and grasped the kid's shoulders with a gentle but firm shake.

"Spit it out already!"
"They found one of your friends!!"
He cried out.

"Who? Where?!"
"Please… Sir…"

Naruto let go of him and sighed.
"I'm not going to hurt you. Just say what you got to say! No stuttering."
He snapped and received a nervous nod in return.

"They found a Master Kakashi. He was found abandoned just east of the training grounds, near the woods. He is okay but unconscious at the moment but Lady Tsunade has said to inform you tell you that he is unharmed. The others are still ranked missing."
Naruto nodded, absorbing the words.
Kakashi is okay. That just leaves Sakura and Sasuke.

"Thank you."

--

At the hospital, Tsunade stood over the bed with distant eyes that seemed to look past things of this world and into another unknown to anyone else. A world of plots and plans, theories and ideas but everything she knew and what she thought, wouldn't connect. Nothing fit like using a piece from a separate puzzle. It wasn't right. There just wasn't enough evidence yet to understand what was going on. And as she focused now on the body in the bed, she knew that he was a part of that puzzle. He had the fitting piece… and there he was, he was out like a light.

"Looks like he's having a nice dream."
A light voice commented in a laugh.

Jiraiya leaned in from the doorway and walked to Tsunade's side.
"What makes you say that?"
Tsunade asked blankly and Jiraiya nudged his head towards the bed.

"Look at that little grin. His having nice thoughts. Maybe dirty thoughts. It's hard to tell with that guy."
She laughed in spite of herself but her smile turned sad.

"At least someone is having a good time then."

Jiraiya sighed, wrapping an arm around Tsunade's shoulders, rubbing his fingers over her skin softly.
"Naruto has stopped at two other villages around us with no luck. He's closing in on the next one. Everyone is still going through town incase they are still here like Kakashi was. We're doing everything in our power. We'll figure it out soon."

Tsunade nodded weakly, in her own world again and they remained in silence a moment until she shook her head once and looked up at Jiraiya.
"I'm going to go to Sakura's apartment myself. I want to do my own search of it."

"I understand."
"You don't mind if I do it alone, then?"

Jiraiya smiled slightly and kissed the top of her head gently.
"Not at all."

--

After the messenger left, the mission had to continue.
Leaving behind the group, Naruto set off to the next closest village to interrogate and search for their missing people.

As he ran, the feeling of being watched grew to almost a nuisance that he had to stop and glare into the shadows despite the daytime sun that glared overhead.

"I'm in no mood for games. Show yourself or leave."
He snapped and was answered with a few snaps of twigs and a shift in the shadows.

"I'm not here for games."
Sasuke responded, stepping into the rays of sunlight near Naruto.

"Sasuke! Where the hell were you?"
He yelled, over excited by his old friend's appearance but also confused. How was Kakashi-sensi in a hospital while he was just wandering around?

Sasuke met his accusing eyes and explained himself.
"I saw Sakura's abduction. I've been out here trying to catch up the one who did. So far, I'm having no luck. It looks like you're the same."

"You… You saw it?!"
Naruto stuttered.
"Who! Who did it?!"

At this, Sasuke dropped his eyes in guilt, looking to the side.
"This is getting bigger than all of us, Naruto. Sakura has something. Something powerful. The Akatsuki have her. Itachi, to be more exact. I don't know where the others are… But I know! I know it was Itachi I saw! And I'm going to find them."

Sasuke growled in determination.
"For Sakura and for him."

Leaning back, Naruto studied Sasuke. While his body claimed suspicion, he couldn't bring himself to completely listen. In his mind, he saw a change in Sasuke and whether it was true or if he just wanted to believe in it badly enough, Naruto took his words as the truth and nodded.
"Come with me then. We'll do it together. Deal?"
He offered out his hand out with his deal and Sasuke took his hand with a small, secret smile.

"Deal."

--

In the next village, the two walked together, each taking a side of the street to talk to people and ask them questions. Sasuke was the first to get something when he stopped in a small Ramen shop to speak with the owner. Having described Sakura's appearance, the elderly man smiled.

"Ah, yes! I've seen her. She arrived in town with a gentleman."
"Can you describe the man?"
Sasuke asked as Naruto jumped to listen as well.

The old man thought to himself quietly.
"Can't really remember him. Was mostly covered from what I remember. He was the silent type. The two got into a fight out on the lawns before the forest and stormed off to the Inn."

"Do you know if they are still here in town?"
Naruto asked now, stepping towards the Inn impatiently.

"I personally haven't seen them leave so I suppose so…"
He replied, rubbing his balding head. The young men said their thanks and raced towards the Inn the talk to the Inn Keeper who offered the room number.

In the hall, Naruto took to the way of the room and kicked in the door but the sight he saw wasn't one to be expected. Even though they didn't know what to expect to begin with, this was still more than Naruto could have foreseen.

The room itself was in shambles. Tossed chairs, broken tables, destroyed windows. But it was the middle of the room was actually clutter-free, except for the two bodies that took the space.
Itachi was bent over, over a body in the middle of the floor. Grasping the dirty collar, he stared over his shoulder blankly at the visitors before a wicked dark grin crept into his features and released his hold.
Sakura's body hit the floor with a solid thud. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head and blood and bruises decorating her body.
Naruto snarled at the older ninja is disgust while Sasuke seemed to stand back, glowering at his brother.

"Too late, little brother."
Itachi whispered, raising his hand up so the object dangling in his hand matched his eye level. The blood smeared necklace in hand, he turned and jumped out the window which Sasuke followed after, leaving Naruto to panic angrily from following after or helping Sakura. His team wasn't here yet. He had no choice…

A small hand shot out quickly, holding onto Naruto's pant leg.
"D-Don't go..."
She whispered hoarsely.

"B-but…"
Naruto stuttered, leaning down towards her.
"If I don't… Sasuke-"

"It's okay…"
She whispered back, looking to him with bright green eyes before closing them, going limp.

In an instant, Naruto scooped her up and jumped out the window, hesitating slightly as he ran towards where his team was coming from. Meeting up with them, he explained little and was about to pass Sakura off to them when she once again, held tight to his clothes.

"Come back to the village with me."
"I can't."
He tried to be firm in his decision but one word from Sakura was all that need to be said to get him to change his mind.

"Please…"

--

I'll find you.

I'll catch you.

You will be defeated.

There is no running from us.

And we'll have that power.

--

The village was livid with panic and confusion at the arrival of the teams and Naruto carrying a ninja to the hospital. That meat two were found but what happened? The villagers weren't the only one's who didn't know.

In the hospital, Tsunade flustered around the room, healing Sakura quickly and questioning Naruto for answers.
"Sasuke got away?"
"Not away! He went after Itachi. He did this!"
"You should have had someone tail after them!"
"Who would have been able to keep up but me?! Sakura didn't want me to leave!"
"How do you know he will return? If he'll even catch his brother! They could be anywhere now!"

"What could I have done?! Huh?! Are you telling me I made the wrong decision to save Sakura first?! Is that what you're telling me?!"
Naruto growled with burning eyes at Tsunade for questioning him in such a way.

Tsunade locked her eyes on the sleeping Sakura, thinking quietly when a noise at the door got them to turn.
Sasuke looked to them, wiping blood from his mouth.
"Yo."

"What the hell happened?!"
Naruto snapped back and got a sneer in return.

"What does it look like?! I couldn't get a hold of him. He kicked my ass instead and fled."
Tsunade moved to treat his wounds but was waved away.
"I don't need you're help. I'm fine. I'm resting then going back out for him."
He growled, turning on his heel and leaving as the two just stared out after him.

Tsunade returned her gaze to Sakura.
"You said Sakura looked close to death when you found her…. But then why does Sasuke look more beaten up than her?"

"Huh?"

"Sakura's wounds weren't as heavy. If anything, they were just exaggerated scratches."
She observed and Naruto raised an eyebrow at her.
"So what does that mean?"

All her got was a shrug as Lady Tsunade turned and walked out, opposite of Sasuke's departure.

"I was just thinking out loud. Don't mind me."

In the bed, Sakura waited until she was allow for her eyebrows to knit together in frustration although she didn't open her eyes.

It doesn't matter…

It's almost time…