Inspiration: 4 in the morning- Gwen Stefani

"But it hurts when I think when I let it sink in. It's all over me, I'm lying here in the dark. I'm watching you sleep, it hurts a lot..."

Pairing: Ita/Saku, Sasu/Saku & Naru/Saku are the main pairings in this fic.

Notes: Warning, this chapter contains a dream. So it'll be in Itallics. Just in case you didn't know...which it's pretty obvious, so I think you will know. So yeah, the next chapter will probably be up quicker than you can say "Hidan." : ] ALSO, sorry if you hate long chapters, but this is one hella long chapter. It's like almost the length of both of the other two combined. Hah

Theme: Romance/Drama

Rating: Mmmm for Mature: following themes are or will be present in this chapter or throughout the fic: some vulgarities such as language, sexual themes, humiliation, drugs, and other dark themes.

[Don't let me down. It's not fair how you are. I can't be complete, can you give me more?]

The meeting room was clearing out. Each of the Akatsuki were moving about, heading in different directions. Some meeting together to talk about what they'd just seen, and what they would "hopefully" see later that night.

Pein had stood and quietly, mysteriously faded out of the room. Sasuke didn't even see him go. He was too busy watching Sakura leave with Itachi and Deidara. His eyes trained on her as she walked rather unsteadily out of the room.

He glanced back at her pile of clothes heaped in the middle of the room. He was very careful not to draw attention to himself as he casually walked over and picked them up. Such classic, wonderfully Sakura clothes. Hard to explain really. They were just her. The trademark red was difficult to mistake. Her family crest, being a circle, regardless of whether she was the last Haruno to wear it proudly as a ninja.

Sasuke scooped up the clothing and quickly, darkly, like a shadow vacated the room. His steps were sure, and with the clothing in his hand he was extremely conscious of the fact that she was naked at this moment. It only made sense that they had gone to Itachi's room.

When Pein suggested that it be Itachi and Deidara to escort her out for the time being, Sasuke was temporarily able to breath again.

At least if it were his brother to take her, Sasuke knew she would be unharmed. Her pride, her dignity, her body; All of her, would be left intact. Itachi would look after her, if only because he knew Sakura was his old teammate. He knew that Itachi would just know. Would know that Sasuke didn't want her harmed.

Sasuke's fingers subconsciously flexed around Sakura's clothes.

The stupid girl went and got herself into this mess. He wondered if she would get into trouble like this if he hadn't left the team. If he was around to keep her and Naruto in shape, out of trouble, would things be different?

Shaking the thoughts out of his head, Sasuke realized it was too late to ponder it now. He couldn't regret leaving them. The power the Akatsuki had given him was worth it. It was his personal mission to grow stronger, and he wouldn't have taken a different path to get to this point.

Regardless of his stupid team getting in trouble.

Sasuke reached the hall to his brothers room just as Deidara was coming down. The blond looked snubbed, but not angry. A mild spike of optimism shot through Sasuke as he saw the other Akatsuki member. If Deidara was here, that meant that the blond wasn't ravishing his ex-teammate. This was definitely a good thing.

Though they passed each other, neither he, nor Deidara, attempted to make conversation as they passed. It was a slightly stiff, less than casual passing, but it didn't dampen Sasuke's confidence that Sakura was safe, and her virtue was still in tact. He trusted his brother to protect the annoying girl than he had once called a friend.

He stopped at his brothers door for a moment to consider knocking. However before he could do such a thing he heard voices at the end of the hall. Knocking would draw attention to the room, and the last thing he wanted was more of his teammates thinking that this was a join-in sort of occasion.

He shot a worried look down the hall, before quietly opening the door and sliding in. Careful not to let the door make any noise he shut it behind himself and turned around swiftly. Something of a good humored smirk on his face, before his eyes landed on the two people in the room.

An unexplainable feeling came upon him.

It felt like he was dunked under water, or something to that effect. Like suddenly, his clothes were heavy, weighing him down. It was uncomfortable to move.

Sasuke took in a breath as he gaze at his older brother, currently holding onto his still very naked ex-teammate. Her arms were encircled around Itachi's waist. Locked in an embrace. That was almost the last thing he expected out of them.

"Itachi?" He asked, almost uncertain if it was his brother at all. Such a thing seemed out of character for the older Uchiha.

He saw Itachi tense, and it made a deep uneasiness awash over him. Sasuke's stomach felt odd, in a way it never had before.

He heard Sakura's voice. A splash of mystic emotion among the silent, dull room. Sasuke was confused even a bit more as the two didn't break apart immediately. Any chance that it was a misunderstanding seemed to be quickly evaporating. If it were really a misunderstanding, they would have broken apart, wouldn't they?. They would have looked normal. His brother wouldn't have tensed, and she wouldn't have uttered his name as if she was truly startled, almost sad to see him arrive. This wouldn't be happening in such a way.

Sasuke frowned deeply as he watched them.

Itachi was turning now, and so was Sakura, but his brother wasn't letting her go. Itachi dropped his right arm away from her entirely, however his left arm only lowered from her shoulder, to her waist. Sasuke watched through heavy lidded eyes as Itachi's fingers tightened around his old friends waist. Her very bare waist. Just a few inches away from her exposed chest. Her breasts which she wasn't even covering. Her hands were hanging dead at her sides.

She seemed to be removed entirely from the situation. She was standing, and conscious, but she looked positively delusional. Feverish even. She was pink, her lips were parted and she was gulping in air as if she was trapped in a bubble with limited supply, and there was a gleam of sweat over her skin. She was now leaning into Itachi's embrace, as if she relished it.

And then, Sasuke felt something like what he could positively identity as annoyance bombard him. He knew because he'd felt that particular emotion many times.

He looked down at her clothes within his hand and tossed them towards the two with a "Hm," and a very irritated glower. "Here. Cover yourself up." He churned the words out.

He was mildly less angry when the clothes simply plopped against her stomach, before hitting the ground with a thud. She was entirely unphased by their collision. Sasuke wasn't entire certain if she noticed at all actually.

For the first time since he entered the room, Itachi spoke. "She's incoherent." His brothers words were a steady pitch of absolute disinterest, but Sasuke recognized the purpose of the statement. She was so incoherent apparently, that she would allow Itachi to practically fondle her. That was what Itachi was getting at anyways.

Sasuke shoved his hands in his pockets and adhered something that resembled a frown on his face. "Whatever." Was all he had to say on the matter. "Might as well get her in the bed." He said with a slight reluctance to his words.

After he said them, he didn't move. He couldn't.

Rather he watched with open expressions; Surprise, annoyance, mild jealous, over all disbelief, as his brother bent down to pick up Sakura's clothes. She was still standing there with her mouth open like a fish gazing at him.

With her clothes in hand, Itachi turned to her. He wasn't speaking, wasn't even really looking at her, but he was somehow giving her all of his attention. As he turned to her, he paused a little awkwardly. The clothes he had picked up remained still in his hand. Apparently, he was uncertain if he was going to dress her or not. Seemingly deciding against the effort it would undoubtedly take, there was nearly 10 seconds of absolutely nothing; No moving, no speaking, no sound above Sakura's labored breath, before Itachi began moving again. Abruptly, but assertively.

He was pushing Sakura down onto the bed, without her clothes on. Sasuke watched dumbly, still standing at the door with his hands in his pockets. He watched Itachi settled the girl back onto the cot.

For a whole moment, Sasuke was entirely affronted to notice that Sakura didn't even seem to care. She was just willingly going with everything that Itachi was doing, as if she actually trusted him. He tried to rationalize it by repeating over and over to his mind that she was drugged. Not coherent, his brother said.

Still, it seemed that she was plenty coherent just ten minutes ago. All of a sudden she was incoherent to this level. Sasuke almost couldn't believe it.

Itachi was pulling off his Akatsuki cloak, and Sasuke watched his brother toss it over Sakura. Her pale face, and pink hair was now the only thing peeking out from beneath the Akatsuki black sheath. All of her nudity was covered, which Sasuke was surprisingly thankful for.

He noticed that she wasn't asleep yet. She was gazing blankly at him. Not Itachi, at him.

He brushed it off and first shifted his attention to his suddenly annoying older brother. "Nice to know she was so incoherent that you decided to help her." He realized how spiteful it sounded. How childish. It wasn't like him at all, but he didn't care to hide his discontent with his brother. They really didn't hide anything from each other. He knew that Itachi could sense his anger, so why hide it?

Itachi shrugged off the jab as easily as Sasuke was now avoiding Sakura's listless gaze. "They'll notice if she's missing for long." The statement was clear, and down to business. If they wanted to get Sakura out of here, they would have to think of a plan.

Sasuke didn't want to admit out loud that he felt the immediate, instinctive urge to help Sakura. She wasn't his team member anymore. They weren't linked and he shouldn't feel any loyalty to her.

On some level, all of those things were true. He didn't feel an overwhelming loyalty to her. He didn't believe that they were linked, and he didn't consider her his team member anymore.

But there was a much deeper, more involuntary part of him that needed to do this. That wouldn't let him turn his back on her just this once. When she so clearly needed someone. Maybe if she could get herself out of the mess she was in, he would trust that she would be okay. Tell himself that it wasn't his business.

It wasn't even his business now, but damn the girl was really in a mess.

And somewhere in the maze of Akatsuki hideout, his idiot of a once-best friend Naruto was also trapped. Seeing as how Naruto wasn't a female and didn't pose to be a very good plaything, Naruto was probably getting the other end of the torture scale. Pain, suffering, the general subjugation of being fucked over by your captors.

Sasuke didn't have to get his hands dirty; Didn't have to help them. But somehow, he knew he should, and therefore, he was going to. Even if it was only a slight help, he wouldn't turn his back entirely. Just this once, he would help Naruto and Sakura.

On par with his train of thought, he glanced over at Sakura. She was peering at him, like a ghost. Sasuke took a few steps closer to his brother and his pink haired once-friend.

She seemed displeased at the prospect of Sasuke coming closer to her. Her previously loopy dead-end gaze turned sour. She frowned notably.

His hands were still in his pockets and he tried to remain as standoffish as possible. "Sakura," He breathed her name for the first time in years. "You're still getting into trouble." He said, simply because he felt like referencing the fact that he had known her so long ago.

Drawing a line in the sand pointing to the past. Someone who was familiar with her. Not Itachi, who didn't really know her. But Sasuke, who did know her, and in fact, remembered her.

Though she appeared feverish, she mustered up enough awareness to turn her face away from him indignantly. "How would you know?" She slurred. Her words really were rather unintelligible now. They weren't even a good response.

Obviously he knew she was still getting into trouble because, well, just look at her. She was currently naked in Itachi's bed, in the middle of the Akatsuki hideout, drugged senseless. He shook his head at her and turned a mild scowl her way. "Still stupid too." He echoed, like a bad joke.

Noting that Itachi was standing disjointed from the conversation, but right at his side, Sasuke glanced at his brother. "If we help them, it can't be now. They'll know it was us. Everyone knows she's with you now."

Itachi nodded, in a thoughtful manner. "She's going to have to endure it. If only for a few days. Until they aren't expecting it." His voice was an even tone, but the words themselves were disturbing. A bad choice of words, indeed. "We'll get her out in a few days."

Endure it.

Sasuke frowned at the prospect. All the things she would have to go through before he could safely break her out. She would have to experience pain, and probably lose much of her dignity. In order to protect himself and his brother however, it was the only thing he could do.

He sighed, as if the whole conversation was annoying. "We need to find Naruto."

Itachi seemed to agree, though he didn't speak words to confirm such a thing.

At the mention of Naruto's name, Sakura stirred. "Naruto..." She forced out his name like it was the only word she understood anymore. It was certainly the effects of the drug, but she was suddenly pushing the cloak away from her and trying to climb off of the bed within the next moment. In a mindless, impulse driven way. Both Sasuke, and his brother moved to stop her at the same time but his brother was a step closer and therefore reached her first.

It was startling, absolutely, to see that his brother was willingly asserting himself. Sakura's breasts were suddenly visible in the room again, and Sasuke immediately wondered why they hadn't tried harder to put clothes on her. He would have turned his head away from them again, but he simply couldn't. He didn't want to look away from Itachi.

Itachi who now was steadily pushing Sakura back in bed. One hand on her shoulder, it was firm and she relented under it for a moment.

Only a moment, before she was struggling again. Making meager groans and gurgles as she tried to break free of Itachi's much stronger grip. Trying to fight to get towards what she apparently thought was Naruto.

Sasuke stood stiffly in the backdrop of this exchange. Uncomfortable, and annoyed at the circumstance in general.

"Naruto." She spoke the name again, and Sasuke felt the prickle of discomfort come back around inside of him. "Where's Naruto?"

Itachi didn't speak, and Sasuke simply couldn't speak. Therefore, her quiet beg of where her friend was went unanswered.

It was then, immediately that she fell into a sleep. Sleep was good, Sasuke figured. Maybe some sleep would subdue some of the drugs in her system. They must have given her a ton of them, seeing as how she was well known for her medic skills. Medics who had access to poisons couldn't be trusted with the normal doses of drugs. They required more, as a precaution. The more skilled they were at recognizing and weeding out the effects of poisons and drugs, the more they required to dull their senses.

Sasuke pitied her, he realized.

He really did feel sorry for the girl he once ate ramen with every night after training.

After she drifted to sleep, Itachi turned back towards Sasuke again. Though, he still remained surprisingly close to the bed.

"I'm surprised she lasted that long." He commented, rather lightly. Sasuke had never known Itachi to be much for small talk. It was surprising that he would make such a comment. Even if it were true. Even if it was relevant. The fact that Itachi said it would loud, was as surprising to Sasuke as Itachi just outright saying, "Hey, Sasuke, did you know I think Sakura is really fucking amazing?" To Sasuke, they were the same thing. Itachi openly complimenting her. Openly, lightly, commenting on her personal strength.

Sasuke responded with a guff shrug. "Yeah. She's stubborn." He decided to make a comment of his own, though he wasn't sure why. "Always has been." He added for good measure, before changing his thoughts to how they would get his old teammates out of the situation they were in. It was a sticky one, that's for sure.

She dreamed of Naruto. Of Naruto, and Sasuke, and even Itachi. Before they left. Before Sasuke tore out her heart, and Itachi betrayed her trust.

The dream was more visceral than normal. Abstract colors, and horrifyingly poignant emotions.

Sasuke was rolling his eyes, and shaking his head, but really she knew he was rather happy. There was only a moments hesitation within the air before she heard Naruto's happy chuckle. She looked at them, beneath a saturated pink sky, with brighter than normal colors possessing them. A smile touched her lips. She arose and headed towards them, the bulk of her blissful mood going with her. She waved her arms in the air after them, and maybe because it was just a dream, or maybe because her memories were more perfect than reality, but as she did so Sasuke smiled at her. A smirk, lazy and casual, not elated like Naruto's grin, but present and warm.

They were walking Sasuke home. The walk seemed to take years. Time didn't work properly in this dream. The sky switched from pink, to bright, apple red above them, like a kaleidoscope. Naruto slung an arm around her shoulders, and they were talking about something, though she didn't even think they were speaking actual words. It was more like feelings, over all gibberish. Fabricated to make her feel happy, and damn did they.

They reached the Uchiha compound and Sasuke was growing more lighthearted by the moment. Like he loved being home. Only, she knew that wasn't true. Even in a dream, even uncertain what was real memories and what was fabricated dream material, she knew it wasn't true. Sasuke hated his home life. He hated his father.

She knew this to be a fact. She wouldn't ever be able to forget that the Sasuke she grew up with hated his father; Hated being at home.

Still, he looked happy, and that made her happy.

She gazed at the big, beautiful, clean and serious compound happily. Because she was young, and Sasuke was still her whole world, she hoped to one day join that compound. To be Sasuke's wife, and to love him without doubt. Entirely.

The gate was opening unexpectedly, as if someone knew they were coming. Dream timing, she supposed. It opened and then there was that face. A face she used to respect, and admire. A fact that now brought her sadness, and betrayal almost as deep as Sasuke's betrayal.

The ever intriguing face of Sasuke's older brother. Itachi was breaking through the Uchiha compound gate to meet them. He was taller, older, cooler than they were in the dream. Already a few ranks above them even though he wasn't that much older. He was so cool. So mysterious, so nice and polite.

Maybe he was too serious, and enigmatic, but Sakura thought that was how all big brothers should be. So when he would occasionally run into them, she was always happy to see him. Happy because he was the one person that Sasuke loved. The person she loved, loved him. That was enough for her to look up to him. Also, because she was young, and stupid, and she trusted everyone with her heart. She depended so strongly upon first impressions back then.

In the dream, Itachi seemed slightly more friendly than normal. He swung a carefree, brotherly arm around Sasuke's shoulders and ruffled Sakura's hair. It was such a great moment. Sakura felt so happy. She leaned into his heavy hand as if it belonged there; As if she was entirely at peace when Itachi touched her.

And then the sky was fading into a deep, dark purple. Purple like butterfly wings, and she and Naruto were standing close. Naruto was holding her hand, because apparently she was crying. When she started she didn't know, but she certain knew why. Even in a dream, she knew.

Sasuke was standing so far away suddenly. The compound was gone, anything recognizable and familar was gone.

Only Sasuke standing at the end of the walkway, and near him, Itachi. Itachi who looked very serious like usual, but now he was shrouded in shadow. He looked so far away. So far away that Sakura would never be able to touch him again, and for some reason, that made her so sad.

And closer, but not close enough, Sasuke was sneering at her. Not scowling or frowning like he often did, but actually sneering .Like he was mocking her for her tears, her pain, her betrayed heart.

She knew instinctively that even if she ran, she wouldn't be able to reach him, so rather she turned towards Naruto and nuzzled her nose in the crook of his neck and shoulder. Even as he comforted her, Naruto shook. He trembled sadly and the sky turned from purple, to black above them. But there were no stars.

Sakura thought, grimly, that there would never be stars in her dreams again after this.

She sprung up as if she were on fire.

Her hands flew to her chest as if she could grip her heart from outside of her ribs and she realized meekly that she was crying. Not sobbing. No noises, or violent, ugly tears. But there was a steady stream of moisture clinging to her cheeks.

The room was dark, and it smelled foreign to her. Dusty, and stale.

She still felt absolutely horrible. Her head was still swimming, her muscles hurt, and try as she might she couldn't summon even an ounce of usable chakra to come to her aid. She groaned and scrubbed away the wetness on her week.

"Naruto?" She breathed his name, for good measure. Last thing she truly remembered was sitting with Naruto in a forest just outside of sound. The mission that they were one was simple, but long. Just the two of them. Naruto had been so happy when they received word of it. He had given her his biggest Naruto-eqsue smile. Had hugged her and said, "Eh, Sakura-chan, it's just the two of us!"- He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and she slugged him on the arm in a playful manner. But she could never blame him for being himself and honestly, she had always found his playful nature, even the perverted parts of it, to be perfect and genuine. "It's gonna be great!" He charmed her with his happy grin, and she believed him. She really did believe this mission with just her and Naruto would be amazing. Just what she needed. Some one on one time with her best friend. The boy she loved dearly. Not Sasuke, but Naruto. The one who never let her down.

Slowly, like a pot boiling over, she was remembering blurry, uncertain shards of moments. Whether they were dreams, or not she wasn't certain.

Not entirely certain, until she sat up. Sat up and in the dim light of the room, lit only by 1 candle in the far corner of the room, and a smooth cloak tumbled forward away from her. She was hit by a chill, and she lifted her arms to awkwardly, unsteadily wrap them around herself.

To wrap them around her naked torso.

Naked torso.

She paused, a mildly recognition hitting her before she frowned, a terrifying realization coming to settle on her.

"Naruto!" She hummed louder, a panic settling on her voice. "Naruto, if you're anywhere near here, can you here me? Naruto?" She was very nearly yelling. Talking very loudly. Regardless of whether this backfired, whether she was punished, or even killed for this, she would find Naruto. If he was anywhere near her, he would hear her and maybe he would shout back.

As if her words were announced over a speaker and everyone in the whole place could hear them, there was a knocking on the door. A very, very brief knocking. She barely had time to look down at her breasts, shoot up out of the bed, and clutch what appeared to be her red shirt.

She didn't have time to properly get it all the way on. As a result she was still tugging it over her bare breasts when the door opened.

While she wasn't entirely sure what she was expecting, it wasn't this.

She rushed to pull the shirt the rest of the way down her stomach, and then she froze. Froze as if she was going to be persecuted if she moved even slightly. "Who-Who are you?" She asked, a slight fear touching her voice.

Maybe the drug in her system was still stronger than she thought it was.

"You're a pretty little bitch aren't ya? I see Itachi didn't have much fun with you. Does that mean you're no fun to fuck? Or maybe he just doesn't know what to do? He's a bit of a fucking weirdo, he probably turned you off just by looking at him. Can't say I blame ya."

She backed up a step, towards the bed. The back of her knees hit the frame and she felt herself shaking. Those eyes were too mischievous. She was frightened at the sight. Taller than her, with a positively devilish smirk, gray hair, and he was popping his knuckles in a way that frightened her further.

"Who are you?" She repeated, her mind racing. "Where's Itachi?" She never thought she'd want to know where Itachi was. But even the monster in her memory seemed a kinder option than this man.

He chuckled. "That weirdo? Who knows where he is. He's always somewhere, usually off by himself, or with his stupid fucking brother. Can't say I care. All that matters is that it's my turn to have you now." He gave her a grin, "Don't worry. I've been told I have a magical touch."

She felt faint again.

And then he was moving towards her, and she was shrieking. Absolutely shrieking, until a cold, hard hand clamped over her mouth. "Never did like screamers." He told her, a gleam coming to his reddish-brown eyes.