CHAPTER 3- Haruno Sakura
Hearing the door of my cell open I try to hide how much pain I am in. I have broken bones, cuts and bruises all over me. I have lost track of time down here. The only thing I can hope for is that my teammates are okay and that I will be able to resist any other torture they put me through.
"How is our cherry blossom doing this fine day? No answer! What's wrong little kunoichi, cat got your tongue?" taunts the shinobi who opened the cell door.
"Go to hell." I reply.
"That's not" the shinobi starts to reply as he walks towards me but just after a few steps he collapses. I see a senbon sticking out of the back of his neck and that's when I notice a figure in the doorway.
"I-i-ita-itachi?" I stutter.
"Hai." he replies. He starts walking towards me noticing the chakra draining chains on my arms and legs and all the bruises and cuts I have. He is so focused on me he doesn't notice the enemy shinobi sneaking up behind him. Luckily I did.
"Itachi behind you!" I scream. Itachi glances behind him and sees the enemy shinobi lunging for him. He quickly drops to the ground and kicks upwards. The enemy shinobi grabs his foot before it can connect with his body and throws Itachi across the room.
"Itachhhhiiii! Leave him alone!" I shout at the enemy shinobi as I try to escape from the chains.
"Jezz you sure are noisy, just shut up won't cha." complains the enemy shinobi as he throws a senbon at me. I can tell that he was aiming for a pressure point on my neck to knock me unconscious but it is more likely to kill me. I squeeze my eyes shut so I don't have to see my death rushing towards me. Just before the senbon hits me I hear a grunt. I open my eyes to see Itachi standing in front of me! He had taken the senbon for me! I stare at him in amazement, forgetting how to speak.
"Are you alright Sakura?" questions Itachi turning his head to look at me. I am only able to stare at him mutely and nod my head. "Good." he says the relief obvious in his voice even through his body language doesn't give anything away. "Close your eyes Sakura this won't be pretty." I close my eyes like Itachi ordered. I hear a few pained grunts and what sounds like a kunia is being stabbed into a body repeatedly.
I feel a brush of cool air pass by my wrist and ankles and the chains are gone! My body starts to collapse in surprise from all of a sudden having to support its own weight. My eyes shoot open to see the ground rushing up to meet me and then there is a solid wall of muscle supporting me. My eyes dart upwards to meet Itachis.
"Hold on." he whispers in my ear. I wrap my arms around his neck as he gently picks me up bridal style. Making the hand seals faster than I can see them, Itachi performs a transportation justu. I bury my head in the crock of his neck so I don't get motion sickness. When it feels like we are standing still again I lift my head up to find Itachi staring at me.
"What? Is there something on my face?" I question him.
Letting out low chuckle Itachi murmurs, "No I am just amazed that you haven't complained once."
"And why would I be complaining?" I snap at Itachi thrashing around trying to get out of his arms, "I am not some weak little kunoichi that can't take care of herself! Put me down!" I hiss my eyes narrowing into slits.
"I was giving you a compliment Sakura, I never suggested that you are weak. In fact you are very strong to be able to go through that level of torture and just be able to shake it off." states Itachi.
"Thank you." I mumble my face going red. "Itachi! You are bleeding. Here let me heal you."
"No! First use your chakra to heal yourself. Your injuries are much more severe than mine." orders Itachi.
"But Itachi," I protest, "you are going to have to carry me back to Konoha and you are losing lots of blood."
"No, you can heal me after you heal yourself." stubbornly replies Itachi.
"But I won't have enough chakra do to that." I admit grudgingly.
"Then I will just have to hold out until we reach Konoha." says Itachi.
"But you won't make it that far!" I protest.
"Of course I will Sakura, please have a little faith in me." stubbornly replies Itachi.
"Fine." I mutter bring my chakra to my hands making it look like I was healing myself. When I feel Itachi relax I transfer my healing chakra to his wounds and start healing him. I have less chakra then I through I did, I know I am going to pass out soon from chakra exhaustion. Feeling myself starting to lose conscious I send the last of my charka to the wound in his shoulder.
I hear Itachi shouting, "Sakura! Sakura, please stay awake. Sakura!"
"Don't worry." I mutter before I fall unconscious. I feel like I am floating in a black abyss of nothing. I can't hear or feel anything but I know I have to wake up. Itachi is worried about me, but it is so comfy here. I start to hear voices but its like I am under water, I can't understand what they are saying. I try to focus on the voices, trying to force myself to wake up but I am so tired I just want to sleep. The voices are getting fainter and fainter. NO! I will wake up I can't let myself go to sleep. I fight harder now. I am finally able to force my eyes open, it takes awhile for everything to come into focus.
I am staring at a white ceiling, white ceiling? Where am I? My eyes dart around the room looking for something familiar. I am lying on what looks like a hospital bed with Itachi sleeping in a chair on the right side of my bed. Wait a minute, Itachi sleeping? That man never sleeps! He must have felt me staring because his eyes sleepily blink open.
"How are you feeling?" asks Itachi stifling a yawn.
"Good I think. What happened? The last thing I remember healing is your wounds." I reply.
"Yes." sighs Itachi, "you used all your remaining chakra to heal me and then you passed out. I carried you to Konoha as quickly as I could and then theHokage healed you. You have been unconscious for three days."
"THREE DAYS!" I shout then remembering my teammates I ask, "How are Kakashi-sensei, Naruto and Sasuke?"
"They're fine." answers Itachi, "The shinobi who captured your team were only after you, they were not interested in information about Konoha or in your teammates either."
"Why me? There is nothing special about me." I state.
"I was hoping you would know the answer to that question because everyone seems to be as clueless as you are, Sakura. Oh well the main thing is that you and the rest of your team are safe but still it intrigues me why they were just after you." ponders Itachi.
"When will I be able to go and see my teammates and leave the hospital?" I ask Itachi.
"Your teammates are actually waiting out side your door for you to wake up." responds Itachi.
"Outside? Why are they outside?" I question.
"Because they were too noisy and giving me a headache." replies Itachi with a straight face, "Would you like me to get them?"
"Yes please." I squeak trying to contain my laughter. After Itachi leaves I hear Naruto shouting profanities at Itachi out in the hallway.
I know why the enemy shinobi were only after me. They were after my family's secret but that secret was supposed to of died with my parents. How could they know of it? Does anyone else know? I push these thoughts away as Naruto bursts into the room followed by Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke. I must make sure no one in Konoha finds out why the enemy shinobi were only after me but it is going to be hard to fool Itachi. He always sees right through me.
THE END….OR IS IT?
It has been three months since Team 7 was captured. No one knows why only Sakura was targeted, no one but Sakura that is. Sakura knows they were after her family's secret. What lengths will she go to make sure it stays a secret? What will she do when someone finds out and it can no longer stay a secret without putting the people she cares for in danger? The sequel of CAPTURE, SECRET will be out in September 2010.