Story: The Keeper.

Series: Naruto.

Summary:

Due to a malfunctioned summoning scroll, Sakura finds herself sent into back in a time where Sasuke is still innocent. As she tries to undue her mistake, her reason for returning grows less every day she spends in a life where everything was simple.

Chapter name: Against the world.

Word count: 1055 ( I went slightly over considering this was a reunion chapter, and long overdue in more ways than one.)

After meeting up with most of friends and her Shishou, Sakura returned home exhausted. It had been quite the shock to discover how much her friends had missed her, disappearing without a trace obviously had a few perks. The apartment that she was sharing with Kakashi was devoid of his usual sulky presence, Tsunade had sent him, Naruto, and Sai on mission into the village of the rain, leaving the apartment eerily empty. Sakura had not had much alone time in the past few months, and tried to savor the feeling, but she still felt lonely under the surface. Something or rather someone was missing.

The sun had already set, and her stomach grumbled unmercifully. The cabinets offered no reliable source of food, and so heaving a dejected sigh, Sakura pulled on a blue turtleneck that belonged to Kakashi and took a moment to breathe in his musky scent. He smelt of smoke, a burnt firewood, a very relaxing smell to the pinkette.

Not pausing to change from her short black skirt, and knee-high boots, Sakura left the apartment to go out into the rain in search of food. Although the rain had at first been barely a drizzle, after a few minutes it became a vicious downpour. Pausing in her journey the pink-haired kunoichi stopped under a nearby tree to wait out the incoming storm. She listened to the raindrops fall peacefully, remembering a distant memory. Of how she didn't dislike the rain, but rather found nothing more serene then walking in the rain.

"Why it's the water-girl, looking very much the down trodden rat."

Not even turning to the meet the voice, Sakura swung her leg at the offending voice, only to have her ankle be caught by a tight-like vice from a cold hand. Glaring daggers, her jade green eyes widened at she noticed just who it was. Before she could exclaim her surprise, the stranger continued on, looking at her appreciatively, "Why dear Sakura-chan, you haven't aged a day, still wearing those cherry panties, I see. Very cute."

"Seriously, Mister, you can be such a perv sometimes." Although she said these words with great seriousness, Sakura was blushing at the way his eyes raked over her body with a glazed look.

"Of course, it's been quite a while Sakura-chan, at least for me, you must excuse me."

She was about to ask what for, but never got around to it, as he released her ankle, only to grab her wrist and pull her close against his cloaked body. She could feel the heat pouring from his chest despite the coldness of the black cloak. His heart skipped a few beats, and then suddenly his mouth descended upon her hungrily, searching, as if to recover lost time. What had been a few days for her, had been years for him.

And time had certainly changed him, he was more feral, his mannerisms seemed full of danger. One stroke with a painted nail against her throat, it was like he was a completely different person. In this life he was no golden prodigy, no, in this Konoha, he was a black coated villain. A S-class criminal, who killed in coldblood.

His heated gaze was for her alone though. She couldn't turn him away, even if it meant she could die for it. This was a secret life, a double life, which she had spun for herself. One where it was them against the world. But everything could be the same, right? Sakura had never hoped harder for anything in her whole life, than for that one feeble wish.

But then he spoke interrupting her thoughts, "There's a inn across the street, that is known turn a blind eye towards it's paying customers…." He trailed off meaningfully. She caught on, and the excitement of seeing him, made her questions fade away.

A few minutes later and they were struggling to make it upstairs to their shared room. A few heated kisses later, and they tumbled to the bed in a heap. Itachi was quick to shed his cloak and clothes, and Sakura followed suit. The pinkette bite back a searing moan, as Itachi lips trailed down her neck, he was anything but gentle. But she didn't care, he was hers tonight. He paused in his motions, to gaze approvingly at her naked form. Heat rose to her cheeks, as she too could not help but admire his chiseled form.

Almost as to prove that he was real, Sakura ran her pale fingers over his well-shaped chest, marveling at the softness of it. Growing bolder as he shuddered at her soft caress, she removed his hair band with her teeth, and ran her spare hand through his flowing black locks. It felt like spun-silk. But then something else stole away her attention, as she felt the hardness pressing near her hip. She giggled almost as if sensing his impatience, he had waited years for her. What would any normal girl to do. Luckily Sakura was anything but.

A few hours later, Sakura sighed happily, although she was exhausted from their nighttime activities, she felt absolutely wonderful. She could feel the gentle breathing of his chest as he slept on, her hair splayed across his chest, almost as if to confirm her claim on him. She fingered the silver necklace at his throat, marveling at the gorgeous design.

His husky voice startled her from her ogling, as he was not as asleep as he had let on, "Are you that eager for another round, Sakura."

Blushing madly at the mere suggestion, "No I just really like your necklace, although it hardly seems like a suitable one for you."

"How so?"

"Obviously, it would better on a woman. Preferably me."

Laughing a throat laugh at her sudden boldness, he unclasped the necklace only to put in into her hands, "It's yours then." He brushed his lips against the top of her head, and sleep reclaimed him. Smiling softly at her new treasure, Sakura too, feel into a blissful sleep, beside the man she loved.

The next morning she awoke to a cold bed. Itachi was gone, the only evidence of their night together the deep musky smell that clung to him now on the bed sheets, and the small metal necklace that felt oddly cold to the touch.