'Crap!'

Itachi looked pissed. Scratch that, he looked murderous.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he hissed.

"Well I was dancing with that guy over there," I pointed to my old dance partner who was now being helped to his feet by two other men, "but then you punched him so I don't know what I'm doing anymore."

The growl that erupted from him made me jump slightly but I stayed in my spot.

"You're leaving," he hissed out, grabbing my wrist.

Ignoring the spark I felt where his hand was touching me I forced myself to yank my hand away and crossed my arms over my chest. I shivered slightly when I saw his eyes follow my hands as they crossed and the way he shamelessly looked at my body, like he owned it, and I only got madder.

'Like hell we belong to him!'

"We're not dating anymore Uchiha-san, you can't tell me what to do," I said.

Onyx eyes snapped up to meet my own and the heat they held almost made me gasp. He looked about ready to kill me, or jump me. He looked like he wanted to say something but instead he just ground his teeth together and glared at me.

Somewhere in the back of my alcohol-hazed mind, I noticed that the music had stopped and a circle had been made around us. What, people have never seen a club fight before?

I haven't, but who's to say they haven't?

"Sakura!"

I turned and saw Ino pushing her way through the crowd, and Itachi took that moment as an opportunity to grab me again and start dragging me towards the door.

"Let me go Uchiha!" I shouted as I stumbled, my senses to dull to keep up.

I didn't get a response as he dragged me outside and into the cool night air.

The shock of the temperature difference was enough for me to gather my senses enough to yank my arm away. I frowned slightly when I saw that it would bruise.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" I yelled at him.

Spinning around fully, Itachi glared at me.

"I'm taking care of you, something you're clearly to drunk to do," he snapped back.

"Oh yeah, that's why. Just admit it, you were jealous that I let that guy go further with me than I ever let you!" I shouted.

"Damn right I'm jealous, and to top it you were letting him take advantage of you," he shot back.

I flinched, but growled angrily at him.

"Just like how you took advantage of me for three months while you went behind my back with a bunch of whores?"

It was his turn to flinch even though his face remained stoic.

I heard the crowd behind us gasp quietly and if I wasn't pissed as hell I might have laughed. I guess that Itachi had managed to keep all his little escapades quiet so that the press wouldn't hound him. Uh oh, looks like he's screwed.

I saw him start to open his mouth but I cut him off before he could say anything.

"And to think I was actually going to sleep with you. To think," I squeezed my eyes shut to stop the tears from spilling over even though I felt a few slip out.

Opening my eyes, I looked at him dead on, ignoring the tears now freely flowing down my face. I could always blame it on the alcohol later.

"To think that I actually let myself fall in love with you," I whispered, dropping my head again.

I saw him take a step forward, "Sakur-"

"Shut up," I said, turning away.

I felt his hand on my shoulder and again he tried to speak but I cut him off, shoving his hand off my arm.

"Get away from me," I whispered as I turned and ran towards Ino who had cut to the front of the crowd.

I barely even noticed the tears now as Ino and I made our way to her car and got in, taking off away from the club only moments later.

I leaned my forehead again the cool glass as we zipped through the bright lights of Konoha's red light district and back into the darker and quieter rural area. I knew that Ino was talking but my body had just shut down, I couldn't hear or feel anything besides a dull ache in my chest.

Before I knew it we were pulling into my apartment building and slowly I raised myself up and unclasped my seatbelt. I stepped out into the cool night air and shivered slightly.

"Come on forehead," Ino called, although all humor was vacant from her voice.

I followed numbly behind her as we walked up the stairs and quickly I fished my key out of my bra before I unlocked the door and let us inside.

We both went upstairs and Ino jumped on my bed while I took my pajamas and walked into my bathroom.

I scrubbed my face raw as I tried my best to wash off the layers of makeup and sweat from the club. Then I brush my teeth and my hair before walking back into my room, leaving the red dress hanging on top of my shower.

I threw myself down on the bed next to Ino and sighed into my pillow.

"I'm sorry Sak, I should have told you he was there from the start then we could have just left-"

"Ino," I cut her off, "it's not your fault. You didn't know he was going to be there and neither did I. You were only trying to help."

I felt tears start to prickle the sides of my eyes and I clamped them shut to stop them from overflowing. Despite that, a sob ripped through my throat and I buried my face further into my pillow as Ino started to gently rub my back.

I sighed as I walked into the break room, dead set on getting a cup of coffee. Pushing open the door, I made a beeline for the coffee machine. I was waiting for it to brew when I noticed the group of nurses huddled around the TV.

'What in the world?'

'Go see what they're looking at!'

Looking at the coffee pot I knew I had a few more minutes before there would be enough to drink so I quietly walked up behind the group and looked at the screen.

To my horror they were watching Access Konoha, and I was on the screen.

Five days ago Itachi Uchiha and Sakura Haruno were spotted outside the nightclub An'ya Buyouka. The screaming match the two got into revealed some very interesting information.

Apparently, Itachi has been cheating on Sakura for the duration of there relationship. As she rushed away from the seen, it was made clear to everyone that Konoha's favorite sweetheart couple was no more.

I gulped and quickly rushed out the door, completely forgetting about my coffee.

'Stupid nosy paparazzi.'

Running down the halls I bolted into my office and slammed the door shut behind me. Slowly, I let my body slide to the ground as the urge to cry came over me. Clenching my hair with both hands, I drew my knees up to my chest and rested my forehead on them.

This sucked. The paparazzi sucked, the pain in my chest sucked, and Itachi just sucked ass.

"Why me?" I whimpered softly.

'I wish I was strong, enough to lift, not one but both of us…'

Lifting my head I looked at my cell phone sitting on my desk, the buzzing sound of it vibrating across my desk echoing in the quiet space.

I rose shakily to my feet before rushing over to pick it up before it stopped ringing.

"Hello?"

"You've gotta take him back."

"Huh?" I asked confusedly. Soon the gears in my mind started to turn as I finally recognized the voice as Sasori's. And if he was saying 'take him back', that could only mean…

"Itachi. Sakura, you've gotta take him back."

My body went numb as a strange mix of anger, despair, and cold indifference washed over me.

"And why would I do that?"

"Because, the guy's a freakin' mess," he bit back.

I heard someone talking in the background, followed by a loud banging.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Two days ago Itachi locked himself in his room with a shit load of sake. He hasn't come out and no one's been able to get in."

Okay, now I was a little concerned. Itachi hadn't been one to drink before, so for him to do something like that-

'FOCUS! He used us, played with us, then threw us away like we were yesterday's paper. He's an ass; remember that!'

'Right!'

"Sasori," I said slowly, "I'm very sorry about the way Itachi is acting and how it must be affecting your ability to have rehearsals but I don't really see how I taking him back would fix it."

"Please, how dense are you?"

"Excuse me?" I shrieked.

"Itachi didn't start acting depressed until after you broke it off with him."

"You make it seem like he cared."

"But he did! Damn it Sakura I've never seen him act like that towards a woman until you came along!"

"Act like what?"

"Like he loved you!"

My breath caught in my throat, my legs gave out, and I felt like a hole had just opened up underneath me and I was falling.

"W-what? No! Itachi never actually had feelings for me-"

"Have you listened to a word I've said?"

"Yes but-"

"Then stop being fucking dense and-"

Just then, there was a loud bang in the background, followed by a dead silence.

"Sasori? What-"

"I'll call you back."

And just like that, the line went dead.

I dropped my phone on the ground, pulled my knees to my chin and let the first quiet sob escape. I was so confused.

Sasori had made it sound like our breakup had affected Itachi, like he had had actually feelings that I had hurt. But if that was the case, then why did he cheat on me?

My head was spinning and I felt like I had to vomit. I could feel my control over my life slowly slipping away and all that I was left with was a jumble of emotions that I had no idea what to do with. My heart ached like a menace and I clutched at it deafly.

'You've gotta take him back.'

The words echoed through my head in a painful tempo. Would he even want me? His position with that girl after the concert sure suggested otherwise. But despite that, I knew that I still loved him. Kami-sama I loved him so much it hurt!

Letting out a strangled cry, I flung myself to the ground and sobbed.

With the Akatsuki

There was a pin drop silence in the room as everyone froze to look at Itachi in the doorway. His hair was unbound and his face unshaved; bloodshot eyes peered tiredly at them as he took a step into the room.

"Itachi…" Deidara started, but his voice died off after the first word.

Moving in long strides, Itachi reached the center of the room and slammed a thick stack of paper down on the surface of the wooden coffee table. Everyone jumped at the loud bang the paper made as it forcefully hit the surface of the tabletop.

"Our new album," he said, his voice strained and gravely from the liquor and lack of use.

The band looked at each other, then Itachi, then at the supposed new album sitting on the table.

Somehow they all knew it was going to get real interesting from here.

Um…..yeah. Does sorry even cut it? Because really I'm SO sorry it took me so long to write this! I've just been really busy with school, a family crisis that just occurred, homework, friends, everything! Well, also, it might have been partially due to the fact that I'm a lazy ass but lets not point fingers here.

Also, I've found myself obsessed with a new anime as of late (look at my favorites list, you'll see). But still, not an excuse! So again, sorry, and I'll try my utmost hardest to upload the next chapter sooner.

On another note, if you've been to my profile lately you will see that I've uploaded two new stories. If you could, would any of you by any chance maybe take a look at them and drop a review? I would love to hear feedback on them! I really think that Hourglass will turn out to be good. Also, I've got (in the making) the beginning of a story that'll just be random one-shots of Sakura with anybody, each one inspired by a song I heard and got stuck in my head.

Again, so sorry for the wait and the shameless advertising above (I just couldn't help myself) and remember-

REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW (please)!

P.S.- If I ever take so long to update again, someone just PM me to get my but back on track cause chances are the delay is just caused by my laziness

Everyone (yes even you silent readers (I get the damn emails saying that you favorite/alerted)) please review!