That sticky jutsu thing? Yeah…I never really thought much about that. (Sometimes, I can't help myself to write stupid things really…haha.)

-oh…just a reminder. English is not my first language okay? So go easy on me…and one more thing: I suck at action scenes…so don't say I didn't warn you.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

-o-o-o-

Chapter Sixteen

(f) "Were going back at last…isn't that what you wanted Sasuke-kun?" Sakura strapped her vest in place as she watched Sasuke put his Anbu mask inside his pack. Holding the sheath of his katana, he strapped it behind him in haste. They were packing their things now.

It was time to go back to their village.

"Hn."

"You're not going to wear your mask?"

Sasuke shook his head. "No need. Our mission is officially over."

"Well…I know that you are going to need it soon, assuming that you already made up your mind about…uhm…going after Hinata-chan."

"Maybe not."

Sakura frowned. "Why?"

"It depends on the Hokage's decision. I may go after Hinata as a rogue nin…if Tsunade disagrees. That would automatically remove me from the Anbu—and that being said, I may not need the mask."

"You did not just say that." The Haruno crossed his arms. "Sasuke…being a rogue nin is one of the worst things a Shinobi can do…You've already done that in the past and it would only make matters worse. I'm going to help persuade Tsunade-sama to let you go if I have to. Just don't say things like that. (f)

Sakura's hand shot to her mouth to block a startled gasp. "Hinata-chan!"

Sasuke was frozen, his eyes on the group just a few meters away from them. They were travelling back and decided to get a shortcut…

And look what they have the chance of meeting on the way.

"Sasuke-kun…" It was Hinata. She was being held by one Akatsuki. Catching her stunned eyes, he was relieved for a second to finally realize that she was alive….that they did not kill her and spoon her eyes out.

She was fine.

Itachi looked at his younger brother coldly. "Sasuke."

Sasuke growled in response, hand grabbing his katana and sharingan eyes activating. "Itachi…"

Hinata felt herself being grabbed by Kisame and he leaped a few steps forward to stand beside the Uchiha. Flexing his neck, the shark-like Akatsuki eyed the pink haired Konohan. "Well…Konohan girls are really cute. Itachi…leave that girl to me. It seems like she's strong enough to give me a little fun."

"Itachi…" Sasuke's tomoe was spinning wildly. "Let the girl go."

Itachi did not respond with words, but grabbed Hinata away from his partner and pulled her to him. The Hyuga yelped when she felt the older brother's arm encircle around her neck, the other holding her hands behind her into a dead lock.

The younger brother gritted his teeth, a little hesitant to make the first move since the Hyuga was so close and one hasty decision might endanger all of their lives here."I said let her go."

Itachi smirked. "I'm sorry little brother…but this girl stays with me."

-o-

Naruto dropped the bowl of instant cup noodles on the floor.

"Aww! Shoot!" The Uzumaki shook his head as the contents of the cup were wasted on the wooden floor of his apartment. He was holding it with firm hands but somehow, the cup slipped. "I wasted my food!" He grimaced and his hands rose with exasperation. "Now I have to clean up and buy another one. If only Iruka-sensei did not confiscate most of my money…I would have been eating at Ichiraku's right now." He mumbled with a frown. A few days ago, his "beloved" sensei came to him and demanded to keep his money for him—stating that he was not eating right anymore because he kept relying on fast foods.

Well…there's a mother.

Padding to where the mop is, the Hokage in training began to clean up the mess on the floor with a remorseful face.

While he was mopping, Naruto's eyes landed on a group picture of Konoha eleven placed on top of his wooden cabinet next to the picture of team seven when they were still chunins. It was taken like five…or six months ago during one of Konoha's festivities. It was a rare sight to see them all together at once—since they are very active nins and mostly taking missions all the time.

There was Choji, chubby hands wrapped around Ino and Shikamaru—who looked so embarrassed at being held like that by his best friend. Kiba and Shino were standing together, the Inuzuka doing a thumbs-up while the Aburame a peace sign. It was funny actually, to see Shino doing a pose like that…Naruto never noticed it until now.

Neji has his arms crossed, while Tenten's arm was slung casually around his shoulder. How could Neji always look so cool, he wonder…Their other teammate, Rock Lee, was on the foremost center, Fist in the air and smiling his signature smile. Naruto then found himself on the picture, standing next to Hinata who was red-faced. She was not looking at the camera, but on the ground. Oh yeah…he remembered, he pulled her with him when everyone shouted for a group picture. Next to the Hyuga were Sasuke and Sakura…

Sakura was looking at Sasuke while the Uchiha was just standing stoic—looking like he has been dragged against his will. His expression was the same when they took the team seven picture.

Sighing, Naruto scratched his head. Currently, most of Konoha eleven were on missions, not to mention that one has been abducted by dangerous missing nins. It seems like it's going to be a long time before they can take a picture like that again.

-o-

Itachi dodged Sasuke's electricity wrapped hands. Leaping back, the younger Uchiha followed him with pure killer intent. He has his eyes activated too, and for a few seconds, he tilted his head to the side just in time to see Kisame gave the pink haired kunoichi a blow on the stomach, knocking her into a tree trunk meters away.

"I'm going to kill you." Sasuke's eyes started to bleed as he continued to throw attacks one after another, straining his kekkei genkai to the limit.

The older man easily prevented one blow after another—never losing a single sweat. "As I said from the last time we met…you're still weak." Itachi caught Sasuke's arm and pulled him in , giving him a swift kick on the gut. It made him winced as the impact sent his insides in a hurl. "You still have years to catch up Sasuke."

Another kick and the younger Uchiha fell back into the ground.

"Sasuke-kun! Sakura-chan!" Hinata tried to prop herself but she can't. It seems like she can't order her legs to move. Before the fight broke out between Akatsuki and Konohans, Itachi dropped her on the soft ground…but not before pressing some nerve points on her neck and spine—making her lower half immobile.

Now, all she can do was watch as her friends get beaten.

"Itachi-san! Please…please stop!"

Heart beating like crazy, Hinata activated her Byakugan and stared at her legs. Itachi must have messed with her nerve points to stop the flow of blood and chakra starting from her midsection. Clenching her hands together, the heiress bit her lips as she tried her best to channel all her remaining chakra into her hands.

It was not easy but Hinata knew she can do it….she knew she can fix her own chakra points.

Sakura gritted her teeth. Standing up, she wiped the blood off her forehead and avoided a sudden sword slash from the shark-looking man. His sword was freaky looking…just like him. "Freak of nature." The Haruno hissed as she stomps one foot on the ground—making the soil crack. "I am going to kill you just like I killed Sasori." Sakura pulled out a kunai, rolled it on one of her fingers, and waited for the Akatsuki to attack first. "And we're going to get back what's ours to begin with."

That made Kisame stop. For a moment, he looked surprised. "Oh…Damn. You're the one who killed Sasori?" Kisame chuckled then shook his head. "Nice…now I can have no restraints putting damage on that pretty face. Oh, and I'm sorry to tell you…your blue haired friend is now our property. You see…she's going to be Sasori's replacement."

Sasuke raised himself up.

Itachi pulled out a kunai from his cloak.

Even with a staggering stance and a bruised face, Sasuke was the one who attacked first. He knew that Itachi was faster than him so if he let his older brother do the first move—he was sure that it was going to do him damage. "Chidori!" He thrust his fist, knowing that it was going to hit a mark.

It did.

Itachi managed to side-stepped but his left arm was caught by Sasuke's chidori. The electric attack tore the sleeve of his black coat, also leaving a large burning gash on his arm. The wound started to bleed, but nothing showed on the missing nin's face.

It was stone cold…

Sasuke tried for another but Itachi avoided his second attack with ease. Grabbing him by the neck, his older brother flung him into a tree with a sickening crack.

Sakura gave the Akatsuki a punch, making him leaped back away from him. She was surprised at how this man can keep up with her fist. Yes, he may be an S-class missing nin but her strength can cleave a tree into two. Flexing her gloved hand, Sakura was about to follow up on her attack when she saw Sasuke land on a tree.

"Sasuke-kun!" Her attention was diverted.

"Never turn your back when your enemy is still standing." Kisame said, at the same time throwing a glistening kunai at the pink-haired medic.

"Ah!" Sakura gasped in pain as the blade embedded itself on her back. Her knees buckled and she dropped on the ground in mid-stride.

(f) "Sasuke-kun!" Sakura pulled the Uchiha's knapsack to stop him. "Please don't go…You can't leave the village like this."

Sasuke smirked. "I need to Sakura."

"What? In order to avenge your clan? Kill your brother?" The Haruno has tears running down her cheeks as the cold night air blew her long pink hair like a thick curtain. It was midnight, and her suspicions were clarified.

Yes…Sasuke-kun wants to leave the village.

"I thought you were over that?"

"You don't understand…and you never will." The Uchiha has his back to her, hands casually inserted in his pockets like he always do. He was calm…but his aura was different. It seems like he was an entirely different Sasuke. "My path is sealed."

"No…I won't let you." She tried to be firm. "We are your family now remember? Naruto…Kakashi-sensei…and me."

"Stop it Sakura."

"I love you Sasuke…you hear me? I won't allow it because I love you."

"No one can stop me."

"If I can't stop you then please take me with you." Sakura's voice turned hysterical, and Sasuke knew that if the girl won't stop, Shinobi guards might hear them and hinder his plans. "Please…I'll go wherever you will go…I—"

With a swift move, Sasuke disappeared from Sakura's tearful vision…only to appear behind her.

"Thank you Sakura." He whispered on her ear before he pressed a nerve point on her neck…making everything go black. (f)

Sakura winced as she pulled the kunai off her back and threw it on the ground. She doesn't care if the man behind her would throw another one. Without looking back, the Haruno ran as fast as she could to Sasuke, only to drop helplessly on the ground again before she could reach him.

"Hn." Itachi looked down on his brother as his sharingan eyes began to spin wildly. The younger Uchiha was breathing heavily and his eyes were bleeding just like some of the wounds on his body. Somehow, Itachi's eyes began to bleed too, staining his cheeks.

(f) "Nii-san." Young Sasuke pulled his older brother's shirt. "Nii-san."

Itachi stopped cleaning his Anbu mask and looked down on his younger brother. The boy was pouting his lips adorably and he can't help himself not to give the child a smile. "What is it?"

Sasuke suddenly threw a small stone at his brother, landing on his forehead with a soft tap.

Itachi Uchiha—the youngest Shinobi to be an Anbu in Konohan history—did not see that one coming.

"That's for breaking your promise." Sasuke's eyes were turning big and red, making Itachi suspect that he was holding back tears. "You promise to train with me yesterday but I can't find you anywhere."

Itachi's surprised expression turned soft. Bending to Sasuke's eye level, he poke the child's forehead with his middle and forefinger. "I'm sorry Sasuke. I have been called to a mission."

"Don't make a promise you can't keep."

"I will…I'm sorry." The Anbu looked fondly at his little brother. "But you know what promise I can always keep Sasuke?"

Sasuke's face was still sulky. "What?"

"I will always love you. That's a promise that can never be broken." (f)

"You're still weak." Itachi commented, long bangs covering his red eyes.

"You're still an asshole." Sasuke tried to get up, disregarding his shaking legs. "I'm taking the girl back."

"No. She's staying with me." Itachi suddenly grabbed Sasuke by the neck and slammed him hard on the tree behind him. Tomoe spinning, he forced his younger brother to look at him in the eyes— intending to put him inside a dojustsu.

"Stop!" Hinata was suddenly in between them, pushing Itachi back and shielding Sasuke with her body. She was able to fix her chakra points with her remaining chakra. And even though it was painful to strain her body too much, she was able to move them away from each other just in time. "Get away from Sasuke!"

"Hinata…" It was the younger Uchiha. "What are you doing? Get away from him!"

Itachi grabbed the girl's arm. Hinata would have been pulled to him easily if only the Sasuke did not grab her other one.

"No."

Itachi smirked and his tomoe began to spin again. "You left me no choice then…"

"Wait!" Hinata knew that in this fight, they can't win. Sasuke was very strong…but Itachi was stronger. It was because he acts without rules and there was no one he needs to put first except for the job that he was assigned.

Unlike his younger brother who still has her and Sakura to look after.

Hinata did one thing she never expected to do on her lifetime. Raising her hands up, she looked at the older Uchiha and showed him her ring. "I am an Akatsuki now…and I'll go with you without complains. Please…j-just let them go."

-o-o-o-

Here ends the chapter.

Shout outs to: Noura Ulquiorra, Anonymous, Dark Princess129, taeko87, Mleggyleaf, ,Misao97, Kibachow, lala1224, H. , Seven Deadly, Iamthetrueauthor, evil-x-love, and to those guest reviewers that I don't know the names…

Please review .

-crazygurl12