…I (me) do not (never) own (legally hold) Naruto…

Chapter 4: A Delay

"Sakura, why are you so quiet?" Sai glanced over at the medic as team seven headed back through the forest toward Konoha. "Your normal cheerfulness is curiously missing today."

As the newest member of team seven, Sai had the hardest time understanding the quest to bring Sasuke back home. To him, the Uchiha was as much of a traitor and criminal as his older brother, Itachi. But for reasons unknown to him, Sasuke had a permanent place in the hearts of both Naruto and Sakura. He understood that they shared a bond, and he understood the depths of it, but he didn't understand why they would bring Sasuke back when he obviously didn't want to return.

Sakura's quiet anger concerned the former ROOTS member. She was the first person who'd offered him friendship. She was genuine toward him, even if many of her smiles were false. From the moment she'd shown an honest interest in his paintings, he'd realized that she was unlike any shinobi he'd ever met. Sai would never admit it, but he would always appreciate Sakura's steps toward becoming his friend.

And it made him feel concerned when he saw her in her current state.

"I'm fine, Sai," she said, offering him a smile that he knew was forced. "I'm just tired."

"So it has nothing to do with the Akatsuki?"

Sakura smirked. It was hard to get a lie past the dark-haired young man. "Maybe just a little."

"Does he remind you of Sasuke?"

A pang went through the medic's chest. Unfortunately, Sai wasn't far enough along in learning to interact with people to know that there were some things better left unasked. Sakura knew he didn't pose the question to make her uncomfortable. He simply wanted to know, so she replied as honestly as possible. "He reminds me of what Sasuke has become."

"The Uchiha wasn't always the way he is now?"

"Well… yes and no. At one point he did care—I think. Naruto does that to people, you know? He makes them care. But Sasuke's hate was more powerful than Naruto's friendship."

Sai studied her grim expression. "Itachi said you were the one who couldn't keep the Uchiha in Konoha."

As soon as her green eyes met his dark ones, Sai instinctively realized he was touching on a subject that was strictly taboo in Sakura's mind. He swallowed back the other questions he wanted to ask, and turned his gaze back to the tree line ahead of them.

Sakura, however, did not remain quiet as he'd expected. "I tried to get Sasuke to stay the night before Naruto went after him." Her voice went to a whisper. "But what appeal does a teary-eyed, 12 year old girl have?"

Sai nodded absentmindedly. "You do look ugly when you cry."

In spite of herself, Sakura had to laugh.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The sound of laughter snapped Itachi's attention to the form of the medic traveling at the front of their party. She swung playfully at her pale teammate, whatever the reserved young man said earning him a decent bruise.

It bothered the sharingan user that he was inclined to tolerate the pink-haired healer. There was a strange life about her that was usually absent within a ninja. It was hard to ignore such energy.

He was torn between killing her and stealing her away for himself.

Generally speaking, any shinobi, whether male or female, was deemed a threat and then eliminated. It was the code they operated by. But Haruno Sakura and Uzumaki Naruto did not fit into that ninja mold.

Shinobi did not express emotions, and therefore were not on the same level as everyday humans. It was unnerving for him to see—not one but two—shinobi who clearly let emotion play a large part in their actions.

Itachi couldn't have hand picked two better friends for Sasuke if he had tried. He still wondered at the fact that they hadn't been enough to tame the beast that resided inside of the youngest Uchiha.

Sasuke. You're on our way. I can feel you approaching. I wonder, will this end with your death or will I be able to let you live?

Itachi's eyes narrowed, his gaze still fixed on Sakura's back. It would be a shame if he had to kill her to make his point.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Are you sure we have to stop here, Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto studied the old trees. "We could make Konoha by tonight."

"There's a bad storm coming," Kakashi replied. He turned his eyes to the threatening clouds. "Wouldn't do to be traveling in the treetops when it hits."

"Couldn't we at least keep walking?"

The copy-nin sighed. If he had insisted that they keep walking, Naruto would have complained that he wanted to stop. "Naruto, trust me on this. No one will want to walk through what's coming."

And true to his word, a few moments later, the sky opened up and poured down rain the likes of which they'd rarely seen. Driven by gale-force winds, the tiny water droplets felt like sharp stones pelted against unprotected skin.

"Sakura! Sai! Get over here! Use your blankets to keep out the rain!" Kakashi's words were almost drowned out by the howling weather. Naruto and the copy-nin had already made a make-shift shelter from their own bed rolls, and they watched intently as Sai and Sakura struggled to reach them in order to do the same.

The ground quickly turned to mud beneath their feet as the two struggled to get over to their teammates.

Sakura squinted against the rain, avoiding tree braches as they broke and plummeted to the ground. She struggled to place her steps carefully in the treacherous mud. Somewhere within the roar of the rain, she could hear Naruto calling out to her.

A loud crack made Sakura look up into the oncoming rain drops. The curse she uttered was heard only by her own ears.

"Oh shit…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Naruto watched in slow motion as a monstrous branch broke above his pink-haired teammate. The deadly limb dropped down toward her with dizzying speed, and the slick ground prevented her from leaping away in time. Instead, she slipped dangerously, caught herself, and attempted to dodge the oncoming peril.

It was only due to someone hauling her bodily back a few steps that she was spared the imminent crushing blow.

"Relax, kunoichi." Itachi dragged her over to where Kisame sat, hunkered down against the base of a large tree. The Akatsuki sat on either side of the medic, cloaks over top of them to provide a buffer against the rain.

Itachi cast a sideways glance at the shivering young woman, amused that she was struggling to sit so that she would not touch either of the S-class criminals. Itachi did not admire stubbornness. He respected courage and strength of will, but the Konoha medic was just being obstinate. To prove to her that she was being foolish, he shifted closer to her, forcing her against Kisame.

For a moment, he thought she would leap back out into the storm.

"Do you mind not sitting so close, little medic?" Kisame grinned down at her. "I'm really hungry right now."

Sakura glared at him, shaking too violently to respond to his remark. She made no move to get away from him. The shark-man was more welcome to her than the closeness of the Uchiha. She'd rather have Kisame gnaw on her arm than willingly sit any closer to Itachi.

A few yards away, Naruto caught Sakura's gaze. As much as she was trying to hide it, she looked like a cornered animal.

And as much as Naruto tried to hide it, he couldn't help but feel that the sight of Sakura caught between their enemies—out of his reach—was ominously foreboding.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sasuke watched the rain clouds roll over themselves in the distance.

Itachi was heading toward Konoha.

Funny, how things come full circle in the end.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Coming soon: Chapter 5: The Sin of Omission

Author's note:

Thank you to all my reviewers and my faithful! Just a reminder—this is a Sasuke/Sakura… NOT Itachi/Sakura… though I might be developing something one sided. Muwahahaha…sorry, had to get that out.