…I do not own Naruto…

Author's note: WARNING: If you aren't familiar with the recent Naruto manga chapters, some of this won't make sense to you. However, I'll eventually explain things in the next chapter for those of you won't don't keep current with the manga.

Chapter 11: A Thief in the Night

Itachi watched the distant form of his brother plummet to the ground with that of Diedara. While he was amused that another Akatsuki member would dare to engage in battle with Sasuke, it was the form that his brother had taken that concerned him. It was not a natural transformation. It was not something any Uchiha should have been able to do. That it was somehow Orochimaru's fault, Itachi had no doubt.

Though the battle was almost over, the eldest Uchiha could tell that Sasuke was badly injured.

"Looks like little brother wasn't as strong as he thought." Kisame chuckled. "Ole Diedara almost got the better of him."

"Hn. There was a time when Diedara almost got the better of me as well."

"Nah," the shark-like man shook his head. "I don't believe that for a second. Besides, that blonde bastard's had it coming for a long time. You worried about the brat?"

Itachi shook his head. "Death would be a blessing for Sasuke now."

Kisame only had a moment to ponder his partner's words before a familiar chakra signature drew his attention. He smiled. "The copy-nin has found us. You still bound and determined to go ahead with your plan?"

"Yes."

"Alright. I'll deal with our annoying caretaker. You go on without me."

"Kisame," Itachi inclined his head in the direction Kakashi was coming from. "Be careful. Hatake has many tricks. Fight him as if you were fighting me."

"You worry too much, Itachi." He twirled his sword. "Now get outta here."

The eldest Uchiha did not acknowledge the dismissal even as he walked away. It was possible that Kisame would die. It was also possible that he would manage to get the best of the legendary son of Konoha's White Fang. Either way mattered little to him. Akatsuki required its members to work in unison with one another. While Kisame was a tolerable partner, there would always be someone to replace him. There was no place for mourning within his steel heart.

Once out Kisame's visual range, Itachi paused and turned his face into the slight breeze. He could smell the lingering scent of rain on the wind, and the odor reminded him of the fearsome storm he'd had the pleasure of sitting through just hours prior. It also reminded him of the person he now sought intently.

She was right where he wanted her for the moment—in the midst of the enemy. And until he managed to track down her location and carry out the second part of his plan, he would let her work her unique magic on those that had become her new companions.

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Karin's eyes widened as Sakura lightly squeezed her trapped fist. She'd known that the Konoha medic was strong—after all, she'd studied her chakra inside and out within the confines of Sasuke's memories. She just didn't think that the pink-haired young woman would be as fast as she was. Sasuke's memories had limited what she could learn about his ex-teammate. At the time he left Konoha, the girl was still a long way from reaching her potential. Now, as Karin felt the bones in her hand shift closer together, she knew that she'd made an error in judgment. However, she still had an edge.

Pulling a line of cord out of her pocket, she sent a flux of chakra into it. "If you don't release me, I'll have Suigetsu help me tie you up again. I know your chakra signature and I can replicate it exactly. Your freakish strength won't be able to help you then." She forced a smile through her pain. "It wouldn't be so fun around here if you were helpless, don't you agree?"

Sakura's green eyes narrowed dangerously, but before she could respond to the threat, Juugo placed one of his massive hands on top of hers and Karin's. "Please," he said. "Do not let me be the cause of this. I am the cause of too much pain already. Besides," his eyes looked out in the direction Sasuke had gone, "something has happened."

Karin's head instantly snapped up, and she whispered, "Sasuke-kun!" She didn't even seem to notice as Sakura released her bruised hand. "N-no! His chakra…it's so weak…"

Juugo stood. "Suigetsu, Karin and I will go see what has happened. You remain here with Sakura." His eyes regarded the smug swordsman warily. "Karin will have a tab on your chakra, and I won't be far away."

"You don't need to waste your breath trying to intimidate me, Juugo. I think we both know who'd win that battle."

The look the large man fixed his watery partner with served to fortify his next words. "Yes, I think we do."

"I'm going with you." Sakura stood and brushed herself off.

"Out of the question!" Karin pushed her glasses up. "You're not a member of this team. You're a prisoner. Remember your place."

Sakura's voice was barely above a whisper. "If your precious Sasuke is injured, it would be wise to take the medic to him and not bring him to the medic."

"Karin is right, Sakura." Juugo said. "Sasuke would not be pleased to see you with us."

The truth of his words did not hurt her as she expected them to. She had spent too many years under the thrall of Uchiha Sasuke. Her heart was no longer his to tread on as he always managed to do. She fought for him now to keep a promise to herself.

She would not let her friends die.

However, a strange nauseous feeling assailed her as she watched the two Hebi members disappear into the tree line. It quickly nestled deep within her core, preventing her from willingly turning around and facing he who had become her only company.

"It'll be dark soon," she said quietly to herself. I doubt they'll make it back before dark.

"I'd find yourself somewhere comfortable to sit." Suigetsu interrupted her thoughts. "Wouldn't want you to fall out of a tree when it gets dark."

"Your concern for my welfare is touching," she replied, doing nothing to hide her sarcasm. "I would be more impressed if it were based on my best interests and not yours."

He grinned. "You'll soon learn those two things are one and the same."

She shot him a look, but he kept his distance.

"They won't be long." Suigetsu crossed his arms. "You don't have to worry too much."

True to his words, only a few hours had passed before three forms broke through the camp boundary. Karin and Juugo held the limp form of Sasuke between them.

Suigetsu jumped up as they approached. "What the hell happened?"

"Not sure." Karin took a deep breath. "There was some sort of massive explosion. We found him a few meters from where whatever it was detonated. Medic! Get your worthless ass over here!"

Sakura was already on the move when Karin summoned her. She glanced at the disheveled young woman. "I'm doing this for Sasuke, not for you," she said.

"Whatever, just help him."

"I need some light." Sakura gently placed her hands on the Uchiha's chest. He was still breathing. "Everyone keep quiet!"

Sasuke's eyes opened slightly as the pink-haired medic sent gentle waves of healing chakra into his battered form. He searched her face briefly, never managing to catch her eyes, and then closed his lids again.

To Sakura's surprise, the first thing she encountered in her patient was an enormous amount of inert clay figures. There were thousands of them, flowing within the bloodstream. Did this have something to do with his battle? But, since they posed no immediate threat, she left them and continued on to the major injuries present.

A good majority of Sasuke's body was covered in serious burns, and a strange wound was present over one of his shoulder blades. Various internal organs were damaged and bleeding. As Sakura assessed the damage, beads of sweat popped out along her brow.

The hours passed, and the night stretched into its darkest hours. Karin lay, sleeping, against the tree limb she'd slumped against. Juugo, too, had let sleep claim him. Suigetsu was still awake, albeit barely, and he attempted to keep watch over his leader and the fatigued medic.

Sakura knew instantly when Sasuke passed over the line that separated critical from severe. It would have been enough to stop healing then. Sasuke would live, but she would not stop now. Something within her drove her to continue, even as her vision began to swim.

Sasuke's eyes snapped open and were greeted with darkness. A heavy weight lay across him, and he could smell the scent of pine trees.

Sharingan activated, his breath caught in his throat as he saw Sakura's head resting gently on his healed abdomen. He scowled, and that expression deepened as he saw the other members of team Hebi slumbering in their respective positions. He shifted slightly, the movement disturbing a small pile next to him.

Clay? His eyes strayed back to the pink head that rose and fell with his breathing. Did she…did she remove those clay bombs? How is that even possible?

After a few moments, the pain of his remaining injuries, as well as the awkwardness of his position caught up to him. "Sakura," he said quietly. "Sakura, wake up."

"Sasuke-kun!" Karin's squeal made his jaw clench. "Thank goodness you're alright! I was so worried." She wrapped her arms around him.

Sasuke's gaze remained on Sakura, who had not moved of her own accord. "Sakura. She's exhausted her chakra supply."

Karin shrugged, pushing the unconscious medic off of his chest. "She'll recover. It's not like your wounds weren't something we couldn't have handled on our own. She just took it upon herself…"

Juugo picked up Sakura and set her against the joint of the tree limb. "Karin, enough. Without her, Sasuke would have died."

"Juugo, wake up Suigetsu and leave Karin and I for a moment."

The large man bowed, not questioning Sasuke's request. Karin's eyes lit up and she squeezed the Uchiha tighter. "Sasuke-kun! I knew you'd come to your senses eventually! We don't need those other two. It can be just us!"

Sasuke disengaged her arms. "Shut up, Karin. I have an order for you."

"Whatever you want, Sasuke-kun, just name it!"

"Fix whatever it was that you screwed up inside my mind, and remove yourself from my memories. I am tired of my thoughts being skewed by your influence."

The smile on Karin's face vanished as the color drained out of her features. "I-I don't know what you mean. I haven't done anything."

Sasuke stood and walked over to where Sakura lay. He stared down at her, barely listening as Karin stammered out excuses.

"I don't doubt that your abilities work on most people. But you were foolish to try to meddle in the mind of an Uchiha. What you tried to completely change, you managed to only partially cover-over. Your thieving footprints are throughout my mind, and I have had enough of it."

Tears slid from Karin's eyes as she looked away from the image of Sasuke standing over Sakura.

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Itachi sat in darkness. He'd watched the meager lights of the Hebi camp flicker and die out as the hours passed during Sasuke's healing.

Morning was approaching and soon he would make his move. After all, it was always darkest before the dawn.

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Coming soon: Chapter 12: Love is a Battlefield