It had been a week since Naruto had dragged an unconscious Sasuke through the gates of the Hidden Leaf Village. A week since Itachi Uchiha had been sent over to Iron in order to find the location of the undead shinobi army. And a week since Kakashi had left for Three Wolves Mountains.
It had truly been one long and frustrating week for Naruto and Sasuke whom had been cooped up inside an hospital room with ANBU operatives checking up on them every hour to make sure they hadn't left Konoha. Tsunade had finally given Sasuke permission to leave the hospital that very morning, but not before giving the two boys the news they had been anxiously waiting for. Apparently, Kakashi hadn't been able to find any leads on who had killed the Iron officials that should have met with Naruto, but had still delivered the Merchant treaty like he had been tasked too. Itachi had also sent out one of his crows, bringing news that the culprit had been exterminated, the undead army neutralized, and that he had also found Sakura and would be arriving with her this very evening.
Upon hearing that, Naruto had suggested to his partner that they should both leave for Sakura's apartment and wait for her there. Sasuke had only shrugged at the suggestion, silently following the over excited blond while his own pace was slowed by a pair of crutches. The two young men entered Sakura's apartment; Naruto going on about maybe heading over to Ichiraku's and ordering a 'welcome back' meal for her, only to fall silent once he had passed the front door.
When the two Konoha-nins entered the woman's apartment, they could only stare in shock at the empty foyer that led into a completely bare living room. Naruto sent out shadow clones into the other rooms, swearing louder and louder as they noted that every room was as empty as the last one.
"Eeeeeh?! Oh my Kami! Sakura-chan has been robbed! Teme! What do we do? What to do? What to do?"
Watching his best friend, and his mini army of blond clones, panic in the middle of the empty lobby, Sasuke turned around and staggered towards the front door, feeling a headache coming on. Holding his crutches in one hand in order to open the front door, Sasuke had been ready to leave his still panicking teammate when something caught his attention.
The young Uchiha's face blanched while the Narutos noticed his stilled form and gathered around him, staring speechless at what they saw. Tightly wedged into the wooden oak door was one of Itachi's kunai, holding in place a small rectangular piece of white paper. On it, in Sasuke's older brother's neat handwriting, were four simple words.
Sakura Uchiha is mine.