Chapter 12

Sasuke winced when Sakura was punched halfway across the field. She landed harshly on her side, rolled for a bit before going limp in the dirt. Izumi was upon her in an instant, sword at Sakura's throat.

Naruto bristled and tried to rush forward, but Sasuke was not going near Izumi. He valued is life somewhat, so he yanked Naruto back by their bound together hands. Sakura whimpered, baring her neck, and Sasuke winced.

Surrendering would only piss Izumi off.

Izumi smacked Sakura's head and stood up, yanking her back up by her arm. "I refuse to let you be the weakest link in this group. You're a team, you're supposed to support each other. You don't get so easily kidnapped and bound, and if you get bound, you work on a way to get free. You don't put all the pressure on your team to rescue you unless there is no other choice."

Sakura winced. "I want to get stronger-"

"Then train. Kami, do I need to spell it out for you? Don't wait for us to come to you and tell you to train. You should be running at us, begging for new techniques, plotting ways to get stronger." Izumi's face darkened. "Otherwise someone stronger than you one day is going to come and take away your team. And what will you be able to do? Oh yeah, get knocked out."

Sasuke winced. Naruto threw him a concerned look, inching closer, but Sasuke pulled away, dragging Naruto over to Izumi. Sasuke reached out with his free hand and touched the Uchiha symbol upon her back.

Izumi had told him about her night during the massacre. How Itachi had cut down her mum and knocked Izumi out. How she came to in hospital, stained by her mum's blood. Izumi had clutched him tight the moment she said that and cried.

Sasuke had cried right along with her.

That had been the first anniversary of the Uchiha Massacre, were neither of them had any idea what to do with the other, or anyone else outside of the clan for that matter. Were a creak on the floor would make one of them yell and attack or flee, or the wind blowing against the windows or rain tapping the glass would make them jump. Were they had to leave the lights in the house on in fear Itachi was standing in the dark, dripping with blood. Sasuke had spent many nights that first year in Izumi's nest, or her in his bed, guarded by an ANBU called Hound who would sit outside their house until morning came for almost a year.

Sasuke and Izumi had improved during the years, but it was still difficult most days.

They still needed the lights on in the house after dark.

Izumi eyed him then turned to face him and ruffle his hair. That damned forced smile on her face. That was the thing that pissed Sasuke off the most about her. She was angry, but she didn't want to go after Itachi. Her hatred wasn't strong enough-

Sasuke closed his eyes and inhaled sharply.

No. That's what Itachi wanted. He wanted anger and hatred. He wanted to ruin Sasuke's and Izumi's lives by making them live the way he had.

But he hated Itachi. He wanted to kill him-

That could be on his own terms though. Izumi said he didn't need to be full of hatred to kill Itachi, and that he wasn't alone. Izumi didn't want to kill him though, and if she did, it would drive her crazy. Like it or not, Itachi is her mate.

It was Sasuke's responsibility. He had to do it.

"You're deep in thought, Sasuke," Naruto interrupted him.

Sasuke startled. He must have been lost for quite a bit, because Izumi was tying Sakura up, leaving her dangling from a tree.

"Now, get out of that in five seconds," Izumi ordered.

"That's impossible!" Sakura cried.

"Every second means I'm stealing your money," Izumi drawled, already opening Sakura's purse.

"THAT'S NOT FAIR!"

"So is being kidnapped, but that didn't stop it from happening to you."

Naruto winced. "Well, at least she can't steal anymore of my money..."

Sasuke snorted weakly. "Don't underestimate her. She'll rob your house."

Naruto went pale.

A crumbling noise startled them both, and the weight smothering Sasuke's hand began to crumble away. He gasped, relieved, when finally he could move his fingers properly. He stretched them out carefully, all while Naruto began throwing his hand around, yelling happily.

Idiot. They had been trapped together for three days. He could stand to be a bit more careful.

"Yes! Now we can finally get baths," Naruto cheered. "You wouldn't stop complaining about them, even when I offered to share one with you."

"WHAT?!" Sakura screeched.

"I have had way too many personal experiences with you these past three days," Sasuke complained. "I was not about to have another."

"But c'mon, we're mates!" Naruto whined.

"LIKE HELL, NARUTO! GET AWAY FROM MY SASUKE!" Sakura howled.

Sasuke groaned. Yes, they were mates, but Naruto was far too annoying, and so was Sakura. He turned on his heel and began to walk off. "I'm going to go for a bath, Izumi, and finally a moment's peace."

"Sure, have fun." Izumi waved him off, then sighed at Sakura. "Sakura, I've almost emptied your purse. Hurry up."

"I'LL GET DOWN AND KICK NARUTO'S ASS!"

Naruto yelped. "What did I do?"

.::.

Izumi sighed. She was so happy she wasn't a young teenager anymore, dealing with all those hormones was such a pain in the ass, and half the time she didn't know why she was reacting the way she was.

Although, that could have been due to trauma from what Itachi did too. That would explain so much.

"Sakura," she called out, glancing up at the struggling Alpha pup. "Why are you so obsessed over Sasuke? I thought you would want to find your own mate."

"No mate could be as perfect as Sasuke," Sakura sighed dreamily. "Have you seen him?"

Izumi snorted. "I've known him since he was a baby chucking baby food on the floor and shitting himself. I was apart of their household since I was Itachi's mate."

"Who is Itachi? I feel like I've heard that name before." Naruto asked, nervously eyeing Sakura as he walked up.

"Yeah," Sakura agreed, testing her bindings once again. "Sasuke's mentioned him before. He wants to kill him?"

Izumi debated if she was really in the mood to discuss this, and what kind of reaction would hit her later for thinking upon it. The kids would have questions, and she didn't want to answer them.

But they were Sasuke's team, and if Itachi ever came back...

She swiftly cut Sakura down from the tree and she tried to gather her thoughts. Izumi didn't want to think about him. Itachi had ruined everything. Even more importantly, he tortured Sasuke. He tortured his own baby brother, the one person Itachi loved more than anything in this world. The thought made her sick. She knew how much Itachi loved Sasuke so why-

Why did he kill their family? Why did he kill Izumi's mum? Why did she have to die-

Izumi hardened her resolve. "Itachi Uchiha was Sasuke's brother, and was my mate. He was the murderer behind the Uchiha clan's massacre-"

Naruto went white, just as Sakura did. The pair even flinched.

"Wh-Why would he do such a thing to his own family?" Sakura asked shakily.

"He told Sasuke he wanted to test his own power," Izumi said coldly. "Sadly, it seemed nobody could stand up to him. He murdered the clan and escaped before anyone could stop him."

"N-Nobody saw anything-" Sakura breathed out shakily.

"The Uchiha Clan was sent to live in the outskirts of the village. There was nobody who could have outside of the clan, and well, they were a bit busy dying." Izumi picked her nails.

"He left Sasuke and you alive-" Sakura said desperately.

Izumi glowered. "He did that for his own selfish reasons. Killing me would have driven him insane because we're mates, and he wants Sasuke to drown in his own hatred and come challenge him one day."

Naruto gritted his teeth. "Then we have to get stronger and take this guy down for Sasuke's sake right?"

"Itachi Uchiha is dangerous, and if he ever comes near you, if you ever see another Sharingan outside of Kakashi, Sasuke and I? You run. You run as far as you can. And never look into his eyes."

"What?" Naruto complained. "Then how are we gonna help Sasuke fight him?"

"You don't. You take Sasuke and run," Izumi insisted. "Itachi is too strong, especially for the skill level you possess now."

"But what about you and Kakashi Sensei? Sakura asked.

"In an individual and extended fight? Itachi would win. My chakra reserves are nowhere near Itachi's level, and Kakashi's is even worse off, which is why he's constantly passing out everywhere when he overdoes it."

She and Kakashi were trying to work on that, but it had mixed results. More times than not they had ended up accidentally knocking themselves out during their training sessions to extend their chakra levels.

She had hurled Kakashi back to her apartment multiple times and dumped him on her couch. To the point that Sasuke was used to the sight and barely batted an eye. No, instead the brat would make some cheeky comment about them being idiots and messing around too much with their energy levels. Then there had been times she had woken up when they tried to strengthen up her chakra on Bull. The huge dog snoozing away while she was snuggled against him.

Those were the days she got the best sleep possible. Feeling something breathing against her always eased her.

"He..." Sakura shivered. "He's stronger than both of you?"

Izumi frowned. "We might be able to take him if we fight together, but it's hard to say. Neither of us has seen Itachi in years. He would have gotten stronger. All I know is that he could beat the three of you kids up in a blink of an eye."

Naruto shook his head. "If he goes after Sasuke I'll kick his ass. It doesn't matter if he can beat you, or Kakashi Sensei, or anyone. I won't let him touch my mate!"

Naruto's eyes flashed red, and Izumi felt a cold shiver run down her back. They thankfully returned to blue, but it still didn't ease her.

"For fucks sake." Izumi rolled her eyes. "Just listen for once. You see another Sharingan you run. Otherwise I'll leave you both tied to that tree right now."

Sakura put her hands up, laughing nervously. "I'm listening!"

"Well I'm not. You might be scared, but Sasuke is my mate and together we'll beat Itachi-"

Izumi proceeded to dangling both the little shits from the tree and leave them there. She ignored the screeches and Naruto's yelp as Sakura booted his face.

"Oh yeah," she called back, making the two still. "Don't talk about this to Sasuke. He'll get pissy and then I'll have to deal with it back home." She eyed them warningly. "And if you do talk about it with him, that tree won't be your biggest problem."

Now, she was going to go and deal with her own Itachi crisis, because now he was stuck in her head. Her Omega whimpered softly, trying to sooth her, but Izumi needed several drinks before the shakiness left her bones.

Because right now all she could see and hear was her mum hitting the floor with a loud thud. Blood splattering, and Itachi standing over her mum.

Izumi threw up in the bushes before shakily continuing on her way down the street. She'd try get some food into her stomach before drinking away her terror.

Just enough to take the edge off.