The team of seven jumped swiftly and accurately throughout the forest, led by their leader in uniform.
The female captain wore a kitten mask, the lines of the disguise were precariously placed with gentle strokes of a paint brush. The black lines stood out strongly from the white porcelain background, as would the pink hair that would occasionally blow across the mask, but not today.
Today her hair was pinned up behind her head and covered with a black hood to hide her identity. Today they were returning from a successful mission and were in danger of being ambushed, if not by rogue ninjas then by fans of the legendary anbu captain from Leaf, and they couldn’t risk that. They needed to get home to report of their findings.
The captain stopped, balancing effortlessly on a twig that was sticking out from a tree and raised her hand as everyone behind her found a solid branch to perch upon.
“We’re not alone.” the captain whispered into the hidden mike. Her comrades stiffened and raised their hands to their sides. “No, they cause no harm,” she spoke roughly, thought evident in her voice, ‘Their chakras are familiar’ she thought silently as recognition came to her, “Sasuke and Naruto.” she whispered, just loud enough for the rest to hear, the group shuddered and stood still, not knowing their plan of action…”Move Out Now!” She commanded, and in a flash all seven of them jumped down from the tree and down in front of Naruto and Sasuke.
The two stopped before them and began forming hand signs before the captain raised her hand and then pointed to the  top of her mask. Outlining the sign with her finger, that defined that she was a Leaf nin. The two lowered their hands as her comrade with the mask of a crow rushed forward and hugged Naruto tightly…Hinata.
“I-I missed y-you.” She spoke quietly with a stutter. Naruto smiled and hugged her back.
“Hinata! I missed you too. Wow! You are an anbu now…I bet you’re the captain too!” He exclaimed.
Hinata inched off her mask and blushed lightly.
“N-no.” The mask rested on the side of her head as she looked over to the hooded kunoichi. “m-may I-I.” She whispered into her own hidden mike, so no other could hear her.
The girl made a curt nod.
Hinata smiled freely and grabbed Naruto’s hand, pointing at each of the other anbu’s with her free hand.
She pointed at each mask and said each of their names, “Kiba, Ino, Neji, Shikamaru, and Kakashi.” She smiled lightly.
“Wow! You all made it to be-”
“Who’s the cat, your leader.” Sasuke interrupted, speaking for the first time.
He looked her up and down, committing her mask and figure to memory. He scanned her sleeveless sweatshirt, and how the hood covered her face from light, hiding it in the shadows. The jacket was unzipped, and he memorized the black mesh dress, and how only a white sports bra and a pair of shorts that were bandaged to her body was laid underneath. He looked at the way she used the bandages to hold three kunai and examined her white sandals. His eyes never left the bottomless shadow that was her face, and still the minutes ticked by as he watched her, no answer came.
“So…who is your leader Hinata? Who has surpassed you Kakashi? Who is in charge of you Neji? And who is smarter then you Shikamaru?” His voice seethed as he listed off every talent she must possess to be their leader.
In a blink of an eye the girls hand was clutching Sasuke’s neck and his back was against a tree. “If you cant back up the word with your balls I suggest you shut it.” The girl lifted her hand from his neck and back a step she took.
Slowly she placed gloves over her hands and cocked her head to the side, gesturing to the gate, “Remember we are on the mission until we enter those gates, lets go!”
Hinata placed her mask over her face again and jumped from tree to tree with the rest of the group, with Sasuke and Naruto following.
Silently Kakashi fell behind until he was jumping beside his former students.
“Sorry about that.” He said scratching his head. “She is touchy about us, her teammates, and that’s what makes her a great captain.”
Sasuke looked over to the man, “Was I right, is she all those things, has she surpassed you?”
“Yes. Even with my Sharingan, but I guess she had an advantage. She trained against the Sharingan after all.”
“What! But Kakashi-Sensei I though we were your first students who didn’t fail.” Naruto whined.
“You are. As is she.”
“But that means-”
“Yes. Sakura…she is our captain. She gotten a lot stronger since you left. NO one was there to protect her so she learned how to do it herself. She been through a lot Sasuke.”
“Hn.”
“Don’t underestimate her now. If she wanted she could beat most of the Akatsuki, and that may include Itatchi.”
Sasuke jumped silently from branch to branch his eyes widened.
“Hnnn…”

________________________________________ ___________________________

Sakura appeared in a blur before Tsunade. And she looked back and nodded at her team, “You guys can go now. Ill take care of the findings.” Her team began to bicker quietly as they all removed they’re masks and disappeared in a puff of smoke except for He old team-mates, who stayed behind in the darkened corner.
Tsunade stood up grinning at Sakura, “You can take the mask off now…I know who you are.”
Sakura smiled gently under her mask and reached for its edge. Sakura pulled back her black hood and yanked off her mask in one brief moment.
Her long pink hair fell back as she pulled her hair from the ribbon she previously had it in. The pink locks bounced down her back and landed at her hips. The curves that outlined her body were perfectly seen as she took of the sweat coat and threw it to the floor.
Silently she turned around to face the two chuunins.
They looked over the soft ivory skin on her face and stared into her sparkling emerald eyes filled with ambition and strength, and silently outlined the long scratch that ran down the side of her face lightly bleeding.
She closed her emerald eyes and the two watched as a soft green glow outlined the scratch as it began to patch the cut together. Again she opened her eyes.
She looked the two up and down and turned around to meet Tsunade. “The mission was a success. The information suspected is a negative. A ploy, rumor whatever you want to call it, the real information unknown, but cryptic. WE must figure it out soon.”
They four watched as the hokage’s eyes hardened as she stalked to her desk. She pulled out a brown bottle from a drawer in her desk and took a long swig.
She slammed the bottle back on the desk and sighed, “Fine, mission tomorrow,” She pulled out a scroll and a quick pen, “Leader, Haruno Sakura, Second in command Hyuuga Neji, Team, Kiba Shikamaru Hinata…Sasuke and Naruto.” She peered up and met Kakashi’s eyes, “You can take a break.” Silently she went back down to the scroll, “ Mission rank, S, Time limit one month unless more if needed. Mission: to gain information on enemy plans of attack.” Silently she threw the scroll powerfully to Sakura after signing it.
Sakura slipped the scroll under her waist band and sighed.
“Your second mission is to assess Sasuke and Naruto. You leave tomorrow morning at Six Am sharp, Sasuke Naruto Kakashi, you’re dismissed.”
They hesitated, breathing deeply and looking between the two. Silently they left in a puff of smoke.
Sakura stared at Tsunade again, her eyes never leaving her  shishou‘s.
“You-”
Tsunade quickly cut her off as screamed into the air with exploding giggles as she pulled out a glass of alcohol, “A drink?”
Sakura sighed, a small smile playing on her lips, “I knew you were to sober.” She spoke smugly as she downed a small glass. “I have to go.”
Sakura bowed slightly to her shishou and disappeared in a swirl of cherry blossoms and leaves.
Tsunade smiled lightly to herself, “She is growing up way to sane for my liking.”
--
--
Sakura crawled into her bead, soft and clad in forest green sheets and a dark red comforter. She stared silently at the ceiling as she listened carefully to each drop of rain that splattered against her roof and rushed down her windows, thinking of her mission tomorrow. She thought until long forgotten flashback came to her in dreams, right after black clouded her mind.
Hail bounced off of the hardened concrete, striking everything in sight. Denting windows and breaking ground. A teenage boy walked coolly throughout the  long streets of Konoha. Off to the side a tiny bush shivered as a flash of pink rushed through the trees and into an open field, and the young boy, curious, followed the trail.
HE arrived cleanly in a clearing where a young girl laid there, her arms each twisted and bent, strewn in awkward angles by her side.
He stalked over to the girl and hovered over her body silently nudging her side with his foot.
One eye cracked open and a tiny moan escaped her cracked lips.
Briskly he crouched down and examined her. Little wounds covered every inch of her skin, pellets of ice embedded into them. Her one opened eye was a dull green eye, shimmering with youth. Pink hair was matted to her head with sweat and rain and grime and dirt covered her clothing.
Her skin was a sickly pail and her lips were cracked with dried blood running out of her mouth.
Swiftly he brought his hand to her cheek and was surprised at the freezing temperature.
“What is your name?” He asked getting ready to pick the girl up, scooping her up and holding her tightly to his toned chest.
“Har-” She interrupted herself with a shuddering cough and closed her eyes as she painfully spoke again, “Har-haruno Sakura.”
The boy with ebony long hair began to race through the trees, “Who did this to you?”
The girl known as Sakura cringed her eyes closed and pressed her lips together firmly.
“I wont repeat myself.”
Sakura opened one eye and stared into the boys red eyes, again she closed them only this time in fright, “Don’t hurt me.” She whispered. Her throat terribly sore.
She tried to push him away until heat hit her hard, and the pounding of hail on the stopped.
“Why would I hurt you?”
“”Y-your eyes, the… the scary man who hit me has those same eyes.” She shivered again as she was set down on a small bed. Again she peered through one eye, and examined the boy.
He was a few years older than she, and held those scary eyes. His hair was clean but wet and he held an ambu mask on the side of his head. His fist was next to her frail body, clenched and shaking furiously.
“Wh-who are you?”
The boy looked up through his bangs and a small smirk played at his lips, “Uchiha Itatchi.”


________________________________________ ______________________

”Y-your eyes, the …the scary man who hit me has those same eyes.” She shivered again as she was set down on a small bed. Again she peered through one eye, and examined the boy.
He was a few years older than she, and held those scary eyes. His hair was clean but wet and he held an ambu mask on the side of his head. His fist was next to her frail body, clenched and shaking furiously.
“Wh-who are you?”
The boy looked up through his bangs and a small smirk played at his lips, “Uchiha Itatchi.”

ONTO THE NEXT CHAPPIE !

…Sakura tossed and  turned in he bed as the dream continued, the flashback of long ago.
Little Sakura looked at Itatchi silently, gasping at a sudden urge of pain that ripped through her body. Itatchi looked around the room hastily and grabbed her hand. Her breathing slowed down again and a serene look entered her facial expression once more.
“What did happen to you?” Sakura looked up at the teenager and let the tears slide down her bloodied face and sting at her cuts.
“I-I was w-walking,” Sakura took a deep breath and regained her composure…well as composed as a six year old can get,” A-and this man with y-your scary eyes, he w-walked f-funny and started to t-touch me.” She gasped and swallowed some of her loose tears as she continues to talk, “I-I punched him and he p-punched back…” She cried silently as she pulled her legs against her body in a fetal position.
“What did he look like?”
Sakura took the back of her wrist and wiped away her tears, “L-like you only meaner and older…”
Itatchi’s eyes hardened as an audible ‘father’ was whispered under his breath. Itatchi spoke quietly to the shivering girl, “Stay here, they’ll heal you, you’ll never be hurt by an Uchiha again, I promise you that.” In a blur the boy disappeared in a puff of smoke, and the next thing heard in the hospital was news of the Uchiha Massacre…

Sakura rolled out of bed with a loud thump. She grasped her head with her hand as she rolled onto her feet, and wobbled out of dizziness. Stumbling to the shower she turned on the water, icy cold. Fumbling she stepped in and scrubbed her skin raw with soap, and washed her hair clean.
Once she was finished she stepped out and wrapped herself with a washed out pink towel and walked to her closet.
Her fingers trailed the few clothes she had and landed on a particular outfit. She slipped it on.
A leather skirt that came down to mid-thigh wear in the hem she hid a metal wire used for strangling or escapes. She bandaged her left leg and used it to store five kunais and ten shuriken. She slipped on a pair of black boots, concealing to daggers drenched with fatal poison of her own creation, that only she knew how to reverse and slipped on her always present white bra underneath a mesh shirt, hiding numerous more weapons.
She silently pinned her hair up using several senbon needles and strapped her katanna to her back, leaving her stunning and deadly.
As she walked out the front door she gathered her bag containing food and a blanket, and then she sped off to the gate waiting for the rest of the team to arrive.

The next one who came was Neji, they talked nonchalantly about the mission and separate tactics they could use until the sound of arguing sounded off through the air, catching both their attentions.
Out of the shadows Naruto and Sasuke were arguing, calling each other names and such, and Kiba and Hinata trailed them, silently laughing at the idiocy of it all.
Sakura sighed and pulled on her mask.
“Sasuke Naruto, front and center!” They both cocked their head and strolled over to wear she pointed in front of herself. “Sasuke, we will be fighting Akatsuki, whether or not its your brother , you do NOT attack him unless I order so or you’ll be taken as an enemy and killed beside them. Naruto, when the time comes I’m trusting you to keep him in line, that’s all, lets go!”
Sakura turned on her heel and began jumping through the forests silently. Out of the two without anbu masks the blonde caught up to Sakura, looking at her and thinking about talking to her… She really has changed, stronger, prettier, smarter…
“What do you want Naruto?” The cerulean eyes boy shook his head violently and pink spread through his face.
“Sakura…what happened?”
“Nothing out of the usual….I changed. I trained with Tsunade and have surpassed her. I couldn’t spend my whole life being protected, I wanted to be the one who protected others…not the other way around. This is a cruel world. Kill or be killed.” Sakura replied nonchalantly, sighing to herself.
Naruto looked down at his feet, already beginning to sore.
“What exactly happ-”
Sakura stopped and Naruto ran into her, getting a mouthful of hair. Spontaneously he spat it out and stood upright, as everyone caught up and stopped beside her.
“We’re not alone.” She stated.
Hinata pulled out her katana, as Kiba lifted his head to face his captain, “Who is it?”
“Powerful chakra, three of them, probably Akatsuki. My guess would be the almighty duo we all know and love plus one.” Sakura  spoke, adding a bit of sarcasm into the comment.
Sakura shot a glare at Sasuke, “Remember what I said.”  Then she closed her eyes and pulled out a kunai. She jumped down from the tree and onto the soft dirt below, and without hesitation she threw it, too fast for the untrained eye to see.
A ruffle of the bushes, and everyone stiffened. The soft sound of voices, and everyone pulled out their favored weapons, and the clash of three sets of foot steps and they all prepared to fight, until Sakura raised her hand. Letting them all know not to attack. “They know we’re here, this is foreign territory to us, they have the advantage of three different lands secrets.” She spoke calmly, as the three stepped out of the bushes, revealing Tobi, Kisame, and of coarse Itatchi Uchiha.
Sasuke stiffened before he began to run. But as he forced the first step, he realized his shoes were pinned precariously to the ground. He glared at Sakura’s mask.
“Hinata, Naruto! Stay on him!” Sakura threw her head over her shoulder to call the demand. She put on a sickly sweet smile underneath her mask, “Akatsuki.” She hissed. “Neji, take fish face! Kiba the shorter one!, I’ve got Mister Massacre.” The two attacked as they began to fight. And Itatchi stared at Sakura as chills ran down her back, remembering the dreams she’s be having, the long forgotten memories.
“Scared?” He inquired.
“No.”
“You’re not lying.” He stated.
“I’m a horrible liar.” She quirked back.
He smirked as his eyes swirled. “You’re holding back my brother.”  He smirked again.
“Its what you wanted, to fight him, but I tend to be jealous I want to fight him first.”
“If he has reached full potential, your no match.”
“You have NO idea.” She punched the ground. Dirt rolling, a deep crevice began to form. A crater. Everyone jumped back as she got a kunai out and stabbed the clone behind her.
Sasuke managed to weasel out of his shoes and he began charging for his brother. Then Sakura appeared behind him and knocked him out with one swipe to the neck. She poofed and began to entertain Itachi again.
Sakura ran to fast for the eye to see forming a spiky ball of pink chakra in her hand. Static sparked from the bright unnamed ball. She charged, flinging the ball forward. It hit a tree behind Itachi.
A clash of metal against metal sounded through the air as katana and parceling met. Itachi grinned wryly at Sakura’s katana in his hand and a mask fell to the ground.
Itachi’s eyes widened at the sight of emerald green eyes, pink hair and pale skin. He remembered her.
Sakura pulled out the senbon needles  out as a choking sound rang through the field. A whimpering from Akamaru sounded and Sakura gripped her needles. She flung them before her. Each missing its target accept for two. One found itself wedged in Itachi’s shoulder and the other was lodged inside Tobi’s head. His body slacked and dropped to the floor as Akamaru was set free.
Itachi looked aggravated. It was HER. Anger rose in his calm throat at the sight of his dead teammate. Not that he actually cared, it just ticked him off that she killed him, without a glance at that. He found her gaze back on him and returned the glare. Power radiated off of her.
His Mangeko (sp?) Sharingan activated. A wry smile placed on her lips as he tried to ease his way in her mind, but found he couldn’t.
SHANNARO!!! NO way he’s getting in here!
Oh just shut it!
Why should I
Fighting…
OH…okay…
She smirked as she charged him but as the body she punched turned to smoke…everything went black.  


________________________________________ ______________________


His Mangeko (sp?) Sharingan activated. A wry smile placed on her lips as he tried to ease his way in her mind, but found he couldn’t.
SHANNARO!!! NO way he’s getting in here!
Oh just shut it!
Why should I
Fighting…
OH…okay…
She smirked as she charged him but as the body she punched turned to smoke…everything went black.
Onto the next chappie…..

Sakura’s eyes blinked open, the sound of chirping birds singing lazily in the background. She looked around herself, observing a medium dark grey room. Two windows were seen behind the bed, both covered in steel bars. A desk and small dresser in the corner and a wooden door. Akatsuki.
Quickly she jumped up and made her way to the door. She reached out for the knob, but her hand stopped, hovering over the door’s handle.
“Genjutsu.” She whispered to herself.
Quickly her mind started evaluating the type. It wasn’t a seal or a lock. She accessed the chakra type, and the amount used, and her answer came to her. She tore a piece of the fabric from her shirt and held it out to the door. Instantly the fabric was shocked, turning into a charred color. She smirked. Illusion and Defense.
She walked over to the middle of the room and found a hidden door, covered in a cloaking jutsu, and dispelled the genjutsu that had invisible sparks flying off the exit. She grinned excitedly as she opened the door. No one was there.
She faced empty hallways with more doors, identical to her own. She growled, insulted that they thought their little defense would actually work.
Silently she walked down the hall, not one footstep heard. She looked behind her to see if anyone was coming to find nothing, nada, but her body rammed into something hard.
She looked up into red swirling eyes as hard strong arms encaged her. She struggled kicking as the arms of Itachi picked her up effortlessly and brought her back to her room. She back to form seals but a hand broke her concentration.
“Don’t bother, you have no chakra.”
“I don’t need chakra for this…” She sneered as she reached to her leg bandages for kunai. None was there. She cursed.
“You don’t really think I’d let you near a weapon.” He whispered, his breath hot on her neck. She pushed him away and stared blankly at him,
“Uchiha.” She reached down her shirt for a few shuriken that would be kept, her hand met nothing but bare skin.
He smirked as she avoided his gaze, an audible ‘pervert’ barely heard.
Sakura clenched her eyes closed and formed a fist, beginning to punch the ground.
Itachi quickly grabbed her wrist before it reached the hardwood floor and yanked her closer to him. He grabbed her other hand and spun her around, slamming her back against the wall behind himself.
IN on fluid motion he pinned her wrists above her head and pressed himself against her, and gently touching her stomach with the other.
He smirked lightly at Sakura’s shocked appearance, her eyes half lidded and her pink lips remained parted from the quiet gasp that escaped her. His fingers played with the netting of her shirt and she blushed, turning her head to the side, wishing silently that she had worn more instead of a  bra and some netting.
She moved rubbing her body against his, creating a warm friction. A crimson red spread up his neck and face and she smirked seeing his blush.
“So you’re a man after all…” she whispered.
His eyes hardened and the blush retreated. He swiftly let go of her wrists and took a step back. “We have a proposition for you.”
“Not interested.” She sneered.
He chuckled melodramatically, “You don’t even know what it is.”
“Still not interested.” She walked over the bed and sat on it, crossing her legs over each other. “If it has anything to do with you it cant be good. Besides knowing Akatsuki, the door thing was probably a test, and knowing that you have to report to your precious leader and how you couldn’t get to me using Mangeko Sharingan, you probably want me to join. Not Interested.”
“Smart and cunning.” HE remarked. He began to walk to the door, “You will join us.”
“Why Thanks…but no thanks” She added sardonically as she watched his clothed back exit through the door.
She looked around the room nervously, “Aren’t you coming?” She looked up and at the distanced Uchiha.
“Wh-what?”
“Come.”
Her feet stumbled as she walked behind him.
They existed the room and shuffled down hallways and corridors, each lined with simple doors, each with a name plate until they came to the last one with no plate.
Itachi knocked on the door and the entered easily, opening the door for Sakura to go in first.
The room was dark and held the soft scent of dust. A silent screech of a chair echoed throughout the eerie room and Sakura turned her jade eyes on a darkened corner.
“Welcome to the Akatsuki.” A rough and husky voice boomed through the air with the breath of tobacco smoke, and peppermint.
Sakura looked throughout the endless black of the corner where the voice was located. “What a bittersweet welcoming committee, Leader…” She said calmly, tracing her finger over the walls that surrounded her.
“I’m guessing you know the deal I am proposing, after all it only seems fair, you did kill one of our members after all, it only makes sense for you to replace him.”
“Why should I be fair to those who lie, cheat, steal, and kill… all those deeds you had it coming, after all bad karma.”
A small chuckle echoed, “Witty.” Another screech of a chair and pounding footsteps.
Sakura kept her cool façade, though her adrenaline was pounding and her hands sweating. A big hand clasped her soft and delicate neck, “Obviously you don’t understand the gravity of the situation.”


Hope ye enjoyed, sorry it took a while…so many stories at once it BURNS!!!!!!!!! Review please I love you and Ill update as soon as I get….. Hmmm ten reviews! that’s not that much ^^ *wink* *hug* *hands cookie*

And a must know…..

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE TYPE OF COOKIE! ?????


Sincerely with all of the hugs in hugland  _tia!
________________________________________ _________________________---

“Why should I be fair to those who lie, cheat, steal, and kill… all those deeds you had it coming, after all bad karma.”
A small chuckle echoed, “Witty.” Another screech of a chair and pounding footsteps.
Sakura kept her cool façade, though her adrenaline was pounding and her hands sweating. A big hand clasped her soft and delicate neck, “Obviously you don’t understand the gravity of the situation.”

ONTO THE NEXT CHAPTER:

Sakura’s breath hitched in her throat as she took her own hand to his and peeled it off her neck.
“Then show it to me.” She whispered. Her throat burned from the air that scorched her lungs.
Immediately Leaders hand shot out and grasped Sakura’s hair, “This is the gravity of the situation.” He spoke dangerously while the little chakra she had to her teeth and bit down on his arm. She spun around, ignoring the long shallow cut across her neck as she did so and kicked out her legs, causing the vile man to fall to his knees. She began to snatch the kunai from the man but he elbowed her in the mouth and grabbed her throat once more.
He pushed the kunai to her stomach until it bled slightly.
“Never do that again.” He threw her to Itachi who caught her easily as she struggled, “You’re a prisoner until you join, and at the end of every week you deny becoming one of us, someone you know and love will die. Oh yes, and Sakura, enjoy your stay”
Sakura gritted her teeth as Itachi tossed her over his shoulder. Each rough step that he took shook her. Another bruise for every minute that I’m with you…
Carelessly she was tossed off of his shoulder as a kunai was pushed to her pressure point, his arm wrapping around her neck to reach the area.
She quickly focused onto her bed. She sighed as she hit her pillows and finally the black engulfed her.
“DO you remember me?” Itachi whispered silently, but he never realized what she had replied in her sleep, “Yes I do, Itachi-kun.”

Sakura limped through the trees, trying to find him.
“Itachi…Itachi…” She panted, her breath hard from pushing herself beyond her limits.
She fell onto her knees so close to the gate, “Itachi…” She whispered as she fell face first into the mud.
She cried tearlessly as it seemed, for the falling rain mixed with her tears, and drowned out her voice. “Itachi.” She squirmed in the mud, uncomfortable, the water and dirt seeping through her clothing and the grime and dust tangling her hair.
She pounded  her fist against a sharp rock and whimpered as blood ran free, “Itachi…”
“You really should be back at the hospital.”
Sakura turned around quickly to see him behind her, “Itachi!” She jumped and grabbed onto his leg and whimpered as he took her injured hand.
“Don’t leave…please.”
The boy bent down, face to face to the rosette haired girl. “I have to, but don’t worry that man wont ever hurt you.”
“I don’t care, don’t leave.” She cried.
“Why aren’t you in the hospital.”
“I-I ran away…”
“Why?”
“To find you..” Sakura whimpered.
Itachi smiled lightly in a shocked way, touched for the first time by this girls innocence.
“You really should go back and have your hand fixed.”
Sakura shook her head, “Don’t leave…”
“I must.”
“Why?”
“ I cant say.”
Sakura’s grip tightened around the boys leg.
“Can-can I come with you?”
“No…”
She cried harder until her chin was picked up, she opened her eyes and looked into the boys onyx eyes.
“Your eyes are beautiful.” She whispered, not audible with the rain pounding on the ground.
“Listen closely, Cherry Blossom, I promise I will never forget you.”
And with that black engulfed her, and thirty-six hours later she woke up in a warm white room with bandages wrapped her hand and a single pink rose on the table beside her and a torn piece of paper reading, ‘never forget…’

________________________________________ ________________________________________
LAST CHAPTER::
“Listen closely, Cherry Blossom, I promise I will never forget you.”
And with that black engulfed her, and thirty-six hours later she woke up in a warm white room with bandages wrapped her hand and a single pink rose on the table beside her and a torn piece of paper reading, ‘never forget…’
ONTO THE NEXT… ABOVE AND BEYOND! : : :

Sweat crowned Sakura’s forehead as she gasped, throwing herself up, out of her bed. I remember him…but does he remember me? She grabbed her head and rose from her bed stepping awkwardly around her bed with her strange foot placement. Her head hurt. She was confused, the Itachi that just dumped her on her bed, was that the same Itachi that sweetly promised he would never forget her?
She walked over to the window and peered into her own reflection. Her eyes were tired and her lips crusted over in blood. A small and long cut graced itself around Sakura’s neck, almost necklace like. She sighed. Silently she closed her eyes and let small even amounts of chakra run up to her injuries, emanating a light green glow.
The cuts knitted the skin back together and the blood loss restored itself, as energy filled Sakura’s now painless body.
Content, she let out a yawn and a small smiles, the smiles she only let out for only  a few people  now, herself and her teammates, but she only let those smiles out when she had her mask, but somehow she knew that they understood that she was grinning, that she was content and happy with them. She knew.
She stood still in front of the window, watching as far away tree branches ruffled in the soft breeze. She could almost smell the blooming of the cherry blossoms. Could almost taste the flavor of the apple she would always eat while watching the trees. Almost. Could almost hear the voice from childhoods past…
“Why doesn’t he remember me?” Sakura whispered.
“ I do.”
Sakura’s head snapped towards the voice. She silently moaned in pain as she rubbed her neck, turning around to face the arrogant and handsome man… I mean killer.
“why do you always have to do that.” She growled to herself massaging her now sore shoulders.
He smirked. “I do remember you, I promised I would.” He spoke gravely, his voice soft and clean with the slightest hint of amusement.
She looked up into his Sharingan eyes, and remembered his deep and shining onyx ones. “Show me your eyes.” She whispered, a little out of character.
He stared blankly at her, and after a long minute eyes blinked and the red retreated. A grazed over onyx eye stared back at her, dulled from what her memory served her.
“You’re almost blind.” She spoke softly, “Let…Let me heal you.”
He nodded and laid down on her bed, quizzical of her reasons.
She wiped away the stray black hairs from his face and placed her glowing green hands over his eyes, and slowly the glaze retreated, the sparkle returned and after hours of treatment, he could see the small blush and smile that graced Sakura’s face.
“Beautiful…” She whispered. Slowly leaning into him unconsciously. She caught his lips with hers and grinned at the distant taste of spice.
He lifted his hand to her face and caressed her cheek softly.
Warmth entered her skin and she sprung up and giant rosy pink blush up and down her neck and countenance.
“Thank you.” Itachi stood up stiffly and began to walk out of the door before he stopped next to Sakura, now composed.
“You’ve changed.”
“I have.”
“Why?”
“Because I was weak.”
“You still are.” And with that he walked out of the room. Silence greeted the pound of her heart. No one has called her weak… or has dared to.
Anger rose in her as she breathed shallow breaths. She needed to fight someone… to release her anger and hurt. Weak weak weak weak weak… Sasuke’s youthful voice taunted her.
WEAK???? She is not WEAK!
Her emerald eyes showed a green flame that burst.
She walked to the wall that held the barred window. Effortlessly she broke two of the bars and slid open the window. Slipping out of the opened crevice and broken bars she climbed out of the building letting brisk and raw air slap her in the face.
Sakura ran up the grassy hill to where she earlier had seen the distant Sakkara trees.
She breathed in the scent and this time she couldn’t almost smell them….she did.
A small grin graced her lips, as she molded chakra to her hand forming the familiar spiky ball of pink chakra as she did in her earlier fight. She screamed a war cry as she attacked one of the many Sakkara trees.
The tree burned and began to rot from the inside out, the leaves withered and the blossoms turned black and crumpled dry. The spikes piercing holes inside of the tree trunk and the green glow spread fiercely, blinding the area. And then it vanished, the light did. The tree was dead, pierced and crumpled, grew, killed violently from the inside out into a black withering stump. One dark molding tree amongst the ones in full bloom. Her own jutsu, her secret jutsu… if anyone knew of it, it would be forbidden…a jutsu of her own design.
…and he calls her weak.
The flame rekindled in her eye as the word angered her again. How could it be so sunny when she was so angry. She dug her hand into the ground and pulled up a thick layer of dirt and slammed it back into the ground.
Pfft. Weak.
Dusk encircled the air and caught itself in Sakura’s pink long locks. She coughed lightly, and sneezed, a chakra spark flying off of her nose.
“You’re kind of cute when its cold outside… your nose gets all pink and poofy.” Sakura looked behind herself.
A person with longish blonde hair stood, their left eye covered.
Sakura glared, but the mysterious ninja did nothing just looked blank, and for the first time in a long time she laughed. Sakura fell to the ground and held her stomach, frightened that her inners would fall out.
Her laughing was musical and tears dared to fall out.
“Why are you laughing….un?” The confused member tilted it’s head.
Sakura looked up through pink hair.
“Are you a girl… or a boy?” She spoke, her voice cracking with giggles.
The ninja rolled they’re  visible eye, “Like I haven’t heard that one…un”
The ninja sat down next to Sakura, “boy.” He stated.
“Oh.” Sakura’s lips formed the perfect circular shape. (‘o’)
“Do you want to spar un?” He said, standing back up.
Sakura remained sitting.
“I just finished training, you would have the unfair advantage.” Sakura spoke boredom in her voice, her face composed.
“Yes, un, but your not supposed to be out of your room. I could always ‘escort’ you back… or I can forget you’re a prisoner and spar with you…un”
Sakura nodded curtly, “Ill take the latter,” She looked up at him once more, “Haruno, Sakura.”
“Deidara un.” He offered his hand, to help her stand up.
She looked blankly at it. “Its not going to eat me is it?”
Deidara chuckled, “no un”
Sakura took the hand and stood up. Quickly she threw his hand back at him and skidded back a few feet. Quickly she slammed a foot into the ground, creating a long cavern.
“You wanted a spar … you’ll get a spar Deidara-san.