This has been a long time coming. I'm so sorry for the slow updates. Thank you to everyone who has been waiting so patiently. Sometimes I do need a fire lit under me to get me back to writing.

Sakura: 12
Itachi: 17

I don't own Naruto.

"We're close to the town." The pink haired girl on the white tiger's back dismounted. If she had to go back to Konoha, she couldn't let Sasuke or Naruto find out she could perform the summoning jutsu.

"Thank you for your help." Patting him on the head affectionately, Sakura sent chakra to her feet and headed towards the town while Byakko disappeared with a poof. Increasing her speed, Sakura sprinted along the river leading up to the gates.

Sakura was relieved and overjoyed to see two very distinct figures dashing towards her, their feet barely touching the water's surface. She was unable to say anything as the next moment, she found herself slung over the shoulder of Kisame. Her first instinct was to struggle in indignation as she didn't know what he was doing but before she could say anything, the pink haired kunoichi was promptly rendered unconscious.

Sakura woke propped up next to a tree near a fire that was intended to keep her warm. Next to her was her backpack and Samehada also leaning against a tree. As she stirred, she noticed it was dark and the only light she had was from the fire in front of her. She had been unconscious for at least 3 hours since running into Itachi and Kisame, both of whom were missing. Licking her dry lips, Sakura scooted over to her pack and took out her bottle of water. Taking generous gulps, Sakura breathed out a sigh and put her bottle back before she stretched. There was a dull ache at the base of her skull but she was otherwise unharmed.

Itachi and Kisame were probably out checking the perimeter or gathering wood so Sakura contented herself with taking a small walk around the camp that the two missing-nin prepared to stretch her tight muscles. Her body was still stiff but she did feel well rested. It wasn't until later that Sakura would realize Kisame had left Samehada on purpose in order to reassure Sakura that they would be back and that they hadn't abandoned her in the middle of the forest.

Kisame was the first one back. Sakura had spied his intimidating shadow and chakra walking towards the small camp and had waited patiently for him to get closer. When he was just at the edge of the trees, he stopped. Sakura could make out some of his features by the light from the fire but it was his large frame that told her who it was. She paused for a second before smiling brightly and launching herself at the taller shinobi. Kisame caught her effortlessly and brought her in for a hug.

"I missed you Kisame-san." Sakura spoke next to his ear, her arms around his neck. Kisame held her up by the waist, careful not to crush her smaller form.

"Hey squirt. You don't look like you grew an inch." Sakura chuckled. He hadn't changed a bit and their reunion felt natural and sweet. Almost like 3 years hadn't passed since they'd last seen one another. When he let her back down to stand, she grinned up at him. "Where's my present?" He asked her gruffly as he led her to the fire.

Sakura tilted her head in question. "What present?"

Kisame took a seat, still taller than her and checked to see Samehada was where he had left it before answering her. "You always made us bring you presents when we were away on missions. Seems only right that you bring something back from your first mission." His smile showed his sharp teeth to let her know it was good natured teasing.

"You're right Kisame-san. I'll definitely bring you something back next time." Sakura cheerfully replied as she sat down next to him. He reached over and patted her head in an odd show of affection.

"What makes you think you'll go on another mission." At that, her face fell. "I'm just kidding squirt. Pein-sama will be happy to see you." Sakura breathed out a sigh of relief and nodded.

They sat in comfortable silence for a moment longer before Itachi arrived. She didn't hear him approach and had only noticed his presence when he placed another piece of dry wood on the fire. The pink haired girl turned to the newcomer with a bright smile. She didn't give him time to acknowledge her before she stood and wrapped her arms around him. Itachi stiffened slightly, unused to the affectionate touch. She'd missed him terribly as well and his scent was surrounding her, filling her with a sense of nostalgia and happiness. Sakura remembered the smell from when she would invade his room during lightning storms. It reminded her of tranquility and safety.

"I missed you Itachi-san." Sakura missed Kisame's teasing grin which was directed at his teammate but felt Itachi relax somewhat. Even with the light of the fire, she would have missed the way his dark eyes softened just a little as he looked down at the top of her head.

"Hn." The feeling that nothing had changed once again swept through her and even though the aloofness that Itachi exuded should have made her sad, it did the opposite. Sakura sighed in content of the one-sided hug as Itachi's arms were still at his sides. He hadn't pushed her away. Neither had he given her a cold remark.

Perhaps it was wishful thinking but Sakura took his answer to mean, 'yes, me too. Welcome back.' After being around the emotionally repressed Kakashi and Sasuke and learning about keeping emotions in check, she knew that Itachi was far from being unfeeling. If he was truly cold, he would have thrown her off or pushed her away.

She took his hand and invited him to sit next to her around the fire with Kisame. Once they were seated, she couldn't keep the smile off her face and it wasn't long before she began to spin her tale of what happened during the Chuunin exams, including her encounters with Orochimaru, Kabuto, and the Sound-nin. She slipped up only once when she referred to Kakashi as sensei but other than that, Sakura took care to keep herself as detached from Konoha as possible. It was a mission report, not a summary of a vacation.

"You should relay this to Leader when you can." Kisame intoned, stating the obvious. Sakura nodded in understanding. "Good job at the exams munchkin." She preened under the praise then turned her attention to Itachi. He appeared to be deep in thought as he gazed into the fire.

"Why did you two come to Konoha?" She asked.

"Pein-sama was concerned Orochimaru's attack on Konoha was to interfere with our plans for the jinchuriki." Itachi said. "He was also concerned that Orochimaru was going to jeopardize your position in Konoha."

"I see. I wasn't able to get any information from him or Kabuto but Orochimaru did seem interested in Sasuke." Sakura warmed at the thought of Pein worrying about her. It also meant she most likely wouldn't be sent back to Konoha. A part of her was a bit sad at the thought.

Kisame tsked in contempt. "Still after the Sharingan then. How boring."

"Hn." Kisame stood and made his way to where Samehada was. "I'll take first watch." Itachi stated as Kisame settled in against the tree, laying Samehada flat across his legs. Sakura wanted to ask about Rui and her grandmother but saw that their conversation was going to be done for the night.

"You used up your eyes quite a bit today. I can take first watch." Kisame insisted. Itachi seemed ready to argue but then nodded his head once and made his way to the opposite side of the camp. Not at all tired, Sakura sat by the fire, enjoying the warmth it gave her whenever the wind picked up and she suppressed a shiver. She knew Itachi to be a light sleeper and didn't want to disturb him with a conversation with Kisame. So, she sat there, thinking that Itachi had to rest his eyes because he had used the power contained within them on her teammates.

Sakura held her chin in her hands, propped up by the elbows which were on her knees. She couldn't name what she was feeling. On one hand, she hadn't really considered Sasuke, Naruto, or Kakashi her friends but she had spent a lot of time with them and knew them well enough. She certainly didn't think they deserved to suffer. Perhaps it was a little bit of guilt. Sneaking a glance at Itachi's sleeping face, she wondered how he felt about fighting Sasuke. Shaking that thought aside, Sakura looked up at the star filled sky and smiled. She was finally going home.

Asuma let out a heavy sigh as he nursed the cup of sake in one hand and held a cigarette in the other. How was he going to tell them he wondered to himself. He'd been at a table in his study desperately trying to find an answer to the question that had been plaguing his mind since he'd found Mikan dead in her home and Sakura nowhere to be found. Sakura had been with Kakashi and Guy when Itachi and Kisame attacked. From what Asuma could piece together, the young girl had left the village in search of Naruto and had been kidnapped before she reached her teammates. It had been 5 hours since she was last seen. Based on the attack by the Akatsuki the same day both in Konoha and in the village where Naruto had been it didn't take a giant leap to assume that they had something to do with Sakura's disappearance. His fears had been confirmed only an hour ago when the Akatsuki member had appeared.

Asuma had been with Kurenai having just gotten dinner when one of the gate keepers rushed in and informed him a man in a cloak asked for him. When Asuma arrived at the gate, it was to see a blond-haired man wearing a billowing cloak of red clouds on a black background. He had a sinking suspicion that it had something to do with Naruto and the missing member of Team 7.

"You called for me. State your name and purpose here." Asuma demanded, not recognizing the shinobi but knowing instantly that he was a member of the Akatsuki. He would have to check the bingo books later but the shinobi didn't visibly have a hitae-ate on his person. Asuma appeared deceptively calm although he was preparing himself for a fight if it came to it.

"I'm sure you've noticed by now that you are missing a kunoichi of Konoha. We propose an exchange. Haruno Sakura for Uzumaki Naruto." The stranger's voice was clear and loud enough for the two gate keepers to hear. Asuma tried not to show any expression and barely contained himself.

"We would never trade a life for another's."

The shinobi gave him a condescending smirk. "That's unfortunate. The pretty flower asked for you specifically." The emphasis on that word alone told him much. Sakura was being tortured and she had begged for Asuma. Even he couldn't stop himself from tensing at that realization. "I hope you'll reconsider our generous terms."

"How do we know she's even alive?" Asuma asked instead.

The blond simply grinned and shrugged his shoulders. "You don't. But, she has some spirit. We'll give you three days. I'm sure she can last that long. But then again, my teammate gets bored with his toys fairly quickly." The man dissolved into sand which dropped to the ground harmlessly, his last words leaving a chill in the air. Asuma stood there, completely still as his mind briefly but quickly thought of what he should do. He left the other Konoha shinobi with orders not to tell anyone of what happened.

There were no leads and no way to start a search party against an enemy they didn't fully know. Not to mention the fact that Konoha was still in the process of undoing the damage that Orochimaru had done. The Akatsuki couldn't have picked a better time to attack. With guests in Konoha for the Chuunin exams, news of the attack on Konoha spread quickly and the Akatsuki knew it was a vulnerable time for them.

Kakashi was still in a coma and Sasuke was healing from his run in with his brother. Asuma had been told the Uchiha asked for his female teammate from the hospital. But no one had given Sasuke any clue as to Sakura's disappearance.

The shinobi in Konoha were spread thin as it was from their losses during the attack by Orochimaru and because they currently didn't have a Hokage to lead them. With Lee, Kakashi, and Sasuke down for the count, Mikan dead, and Naruto on a mission with Jiraiya, Asuma was the only one left in the village who gave a damn about what happened to Haruno Sakura.

No one else in the village really knew her and even though she had been living in the village for almost 3 years, none but a handful of people accepted her. This all lead to the question that Asuma had been struggling with for the past hour 'how was he going to tell her team that Sakura had been abducted by the Akatsuki and keep them from doing something rash?'

Taking a long drag from his cigarette and then downing the shot of sake, Asuma poured himself another glass. He could already see Sasuke, Naruto, and Kakashi leaving the village with the intent of bringing Sakura back. They'd all die trying of course regardless of if Sasuke and Kakashi fully healed before embarking on their kamikaze mission to rescue the damsel. If the three listened to reason and refrained from going off on their own, they would be crippled with guilt. Especially Naruto. After all, the Akatsuki were after him, not Sakura.

They would be leaving Sakura to die at the hands of the Akatsuki assuming they hadn't already killed her. It would destroy Kakashi. Asuma knew better than most that Kakashi would never leave a teammate behind. The silver haired jounin would rather die than give up on a teammate. But more than that, Sakura was his student. Kakashi had lost his parents, teachers, friends, teammates, and kohai but he'd never lost a student before. Asuma didn't know how Kakashi would take such a loss. This was the first team of genin he took on and before even a year was up, Kakashi would lose a student.

Then there was Sasuke. Granted, Asuma didn't know him well but Sakura had been taken by an organization Itachi was a part of. For all they knew, Itachi was the one who had captured her and who was torturing her right now. Asuma shook his head at the grim thought and took another puff from his cigarette.

It wasn't as though they could give in to the demands of the Akatsuki either. Asuma brushed a hand over his face as he came to a conclusion. He couldn't let them know. They could never know that Sakura had been kidnapped and held ransom in exchange for Naruto. It would kill them either way and no matter what they did, Sakura was as good as dead if she wasn't already. The Akatsuki held the cards.

Taking another drink, Asuma emptied the contents of the bottle and slid it over to the other empty bottle on the table. The 12-year-old girl was being subjected to torture by S-class missing nin all because she was close to Naruto. That thought alone caused something dark and painful to twist at his insides, demanding it be numbed by more alcohol. Would he really be able to leave her to that fate?

He tried to rationalize it. There was no guarantee that she was still alive and even if she was, there was no guarantee that the Akatsuki would return her to Konoha if they got Naruto. Knowing her, she'd also feel guilt and shame for Naruto's fate. Even if they did get Sakura back without giving up Naruto, she wouldn't be the same. Torture was meant to break a person's soul and will. Few who went through extensive sessions barely function in society at all and some are broken beyond recognition. He ran a hand through his hair and winced. Being a shinobi was about making hard decisions and no matter which path Asuma chose, he would be deciding the life of one child over another. He was fooling himself. Asuma already knew what path he had to take and his rationalizations were only to make himself feel better about his decision. He let the sake burn his insides, as he swallowed the guilt of what he planned to do.

They had been travelling most of the day until finally Sakura saw the Akatsuki house in the distance. With a bright smile, Sakura looked to Itachi for permission. A slight nod from him gave him all she needed to send a burst of chakra to her legs and increase her speed. She heard Kisame's chuckle at her impatient excitement. When the trees cleared, she leaped off the last branch and took off sprinting for the front door.

"Tadaima!" Sakura yelled as she entered, bursting through and looking around wildly. Things were just as she'd remembered, with minor differences that she barely caught as she scanned what she could see from the front door.

"Okaeri, Sakura." Konan's motherly voice made her heart clench and she instantly looked to where Konan was. Sakura rushed forward and in the next moment she was enveloped in a warm hug. Tears welled as Sakura felt Konan's arms tighten around her.

"I missed you, Sakura." Konan's breath touched the top of Sakura's head. Relief flooded her as she checked Konan off the list of those she had worried about.

"I missed you too, Konan-san." Kisame and Itachi entered the house silently, closing the door behind them and watched the two women embrace. Eventually they let go of one another and Konan brushed a few pink locks from where they were stuck to Sakura's cheek. "You've grown so much, Sakura-chan." The older woman had a small, elegant smile.

"Pein-sama is upstairs waiting for you." Sakura nodded and turned towards the stairs.

"Where is Sasori-san?" Sakura asked, needing to know that the last person on her list was safe and well.

"He's currently on a mission with Deidara. They should be back by the end of the week." Sakura nodded, smiling brightly in relief.

While Sakura took the stairs two at a time to see Pein, Konan's gaze fell to the two missing nin who had just entered. Kisame tsked in annoyance.

Pein's bedroom door was open so Sakura easily stepped inside and closed the door. Pein stood from his desk, his expression betraying nothing. Sakura took a step closer before tears sprang forth. Launching herself into his arms, she gave out a happy cry.

"I've missed you Pein-sama." He patted her back gently. "Tadaima."

"Okaeri, Sakura." It was whispered but she heard him clearly. He seemed to be just as relieved as she was which elated her.

"I'm back." She looked up at her father figure who patted her head.

"Then your mission was a success." He stated and she hugged him again. "Get cleaned up and brief me on your mission."

"Yes, Pein-sama." Sakura took off for her room, excited to see it again. When she entered, she noticed that things were nearly as she'd left it. There were a few differences however. Her sheets were new and when she opened her closet, she saw an entirely new wardrobe. When she inspected her desk, she saw the necklace that Konan had given her and immediately put it back on. She turned to the mirror to look at it and noticed her hitae-ate missing. It probably fell when Kisame had her slung over his shoulder like a sack of rice. That brute.

Happily peeling off her clothes to take a well deserved hot shower, Sakura felt her shoulders lighten more by the second. This was what she'd wanted for three years, to be back with the Akatsuki.

When she finished drying her hair and changing into her new attire, Sakura went back to Pein's room. She was dressed comfortably in shorts, and a red top with black accents around the collar and sleeves. Settling in on a chair next to Pein, she told him everything. From her grandmother, Asuma, Kakashi, Naruto, Sasuke, the mission to Nami no Kuni, Chuunin Exams, and finally her departure from Konoha and her fight with the man she encountered on the way to Itachi.

"I'm proud of you Sakura." She grew a bit taller from his praise. "Orochimaru may not be trying to undermine us but he is still a problem."

She nodded in understanding but she wondered if Rui was an agent of Orochimaru's. He already had Kabuto in the village, there was no need for him to have two additional liabilities in Rui and the Jounin she faced. Besides, why would Orochimaru want to kill her. If he'd wanted her dead, he could have done so during the exams. No, Rui and the other Jounin had been ordered by someone else.

"Thank you, Pein-sama."

"Get some rest. I'll have Itachi start training you again soon." Sakura gave Pein a final hug before heading downstairs for a small snack before dinner.

Three days passed excruciatingly slow for Asuma. Each second that ticked by was slowly driving him insane as he tried desperately to think of anything other than Sakura. Kurenai had tried to ask him what was wrong and he had evaded the question, unable to tell her anything.

Finally, the day came and Asuma left the gates of Konoha. He didn't know what he was searching for but was certain the Akatsuki would find him. He wasn't wrong. A few kilometers away from the village, he sensed a presence near him. Stopping, Asuma made his way down to the forest floor and waited for the shinobi to show himself.

"I see you've made your decision." The same figure from last time stood a few feet in front of him, emerging from the shadows. Asuma had his suspicions that this was another sand clone.

"Where is Sakura?" He demanded, hoping the ANBU members he briefed were in position.

A shadow passed overhead before another figure in an Akatsuki cloak dropped down next to his teammate. Hanging limp from his arm, face down by his side was Sakura. Asuma recognized the newcomer as Deidara, a missing nin and explosions expert from Iwagakure. Yet another infamous missing nin to add to the Akatsuki's roster. They were truly up against a formidable group.

"You've brought friends, un." Deidara dropped the girl unceremoniously next to him so that her prone form was between him and his partner. She didn't move from where she was carelessly tossed but Asuma could see that she was still breathing, albeit strained. Her pink hair and clothes were proof enough for now even though he still didn't have a clear view of her face. However, he could see the bruises and various cuts that marred her uncovered arms and legs. She'd been through hell.

"They're here in case the two of you plan on attacking." Asuma stated, taking a step closer. It was a lie of course. They were all there in the hopes of taking Sakura back alive.

Deidara reached into the pocket of his cloak and took out a Konoha hitae-ate. Asuma caught it effortlessly when the missing nin threw it to him. He clenched it tightly when he saw the blood on it. The hitae-ate could only belong to Sakura. Further proof.

"I see the jinchuriki isn't here." The as of yet unknown missing nin said. The man then sighed and drew up Sakura by the hair. She gasped in pain and clenched her eyes. The final confirmation was there as Asuma was able to recognize her instantly as Sakura. Though the rest of her was bruised, her face was miraculously untouched. A swift movement and a brief shine of a kunai later, the blade was deep in Sakura's chest. The young kunoichi was dead. Her green eyes opened with a shocked gasp before the emerald orbs closed for the last time.

The entire act happened faster than Asuma could move or process. It had been so cold, unannounced, and without restraint. He had hoped to negotiate, to allow the ANBU to get into position and blitz them. Asuma forced himself to keep his guard up and to ignore Sakura as she took her last haggard breath. He tried to keep a level head even as the man put his kunai away and discarded her lifeless form, letting her fall face down into the dirt. The shinobi had caught Asuma in the second that it took for him to recognize Sakura. The tiny kernel of relief and conviction dissipated in the second it took for them to kill her.

"We're done here. Deidara. Let's go." They were dismissing him.

"Un." The two shinobi leaped to the nearest tree branch then disappeared from view. Asuma stood alone on the forest floor, still stunned at what had just transpired. He took a small step forward towards Sakura in shock before he was stopped by an ANBU member with a cat mask.

"Asuma-san. That was Deidara, a missing nin from Iwagakure. He's known to have been a member of the Explosion Corps." Asuma brushed the kunoichi aside, taking another step before the ANBU grabbed his shoulder gently but securely.

"I know." Asuma said, still looking at Sakura's form. His hand clenched tightly around the hitae-ate again.

"It's possible they have placed explosives on her. This could be a trap." Asuma turned to regard the shinobi before nodding his defeat. She was right. They couldn't afford to take her body back or even to move her. Already, Asuma perceived the other ANBU setting up a perimeter in case the Akatsuki members were lingering in the area. Just moments after he accepted her reasoning, they were forced to retreat as Sakura's body exploded, engulfing a small area of land in fire and smoke. The duo landed a few dozen feet away and Asuma could practically hear the ANBU operative tell him 'I told you so.' She looked around, as if to make sure the rest of her team was okay. Asuma stared at the flames, the shock and numbness was wearing off. He didn't even get a chance to make a clone to check on her. He doubted they'd find any of her remains.

The other ANBU members dropped down next to Asuma and the kunoichi. He sensed some grief at the turn of events but none more so than him. He'd failed so completely and now he had no choice but to tell Team 7 that Haruno Sakura was dead. Yet another name was going to be added to the memorial stone of fallen shinobi.

"No casualties or injuries to report." One member said. But Asuma barely paid him any attention. There had clearly just been a casualty. His gaze was locked onto the place where Sakura had been, the crackling fire seemed to taunt him as he replayed the scene again and again. Did he have any chance of saving her at all? Could he have done something different? Maybe made someone henge into Naruto? He had three days to prepare and all he had were a handful of ANBU. Guilt and shame coursed through him again. He had been backed into a corner with nothing up his sleeve. Asuma's mind went into a thousand scenarios.

The Akatsuki could have planned this from the beginning. Perhaps he'd fallen into their trap to get Naruto to turn on the village for this failure. Or they would use Sakura's death to throw Naruto and Konoha off guard. It would be a constant exposed nerve for them to exploit.

"Asuma-san?" Another ANBU asked, concern evident in their tone. This time, he acknowledged them with a nod and forced himself to look away from the fire. He could think all he wanted but it wouldn't change the reality that Sakura had died today.

"Extinguish the flames, we return to Konoha. Double the guards around the village. They might try another attack." The ANBU disbursed with a collective 'yes, sir', Asuma heard two members use a water jutsu before they set off for the village. Asuma took another glance at the destruction of Deidara's explosion with saddened eyes before hardening them again and starting his journey back to Konoha. The cloth ends of Sakura's hitae-ate fluttered and whipped in the air, slapping against his hand but Asuma barely paid any attention to it.

As soon as Asuma returned to Konoha, he made his way to Kakashi's house. The Jounin was still weakened from his fight against Itachi but was on the way to a full recovery. When he knocked on the front door, he was met with a disheveled Kakashi who answered the door. The eye containing his sharingan was closed, his hitae-ate missing from his attire but his mask was in place as always. He took one look at Asuma and stiffened, going from slightly annoyed to deadly serious.

"What happened?" Kakashi demanded, opening the door fully to allow Asuma's entry. He closed the door after him, and kept the conversation there rather than settle into the house.

Asuma silently handed Kakahi the hitae-ate that was still in his hand. The metal was warm from his grip but there was no denying the chilling symbol of what it meant.

There was a short pause and Asuma saw Kakashi's mind spin as he turned the hitae-ate and inspect it. Eventually, the other Jounin asked, "what is this?" Kakashi already knew what it was. He just wanted Asuma to spell it out for him. Clarify it and make it real.

"Haruno Sakura was killed by the Akatsuki." Kakashi's lone eye shot to Asuma's face. Willing him to take the words back. "She had been intercepted on her way to Naruto. I was scouting with a few ANBU when two members of the Akatsuki approached us, one of them being Deidara, an explosives expert from Iwagakure. The other is still unknown. There was….nothing we could do."

Kakashi's steely gaze was piercing. "They demanded Naruto in exchange for her, when we refused, there was no further negotiation." Asuma kept eye contact, trying to remain calm for his friend.

"Where is she?" When Asuma didn't answer right away, Kakashi's voice grew louder, stern and strained but not quite yelling. "Asuma. Where is she?"

"Deidara had placed explosives on her body…we were forced to retreat." He ran a hand through his unruly silver locks then nodded but Asuma sensed it was him processing the information rather than acceptance. "I'm sorry, Kakashi." His hand came up to rest on Kakashi's shoulder. "I came straight here."

Kakashi nodded again. "I'll tell him." He said as he turned away towards his bedroom. Asuma's hand slipped off his shoulder and he gave him a curt nod before showing himself out.

So, here it is. Sakura's back with the Akatsuki as many of you have wanted. Hopefully I portrayed her as a little more mature. I'm hoping the absence will surprise Itachi as now there will finally be scenes between them again. Gotta say, things are coming together a bit more. Originally I was going to have Itachi and Sasori kill "Sakura" but I didn't want Asuma to think it was a genjutsu. More will be revealed in the next chapters along with some fluff possibly. Please review and let me know what you think/what scenes you would like to see. I have a direction the story should move towards but nothing concrete yet in terms of scenes so any suggestions are appreciated. The next chapter will also contain Naruto and Sasuke's reactions to Sakura's death.