Blood Stain

Chapter One – The Truth of It All

"Alright," Neji started standing tall. "Remember the plan. Get in then get out. Understood?" he asked looking around to everyone individually; everyone nodded and as they head out keeping their hands on their weapons. Neji looked to everyone with utmost determination, but there was a glint of fear in his pale lavender eyes – that, something he could not hide, and for good reason.

The last thing Sakura could remember was the feeling of fear creeping through her bones as she ran from a mass of akatsuki members, all armed with the most fearsome of weapons.

Upon opening her eyes Sakura was met with the darkness of a pitch black room. Though there were sounds around her, a faint dripping of water in the corner of the room and mumbling from outside, scurrying on the floor around her feet. She instantly tensed her toes, her shoes were gone but what was left of her clothes were still intact. She tried to move but failed as she noticed her arms were tied behind her back and her feet were also tied at the ankle, she was on a chair that creaked as she moved about. As she tried to pulled herself out of the restraints, the chatting from outside slowly diminished.

She froze, in darkness, everything was still. Her eyes searched desperately around the room for a single source of light but there was none. Then came a noise from in front her, twenty feet or so as she guessed. The sound of a door being unlocked came with the clanking of a lock and jingly of keys. The door swung open and Sakura stayed as still as she could, seizing her previous attempts to get loose. There was a whispering and cold whistle of air to enter the room.

Footsteps came forwards, she held her breath. Then a light switch was turned on. The burning yellow light seared Sakura's emerald green eyes; they instantly closed as she winced in pain. Slowly as her eyes adjusted to the light surrounding her she observed the room around her, a holding cell, filled with akatsuki members staring at her absorbedly.

"You!" Sakura exclaimed, everyone turned to Sasori who staring at Sakura with indifference. "You're supposed to be dead! I killed you!"

"Obviously not, fucking bitch." Hidan remarked chuckling under his breath. He rubbed the back of his neck and loosened the hold he had on his three bladed, red scythe. The pink haired girl wasn't going anywhere, not tied up with chakra enforced rope at least. He almost felt guilty that she had no chance of fighting back, almost.

"Don't flatter yourself," Sasori snapped darkly. "You're lucky you even survived that battle." Sasori then said more calmly. Sakura couldn't keep her eyes off the man she had for so long thought to be deceased. Here he was, looking almost exactly the same as he had before, the same dull brown eyes stared her way and the same spiky red hair looked fiery to the touch with the crudely lit light coming down on him from above. The akatsuki members all clad with their red clouds and robes.

"You." Sakura said, her eyes flickered to Kakuzu who was standing beside Hidan. "And you too…" she said breathlessly, her voice coming dangerously close to raising an octave. Her eyes moved from Kakuzu and Hidan until they reached the demonic looking man with bright blue skin and wild beady eyes. Next to him, his shorter partner she recognised as Sasuke's older brother, Itachi. As her eyes met his, a cold shiver ran through her body and she instantly found herself looking away. She didn't need to be reminded of Sasuke through this killer of a man.

"Oh my God." She said turning her way to the orange swirl masked man, her lip curled up into an unfashionable snarl. "I thought it was a joke when they said you were a member of the akatsuki." She chuckled slightly; she licked her lips and grimaced ever so slightly at the taste of iron blood which reminded her of the danger she was in. The masked man cocked his head to the side and jumpily looked to his comrades for defence from the pink haired girl's comment.

"Hehe, even I have to agree with that one, yeah." Deidara mumbled casting his eyes over to the annoying akatsuki member. He crossed his arms and glanced around the room to see some of his comrades nodding in agreement whereas some of the more serious members didn't so much as flinch by either ninja's words. Instead they stared her down, hoping to penetrate fear into her.

Then, before any of the others could add to the conversation, the door behind the men opened. Two people walked in one by one, both of which Sakura could identify straight away without even knowing their roles in the criminal organisation or the help of a bingo book. Pein had multiple piercings in his pale face and swirled irises of the Rinnegan. As he walked past the members to get to Sakura, they quietened down. The room was silent, his presence commanding. The leader of the akatsuki stood before her.

To his right stood a fairly tall, pretty woman with blue hair tied into a bun. She had beautiful, caramel coloured eyes and in her hair laid a blue flower with many petals. Sakura then realised it to be made of paper. Remembering what she had learnt from her mission briefs in the past, this woman was a skilled fighter who used origami as her main weapon of offence. As the other members of the akatsuki, she also wore an akatsuki robe, clad with red clouds.

Just then Sakura noticed something lurking in the corner of the room to the side of Konan. Turning her gaze in the way of darkness, a strange figure emerged her way. A man with the palest white skin on one side of his body and on the other, the darkest, soundlessly approached her but stayed away from the other members of the akatsuki. He looked at her with a blank stare; his eyes were void of any warmth. She opened her mouth to question him then thought better of herself and closed her lips tight before swallowing audibly. His Venus flytrap covering encasing his upper body contracted and quivered, her eyes widened slightly at the oddity of the man or creature's appearance.

Pein addressed her, "Haruno, Sakura." The pierced man had a forceful voice, equally impressive to his dark aura. His chakra was large and from what Sakura could sense, very strong.

"As you are aware, we are in search of the nine-tails jinchuriki and we know you are aware of his location." He said, there was no doubt that was her reasoning for being here. "Time and time again you have been involved with stopping our efforts to find him. You have tampered with our plans." He said speaking of Sakura as if he had been examining her close for some time. Sakura couldn't believe she hadn't even though the man would know of her but the way his eyes searched through hers showed he knew more about her then he was willing to share.

"And you destroyed Sasori's previous body." Sakura didn't dare to look away for Pein's penetrative gaze, even with Sasori's eyes boring through her from the side. "I have no doubts of your physical strength however; I will not kill you straight away if you are willing to give us the nine-tails' location." He said calmly. Sakura decided to weigh her options, knowing the man was a criminal and nine out of ten times would probably go back on what he had said, she could not trust him. She was smart enough a Konoha ninja to know that. He was Pein, leader of the fearsome akatsuki and she would be a fool to give up Naruto's safety for a speck of hope in getting away.

To the surprise of the eager awaiting akatsuki members, Sakura did not say anything but cleared her throat and then averted her eyes from Pein to look to the cold ground beneath. She would not crack, because Konoha needed to know their most loyal kunoichi was not about to give up so lightly.

Greeted by Sakura's silence, the akatsuki members looked to Pein who was staring attentively at the girl, waiting for her plea for life. "Kunoichi." He addressed her, when she didn't look back to him; he made eye contact with Kisame who grinned in return. There was a rippling sound in the air as he partially unwrapped samehada, showing Sakura that the man who had addressed her was far from a patient ninja. Kisame stepped closer towards her and threw his sword over his shoulder, ready strike down at will. Pein held up his hand to Kisame and his gruesome smirk faded slightly.

"I will give you another chance kunoichi, think wisely before you answer." He said determinedly, Sakura again did not speak. "Are you willing to share your information with us?" he asked her. Slowly Sakura looked up to him again; loyalty was clear in her expression. Pein's eyes narrowed at this, not bothering to break eye contact, he motioned Kisame forwards once more and the shark-like male chuckled impatiently. His sharp inhumane teeth were clearly visible.

Sakura swallowed, her throat was as dry as Sunagakure and every individual taste bud upon her tongue was heightened with the fear illuminating in her mind. She spoke, "I willnever betray my village." She told the man. He seemed to have expected her answer. Kisame started chuckling and tightened his grip on samehada, now ready to strike the girl and rip her to shreds. But as he poised his fearsome shark scaled companion, Pein again, motioned he did not touch Sakura. Sakura stared at Pein curiously, although not looking forward to making skin contact samehada; she was surprised Pein was giving her another chance. Or so it seemed.

Pein gave Sakura one last look before walking back towards the door, she was stunned. And the other akatsuki members looked to him with shock on their faces. When Pein reached the door, he opened it then stood in the door way, he turned back to his disciples flickering his piercing gaze back their way. "Get the information out of her but keep her alive." He said just as he left. Kisame's wild grin completely disappeared as he knew all too well that a single blow from Samehada when she was utterly defenceless would kill Sakura in an instant. Although, the thought of playing with her was enough to recuperate his devilish sneer.

The second the door shut, tension was broken amongst the akatsuki members and the younger members seemed to relax. "Well, this should be fun." Deidara smiled, looking at Sakura. She watched as he readied the clay that lurked in the bottom of his akatsuki robes.

Sakura wasn't exactly sure for how long she had been tied up on that uncomfortable wooden chair but now, even as her arms were free she knew there was nothing she could do to defend herself. Some akatsuki members stood by her, looking down at her in disgust as they waited for her to crack. The information they could gain from her could be their very last chance to capture the stubborn blond jinchuriki.

Kakuzu swung his right leg back and then threw it into Sakura's ribcage once again, this time making a cracking sound upon contact. Sakura made loud out a painful gust of breath, she sputtered and gasped for air as the pain in her body riveted through her nerves. Fresh blood caked her face.

When the blows suddenly came to a halt, Sakura stayed still hoping if they thought she was close enough to death they would stop their torturing. "This isn't much fun, she's weak and she'll die if we keep going. She's not talking." She heard a rough voice speak, her eyes moved towards a man she recognised as Hidan's partner, Kakuzu. He sounded disappointed but as he reached into his pocket to pull out a knife, Sakura could tell her torment was far from over. The man stood beside the elder Uchiha and the white haired man.

Knowing what Hidan would try next, Deidara bent down next to Sakura. "Hey, pinky? If you just give us his location, I might be able to sway Leader-sama into letting you go." Deidara whispered, Sakura took nothing from Deidara's lie. Her mission would end in death, but whether she chose to tell them or not was what really mattered. And she wasn't about to dime out Naruto's chance to get stronger.

"There's no point lying to her you know." Kakuzu said gruffly. "If she doesn't talk by the time Pein comes back, she's as good as dead. He'll just give her to Zetsu." he continued, there was no hint of sadness or guilt in his voice but could Sakura really expect such from anyone of them?

The man named Zetsu was no longer in the room, but Sakura's luck was fast running out and she couldn't keep playing dead. Then again her other option, to challenge the akatsuki members with the little chakra she had would be suicide. Playing the weak victim had served her so far, and at least they wouldn't see it coming when the time came she was strong enough to lift herself up off the ground. Then when Sakura caught sight of Kakuzu's foot coming towards her once again, aiming for her face this time, she held out a hand and blocked it with her grip. Kakuzu stilled under her touch in shock.

Her fingers strained against his shoe, holding back the force of his kick. "Well looky here, the girl's still alive." He said bending his head over to the side to get a better look at Sakura's emotionless face.

"But for how long I wonder, hmm?" Deidara asked still on his knees beside her. In a flash he got up and Hidan took his place, the man with white hair wasted not a second before his short blade was plunged into the space between two ribs. Sakura couldn't have held in her scream but she managed to hold back the tears that threatened to roll free onto the dirty cellar floor.

Hidan let go of the blade and let it sit in Sakura's flesh. "Have you changed your mind, kunoichi?" he chuckled devilishly. His grin was evil and mocking. The very last thing she saw before passing out were the three tomoe of the elder Uchiha's sharingan blazing as he stared down at her.

When Sakura woke up next she was dizzy and she felt as though her eyes were about to explode from their sockets. She peered up with her bloodshot eyes, the dimly lit room surrounded her but she still had company. She clenched her fist with anger but not a moment later, another hand covered hers.

"You know, if you were smart you'd just tell Leader-sama what he needs to know." Sasori said staring at the girls face. She was lying back against the cold ground still and as she stirred and looked around her vision slowly began to become clearer. The details of Sasori's young face becoming more apparent.

"I never said I was smart." She spat. Sasori's eyes narrowed and looked to a wound beside one of Sakura's kidneys. He pressed a piece of gauze into it to which Sakura hissed in pain. Sasori lightened his press for a second.

"You're not helping yourself kunoichi, they want information, and you have that information. I think you should be grateful you've survived this long." He added, as she looked down she began to watch Sasori tend to her injuries with cold gloved hands. She winced as he continued rubbing ointments into her open abrasions.

"And once I give that information up," Sakura heaved. "Your leader will see to it that I'm dead. So do whatever you want, I'm not saying anything." She finished sadly. She was hoping it wouldn't come to this but as her training made her know well, under any circumstances, the knowledge she had been trusted with could not be divulged to the enemy. Sakura's eyes flickered towards the light that swung from the ceiling above her; a cold, painful death awaited her.

"You're right." Sasori then said. Sakura's attention went back to him.

"You're not smart, a girl like you…in your position," he said looking her up and down. "If you're not willing to speak you should keep your mouth shut, lest you want to wake up to Kisame fucking you in the middle of the night." His words were crude, Sakura noticed his casual tone – this man was not joking.

Sakura shivered at the thought of that large, blue man sat on top of her, having his way with no way of her escaping. "And I won't be able to help you." He added.

"Why would you want to help me?" she asked him, her question was empty and yet the words had been asked. She looked at him and waited for a miniscule answer but received nothing other than a look from the corner of the room, a look down across her body once more and then up to her face again.

"I advise you to give Leader-sama what he wants." Sasori said planning, his whole face was relaxed and his boring brown eyes were dull.

Sakura couldn't help but snort at his comment.

"Little by little that is," he said quietly circling her. "You do that, and you may live to get out of here and then face a fair fight. All of us against you…you don't stand a chance, girl."

"You're in no state to fight me, or anyone in this household for that matter. You should reanalyse your situation, I can only advise you so much before you get yourself killed."

Once wrapping up the opening to the incision Hidan had made, Sasori turned back to Sakura and stared at her for a second, soon she met his gaze, "Better?" he asked. Sakura nodded uncertainly, she wasn't sure why he was doing this but strangely enough she felt comforted – it could only last so long however.

"I can't heal them all or the others will know it was me, they know your chakra is low." He said. "And I'll expect Pein will return this evening to speak with you again. He's been calm so far but don't take advantage of his patience, he'll end up giving you to the others and they will murder you. And they won't make it pleasant." That, Sakura could imagine.

"Kisame especially likes to torture young girls, I think you can guess why," he said noting the blue man's fetish for women who screamed. "And Hidan, whatever he can get his hands on to sacrifice. Kakuzu will likely rip out your heart and feed it to Zetsu." He said gruesomely.

Suddenly Sakura's mind filled with more torture. She couldn't imagine herself breaking, but how many ninja had told themselves that before they gave away the freedom of their villages? She didn't want to be one of those ninja, no matter how weak she was compared to some.

"If you survive the night I'll expect there will be fresh wounds." he reminded her looking at her almost pitifully. She didn't change the expression her face which showed Sasori she was very much aware of her situation and that it was now inevitable.

All of a sudden she felt Sasori's hands underneath her body as he started moving her closer to the centre of the room where she had laid before being partially healed. Sakura gasped. "If you struggle I will sedate you." Sasori said coolly and holding his strong grip over her mouth.

Sakura could feel her heart rate increase. She suddenly felt stupid, she should have cherished the few moments she had not being tied to a chair. Fear re-emerged inside of her. Her time speaking with Sasori should have been used to think of a way to escape the seemingly hidden household because in a matter of hours she'd be back to the other members torturing and mocking her.

It was back to playing dead.

"Well?" Hidan said. Sakura winced; a hot tear escaped her eye falling past a large gash on her cheek. And it only bled more once Hidan grabbed her face and pulled her closer to him. "You going to talk, pinky?" he asked her, she dropped eye contact making Hidan swear angrily, he threw her face back onto the cold ground.

She closed her eyes then they snapped open as she heard the clink of Hidan's scythe, the point of the three bladed weapon headed straight towards her face.

"Alright!"

Everything became silent as Sakura finally opened her mouth.

"I'll talk." She said regrettably.

Soon everyone came to hear Sakura finally speak. Pein and Konan entered the room and within a second or two later Zetsu appeared. "The girl said she'd talk." Kakuzu said with a grin, he flashed his smile towards Sakura for a second and for a moment she wondered whether she should be doing this or not. But it was this or nothing.

She squeezed her eyes shut as one of the many criminals in the room heaved her onto the chair she had been strapped to earlier. They didn't bother tying her up and for Sakura was grateful, she rubbed her wrist with a shaky hand and very slowly made eye contact with the leader of the organisation.

"They…they will be in Kirigakure."

For a little while, Sakura had silenced the room as the akatsuki members listened to the details of Naruto's whereabouts. They eyed her with great interest and when Pein was satisfied, he directed Kakuzu and Hidan bring Naruto to their hideout, alive of course. They left immediately.

"They'll be there." Sakura had added tiredly as the other criminals left the cell.

"Too easy." She heard them laugh.

And if Kakuzu and Hidan weren't to come back within the next two days then Pein would send Itachi and Kisame to pick up from where the two had left off, but Pein had said personally that he was expecting no failures.

But the ambush hadn't come quicker on the akatsuki's part. As Hidan and Kakuzu left Kirigakure, curses and anger flew freely from the two's mouths. They had been tricked.

"You fucking bitch!" He yelled, "I'm going to rip you apart!" and that was the last thing Sakura heard before she saw Hidan charging her way. He knocked her to the floor with a blinding force, the sound of the slap against her cheek resonated in her ear. Then he grabbed her with both hands and kneed her as hard as he could in her stomach, Sakura let out a loud groan.

Hidan's face was covered with blood and although he could not be fatally wounded, the man was far from happy that he had practically been sent into a suicide pit with highly trained ANBU scouting the area like hawk. Be thankful for small favours, Sakura.

He dropped her suddenly and then began to assault her with his feet and fists. But when Sakura could no longer take the blows to the head and stomach, Hidan's attacks were seized. His arm grabbed by another akatsuki member. Hidan turned to Itachi with bloodlust in his eyes, "Get the fuck off me! She tried to have us killed!" he screamed swinging his scythe towards with his other hand Itachi, Itachi grabbed the nearest blade with his bare hand and continued to stare stoically at Hidan.

"Leader-sama wants her alive, if you kill her, you will suffer the consequences." He warned Hidan calmly.

"Consequences my ass!" he screamed bitterly, charging at Itachi. Kisame intervened and plunged himself between the two with his scaled sword as a barrier from Hidan's attack.

"Hidan, calm the fuck down, this isn't a dick measuring contest. If it was, I'd sure as hell win." He smirked. "Leave the girl before her death is on your hands." Kisame said a little more seriously.

Hidan was still hesitating in lowering his weapon. "Or do you want to become another snack for Zetsu? I'm sure he's about due for another chew toy." Kisame snickered looking in the way of the green haired male standing silently in the corner of the room watching the fight unfold. His golden eyes flickered towards Kisame, his expression was unreadable. Void of any emotion – more so than Itachi himself.

Still bleeding profusely on the ground, Sakura stirred. "Told you I wouldn't break." she croaked.

"…girl…talks…" she heard from inside the cellar later on.

"If…can't…jinchuriki."

"Pein…kill…no chance…"

For the rest of the day the akatsuki members hadn't bothered to trouble her, but that only scared her more. If they were by her, hurting her, she knew that weren't out looking for Naruto. But the minute they left the cell she knew they were coming closer and closer to finding her friends, she looked up to the ceiling and bit her lip hard. "Please…don't let them find him." Naruto wasn't ready, he could take them on, everyone knew it, but not all of them at once, and knowing very well that the Kyuubi was far stronger than the other tailed beasts, there was no doubt in mind that the next time Naruto fought with an akatsuki member it was likely they'd all be there ready to take their turn.

The quieter it became outside the cell the more Sakura became tired, it was night time now, she could tell. Everyone became distant from the cell door and now she was truly alone, she could sleep.

In the pits of the dark night, the door creaked open.

Sakura's green eyes snapped open in the night, everything was pitch black. Her breathing increase tenfold as the creaking of the door continued as it opened further, a small beam of yellow light emerged. On the floor and caked in blood she stirred to face the doorway.

Suddenly she was being pulled up above the ground, she winced in pain. "Hey!" she yelled, frightened of whatever intruder had decided to impose on her sleep.

When she looked up she saw the blue scaly face of the menacing shark-like man she knew as Kisame. Fear racked through her.

"What are you making noise about? If I see a piece of ass I'm sure as hell going to take advantage of it, it's not every day we get to fuck a pretty bitch such as yourself." He grinned. His sharp teeth alighted fear in Sakura, a cold shiver ran down her spine as she thought of the very worst Kisame could be thinking of.

"Get your hands off me!" she said trying to slap him away from her. She wrestled the man for a second, he was brute strength in the body of a man and his chakra was so powerful she wondered if it would swallow her whole.

"You disgusting pig, let go!" Sakura finally yelled as she swang her leg back to kick Kisame in the groin. The shark-like man managed to grab her foot just before making contact with his genitals and in an impatient rage he threw her leg back and grabbed her arm to pull her towards him. Sakura struggled and fought against Kisame and eventually knocked the large man to the floor. Using the small light that had been produced by the opening of the door, she took this as her chance to try and escape.

"You bitch! You'll pay for that!" Kisame shouted angrily, grabbing the girl's ankle he yanked her his way making her fall to her knees in pain, as she collided with the floor Kisame pulled her his way in an attempt to start undressing her. "Come here!" he snarled angrily. From the tone of his voice, Sakura quickly deduced that most of his victims probably wouldn't have put up as much fight as she did.

Kisame crawled on top of Sakura and held her down with his hand. "Let go!" Sakura yelled, she punched Kisame's chest but the blow didn't seem to have affected him at all. Then she realised her chakra was so low it wasn't flowing properly and if she couldn't use a chakra infused punch against the man, there was no way of her escaping his lustful gaze. "Stop!" she tried again. Kisame looked at Sakura with annoyance and struck her across the face making blood fly across the ground instantly, she let out a scream.

Taking his opportunity, Kisame took Sakura arms and pinned them above her head in an effort to keep her as still as possible. If he had to take her on the ground, then so be it although he wished he had brought some rope to tie her up with. Sakura yelled and cursed and kicked her feet in every direction, and soon she caught Kisame in the stomach he let out a loud growl and in return punched Sakura in the centre of her stomach with his free hand. Sakura wailed and screamed but the other members of the akatsuki were completely out of range and then she remembered Sasori's words, reminding her that even if they did hear her they probably wouldn't care to assist her. Pein had, after all, said to get the information of her by any means necessary. She was forgetting these people were S-Classed criminals.

Sakura held back tears as Kisame scaly blue hand crept along her toned stomach towards her bra, wasting no time he grabbed it and tugged. It didn't budge and Sakura silently thanked Temari's advice for a secure bra especially on missions. Reinforced with pins as well as bandages, Kisame would have a tough time getting into her underwear at least for a few seconds. "You stupid bitch! You think you can escape me?" Kisame asked crossly, he continued pulling as he leaned closer towards Sakura. His large blue face neared Sakura, he could smell her fear. Powerless, she turned her head to avoid his gaze and winced as his long nails dug into the flesh beneath her breasts.

"Kisame." Called a calm monotone voice. Instantaneously the tension in the room seemed to all but disappear and Sakura, for a moment, forgot that Kisame was on top of her only to torture her in the cruellest way he knew how.

"I-Itachi-san?" Kisame stuttered in disbelief, Sakura looked up towards Itachi who was standing by the door way watching Kisame. He didn't look her way and by the bored expression on his face, seemed more preoccupied with getting Kisame's undivided attention. Kisame leaned off Sakura straight away and let her go of her; she scrambled away from him eagerly.

"Leader-sama wishes to speak with us." Itachi said, and then he turned and left, signalling to Kisame that he should follow which he did quickly. Suddenly Sakura felt in debt to the man who had killed his clan members, even if he hadn't care too much - he'd saved her from become Kisame's sex-toy and for that she was certainly grateful. As she stumbled to her feet she noticed she was shaking quite violently. She exhaled shakily and pressed her hand to her heart before pulling down her shirt which had previously exposed her upper and lower stomach.

Her next exhale came out as a shaky whisper, Kisame had been so close… she closed her eyes and shook her head. Although she'd heard many stories of such things happening to women on missions, she'd been lucky enough never to be on the receiving end. And though she'd sympathised with the women she'd treated back in Konoha after their ordeals, only now she knew how horrid it felt to feel so powerless and she'd be damned if a man ever came close to hurting her that way again.

Drifting back into reality Sakura saw a blob of red coming her way into the doorway, she turned, still hunched over. "Sasori?"

"Sakura." Sasori addressed her, there was a very slight hint of a question in his tone as he observed her flustered appearance, "What happened?" he asked her taking a step her way. She felt herself step back and then realised that the man in front of her was Sasori, not Kisame and he wouldn't try the same thing the shark-man had. Or was she far too trusting?

"Kisame...he…" She sighed; her heart was beating too fast for her to experience rational thoughts. She inhaled sharply and then limped Sasori's way. As Sakura waited for Sasori to tell her something along the lines of I told you so, his eyes wandered over her body, her clothes remained tattered, even more so now since Kisame's assault. She was a mess and she looked exhausted. He beckoned her his way by holding out a hand, Sakura looked to it awkwardly.

"Come with me." Sasori said sparing any comforting lies such as you'll be okay or I promise I won't do the same. Sakura eyed him suspiciously and he stretched out his fingers to edge her closer. She could feel his warmth and angrily she yearned to feel somewhat comforted then took his hand knowing things could either go one of two ways. She risked even talking with him but would make the most of her diabolical situation. As long as she made sure not to give him any information, Sasori was more cunning then some of the other members and he wouldn't use brute strength to intimidate her. Mind games were more his thing, she could tell.

She was shocked as she touched his pale hand, a pulse was visible, and his fingers gave her warmth. Slowly her fingers slipped into his palm and then his hand closed around hers and he pulled her his way.

"Relax." He said, his eyes were the same dull brown.

She tried to remember the small miniscule details of the things she saw when Sasori lead her through the hideout, but exhausted from her battle with the shark-man and still tired from a lack of sleep had left her feeling numb and irrational.

They entered a room that was surprisingly bright and yet secluded and isolated. Sakura peered around what she guessed was Sasori's bedroom. Then Sasori led her to a joint room that was meticulously organised.

"Here." He said passing Sakura a shirt. Sakura hesitantly took it, wondering where in the first place he had gotten it. As she slipped it on she noticed Sasori passing her the same shoes that had previously been confiscated from her. "Don't get any smart ideas kunoichi; they were taken from you for a reason." He said. Sakura realised that akatsuki members were anything but stupid and a loyal ninja such as she wouldn't take her opportunities to escape, lightly.

"Due to your perfect chakra control, I am forbidden from replenishing their levels and so I suggest for the next few weeks you don't try anything strenuous." He advised her. Sakura heeded his words knowing he was well within his rights to give her the edge of Pein's commandments. If she calculated correctly and rested as much as possible without the interference of Kisame, her chakra levels should approach their regularity by the end of the week which wasn't too far off.

"You think I'll last that long?" she asked him. Again he did not reply. Anger rose within her but knew that no matter how nice a member would be to her, he would never give her false hope just to make her feel at home.

"Where are we?" Sakura then asked. Sasori sighed softly.

"You know I can't tell you that, Sakura."

"I don't mean where, I mean, does everyone else come in here? Is this a medical room?" she asked, with a slight tinge of fear in her voice. It was obvious that Kisame's attack had left her shaken, but even for the strongest ninja; Sasori knew she wouldn't get over it so quickly.

"You needn't worry about any of the others coming in here; this is my private medical room. There is another that is used for the others when they have injuries." Sakura raised an eyebrow, she wondered slightly why Sasori hadn't withheld that information, or had it been a slip of the tongue?

She observed the puppets sitting on the shelves of the walls.

"Do you use it for them?" she asked. Sasori looked in the direction Sakura was observing his work, he looked away.

"I have not…not in a long time."

"Why is that?" she asked him.

"After you decided to destroy the body I was using, I was left with next to nothing. My human body was all that was left and since I put so much work into my puppet form, I had to start from the beginning. My chakra control was almost completely erratic, I had to get used to eating and breathing again. And that was all thanks to you." He said bitterly.

Sakura almost wanted to apologise, but as she remembered Sasori was her enemy no matter what she thought back to her failed accomplishment, and how the great Sasori of the Red Sand she thought she had killed was still alive and well. In some way she felt cheated of her victory but at least Sasori's weakness now prevented him causing destruction, the least he could do was continue assisting the others when they needed the help. She only nodded at his words.

"If you're so annoyed by what I did…what Chiyo did…why are you helping me? And being nice to me?" she asked. "I'm surprised you even care what Kisame was trying to do to me." She said forlornly.

"You have asked me this already." Sasori said tiredly.

"And you didn't give me a good enough response." She challenged.

"You're lucky I responded at all," Sasori said whipping her an angry glance. "Kunoichi; don't push your luck."

After a pause Sakura replied, "If you want something in return then I'll tell you now, I'm not giving you a thing."

"I thought you may say that." He said. "You better pray kunoichi, what Leader-sama has in mind for can be either of two things. I believe he will suggest you tell him the information again or, bare in mind kunoichi, we never let prisoners leave freely." He said hinting of her impending fate.

"Why are you human now?" she said changing the subject. She heard him sigh only.

"You're a smart girl, why don't you guess." He said, but Sakura could detect he only said this to spare himself a long and annoying explanation. Something told her he had been asked multiple times already. She looked around the room again; she would find a way to leave, no doubt.

A cloaked figured waltzed out of the akatsuki hideout in the depths of the night. The ground was still beneath him.

"The jinchuriki has yet to be found." The cloaked man stated emotionlessly. Zetsu blinked and silently conferenced with himself before looking back to the cloaked man. "Watch the Konohan ninja, find out where the boy is." He demanded silently, for a second he looked around their surroundings then back to the quiet akatsuki spy. He had already left, the only indication he had been there was the green rippling on the ground where he had stood previously. The cloaked man looked to the moon.

But as he felt a presence behind him, he turned, smiling beneath his mask he nodded towards the elder Uchiha who stood emotionlessly. "Itachi."

This was a waiting game.