A/N: Well how about that. I actually updated. After two years. So much crap has happened but I've finally been able to update a chapter. Hurray! But are people still eager for it? That's the question. Either way, I'm overjoyed to finally write again. I really hope this new chapter meets everyone's expectations and is worth the wait!

Beta'd by: None

Warnings: Fluff

Screw It - XXVII

"I've cross referenced the location of the media feeds coupled with everything we know about Itachi Uchiha; businesses, affiliations, you name it, I've analysed it but still nothing about the Organisation's location." Shikamaru sighed, rubbing at his neck tiredly. "Kakashi-sensei is right – we're going to need a different approach to finding out the location if we want to continue in a…legal fashion."

On the other side of the office, Kakashi's visible eye rolled skyward. "Stop with the sensei."

His protest, as usual, went ignored.

Naruto frowned. Nothing? Brilliant, informed, information-phishing Shikamaru couldn't discover the location of the Akatsuki Organisation? Either it was very heavily concealed as Kakashi had first indicated through the Black Market in Hong Kong or they just didn't have the means to discover it firsthand. Papers rustled as the Chief drummed his fingers against the meeting desk, which was nearly covered in data feeds, news articles relating to Itachi, and various other materials. Similarly, more paper was pinned up to the message boards around the room. The TV on the far wall resting on a bracket was playing the news feed of Sakura running from the camera in a continuous loop.

The news channel had gone curiously dark half an hour after the feed was released, and Naruto had a funny feeling that whoever had kidnapped Sakura, was responsible for shutting down the news channel. Or at least, that portion of it.

"It still doesn't mean that Itachi even has Sakura. It's just a good assumption." Kiba said, nursing his fifth cup of coffee. Akamaru who was resting on the floor nearby made a series of barks and the Inuzuka shot the canine a stiff glare. "What do you mean I never make good assumptions? That nose of yours couldn't even clearly identify if she was even there!"

As the ninja-hound and his master started to bicker together about who had the sharpest nose, Sai entered the room with additional documents balanced in his arms. Having caught the tail end of the conversation, he mentioned, "Other ominous Shinobi also reside in Hong Kong. Danzo Shimaru, Orochimaru and Madara Uchiha are known to live there, too. It is quite conceivable that they, also, could be responsible for capturing Sakura – each of them all have a bone to pick with Konoha."

"That would make sense." Kakashi agreed, an approving gleam in his eye as he watched the young shinobi place the stack of documents onto the already overloaded table. "However, if that were true they would have sent their demands by now. None of them have anything to gain unless they can rub our noses in their transgression."

There was a distinct ache beginning to form along Naruto's forehead as he contemplated Kakashi's words. "So, let's say, hypothetically, that's true – why then haven't we received such a notification from Itachi?"

Before Kakashi could respond, it was Shikamaru that jolted as if struck by lightning and blurted, "Because it's not us he's trying to snub."

All eyes in the room swivelled to Shikamaru, including Kiba and Akamaru who stopped in mid wrestle match to stare at him quizzically. The Intelligence Agent sighed in frustration. There were so many ramifications in the pursuit of being intellectually gifted; one of them being having to explain obvious shit to other people who didn't operate quite as quickly. "It's Sasuke."

There were several collective blinks before Naruto's lips pulled down at the corners as he said, "You think that Itachi kidnapped Sakura to snub Sasuke?"

No one noticed (or pretended not to notice) as Naruto converted to his turtle mode at having voluntarily mentioned Sasuke's name.

Shikamaru crossed his arms with a firm nod. "I'd put money on it. But seeing as no one knows where Sasuke is, Itachi would have sent people out to look for him."

"Which means we can confirm the validity of this if there are Akatsuki members absent for an extended period of time." Sai said, a normally unheard hint of excitement in his tone.

"Not necessarily." Shikamaru gently rebuffed. "The Akatsuki Organisation is known, on the side, to participate in contracts; assassination, intimidation – anything they can make money from. This means that the likelihood of all members being around, regardless of time period, to provide conclusive evidence of that assumption, is damn low."

The crestfallen expression that flittered across Sai's face almost made Shikamaru feel like he had kicked a bag of puppies. Almost. Despite having spent so much time with Sai, and seeing him become more open with his emotions, it was still disturbing to see Sai express anything more than a vindictive smirk. Unfortunately, they saw less of that, too, seeing as the victim of it was now the Chief of Police and held the keys of Sai's employment. Not that Naruto would fire anyone for giving him shit during a shift but…there was always a first time for everything.

"The real question here is why, if Itachi really is responsible for it, would he kidnap her? What will he gain through Sasuke?" Kakashi intoned quietly to the room, as if he were expecting them to start raising their hands in the air to provide the obvious answer. He leaned back in his leather chair, noting that Naruto was still withdrawn in his turtle mode.

It was all speculation at this point – the Copy Ninja wasn't really expecting anyone to front with a logical conclusion, because they didn't have one. Itachi could have a variety of motives and reasons for kidnapping Sakura and involving Sasuke; none that they could identify until they reached Hong Kong.

On the floor, practically beneath the table, Kiba pinned Akamaru with his legs and held on for dear life as the ninja hound tried to wriggle free. He managed to say, "He wants Sasuke for something," before being smacked in the face by a meaty paw.

The unspoken question around the room: what for? Why did Itachi need Sasuke? What did Sakura have to do with it? Was there any correlation between this and what happened three years ago in the warehouse? The room's occupants were silent (save for the Inuzuka and his pooch still squabbling and knocking chairs around) as they contemplated the questions in their own minds. No answers were forthcoming, and Naruto was not the only one beginning to develop a headache.

Said Chief was startled right out of his turtle coma as the door to the meeting room slammed open to admit an irate Jiraiya who immediately snapped, "All right, the lot of you. Go home. It's Sunday for crying out loud."

Ever the wisecrack, when necessary, Kakashi fixed the older shinobi with a smug gleam in his eye. "What's your excuse for being here so late? Avoiding a certain…missus of yours?"

Jiraiya visibly went a few shades lighter, coming scarily close to the hue of his hair. Missus was right. Ever since Sakura had been abducted and Tsunade had had to roughhouse her husband to force him to allow Naruto to perform an investigation, she had not been the most…amicable partner to live with. After the initial chair was thrown at him later that night while his wife over-indulged in alcohol, Jiraiya had decided he was much safer immersing himself in work and playing it safe away from his ridiculously strong life-partner. It went without saying, that even after all the perving on other women, the Sanin would never cheat on Tsunade in any fashion. He loved her, crazy woman that she is. But even love could not stop him from seeking shelter in his workplace until ridiculous hours of the morning so he could avoid her scary temper tantrums.

Knowing that he had hit the nail on the head, Kakashi chuckled softly in the silence that followed before he stood. "Commissioner gave orders. And you've all got wives to get home to." The Copy-Ninja shot Kiba an apologetic gaze. "No offence, Kiba."

Having finally won his impromptu wrestling match with Akamaru, Kiba stood and made a dismissive gesture before speaking with a distinctly mischievous tone, "None taken, Kakashi-sensei."

Kakashi sighed. "Damn youngsters…."

Sakura was not sulking.

Sitting on the floor of the shower, curled up with her knees beneath her chin, was not sulking.

Or so she tried to tell herself.

Shivers still wracked her body and the occasional sneeze escaped but she was no longer in danger of developing hypothermia or pneumonia. A steady stream of blessedly hot water felt like cold fire against her chilled skin, even though she had been sitting under it for more than ten minutes. Reaching up to adjust the temperature to higher degrees, Sakura sighed as the pipes rewarded her with water just shy of burning.

Itachi had not been pleased with her attack on his person back in the warehouse, especially with various employees of the business looking on as she utilised the only weapon available. Many people would likely be quite embarrassed to retell the tale of being hit in the face with a fish, because that is exactly what Sakura did to make her distaste of the inhibitor abundantly clear. Thinking about it now, the Kunoichi decided she should have snatched a heavier fish but the three-foot snapper had done its damage; perhaps not physically but it had certainly dented Itachi's pride as its slippery body had collided with his face, leaving a slimy residue.

Kisame and Sasori had appeared just in time to see the meaty fish smack their boss in the face by Sakura's hand. Both were too shocked by the occurrence to realise that Itachi should have been able to avoid such an assault on his person, but it seems he was hiding his tiredness well. The swordsman's reaction had been instantaneous; not wise, but certainly instantaneous as he had begun laughing uproariously, especially when Sakura had obtained another fish in her opposite hand and smacked the inhibitor right out of Itachi's with it. Needless to say the Uchiha had not been in a pleasant mood after that. Having not had the strength to do anything more beyond being insulting, Sakura had then thrown the fish at his feet and stalked in the direction of the Mustang, the three Akatsuki still trying to process that she was going willingly.

And Kisame had been laughing his ass off, naturally, before a sidelong glance from Itachi had silenced him.

"What else could I have done?" Sakura muttered to herself in reflection as the water continued to cover her in a steady stream. Giving in was the only option she had had. Sure, she could have tried fighting Itachi properly, but the result would have been the same. However, she was mature enough to admit to herself that had she conserved her chakra and found a relatively safe place to rest; perhaps a police station, she may have gotten away as she had originally intended to.

At least she had given herself some amusement; doubtful that anyone alive could claim to have slapped Itachi Uchiha in the face with a fish. In the end, surprisingly, she was still inhibitor free. As strange as that was, Sakura was not prepared to question it.

After that, they had made a claustrophobic trip to the hotel Kisame (who was not happy at all) was staying at in the Mustang with Sakura stuck in the back with Sasori who was still glaring at her. The guy obviously could not take a joke or maybe it was because she had injured him twice in the space of eight hours. At that point though, she had been less concerned about his treatment of her and more concerned about being in a confined space with no way out, digging her knees into the back of the driver's seat contemptuously. Sakura could have been imagining it, but she was quite sure that the Mustang had gone faster in response.

What she had been quite eager to question, however, was the factor of arriving to a hotel instead of returning to the Akatsuki Organisation. Not that she was protesting – hardly – the change of scenery as it had alleviated some of her anxiety not to see that dreadful building turned prison, but it seemed strange that they would stay with Kisame for seemingly no reason. Said man didn't seem tickled pink by the idea, either, but no explanations had been forthcoming from the dark-haired Yakuza and considering the more stoic than usual mood he was in, no one had been game enough to question him.

Well, perhaps Sakura would have, had she not begun to sneeze at irregular intervals, finding dark humour in the fact that the action caused Sasori to develop an anxious tension in his body and he seemed more interested in staying as close to his side of the Mustang instead of glaring at her to avoid catching whatever disease was ailing her.

When they arrived at the hotel, the staff just about bowed on the floor to Itachi as he entered the establishment, followed by the other two Akatsuki and Sakura. Akatsuki were often seen in the hotel, but rarely accompanied by women, and the poor, be-sodden nurse had been the source of much scrutiny until Itachi had drawn her against his side (much to her reluctant appreciation) and negated all stares with his piercing Sharingan.

Feeling thoroughly chastised, the staff had continued with their ass-kissing routine and had offered additional accommodation but Itachi insisted that the four of them would be fine sharing Kisame's room and the staff had eventually relented.

Sakura had doubted there being enough room for the four of them but when Kisame had used an access card to enter the room, she had lost her jaw somewhere in the hallway. The room – more of an apartment in Sakura's opinion – was made up of a parlour upon entry which led into an open plan living area of sorts which included a kitchen, dining room and a theatre area with plush recliners, a bed-worthy sofa, and a wall-mounted, massive television. And decorated to the absolute nines. Two additional doors led to a bedroom which held a behemoth king size bed and the bathroom, a conjoining door between the two, where Sakura was currently hiding.

All in all, her escape attempt had been nothing but failure, and she was right back to where she started. Although, Itachi was considerably more cross with her than he had been prior to an hour ago before she had smacked him with a fish. It didn't answer the question as to why she was still inhibitor free, though. One would have thought that he would feel vindictive enough to put it on her straight away, but for whatever reason, he had merely picked the device up from where the fish had knocked it, placed it in his pocket and left it at that. For now.

And the only reason she was alone in the shower was because she had insisted she would be fine on her own, even though her body had trembled and rebelled against the idea of standing unassisted for a second longer. Itachi had stared at her in the doorframe of the bathroom as she stood in her wet jumper and jeans, clearly not believing her but, rather uncharacteristically, he had reached for the door and enclosed her in the room on her own with a decisive click.

There was no way she would admit to want – needing his support.

Sakura jolted against the warm tiles of the shower as a soft knock came from the bathroom door. "Miss Haruno, Itachi-sama wishes to know what you would like to eat."

At the mention of food, Sakura's stomach rumbled lowly, reminding her that she had not eaten since the early hours of the afternoon. And room service from a five-star hotel was nothing to sneeze at. Torn between being stubborn and being an adult, Sakura chewed on her lip before reluctantly raising her voice to be heard over the din of the shower. "Anything is fine." Supposing she should be polite, she added, "Thank you, Sasori."

There was no reply, but Sakura assumed he had heard her as no additional knocks came and Itachi didn't come barging in demanding to know what she wanted specifically. Sighing quietly, she bounced the back of her head against the tile, willing the warm water to take away the aches and pains in her body. Even without the inhibitor, her chakra wasn't coming back as quickly as she thought it would, and Sakura suspected it was because she was coming down with something. Not surprising, really, considering her lack of care for her health by going flouncing around in the rain. Twice.

I really, really don't want to get up, but I doubt Itachi will let me sleep in here.

Very doubtful. Her subconscious put in blankly. But if you wait long enough, I'm sure he'll come in here while you're naked!

Sakura was very concerned that the idea did not seem as terrible or abhorrent as it should have. After all, he'd seen her naked twice already and assisted (Sakura cringed) her in reaching orgasm. Sinking fingers into the wet strands of her hair, the young woman massaged her scalp to will away the unwanted images. Maybe she was losing her sanity as well as every other sensibility she had possessed prior to meeting the Yakuza leader.

Shaking her head, Sakura decided that she had been thinking, not sulking, for long enough and decided to force herself to stand. On legs that clearly didn't wish to cooperate after the abuse she had put them through in the last few days. Despite the fact that she is a Kunoichi, Sakura hadn't actually sparred or trained with anyone in months. She knew she wasn't in peak physical condition, and hadn't been for some time, but it should not be this difficult simply to stand after a few days of exertion.

Muscles in the tops of her thighs and calves burned in protest as she used the faucets to pull herself back upright, releasing a pained groan as her legs then trembled and seemed to deliberate on supporting her weight. Her whole body ached in tangent to that of her heart beat, sending pulse after unpleasant pulse through muscle, nerve and skin. Sakura was positive she was sweating, even though the water wiped all evidence of it away. Standing under the spray for a few seconds longer and gripping the faucets like a lifeline, she gingerly turned them anti-clockwise and shivered as the water dribbled to a stop, a few droplets landing on her upturned face before she set her gaze on the towel and bathrobe just within reach of the shower door.

Refusing to let go of the faucet just yet, and not quite trusting her body, Sakura used her left hand to push the door aside. Easy part done. Shuffling carefully over to the end of the tile, while still maintaining one hand on the faucet, the nurse tentatively stepped onto the mat and traded the faucet for the frame of the shower. Just that movement alone sent her vision careening and she swallowed hard, pressing her forehead against the flat of her hand for stability.

"Come on, Sakura. You can do this. It's just exhaustion, hunger and the beginnings of a virus of some kind."

Which was not a great combo but that was fine. Sakura had faced worse, seen worse and dealt with worse. Solidifying that thought, she grabbed the towel and using the glass wall of the shower, prevented herself from face-planting as she briskly towelled dry and gave her hair a quick rub with it before placing it back on the railing. The bathrobe was soft and fluffy as she ensconced her still shivering body with it, closing her eyes as the sweet scent of cherry blossoms filled her senses. Well that was ironic.

Now was the challenging part. Not only finding additional clothing to wear until her own were finished being dry-cleaned by the hotel staff (which she had protested but Itachi had ignored her, as usual) but managing to leave the bathroom without having to call the dreaded Akatsuki for help. Walking carefully over the damp mat next to the shower, Sakura stumbled against the wash basin and found herself staring into the mirror. As she had expected, her skin was paler than usual, and her eyes were a dull shade of green, lank hunks of pink hair framing her cheekbones. Where the bathrobe gaped open, she could see the yellowing bruises on her midsection where she had collided with the tree at the Slave Auction, and there was still a slight discolouration of her jaw.

Damn. I look and feel like shit.

Any reply that her snarky subconscious could have made was drowned out by the sudden sneeze that made her head ache like someone had taken a hammer to it.

God, there was nothing worse than getting sick, and contrary to popular belief, chakra could not heal viruses. In fact, there was a lot chakra could not heal, especially if the shinobi didn't know what to heal or how to heal it. It was why Sakura detested becoming ill because she had not yet mastered the ability to treat symptoms of a virus. Blasted things. Even modern doctors could do nothing about it, only supply medication to treat the symptoms until the body sorted itself out. A cold was harder to cure than cancer for a shinobi, for crying out loud.

Another knock at the door startled Sakura to the point she had to bite her lip to prevent yelping. "Y-yes?"

"Are you decent?" Itachi's voice was muffled by the door but it still sent an unwelcome (or so she told herself) jolt through her body.

It was questionable as to how long she had actually been in the shower for, seeing as the Akatsuki leader was now at the door. Considering they were in a hotel, the average shower here for supplying abundant amounts of hot water would be vastly greater than that of one at a residence. Then again, Sakura imagined that it would be possible to lounge around in the fork knocks bedroom shower back at the Organisation for an hour and still have hot water to waste.

Glancing down at the robe which she had forgotten to tie in her battle to remain upright, Sakura completely forgot to reply as she fumbled with the folds of the material and cursed her clumsy, currently stubborn fingers as they grappled with the sash. She must have cursed loudly because the door opened to admit the dark-haired Yakuza, his eyes quickly appraising the situation as he shut the door behind him. Either for privacy on her part or something else that she dared not give thought to. This was exactly what she hadn't wanted; to be stuck in a room alone with him. Her fingers had since abandoned the task of tying the sash and she idly wondered if she would be using them to defend herself.

Apprehension shined in the glistening emerald orbs and Sakura found her breath hitching in her throat as he glided forward in that graceful, unhurried manner of his, eyes still holding that strange…something she couldn't put a name to. Maybe it was tiredness, or he was irritated or…he had something more nefarious in mind for a punishment. Sakura's heart jumped in panic beneath her ribcage as the Yakuza stalked closer, his dark suit slightly damp from where he had held her against his side, and she quickly held out her hands in defence, meaning to sound more firm but her voice came out as a quiet plea, "Please don't hurt me."

Despite instinct urging her to close her eyes, Sakura forced them to remain open, bemused at the slight flick of surprise within the Sharingan before it was quickly concealed by Itachi's impassive mask and he tilted his head ever so slightly to the side. There was less than an inch gap between her hands and his suit jacket, and she felt helplessly torn between pushing him away or keeping her hands stationery as a futile barrier.

She was not going to acknowledge the urge to pull him closer.

A vision of loveliness had met Itachi's gaze the moment he had entered the bathroom, concerned upon hearing her soft curse. He had been momentarily frozen to see Sakura poised against the wash basin; a gap in her untied bathrobe revealing the length of her creamy right leg, baring just a touch of her hip and the subtle curve of her breasts. The Sharingan caught the still present discolouration of her abdomen, scanning up to her face, tracing the pale shape of her cheekbones and thence to her eyes where fear and apprehension stared back at him.

What he hadn't been expecting was for the young woman to raise her hands to ward him away, as if she expected him to strike her. Itachi couldn't think of a damn thing to say after hearing her request – no, her plea. Did she really think that he would hurt her? Never had he raised a hand to her in anger, and he never would. Punishment was different; it was something he had to utilise in the eyes of the other Akatsuki, and especially now after she had evaded him for the better part of the day. Need not mention the fish. Kisame and Sasori, despite their loyalty to him, would question a change in his character if Itachi failed to reprimand Sakura for escaping. Kisame already suspected that something was up; he was after all the one who had known Itachi the longest out of the Inner Circle.

But, as the Sharingan observed the change in her breathing, skin pallor and the occasional tremble that wracked her body and recalled hearing her sneeze several times, it became clear that Sakura was becoming ill. Punishing her in any form could prove hazardous to her health. And it was becoming obvious that he cared about her welfare. That being said though, punishment did not need to be physically dispensed – perhaps something else in the meantime. Explaining water sports to the prudish woman would likely be extremely entertaining and serve as a suitable punishment. Itachi very slowly raised his hand, a strange warmth infusing his chest when the nurse didn't flinch, and cupped her cheek in his hand, his tone soft as he said, "I won't hurt you."

Sakura blinked. Won't hurt her? Indignation rose in an instant but faltered just as quickly as she processed the soothing heat of his hand against the bruise over her cheekbone, and the alarming amount of sincerity in the red blaze of his eyes. Punishment was obviously not considered to be the same thing as deliberately harming her. And what he said next was almost a metaphorical cinch around her heart.

"Whether you believe it or not, I was…concerned for you this afternoon. Hong Kong is not safe for you to wander, Miss Haruno. No matter your intention."

Where was this concern coming from? Why was he suddenly being so…so…humane? Sakura had never felt so conflicted before, and there was a burning presence on the edge of her subconscious; a muted reminder that she couldn't seem to get access to. And it was so frustrating. What was it that she couldn't remember? And why did it seem as if Itachi had something to do with it; as if it was centred on him?

Answers. Sakura wanted answers, and she wanted them now.

Either the Yakuza leader was tired, or she had discovered a spurt of strength. It was likely the former, but it didn't change the fact that Sakura had suddenly reversed their positions and it was Itachi with his back to the wash basin, her knuckles white against his chest as she clutched the material of his dress shirt. Both of them were momentarily surprised by the movement but there was a gradual acceptance in the ruby orbs and the Uchiha made no attempt to free himself from her hold, his hands moving to discreetly tug her bathrobe closed that had fallen open further when she turned.

Sakura blushed at the gesture but didn't move away, blisteringly aware of the heat beneath the material of his shirt and how she very much wanted to feel the muscle beneath. "I want answers."

"Very well." Itachi murmured, delighting in the way her emerald orbs widened with surprise. "Ask your questions."

Ask questions? He was actually giving her permission to drill him for information? Sakura opened and closed her mouth several times, dozens of questions and accusations coming to mind before she forced herself to calm and took a deep breath and exhaled through her mouth. Itachi simply watched her; nothing but calm acceptance in his now tired red eyes. It gave her the courage to speak.

"Who is Sasuke?" It wasn't the most important question, but it would certainly put her dreams into perspective.

Exhaling with an inaudible sigh, Itachi closed his eyes, willing the Sharingan into its dormant state before fixing his gaze on the young woman, slightly frustrated that his vision was now blurry, and he could no longer make out her distinctive features of beauty. It didn't prevent him, however, from picking up on the surprise in her emerald orbs at rendering himself vulnerable before her. Again. "Sasuke is my younger brother."

Younger brother? Now that definitely made more sense but what it didn't explain was why she was dreaming of someone she had never met. Although, she did know that the Uchiha Clan had originated from Konoha and that many of them had lived there at one stage, but for the life of her, she could not recall what had happened to them. The Clan had…disappeared from her memory bank with only the name remaining to remind her that they existed.

Tightening her fingers and creasing his dress shirt, Sakura frowned up at the tall man. "Why would I dream of someone I have never met? What do you want from me, Itachi, really? We both know the mistress guise is just that: a guise."

Now they come to the root of the issue. Itachi fervently wished that he had found some other way to conduct his plans, and not included Sakura. It had become clear that he was too invested in her, in ways that he was not yet ready to acknowledge. Or, perhaps, too scared to acknowledge. The idea was ludicrous but not impossible and Itachi felt that strange twinge in his chest again, one that was becoming all too familiar. But, that aside, he could not in good conscious answer those questions yet. At least, not until Sasuke was present.

When Itachi's silence became her answer, the Kunoichi knew that that was as lenient as she was going to get from him. But, perhaps a simpler question. "The day I found you in Konoha. Was that a ploy or were you actually injured?"

Conscious of the wash basin digging uncomfortably into his lower back, Itachi paid it no further attention as he tried to think of the most eloquent way to explain that he had accidentally stabbed himself whilst waiting in the alley for her. With his health on the decline, and much to his chagrin, fainting spells had begun to occur and while he had been idling twisting a kunai expertly between his fingers, he had been struck with a surge of weakness and had promptly collapsed, impaling his side with the kunai. As a subconscious reaction, Itachi believed that he had removed the kunai and stored it away before passing out again, only to come to when Sakura had found him.

No matter which way you sliced it, no Shinobi worth their salt would be willing to admit, in excellent condition or not, that they had accidentally injured themselves with a weapon they had been using for the vast majority of their lifetime. And as the emerald eyes threatened to imprint themselves into his skin, Itachi found himself struggling for words. Had he not been injected with an unhealthy dose of the stimulant hours earlier, he may have been cognitive enough to just provide a flippant answer that was part truth but mostly exaggerated.

At this point in time, his word to mouth filter was functioning fairly poorly and the words just came tumbling out of his mouth muchly without his permission. "I fell on my kunai."

Sakura stared at him before feeling a little trill of hysteria; a giddy laugh crawling up her throat and escaping before she could quite put a stop to it, drawing a hand away from his chest to cup it over her mouth even as her eyes crinkled. Itachi was stone-faced as she released an unladylike snort in an attempt to stifle her laughter, clearly battling with finding the situation absolutely hilarious while her humanitarian side tried to remind her that it was still a serious incident.

Tentatively lowering her hand to cautiously cup it at her neck, Sakura cleared her throat and attempted, "So…you fainted…onto your kunai, " a giggle escaped and she clicked her teeth together, lips pursing before trying again. "You…haven't had any other fainting spells, have you?"

And there was the growing concern as the ridiculous urge to laugh left as quickly as it had arrived. Sakura's eyes were subconsciously scanning him, brain flitting from one thought to another. He could have impaled an organ, hit an artery. Itachi could have very well been dead in that alley if he hadn't been fortunate for where the kunai had penetrated. The Uchiha reminded quiet, inwardly embarrassed and observant as he watched the hilarity pass over her before it was replaced with intense scrutiny.

He decided to be honest with her, as was becoming more consistent of late. "No. I have not."

Sakura nodded in a clinical fashion, much like she would at the hospital once she had evidence that her patient had followed her advice. "Good. I'm glad."

Now it was Sakura's turn to be embarrassed and she quickly took her other hand from his chest, shuffling her feet and awkwardly glancing at anything else but him.

Itachi found it utterly adorable and so incredibly endearing; he couldn't deny it. He gently encouraged her. "Next question?"

Shivering at the notably gentle tone of his voice, Sakura raised her eyes back to his, warmth suffusing her cheekbones at the almost affectionate look he was giving her. She wondered if he was even aware he was doing it. "Why haven't you put the inhibitor on me?"

Ah, something he could answer without earning himself a lifetime's worth of embarrassment. "You're becoming ill. I know you cannot alleviate yourself of it, but you will recover more quickly with access to chakra."

Sakura's mouth parted in shock, unable to believe that he could surprise her so many times in one night. The very notion disturbed her – it was much easier to hate a man that took joy in hurting and humiliating her than it was to hate a man that suddenly took account of the state of her health and become, dare she even think it, affectionate with her. More disturbing were the sensations his touch elicited as the tips of his fingers stroked idly over her cheekbone during her silence, encouraging heat to begin to stir in her belly.

Goddamnit. I can't keep allowing him to do this to me. I'm getting whiplash!

Attempting to casually move her head out of his reach ended up being more of a flinch that resulted in Itachi letting his hand fall away in resigned acceptance, his expression losing the warmth and becoming the familiar stoniness she was beginning to despise. Sakura was beside herself in the guilt that flooded her; there was nothing to feel guilty over! And yet, as she scrambled for something to say to take the awkwardness out of the situation, Sakura's shoulders dropped and she sighed.

Fuck it.

Stepping forward so that her bare feet were enclosed between his ridiculously expensive shoes, Sakura allowed her torso to follow suit and rested the line of her body against his, reluctantly exhaling a relaxed sigh as the heat exuding from his body soothed the coldness in hers. Unsure what to do with her arms, the nurse rested her wrists on the basin on either side of his hips, feeling heat encompass her face that had nothing to do with fever as she raised her eyes to gauge his reaction.

Anytime that Sakura willingly did something that involved anything remotely affectionate with him never failed to send that unusual twinge through his chest, and this was no different. Itachi was no stranger to physical intimacy in any sense of the word but this; what was currently thrumming through his body was unlike anything he had ever experienced with any other woman. There was desire, of course; immense, in Sakura's case. But there was also an astounding urge to protect, provide and care for her. Not unlike what he had begun to feel so many years ago when he had first spoken to the pink-haired Kunoichi.

And like a bud blossoming into a beautiful flower, the door to Itachi's heart began to unfold and revealed a bittersweet memory that he had been successful up until now to keep at bay, along with every other emotion he tried to keep concealed.

Thirteen year old Itachi was wise beyond his years, yet still naïve in the sense of essentially being a child. There were many things he did not know, had not learnt, and would not discover or understand for many years to come.

This was most unusual.

Fully developed Sharingan glanced down concernedly at his chest where the sensation was coming from, then back down to the group of children futilely attempting to hit the bullseye on their target with wooden shuriken. Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno, Shikamaru Nara, Kiba Inuzuka and his own little brother, Sasuka Uchiha were all busy getting some much needed experience after their first official day at the Academy. In a training area that was closer to the border and technically off limits to most ninja, let alone children.

The sun was dwindling in the sky but it didn't stop the group of children from enthusiastically wanting to get as much out of their first Shinobi experience as physically possible. Itachi admired their resolve but cast a shrewd, calculating eye to their methods. Sloppy, uncoordinated and too carefree rather than concentrated and focused on their target. Though he couldn't really be too judgemental; they were just kids and he hoped they would remain that way for as long as they possibly could.

Particularly the abnormally pink-haired girl, Sakura Haruno. Itachi had never spoken to her but he knew that she was close friends with Naruto and rather besotted with his kid brother. The thought brought a smile to his lips at the blatant admiration in her gaze as she kept shooting skittish looks over at Sasuke who was as oblivious as a rock, while he continued trying to butcher his target with shuriken only to have them land uselessly in the nearby shrubbery or glancing off a rock and coming dangerously close to smacking Kiba's foot who loudly protested with a harsh, "Watch it, Sasuke!"

To which Sasuke responded by rounding on his classmate with a baby sneer that would later be developed into one of his more endearing facial expressions. "You're in my way, Kiba. Don't stand so close to me!"

Itachi rolled his eyes as childish banter ensued, adjusting his crouch from where he remained concealed by thick leaves in a tree above them. To be so carefree and actually live a childhood experience was something the older Uchiha would always regret not experiencing. He had grown up too fast, too isolated, too focused on being the best Shinobi he could be; not just for himself but for Konoha, and for Sasuke. Standing in the limelight, took their father's attention off expecting more from Sasuke and putting more on Itachi.

Sasuke deserved a normal childhood, and if it was within his power, Itachi would ensure that his sweet, little brother would have one. If only pre-emptive hindsight had been a thing. For now, Konoha was completely oblivious to the chaos that would ensue.

It was a rarity in which Itachi had time to himself, being ANBU Captain and expecting the most from himself. He had actually been on his way to train in a secluded field when he had spotted the young ninjas practising with the laughable excuse for shuriken. After all, it would not be logical to hand out metal weapons to a group of eight year olds. Itachi being the exception to the rule when he was their age. Part of him wished to abandon his observation in the tree and join them but his training was just as important as theirs. Not to mention the fact that there was such a thing as hero worship and Itachi wasn't overly interested in endorsing that by spending time with them.

They needed to hone their skills, not fawn over their teacher.

However, they were not permitted in this area and if any Jonin or ANBU, hell, parents, found out that Itachi had discovered them but done nothing about it, no doubt he would be listening to a redundant record. The young prodigy was all for the rules but where a lesson needed to be learnt, he was not one to pass up the opportunity.

Snorting quietly under his breath, Itachi made several hand signs, causing a chill, abnormal wind to rush through the training area, stirring the surrounding trees, and clothes and hair of the children as they paused in their practice to peer around warily at the wind change.

"That's weird." Shikamaru remarked cautiously, even at a young age developing the high level of perception he would gain in later years. "Mum didn't say anything about the weather being bad today."

Kiba and Naruto had unknowingly moved back to back, glancing around with visible apprehension in the stance of their bodies. "Maybe it's a ghost!" Naruto fretted, his clammy hands gripping his wooden shuriken tightly.

Swallowing hard, Kiba pressed his back to his classmate and shook his head rapidly. "N-no way, Naruto. Ghosts don't exist."

"Y-yeah they do!"

Another buffet of wind sent the trees around the children into a flurry of activity, branches groaning and creaking, leaves shivering and scratching the bark against which they rested. The shadows within the trees seemed to get longer and larger, appearing to be dark, grotesque figures as the sun continued its slow descent.

Sasuke and Shikamaru made noises of dismissal but an eerie howl suddenly emerging from within the woods sent the two scattering to stand close to Naruto and Kiba, the boys now widening their circle so they could all stand back to back together. Itachi was outright smirking down at the group of frightened children, gleefully manipulating the trees to move and make it as though the branches were trying to ensnare the kids within their grasp.

Seeing the plant life come to life scared the bejesus out of the five some, Sakura giving a high pierced shriek of fright where she stood rooted to the spot on her own whilst her classmates gave manly yelps of fear and ran around like a bunch of headless turkeys attempting to avoid the long reach of the branches.

"I knew it! I knew we shouldn't have come here!" Shikamaru announced, his voice teetering on a high note as he ducked to avoid a thick branch. "Academy students aren't allowed!"

In the mad scramble and jumbled agreements that followed amidst the twisting branches, Itachi watched with a soft chuckle as the group high-tailed it into the woods leading back to the centre of Konoha.

There. Lesson learnt.

As Itachi released the jutsu and the trees returned to their dormant selves and the wind died down to a gentle caress, he braced against his perch, preparing to jump to the next tree when a flash of pink silhouetted against the grass directly below him caused him to pause. His chest made that odd sensation again just as the young girl raised her head from where she had been shielding it against her knees, having taken refuge against the base of the large tree and called out tentatively, "Naruto? S-Sasuke? Guys? Where are you?"

Kakashi would have a field day if he had discovered this situation. Never leave a ninja behind. Work as a team. You do not leave your teammates behind in the presence of danger. Stirrings of disapproval rose within Itachi as he stared at the passage that the juvenile delinquents - his brother included - had left in their wake. Honestly, they should know better than to leave Sakura behind even if they had not been sorted into teams yet. She was their friend. The young prodigy doubted they would stop running long enough to check that all five were accounted for.

"This isn't funny, guys! Come out!" Sakura had now regained her confidence, her long pink hair swishing against her mid-back as she strode out into the middle of the training field, hands on her hips as she searched the surrounding trees. As she turned, Itachi noticed that her emerald eyes glittered fiercely in the fading light but began to grow apprehensive as her calls went unanswered. "Guys?"

Only Itachi's eyes moved as he sensed three chakra signatures approaching from the border, his gaze roving over the clearing until he pin-pointed the exact direction they were coming from. The signatures were faint; in the sense that they were sloppily masked and rampant with excitement. Whoever was approaching was not a ninja from Konoha.

Concern blossomed in Itachi's chest as Sakura continued to idly wander the training field as she continued to call for her friends, an edge of desperation beginning to seep into her tone as the very last vestiges of sunlight began to creep away into darkness. His first instinct was to comfort her, but now his priority was to protect her.

And for good reason. Whatever intention these Shinobi had, it was not good. To cross the border, so few in number and uncoordinated suggested to Itachi that these were highway Shinobi; those that would raid small villages close to the central township but far enough away so as to have time to pillage, rob and flee without being caught.

Itachi heard the bumbling trio long before he saw them; stumbling through the undergrowth, no cloth wrapped around their weapons to ensure the metal didn't jingle or clink and certainly no regard for having a very loud conversation for what they intended to do as they headed for their destination. Blood boiled through his veins as their loud plans hinted at torture of anyone who got in their way; to rob the residents of everything they held dear, not limited to inanimate objects.

Kidnapping was prevalent, especially if there was an income to be made.

Onyx eyes bled to Sharingan, disheartened but prepared to fight for Sakura's safety and Konoha's, quickly scanning the child below, confirming that she had now heard the trio as well and had carefully turned to face the noise, wary and gradually becoming terrified. Itachi wanted to console her; to wrap her in his arms and ensure that he would allow nothing and no one to touch her, but that could wait. Sakura had her own lesson to learn here: always be observant in situations of danger or the unknown.

The first blithering idiot appeared, dressed in unremarkable clothing that confirmed Itachi's suspicion. Highway Shinobi. The second and third were close on the first's heels, almost walking into him as the leader had stopped to observe the young pink-haired girl standing ramrod straight, with her hands clenched into fists by her sides, just near one of the huge trees creating an almost perfect circle around the training area. And her green, green eyes were glittering with no shortcomings of fear and panic, the beginnings of tears appearing at the corner of her eyes.

Though Itachi could not see the Sakura's expression, he had no doubt that she was terrified. Any eight year old would be of three fully grown men, armed to the teeth and something decisively sinister in nature sparkling in their eyes.

"Well, lookie here, boys! We found ourselves a little girl." The leader cooed, his grin revealing unclean, rotten teeth. As he stepped forward, one of the wooden shuriken the boys had left behind was crushed beneath his boot.

Sakura visibly flinched at the sound, a strangled sob escaping as the Shinobi laughed and chuckled to themselves in reaction. "G-go away! Leave me alone."

"G-o away! L-leave me alone!" The leader of the band mocked in a high falsetto, causing his two companions to chortle.

Itachi watched with great intensity as Sakura widened her stance, potentially attempting to copy a defensive pose she had seen her parents use when they trained, even as her body trembled with the drive to flee. The idea had heart, but the Uchiha prodigy could see that her weight adjustment was poor and a single shove to the chest would send her toppling backwards. He had to admire her bravery; it was not an easy thing to do.

"I'm warning y-you." Sakura squeaked through her trembles, before shaking her head determinedly and blinked the tears away, causing them to roll down her cheeks. "Stay back or you'll regret it!"

This sent the trio into loud guffaws of mirth, clearly uncaring as to the amount of noise they were making which, much to Itachi's satisfaction and expectation, had attracted the attention it should have the moment the idiots crossed the border. Subtle chakra flares were sensed around the immediate area, and the Uchiha's Sharingan caught a glimpse of a porcelain mask through the trees across the training field. Though Itachi wasn't on duty, he gave a slight nod to the other Shinobi who inclined their head in return.

Too busy taunting and making fun of an eight year old girl, the Highway Shinobi were oblivious to the fact that they were now thoroughly surrounded by hidden Jonin and ANBU alike. The leader managed to stifle his chuckles and took long, confident steps toward Sakura, who hadn't moved but was still trembling like a leaf, his two companions flanking him.

"You'll make for a pretty penny, girlie. Now be a good girl and come quietly. They don't like damaged goods." Pausing just two feet from the girl, he held out his hand expectantly as the other two waited with patient amusement at his sides should an order be given.

Itachi's hackles rose and his fingers tightened against his palms, the tomoe in his Sharingan shifting backwards and forwards as it reacted to his internal rage. Oh, how he hated traffickers. They were up there with murders and rapists; just another branch of a lowly human. The fact that they were Shinobi made it that much worse. Rising from his crouch, the Uchiha decided that enough was enough and Sakura had learned a much needed lesson from an unexpected situation.

He watched as Sakura recoiled from the man's extended arm, her disgust and anger basically palpable even without being able to see her expression. "No! I'm not going anywhere with you! Don't make me hurt you!" And to add to the threat, the young girl raised her fists to show her intent.

As was expected, the three laughed at her display of defence.

Dropping silently to the ground behind Sakura, Itachi rose as a foreboding shadow, nary inches from the girl's back as he towered over her, staring with intense hatred at the pitiful excuses for Shinobi. The simple black shirt emblazoned with the Uchiha Clan symbol on the back and tan shorts that clothed Itachi's physique didn't make him appear incredibly intimidating as his ANBU armour would have, but he wasn't relying on clothing to make a point. Their laughter ended abruptly with startled gasps as they took in the tall, young man standing protectively behind the trembling, pink-haired girl, taking note of the red incandescent eyes threatening to drag them down into the very pits of hell.

Even Highway men, with their nomadic ways of life, would be fools not to recognise the Kekkei Genkai of the Uchiha Clan. And, as Itachi predicted, the leader raised his hands in a pacifying gesture, beginning to walk backwards whilst his two companions on the other hand, simply turned tail and booked it back the way they had come, unaware of the silent shadows following them through the branches of the trees.

"W-we're going. No harm done. See?" The Highwayman gestured at Sakura vaguely before hastening his retreat and disappearing back into the brush and, like his companions, completely oblivious that he was immediately pursued by ANBU.

Itachi dropped his eyes to the pink tresses as the girl released the breath she had been holding before she shouted, "That's what I thought, you big meanie!" Then she muttered to herself, "How did I scare them?"

Unable to resist, Itachi leaned forward slightly, eyes slitting as he took in the sweet aroma of cherry blossoms and jasmine before he said, "You're very scary, of course."

With a shriek, the pink-haired girl turned with a whirl before overbalancing with her poor stance, and landed right on her backside in the grass, blinking owlishly up at her saviour. Itachi immediately offered her his hand with a warm, gentle smile while Sakura still tried to comprehend what just happened, looking from his Sharingan, to his mouth, to his hand and then back again before her breath left her in a rush, "You're Itachi. Sasuke's older brother." And then she blushed prettily.

Itachi nodded, finding her embarrassment charming, patiently holding his hand out to assist her as he said, "Yes, I am. Come now. Let's get you off the ground."

Shyly and somewhat shakily now that the adrenaline of the situation had worn off, Sakura slipped her small hand into his large one and exhaled sharply, her blush deepening as he supported her against his body as she stumbled a little. Itachi allowed the Sharingan to go dormant and peered down at the young girl, watching the emotions play across her face and he was not at all surprised when her shaking became consistent again and tears started to trickle down her creamy cheeks.

"I-I don't know why I'm crying." Sakura hiccupped, rubbing at her eyes with the heels of her hands.

Going down on one knee, Itachi carefully cupped her face in his hands, feeling that odd sensation once again that he had now identified as his heart skipping and clenching irregularly; affection and perhaps, a little bit of a crush. Sakura sobbed and blinked through her tears at him as he said softly, "It's ok to cry. You're in shock. Come here."

Knowing that young girls are delicate and sometimes not trusting of the opposite gender, Itachi dropped his hands from her face and widened his arms in invitation. Sakura was free to refuse and the young Uchiha would not judge her for it as it would be completely understandable; she didn't know him personally, hadn't spoken to him before and had just been in a confrontational situation with three adult men that had had questionable intentions.

Registering the twitch of Sakura's hand and the slight shift of her feet, Itachi was more than ready when the pink-haired girl practically cannonballed into the enclosure of his arms. Warmth flooded through his chest as she nuzzled her wet face into the crook of his neck and shoulder, her breath fanning across his flesh in such a way that made him feel incredibly protective of the young girl. Resting one arm across the entirety of her shoulders and the other securing her waist, Itachi ensured that she felt safe and comforted.

Cherry blossom and jasmine flooded his senses as he inhaled the sweet smelling scent of her hair, registering the softness of her developing body against the hardness of his as she let him take all of her weight. Itachi wondered how his brother could be so oblivious to this adorable girl, because even he, at five years her senior, couldn't deny that she was an absolute sweetheart and cute as hell.

"Thank you for saving me." Sakura breathed, her breath ruffling the stray strands of black hair which had escaped his ponytail. Her grip loosened on him and Itachi let his arms fall slack as she shuffled back, feeling rather bereft of her warmth.

Allowing another genuine, rare smile to tilt his lips, mostly because it made Sakura turn absolutely crimson, Itachi stood. "You're welcome, Sakura." Putting a guiding hand to her lower back, the Uchiha encouraged her forward with gentle prompting, "I'll walk you home."

Twenty-five year old Itachi snapped out of his reverie with something that distinctly felt like yearning and heartache cutting across his heart strings, and in the seconds it had taken him to relive that entire memory, he found his arms wrapping around Sakura, much the same as they had when she was eight years old, gazing down into her emerald orbs wearing that same smile, unconsciously.

Sakura was star struck as she stared up at him, acknowledging the surprisingly welcome cage of his arms around her shoulders and waist. That smile. Her heart went straight to her stomach, which felt like it was turning upside down and fluttering around like a mad animal. Heat blazed across her skin in an unusual rush, her mouth went dry and she had the insane urge to kiss that absolutely gorgeous smile of his. No one had ever looked at her the way he was looking at her now; like she was the only woman in his world.

Self-restraint? Captive and captor? Past grievances? In that moment, Sakura decided to toss it all because right now, it didn't matter. Itachi Uchiha, Akatsuki Leader and Yakuza was looking at her the way she had been seeking to be looked since she first learnt about romance. It didn't matter that it didn't make sense or that there was too much recognition and warmth in his onyx eyes. Sakura gripped the back of his jacket in one hand whilst the other crept up his chest, snaked across the flesh of his neck and entangled into his silky black locks before she pulled him down to her, pressing her lips to his with fierce ardour.

A/N: Like it? Hate it? Lend me your thoughts!

I loved writing the flashback scene. It was so adorable. Maybe Itachi was a bit OC in this chapter but I felt it suited him.

Of course I need to end on a cliff-hanger in typical me style. What will happen next? Let's hope my writer spirits holds.

Until the next chapter. Ciao, dearies!