Disclaimer: I down own Naruto, merely a fan.

Ages:

Itachi - 23-24

Sakura - 18-19

Chapter 1: Enter Tobi

Sakura bolted awake, then moaned and grasped her head. She had a throbbing head ache. She looked at her hands and arms and legs. They were covered in dried blood and dirt. She felt as if she hadn't taken a bath in a week. A nasty taste filled her mouth. What had happened?? She closed her eyes…. Naruto… Kakashi-sensei…Sai.

The last thing she remembered was going on a A-class mission; Naruto, as usual, was complaining in the background before the explosions filled the air. Everything turned chaotic. Her memory blurred. She opened her eyes and looked around the room. It was dim, the only light was a lit candle blazing beside her bed.

"Ah, your awake." The voice seemed excited and smooth. His face hidden in the shadows, but the trademark Akatsuki clouds stitched on his cloak gave him away. Sakura gasped.

"Where-where am I?" She managed to croak, her mouth dry and parched. Lips cracked.

"Akatsuki base."

Her green eyes widened. The cloaked figure stepped forward. His face was obscured with a mask. She saw that he had black spiky hair. He assessed her.

"You look awful and smell funny." He stated simply. Sakura's eye twitched the way he said it. Something blunt and humorous… something Naruto would say.

"Who are you?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Tobi." He bowed ridiculously, long and sweeping. He did it three times.

Sakura sweat dropped.

"Your Sakura Haruno. The medic nin that has been trained under Tsunade, one of the legendary sannin." Tobi paused for a moment before speaking again.

"Come along, you need a bath." Tobi swept his cloak in a fashion as Sakura stood on shaky legs.

She followed him down some dark corridors, lit only by candle light. Tobi opened one door and ushered her in. He went into one of the shower stalls and turned it on. Steam rose shortly after. Her body was aching to throw itself under the hot spray.

Tobi motioned to the clothes and towels laid next to the shower. He looked at her expectantly. Sakura's eyebrow twitched again. She, under no circumstances, would let him watch while she bathed. Tobi blinked under his mask.

"I'll wait outside Sakura-san." He made his leave. Sakura quickly stripped and sighed as the hot water washed away the blood.

A short time later she emerged. Clothing herself in Akatsuki wardrobe. (A/N: Think of her usual dress, only with Akatsuki clouds). She brushed her pink hair as best she could with her fingers. She patted her head. In her half asleep state as she showered, she just noticed that her head band with the Konoha symbol was missing. Before any other thought entered her mind, Tobi poked his head in.

"I'm starved. Lets go eat." Tobi and her walked down some more passages to the mess hall. There were some members of the Akatsuki there and some were missing. He grabbed a bowl for himself and ran to the food line. Dishing himself a large portion of ramen, stacked so high that it was teetering to fall all over the floor. Sakura suppressed a giggle; then her face turned serious. Tobi reminded her of Naruto.

She got a bowl of ramen herself and sat with Tobi at one of the tables. He removed his mask and she looked at him. He had startling blue eyes, and a scar that ran diagonal across his face. (A/N: In the Manga, we don't know Tobi's true face). Sakura sensed eyes from all around the room staring at her. Sakura kept her head down. She needed to think of a plan to escape once her strength returned. But how? How to escape the Akatsuki base with the worst class criminals in the world today?? Sakura sighed and picked up her chop sticks. Tobi was wolfing down his bowl.

"Good huh, Sakura-chan?" Tobi finally had surfaced. Set down his bowl and rubbed his stomach and grinned.

Sakura ate slowly, her eyes downcast.

"Tobi." Sakura started, "Can you tell me some things about the members?"

Tobi stayed silent, gazing intently to her face.

"I suspect the Akatsuki will hold me hostage because of my skills as a medic nin. I even surpassed my sensei. It would be easier for me if I knew the background of the Akatsuki members." Sakura softly convinced him.

"Okay." Tobi gave in. "Now listen close, those two over there are Kakuzu and Hidan. They are both partners. They don't particularly get along well, most of the time Kakuzu thinks Hidan is to religious and Hidan thinks Kakuzus greed is to great. Be very careful how you tread around Kakuzu, he gets into a rage and kills the closest thing available."

Sakura listened intently to Tobi and strained her ears slightly to listen in on a snippet coming from the duo.

"Kakuzu, your greed and anger will kill you someday." Hidan said to his partner, his golden eyes trained on him. Kakuzu glared.

"Shut up before I kill you."

Tobi continued.

"Those two over in the other corner are Itachi and Kisame. Kisame's specialty is his Samehada, a giant sword that shaves instead of cuts. They are partners. Itachi and Kisame get along well… but Itachi is the strongest of all the Akatsuki members. He murdered his whole clan and will not hesitate to inflict severe pain through his Tsukuyomi technique. Reckon you've heard of him?" Tobi turned to see Sakura's face. It was slightly pale.

Itachi's sharingan eyes turned on her as he lifted his lips to drink from his cup. Sakura inhaled sharply as she turned her attention back to Tobi. She caught a glint of his ruby ring as she did so.

"Yes, him I've heard of…" Sakura said softly.

"TOBI. Where have you been?? I have been looking every-" A shadow loomed over Sakura. She turned and looked, she couldn't decide if it was a he or she. But by the male voice, she was hoping it was a he… unless he was a transvestite. Deidara stared her down with cool ice blue eyes.

"Deidara-senpai!" Tobi greeted cheerfully.

"So this is the new arrival. Sakura Haruno. The upcoming legend as a medic nin." Deidara sat down next to her, making her stiffen a little.

Deidara turned his attention to Tobi.

"Tobi, would you please stop sticking wet paper to the ceiling of the bathrooms?? Zetsu had a fit today." Deidara went on berating him. Sakura raised an eyebrow then giggled quietly. Something Naruto would do.

Tobi put a hand behind his head and grinned sheepishly.

It had been a week since her capture and Tobi came to visit her everyday. Today she was in the medic room. She was putting some vials up on the shelves, marking them according to her sheet. There hadn't been any serious cases… if you don't count Tobi coming in severely beaten up. Finding dried clay here and there as she treated him.

As the day drew to a close, she exited the medic room and headed for the mess hall. Only to be stopped by a figure in the middle of the corridor.

"Hello pretty." Sakura paled. Kakuzu stood before her. His dark voice sending shivers up her spine. She tried to move past him, but he stepped in her way again. She then faked a lunge to one side to dart on the other, but she was cut off again. He was taunting her.

"Where are you going pretty?" "Not this way.. Try again." His evil chuckle sounded off the walls.

"Leave her alone." Tobi appeared on the other side of Kakuzu. Sakura's face lightened with hope. Kakuzu turned menacingly.

"Who is going to stop me?? You? Don't make me laugh. A little runt like you?" Kakuzu laughed harder, but his eyes turned steely. Tobi gulped, scared by the menacingly looking monster, ran off in the other direction. Sakura's face turned annoyed and disappointed. Coward.

Tobi ran as fast as he could and knocked into another member. The member looked down on him with blood red eyes. Sharingan. Tobi scrambled to his feet and tried to talk quickly.

"Thereisamonsterwitheyeslikethis…andwell..yougottacomenow!!" Tobi turned and ran back the way he came, rounding the corner he had just run. Itachi stood there solemnly.

Tobi poked his head around the corner.

"COME ON!!"

Itachi rolled his eyes, grunted, and went with Tobi.

Sakura tried to dodge Kakuzu's attacks, it wasn't easy. She barely got out of the way as the demonic ox swept past her, throwing a large amount of chakra her way. She threw up a chakra shield and deflected the next oncoming attack. The inner sakura awakened..

Let me handle this… CHA!!

She threw her hands down onto the floor, creating a crater which Kakuzu fell into. The earth constricted around him like a vice. Sakura smirked, he was caught off guard. His head was the only thing poking out of the ground. She leaped over him and made a fast pace jog to the mess hall.

BAM

"Ow. Sakura-san you have a hard head." Tobi rubbed his bump. Itachi loomed behind him. His gazed landed on the cursing Kakuzu then on Sakura.

Tobi hugged Sakura tightly.

"Sakura-san!! Your alright!!" Tobi went on profusely spilling his guts of concerning emotions. He was hugging her so tight her face was turning blue.

"Ahem." Itachi cleared his throat, his eyes trained on the pair.

Tobi turned.

"Heh. Heh…" Tobi said nervously and grabbed his female comrade and ran by Itachi.

Itachi looked once more at Kankuzu who was still steaming; he turned and without a backward glance, left the Frankenstein monster.

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End of Chapter one.