AN: I updated!!! I apologise for not updating earlier. I got stuck and didn't have time for it...Advanced Higher art is taking a lot out of me. At least the exhibition went well...I think. Anyway, here's chapter 4 which is longer than usual...and as usual, I apologise for any grammar and spelling mistakes in advance. I'm tired and I'm submitting this in such an ungodly hour. Anyway, enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
"Speech"
'Thoughts'
'Inner Sakura'
Chapter 4
More Like an Infiltration than Homecoming
Time was worried.
Anxious, apprehensive, nervous!
She had no doubt that Fate was already plotting.
Furthermore, Chance was beginning to suspect.
She needed to calm down.
Perhaps a breath of fresh air would do her good.
After six hours, they had finally reached Konoha.
Maybe getting into Konoha wasn't as easy as she had thought.
Entering Konoha through the main entrance was definitely not the smartest idea.
Especially when Kotetsu and Izumo were on duty there, that was unless they were called away on an errand which was unlikely.
And so, this left her with the choice of using one of the much smaller access points which are usually only stationed with one guard.
It was simple and would attract less attention.
But someone's attire just had to scream Akatsuki and missing nin!
She had to remedy this if she didn't want to be caught before they could step a foot into the village. Thus, a distance away from the small entrance, Sakura removed his slashed forehead protector and slipped it into her pouch. As for his cloak, she flipped it inside out so that the trademark of the Akatsuki wasn't visible. And just in case the guard might recognise Itachi, she took the liberty to push his straw hat further down covering his face.
After she was done, she hung the cloak on her shoulder and slung Itachi's arm around her neck, sandwiching the cloak in place and began to lug him towards the small gate with her free arm wrapped around his waist to support his weight.
All the while, ignoring her inners mumblings of 'looked ridiculous,' 'even more suspicious' and 'making them look bad.'
Staring at Konoha she could feel a sense of apprehension lodged at the centre of her chest.
Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, she headed to the gate.
Some much for homecoming when this felt undeniably like an infiltration.
'Ooooh. Look! Someone's sleeping on duuuty!' Her inner sang when they were at the gate.
'Shush. Maybe we could just walk past him.' Sakura walked as casually as she could, while heaving Itachi, passed the dozing guard.
"Ah- wait- stop!" much to her dismay, he woke up just as she had passed him.
'Damn it!'
'So close.'
Sakura stiffened slightly but turned and smiled at him.
"Good evening." Sakura greeted politely.
"Ah Haruno-sama! Erm...good evening! I-er...em..." the guard on duty flushed in embarrassment in being caught dozing off.
Sakura blinked a little, not many people other than a hand full in the hospital addressed her with that suffix.
Laughing lightly, she decided to play it cool and tease him a little.
Rushing away right now would cause nothing but suspicion, besides, it had been a while since she went on a mission that required her acting skills. This was a perfect chance to brush them up a little, it just won't do if they went rusty.
"It's no good if you to sleep on duty." she tilted her head to one side and frowned at him.
"I-I er-"
"You should be alert! There would be trouble if some people sneaked in or someone smuggled in a missing nin in!" she admonished.
'Yeah, someone like us!' her inner sniggered.
"But don't worry, my lips are sealed! I know it's really boring. God knows how Izumo-san and Kotetsu-san can stand it." she grinned at him as he scratched the back of his head sheepishly.
'I'll tell on him! Cha!'
'Cha?'
'Felt like saying it.' inner shrugged.
"Erm. He's...?" the guard trailed off, gesturing at Itachi questioningly.
"Oh, him? He's alive." Sakura stated casually, though the grip of her hand that was supporting Itachi at the waist tightened.
Fortunately, he didn't notice, but that was certainly going to leave a bruise.
"Oh, em...can I help you? I mean he's er...kind of twice the size of you and-"
"No!" the guard jumped slightly, taken aback by her outburst while Sakura silently cursed herself for losing her composure, especially when she was doing so well. "I appreciate your offer, but he has been poisoned. It's best that he's not moved around too much else the poison will spread faster through his bloodstream." she lied.
'Hell yeah! Nice save!' inner Sakura praised.
"I-I see." he nodded at her though still a little startled.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you like that. I'm just really tired and it makes me feel edgy." This wasn't a lie, her own energy had been completely drained a long time ago, she had been burning off soldier pills since then. Giving him a apologetic smile, she went on to dismiss herself, "I'm afraid I must hurry and report to Tsunade-sama before she find the sake I hid."
'That is, if she didn't already.' she thought dryly. 'Although she probably bought a new one.'
"Of course!" he nodded understandingly at her which made her felt somewhat guilty for lying. "Have a nice evening Haruno-sama!" he shouted after her as she headed off in the direction of the Hokage's tower to avoid suspicion.
When she was sure that she was out of the guard's sight she stopped on one of the roofs.
Sakura thanked the gods that it was night time, stealth was much easier to execute in the dark especially when there's an extra 'luggage.'
'Now it's the tricky part. Where do we go?'
'Well, we co-'
'And don't say our house.'
'Fine!' inner Sakura huffed a little. 'Em...Naruto?'
'You want me to place an Akatsuki member, a jinchūriki hunter, with Naruto, a jinchūriki
'Maaaaybe not. How about Kakashi sensei? He seem like he could keep a secret.'
'I don't know. It true that he could keep a secret but I don't want to burden him. If I go down, I don't want to drag him down with me.'
'Sai's out the question. We don't know what the guy's thinking half the bloody time. This leaves your house since there's no way we're going to ask anyone else...or we could talk to shishou.'
'Y-you really think we could talk to her about this?'
'I don't know.' her inner shrugged. 'I have a hunch.'
'A hunch?' Sakura blinked before nodding. 'Then a hunch it is. Shishou would at least listen to us first...I think.'
Without further ado, Sakura continued in the direction she began at the gate. Soon found herself landing stealthily on the roof outside the Hokage's office just beside the last window on the left.
Feeling her legs about to buckle due to either exhaustion or anxiety, Sakura swiftly crouched down, which in turn brought Itachi down with her.
Taking a deep breath and slowly exhaled it, she prepared herself to face her shishou.
But just as she was about to open the window, the door to the office slammed open and Sakura hastily pressed her back against the wall and slid down to a sitting position with Itachi flopped onto her like an oversized string-less puppet.
"We're back, baa-chan! And see! The bastard is still the bastard that he was!" Sakura sighed inaudibly but felt the corner of the mouth quirk upwards. Naruto would always be Naruto. His hyperactive-ness may have calmed down over the years but he was still as loud as ever when he got excited about something.
'I wonder who shishou sent Naruto to retrieve.' pressing her head closer to the wall she continued to listen curiously.
"Uchiha Sasuke." although it was somewhat muffled she could still hear the name clearly.
Once his name was utter, Sakura was noticeably paler. Blood completely drained from her face.
She already 'dealt' with one Uchiha, she refused to confront another in less than 8 hours.
'He's not here. He's not here. He's not here.' Sakura chanted optimistically and blatantly in denial.
'Well, maybe she's just saying his name and-' her inner promptly joined her but a low smooth voice cut their ramblings short.
"Hokage-sama."
The sound of his voice was exactly how her and Ino had imagined it would become when they were younger- deep and calm. There was no doubt that a few years ago, it would have made Sakura sigh dreamily and swoon but right now, she felt nothing of the sort, except discontent and horror at his bad timing to arrive in Konoha.
'Damn! He is here.'
'We're doomed if he finds us here with his brother!' her inner wailed dramatically.
'Doomed?! We won't be doomed! We'll be dead!'
The situation had definitely taken turn for the worst.
Not only would she be dead, all her efforts will be down the drain.
Unconsciously, she clutched Itachi closer to her, his head tucked safely at the crook of her neck.
"Rumour has it that you have finally got your revenge Uchiha."
"Rumour? Hokage-sama, it is no rumour, it is a fact."
'Well, what do you know, his arrogance is still perfectly intact. Perhaps even grown a considerable size.'
"Tsunade-baa-chan! Do you know where Sakura is?" Sakura heard Naruto enquired.
Under normal circumstances she would have felt touched that he was asking for her, but at the moment, she felt like cursing him while her heart thumped hard against her ribcage. Her only consolations were the image of Naruto being tortured- courtesy of her inner self- and the fact she was positive that she had carefully concealed both her and Itachi's chakra.
"She's still away right now."
"Then when is she going to be back baa-chan?"
"Actually, she was due back four hours ago."
Sakura pressed her forehead against Itachi's shoulder and bit her bottom lip.
Then suddenly the window was lifted opened, Sakura froze.
The chakra belonged to her shishou.
She was busted, her shishou was going to demand what she was doing there, and then Naruto will rush over and then Sasuke will find his brother not dead, but very much alive thanks to her. Sakura clenched her eyes shut and waited for the inevitable chain of events that was bound to follow.
One second.
Two seconds.
Three seconds.
Then another.
And another.
It never came.
But Sakura was sure that there was no way in hell her shishou didn't see her.
She swore she had felt her shishou boring holes at the side of her head.
Putting her confusion aside, she tuned back into their conversation which was no longer muffled due to the opened window.
"Maybe we could get Pakkun to find her, ne Kakashi-sensei?"
Sakura felt like her heart had just suddenly plummeted to her stomach, but at the same time, there was also a bubbling rage building up inside of her.
"She's fine." Tsunade responded firmly, she knew how her apprentice felt about being babied like that.
"B-but you said she was meant to be back four hours ago!"
"Naruto! She's my apprentice, she is and will be fine!"
"Bu-"
"Maa, be patient Naruto. Sakura can handle herself, she probably stopped by a teashop to get something to eat or something."
"Kakashi-sensei."
Without skipping a beat Sakura felt her heart soared at hearing her shishou and sensei's faith in her. In addition, to Sakura's relief, their conversation focused back to the younger Uchiha.
"Uchiha Sasuke, until your upcoming trial, you are placed in a high security pris-"
"Baaaaaaa-chan! You can't make Sasuke stay in that prison!"
"Shut up you runt. I'm the Hokage, I decide wh-"
"But you can't-"
"Dobe. Shut up."
"What you basta-"
As soon as the bickering started, Sakura tuned it out and concentrated on Itachi's warm breath that was fanning her neck.
Finding it somewhat soothing, she closed her eyes and relaxed as much as she could afford to.
It was ridiculous, and perhaps even a tad childish, but at that moment, she felt like Itachi was her security blanket, providing her with warmth and comfort.
As she began to nod off into slumber, a hushed whisper, she recognised as her shishou's, snapped her awake.
"Sakura."
"Shish-"
"Shh...come inside. Quickly!" her tone was hushed and urgent.
Sakura complied in an instant, slinging Itachi's arm around her neck and carried him through the window and into the room.
It seemed that her former team-mates had left a good few minutes ago.
Tsunade shut the window right behind them and scrutinised the pair of them. She could see her apprentice was worn out from the way her eyes seemed to droop with weariness and how body slumped considerably under Itachi's weight in exhaustion.
Tsunade felt her heart clenched at the sight of them, and the shivering form of her apprentice did not help at all.
As much as she wanted to gather her student into her arms, she must remain professional.
"Report, Haruno Sakura."
"Shishou, I-I-" her eyes darted to Itachi and back to her mentor.
'I can't lie to shishou!'
'Then tell her the truth!'
'What? That I listened to an 'inner' voice?!'
'Hell no! J-just start with your mission and how you came across him. Maybe you'll think of something then?'
If Tsunade had noticed her apprentice was inwardly arguing with herself, she remained indifferent and waited patiently for Sakura to begin.
"Shishou, I-I completed the mission in Suna as you ordered." Sakura started uncertainly, feeling faint again. "Takashi Kazuma, age 39, has been eliminated."
Sakura tiredly looked up at her and Tsunade nodded for her to continue.
"As I was returning to K-Konoha I came across this man, Uchiha Itachi." Sakura could feel that she didn't have long until she was going to collapse. After all, soldier pills can only last for so long. "He was dying, I healed him and brought him back with m-me."
"At the time, you knew who he was, knew the crimes he have committed, and yet you saved him?" Tsunade inquired.
The last of Sakura's energy was ebbing away fast, none the less, she clung on to answer her.
A question she didn't know the answer to until now.
"As a kunoich of Konoha, I did a despicable thing of aiding a traitor."
"But as a medic nin, a healer," she struggled on, her legs trembled.
"I saved him because he was simply a man on the verge of death."
She said it.
And it was the truth.
Sakura squinted her eyes and focused on her shishou's face to see her reaction.
What she saw made her squint harder.
Maybe her tiredness was making her hallucinate.
Of all the emotions.
Sakura did not expect her shishou to beam with pride.
But she didn't have time to dwell on it as she began to fall.
For now, she was content with the current outcome.
Her lips curved upwards.
Sakura didn't noticed that the arm she slung around her neck was missing.
Nor did she realized that the warmth at her side she had became accustomed to since a little more than six hours ago was no longer there.
But she could hear her shishou calling her.
And was also dimly aware that she didn't hit the floor.
Just before she surrendered to a deep slumber, she found herself gazing into a pair of depthless eyes.
Onyx eyes that bled into a familiar crimson.
Just a little longer.
Soon everything will fall back into his pace.
He will dictates as he should.
Once his plan was set in motion, everything will fall into place.
Unlike last time, he was prepared.
Fate could taste the triumph already.
Yufvin-valentine
AN: Again sorry for the late update but I'm afraid the next might be later. Explanation and the due date of the next chapter is in my profile. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, although I felt that it didn't start so well. By the way, Itachi will appear in the next chapter awake and talking!!! Lol...but first, could someone review or PM me on how Itachi should act and stuff...even though I might I have to bend it a little to fit my story since there's suppose to be some sort of 'history.' On to Sakura, she completely HATES Itachi in the shipuuden series. I swear she looks like she hates him as much as Sasuke hates him...Oh well, I guess I'll have to twist it somehow...One more thing, from next chapter onwards, 'response to reviews.' are only for anon reviewers who left no email address, I'll be replying to signed reviews directly. Anyway, feedbacks and any ideas will be very appreciated. Hoped you enjoyed this chapter.
Response to reviews:
Ice-Black Dragon - Thanks! A bit delayed but I hope you enjoyed it.
sn1ck3rD00dl3 - Cheers! I hope this one didn't disappoint you!
Namida Drop - Suspense...hmmm...but what exactly do you consider as a cliff hanger? I might pull a cliff hanger here and there...if i'm feeling a bit evil :P Thanks for reviewing!
SharinganAngel - I was so tempted to...and you're right he's one that seemed like he would keep a secret...so he's definitely going to come in later with some secret or something. Thanks a bunch for the suggestion! You wouldn't mind keeping them coming would you? XD
deathly cold - Hmmm...Sasuke murdering Sakura...is that a suggestion? . Nah, I don't know yet. But there will be conflict between them. Whether it's deadly or not, you find'll out!
furryhatlover2543 - I'm really happy that you 'can't stop reading' it. Sorry for the delay, I'll update as soon as I can!
Skilled defence - Another update! Lol go me...hehe. A bit late but it's a 1000 word more than usual! XD
Sweet Assassin - Thanks! Haha...who won't want that to happen to them:P
Lyneia - A bit late in updating but I'm glad you loved the story so far!
CosenAngel - I'm glad you like the story! And sorry about the late update! Can't promise anything, but I'll try to update just before I leave for a week in June!
Fujifangirl101 - I'm glad you really really like this fic. And I apologise for the late update! Hope the extra 1000 words in this chapter makes up for it! jkjk XD
yumi hasegawa - Fate's a bit grumpy isn't he? I guess I kind of made him a villain didn't I? Oops! XD
Lute12 - Thanks! That was one of my aims, other than write a decent Itasaku fic and finishing it. I wanted this fic to be a little different...and the outcome was Fate, Chance and Time.
Ebil chameleon - Lol, I was predictable wasn't I? I'm afraid you'll just have to wait for Sasuke's reaction...in fact, I'll have to wait too since I haven't decided! XD
Alori Kesi Aldercy - Woot the last chapter was okay! Although, in this one you probably found loads of mistakes since I did this in an ungodly hour! . Do point them out...unless you're too tired of them... XD
Hot-ninja-babe - Thanks a lot! I'll update ASAP:D
Chaotic Heart - Maaaaaaaaybe. Maaaaaybe not! You'll just have to see...and I'll just have to type! XD
Green Animelover - Cheers...well this is what happened in this chapter, as for the next? You'll have to wait and see...while I try and figure out.. XD
Lucifer-the-great-undead - I try my best to intrigue...but whether or not if I could keep people intrigue is another question. :P Anyway, I'm glad you find my Time, Chance and Fate interesting.
Izenofcrazypie - I updated!!! lol...I'm flattered that you loved it and have been inspired...I hope you do write your Itasaku fic 'cause we sure don't have enough around!!! XD
hakusho14 - Updated! Here is what had happened, and as for will happened in the following chapter? You'll have to wait:P Hehe.