Title: Fifty fifty chance

Author:Twilightprinc3ss666 (cryangelictears on Lj)

Claim: Uchiha Itachi and Haruno Sakura

Theme: #3, tossing a coin.

Rating: T

Disclaimer: Standard Disclaimer applies.

Part of the 50 shinobi theme challenge

Summery: Heads or tails? Sakura flipped the coin that would ultimately change her life, her destiny in the world. 'Heads' she called. Tossing a coin, fifty fifty chance. Either she would stay the same, or she would join the gang Akatsuki.

Enjoy-

-note, I noticed a flaw so I changed it. Hope it doesnt inconvenience some one

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Fifty Fifty Chance~

-

Bad Habits. You could say I was... familiar with them. In fact, I am currently surrounded by all types of bad habits, being where I am today. I won't tell you where, not quite yet. I don't want to ruin the story for you. It may be.. long, and boring starting off, it may pick up later, depending on your interests in life.

Getting back to the point, I am very familiar with bad habits. Even when I was... well, 'normal', per se, I was surrounded by them. My best friend would bite her newly manicured nails (then complain about it later), her boyfriend would smoke, and my mentor would drink. Some of my other friends would eat when they were depressed or troubled, some would stutter, and then, my other best friend would hide his true thoughts through a facade of smiles and gestures.

I was a combination of them all. I smoke, I drink, I bite my nails when I am nervous, like I do when I stutter. I hide my true thoughts and feelings, and I even eat a bucket of ice cream when I am depressed.

Yes, I am very familiar with them.

But then there is the worst bad habit of them all that no one else but myself had. Getting into trouble. I had a knack at getting into the worst situations, and being a nurse, you would think there wasn't much I could get into, except a bad case of the flu or MRSA. You are very wrong.

It all started five years ago. I was walking home, and I had this uneasy feeling that someone was following me...

-

It was cold, and it was damp. The moon shone like a bright and brilliant light, guiding the way home to those who were lost. I, Sakura Haruno, wasn't, though. I had just finished a night at the hospital. I felt so much better, getting though with my patients and letting other nurses care for them. I won't be a nurse for long though, soon, I will finish my college courses and become a doctor. I would surpass my mentor, Tsunade. At least I had gotten used to the hospital, and was used to the hours put into it. Taking care of the sick, and helping the diseased. It has been my life goal since I was little.

My home was a small apartment on the west side of town, and thankfully near the hospital I worked in, otherwise I would have to drive there. I hate driving, because of all the traffic. Deciding to make a short cut, I walked through an alley way with one hand holding my pepper spray and the other a gun. You never knew what kind of creep would sneak up on a woman in a nurses outfit. It reminded me of Halloween, and how Ino had made me wear a sexy nurses outfit for her stupid annual costume party.

Sighing, I walked quickly. I could see a light, and it must have been the end of the alley and onto Cherry street. That was when I heard two gunshots. It scared the hell out of me, as it would have for you, if you were in my position. At the time, it seemed like the gunshots came from behind and the best idea was to run straight home.

And it wasn't until I saw five men standing in a circle, one his arm outstretched in front of him, a gun in his hand, that I realized that of course, I was wrong. It was like one of those movies, where a stupid Blondie (no offense to blonds out there) would run straight toward the gunshots to see what had happened, and then get caught, raped, killed, and ect. Of course, I am not blond, and those certainly weren't my intentions. I just wanted to go home and relax, with a nice cup of coffee in my hands.

But it was too late, and I knew that.

"Who the hell are you?" one asked. I couldn't see him, exactly, or what he looked like, because the street lamp silhouetted their figures. But later I would know him as Hidan, and he, a Jashinist, had silver hair that he sleeked back, and the most beautiful violet eyes I have ever seen.

Slowly, I backed off, but of course they weren't going to let me get away, witnessing them murder two people and all that. I cursed them for it, but if you were in their position, could you blame them? True, it wouldn't be right to kill some one, but still.

So I ran. I ran as fast as I could in the damn heels Tsunade made me wear as apart of my uniform. (And it was only me who wore them. She obviously wanted me to get a man, but stiletto's in a hospital? Get real!) A man with cold, slender fingers, scarred and calloused, grabbed me by the arms.

Her repeated the other man's question, but I did not and would not answer. Instead, I tried my very best to kick him in the groin, but he was too damn tall for a petite female like me to do so. I gave up, dropping my pepper spray and gun.

"Haruno Sakura." I answered softly.

"What are you doing here?" he was going to ask, but sirens were heard throughout the alleyway. Not even bothering to put me down, he ran, with the others. He threw me onto his back, ignoring my protests and angry yells. He told me to ' Shut it' as I recall, and I did. He didn't need to tell me twice.

It was then I realized what I left behind, and what could happen when the police found it.

- from here on it will be in third person

Itachi (he had introduced himself earlier while they were on the run) let her down inside of there home base. He walked her over to the couch, because she was in shock. Sakura rocked herself back in forth, unable to process what was happening. They would think she murdered them. She would be put to trial. She would go to jail, and all because of them. She couldn't let that happen. She had to go back, to get her gun, so they wouldn't convict her.

"Get me Haruno's file." Itachi had whispered into Deidara's ear. But Sakura had still heard him.

"You have a file about me?" she asked, looking at him. Itachi was standing in front of her, watching over her closely.

"Yes." he answered. Deidara returned in a minute, and before handing Itachi the file, he sent a small smile her way. Then he left. She assumed he had gone into the kitchen with the others, but how could she know? She didn't know this place.

Itachi flipped through the file as if he had done it a thousand times, before slapping it down on the coffee table. He sat down in the large arm chair in front of the couch. A lonely coffee table separated them.

"As you may be aware of, you had foolishly left your gun, and -he smirked at this- pepper spray at the murder scene. Obviously the cops have already found them, linking the murder to you, not us. We thank you for this, Haruno. One less thorn in my side."

Sakura glared at him, hard. "I could tell them you did it." she spat angrily, but as soon as she did, she wished she hadn't. Uchiha Itachi laughed.

"That would be unwise, hime. It would be best if you kept your mouth shut."

"So what do I tell them?" she asked, her shoulders slumped. This day kept on getting better and better. Itachi shrugged slightly.

"Lie." he stated simply. Sakura stared at him as he stood up, and offered her his hand. Sakura hesitantly gave him her hand, disregarding this, Itachi helps the young woman up. He nods to Kisame, who walks Sakura to the door.

Sakura hoped sincerely that it would be the last time she saw the Akatsuki, but she was well mistaken.

-

A couple months of investigations, a couple of strings pulled on her Shishou's part, and all was well. They concluded that her obvious lie was the truth, because how could an innocent sweet woman harm two skilled gang bangers, I ask you?

Sakura's real adventure started when Oto's gang tried desperately to kidnap her. She assumed it was because she was a doctor. (She graduated with honors, and plenty of job offers) Due to the fact that Sasuke led them to her, and even tried to knock her unconscious, all ties to him have been cut and she refused to talk to the Uchiha. But, thank fully and oddly enough, his brother came to the rescue. Needless to say she was very grateful, and Sasuke was thoroughly pissed.

A little chat, and a couple of bullet wounds (although Sasuke, grudgingly, wasn't harmed) on Oto's end, and it was all over. Itachi insisted on bringing her to the Akatsuki hideout where Deidara was badly wounded from a fight with another, but smaller, rival gang who had a lucky shot or two.... or three or four. Itachi knew it was Deidara's fault, because he got pig-headed and was being a damn showoff. He had it coming, but Itachi could not spare any members at the moment, since most had died years before, and he never found any one to fill the positions.

"Holy shit." Sakura muttered, seeing a very injured man lying on a couch watching t.v. grinning and bearing the pain.

"Damn, what the hell happened?" Sakura asked while taking a look at the wounds.

"Sorry, can't tell ya, yeah. Maybe when you join the gang I'll tell you all of the grand ol' adventures of Deidara." he said, grinning. Sakura rolled her eyes and declined, and then proceeded to ask Itachi if he had medical equipment any where. Not having his gang injured for a long period of time, Itachi had bought all the medical equipment he would ever need in a wing of the mansion. Kisame and Hidan carefully picked up Deidara's body, and carried him into the West wing. Sakura's eyes widened in excitement, seeing the new technology and equipment.

"Set him on the bed and leave us, or stay, whatever. Just do not disturb me. I've treated this before, fairly simple."

The fairly simple job lasted a couple of hours to get the bullets out and sew Deidara back up. After a few minutes of watching, and puking (apparently Tobi didn't like blood), every one but Itachi remained. Sakura personally believed it was because he wanted to see if she would try to kill off Deidara, but she didn't. And what it was really about, surprised her.

"The Oto gang, however... premature, they may be, desire only the best, like us. There would have to be a reason for them to personally pick you out of the many graduates from the college." Itachi stared at Sakura as he said this. The entire gang was chilling in the entertainment room, drinking coffee and watching the news, while making plans. For what, she honestly did not care to know.

"I'm guessing it was because of... Sasuke.. we were good friends." Sakura replied.

"That was my original assumption as well, however, looking through your newest records, it seems that you were excellent in your studies, and were nothing short of a perfect doctor." Itachi said once more. Sakura shook her head and said,

"There is no such thing as a perfect doctor. A perfect doctor wouldn't hurt when they lose patients." She replied absentmindedly.

"Regardless. I am proposing you join the Akatsuki as our personal doctor. You will be targeted from other rival gangs, and protected by us and our allies. You will also be under suspicion due to interaction with us." Itachi stated, taking a coin out of his pocket.

"No." she immediately answered. "I refuse."

Kisame chuckled. "It doesn't work that way, kid. Heads or tails, your call. You better hope it's what you call though, or else you die." Kisame said, placing a hand on her shoulder. Sakura gulped.

"Heads or tails." Itachi asked, thumb at the ready.

"Tails."

Itachi flipped the coin. It seemed like time was stretching, her heart pounding, her vision blurry from nervousness.

It landed in Itachi's hands. He smirked and glanced at her.

"Welcome to the Akatsuki, Haruno Sakura."

It was from then on Sakura's old life ended, and her knew one began.

-ending-

See? That's how I ended up in the Akatsuki. Needless to say, my life was full of danger, including of assassination attempts directed at me and including me. I learned how to use a gun properly, and killed people.. well, not at first, and I was not guilt free, mind you. I some what learned to live with it.

Now, here I am, best friends with Kisame, Deidara, and Sasori. Tobi was somewhat like a little brother, and I am married -yes married- to Itachi, with one child, a girl named Ryuko, and a baby on the way. Well, personally I hope its another girl, and Itachi loves his little girl dont get me wrong, but I think he would enjoy having a son. Ah well.

It was that fifty fifty chance that got me here, and despite it all, I am glad I am where I am today.

It didn't turn out like I had hoped. Regardless, feedback much appreciated. MRSA, is a Staph (bacterial) skin infection. MRSA stands for Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus.