Bad Dreams

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?! WE'RE GONE FOR A WEEK AND YOU GO AND BREAK SAKURA! I KNEW YOU IDIOTS WERE STUPID, BUT COME ON!" Konan roared. All the men flinched and shrunk away, even Pein who was use to her anger would have tucked a tail between his legs.

"W-Well, Sakura kinda…sorta fainted..after going berserk and acting as though she was gonna become a werewolf or something." Kisame said hesitantly.

"AND WHAT THE HELL DID YOU IDIOTS DO TO STOP IT?!" Konan screamed enraged.

"Konan, there wasn't anything we could do. It probably has something to do with all the testing she had at Orochimaru's labs." Itachi said calmly.

"Or maybe you hit in the head too hard when you were training! Who told you to go ahead and train her anyway?!" Konan said glaring at Itachi.

XxX

Deidara sighed and stared down at the small girl on the bed. He was the one who had volunteered to watch her. He was actually really relieved not to have been at the mercy of Konan's wrath. That woman could be fierce when she wanted, especially if something she cared about was in danger.

'And Sakura isn't just something Konan cares about. Konan would literally lay down her life for the little twerp' Deidara thought.

He reached out and stroked one of Sakura's pink ears, rubbing the tips all the way down to the base of the little triangles. Sakura showed no reaction to the touch and disappointment struck Deidara. He continued his caress on her ears, unaware that his left hand had wrapped around her smaller and softer hand.

"Wake up, stupid."

XxX

She could feel it.

She could feel that steady pull up to the surface. How she hated the moments like this, where she knew she would have to resurface, but still wanted to stay in the bliss of this abyss. Where nothing hurt her, no needles or knives, this is where she was truly safe.

Don't be ssso sure about that.

Fear shot through her and she tried to scream.

Don't worry, ssssoon we'll find you and bring you back. Jusssst don't get to attached to anyone you've met.

Sakura wondered what he meant and dread filled her.

I'll make sure everyone you know diesss a horrible and sslow death.

Sakura searched for where this voice came from, but all she found was darkness.

Stupid girl, what do you think you'll do when you find me? Hahahaha.

Sakura shivered and frantically searched for a way to get away from this nightmare. This voice was all too familiar and brought up far too many bad memories to be able to listen to for long for an instant longer.

Suddenly, she felt something warm holding her hand and then she was being pull back up. Now she wasn't reluctant to live this abyss.

XxX

Deidara was about to fall asleep when a sudden gasp pulled him from his drowsiness. He sat up and looked into Sakura's wide green eyes, absentmindedly he realized her pupils were like that of a cats. They sat there like that for a moment and suddenly those green eyes glossed over and tears streaked down her soft cheeks.

"Have a bad dream, crybaby?" Deidara smirked, moving to wipe away the tears, but the whimper that escaped her mouth made him freeze, his hand centimeters away from her cheek.

Did she really have a bad dream. SHIT! I just made matters worse! What do I do?! WHAT DO I DO?!

He didn't have to make a decision though as the extra tongue in his hand darted out and lapped at her tears. They both froze in shock. Sakura was unsure why the heck Deidara had something slimy in his hand and deemed it necessary to wipe it on her face. While, Deidara on the other hand wished he could better control his hands.

"Deidara?" Sakura spoke.

"Yeah." Deidara responded.

Sakura paused, "What are you wiping on my cheek?"

"...It's a tongue..." He answered.

"Of course...why are you wiping a tongue on my cheek?" Deidara noticed the edge to her voice.

"It has a mind of its own, even if it is from the extra mouth on my hand." Deidara answered quickly.

"You have a mouth on your hand?" Sakura questioned dumbstruck.

"Both of them." Deidara corrected.

"I see...THAT'S DISGUSTING! YOU FREAK!" Sakura yelled standing up on the bed. This sparked Deidara's short fuse and he stood up causing the chair to fall with a clatter to the floor.

"You're the one with CAT EARS!" Deidara shouted back.

"SO?! YOU HAVE TONGUES IN YOUR HANDS! TONGUES!" Sakura emphasized her point by grabbing his wrist and forcing his palm into his own face. The tongue dart out and lapped at his own face.

"WELL YOUR HAIR IS PINK! IS THAT EVEN NATURAL?!" Deidara grabbed her wrist with his free hand and held it above her head.

"YEAH! WANT ME TO PROVE IT?!" Sakura said reaching for his blond bangs, he intercepted this with ease and held both of her wrists in one hand.

"WHAT?! NO! YOU SICKO!" Deidara cried out flustered. Sakura froze in place realizing what he though she meant and quickly her cheeks turned pink. She attempted to smack him, but her hands were currently tied. So instead she head-butted him, this caused him to release her hands and grab his own head instead.

"NOT LIKE THAT! My ROOTS! THEY'RE PINK! AND YOU'RE ONE TO TALK ABOUT NATURAL, SHE-MAN!" Sakura spat.

"She...SHE-MAN?! What's that supposed to mean?!" He roared at her.

"Oh nothing...just that you look like A GIRL!" Sakura laughed at the end of her statement.

"I DO NOT!" Deidara yelled.

"Oh really? How many guys have asked you out before?!" Sakura said smugly.

Deidara flushed because, unfortunately, it had happened to him before. Just as he was about to retort a voice cut him off.

"Is anyone else noticing how well she's speaking?" Hidan asked.

Deidara and Sakura both turned and stared at the group in front of the door. Kisame who was standing at the front was suddenly elbowed aside and Konan stepped forward. With the loving eyes of a mother Konan opened her arms and awaited Sakura to come rushing into them. Sakura leaped off the bed and bounded right...past Konan and into Pein's arms. Snickering ensued and Konan let out an exasperated sigh.

Suddenly, two thin arms wrapped around Konan's waist and low rumbling vibrated against her stomach. Konan smiled and scratched the small girls cat ears. This cause the rumbling to get louder and Sakura to nuzzle her face deeper into Konan's stomach. Konan was lost in bliss and held Sakura closer. She could hold this child forever and maybe she would. Who could stop her? No one! MWUHAHAH-

"Konan, you're smothering her." Pein stated.

Konan released the pinkette and Sakura took a greedy gasp of air.

"And I repeat, does anybody else notice how well Sakura was speaking?" Hidan repeated.

Everyone turned the attention to the partly feline girl, realizing how fluent she had been insulting Deidara before. Sakura looked at them and her ears slowly pressed themselves against her head.

"Don't look at me for answers, I was just in a small comma." Sakura said defensively.

"You mean coma, not comma. Punctuation has nothing to do with this." Itachi corrected.

"That's what I said a week ago and look what happened." Sakura grumbled. Sasori smirked in the back and shook his head.

Pein wondered what in the world she was talking about. He glanced around for any clue as to what this meant and was met with faces of displeasure and mortification. He internally raised an eyebrow at this and took note to inquire about it later on. He turned his attention to the next voice that spoke up.

"Sakura, what happened?" Konan asked, looking the girl in the eye.

"I...I'm not sure. Itachi and I were training and then I was in a lot of pain..."-Sakura frowned trying to remember everything-"Then a whole bunch of memories came back...mostly the lab...but there were these other...two..."-Sakura paused trying to remember who these two were, but after a moment of hard thinking, she gave up-"...and then darkness and a scary voice." Sakura finished, displeasure marred her face.

"Right, that was the bad dream you said you had." Deidara interjected. Sakura nodded and gripped her shirt, embarrassed about being outed of still have bad dreams.

"What did this voice say?" Pein stepped forward.

"Something...Something..." Sakura moaned and rubbed her temples, a low and deep ache forming in her forehead. Konan moved to comfort her and tell her it was alright, when Pein grabbed her arm and forced her to stay put. "He said he was gonna bring me back.." Sakura said, screwing her eyes shut.

"Not while we're around, he's not!" Kisame said grinning. The others were opened to voice their agreements when Sakura spoke again.

"But...he said he was...gonna hurt you...torture...then kill..." Sakura trailed off. She buried her face in her hands and shook her head. It felt as though the voice was wrapping around her and whispering terrible somethings into her ear.

Konan picked her up and Sakura buried her face into the woman's neck.

"Okay, that's enough today. I'm starving and you idiots have something better to do, I'm sure." Konan said. She turned and headed down the hallway, pink hair falling over her right shoulder and two small legs secured around her waist.

"I'm gonna go take a nap." And Hidan left.

With that being said, everyone else began to clear out. Leaving behind Itachi and Pein.

"How did the mission go, Leader?" Itachi asked.

"Unsurprisingly smooth, Konoha hasn't gotten any better with their security." Pein replied.

"Did you find out anything?" Itachi inquired, black eyes meeting purple.

"Your theory was correct...only there is one thing you might find interesting." Pein said, knowingly luring in Itachi.

"And that would be?" Itachi asked, also knowingly taking the bait.

"She was on the same team as the fox brat and your brother." Pein finished.

"That is interesting." Itachi smirked.

"Yes, but it might prove to be problematic." Pein stated.

"How problematic?" Itachi asked.

"I'm unsure. It could mean a fight or it could mean getting rid of Sakura...indefinetly." Pein finished.

"Leader, you don't mean?" Itachi started, slightly apalled.

"It all depends on how loyal and valuable she becomes in the future."-Pein began to walk away-"Nothing is set in stone, yet."

XxX

Konan stood watching Sakura eat and chatter away to Kisame, who in turn would ruffle her hair and laugh at almost everything she would say. Konan inhaled deeply and released a loud and slow sigh.

"What's eatin' you?" Deidara asked, coming up from behind.

Konan glanced over to him, "I didn't want her to change. I liked her as her cute, childish self."

"Hah! She's still a kid, Konan. Look at her! Talking Kisame's ear off, like it was any other day." Deidara said, gesturing to Sakura who made a big motion with hands and almost caused herself to fall off her seat.

"Yeah, but what about in a year? She's gonna get older." Konan sighed.

"That's the beauty in it! It's fleeting, just a second in the span of all of history!" Deidara started. Konan inwardly groaned, realizing she had just started his 'what art really is' rant and that he wouldn't be shutting up anytime soon. Deidara continued, "But, I don't think this is Sakura at her most beautiful. She's just a kid, ya know? Still a little bud, she's still gotta bloom and you're gonna have a hand in forming what sort of flower she'll become."

Konan consumed this new information and turned it over in her head. Had Deidara just said something so...heartfelt? That in itself was hard to get her head around, nonetheless what he was just blathering on about!

"She's already begun to change and is probably gonna go through a lot of different changes! Maybe she'll get a tail! Or pointy teeth! Or even whiskers!" Deidara said, enthusiastically.

"What the heck are you talking about?" Konan said blankly.

"Oh, right. I haven't told anyone, yet. Sakura's eyes have changed. They're cat eyes now." Deidara stated bluntly.

"Oh...WHAAAAAAAT?!" Konan shouted.

AN: And she's been resurrected again! How many times shall I return?! HAHA! Only God knows! Woot! Woot! P.S. when Sakura said "Something...Something..." I was REALLY tempted to write 'darkside'. Teehee!