She should have seen it coming. And Sakura knew that. She should have known that what she did would lead her here. But looking back, she couldn't bring herself to regret what brought her to be tied up and hand-cuffed with chakra suppressors, dragged along by those she used to call her comrades.

She glanced over at her accomplice, and reminded herself why she couldn't regret her decisions. The dark haired boy was bloody, and badly bruised. He was barely even conscious, stumbling as he was pushed along. His wounds were much worse than hers. She frowned slightly, remembering why he had those wounds, and why she couldn't prevent them, and why she couldn't heal them.

She glared over at the other dark haired boy. He was unconscious, being carried along like a poor defenseless child. It was his fault that the four of them were in this predicament. Sakura was furious at him.

Looking back at the first boy, she realized that she couldn't regret anything. If she hadn't done what she had, she wouldn't have met him. Her friend. Her lover...

Sakura laughed as she saw Naruto recover from her punch. He had flown into the air and landed flat on his ass. He was now rubbing his butt, and groaning.

"You okay there?" Sakura called.

"Geez, Sakura-chan! You're gonna kill me one day, 'tebayo!" he shouted. Sakura laughed again.

"Well, you can worry about that later. Now, it's time to pay up."

"You're really gonna make me pay for you at Ichiraku?" Naruto shouted.

"Yup," Sakura smirked, "now c'mon."

She began walking towards the Ramen shop, and he followed closely behind. On the way they talked about things that were unimportant, but significant. The relationship the two of them shared was unique and perfect. They were just friends. They had tried being more than friends, but it didn't work out. And then, instead of being awkward with each other, they were even closer because they were past all the 'what if's'. They knew that all they could be were best friends.

When they arrived at Ichiraku, Naruto paid and the two ate, conversing over their every day life. Naruto talked about Hinata, and how much he was growing to like her. He talked about how Shikamaru was teaching him how to play shougi like a true strategist. He talked about the sparring sessions he was having with Sai and Kakashi and, of course, Sakura. Sakura didn't have much to say, so she just listened.

When Naruto left suddenly, ("Gotta go find Hinata, I need to tell her something...") Sakura decided to stay a little while longer. Her conversation with Naruto had reminded her of her dreariness of the monotonous routine she lived through every day at Konoha.

She had been feeling oddly bored since their last run in with Sasuke. He had tried to kill them. And though she hadn't expected him to be all rainbows and sunshine with her and Naruto after so long, it still hurt a little. So she decided to drop it with Sasuke. Naruto wouldn't give up on him, she could tell there was no hope, and even Tsunade had decided that it was useless.

Sakura hated that. The missions to rescue Sasuke had made her life unpredictable and interesting. But now, Akatsuki was on the look-out for Naruto, so he wasn't allowed to go out of the village. And since he was her teammate, she didn't get out much either. Sure, she was still needed as a medic, and in no way useless like she once was, but she was unbearably bored.

If only she could get out for a while.

Sakura stood motionless for a moment, thinking. Then, suddenly, she was surrounded. Having been caught off guard, Sakura instinctually reached for a kunai, but then she recognized the masks as Tsunade's personal ANBU.

"Sakura-san, the Hokage needs you to head to her office immediately."

Sakura nodded, and followed them to the Godaime's office. Tsunade didn't often call in the middle of the night, so this had to be important.

"Sakura, sit down," Tsunade said.

"What's this about, shishou?" Sakura asked, taking the seat in front of the Godaime's desk..

The Hokage hesitated. "I have a mission for you. It's by far the most important mission you will ever be assigned. It is also the most dangerous, and because of that, you may refuse this mission, right now. If you choose to accept it, there is no turning back. No matter what I assign you, you must do it."

Sakura thought for a moment. "You can't give me any details before I have to decide?"

Tsunade shook her head, "All I can tell you is that it will be very beneficial to Konoha... and may result in the capture of Sasuke."

Sakura frowned for a moment. She'd heard that one before. She wanted to refuse it, remembering her new found dislike of the Uchiha boy, but she owed it to Naruto. "I'll do it."

Tsunade smiled at her pupil, "Thank you, Sakura. You don't know how important this mission is."

"You're right, I don't," Sakura reminded her, "So... what will I be doing?"

Tsunade paused. "Sakura, I want you to go to Suna and help them develop an antidote for a poison they discovered."

"That doesn't sound so dangerous," Sakura mused.

"It's not," Tsunade admitted, "The dangerous part is that on your way there... you will be attacked by a member of Akatsuki, and you must allow him to capture you and bring you to their base."

Sakura gaped at the Hokage, "You want me to... what?" she shook her head, "You're joking!"

"I'm serious, Sakura," Tsunade said, "I've never been more serious. I want you to allow yourself to be captured by Akatsuki. From inside their head quarters, you can give us information on members, plans, progress on the jinchuuriki hunt. Things we haven't been informed of since we lost Jiriya's contact." The Hokage frowned. Jiriya's death had been hard on her.

Sakura stood from her seat in frustration, "But what the hell would Akatsuki want with me?"

"You're the best healer in Fire country," Tsunade said, "and perhaps in other countries as well. You've developed quite a reputation, especially with that last run-in with the Uchiha brat."

Sakura smiled a little. She had caused an land slide in Wind country. But that didn't matter right now. "And what, they're just supposed just expect me to heal their injuries? Like I would betray Konoha like that. They'd never buy it."

"They would, because they all believe you to be the scared little girl you once were," Tsunade challenged. "While you have changed, it's obvious you're still a very overly compassionate person. They will expect that and fear to be your downfall."

Sakura sat down. She had already accepted the mission, there was no turning back now. "How do you know that an Akatsuki member will attack me?"

"Because he arranged it with me," Tsunade told her.

Sakura was suddenly angry. "And how do you know it's not just a trick to take me hostage and lure Naruto out of the village? Honestly, shishou, how do you think he'll react once he knows?"

"I'll prevent him from leaving the village. His safety is just as important to me as it is to you, as the Hokage, and as his friend." Tsunade stood from behind her desk and walked over to Sakura, placing her hands on the young kunoichi's shoulders. "Sakura, you're the only person who I know can do this. Anyone else will be to focused on the story of a criminal to work with the ally underneath. And I know for a fact that you will not get yourself killed out there. I can't say the same for anyone else."

Sakura took a deep breath to compose herself. "When do I leave," she asked, defeated.

"Tomorrow morning," Tsunade back away to allow the pink-haired kunoichi to stand. She handed her a small scroll that had been sealed with chakra. "This is a communication scroll. Write what you wish to tell me, and when you surge your chakra through it, it will send the message to me on my scroll. Pack for a long trip, I don't know how long that poison will take to neutralize."

Sakura nodded and turned to leave.

"Sakura..."

She turned, and was locked in a bone crushing embrace from her shishou. Sakura hugged the woman back. Tsunade was practically her second mother, and they would miss each other dearly.

"You'll be briefed on exactly what your role is in this when you're captured," the Hokage informed, "You'll do wonderful, I'm certain."

Sakura smiled. "I just hope I'll be back soon."

Tsunade smiled as well. "You will be."

"Take care of Naruto for me," and then she was gone.

Sakura packed for a long trip, just as Tsunade had requested. She packed for all types of climates at first, but then realized that it would blow her cover, and packed only for Suna's hot climate. She hoped the Akatsuki base wasn't in a wintery country.

At one point, Sakura realized she was crying. She would be away from her friends, her family, her village for an indefinite amount of time. She needed to see Naruto. She didn't care if it was the middle of the night.

She headed out the door, only to be stopped by none-other-than Hatake Kakashi. "Yo," he greeted.

"Hey," she responded, "What's going on?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing."

"I'm going on a mission tomorrow morning, and I don't know when I'll be back" Sakura informed him, "I wanted to tell Naruto."

"Don't you think that's a little obvious?" Kakashi asked.

"What-"

"I know about your real mission," the Copy Ninja said stoically.

"Oh..."

"Running off to tell Naruto that you don't know how long it will take to neutralize a poison is practically asking him to realize what's going on."

Sakura looked down. "He's my best friend, I have to say good-bye..."

Kakashi placed a hand on her shoulder. "There will be some time in the morning."

Sakura smiled and threw her arms around her sensei. "Thank you, Kakashi."

Kakashi smiled through his mask. "You're welcome. See you, and come back to us in one piece."

Sakura nodded, "I will."

Kakashi left, and Sakura was alone again. She finished packing, and went to sleep, crying once more before it finally took her.

"Naruto! Wake up and let me in!" Sakura banged on his door, usin all her self control to keep from knocking it down. She had brought all of her packaged ramen with her, knowing it would be a while before she could use them, and figuring Naruto wouldn't have a problem finishing them off.

"Coming, Sakura-chan!" Naruto finally opened the door, "It's way too early, dattebayo!"

Sakura walked in, without Naruto's permission and was greeted by quite an interesting sight.

"Is that Hinata?" she asked, pointing to the blue haired kunoichi passed out on the couch.

Naruto blushed scarlet. Sakura just smiled, dropped the Ramen on a table and threw her arms around her best friend. Naruto hugged back, giddy as a teenage girl.

"Finally!" Sakura exclaimed, waking Hinata. She let go, and greeted Hinata, who turned just as scarlet as Naruto. "I'm going on a mission today. Don't know when I'll be back so I brought you these," she gestured towards the ramen, "so they don't go to waste."

Naruto smiled, "Thanks, Saura-chan... I thought you were confined to the village."

Sakura had thought this through the night before, "I'm creating an antidote for a poison in Suna. Apparently it's a very difficult one," She shrugged, "They need me."

Naruto accepted this answer, hugged the pink haired kunoichi one last time, and wished her a good trip. Sakura held in tears as she said good bye, and left, with a final 'congratulations' about the two shinobi's new relationship.

Sakura walked to the front gates, turning back to look at her home one last time, and left for Suna.

A day had passed since Sakura had left Konoha, and now she was walking, rather than running, in the direction of Suna. She felt an impending sense of doom as she walked, knowing that she was about to be thrown into the most dangerous situation she'd ever been in her life.

Suddenly she felt it. Not chakra, but someone's presence. A person who obviously knew how to disguise themselves, because Sakura could not locate him. But she didn't have to, because a second later, he stepped out into the open.

Sakura's eyes widened, and her heart rate speed up. She had not expected this, although thinking back it should have been obvious. She wanted to run, she had an intense desire to fight, but she couldn't move, paralyzed by fear of the man who stood before her.

"Uchiha Itachi..." she whispered.

The Uchiha nodded, stepping forward, and Sakura realized he was not alone too late. She was struck by a force hard enough to knock her out instantly, but avoided in enough to remain conscious.

She probed herself, noting two broken ribs, and located the source of the blow. Hoshigake Kisame was there, his sword, Samehada, unwrapped and covered in her chakra. She realized that she didn't have enough chakra to fight, or even to heal her ribs, and swore under her breath. Itachi had been a distraction, of course. That's why she felt his presence, and not the shark-nin's.

"I heard that!" Kisame bellowed, "Come on Itachi, Tsukiyomi her and lets take her ass back to the base." Kisame walked past the Uchiha in the direction of what Sakura assumed was the base, and Itachi stepped forward.

Sakura ran. She knew it was to no avail, but she couldn't fight her instincts, orders be damned. Itachi caught her quickly, throwing her to the ground (which broke another rib) and grabbing hold of her throat. She pushed him off of her, and quickly jumped back, smashing her foot into the ground to cause a fissure to open up beneath the Uchiha's feet.

He followed her, his face betraying nothing but calmness, and soon they were engaged in a fierce battle of taijutsu. Sakura threw a fist at his face, which he dodged easily, lashing out with his leg to get her off balance. She quickly regained her equilibrium and struck again, this time with her knee. It connected with his groin, much to her pleasure, but he didn't react. He grabbed her ankle, fracturing the bone, and spun it so that she was facing away from him, then he knocked her other foot of the ground, causing her to fall forward. She sprained her wrist, trying to catch herself, and quickly turned, only to be kicked in the stomach. She coughed, blood escaping her lips, and tried to catch her breath.

In this moment of weakness, Itachi picked her up by her shirt. She looked away, knowing what would happen. He took hold of her chin, forcing her face to look at his, but she kept her eyes closed.

"You know you have to let this happen," Itachi whispered, and Sakura, defeated, finally lifted her eyelids to stare into the dark crimson Mangekyou sharingan, and was instantly unconscious.

Itachi knew that a few ribs had to be broken, with Kisame's blow to her back, and his harsh throw to the ground, so he placed his arms under her legs and lifted her, carrying her that way to prevent any further damage.

Kisame was already on his way back to the base, but Itachi caught up quickly. Kisame smirked at him. "Tougher than she looks, ain't she?"

Itachi nodded, "As expected of the Godaime's apprentice." He looked at her. She was barely more than a child, perhaps nineteen, and she had given him quite a real struggle. Especially her last little 'knee-to-the-groin' move. She was a warrior of sorts to last that long against him, but in her unconscious state, he saw the innocence of her short life. This mission would ruin her. Suddenly, Itachi decided to figure out a way to keep her as pure as possible throughout this ordeal. She reminded him of a younger Sasuke. Even a younger version of himself. But mostly, she reminded him of...