Never Turn Your Back

-A TayMor and Addicted-to-GazettE collaboration…

Chapter Six: Two Sugars or One

OMG can you actually believe that we are back? Hahaha ty guys for the patience! Apparently we are both now much busier than we thought we could be! *facepalm* Without further ado…

Previously, on NTYB:

Pein removed the photo and held it towards Itachi, his arctic smoke colored grey eyes bright with malicious promise.

"Find them both. I want answers," his tone hardened "Use whatever means necessary."

Nodding curtly, Uchiha Itachi took the photo and turned to exit the room. His boss wasn't the only one who wanted answers. Slipping the photo in his blazer pocket, his fingers slid over an entirely different piece of paper.

It seemed it was time to hunt down the imposter.

Amegakure no Sato

Rinnegan Records

2:45 am

Itachi remotely unlocked his car while fishing in his pocket for his mobile phone. He'd been focusing on the wrong thing all along! He'd should have known to watch Tayuya and her tricks. He should have been more careful. How could he have missed so important an action as finding out what exactly Tayuya looked like? Itachi knew that with so many things things on his mind it would be easy to miss a thing or two, but he was better than that! He was supposed to be good at compartmentalizing; at keeping things and emotions at bay.

But his mother was dead.

And his brother was nowhere to be found.

And the very organization he'd been working diligently under had betrayed their oath to him. Everything was a lie. Even his very family was a lie, and if that was the only false thing around him, it would not be so bad. No. He was a lie too. He was lying to so many people, and so many people were lying to him, and he was beginning to tire of it.

Everything together made an ache Itachi long wished would go away throb in the centre of his chest. He could not afford to let anyone know how much it all troubled him. He liked being in control, and he liked knowing about all of the pieces of the puzzle, but as it were, the entire thing was scattered, and he was not the one putting the puzzle together.

He was merely a piece, and he hated it.

But at least all the lies connected somehow. All the people in his sphere that were acting under pretense were all connected.

Which was why this imposter - this fake Tayuya really was the last straw for Itachi. Who was she, and what in Kami's name was she doing throwing herself into the midst of everything? Of what connection was she to anyone else?

The sound of his car alarm as it became unarmed pulled Itachi out of his thoughts. The cool Amegakure air was chilly and damp and Itachi let his eyes slide shut as he attempted to let it cool the burning rage that had been sparked in his stomach ever since he saw the picture of the real Tayuya in Pein's office.

It didn't help, no matter how many deep breaths Itachi took, or how many times he mentally told himself to calm down. A cold wet drop of liquid smacked into the bridge of his nose, causing his eyes to snap open in surprise.

Rain.

The thought had barely registered in his mind before the Uchiha was caught in the sudden, and increasingly strengthening deluge. In the time it took Itachi to yank his car door open and slide inside, his hair and jacket had become soaked and his mood had darkened even further.

Itachi sat in his silent car and scowled. Not his usual twitching of the brow. Not the tiny muscle jumping once, maybe twice, in annoyance. No, he was all alone in his car, in a dark empty parking lot.

He scowled.

Who was that little scrap of a woman that thought she had any right to interfere in something that was of no concern whatsoever to her? He would find her. He would. Itachi was conscious that he was more angry about this than he usually would be, but there was nothing usual about this situation.

Nothing at all.

And he would be damned if he let her escape with it. But how was he going to catch her? How would he find her? Damn it.

Amegakure no Sato

Amegakure Regency Hotel

3:04 am

Damn it.

Sakura glared at the phone on the bed and willed it to ring. Damn it, damn it, damn it! She should have known that the Uchiha would not call. Typical male. Still, the only reason she had given him the number in the first place was so that she could find some way to pull some information out of him.

"Stupid. Stupid girl," she muttered to herself. "You should have known that he would not remember…" she muttered. "Damn, damn, damn. And Kisame will be only too happy to jump back in again. I should be able to do this on my own!" she hissed under her breath, sliding from the bed and beginning to pace.

The phone lay innocently on the bed. Silent.

Sakura ran her hands through her hair and let a frustrated breath whoosh from her mouth. If she kept calling Kisame for help, her cover would be blown with the Uchiha. Not only hers either. She didn't know why the odd Akatsuki was helping her but his involvement might come to light as well. Itachi was a smart guy - she could see it in his dark gaze - and he would know that something was off if she kept turning up in his environs. It would cost more than just her life if they were caught.

She should have given Uchiha another method of contacting her. Sakura scowled in frustration as the rush of rain outside her room window filled her ears. It had been raining that night too, and that frustrated Sakura. Back home, rain was not as… perpetual as it was here, and back home when it rained, she would snuggle up somewhere with a cute guy and think romantic thoughts.

Here when it rained… come to think of it, she had gotten a kiss…

"Liar," the Uchiha said simply, his gun still pressed up all close and uncomfortable against her spine.

"I'm not lying. You are simply misinformed," she said, as if it was the most logical thing in the world. Inside, she was facepalming at her lame response. This was going to get really bad before it got better. She needed to get out of there, and fast.

"You need to uncross your wires, Uchiha-san," she said snarkily, deciding that nothing would be too stupid an idea if she wanted to get away from him.

So she kissed him. That's right. Full on the lips, open-mouthed and closed-eyed. She could feel the gun pressing into her stomach, but her hastily gathered courage wouldn't let her back down. This was all she could think to do. She'd been told before that she was a good kisser, a great kisser even, so why not attempt this? The only other alternative was to come clean, and that was not even an option.

With that in mind, she crushed her lips to his flatter, warm, smooth ones and hoped for the best. Lingering longer than she'd like to admit, Sakura pulled away and whispered her cell number into his ear, taking advantage of his renewed shock. Not allowing herself to think about how delicious he'd tasted, Sakura stepped away as fast as she could.

She then got the hell out of dodge.

Sakura felt her face heat with embarrassment. Why the hell had she gone and done that? It had seemed so perfectly reasonable when she had done it, but now thinking back, Sakura was sure she could have come up with something else. She was sure of it.

What if he as shocked as she was that she'd kissed him, and therefore failed to hear the number she'd whispered in his ear. Or, what if she had been so surprised that she'd kissed him that she gave him the wrong number by accident?

What if?

Her thoughts were disturbed by a loud noise coming from the direction of her bed.

Wait… loud noise from the direction of the bed? Sakura's green eyes widened in surprise and she made a mad dash for the phone. She had to take this call!

Amegakure no Sato

Rinnegan Records (Parking Lot)

3:10 am

She had to take this call.

If the number she had given him was fake too, Itachi was unsure of what exactly he might do as a result. The morning sunlight would have been streaking across the sky already if not for the thick, ominous rain clouds cloaking the heavens, and showering the earth with its watery bounty.

Itachi listened as the phone rang. It was about the fourth ring when a breathy voice answered the phone.

"Hello?" The female sounded as if she'd been under strenuous exercise a few moments before.

"Tayuya," Itachi said blandly into the phone, his dislike of the imposter surging up in his chest. He would recognize that voice anywhere from their heated dialogue at the Jinchuuriki Auditorium only a few hours earlier.

"Who is this?" he heard her say shortly into the phone. His scowl deepened.

"You know who this is," he remarked blandly, not appreciating whatever attempt she was making. He knew enough to know that he shouldn't trust her.

"Ah. You," she said, and Itachi got the distinct feeling that she was rolling her eyes. "I forgot you were supposed to call…" she muttered.

"Liar," Itachi found himself saying, his ire rising at her insinuation.

"Well, so are you, you two-sided infidel. You who work for those thieving bastards that call themselves the Akatsuki. And what is with you and calling me a liar? Are you trying for a record of some sort?" she continued heatedly. Itachi listened to her, deciding that he would not find her voice pleasant.

"You gave me this number. You were expecting a call."

"Not particularly," she said curtly into the phone. "I was… otherwise engaged… and you interrupted. I gave you the number the way I did because I had no intention or desire to hear your hateful voice again," she sneered afterwards.

"I have no intention of trading insults with you all morning," Itachi said, making a concentrated effort to keep his voice smooth and unaffected.

"Then what did you call for?" the woman responded, sounding rather impatient. Itachi felt his dislike for her increase.

"I need to meet with you. I don't feel as if this phone line you have is secure, and I would rather go somewhere where we aren't being listened to," Itachi said, using more self-control than he remembered ever having to so as to keep his voice even.

"The phone line is secure," she said. "There is no need to meet."

"You are a liar, and I do not trust you. Therefore we meet. Alone," Itachi ground out, unwilling to admit that he rather liked arguing with her. She sighed.

"You're like a two year old with only one word in their repertoire," the faux Tayuya sighed. "Liar, liar, liar. That's the pot calling the kettle black, whether you ask me or not. I don't want to meet you. The last time was not fun."

"Fun," Itachi started, but was cut off before he could even finish.

"Yes. Fun. You're just so rigid and blah and boring. No wonder you have to lie to keep your life of any interest. And then you call me a liar to make yourself feel better about your own lies," she snapped over the line. Itachi's patience was thinning.

"We will meet," Itachi growled into the phone. "Or I will find you and make you wish you'd agreed."

"Oh. Resorting to threats, now are we?" she continued, not sounding the least bit threatened. "I am disappointed in you, Itachi-chan," she cooed into the line. "I thought you could be more creative than that." Itachi tried to quell the indescribable feeling welling up inside him as he thought of a response. He was just about to give a satisfactorily scathing reply, when she interrupted him again.

"But fine, I will meet you. It has to be somewhere populated, though. So you don't try anything funny. I do not trust you either." Itachi wanted to ignore her comment, but found himself wholly unwilling to let it slide. After all, she was the one that had violated him a few hours earlier… even though he hadn't felt all that violated. The event - of her kissing him - had reached his top ten, though he wasn't about to admit that to anyone. Still, the notion that she could turn around, after a stunt like that, and insinuate that he would 'try something 'funny'' rankled.

"Why would I try anything 'funny' with you? I have no intention or desire to do that," he started, before she cut him off for what had to be at least the third time on that call alone.

"Oh, that is what they all say, but in the end, they all try something funny," she said in a matter of fact tone. "Fine. We go alone. Somewhere populated. I suggest the Amagakure Capital Station at midday. Deal, or no deal?" she asked. Itachi clenched his teeth. He was getting what he asked for, but somehow she was making him feel as if she'd forced this deal on him!

"Agreed," he ground out. He opened his mouth to continue, but words failed him when the dial tone blared into his ear.

She'd hung up on him.

Her behaviour irked him to no end.

She was so infuriating, so annoying, and so... childish.

Amegakure no Sato

Arashi: Entertainment District

12:13pm

"Stop acting like a child."

Sakura twitched at the smooth tenor of his voice caressing her eardrums over the din of the lunchtime rush in downtown Amegakure. Her lips pursed and she quelled to burning desire to decorate his cheek with the shape of her hand. So far she had been successful. Unfortunately she was less successful in hiding the bright red coloring her cheeks with embarrassment.

No, not embarrassment, she reminded herself. Fury. Anger. Umbridge. OUTRAGE. Certainly not a sense of thrill. Her eye ticked and the burning urge was back.

"Kindly get your hands off me you cretinous pervert!" She hissed at him in undertone.

Itachi let out a soft snort of amusement before shifting his grip on the black umbrella in his left hand, his other riding on the crest of her curvy hip, effectively keeping her anchored to his side.

"Language, Tayuya" He admonished softly.

Her resulting smile could have cut glass it was so sharp.

"I beg your pardon. Kindly remove your wandering hand, SIR." Her elbow dung into his side discretely as if to physically drive home her point.

He grunted softly but otherwise made no comment as they moved with the crowd trying to take shelter from the pouring rain.

Sakura could have spat nails at this point. Who was he to manhandle her like this? And why was she letting him get away with it?! Damn Tayuya and her slutty ways anyway! She wasn't this kind of woman!

Resigned to being manhandled, at least for the moment, Sakura silently began to wonder how they'd gotten in this predicament in the first place.

Stepping out of the train station doors Sakura was suddenly grateful for the canopy high over their heads as she heard the loud pitter patter of the down pouring rain. She grimaced suddenly regretting not bringing an umbrella. That was the last time she trusted the stupid weather forecasters. Clear skies after mid morning her butt! It was like Shinjitsu no Taki out there! Grumbling to herself she strutted out from the entryway turning her head this way and that in search of the elusive Akatsuki member she was supposed to be meeting.

It didn't appear she'd be finding him soon. Businessmen and office ladies jostled each other in the thick crowd all leaving the office in search of food. Sakura began to feel uneasy. Should she have designated a better meeting place? A better time other than the lunch rush? Nervous Sakura began to tug at one flame red strand of hair in an unconscious habit she'd had since she was little. Sure it was safer to meet in a crowded area but…

Suddenly her thoughts were interrupted when she was violently jostled from behind. Letting out a startled yelp Sakura stuttered forward two steps on her stilettos before she somehow kept her balance.

"Well well what do we have here."

Whirling around with Tayuya's character scowl in place, she was ready to rip the guy a new one. "Can it you clumsy oaf, and kindly watch where the hell you're going while you're at it."

On closer inspection of her assaulter, Sakura immediately wanted to take the words back. The guy was like a foot taller than her and built like a boulder. Swallowing on the inside she never the less kept up the outer facade on condescendence and haughty pride.

"Oooh? Looks like little red here's a firecracker, Aniki."

The pinkette in disguise grimaced as the boulder seemed to develop a potato headed growth. Oh wait… that was just someone peeking around him. Great now she had two "gangsta" wannabes and no Akatsuki contact in sight. Honestly her luck was absolute zero today.

"C'mon sweetcakes. How 'bout we go work off some of that spirit somewhere else...if you know what I mean."

God but she wish she didn't. And Sweetcakes? Honestly..? Did she LOOK like a type of confectionery?! Honestly society these days was going to the- ….sweet kami she sounded like Kisame…. She needed to stop hanging around that blue haired punk drama queen.

Gearing up to give the two yankees a piece of her mind, she opened her mouth to start letting the abuse fly. However all that came out was a squeak of surprise. Why? Because just then a warm hand, a very warm callused hand, snaked around her waist.

This same hand pulled her back to an equally warm and deliciously muscled chest possessively. His cologne filled her nose moments before the shiver of awareness ran down her spine.

"Excuse me, gentlemen..." Ha that was a laugh - These goons as gentlemen…? Not quite. "...but do you have business with my fiancee?" Wait...FIANCEE?!

Sakura's eyes nearly popped out of her head while her ruby painted lips hung open in an unattractive fish-like manner. She had NOT been expecting that to come out of this stranger's mouth.

She quickly recovered however, and slipped into the new role effortlessly. Turning around to thank her rescuer, she was instead met with the very onyx eyes that had haunted her dreams the night before. Sakura stared Itachi Uchiha straight in the face trying to work a smile onto her shocked features. This should be easy right?

So she thought, until those unsmiling lips claimed hers for all to see. Then... well, she didn't think at all.

"Excuse me, miss, are you ready to order...miss?"

Sakura was shaken from her woolgathering by their waitress arriving. Sending a glare across the tabletop to her "darling" fiance, she gave her order in the cheeriest, pre-marital date bliss she could muster. As soon as the waitress flitted off to relay the orders, her scowl returned full force.

"You didn't have to kiss me. They were already deterred as soon as you arrived. I could have handled it myself," she snapped stirring her strawberry lemonade. It was more like stabbing the ice cubes with the straw but she wasn't one to pick at such trivial details. The Uchiha was unmoved by her hissed reprimand.

"You kissed me first, and in a much more formal setting." he reminded her blandly, inhaling the steam from his coffee. She felt the muscle above her eyebrow tick.

"Thats not what I meant. I'm saying I can't believe you molested me in front of a train station! With all those people present! Didn't your mother ever teach you any manners?"

"Yes."

He replied blandly before his black eyes hardened and froze her where she sat.

"Before she was murdered that is...But you wouldn't know anything about that would you, Tayuya."

'He knows,' Sakura thought her stomach bottoming out. 'He knows I'm an imposter.'

It didn't matter how or why he knew but Sakura could see the truth in those artic black eyes. She desperately hung onto her cover. She had to fool him and somehow come out of this alive AND with intel.

Shit Shit Shit!

What a beautiful mess this was turning out to be.

Amegakure no Sato

Kenzo-Kai Cafe

1:05 pm

She really was beautiful. Itachi could barely deny that fact within himself, and it was merely a token effort. Regardless of her bright red hair and her equally red lips, and her large forehead, she was beautiful.

The forehead reminded him of that of the pinkette he had bumped into at the store a few nights ago, and also that of the blonde Kisame had been ogling at the Regency.

He wasn't used to taking the inventory of women, but those three seemed to be readily pulled to the forefront of his mind in startling detail. Itachi's dark eyes canvassed the woman's body as she took a sip of her lemonade. She was smoothly curved - lithe even - with slightly smaller than average bust. Still, from what he had felt back at the station when he'd pulled her close, she had a rather rounded rear.

Which he did not mind at all. Far from.

And from when he'd tried to ascertain whether or not she was wearing a wire, he'd found out that her skin was incredibly soft, and…

And she was a liar.

And she was also looking back at him. Her lips curved into a smirk.

"Like what you see?" she queried, red lips tipping up mockingly. "I already predicted you would try something funny, and you did."

"I was merely cataloguing," Itachi returned blandly. "And the time before, I was checking for a wire."

"Where, in my throat?" she asked, one red brow rising in disbelief. "Right, and pig's fly," she continued, rolling her eyes. "You just didn't have enough at the auditorium, and you wanted more-"

It was Itachi's turn to interrupt.

"Please refrain from projecting your own feelings onto me," he said, his face blank. "And I will not be distracted by your juvenile attempts. You are not the real Tayuya, and I expect to be informed as to who you are, and what business you have interfering with my business," Itachi ground out.

It was time to get some answers.

Duh Duh Duh! Sakura's cover is blown and the Prince has been exposed! (Meaning if you didnt catch it above for those dying to guess Kiba or Kisame, Kisame is indeed our Dashing Charming-sama)

So what will happen next? Will Sakura cave under the pressure of Itachi's gaze? Will he give her over to the Akatsuki? Is her mission ruined?! Does the Waitress have nefarious plans to jump Itachis bones in a back alley (Naughty girl - he's engaged~)!? Stay tuned and find out next chapter!