Sakuras mind felt fuzzy and she could feel the faintest tinge of a bruise on the back of her neck. Her memories from the day, or hours, or moments ago caused her to launch herself up straight, her eyes wide. She immediately regret that decision as pain sparked in her temples and the room began to swim. She groaned softly, wishing Itachi hadn't taken her medical supplies away. She'd just have to live with the headache for now.

Thats when she realized she wasn't alone.

Her captor sat across the room, his elbow resting on the arm of the wooden chair he sat in. His legs were stretched out and crossed in front of him, and Sakura took a moment to notice he was asleep, his soft breathing having told her so. It scared her, in a way, that he could still look peaceful. It just seemed impossible.

If she had any chances of escaping, this was the time to do it. Ignoring the throb in her skull, Sakura glanced around the small room she had been put in. A bed, which she was lying inn, a small side table, two doors, the chair Itachi had placed himself upon, and a small window she'd be lucky to fit her head through made up its contents. And despite the bare furnishing the room had still managed to look nice; clean. Sakura figured two things. One, she was being held in an inn, the most pleasing and reassuring of the two possibilities. Or, two, she was somewhere within the Akatsuki Compound, which, she prayed kami-sama, was not the case.

Sakura closed her eyes for a moment and let out a deep breath before opening them again. Quietly she lifted herself off the bed, her palms effectively supporting her meagle weight as she crawled to the edge. Her feet touched the cool wooden floor boards and she paused, glancing briefly up at the Uchiha before continuing.

As she stood, she struggled to keep her footing, her body having not recovered from the stiff bed. She shoved her discomfort to the back of her mind, forcing herself to focus on the task at hand and she was not about to risk survival over some weak obstacle. Sakura directed her attention to the doors, one to the front of her, and one off to the right. Only one held her way out, and she had only one chance.

Either one could be the exit, but since Sakura hadn't been conscious during her being brought here, then she had no idea as to which one it was. Her eyes flashed between the two, trying to decide which one to risk her life for.

Then it hit her. Itachis chair was positioned between her and the door in front of her. That one must have been it, she was sure of it.

Now she just had to make it past Itachi.

Sakura began to pad her was to the door, staying as far away from the eldest Uchiha as possible while still advancing to the door. She was more than half way there and if she took a few more steps, her slender fingers would be able to wrap around the knob.

Thats when she stumbled. The wood planks creaked, even if only for half a second, it was more than enough to wake the beast. Her head snapped up, eyes wide with fear and a nervous sweat broke out over her forehead. Sakuras heart beat lurched.

But he hadn't even moved. Relief flooded Sakuras bones and she continued hesitantly, her arm reaching for the handle. If she were being honest with herself, she never would have thought she'd even make it off the bed.

Alive that is.

As her fingertips graced the bronze door knob, a hand shot out, gripping her wrist in a hold that would surely turn her fingers purple. She snapped her attention to the man that now stood next to her, his eyes observing her as if she were a child who needed scolding.

She attempted to snatch her hand away from Itachi, but the effort was useless and only seemed to make him tighten his grip. Seconds later he shoved her away from the door. Sakura stumbled, a glare fixing itself over her features.

"Where did you plan on going?" Itachi asked, his voice calm, which, irritated Sakura slightly. thought now that Sakura thought about it… where had she to go? Instead of giving a response, she remained silent, contemplating her escape. Without thinking Sakura charged for the other door, practically yanking it from its hinges in the process. To her horror, what lie behind the door was not her way out, but a simple bathroom.

She looked for something to grab, anything to fend off Itachi, who was walking towards her. Suddenly, Sakura did the only thing she could do.

She ripped that door clear off its hinges.

Wooden shards broke off in her monstrous hold and her fingers began to bleed, her gloves being cut through. Itachis face showed the slightest twitch of amusement. Sakura launched the door and it soared through the empty space. Sakura knew a measly door wouldn't be near enough to stop the Akatsuki member, but that wasn't her intention in the first place.

Immediately afterwards, Sakura charged for the exit, nearly falling over in her sudden take off, and momentarily distracting Itachi so she could make it out the door. He had disappeared, and by the time he flashed behind her, she had already out the door. Silently her praised her for her quick thinking.

Sakura tore down the narrow hallway, speed thinking on her feet as she turned down every corner she could, hoping that somehow she would make it out, to freedom.

But Sakura nearly screamed. Not more than ten feet away someone else dressed down in the traditional red cloud woven cloak. She immediately recognized this man as Sasori of the Red Sand. She could have stopped breathing…. Sakura could have sworn she'd killed him years ago….before Naruto had become Hokage.

None the less, she nearly collided into him, and his smirk upon seeing her face again was very much there. At the last second, she sharply turned on her heel down another empty passageway, half her body scraping against the wall from her impulsive turn.

Well, she was now aware of three things. The first thing, she was definitely in an Akatsuki base of some sort. Two, she had been wrong about the hallway being empty, and three, she was most likely going to die here. She didn't know how, but Itachi appeared in front of her, his body coming together via crows, and he had immediately begun to charge her, his torso still being merged.

One second he was there, and the next, well, he was even closer. Sakura mentally cursed herself and braced herself for the pain to come.

And Itachi did not disappoint.

Sakura hadn't even blinked and her arms were tight behind her back, and her chest was being roughly pressed against the concrete wall. The more she struggled, the tighter he pulled on her arms, and she would feel the sharp pain building in her shoulders. Sakura pressed back a scream.

"You're testing my patience, Kunoichi."

Sakura bit her lip, holding a gasp as she spat out his last word, yanking her arms once more. If he broke them, she may as well be dead.

"Consider this your only warning," and with that he let go. Sakuras shoulders slacked, and she watched the Uchiha begin to walk away. He paused, turning to face her. He'd expected her to follow him…

Sakura sighed in heavy defeat, and began to tread after him, ignoring the arrogant stare that Sasori was giving her from down the hall. She wanted nothing more than to wipe that attitude right off his wooden face, but she couldn't afford anymore trouble.

However, she was reassured. She'd thrown a door at a man who killed hundreds of people without batting an eyelash, so whatever it was she was here for, deemed her important enough for him to spare her life.

Itachi had stopped abruptly, and seeing as how Sakura was lost in her own thoughts, she ran into his back. He simply ignored her, and opened the door that led back into the room she had previously "escaped" from. Once inside, Itachi shut and locked the door behind her. Silently she faced him, through she couldn't bring herself to look into his eyes.

Sakura noticed the door lying in pieces on the floor where Itachi had stood earlier and smiled lightly.

"Something amuses you?"

Sakuras ears perked at the sudden sound of Itachis voice, and she couragously and stupidly dared to make eye contact, "What ever it is you're keeping me here for, which, i have an idea… will be pointless and a waist of time."

Itachi stared at her silently for a moment before nodding hardly enough for Sakura to catch it, but she did, "You'll regret doing that later." Sakura figured she knew he was suggesting the pile that used to be the door, having completely ignored her statement, but didn't quite understand what he meant.

Itachi dismissed the matter and began going down the list of other things, "This room is my room, now ours to share, as is the bed. heres a fully functional bathroom, aside from the door, which, due to your pathetic attempt of escape, now means no privacy."

'oh...'

Itachi continued, "Later we will discuss your task, among other things, however until then, I must go. Should you need anything, Kisama is right outside the door. He doesn't fancy games and will not tolerate you as i did."

Sakura guessed she was witnessing Itachis friendly side… and for a moment was a bit taken aback by his politeness…. She supposed it ran in the family….

Itachi paused, observing her eyes for a moment longer than necessary, then he left, leaving Sakura alone, in a seemingly empty room.