She stood holding her breath while Konoha's ANBU led their prisoner through the main gate. So it was true. They really did catch him. Sakura heard whispering voices of all the people around who witnessed the same scene as she did.

At that very moment, she froze. Gazing upon the man in chains with sealing formulas engraved in them. Eyes blindfolded under a black piece of clothing ripped from his own Akatsuki robe. He seemed to be calm, despite the messy situation he surely was in. Sakura couldn't help but wonder what his face looked like under the strip of cloth. While examining lines of his jaw she felt a slight tingling in her stomach as he so much reminded her of Sasuke. With almost the same dark hair and the same calm stand. But it wasn't him. No, it was not. She never had the pleasure to meet with him personally but she was absolutely sure that Uchiha Itachi was nothing like her beloved Sasuke.

Suddenly, her heart skipped a beat when he slowly turned his head in her direction. The ABNU unit was just passing her whilst she stood in the middle of the street, stunned by the feeling of his sole presence. Every other villager made a few steps back. All of them were curious about the prisoner but no one had the courage to stand too close to him. Not Sakura, her eyes mesmerized by his every move; she found herself not being able to move a single muscle. Could he see her through his blindfold? It felt like he was looking right at her. Or was it just her plain paranoia? And then her heart stopped for the second time when he slightly tugged up corners of his mouth to something that looked like a... smile? Could it be?

"Sakura!" Voice of her friend came to her from a far.

"Sakura are you with me?" Ino poked her shoulder with more persistence than was actually bearable.

"What?!" Sakura finally acknowledged a presence of someone talking to her.

"Snap out of it, will ya? We have to deliver these right to the hospital."

"Yeah, I know."

She slowly turned away and squeezed the papers in her arms just to push the need to see him one more time to the back of her head.

"It seems he looks a lot like Sasuke." Ino noted.

Sakura pressed her lips into a thin line. "No, he doesn't." She whispered.

Right after both girls dropped the paper work at the hospital, Sakura promptly excused herself and left Ino wondering over the strange behavior. But she didn't have time to explain. Hell, she didn't even know how to explain her feelings to herself. Obviously, she was supposed to be scared of him or at least angry for what he did to Sasuke, and partly she was, but she had never dreamed about becoming so curious about Sasuke's older brother the moment she laid her eyes on his calm stance.

Sakura picked up her pace as she was getting closer to the main building of her village - the residence of Lady Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage.

By the time she reached stairs, Sakura was almost running, with heart beating loudly in her chest. She needed at least some answers. Why was he here? Why now of all times? When Sasuke was still in the claws of the dreadful Orochimaru.

"- how many of them was it, again?"

The voice of her sensei stopped her arm just as she was about to knock on the door.

"Thirty." Lady Tsunade answered so quietly that Sakura could hardly hear her.

"And how many did he kill?"

Sakura bit her lower lip - expecting the worst.

"Almost half of them." The Fifth Hokage sounded more tired than usual.

"So many ABNU black ops, but how?" Might Guy was unable to understand the power wielded by the oldest living Uchiha.

"If you knew him as I did, you wouldn't be so surprised. Honestly, I still can't believe he would let himself be captured so easily." There was strong doubt in the voice of Kakashi Hatake.

"Kakashi, are you suggesting that he let himself be captured on purpose?"

Sakura could almost see the surprised face of her mentor as she heard her skeptical tone.

"Yes," Kakashi said softly but surely.

"Now wait just a second. You can't be serious, Kakashi." Normally loud and full of energy; Might Guy's voice was now unusually quiet.

"Well, if you are so sure about that..." Tsunade sighed. "Double the guard and do NOT let him escape! By whatever means necessary, he must stay captured! We cannot afford him to realize his plan, whatever it is."

Sakura heard her fist meet the massive wooden table in well-known gesture.

"Consider it done!" Life returned to Guy sensei's voice as he grabbed the handle of the door Sakura was standing behind.

"Oh, Sakura." His eyebrows raised as he saw her cringe under the sudden feeling of embarrassment.

"Guy sensei."

"Hello Sakura." Kakashi didn't seem to be surprised by her quiet presence while he followed his eternal rival out of the door and gave her a tender smile.

"Kakashi sensei, I'm sorry. I didn't meant to eavesdrop, but... "

Her cheeks went red and she bowed so quickly that her head almost hit them.

"Sakura, come on in." Tsunade ordered and young kunoichi hesitantly entered the office. Letting Kakashi close the door behind her.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, Lady Tsunade." She bowed again.

"What do you need, Sakura? I don't have time now." Her look wasn't pleased.

"I-I just..."

"Spill it, Sakura!" Tsunade raised her voice and young girl made a small step back whilst she was still looking down at her shoes.

"Actually, I was going to ask you about," she swallowed the hard feeling in her throat, "about Uchiha Itachi, Lady Tsunade." She finished her sentence quietly.

"But you have already heard all you needed to know, is that right?" Hokage's frown deepened.

"I'm really, really sorry. Please forgive me, I didn't meant to... I was just curious. It was very rude of me, I know. I'm so-"

"Oh stop with the apologies already." Tsunade interrupted her mumbling. "I forgive you, for now. As a chuunin you would learn all about that situation sooner or later, anyway."

"I'm sorry." Sakura finished her previous sentence and finally straightened up.

"Yeah, I know. Now go back to you work, I sure you're busy."

Right as she closed the door of her mentor's office, Sakura released all the pressure with one long sigh. Although most of her questions were left unanswered, she felt at least a little better. However, something new came to her mind. While she was replaying the conversation she overheard in her head, it struck her. He let himself be captured on purpose. The words of Lady Tsunade echoed in her ears. Was that even possible?

Of course, it is! If Kakashi sensei said so.

For that question Sakura was able to find the answer herself. Nevertheless, it didn't bring her any more peace that before, rather the opposite.

The shift at the hospital was long and busy. Even more than usual because of all the injured ANBU who were brought in the morning. It wasn't a big surprise to Sakura, since she already knew whose fault it all was. So many lost lives, and for what? She thought to herself after finally locking door of her new apartment. It was an early birthday gift from her parents, she suspected them of wanting her out for a long time, but she was glad they gave her a chance to stand on her own feet even at her young age.

Rooms were small and dark but cozy and warm, unlike the temperature outside. It was going to be spring soon, but nights were still cold. While normally she wasn't really afraid of dark, this time she turned all lights on. Just to be sure no one was hiding in the shadows.

Oh come on, don't be stupid!

Angry at herself for not trusting the abilities of Konoha's best ninjas enough, she moved her tired limbs to the bathroom. She let the water fill her bathtub while undressing so she could lie her naked body into the warm and steamy heaven. Sakura closed her eyes and enjoyed how her muscles relaxed. In a few moment she felt her eyelids getting heavier as exhaustion slowly took over. To avoid sleeping in the tub, she washed quickly, made herself climb out and dressed into comfy pajamas.

With loud yawning Sakura came through all three rooms of her home and turned off the lights with the bedroom as the last, then finally threw herself on the bed and wrap her worn hands around a big fluffy rabbit - a stuffed toy she was used to sleep with every night since she was a little girl.

Getting pass the ANBU that guarded him was harder than he first anticipated and by the time he reached her home, the sirens were already awakening every sleeping person in Konoha. But that was of a lesser importance, because he was here for another purpose and this time it had nothing to do with the Akatsuki.

Sakura opened her eyes to some unknown bright light that for a moment went through her bedroom. She covered her ears as the loud high noises invaded her sleepy hearing.

"What the..." She murmured to herself and then, suddenly, her heart beat rose drastically as she realized that those were the sirens calling for emergency. Jumping out of her bed she immediately ran to turn on the light. In which she failed completely when someone's hand reached for her from the dark. One strong palm silenced her scream and the other wrapped itself around her upper arms and chest.

No, no, no! Please don't let it be him! Anyone, just not him! Her thoughts went wild as she felt an unknown chest pressing against her back.

"Calm down, Sakura."

Oh no!

She didn't know that voice. But the patter of speech was somehow familiar. However calming down was the last thing she could think of and she threw both her feet into thin air in desperate need to free herself.

"I'm not here to hurt you. Stop resisting."

Was he mad? If she just had the chance to do something, but she usually didn't take her kunai to the bed, nor did she have a weapon in her shorts and small top which she was used to sleep in.

"We can be here like this all night, or you can calm down. I came here to talk to you. Trust me."

His grip was too strong. But his voice sounded so gentle, like he even wasn't one of the criminals belonging to widely known Akatsuki.

Hold on, Sakura. The ABNU will be here any minute.

Trying at least soothe her mind she kept squirming in the man's firm arms. She just couldn't stop, couldn't give up. What she unfortunately couldn't stop either were her tears of desperation slowly filling her eyes. But no! She shouldn't be crying! Stop it! Voice in her head screamed at her not to give up.

"You're not making this any easier for me, Sakura."

Until now she didn't even realized how close to her he was. So close she could feel his hot breath on the naked skin of her bare neck.

"If you won't calm down yourself I will be forced to use another way to achieve that."

Not the threat in his voice made her still, but the sudden touch of his lips on her outer ear. She widened her eyes over the overwhelming feeling to run away as far as she could from her own mixed emotions.

"See, that's better."

As her body stayed still, the grip loosened.

"Now promise me, you won't scream. I assure you, that I will not hesitate to silence you if I see only a hint of your rising voice."

Did she really had a choice? If he was to hold her like this, her heart would eventually jumped from her chest from the adrenaline pouring into her veins.

Come on, Sakura! Don't be a coward! Collecting all the strength left, she slowly nodded.

"Fine."

Finally, she was free. But did she dare to face him? For a moment she just stood there, breathing heavily. Movement behind her disappeared.

"If you don't have the courage to look at me, I understand."

What? How could he?!

"I'm not afraid of you!" Her fists clenched and she turned around maybe a little quicker than planned.

So, that was it. The bright light in her room kept returning in periodic intervals, illuminating his black emotionless eyes. Sakura froze. How much he was similar to his younger brother left her breathless.

"I see. You are courageous." Itachi smiled, just slightly. "And brave," he added after she kept her gaze fixed at him. "But an utter fool." The look darkened.

It took everything she had not to pin her eyes anywhere else but his face. The stern gaze he gave her made her knees weak and stomach tight. But no! She was a shinobi of the leaf.

"What do you want from me?" Trying to keep her voice as steady as possible, she asked.

"I need you to go with me."

His answer gave her heart another punch and even bigger amount of adrenaline exploded in her body. This is why he was here? She was the reason!

"And what makes you think I'll just go?!" Her eyelids narrowed and she gave him her most hateful look. This time, he didn't answer. He just lowered his head and smiled mildly, again. She despised that almost imperceptible grin. It was so victorious as if he knew he had already won.

"Answer me!" She couldn't hold herself, the anger was unbearable. Her voice pierced the room painfully. Only after that she realized his deadly promise. Now he was going to kill her, she was sure.

"Well actually, we already are on the way out of the village," he admitted, slowly picking every word.

Her body started shaking as the obvious truth was catching up to her. "What? That's not possible," she breathed out brokenly.

"Are you really that foolish?" Itachi sounded almost disappointed.

"Genjutsu." Her voice failed. No! No! Please no! She had no idea what she was scared of more, the fact that she was most probably unable to resist him in any way or the fear of never waking up from this dreadful dream he gave her.

"We could be here as long as you want, or you can listen to me, just this once, and go back to sleep."

There was nothing, nothing in her head and nothing in his face. Sakura left her body slowly slide on the floor and when her knees touched the wooden floor she almost burst into tears.

"What will happen after I wake up?" The sound coming through her lips was distant and unfamiliar.

"You will learn soon enough. But no worries, as I've promised. I'm not going to hurt you. Unless you provoke me in any way, of course.

Liar. She thought to herself just a second before the lights went off.

Sakura woke up to a feeling of dull pain pressing against her chest. It wasn't a physical pain though, with its emotional features it was more like a memory of a really bad nightmare. Only... this wasn't an illusion created by her mind. This was utterly real. She squeezed her eyelids trying to suppress the last memories echoing in her head. She curled into a small ball, her body shaking when the cold breeze slipped under the strange blanket covering her almost exposed skin. It smelled somehow familiar and unknown at the same time.

"You slept for quite a long time."

This voice! It caused an itch in her underbelly. How much she hated and despised the person siting somewhere near her couldn't be described by simple words. Slowly opening her eyes, Sakura tried to focus solely at the stone floor under her body.

"I see you learned the lesson. However..."

Sudden touch on her chin made her gasp and Itachi gently forced her head to look up right into his face.

No! Desperate thought run through her mind. Sakura didn't even blink and she found herself back in the small bedroom they left who knows how long ago.

"Genjutsu, again, really?" Her voice was still a little husky from the sleep but the deeply frowned eyebrows spoke for themselves.

"I thought you would feel more comfortable here."

Oh stop with the polite tone, you...

"I couldn't feel comfortable anywhere when you're around." She found that talking back to him was much easier when she didn't have to look in his face, so she settled with sticking her eyes on the floor again.

"As you wish then." Itachi snapped his fingers and freezing stab went through her spine whilst they moved back to the dark room lighted only by a single candle in the corner.

Sakura growled and hazily looked around. Then finally sat up from her lying position and noticed the temporary blanket she had been given.

"Och!" She shook in disgust while throwing it away. Despite providing her at least some warmth she would have never sank so low to be forced to touch the Akatsuki robe willingly. However cold she was going to be, nothing could force her to be near that repulsive thing again.

"You're going to be cold," Itachi pointed out the obvious.

"And?" In hopeless effort to stay out of the icy floor as much as possible, Sakura folded her legs beneath her butt in a way only her shins touched the stone base. Even though she wasn't actually looking at him, the itching in her stomach continued and she knew he was carefully studying her. The feeling of his eyes roaming over her shaking body wasn't something particularly pleasant to her. Sakura bit her lower lip when she felt her nipples grow hard under the cool breeze of the room she was held in. As unnoticeably as possible, she crossed her arms on her chest. The need to hide herself was stronger, because she was more than sure that the thin cloth of her pajama top wouldn't cover much.

A burst of anger rose in her chest when she heard Itachi's silent amused hum. Crunching her teeth she stayed motionless with her face turned away from him in a gesture of a stubborn child.

Staying completely quiet Itachi leaned his palm onto his knee so he could stand up from own uncomfortable position. Making a few steps he picked up the Akatsuki robe and folded it neatly next to the flickering candle.

Sakura closed her eyes tightly as she expected the worst. "Are you going to kill me?"

He didn't answer which made her even more furious and scared. She carefully listened to the quiet steps behind her back. Her heart raced and muscles tensed as she anticipated an attack from behind. Then he stopped for a moment and eventually returned back in front of her.

"I was going to give this to you only after you swore not to run away, but I see you're one rarely stubborn girl." He sounded almost pleased.

Sakura flinched as a pile of simple black clothes landed unexpectedly in front of her.

You wish, jerk! Like I'm going to change in front of you, pervert!

Remaining absolutely still she acted like she didn't even notice. Only when he bend his knees and leaned in front of her, she pressed her lips into a thin line and pierced the stone wall at her left with even more persistence.

Itachi's warm fingers attempted the same move as before, only this time she ripped her chin from the uncomfortable grip and kept staring in the chosen direction.

"Do you really think I would go through all this trouble of tracing you and then taking you out of the village only to kill you now?"

"How should I know? You're the sick criminal here." She spit spitefully.

"Flattery won't get you far, Sakura."

Again, that amused tone of his. Asshole!

"I'm NOT..." Narrowing her eyes and sharply turning head she vigorously met his calm look. Her stomach turned upside down and she immediately regretted the hasty decision. Itachi's face was closer than she had anticipated.

"You really should get dressed." He slowly rose his arm to Sakura's cheek with the intention to put one of the strands of her pink hair back to its place. Only to be stopped by her quick hand.

"Do NOT touch me again!" She clutched his wrist with all the strength left in her, while still fighting his burning gaze, which suddenly turned red.

"NO!" Sakura screamed and closed her eyes, instinctively hurling her hand full of chakra blindly somewhere into Itachi's face. And missed! Felt her own wrist being captured into a firm grip while her body landed on the cold stone floor and her arm was twisted tightly behind her back.

"Let me go!" Her high pitch voice echoed through the empty space when she yelled in surprise and fear while lying helplessly on her stomach; being pressed with such force that made any other move impossible.

"I can be a patient man, Sakura!" Itachi kneeled above her and took the other hand only to straighten it along her head. She felt as his long hair tickled her exposed neck when he leaned down to her ear.

"But do not tempt me! I only said I'm not going to kill you, which means nothing can stop me from hurting you." His voice was so dark and threatening that she started shaking almost immediately.

"What do you want from me, anyway?" Her own voice failed when tears filled her eyes.

He answered with calmness slowly returning to his tone. "You will learn that soon enough."

Sakura turned her face down to the floor in desperate need to hide herself from the strange feeling, the unwanted shivers going somewhere around her waist. A few of her tears soaked into the cold stone before she managed to stop them.

"Just stop." Her voice was shaking uncontrollably. "Please," she whispered, defeated and humiliated.

"Get dressed and come up, I'll wait for you." His grip disappeared as quickly as Itachi turned his back and lost himself in the darkness of long stairs heading somewhere above ground.

Minutes passed. Sakura lied on the floor with no trace of life. From time to time her chest went slowly up and down - she was breathing and the mild moves were the only sign that she was still alive. It felt like she was breathing the last amounts of air of her life, because she was more than sure that despite everything Itachi said, he was going to kill her sooner or later.

Well in that case, let it be later!

She raised her head and took the clothes she had been given. If he thinks that she - Sakura Haruno - was just going to give up this easily and do as he says, simply meant, that the only fool here, was Itachi.

"I'll show you, jerk! You have no idea who you're dealing with here," she muttered to herself while she was dressing into black leggings reaching all the way to her ankles, followed by simple green shorts, tight around her ass, and then finally a slightly bigger T-shirt with neckline into the letter V, filled with mesh pattern. She had noticed that the same T-shirt was also worn by Itachi himself and she suspected him of just giving her one of his own. Her body shook in disgust but if she didn't want to run around only in the light pajama top, there was really no other choice.

However, unlike the loose T-shirt, the bottom parts fitted her perfectly and it only brought her to think how much of her body Itachi actually saw before picking the right sizes. The only part that was missing, were boots and Sakura already knew that he didn't give her those because his trust in her was... let's admit it - zero.

Still think I'm going to run, hm? She frowned, because his suspicion was just. Despite that, she wasn't going to do it right away that would be stupid. She had to come up with a plan and it started with learning where the hell they actually were.

Itachi leaned against the brick wall of the small temple they were temporarily hiding in and closed his tired eyes. Traveling with Sakura over his shoulder for all those days was exhaustive. Even though she was light as a feather, her weight eventually grew as the miles under his feet build up.

Although now, when she was finally awake, it didn't seem to get any easier. It struck him how strong her will was. He didn't actually do anything to her, he couldn't, because he needed her to trust him eventually, but anyway... She was still fighting him, learning by every step he made and he found himself interested in her further development.

Spending this much time with the Akatsuki he would almost forgot how it felt to be alive. But her strong will, her aura full of life and the fiery sparks in her eyes, as she always tried to resist him, made him smile, which was something he didn't experience in a long time.

His inner self sarcastically chuckled when he realized how soft he became after only a few moments in her presence. And the way her body sometimes reacted to his touch made him itch in all the wrong places. He couldn't help but ask himself what will happen, when she figures out the impact she had on him?

"You forgot the shoes."

Her childishly stubborn voice awaken him and Itachi lazily turned his head towards her. No, it wasn't a good time to grow soft under her spell, not now and not ever. Without a word he kneeled in front of her and quickly wrapped his fingers around her ankle. She slightly gasped when something clicked down around her left feet.

"What is that?" Sakura asked, examining the strange iron bracelet. By the looks she gave him, he knew it didn't please her at all.

"I don't like to do this either but you gave me no choice. This is chakra binding bracelet with a special formula engraved info it. It not just forbids you from using your chakra, it also allows me to infuse it with my own so if you try to run I'll be able to trace you almost everywhere." He explained and immediately heard her teeth crushing against each other.

"You..." Sakura growled and instantly tested its power by pushing chakra into her hands. But just as he said, nothing happened. It felt like she was just an ordinary girl, weak and vulnerable.

"Here are your shoes and a cloak, it will keep you from the cold outside." Itachi handed her the last pieces of attire. She took them without a word.

"Good, now let's eat, we have a long journey ahead of us."

Sakura swallowed all the bitter words boiling at her tongue and sat down to a tray with two bowls of rice and some fruit. Keeping her decision to stay quiet, she remained mute and listened to the chattering birds somewhere behind the cold walls of an unknown building.

If she was to come up with a plan she should at least gather some information on their location and his intentions with her. However, her damaged pride didn't allow her to ask him a single question nor speak with him at all for that matter. As she was slowly chewing the food, her frown deepened under the urge to think of something better than simply torture him with ignorance.

Come on, Sakura! If you're going to be stubborn like a child you're never going to win!

Oh shut up! I know that!

An inner struggle raged within her mind and Itachi's own disinterest in her presence didn't help at all. How much he must have been enjoying himself. Sakura had her suspicions that he knew about the inner fight she was going through. Yet, he didn't really seem to care. Just like Sasuke!

Jerk!

She couldn't help it. He had the same angry and distant look as his younger brother. His eyes had almost the same color and...

"Do you wish to take that apple with you?"

Sakura twitched and looked down on her hand. Without even realizing it, she was squeezing an innocent apple in her fingers so much and for so long that her nail pierced through its peel and soaked her skin with sweet juice. She was actually going to eat it after she finished her bowl of rice but as her thoughts run wild, anger dominated her acts.

"No." In an attempt to calm herself she slowly returned the ball of mushy goo on the trace.

"In that case we can finally set off." Itachi got up and made his way to the massive old looking door. With a sigh Sakura followed him. She didn't have much of a choice anyway.