Naruto 1. Chapter 1

AN: Hey everyone, this is SpicyLove ;D I can't believe it this will be my third fic ever! However this will be my first ItaSaku fic. I have many ideas about what type of fic I should write and which ideas would work and fly beyond the sky of imagination. I know that sounded pretty cheesy, but hey I didn't know how else to put it. All I hope is that you will all like it and stuff and junk. This fic is a Non-Mass, so yeah things will be different. Also Sakura and Itachi will be a year apart; the others will still be in the Academy i.e Naruto, Sasuke, etc. Anyways, sit back and relax cause the story is about to begin.

_Run_

Running.

That's all she could do, she had to. If they caught up to her she would be back where she began planning another attempt to run away from that hellhole and back to her home. Yes, Sakura Haruno was running away from the sick and twisted mind of Orochimaru, it was 6 years ago that she was taken away from her home, family and friends to be examined, experimented and cut open to be used in his cruel games. The endless hours of needles, scalpels, steel tables and the blinding lights. Right now she was the tender age of twelve, and yet she knew of things that could make grown shinobi shudder purely at the thought. Her pink glossy, waist length hair flowing behind her, and emerald eyes glowing in the darkness of night. The feeling of the wind hitting her face and the cold rain beating down on her. It was as if the weather was against her from leaving the place that she hated for years, she turned her head to see if they were still following her. They were a little ways behind her; she made her way to a clearing getting her senbon out of her pouch. She was ready when they burst through the trees staring at her, getting ready to take her back.

"Ah. So you finally realized that you can't out run us, it's time for you to get back in your little cell." Shouted a man.

Her eyes narrowing "There's no way I'm going back to the living hell!" Sakura was fully willing to fight to the death if she had to.

"Listen girly, we all know that you're the favourite of Orochimaru's. And knowing that, he would really hate it if he lost you. Now whether you like it or not you ARE coming back with us!"

The two shinobi leaped forward at her, but she was one step ahead of them. A smirk came to be on her face and her eyes glinting the amusement that was there.

"Doton: Arijigoku Jutsu." She cried. And the earth began to open up and swallow the two whole suffocating them.

Sakura thought back to the word that one of them said, about her being the favourite. She never asked to be, her mouth twisted at the thought. Sakura Haruno was gifted; she knew many high ranking jutsu. She had amazing chakra control; her intellect was extremely high and had a massive amount of chakra for someone her age. Those were some of the reasons why she was kidnapped, the snake bastard wanted to know her secrets wondering how did she get so powerful. But she kept some of her most deepest secrets away for the surface and the light of day.

Her head facing sky-ward she closed her eyes, remembering happier times back in the Leaf Village. With her parents, suddenly her eyes shot open and a great deal of pain at her chest. Yes, she remembered the day that her parents were killed by some of his henchmen and she was taken away. She couldn't do anything; they did something to her body to stop it from moving and helping them to survive. At that time she never felt so weak in her life, she watched as they ripped open her mother's chest and yanked out her heart. Said heart fell to the floor with a kunai through it. Sakura look onward as the light shining in her mother's eyes slowly began to fade out leaving nothing but, cold lifeless eyes in its wake. Her father was pinned to a wall and he was tortured, cuts everywhere on his body. Stab wounds centered on his chest and stomach, and finally they beheaded him. His head rolled next to her feet, his eyes gazing up at her. She fainted after that, she couldn't take the horror of seeing own family die in front of her.

When she came to she remembered her meeting with Orochimaru.

_Flashback_

"_Ahhhhh. I see that I finally have Konoha's precious Sakura Blossom." A sickly sweet smile grew across his face._

"_Don't worry child, I just want to learn more about you." He chuckled._

_She could smell the scent of death in this place. It was surrounding her, over loading her senses and mind. She didn't want to be here, she wanted to be anywhere but here. She tried to move her hands and feet but she couldn't, looking down she saw that she was restrained to a wall. The sounds of a crackling fire to her far right, Orochimaru followed her line of site and saw what she was looking at._

"_I see what has caught your interest."_

_He got up from his chair and walked towards the fire and picked up something. Her eyes widen and began to water; at that point she knew what he was going to do with her first. She heard the rumours about him. And frankly, they scared her to no end; she didn't want to be left alone with his man ever. And yet, here she was. _

"_Now you know what I'm going to do with you first child. I'm going to brand you, due to the fact the you are a Sakura Blossom, and I will mark you as such."_

_The heat coming off the brander was intense, as he slowly came closer to her tears began to leak from her eyes. She didn't want this, fear consuming her mind to the point that she was starting to hear a voice in her head. _

_Suddenly she felt scorching heat burning through her pale skin; her screams filled the entire place. It was a cry of pure horror, terror it was enough to make you never forget that scream again. As he pulling the brander away a perfect print of and large Sakura Blossom was covering most of her stomach and side. She knew as she would get older the less area it would cover but, she knew it would be on her side and some of her stomach._

"_Soon little Sakura, you will give me all of your knowledge and power to me." And with that said he left the room laughing._

_And once again Sakura Haruno pass out from the intense pain._

_End of Flashback_

It took a whole month until her body was fully healed and combat ready. When she first saw it all healed up, it didn't look all that much like a burn mark at all. Sure some of her skin was scarred and looked like burn marks, but all in all it looked like a birthmark. But that wasn't the strangest thing, the thing was when she got emotionally distressed or got serious in battle it would show through her clothes, glow a faint pinkish-purple and start spinning. Somehow it was connected to her chakra, showing when it peaked or when her emotions went out of control.

She quickly snapped out of her thoughts, remembering what she was doing. She didn't have any more time to waste now; more were coming, much more. She made her way towards Konoha, and she didn't stop for anything. Once she didn't feel her pursers' chakra anymore she slowed down her pace, she knew she was close to home now. Soon she would be safe. She travelled through the forest; she could almost see the front gates now. Just seeing them made her eyelids grow heavy, she needed rest and with her chakra level low she knew she couldn't make it there entirely. She took one more step and she collapsed towards the nice, soft, cool grass of the forest floor. Sakura waited for impact but it never came, she glace up to see what was stopping her from getting rest. She saw a teenage boy holding her up, she could hear him speaking to her but she didn't hear one word he was saying. Her eyes looked upon his headband and saw the he was a leaf shinobi, she knew that he would take her to the village. Something else she saw was scarlet eyes staring right back at her, so her saviour was an Uchiha then. Her emerald eyes began to clear up and he saw who it was, Itachi Uchiha, the heir to his clan. And number one cold hearted bastard and emotionally drained person to probably ever live in history. The first thought that came to mind when she saw who it was is '_Damn!_' Then she thought '_At least it was someone she knows._'

"T-t-thank you." And finally she got the rest that she so badly wanted.

Itachi gazed at the girl sleeping in his arms, he knew her she was the girl that disappeared with Orochimaru and some of his followers. Actually, that same day both he and she graduated the Academy together, both were beyond student level and others saw their potential. He remembered the day after she vanished from the village; her home was covered with blood. Signs of a struggle appeared in the house, they found both Harunos dead, one on the floor in the living room and the other on the wall. It was the worst thing you could see in your life; it made you never look at the house the same way again. They searched for the 6 year old but, she was nowhere to be found, they found traces of Orochimaru being there and they knew that he took the child. And finally, after 6 years after that day she came back.

He held her to his chest, making sure that she wouldn't fall and began walking towards the gates of the village. Cuts, scrapes and bruises all over her body, it looked like she came from hell and back just to make it here in one piece. He looked down at her once more and saw a mall smile on her lips. He looked forward again and went quickly to the hospital.

Sakura Haruno, for the first time since she was taken away, she felt safe.

AN: Well that was an exciting chapter, don't you think. The idea just came to me suddenly and I had to write it down. Things will defiantly get heated up as the story goes on, trust me. I got a the whole or most of the story planned out already. Please, please, please review ;D THANK YOU!


	2. Home

AN: Wow, I got a huge response to the first chapter of Escape; well mainly people have been alerting, favourites and favourite author me and stuff like that. Sadly I only got one review , but it's ok I don't mind as long as people think that the story is compelling I'm not all that brother that much. I would just like to read some comments that would pep me up into writing more and even better chapters. I think that this story will be epic, and it would be worth for all you ItaSaku fans everywhere. My inspiration for this fic it actually the weather, and right now the weather down here in Canada is pretty crappy. So I guess that mine that I'll be able to write more chapters faster. Also I just applied for college and I'm hoping that I make it, but the problem is that I have to get a loan from the government and it's pretty much a pain in the ass to fill the form out. So have your fingers crossed ;D.

_Home_

The pitter patter of the rain hit the window sill is the sound that woke Sakura from her slumber, her body was in pain and she could barely sit up at the moment. She slowly opened her eyes, the bright lights hitting them she quickly closed thee once more. After a few minutes she tried again, this time opening them to the fullest, Sakura took in her surrounds and began to wonder how she got here. Right there and then she remembered her break out of Orochimaru's hideout and the chase that took place after tasting freedom. 'So I finally got out and made it back home safe and sound. Well, somewhat.' She mused to herself unaware that a nurse came in.

"Excuse me Miss, but I need to check your vitals and to see if we missed anything that we didn't pick up before."

Sakura sat up and let the nurse check her out, once she was given the all clear she asked a question that was chewing at her mind.

"Hmmmm, do you know how long I've been here in the hospital?" she was a little scared to ask, Orochimaru could have sent out plenty of his henchmen after her. She didn't want to be caught off guard if and when anything happens.

"You've been here for almost two weeks now, when you came in you looked like you came from hell and back. Cuts and bruises everywhere, three broken ribs, damaged solar pexlis, shattered pelvis, bruised diaphragm, collapsed lungs and both your angles were broken and twisted. I must say after all the years I've worked here I never saw someone get that beaten up and not be in a long term comatose state."

Sakura was amazed by the damage that she'd been through, she didn't think that it was that bad. She knew she felt and been through worse when she was in Orochimaru's care, just thinking back to those times made her heart beat erratically. She said her thanks to the nurse as she left the room, and once again she was left alone in the hospital room. Not one for being alone for too long, she walked out of her room and headed for the roof of the building. She made her way up towards the roof through the halls, she stopped to ask the one of the nurses for an umbrella. With umbrella in hand she was on the roof, she looked for the highest point of the building and with one leap she landed on what seems to be a water holding tank. The sound of the rain hitting her umbrella was one of her favourite things, it always calmed her and silenced the storm in her mind and soul. A pair of dark black eyes watched the pink haired girl with interest, when he found her and dropped her off at the hospital he reported to the Hokage and told him of the news. He was ordered to keep an eye on the girl until she would come over to his office and speak with him personally.

"I know you're there. I'm not stupid enough to not know when I'm been stared at."

Itachi Uchiha walked out of the shadows and was suddenly right next to her in the rain. Slowly he was getting soaked but, that never really bothered him a real shinobi didn't care what the weather was like. Be it rain or shine, if there was a mission then the mission will be done. He looked to see Sakura Haruno having a small smile on her face, her eyes shining with relief. He thought back to when he found her near the village gate and how she had that same expression on her face. He withdrew his eyes away from her and slowly began losing himself in other thoughts.

Meanwhile, Sakura was doing the same thing. Lost in thought she was glad that she was back home where she knew it was safe and where she belonged. Thoughts of her parents made its way into her mind, their smiles and happy faces plagued her. She knew that she would never see those faces and share happy time with them ever again, and it was all the fault of one man. The man that held her captive and experimented on, how she would love to kill the wrapped bastard. To make him feel the pain that she felt when she knew she lost everything that meant anything to her. Her eyes began to harden and darken at the thoughts of killing him, the time that she was there locked up she some bad habits. One of them was torture, she knew it was wrong and cruel but when people deserved it she let her dark thoughts take her away. She was interrupted from her thoughts when she heard a voice talking to her.

"Huh? What were you saying?"

Black eyes narrowing "I said where were you after six years?" His voice was cold and irritated

Sakura rolled her eyes "That's a stupid question Uchiha and you know it. I was taken by Orochimaru. I thought you being the genius here, you would have figured it out by now."

Itachi was shocked. No one talked to him like that before, ever. But being an Uchiha he hid his shock very well.

"It was an honest question Haruno. We want to make sure that you didn't leave willingly or the punishment will be harsh."

She couldn't believe it! After everything she went through, she was being questioned?

"Now listen here and listen good! I didn't leave this village willingly nor do I ever want to. I know that you saw what the Bastard did to my parents, DO YOU THINK THAT I WOULD TAKE JOY IN SEEING THAT! DO YOU THINK THAT I WAS HAPPY WHEN I SAW OWN MOTHER DIE IN FORNT OF ME AND HER HEART RIPPED FROM HER CHEST!YOU THINK I WAS GLAD THAT MY FATHER HANGING FROM A WALL HEADLESS! THE THINGS THAT I LIVED THROUGHT AT THAT TWISTED FREAK'S PLACE WAS SOMETHING THAT I ASKED FOR! WELL YOU'RE WRONG! Do you think that I got this willingly?" At that moment she pulled up the side of her shirt to show him the Cherry Blossom burn mark that she got, it began swirling and glowing a faint pinkish purple.

"He got a brander a burned this into my skin, it took a month to heal. I don't think anyone would want what I've been through."

She saw Itachi with his sharingan on, he was looking at the mark. He turned it off, he wondered how the mark did that.

"Explain to me how that mark swirl and glow the way it does."

With a sigh she began. "Well a couple months after the incident my chakra pathways slowly began intermingling with it, I'm not sure why but it did. Every time my chakra flares, using high level jutsu or get distressed it swirls and glows that way it just did."

"Hn."

"You know even after all these years, I still hate it when you Uchihas say that."

He looked at her with amusement dancing in his eyes, he wanted to say said word one more time just out of spite. With serious matters at hand he didn't play with it anymore, she was to report to the Hokage as soon as she woke up. And he was to accompany her there.

"The Hokage requests that you come to the tower and tell him all the information that you know about Orochimaru and his plans."

Sakura jumped down onto the roof and looked back at him.

"Well...Lead the way Weasel Boy."

At that comment Itachi raised a brow, he knew that she was going to be interesting that was for sure. He couldn't wait to see her abilities and fight against her and win. He jumped down and landed a little ways ahead of her.

"You may not look it, but you're a real smartass."

She walked passed him, as he stood on the spot. She turned swiftly around and smirked at him.

"Yeah, I get that a lot."

She turned right around and headed inside leaving Itachi standing in the rain. And on his face was a tiny little smirk at her response. Then he too walked towards the roof door. As she approached the door to go inside the sound of rain hitting her umbrella, that sound was one of her favourite things. It always brought comfort and knowing.

Knowing that she was finally back home. And she was there to stay.

AN: Well that was one good chapter if I do say so myself. Don't worry about the ItaSaku Goodness, it will be there soon enough. We just need to get through the formalities first, corrections are value as long as they're nice. There's no need to be nasty about it and whatnot. And Review highly welcomed .

**Review or a Ballet Dancing Hippo will come to you house and break everything ****. It happened to me once.** Hehehehehehe!


	3. Hokage

AN: Hello everybody and welcome to the year 2011! I'm super hyped for the New Year, and this month is a huge thing for me. On the 12th I will be going to college and I'm going to be busy with the work. I can't just do what I did in high school, which was cool because didn't do most of my homework and I passed all my exams. Anyways things will be interesting this year and I hope that I will get to write more stories for you all in the near future. I have great things planned for my stories and with all the drama happening in Naruto and Bleach I might get more great ideas for story plots and whatnot. Now for people reading my Ulquihime story "Starcrossed Paths" it will be made into a trilogy or when I find out what is going on with the new Arc in the manga and the 4th movie. Now for this story I'm thinking of making a sequel due to the many things going on in the manga currently. I hope you all like your presents for the New Year, now on with the story.

**Hokage**

As Sakura and Itachi made their way to check out, people, mainly women were glaring at our little blossom. She could feel the stares and glares hitting her skin, and she knew exactly why. Itachi Uchiha was the most adored shinobi in the five nations; all the women and some men wanted him as a lover, which would be any girls' dream. But not Sakura Haruno's she knew what Itachi was like back when she was a still in the academy and let's just say that they had friction. His parents didn't really like her or her family at all; The Uchiha and Haruno clans were both very well-known and powerful clans. So when Sakura and Itachi met on the first day at the Academy they both were called geniuses in their own rite, as the years before Sakura's kidnapping took place they were look a upon as rivals. But after Sakura went missing there was only Itachi left so the village turned their eyes on him.

Finally walking out of the hospital and the range of the glares there was a silence between the two.

"So are going to start walking anytime soon or are you just going to stand there looking at me?" Sakura snapped. She couldn't take the stares any longer she just wanted to go to the Hokage's office tell him what happened to her and get some sleep. Sure she was sleeping for a while but, that didn't mean she didn't want to get back to it.

"Yes, there's no need to act irrational Haruno." Itachi murmured with a smirk in place.

"Ugh! Don't be an idiot, let's just go. The faster we get this over with the faster I can find some place to sack up for the night." She huffed as she made her way to the Hokage building.

Konoha was as lively as the day she was taken away, but something looked new and different. She looked around in wonder as she and Itachi were on their way to The Hokage, something never changed while new shops and stands were set up were the old business used to be. Life was colourful and exciting, which was one of the reasons she loved it here and the reason she didn't lose herself when she was in Orochimaru's grasp. On the way there Itachi kept taking sideways glances at the pink haired girl travelling with him, he wondered how much she improved while she was held captive by the snake Sanin. He knew that she must be stronger now since she caught his attention; Itachi couldn't wait to see her fight.

"Hey Uchiha! This is taking too long how bout we get there a little bit faster than just walking, hmmm?" The emerald eyed shinobi asked sounding frustrated more and more by the minute.

With that said she disappeared only to be found on top of a building 2 feet away from him, Itachi got a small spark in his eyes as he saw her up there. He knew what she was doing; she was issuing a challenge to him to see who was the fastest to reach the building. Sakura looked down on him from the roof looking cocky that she would beat him in a race of speed; no way in heel was that going to happen. Itachi was known for many things but, his speed was something he took pride in and there was no way he was going to lose to his rival. In a flash he was with her standing tall and intimidating, but Sakura didn't buy the whole 'I'm superior than you' act and straighten herself as she was read y to make the Uchiha eat her dust. The wind blew strongly and the second it turned into a breeze they were off. Faster than you could blink they leaped from building to building each at equal speed and pace, neither looked tired as they looked at how the other was doing. The Hokage Building was just in sight and they both picked up the pace, turning into blurs of color. A dust cloud formed in front of the building, the dust began to settle and two forms became visible. It was a tie.

'No one has ever been able to match my speed and come out as a tie before' Itachi was shocked to someone could keep up with him. He had to keep an eye on her definitely.

'I can't believe that Itachi and I ended up in a tie! All that time of me running and escaping Orochimaru and his men only made me tie Itachi, I have to train harder then. I have to be stronger so I wouldn't lose anyone ever again.' Sakura caught her breath and made her way to the office of the Hokage with Itachi right behind her.

Once they arrived in front of the door to the Sandiame's office, Sakura knocked and held her breath for she felt like she couldn't breathe. She heard that they could enter and so they did, sitting in the desk in front was The Hokage himself looking at her fondly and a smile formed on his wrinkly, old face.

"Sakura Haruno, one of the Hidden Leaves best kunoichi in all of Fire Country. It is good to see you alive and well, I apologise about what my student did to you and your family. I will punish thoroughly the next I see of him." The Hokage had a serious look on his face when speaking of Orochimaru.

"Its fine Jii-chan, I can take care of him myself. And don't blame yourself for not capturing him the first you heard of his plans, he's smart and a slippery snake to catch anyway." She said with hope that her saying this would ease his guilt.

"Yes well, nothing can change the fact that he was my student and his actions are not something that I approve of in the least."

"Anyways, didn't you want to talk to me about something Jii-chan?"

"Ah yes. Itachi told me that you escaped from him and made your way here. I need to know what he was doing to you and what his plans are, I know that it would be hard for you to remember things that you can't dare to bring up but this would be helpful in stopping him before he gets out of control."

Sakura didn't want to speak about the things that happened to her, but she knew that it was for the good of the village and its people. She would do anything to prevent something bad happening to her home and the people she cared for.

"Yes well, some of the things that I'm about to say are not something anyone should hear in their lifetime. But it's something that must be heard in order to protect everyone in the village." She whispered with a harden face and dead green eyes.

Itachi inwardly shivered at the look on her face, he had never seen something so emotionless before from this cheerful girl ever. He knew what ever happened to her was something that broke her spirit and scars her mind, he was prepared to hear every detail that this child spoke what of her lips.

"I'll start with what I can remember after passing out, after the brand that he put on me. I'm sure Itachi told you about that after he got the list of injuries that I got coming here." She looked at the stoic Uchiha.

All she received was a small nod, confirming that she was right with that statement.

"After I woke up, I realized that I was on a metal table with a bright light shining down on me, I thought that I was died. Anyways, I heard chuckling from the dark part of the room; I see a man with glasses on and his hair in a ponytail. I assumed that he was Orochimaru's assistant, and that man is just as twisted as the snake himself. He told me that they wanted to test my endurance, he had in his hands two metal poles and they were connected to a battery or a generator. I knew what he meant as soon as I saw the poles and the wires, I tried to move but I was strapped down to the table. He finally came up to me and began shocking me with 1000 watts of electricity, and this continued for 3 hours without end in sight…."

After about an hour and a half she finished her story, and the room was deadly silent. The two men in the room couldn't believe what she went through. The experimentations, the dissections, the torture that happened non-stop of 6 years and the child was still alive with her sanity intact, saying that it amazed them would be an understatement.

She told them of Orochimaru's plan to take over the Hidden Leaf with Otokagure shinobi, and how the other Hidden Villages will fall. To this The Hokage needed to speak with the other Kages to figure out how to deal with the snake Sanin, he knew that his former student was no push over when it came to a fight. With his thoughts clear he dismissed Sakura, once she was out of the room he spoke with Itachi about Sakura.

"Listen Itachi, I know that some of the things that Sakura has been through have been traumatising, but we are going to need her and her abilities during the fight against Orochimaru. That is why I need you to help her overcome the darkness in her mind and help her move on from the pain that she has suffered. Do you understand?"

"Yes Hokage-sama. I understand completely, a shinobi with a haunting past can become emotionally unstable and that could become a problem during battle." The stoic Uchiha knew what he was talking about, he has problems at home but, he used his frustration in fighting the enemy or training.

"Excellent, we also need to know what her ranking is. We will have to test her skills, but that will take place 5 days from now in the morning."

"I will inform her of the test and when it will be held." Itachi said with a twinkle in his eye.' This is the chance to watch and see how much her fighting skills have improved and based off her speed she showed earlier, she has improved greatly.' He thought.

With The Hokage dismissing him he walked out the door only to find the petite kunoichi leaning against the wall.

"Well what did he say to you?" Her almond shaped eyes narrowed when he didn't answer.

"UGH! Don't think I'm stupid, I know he told you something! Now open your damn mouth and say what he told you!"

With brows up he said in a monotone voice "There's no need to for the attitude Sakura-san, I was about to tell you that there will a test to find out what rank you will be standing as."

"Well why didn't you just say so in the first place, then you wouldn't have to hear me shouting. You Uchihas think that your all so much more better than everyone else, well your WRONG." She all but yelled.

No more than a second passed and Sakura found herself press against a wall on the other side of the hall. With Itachi hand at her throat, face so close to hers and his sharingan blazing a crimson color and tomoes slightly spinning.

"You shouldn't talk to your superiors like that Haruno-san, you'll live much more long if you don't." His hand squeezing a little tighter to get his point across.

His breath was fanning across her face, and their lips brushing as he spoke. Sakura felt like she was about to blush but, she pushed down the rising heat spreading over her cheeks. She couldn't believe that he was so close to her, she liked her personal space and she was sure that he knew that as well. With that thought in mind her eyes turned into slits.

"Listen moron, did you ever think that I could be the same rank or higher than you, hmm?" The furious pinkette snapped.

"I highly doubt that outcome; the test will take place in 5 days." And with that he let go of her throat allowing her the chance to rub the sore spots.

"We'll see about that Weasel boy." She muttered.

The Uchiha snorted regally, if possible and began to walk outside of the building with an infuriated Haruno behind him. Finally reaching outside, they could see that the sun was setting and it was time to head home.

"Where will you be staying Sakura-san?" she asked

She realized that he only called her by her last name when he was angry or trying to state a point to her.

"Yeah, there's a large house by the far side of the village. That was where we went when we need a place to relax, I'm heading there. It's in a field and a lake by the back, in case you need to find me or something."

"Hn."

"Well I'll see you around, hm?"

"Hn."

"Can you say anything else?" Now annoyed with him.

"Aa."

"That's not what I meant and you know it!"

No answer.

"Fine be a jackass! Damn Uchiha thinking that he could make fun of me *grumble* I'll show his ass *grumble*."

Itachi looked on as the pink headed girl walked off grumbling to herself. In his dark eyes you could see a hint of amusement glimmering in them.

'She will be fun to play with, defiantly interesting at say the least. Things wouldn't be the same with her around not.' He thought as a smirk made its way on his face.

He turned on his heel and made his way home.

AN: Well that's the 3rd chapter, and 6 pages long. Don't worry there will be ItaSaku Goodness coming up soon. I know it's a little late but, I hope that this will make a good Christmas/New Year's present for you all. Review, review, review! They help me write more chapters faster, so if you want a new chapter soon REVIEW! If not a Calico-coloured guinea pig will eat you kidney *Add Twilight Zone music* Oooooooooooooooooooo. ;D


	4. Before

AN: Hello again my dear and faithful readers, it's me SpicyLove ;D. Things have been pretty chaotic for me with the whole college angle and whatnot, but I will write the chapters and stories that need to be updated on my breaks between classes. Sure I might not be able to eat, but you my readers will be worth the hunger pains. It just might take a bit longer for me to type chapters, don't worry though things will be fine.

_Before_

Onyx eyes slowly opened to see the light of the sun shining down upon his Uchiha features, with a groan he raised from the confines of his sleep. Luckily, his father decided that he would not attack him in his sleep, and he wouldn't wake up with bruises that would from after the night attack happened. His feet touched the cold floor and he walked to the bathroom to prepare for the day that would come. After a couple minutes he came out looking like the Itachi Uchiha that he was feared for, making his way down the stairs he could hear his mother and his little brother Sasuke in the kitchen making breakfast. Once he reached the bottom of the stairs his mother greeted him with a bright voice, while he nodded to her acknowledging her greeting. He sat at the table and waited for his father to come down and eat with them, he looked at his brother and he was glad that Sasuke would never have to go through what he was going through right now. His father finally came down and greeted his family, upon doing this Itachi's father stared at him with his eyes looking into him. The Uchiha prodigy looked back at his father with blank eyes, but deep within lied the hate that he hid from everyone but his best friend. Once he was finished, he left the table and headed out to the Hokage's office to receive his mission for the day, hopefully that would take his mind off of his father.

Walking passed the village market, people greeted him as he strode passed them. He didn't think about them at all, they only greeted him because he was the prodigy of one of the most dangerous clans in the ninja nations. Still deep in thought he made his way to the Hokage's office; he entered the door and saw the Sandaime looking at him with a small smile set on his face.

"Ahhh, Itachi I see that you have come. Good, I have a mission for you; I need to check on Sakura Haruno for me. You must understand even after all that time with Orochimaru she could still have something that he's tracking her with, thus putting the village in danger." The wrinkly mouth was set into a frown; Itachi knew that The Hokage didn't like to think that the child would ever in danger the village.

"I understand completely Hokage-sama; I will do this mission for the sake of the village." The Uchiha said with a monotone voice.

With a nod of the head Itachi disappeared in grey smoke, but before he left The Hokage swore he saw a tiny smirk on the boy's face. He always knew that Itachi loved a challenge, and the Haruno girl was one, tough and a spitfire. He remembered her before she was taken, so full of life and a talented kunoichi from the beginning. A smile grew on The Hokage's face and a chuckle came from his throat.

"You will have to put up a fight Uchiha; she is not one to lose so easily. She won't bend to your will, you must make her trust you, but first you have to trust her."

Sakura Haruno woke up that morning feeling the best she had in a long time, which usually never happens, after sending time in that dark and gloomy cave of a hideout, she was happy to see the sunlight coming through her window. The pinkette rose from her king seized bed ready to face a new day in her home once again, so long she dreamed of seeing the sun again without feeling like she was a bird in a cage. Finally she was able to do so. Her feet stepping on the warm hardwood floor she stretched out and made a beeline for the bathroom, after an hour and half she emerged out of the bathroom steam following her. Hair wet and wavy she began to dry it with a towel and pick out her clothing for the day. Thoughts went to the day of the test that she was supposed to take to prove that she was the same level as that damn Uchiha. Just thinking about that smug look on his face made her want to slap it right off his freakin' face. Without her knowing, she had a tight grip on her brush and the infuriating thought of the Uchiha made her break it in two. After getting a new brush from her drawer, her cotton candy hair was beautiful and straight as can be, her viridian eyes bright and shiny, skin as soft as ivory. She knew that she may not look like a ninja but, that's what made her so dangerous in the first place. Sakura made her way down stairs and made her breakfast, it was a small one; she needed to go shopping for food today so she wouldn't starve for the week. Once she was finished she slipped on her sandals and headed out into the village.

As she made her way to the market, she looked at all the colors and stores that the Village Hidden in the Leaves could offer. How she missed color during her time in imprisonment, the only colors that she saw at that time was white, purple, black and her own unusual hair color and grass colored eyes. Now she saw reds, yellows, blues and any other color that you could think of, her legs took long strides and her sandals made no sound, unlike normal ninja that have that clacking sound when they walk. She made her way to the food market and looked around at all the different types of foods that the market of this village had to offer. She picked out what she needed for the week and headed back to her quiet part of Konoha, while she was walking her mind began to wander to thoughts of the test and how would it be. The pinkette never felt this way before in her whole life and that feeling was nervousness, maybe after all that time with the evil snake bastard made her lose all her fear. She didn't have anything else to fear for, her parents were ripped away from her life forever and she'll never get them back. She finally made it back and placed all the food in the fridge and drawers, her tiny yet strong body fell on the couch and she slowly began to drift to sleep with the thoughts of happy times of her family.

He had been watching her since she first step into the market. Yes, Itachi Uchiha one of the most feared men in all of the Five Nations was following a girl, though he would never admit it but he liked seeing her during a normal day. He wondered if she was like that when she was younger, when she was taken away from the village. He felt a strange feeling come over him when he thought back to the day when he found out that she was gone and her family found dead in the most horrific way. He was young so he didn't understand much about feelings, he was told what to do by his father and he followed the orders to the letter. But when the emerald eyed girl didn't show up to class that day, he was annoyed at her because he wouldn't have their usual showdowns in the class that day. He loved showing the girl up and she did the same when it was her showing him up. A small smirk spread across his face when he thought back to those times, every competition tested the others limits and abilities to the maximum. So that day always stayed with him as the day he lost one of the few people he felt worthy of his acknowledgement, when he got home that day he heard why she didn't show up. He overheard his father talking about it to his mother; he heard every detail of what the police found.

Itachi came out of his thoughts when he realized he had lost her, narrowing his eyes and punishing himself inwardly for being so careless he tried to find her chakra signature. The sun was setting, an orange color filling the sky with blues, pinks and reds. It was turning to the early evening and he had to find her, he needed to report to the Hokage the next morning. Closing his eyes he found her chakra and disappeared in a flash following the familiar feel of her chakra. Where he ended up was a place he didn't even know of, in front of him was a field of wildflowers and peach, red maple and cherry blossom trees surrounding the field. It was an amazing sight to see, halting his feeling of amazement he once again felt the Haruno girl's energy move, it was deep inside the forest and he launched after it. After jumping and weaving in between trees and branches he stopped at a lake, hundreds of fireflies glowing around and flying around this body of water. By now the sky has turned to a beautiful shade of indigo and stars high in the heavens, he looked around and saw what he saw what he was looking for. Sakura Haruno sitting on a rock in the middle of the lake, the glow of the fireflies creating another worldly light about her.

The petite kunoichi felt a strong chakra signature coming all the more closer to her current position, she knew exactly who it was. Sakura Haruno was not happy that one of her most favourite spots was just discovered by the most arrogant and cold hearted shinobi known to all, Itachi Uchiha.

"What do you want Uchiha-san?" She murmured with a loathing, she just wanted him to leave and not come here again.

An onyx brow rose as he heard the way she talked to him with such formality, it somewhat left him with a small pain in his chest. He strode over to her with grace only he could have, once he was upon her his eyes never left her face. He looked into her eyes, trying to find the answers that he wanted but all he saw was mirroring eyes.

"Hn."

Sakura left eye twitched that the irritating at the "Uchiha vocabulary", she would never understand how other people other than those inside the clan to understand the meaning of those one word answer.

"That doesn't answer my question, Weasel Boy." Itachi could hear the annoyance in her voice, oh yes, he loved to tease her with his personality.

"Because Haruno you know the answer to that question, you just asked an unnecessary question."

"Well then, you won't get an answer to your questions either due to the fact that you just indirectly called me stupid…" Her chakra began to flare in anger of him calling her unintelligent, he knew that she wasn't. That pissed her off even more than anything else, maybe a few things that she couldn't think of at the moment.

Dark eyes narrowed at the girl in front of him, with a swift movement he grabbed her arm, tried with the game that she was playing with him. He didn't want games, he wanted answers and he wanted them now. He brought her arm higher so that his face could be in front of hers, staring eye to eye with the pinkette.

"What are you doing here Haruno…answer the question." He hissed slightly.

"I'm here to meditate you arrogant, anti-social prick!" The cherry blossom didn't like to be thrown and swung around, she had enough of that with the pedophile snake man. She yanked her arm out of his tight grasp, and once again trying to focus on a calm state of mind. All the while murmuring a string of cusses directed at the man disturbing her.

"Then how come your chakra suddenly disappeared when I was trying to find you."

"Well, I guess that the famous Itachi Uchiha can't sense the chakra of a little girl. Oh how the mighty have fallen." She said with a full blown smirk forming on her lips.

"If you must know, my family has a powerful chakra barrier placed around the cottage to make sure that no one disturbs our family time. Now not to be rude or anything but, beat it Uchiha.."

The somewhat exhausted Uchiha turned on his heel and slowly began to walk away. He was in thought, most people would fear him but that girl didn't even show the slightest hint of fear in her eyes. His steps slowed, he looked over his shoulder and saw the same girl that plagued his life sitting there completely at peace now that he was leaving.

"You know Haruno, I find it very interesting that you don't fear me like other do."

" There's nothing that I fear from you, you don't have any idea of what I'm afraid of nor you ever will. I have lost all the things that are important to me, there's nothing that I fear anymore. My fears have already been realised." A sombre tone left the lips of the child who was wiser beyond her years.

"Aa." And with that Itachi walked into the darkness of the forest, now the stars and the moon shining brightly in the night sky. Once out of the forest where he had been, he trekked back home to the Uchiha compound. With a sign escaping his lips, he wondered what his father would want from him when he returned home. Those thoughts in mind, he slowed his pace even more, just to prolong the peaceful walk home.

Once she left him leave the lake, Sakura was able to focus more on meditation. What the Uchiha didn't know was the reason why, it was to keep her calm during the night. Her mind began to flash memories of her time being experimented on. Her beryl eyes slowly opened and looked up at the sky, it was on perfect nights like these that she wasn't being poked and prodded by needles. A lavender glow became to come from the mark that was on her side, placing a hand lightly against it she remembered on nights like these that her mark would glow. She didn't know why it happened but, when the moon was shining high in the sky, this would happen. It was a mystery that she would solve one day, unknown to her tears began to flow from her gem colored eyes. She felt her cheeks with her other hand and noticed that she was crying, the pink haired girl inwardly scolded her for her tears. Tears were weakness, and she hated being called weak. The test was tomorrow she was going to prove that she was strong and not helpless…no matter what.

AN: Well, I know that I took a long time to update this story, but college isn't so kind for free time. I had a shit load of projects to do lately . I hate it. I also have been busy with something else too ^^ though it takes more of my time, so updates will be a bit slower. I just need to get the writing bug to hit me again, so no need to worry. Sakura's going to kick ass at the ranking test in the next chapter. Don't worry, there will be lots of great action ;D Also I was thinking about writing another ItaSaku fanfic, but I wonder if that would be a good idea. Well I might do it anyways ^^

REVIEW! Or I'll glomp you in your home…Yes I know where you live –creepy voice-


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