Itachi's Crows

It was soft, and hard at the same time. It was dirty, foreign, but clinically clean. Sakura jolted up from the bed, it wasn't hers. There were no stuffed toys or animals to occupy her childish tendencies, or her makeup kit beside her alarm clock.

Sakura was in someone else's house.

She looked around and saw the colorless white paper walls and bare minimum of furniture. The format of the room looked like one from the Uchiha compound, almost identical to the homes of the elderly she assisted. Were it any different, she would have screamed and fainted in shock of being kidnapped, but instead she took deep breaths.

I don't recognize this place, maybe Hana or Shiko picked me up and put me in their friend's place.

She sat up and hopped off the bed, and that was when the door opened and Itachi Uchiha entered.

Sakura's jaw dropped, then she regained her senses, he was talking. "What?"

"I found you collapsed at the KIA stone; I was going to take you to the hospital. You were merely asleep, however, so I took you here instead, as I didn't feel to awaken you." He smiled slowly. "You're a deep sleeper, aren't you?"

Sakura blinked. "What?"

Itachi sighed, and walked over, lifting her under her arms and setting her back into the bed. "I brought you something to drink-"

"You're Sasuke-kun's brother!"

"...-kun?"

"I knew it! Sasuke-kun always talks about you!" It was true, the few words she did manage out of Sasuke involved something about surpassing nii-san, otherwise it was just his usual coolness.

"I take it you must be close to Sasuke."

Sakura blushed. "Well...Kinda." Cha! Of course you are! You're going to be his future wife after all! Come on be honest! "Yeah-real close-best friends!" Sakura blurted out before she could stop herself. That's too much, you don't even know his favorite color.

Itachi had a contemplating glint in his eyes. "I...see." He stood up to leave, but stopped at the door. "By the way, why did you put my face on the Hokage Monument?"

Sakura's eyes widened. He knows! How?

He smiled sadly. "I've seen them teach you."

Sakura put on her good-girl face. "Well...It wasn't my idea. I just helped out a boy a little. He did most of it." It was true, Naruto was the one to tape all the seals on.

"Interesting. When you feel better, you can leave." Itachi looked considering, though. "If your best friend is really in trouble, be there for him. He'll need it, even if he doesn't show it, don't betray him." He planned Sasuke to hate him, kill him, but not end up a psychopath while at it. A friend, Sasuke didn't have a lot of those...Itachi looked at Sakura, wondering the validity of her best friend statement. Regardless, he just had a feeling that Sakura would always be there for Sasuke, even if Sasuke only focuses on gaining power. He smiled, and exited, shutting the door behind him.

Sakura blinked. He's talking about Naruto isn't he?

The door reopened. "Just in case, sign this." Itachi tossed her a scroll with a crow symbol on it. "It's similar to the Cat contract the elders gave you. However, you aren't allowed to summon any. It's just a..precaution," in case I can't get an emergency message to Hokage-sama fast enough.

Sakura blinked. She didn't know Itachi was planning to slaughter his clan, defect Konoha, and become a spy for the Akatsuki. So she wondered why, but nonetheless, unwrapped the scroll, sliced her thumb with a kunai and wrote her name neatly on the row. She licked her finger clean. "Thanks," she appreciated in confusion.

Itachi nodded slowly, and shut the door.