Finally Matured

Just to Hold you in my Arms Again

Sakura looked up at the man standing over her body. Sakura's only thought was she had to be dreaming. He could not actually be here. After this month of hell no way could he have found her. She simply could not believe that. She reached her hand up to see if she could touch him. If she could feel him he must be real.

Kakashi caught her hand movement from the corner of his eye. He did not break eye contact with Itachi who was staring at him with his deadly eyes thinking through the situation for a strategy. Kakashi took the girl's hand below him intertwining their fingers. The way their rough skin felt against each other was the best thing Kakashi had felt this entire month without her.

"I'm here now Sakura." He darkened his look at Itachi his eyebrows drawing closer with the intensity of the situation. "I'm never letting you leave my side again. I'll die before that happens again."

All Kakashi could hear is sobs coming from the girl below him and her grip tighten on his hand. Sakura was finally saved he had come for her. This wasn't a dream.

"Kakashi..." Sakura said between the sobs.

"I know love." He answer back.

They would have a proper reunion later, but right now they need to get away from Itachi. When Kakashi had finally caught up with her he did not even think of a plan. He just acted. After a month of tracking his dogs were on the verge of wanting to kill him, but he did not care. The only thing that mattered was getting her back in his arms. But finding her like he did made his blood boil. No one should or would ever touch her like that again. Seeing her lying there sobbing killed him. He would never let Itachi get away with that and he would never forgive himself for not finding her sooner. Just like with Rin all over again. If only he had gotten there sooner. At least he could save Sakura. At least the damage wasn't irreversible.

Seeing Itachi break their gaze he turned around so his back faced Kakashi and Sakura. Out of nowhere a man in the same Akatsuki coat stood next to him. This man wore an orange mask with a swirling pattern on it making only one hole in the mask. This hole was open for only one eye to shine through. He also had a head of black hair sticking out from the top of where the mask stopped covering his head. Only darkness showed where his eye would shine through giving him an ominous aura. Kakashi knew that this man was bad news if Itachi would break away from Kakashi to give attention to him.

"What are you still doing here? You could have left the girl somewhere a week ago. Her purpose was already served." The orange masked man stated. His voice was dark and had a husky tone to it. The way he said purpose served bothered Kakashi. Sakura was not just some means to an end. They couldn't have pissed him off more.

"Sorry it seems like I became attached. I couldn't let her go." Itachi answered turning his head to look at Sakura who was still on the ground.

"I could care less what you become attached to Itachi. She served her purpose as a distraction. The real mission was completed. Leave whatever this is here and be done. There is still more preparations to be made." Orange mask ordered.

"Okay," Itachi answered plainly.

"Find Kisame and return to the base." Orange mask looked straight at Kakashi, "Until we meet again Kakashi Hatake. Next time it won't be such a nice reunion."

With this he disappeared into thin air leaving the three of them once more. Itachi turned fully to the couple looking them over head to toe focusing on their connected hands. Kakashi tightened his hand around Sakura's. His muscles started to twitch in his legs showing he was ready to spring into action. He would kill Itachi if it came to it even though they were past comrades that did not matter now. Now he was only the man that attacked the love of his life and the captor that took her from his embrace. Itachi sighed closing his eyes and when he opened them they were the onyx color that were identical to that of Kakashi's past student Sasuke.