Chapter 3

Sakura woke with a start only to realize that she was alone in her bed. Vague memories of last night fill her mind; Ita he had come to make sure she was alright and he also informed her that her savior was dead. Tears leak out of her eyes at the mere thought, she knew she didn't know him but something about him has never left her even now after so many years. Then there was her dream that gave her a mysterious name, Itachi it was a beautiful name but she couldn't remember the face that went with it. She could remember them always being together, that person was her only friend and the only person outside of her parents she was ever close to. She grasps her head, why couldn't she remember? The question still haunted her and Ita revealed nothing but she knew he was hiding something far more important then she could ever imagine, and he had lied to her about her savior she didn't know if he was actually dead but there was more to the story than that. The door opens and the same nurse as yesterday walks in smugly. "So I see you slept last night Ms. Sakura, I'm glad to see the doctors medicine helped!" She says cheerfully.

Sakura glares at her, that bitch knew! "I didn't know hospitals were allowed to give their patients poison to silence them." Sakura snarls.

The nurse glares in return but still smiles. "I have no idea what you're talking about silly girl! Anyway your food is going to be delivered shortly; sadly the doctor is out of town for the next few days so I will be administering your medication." She says pulling out a syringe from her uniform.

Sakura winces as the needle is pushed harshly into her skin, so that was how this nurse was going to play. As she leaves and another servant brings in a buggy with a small platter on it and setting it on her desk before leaving with a nod. Sakura ignores the food and stares out the window; life was the same as ever outside that cool plane of glass and she wishes for nothing more than to join the people she could see walking around the grounds. She was never given a choice like some patients; she was to be locked in here all the time no matter what. She wonders why as the voices just make themselves known they don't want someone as crazy as you off your leash Sakura glares as a cackle follows, that's when a realization hit her. The voices never came until her medicine was given to her and now that she thought about it she realizes throughout the day that they slowly fade but never really leave. Was her condition being amplified by the medication the doctors where giving her? What the hell was going on here? She curls into herself shaking; she needed to talk to Ita but knew that she couldn't make it to his room, not now anyway.

~ᴥ~

Night was closing in and Sakura quietly made her way to Ita's room; her thoughts had been racing all evening about her most recent discovery. Maybe he could help her at least she hoped. She softly knocks on his door and he answers it just as always, the voices become silent as she runs into his arms causing him to stumble and chuckle softly. "Hello to you too Sakura," he says softly.

She smiles up at him before her earlier thoughts catch up to her. "Ita, would you believe me when I say that I think this hospital is giving medication not to help me but to magnify the severity of my problem?" She says quickly looking away from his eyes.

She hears him sigh and watches as he runs a hand through his hair. "I wouldn't be too shocked." Sakura stares at him with wide eyes as he sits down pulling her down beside him. "This hospital has more secrets then I care to admit." He says putting a comforting arm around her. "When did you realize this?" He asks.

She explains about what happened this morning and what she was blind to the whole time, in the beginning the voices helped her in a way, now they only through horrid insults at her and rave and rant. They never let her rest! Ita nods softly pulling her closer still. "That does make sense," he agrees.

She looks at him with pleading eyes. "But why? Why would they want to do that? And why do they want to do that to me?" She asks.

He looks away before replying. "I think it has to do with your memories Sakura, your mind is sheltering you from something that you're being tortured for. Have you remembered anything?"

She pauses, "I remember a name. Itachi, whoever he was he was my best friend and my only companion." She says softly.

Ita looks at her, surprise lighting his eyes. That name, he shudders softly he hadn't heard it for so long, at least not from her. It made his resolve almost crumble, it made him want to hold her close and tell her everything, to give her all the answers and he knew he couldn't do that. He had to let her come to her own realizations, but he wanted to be selfish he wanted to complete an old promise but it would hurt her, and he couldn't do that. "You don't remember the face?"

She shakes her head softly. "No but I know that it belongs to a male, and I know he was very important to me and I think I might have loved him. I'm not sure."

He bows his head and takes a deep breath. "Sakura you should go to bed, it's going to be a long journey to the answers you want and you need rest."

She looks at him in question before shaking her head and hugging him tightly. "No! I don't want to leave just yet, please don't make me go!" She says, startling herself with her plea.

He smiles softly down at her before moving aside, allowing her access to his bed. "When have I ever been able to deny you anything?" He says so softly she barely hears as her head hit his pillow and she fell asleep instantly.

He sighs and moves to sit at his desk, pulling out a piece of paper and an elegant pen and began to write. It was time to ask for some advice.

~ᴥ~

Sakura's eyes slowly flutter open as sunlight peaks through the window; she tries for a poor imitation of a smile before stretching and sitting. To her surprise and horror she was still in Ita's room she frantically looks around only to see him calmly sitting at his desk, watching her. "What's going on? Why didn't you wake me? I'm going to get into so much trouble, especially if I'm found here!" She says frantically trying to get out of bed.

She is stops at Ita's deep chuckle and glares at him. "What's so funny?" She growls out at him.

He smirks and points to the mirror that was hanging in the room; Sakura looks at her reflection and flushes brightly. Her hair was an utter mess of ends and tangles making her look more like an asylum patient than anything before. She self consciously tries to run her hand through her hair to straighten it only to hiss as her thin fingers caught many snags and knots causing Ita to chuckle again before grabbing a brush and walking over to her. "Don't worry, the nurses are busy at the moment and probably will be for a good part of the day." He says sitting behind her and gently trying to untangle her mass of hair.

She huffs and winces as he runs the brush through her hair, "you know when I was little my hair was a lot shorter. My mother hated short hair and I hated long so one day I was tired of it and took a pair of scissors and did my own haircut, I looked ridiculous! So my mother had to cut my hair up past my shoulders so it would look somewhat normal again. After that we stopped having fights about my hair, I felt so triumphant. It was so silly." She says softly, reminiscing with a smile.

She hears a highly amused snort behind her and turns to glare at Ita only to see him slightly doubled over trying, and failing to hide his laughter. "Oh it's not that funny!" She says crossing her arms over her chest in defense. Suddenly she's pulled back into a still shuddering chest as he wraps his arms around her shoulders tightly. "It's not, but it is ridiculously adorable." He says, still chuckling.

She blushes hard and glares at the wall in disdain, trying to ignore the fact that he had a beautiful laugh. His laughter dies and he nuzzles her ear, causing her breath to catch before he pulls away and continues to tame her hair. She sighs and relaxes against him. "So why are the nurses busy?" She asks curiously.

Ita smiles, "let's just say they ran into some trouble with higher ups." He says causing her to give him a look.

She sighs and lets it be and soon he was done and she smiles at her reflection as the gentle waves of pink hair fall around her. She looks over to Ita, mirth playing in her eyes, "you're surprisingly good at that." She says with a soft giggle.

He glares at her not liking the insinuation in her voice, he stalks over to her causing her eyes to widen at the look in his eyes. "And what are you trying to say Sakura?" He asks his voice so quiet it was like a whisper.

She smiles uneasily up at him, trying to look innocent. "Nothing! Nothing at all really, it was just an observant comment." She says waving her hand trying to defuse the tension.

He shakes his head softly, "no I don't think it was that. That is no very nice Sakura, maybe I should punish you?" He asks an evil smirk playing on his lips.

She blushes, thoughts of a different kind floating through her head and before she realizes he's pinning her down and running his hands down her side softly. Sakura's eyes widen comically as hysterical laughter comes spilling out of her lips. "ITA. Stop!" She gasps through her laughter only to have him smile devilishly at her.

Finally he rolls away and she sighs in relief as her laughter dies away she turns her head to glare at him. "You're evil."

He smiles gently and reaches out to grab her around the waist, pulling her closer to him. "Evil maybe, but it was worth it." He laughs at her annoyed huff.

She flicks his nose softly. "You're so weird." He grabs her hand and places a gentle kiss on it.

"Yes, but considering that I'm your friend that can only mean that you are far worse." He says and she sticks out her tongue at him.

That's when he realizes how close they where and he looks away from her so she wouldn't see the look in his eyes. He didn't want to scare her, not now. He sits up, "I think it's time you got back. I'm sure that commotion is dying down right about now." He says gently, helping her out of his bed.

She frowns softly, she didn't want to leave. This was the first time she has laughed that hard since she came here, and there was something about him that was so familiar it never bothered her to be like this, with him. She walks softly over to the door and then turns to look at him, his eyes were sad again and she hates that. Before he could utter a word she runs over to him and hugs him tightly, placing a small kiss on his cheek before turning around and rushing out the door, closing it softly behind her. His eyes widen as his hand comes up to touch his cheek and then he smirks softly uttering a soft "damn" before going back to his bed and sitting down.

Sakura leans against the door for a few moments, her face a soft red as she smiles softly; it was so natural to be like this. It almost scared her, that large feeling of ease. She shakes her head and quickly makes her way back to her room, unaware of curious and devious eyes on her.

~ᴥ~

Sakura was once again staring out her window, trying to think through the voices when suddenly one of the head nurses bust into her room with a maid who had a very smug look on her face. "You whore!" The nurse screams, storming over to Sakura and yanking her off the bed.

She pushes her down on the floor and grabs a bucket that the maid was carrying and pours it on Sakura causing her to yelp at the ice cold liquid. "Karin saw you, you know. Sneaking out of Master Itachi's room, she said your face was flushed red and glowing. How dare you touch that boy! Do you know how we punish whores here! Well you're about to find out!" She yells.

Sakura opens her mouth to argue when a white hot pain shoots from her back, followed by another and another. She was being beaten, all because of false acquisitions and she couldn't defend herself. She realizes she was crying as the lashes continued to rain down on her back, she could see her blood mixing in the water that was surrounding her and almost throw up, but her stomach had nothing to give.

Finally after twenty or so vibrant red gashes littered her pristine white back the nurse stops, smiling in satisfaction as she hears Sakura's pained whimpers. "See that you learn your lesson!" The nurse says before storming out of the room.

Sakura whimpers curling in on herself, how could they be so cruel? Suddenly she stiffens when footsteps made their way over to her huddle position. "You know she brought me in here to bandage you up, but I don't think I will. You see I've had my eyes on that boy since he's gotten here, and made many attempts to have him but he always refused me. I have no idea why he would prefer you, a crazy little bitch who hears voices in her head, over me! So I think for the time being I'll let your suffer, how's that sound?" She asks with a wicked snarl curling on her face.

Sakura only whimpers and the girl, Karin she guesses, frowns and suddenly gives her a swift kick in the ribs causing Sakura to fall to her side even more tears streaking down her face. Karin smiles in satisfaction before turning and walking about from the broken girl. Sakura stays there, curled softly against herself trying to fight off the darkness that was wanting to take over. She knew she had to stay conscious due to her blood loss but the temptation to close her eyes was so powerful, before she finally drifted away one last thought enters her mind. That nurse referred to Ita as Itachi…..

~ᴥ~

Sakura wakens with a small groan of pain as she finds that she has been moved from her position on her floor to her bed, laying on her stomach. She looks above her to see a blonde girl she's never seen before tending to her wounds. "Who are you?" She asks her voice raspy.

The blonde looks up from what she was doing and smiles sadly down at the broken girl. "My name is Ino I'm one of the medics at this hospital. I came here after Karin was bragging about your beating; I figured she wouldn't help you out of spite." She said as she gently cleans the gashes.

The pinkette nods softly, tears starting to fall again. "Then I want you to know that it was a lie, about me and Ita...Itachi. He is an old friend." Sakura says through her tears, even more coming down her face when she realizes that he lied to her and played along with her stumbling thoughts.

Ino laughs gently. "Silly girl I know that because I know Karin. She would say anything to keep people away from a man she wants; trust me you're not the only patient who's been beaten because of her." She pauses, "so you and Master Itachi are friends?" She queries softly.

Sakura nods. "Yes, though I don't remember much of my past I remember him, vaguely. The sad thing is I didn't even know it was in until they accused me of sleeping with him; up until this point I've known him as Ita." Sakura says.

Ino frowns, "why would he do something like that?"

Sakura tries to shrug. "I guess he was trying to help me and protect me." She looks back at Ino a thinks of a plan. "Ino can you help me with something?"

Ino looks at her for a moment. "Depends on the favor," she replies back cautiously.

Sakura smiles at the remark. "I'm sure that they've already replaced my locks or took my key to the door, so I was wondering if you could give Itachi a note for me." She says softly, amazed at how easy his name came to her lips.

Ino smiles softly down at the girl. "I sure can, after I get your patch up I'll give you a pen and paper."

Sakura smiles at the girl, she was the kindest staff member she's met since coming here and she was glad to know her. Sakura remains silent for the rest of the time, thinking about Itachi and why he would lie to her. "Ok I'm finished!" Ino announces standing up.

Sakura moves and hisses in pain as the raw wounds stretch and pull, Ino frowns softly. "I wouldn't try and move so quickly, now here is the pen and paper. Hurry up and write what you need so I can deliver it to him."

Sakura nods and writes a brief letter, hoping he would answer her plea. Even though he lied to her, she needed him. After she was finished she folds up the tiny piece of paper and hands it back to Ino with a soft smile. "Thank you so much Ino. I don't know how I can ever repay you for your kindness." Sakura says causing Ino to blush.

"Don't worry about it, just get better ok? And don't let that cow do this again, fight back with everything you have. Promise me that Sakura." Ino says and Sakura nods with a smile. "I promise."

With a satisfied smile Ino takes her leave and Sakura hopes that Itachi will get her letter soon. She falls back against her bed and closes her eyes letting sleep take her away.

~ᴥ~

Itachi was sitting on his bed thinking about writing another letter to his superior when there was a let tapping at his door followed by a small white note being pushed in from the other side. He sighs in annoyance, he hopes it isn't another proposal from that one girl, he was tired of her come on's but he is surprised to see it's a note from Sakura. Ita, someone saw me leave your room. One of the nurses came in with a girl named Karin and beat me. Please come visit me because I fear I can no longer escape my room, please Ita I need you. –Sakura. Itachi's hand clinches tightly, crumpling the paper in his hand. That bitch Karin must have been spying on his room again when she saw Sakura leave. He looks out his window and sees that it was already dark before making a quick exit from his room.

He walks with ease down the halls before making it to her room; he polity knocks on her door before rushing in after no answer. He finds her laying on her stomach looking at him gently. "Hello Itachi." She greets with a knowing smile.

Before he knows what he's doing he quickly crosses the room to her bed and gently takes her chin in his hand and kisses her.

~ᴥ~

YAY! Third chapter down! This one had a bit more fluff in it and I was deciding whether or not to leave a cliffhanger…so are the pieces starting to make sense? Please review! ^.^