Revenge

By LoveAnimeForever

"Uchiha-san, your husband is dead."

Those were the words I had dreaded most. I'd never wanted to hear them, but now, I had to face the truth. Itachi's broken body lay motionless and limp in his partner's arms, his Akatasuki cloak and under-armor torn, revealing the countless gashes that had been draining – were still draining – blood from his body. Blood, everywhere. On his face, on his lips, all over his chest and dyed into the black fabric of his clothes.

Words I never wanted to hear. I accepted Itachi's body from the Suna-nin as emotionlessly as I could and carried him inside to see our son. Supporting the broken body, I stood beside the ebony cot, and even now, still an infant, the child was drenched in blood. Itachi's eyes, still open earlier when his body was still in Sasori-san's arms, now drifted close, but not before I noticed the red of his Sharingan fade away. Peace at last, for my wronged love. He had sacrificed his life for his village, allowing himself to be labeled nukenin, allowing himself to be hunted day in and out. He had even been kind enough to leave an heir to the Uchiha name, his brother – Sasuke. Sasuke.

At that thought, I collapsed onto the floor, hugging Itachi's corpse to my body. He was cold, although the blood still pouring from his gut and chest was warm, sticky, draining from his body. Itachi had told me to keep out of his life as a ninja, to think of him as a normal civilian. How could I? Who did not know of the legendary massacre? Who did not know of the avenger always just one step behind, selling his soul to the devil to kill his brother and avenge his clan? Who did not know of the feud between Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Sasuke? And Itachi had named our son after his killer.

I'd kept out of his life long enough. It was time for me to re-arm myself with my kunai and shuriken, and rid the world of the last of that wretched generation. The future of the Uchihas was already secured anyway, in my Sasuke. The Sasuke of old had to die.

It'd been a year, at least. I'd lost track. Between caring for and tracking down the two Sasukes my life now revolved around, I probably had eyebags as bad as Itachi's. But there hadn't time to think about that. I'd found what I'd been looking for.

With Sasu-chan on my back, I snuck into the Uchiha compound, now occupied by Uchiha Sasuke. Sasuke had learnt to let his guard down ever since rejoining the village, even though he should have expected retribution. But no, the village preaches love, and peace. Useless talk. Well, at least it made my life easier. He'd taken sleeping pills, so the nightmares didn't haunt him. They should. He had no right to run away from those phantoms. No matter. Itachi will greet him in hell and torment him for the rest of eternity.

I crept into his room via the window, and with the aid of the moonlight streaming in, I found my way to his bedside. I carried Sasu-chan onto his uncle's undeserving chest, and placed a kunai in his small hand.

"Say hello to your uncle, Sasu-chan~," I cooed.

Sasuke started, just as Sasu-chan unwittingly plunged his new toy into his chest, stabbing straight through his heart. The poor, defenseless fool. His own drugs still worked on his body, slowing his reactions, taking away precious time to retaliate and save himself. I could see his life draining away with his blood, with his breath, and I laughed. Laughed so hard like he must have done when he realized he'd killed his own brother.

That thought jerked me out of my madness. Was I becoming a monster too? But it was too late to regret, too late to turn back. He was dead. And good riddance. I spat in his face, and looked down to pick my Sasu-chan up. … No. Please, no. I dropped to the floor, sobbing, curling into a ball.

Why? Why? I was only avenging Itachi. I was only proving that he didn't deserve to be killed by his own brother. Why?! Why?! WHY?!

I'd given Sasu-chan one of my double-edged kunai.