'Sorry Sasuke… there won't be a next time.' You say to me, smiling at me like you did back when I was a kid. I watched you fall down on your knees. I saw you die with a smile on your face. I couldn't understand, it was as though you had gotten what you had wanted after all this time. I black out after that and when I came to Uchiha Madara explained everything to me, from the night everything started to the day it ended. At first I didn't believe him. I thought he was just lying to me. Then I started to realize he was right. You had killed everyone else, except me. You had never liked killing or violence. Then at the end before I blacked out as a child on that night, I saw you crying and I heard you whisper, 'I'm sorry my dear brother. Please forgive me.' I thought I had imagined it. Now I'm standing here on this cliff looking out at the ocean reflecting on what I had done. I felt moisture on my cheeks, I thought it was raining. I then realized there were tears. I didn't even try to stop them, I didn't care that there were people watching me, I just needed to let it out. All the years of hatred and confusion but most of all hurt. Every time I heard you tell me something when we met about how I was a disgrace and I was weak it hurt. Not just because it was the truth, but because deep down, I still considered you my brother. I still loved you deep, deep down, so deep that I didn't know that I still did care about you, until after I had killed you. I looked down at my hands and for the first time I saw blood. I had never seen blood after I had killed someone before. I didn't feel anything when I took a life. But when I took yours instead of feeling joy for having killed the family murderer, I felt as though my heart had been ripped in two, as though I had just killed my best friend. I had only felt this feeling once before, and that was when I had almost killed Naruto so many years ago. Finally I broke down into sobs, quiet but full of sorrow. I just couldn't hold them in any longer. I had held them in all of my life, never showing or telling anybody how I truly felt. I heard my teammates gasp at the sound of my sobs. My knees gave way and I collapsed onto the rock crying. "How could I have been so oblivious to everything? Why couldn't I see he was the one who was truly suffering? Why? Why?" I screamed out. After several moments of silence, only the sounds of my sorrowful sobbing could be heard, I heard someone come up behind me. I heard Madara's voice telling me to take what was in his hand. "It was his most precious possession. He took it with him everywhere and he never let anything happen to it". He handed me a picture, my eyes widened at the sight of it. It was a picture of me on Itachi's back both of us smiling. I remembered that day. It was my 4th birthday and Itachi had taught me a cool new trick and had playing hide and go seek with me. I was so happy then, I could hardly contain it. My shaky hands went up to take the photo. I took it from his grasp, but held it so very carefully, as though it was a piece of glass. I held it close to me and whispered words only I could hear, but I prayed he would here them from where he was. "I'm sorry, brother. I forgive you and only hope you can forgive me." I smiled up at the sky and suddenly the sun came out and a singly ray hit me squarely on the forehead. I smiled even wider. I could hear his voice telling me, "It is okay Sasuke." I put one hand on my forehead and look up at the sky one last time. "Thank you, big brother. Thank you, Itachi Uchiha, for opening my eyes and for everything else." I whispered quietly. I turned and looked at my team. Itachi's last wishes were for Konoha to stay safe, so that is exactly what I'm going to make sure happens. "Come on. We're going back to Konoha." And with that I set off back to my home, the sun was shining greatly on my back. It was a warm day and for once I could actually feel something, something besides anger or resentment or hate or betrayal. I could feel the warmth on my back and I could feel your gaze shining down upon me, guiding me towards the right path. There would be no turning back this time. I was a traitor and would be punished. But I could hardly blame them if they killed me. Whatever the punishment was I was ready to accept it, just like he did. I was ready to become anything to make sure I protect Itachi's last wished. I could hear my friends behind me. 'Wow I haven't used the word 'friend' to describe anyone in a long time.' Now I knew I was truly free. Free of the hatred that had eaten away at my soul for years, free of the bitterness that had resided in my heart. Now I could truly live my own life. I stopped and looked back at the sky. "Thanks to you, I'm free, brother." I smiled one last time and then turned, heading back to the place it had all began, the place where so many memories had been created and shared, where you and I had spent our days playing and training. I was heading home, with your guidance, and your help. Now I can live on my own. I thought as I smiled and started running through the trees feeling lighter than I had in years.