"Good morning Itachi-san", the shy young medic called out. Every morning she enters his room, she greets him this way. He never responds, and she has stopped expecting him to. Still, her manners and kind nature compel her to be polite and gentle with the silent young man. He knows that she also feels pity for him, it is there in her voice sometimes when she talks to him. He wishes that she would not treat him kindly, he doesn't feel that he deserves it, but he realizes that it just her basic nature to be kind to others, regardless of their worthiness.
"I heard some exciting news this morning in the break room. You are getting a sister-in-law in May!" she tells him as she adjusts his pillows and checks the wounds on his chest.
"Sakura-chan has finally given in to Sasuke's pleas and agreed to marry him. I am so happy for her, all those years she loved him, it would have been such a tragedy if she had been unable to forgive him. Still, being betrayed by the one you love is never easy to get over- some people take a long time to forgive. But in the end, the love for that person never leaves your heart. In all those years he was gone, she never gave up on him deep inside." He could tell that she was trying to get a message across to him, but again he didn't acknowledge her words.
Itachi pretended not to hear what anyone was saying to him. He was upset that his plans to die at Susuke's hands had been ruined. All those years of planning and pain were for nothing. He had wanted to give his brother the protection and gift of his eyes and techniques. More importantly, he believed that he owed Sasuke and his clan the right to be avenged for his crime against them. To this day, he did not regret following the orders he was given. The village and everyone in it were more important than one clan's greed for power. Still, he couldn't forgive himself for killing his family. Even if Sasuke could somehow forgive him, he wouldn't be able to accept it. So he pretends to be comatose. It is part of his new plan to die. He figures that eventually, as he remains in a comatose state, the close surveillance on him will be lifted and he will have the opportunity to end his life without interference.
Hinata is aware that Itachi is playing possum, but she has yet to out him to the Hokage. At first, she was puzzled by his behavior, but after thinking deeply about his situation, and then putting herself into his shoes, she began to realize why he was acting the way he did. Lately, she felt like he was withdrawing even more from the world, and it worried her. She, more than anyone, understood how hard it was to stay alive when your entire reason for living is taken from you. She had discovered the truth of his mission one night when he cried out in his sleep, pleading with his family to forgive him. All the painful details, his attempts to save his brother, his self-loathing had been poured out in a drug-induced ramble.
Although she sympathized with him, she is upset that such a self-sacrificing man who has shown such courage in the past, should give up all hope for a life. So everyday, as she takes care of his needs, she talks to him, telling him snippets of news from Sasuke's life and the village. When she gets the chance, she tries to sneak in words of encouragement to him. So far, other than a few chakra spikes, Itachi has given her no indication that he is even listening to her at all, so today she is putting her plan to stop him into action.
"Oh, Dog-san" she calls out weakly to the ANBU guard standing in the corner of the room. As he turns towards her, she raises a hand to her head and pretends to feel faint. Slowly, she collapses to the floor. The ANBU member leaps to her side and gently lifts her onto the bed next to Itachi's.
"I will return with a doctor, Hyuuga-sama." the man disappears in a cloud of smoke. Instantly, Hinata jumps up and goes to Itachi's bedside and leans down to whisper in his ear.
"I know that you are awake. If you are planning what I am afraid you are planning, you will only hurt him worse. Not to mention, everyone in this village still needs your protection. Will you dishonor the Uchiha clan with a cowardly act? Be strong, and honor those dead with a life well lived." she told him sternly. She rushed back into the bed just as the ANBU returned with Shizune.
Shizune reached out and checked Hinata's pulse and looked into her eyes. Just as she was getting ready to break open some smelling salts under the young woman's nose, Hinata moaned faintly and opened her eyes.
"Welcome back." Shizune said with a smile. She helped Hinata sit up and asked her a few questions. Satisfied that the problem was merely mild exhaustion from over training on an empty stomach before work, she gave her young colleague orders to rest for a few minutes and promised to have a meal sent up.
"Eat every bit. Honestly Hinata, you should know better. I know that your father is pushing you hard to pass the jounin exams, but you must take care of yourself. Especially since you have your obligations here to fulfill as well." she said firmly. Hinata lowered her head submissively and nodded. Shizune turned to leave and asked to ANBU guard to accompany her to Tsunade's office for new orders.
As soon as they were out of hearing range, Itachi sat up and turned to Hinata. He was angry that this young woman would presume to tell him what to do. What does she know of my pain? How dare she accuse me of being a coward? And what does she mean by honoring them by living well? I have no right to happiness with so much blood on my hands! Angry black eyes met compassionate pale lavender eyes. After several minutes, Itachi looked away first. He felt ashamed, yet he wasn't sure exactly what for. All he knew was that he couldn't stand to see the understanding and sorrow in Hinata's eyes. He laid back onto the bed a few seconds before an aide brought in the promised food tray. After the aide left the room, Hinata turned towards Itachi and spoke to him again.
"All life is precious, Itachi-san. Even yours. Maybe you can not see your worthiness, but I can see a man who sacrificed himself for love of his village and his little brother. Such a man should have the courage to face his actions and not take the easy way out. I know that I have no right to speak to you this way, but I can't sit by and see a fellow shin-obi go down such a path without trying to save him. Please think about what I have said, that is all I can ask." she bowed to him and ate in silence. Once she was done, she approached his bed. Quickly, before he realized what she meant to do, Hinata had struck several chakra points.
"This was a bit of a dirty trick, but now you will be unable to move until the guard returns. Though the circumstances that brought you to this point are vastly different from my own, I understand well the feeling of worthlessness and self-loathing that is driving your decision." she said softly. His eyes snapped open and he searched hers for the truth. In those pale eyes he saw an echo of his pain reflected. Abruptly she broke eye contact with him and turned to leave the room. She paused at the doorway.
"Your life has meaning and purpose still if you will let it. This village is still in danger from an Uchiha, and your brother still needs his older brother." she told him quietly and then left. He winced at the soft click the door made as it shut. Am I really a coward, he thought to himself. All this time, he had thought that allowing Sasuke to take his life was the last atonement he could make for his clan. But maybe it was merely a way to escape my pain wrapped up in the guise of noble sacrifice. Ar-rgh! She has me doubting everything I believed to be right! Damn her, he cursed to himself. What should I do?
Hinata left the hospital and set out for the training grounds with determination. Now that she had confronted Itachi and given him something to think about, she was ready for phase two of her plan. Confront Sasuke. In many ways, this was going to be harder for her. It was easy to work up the courage to talk to Itachi- he was still bedridden and vulnerable. Not to mention, until today, he hadn't looked at her. Sasuke on the other hand, was in the peak of health and perfectly capable of forcefully making her mind her own business. The fact that he willingly embraced a dark path made her fear him more than Itachi. Sure Itachi was the more deadly of the two brothers, but he had been forced down the darkness, not seeking it out willingly. She knew that Naruto had finally forced Sasuke to see the truth of his actions, but whenever she saw him, she could see a shadow in the back of his eyes. I wonder what he is going to do to me? She asked herself apprehensively as she approached him. Sasuke lowered out of his stance and waited for her to speak.
"Is this about my brother? I know that you are the medic in charge of him." he asked. She looked up at him and tried to marshal all her courage, as he sighed impatiently. She had practiced what she was going to say, but standing there in front of him, her carefully prepared speech refused to come to mind.
"I think he is planning on committing suicide." she blurted out. Sasuke's head snapped back in surprise before he got control over himself.
"Good, he deserves to die for what he did to our family." he said in a hard voice.
"He sacrificed his life and soul for this village and you, and all you can say is good?" she asked him incredulously. Suddenly, her fear faded away, as anger at the injustice of the whole situation took over. She walked up to him and slapped him across the face.
"How dare you! All you ever see is yourself and your pain. What about Itachi, Sasuke? Do you think he enjoyed killing his family? Do you think he was happy to know that his beloved little brother was going to hate his guts for what he was ordered to do? Your life has always been worth more to him than his own, and how do you repay him for that? By cursing him for something he had no control over!" she yelled at him.
"He didn't have to accept the mission! He didn't have to kill our entire clan!" he screamed back at her.
"And you think that it would have all gone away? Did you ever think that by accepting the mission he was honoring the clan and saving your worthless hide?" she asked him. He starred at her incredulously, and let out a mirthless laugh.
"In what warped way do you think he was honoring the clan? I'd really like to hear this. My god, you are delusional!" he roared at her.
"He took their lives carefully with his own two hands. He did not let anyone else in the village touch the clan. I read the autopsy reports-each death was almost instantaneous. No one suffered. Except you. He couldn't kill you, even though he was supposed to. Is that what you condemn him for- that by letting you live he was leaving you alone in pain?" she asked quietly. "Where the murders you committed under Orochimaru's orders more honorable? Haven't you tried to kill everyone left in the village that loved you? If you deserve to come back and live a happy life after all the acts you have committed, why doesn't he? Maybe instead of cursing him, you could realize that you wouldn't even be alive today if it wasn't for his sacrifice." On those parting words, she stalked off, leaving him alone to think.