Chapter 1: Prologue

A Sanctuary

Tap ... Tap ... Tap ...

A shadowy figure was running through the dense and puzzling forest of Konoha with heavy breath. His steps had began to become unsteady in the cocoon of cold air that stung his skin. His body was getting heavier and his eyes were beginning to blur. The gaping wound on his abdomen had also already felt numb. He really wanted to just stop running and laid down on the cold and damp forest floor beneath his feet. But he could not give up, he just could not. He had to keep fighting to get to that safe place, the secure place for his little boy. He tightened his cloak that covered the head of a small boy curled up asleep on his back.

"We're almost there Itachi. Hold on." Uchiha Sasuke said quietly as he kept running from one tree branch to another branch.

Faintly Sasuke could already see the Front Gate of Konoha that stood strongly as if welcoming his arrival. All of his lifetime, Sasuke had never felt so relieved to see that gate. He used to feel only dark and bitter memories whenever he saw the village. But this time it was the only place that could protect his little angel, or at least that was what that woman believed.

Sasuke let out a deep breath. His view was blurring rapidly, and with every step forward his body felt more and more unsteady. But he refused to give up. He must reach the village even though he would die doing it.

'A little more, a little more ..' Sasuke kept saying those words in his mind to keep his feet moving forward. He was losing his consciousness little by little.

'He doesn't need to be strong, he doesn't need to be the best, and doesn't need to be a hero. I just wish for him to live happily and safely, Sasuke' In his mind Sasuke could see the gentle smile that shown on the indigo-haired woman face as she said it.

'My little baby, how should I call you?' he continued to hear her soft voice in his memory. Like a movie that continued to play, in his mind he could remember clearly how her thin and pale hands caressed the small baby's face gently as if she was afraid to hurt him. She was smiling softly while staring fondly at the baby in her arms.

'Itachi' In the memory Sasuke could hear his own voice hesitating as he looked upon the pale face in front of him. His body tensed as he waited for a response from the mother who was carrying her son for the first time. The young mother looked up and stared in surprise by what she heard.

'Itachi ... Uchiha 'Sasuke said quietly while looking into the amethyst eyes in front of him. Those beautiful eyes started watering and a smile formed on her pale lips.

'Thank you' said the girl quietly. She shifted her gaze back to the baby in her arms; relief and happiness were shown on her face.

'Hello Itachi, .. Itachi Uchiha ... Hi, I'm your mother.' Tears of joy were falling slowly down her cheek. Her anxiety and fear had disappeared, the father of her baby had acknowledged his son.

Sasuke silently observed the interaction in front of him. He felt a warmth radiating inside his chest. In his life Sasuke had been through a lot of pain, anger, and even through a sense of excruciating emptiness. Finally after so long he was able to feel that kind of foreign feeling of warmth from within him again.

The front gate of Konoha was getting clearer in his vision but his pace was increasingly slowing. Only the memories about his indigo-haired woman that continued to flashed in his mind had kept him moving forward. He remembered her smiling face, and the crease between her eyebrows when she was worried, and the sound of her laughter, and her voice when she called his name. All of them were the memories that he had made his most valuable possession.

Sasuke was no longer aware of his surroundings; his eyes were too blurred and he could not feel his limbs anymore, everything was numb. The only thing he was aware of was the sound of his own breathing. The memories about that woman, she and their son became stronger, their moments together kept spinning in his mind. Then ultimately, his exhausted body that had loose a lot of blood, surrendered. He fell down right in front of the front gate of Konoha. Before he completely lose his consciousness, Sasuke could faintly hear a very familiar voice cried out from afar, the dobe was calling out his name.

"You'll be safe Itachi ..." Sasuke whispered softly to the small boy on his back while closing his eyes slowly.

"Thank you ... Sasuke" Sasuke imagined hearing her soft voice that he missed so much as he fell deeper into the darkness.

oooooo

Anyone can guess who is Itachi's mother? :)