I tried to make this chapter nice and long. Hope you enjoy it! Not much else to say!
I stared into the darkness as I listened to Subaki breathe softly. I should be sleeping myself, considering tomorrow was a crucial day for my family. Saskue without a doubt would be pardoned for his crimes, but Itachi was standing trial alongside him. The difference was, Itachi would be standing trial for the Uchiha massacre and I knew the outcome would not be good. I was scared for Subaki more than myself, she need Itachi in her life, she was so attached to her father. But Itachi needed Subaki more; Subaki brought life back into Itachi that I didn't think was possible. When Itachi was with Subaki I could see the little boy in the Uchiha family portrait. I remember the first day we brought her home after I regained consciousness from my coma, I awoke in the middle of the night to Subaki crying. As I walked down the hall to her room, her cries subsided and I heard a soft voice coming from the room. I quietly poked my head in her doorway and my heart melted at the sight of Itachi cradling her in his arms. His hair was pulled into its usual ponytail and his bangs draped down the side of his face as he leaned down murmuring words of comfort into her ear. I knew he sensed that I was in the doorway, but I decided to leave without disturbing him. I knew then that she had changed him.
Smiling at the memories I rolled over on my side and stroked Subaki's hair softly. Admiring her pink strip of hair that I loved so much, I leaned in planting a soft kiss on the top of her head.
"No matter what I'll do what it takes to protect you, and I will always be here for you." I whispered to her.
Itachi needed Subaki, and Subaki needed Itachi. No matter what it takes, I will make sure Itachi gets to return to the leaf.
"Are you sure they didn't follow you?" I asked as I finished packing Subaki's bag.
"Sakura-chan no one knows we are here, I made sure of it, yeah." Deidera reassured me.
Deidera had really gone out of his way these past two years to keep us under the radar from the Akatskui. After I came out of my coma, Madara pursued me, angry that Saskue had returned to the leaf. I failed in obtaining the scroll that had the information on the forbidden jutsu I needed to keep Naruto alive after Madara extracted the nine tails from him as well. Madara and I made a deal, I was to prevent Madara from obtaitning the sharigan and bring Saskue back with me, and in return he would halt his pursuit of Naruto until I obtained the forbidden jutsu scroll from Oroachimaru. Seeing as how Saskue returned to the leaf I knew the deal was off, and Madara was more than likely furious. Afraid he would use Subaki as leverage Itachi and I decided it was best to leave the Akatskui and return to the leaf where Subaki would be unquestionably safe. Of course when presenting the idea to Tsunade she was completely against Itachi stepping foot into the leaf. After much begging, pleading, and convincing I got through to her and she decided that the only way that would be fair and logical was for Itachi to stand trial for the Uchiha Massacre and his crimes against the leaf. To make matters worse she decided to put Saskue and Itachi on trial at the same day at the same time.
"Deidera…" I stopped packing and turned to face him.
"Thank you for everything, you've been so good to us." I laid a hand upon his cheek.
Blushing he grabbed my hand with his.
"I'd do anything for you and Suabki, you know that, yeah?" he asked.
"I do, and I owe you my life for it. You've risked your life to keep us hidden from Madara these past two years. I know you never really wanted to be in the Akatskui and you risked your opportunity at freedom for us so that you could remain on the inside as a spy and keep us updated on his plans." I looked at him apologetically.
"What is that look for?" he asked.
"Can you ever forgive me? For being so selfish and allowing you to do all of this for us?" I was fighting back the tears that threatened to fall from my eyes.
"Sakura, I did it because I care about you and Subaki. Even though she may not know me well, I do love her." He smiled.
Not sure of what to say next I remained silent. If I could, I swear that one day I would make sure Deidera got the freedom he deserved.
"You have a trial to get to, we better move now, yeah?" He grabbed my bags.
"Hai." I nodded grabbing a sleeping Subaki cradling her in my arms.
It didn't take us long to arrive to the gates of Konoha. The old ANBU hideout we were living in was located just outside the border of the land of fire. Naruto, Hinata, and Kakashi were waiting inside the gates.
"Find a way to let me know you returned to the Akatskui base safe?" I asked.
"Of course, yeah." He set my bags down at my feet.
Turning to Hinata, I handed her a still sleeping Subaki. I turned back around to Deidera standing with his arms stretched out towards me. I swallowed the lump in the back of my throat as I walked into his embrance.
"Thank you for everything, I'm going to miss you so much." I noticed the tears I fought back escaped my eyes and were running down my face. From day one in that cell with Kisame, Deidera was always there for me. I knew deep down he wished that I had ended up with him instead of Itachi but he never let that come in between our friendship.
"I'll see you around real soon, yea?" he hugged me tighter before releasing me.
"Hai" I wiped the tears from my face.
"Sakura the trial will start any moment now." Kakashi warned.
"Go on, and tell the bastard good luck." Deidera smirked as he took off into the trees.
See you soon.
"Are you alright Sakura-chan?" Hinata's soft voice was filled with sincere concern.
"I will be okay. Thank you for watching Subaki, you and Naruto are the only one's she really knows besides Saskue."
"Oh! It's no problem at all! She's such a self- sufficient child, she makes it easy."
"When she waked let her know Itachi and I are here in the village and we will be back by the time she eats dinner." I laid a hand upon her shoulder as I walked by.
"Of course." Hinata smiled as she walked off.
I looked to Kakashi and Naruto and noticed Naruto hadn't said a word.
"Naruto? Are you ill? It's unusual for you to be so quiet."
"Huh? Oh uh….I….it's just….."
I could tell by the look on his face he was worried sick about Saskue.
"Hey, don't' worry Saskue is going to be fine." I nudged his arm.
"I worked so hard, training with Jiriyah, searching for him with you and sensai. He's finally got a chance to come home for good and I don't want some pissed off Elder council running that!" he yelled.
"Naruto, worrying yourself sick wont change the outcome of the trial. Calm yourself and let's head over there." Kakashi stuck his hanfs in his pockets and turned to walk away.
I slung an arm over Naruto's shoulder. "Come on, when this trial is over and Saskue is allowed back in the leaf, which he will be, ramen and sake on me, okay?" that got him to smile.
"You said it not me!" he laughed.
"Oh Naruto, you'll never change…." I rolled my eyes.
"Saskue Uchiha, Itachi Uchiha present yourselves before the council." The female elder ordered.
Saskue and Itachi both walked in through the double doors. Saskue knelt on one knee bowing before Tsunade and the elders while Itachi remained standing.
"Itachi Uchiha, have you forgotten your respect?" the male elder asked.
"I do not respect the council of a village that does not claim me as their own." His smooth voice remained calm.
"You disrespectful—"the female elder held her hand up, cutting the male elder off.
"Fair enough Itachi." She said.
I glanced over at Tsunade who was glaring intensely at Itachi. This trial was already starting off like a nightmare.
"Saskue, you left abandoned the leaf on your own free will eight years ago, sneaking away in the night like a snake. After months of searching for you, it was brought to our attention you allied with Orochimaru, one of the legendary sanin, who is also a traitor of the leaf. After sending out a retrieval team after you not only did your comrades almost die, but you fought and nearly killed your own teammate Naruto Uzamaki before fleeing with the Sound village ninja to Orochimaru's hideout where you spend six years of your life under his tutelage. Do you deny these accusations?"
Remaining in a kneeling position, Saskue lifted his head to meet her gaze.
"No, I do not." He responded.
Naruto jumped out of his seat knocking his chair over. "That's bullshit! He didn't try to kill me! I tried to stop him and he was trying to get past me!"
For fucks sake! Naruto was going to get us kicked out of the trial and it had barely gotten started.
"Sit down you idiot!" I punched the back of his knee causing him to stumble and fall forward on his hands and knees.
"Kakashi Hatake, control your former student or he will find himself demoted to all D ranked missions for the next year." The male elder warned.
I slapped the back of Naruto's head and gave him a do it again and I'll castrate you look.
Remaining in his kneeling position, Saskue lifted his head so that his eyes met that of the elders.
"No, I do not deny any of the accusations." He replied.
"Then why should we let you return to the village?" she asked.
Slowly standing to his feel he looked the entire council head on.
"Because you are wrong about one thing, I never betrayed the village. At least it wasn't betrayal in my eyes. I saw that leaving was the only way I could gain enough power to defeat my older brother and obtain revenge for my clan. The village was holding me back; all of the unnecessary D rank missions, grueling training sessions I had to endure about skills I had long ago mastered, there was nothing left for me to learn here, so I left to seek out the power of the curse mark Orochimaru inflicted upon me."
The female elder let out a sigh.
"Hatred, greed, revenge, power, you abandoned your village in exchange for these unfulfilling aspects. Your entire life you have been driven by hate and revenge, how can someone like that ever manage to live peacefully?" she asked.
"You speak of me as if I am still that same child. I was lost and confused, my entire clan was murdered by my own brother. Tell me, what little child that you know of could come out of that normal?" his onyx eyes were now crimson.
"All shinobi experience death and loss." She said matter of fact.
"I was a child! I lost my entire clan to the hands of my own brother! No one in this village will ever understand the pain I endured as a child, the pain I still have today!" he was visibly shaking with anger.
"I don't care for your forgiveness, It won't cause me any lost sleep at night. I'm doing this for my comrades, my friends. I have responsibilities, people I must protect, the Uchiha clan is finally being restored and I plan on giving the new era the life they deserve in this village we once called home. I'm a lot less selfish than I was back then, I have given up on my dream of revenge. I have a new dream now." Saskue glanced at me.
He was referring to Subaki.
Tsunade stood out of her seat.
"Enough of this." Her voice trembled.
"To you you leaving the village was not betrayal but it was abandonment. Joining Orochimaru regardless the reason was adding salt to the wound. Many people believe that you are not trustworthy and still full of anger and hate from your past. I couldn't disagree more."
The entire room audibly gasped.
"Princess Tsunade, are you defying the council?"
"No, I'm telling you that you are flat out wrong. Saskue has endured more loss than any of us. His true intentions were revealed the moment he killed Kabuto and Absorbed Orochimaru in order to save Sakura's life. Saskue could have easily fled after the battle and taken Itachi on elsewhere. But he didn't he came back to the village willingly and as since then been forgiven by his comrades, and myself."
"Tsunade—"
"I thought this village was built on the foundation of friendship and love? The will of fire? Would you dare to go against the wishes of my grandfather, Hashirama Senju, the founder and first Hokage of this village?" Tsunade challenged.
There was an awkward silence.
"You will serve one thousand community service hours for the village and you will be suspended from going on any missions for the village until every single one of those hours are completed. You will also be demoted back down to a genin. If you wish to reach chunin level then you will go through the exams like all the other genin. However you will not be eligible for the chunin exams until your service hours are completed. Any mistakes, and I mean any at all and you are exiled for good. Understand?" the female elder looked infuriated.
"Hai." Saskue responded.
"Now, to deal with your brother." she gave Itachi a look of utter disgust.
Itachi looked upon her expressionless.
I wave of nausea rushed over me, I was ready for this all to be over with already.
"You single handely slaughtered an entire clan, fled the village and joined the Akatskui. As if that wasn't enough you participated in kidnapping and murdering the 3rd Kazekage Gaara of the Sand, kidnapped Sakura in pursuit of the nine tails that resides in Naruto Uzamaki and have infiltrated the village multiple times in an attempt to kidnap Naruto. On what planet would anyone ever pardon you?" she spat.
Itachi's body shook as a silent laugh escaped him.
"You are all so hypocritical it's sickening."
'Excuse me?!" the male elder shouted.
Itachi's eyes blared crimson.
"Need I remind you why the Uchiha massacre happened in the first place? I find it interesting Danzo is missing from this council, did he know I would be here? Perhaps you should fetch him."
Both of the elders faces went stark white.
What the hell was Itachi talking about?
"Choose your words wisely, Itachi." The male edler warned.
"I think it is you who should be careful of what you say to me. The only reason I stand before you today is for the safety of my daughter and Sakura. My aligeince no onger lies with the Akatskui."
"You left the Akatskui?" they asked in unison.
"Hai. Do not waste my time. Will you pardon me or not?" he was becoming irritated.
"You are hereby pardoned for you crimes against the leaf village. However you are exiled to the Uchiha compound you are not allowed to reside within the main village."
What the hell was going on? Saskue had a longer trial by far? What in the hell did I just witness? Am I dreaming?
"You're letting him off? He didn't even have a trial!" Naruto shouted.
"Shut up!" I punched him in the back of his head.
"Are you out of your minds?!" Tsunade jumped out of her seat.
"Tsunade sit down." The female elder ordered.
"You just let a man who slaughter his entire clan off the hook without holding a trial!" she roared.
"Tsunade sit down! The Elders have the final say in this village that is how your grandfather structured the political system to be, now sit down unless you plan on defying his wishes as well!" she yelled back.
Reluctantly she sat down galring angrily at Itachi.
"The Uchiha compound is falling apart, no one had lived there for years." Itachi said.
"Actually Saskue spent most of his inheritance making sure the Uchiha manor your family once lived in was kept in excellent condition. You can live there, and while you're at it Saskue can live with you and rebuild the Uchiha compound to earn his community service hours. It's crumbing to the ground and truly is an eye sore for the village, its nothing but a reminder of the massacre. Rebuilding it would bring life back to it, it wouldn't make the villagers feel so eerie, it would be a service to the community."
"You aren't seriously suggesting I live with him?" Saskue frowned.
"Are you refusing to abide by your rules for pardon Saskue?" she asked.
I cleared my throat loud and obnoxiously to get his attention. I was going to kill him if his stupid pride ruined his pardon.
Saskue glanced my way glaring at me.
"No….im not. I will help Itachi rebuild the Uchiha compound." He mumbled.
"This trial is dismissed. I expect to have monthly check in's from you two." The elders and Tsunade stood exiting the room.
Kakashi, Naruto, and I remained exactly where we were, frozen in disbelief. Naruto's mouth was hangin wide open and Kakasi's one eye was wide with shock. I sat there blinking rapidly like an idot.
What the hell was going on? What was Itachi talking about when he mentioned Danzo?
"Are you three going to sit there all day looking like idiots?" Sasuke asked walking past us.
"Well Sakura, looks like you really do owe me that ramen!" Naruto magically snapped out of his frozen state.
I looked over at Itachi who looked back expressionless as he walked towards the door.
"Itachi where are you—" I was interrupted by loud mouth Naruto.
"HAHA RAMEN ON SAKURA! YEAH!" he shouted as he grabbed my arm dragging me out of the room.
Hmmmmm Itachi seems to be holding on to the truth about that night pretty tightly? Why not just tell everyone!? : )))) REVIEWS!
