Chapter Two
He felt a cold chill run down his body. The fire had long died down, its warmth dying along with it. Red eyes watched him carefully as he sat up from his makeshift bed to grab a log and toss it back into the fire. When he was done rebuilding the fire, Itachi prepared a hot bath for himself. He would need to check his perimeter soon, the first snow of winter was fast approaching.
Knowing his small sanctuary like the back of his hand Itachi sent his Ravens out to scope the area ahead of him. He did not need them to bath and get dressed. He may be blind but he was not invalid.
Sinking into the steamy water he let out a sigh. He secretly loved baths, they always left him calm and relaxed. Secretly he would sneak off to many hot springs he found along his journeys when he traveled with Kisame.
Breathing in the steam he allowed himself to relax and just feel his surroundings, he could hear Sakura's breathing peacefully in her sleep, feel her chakra in her body. He focused onto her, he had always been fond of Sakura. She was intelligent beyond her years, and her ability as a Shinobi was incredible after she was taken on by Tsunade.
Itachi was brought out of his musing's when he heard her breathing quicken, signaling her awakening. He rose from the tub grabbing the towel from the bar beside the tub to dry himself. Quickly he dressed himself and refilled the tub for Sakura. He took two steps and stopped right before the door, reaching out he grabbed the cold old door knob. With a creak the door opened, Itachi walked over to the small log pile grabbing a few logs and went about getting the stove started to prepare tea for when Sakura emerged from the bath. She surprisingly did not take long but smiled when she saw that he had prepared tea for her.
"Thank you, for the bath and tea."
"You are welcome, Sakura. I plan on running the perimeter to update all of my traps and signals. Please make yourself comfortable."
He then rose and left before she even had a chance to speak to him. Deciding to take his word and make herself comfortable she began making herself breakfast before taking a seat infront of the fire. Sakura could not help but think about all the events that had happened to her. She had ben raped by none other then Sasuke Uchiha himself. She had run after him to try and bring him home but ended up fighting hm instead after she had confessed her love for him. He had gotten mad and attacked her. She thought she could fight him off but he had some how had gotten her pinned and before she knew it he was ripping her clothes off, once her brain registered what was happening to her body she completely shutdown. Once he was finished with her he had just left. She decided after she everything she went through she felt that she did not want to live, then she was found by Itachi, she recognized his face but it never registered to her mind that he was holding her. He had even bathed her, oh my god he had bathed her. Sakura could not help the red cover her face, Itachi Uchiha had cleaned her body of the fluids his own brother had left in and on her.
Sakura reached over to add another log to the fire, the small cabin was very warm between the wood stove and fireplace, she would need clothes if she was to stay there any longer, only she new she had to get back to Kohona. She had already been gone to long and was sure there had been a search party sent for her.
The weird thing was, she did not want to leave. Here she was amongst a murderer, yet he peaked her interest. What he had said about being hypocritical were true. She wanted to know more behind the man who left the leaf after killing his people. What drove him to do it? So far he had been nothing but kind to her, or maybe he was taking care of her to use her to get to Naruto? No matter the case she decided staying a little longer wouldn't hurt. If he wanted her dead he would have left her in the woods to freeze.
Rising from the chair by the fireplace, she returned the chair to the table and walked to the bathroom. There was a small mirror and she decided she was going to do a quick exam of herself. She healed some bruises here and there but she began to cry when she healed herself in her more intimate areas. She had been defiled in the worse way possible, and she could never get that back. Lucky she was on contraceptives so odds of pregnancy were slim but that did not mean she wasn't concerned. She wished she had never chased after Sasuke, why hadn't she listened to everyone and just moved on from him.
After another glance in the mirror she walked back to the bed she was currently using. She was about to sit when she realized she could go get more wood for the cabin, she knew winter was closing in on them and the amount here would not suffice. Putting on her boots and borrowing a cloak from Itachi's trunk she walked out into the cold afternoon air. The location on the mountain side was beautiful, Itachi had done well in his choosing of sanctuary. Walking into the woods she set to work, focusing her chakra into one fist she drove it through the trunk of a large tree. With a loud crack it fell, crashing to the floor with a loud cry. She then picked the tree up and dragged it back to the cabin to be chopped. The short hike was refreshing in the cold air, so was breaking things, her anger was built up from the previous events that could be released even just a little.
%$# !
Itachi came back to the cabin with his favorite raven flying along side of him. He could smell food being cooked from the cabin, it smelt mouth watering, picking up his pace he hurried back.
His raven turned to look at the very large pile of wood under the porch of the cabin, covered in tarps to keep dry. To say he was impressed was an understatement. Taking a step into the warm cabin he let his body soak in the warmth and smells of cooking.
"Your cooking smells delicious."
Sakura jumped at the noise, she couldn't believe she didn't hear him come in.
"Oh, Itachi. You scared me, and thank you. I am not very good but would you like some?"
"Yes, please."
Sakura dished there plates and set the table with a kettle of tea. The two sat across from each other, with Itachi giving a few bits of his fish to his raven.
"The food is wonderful, thank you Sakura."
Sakura giggled, Itachi was so weird he was scary one minute and a complete gentleman the next.
"You are welcome and thank you. I was wondering though, what is your ravens name, the large one you keep with you 24/7?"
"His name is Gin, he was the first raven I made a blood pack with."
"How old were you when you made the pact?"
"I was four years old. It was during the Third Great Ninja War."
"Wow, that is amazing."
"Not really. It was something that was expected of me,when I showed my father he just nodded and walked on."
"Thats so messed up."
"No, its what Uchiha's did. We are expected to be stronger, to surpass all other Shinobi was what the Uchiha wanted no expected from us. Anything less, was weak."
"Well I think that is fine but awful to do to a kid, I mean when you are older I believe in long hours of training to get better but not to be expected from a child or at the very least show you are proud of them."
Sakura did not like what she was hearing, no wonder the brothers were deranged killers. There home life sounded cold, with no love.
"It is all I know, Sakura."
"Well it is wrong, you should know what love feels like at least from your parents."
"Sakura do not confuse strict hard parenting to not being loved. My family loved both Sasuke and I. They just wanted us to be strong for the cold Shinobi world we would be going into."
"Then why would you kill them?"
Itachi froze, Sakura new she should not have asked but it just came out. Itachi though just stood from the table and cleared his plate, after putting his dish in the sink he went to the fire and began to read his book. Clearly it was a subject she would not be allowed to know of.
Decided to not push his buttons she too cleared her pate and went to grab one of the few books Itachi had on the mantel of the fireplace. All seemed to be about war strategy, she should have known he would read books such as these. With a sigh she sat on the bed across him and began to read. After hours of silence she could not handle it anymore.
"Itachi?"
Not even looking up or pausing in his reading he replied with a dry yes.
"What is your favorite color?"
Itachi smiled, sakura was trying to make small talk with him. It was cute in a way but he knew small talk always lead to more deeper conversation so he would have to stay guarded for now.
Sakura couldn't help but to smile at Itachi's awkward one. He obviously was not used to the action but did not seem to be uncomfortable with it. He finally looked to her while closing his book.
"I actually like the color blue. What about yourself?"
"I love the color red."
"Hm and why that color may I ask?"
"Red stands for both love and hate, it is the color romance and the color of death. I like how is contradicts itself."
"Interesting, I never looked at it that way."
"Why is yours blue?"
"To be honest, it is the color I have always been attracted to that and pink."
Sakura inhaled, did he just? Did Uchiha Itachi just flirt with her? No she had to be over thinking it. She looked to his face then into the eyes of the ravens, the ravens eyes looked to her, it ad such a hard stare.
"Sakura may I ask you a question?"
All she could do was nod.
"What made you love my brother? I have never felt love, how do you know what you felt for my brother was truly love and not just a long lasting fascination with someone you could never have or reach?"
"To be honest I do not know if it was love, I thought it was up until a few nights ago. I have not figured that out myself yet, but I would say you love someone when there happiness and life come before your own."
"I see, I think I would have to agree with that statement, but I also think it does a lot with instinctual attraction. All animals have a natural selection to find a mate. So if it doesn't come suddenly I do not see how it is love."
Sakura couldn't believe she was having a love talk with an S-class criminal. Who would have thought he even had a heart. Sakura was right in one thing, she was happy she stayed. He was keeping her mind off of Sasuke even if you would think his looks would make her think of Sasuke.
"Well Itachi, have you felt an instant connection with a woman before?"
"Yes, but it will never be. I am a criminal who killed his clan for power. I am now blind and thought of as dead, I have nothing to offer a woman. I do not deserve, to live the life of a husband or father."
"Everyone deserves second chances Itachi and who know maybe one day you will be able to tell her and she might except."
"No, it won't Sakura. That is not my destiny, but you would be an excellent mother and wife one day. If only my obtuse brother could have seen that before he ruined it all."
"Itachi why won't you tell me what happened that night?"
"Sakura, I told you I killed them for power nothing more."
"Judging by your face that is a lie Itachi Uchiha. The man who not only saved me but has been taking care of me is not a man who kills people with out reason. Or at least not a reason such as being power hungry, I know what power hungry looks like, your brother is a prime example and you are not your brother."
"Sakura I can not tell you about the events of that not so stop persisting."
"I want to help you."
"I do not want or need your help and pity."
Turning away Itachi went back to his book, clearly the conversation was done, at least from his end.
