A Discussion of the Past

Sakura wasn't sure what she was doing, it had been years, almost sixteen years since she had last seen Itachi and now, now she was waiting for him. It was her day off and Izakura was at school. Itachi had suddenly called that morning, asking if he could meet with her. The word no should have been the first and only but then he got to talking and then she found her self talking and before she knew it she had agreed to talk to him face to face. A sigh escaped her lips as she fixed her hair, it had grown since the last time she'd seen him. Sakura was about to pick up the phone to cancel, to run out the door and just leave, act as if though no one was home when there was a knock at the door. Slowly she walked to the door and opened it only to find the pale skinned, crimson and black eyes, onyx haired vampire she had fallen in love with.

"Good morning Lord Itachi, come." Sakura spoke after catching her breath, making sure to keep using his title. Itachi all the while looked at her, took in every inch of her body and found that she hadn't changed, she was still the same young, hyper active hunter he had met.

"Sakura you know you don't have to address me so formally." he said while walking in and closing the door for her. His voice made Sakura's heart race, it was still as mysterious and as dangerous as it had been when they had first met and yet it was so full with warmth and with love that she couldn't help but hope that he still loved her as much as she still loved him.

"I know but, its just been so long Itachi-san, I don't know how to anymore." she answered honestly, surprised at her self and at her words. Itachi nodded, he too felt the same but then again he had never addressed her as the hunter that she was. To him she had always been a young girl, a woman who had not only managed to catch his attention but to capture his heart. Seeing her again like this, meeting her and noticing how little she had changed made him realize that he would never, could never acknowledge her as the hunter she was. To him she would always be his delicate sakura petal, his flower.

"Hn, it has been a while. I'm glad you've been well." he said, wanting to ask about Izakura's father and his where abouts but not sure how to do it.

"Like wise, how is Sasuke and your family?"

"Doing well, Sasuke is just about ready to take over the family business." he said, causing Sakura to nod. She wanted to say more, to tell him how much she still cared about him but she needed to think about Izakura, she needed to keep her and Itachi safe. If his father found out that he had had a child with a mortal, a hunter none the less she was positive that he'd ask for Izakura's blood and to hell if she was going to allow it. Suddenly feeling her anger Itachi looked up and met her eyes. Deep crimson met emerald green and soon Sakura couldn't turn away, she didn't want to. In a time far away from then all she would have done was stare, seep into the depths of his crimson and black eyes, loving the feeling they send through her. Now? Now all Sakura could do was hold back, push down and suppress old emotions for the sake of not only her self but of her daughter and love as well.

"Are you alright?" he asked, tone of voice soft, gentle and yet dangerously demanding.

"Hai, just thinking. How did Izakura's training session go?" she asked, quickly changing topics and shaking it off. No she wouldn't allow her self to confine in him, oh she wanted to. God did she feel it like a moth seeking out to a flame but again she didn't want to, would not risk his or Izakura's life.

"Well, she has much potential, it surprises me that Lady Tsunade did not want to train her herself. Izakura, her eyes, they're dangerously similar to those of the clans." Itachi said, suddenly realizing that what he had said was interesting. "Which reminds me, is her father apart of any major hunter family? Her strength and stamina are incredible." he said. As soon as the words left his mouth Sakura spoke. He had asked, he had noticed her eyes and now asked for her father.

"No offense Itachi but that's really none of your business." she said, trying to keep her voice from showing the hurt she felt in her heart.

"It will help me better her training." he said, voice going cold. Itachi was lost, confused and most of all hurt that she would keep something from him. In a time long since pasted she would never, could never keep a secret from him and yet now she sat before him, with holding information. Had she truly fallen in love with another and forgotten about him? No, no Itachi refused to believe that she hadn't and so instead let it go. He would find out, whether it came form her lips or form Izakura's.

"That may be so but you don't need to know anything other than the fact that she's strong and needs pushing to pass her own limits. On that note, she lacks in control." Sakura said, giving in the slightest bit and telling him about Izakura's faults her self. Itachi nodded and took note of it.

"Thank you."

"No need, she is my daughter and I want her to be strong." Sakura said with such a motherly protection tone of voice that it made Itachi smile. She was a good mother, as good of a mother he had always known she could be. "What?" she asked, her face a little confused.

"Nothing, its just I was noticing how well of a mother you are. I told you you would be." he said, causing Sakura to blush. Oh if only he knew.

"Yea, well I had to be. Raising a kid on your own isn't easy." Sakura said with a smile on her face before suddenly freezing. She could feel Itachi's energy, his power taking claim over not only the room but her home as well.

'Shit, shit shit. Damn it why did I say that?!' Sakura thought, mentally screaming at her self and trying to quickly thinking of a good explanation.

"Why didn't you call for me, why didn't you come back as soon as you had her?" Itachi asked, demanded of her. Sakura stayed silent, hurt that he had raised his voice at her, unsure as to what she should or should not say and heart broken because she knew that once again she'd have to lie.

"I didn't know what to do, Itachi. I was alone and afraid."

"You were never alone, you never will be Sakura. I'm here for you, I always have been and always will be."

"No, no you won't. You have your duties to fulfill, your clan will depend on you soon, the Lady will depend on you soon and when that day comes you'll no longer have time to keep track of me, to spend time with me let alone talk. We talked about this Itachi, that's why I told you I had to leave." Sakura said, her heart breaking more and more as their conversation went on.

"I would have given up that right, I told you then Sakura and I tell you now. Nothing, no one could ever come between you and me. I care about you too damn much." Itachi growled out, allowing his emotions to show and the amount of power he was releasing to increase.

"Damn it Itachi, don't do this! Not now." Sakura yelled, finally giving in to her tears and allowing her self to show the heart ache she had kept in for so long.

"Sakura...." Itachi breathed out, in an instant taking control over his power and slowly making his way toward her side.

"No, we had our time, I loved you then. Truly I did but times change Itachi,... things change."

"Love doesn't change Sakura, you can't get rid of it so easily." Itachi said, voice hurt and angry. As soon as the tone of voice and the power behind his words left his lips and hit Sakura's ears Sakura was beside Itachi, hugging him and crying. It had been ages since she had last cried in his arms and doing so now brought back so many memories. It reminded her of a time where it was alright to stay together, to be happy with one another. But then her mother told her what she was, and then she was no longer welcomed to stay in Konoha until she completely her hunter training out in the city. That was when Lady Tsunade tried to persuade them from forcing her to do so, to keep her in Konoha as the master healer that she was. Her parents didn't allow and so on the night she was to leave she broken heartedly ended her ties with Itachi.

"I'm sorry Itachi, I really am..." Sakura cried while burring her face in his chest. She was short and he was tall.

"Damn it Sakura why? Why did you leave me?" he asked, voice still angry but more hurt than angry.

"I didn't have a choice Itachi, I couldn't stay."

"Yes you could have." he said, trying to convince her, to make her see what could have been. Slowly Sakura got a hold of her self and finally stepped back from him.

"No Itachi, I couldn't. That night I left because I was scheduled to leave. My parents insisted that I finish my hunter training in the city. Lady Tsunade tried to change their minds, she tried to help me stay but in the end it was my parents say." she said, her tone of voice low and sad. Itachi stayed still, a statue and let the words, the truth sink in. His silence hurt Sakura, it made her feel as much pain as she had felt the night she left. Tears welled up in her eyes again.

"Shh, it's alright Sakura. Your back now, and I've never stopped loving you. We can pick up where we left off." Itachi spoke, tightening his hold on Sakura and shifting his face into her hair. Sakura's sobs trembled throughout Itachi's body and the more they did the more Itachi couldn't help but feel guilty. She had been forced away from home, send off to train in the real world while he stayed behind and acted as if though nothing had ever happened, as if it had all been a far away dream. Then, then the news from the Lady of her return caught his ears and Itachi had found him self not knowing what he should do, how he should or would confront her and most of all he found himself questioning whether or not she still loved him as much as he still did her.

"Itachi, oh god Itachi I've missed you so much." Sakura continued to cried out, and the more Itachi tried to comfort her the more she couldn't help but cry. Her eyes were swollen and her body was tired, both mentally and physically she was tired. It had been the first time in a long, long time since she had last cried out like this and the amount of pain, the amount of memories flooding back was just too draining. After a while of silence Itachi started to hum to her, started to put her to sleep. Then, just as Sakura's eyes were about to fall close the door was slammed shut and Izakura came face to face with Itachi holding her mothers passing out form in his arms. Instantly her power sky rocketed and Hie's growl heard.

"Izakura...don't..." were the last words her mother let out before she truly passed out. Itachi held on tight to Sakura's body, he would protect her, he had sworn to protect her and yet he knew that even when protecting her from her daughter it would hurt her to know that he had fought against her.

'She will not hold it against you if you simply talk to the girl first my lord.' Itachi head, his own blood animal whispering words of advice to him.

"Izakura, it's not what it looks like." Itachi spoke, his tone of voice soft, calm, and most of all submissive. Izakura glared at her sensei.

"What have you done to her?!" she yelled, Hei joining her words with his own howl. Izakura's eyes had gone, had instantly gone into the same form, shown the same symbol that Itachi's eyes showed when his power was at it's strongest. Upon noticing Itachi looked at the young girl and sighed, allowing his power to escape and his own blood animal to appear. She was a large, beautiful tiger, her deep onyx eyes reminded many of not only Itachi's hair of the the second color that ringed his eyes.

"Master." the tiger bowed, acknowledging her master and lord. Itachi dipped his head slightly before placing Sakura on her back.

"Keep her safe Sakuno, no matter what." as soon as the words left his mouth Izakura ran forward, katana in hand and ready to strike.

"Put her down!" she scram, Hei going straight for the tiger. However as soon as Hei's eyes met that of the Itachi's blood animal he froze. All anger was gone, replaced by a sense of warmth, of belonging and most of all a home. When Izakura noticed how he faltered she stood in front of Hei, ready to protect him and holding off on retrieving her mother. The tigress smiled and nodded.

"I understand why you took her as a student before knowing master." she said while looking over the girl before moving her gaze to her blood anima. The tiger, Hei, looked so much like her, he felt like her and more importantly she knew that Hei was her soon, her blood and what that made his master to her own. Itachi looked at her confused and as soon as confused eyes met astonished she knew that Sakura had kept it hidden from Itachi. Sadly she moved back and placed a blood barrier in front of her self and the woman on her back. Hei was still frozen, stuck by the curiosity running in him.

"What did you do to Hei!" Izakura hissed, turning her gaze to Sakuno and finding that with that one look she had forced the animals blood barrier down. As soon as that happened Itachi stood in front of her, his own katana in hand.

"Izakura calm down, let me explain." Itachi sad, voice annoyed, strained and most of all worried. She was still new to her power, and if Sakura was telling the truth about her not having control, he doubted she had lied about that, then that meant Izakura would soon be joining her mother.

"No, what did you do to my mother." she hissed while slicing out and meeting a block. Itachi's eyes were soon the same as hers. As soon as she saw them however she found herself respecting them, the power they held and the wielder of them.

"Stop Izakura. Listen." he said again, tone of voice calmer than what he actually looked.

"N..no...mom...she's hurt." Izakura struggled to speak but she suddenly felt tired, Hei was on the floor, sleeping and bowing at the same time. 'What the hell?' were the last thoughts that ran through her mind before Izakura's body hit the floor and she too passed out. Itachi sighed as soon as she let go and before she could hit the floor he caught her in his arms. Somehow finding it comforting.

"What shall I do with Sakura and the wolf master?" Sakuno spoke, all the while staying in place and waiting for her orders.

"Take Sakura to her room and put her to bed. As for Hei, if you can will you heal him?" Itachi said, voice unsure. He knew that she didn't accept many other tigers from the clan, hell as far as he knew she didn't approve of any of them. That was the main reason why Itachi never called for her, never allowed her to physically stay by his side, she was just too dangerous.

"Hai my lord." and with that she took off for Sakura's room. Itachi then made his way to Izakura's room and set her down on the bed. She would be out for a while and when she woke everything that had happened would feel like a dream. As soon as he tucked her in to bed and made sure that Sakura was fine Itachi made his way to the kitchen and started to look for something for the two girls to eat. What he was met with however surprised him. In the fridge he found enough grocery's to feed a mortal for a week and enough blood bags to feed a vampire for a week. Who the hell was Sakura feeding?! Itachi put together a small dinner none the less and waited for either one of the girls to wake up, to question about who the blood belonged for and why the hell they had it.