Itachi and Kurosaki awoke the next morning knowing it was time to talk about it. Kurosaki knew better than to expect him to tell her they were now a couple. Or to be shocked when he told her they couldn't do this. She know they couldn't. They sat in bed both still covered up. "Kurosaki that was amazing but"…"I know Itachi. I know how this goes. It was nice but we can't do it anymore". She looked to the other side of the room. "I wish we could". He confessed. She looked at him shocked by his honesty.

"Yeah me too but do you really"? He looked her right in the eyes. "Yes if all this hadn't happened I would have wanted to be with you. Even back then". Kurosaki imagined herself standing by his side as he headed the Uchiha clan. It was how things should be and yet it would never be. "Kurosaki you need to leave and get back to your friends and family. I am sure there all worried about you". "Where will you go"? "Back to the Akatsuki. It's almost time for us to have a group meeting. My partner will be waiting for me too".

She stood up quickly. "We had better eat before were on our way". She pulled on her robe and went to the small kitchen and began preparing breakfast. Itachi sat at the small table. "Kurosaki I know this isn't ideal". "Itachi can we never see each other again? I get it that we can't pursue a relationship. That's fine but I want to see you. Even more so after all this has happened". "It wouldn't be wise. Anyway why do you insist on being a part of my life? I have still done horrible things no matter the reason".

"Itachi I love you. I have always loved you. Even when I thought you did those things for such pointless reasons. Knowing the truth now I still love you. No matter what happens I always will. If I know you're safe and happy then I'm happy. I know you're not those things though. Not running around with the Akatsuki. Being an S ranked criminal. Planning to die by Sasuke's hand. He is your brother and I think he needs to know the truth. It's your choice not to tell him. But will he not go through things after killing his brother?

Revenge want bring anyone happiness. It want make him happy. He needs precious friends to do that. You set him on this path for the right reasons. This path wasn't the best though". "You may be right. It was all I knew to do. I hope it will bring him peace and happiness. It's all I knew to do. But Kurosaki you are innocent. More innocent that I could ever be. I don't need to force you into my problems this way". "You keep pointing out how much I've changed. It's true I'm not how I used to be. And that's why I don't want to just never see each other again. I understand if you don't want to pursue a relationship.

But I want to see you again". Itachi sighed knowing he should just leave again to protect her. "I would much rather leave to keep you safe. The thing is, you are this eager to see me again". He smiled slightly at how amazing she was. "It makes me want to see you". "I hope you do". "If we do this then your life will change. It can only be in secret. It's too dangerous for anyone to know were together. Any enemy may try to harm you. Gito is still out there. Even if he doesn't know everything by now he has to have some suspicions.

Your family of course can't know. Not telling them would be hard for you. And unfair to them. They wouldn't approve if they did. You have responsibilities as head of the family. You may revoke it to Minoki but I wouldn't want you to do it for me. I wouldn't want you to do anything for me". "I want to do things for you" she said matter of fact. "I want to be the one who does things for you. That's how it should be. I want to have this relationship. Truthfully I haven't wanted anything more in a long time.

Our relationship can't be like other people. I am still doing bad things and killing people when I have no choice. Still living the life of a criminal. I am going to die. You want be prepared for that. I know how it can affect you. I don't want you to get too attached. It isn't fair to you. Dating a man who is on borrowed time. You couldn't even call it dating". "Itachi I want this. I want you. It is going to be difficult without a doubt. But I want us to have that time together. Especially if you want have anymore. I want to feel your life with as much joy as possible". A few tears fell down her face before she could stop them.

"Hey" Itachi said as he used his hand to wipe them. Human interaction he had never thought about. "See I don't want you worried about this. You truly deserve better". "I don't want better I want you" she said. "You should date other men who can make you happy". "The only one that can make me happy is you". Itachi wrapped his arms around her. "Kurosaki I wish you hated me. It would make things so much easier". "You'd like that better"? "I would know you were safe at least. Had a chance at being happy".

"Not if you're not happy". He kissed her lips. "In two months' time I will be separated from my partner to do a lone assignment in the land of rice paddies. Forgive me but I want be able to come to you this first time. After that I will come to you. Wherever it is you want me to meet you I will". Itachi shouldn't have allowed this to happen. For once he wanted to listen to his heart. To be with Kurosaki. She would always deserve so much more than he could give her. But she loved him and it was terrifying in his own way.

Someone like him didn't deserve love. Yet she loved him wholeheartedly. Only that type of love would permit her to do so. He loved her as well. Already he felt it. But it was much too early to be thinking that way. So much more needed to be done. So he left that day to head back to the Akatsuki. He wished he could run away from it all to be with Kurosaki. They were about to begin collecting tailed beasts. Itachi could only guess how that would go. Killing those jinchuriki though not all were bad. Including Naruto Uzumaki.

Son of the fourth Hokage and Kushina his mother's friend. Oh what would his parents think of him being with Kurosaki that way. They would have been happy if things had been different. Itachi was still setting his new girlfriend up for heartbreak. They could never marry. And believe him he wanted her as his wife. His help mate who would be by his side. He would never ask her to be by his side in this way. They would never create a family. It was so much to think about. He pushed it from his mind as he had so much to think about already. Kurosaki would miss Itachi but she was happy to be seeing her loved ones.

She had been greeted by a sobbing Aki along with her own mother. She figured out they Aki ad the guards hadn't even known Itachi. She explained him away as someone else who had just decided to let her go. She left out anything about Gito either. He likely was still out there and looking for her. She couldn't allow herself to waste time thinking of him. She needed to enjoy the time with her loved ones and privately celebrate her new relationship with Itachi. For all intents and purposes he was her boyfriend after all. Her childhood dreams had come true albeit not the way she had expected.

Keno and Kino had reported back to an unhappy Gito. Gito could only assume the two were together. There was no other reason. Of course she was beautiful and even someone like him would be attracted to her. Problem was he never knew he wouldn't bring her to him as was the agreement. A stupid love sick couple. Treachery like that couldn't go unpunished. He would have to bide his time for now but he wouldn't forget it. Not until he had his vengeance.

"Itachi your awfully quiet what's up"? "Nothing" Itachi answered. "It's been a long time since we've seen each other. You got a hot date or what"? "Hn yeah right" Itachi replied. Kisame was way more on the mark than he realized. Kisame chuckled at the thought of Itachi being romantically involved with anyone. Itachi was very much like him in that way. Things like that just weren't for them. Itachi couldn't stop thinking about his girlfriend. But all in all she was already much more than that. He didn't know how he was going to make it two months without her. Oh well it was his to endure.

Kurosaki wondered where he was now. She longed to be with him. Technically they were together though not physically. As long as it had taken her to be with him she could take this for a few months. Itachi was more damaged and complicated than she had originally thought. She didn't think she could fix him. After all he didn't need to be fixed. He needed to be healed. It was her clan's physical ability though she didn't know how to do it. He may never be completely healed. But she would try to heal him as much as she could. That was her job as his significant other.