Disclamer: Naruto: Masashi Kishimoto, Beauty and the Beast: Disney

ItaNaru Beauty and the Beast

chapter 11: Farewell.

The air was cool, stars twinkled in the heavens.

Itachi sat Naruto down on a railing that once overlooked a lake that was now filled with snow. Itachi sat next to Naruto.

'Well it's the moment of truth.'
He took a deep breath.

"Naruto." The boy looked up. Itachi took his hand. "Are you happy here with me?"

Naruto smiled softly. "Yes." He answered honestly. But somthing inside tugged at his heartstrings. He thought of Jiraya and sighed. Itachi saw his uneasyness.

"What is it?"

Naruto looked at him sadness was apparent in his cerulian eyes.

"If only I could see my Outo-san again. Just for a moment. I miss him so much."

Itachi thought for a moment. He realised he would do anything for Naruto. He rememberd the mirror.

"There is a way." Naruto smiled and Itachi led him to the west wing.

Naruto noticed the rose had lost more petals since his last visit.

Itachi held up the mirror.
"This mirror will show you anything.
Anything you wish to see."

Naruto took it. "I'd like to see my Otou-san, please."

The mirror glowed a green color so bright for a moment Naruto looked away. He turned back and saw somthing that made his heart stop: Jiraya was in the woods somwhere, he seemed to be trying to get somwhere.
He fell to his knees and began to cough.

"Tou-chan! Oh no!" Itachi looked with concern at him. Tears leaked from Naruto's eyes. "He's sick! He may be dying and he's all alone!" Naruto fell to his knees in helplessness.

Itachi turned to the rose. It broke his heart to see Naruto in tears.
Itachi knew what he had to do. Naruto was the most precious thing in the world to him. Naruto would never be happy unless he was with his Otou-san.

Itachi took a deep breath. "Then you must go to him." Itachi tried to keep his voice emotionless.

Naruto looked up with a tearstreaked face. "What did you say?"

"I release you. You are no longer my prisoner."

"You mean I'm free?" Naruto felt hope.

"Yes." Itachi's voice nearly broke at the simple word.

Naruto hugged him. "Thank you." He turned to the mirror. "Hold on Tou-chan, I'm on my way." He turned to give the mirror back to Itachi who shok his head.

"Take it with you. So you always have a way to look back, and remember me."

He carressed Naruto's cheek. Again he leaned in. For a moment Naruto enjoyed the sensation. His eyes closed and he leaned into Itachi's hand. He opened his eyes. Itachi's face was inches from his own.

"Thank you for understanding ho much he needs me." He pulled away and reached up to touch Itachi's cheek but turned away and left.

Itachi turned back to the rose.

Sasuke entered the room.

"Well Itachi-sama, everything is going well. Everyone knew you had it in you."

Itachi just stood there. "I let him go."

Sasuke looked up in shock. "What? How could you do that?"

Itachi shook his head. "I had to."

"But why?"

A single tear slipped from his eye.
"Because, I love him."

"HE DID WHAT?" Was all the servant could say when Sasuke told them what happend.

"Yes. It's true." "He's going away?" Konohamaru whined.

"After all this time." Sakura said sadly.
"He's finaly learned to love."

"That's it then!" Lee said a fire in his eyes. "That should break the spell!"

Sakura shook her head. "But it's not enough. He has to love him in return."

Sasuke sighed. "Now it's too late."

No one noticed Konohamaru slip away.

Itachi watched from his balcony as Naruto rode Kyuubi through the gates and into the forest. He then did somthing he hadn't done since he had first become a beast: He gave a great roar. It was the roar of a being who lost everything. A pain was heavy in his heart.

Another petal fell from the rose.