This chapter has some SasuSaku. YAY! And will also answer some of those questions of whether or not Sasuke killed Itachi and some things you desperately want to know. I think this chapter is one of my favorites.

DEDICATION: to all of my wonderful reviewers thus far; you deserve it and made me continue this story…though I've had so much fun writing it. Your support has been appreciated.

-s-

Ch 14: Regret

Sakura awoke to soft bouncing and wind whipping through her pink hair. Her arms were wrapped around something making her warm, and it was a comfortable warmth and she welcomed it. Something soft tickled her cheek and she decided she should open her eyes to find out what was the cause of her comfort, only to find it completely unbelievable.

She was carried on Sasuke's back with his hands keeping her legs to his hips, katana held by one of his hands, his ebony hair brushed across her face, tickling her and the breeze gently caressing her pink locks. Shifting her eyes she realized they were in the trees, Sasuke landed on a branch and then set back off with ease. She could feel his back muscles contract and retract as he breathed calm breaths.

He didn't seem to notice her awake and she was grateful for that, so she closed her eyes and relaxed—being with him made her feel safe. She always felt safe with him, before he was on his quest for revenge. Then she remembered about Itachi, 'Is he dead? Did Sasuke kill him?' the thought saddened her if Sasuke got his revenge.

Hearing the sound of feet pace themselves beside the Uchiha, she kept her eyes closed and listened to the conversation that started, it was Shikamaru, "You shouldn't have left while we were sleeping. You could have been killed for being reckless." She could hear the tiredness in his voice.

"Hn," Sakura inwardly sighed at his grunt.

"I will not tell Tsunade that you went off on your own, the others also agreed to keep quiet. After all, actions speak louder than words and I know you're more of a man of action than speaking." With that Sasuke picked up his pace and was farther ahead, which Sakura noticed there were more of them behind her and Sasuke.

Not long after she noticed the large gates of Konoha. Finally Sasuke spoke for the first time, "Take Naruto and Kakashi to get checked up at the hospital, I'll take Sakura home." He was gone before anyone could reply.

When he entered her apartment, she heard him speak, "I know you're awake Sakura," her name rolled off his tongue smoothly. She opened her eyes and he sat her on her couch before turning and kneeling in front of her, looking her in the eye. "Did he injure you?" he placed his katana in front of the couch.

Sakura blinked, before shaking her head and answering with a verbal, "No."

"Did he use the Sharingan on you?"

Should she tell him the truth that yes he did but it was about the truth he didn't know about?

He got up and walked to get himself some fresh clothes and walked to the bathroom and had taken a shower all while Sakura was debating with herself she didn't even notice he was gone until he returned in loose black pants and a black tank top closed in the front (one he wears in the manga once or twice). It was then Sakura noticed a few wounds. One was a large gash on his right arm, which was beginning to bleed and another on his chest. "Sasuke," she jumped up and pulled him down on the couch where she was sitting and sat down beside him. He managed to hide his surprise as she pushed him down. "Why didn't you tell me you were injured?"

"Hn."

"You'll have to take off your shirt so I can inspect the other wound." She left to find some alcohol and cotton pads to clean the wound before healing.

Sighing, Sasuke did as told as Sakura came back and she refrained from gaping and acted professional, she had after all seen him more exposed and she wasn't going to return to her old fan girl self. Not when Sasuke was comfortable around her. Taking a seat to his right she poured some alcohol on the cotton before dabbing the wound on his arm.

The Uchiha watched her in silence as she cleaned the injury of any infection, her delicate hands placed the dirty cotton down and she replaced her hands over his arm and concentrated on the warm healing chakra flowing through the wound, closing it, she noticed the chakra bracelet was gone. His head moved with her movements as she repositioned herself from beside him to sitting on her knees in front of him on the floor to get a better angle to heal his chest to where she was leaning on his knees.

Her fingers accidentally brushed across his skin, making it tingle where it lingered. He straightened himself up more so she could inspect it closer, she made no indication of her mishap and kept her beautiful eyes on the wound and Sasuke watched her intently, thoughts drifting off to his encounter with Itachi…

"It seems you have gotten stronger," Itachi's cool voice broke the silence, "but not strong enough. Perhaps I should have killed one of your friends?"

"As if I'll let you touch one of them again!" Sasuke charged, feeling drained of chakra and the travel didn't help either. Instead of resting with the other members of the rescue team, he waited for them to fall asleep while he was on watch, which he had insisted on—much to everyone's surprise.

Sasuke rose his katana above his head before bringing it down, but Itachi was faster. The elder Uchiha was taunting him. This thought infuriated Sasuke and a venomous snarl showed his displeasure.

"Do you love her Sasuke?" Itachi asked, clearly catching his younger brother by surprise. A ghost of an expression crossed his pale face that was lit by the moons glow.

'Love her?' he questioned himself. Ignoring it he readied himself to attack again. "I'll kill you!"

He sent electricity through his sword, its famous chirping of birds' noise ringing throughout the trees.

"You're hatred is lacking," Itachi said from a safe distance. The avenger was about to charge when he stopped, eyes widening slightly when he saw his clans murderer sitting on the fallen foliage where Sakura was comatose to her surroundings, he was to her left shoulder. His eyes were resting on the kunoichi that had loved his little brother for himself and not his name. Her face was peaceful, but pained with the horrible truth that everyone was endured to believe. The moonlight glimmered across her skin as she slept, making her look almost mystical and something not of this earth. "Is it because of her?" finally the older man looked at the other, red eyes questioning and awaiting a non-verbal answer. "Is she the reason you cannot hate me? Because you have found love? Because your heart has softened for a woman? Love cannot bring revenge. Perhaps I should kill her and you would truly hate me."

"Shut up!" the youngest snarled, rushing at him in a blinded rage.

"You cannot hate me if you have love." This was when Itachi seemed to attack back with just as much force. "You're pathetic, foolish little brother."

Sasuke blinked when he felt Sakura wrap a bandage around his chest, lowering his head he saw Sakura's eyes, shining brightly just as they once had when they were Genin. He saw that they held something in them that he knew but had forgotten, though he couldn't think of what it was. Soft and gentle, just like her nature. However at times she could be stubborn and even dangerous.

She was so busy concentrating on his injuries she didn't notice his dark eyes on her, his softened unknowingly to him.

When she was finished she retracted her hands, she jumped lightly when Sasuke grabbed one of her wrists with one of his. As she gazed up at him she met his alluring eyes, they held hers and she felt paralyzed, her heart began to beat faster and her breathing became hitched in her throat.

'He's still so stunning…' she thought, his eyes held a glint she couldn't identify. Face emotionless but she could tell he was thinking of something, though what exactly was going through his head she had no idea; it was Sasuke she was talking about.

What startled her next was when Sasuke leaned in slightly, causing her to blush, what girl wouldn't?

"I never noticed how bright your eyes were," this caught her off guard, though as soon as he said it he realized his actions, pulling away sharply and as if trying to throw her hand somewhere else, disgusted, and turned his head away trying to forget what he had done.

Sakura pulled her hand to her chest in confusion, but once again this was Sasuke. Emotions weren't his thing, even if he could be considerate at times in his own way. 'He saved me from Itachi anyway but I don't think I was in any real danger.'

Before she could speak, Sasuke did as he placed his black tank top on, "You never answered my question, did Itachi injure you in anyway? Did he use the Sharingan on you?" What he had done moments ago was forgotten history.

"No, he and Kisame treated us well for captives."

"Hn," that was his way of saying good.

"…Sasuke…" the hesitation in her voice caused Sasuke to look at her. "…did you… kill him…?"

He turned away just as the question left her lips, "…No…" he answered and this made Sakura exhale, completely unconscious to the fact that she held her breath. She could tell that the avenger beside her still felt that it was his duty to kill him; he was hiding his scowl with his head turned so the pinkette couldn't see but she knew it was there. He trained for years to claim the life of the one who had taken the lives of his family, though he had no idea what this would do to him should he carryout his self assigned mission. It would kill him to know that Itachi was given the order to kill those he cherished, but fought for Sasuke to be the only survivor in order for him to protect him.

"Don't tell him." The medic remembered the second to last Uchiha telling her to keep it a secret, "There are things he has to do that I cannot."

'I don't know what he means by that,' she thought. Turning to get a better look at Sasuke, his exterior calm and cool, but was no doubt furious that his revenge hadn't been obtained. 'If I don't tell Sasuke and if he should get his revenge, he'd probably kill me if I told him that Itachi wasn't the villain. So much for having his trust, that is, if I have it. I have to tell him.'

"Sasuke," she said.

"Hn."

Sakura gulped, 'This'll be harder than I thought, but it's for the possibility that Sasuke and Itachi can be brothers again. I don't care if Itachi gets upset with me. It's for them!'

"What if…" she trailed, the hesitance of her unfinished question getting Sasuke's full attention. She was worried he'd explode and wouldn't let her finish, which was possible when his clan or brother were involved. "What if… there is more… to your revenge than you thought…?"

Sasuke's stare turned cold, hard and scary. It reminded her of when they found him at Orochimaru's hideout and how willing he was to kill them without thought. His eyes were now red with hidden fury and pain in the mix, expression deadly to anyone who didn't know him. "And you know the pain of the brother you looked up to and wanted to be just like, who killed your family to test power and spare your worthless life because you were too weak to do anything to stop him? What do you know of that Sakura? Don't preach to me about what I should have felt, should be feeling with my clan's murder before my eyes. Perhaps you could let that go but I will not! I'll kill Itachi, whether you care or not!"

"But Sa—"

"I don't care what you think Sakura! My clan! Don't act like you care with your false confessions of love and…" Sasuke stopped himself and narrowed his Sharingan eyes at her, his actions confusing the kunoichi and she dared look into his eyes. There were more emotions mixed in his eyes, they still contained fury and pain, but hate, frustration and betrayal lay within the depths of his unreached soul.

'Betrayal…?' Sakura asked herself.

"Has Itachi told you to convince me to forget my revenge?" his voice was the most venomous as she had ever heard from him, his face scrunched up into an angry snarl. He looked at her like the enemy… like she was Itachi himself. "You have betrayed me Sakura… To think that I actually trusted you with my life…"

"Sasuke I did—"

"You're so full of lies Sakura," his cold eyes staring into her soft green eyes that she had managed to keep tear-free, "You're just like Itachi…" his words pierced her heart and stabbed her soul far worse than any physical pain could cause. Torment and death was better than enduring those words.

After keeping her emotions in check, silent tears streamed down both of her beautiful eyes that held adoration for the Uchiha who had to always put her down. She continued to stare up into his angry orbs.

The front door opened and in came Shikamaru, Neji and Gaara with Kakashi and Naruto who was barely awake in an uncomfortable lazy genius's arms. However, Sakura and Sasuke paid no mind; they didn't even seem to realize they were interrupted.

Sakura was so hurt that Sasuke thought that of her.

Sasuke was actually surprised by what he saw in her eyes—though he was as always able to hide what he felt—when he said what he did, he could see the intense amount of betrayal, sadness, disappointment and disbelief reflecting throughout them. He then began to regret his words, there were many he had come to regret over the course of their time together, some even from all those years ago as a Genin. Perhaps he should have heard her out. Sakura—he noticed that she was the only one, the only female other than his mother to cause his emotions to go haywire—and no matter what he had always hurt her. When she began to cry as he persisted to do so, he could see her breaking all over again, all because of him, always because of him.

"I could never betray you Sasuke… that just shows how little you trust me…" her voice was so gentle and quiet Sasuke nearly missed her words even when she was still gazing into his eyes before standing up and retreating to her room quickly but not before Sasuke caught a few of her muffled sobs though he wasn't the only one to catch it.

The Uchiha had watched her go; his eyes had turned back to onyx and revealed that he was remorseful, the expression crossing his features, "Sakura…" he said lowly, it was even detected in his tone, "I am such a fool…" taking a deep breath he stood up and walked to the hallway toward the door his teammate had locked.

Placing his hands on the door as he leaned his head on it so his ear could catch the noise she was making. He had done it this time, he knew so. "Why do I… even bother…?" came her choked sobs followed by more tears and a few more mumbled words that were unable to be determined.

'I'm worse than a fool to even consider that she could betray me, she should hate me for everything I've ever done to her. I continue to do so, when I see just how much I hurt her I wish I could take back my words... my actions.' The bed creaked and her sobs were more muffled. 'Sakura, I don't deserve your forgiveness this time. I never did. I have to find a way to make everything up to her.'

He left the hall in silence, not that that was unusual, his downcast eyes and forlorn expression. Blinking he looked up when he felt eyes on him. There were Shikamaru who held Naruto who was trying to wake up. Neji, Gaara, Kakashi and Shikamaru were looking at him with a serious expression. "When did you get here?" Sasuke asked.

"Long enough to have seen Sakura's tears and her mumble something we couldn't hear and her run off and you leaving," Neji said, his white eyes hardening, voice far from pleased.

The Uchiha looked away, indifferently and as if nothing was wrong, though it was eating at him like a parasite, he wanted so badly to apologize but he couldn't have anyone know how much he detested himself for doing that to her, though they didn't know why.

He then remembered the look on her face. Naruto struggled out of Shikamaru's arms and ran off to the bedroom Sakura was in; his cries for her to let him were upon deaf ears.

"Sakwa!" the small dependant voice had begun to tremble with sadness and loneliness and abandonment.

Kakashi left to get him, knowing the older boys, though he was actually older but had a minor setback. Sasuke sat on the couch he was at moments before. "Did this mission of saving them mean nothing to you? You so desperately wanted to protect them, but you tear Sakura down within twenty minutes?" Neji was trying to restrain himself, fists clenched at his sides. Quickly he walked out the door, not before adding, "Don't forget who stood by you when you betrayed your own village and saved you from death."

Shikamaru shook his head, "Troublesome, but I too am disappointed Sasuke," and left.

Gaara stood silent observing the Uchiha, though he was showing nothing on the outside, he was in turmoil on the inside. What he had done did affect him; he wouldn't have followed her to try to make it right if it hadn't, and his words about being foolish.

Sasuke opened his eyes as he felt a presence in front of him, "I have learned friends can be hard to come-by, don't let that opportunity to have them again slip past you or you could lose them… permanently." The Kazekage left with that said.

Everything they had said, Neji, Shikamaru and Gaara, had stuck to him like glue and he knew he had to make things right with Sakura again. 'If anyone deserves anything, it's Sakura.'

As he sat back trying to think of something that would show her his appreciation, he suddenly heard the toilet flush and turned his head in the direction of the bathroom as he listened to the soft sound of small feet running closer. Kakashi rounded the corner with a wet-haired and furious looking Naruto his face was red to match and his expression of vengeance in pursuit. "That's not nice!"

"But you said I could…" the silver haired pervert defended, acting casual.

"I couwd have dwown!" Naruto's speech was barely decipherable.

"Kakashi, what did you do?" the Uchiha asked as he crossed his arms.

"What makes you think I did something?" he answered innocently with another question.

"Lucky guess," Sasuke grumbled sarcastically.

"Why you wanna know?"

"Don't play this again…"

"If I say no?"

"Kakashi…" Sasuke's tone was in warning.

"Why not? It's fun, but maybe not for you."

"Perverted old man…"

Kakashi gasped, "I'm hurt you think so little of me and my feelings, I'm sensitive. You should also know that I was deprived as a child, so I'm trying to catch up on what I missed." He looked at the teen, "Would you believe that Kisame was the one who told me I was deprived, he's a big softy—"

"Shut up and tell me!"

"Alright…" the boy looked down and clasped his hands behind his back as if a kid hiding something, "Promise not to get mad…I gave him a swirly! But he said I could! Honest!"

"Wiaw! You dwagged me in thewe and stuck my head in the toiwet!" Naruto shouted and jumped for the mini-copy ninja.

"I don't have time for this…" Sasuke grumbled as he sat back down trying to continue his thoughts and tuning the two out after turning on the television for them to sit.

Later, when what seemed like hours of thinking of possible ways to apologize, nothing came to mind, not that he knew where to begin. This wouldn't have to be done if he wasn't so cruel to her! Ready to give up but an Uchiha doesn't quit. He was already pushing aside his pride to ask for forgiveness, but that wouldn't last long if he didn't know where to start. Sighing in defeat he leaned back and his eyes toward the ceiling. 'What can I do?'

A cough caught his attention and he looked at his former small silver-haired sensei. "Perhaps, if I may make a suggestion, you could do something that would mean the world to Sakura."

"And why would I take advice from you?" Sasuke asked irritated.

"Because you regret the way you treat someone who has done nothing but had faith in you and was always willing to help when they are constantly put down." Kakashi answered with his shinobi intelligence. Sasuke seemed to have nothing to say to that, for once. "As I said… something that would mean the world to Sakura."

The clever boy went back to watch television as the Uchiha was left to his thoughts. 'What would that be…?'

-s-

Itachi lay upon his bed in his dark room, thoughts going back to what had happened before Sasuke arrived, thinking back to what Sakura had said. 'If she is right, he'll still reside in hate. Perhaps there is another way.'

A knock on the door brought him out of his thoughts. Getting up and opening the door, emotions hidden he found the man with an orange mask staring at him. "Come now Itachi we have things to attend to."

The man followed the one behind the mask, loathing the man as he did so. 'Perhaps there is another way.'

-s-

Have I answered your questions? I wrote some of this at home and some more on the plane I took on vacation. That's the wonderful thing about laptops, I can try to update for you!

Now show me some love by a review… and Happy Birthday Sasuke, though you're ticking me off in the manga…