Disclaimer: Clearly, I don't own Naruto. Nor will I ever. Otherwise, Itachi wouldn't be dead, Sakura wouldn't be desperately in love with duck-butt, and they would get together to have bunches of emotionally constipated, pink-haired, Uchiha babies.
Blood. That was all he could taste, all that his mind could comprehend. It made up his every waking thought, and even in his tormented sleep, he saw nothing but the crimson, metallic liquid. To most people, it would be considered unhealthy to be so obsessed about it, but he hardly cared what anyone thought anymore.
It had taken a while, but finally, he was ready to die again. Not seeing Sakura for what felt like forever helped as well, but with his disease progressing at such an alarming rate, he had become used to the idea of his dying. Sakura would have smacked him, then given a lengthly lecture on self-preservation and suicide rates, but she was not there to read his mind.
Though it was only partially, Itachi was glad Sakura was not there to see him, at the end of his rope, and barely hanging on. He was in such a pathetic state, he was nearly ashamed of letting Kisame see him, but he had formed a sort of understanding with his partner, over the past two weeks. Kisame knew, even though neither had ever spoken of it, that Itachi was going to die, even if it could still be prevented.
Itachi was well aware that his partner did not agree with his decision at all, but it was at the point of no return. Kisame was wise enough to never say anything to go against him. While Itachi did not like the idea of being pitied, he supposed he had earned it, considering how pitiful he looked. He was like a dead man walking, and he no longer bothered to hide it. To do so put forth too much effort, wasting what energy he had. It was not something he could afford, especially now.
He could sense Sasuke now, coming for his revenge. They were within a mile of each other, and there would be nothing to stop their battle now. Kisame had been kind enough to hold whatever followers Sasuke had at bay, though kind was hardly a word he would ever use to describe the shark-human hybrid.
All he had to do now was wait, because the end was coming straight for him, in a clear, clean path. Sasuke's pace had not slowed, even when faced by Kisame, so Itachi could only figure that his younger brother never intended to fight him with help, not that he should be all that surprised. His victory would not be so satisfying, if he had not gotten it on his own. It was a good thing, because Itachi wanted it to be between him and Sasuke, with no one else interrupting.
It was the last thing he could ask for. Itachi had selfish tendencies, though it was rare when he acted on impulse. Sakura was, by far, his worst case, though he could never regret everything that had happened with her. Now though, he just wanted to spend his last hour with Sasuke, in their final battle. It was only right it be that way. For the first time in his life, he would be able to give his full attention to Sasuke.
When he had been a child, growing up in the Uchiha compound, and training to be a proper shinobi the clan could be proud of, he had neglected his younger brother, and he would not deny this. Sasuke had never been as important as training had, even though Itachi had loved his brother more than anything else in his life. Now, after all that had happened, whether it had been for good or bad, Itachi was able to give Sasuke everything. He hoped his brother would take advantage of it, because it would be the only time he would get Itachi's full, undivided attention.
A small, unwanted, whispering voice in the back of his mind kept telling Itachi he should have seen Sakura one, last time. He managed to ignore it for the two weeks he spent off all medications, but now that he was not moving about, trying to keep himself too busy to think about Sakura, his mind wandered, in ways he did not appreciate. For what could have been the two best years of his life, Sakura had been everything. It was hard not to think about her, especially with memories so fresh.
She was sure to come up with Sasuke, considering the reaction he had to learning of their relationship. Itachi was afraid of what he would do to his brother, once he brought the subject of Sakura out, but he hoped he did not do anything too drastic. He was still angry that Sasuke had broken that necklace, then kissed the woman he had clearly claimed, even if he had never let Sakura see his anger.
When he had heard her tell him what Sasuke had done, when he had seen the necklace snapped in two, Itachi had, simply put, been furious. Surely, Sasuke did not have to get everything, did he? It seemed so unfair of him, that Sasuke had gotten the secure home, at least until he had abandoned it, the revenge he yearned for, and all the glory he deserved. Besides, with Itachi out of the picture, cold in his grave, Sasuke could easily move in to take up Sakura for himself.
Itachi let out a sigh, followed by a series of strangled, thick coughs, his hands fisting at the pain in his chest. He could handle it though, for an hour or two more. It should be all over by then. He shifted in the thrown he sat in, crossing his legs in front of him to be more comfortable. Itachi had been at the Uchiha fortress for three days at least, waiting for his own demise.
Of course, staying there had weakened his condition greatly, considering how cold the stone halls could be at night, and there was nothing much to do to warm himself. Nonetheless, he was still certainly up for a fight, especially against Sasuke. His younger brother had been looking forward to this battle since the night of the massacre, and in a way, so had Itachi.
He was not one to leave things untied, which was why it had been such an anomaly that he had left Sasuke as the sole survivor. He never intended to kill his brother, even now, when he was furious for what had happened to Sakura, but he needed some form of closure. This battle would give him that, a sort of resolution to everything he had done.
There was a lot of things Itachi regretted in his life, plenty that he wished he could take back, or redo, but he was a realistic man. He was only paying for his own crimes, for killing his own mother and father. Even if he had never wanted to commit this crime, even if it had been all for the sake of the village, their deaths weighed heavily on his shoulders, and he feared even dying would not be enough to redeem them.
He could not imagine what else he could do to pay for their unnecessary deaths, but he supposed an eternity in hell could settle some of this debt. It was only what he earned, living the life of a criminal.
There was a soft shuffle, the sound of a person's footsteps echoing off the stone walls in the hallway to the throne room, and Itachi did not need to guess who it was. Sasuke had finally arrived. Tiredly, he turned on his Sharingan, preparing for the last meeting he would ever have with his younger brother.
He listened to the aching creak of old wood, rather than watch to door open. He opened his eyes a moment later, his Sharingan shining brightly in the darkness of the throne room. He smirked, easily slipping into the role he had created for himself as the haughty, evil, older brother, as he asked, "So, foolish little brother, what can you see with those under developed Sharingan of yours?"
Sasuke certainly had grown from the last time Itachi had seen him, more physically than mentally, from what he could tell so far. Just in the way he held himself, Sasuke looked as if he were about to go on a mad rampage. Itachi doubted Sasuke had matured much since the age of eight. He was even inclined to wonder if Sasuke had grown backwards instead, slowing regressing to a younger state of mind.
Itachi's smug expression dropped though, the moment his brother replied. "I see your death," He paused for a moment to make eye contact, "And Sakura's pathetic future, of course." Sasuke had said it with such calm face, it concerned Itachi. How much had Sasuke's mind deteriorated? How angry was he going to allow himself to get?
This comment had been almost enough to make Itachi snap, just as Sasuke had intended it to, but he managed to maintain his blank expression, the only show of his fury being the slight twitch of an eye, and the grinding of his teeth. It was enough for Sasuke to notice though, and he planned to take advantage of this weakness, if it was possible. It was Itachi's fault, if he allowed himself to take Sasuke's taunting to heart.
"Careful, foolish little brother, or I might believe you were jealous. I already know about the necklace." Though he had not dared mention it, there was a silent 'and that stolen kiss,' that very clearly went along with his statement. It was a warning, plain and simple, to not bring Sakura into their brawl.
Sasuke was not going to give up so easily. He had practically just been invited to torment Itachi about something, and he was not about to let go of the rare opportunity. He was playing with fire, and he knew it, but it was definitely worth the risk.
"Jealous? Hardly; more like, I find it necessary to teach her that I don't appreciate her betrayal. She's a smart girl, for the most part. I'm sure she will learn quickly." Sasuke intoned, in such a way that made Itachi's lips purse. He did not like what his brother had turned into, but it was his own damned fault.
His eyes thinned, and it did not go unnoticed by Sasuke. "I doubt there is much you can teach her, but you're right. She is a smart girl. That's why she came to me, rather than an inexperienced child, like you." He murmured, his Sharingan darkening.
Itachi was implying things that were not so, but he could not help it. Though he had never deflowered his lovely Sakura, he had to find some way to protect her from his brother once he was dead. He wanted to have confidence in her strength, and in Konoha's ability to protect her from Sasuke, but could not be sure she would be left unharmed. "It would be foolish to think Sakura is left unprotected." Itachi said thoughtfully.
This, too, was a lie, a bluff meant to discourage Sasuke from harming Sakura, from even trying to, but he had the feeling it was for naught. If Sasuke wanted something, he took it, by any means he could. Itachi was well aware of his younger brother's temperament, of the extent of his selfishness, but if there was some sort of danger in hunting down Sakura, perhaps the temptation would lessen, if by a little.
"Once you're dead, Itachi, there will be nothing to protect her. When I find her, I will take her, and make her with you were there to save her. Of course, if she's been with you, she might enjoy being raped." Sasuke said, eyes gleaming dangerously. Itachi was sure it was no bluff. He filled with dread.
Kakashi stole another glance at his young student, just to be sure. He may not have known Itachi personally, he had left ANBU by the time he had entered, so they had never gotten the chance to really speak as colleagues, but he could recognize the Uchiha heirloom when he saw it. It bothered him somewhat, that he had not noticed the necklace sooner, but he knew the reasoning Sakura had for hiding it. It had been given to her by Uchiha Itachi, after all.
Now, Kakashi had always suspected that Sakura had met someone else, more worthwhile, but it was certainly not Itachi he had expected.
In fact, the evil, older brother to her previous love was the last person Kakashi had expected her to fall for. Yet, it was very clear where she stood with the older Uchiha brother. The Uchiha clan did well in guarding their secrets, but as far as that particular heirloom went, the necklace was well known amongst the older jonin, considering what it represented. It was practically the equivalent of her getting an engagement ring from him.
Of course, Kakashi was sure Itachi was not completely evil, if at all, and had been for years. He was not a spy, he had not been peeking on the Uchiha family, but he had been curious. After Obito's untimely death, he had wondered what sort of life he had led. So naturally, he had observed the Uchiha compound in secret. Occasionally, he had watched the Uchiha heir, Itachi. He had been a genin at the time, but clearly a childhood genius, considering he had only been eight years old. Kakashi had the feeling that even then, Uchiha Itachi had been capable of sensing him.
Most of the things Kakashi had seen in the Uchiha compound had done nothing but cause more despair than he already felt; that clan was far from warm and fuzzy, but the interaction between young Uchiha Itachi and his brother had assured him of one thing. Not all Uchiha were bad. Itachi, though being a full-fledged ninja, who had certainly seen more bloodshed and death than it was healthy for a child, was not a terrible person. He still came home every night and played with his baby brother.
Kakashi had been astounded when the news that the quiet, yet kind, older brother had gone and murdered his entire clan. He had not expected it, and Kakashi doubted anyone had. Still, Kakashi could not believe that the young, benevolent Uchiha really had been a mass-murderer at heart. He had spent long enough in that organization to know what they were capable of making an operative do for the sake of their honor, and most importantly, their village. To make a child, a boy no older than thirteen, massacre his clan was nothing too unusual. So, he had not said anything, when everyone else began to condemn the boy.
Everyone in the ANBU, especially those within Itachi's squad had suspected that it had been ordered by higher-ups. The fact he was allowed to escape that night, and his younger brother was left alive, seemed to verify his suspicions. Even later, when Itachi became a member of Akatsuki, a known criminal organization, and he could have caused so much damage to Konoha after the Sandaime's death, he had not.
Yes, Kakashi was sure Itachi was no murderer. He had gotten so many opportunities to kill him, an infamous shinobi of Konoha, yet he had not. True, criminally minded men would have taken any chance to cause chaos. Itachi was a good man, Kakashi's instincts were sure of this.
But Sakura. For her to be (oh, so clearly) in love with Uchiha Itachi could be considered monumental. When Sasuke had left Konoha, with no intention in leaving, not a single person had believed she would move on, that she would not become much of anything. Kakashi always regretted having favored Sasuke and Naruto over his sole, kunoichi student, and somewhat wished he had somehow been involved with her development, but was glad she had found a teacher in Tsunade.
It was obvious that Sakura had learned nothing under his instruction, besides how to stand and watch her teammates do everything. This was his fault, and when he sees how powerful a kunoichi Sakura had become, Kakashi could painfully see her teacher's influence. Sometimes, he would wonder what would have become of dear, little Sakura, should Sasuke have never left. Though he hated to admit it, Kakashi was sure Sakura would not be the kunoichi she was then, if Sasuke had not broken her heart. Sasuke's leaving was his mistake, but Kakashi would never take it back, even if he had the power to.
And though it left a strange impression on him, it was clear that even Itachi had influenced how she progressed as a shinobi. Kakashi smiled to himself. Now, of course, it was easy to determine that Itachi had been hiding under their noses all along, using the guise of ANBU-san. How else would Sakura have met the man? This also explained her sense of concern. If Uchiha Itachi was her patient, and had been for so long, whatever ailment he had, it had to be severe.
The entire team, reunited after searching and not finding the Uchiha in question, dashed through the greenery of fire country's forests. Kakashi halted though, letting most of his squad rush ahead, while he stopped the fretting Sakura as well. She stared up at him, an expression similar to shock planted on her face.
Kakashi was not sure of what he should say, but felt the need to understand the situation entirely. She was keeping things bottled up, and while it was often required with the life of a shinobi to hold secrets tight, Kakashi could tell it was adversely affecting her. With a small, inaudible sigh, he broke the ice. "That's an interesting necklace you have there, Sakura."
He was unsurprised when she froze on the spot, uncertain of what she should reply with. "Kakashi-sensei?" She asked softly, clearly pretending she did not understand the point he was attempting to make. Unfortunately for her, he was not going to let her escape interrogation so easily. His expression softened though, feeling her fear, and knowing it was unnecessary. Tsunade surely knew of their relationship, and if the Hokage was not against it, he had no reason to be.
"Funnily enough, the last time I saw it, it was around someone else's neck. A certain Uchiha Itachi, I believe." Kakashi commented with ease, only slightly amused when her eyes widened in horror, and her face drained of color. She seemed too flustered to even think, and she looked away in something akin to shame.
"Am I in trouble?" She asked quietly, her voice only just above a whisper. It was all of the confirmation Kakashi needed. He chuckled to himself for a moment, before shaking his head, and tapping his chin thoughtfully. To his further mirth, her shoulders sagged, and she let out a long sigh of relief.
"As team captain, it is required of me to know everything about my mission. Clearly, you know something that no one else does." He said, eyeing her with no short amount of suspicion. She bit her lip, fidgeting for a few moments, before Kakashi cleared his throat, demanding a response.
"He stopped taking the antibiotics I had been making him two weeks ago, and he intends to let Sasuke kill him." Sakura murmured back, after a moment more of thought. So he had been ANBU-san, not that Kakashi had assumed otherwise. For Itachi to let Sasuke murder him though, that was startling. He now knew Sakura's reason for being so concerned.
It did not sit right with Kakashi, for the Uchiha to die in that way. Perhaps that had been his intention from the beginning though, to let his brother get his petty revenge. He sighed, already knowing what he was going to have to do. There was no avoiding it though, and if that Uchiha really did end up dead, he was under the impression that Sakura would never bounce back, like she had when Sasuke had left.
"But Sensei! He isn't what anyone thinks he is! I swear it. Uchiha Itachi in not a criminal; I'm sure something else happened that night, and he never murdered his family. I know he would never do something so horrible." She continued, justifying everything that had transpired between her and the Uchiha, as well as mirroring his own conclusions.
"Yes, Sakura, I know." Kakashi assured her, silencing the distressed woman. Instead, she stared up at him, trying to comprehend just what he was thinking. Of course, it was difficult to read him, considering the ever-constant presence of his mask. "I was a member of the ANBU Black Operatives once upon a time, too. I know the sort of things they're capable of, though not as much as your boyfriend, I suppose." He mused.
Sakura turned a bright, vivid red. "Kakashi-sensei, please don't say that." She mumbled, rendered so abashed that she could hardly look up from her feet. Kakashi refrained from rolling his eyes. This time, he would let it slide; for the moment, he had more important matters to discuss with her.
"Sakura, in this situation, what must you do, as a kunoichi?" Kakashi asked her, changing the subject of conversation. Sakura regained composure quickly, jumping to an answer she already had, having put some thought into what she should do as it was.
"I have to stop Sasuke, before he makes the stupidest mistake of his life. And I have to save Itachi, before the idiot gets himself killed." She stated with confidence. Kakashi nodded, placing a large hand on her head.
"I do believe you are right. Do what your instincts tell you, and you will never be wrong." He assured, ruffling her short, pink hair. A small smile broke across her face, a blush only just dusting her cheeks.
"You mean it, Kakashi-sensei?" She asked excitedly. He nodded his head, and she, much to his surprise, hugged him in quick thanks.
Kakashi really did not believe he deserved to be thanked for anything he had said or done, but said nothing. He had been a horrible, neglecting sensei to her, but Sakura had forgiven him for it. She was just that sort of person, Kakashi mused, as he watched her figure disappear, assumedly to go wherever Itachi happened to be fighting Sasuke. Her perfectly executed shadow clone stood there, silently looking up at him. He sighed, starting off again in the direction his team had gone, Sakura's clone following after him.
He caught up with everyone else just in time to land himself into a small clearing, a man, donning a loose black and red cloak, along with an orange mask, standing up in the trees above.
Madara felt mildly amused. He had to but hold back a group of children, and he could finally proceed with his grand scheme. Sasuke would willingly do the dirty work for him, and Itachi would be dead. Madara would no longer have anything to stop him, and as insulting as it was that Konoha thought these kids were enough to defeat him, the flavor of success on his tongue gave him the sensation of giddiness.
Admittedly, Madara doubted that Itachi really would have been much of a problem for him to dispose of himself, but he had every intention on using his little brother to his advantage as much as he possibly could. Sasuke would not be as powerful as his older brother, but Madara knew a little secret Itachi had been hiding for years. His protege had been deathly sick, for years. He wanted his brother to kill him, and now, it would finally happen.
Sasuke would be emotionally pliable enough for him to manipulate the boy for his plans, after Madara told him the truth of his brother's involvement in the destruction of their clan. The boy did not need to know his part in killing off that pathetic clan, Madara did not really want Sasuke attempting to murder him as well, even if the boy was clearly incapable.
When dear, little Sasuke-chan learned that his home town, that Konoha had ordered the massacre for their own benefit, he was bound to be infuriated. Itachi was innocent, and Madara would use this for his own use. It would not take much for him to push Sasuke into helping with the utter annihilation of Konoha, after he knew the truth. While Madara was strong, nearly invincible, he was not able to wipe that village off the maps on his own. He needed a gullible, young man to assist him, a fresh mind to dig his claws into.
Itachi would have been the perfect sort of man to be this, if it were not for the fact he still considered himself a loyal shinobi of that pitiful village. Itachi could never have destroyed that place, despite what they had made him do, it would have haunted him for the rest of his life, more so than his role in the massacre of the Uchiha clan.
Alas, Itachi had not been the one to help him, but Sasuke would be. That is, if his mind was still untouched by the influence of his Konoha friends after the battle with his older brother. Madara knew he had to get to him before anyone else, so he could be the one to shed new light on Itachi. He would just have to be sure those Konoha worms did not sneak around him to drag Sasuke home.
He stared down at the team of children, entertained to find they had started to whisper amongst themselves. Well, that was fine, because they were not getting past the likes of him.
Sakura had never felt herself move so quickly. Of course, she would never be on par with someone as speedy as Itachi, or possibly even Sasuke, but just then, she felt as if she were flying through the greenery, rather than running. There was nothing to stop her, not even the thought that she may not make it to the fight on time. While the very idea of this frightened her, Sakura would not be deterred from her path. Sasuke would be stopped, and Itachi would be saved, if it were the last thing she did.
She was energized purely through adrenaline, rushing to be in time to save a life she was certain was innocent. If Kakashi was under the impression that Itachi was not an evil man, at least, not completely, then her instincts about him were right. Such a benevolent man could never readily murder his own clan, or even consider such a devious tactic.
Eventually, however, the towering trees grew thin, and breaks of light shone on her shoulders. Anxious, she picked up speed, moving at a pace that, in retrospect, had been much to fast, considering the level of chakra she had to go off. She really wished she had not gone so quickly the moment she broke through the foliage, and was greeted by four familiar faces.
There stood Sasuke's troupe, and none other than Hoshigaki Kisame.
Well, she was not going to be held back now, when she was so close. She could see the fortress ahead, she could feel the static energy of two battling Uchiha as it lingered in the air. They would not stop her. So, she continued forward, with every intention to ignore them all.
"If it isn't pinky." Kisame called out with a cackle, as she approached. Sakura could not help but pause at this. "I was wondering when you would show up."
The three other heads spun around to gape at her, the seemingly innocent, Konoha kunoichi. Well, Sakura was guiltless, she had hardly done much more than follow the orders Tsunade had given her, to administer Itachi's antibiotics. Unless she included the whole fraternizing with the enemy part, of course.
"You aren't going to stop me, Sardine." Sakura retorted, coming to a halt with Sasuke's friends at her back. They were not going to bother with her. Much to her surprise, Kisame took her insulting nickname rather well, laughing to himself. As much as it startled her, Sakura had places to be, people to meet. The hideout up ahead, and Itachi in particular.
"You know, I haven't heard that one before. No wonder Itachi likes you, Pinky."
Sakura could not help but to blush. She heard a small gasp from behind her.
"I know you! You used to be Sasuke-kun's teammate! How could you be on their side?" Sakura heard a high-pitched, unusually annoying voice screech. She turned, giving the red-haired girl a dubious look. Obviously, this girl was too concentrated on Sasuke's good looks to realize he was hardly a good person. For the most part, Sasuke was just an ass.
She could not help pitying the girl though, because a few years back, she had been in the same situation. "I am not surprised he's still collecting fans, but trust me he isn't all that great." Sakura muttered, dismissing the girl again with her attention turned back to Itachi's infamous, blue partner. She could not help, however, smirking with a sort of pride when the injured kunoichi screeched in anger. The three males watched the entire event, Suigetsu and Kisame both amused by the small, cat fight.
Sakura ignored the snickering of the young kiri-nin, focusing more on the older man. She took a moment to think of what she should tell, before she decided to be frank with Itachi's partner. She doubted he would appreciate her beating around the bush, when his Akatsuki teammate was prone to speaking in riddles. "Itachi told you to be sure no one but Sasuke got to that hideout. I'm going anyway." She stated, matter of fact.
Kisame stared down at the petite kunoichi, bewildered by her blatant lack of self-preservation. He respected Itachi, and therefor would never kill the girl, no matter what she did, but if she was anyone else, she would be in some serious trouble. Still, he was slightly curious. How that girl know what Itachi had asked him to do, when she had, very obviously by his deteriorating health, not seen him in two weeks. He had a question answered though; Itachi was clearly attracted to that spitfire spirt of hers, and Kisame could hardly blame the kid.
"Now, why would I let you do that, now, Pinky?" Kisame asked doubtfully. If she was with his partner, whatever level their relationship was, he had no suspicions that the girl would have a witty, and promisingly hilarious comeback. Itachi would never stand for an unintelligent, uncertain woman.
She did not leave him dissatisfied. "If you don't, that idiot will die." Sakura countered, without a bat of her eye. She was determined to save Itachi, and she earned points in Kisame's book for that, but he had no reason to believe Itachi was going to die anytime soon. Sasuke had no chance against his older brother, if it was a true battle, that displayed their complete arsenals. Itachi was too strong for it.
"Hey, now, Pinky. That Kid may seem like an idiot sometimes, but I can assure you, Itachi's snot-nosed brat of a brother has no chance in defeating him. You should have more faith in your boyfriend." Kisame said, attempting to assure the girl Itachi would be fine, in his own, awkward way. He hardly knew why he bothered.
Sakura, however, was not going to buy it so easily. "In an even fight, Sasuke has no chance, but if Itachi planned to let his brother get his stupid revenge, then it really wouldn't be all that difficult, would it? He has a deadly disease, and it has been left untreated for much too long. If he over exerts himself, Sasuke will succeed in killing Itachi." She said, the conviction in her tone almost scarily persuasive. What she said made sense, too.
Itachi had been distant recently, depressed, even. As if...as if he knew he was at the very end. Now, his reason for seeming so off was clear. Itachi had been detaching himself from his life, because he had every intention in dying at his brother's hand. It seriously irked Kisame, because while he was not particularly close with his partner, and was not about to sit down and share his life's story with the Kid, he did hold a high level of respect for him. Itachi should have told him something.
As it became clear that Kisame had nothing to say in defense to her accusations at Itachi's great scheme, Sakura decided she should speak. "So, if you don't mind, I'm going to stop those idiotic brothers, before Itachi gets himself killed."
Kisame looked at the girl thoughtfully for a moment, before nodding his head. Itachi would probably be infuriated that Kisame had let someone get to the hideout during the middle of his climatic battle with Sasuke, but at this point, he honestly could not care less. His bratty partner needed to learn how to move on, and clearly, he had never healed after the massacre of his clan. Sakura appeared to be the perfect teacher, in this case.
So, wordlessly, he nodded his head, allowing her passage onto the battlefield her lover was fighting on. She smiled weakly, murmuring her thanks under her breath, before rushing off again, almost as quickly as she had come. She only just barely heard the Akatsuki member's voice utter to the red haired girl, "You aren't going after her. Whatever that Sasuke-brat gets, he deserves."
Sakura felt genuinely thankful for Kisame's assistance, and had no hesitation in barging up the collapsing building's foundation to where the battle was taking place. Finally, after two, long weeks, there he was, barely capable of standing on his feet. Her heart clenched painfully at his pathetic sight, and though she wanted to put their fight to a halt, as she watched Itachi hobble across the rubble, blood seeping through the hand that was covering his mouth, she was afraid of intruding.
Sakura watched on in shell-shocked horror as his mouth moved soundlessly, then as Itachi poked Sasuke on the forehead. The very second she saw his knees buckle, every muscle in her body jumped into action. Sasuke stood their immobile, too astounded by the results of his fight to even move, and she ignored him, going immediately to the Uchiha that had fallen.
She had very little time, but she had to get him out of their, before he died. Slowly, the first trickles of rain dropped, worsening the situation even more. Sending Sasuke a last glare, she carefully heaved the unconscious Uchiha over her shoulder, before dashing off again.
She had a life to save.
A/N: A lot of you have been asking, week after week, if I would let dearest Itachi die. I wonder, if you have now gotten your answer. Seriously, I've killed him before for a fic, and it nearly killed me to write. If, for some reason, you were disappointed that Itachi lives, then go read Join Me In Death. Full of that wonderful angst emo kids seem to love. Lol.
News flash: Madara is the villain of this fic. And now, I have finally revealed that. Not that it should be all that shocking, considering he is in the main bad-dude in the main story line.
If you've liked what you've read so far, let me know. Don't be shy! ;D