A/N: Hehehe. So, you guys really didn't see Itachi coming, huh? lol A plus for me! And yes, Sasuke is the REAL Raven, Itachi is just a big poser. I thought I made that pretty clear, but anywho, please review!

Sorry for the wait!

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Naruto.

RECAP

Sasuke watched in horror as Hinata fell unconscious and was picked up by 'The Raven'. Why couldn't he MOVE?

The cloaked figure turned to leave, but paused first, and turned to face him again. Slowly, with Hinata in his arms, he made his way to the frozen Sasuke.

A dark head lent down to his ear and whispered, "Thanks for the precious gift, idiot." Then he flicked Sasuke in the forehead and disappeared; just vanished.

Cold dread coursed through Sasuke's veins. Sasuke was still unable to move; otherwise he would have crumpled to the ground in despair.

He had returned.

Itachi had come back.

And he had Hinata.

When Hinata finally came to she became aware that she was lying on the ground. She wondered if The Raven had kidnapped her again. If so, then why?

She opened her eyes and sat up. Right across from her, sitting comfortably on a dead log, was a figure she hadn't seen for a very long time. She had been quite young the last time he had visited her clan's compound. But she still remembered him.

Uchiha Itachi.

Hinata's first thoughts were chaotic. What had happened to her Raven? She opened her mouth to say something, anything, but found that she was unable to. She had been kidnapped again?! She really had to train seriously when she got back home.

"Hello little Hinata. Long time no see, hm?"

She just gaped at him stupidly.

Itachi sighed. It was rare that he would show any emotion but he didn't care anymore. Why should he care when life wasn't worth living anymore?

It wouldn't be long now. And then it would be all over, at last.

The Hyuuga heir's silence was amusing, he thought as he stared at her with blurry eyes. He wondered when she would realize she wasn't helpless? Or at least not as helpless as if he had incapacitated her.

"What, where's the questions? Why? How? Who? What?" He said all this with a smirk but Hinata could see the weariness and understanding and sympathy in his eyes.

But...He was supposed to be emotionless. A heartless cold killer whose life was literally bathed in blood. The man before her had killed many people. Some she had even known. He had slaughtered his clan, hurt his brother, and betrayed his village. Why? The answer before had been simple, he was a heartless psychopath, but now...She looked straight in to his eyes. His dark and readable eyes.

"I umm. All of them...?" Hinata's voice came out as a whisper, when she remembered that he had sort of asked her a question. She sounded terrified, not that he could blame her. He had given himself quite a reputation. She was the first to see this side of him in a very long time.

Itachi bowed his head, "Why don't you make yourself comfortable? I'm sure my dear brother will be here before long, but maybe you'd like to hear my story, hmm?" he asked, tilting his head at her.

Hinata nodded and realized that he was being nice. Nice? Itachi nice? The name and the word did not belong in the same sentence, but the man before her didn't match the old description. It was confusing, but in a way she wanted to forget his past. She could see the hurt and bleeding soul in front of her. It was in her nature to want to heal that hurt. She had a feeling that his offer to tell his story was more for him than for her.

She got up slowly, wincing at the stiffness in her limbs and sat down next to him. A few feet away.

He sighed again and glanced out of the corner of his eye at her.

"Where should I begin?" he asked rhetorically, "Should I start with the whys? I suppose I must. Why did I kill my clan?" he asked as he stared at the sky, his hands clasped on his knees, leaning forward thoughtfully.

Hinata remained silent.

"I killed them because they were weak. Our blood had been diluted over time with the inter-clan marrying. The Uchihas were not what they once were. All of us were to marry our cousins because of our precious sharingan eyes."

"But instead of strengthing our blood, we weakened it. If you breed too closely, all the hidden defects will come out. I suppose I'm one." he chuckled dryly, "But the weakness was only a part of it. The competiton was another. The push to be great. I never had a childhood, I wasn't allowed one. I trained to be a ninja. That was all my life was really, being a ninja. I was forced to put aside friends, and even family to pursue, not my dream, but my clan's dream."

"And I was that dream. The genius. The greates and youngest shinobi. The day I made ANBU captain was the day I thought my father would finally be proud of me. I was wrong." His fists were clenched now, it was painful to talk about his past, but when? If not now? He saw the Hyuuga girl start to reach her hand out, to comfort him probably, but she pulled it back again. He grimaced wryly. After all, Uchiha Itachi wasn't a man to be comforted.

"So," he continued after a few moments, " I killed them. All but one. Sasuke." he sighed and hinata was shocked when a soft smile passed over his lips. It was an affectionate smile. A loving, doting, and happy smile. "Sasuke, my little brother. The bright happy boy whose turn it was to become a shinobi. I saw his struggles, always living in my shadow. My father never paid attention to him, never saw his potential, which was even greater than mine. But he needed the room to grow, without dissapproving elders breathing down his neck. I killed them for Sasuke. I couldn't bear the thought that he would become an emotionless ice prince."

His smile faltered and died, "I failed in doing that. My betrayal nearly killed my little brother's heart. But now he has finally regained it." He looked pointedly at Hinata who blushed.

He smiled at her, "Do you know who The Raven is?"

Hinata shook her head, she was still unable to speak.

Itachi smiled softly again and turned to look at the sky, "I didn't think so. Not many know his real identity. The Hokage, the Akatsuki, and myself are among the few that do."

Hinata's eyes widened. He knew who he was! Itachi knew!

"Wh-who is he?" She asked, sliding a bit closer to him,"Please I-I need to know."

Itachi's gazed darkened as he looked down to regard her with his black eyes, "Do you? Do you really? Tell me, why do you love The Raven?"

Hinata blushed and looked away. She didn't want to talk about it.

Itachi growled and hissed at her, startling Hinata in to jumping to her feet.

"You don't love him! You couldn't love him! You never even knew who he was. He used you! You were taken and used and cast aside! Left pregnant and in disgrace! You don't know him, you never did! And you don't love him!"

Itachi shouted and got to his own feet, advancing on her with every word. Hinata's mouth opened to deny his words. To tell him how she really felt, that she did love The Raven, but her mouth gaped stupidly as she backed up until her back hit a tree. Itachi was right in front of her, so close she could feel his breath on her cheeks.

A hand was planted on either side of her head, as she cringed in to the bark behind her. His dark eyes fastened mercilessly on her terror stricken ones.

"Answer. Me." he demanded in a low, tightly controlled voice. His gaze bored in to her.

Hinata was at a total loss for words. Never could she have imagined that Itachi would have done something like this. Why? What did The Raven had to do with anything? Or her love for him?

A strong hand gripped her chin, "Anwser me, Hinata. Do you actually love The Raven? Or did you love the idea of him? Maybe you lost your virginity to him and thought that because he slept with you you must love him? Tell me."

Hinata's face darkened at his words and she tried in vain to escape his eyes. He was right. And it hurt. She didn't love The Raven. Everything he said summed up the confusion and hurt she had and gave her the answer she had been so desperately trying to avoid.

She didn't love The Raven.

But she did love Sasuke Uchiha.

For all the times he'd been so patient with her. His caring and understanding. He'd taken care of her and waited for her even when it was obvious that she longed for The Raven. Sasuke was the one she'd unknowingly given her heart too. And Itachi was right, just because she had had sex with the man, didn't mean she had to love him. It was an unesscesary bond she had made with him, it tied her down and did no good for her. She had tied herself to a man who didn't care.

But Sasuke cared, and she had tied herself to him too.

With this realization came relief, and acceptance. She was no longer tying herself to the past, no longer dying inside. It was all clear to her now. It felt like some lame cliche' but she understood her life now. And she had the man in front of her to thank for it.

Itachi had watched her face closely while she struggled for words. And he finally saw the truth in her eyes. He let go of her chin with a smirk. She had passed his test. He left the dumbstruck Hinata still leaning against the tree and left her, chuckling as he settled back on the log.

Hinata rubbed her chin a bit and looked at him. Was he really crazy? She couldn't tell. And she didn't want to know.

She cautiously went to him, blushing as he gazed upon her with his dark eyes. There was something a little off about them though...She had noticed that when he was so close.

She knelt in front of him and looked him straight in the eyes, "Thank you." she said sincerely, with all her heart. She tried to pour as much gratitude as she could in those two words. He simply grunted and nodded.

Smiling to herself she got up and sat next to him. Itachi looked at her as if she was the crazy one. Why would she want to sit so close to him? He found out when a pair of soft lips grazed his cheek and a small pair of arms wrapped around his middle.

He awkwardly returned the hug. After so long without any positive human interaction, it felt good to have someone approach him with something other than fear in their demeanor. Yes, his little brother had chosen well. She would ensure the future of the clan and strengthen it beyond measure.

It was surprising when he felt tears prick his eyes. It had been so long since he had cried, years in fact. He had almost forgotten what it felt like. Like a dam breaking, Itachi Uchiha cried; long silent sobs and convulsions which rocked his body. He clung to the warm creature beside him for comfort, which she gave freely. She stroked his hair and murmured soothing nonsense in his ears until at last he felt refreshed.

Itachi finally pulled away from Hinata and thanked her. She was such a sweet woman. It was too bad that his brother had first claim on her. Well, not entirely, she had been promised to him when they were both children, but he knew for a fact that those documents were null and void now. And he didn't deserve her anyway, but Sasuke did.

She patted his arm and waited for him to regain some emotional stability before speaking, "Tears shouldn't be held in. Tears that have been held for a long time can turn sour and harm the person they belong to. I don't believe you have turned bad though." she shook her head.

"No, you're not bad. But neither are you wholly good. But then, nobody is all good. We all have some shadows that haunt us. You know he'll come for me?" she asked, changing the subject.

Itachi nodded and stared off in to the distance.

"He- He'll try to kill you."

"I know."

Hinata heard his voice, full of weariness and sadness, and realized what he meant to do.

"I'm going to let him kill me."

A/N: Well, I hope you liked that. I always liked the idea of a softer Itachi. But whoops! Left another cliffy there. sorry. I also apologize for the horribly long amount of time this took to update. I had a bad case of writer's block. At least on this. I did put up a few oneshots. Have a looksee if you want.

DDEC

And a BIG thanks to all who reviewed! : SHeWithNoName, mskm101, Estheriana, Reckoning in Death, winterkaguya, Hitensiababe, Vindel, Kawaii Kabu, IHeartHidan, , Lien Braska, LovelessDarkness, DarkDecember93, rallybabe89, harley944, whitewave101, shareece, and Jay_chan.