I apologize for the lateness and the shortness of this chapter. But I've had a really hard time coming up with new ideas for this story. I already have the ending in my mind it's just a matter of getting there that's the problem. Thanks to everyone who favorited and followed this story and for reviewing I know some of you had waited months for this chapter to finally come out. Any ideas or things you would like to see in the next chapters let me know i need serious inspiration and feedback from you guys so please review. Again sorry it's so short from what I normally write but aside from my writer's block there's also a reason which you will see at the end. Anyway, on with the story! ^.^
Sakura burst in through the door of Hade's hospital room making Hade and Itachi look up from a map of the fire country they had been looking over. It had been a week since Madara and Kano's attack on the Uchiha compound and Sakura had worked almost non stop on finding the cure besides helping heal Sasuke's wounds. They had been on the mice trials for two months and when Sakura had checked up on them that day she had noticed four of the mice had made a full recovery. Such a fast trial and discovery of a disease has never been made before. Though Hade had to thank -rather reluctantly- Madara for the pills he had provided Itachi with to slow down the disease. The joy in Sakura's eyes gave away the news instantly and Hade's eyes lit up in joy.
"It's done?!" Hade asked excitedly.
"Yes! It's amazing I've never seen it act so effectively and when I placed a drop on the blood sample Itachi-san provided us with before the attack it attacked the malignant cells immediately." she replied but there was a hesitation on her voice though that Itachi didn't miss.
"What are the major side effects?" Itachi asked. Sakura bit her lip for a moment before sighing.
"The mice suffered severe fluctuations in body temperature as well as hallucinations and minor body spasm and extreme fatigue. I believe it's due to speed of the cure battling the disease. It would take us at least another six months before we found a dose safe enough where the most that would be suffered is a minor fever and nausea.
"Why didn't you tell me this before?" Hade asked. Once Hade had found out she was pregnant Sakura had decided to take over any blood handling and mixing of the disease as precaution in case something happened and Hade became contaminated because as the disease could be caught through blood on blood contact.
"I didn't want to give you hope if the mice didn't survive the side effects, it's risky and on a human test subject it'll be a miracle they even survive it."
"Test it on me." Itachi said making Hade and Sakura stare at him in shock.
"Are you insane?!" Hade screamed. "No way! The side effects sound too severe we have to find a way to stabilize the cure."
"We don't have time Hade!" Itachi replied back. "The war is biting at our heels and Madara is planning on catching Naruto as soon as possible as well as Enama and Kenta. We don't have the luxury of taking our time, I have to be in fighting condition before it all goes to hell."
"You've been fine so far the disease hasn't come back-"
"It has." Itachi replied making her freeze and stare at him in panic. "For the past few days I had started coughing blood, it's a small splatter but it could come back full force again. I've also experience fatigue and my eyesight getting blurry once in a while."
Rage flew across Hade's vision and Sakura backed away a bit getting ready for the explosion.
"Why did you hide this from me?!" she screamed. "You know I need to give you medical attention for-"
"I've had Sakura give me the treatment-and don't go off on her too-" he interrupted Hade just as she rounded on Sakura. "Remember the patient to doctor confidentiality she had no choice and she's been doing a good job. Now listen to me."
He took her chin and forced her to face him.
"If we don't do this now it'll be too late, what's a little pain compared to everything else I've suffered?" he reasoned and he could see tears leak from her eyes.
"It's because you've suffered enough that I wanted it to be painless." she sobbed. "I'm tired of seeing you get hurt and suffer for the mistake of others I just want you to be happy."
"And I am," he smiled, caressing her face. "Once all of this is over we'll truly be happy I promise you." with that he kissed her deeply for a moment making Sakura look away. When they parted Itachi looked towards Sakura and called her attention.
"Sakura, how soon can we start the testing?"
"Tomorrow, we could have started today but since the cure has certain ingredients that mess with chakra and I gave you a medical treatment this morning we need my chakra to have completely left your system before administering it. Otherwise it may cause your chakra to become unstable and the effects to be even more painful."
"That's fine, I need to talk to Sasuke about this anyway." he said all three people in the room knowing Sasuke will be extremely worried about him.
"Are you sure about this?" Sasuke asked him with a worried look making Itachi almost smile. Little by little his younger brother was showing more and more emotion though he'll never be an open book like when he was a child.
"Yes, I have to...I need to." Itachi replied. "If the disease comes back I will die for sure, not even Hade or Tsunade will be able to stop it if I don't take the cure."
Another worried look crossed Sasuke's features before sighing and giving his brother a stern stare.
"Don't you dare die. Hade didn't almost die for you and bring you back just so you could die."
At this Itachi gave him a soft smile and tapped Sasuke's forehead with his index and middle finger making Sasuke playfully glare at him.
"Love you too little brother." and with that he turned and left the room which was quickly opened later by Sakura. Sasuke took one look at her and said.
"You already knew."
"I conducted the experiments." Sakura nodded and chewed her lips nervously. "I also told him the side effects but he still insisted on taking the human trials himself. I'll also be monitoring him as he goes through the side effects and Hade supervising through a two way mirror."
"He'll pull through..." Sasuke began but fell silent and Sakura placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I promise we'll take good care of him." Sasuke gave her a nervous nod and just then the door opened and Naruto walked in. Sakura quickly took her hand off Sasuke's shoulder and greeted Naruto with a smile.
"Naruto, what are you doing here?" Sakura asked.
"I came to see how teme was doing." Naruto replied with a big smile. "When will he be able to leave?"
"You really are bored training by yourself aren't you?" Sasuke smirked and Naruto pouted making Sakura giggle.
"Don't worry Naruto-kun Sasuke should be out by tomorrow. I'll simply finish healing him today; then he needs to stay the night and then he'll be free to go."
Sasuke just listened as Naruto and Sakura talked thinking how it was possible these people had not given up on him and had put their lives in danger so many times just to save him. A small smile left his lips without realizing which caused his two teammates to stop and stare at him, one with a completely flushed face and the other with shock and a dust of a blush across his cheeks. A smiling Sasuke Uchiha was nothing if not attractive and that was an extremely rare treat. Noticing their faces his smile fell replaced by frown. "What?"
Naruto opened his mouth but Sakura quickly slapped her hand on his mouth quite hard making Naruto yelp in pain, no need for Sasuke to know and make the smile as rare as finding a four leaf clover.
"Nothing nothing!" She smiled. Sasuke gave them a suspicious look before shrugging. "Naruto could you step out for a bit I need to finish healing Sasuke's wounds. It'll only take a while."
"Sure, I'll wait outside." He replied with a goofy smile before leaving. Sakura turned to Sasuke and gave him a small smile.
"Alright, time to look at those burns on your back." she ordered. He sat at the edge of the bed and allowed Sakura to take off his bandages. The burns were now almost completely gone and she could see some old scars surrounding the burns or across them. Her fingertips ghosted over the scars and Sasuke let out an involuntary shiver, making Sakura remove her hands.
"Sorry," she replied." You have a lot of scars on your back..."
"They're from Orochimaru's hideout." was Sasuke's answer and after a moment of silence he spoke again. "I have a request...Sakura."
"What is it?"
"Don't heal the burns completely, I want my burns to scar." he told her making Sakura tutter.
"Wha-what? Why?!" Sakura asked bewildered.
"The scars on my back from Orochimaru's are a reminder of my betrayal...these burns over the scars are different. Of my decision to start a new life, to put the darkness behind and to make this village a better place so no one has to sacrifice their lives like my brother did."
"You trying to be Hokage now?" Sakura lightly teased. "Have fun telling that to Naruto. Though your idea is a noble one."
"Hokage is not what I want, no one is more suited for that than Naruto. His stubborn idea that giving a big speech about love and friendship is enough to change anyone's mind...don't tell him I said that." he added hastily with a light flustered look and Sakura gave a small giggle.
"My lips are sealed." she promised and gently placed her hands over the wounds as her hands glowed green and began to heal the burns. Sasuke couldn't help the sigh of relief as the last of the pain left him. When she was done her hands stopped glowing and she placed her hands on his back so he could feel the way her hands raised with the burn scars.
"You can still see the scars but they're not too bad." she stopped her hand right behind where his heart was and could feel his heart was beating slightly fast. "I'm glad you're back Sasuke."
"...ah..." he nodded and after a few seconds Sakura quickly retracted her hand with a blush as she grabbed the bandages and threw them away.
"Well, um...I'll let you rest. I have to go...get everything ready for, Itachi's medical trial." she rushed quickly, opening the door and almost bumping into Naruto. She gave him a quick apology before she rushed out.
"You guys took your time." he said amused as he watched Sakura walk in a hurry. "What's up with her all of a sudden?"
"No idea." said Sasuke though Naruto could swear Sasuke's ear were tinted a light pink.
"Hey, so you're good now right?" Naruto asked.
"Yeah why?" Sasuke asked with a raised eyebrow and saw Naruto's eyes glint mischievously.
"How bout we leave and get some training done?" he smirked and Sasuke returned it with a smirk of his own. Naruto closed the door and headed to the window. Once he made sure no one was looking he motioned for Sasuke and they jumped to the roof before heading into the woods.
"Itachi-san, are you sure?" Sakura asked for what he thought was the hundredth time. Itachi was strapped up to a hospital bed, monitors beeping and taking his heart beat and other vitals. There was a glass window on his left and Hade was dressed in a lab coat, her hair slicked back into a ponytail and looking at him with a worried expression on her face. Sakura then took out a small bottle and filled a needle. Itachi only felt a small twinge of the needle and then the liquid being injected.
"How long will it take for the cure to take effect?"
"On the mouse it took a few minutes for the minor side effects to happen. The more violent ones took at least nine hours. I believe for you...five hours at least."
"I don't think Hade should be here." Itachi said, looking at her worried glance.
"I know you don't want her to watch, but we both know she's too stubborn." Sakura whispered. "Besides, she wants to make detailed observations to later place it in her journal."
"Hm, what are the first minor side effects?"
"Your body will start to feel heavy; the mice experience fatigue, along with minor body pains to the infected areas. I know your eyes also suffer from it so they may water and possibly burn."
"Hence the straps to my wrists." Itachi nodded. He laid back against the pillows and sighed, closing his eyes. Sakura walked back to the room with Hade and gave her a gentle smile.
"He's more worried about you than he is about himself."
"I know he doesn't want me here." she mumbled. "I know it'll be painful for me to see him like this but I have to help in anyway that I can."
With that said both medic nins watched Itachi silently for a few minutes. They watched as he moved his wrist around, checking the resistance of the straps restricting his movements and looking at the beeping machine that showed his heart beat. A few minutes later they saw Itachi's movements began to slow, his eyes closed and his heart rate began to drop. Hade wrote on her clipboards clip board while Sakura went to Itachi. She lifted his left eyelid and flashed a small light on it a few times before checking his breathing.
"His heart slowed down to half it normal beat, breathing is shallow, pupils are still responsive, and I believe he's still conscious. Itachi-san if you can still hear me please try to move one of your finger or try to speak."
"My...body...heavy..." he drawled with shallow breaths while his index finger twitch.
"Starting to have speech impairment and can barely move. It's acting a little slower than I thought so that is a good sign. I'm going to be taking blood samples during each stage to see the effects alright Itachi-san?" she said and Itachi twitched his finger again as Sakura took a blood sample. There was a knock in Hade's room followed by Tsunade and Shizune walking in.
"Tsunade-sama what brings you here?" Hade asked in surprise.
"We came to offer assistance." Tsunade said. "Sakura informed me of everything and I believe you'll need help once the seizures start since you can't help restrain him while in your condition."
"What about the war preparations?"
"Kakashi, and Shikaku are taking care of it don't worry. I received a message from Enama and Kenta as well. Gaara is gathering up his shinobi forces and training them personally as well."
After the attack on the Iron country Kenta and Enama went to Sand with Gaara in order to help with the preparations for the war, both of them acting as representatives of Konoha to give information on Kano and the Akatsuki.
"Hade!" Sakura called. Hade turned back to the window and as Itachi's breathing increased; the matching beginning to beat faster as his heart rate began to beat faster to normal and then past it till it resembled someone sprinting full speed. Shizune quickly joined Sakura and injected Itachi with another drug to help his heart rate begin to go back to normal. It took a few minutes but his heart slowed down to normal speed.
"Itachi, can you hear me?" Shizune asked and after a second his finger twitched. "Are you feeling any pain? If not move your finger twice." There was a pause and his finger moved only once. His eyebrows were lightly furrowed and his lips in a thin line that also gave them an indication of pain.
"Okay I'll start to move my hands down starting from your neck and you'll move your finger once if it hurts ok?" Once Itachi gave indication that he head Shizune moved her hands gently down Itachi until she got around his lungs and his finger moved.
"According to Hade his lungs were the first organ that had the most damage when she first began to heal him." said Sakura. "It makes sense that the cure would start there; on the mice the cure attacked the area most affected by the disease."
"Okay, there's not much we can do but keep monitoring him. Can we give him morphine for the pain?"
"No, when we tried it on the mice it had a negative effect and instead of decreasing the pain it increased it and the mice died out of the increased pain."
I really hate this. thought Hade. He hasn't even gotten to the worse part and I'm scared.
"His body temperature is starting to decrease." Sakura warned. It only took two minutes before Itachi's body began to shiver almost violently and his teeth to chatter so much they had to place a plastic mouthpiece so he wouldn't damage his teeth. Fifteen minutes later his body changed temperature and was burning with a high fever, his close drenched in sweat and his bangs plastered to his forehead. They had to cut Itachi's shirt and remove it along with his pants to keep him as comfortable as possible as his temperature kept fluctuating from freezing cold to a dangerous infernal fever. This continued on for a good six hours until the body temperature fluctuations changed at slower and longer intervals on the last two of those hours. During the first four hours Itachi had kept mumbling Hade's name and then Sasuke's until he passed out completely in the last hour. Then the pain began; it started as a dull ache, and then to the point he was groaning in discomfort as he could almost feel every organ in his body beginning to burn.
"NNNGH!"
"Itachi tell me what you feel!" said Sakura.
"I...NGH...like every-SHIT...on fire-GHAAAA!" he growled painfully, his hands clenching tightly enough to begin to draw blood. "Make it stop!"
"I can't Itachi." Sakura explained. "I can't give you morphine or it'll make it worse!"
Hade was clenching her clipboard tightly till her knuckles turned white. It was killing her to see him like this and she wanted nothing more than to be right by his side and promise everything would be alright but she knew it was only going to get worse and painful before it got better. After ten minutes his pain was beyond excruciating to the point that the hallucinations finally began and his body was so numb from the pain he couldn't even feel it anymore.
"Please...I can't do this..." he panted. "Please...don't make me..."
Hade's eyes narrowed and her breath hitched.
No...please don't tell me he's hallucinating about that!
"There has to...be another...way...I don't want to kill them." Shizune and Sakura froze as well before glancing at each other. While they had been told the true reason behind the Uchiha massacre it was entirely a different situation when Itachi was talking about it through his hallucination. They could hear the regret, the pain, and the sorrow that came with the burden of what he had been forced to do. His eyes had opened but they were hazy and clouded by pain and Sakura was sure he wasn't even seeing them at the moment.
"Shisui...don't tell my father...stop...Shisui!" he called out and Hade couldn't help but remember when Shisui had almost forced himself on her; Itachi and Shisui fighting right outside her house and Fugaku appearing with the police force to stop it. She knew Itachi had really killed Shisui but he had never told her exactly what happened.
"Kaa-san...I tried to protect him...I did all I could...please...I tried to be...a good brother...I'm sorry...Sasuke I'm so sorry..." Itachi begged; his voice cracking in sorrow as tears gathered in his eyes. "I had to...I needed to protect you...it was...the only way..."
By then his heart rate had picked up again and his voice suddenly began to get frantic.
"Kaa-san...I'm sorry...I tried to protect him...I tried to be a good...brother...I'm sorry...Sasuke wait...don't...come back...need to protect him...Madara...he'll kill him...Sasuke!"
He began to struggle against the straps; tugging and pulling, calling out for his little brother. Hade closed her eyes, clipboard now on the table next to her and her hands pressing against the glass window to keep herself and her emotions under control. Itachi's pleas and calls got more desperate and frantic as time went on. After an hour Hade couldn't take it anymore and headed for the exit until Itachi called out her name.
"Hade!" she looked back and he was still looking at the wall in front of him but his hand was trying to reach for her despite being strapped down. "I'm sorry! Hade!"
She headed for the other door and ran to him despite Tsunade's protest but stopped herself in shock as his body suddenly began convulse. Tsunade shouted at Shizune and Sakura to hold him down while she called in three other nurses. Itachi kept convulsing, his eyes rolling to the back of his head as a trickle of blood flowed out his nose and the corner of his mouth. The nurses arrived and one of them took hold of Hade to stop her from going forward while the other two nurses assisted Tsunade in injecting Itachi with something to stop the seizure after Sakura told them it was safe to use it. Itachi's convulsions got erratic for a minute or two before he slowly stopped, his chest heaving for breath as Shizune cleaned the blood from his nose and mouth before handing it to Sakura so she could analyze it.
"Ha-Hade...Hade..." Itachi heaved out. Hade looked at Tsunade, begging her with her eyes to let her go to him. Once Tsunade nodded the nurse released her and she ran to Itachi; taking hold of his hand as the nurses unstrapped his wrists and ankles. "Hade...I'm so sorry...I..all the lies...I don't deserve you...I put...you in danger...I-" his voice cracked as tears gathered in his eyes.
"Please stop...that's enough." Hade replied with a soft voice. "Itachi there's nothing to forgive. Everything you did was for the sake of the village, to protect Sasuke...to protect me. Itachi you sacrificed so much for us. You have always been a gentle soul, you sacrificed and gave away so much without anything in return! You suffered and carried the weight of all the guilt and the hatred. It's time to fully let it go. Please, you've suffered enough...it's time for you to be happy. To forgive yourself."
"I...need you..."tears finally began to roll down his cheeks. "I'm sorry...please..." he begged with a sob. Hade was about to answer when Sakura quickly walked out of the window room towards them. Everyone had gone inside it to leave them alone. It had been too heart breaking to see two of the most talented, fearless, and strongest shinobi of Konoha like this.
"Hade..it's almost gone...in another hour or so the disease will be completely gone!" Hade's eyes widened in shock and turned to Itachi while Sakura quickly ran back inside the window room. Hade got up and sat at the edge of Itachi's bed.
"Itachi did you hear that." tears rolled down her cheeks in happiness. Itachi's breathing had gone down to slow, tired pants; his eyes now in surprise but still filled with sorrow. He took her hand in both of his, and with a painful groan he sat up.
"Itachi you need to lay down!"
"Hade...please...I need to hear it..." he begged again with a sob. She knew that despite never really saying the words Itachi knew she had forgiven him. However, she had a feeling he wouldn't be able to forgive himself until she said the words to him. He was afraid to forgive himself, the guilt he felt was too much to forgive himself without hearing it from the people he loved the most. She took his face in her hands as she gave him a watery smile, tears still rolling down her cheeks.
"Uchiha Itachi, I love you...so much. How can I not forgive you?"
"Hade..."he closed his eyes tightly, biting his lips to stop the tears from falling but they just wouldn't stop.
"I forgive you," she sobbed. "I forgive you."
Itachi laughed in relief through his sobbs as Hade took him in her arms. He buried his face in the crook of her neck as he sobbed almost uncontrollably. Just like Sasuke had done; Itachi broke down. Every mask, every wall he had built crashed down and all his emotions that he'd locked away in the darkest corner of his heart just flooded out. His fatigue and exhaustion from the last ten hours finally came down on him and he past out against Hade a few minutes later. Very gently she laid him on his side, stroked his cheek, and drying his tears. Hade then laid down on her side next to him as close as her now five and a half month belly would allow. She took his hand and he subconsciously held her hand tighter making her smile softly as she too let sleep overtake her. Tsunade shooed everyone out before giving them a small smile and leaving the room as well. That night Itachi had the most peaceful sleep he'd had in years and for once in his life, free of the nightmares that had haunted him for almost nine years.