Chapter Thirty-Four:
Sakura stretched like a cat in her sheets, her hand felt the coolness of the space beside her. She opened her eyes to see her bedmate was gone and the lack of warmth indicated he'd been gone for a while. She stared up at the ceiling as her mind raced over the events of the evening. She could have been killed or at least seriously injured by Sasuke's old teammates. It had felt like Sasuke's spirit had interfered in the battle. Was he truly present or was it her imagination?
Sakura swung her legs off the side of the bed and settled her bare feet on her cold floor. She made her way to the living room and found Itachi sitting at the dinner table staring at a vase. "What are you doing?" she asked. She went to the kitchen and poured two glasses of water — one for her and one for him.
She set his glass on the table near his elbow. He pushed a scroll at her. She laid the scroll open in front of her and read through the contents her eyebrows rising higher into her hairline the more she read. "Where did you get this?"
"One of the surviving Akatsuki felt he owed me. He brought this scroll which formerly belonged to the Second Hokage. He's the one that invented the resurrection jutsu that Kabuto used." Itachi tapped the side of the vase. "This urn is full of my body's ashes."
Sakura carefully rolled the scroll back up and set it aside. She reached for Itachi's free hand. "What do you want to do?"
Itachi's dark gaze lingered on the engraved designs on the urn. "I believe it may have been Sasuke's spirit that intervened for you this evening and helped you against his former Hawk teammates."
"Itachi, I was probably hallucinating. Chakra depletion is known to alter a person's perceptions and affect recall memory," Sakura argued. "Altered mental status is incredibly common under such circumstances."
"I had a dream. Sasuke's spirit is here. I wasn't sure until you told me about what you experienced." Itachi leaned back, lifted his glass to his lips and took a refreshing drink. He squeezed Sakura's hand whether to comfort her or himself, he wasn't sure. "I believe we are obligated to try this scheme. This is Sasuke's body. Everything I did was so that he could have a good life. If there's a chance I can return him to his own body to live his own life then I have to try. If I do not then that makes everything I've dedicated my life towards obsolete."
"And what about me? What happens if it doesn't work and I lose you? Again?" Sakura asked, her voice trembling in panic.
Itachi set down his glass and reached out to cup his palm to the side of Sakura's face. He brushed his thumb across the tears sliding down her cheek. "Sasuke loved you too, Sakura. If I'm gone you have to give him a chance. Please."
Sakura pulled away from his touch and opened the scroll again. "I'll need to speak with Master Tsunade. If you want to try this I'm not risking it without the strongest kunoichi in the Leaf at my side. This scroll says only a ninja with perfect chakra control is capable of pulling off this jutsu."
"I don't know that it's wise to tell Tsunade."
"Why not? She knows that Danzo was behind your mission to assassinate your clan and that you served as a double agent in the Akatsuki. You were a loyal Leaf shinobi without doubt," Sakura said. "She'll understand why we didn't tell her about your situation immediately. We didn't even understand it. And I didn't even know for some time."
"At this point, all of Team Seven knows the truth of my identity," Itachi pointed out. "That's not why we can't tell Tsunade. She's lost many loved ones — her little brother Nawaki, her lover Dan, her best friend Jiraiya. She would drive herself mad if she were to discover this jutsu that her great uncle created.
"How do we know that urn has all your ashes?" Sakura asked. She didn't agree with Itachi's logic about not involving Tsunade. They would discuss that later.
"It doesn't. It would be near impossible for my former associate to have tracked down all my remains." Itachi ran his hands through his dark hair — it fell to his shoulders now. "You only need a portion of the body. The DNA structure as best I can tell from having read the scroll. And blood. My blood type is AB. I'm the universal acceptor. I would need at least seven blood donors."
Sakura nodded. "Kakashi and I are type O, Sasuke and you are both AB, I'm sure Naruto, Hinata, Sai, and Ino would help. They already know the truth behind your identity." She tapped her finger against her lip thoughtfully. If they didn't utilize Tsunade she'd want Kakashi and his knowledge about seals, Hinata with her ability to view chakra, and Ino as another capable medic. "We'll also need a great deal of water. This part makes sense as the body is ninety percent water." Tobirama Senju's natural elemental affinity was water.
"We might want to use Suigetsu," Itachi suggested.
Sakura rolled the scroll up again. "This is what you want?"
Itachi nodded. "Please, Sakura. We have to try."
"What about the lung disease you had? Would your body be reformed in the same condition it was in when you were dying?"
Itachi leaned back in his chair and rubbed the tension forming a knot in his neck. "If only we had this scroll when the Second was here. We could have asked Tobirama himself. He was too smart to have such a flaw in his jutsu."
"If that's the case then it might mean that you'll be recreated without any immunity other than what you might acquire from the donated blood. That will be something I'll have to ensure." Sakura sighed and laid her arms over the table and rested her forehead on top of them. "I'll need a few days to recover my strength. I'll want to be at full chakra strength. It's a good thing I didn't release my Strength of a Hundred chakra seal. I might need it all if I'm going to pull this off."
Itachi stood from the table and moved behind Sakura. He placed his strong hands upon her shoulders and massaged the tension. "I have faith in you, Sakura." He leaned down and kissed the back of Sakura's neck. "Know that I love you, Sakura."
"But you love Sasuke more," Sakura mumbled into her arms. She could feel her tears falling. It might be possible to return Sasuke to his body, but the jutsu to reunite Itachi with his remains had too many pit falls and chances for failure.
"I would hate myself if I didn't try," Itachi answered. He pulled Sakura's chair away from the table and scooped her into his arms. He cradled her against his chest and nuzzled his nose against the hollow of her throat. "That doesn't make me love you any less." He carried her back into the bedroom and held her as he slipped them under the bed covers. "Let's just lay here for a bit and not think, okay?"
"Okay," Sakura agreed. She tried to empty her mind and enjoy the silent company of her boyfriend, but all she could do was think through the various scenarios to make the jutsu a success. The difference between success in failure in the field of medicine was generally a very narrow margin.
"I have an idea," Itachi said. He sat up abruptly, taking the covers with him.
"What happened to laying back and not thinking?"
Itachi braced himself, one hand on either side of Sakura's face, his body hovered over hers. "It's brilliant." He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her lips. "You have to get me drunk."
"What?" Sakura asked, moving to sit up and knocking her forehead against Itachi's. He groaned and leaned back, rubbing his injury. "What do you mean drunk?"
"When I was a spirit haunting you and Sasuke that's how I was able to take control over his body at first. When he was drunk the barriers that kept him in charge were let down," Itachi said, his dark eyes flashing in excitement.
"Can't you just lower your guard?" Sakura reasoned. "Besides, I don't have any alcohol. We're considered minors and now that the war is over no one is going to look the other way just because we're shinobi."
Itachi ran his hands through his hair and let out a frustrated groan. "Okay, we'll go to Kakashi's apartment. He'll have some or be able to acquire some."
Sakura reached out and took Itachi's hands in her own. She needed to calm him down. "Slow down, Itachi. Why can't you just lower your guard?"
"I can't. It's a subconscious thing." He jerked Sakura towards him by pulling on her hands and drew her into a hug. "This is great. We can confirm that Sasuke is really here and see if this jutsu is worth the hassle."
"It would be convenient if I still had Bull," Sakura said relaxing into Itachi's embrace. Though, she needed to start thinking of his body as Sasuke's body. If this jutsu worked Sasuke would be back in his own body and Itachi would be in his original yet healthy body.
"We'll just have to go there in person."
OoO
Kakashi opened his front door, surprise evident on his visible facial features as he stood in the doorway barring their entrance. "What are you two doing here?"
"We need alcohol," Itachi stated.
"You want me to give you alcohol?" Kakashi asked for clarification. He turned to Sakura. "Care to explain why?"
"I need to be drunk so I can see if Sasuke's spirit is cohabitating this body," Itachi said pushing past Kakashi and entering the apartment. He regretted the action as soon as he saw that Kakashi wasn't alone.
"Too excited to check for other chakra signals?" Kakashi whispered with a resigned sigh.
Itachi nodded. It would be hard to explain his speaking in the third person in regards to Sasuke to an outsider.
"Kakashi! You can't possibly think about giving these two alcohol!" Shizune cried out. She was sitting on Kakashi's couch and there were two cups of tea sitting on the coffee table in front of her. She was barefoot, her hair loose, wore a short little black dress, and was definitely not just returning from a day at the office. A pair of black pumps were by the door next to a pair of Kakashi's boots.
"Might as well come in," Kakashi said. Sakura entered, stepping under his arm and he secured the door behind him. "Shizune, it's a long story." Kakashi started for the kitchen. "Come with me," he said looking at Itachi.
"It's a medical experiment," Sakura said. She took a seat next to Shizune. "Are you and Kakashi-sensei on a date?"
"I'm uh, well you see, Sakura…"Shizune trailed off.
"That one is a master at deflecting a train of thought," Kakashi said quietly to Itachi. He gestured for him to sit at the kitchen table while he pulled out a bottle of sake and two cups. He set them on the center of the table and took the seat across from Itachi. "You think Sasuke's spirit is still present?"
Itachi nodded. "I've seen him in a dream, but I had dismissed it as a guilty conscious. Until this evening. Sakura believes that Sasuke spoke to her during Hawk's attack and that he intervened in the fight."
Kakashi propped his elbow on the table and rested his chin in his open palm. "I see. Do you think that's possible?"
"I know it is. I did it myself when Sasuke tried to kill her." Itachi reached for the bottle of sake and began to pour a generous amount into one of the cups. Kakashi didn't stop him. "A former Akatsuki came to me tonight. He brought me the ashes of my body in a special urn along with an unbelievable resurrection jutsu created by Tobirama Senju. I'm trying to convince Sakura to perform it, but she won't do it unless I have proof that doing so would save Sasuke."
Kakashi poured himself a serving of the sake and drank from his cup slowly. "The Hawk members have been dealt with. Karin and Jugo have been banished. If they are seen in the Land of Fire they are game for immediate execution."
"They're dangerous. They have no business in this village. It was only their temporary team with Sasuke that granted them sanctuary here to begin with. I do have his memories." Itachi tapped his temple. "He felt no affection or loyalty to any of them. They were a means to an end. He'd have cared less if they had remained in the village or not. Jugo was a crutch, but with Sasuke's ninjutsu he didn't need that one's berserker rage. I cleansed him of the mark in our final battle before I died – the first time," Itachi explained. "If he can be returned I can train him. Karin was a tracker ninja he used to find Danzo. He'd cast her aside once he'd defeated that bastard." He set down his cup. "He did consider Suigetsu a friend though. The water ninja amused him. He helped Sakura tonight. Is he also banished?"
"Nope," Kakashi said with a grin. "He offered to serve time if need be, but he said he liked the Leaf more than Mist and wanted to stay here. It will depend on if Sakura presses charges or not against him. Right now he's at Sai's place inside of an ink prison — not that it would stop him considering he can turn into water." He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. "Things were easier when we were simple Anbu soldiers."
Itachi scoffed. "You couldn't stand me. My nineteen year old squad leader didn't care to have a fifteen-year old and an eleven-year old on his team."
"I never turn my back on my teammates," Kakashi said quietly. He picked up the sake bottle and filled Itachi's cup again. "You remember how excited Hanzo was about every little thing? Team Ro was famous for having the youngest Anbu soldiers."
"Growing up as a science experiment of Orochimaru's will do that to you," Itachi said. He was glad he finally purged Sasuke of the dirty snake. If he could allow Sasuke to take back dominant possession of his body and be able to return to his own body that would be the ideal situation. He didn't want to leave Sakura. "Is it selfish if part of me doesn't want this to work?" Itachi asked draining his cup. He set it on the table and Kakashi filled it again.
"This seems to be taking a while," Kakashi observed.
"I think it's the poisons immunity that Sasuke has coupled with my own intolerance to being out of control," Itachi said.
"It is selfish to want happiness for you and Sasuke. That's normal." Kakashi pushed back from the table and grabbed a bag of barbeque potato chips from his cabinet. "I'd offer you some, but it will slow the process." He ripped open the top and started on a handful of chips. He poured another cupful of sake.
"Some guardian you are," Itachi slurred. "Letting your appointed ward get wasted on your property."
Kakashi smiled and poured another cup.
OoO
Kakashi's apartment wasn't particularly big – a living room, a kitchen with dining nook, a bedroom, and a bathroom. His living room was sparsely furnished with one couch, an arm chair, a coffee table and one wall was lined with a bookcase that was full near to bursting with novels. Half of them were Jiraiya's Icha Icha series. The lone window had a green plant blooming on the window seal. On the wall behind the couch were two framed pictures – one of Team Seven and one of Kakashi's team under Minato.
Sakura struggled with the idea of involving Shizune with the situation. Regardless of Itachi's confidence she would prefer having another advanced medical ninja take part in researching the jutsu and studying it. If she couldn't involve Tsunade then Shizune would be the next best choice. Her chakra control wasn't on par with Sakura's but she was still knowledgeable and powerful.
"And then he asked me to dinner and we came back here for drinks," Shizune continued with a blush spread across her cheeks. "It was just about to take off his mask when you knocked." She shook her head, dark loose hair flying. "What are you and Sasuke doing here? It's late."
"You know I was attacked earlier, right?" Sakura asked. Deflect, deflect. She didn't want Shizune focused on what Itachi was doing at Kakashi's apartment. Maybe she'd forget about the necessity for alcohol.
"Kakashi said that's why he was late for our date, but that he'd taken care of the details. Are you okay?" Shizune reached for Sakura's hands and turned them over and examined her exposed arms with a critical eye. "It seems like Ino healed your injuries."
"Help arrived before too long," Sakura said gently extracting her hands from Shizune's grip.
Shizune clucked her tongue. "You shouldn't have exhausted your chakra so much. You may be very skilled, but you're still human. We don't all have vast chakra stores like Naruto." Shizune stood from the couch and started for the kitchen. "Now, I need to make sure Sasuke's legal guardian isn't being a terrible influence."
"Shizune, wait," Sakura said reaching out and grasping her teacher's elbow. "It's not what you think."
"Oh? I think a minor just requested to get drunk and I think my date is accommodating that whim."
Sakura needed to decide if she was going to involve Shizune. Itachi had good reasons not to include Tsunade – she'd lost too many loved ones over the years. Knowledge of such a secret jutsu would drive her to madness and it would prove disastrous in the wrong hands. It might even be disastrous in her hands. "If I trust you with something will you promise me your confidence? It's a matter of life and death."
"Sakura, you know you can trust me." Shizune sat back on the couch and turned to face Sakura. She took both of Sakura's hands in hers and this time Sakura let her.
The whole of Team Seven knew the situation with Itachi and Sasuke. Surely, Ino and Hinata had figured it out by now. Team Hawk knew. Most likely Obito Uchiha knew. However, none of them could help Sakura like Shizune might be able to. "That's not Sasuke in there."
Shizune's expression hardened. "I know you've been through a lot, Sakura."
"That has nothing to do with this. Itachi's spirit is possessing Sasuke's body. When he was brought back with Kabuto's resurrection technique Orochimaru left a remnant inside of Sasuke and tried to take possession. Itachi's spirit abandoned his resurrected body and entered Sasuke's body. The three of them struggled and Orochimaru was defeated. However, Sasuke vanished, leaving Itachi in control of his body."
Shizune's grip on Sakura's hands loosened. "That's not possible," she whispered.
"It is possible because it happened," Sakura explained.
"Everyone said he was acting differently when he returned for the final battle."
"Only, Sasuke's spirit didn't continue on to the afterlife. He's still here. He saved me from Karin and Jugo's attack earlier. He whispered in my ear. That's why Itachi needs to alter his mental status. If Sasuke's spirit is being dominated by Itachi's spirit in the same body then that will allow him to communicate with us."
Shizune released Sakura's hands and stood from the couch. She began to pace about the room. Her bare feet moved soundlessly across Kakashi's floor. "To what end? I've seen the way you and Sas—I mean Itachi are around each other. Would his spirit vanish?"
"That's the other part. The reason I asked for your confidence." Sakura took a deep breath. "I've recently been given Itachi's remains inside of a special urn along with one of the Second Hokage's secret techniques. It would allow for a skilled medical ninja, preferably one with an affinity to water, to rebuild the body and have a home for the spirit to inhabit."
"How would you bring life back to the body, even if you were able to recreate the body? There is a certain electricity that courses through our neurons," Shizune said sitting back on the couch. Her dark eyes held an excited gleam as her intelligent mind began to process the situation. "So you're trying to have Itachi drunk to see if Sasuke is still inside his body then you intend to transfer Itachi's spirit back into his own rebuilt body."
Sakura nodded. "Exactly. I've read the jutsu, but I'm not sure if it would work on its own. I would need blood – that can't be recreated. So I'll have to involve at least eight people in this procedure."
"What's his blood type?"
"AB, as is Sasuke's."
"Universal acceptor, not a problem. Practically any blood would do. Your concern is the reanimation. Even with the body reformed, fresh blood flushing the vessels, you'd still need that spark of life," Shizune said.
"There is another jutsu I'm familiar with. Granny Chiyo had a technique where she exchanged her life for Gaara's. She used it on me too, but I wasn't dead, just dying."
"You're not sacrificing your life, Sakura. You're too important to the Leaf."
"Perhaps I can find volunteers not only willing to donate blood, but also a bit of their life force," Sakura said. "Kakashi, me, Naruto, Sasuke, Sai, Hinata, and Ino makes seven."
"And me," Shizune said. "That makes your eight volunteers. However, there's a major flaw in this plan."
"I know, I don't have the necessary affinity to water," Sakura admitted. The Second Hokage had been a genius, but also a very skilled ninja with a strong affinity to water. "I do have the required chakra control," she said tapping the diamond seal on her forehead. "I was thinking Sasuke's old Hawk teammate Suigetsu would be perfect, but he's probably long gone now. He tried to protect me from Karin and Jugo. If not him, them perhaps Naruto and I can figure something out. His elements are water and wind. However, it's more complicated because working with him on such an intimate level involves the nine-tails and his chakra would be a major obstacle."
"Kakashi said he was under guard at Sai's place. I'm sure he would help if it would bring Sasuke back," Shizune reasoned. "I'll help you, Sakura. Mostly, because I'm worried what would happen if I didn't help you. We'll have to show Itachi to Tsunade later. We don't have to tell her about the jutsu. He can just have mysteriously been brought back to life and made his way to the village and you and Sasuke found him."
Sakura sighed in relief. "Okay," she agreed.
"Let's go see if Sasuke's there or not then," Shizune said. She started for the kitchen and Sakura followed after her. Itachi and Kakashi were sitting across from each other at the small table. Shizune and Sakura took the two unoccupied chairs. Itach's cheeks were rosy from the alcohol. "Sakura filled me in. First step, before we even attempt to make this happen is to see if Sasuke is still present."
"It shouldn't be long now," Itachi mumbled. His dark eyes were glazed over. He turned towards Sakura and a dopey smile spread across his lips. "So pretty." He reached out and brushed his thumb over her lips and then his face fell toward the table and hit the wooden surface with a dull thud.
"Not the most scientific approach," Kakashi admitted taking another drink of his sake. He pulled out two more cups and set one in front of both Shizune and Sakura. "So, there's a special jutsu that might work to rebuild Itachi's body?"
"Yes, though I have my doubts because of the health problems he had before his death. I'm not sure if he would still have his previous health defects or if his immune system would be eradicated and nothing aside from the antibodies in the donated blood would protect him," Sakura said. "I'll need eight volunteers and maybe Suigetsu. He's with Sai?"
Kakashi nodded. His mouth opened to say more, but immediately shut when Itachi started to stir, except this time it wasn't Itachi in charge of the body.
Dark eyes blinked warily at them. "It sounds like I've made a mess out of things," Sasuke said.
"That's putting it mildly," Sakura said, then threw her arms around his neck and hugged him close. Itachi would be so thrilled to know that Sasuke was still around. She drew back, but kept her hand lightly on his shoulder. "Were you aware of the things that were happening around you?"
Sasuke nodded, a faint blush across his cheeks. Sakura flushed realizing that her private shower scene with Itachi was experienced by both brothers. "I see. How come you weren't able to take control?"
"Itachi has a stronger will," Sasuke murmured.
"All right, so we're going to do this then?" Shizune asked, looking across the table at Sakura.
"It's risky," Sasuke said frowning. "I should have just followed my parents' spirits into the afterlife when I had the chance."
"No, it happened this way for a reason." Sakura squeezed his shoulder. "Your brother wants you to live."
Sasuke stared hard into Sakura's eyes. "That's not all he wants."
"Are you willing to try? It will take your cooperation for this to be successful," Sakura explained.
Sasuke took a deep breath and turned to Kakashi. "May Sakura and I speak privately for a moment?" Kakashi took Shizune's hand and they left the kitchen, the door shutting quietly behind them. "You know how I feel about you, Sakura."
She nodded. Itachi had told her that Sasuke had loved her.
"I was there while Itachi was living my life better than I had ever lived it. He deserves a chance to live as himself. He wasn't the traitor. He shouldn't have to wear the skin of the foolish boy that threw away his friends and his village to pursue selfish goals." Sasuke reached for Sakura's face and tucked a strand of stray pastel pink hair behind her ear. "We have to try this for Itachi. He will never be able to live with knowing that he is living at my expense. But, if it doesn't work. If we exorcise his spirit from my body and are unable to revive him then I want you to know that I will do everything I can to make you happy in his stead."
Sakura could feel her eyes brimming with tears. She loved Itachi, but she couldn't help but love Sasuke as well. It wasn't the same, but it was also genuine.
"And I'm sorry about Karin and Jugo. I should have severed those ties better."
Sakura laughed. "You're not very good about severing those ties. People are determined to be your friends."
"I just have one thing more to say," Sasuke said. "Why flowers?"
"You would rather be chasing cats and farming?"
Sasuke sighed and folded his arms over his chest. "So when are we going to attempt this? Who all do you intend to involve?"
"I'll need eight volunteers for blood and life energy. There is us, Kakashi, Shizune, Naruto, Sai, Hinata, and Ino. I also want Suigetsu to help because of all the water I'll need. Humans are ninety percent water."
"Okay, I agree. Itachi knows everything we just talked about, he's just taken a backseat to my control of my body." Sasuke rubbed his forehead with a cringe. "He'll be the one to deal with the hangover."
"I'll gather everyone to discuss the situation tomorrow morning. If Shizune and I are confident about the jutsu then maybe we'll try it in three days. It will be a full moon. Water jutsus seem more powerful that time of month and the jutsu seems to rely heavily on the element," Sakura explained.
"Be careful, Sakura," Sasuke said, his expression ernest. It reminded her so much of the time he told her 'Thank you,' by the bench years ago that it tugged on her heartstrings painfully.
"I always am."
Sasuke scoffed. "That's a lie."
OoO
Itachi had been reserved in the days that passed after his drunken experiment at Kakashi's place. For nearly three months he'd stolen possession of his baby brother's body. It wasn't like he could just forfeit his control, he'd tried. His will to live was stronger than Sasuke's — at least that was the theory that Shizune had offered. The worse part of it all, he was perfectly aware while Sasuke was in the driver's seat and confessing his love to Sakura. He did want his little brother to be happy when all was said and done, but he did not want him happy with Sakura. Sasuke didn't deserve Sakura. She belonged to Itachi.
"Are you okay?" Sakura gently touched his elbow, concern in her jade colored eyes.
"I'm just curious about my eyes. Will my old eyes reform or will Sasuke's eyes that you transplanted into my old body be re-created," Itachi answered. It was a legitimate quandary, just not the one that was bothering him.
"I believe Sasuke's transplanted eyes." Sakura bit the inside of her lip. "I don't really know though. There are so many variables in this procedure."
"They eyes are the windows to the soul," Itachi reminded, using her past words against her.
"I don't have all the answers," Sakura said quietly staring down at the jutsu's scroll in front of her once more. She was writing notes in a journal regarding the amount of blood needed for the transfusion into Itachi's reformed body. The amount of water necessary. She and Suigetsu had calculated the approximate amount of water necessary for a human of Itachi's stature discounting the water provided within the blood that would be donated. It was a great deal of math and it was a good thing that Sakura was highly intelligent. Itachi had double-checked her calculations — he was highly intelligent as well — and found them to be flawless.
"But you're working on attaining the answers," Itachi said. He scanned the room. They had commandeered one of Danzo's subterranean laboratories. Sai had told them about it and Kakashi and Shizune had made it happen. Sakura had calculated that they needed five liters of blood, divided by eight donors. She planned to summon Katsuyu in one of her smaller forms to help heal the anemia from the donations and to help deal with any problems with Itachi's body.
Ino, Hinata, and Shizune had been drawing blood from the others and storing it. Sakura turned to Suigetsu and they planned the finer details of transferring the electrolyte water they'd collected for transplant. Itachi's ashes were laid out inside of a long metal trough. It was important that they use metal and not wood to minimize interaction.
"Can I talk to you?" Naruto asked, standing behind Itachi. He followed after the jinchuriki. Hinata had just drawn his blood and now Ino was drawing hers. "Look, I know you can both hear me. And this is really weird. But, both of you — Sasuke and Itachi — I consider you as my own brothers. Itachi you told me I was more a brother to Sasuke than you were."
"I did," Itachi agreed. "I am sorry I wasn't able to tell you the truth sooner."
Naruto waved his hand in dismissal. "It's confusing and I still don't really understand it all. So basically, Sakura and Suigetsu are taking the ashes, water, and blood and recreating your body and then your soul is going to leave Sasuke's and go into the new body using Granny Chiyo's jutsu."
"That's as I understand it." Itachi looked across the room with his Sharingan and read the conversation between Sakura and Suigetsu. They were speaking about numbers and calculations. It was as if they had turned off their emotions and had become mathematicians.
"It just, seems risky," Naruto said. "I suggested to Sakura that I use my chakra to connect everyone but she seems to think Katsuyu would be a safer option."
"Since she's directing the chakra it's better to use the source she's most familiar with." Itachi noted that all the blood had been collected. Sakura hit her palm against the ground — gentle for her since there were no earthquakes. Katsuyu was summoned and the healing slug split into ten smaller versions — one for each participant in the procedure, including one sitting on the metal rim of the trough with Itachi's remains. One came to each Itachi and Naruto's shoulders.
"It's starting," Naruto said, his face worried.
Sakura and Suigetsu stood over the pile of ashes and the water and began to slowly integrate the two.
"Wow," Naruto whispered.
Itachi echoed his sentiments. He recognized the bright green healing glow of Sakura's medical chakra. It covered the entirety of his remains. Within minutes, his body was reformed. Kakashi tossed a blanket over his naked body and then Sakura and Shizune began to transfer the donated blood — using the same technique that Shizune had taught Sakura for purifying blood of poisonous toxins. The pale, gray skin of his reformed body began to have a healthy glow as his circulation was restored. Itachi made his way to the table next to the trough and laid down.
Ino placed her hand on his forehead and forced him into a coma. It seemed an easier solution to put him in a state of altered mental status.
Sasuke's eyes opened and he pushed himself to sit up. "Does this mean I have to deliver Ino's flowers?"
Naruto leaned over and hugged Sasuke. "Welcome back you bastard!"
"So now we join hands and share a portion of our life force?" Sasuke asked, looking past Naruto. Itachi's body was formed, the ash, water, and blood had been converted into flesh. His modesty was preserved when Kakashi had draped a blanket over Itachi's body. His dark hair was as long as it was in life. His face was relaxed as if he were sleeping though there was no rise and fall of the chest.
"Yes," Kakashi said. He held Shizune's hand and she placed her hand on one of Sakura's shoulders. Naruto moved to Sakura's side and placed his hand on her other shoulder and Hinata clasped his free hand. Sakura held both of her hands over Itachi's chest above his heart. Ino, Sai, Sasuke, and Suigetsu joined in the chain and from their pooled life force Itachi's chest began to rise and fall.
"Oh thank all that is good and holy," Sakura cried out in relief the moment Itachi's eyes opened. She lay her head across his chest and listened to the reassuring beat of his heart. "How do you feel?"
Itachi reached up and ran his fingers through Sakura's loose hair. He remembered it was secured in a ponytail not too long ago and yet now it was free about her shoulders. Her skin was drenched in sweat and the diamond seal on her forehead glowed a bright green. "Taller," he answered.
Shizune moved to the side of the bed. "Ino evaluate Sakura and Hinata check out Sasuke," she ordered. Shizune sent a probing burst of chakra into Itachi's body. Kakashi handed one of his spare blue ninja outfits to Itachi.
Sakura backed away from the table, her balance off and she was caught by the quick arms of Sasuke. She had a disorienting moment while she realized it wasn't Itachi holding her. "Thank you," she murmured. Ino slipped her arm around Sakura's waist and pulled her away from the Uchiha brothers. The blonde sent probing healing chakra into Sakura.
"Fatigue, but nothing is amiss," Ino declared. "I can't believe this worked."
"Itachi seems to be fine as well." Shizune sighed in relief. Itachi had already managed to put on his pants and was slipping a shirt over his well-muscled chest.
"Sasuke is healthy," Hinata said, the prominent veins of her activated Byakugan relaxing as her eyes faded back to their normal state.
"Sasuke and I will bring Itachi to see Tsunade in the morning," Kakashi said.
"I want to be there," Sakura said.
"Me too," Naruto added stubbornly. He stood next to Sakura in a sign of solidarity.
"Sakura, Tsunade will know that you just performed an intense medical jutsu if she were to see you in the next twenty-four hours. Naruto, you can't keep a secret," Shizune reasoned.
"You'll have to lie," Kakashi said. "You don't know how you are in this state. She'll want to examine you. You might be stuck at the hospital for a few days." Kakashi smiled behind his mask. "I'll bring you some reading material if you like."
"I am quite skilled at the art of deception," Itachi assured him. He gave the miniature Katsuyu on his shoulder an affectionate pat on the neck. "And the books will be unnecessary." He turned to Sakura. "I think your summons has done more than enough. You can probably send her back."
Sakura nodded, thanked her summons, and dismissed her.
Naruto cleared his throat. "Remember my earlier suggestion," he whispered elbowing Itachi gently in the ribs.
"No one's going any where tonight," Kakashi said. "The room next to this is full of about a dozen bunks. We could all use a good night sleep."
"The refrigerator is full of juice and water. Everyone needs to hydrate to make up for your slight anemia from you earlier blood donation. I also have a supply of peanut butter cookies to help sitting in a bowl on the counter by the refrigerator," Shizune explained.
Itachi made his way to Sakura's side. He hesitated a moment before he placed his arm across her shoulders and hugged her close. He kissed the crown of her head, his new height advantage making her position perfect.
After a raid of the refrigerator and devouring all the cookies, everyone settled in for the night, girls on one side of the room and boys on the other. Itachi felt overwhelmed and couldn't sleep. His thoughts kept centering on how much everyone in the room had just risked for him and his brother. He looked across the aisle separating the two rows of beds and saw Sakura. She was sleeping on her side facing Ino.
He realized that it wasn't for him and his brother that everyone risked so much for. It was for Sakura. He and Sasuke weren't the only ones that loved her.
OoO
Itachi walked slowly through the streets of Konoha in his borrowed clothes. He and Kakashi were about the same size, so the clothing fit well. Sasuke walked beside him on his right and Kakashi on his left.
"Are you sure you don't want to borrow this?" Kakashi held this copy of Icha Icha Tactics under Itachi's nose.
He shoved the book aside. "No, thank you." Itachi turned to Sasuke. "How do you feel?"
"I'm ready for you to start making up for all those missed practices," Sasuke said with a smirk.
"Are you feeling ready for the Chunin Promotion Exam?" Itachi asked. Sasuke scowled, but didn't answer.
They moved past the various guards in the Hokage tower. Shizune greeted them when they knocked on Tsunade's door. "Gentlemen! What a surprise?" Her dark eyes didn't match her surprised voice. They demanded to know why they were late. She should have known better considering that Kakashi was with them.
"Is that my nine thirty appointment?" Tsunade asked. "They're late."
"It's Kakashi and his ward," Shizune said stepping back from the door and making way for them to enter.
"What do they want?" Tsunade asked, she'd been leaning back in her chair with her feet propped up on her desk top, legs crossed at the ankles. Her chair fell flat on the ground and her eyes opened wide. "Itachi Uchiha?"
"Yes, Lord Hokage," Itachi said kneeling on one knee in the position he used to take as a member of Anbu. "I have returned to the village."
"You, but, how—" Tsunade looked to Shizune, clearly at a loss of words.
"How are you alive?" Shizune asked.
Itachi stared down at the floor in front of him. "I do not know. The last I remember was fighting alongside Sasuke and defeating Kabuto."
"Stand up already," Tsunade ordered. She made her way to Itachi and placed her hand upon his forehead. She sent a surge of chakra through his body, her diamond seal flashed during her evaluation. It felt very similar to Sakura's medical chakra — warm and comforting. "You appear intact." She stepped back and looked Itachi up and down with narrowed eyes. "I thought you suffered from a lung disease."
Itachi took a deep, trouble-free breath. "It appears to be cured."
"I see. Where will you be staying?" Tsunade asked. "Sakura and Naruto had petitioned that your true role as Konoha's hero be made public. I will issue a statement."
"He'll be staying with Sakura and me," Sasuke said.
"I'm not sure that's a good idea," Shizune said quietly.
"You're not their mother," Tsunade said. She made her way back to her desk and shuffled through her papers. "I'll write out an announcement now. When does my next appointment arrive?"
"In a few minutes," Shizune answered. "Tsunade, don't you think Itachi needs to be hospitalized? Shouldn't we run more tests to evaluate him more thoroughly?"
Tsunade shrugged. "Fancy tests won't tell me any more than what I've already been able to see with my chakra. Besides, if he's staying with Sakura I'm sure she'll notice if there's anything abnormal."
"I'm sure she wouldn't miss anything," Kakashi murmured. "With your leave, we'll be gone then."
Tsunade dismissed them and the Sharingan users didn't waste time leaving the tower. The entire experience had been remarkably easy.
"Sasuke, we're about an hour late for meeting Naruto and Sai at the practice field. Time is running short in preparing for your upcoming exam," Kakashi said. "We're at field five. I want to assess your chidori and evaluate your jutsus. "
Sasuke looked torn. He seemed eager to practice, but he also seemed hesitant to separate from Itachi.
Itachi reached over and poked his finger against Sasuke's forehead. "I'll join you later. Don't forget your shift at the flower shop."
Sasuke pushed aside Itachi's hand and glowered at him.
"Before we part company would you two mind if we stop by Ayami's Sweets shop?" Itachi asked. "I'm afraid the owner might be nervous if she saw me by myself."
"She might not have gotten the message that you're not an international criminal anymore," Sasuke said with a smirk.
"Exactly."
"At least I'll have a good excuse for being late," Kakashi muttered. He stuck his book in the front pocket of Itachi's shirt. "Trust me, you'll want this later."
A short while later, they parted company, Kakashi and Sasuke off toward the practice fields, while Itachi made his way to Sakura's apartment with a bag of sweets from Ayami's in his hand. He was nervous as he knocked on Sakura's door.
She opened the door, hair wet from a recent shower. "Itachi." She smiled and moved aside for him to enter. Her eyes focused on the bag of sweets. "Syrup coated anko dumplings?"
"And umeboshi," Itachi said with a grin. He set it on her dining room table and they stared looking at each other.
"You are taller," Sakura said with a shy smile.
"Sakura," Itachi said, stepping towards her and wrapping his arms around her. His hand pressed against the small of her back and brought her flush against his torso. Her head tilted back and Itachi brought his mouth down to hers. Sakura's hands crept up his back, past his shoulders, and settled in his hair. He pulled back, needing to catch his breath. "You're amazing."
"We should thank Deidara." Sakura rested her cheek against Itachi's chest. "I'm so relieved it worked out. I was afraid that it wouldn't work and I'd lose you again."
"I wanted to love you as myself, not in a borrowed body," Itachi said. He didn't want to live his life pretending to be Sasuke. He wanted to be himself. "And I really didn't want to repeat the Chunin Promotion Exam," he added with a chuckle.
"What happened with Master Tsunade?"
"She was surprised initially, but not particularly impressed. She said that I appeared healthy and sent me on my way. Shizune tried to encourage her to hospitalize me and analyze me more thoroughly." He was grateful that Tsunade had nixed that idea. He had waited too long to hold the woman he loved in his own arms.
"She's generally the more cautious of us," Sakura murmured. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed Itachi's cheek, the tip of his nose, his other cheek, and then she settled upon his lips. She drew back abruptly and pulled out a bright orange book from Itachi's front pocket. "What's this?"
Itachi had forgotten about the book Kakashi had slipped into his pocket. "It's not mine," he explained quickly.
Sakura opened the book and began to flip through the pages, her eyes growing wider all the while. "Were you bored with Romance of the Three Kingdoms?"
"No, of course not!"
"Because, I wouldn't mind if we studied page seventy-five in more detail in the bedroom." Sakura opened the book to the appropriate page and held it under Itachi's gaze. His eyes grew wide at the impossible position between the two main characters of the graphic novel. When Sakura took his hand he didn't protest. "Let's make sure there are no limitations with this new body of yours."
"So we're about to engage in a scientific experiment?" Itachi asked. "To test my limits and endurance?"
"Exactly!"
Itachi growled in eagerness, tackled Sakura to the floor, and kissed her neck. "Why not start right here? We'll get to the bedroom eventually." He patted a hand on the thick rug they'd landed on. "Plenty of cushion. I believe we should try experimenting in each room of the apartment."
"We should evaluate your endurance and tolerability in various situations," Sakura murmured her agreement. Her neck was arched and her head fell back as Itachi rained kisses upon her exposed throat. She moved her hands to the front of his borrowed shirt — it was one of Kakashi's. She ripped it off his chest.
Itachi paused in his affections and stared down at her, hands braced on either side of her head. "I don't have any other clothes, Sakura," he scolded.
She grinned at him with a mischievous twinkle in her jade eyes. "For the experiments I have in mind, you won't be needing clothes for some time yet, Itachi."
There was a knock on the front door. "What?" Sakura asked, her voice dazed and her bright eyes glazed over. Itachi lifted himself off her and glared at the door tempted to use Ameratsu to burn to cinders whomever might have dared to interrupt.
"Sakura? Are you in there? The light is on," the voice of Sakura's mother Mebuki called. "Honey, your father and I are coming in." There was the sound of a key being inserted into the lock.
"Hide?" Itachi suggested.
"No," Sakura stood and offered Itachi her hand to help him stand. The markings of his bruising kisses were visible on her neck and her hair was askew. "I want them to meet you." She straightened his shirt, but couldn't do anything about the obvious tear down the front. "Hold on!" Sakura called out.
The door swung open revealing her parents, her large father with his hair sticking out in every which direction and her worried mother who's mouth dropped open as she took in the sight of Sakura and Itachi.
"Who is this?" Kizashi demanded.
Sakura reached for Itachi's hand and held it. "This is my boyfriend — Itachi Uchiha. Itachi, these are my parents Kizashi and Mebuki Haruno."
"I thought you were dating Sasuke," Kizashi said frowning. His eyes were drawn to Itachi's very much ripped shirt and the bruises on his daughter's neck.
"Well, he's certainly an impressive young man," Mebuki said with a sly smile, also appreciating Itachi's exposed chest. She frowned. "Isn't he a criminal?"
"Forgive me," Itachi said bowing respectfully at the waist to Sakura's parents. "I have served Konoha as a double agent. My service is now concluded. Sakura and I had to keep our relationship a secret. My brother, Sasuke, was kind enough to help us hold up appearances. I deeply apologize for the confusion." He straightened.
"Is this true?" Kizashi asked, looking past Itachi to Sakura. She nodded. "So all my advice to Sasuke was for nothing. Did he bring you any flowers at least?"
"He brought me sweets from Ayami's," Sakura said with a wan smile.
"Do you have any other clothes, young man?" Mebuki asked.
"I think Sasuke might have a spare shirt I can borrow," Itachi said.
"Well you two clean up. You're coming to our house for breakfast. I had to hear about your near death experience at the local tea shop!" Mebuki cried out, hands on hips and her blue eyes flashing in anger. "Then we ran into your teacher Kakashi and your un-boyfriend Sasuke on their way to practice. I thought you'd be home alone."
"I didn't want to worry you," Sakura said softly.
"We probably didn't even cross your mind, not with this one standing front and center," Mibuki said gesturing towards Itachi. "Not that I can blame you, honey. Now hurry up and while you're at it fix those bruises on your neck. You don't need the whole village to know what you've been up to."
Sakura nodded, and dragged Itachi back to the bedroom. "I cannot believe our luck," she whispered.
Itachi was disappointed by the interruption, but he was also amused by it. Kakashi and Sasuke had sent them over. He'd make his brother pay for that later. "I think we'll enjoy breakfast with your parents. They've been trying to have you invite your friends over for some time now." He leaned down and pressed a chaste kiss to her lips. "Now they can meet your boyfriend." It would give him a chance to speak with Sakura's father about future plans he had in mind for the pink-haired kunoichi.
Sakura laughed quietly as she opened the dresser drawer and threw one of Sasuke's shirts at him. "I'll remind you that you said that later when we try to escape a round of charades with them."
"Your family plays charades?" His family never played games together in social settings. It might be a fun experience. He smiled. "We better pick up some flowers on the way there."
"That won't be necessary. Dad has a small garden in the backyard. There's a reason he and Ino's father were friends. Besides, I doubt if we'll be able to get away from them." Sakura scowled. "They'll probably want to walk back together."
Itachi was hardly bothered about such things. He had been brought back to life and offered a chance to find happiness. He watched Sakura's neck glow green and her bruises from his kisses vanish. She could heal them all she wanted, he'd make sure there were plenty more in the future.
A/N: Hi there! This certainly was a busy chapter! There's just the final chapter left. Don't forget to drop me a line! 3/30/14