Faith

Itachi was pissed. He was angry beyond words and if Sakura didn't know better, would think his head was seconds away from exploding. Itachi merely stared at her as if waiting for her to smile at him teasingly and say she was just joking.

She wished it were that simple.

"Tell me again, Sakura what you just said." It would be the third time. She was hoping that it would be a charm.

"I'm leaving with Sasuke."

"Why?" The question was cold and clipped, so Sakura's lips clamored shut as she darted her eyes away. She couldn't tell him why. If she did, he would stop her—or at least he would try to.

"I can't discuss that—at least not right now." That was a lie. It was probably more like 'not ever' if things went according to plan. She hated keeping secrets from him, though. Sakura darted a glance back at him only to see that Itachi's eyes had narrowed.

"When will you return?"

That was another question she couldn't answer—but this time it was because she honestly didn't know. "As soon as I can." It was the best she could do, and it wasn't good enough. She could tell by the look in his eyes that she was hurting him, and Sakura was so tired of hurting this man, but she promised herself that this would be the last time. It was a foolish promise that she would never be able to keep, but she would try. She would work harder than she ever had to keep that promise for the rest of their lives.

"Sakura, you just performed a coup de' tat. The Uchiha Clan is unbalanced right now. If you leave now at such a critical moment, you'll lose them, and I don't know if you'll be able to get them back."

Sakura smiled slightly and sadly. A part of her thought he was using a double entendre, so she closed the distance between the two of them and held on to him tightly. He hesitated a moment before he returned her embrace and held her just as tight.

"I doubt it." And she did—when it came to the Clan. The women of the Uchiha Clan—those that were left anyway, were not particularly fond of the news that Sakura had delivered about the Uchiha Massacre. Hearing that the safety of their children, their husbands, and their lives were at stake….well, the Uchiha women were small in number, but they were strong in spirit. They would keep the men in line and hold the fort while she was gone. She had already gone to the homes of every female Uchiha and let them know what she needed from them.

She had their support. The question was, would she still have Itachi.

"I'm not leaving because I don't love you." Sakura felt him stiffen in her embrace, so she tightened her hold. "I'm coming home to you, and we're going to get married, fix the Uchiha Clan, and be happy, but I need you to believe in me. I'll come back to you."

"Hatake—" With the utterance of the name Sakura knew that she hadn't imagined things. With her sudden announcement that she was leaving with Sasuke, doubts had flared in Itachi's mind. A part of her was surprised that he didn't trust Sasuke—but the other part. The one that knew the Sasuke that would destroy worlds could believe it and probably encouraged it a little. But Sasuke would never ever say, 'Choose Kakashi instead of Itachi.' If anything he would say, 'Chose me.'

"Leave him out of this Itachi. I chose you. So I guess this is the point where you tell me whether or not you want to be chosen. Do you trust me with your heart? Do you believe I'll do everything in my power to protect it? Do you believe-that I am an Uchiha?" She hadn't married him yet. She hadn't taken the name legally, but her heart had taken it as well as her mind and soul. This was the path that she was meant to walk upon. She knew that deep in her bones.

"I believe you love me Sakura. I think you'll come back to me." Sakura almost relaxed but Itachi didn't give her a chance to. "I don't have faith that you'll be happy if you do." Sakura pulled back and looked up into Itachi's eyes. She opened her mouth to deny his words hotly, but he placed his finger on her lips. "So, I'm telling you now. Go. Go with my blessing and if you choose not to come back if you decide that you want to be with him instead I won't be angry at you. Eventually, perhaps, we can be friends."

She wanted to smack him. The thought that he would just toss away their relationship like it didn't matter at all was infuriating. Sakura said nothing, though, because she understood. To him, now, the same Sakura that loved another man was a part of her. The same Sakura that he slowly lost—that was a part of her now too. It was only logical that he would assume that events would unfold the same way.

He just forgot one small little detail.

She was also that other Sakura—and she had a lot of different experiences. In fact, her life as a whole was completely different. It molded her into a shape that can not be easily broken or forgotten. She chose Itachi for so many reasons.

For Sasuke. For the Uchiha. For Konoha.

She would not lie to herself and say that she didn't love Kakashi. Itachi would never believe that, and she wouldn't be able to make him. Sakura closed her eyes briefly and thought about her past with this man. Both pasts.

When she opened her eyes, she said, "You once told me that not everything is black and white."

"Sakura—" Itachi interrupted, but Sakura wouldn't let him. She talked over him making him cut off his words.

"You said that gray gives us more latitude to maneuver and I can see now that you're right. I'm leaving with Sasuke because I'm going to push our world into a gray situation to give us a solution that will make everyone happy. I can do this Itachi. I just need you to believe in me." Sakura drew in a sharp breath of air. "Do you?"