Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or anything pertaining to the anime/manga.

Warnings: This chapter contains slight violence, yaoi, incest, crude language, OOC, and anti-canonical themes. This chapter is also shorter than the last one but not significantly. There might also be a few errors in this chapter as well.

Pairings: ItaSasu, SasuNaru, references to KakaIta, and slight AsuKure as well as GaiKaka.

He took a deep breath as he tried to open his eyes; everything was so blurry, so out of focus. Through the fog all he could see were the cold red irises that he had seen before he had fallen hearing the words rolling off of those damn lips. All of the taunts that the young boy had giving him, the way that he waved failure in his face.

"Sasuke is going to give me what I want, and I want you to stay out of this, otherwise you're going to get yourself hurt."

All of the words that he had said against him were shining through, all of the bluffs that he had put up to make everyone believe that he was here just for the torture of the village. The final sound, the final blow that sent him deeper into the chasm of despair was what he thought he heard coming into the hospital room as he arrived. Moans, he could have sworn that he caught the sound of Sasuke's breathing rapidly increasing as it ran through his vocal cords. It sounded like pleasure.

"He belongs to me."

"Sasuke," he breathed opening his eyes wider. "N-no…" he could see the man that he had fallen at the hand of and Sasuke's lips touching passionately in a kiss. The more he thought about it the deeper the kiss got, Sasuke's slender fingers grasping at the enemies face pulling him closer. He wasn't going to win this.

"No!" he shouted as his eyes opened all of the way, his panting the only sound he heard over the doctors trying to hold him down. He could feel the numerous IVs being pulled out of his arms feeling the doctors press down harder on his chest trying to make sure that he wasn't going to move to hurt himself.

His body felt numb as the needles were removed his body, being free from all of the wires that had once taking him over. What happened to him? What did Itachi do? He used his genjutsu, but that was in Sasuke's room. Sasuke. He was probably still in the room if Itachi didn't get at him first.

What day was it? What time was it? Where was he? Why were there all of those machines? This wasn't how he remembered the outcome happening, he didn't remember the absolute collapse.

"Sasuke," he breathed again trying to calm himself down, the doctors leaving his side the door opening more footsteps coming to bother him. Looking up he could make out the faces. "G-Gai? K-Kurenai? What are you two doing here?"

Gai moved to take his rival's hand. "Kakashi, you're alright. Thank God, I thought you were gone forever."

Kakashi coughed. "What happened? Where's Itachi?"

Gai looked into Kakashi's eyes. "What do you mean? He's gone, Kakashi, he jumped out of the window after you got knocked out."

"He's dead?" Kakashi asked his voice raising. "He killed himself?"

Gai shook his head. "He's alive, there's a decree that says that we can't touch him. If anyone is found trying to destroy him and jeopardize the village they will be harshly punished."

"Decree?" Kakashi asked trying to move, his body still numb. "How long have I been out for?"

Gai touched his hand. "Kakashi…"

"How long?" Kakashi asked his eyes burning. "How long have I been out?"

The jounin sighed as he looked into his rival's eyes. "Kakashi, you've been in a coma for twenty-three days. That's almost a month. In those twenty-three days Sasuke was discharged from the hospital making an almost full recovery. He can finally move freely again, he can still be a ninja. He had some setbacks…"

"Setbacks?" Kakashi asked.

Kurenai looked at him. "Sasuke… just a few days after what happened to you went into cardiac arrest. They called the morgue and everything. They really thought they lost him, Kakashi."

"I was in a coma through all of this?" Kakashi asked as he turned away from his allies. "Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"

Gai looked away from Kakashi, he didn't want to see him like this. He didn't want to see him in a state of utter hopelessness. He didn't want to see him break. Kakashi Hatake was a man of principle, a man of the rules. Now he had lost all respect for them blaming himself for what happened.

"Did Sasuke go with Itachi?" Kakashi asked looking back at them.

Gai shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. All I know is since that day everything has changed. Team 10 has practically taken a long leave from being ninja. It's gotten bad…"

Kakashi closed his eyes. "Then I'm going to have to make you stay, even if I have to break you arms and legs. I'm sorry, Asuma."

"Gai," Kakashi let out a deep breath. "What happened to Asuma?"

He looked back at Kurenai. "Tell him Gai…."

Gai gazed into Kakashi's eyes seeing that he was still looking for the answer no matter how painful it was. "Asuma was caught in the cross-fire during a fight with Itachi. He went into the Hokage's office to protect him. He never saw the katana coming."

Kakashi struggled to sit up, his body numbing slowly. "You let him go? You let him go up against Itachi alone? Are you out of your mind? If I can't take Itachi then I don't want any of you to get the feeling that you can. I have a sharingan, and still I couldn't beat him."

"He made his choice," Gai answered looking into Kakashi's eyes. "He let him go after what happened to you, he never even tried."

"You're an imbecile," Kakashi stated looking at Gai. "You were so busy thinking about yourself you forgot about the most important thing. We're ninja that serve the Hokage, the Hokage was in danger and you knew that. Still you went off to tend to your own life. It's people like you that make me feel that the academies are too lax."

Gai bowed his head. "I did what I thought was right. That man pinned your student down and raped him. You're going to condone that? Sasuke went through all of that pain and you're still going to let Itachi live."

Kakashi closed his eyes hearing Itachi's laugh echoing through the room. "He belongs to me." The voice got louder as he tried not to look at Gai. Itachi was winning this, he was going to get to Sasuke at this rate, he was going to allow all of this to be condoned.

"Where's Sasuke now?" Kakashi asked.

Kurenai spoke up. "Naruto said that he called him, he's on his way now. Why do you ask?"

Kakashi looked over at her. "I want to see him." he immediately turned away. "Now get out of my face, you two. I don't want to see you right now."

Kurenai nodded as she went toward the door, Gai passing her in the process. "Kakashi, I was going to go after him, Asuma told me to stay behind. I know how you feel about teamwork, but he made me feel like I could trust him. The second that I heard he was wounded I broke down," she took a breath. "It wasn't our fault."

Kakashi turned away thinking about Itachi again. The images of his lips being pressed to those of his student's ran through his mind. Sasuke's voice was a crescendo of pleasure, his hands running through his brother's black hair. Itachi did put him through torture, the torture of knowing that his student's body was now his possession. Sasuke belonged to Itachi, it was over.

"He belongs to me."

-----

Sasuke walked through the doors to the hospital seeing his best friend walking out of the doorway. The bruises on Naruto's neck were still there from only a few days ago, still piercing through his heart. They moved in complete silence not even looking at each other. They were different people and it wasn't for the better, they had destroyed their lives. Looking over his shoulder he saw Naruto starting to slow down.

"Naruto?" Sasuke asked stopping looking back at Naruto. "Talk to me."

The blond stopped moving as he turned around his blue eyes empty. The bloody night that they had shared reflected in there, he resembled how he looked when he lay dead on the mattress. Naruto was only going farther from his past self, and it was all Sasuke's fault. He was killing him.

"Naruto," Sasuke continued as he walked over to Naruto's side. "Talk to me, damn it!" he closed his eyes. "Are you going to be cold forever? Are you ever going to forgive me for what happened?"

The other boy started walking away Sasuke's voice starting to shake as he tried to suppress either his sorrow or his anger. He kept walking away trying not to look back at his best friend. He could never look back.

"Naruto!" Sasuke called out. "Did you talk to Kakashi, did you tell him…?"

"No," Naruto answered continuing to walk. "Why would I tell him that? Sasuke, I told you that I was going to support you through all of this as long as you never died on me. But you broke your promise…"

"What?" Sasuke asked. "What are you talking about?"

Naruto turned around as he chuckled. "You mean you don't know? All of this time all you ever wanted to do was beat out your brother, make him pay for what he did to you. All of this time you were trying to avenge everything that was taken from you, you were an inspiration." He looked up at him. "Now look at what you've become, you're his puppet."

The Uchiha looked back at him. "I am not his puppet! He doesn't control me. I'm in charge of what I do. I live for myself. I listen to myself. I won't let anything get in my way, I don't care who they are. He doesn't have any effect over the actions that I do, I don't live to please him. I live to kill him. That's the reason I breathe."

"Give me a break," Naruto scoffed.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "Why don't you enlighten me on your feelings, you fucking bastard? Tell me what you think that I'm up to? What do you think is going through my hand right now?"

"I think that night was just for him. I want you to tell me how you really feel about your brother. All of this time you've been saying you hate him, but I can see through you. I can read you like a Goddamn book," he took a step forward. "I know that you have feelings for him, you go home everyday and you touch yourself to the thought of him. You get off on the pain that Itachi gave you. You aren't the Sasuke I know."

Sasuke looked up at him. "Naruto, what are you trying to say? Are you trying to say that you don't trust me?"

Naruto gazed into Sasuke's eyes. "You're dead to me."

"Naruto," Sasuke continued as he watched Naruto walk away. "I know how you feel on the inside; I know that you feel empty. You're wondering why I was trying to kill you. I want power, more than anything else. If I need to sacrifice everyone in this village to get it then so be it, I can't lose to him."

He walked over to his best friend his eyes concealing every feeling that he had. All of what was happening in his life; it was all hidden deep within in his soul. The way that he felt about Itachi, the happiness that he felt in his arms was never to be spoken of. He wasn't even sure what the feelings were, they felt like love, but were they? Was he really in love with that which killed his parents?

"Sasuke," Naruto breathed. "Where have you been?"

"I was taking things easy," he answered. "Where were you yesterday?"

"Getting Sakura away from me," Naruto laughed as he looked at the doors. "I'm sorry, about what I said. I've been so confused lately. You don't know what it's like to be around someone and not know how you feel."

Sasuke nodded. "I do."

"I don't think you do," Naruto answered, looking away from Sasuke. "You, you're different than before. All of these years I wanted to be like you, I wanted to be Sasuke Uchiha, have the world at my feet. Now I know that's never going to be my way of life. But… when I look at you, I know in the hospital room I didn't feel for you that way, but my time's running out."

"Running out?" Sasuke asked. "What are you talking about, your time has just begun. I'm not going to hurt you anymore, no one is."

Naruto lightly touched Sasuke's face. "If only that were the case, if only I could believe you, but I can't, I can never believe those words. Itachi will come for me; he'll hunt me down so you won't be able to get the power you seek. If you're not with him, then he won't go easy on you."

They caught each other's eye as Sasuke wrapped his arms around Naruto in a hug pulling him closer letting him break down. Naruto was breaking right before his eyes, the power that he holding within his body scaring him. It wasn't fair that he was the one that Itachi was going to kill, it wasn't fair.

"You're going to be alright," Sasuke answered stroking his back smiling all the while. "Stop crying."

"It's hard," Naruto continued to hug at his best friend holding onto him tightly tears streaking down Sasuke's neck. "I don't want this power, I never asked for it. This isn't fair; it's not fair that I had to drag you into this."

"You're my best friend," Sasuke soothed grabbing hold of Naruto's chin. "I have to protect you no matter what the cost. If there's one thing that a ninja does no matter what it's protecting the ones that are precious to them. You're precious to me, Naruto, if I lost you, I would never forgive myself."

Naruto moved closer still as the first raindrop fell. "Sasuke… I… you're precious to me too. If anything was going to happen to you I would kill myself. I would kill myself if you ever died."

Sasuke looked into Naruto's eyes. I have to calm him down. He grasped his chin tighter as he pulled him closer to his lips hearing Naruto gasp in shock. Naruto had said that he had never felt the way that it felt to kiss someone and really mean it. All of this time, Naruto was getting closer and closer to the edge of his rope, the ending of his life. Itachi was never going to find peace he was still alive.

Sparks ran through Sasuke's body as his lips hit Naruto's in a kiss, hearing the blond boy purr passionately. Hands pressed tightly up against Sasuke's back, feeling Naruto's lips part more than before allowing Sasuke's tongue to enter his mouth. He complied. The sounds that Naruto made didn't even sound human, they were strangled and weak, like a small animal.

"Sasuke," Naruto panted, backing away. "What was that for?"

"I wanted you to know that I'm here for you," he took his friend's hand pulling it close to his chest hearing Naruto gasp in shock. It was a gesture that worked for him all of these years, one that calmed him down almost instantly. I'm alive. He looked into Naruto's eyes deeply. "I'm alive, Naruto."

Blue eyes eased up as more raindrops fell. "S-Sasuke."

Sasuke clutched the hand tighter remembering the time where he was the one who was on the other side. There was no hope in his heart as he laid waiting for the moments where Itachi would come back. The long dark hours where he knew his brother's blood was getting spilled he could still feel the tears rolling down his cheeks.

"I'm glad I ran into you," Sasuke answered as he looked into Naruto's eyes backing away. "I need to talk to Kakashi."

"I knew you'd want to see him," Naruto smiled. "He says that he wants to see no one but you. He even kicked out the other jounin. You must be pretty special to him, Sasuke; you're the first person on our team that he wants to talk to."

Sasuke started walking toward the door. "I understand the urgency of this situation. I know how he feels about that day in the hospital room. I know that he still feels bad for coming too late," he took a few more steps. But more importantly, I want the answers to my questions. He continued walking through the door turning to Naruto. "I'll call you later."

Naruto smiled as he walked his own seperate way not knowing of the darkness that was in Sasuke's heart. There was something that was going to happen, something that was going to jeopardize Team 7 forever.

-----

He walked toward the elevator, the same route that his brother had taken the day when he had seized the hospital. That was the day when all of this started. That was the day when he admitted his love for him.

The door opened as he stepped into the elevator not looking back at what the door was closing on. He remembered his ride not too long ago when he swore that he was going to avenge what happened to Kakashi by destroying his brother. The tables had turned since then. Itachi was a different person than he was before; he was starting to be the one that he had fallen in love with.

Damn you, Kakashi, why did you have to do that to him? I've never seen my brother look so weak, he closed his eyes remembering the night by the river, the night where Itachi left him to die. It had all starting the first time when Itachi's lips hit his, that was a catalyst for this reaction. The hatred in his heart was starting to ease up as he looked at what was once his one true hate had become his one true love.

It made him sick knowing that almost every night he went home to be held in his brother's arms. He should hate him, he should want to destroy him, but he was trying his hardest not to let his hate get in the way. He was with Itachi by choice; after all, Itachi said he was going to leave him alone, all Sasuke had to do was say no.

The door opened as he saw the hall that he had walked down, the hallway that he had followed the way that he had remembered the first day that he had seen Kakashi. This was different though. He was awake. He was able to talk to him. He wanted answers; he needed to have the doubts in his heart silenced. Itachi was no longer going to be in pain, promised himself that.

The door was right in front of him as he saw what was going to become of all of his answers, his brother's broken eyes still in his mind looking straight at him. Itachi was dying on the inside and knowing that Kakashi was coming back only wrenched his heart more. He grabbed the door opening it fully to see his sensei on the bed.

Kakashi was sitting up on his bed his chest puffing in and out painfully, the struggles of pain still in his eyes. Itachi's genjutsu was reflecting through the way he held himself, his hands shaking as he tried to block out all of the torture that he had gone through. This was what Itachi wanted of his sensei, he wanted to destroy him and let him live with the pain.

"You broke out," Sasuke answered from the doorway, taking a step forward. "I was starting to get worried about you."

The jounin looked over with one eye opened, the single black eyes staring blankly. "Sasuke," he breathed his voice flat. "You're alright, you're even walking on your own," his eyes moved up and down Sasuke's body seeing the marks on his neck. The wound that was on his neck would have healed by now, but judging by the way that the blood was scabbing, it was fresh.

"What?" Sasuke asked closing the door behind him. "What are you looking at Kakashi?"

"What happened to your neck?" Kakashi asked.

The genin gasped. "Itachi bit me… remember?"

Kakashi shook his head. "Tell me then, did it re-open? You're neck seems to be bleeding more than it was before. What really happened to your neck, Sasuke?"

The young boy closed his eyes as he shook. "I ask the questions here. I'm the one who wants answers," he closed his eyes tighter his head swirling through a kaleidoscope of anger his breathing becoming rough. "What did you do?"

"What?" Kakashi asked raising an eyebrow. "Sasuke, what are you talking about?"

"Don't… don't play dumb with me," Sasuke snarled still keeping his eyes closed. "You had to have done something to have him react the way he did around you. During your fight I picked up hints that you two had met before, but how and why I never knew."

He clenched his fists tightly, the feeling of his fingernails running through all of his nerves. Blood was running through the gashes, his eyes watering violently in the process. There was something that he had to know. Heart racing in his chest he walked closer not being able to look into his sensei's eyes.

"Sasuke?" Kakashi asked. "What has Itachi done to you?"

"Don't blame this on Itachi," he opened his eyes revealing the red irises of the sharingan, his eyes filled with anger. "I'll kill you!"

Kakashi looked into Sasuke's eyes. He belongs to me. Was what Itachi said the truth, the second that Kakashi let go was Sasuke going to go after him? The look in his eyes was not his own, it wasn't Sasuke. It was a half bloodthirsty the other half was begging him for answers, tears forming deep within.

"What happened to you?" Kakashi asked as he looked into Sasuke's eyes trying to find some sort of comfort in the irises. "What did he do to you?"

"I ask the questions, you give the answers," Sasuke continued. "Tell me, what the hell did you do to my brother? I saw the look in his eyes, the hate that was thick in his voice, you did something to him."

Kakashi looked away. "You're too young to understand. I'll tell you when you're older, Sasuke."

"Don't fuck with me!" Sasuke breathed as he opened his eyes fully. "What are you trying to do? Belittle me? I'm not a child, Kakashi, I can take care of myself and I can handle anything that you did to him. There's nothing you can do or say that will make me hate you less. Tell me!"

Kakashi observed him now that he was closer, the marks that were on his elbows and knees, they were hickeys. He took a deep breath of Sasuke's scent not smelling what he had before. He smelled this scent before, in his nightmares, in his past, in the highest moments of his life. The smell was jasmine, it was Itachi's.

"No," Kakashi sighed as he grabbed Sasuke's shoulders pulling him closer. "Please God, no!" he took a breath of his hair; it smelled that jasmine as well. The same sequences that ran through his head were back as he looked at Sasuke's face. He had been touched again by his brother, and he had allowed it.

"Let go!" Sasuke growled. "I'm warning you!"

Kakashi shook him once. "Sasuke! Tell me something as well. When did you…? When did you start having sex with your brother?"

Sasuke gasped trying to break free. "What do you mean?"

"I can smell him on you; I can see the look in your eyes as you say his name. His lips have touched yours once again. I know that he's been inside of you again; you can't hide what's going on. I know that you've been sleeping with him… willingly."

Sasuke pulled back. "You think you're so intelligent, don't you?"

Kakashi looked up at him opening his left eye. "You said that your purpose was to kill him and if you couldn't do that you had no reason for existence. Than tell me, now that you've accepted his flaws what do you make of it? What is your life now?" he narrowed his eyes his voice growing heavier. "It's a waste, that's what it is. A waste of your life! A waste of your time!"

Sasuke closed his eyes. "Isn't your life a waste, Kakashi? You said that you were a man of principle and you were going to be a great ninja. Look at you, Kakashi, you're in a hospital bed, your body already started to eat at your muscles. You'll never be able to be a ninja again, not for a while anyway."

"That's not the same," the jounin answered. "You wasted four years of your youth!"

The young boy closed his eyes as he laughed. "Jealous? Are you jealous that no one can tame me except for Itachi? My heart was once revenge, but you told me that path was going to make me feel empty on the inside. I gave up on it to make my heart whole; Itachi opened my eyes to that. He told me that I was only going to hurt myself going on like this."

Kakashi closed his eyes. "Itachi is clouding your mind with his words."

"Your poison is not going to sink into my blood," Sasuke answered. "Now tell me, what the hell did you do to my brother? Why does he not have happiness that I know that he once had? Why did you destroy him?"

"I don't know what Itachi has told you," Kakashi sighed as he looked into Sasuke's eyes. "Itachi tends to get over the top when it covers his ass. Don't forget who raped you."

Sasuke closed his eyes. "He opened my eyes, I was given a ticket to power and if my virginity was the price that had to be paid, then it was worth it. All of these years that I wasted on trying to kill him were worth it. It's because of my hate for him that made me realize that I love him."

"Sasuke?" Kakashi asked, watching a tear form in his student's eye.

"I love him," Sasuke whimpered. "Now that I'm with him I can finally let myself go. I got too caught up in trying to kill him, I lost my soul. I always idolized him, I wanted to be him. He was my first childhood crush. There were times where I used to hurt myself so that he would help me."

"Sasuke," Kakashi continued. "You don't love him, you're confused."

"You don't know how I feel when I'm around him. He makes me feel like I can let go of all of the hate in my heart. He makes me feel like I can do anything that I want. That's why he did everything he did."

Kakashi curled his hands into fists. "He's using you to get a quick lay, Sasuke. He's going to keep using you until your body doesn't satisfy him anymore. You're sick, you're starting to get weak on him, he's going to leave you alone soon. That's his style."

"No," Sasuke growled tears rolling down his cheeks. "That's your style. What did you do to him? Did you get into a fight? Were you two rivals? Or worse yet, were you two in love? Did you love my brother?"

There was a small silence as the rain fell harshly up against the window. "Your brother and I were not anything that you should be hearing about. All I know is that Itachi was the only mistake that I ever made. If I never met him… all of the pain in your life would be weakened."

Sasuke swallowed hard. "No," he let out a deep breath. "Take it back! Take back what you said about him, all that you've said about him. Say what you like about me, that I'm a waste, that I'm worthless, but don't ever say anything like that around me again, not about Itachi."

"What happened to you?" Kakashi asked again,

Sasuke sat on the mattress next to Kakashi. "I don't want to be around you anymore!" he coughed as he fell into Kakashi's arms. "I don't want to be around you or Naruto or Sakura. I'm not like all of you, I don't have a goal. I have no purpose, I live a worthless life."

Kakashi moved to touch Sasuke's forehead. "You're burning up."

"What did you do?" Sasuke asked his voice quiet. "What did you do to my brother? I'll kill you when I find out and you're going to tell me. Itachi wouldn't, so you will. Tell me."

"No," the jounin answered. "I'm not going to give that bastard the pleasure. He touched you; he took your soul away from you. I should have been with you three that night; it was reckless of me to leave you. I should have gotten to the scene earlier than I did and stopped him before he got to you. Sasuke, it's my fault that you're with him."

"I'm happy, Kakashi," Sasuke answered looking into his eyes. "Don't take this away from me," he stood up and started to walk to the door not looking back at his sensei. I had to choose between friendship and love. Even though it hurts me, I will come back to you one day, Kakashi, but I won't be the same as I was before. I'll have power.

"Sasuke!" the jounin cried out. "I'm in a coma for twenty-three days and you hate me? You can't let him push you around. You're letting Itachi push you around, Sasuke. The Sasuke Uchiha I know would never stand for that. You never showed respect to anyone, so why is he like a Divine God to you?"

"He made a promise, he said that he would never let anything bad happen to me," Sasuke answered. "And I pledged my allegiance to him, I'm now going to help him for the time being," he turned to Kakashi. "I tell you all of this in confidence, because I still trust you. I trust you, Kakashi."

Kakashi's eyes widened at the last remark. Even though he came in with all of the hate in the world in his heart he still was able to put that all aside and trust him. Sasuke was the enigma of the team; he was the student that it was a pleasure to teach. It was his favorite student walking out that door to Itachi, he was losing him forever.

"He belongs to me."

He closed his eyes as Sasuke left the room. "We'll see who he belongs to, I'm not giving up that easily," he lay back up against the bed. "Don't attack him because of me…"

-----

Sasuke moved inside the house falling to his knees almost immediately clutching his stomach, his head was still swirling through a series of hate, the words of all of the people that were close to him rolling through his head. They all thought less of him these days when he was finally accepting that he could never have the only thing that he wanted in the whole life. Itachi was always going to be alive.

"You said that your purpose was to kill him and if you couldn't do that you had no reason for existence. Than tell me, now that you've accepted his flaws what do you make of it? What is your life now? It's a waste, that's what it is. A waste of your life! A waste of your time!"

He fell closer to the ground as he closed his eyes trying to dull the pain in his stomach, his body feeling like it was on fire. Worthless, Kakashi had called him worthless and a waste, was he all of that? Was all of this just a waste of time? Was he never going to be the same person that they al wanted him to be?

"I think that that night was just for him. I want you to tell me how you really feel about your brother. All of this time you've been saying you hate him, but I can see through you. I can read you like a Goddamn book, I know that you have feelings for him, you go home everyday and you touch yourself to the thought of him. You get off on the pain that Itachi gave you. You aren't the Sasuke I know. You're dead to me."

Sasuke closed his eyes. Is that all that I am? A dead worthless person? After all of this time did no one care? I was alone from the beginning and I'm always going to be alone. No one cares. He leaned forward as he coughed fighting the tears that were rolling down his cheeks. Even through all of the apologies none of it matters, it's all the same to me, they're all just here to make me be with them. My emotions don't matter. He tried to fight the urge to vomit, trying not to let them win.

"No one ever cared about you, Sasuke. Our parents hated you. Our clan hated you. Your teammates hate you."

They didn't care, Itachi was right. Kakashi and Naruto didn't care. His parents didn't care. The clan didn't care. But Itachi was wrong about one thing, despite how tough he was trying to sound that night, he did care. He stood by him this whole time and he gave him a choice, he didn't have to be with him. He was even going to sacrifice his own life for him.

"Itachi?" Sasuke asked, falling face down panting reaching into his holster for a kunai his hands shaking violently as he gripped the metal. "Itachi?"

He heard footstep come closer, it was Itachi. "Sasuke?" His eyes looked down at the young boy on the ground his eyes filling with more emotion that he had ever seen. It was a state of utter shock jaw slightly dropping at the sight. "What the…?"

"Itachi," Sasuke breathed clutching the kunai. "I… I… can't do this anymore…"

The older ninja's eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about? What happened with Kakashi? Did he hurt you?" he moved down the boy's level looking into his eyes. "Sasuke… talk to me!"

"He's using you to get a quick lay, Sasuke. He's going to keep using you until your body doesn't satisfy him anymore. You're sick, you're starting to get weak on him, he's going to leave you alone soon. That's his style."

Sasuke grasped the kunai tighter. "Stop lying to me… tell me the truth!"

"What are you talking about?" Itachi asked being met with a kunai aimed at his neck, not even flinching. The look in the young boy's eyes was filled with hate, a hate that he had never seen thrust upon him before. "Sasuke?"

"Tell me what you're doing with me!" he pleaded looking into his eyes. "Tell me what I am to you. Am I just a toy for your sick pleasure or do you really respect me the way that you say you do?"

The kunai pushed closer to his Adam's apple as he gasped. "Sasuke, he's telling you what to do. He's trying to drive you away from your potential…"

Sasuke moved the kunai to rest at Itachi's shoulder. "You, you are the only one who I felt that I could trust, but you were the only one who made me feel uneasy. I gave you my heart and you…"

Itachi moved his shaking hand to grasp the kunai his eyes closing tightly not being able to look at Sasuke. What was going on with him? Ever since they met up again he was feeling different, he felt like he was someone else. The weight of the organization and the hatred had become to strong, he was already starting to break.

"Sasuke," he started taking the kunai away. "Kakashi is wrong about whatever he said about me. I love you, Sasuke, I love you more than I love my own life. If you don't believe me, then take that kunai and run me through the heart."

There was silence as he looked at the kunai in Itachi's hand. Who was he to believe: the man that he hated forever or the man that he trusted like father? His mind was going crazy as he looked into his brother's eyes and then at the bandages on his face, arm, and hand. He was being tortured to make this whole plan not hurt Sasuke. He was risking his life when everyone else would have sat on the side. And unlike Kakashi who would have done the same, Itachi embraced that Sasuke was going through a tough time and rather then helping him through it like a parent, his did it indirectly. Everyday with him was an exciting new challenge, another way to make everything that had once brought him down easier to swallow. He wasn't using him, it wasn't just a quick lay, he would have been gone by now.

"Itachi," Sasuke breathed moving closer to him grasping his face his fingernails digging into the fair flesh. "I'm so sorry," his lips touched his lightly closing his eyes as a tear fell down his cheek. "Kakashi said… you were using me for sex."

"Sex?" Itachi asked, stroking the young boy's hair. "What make you think that's why I'm here? All of those times that we've done that, I could take them all back and love you no less."

"Are you just saying that?" Sasuke asked as he looked into his brother's eyes. "Because if you are, then I don't want to hear it."

Itachi pulled Sasuke closer to him taking him in a tight hug, his arms possessively holding him, the sound of his heart circulating through their bodies. Sasuke was crying, sobbing, he was showing all of the weakness in the world, but still he was holding onto him. The hug oozed with the feeling of compassion, the feeling of respect. All of these years, was he chasing after the wrong person? Was the monster that he was so afraid of nothing more than a memory curled up on the bloody floors of his mind?

"Itachi," Sasuke breathed. "What were you and Kakashi?"

He sighed. "Sasuke… I don't know why it bothers you so much that he's pained me. What he did to me is something that I don't want to share with you, not now anyway. I'll tell you, believe me."

As he held him he felt Sasuke cough harder his body clutching onto his tighter so tight that it felt as though the skin was going to break underneath his clothes. This wasn't like his usual coughs where Itachi could brush it off as nothing, this was different. The flesh of Sasuke's body was starting to heat up his breaths becoming heavy. This was getting more serious than it was yesterday, or this morning.

"Sasuke?" he moved to touch the boy's forehead. "You're burning up."

"It's nothing," Sasuke answered, feeling Itachi pick him up. "Stop it… I'm fine."

"Don't give me that," the older ninja answered carrying him to the bed. "You're sick, and this is more than a cold. I thought that your cold was gone, but colds don't have fevers," he held the boy tighter. "That damn hospital, all those days that you've been there you've been picking up bacteria," he opened the door to the bedroom.

Sasuke felt his body being put down on the bed as he felt his brother's warmth leave him. His body went from warm to cold, chills running down his spine to feeling an unbearable heat. He reached his hand out to grasp Itachi's breathing heavily. He could hear his brother muttering words as if he was praying closing his eyes. What was going on with his body?

"I-Itachi?" Sasuke asked.

"How long have you been feeling this weak?" Itachi asked looking down at Sasuke's shaking body.

"Since yesterday," Sasuke breathed clutching the hand tighter. "Did I give it to you? I'm so sorry…"

Itachi shook his head. "I have an immune system like you wouldn't believe, Sasuke. There's nothing that you can harvest could make me sick," he touched his forehead closing his eyes tighter. "Judging by your appearance and the way that your body is reacting, I'd say that you have the flu."

"Flu?" Sasuke asked. "I… I'm sorry if this ruins all of your plans."

"Don't worry about it," Itachi answered as he looked through the drawers pulling out a small cloth. "I'm going to help you get better, that's the first thing on my priority list. If you're sick then the plan is worthless."

Sasuke watched as the cloth was moistened with a glass of water that was on the side table his brother wringing the cloth out the water falling to the ground. Itachi's eyes were fixed on the cloth as his mind went through a series of thoughts. Kakashi was wrong, he did care about him, it was more than a quick lay. He really cared.

"Itachi," Sasuke breathed, feeling the cool cloth touch his forehead. "Thank you."

"It wasn't any trouble," Itachi answered as he pressed the cloth onto Sasuke's forehead hearing a shiver run through his body. "You're going to be alright, because I'm going to take care of you now."

There's something about him that makes me feel as though I never wanted to kill him, not even for a second. Now I understand. I know how he makes me feel, I need him. I love him; he clutched his stomach as Itachi moved a waste basket in from on him. He still pressed the cloth to Sasuke's forehead as he retched. It hurt his throat as he continued coughing, continued to vomit. Being sick around Itachi in the condition that he was already in, it was dangerous.

"It's okay," Itachi stated as he took the cloth away, the boy leaning in more to the basket. His body was moving painfully as he continued to vomit. "Let it all out…"

Sasuke grasped onto Itachi's leg as he let out the last few retches looking over at his shoulder at his brother's face. "You're not scared of this?"

"Of the flu?" Itachi laughed.

"Your ribs, they're broken, your body is susceptible to a disease," Sasuke breathed being pushed back onto the bed. "You still want to be around me even though I'll be the death of you?"

"You always wanted to kill me," Itachi smiled, a genuine smile, the first one all day, the first one in a while. "This is your chance to finally let it all happen."

Sasuke felt the cloth touch his face again, "Itachi, about your offer, the one that said that you would train me. I would like that."

Itachi's eyes lit up. "Are you sure that you want to do that? The training will be long and hard. You'll hate me after it. We have so much to cover, and I'm not sure if you have the patience."

Sasuke closed his eyes. "What stupid test do I need to pass to become your student? Do you want me to kill someone for you? Do you want me to vow my undying allegiance? I want you to teach me."

There was a slight silence as Itachi looked out the window seeing the rain fall up against the glass. "I'm flattered that you would consider turning against your sensei. What did he say that made you hate him so much? I've never seen you this upset at someone."

Sasuke took a deep breath. "He called me a waste…"

"A waste?" Itachi asked. "He called you a waste? Is it because of me? He's attacking you because he knows about you and me, he thinks that you're the easier target; he can still get you onto his side. Kakashi, I thought that he was a better person than to be picking on twelve-year-olds, especially one who held his own better against me than he did. He's a sad individual."

Sasuke closed his eyes taking a deep breath. "Don't hurt him."

"How can I hurt him more?" Itachi asked. "I already put him in a coma for almost a month; anymore damage would just be barbaric. Besides, these Konoha jounin are starting to make me curious, what is this village doing?"

Sasuke smiled as he started to succumb to his fatigue. "You and your hate for the village, it's contagious, you're starting to make me hate everything more."

"Really?" Itachi asked. "Then I'm sure you'll be proud to hear that I'm going to allow your training to be put under me. Kakashi is wasting you and his lack of movement is not going to help you prosper. You want to surpass me," he looked down at the young ninja. "Right?"

Sasuke nodded as he started to lose focus, his mind starting to go through a chasm of darkness. The second that he gave in was the second that he was going to prove that he was weak. Even though he knew the words shouldn't get to him, they did. The people that he wanted Itachi to keep alive were the two who were hurting him the most. He should have let Kakashi die, he should have strangled Naruto. He was getting too soft; he was never going to surpass Itachi.

"It's going to be alright," Itachi answered. "The more you rest the better that you're going to get. I'll be right here when you wake up," he was engulfed by the darkness, "I promise…"

As he was engulfed he was at peace, he could still feel Itachi's hand squeezing up against his. The words that ran through his head ensuring that everything was going to be alright, all of this was going to pass. Hopefully.

Itachi let his hand go as he walked toward the door the sound of his feet going through Sasuke's ears. He was going to be there for him through all of this, like he always was, he was going to do what Kakashi couldn't. The support that he was giving him was unnecessary, but it was so soothing.

His whole body ached, every breath getting harder, it was starting to sink in. This was what was going to ruin him, this damn flu. Worst of all, he couldn't stop Itachi from what he was going to do to Kakashi. Don't hurt him. He took a deep breath as he fell into the abyss.

Author's Note: I know this chapter was a little wierd at the end, and it didn't really answer any of the questions about the KakaIta pairing. But this is the beginning of more light shined onto Itachi and his feelings toward all of this, as well as more light on the night where Shisui died. So what did you think? Good? Bad? Mad at me for making Sasuke sick? I love honesty.

Next chapter Itachi goes to see Kakashi in the hospital.