Over the next couple of months, Naoki and Sasuke had left the village. Tsunade had no other decision than to send a group of genin after them, they had little chance of success. I reassured her though, I had talked to them before they left, they said they'd keep in touch with me. It seemed that my prediction was correct, the group they had sent came back empty handed. Naruto was acting more like I was a while ago. I helped comfort him, but his ambitions would constantly get in the way. Tsunade just sent him on many missions, that really lead to no progress in his quest. One day we had heard about the Akatsuki's whereabouts and activities. I went up to Tsunade and begged her for this mission.

"Come on Tsunade! You have to put me on this mission."

"Look, we have seen what they can do, if I let you go then…"

"But they are my teammates! I think I have the right to go along"

"If you got hurt, then I who would look after Naoki and Naruto, make sure that they are brought up right?"

Well they can handle themselves! Please just let me go"

"Fine but the deal is at least Kakashi and I go along too"

"I'm fine with that! We'll leave tomorrow"

"Ok, but what are you really planning on doing when you find them?"

"Well…I'm not quite sure, I just…"

"No I understand. I just want you to be able to handle it"

I ran through a vague plan in my head as I walked to the village gates the next day.

"Ok let's go!"

"You do know what you're getting into right?"

"Ya…but if you keep asking me this I'm going to get nervous"

I shimmered them off to the spot. It was a cave in the middle of the river country.

"Hm I see you found us, I was just about to go look for you"

"Now why would you do that?"

"Oh well, because it's about time for us to enact our plan"

"What the heck are you talking about?"
"Nothing you need to know"

"Whatever, now let's get to it!"

We started to fight but there were so many more of them than us. We were outmatched fairly easily, but these would be the last people to use the bijuu on.

"This is not going wel…"

Something suddenly zapped me in the back and I was out.

"Now for the finishing blow", he took aim with his Shinra Tensei

"Stop. What do you think you're doing?!"

(Itachi's POV)

"I'm just making things easier for the plan, you understand don't you"

"No, why would you do that!? She is already out, you did enough"

"Just stay out of it and let me do this"

Then I jumped in front of them to stop Hiro from going anymore.

"Itachi, are you really going to give up all that we have accomplished for this?"

"Yes, I thought we had a deal"

"So are you with us or against us?"

"I'm all with you"

Then I picked up Mariah as we started running back to the village.

(Hiro's POV)

"Don't you think we should go after them?"

"Nah just let them leave, we can still get the other 6 before we mess with them"

"But wouldn't it be easier to just do it now, hmm?"

"I said just let them leave. Come let's go back"

(Itachi's POV)

When we got back to the village, we ran over to the hospital so that we could look at her wounds.

"So are you going to stay?"

"Yes, I'm not going to leave again, if I can stay"

"Of course you can stay, now here's your real test, she's coming back into it"

Mariah just sat there staring out the window

"Hey, how are you feeling?"

"I need some time to think"

With that she shimmered out of the room.

"I should have known that she would act like this"

"Well you did kill your clan and leave"

"Yes but I was ordered to…but I wouldn't expect her to have known that…"

"Then why didn't you tell her? And you were ordered to!?"

"Because it would have made her even more worried and she wouldn't have let me go and do the mission. The counselors ordered me to exterminate them, they were planning a coup"

"But it was for the good of the village and for her. When you left, were you guys…"

"Yes we were kind of going out, but just a little while"

"Then you just have to get her to trust you again, and so that she knows you won't leave again, just tell her the truth"

"Yes but how? You saw how she just left without much of anything"

"Hmm I have an idea, I'll go get Natsumi! She'll be able to talk some sense into her, she isn't far away this week"

"Who is Natsumi anyway? I always hear her name but never know who she is"

"She is Mariah's best friend, a jounin from the cloud village. We met her on one of our missions"

"So anyway, I'll go get her. I'll be back in a few minutes, Itachi don't go anywhere"

He poofed away again.

Meanwhile (My POV)

I shimmered over into the middle of the forest where I could just think. That's when Natsumi came up to me.

"So, your having some issues with what to do because Itachi came back?"

"Well ya…I just don't know! I don't know if I can trust him, he killed his entire clan. If he leaves again I don't know what I would do. I can't handle that again Natsumi, you remember what I went through after that."

"Mariah, if you never take risks then how will you know if he is the one you are truly meant for. Besides, when he left weren't you two going out? You were such a cute couple. I think that he is probably the one you are meant for, he really cared about you and I think he still does."

I said nothing in response to that.

"Well, I'm not your mom or anything so it's really your decision, but just remember how it used to be. I'm sure he did what he did for a reason."

"He killed the whole clan. If he has a good explanation, I might give him another chance…I'll have to think about it though."

"How about you decide at tonight's party!"

"Why are we even having a party anyway?"

"You're going, whether you like it or not, I'm going to drag you to it. Now just try to think about it"

(Itachi's POV)

"Well? How did it go?"

"It went…well not as great as planned, but she is considering it. You just have to do something special for tonight"

"Like?"

"Just get up there and tell her how you feel"

"I have nothing in mind though"

"I'm sure you have something, you can think of something from the heart"

"Well there is something"

"Great! Just use that, now to get you some real clothes"

After her and Natsumi walked out of the room, Naruto started again.

So you do you have something special you can do to make her believe you and trust you again?"

"I think I have an idea"

"Good, girls love sappy stuff like that, you should have seen her after you left. She was a hopeless wreck that didn't do anything much out of her house, didn't even do missions"

"I never meant to hurt her. I just wanted to protect her. it was a mission, I had to do it."

"Ya I get it, we all know now. She just…after her dad and mom"

"Ya, she is very trusting"

"And when someone breaks that trust, even unintentionally, she just…"
"I get it, she doesn't open up to many people. So anyway, I need some clothes for tonight"

"Oh I have some for you, there"

"How did you even get back in here, you just left."

"I have my ways, now just wear that to the party, and you should be fine"

"Thanks guys so much for helping me out like this"

"Hey it's no problem, now go get ready, it starts in a few hours"

A few hours later

(My POV)

Me-"What should I do, should I just forgive him or not? What if he leaves again? Why am I asking myself these questions in my head, I should just forgive him…? He was the best thing that happened to me.

Out of the blue, I heard a knocking at my door.

"Hi, you ready to go?"

"Ya I guess, it's going to be an interesting night"

We walked over to the building that they had planned this is.

"I can't do this, I mean what am I going to tell him? He is a murderer, why did they even let him in the village"

"Just tell him what's in your heart, or let him tell you"

After we walked inside, everyone was there even thought it was quite early for the party. Everyone was just staring at me and I just sat down. Then Natsumi went up to the stage that was in the front.

Natsumi-"Ok to start off the night we will be having dinner then speeches. So everyone have fun and we will get this show up and running"

"So who is going to give a speech?"

"Well I was thinking maybe you?"

"Me? Why me?"

"I think you have something to say, so eat and get ready, you'll go second"

"Wait, who's going first?"

Before I could say it she left, walking towards the food. After a few hours of mingling and eating it was finally time for the short speeches. When Natsumi and Naruto had gone up there and introduced the first person I couldn't believe it…she said Itachi was going to go first.

When he got up there, he looked right at me. You could see the sadness in his eyes. I tried to look away but just felt myself drawn to watch him.

"I know I've done some messed up things in my life. I know that we can't just forget about it. All I really want is that someone that I deeply care about would forgive me. I really do have an explanation for her. It was my mission Mariah, I had to for the sake of the village. If I didn't then someone else might have had to. I know I should have told you, and maybe you won't forgive me, I just wanted you to know the truth…"

I stared down at the ground, I guess I really need to make up my mind now. I walked up onto the small platformed stage and thought for a second before starting.

"A lot of tragic things have happened to me in the past few years. After my parents died I didn't really know what I was going to do. People in the village were always nice and caring about it and always know that it was a tender subject. Then, just a few years ago, I lost both of my teammates too. I didn't know what to do with myself then, I had nobody there to help me through it, nobody to wipe away the tears. I felt like something was missing from my life…what I'm trying to say is that I missed that person, deep in my heart I just wanted to make up with him, but I couldn't after what he did, but maybe I'll change my mind"

A few tears fell from my face as I walked down from the stage back onto the couch. Itachi soon followed after me, wanting desperately to talk.

"You know I never meant to hurt you"

"I get that now, if you would have just told me"

"And I know that I really should have"

"Itachi, what if you leave again? I can't handle going through something like that agai…"

He pushed on my back and gently kissed me, holding us close together. The tears just started flowing as I hugged him, forcing his back onto the arm of the couch and I wiped my tears on his shirt. He smiled a bit and stroked my hair for the duration of the night.