Chapter Ten
The Battle Ends
Bodies of various Akatsuki members were scattered throughout the room. Sasuke and I stood panting amongst them. "Only one left Sasuke. Are you ready?" During the three months that I had spent training, I was promised by the Kyuubi that no harm would befall my little child. I had no choice but to trust his word on that since I was NOT going to let Sasuke go into this fight alone. Oh how I had enjoyed slaughtering the people who had caused Sasuke and I so much pain. "Do you want to go after him alone?" And as much I hated leaving him, I knew this was something he had to do alone. He had to face Itachi and either kill him or die trying. Even death, I doubted, would be enough to stop him from avenging his clan.
"I'm fighting him alone Naruto. I told you that before." As I watched his anger grow, his eyes red and ablaze with all the years of pent up hate. "Listen, I don't care what the Kyuubi told you I want you to stay back and take cover. I have no telling how this battle is going to come out." With that he summoned the Chidori blade to his hand, charging down Itachi at the end of the hallway. By the look in Itachi's eye I knew this wasn't going to work, such a simple attack. Regardless, I dove under the table I was chained to when Sasuke first found me, my hands covering my head. I looked up enough just to watch the fight before me.
What happened next is something that will haunt my dreams forever. Black flames, quicker than time itself, erupted around the walls of the room. I screamed and scrambled out into the middle of the room. Out in the open I got a clear look at my once beloved Itachi. Crying red tears of blood he charged at Sasuke, within a matter of minutes he had him backed up against a clear wall. Stumbling forward, coughing up blood that trickled down his chin he whispered to Sasuke. Sasuke, scared to death already, shut his eyes when Itachi poked his forehead. "SASUKE!!" oh no, he was done for! Then, "ITACHI!?" Itachi fell, leaving a thick blood trail down across Sasuke's face.
"SASUKE NO!!" I shrieked seeing him fall next to Itachi's lifeless body. My heart wrenching sobs pierced the ringing silence. There could be no way I lost both my loves at once. "Sasuke…sasuke…" I ran over to my beloved, turning him over gently, his head resting in my lap, my tears mixed with the blood smear from Itachi but he was breathing but only just. There was no way that he would survive the trip back to Konoha for treatment but I had to try. "Don't die on my Sasuke. Don't you leave me!!" As gently as I could pick him up in my arms; jumping away from the crumbling ruins of Akatsuki's base. "Say something…anything…sasuke please!" I pleaded with the silent man in my arms.
"Stop talking so loud" Sasuke groaned softly, turning his head away from me. Every so often he would squeeze his eyes shut and gasp softly. I was so over joyed that I had to hold myself back from hugging and kissing him right then and there.
"Sorry" I whispered, not for one moment did I slow my pace. "Stay with me ok Sasuke? We're almost home, I can see the gates…if you can, keep talking." I knew he was tired and just wanted to pass out but I needed to know he was still alive. Even if it was just soft grunts and moans that's all I asked for.
"Yeah yeah" He gasped out, clearing his throat to talk "I'll say what I can." Then he looked me in the eye with those blood shot black eyes of his. He had ruined his eye sight more to help me. I felt awful...I felt even worse when he thought of me yet again and asked "How is our baby?"
"Sloshing around inside me as it should be." I bit my trembling lower lip "Kyuubi was true to his word and protected it." I bypassed the guards at the gate and headed straight for the hospital. They would find me later sometime I was sure. "Just a little bit more, hang in there for me."
"Yeah" Sasuke whispered his head falling limp against my shoulder…his whole body went limp; eyes slipping shut.
"Sasuke?" I stopped in the hospital emergency room "Sasuke, that's not funny. Sasuke wake up!" I gently shook him receiving no response. "SASUKE!!" I screamed as nurses and doctors rushed towards us as I sank onto the ground, the unresponsive Uchiha held tightly in my arms.