I do not own Naruto~

Lol, yes, the author's note was a joke xD

If you ever think that your annoyed by your family or that you hate them, reconsider. Because you will most likely never be forced do what Itachi did that night. He almost lost his hatred for the clan because he knew some of them were innocent, but he had no choice to but to kill them. He remembered, as he cut them down, the small amount of moments he cherished with other members of his clan. He felt as if his skin was stained with their blood that was flung onto his armor and coated his sword. Even as he watched the red fade away in the Nakano River, the river he killed Shisui in, no matter how much he scrubbed, it would not wash away. He could still feel the warmth of it on his skin, that slick feeling that made him sick to his stomach, still smell that metallic smell.

It was never going to wash off.

He felt Madara drawing near and growled, frustrated, as he stood up and tried to wipe his hands on his pants before shooting a glare at the Uchiha landing before him.

His eyes widened and a gasp of horror almost passed his lips.

Those eyes, that face, that girl...

He just stood as still as a statue, not even moving. Ayano had her eyes wide, whatever had been in the bowl she was holding had fell.

"You..." Ayano breathed, her skin pale.

They stood for who knows how long, and Itachi was fearing he would lose control any minute. He couldn't make his katana move an inch.

Not her. I'll kill everyone else but her.

She had to have known who it was behind the mask, now. Who was holding a blade to her throat, threatening her very life.

Why wasn't she moving? Or trying to get away? Or even screaming?

Why was she smiling?

"I understand," she whispered. Piece by piece, his frozen heart was being broken off and stepped on before being thrown into a fiery pit. "The council couldn't stop them. It's okay." The grip on his blade was starting to shake.

"Why aren't you running?" he whispered. Her smile never wavered, her eyes never left his, even though his were spinning blood red and covered by a mask. He had never dreamed of looking at her with those eyes. "Hurry up and run."

"They'll found out I knew about the coup," she shook her head. "They'll kill me anyways." Suddenly realization hit her. "But my mother knew, too, and they let her go," she mused. She smiled wider at him. "You helped her get out, didn't you?" Numbly, he nodded. He had helped her move to a village up north, and she was continuing to flee to the Rice Field country.

Ayano let out a relieved sigh. "So she's not dead. Thanks." She grinned. "We were going to name him Masaki," she mused. "My brother. That was my grandfather's name." She seemed to be thinking about something for a while. Itachi couldn't move. "Will you make me a promise?"

He nodded again.

"Will you make sure my brother stays safe?" His eyes widened.

She had every intention of dying here.

He can't do this anymore.

"You can do it," he suddenly said in a rush. "Come with me. I'll take you to them. Come with me."

"I'll only be a burden," she objected. Why was she so calm? "You'll have people trying to kill you. You'll get hurt protecting me."

Why were both she and Shisui fine with him killing them?

"I don't care," he told her. "I can't kill you. I won't." He moved the blade away from her throat defiantly, down by his side, and took a step towards her. "Come with me. Please." She bit her lip and took a step back.

A sudden prescence shifted Itachi's attention away from Ayano, and he whirled around to face the door.

Why was Madara still here!?

"Madara," he growled. "Get out-" But the older Uchiha had moved before he even opened his mouth.

He was nothing but a blur as he moved past him, towards Ayano.

"We're in a hurry, kid," Madara cut in, standing before Ayano.

Itachi's eyes widened as he turned around to stop him.

But it was too late.

Time moved agonizingly slow as he turned just enough to watch the scene play out.

Madara's blade ran down Ayano's chest, cutting deeply, and she let out a pained and surprised gasp as she looked down at her chest with wide and shocked eyes. She fell, raising her eyes to meet Itachi's, and hit the floor with a hollow thud. Ice ran through his veins.

Time sped up.

"Stop!" Itachi exclaimed, throwing his body in front of her, causing Madara, who was raising his katana to end her, pause.

"We don't have time to decide who we're gonna spare," Madara growled. "I've made sacrifices, too, kid. Learn to deal with them."

"Just leave," Itachi hissed. Madara glared at him and disappeared. As soon as he was gone, Itachi was immediately kneeling beside Ayano.

"I'll take you to the hospital," he told her, unaware of how bad he was shaking. He felt like he had no control over his emotions, right now. He moved her so she was leaning against his knee."You won't die. I promise."

She stared at his mask, her face twisted into a pained expression. She had never been hurt like this before. It was painful, but it also felt strangely numb.

"It's already over," she told him. Her voice was barely audible and came out in a rasp. He tried to pick her up, but her pained gasp made him set her down immediately. "He cut too deep...I'm losing too much blood."

"I can help you," he objected. She shook her head, her hand pressed against her chest, trying to push away the pain. "Damn it, why do you both have to do this to me!?" he burst out suddenly. Even without him saying, she knew he was talking about both her and Shisui. "Why are you both so calm about it!? Don't you want to see Masaki?" She winced, her hand still grasping her chest. Blood dripped down her arm and was pooling around her.

"He'll be fine without me," she murmured. Her eyes were feeling heavy. Itachi's head bent down. His breathing was becoming more labored.

"...Please don't do this to me," he whispered. "I can't do it. Not after what I've done already." Ayano's hand brushed against the necklace draped around her neck.

"He broke it..." she whispered, picking it up by one end and holding it up as much she could. "Well that sucks..." It reflected part of the moon, casting dim glittering beams on the ceiling. She felt like she could feel the moonlight dancing across her skin. The necklace was a thin chain with several charms on it, all silver, but had blood soaking the links. "It needs to be...cleaned, but...you want it?" She moved her eyes back to his face. "I'd hate for them to just...store it in a box forever..." With one shaky hand, he took the necklace, staring down at it. "My...Dad gave it to me, for my..birthday," she told him, then grimaced. "He still thinks I hate him, doesn't he...? That...sucks..."

"You can tell him," Itachi told her, gripping the chain. "Let me help you."

"And what do you think they'll do to me?" she asked him, trying to put more power into her words. "They'll kill me because...I knew about the massacre...." Itachi shook his head.

"One Uchiha can't do anything," he objected. "They wouldn't bother."

"Look at what you did," she fired back. His eyes widened. "I know I'm not as...strong as you, but they won't be worrying about-...that."

"Then I'll stay here," he told her. "I'll make sure they don't hurt you while you heal. I'll take you to your mother after that-" Her voice was soft, but when she opened her mouth he silenced himself right away.

"And how, exactly, would you manage to pull that off...?" She closed her eyes tightly. It was getting harder to breath, and it felt like the pain was beating at her chest at full force.

"Ayano?" Itachi asked. "Ayano, stay awake-"

"It hurts," she whimpered. She could barely breath in. She could feel her heart pounding in her ribs in retaliation to the pain's beating on her chest. He tried to move her again, and pain flared through her as she bit off a scream. "...Stop," she pleaded, panting. Itachi carefully set her back down, his anguished expression covered by his mask.

"I don't know what to do," he whispered brokenly.

God, she could barely think. Her eyes shut tightly, and she couldn't control her breathing. She just wanted it to stop hurting.

"Please," she pleaded. She wanted it to stop. "Make it...stop."

"I don't know how," he repeated.

But she did.

Her eyes, seeing black smudges covering her vision, moved down to the katana he still had gripped in his hand.

She weakly grasped his hand, and moved the katana so it pointed at her heart. Itachi breath caught. He was showing no resistance, just staring at her through his mask, eyes wide with horror.

"Ayano," he pleaded. "Dont-" She smiled.

"Sorry," she whispered.

She pulled his hand forward.

He felt it go through her chest, felt the tip brush past his leg, and heard the sound of her cry.

His eyes were wide, staring at her without blinking, as his breath came out in short bursts. Ayano grit her teeth and looked up at him.

Her hand was gentle as it reached forward and slipped under his mask, moving it aside and letting it fall off and clatter to the floor. Itachi couldn't bring himself to move, even as she managed to lift herself up and press her lips to his cheek, her hand leaving blood on his pale face.

"Oyasami," she whispered.

Her hand fell.

She was limp in his arms, and her last breath drifted out and caressed his cheek, almost like a fragile butterfly moving against his skin.

He watched her die, unable to do anything, unable to stop the image as Sharingan burned it into his memory. He had killed her. He wanted to scream, he wanted to cry, to beg the gods to give her back.

His breathing shaky and eyes blurry, he leaned down and lightly pressed his lips to her forehead, his hand gripping her shoulder as he held her bloody body tightly to him, his other hand still holding the sword that stabbed her, with her necklace draped around his fingers.

"I'm sorry..." he whispered. "...Oyasami..."

Don't flame! There's still an epilogue!

That was not meant to tease you, she really is dead. Itachi reflects in the next chap.

Oyasami means 'goodnight.'

And Sorry it was short...and that I couldn't write it better. .

That necklace she gave him is that one we see later in the anime/manga, btw