A/N: Holy cow! I am so sorry for not updating this story for like TWO MONTHS! A lot has been happening and I'm just going to leave it at that otherwise it's going to sound like I'm just making excuses. But I will say that I had writer's block for the longest time. Now I'm trying to come back but I feel like I didn't do this chapter any justice so if this chapter dissatisfy you then I humbly and sincerely apologize! I will do better next time!

I do NOT OWN ANY of the Naruto characters or the story itself. I wish I did, like many others, but sadly I can only dream. Thank you all for those have reviewed, waited patiently for this story to update, and played my little game. The answer to my question is in the story and I shall reveal the winners at my ending Author's Note. Thank you and please enjoy!

Ch. 25: Your Final Goodbye

Twenty years ago at Shisui's burning village…

He can't find him. No matter where he goes, Itachi can't find Shisui.

Everything is red. The buildings are now the brightest stars of the night as they shine brightly with the fire, burning the wood that gave them body and form. Those flames engulfing and destroying everything in its path became the first sunlight Itachi has ever seen without physical agonizing pain. He could see everything and he could feel the heat radiating from the village around him burning his own skin. Besides the smoke rising up to the heavens, Itachi can also smell the strong scent of blood all around him. It's in the air, burning his throat with desire and it's all on the ground, staining the dirt red. For as long as he's been here, there hasn't been a single living human. All he could find were bodies. Everyone is dead. The men, the women, the children, the elderly. Everyone. How this once peaceful village has now becoming a scene of gruesome catastrophe. It's horrifying

With every body that Itachi's seen, the more and more worried he becomes of his lover. All during his search, he has yet to find Shisui. Where is he? Did he at least escape? Is he even alive? Or is he dying a slow and painful death somewhere? Every second that passes is another question unanswered and another worry unattended.

The vampire prince felt like he needed to call out to his lover to at least get any kind of response. Any other sound at all besides the crackling of the fire and the collapse of more human homes. He wanted to hear his lover's voice calling for him. He wanted to know that Shisui above anyone else was not one of the dismembered bodies he has already found. But his panic and his worry froze his voice and the desire for blood made his throat dry. He couldn't scream for Shisui, even if he wanted to.

Then leaping before his eyes is a shadow. Itachi stopped running when he instantly saw movement. He looked up and he sees a vampire leaping through the air. A vampire with what appears to be three pairs of arms, very light tan colored skin, and spiky brown hair. Never before had Itachi seen someone with three pairs of arms, but he heard of a vampire who did.

How did that vampire not notice Itachi? Maybe it was because the stench of blood and burning wood overpowers the prince's own scent? Or is his mind too occupied with something else? No question about it that he's the one who attacked this peaceful village or from what Itachi knows, one of the vampires who attacked this village. But why is that? What reason would this vampire and the group he belongs to have any reason to destroy this village? Unless it was business…

For some reason, Itachi just feels like he needs to follow that vampire as he glides through the air before landing on a rooftop and leaping again before the building collapsed. Why should he? Itachi's looking for his lover. He has no time for this but there's a pull in his guts that's pointing towards the same direction as that vampire. As Itachi's eyes follow that vampire just a little longer, there is one thing he begins to realize. Towards that direction the six-armed vampire is heading, it's the same direction that leads to the little abandoned shack Itachi and Shisui would meet.

Without another useless thought to distract him, Itachi follows that vampire as fast as his teenage legs could push him. While still keeping the vampire in view, he stays a good distance away so the vampire won't suspect him.

From house to house the vampire would leap on and cause it to collapse, Itachi didn't just have to avoid the dismembered bodies. He had to avoid the fallen houses remains. In only a short amount of time, not only were the houses that the vampire leaped on started to collapse, but the rest were beginning to as well. The only ones that appear are going to last longer than the others are the bigger ones like the mansions or the churches. The homes and shops are all but burning wood and by the morning of tomorrow, the village would all be burned to the ground.

Finally after following this vampire to the other side of the village, the vampire lands on the ground away from Itachi's view into the next row of burning buildings. This confused the vampire prince. He thought the vampire was heading towards the old abandoned shack but all it did was take Itachi on a little detour of the burning village. So then all this time, he was just wasting time when it could have been used on finding Shisui? But Itachi still has that pull in his guts. He shouldn't risk it. Just ignore that vampire and look for Shisui. But his mind wasn't thinking. All it could progress was 'Find Shisui' 'Find Shisui' as it's full with nothing but dread, panic, and worry.

Maybe it was a good thing he listened.

"Looks like you're the only one left."

That was the last thing Itachi heard before passing the last house and turning to find where that vampire was heading. When he got the vampire back into view, what he sees before him shock and paralyzed him in place. Before him, he sees that six-armed vampire and he's standing before a house that has already collapse on top of the only survivor of the village; Shisui.

The vampire flexes his claws on three of his arms and smirks down at the dying human before him. He knows Shisui is dying before him, no matter how much fight he still has in those fearless, naturally red eyes of his. Half of his body is under burning rubble, his spin is probably broken because of it, there's blood dripping from his hairline, and the vampire can smell the amount of blood leaving the feeble body. Such a waste that so much blood is about to be wasted but he already had his full from other more appealing prey. No need to over feed, but he didn't come here to drain this human dry. He came to finish the job.

"It was nice knowing ya." Then he raises those claws back for the kill.

Spluch

The six-arm vampire didn't strike. He wasn't able to. He still has that smirk plastered on his face but his eyes are wide with shock and pain. Shisui's eyes, that was glaring at the vampire that was just about to end his misery, widen in shock as well but with surprise. Before him, he sees a hand that punctured right through the vampire's chest. He couldn't see who it was that did it because the vampire's body is bigger than his attacker but he didn't have to wait long to see that it was Itachi when he pulled his hand out of the vampire's chest, ripping his heart as well. Then the vampire prince kicks the vampire's body to the side and the body goes flying before hitting a tree and exploding as soon as it made contact. None of his body parts were spared. Every ounce of his flesh has disappear and only his blood remains, staining the tree, its roots, its leaves, and the ground it grows on with more blood. His body exploded like a water balloon and Itachi crushed the heart in his grip before tossing it aside; staining his claws, his hand, and his arm with the vampire's blood.

Looking at the vampire who just saved his life for only a few minutes longer, Shisui sees the extended razor-sharp fangs and the pure hatred bleeding out of those crimson eyes of his beloved. As he snarls at what's left of the six-armed vampire, the human could hardly recognize him. Yes, it's him but at the same time, it didn't look like it. With that distorted expression full of pure hate and anger, it's the most expression Shisui has ever seen. He's seen Itachi holding his emotions back, even when he doesn't mean to and now, those hidden emotions Shisui always had to look for are now visible for him to see and they're out of control.

"Itachi…"

His voice, no matter how soft and weak it sounded, was caught by Itachi's sensitive ears. His entire expression blanked out with surprise, as if he just remembered the reason why he got so upset in the first place. To save his love.

The prince's gaze snaps back to Shisui and seeing that burning rubble on top of him, he didn't waste any time. Using his hidden power, Itachi moves the fire from the wood to the trees above, seeing as though they're at the edge of the village. As those trees begin to burn, Itachi doesn't even care at the moment. All he cares about is freeing Shisui. Moving the remains of the house wasn't a difficult task. What was hard was taking in the sight Itachi saw as soon as he moved that wood. What he saw was all of Shisui's lower half completely distorted with every bone broken and limp twisted in directions unimaginable. It was hard to tell if what happened was really caused by a collapsed building or if it was all done intentionally. It was amazing itself that Shisui hadn't already died, for this goes beyond the full meaning of the word pain.

"Hey there, babe. How's it going? Did things work out between you and your brother?"

And yet when Itachi looks back at Shisui's face, the human is smiling at him like how he always does. How can he smile when it's obvious that he's in a lot of pain? When it's obvious that he's…

"Shisui, don't talk." Itachi kneels before his lover and with his hand, the one not covered in blood, he strokes his face with tender care. Seeing him like this it's painful. It's so painful for the prince. The words that came out of his mouth next, he wasn't thinking. Everything just came out from the panic and the overwhelming need to save him. "Shisui, listen to me. I can give you my blood. It'll heal your wounds at least half way and then…I'll…" He couldn't believe he was going to say this, but there is no other way. If Shisui is to live then…"I'll bite you! It'll turn you into a vampire and you're survive. That's what you wanted, wasn't it? To be a vampire?"

He's desperate. Desperate for any chance Shisui has to survive. Itachi knows in his heart that Shisui can't die. He loves him too much to lose him and he knows what he's feeling right now is fear. Him, the prodigy of his family and the one who always faces battle with a calm, cold, emotionless expression, is feeling fear for the dying human before him.

However, instead of looking hopeful and at the same time a bit relieved that he has an escape, Shisui's smile fades away and he looks upon the young vampire prince with eyes that hold none of that. Only understanding of what Itachi is offering him. "So we can be together, right?" he asks, even his voice sounding less enthusiastic or grateful than Itachi expected.

He didn't like that expression or that voice at all.

"Y-Yes," the prince was able to say, trying to hide his uneasiness. When he answered, Shisui's smile returned.

"Don't bother. I know that I'm not going to last much longer."

This stunned and shock Itachi. What…is he saying? With those perceptive and knowledgeable eyes and smile of his?

Shisui explains, "Even if I do drink your blood, its healing powers will not affect my body quick enough to heal me and I'll die before the venom has a chance to completely run through the veins of my body. You're too young and haven't matured yet. If you were an adult vampire that would be a different story if I remember correctly in my last moments of life." With a small bit of strength he has left, Shisui moves his arm and reaches for the bloodied hand, grasping it in a reassuring grip. "I don't want you to waste your blood on me."

It's not just the fact that Shisui is willing to accept death that still stuns Itachi from thinking clearly. It's the fact that Shisui knows all of this. Facts about a vampire that other humans, especially from villages as peaceful as this village used to be, don't usually know and Itachi sure as heck never told him about any of it. So then…

"How did you…" he asks, his voice as soft as a breath. This time, Shisui's smile stays on a little longer, still full of understanding and consideration.

"I know a few things, Itachi. I'm not that clueless." Then he tries to move so he could get a better view of his love, if it is to be the last time, but the slight movement of his hips and every bit of pain he thought he had become numb to increases and his face crunches up in pain. "Ugh!" he yelps, then squeezing Itachi's hand as a reaction to it. That woke the prince from his shock.

"Shisui!" He squeezes the hand back, not tight enough to break the bones but tight enough to remind his lover that he's here for him. But not just that. "You can't…" He holds onto that hand for his own well being as well. "…you can't die! You just can't!"

Shisui took a few moments more before he spoke again. He waited till the pain subsided after he stopped moving but when he did speak, his voice was hoarse and he sounding like he was groaning at first from his pain before it faded back to normal. "Unfortunately, the death reaper is calling me. There's not much that can be done about it anymore, but Itachi, listen to me, okay? Just lend me your ears for a moment, alright?" He raises Itachi's hand and presses it's hard, soft skin against his own; not caring at all that more blood is smearing on his cheek. The smile on his face is not understanding any more. It's warm and full of so much love for the person before him. "I was so happy I've met you. You who were unlike anything I have ever seen before just popped into my life from Kyuubi knows where and went down my throat so fast I didn't know what happened till I saw you again. Our time together was the greatest times of my life and something I will always treasure even after. Right now with you here besides me, I feel happier than I did on the day we met. Maybe even happier than when we first kissed. Every person in love's greatest desire is to die in the arms of the person most precious to them." He moves that hand before his mouth and he leaves butterfly kisses on Itachi's knuckles as the prince is shaking. He feels dread and despair deep within his guts and his heart feels heavy as led. He doesn't like this. He doesn't like this at all because all the prince is hearing, listening to all of this, is Shisui's final goodbye. "Itachi, listen to me good on this part, okay? No matter what happens, I don't regret it. I don't regret meeting you, I don't regret getting to know you, I don't regret going against the natural law between vampires and humans, and I don't regret dying right here right now. All that matters to me really is the time we spent together; the conversations we had that would last all night, the smiles, and the laughs. This also goes for everyone. So long as you were happy together and you felt as though you could be yourself around them, then nothing else matters. Not the fights you might have had, the cruel words spoken to you, or the conflicts you argued about. You can forgive each other on things like that and move on to continue living a happy life together. There is no room for pain and loneliness when it could all be easily replaced with contentment and tranquility."

He doesn't understand. Itachi doesn't understand what Shisui is saying to him right now. He knows that he should. He's a lot smarter than he should be for his age and theoretically, he knows what the words spoken to him mean but at the same time, he doesn't understand them. It's almost like that time when Shisui talked about the vampire's 'one mate for life' rule. The vampire prince could understand and hear the words spoken to him but at the same time, he couldn't comprehend them.

Itachi's lips are shaking. He wants to say something but his throat feels tight and the words didn't seem right in his head. But his lover waits patiently for his response, still staring at him eyes full of adoration. He didn't like any of this and he wished more than anything that none of this is true. None of this is really happening.

"Shisui…why are you…saying this?"

That smile didn't fade away. Even as Itachi can now clearly see the life leaving Shisui's eyes every second that passes by. He's not going to last much longer. He is going to die; right here, right…

"Live on, Itachi. I want you to live, babe."

His last word, it sounded like a breath; his last breath. Shortly after he said that, his eyes begin to close and he shuts his eyes as if going off into peaceful slumber. In a way it is, only this is a slumber that he can never wake up ever again. The smile is still on his face. Forever there to show that he has gone on to the next world in peace but for Itachi, it doesn't bring him a bit of peace.

"Shisui?" he calls, his voice extremely small and meek. No, no, no! This can't be true! The look on his face, it doesn't look like he's dead at all. It just looks like he's resting his eyes and any moment now, he'll open them and he'll live. He's not dead, he's not dead…

But what is the use denying it?

Itachi can hear. He hears the crackling and the snapping of the fire burning the rest of the village behind him, the sound of the trees before him smoldering as well, and the bigger buildings that have yet to fall finally collapsing. He can hear all of that. What he can't hear that is a single heartbeat. Not of the villagers – men, woman, children, and the elderly behind him or the one before him. Everyone is dead. There are no survivors of his this village. All that's existing in this place is Itachi. Him and him alone. No one else. Everyone is…gone.

Itachi lifts his lover up and flips him over so he was no longer laying on his stomach. Now his limb body is in the vampire prince's arms and he holds him close for one last time before that warmth that he has loved so much completely and utterly fades away. Never again to return for him to feel and love again.

"Shisui…"

Everything is gone.

In front of the remains of char wood, with the slight surprise that it's still there untouched, Itachi is standing in front of that pile of ash and wood and the small boulder that stands between Itachi and this discarded shack. Under the direct sunlight, without any protection of a sun barrier, the recently freed vampire is there without pain and without reaction to the sun's harmful UV rays. That's only because he used the vile Naruto gave him that time when they were having a snack. The same night when…

Standing before the scorched remains, Itachi says one thing. "It's been a long time, Shisui."

Then the wind blows. Running through Itachi's long, tied back hair and ruffling through his clothes. It acted as if it were returning the greeting. Shisui responding to his love from beyond the grave as his ash and the ash of the old abandoned shack they first met and used to meet stays still like how it always had for the past twenty years.

And there we go! The end for now!

Now my winners are: 'WraithReaper', 'RyokuClan', 'Hitoko-sama', 'Shiroi Neko 18', 'silver woman', and 'ItachiSasukeSama'.

I wasn't looking for one hundred percent correct. Just those who answered that Itachi left to think. Thank you all for participating and I really don't have a question for the next chapter. I have one for the one afterwards so be patient till then. I will try my absolute hardest not to take so long this time. Till then!