Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Wasted Years ❯ Ch. 15: Death Wish ( Chapter 15 )

Wasted Years

by Mizerable

Ch. 15: Death Wish

* * *

She wasn't much for superstitions. She believed in black and white facts--and nothing should have been telling her anything was wrong. She hadn't heard there was a problem. It was just a search-and-rescue mission. They just sent the Anbu as an extra precaution due to current events and rumors. He was just fine.

But she couldn't ignore that feeling, the one that reminded her most of having ice poured inside her stomach. It was an uneasy chill that made her wholeheartedly consider it to be a sign that something was terribly wrong. Walking through abandoned streets usually lined with life only made that feeling swell. Everyone knew trouble was coming and the wait was a killer in its own right. Biding your time quietly knowing you just might be dead by day's end was greatly unsettling, just as much as the actual death in and of itself.

She wished it would just come already. If she were fighting, she wouldn't have to think about him and if he was okay. He was a smart man. Of course he would survive everything just fine, though he'd probably bitch the whole damn time. She allowed herself a wary smile at the thought before sobering again. Maybe she was a little careless to have let herself get so close to him in what was, for lack of a prettier word, wartime. She never could shake that horrible lost and empty sensation from when Sasuke died, and that was someone she hadn't been in love with.

What if that last time she saw him really was the last?

With a sigh, she attempted to shake away the sadness slipping through cracks in her defenses. If anything, it seemed Sakura's habit of assuming the worse was rubbing off on her. Then again, Sakura thought that way since many things in her life did take the harder roads. But this was different. She was different and he was going to come home to her again. He promised he would.

Turning the corner, Ino understood why she was not a superstitious woman. All her panicking and so-called intuition was interpreted in her mind as Shikamaru's trouble. She never anticipated that she would be the one in danger.

His cloak billowed in the gentle breeze, pitch and scarlet. A large sword was secured across his back, suggesting immense physical prowess. Gil-like marks and a sharp grin, along with a scratched-out Hidden Mist headband, were a dead giveaway to his origins. Ino swallowed away her terror as she felt the ice spread through her veins. Calling upon her most confident of smiles, she squared her shoulders and spoke up.

"Identify yourself and state your reason for trespassing in Konoha."

"The reign of the Hidden Villages has come to an end," Kisame replied proudly.

* * *

The blood was cooling on his fingertips, still splattering at his feet while his arm hung limply at his side. He could still move it if he wanted to, unlike the other arm. The puncture had been deep and powerful and the wound wasn't closing itself rapidly as it normally would. But that wasn't at all what concerned Naruto right now. Finishing what he started was more important, both arms capable or not.

But one couldn't quite say Naruto was finishing anything, as he didn't quite start this either. The Nine Tails, on the other hand, was still running the show and it did not believe in taking prisoners. Driven by the most primitive of interests, it would not be sated until it confirmed there were no longer traces of life in any creature that crossed its path; the ultimate of predators. And while the loss of function in one arm was survivable, it was most assuredly not forgettable. It was the woman that injured him so tremendously and she would wholly pay for it, just as the rest of the village would.

She was beneath the crumpled, gushing mess on the floor. His claws had easily sunken through the soft fleshy tissue and corded muscle, leaving behind a gaping wound in the victim's back. The male bled considerably already and smelled of death. The woman was still alive, hands gripped at the fabric of his shirt, tufts of her pastel hair still visible despite the body above concealing most of her in the dark. She was no longer radiating.

His head weighed heavily against her chest just as the rest of his body pinned her down. "Did you die?" she murmured, her voice void of any emotion she may have been feeling. Her eyes continuously cycled in color, jade to gold and back again, though she could barely raise her head to see him. Her limbs felt numbed and fuzzy. The energy bottled up within was surging to burst free but her body simply would not obey its demands.

A choked gasp answered her question and soon wild Sharingan eyes were gazing back at her. The tattooed markings had crossed the whole of his face, down his torso, and around his limbs. Corrosive and laced with spite, not much of him could stare out pass the curse. It wanted to put an end to this fight, this long-standing rivalry-obstacle-and claim a proper victory after suffering so harshly for all these years. Despite its body's shrill protests.

"Goddamn idiot…always fucks up everything," Sasuke growled. Crimson dripped from his lips and splashed against Sakura's pale cheek. Her own insides were being ravaged by the demon growing restless beneath her skin, stealing away all her color. Demons never settled for being confined and human bodies didn't make for the most durable of containers. She was bone white and the heat rolling off her in waves was a fine indicator that she couldn't keep such energy inside much longer. She may have been known for her heightened ability to control chakra, but it was also known that she always possessed substandard stamina no matter how hard she worked. She wasn't going to last.

Though it didn't matter much, either way.Naruto wasn't planning on waiting. He'd lost interest here and wanted to move onto grander things. Just as the villagers hadn't forgotten the Nine Tails, it hadn't forgotten them either. After these two deaths, nothing would stand in its way.

Sasuke struggled to push himself up, or at least his body started moving. He didn't have much say in any of it at all. The curse was in control and he could feel himself die a little more with each breath. With grit teeth, he tried his damnedest to shove the seal away. There was no way this side of hell he would die at the hands of Naruto, not when he was so close to his goal. Maybe when it was all over, he could lay down and-

He made a promise though, hadn't he? He swore he'd survive as payment to Yanagi.

Her words echoed through his mind, grounding him in some small degree. He was getting out of here alive. He'd survive and kill Itachi and follow Yanagi to the ends of the earth. And nothing was going to stand in his way. Not Naruto. Not Saku-

Even looking through the lens of the curse seal, even looking at her shifting eyes, that twinge stirred within him again. That same sense of loss he felt after there initial reunion plagued some part of his mind. He hadn't wanted to see her again and it didn't occur to him until now as to why it was her, more than anyone else, he wanted to avoid.

He didn't want to see how much she changed.

He didn't want to know how much she changed in his absence. It was easy enough to contemplate his own transformation and what that all meant in the grand scheme of things. Now that he was forced to see what three years meant to someone else, he couldn't avoid feeling as if, perhaps, he'd forgotten something important along his journey. But with everything and everyone all as different as they were now, he could never recover what he had lost. He could never return to that time, when he'd so blatantly taken for granted what a comfortable life he truly had before he left Konoha and found Yanagi.

Sakura's eyes grew unexpectedly wide as one hand gripped all the harder on his shirt, the other reaching for the ground so that she might push herself up-arm splintered or not. Even in the hazy light cast from her eyes, Sasuke caught the gleam of a blade reflected in her vision.

Naruto was fully aware of his opponents' disorientation and planned on making full use of it. She saw him coming and clung onto the dying man, both dragging one another away in slow motion inevitability.

**I still love him!**

**I know…I've always known.**

The hesitation was unexpected. The excruciating memory should have motivated him further, reminding him once again of just how unneeded he was by everyone. If they were gone, he wouldn't have to be reminded of just how useless he was to them, the ones he used to call teammates. He could forget how terrified he'd been when Sakura was put in the hospital all those years ago. He could forget how much he screamed when he was told Sasuke died. All it took was-

His kunai hit the floor with a heavy thud just before his two opponents met with weakened floorboards and the bottom dropped out beneath them. He could not even attempt a pursuit. His eyes could only stare down at the stained blade piercing through his chest. Overwhelmingly dizzy, he sagged backwards against his unseen attacker, barely able to raise his cooling blue eyes in hopes of discovering his killer's identity.

"You're…still here," he murmured, a bitter ghost of a smile tracing his bloodstained lips. With a wrenched cry, Hinata ripped the sword out and cast it aside. Clutching Naruto to her chest, her body guided his descent as he crumpled to the floor.

"Sorry," he whispered softly, "…made you cry again…"

His body went slack in her arms and she was stunned frozen, tears dripping down her chin and splattering against his cheek. The initial shock slipped away with his breath; her trembling hand smoothed his hair as her iron walls crumbled. After being locked away for so long, she could not suppress the agonizing sob.

* * *

He wasn't going to die here.

Despite all the times he had played through his mind the unavoidable truth that he would be killed in battle, he just couldn't roll over and die like this. Even though it took a blinding moment for his eyes to readjust to the light, he pushed off from the supportive wall and staggered through the trees. He couldn't wait for help to come to him now; he was fortunate enough that he was taken care of enough to make it this far. He just had to get back home.

If there was such a thing as god, he prayed his body would last long enough to deliver him back into her arms one more time.

Just one more time.

* * *

The hideous cry that rang out gave them a clear signal as to where the fighting was. Rushing over the rotten boards and climbing through the sizable hole in the wall, the three paused in unequivocal shock upon arriving on the scene.

Hinata shook with tears as she clutched Naruto's wounded body to hers. The faint light from the seal on Naruto's stomach showed over half the mark had vanished, unraveled. Even in the poor lighting, the grotesque hole in his chest was bubbling over sticky red. The standard Anbu-issued sword lay off to the side, stained in the same color.

Numbly, Kakashi moved forward, vaguely noting the hole in the floor. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he realized he could no longer sense that second powerful chakra. Sakura's chakra. What if she, too…

Coming to their senses, Jiraiya and Anko also made their approach. Anko carefully unwound Hinata from Naruto's form, the girl being too stunned to protest. Jiraiya shook off his vest and pressed it against the gaping wound in Naruto's chest. A glance in Kakashi's direction immediately alerted the jounin to take over in applying pressure in attempts to quell the blood flow. "We still have to seal the Nine Tails," he stated gravely.

"But in his condition that might kill him," Anko retorted in a hissed whisper.

"The wound isn't closing as it normally would, anyway," Kakashi answered, somehow managing to keep his voice even, "We don't have a choice."

"If left alone, the Nine Tails still might break free, which would kill him regardless. We'll have to risk it," Jiraiya stated and took out the necessary scroll.

Perhaps if she'd been of a clearer state of mind, Hinata might have questioned what was happening. Most of the conversation breezed by and she couldn't comprehend a word of it. Though all she could do now was stare and cling numbly to Anko.

A series of hand seals later, Jiraiya pressed his hand against Naruto's stomach. In a flash of light, the Five Finger Seal reactivated its control over the Nine Tails all while Naruto grew colder. It was all he could do against the fox for now. Rendering his blood soaked vest into strips, Jiraiya bound Naruto's chest before scooping him up. "I've got to get him back to the village," he announced rather grimly, "It's up to the two of you to find Sasuke and Sakura as well as perform the proper sealing jutsu on each if need be." Kakashi and Anko nodded as they accepted the mission.

"C'mon, Hinata. You'll be traveling with me."

"Yes, sir," she replied shakily and followed Jiraiya out.

* * *

With a groan, it took full conscious effort to hold back from vomiting as the wave of nausea and agonizing pain rolled through his system. He likely broke a couple of ribs after the unexpected fall. How he was even still alive with that stab wound in his back was anyone's guess.

A long time ago, he asked Yanagi how she could get up time and again everyday after receiving one serious injury after another. After living as she had during these last three years, he was fairly certain he understood her a little better. Just how much did he really want to live? Probably not more than she did but certainly enough to keep his heart pumping. The curse seal, doing what it did best, drew even more chakra from the drying well and pulled him up onto his knees with a shudder.

Slightly more oriented within his surroundings now, he could make note of Sakura. She was blinking away the haze in her brain as blood clouded her vision from a gash on her forehead. She struggled to sit up but he eased her back with the push of his hand against her shoulder, which was incidentally dislocated. "You're in no condition to do anything."

"It won't let me rest," she murmured, eyeing her wounded shoulder. She knew it was injured but somehow the pain wasn't registering. "Don't move," was all the warning Sasuke gave before jerking the joint back into place. She barely flinched.

"I must say I'm impressed," a voice rang out from across the way, "I hadn't expected you to have survived this long."

Chills ran down Sasuke's spine. That voice! It had to be-

His head snapped over in that direction just as that person emerged from the shadows. His face was bloodied and his cloak was torn in places but it was undeniably Itachi Uchiha.

Why now!?

Sasuke could barely breathe because of his injuries. If he fought Itachi in such a state, there was even less of a guarantee he would win. All that was obvious now was that he would likely die right here. Even so, Itachi might kill him now whether he fought back or not. He had no choice but to attempt his vengeance. This is what he suffered for. He left and returned to Konoha because of this man. It was time he ended things once and for all, now matter how little life he had left in his bones.

As he rose to his feet, a small whimper accompanied the hand gripping his sleeve. Sakura had pure terror written across her face as she stared wide-eyed at Itachi. It just couldn't be happening. Not again! The face that haunted her nightmares and plagued even her waking moments was standing in the same room as her again. And this was the same man Sasuke was destined to chase. He'd never make it; not like this.

"Run," she pleaded, though her voice somehow sounded muted to his ears. "He'll kill you!"

"He'll probably kill us either way. There's no way I'm turning tail now."

"But-"A glare stifled her words and she knew she couldn't reach him. He was always just beyond her words.

Itachi was somewhat surprised to realize who the girl was. It had taken him a moment to recognize her as the girl Kisame had captured a few years ago when they were last in the region. It was amazing she was still alive. And it seemed he had been right to assume she knew Sasuke.

"You seem to be rather inept at protecting those around you," Itachi announced, earning a glare along with a snarl from his brother. He supposed it wasn't much of a surprise to see the curse seal covering the boy's body in such a way. At this rate, there wasn't going to be anything left of him. Pathetic.

"You did not heed my warning, little brother," he continued, "Such attachments will only hinder you."

"Don't act like you know everything," Sasuke growled, "She's nothing important to me."

He ignored Sakura's pained gasp. Though she was not bothered so much by his cold words as by Itachi's. He called Sasuke "brother" just now, hadn't he? Was it true? Were Sasuke and Itachi siblings? She was always suspicious of that man's Sharingan, but…

"Is that so…"

Sasuke was caught. No matter how much he tried to avoid it, somehow his eyes would be drawn in by Itachi's, drawn into his twisted genjutsu. He was no longer in the hollowed out building but in a hopeless hotel room. The moon hung bloated and red-tinged beyond the window, casting the room in terrible shadow. "She is nothing to you?" Itachi's words voiced over the image, the memory, "This does not upset you?" Sasuke wasn't really listening though, too fixated on the display being burned into his mind. Sakura in Itachi's lap, as he moved deeply inside. Her lips against his. Her voice crying out for Itachi, and Itachi alone. Her eyes didn't lie though. They never lie.

Just as quickly as the images came, they suddenly cut off. Snapped back into reality, Sasuke couldn't keep himself on his feet any longer and sank back to his knees gasping. He managed to once again stave off another attack of nausea that threatened his abused senses. "How the hell-How could you do that to another person?" he snarled. It could have been anyone and that wouldn't have changed how he felt. There were certain things you just didn't do to another human being and what Itachi did to Sakura was one of them. Sasuke wasn't feeling any extra anger because it was Sakura. He didn't. She never meant a damn thing to him. It was just…

"How?" Itachi's voice was even, somehow mocking, "This girl is an acquaintance of yours, is she not? I wondered how much I could destroy around you before it broke you."

Something inside him cracked, his body grew stiff. The attack on Sakura hadn't been as random as he once assumed. It may have been coincidence she was the one girl taken by that other Akatsuki member, but Itachi attacked her solely because she knew him. For all the times his guilt may have led him to believe a lot of things were his fault, now he truly earned the blame. Someone who wasn't involved and had done nothing wrong was attacked so brutally because of him. Because he was too weak to have changed anything then.

If she hadn't been outside his home that night…

If she hadn't…

"It wasn't your fault…Sasuke-kun," her small voice made him flinch, "It wasn't your fault."

Her breath grew more labored, her skin slick with sweat and grime. All the while, her eyes continually cycled between the warring colors. When he last saw her three years ago, she'd been terribly injured at that time, as well. Laid out in that stark hospital bed only because she knew his face…That day, she'd made such sweet sounds for him, too, hadn't she. Maybe Yanagi was right to say he would end up just like his brother.

He really needed a cigarette now.

Suddenly, Sakura struggled to sit up again. "Idiot," he muttered, "Quit pushing yourself." Her uninjured arm was reaching inside her scroll pouch for something and Sasuke took hold of her wrist. "Your fight is over. Stay out of this." Gold eyes regarded him coldly, reminding him. He called himself an avenger, seeking to bring down Itachi Uchiha. But considering what that same man had put her through, perhaps vengeance was just as much hers as it was his own.

"This became my most prized possession," she murmured, "Please fight with it." She pressed the object into his palm and he recognized its familiar feel: a Leaf forehead protector. He was sure she lost hers in the fight upstairs. Had she retrieved it at some point?

"Why are you giving me this?"

"It was yours."

Sasuke, even with the curse seal screaming, managed to go pale in stunned shock. She'd held onto this after all these years, kept it close by her side. She really was an idiot for clinging onto whatever she could of him.

Though he didn't hesitate to bind it securely in place before raising crazed Sharingan eyes to his opponent.

* * *

It's always said that the coward is the one who lives longer. She should have known she would pay for being courageous one of these days. Her back connected with a post that splintered on impact. All she could do was curse herself for ever being a headstrong and independent and stupidly brash little girl. What the hell had she been thinking!? Challenging who was obviously not only a stronger opponent, but an Akatsuki shinobi! This man was more likely than not an S-Class criminal and completely out of her capabilities.

More importantly, he was beyond the capabilities of the friends who came to bail her out of the mess she made. Not Chouji, not Kiba with Akamaru. They all held at least chuunin ranking, if not higher, but it was nothing in comparison to what this man could do. Even with all the mechanics down, they quite frankly didn't have the experience needed for such a fight. They weren't the extreme elites like Hinata or…No, she wouldn't think about him. Surely more shinobi were on the way. Shino just showed up, hadn't he? Maybe he would make the difference.

"Ino, get outta there!" Kiba screamed.

She heard him. But with her brain so fuzzy, all she could do was stare up at the descending blade. Flinching in anticipation for her death, she felt the sweep of air but none of the pain. The sword landed in a swirl of dust against the dirt while Kisame's movements jerked to a stop, his hand now pressed against his stomach.

Shadow-binding…!!

Not one to waste this opportunity, Ino drew her kunai and with a yell lunged forward. His throat gave way smoothly to her blade and bubbled over before his body hit the ground. With a relieved sigh, Ino expected to see Mr. Nara at the mouth of the street and not Shikamaru himself. Her smile bloomed and withered just as quickly. Even with the cloth wrapped around it and his hand pressed against it, the blood seeped through his fingers and stained the earth below.

Ignoring the others that were rushing to his aid, she sped towards him as his eyes rolled back and his frame fell in a crumpled heap. Hurriedly gathering him into her arms, she willed herself to calm down as she pressed her hand against his wound. The wetness against her thigh spoke for his wounded back. He'd been skewered straight through. Kiba took off in search of a doctor and Chouji handed Ino his scarf to apply to the wound.

"Shika-" she choked back a sob, "Shikamaru, wake up. You need to keep your eyes open."

His eyes slipped back open halfway and a bitter smile tugged at his lips. "Hey," he murmured, "…made it back."

Ino nodded and took his hand, not caring who saw her crying by now. "Yeah," she whispered, "Welcome home."

* * *

Somehow he managed to climb to his feet and not pass out. He knew the curse seal had destroyed much of his body by now, not even counting the severity of his other injuries. Just as he thought all along, he was never meant to survive facing Itachi. But so long as that man died, as well…

He was about to launch his first attack when Sakura called him to a halt. He really didn't need her distracting him right now. "What?" he growled. Didn't she realize he didn't have time for her?

"…feet," her voice was raspy, "There's another set of feet…"

Sasuke could think of a colorful string of curses right now, a habit he picked up from Yanagi. What the hell was Sakura babbling about-

How did he miss it before?

Dangling from beneath Itachi's cloak was a pair of feet. He had someone with him, another victim. "What did you do…?" Sasuke's voice was failing him. Even in the dim light, he knew those tattered sandals looked familiar. It couldn't be-She wouldn't-She-

Itachi let his cloak drop to the floor to reveal his hidden secret. Letting her dangle by the neck, the unmistakable body of Yanagi hung lifeless from his fingertips with his knife still embedded in her chest.

Sasuke's mouth opened several times but only an undignified crack of his voice came out. There was no way. There was no way Yanagi could be killed when she was so close to freedom. This had to be genjutsu, another one of his tricks. She was too strong.

"You were a fool," Itachi declared blandly, "To depend on this woman so much. And now she, too, lost her life because you couldn't stop me."

It wasn't fair. How much did Sasuke have to suffer? The only thing-The only person Sakura had ever seen Sasuke feel at ease around was now lost because of one man's sick ambitions. What did he want? Why was he putting Sasuke through so much agony?

"How much more capable of hating me are you now, little brother?" Itachi's voice almost seemed accusatory, "Was this one pathetic woman's death enough to make you kill me?"

" 'Pathetic'? That's one hell of thing ta say about your rival."

She was alive! But there had been no chakra emitted by her body. No breath. How was she still living!?

Itachi didn't care to find out how she managed to surprise him again and attempted to toss her aside. She reached her arm behind and held his wrist stiffly in place. In a fluid sweep, Yanagi swung herself around, yanked the knife from her chest, and brought the blade down. Itachi howled after the point punctured his eye before succeeding in sending Yanagi skidding across the floor. Staggering backwards, he wrenched the weapon from his socket with a splattering sound reminiscent of a knife scooping the innards of a pumpkin.

Sasuke wasn't about to let this chance slip away and charged forward with Chidori. Even in his haze, Itachi managed to hold off the fatal blow. But Sasuke wasn't one to make the same mistake twice. The attack fizzled out unexpectedly, revealing the dagger firmly in his grip. He shoved forward and managed a shallow gash but Itachi, whose body was in shock from the injury Yanagi dealt him, could not keep his grip on Sasuke's arm.

With a final scream, Sasuke plunged the blade deep into Itachi's abdomen--a critical hit. Itachi choked and sputtered a moment before teetering over. It wasn't just this wound; Yanagi had done considerable damage even before she took out his eye. He foolishly used Tsukiyomi in great excess today. That last attack…

Sasuke didn't seem convinced. It had been too damn easy. He was well aware that he must have improved over these last three years, but there was no way he could have defeated Itachi so simply. There had to be more to this. "Get up," he snarled, teeth bared, "I said get up!"

" 'Don't think he's…goin' nowhere, Uchiha," Yanagi mumbled off to the side, trying to pull herself off the floor, "…kicked his ass pretty good…before you got here."

Sasuke shot an incredulous glare in her direction, staggering slightly from a wave of dizziness. Itachi hadn't gotten up, his good eye a sooty coal staring at the ceiling. Sasuke may have doubted the possibility of it coming to pass, but that final blow hit the liver. Itachi knew he would not be getting up again. "It seems…your hatred was sufficient…"

"So that's it?" Sasuke sneered, "You killed--You had me chase you around ten years for this?"

It was a pathetic death, most of which wasn't even his doing. It certainly hadn't gone as he always envisioned it would. He never thought he and his brother would meet in such terrible shape even before fighting one another.

"It was very important…" Itachi murmured, "Otherwise, it would have…truly broken you, little brother."

"What the hell are you talking about?" he snapped.

"You don't know…what the Mangekyo Sharingan does…" Itachi could sense his brother's rage even if his vision was too dimmed to see it, "It changes a person."

Sasuke could not deny his confusion now, though he supposed perhaps the curse seal had taken his logic. He had to be missing something right now. And, truth be told, he was. Itachi had been younger than Sasuke was now when he learned the final piece of the Sharingan; horrible images that left him screaming at night. Or they would have, if he could get the emotions past his skin. So perfected a soldier at such a young age, he had no one to tell "it hurts". He surpassed even his father's skill before he ever became a teenager and exceeded in staining his hands with even more blood. But to show he was just a scared child on the inside would have been a grave insult to the integrity of the Uchiha clan.

He was fine enough keeping his mouth shut and suffering in silence just as he was taught. Bound by a code of honor that even preceded shinobi law, he held the honor of his family in his dirty hands. But his brother grew older. How long before he, too, would have to become like him? Would the Sharingan eat away at Sasuke's mind the way it had at his own?

He'd heard the talks. They were going to start preparing his little brother for the rigorous training necessary to draw out the Sharingan. At least they were kind enough to wait until he grew a little older after they probably realized the "mistake" they'd made in pushing the burden on Itachi so young. Soon the brother who smiled so freely would be an emotionless zombie just like all the other respectable Uchiha shinobi. And no one seemed to care, not even their own parents could see what was bound to happen.

So he killed them. He killed all of them with the only thing he had left: his anger, his hatred. His rage for them making him what his was, his rage for their plans to do the same to his brother. He passed that hate on to Sasuke and left Konoha with absolutely nothing but a tremendous power that was useful for nothing more than destroying. And so he destroyed, for what other purpose did he have?

"It would have…destroyed you…" Itachi's voice grew faint, "The hideous power of our family…"

"Why are you telling me this now?" his voice sounding almost…betrayed, "Why now!? You stole everything from me!"

"You still have your hatred…" Itachi replied, "If you can feel enough to hate me…it means you're still human."

Sasuke's wobbling legs gave out from under him, sending a sharp jolt of pain through his system after his several injuries were aggravated. Itachi was well aware of how much Sasuke must have suffered on account of him. But to still have so much passion left-no, he had no regrets. It was painful for his brother to transform himself into such a creature, enough so to attract Orochimaru's attention and be given a curse seal. But when this was over, Sasuke could rest a little easier. Sasuke only needed to become a monster to hunt him; he didn't need to remain one like Itachi had.

"You've grown strong, Sasuke."

"Don't-Don't you dare--"

"They say only a…true Sharingan master can defeat another one. It would have been nice…for there to be an easier way…" Itachi's head listed to the side. He wouldn't be able to keep his eye open for much longer. There was still so much he wished he could say. "I'm sorry…"

"Don't say it!" his shoulders were trembling, his lips began to quiver, "Don't fucking say that to me now!"

Itachi became very still, the spasms racing through his body halted. Sasuke's eyes grew impossibly wide as he reached out a trembling hand. "Ita…" he gripped the man's shoulder and shook hesitantly. He drew out no reaction and jerked the body more harshly. "Itachi…Itachi!!"

He was suddenly yanked backwards, his body shaking uncontrollably while Yanagi kept firm hold of him. "Easy…easy," she murmured in his ear, "This's what you wanted, ain't it?"

He couldn't pull his eyes away from the body before him. This was it. Ten years of hunting, sacrificing, and suffering were all for this moment. He avenged his clan and the personal hell their deaths had drawn him into. Itachi Uchiha was dead. Sasuke had always pictured this moment in his mind but it somehow seemed so much grander than what he was experiencing right now. It was all over. Simply…over.

It had been so long since he knew of a life without his ambition, without his vengeance. Strangely, he could barely even remember the details anymore. What did his mother's perfume smell like? What did his father's laughter sound like? Stealing one life didn't replace the loss of the others. He could never return to that time. He knew that all along. He knew. And yet-

"Oh my god…" the murmured voice brought his head snapping up to see Anko standing nearby. She hadn't anticipated this at all. They heard the fighting, the yelling and came rushing in but had been too frozen to move. They could only watch Itachi's life quietly slip away, just like any other dying man.

She shook her head and focused on the task at hand. Sasuke had been terribly injured on top of the fact that the curse seal covered his skin. He really fought with more than everything he had today, just as Sakura had. She left the girl for Kakashi to take care of, as she would take charge of the curse seal. It also seemed that Aohi captain wasn't fairing much better, to the point that she wasn't spitting acid at Anko for walking too close to them.

"Sasuke, you've got to stop using the curse seal. With your injuries, you won't last much longer."

He focused his eyes enough to look at her face and she didn't find madness in his gaze. Only an emptiness that made even her heart twinge in sorrow for him. He didn't say anything to her, nor did he fight off the seal.

"I'm leaving," Kakashi announced, unable to hide the graveness of his tone. The others looked over in his direction to see him carrying Sakura in his arms. He didn't need to say it. Her bleached skin stained with blood spoke volumes. She probably wouldn't make it. And Sasuke could not stop staring.

Sakura…

Will she, too…?

His thoughts cut short as Yanagi leaned heavily against him. He was too numb to feel the pain in his back from her added weight. "We had a deal, Uchiha," she mumbled softly against his shoulder, "Don't break your promise."

"…I won't," he replied softly, eyes glued on Kakashi's retreating form. Or rather, Sakura's hand limply dangling as he carried her away.

I won't die.

To be continued…