Shades of Grey

Chapter 24

Itachi did not sleep well, he never had, well at least since that one fateful night so long ago that had altered his life forever. A missing nin could not afford such luxuries, regardless of how secure they thought they were. They had to be aware of all chakra movement around them. That was how he was aware that Sakura had left her room. He waited just long enough to ensure she would not notice him before suppressing his own chakra and following her into the night.

He melded into the shadows and quickly began to follow her movements. She was once again in her shinobi attire but did not have her pack. Whatever she was up to he was almost certain that she was not going to flee.

Even though he knew she would not leave he followed her still curious to see what had drawn her out into the night. Her first stop was the village's temple and he saw her withdraw her money pouch as she stepped in. A brief moment later she stepped out the pouch much lighter than it once had been. He knew the poor box would be overladen with her portion of the bounty, foolish girl.

Her next stop was the cemetery where she stopped before four freshly dug graves. She was silent when she lowered herself to her knees and began to say a prayer for the dead. These must be the ones she had been unable to save. He felt almost like a voyeur as he watched her lips move. He was about to leave to give her privacy when a soft voice reached his well-trained ears.

"You might as well come out." Sakura called to him. "You've been here since I left the inn."

"How did you know?" Itachi stepped out of his well concealed position.

"The fox." Her eyes did not leave the graves. "I could feel your chakra it's kind of my thing and we could smell you. You smell of embers and rain."

"Hn." The Uchiha went to stand by her side. Sakura was the first shinobi to sense him when he had his presence completely concealed. Somehow it did not surprise him.

"How do you do it Itachi?" Her eyes still had not left the graves and he was able to see the tears threatening within. He did not need to ask what she meant.

"You pick one thing on the world that means more to you than any other and you fight for it." Itachi told her. "Even if you have to lay down your own life you fight to protect that above all. If you stay true to your goal any good you do is a bonus, and any failure can be overcome. None of it matters in the end as long as it does not affect your one true goal."

"What is your goal Itachi? What do you fight to protect?" When she asked, she turned to him with sorrowful eyes, tears tracing down her cheeks. She did not move from her knees as she looked to him with those pleading eyes. It was perhaps the most heartbreaking thing he had ever seen. In that moment Itachi knew that he could not lie to her.

"Sasuke." He quietly replied never breaking away from those eyes. He saw them widen as she shakily inhaled.

"I don't understand." Sakura whispered truly confused by his confession.

"All is not as it seems." He told her. "Surely by now you have realized that the world is not black and white."

"We live in a world of grey." The kunoichi acknowledged sadly. "Will you explain it all to me one day?"

As he looked down into her sad eyes, he saw it again, that stubborn spark of hope. He was certain that by the time he had lived this life as long as she had all his hope had been lost. This small woman amazed and perplexed him. She was not so naive to ask him to spare her the fate which he was destined to deliver. She did not ask for what she knew she could not have. Her little bit of hope was kindled by such a simple yet complex request. Sakura wanted to understand him. Silently she begged him to please not refuse her small request, and he could not deny her as he slowly reached down and offered her his hand.

"I will tell you, but not tonight." He promised as he helped her rise to her feet. "It is a long tale and tonight you need your rest."

"Thank you Itachi." She accepted his help and graced him with a small smile.

"It is nothing Sakura." Itachi did not allow his nervousness to show as he lied. What would she think of him when his story came to an end?

Meanwhile on a roof far enough away to avoid detection, but not so far that he could not hear, a large blue man smiled to himself. "I knew those two kids would be good for each other."