Shades of Grey

Chapter 28

After graciously accepting Kisame's offer Itachi led her to his room and moved a chair next to his bed for her to work from.

"Thank you." Sakura said after he aid on the bed. "Now I am going to warn you again, this is probably going to feel strange. It is always a weird sensation to have someone else's chakra in you. I promise I will not hurt you; just try not to kill me."

"I trust you." Itachi admitted. He could not fully explain why he did, but he never seen the kunoichi act less than honorable.

Finally, she placed her hands gently on his temples and began her work. Her chakra flared through his eyes painting a vivid picture for her. She was right; she thought that she would be able to fix this. She made a mental map of the damage wanting to be prepared in advance with no surprises. The work was tedious but for someone of her caliber not too hard. What was giving her more trouble than ever before though was the flood of those same traitorous feeling danger, and electricity.

"So, you said you would tell me your story." Sakura hoped that he would speak so that some of the tension might leave.

"It is a long tale, one which I am sure will take more than one night." The Uchiha answered after a moment's hesitation.

"You could tell me a little each night." She suggested.

"As you wish." Itachi conceded as he let his eyes drift shut. He had agreed to tell her, but he did not think that he could look her in the eyes as he did. She would be the first person that he told the story to in its entirety to. He hated the irrational feeling of nervousness. What would she think of him when he reached its end? Why did it even matter what she would come to think of him? While that was a question that he could not seem to answer, he knew that it did.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." Sakura offered after a few minutes of silence.

"No." He sighed. "Truth be told I would like it if someone knew before the end. I already told you I trust you; it is only natural that it would be you. I assume that you know of Konoha's founding?"

"Yes." She confirmed. "It is still taught in academy."

"Then I suppose that a good start would be for you to understand what life as a Uchiha was like." Itachi began. "The Uchiha were a prideful people. So much so that few were ever allowed to marry outside the clan. I have given it much thought and I believe that many of their mental and emotional flaws come from generations of that practice."

"Clans are very secretive, so not many studies have been done." The kunoichi spoke up. "However, most medical professionals would agree with you."

"As clan head father was an exception to the rule, free to marry whomever he chose." He was not sure how to feel about the confirmation of his suspicions. "Mother was not of Uchiha heritage, but she had been on several ANBU missions with father. She was an exceptional kunoichi and father knew that she would bear him strong heirs. Contrary to what most believe the fire jutsus that Sasuke and I excel at are not from our Uchiha heritage, but from Mother."

"From what I knew, most Uchiha had a fire nature." Sakura was eager to learn more about the clan.

"That is true." The Uchiha agreed. "But, while the Uchiha clan was good with their fire jutsus, Mother's family had mastered the art. She was an only child, and from what I have learned of my maternal grandparents I believe that if they had known the life she was to live, they would have never allowed the union. As I said, Father knew that she would give strong heirs and he took the time to woo her. He married for power; she married for love."

"Did he ever love her?" She felt a deep sadness for the woman who had once fought with the katana which was now hers to wield.

"He loved no one." Itachi's hurt was evident. It was the first emotion other than anger that the woman had ever felt from him.

"I am sorry Itachi." Sakura felt an unexplainable need to comfort him.

"Sakura, I do not tell you this to earn your pity." His eyes opened to look at her. "Make no mistake, I am the true villain in this tale."

"Do you remember when I told that missing nin that Kisame wasn't a monster?" She whispered. I would have told him the same about you."

"You fear me." He argued. "I have seen it in your eyes."

"You are mistaken." Sakura assured him.

She did not know why she wanted to comfort him. By all rights she had believed the man to be a monster her whole life. Now though, she knew better. This was the man who had many an opportunity to kill her, but he had not. He offered her advice more than once, and it had proven to be sound. He had comforted her in her lowest moment, and he had saved her from herself.

She remembered him reaching out his hand to her and now, sensing his sorrow, she wanted to do the same. When he looked into her eyes just now, she could the see the pain and regret. Maybe it was the medic in her, but she wanted to heal it. This in her mind could be why they had been fated to meet. She would mend his eyes, and she would do her best to help to heal his heart.

Before she could find any words to speak again his eyes bled to red. The tomes within began to violently spin. Suddenly she felt exactly as she had in that tiny room. Withdrawing her chakra, she removed her hands from him. She would not however give him the pleasure of looking away.

"Lies." He hissed his voice as cold as ice. "I can see your fear even now."

"As I expected I will be able to heal your eyes." She used her medic voice, the one for patients who were especially difficult. "We will have to work a little every night."

Finally, she looked away as she stood and stepped towards the door. She paused before she opened the door and turned to stare defiantly into his eyes.

"By the way Itachi." Sakura's voice was as cold as his own. "I am not afraid of you. If you wanted to hurt me, you already would have. What I fear are the things I feel when I am too close to you. I have healed you twice now which in Konoha would be punishable by death. Even that is not as traitorous as the things that you make me feel."

Having said her piece, she walked out and gently closed the door leaving behind an angry and brooding man.