Shades of Grey

Chapter 32

Sakura was much warmer than usual when she woke up. She enjoyed the feeling so much that she snuggled closer to her pillow. She sighed in contentment when suddenly she felt her pillow move. Hesitantly she cracked open her eyes and confirmed that it was Itachi that she had curled up next to.

"I am sorry." She sheepishly apologized.

"No." Itachi replied. "You fell asleep and I was afraid that if I tried to move, I would awaken you."

"Itachi are you alright?" Sakura asked. "I should have been comforting you, not the other way around."

"You did comfort me." He assured her. "Never has anyone wept for my benefit. Perhaps it is selfish, and I know that it is undeserved, but I feel honored that you would cry for one as unworthy as I."

"I wish that you could see in you what I do." The kunoichi sighed. "Itachi you aren't the monster that you see yourself to be."

"Nor am I the innocent victim that you wish to view me as." The Uchiha smirked.

"I just can't believe that the Third would order such a thing." Sakura's eyes held a lost look. "It goes against everything that I thought him to be."

"He didn't order it." Itachi admitted.

"Pardon me?" She was confused now. Last night he told her that Danzo himself had delivered the orders.

"After I finished my mission I was in a daze." He had not been prepared to finish his story so soon, but now was as good a time as any he supposed. "I did not return to Danzo but went straight to the Hokage tower. When I began reporting the mission details, he became almost distraught. It came to light that he had discussed the situation with his advisors, Danzo being one of them. For reasons I have never come to fully understand Danzo devised the scheme on his own. He used me to eliminate my own people. The Hokage wanted to have him tried immediately, but I was opposed to such action. It was already too late; the damage was done. All was lost. Sasuke had by now seen. I had pushed him towards a ledge that could only lead to hatred. The only question was against who. I would not allow him to be denied Konoha's embrace. I requested to take leave of the village and that is how I came into the life that I now lead."

"That is terrible." Sakura's eyes again shined with unshed tears and her small hands balled into fists. "I have always known that man was a damn monster. First, he was the one who pushed so hard to have Naruto banished, and now I find out this."

The girl turned and started to storm from his room.

"Sakura where are you going?" Itachi asked smirking at the fact that she could go from tears to anger so fast.

"To rip that old man's damn head off his shoulders." The kunoichi declared. "Then I am going to explain to Tsunade why I did it and find a way to fix things with Sasuke too."

"While your desire to defend me is flattering, I did not explain everything to you so that you could become my personal avenger." The Uchiha could not help but to let out a slight chuckle.

"This is no laughing matter." She was torn between fuming and shock that he had actually laughed.

"I agree." Itachi nodded. "Sakura, I am going to fix everything, but I will do it in my own way. Not to mention, the work that I do now is too important to leave behind once you have righted all of the wrongs in my life."

"The work you do?" He could almost see the gears in her head turning. "Itachi you are Jiraiya's Akatsuki contact. But that does not make any sense. Tsunade would know and if she knew, as her former assistant, I would."

"That would be because Jiraiya does not know." The Uchiha explained. "I send him messages to designated spots which were originally established through a paid courier. I have never met with him face to face."

"That is not fair." Sakura insisted. "Don't you see what kind of danger you are putting yourself in for a village that hates you?"

"Few things in the life of a shinobi could be viewed as fair." Itachi reasoned. "It almost brings to mind the story of a kunoichi who still fights to protect those who banished her for no wrongdoing on her part."

"All right fine." She conceded. "But at least you could let me fix things with Sasuke."

"No." He firmly replied. "The end of this story was written long before I told it to you. Perhaps it was wrong of me to burden you in such a way. But I desired for even one soul to know the truth before my parting."

"Your parting?" Sakura's jade eyes widened. "You mean to lay yourself out like a lamb before the slaughter, don't you? I cannot let you do that Itachi. Can't you see that will not make anything right? I know that you are trying to do what you think is right for Sasuke, but you are wrong. He never let me in before he left, but things changed when he came back from his time with Orochimaru. He admitted to me that what bothered him most was trying to figure out how you went from the brother that he knew to his tormentor. You could take a huge burden from him if he just knew the truth."

"Do you know how heavy the knowledge of all that happened would weigh on him?" Itachi shot back in a heated voice. "He would be unable to remain in his home, where he should be. One thing is clear to me, though I am unsure if you have yet to realize it. Sasuke gave you that katana as a courting gift. He is in love with you and you him. It brings me great comfort to know that when the end has come, I will be leaving him in your hands. I am eternally grateful that it will be you who will look after him in my stead."

"That shows what you know mister know it all." She shook in anger as she stomped towards the door. "Don't you ever presume to know who I love. I used to love your brother, but there is way too much water under that bridge for that to ever work. I gave up on that little fantasy the day that he tried to kill me. If you think for one minute that I am going to let you carry out your little plan you are not as smart as I thought. I promise you one thing you do this, and I will never look after Sasuke. I will make his life a living hell just to spite you. No, I tell you what you follow through with your plan and I will take your damn place in Akatsuki and use this damn fox to wipe away everything that you have fought so hard to protect. So, you damn asshole, you had better just work on keeping your sorry ass alive."