A Killer's Kiss (An Itachi Uchiha Love Story)

Chapter 36 - Back Together

I was aroused from my slumber by the sound of a door opening. I blinked several times, gathering my bearings. I was slumped over in a chair. Sasuke was lying in his hospital bed. It looked like he was also woken by the door opening. Both of us focused on the person entering the room. It was Sakura.

"Hey," she said quietly, seeing both of us rousing from our sleep. "I have good news. Itachi is awake."

I instantly stood up. Any traces of sleep were gone. "Take me to him," I demanded.

"Take me too," Sasuke added. "I need to talk to him."

Sakura cast her eyes downward. "I'm sorry, Sasuke. I'm under strict orders not to let the two of you meet."

I looked over at Sasuke. His expression was unreadable. But I understood that he needed answers. He was biting his tongue, trying not to cause a scene. I silently reached for my power. I cut the bonds holding him to his hospital bed. Then I put a collar of black metal around his neck.

"It's okay, Sakura. I'll make sure to keep him in line. He won't cause any trouble."

I could tell she was still skeptical. I could see it all in her eyes. She wanted to help Sasuke, but she knew she shouldn't. But which was stronger: her love for him or her duty? I gave her one more push.

"Just tell your superiors that I threatened you. I'll take the blame for everything. Don't worry about it."

She kept her eyes down. But then she stepped aside and held an arm out towards the door. "Just hurry up and go," she said before giving us directions to Itachi's room.

With that, the two of us walked out the door. As soon as we stepped outside the room, the guards immediately drew their weapons. But before I could conjure my own, Sakura's voice rang out from the inside of the room. "It's alright. Let them go."

Hesitantly, the guards replaced their weapons. Sasuke and I made our way through the hospital hallways towards Itachi's room. Following Sakura's instructions, we found Itachi's room. It was also heavily guarded. Before we could even think of a plan, they spotted us. They drew their weapons. I held my hand out, power at the ready.

"We aren't here to fight. Just let us through," I said, keeping my voice calm.

"No one gets through. This room is strictly off limits," one of the guards said.

Sasuke started making hand signs next to me. I couldn't let a fight break out here. I called to the power wrapped around his neck and constricted. Sasuke immediately went to his knees and grabbed at his metal collar. "We aren't here to fight," I commanded, keeping the pressure on his throat.

"Please let us through. We are only here to talk. Nothing else," I explained. "Trust me. You don't want to start a fight with us."

The guard in front, the one who told us the room was off limits, didn't budge, but one of the guards behind him lowered his weapon. "What are you doing?" the one in front asked the one who put down his weapon.

"Don't you recognize them?" he answered. "We don't stand a chance against them. That's Sasuke Uchiha and Rikki from the Akatsuki. We couldn't stop them if we tried."

"Very observant," I agreed with a smile. "The choice is yours. Let us through, or become a stain on the floor trying to stop us."

Reluctantly, the guard in front, as well as all the other ones, lowered their weapons. I released the pressure from Sasuke's neck, and he pulled in a huge breath of air. He gave me a death glare but said nothing as he rose to his feet. The two of us walked past the guards and into Itachi's room.

As the two of us entered the room, I found a familiar set of eyes watching us. A wave of relief washed over me. He was okay. Without thinking I ran the short distance to his bedside. I threw my arms around him. Tears welled up in my eyes, but I didn't let myself cry. "I'm so glad you are okay," I whispered in his ear.

He put his hands on my shoulders and pushed me away. "Rikki, why did you follow me?"

I looked into his eyes, searching for his feelings. Was he relieved to see me? Upset I involved myself in his family matters? Normally, I could read his emotions behind his indifferent facade, but this time I was having trouble. Maybe it was the medicine they gave him that clouded his eyes. Sakura said he was sick. I could only imagine the drugs they doped him up with.

"I had to. The thought of living without you was too much for me to bear," I confessed.

He sighed. Then he pulled me back into a hug. "I knew I was screwed the moment I laid eyes on you."

"What does that mean?" I asked.

"I mean that from the day we met, I knew this would happen. I tried to stay away from you. I tried to pretend that you wouldn't get in my way. But I was a fool. I was hopelessly in love with you from the very first moment. My plans were ruined the day you entered my life. I just didn't want to see it."

His confession gave me mixed feelings. Of course I was overjoyed that he loved me. But he didn't seem happy about it, like everything we've been through over the past three years was a mistake. Like even though the feelings were real, he wished he didn't have them. "Do you regret meeting me?" I asked with a heavy heart.

He pushed me back and rested his forehead against mine. "No, Rikki, I don't regret meeting you. I do regret the way I treated you. I kept you in the dark and pushed you away. I should have been honest with you from the start. Then maybe I could have avoided this whole mess."

"As much as I love hearing this sappy crap," Sasuke interrupted. "I want an explanation from you."

I stepped away, remembering the two of us weren't the only ones in the room. Sasuke glared at Itachi. The air grew heavy with the weight of his gaze. I stepped further back, hitting my back on the wall. Afraid that he might lash out at Itachi, I kept a tight hold on my power around his neck.

"You're right," Itachi said, trying to break the tension in the air.

And so I stood off to the side and listened as Itachi started to tell his story. Sasuke listened intently, and I tried to follow along as well. I also kept my eye on Sasuke, trying to gauge his reaction to Itachi's explanation. Everything seemed to be going alright, but as Itachi was finishing up his tale, the door to his room flew open.

An imposing blonde woman stood in the doorway. Her brown eyes took in the three of us in the room. From the way she carried herself, I surmised it was none other than the Hokage, Tsunade. I got off the wall and turned to face her.

"Well, look what we have here," she said. "This is an incredibly dangerous room, isn't it? Two Akatsuki members and a rogue?"

"Greetings, Lady Tsunade," I said with a bow.

She glared at me suspiciously. Then her eyes shifted to each of the Uchiha brothers before returning back to me. "Rikki, is it?"

I nodded. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I appreciate all that you have done for all of us today."

"Well, aren't you polite?" she stated without lowering her guard.

"Of course. I have no quarrel with you or your village, and you have saved Itachi's life. I'm very grateful to you."

She narrowed her eyes, looking for any hint of deception. But I wasn't afraid. In fact, I was quite relaxed. Nothing I said to her was a lie, and I had the situation under control. So without finding a reason to fight, she finally relaxed a little and let out a sigh.

"So tell me then, what do the three of you plan to do once you've all recovered?" she asked.

I looked over at Itachi, who looked over at Sasuke. Then they both looked at me, and I looked back and forth between them. None of us said anything. Itachi's original plan had gone all wrong, as did Sasuke's, and I never really had a plan to start with. So none of us really knew what to do from here.

I looked back to Tsunade, who was impatiently waiting for our answer. "I... don't know," I finally responded.

*Hey everyone! Thanks so much for everyone's support of my story. I'm sorry I haven't been posting lately. I've been going through some personal things, but I hope to be back to writing regularly. Much love <3