Caretaker Of Jinchuriki's [Naruto]

{45} Tell Me What You Know, Itachi's Redemption

I took Itachi somewhere where nobody could find us. It is an isolated place filled with rocks and where the mist is very thick. Itachi and I sit on a rock bed as I am healing his heart. This way, he can live a bit longer. But once he is killed again, I cannot bring him back. This is a one time thing. 

"You are going to tell me everything you know. Your reasons for being in the Akatsuki, why you killed your clan, why you left Sasuke alive, how long you have been carrying this disease, and why you let Sasuke kill you. I am doing this for your little brother, by the way. But, if you do not wish to answer me, then I will have to force you to talk, and you do not want to find out my methods of making someone talk. So, the choice is yours. What will it be?" 

"I will tell you everything. . ." Itachi answers me with a frown. 

"Good. Now talk." I glance at him. 

"I was on a mission for Danzo to spy on the Akatsuki. Nobody wasn't suppose to know about it. In order to get into the Akatsuki, I had to kill my entire clan, but I had to leave Sasuke alive. I wanted to maintain his anger and hatred towards me so that one day he will kill me for what I have done. My death will be my punishment, but carrying around this disease in my heart, because of my eyes was all I could do. I had to give it my all." 

"So you wanted to die. You have been awaiting for your death all this time. Why did you not tell Sasuke about this? About anything of this from what you told me just now?" 

"Because he would not understand. He couldn't." 

"That is why you have to talk it out with him. That way, you and him can understand your reasons for the things that you do. Even if it takes him months, years, or decades to understand, at least he will know why you did it. You have not thought this through, have you?" 

"It never came to me." Itachi closes his eyes. 

It disappoints me sometimes when humans do not think things all the way through. Good grief. "Well, you are all healed now. My next question for you is, what are you going to do now? I should let you know that Lead Village shinobi is hunting for you, and Sasuke. However, if you like, I can explain things on your behalf so they will not have to lock you up and leave you to rot. Would you like that, Itachi?" 

"You would do that for me?" His expression tells me that he is surprised by my words. I guess he has never had someone do anything this generous for him. He may seem like a bad person, but in my eyes, after hearing his story, he is a good man. 

"Akari!" I hear Naruto's voice, making my ears twitch. 

"Naruto." I greet while standing up and getting in front of Itachi just in case him and the others decide to attack him. Kakashi notices Itachi behind me and glares at me. So, I explain myself. "Before you all start assuming and attacking, please hear me out." 

"Alright. . ." Kakashi says in a low tone. I tell them what Itachi told me moments ago, and also asked them to give him a chance to explain himself. Luckily, Kakashi said, "We will have to get his side of the story too, Akari. If his story matches up with yours, then his penalty won't be as bad." 

"Very well." I nod my head and turn back to Itachi, then lending my hand out to him. "Let us return to the Leaf Village, Itachi. I will be by your side every step of the way. I am going to help you through this." I gently smile at him.

Itachi gently smiles back at me as he takes my hand and says, "Thank you, Akari." I help him off the ground and me, and the leaf shinobi head back to the Leaf Village. 

Once we return, the ANBU take Itachi into custody, and as promised, I am by his side in case they have Ibiki interrogating him. I know his methods and they are not nice. They are brutal. 

After an hour of interrogation, Tsunade has decided to drop the charges because of his reasons, but, however, I am in charge of watching him. Tsunade trusts me well enough to look after Itachi for his crimes. This will go on for 3 months. 

But on the bright side, I am glad that I saved a life today. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~