WANTED: Itachi Uchiha

Jugo

Itachi's world was a blur of colour and a cacophony of sounds. It was as though someone had submerged him underwater, his vision groggy and his hearing muffled. He had remembered taking the pills and the unimaginable guilt that had swallowed him. He was a disgrace to his family and Clan. Worthless. Izumi was right. He didn't deserve to be an Uchiha, they were better off without him. 

It's not like anyone would miss him anyway. 

"Itachi!" Reina shouted, her hands and face smeared with his blood. "Itachi look at me!" Reina pried open his eyes, shining a torch into his pupils - they dilated. Thank the kami. Sasuke watched in horror as his brother gasped and coughed, a mixture of bile and spit spluttering over Reina. She didn't flinch. She simply rolled him on his side and cradled his head as not to choke on his own vomit. 

"Sasuke, we need to get him to the hospital." 

"No…" Itachi croaked. "no hospital."

"Nii-san, you need to see a medic."

"No…" He repeated before his eyes rolled to the back of his head. Reina sighed, wiping her forehead with the back of her hand. 

"We can't take him home in this condition, your Mother will have a conniption."

"Then where else do we take him?" Sasuke’s asked, his eyes never leaving Itachi's form. Reina grit her teeth. 

"Home. We go to my home." She didn't want to go back but they didn't have much choice. She didn't want to go against Itachi's wishes and take him to the hospital and she didn't want to cause Mikoto and Fugaku any more worry. "Grab a hold of him, will jump to the compound and get him in the spare room."

Sasuke nodded, taking a firm hold of his brother. 

"Ready?" 

"Hai."

In the blink of an eye the trio had landed at the Hitori compound; Reina immediately attempted to ignore the sudden ache in her chest. She hadn't been home in so long. But right now she couldn't think about that. 

"Hold his head whilst we get him on the bed." Sasuke did as he was instructed, easily lifting his brother onto the bed; Reina however struggled to lift Itachi, her muscles begging her to stop. She didn't, instead she adjusted his body, removing his shoes and throwing them aside. 

"You remove his clothes, get him cleaned up. I'll go get the spare heart monitor from Baa-chan's room."

"Will you be ok?" Sasuke asked. "Going in there, I mean?" Reina nodded, her eyes prickling. 

"Right now we don't have time for sentiments." Reina paused at the doorway, inhaling deeply. "There are washcloths and a small basin in the bathroom across the hall."

Outside in the hall, away from Sasuke’s eyes, Reina clamped her still bloodied hand over her mouth to subdue the sobs that escaped her mouth. Itachi had died. Taken his own life. Reina could hear Sasuke sniffle as well, he trying so hard to keep it together. She wiped her eyes and cleared her throat. Right now wasn't the time to break down. She had people depending on her. 

At the threshold of Tomo's room, Reina's hand paused on the doorknob. Baa-chan wouldn't be in there, she wouldn't be sat at her dresser combing her hair. She was gone. Forever. 

But Itachi wasn't. 

"Get a grip of yourself Reina." She muttered to herself, turning the handle and pushing open the door. The smell of orange-blossom immediately tickled her nose, it was the scent of her grandmother's favourite perfume. Her throat tightened. She ploughed on, opening a nearby cupboard and pulling out the portable heart monitor. On the way out Reina caught sight of herself in her grandmother's dresser. Blood and vomit coated her shirt, the blood already drying in her hair and on her skin. She was a sanguine phantom. 

Breaking her thoughts Reina rushed out of the room, slamming the door behind her as though to keep something locked inside. She headed back to the spare room where Sasuke had diligently cleaned Itachi up and tucked him under the quilt. Silently Reina hooked Itachi up to the monitor, the green line immediately jumping to life on the screen. It was slow, but it was there at least. 

"Thank you." Sasuke whispered, his onyx eyes glossing over. "If it wasn't for you-" Reina hugged him tight before he could finish his sentence. Sasuke squeezed her back, holding onto her for dear life. He cried. He cried like a small child, he no longer a formidable shinobi, now he was just a scared child who needed soothing. 

"Shhhh," Reina whispered, stroking his hair. "it's going to be ok." Reina stared at Itachi over Sasuke’s shoulder, they bobbing with each sob. "He's going to be ok."

She wasn't sure who she wasn't trying to convince. Him. Or herself.