Phoenix (A Naruto Fanfic Book 7)

Chapter 3

I heard footsteps and immediately sat up, heart pounding, disoriented. I felt arms close around me and shocked them. "Kunoichi..."

I froze when I heard his voice, trying to make sense of objects in the dark. "I... tachi?"

He tightened his arms, and I could feel something wet on my back. "It's over..."

I blinked, trying to remember, heart slowing. As the memories flooded me, pain ripped through my chest, and I sobbed. "Pein... he..."

Itachi pulled me into his lap. "He was trying to save you."

I buried my face into his chest, unable to control my emotions. "I told... him not... to. He... he saw..."

Itachi smoothed my hair. "I know... he told me..."

I tried and failed to get myself together and heard when someone rushed into the room. "Kunoichi..."

I heard the defeat in Itachi's voice. "Pein... she remembered..."

I looked up at Mianto, who was blurred through my tears. "Min... ato..."

He sat and hugged me tightly. "It's okay... he did what he felt he had to... because he loved you."

I clutched at Minato's chest as Itachi rubbed my back. "He... stabbed me... in front... of him... and... I couldn't... stop him!"

Minato sighed, I could feel his pain seeping through as he placed his head on mine. "Shhhh... that's not important, Kunoichi. He loved you as his daughter. He wanted to end your suffering."

I nodded into his shoulder, the pain finally receding, but still there. My sobs lessened to hiccups, but I was trembling. I felt as blanket wrapped around me as Itachi pulled me back to him. I looked into his tear stained face. "I wasn't fast enough..."

He shook his head. "You were there when he revived us... he saw you were free. That was enough."

Minato was stroking my hair. "Sleep... you need your strength." Itachi began to rock back and forth, and I fell into a dreamless sleep.

I stiffened when I heard movement and opened my eyes to Chihiro's room. Itachi stroked my cheek. "You're safe, Kunoichi."

I turned in his arms and looked at him. "I'm sorry."

He smiled softly. "You're home and alive... that's all I could ask for."

I really looked at my husband for the first time since returning. He had dark bags under his eyes, and his face was gaunt, as though he hadn't eaten or slept well in some time. His hair lacked its normal shine and hung limp behind him. "You look terrible, old man." I whispered.

He stroked my cheek. "You look no better, I assure you, but Aya did help a bit."

I lowered my gaze. "You saw..."

His face hardened. "I did..."

"It didn't hurt as bad as it looked like, I assure you."

He pulled my face up. "It's over now... you need to sleep some more."

I touched his face. "So do you, but I'll shower first." I got up from the bed slowly to avoid getting dizzy and slipped into the bathroom after gathering clothes. I looked in the mirror and barely recognized myself. My face was still swollen and bruised, and my clothes hung loose on me.

I grimaced when I saw what was under them, bruises of all sorts riddle my body along with long slashes where my skin was cut. Stab wounds decorated my sides but were patched up rather than open and bleeding. I could clearly see my ribs and turned to see my spine was also prominent down my back. "Bastard..."

I grit my teeth when the water hit my skin, but I scrubbed where I could, trying to get rid of feeling dirty. After a time, I crouched and let the water run over me, remembering so I could use my anger later. I washed my hair, tangled and knotted from weeks of neglect. Finally, I got out and quickly dried off and grabbed a brush.

I went back into the room, and Itachi was sleeping. My heart twisted at how fragile he looked. I sat on the floor legs crossed, and carefully brushed through my curls. My arms were on fire by the time I worked through all the kinks, but I braided a single braid down my back.

I heard the front door and a heartwarming voice. I was in no mood to sleep and crept back out of the room. I stood at the end of the hallway, silent until Mikoto looked up. "Oh..." Tears sprung to her eyes. "Kunoichi..."

She rushed to me and wrapped me tightly in her arms before clicking her tongue. "I'll make you something..."

She disappeared into the kitchen, and I looked at Ibiki. "How are you feeling, kid?"

I walked over and sat on my heels in front of him. "I have information for you."

He looked shocked. "You're in no condi-"

"I can assure you... it will hurt you far worse than it will me." I looked in the corner to see Kurama lazily watching from the corner. "Hey, stupid fox, the chains..."

He frowned. "You need to rest." I silently stared at him. "Fine..."

He approached, and they clicked in the cloth I wrapped them in, handing them to Ibiki. "Don't touch them... they drained my chakra, much more powerful than any cuffs I've seen."

He carefully opened the cloth. "Interesting..."

I frowned. "You'd think hanging from a ceiling with those I'd grow a few inches... how disappointing."

His face became hard. "That's not funny."

I rolled my eyes. "I've heard a lot of that, now for the intel..."

He shook his head. "No."

I raised an eyebrow. "We have two options here... you do it and save me chakra. Or I do and probably pass out. Choose."

He clenched his jaws together. "Why are you so eager?"

I looked into his eyes. "Because the sooner we do this... the sooner I can move forward from it."

He sighed and placed a hand on my head. "Are you sure?" I closed my eyes and began to relive the worst nightmare of this lifetime.