A Moonlit Sky Bathed in Blood

The red moon slowly rose in the sky as he made his way to a place vivid in his memories. Her grave.

(flash back)

A scream rang out filling the air with a pitiful cry for help. It told him exactly what he didn't want to know. That she needed him.

He dashed off determined to find her.When he did, he regretted it. There she was with one of Orochimaru's subordinates holding her in his arms. Try as she might she couldn't escape the man's hold on her. 'Itachi...... I'm so sorry.' she repeated over and over in her head, she had broken her promise to him. That she wouldn't need him again. The mans hands slowly slid on her waist making her yelp.

"Don't touch her." Itachi said trying to keep his cool.

"Oh and why not, hmmm?" The man said once again moving his grip on her waist. She whimpered.

"She's not your toy, let her go!" Itachi yelled infuriated at the mans actions.

"Well I believe she is." he said chuckling as he slid his cheek along hers making her tremble in his grip.

"That's it." Itachi growled glaring at the man.

"Ha! What are you gonna do scratch my eyes out?" the man snickered, the absolute wrong thing to do. The next thing she felt was the man be ripped from her and heard the sound of bones cracking. She dropped to her knees sobbing.

"Saya, I'm sorry are you ok?" Itachi questioned as he comfortingly wrapped his arms around her shivering form.

"Uh-uh" she sobbed out shaking her head into his shoulder.
"Shhhh, come on stop crying it's ok. He's gone, he's not going to hurt you anymore." he said trying to sooth her by stoking her back.

She nodded her head and shakily said, "I-I'm sorry Itachi."

"For what?"

"Breaking my promise." she mumbled into the tear
soaked fabric of his cloak.

"That doesn't matter all that matters is that you're okay." he said slowly standing up and pulling her with him, "Come on." Again she nodded her head as he pulled her into his arms to carry her.

"So how'd you make it into the bingo book?" he asked, swiftly jumping threw the trees.

"I'm sorry, it's just when you left I couldn't take it. Couldn't take anything anymore. Then Ryu said that it was good that you were gone and I snapped. Killed everyone in the room, kids, Jounin, even an Anbu." she apologized once again.

"No need to apologize, it's been hard for me to." he said still looking ahead, "We're going to stay here for tonight, kay?" he stopped jumping and landed in a small clearing.

After getting a small fire going the two ninjas sat side by side near the fire. "Itachi?" she started.

"Yes?" he said directing his eye's from the fire to the girl sitting next to him.

"Thank you."

"I thought I told you never to thank me." he stated trying to look at her eyes that, thanks to the fires light, were shadowed by her bangs.

"You did but thank you. Thank you for saving me, for being there for me, for being my friend, and for being important to me." she took a breath to compensate for the words she had just spoken.

At first he stayed quiet but his onix eye's softened, "You're welcome," he smiled, "and can I thank you for something?"

"Um.... sure." she said turning to look at him.

"Thank you for being you." he said gently pressing his lips against hers. He slowly pulled away, "I love you, Saya." She felt her heart shatter like thin glass being dropped, when he said those words. The words she'd been waiting to here since she had met him.

"I love you too, Itachi." she smiled. After she embraced him her body grew limp.

"Saya?" he waited, "Saya!?" his calls became more frantic when she didn't respond.

"Don't forget." those words slipped from the peaceful smile on her smile as she died in his arms, finally at peace with herself.

"No Saya no," his words held the pain that his tears showed as they fell to the ground, "I love you, I always have."
(end flash back)

He once again shed a single tear as he set the lone black rose on her grave. "I miss you."