Disclaimer: I dun own Naruto. And again, I don't own the poem that Itachi recites either... I don't even know the author!

A/N: YO! Everyone! Man, and I thought I would update in two weeks... Well, guess not! Anyways, the ending is being delayed. It was supposed to be this chapter, but unfortunately, it did not run according to my plans. Oh well. ENJOY, AS ALWAYS!

Thanks go to Durian, Lady Light, Kawaii Koneko92, BaBy KaKaShI, Iccena, arimi-yume, Hao'sAnjul, Shy-LilDreamer, Winter Skier, flowerangel050, Elegant Destruction, animEvivvErz, Princess Sakura Haruno, little wolf blossom, allyluv, Midnight-Miko66, AnimeSenko, iluvanime493, kin-kin, Anglia-Kitty, joanne, Dannie-chan, Mistress DragonFlame, holla, paper n pen, bl, Miko-chan, Monkeyluv4646, and Mistress of the Sand!

This chapter is dedicated to Emily from Corpse Bride, who was selfless in setting him free. Thanks to you, the movie turned out to be a great one! And touching too...

Warning: Character death.

Key:

"...text" dialogue/present/present thoughts

'...text' thoughts/sound effects/flashbacks

Last Secret Garden

" Go away! Don't hurt my flowers!"

" Hmph. Get them, boys!"

" No!"

Thud. Cling!

' The sound of metallic objects... kunais...'

" Run! It's an Uchiha!"

' ...Uchiha?...Sasuke...?'

" Wait! Can you tell me your name?"

"...Itachi..."

' !'

" Thank you, Itachi-nii-chan! Here, have this!"

' ...The boy that saved me when I was a child was...Uchiha Itachi?'

'...Why have the memories come back to me now?'

Four

' The Uchiha Clan will soon be restored!' She wanted to bring the news to him when the red cloud patterned cloak came into view before the bedroom setting.

His focus deserted the grave night outside her window almost immediately. Ruby collided with emerald, the colors complimenting each other.

' Tell him. Tell him that you're-'

" He found me this morning."

He spoke five simple words. Just five. Yet, it was enough to make her shudder, enough to make her burst into tears. And it was definitely enough for her to swallow all the courage she once summoned back into the pit of her stomach.

" Tomorrow will be the fated battle."

' He would win.' Usually, she wouldn't allow such pessimistic thoughts to enter her mind. However, this time, it was not her mind that did the thinking. It was her gut that revealed the future.

' The Uchiha Clan would be avenged.' She glanced over to his never-changing facade of serenity. ' Uchiha Itachi would always be known as the traitor, and he would always be hailed as the hero. You would achieve your goal, with no one ever knowing your motives.'

Neither of them slept nor spoke. Individual thoughts had fumbled with their minds that night.

" You came again, Itachi-nii-chan!"

" ..."

" Oh, a poem! Please, read it!"

" ...All right."

" I have been studying many times,

The marbles which were made clear for me.

A boat with a rolled sail at rest in a harbor.

In truth, it pictures not my destination,

But my life.

For love was offered me,

Yet, I shrank from its disillusions.

Sadness knocked at my door,

But I was afraid to open my door.

Dreams called out to me,

But the chances were terrible.

Now I know,

That we must raise the sails of hope,

And catch the winds of luck,

And go wherever it takes us.

To put meaning in one's life may end in madness,

But life without meaning is torture

Of restlessness and unclear desires.

It is a boat that longed for the sea,

And yet, I was afraid."

" Eh, I don't think I understand, Itachi-nii-chan."

' No one would understand. We are bounded by brotherhood. I feel what he feels.'

The gentle breeze ruffled his gravity defying raven locks, whispering to him soundlessly of the upcoming battle. It cautioned him and wished him good luck.

The arrival of his opponent was announced by the dancing leaves in crispy clatters.

" I'll end this once and for all." Blood red seeped through the endless abyss of his onyx orbs. The wheels of the Mangekyou Sharingan began spinning. Everything he once possessed flashed before his eyes.

' Otou-san, Okaa-san, the clan, comrades, friends...'

He saw an image of pink cascading down the small of her back.

' Sakura...'

" Uchiha Itachi, you shall pay for what you've taken away!"

" Ha... ha... ha..." Rushed breathing came out in short, troubled pants. Even the fresh supply of oxygen nature provided her had not been enough to fill her lungs.

' Hurry up! Faster! Faster!' She yelled at herself mentally, leaping from branch to branch in pursuit of her destination.

' Uchiha Itachi. Sasuke. The Uchiha Clan. It's all a big misunderstanding!'

Shutting her eyes, the Haruno concentrated on recollecting the memories that came back to her not long ago.

" You must know how to take care of yourself. I cannot be with you always."

" What? Itachi-nii-chan, I don't understand?"

" Do not worry... I will be back when the Cherry Blossom of Spring blooms to its fullest."

Truly, in the past, she'd put all her reliance on he who protected her garden. Sasuke was the same. And yet, he chose to abandon them, and leave them for the hideous monsters on the face of reality.

Sadness. Loneliness. Agony. Loss. Hatred. Jealousy. Greed.

And after all those years, she came to realize the way of his reasoning.

' Sasuke, you and I are two very different people who are very much the same. Can you not understand what I understand?'

Upon the battlefield, the previous grassy plains of jade was now tarnished with droplets of crimson big and small. Countless kunais and shurikens along with other Shinobi gear littered the ground, mercilessly disturbing the plant and animal life of above and below.

And in the center of all disarray, were two figures, related by name and related by blood.

" I can finally kill you now!" The younger Uchiha stood towering over the elder who supported himself on one knee. A sphere of pure lightning energy crying in the voice of a thousand birds gathered in his hands. He was ready to fire the shot at any given moment. " Any last words, aniki?"

"..." It was time, he decided, not bothering to wipe away the trail of red at the corner of his lips. His brother would complete his life long mission once he take his life.

His task would be accomplished as well.

Forcing both his Sharingans into rest, he readied himself for the final impact.

He thought back to the past of his entire life for the last time. His birth, him becoming a ninja, then Chuunin, then ANBU...

His memories stopped upon a certain time. The time when he bid farewell to the girl who he saved, and carried the name of spring. He remembered his own words exactly on that day.

" Do not worry... I will be back when the Cherry Blossom of Springs blooms to its fullest."

" ...When you do..." She managed out between sniffs and sobs. " I'll... make sure to give...you a warm welcome..."

He had kept his part of the promise. And, he smirked, she has yet to keep her part of the pledge.

But time would not allow it. He did not have forever, nor did he have tomorrow.

Darkness blinded him, the scream of thunder deafened him, and death would soon silence him.

" Die!"

He felt him approaching.

Three feet. Two feet. One-

Thud!

The piercing sound of wails faded away.

Everything became still.

Drip. Drop.

Strange warm moisture flew to the bridge of his nose and the sides of his face. He felt it run down his skin.

His blood, perhaps.

Oddly, he did not feel pain.

Then-

" Ugh..." It wasn't his voice. It sounded softer, more feminine-

Ruby eyes reopened in time to witness the fall of a petite body onto his own.

In the next second, his opponent had dismissed his Blood Limit skill and dropped down before them, fear and shock clearly written on his bloodied countenance.

" Sakura..."

" You don't understand, Sasuke..." Violent coughs rattled her weak body as she fought hard to speak. " He is the last of your clan... He is your brother... I don't want you to regret after you've killed him..."

" ...Save your breath, Sakura."

" No, Sasuke... I don't have much time... So please, just let me finish..." A small hand went to the wound at her chest in attempt to soften the ache. " If you put down your anger and think...you'll know everything..."

" ..."

When she turned to capture the sight of the other, her best smile was place upon her tainted lips.

" I haven't forgotten, Itachi-nii-chan... My promise to you... Welcome back..."

He nodded, satisfied.

Her smile shined brighter.

" I've always wondered where I kept that garden... The years has brought away my past memories...and the garden as well..."

"..." He didn't know what to tell her.

" Where is it?"

He did not answer. He did not know how to answer.

It was not long before he felt the figure go limp in his arms, carrying the same smile of all times.

" Where is it?"

Author's Crap:

Well, people, there you have it again. Phew. This chapter sure was a pain in the neck. It took some dozzing off and some goofing around before I put the pencil to work. Heh heh. I'll be putting up an Epilogue for this fic.

Afterwards, I'll be working with "the other side"for some future update. For those of you who are going "WTF?", check my profile out for more details. But, I kind of don't have anything on that section right now...

Anyways, R & R!