AN: This story does follow the canon plot… kind of. Sakura's little rendezvous is obviously not canon and how it happens is obviously not canon, but everything that happens with Itachi is all true in this story. I changed nothing about what Sasuke finds out about him later and all that. So keep that in mind as you read. When years pass, the characters stay canon. This story just became rated M. It's just a tasteful lemon though, nothing scary. :)

Sakura stared at his weak smile, embracing its rarity, before it vanished.

"Tell me the truth," she demanded.

"If I tell you, I'll have to kill you," he said.

Sakura frowned. She didn't really believe him, but it sent chills down her spine anyway. "I want to know."

Itachi showed his first signs of frustration as his eyes narrowed. "Just go back to Konoha and wait for Sasuke like a good kunoichi."

For a moment, Sakura didn't grasp what he said. Wait for Sasuke? "Wait for him? You mean he'll return? He'll never go back until he kills you," Sakura said.

After careful consideration, Itachi glared at her before he shut and locked the door.

When he turned back to her, she expected some kind of answer, but he simply walked past her without a word.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Sakura said.

She lifted her hand as if to stop him, but her fear kept her from following through. Regardless, Itachi reacted. Her throat was in his hand in less than a second and her eyes wide with terror. Realizing his overreaction, he released her.

"You already know too much. I cannot let you leave now," Itachi said.

With only the whip of his cloak, he left her alone.

# # #

-Two Weeks Later-

Sakura laid in her bed, her eyes wide open, and her chest heaving. For the last few weeks, she had barely spoken with Itachi, but somehow, she felt like she knew him better anyway. He would bring her food, and wake her up if she slept too late. He knew she was disorientated, so he took her with him to the local town one day. He spent the most money at a candy shop.

Every time she asked him about anything, he would knock her out, so she stopped doing it. Now, whenever they were together, they sat in silence. He knew she was onto him, and she could tell she made him uncomfortable. What Sakura didn't understand was why he hadn't killed her yet.

Something else she had noticed was how he seemed to be on edge, waiting for something. He was always tense, looking over his shoulder. It made Sakura uneasy. Several times she had touched him without thinking and every time he would turn away from her, or leave altogether.

He was tearing her apart. It was Sasuke all over again. Constantly moody about something she didn't understand and would never understand. He wouldn't talk to her and no matter how hard she tried to stop it she felt her heart being torn out of her chest. She wanted to ease his pain, do anything she could to help him. She felt it as if it was her own pain, and yet, he wouldn't let her in—not at all.

It was the middle of the night and she had just woke up from a dream. Her cheeks were wet and her heart was racing. She had been dreaming about him for several nights now, but she couldn't remember them, but she remembered this one.

Itachi had left and he was dead.

Closing her eyes, Sakura realized that was exactly what he was waiting for—death. But why?

"None of it makes sense," Sakura whispered.

Plagued by nightmares, Sakura slept.

# # #

-Another Week Passed-

"Itachi," Sakura said.

He looked up at her. He was sitting on the window sill, staring outside, a considerable distance from her, eating his meal.

"I want you to let me begin a healing procedure on your eyes," she began and quickly added, "I've been bored lately and it would be nice to have something to focus on."

Itachi was silent for a long time and turned back to the window.

Sakura bit her lip, thinking that was a no, but he spoke after thinking it over.

"What kind of procedure?" he asked.

Sakura almost smiled. "It would take just a few sessions of me using my chakra to correct the damage. I have enough chakra to do it fairly quickly, so it wouldn't hinder you too much. I haven't really used any chakra at all lately, so it would feel good to exhaust it."

Itachi looked at her, his expression unreadable, but somehow different. He was contemplating. She could tell his vision was getting progressively worse each day and he could hardly see her at all. It stung her just to acknowledge this.

"How would you do it?" Itachi asked.

Sakura paused. "I just need to be close to you, so I can inject chakra near the damage."

Sakura felt her heart skip as he looked at her like he was really trying to see her. His Sharingan activated and he analyzed her. After several seconds of watching her, he closed his eyes and reopened them, revealing the black emotionless depths again.

"Fine."

# # #

-A few days later-

"Try to relax," Sakura said.

Itachi unclasped his cloak and threw it on the chair by the bed. He sat down on the bed and looked at Sakura. She looked excited and healthier. Itachi mentally sighed. That was why he agreed to this after all.

"Lie back please," she said.

Completely uncomfortable with this situation, Itachi did as she said. He never expected to have so much trouble from her. Saving her life had been more difficult to do than he thought. When he had heard about the mission she was assigned, he knew she wouldn't survive the fight with the immortal Akatsuki members. So he had taken the matter into his own hands. He didn't want Sasuke to lose anyone else. That had been months ago. He had heard of the death of Hidan and Kakuzu, and was ready for Sakura to leave until she rattled off what she thought of him.

Itachi frowned. He really should kill her. She was a major risk to everything he had planned, but she didn't really know anything. Without proof, Sasuke would never listen to her. Now he just needed her to stay away from him until all was said and done.

Itachi suddenly felt an unexpected weight on him and opened his eyes.

"What are you doing?" Itachi asked.

Sakura had climbed on top of him, straddling him, and placed her hands on his temples.

"I need to be able to relax when I do this. At the hospital there is a better method for this, but we don't have that luxury. Just try and relax," she said.

Itachi closed his eyes after glaring at her. She was gripping him with her thighs much tighter than necessary and resting her weight on his chest. It was far from hurting, or even causing him discomfort, but the idea of Sasuke's little girlfriend straddling him didn't rest well on his mind. However, the moment the cool, soothing chakra he knew was Sakura's rushed into his body, all thoughts of their awkward position disappeared. All he knew was the relief he felt at her touch and the pain he had grown used to leaving him.

# # #

-The next day-

After hours of the second session, Itachi opened his eyes. Sakura had just lifted her hands from his skin and was looking at him expectantly. She was breathing rather harshly, as if she had used a bit too much chakra to finish the job. However, her eyes were alight with excitement.

Itachi stopped all thought. Her eyes were so beautiful. They were the most vibrant shade of green he had ever seen and her smile…

She was gorgeous.

He could see every detail of her, the way she was still resting on top of him like she didn't have the energy to move, but still watching him, waiting for a reaction.

"Well!! How is it? Can you see?" Sakura asked.

Itachi continued to stare at her, feeling her weight on him at that moment more than ever.

"I can see fine."

Itachi grabbed her hips and moved her onto the bed beside him before he stood up. By the time he turned around to see her, she was already asleep.

# # #

Sakura awoke in the middle of the night, tears dripping down her skin again. Throwing the covers off of her, she got out of the bed and looked around. The last thing she recalled was Itachi looking at her like he had never seen another human being before. Sakura glanced at the door to his room. Wiping tears from her skin, she walked to the door and put her hand on it.

She didn't know how exactly it had happened, but he had gotten inside her head. Itachi Uchiha had broken into her heart. His mere presence was terrifying and saddening at the same time. Somewhere in these mix of emotions she felt for him, she wanted to be close to him. She wanted to be near him, so much so, that she would lie to him about how she had to heal his eyes. There was no denying the way he made her feel, on so many levels, so she wasn't going to anymore.

Narrowing her eyes, Sakura pushed open the door. Silently, she went to his bed and crawled under the sheets next to him. He was so close to her, she could feel the heat from his back. Gently, careful not to wake him, Sakura rested her hand on his skin and went to sleep.

# # #

Itachi stared at the pink haired kunoichi resting on his pillow. He heard her come in and felt her against him, but for some reason, he didn't want to stop her. He watched her breathe, her slumber peaceful. Itachi humphed and picked her up to take her back to her bed. As he laid her down, he mumbled, "What an annoying kunoichi."

# # #

When Sakura awoke she wasn't surprised to be back in her own room, but she was surprised to see Itachi passing by her bed. He seemed to notice she was awake because he glanced sideways at her.

"I'll be back in a few days," he said, and without another word, he was gone.

Sakura ran to the door and tried to open it, but found it was locked.

"Damn it," she breathed.

He said he'll be back.

"He's coming back," Sakura said, slumping down the wall.

He's coming back… but he won't always come back…

# # #

Itachi's few days turned into a few weeks. Sakura was visited by Kisame who would bring her whatever she needed, but he wouldn't tell her where Itachi was. He had seemed downright shocked at the concern in her voice. In fact, he seemed even disturbed by it. Itachi certainly did put up a good front when he wanted to. It made Sakura wonder why he had slipped so much with her. He could have easily acted like the person she thought he was, but he had a moment of weakness in front of her, and because of that, she was stuck there alone knowing a secret she wasn't meant to know.

It was late in the night when she heard the door click. Having not really slept much, Sakura lied awake with her eyes closed as Itachi passed through the room and into his own. In the darkness, she glanced at him, and saw that he had cast a look her way. Sakura couldn't help her heart from beating rapidly. She only succeeded in lying still for about thirty minutes before she slipped out of bed.

Her step was quicker than last time and her mind more focused. Itachi didn't have long… she could feel it. Not only had the symptoms of his disease gotten worse, but he himself was taking care of loose ends. He was preparing to die and she could feel it in the air. Taking a deep breath, Sakura tried to keep her tears from spilling. She pushed open the door, and saw his cloak and clothes scattered on the floor. It was unlike him to be messy. As her eyes lingered on him, she noticed him turn his head and look at her. He was lying on top of the covers in just his pants, face down. He looked so normal it made her wince. Why couldn't he just have a normal life… where he could be happy?

Sakura sensed his apprehension at her presence and took another deep breath. She had been thinking about this a lot lately, ever since he had left, and she wasn't going to back down now.

Her eyes stay focused on his while her hand reached for her zipper. Itachi didn't move as she pulled the zipper of her top down and let it fall off to the floor. His eyes followed it down, and Sakura felt encouraged that he hadn't stopped her yet. Her hands slid her skirt off and pulled the tie from her hair. As she let her hair fall around her shoulders, Itachi vanished and she felt a firm grip on her hand, still raised above her head. She could feel him behind her, stopping her.

"Don't," he said.

Sakura took a step back and felt him tense when she was against him.

"You don't need to tell me the truth for me to understand, Itachi. I know that you're alone, and I know you don't deserve this hell you endure. You can't change my mind," Sakura said, running her free hand across his skin.

"What would Sasuke think of you right now, Sakura?" he said.

Sakura froze.

What would Sasuke think? He would never want to touch her again… but he didn't know. He had no idea.

"If Sasuke knew the truth, he wouldn't hate me for what I'm going to do," she said.

"And what truth is that, Sakura?" Itachi asked, his voice irritated.

Sakura didn't say anything for a long time. "You're not who you pretend to be."

Itachi didn't respond.

"I know you're going to let Sasuke kill you. That's why you won't let me leave. You don't want me to interfere… I have no idea why you're doing this, but I know that you're going to die anyway. I trust that you know what you're doing. But, Itachi, please, I just want… this one night. I want you to sleep with me," Sakura breathed.

Itachi released her wrist and for a moment, she thought he was going to knock her out. Instead, she felt a whisper on her neck.

"You belong to my little brother. I am certain he will come to you one day, and I refuse to take from him what he deserves," Itachi said.

Sakura's eyes widened at his words and she moved across the room towards his bed before he could knock her out. Itachi stood where he had been, watching her.

"I refuse to let you die like this," Sakura whispered, tears falling down her cheeks, "Over these last few days, I have come to understand that you are not the person I thought you were. Over these last few days… I've fallen in love with you."

Sakura couldn't look him in the eye as she spoke. However, after a few moments, she glanced to see him with his eyes closed.

"Sasuke doesn't love me, and if he could one day, he would understand what I'm doing now. I can't bear for you to die without knowing some form of happiness… I refuse to let you do it…" Sakura said.

When Sakura opened her eyes, Itachi was standing just before her. She watched in fear as he lifted his hand. She felt certain he was going to knock her out, but instead, he grazed his fingers across her cheek, wiping away her tears.

"I'm sorry, Sakura. I never meant for you to know anything. Now I've given you a burden to carry the rest your life, but you must promise to never tell Sasuke about any of this. As far as he is concerned, we never met," Itachi said.

Sakura stared up at him. "I promise."

Itachi's Sharingan scanned her entire body and Sakura suddenly felt exposed. She wore nothing but her underwear and he wasn't shy about it. After careful consideration about something, Itachi's crimson eyes focused on her.

"I never wanted to murder my clan, but had I not, a war of great proportions would have destroyed far more than just my family. I did what I had to so that Konoha would remain. It is on orders from Konoha that I live as a missing-nin, and it is my duty to Sasuke that has decided my fate. Tomorrow I will leave; Sasuke draws near. I've lead him here," Itachi said.

Sakura's mouth was agape as she tried to comprehend what he had just told her, but before she could form words, Itachi's mouth was on hers and he was kissing her. Her thoughts faded as his tongue slipped past her lips. He had no reservations anymore, and while she could feel his regret in being with her, she also knew he had made a decision. His hands freely roamed her body, leaving tingling trails in their wake. She barely noticed as he laid her against the bed beneath him as he stretched his hands through her hair. He tasted faintly of chocolate and Sakura craved to feel him closer to her. His lips pulled away from her and moved down to her neck as she reached her arms around him, feeling his body pressed against hers.

Sakura gasped as she felt his mouth on her breast, her eyes flashing open. Her entire body was hot and she couldn't seem to wrap her legs around him tight enough. However, the more she did, the more she felt how hard he was against her. It shocked and excited her, never having felt a man against her like that.

"Itachi," Sakura moaned.

Sakura felt him release her nipple from his mouth and lift his gaze to hers. As he watched her, a curious fascination in his eyes, he ripped and pulled her panties from her body. His eyes locked with hers, he touched the wetness between her legs. As her lips parted, Itachi touched them with his free hand, his fingers trailing her lips lazily.

"Thank you for giving me my vision back," Itachi said. "I never could have imagined how beautiful you are."

Sakura was going to say something, but a loud gasp filled the air. Itachi was stroking her, stroking inside of her… and it felt as good as he looked.

"Itachi," she breathed, parting her legs further for him.

His mouth was on her again, everywhere, leaving wet trails across her body to tingle in the cool air as he pushed his fingers inside her. Sakura had never known such bliss, and she felt she would never know it again.

Subconsciously, Sakura's hands were roaming, and when they grasped something hard, her eyes snapped open. Itachi had both hands next to her head, supporting his weight, though looming not even an inch above her. His face was scrunched in pained pleasure as her hands gripped him. Sakura ran her hand down his length and shuddered. The idea of him putting that inside her was terrifying and thrilling to her and he knew it. The burning red of his Sharingan watched her as she moved her hands and pressed herself against him. The tip was hovering just at her entrance, and Sakura braced herself for the pain.

However, her tensed body was relaxed when Itachi kissed her and sent a numbing shock throughout her. He kissed her like there was no tomorrow as he pushed into her slick folds, careful not to hurt her. Sakura was so enthralled to be in his arms, the pain was nothing compared to being with him. To show him this, she shifted her hips so that he would be pressed further inside her and gripped him with her thighs.

She hadn't noticed it before, but Itachi was breathing hard, much harder than she had ever seen him. He pulled his lips from hers and rested his forehead against hers, his eyes closed.

Moving against her and making Sakura nearly pass out from the waves of heat being sent through her body, Itachi pulled out of her small frame and pushed back in with more force. A sharp flash of heat ripped through Sakura's body as she felt Itachi push in to the hilt. He was breathing even harder now, his forehead still pressed against hers. It was then that Sakura realized what was wrong with him.

"Itachi," she said.

He opened his eyes and looked at her, not moving his position.

"I'm fine, you don't have to be careful on my account," she said.

Itachi didn't say anything. His grip on Sakura's back got firmer and he slid out of her so quickly Sakura gasped when he thrust back inside. The pain was bitter sweet, and she craved it. Whether Itachi noticed her reaction or not, he thrust back inside her again without hesitation. He seemed to have reached the limit on his patience.

Every time he moved within her, Sakura nearly blacked out. She felt certain he was gripping her so tightly there would be bruises in the morning, but she only smiled at this thought. His name was on her lips and his breath on her cheek, the sweet smell of candy lingering in the air. His every touch was raw and tearing apart her heart.

As he pushed into her harder than she would have believed, her hands pulled at his hair, gripping it between her fingers. Each thrust pushed her further and further over the edge, and finally, as he emptied himself into her, she felt her third orgasm consume her mind.

Limp in Itachi's arms she laid. After several moments of what felt like eternal bliss, Sakura finally focused on his crimson eyes again. He was still breathing deep, watching her like she was sent to be his undoing. His hair was loose from her passionate embrace and he looked so beautiful Sakura couldn't keep her lips off him.

Itachi let her kiss him, but he pulled himself from her body, only for Sakura to push him back and climb atop him.

"I refuse to let this night be over yet," she said.

Itachi hardened at just her words and moaned as she licked his length with her tongue, her eyes watching him.

# # #

Itachi watched Sakura breathe as she lay curled up against his chest. He hadn't slept all night, and she had only just fallen asleep. He had taken her in every way imaginable and she only ever begged for him to take her again. Spent was beyond what Sakura was right now. Every time she looked at him, he could sense her desire for the night to never end. He felt pain like he had never known at the idea of her actually loving him. He hoped she hadn't meant it and her lust would disappear along with him.

Itachi sighed.

Forgive me, Sasuke…

# # #

When Sakura awoke, the first thing she noticed was the absence of his body next to hers. She lay there, with her eyes closed, for several hours. Somehow, if she never opened her eyes, she felt like the morning wouldn't come… and Itachi wouldn't be gone.

Finally, Sakura sat up. Seeing Itachi no where in sight, Sakura's heart broke. Tears spilled from her eyes as she acknowledged that the morning had come. Itachi was gone.

# # #

-Eight Years Later-

Sakura walked the short distance to her home after running an errand to the store. Trailing behind her was a small boy of about four. His resemblance to Sasuke was uncanny. In her arms was a baby girl, with bright pink hair and sparking green eyes.

"Hey! Sakura-chan!"

Sakura stopped and turned to greet Naruto as he came to her side, Hinata carrying their small child in her arms at his side.

"Don't you have paper work to be doing?" Sakura scolded.

Naruto grinned sheepishly and scratched his head. "Ehhh, I can do it later. Shikamaru is late getting me his mission reports anyway."

Sakura smirked. Of course. Some things won't ever change.

"You know, as Hokage, you're supposed to be setting a good example, not a bad one," Sakura said.

Naruto didn't even hear her as her son began to throw plastic shurikens at Naruto who in turn used a substitution jutsu to impress him. Sakura watched her son smiling with such enthusiasm and grinned. Nothing would ever take his smile away. She'd make damn sure of it.

"Hey Sakura, tell Sasuke we'll stop by later. I had a few things to talk to him about," Naruto said.

Sakura nodded and then yelled at her son to stop trying to perform the sexy jutsu before she headed home.

The house was quiet as she put away the items she had picked up. Her baby girl slept peacefully in her crib and her son had taken off into the garden. Picking up her baby, Sakura stepped out onto the back patio overlooking the gardens.

Sasuke stood, staring out past the porch, not having changed from his ANBU uniform yet.

"Sasuke, why haven't you changed yet?" Sakura asked.

He seemed to be pulled out of a trance as he looked up at her.

"He activated his Sharingan. He's more like him than I ever expected," Sasuke said, looking back out into the gardens.

Sakura followed his gaze and saw her eldest son, about seven years old, running around chasing his little brother. His long dark hair was tied back and his eyes were ablaze with crimson.

He too looked uncannily like his father.

"Thank you, Sakura, for keeping a part of him alive."

Sakura smiled and looked out at her sons playing while Sasuke took their daughter in his arms. Not to her surprise, her eldest son had just pulled a piece of candy from his pocket.

# # #

AN: Well, there is it, that is finished. Yes, that was Itachi's son. T_T I wish this were true!!! *Cries* Sasuke learns that the truth about Itachi just like he did in the manga. No one else knows that was Itachi's child but Sasuke and Sakura. Review! Tell me what you thought! I didn't name the kids because everyone always gripes about that stuff and I didn't feel like thinking that hard about. Put whatever names you like there! Something else I wanted to add-- In the databook that I don't believe is in English yet it has a lot of facts on Itachi. It said he liked to walk through candy stores... I almost. I will put the link on my profile.

-- Here's an interlude that didn't fit anywhere else.

Ever since I woke up that morning without him, I knew that I had experienced something valuable. I would never forget that night, never forget what it felt like for him to hold me in his arms. I would never forget Itachi Uchiha and all that he had done. All that he had sacrificed...

When Sasuke came back to the village, things were different. It took a long time for him to really talk to me again, but when he finally did, he told me about his brother. I was shocked that he knew, but so relieved. I was four months pregnant at the time, and only barely hiding it. I wasn't sure how Sasuke would react when I told him, but what he did was not what I expected. He asked me to marry him. He didn't want anyone to believe an Uchiha could be an illegitimate child and he didn't want Itachi's son to have his name dragged through the mud. Sasuke told me he would raise him as his own, because nothing Sasuke could do would ever change the dark legacy attached to his brother's name.

To be honest, I was shocked. I never expected Sasuke to embrace me and his brother's child so quickly. However, since then, I've always felt like he loved me a little more for what I had done. He understood, just as I had told Itachi he would. He was grateful Itachi had found some happiness in a world that suffocated him for his greatness. And Sasuke had become a different person because of it.