The cell was dark and smelled of disuse and decay, but was relatively clean. The single occupant sat in the corner staring up at the featureless ceiling. He had been stripped of his vest and weapons, but they left him his mask and headband.

"Kakashi-sensei," Sakura said coming up to the bars. "Lady Tsunade wants to see you now."

Sakura led him to her master. Tsunade dismissed her.

"Kakashi, you of all people . . . After what he did to your own student. To betray us with him."

"Frankly, Lady Hokage, I never did anything to betray the village. My sins are those of omission; I just never told anyone that Itachi was here. I never told him anything and he never did anything while here to harm the village."

"Nevertheless, it was your duty to kill him, capture him, or at least report on him to us."

"I love him. I will not betray him. But I never betrayed the village or Sasuke to him."

"You were to be the next one tapped for Hokage."

"I never wanted to be Hokage."

"I have no choice. The elders and I have sentenced you to death. It won't be public; too many people in this village love and respect you."

"Very well. Did Itachi get away?"

"He did. Or he'd be executed right next to you."

"His life is a treasure purchased at an easy price."

"I'm sorry, Kakashi."

—

Naruto and Sakura were sent off on a mission with Sai and Yamato to keep them from knowing what was about to happen. Team Gai was also sent out. Anyone who might interfere if they got a hint of Kakashi's predicament were sent out on missions. Sakura knew Kakashi was in trouble, but not that he was under the threat of death.

The top of the Hokage building was the highest point beside the Hokage monument and was out of the village's sight. Kakashi couldn't help looking up at the face of his sensei. If he could see where his student ended up . . . The third had Orochimaru, Kakashi had Sasuke, and the Forth now had Kakashi. But he had no regrets. Anything for Itachi. Kakashi didn't believe Itachi was innocent, but he loved him too much to care.

At least he was being allowed to keep his mask.

Kakashi shut his eyes and waited for death to come.

And come it did.

Suddenly there was an explosion of fire that leapt up into the sky and everyone's eyes were naturally directed toward the disturbance. Their eyes flew up, but then back down to the source before they could contemplate who had caused the giant fireball. Arrayed in a line were several clones of Itachi. They all found the eyes of everyone they could, pulling them into his Sharingan. It was not, however, the Mangekyô. The clones disappeared and those who were not hypnotized attacked. Itachi cut them down ruthlessly. Itachi came forward cautiously into the silence, prepared for anyone playing possum. One shinobi attacked, but he was ready and put the man down. He walked up to Kakashi, the only one he hadn't tried to hypnotize.

"I'm so sorry, Kakashi," he said. He released his lover. "You have no choice now, come with me."

"As you say." Kakashi followed Itachi out of the village.

They didn't stop until they were nearly to the border of the fire country. Kakashi had noticed Itachi gasping at times, but figured it was just from using his Sharingan on so many people at once then fleeing.

Itachi stopped and turned to Kakashi. He looked ill, paler than usual, sweating, his eyes bright in more of a fevered way.

"I'm sorry Kakashi," he said. "It was my recklessness that led to this. I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it." Kakashi came up and embraced him. "You did come back and save my life. And while weakened; you don't look well. I appreciate your help."

"I'm sorry for a lot of things. I just want you to know how much I love you."

"I know it. You're the only one I ever loved."

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

Itachi bent a little, brought up a hand, and coughed so hard it sounded as if he were dislodging his lungs.

"Itachi, you need to find a doctor."

"No." He straightened, pulling from Kakashi's arms. There was a trail of blood leading from the corner of his mouth. "I know nothing can be done."

"Itachi?"

"I'm sorry. I'm dying. Do one thing for me? Take my eyes." He fished two vials out of his pocket with his clean hand. "Give them to Sasuke. Remember what I said about Madara and Izuna? Give him my eyes."

"You can't die."

Itachi smiled. "Part of me wishes that was the case." He was overcome by another bout of coughing. He nearly collapsed, but Kakashi grabbed him and held him to him. "I'm only twenty-one, but I feel like I've lived three lifetimes. Tell Sasuke I'm sorry we couldn't have our little fight to the death. Tell him he—" The drops of blood were becoming gouts. Itachi's breathing became more labored. "Save him from himself, Kakashi. I wish that if you had to be banished from Konoha it could have been when we could be together, at least for a time. Find Sasuke. I love you."

Itachi slumped.

"Itachi!" Itachi just slumped more, finally going completely limp in Kakashi's arms. "Itachi!" But his lover was dead. Kakashi fell to his knees, cradling the body against him.
The last time Kakashi remembered weeping was when Obito died. The Uchiha seemed to be the only ones who had that kind of power over him. He wept into Itachi long raven hair for several minutes, unable to release him, but Kakashi knew he had to harvest Itachi's eyes quickly. He performed the gruesome task as he remembered Rin doing so many years before. Afterward, he cut off a lock of his lover's hair, took his scored headband, his necklace, and all his weapons, then used the giant fireball jutsu to cremate the body. He let the wind take the ashes.

Kakashi tossed his own headband away and tied Itachi's with its slash through the leaf symbol over his forehead and eye. He could never return to Konoha and when he thought of his village, the village he had been loyal to and served for so long, he felt nothing but a tiny flame of anger. They were dead to him; they were all dead to him. It wasn't that they had been prepared to execute him or hunted his lover, everything was dead to him. There was no life now that Itachi was dead. The entire world was dead to him. Except Sasuke. He had to find Sasuke.

Okay, I don't like the title either, but the story was originally suppose to be a oneshot where Kakashi was executed for his relationship with Itachi and he died with 'no regrets,' so that was my working title. As the story changed, I was unable to think up a new name, so the old one stuck. Anyway, this might end up being a long one.