Summary

In which all does not go well, but things turn out all right anyway...

A/N: And here's that alternate ending I was telling you all about. You decide on which one you like better! This one is more angst than the other one, but I still think it fits in really well. Starts up at the end of chapter 38. As always, I appreciate your reviews.

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"I'm sorry."

He stared the Hokage down quietly as she apologized to him.

"Despite the important amount of information you've given us, and the details of Madara Uchiha's new condition, it's just not enough to pardon the heinous crimes you've committed, Itachi Uchiha."

Itachi gulped, then lowered his head in resignation, "... I... I understand, Lady Hokage. I wasn't really expecting to be forgiven so easily, or even pardoned for what I deemed was neccessary. I take full responsibility for my actions."

"We will set your execution date by tomorrow. You will have only a little time to get everything in order," Tsunade sighed, shaking her head and turning away from the youg Uchiha, "The fact that I'm even able to give you time is something that the council will disagree with immediately, but I'm willing to give you an honorable death, Uchiha."

"I understand. Thank you, Lady Hokage," the dark-haired male whispered, shutting his eyes tightly and suppressing the growing urge to suddenly bolt. Hadn't he been accepting of the possibility of Sasuke killing him? This was really no different. But then, he'd never been given the chance to hope. The idea that there were still good things for him out there. Things like-

"I have but two requests, Lady Hokage." Tsunade glanced back, surprised at the iron-clad no-nonsense sound of his voice.

"Lady Tsunade?" One of the heads asked, sounding annoyed. She silenced him with a fierce glare.

"I will hear them. Depending on what they are, I will try to grant them." Several heads hissed in anger, but with an angry swipe of her hand, they were silent again.

"The first, is to protect my little brother. Despite Orochimaru getting his claws into him, I believe there is a way to rid him of that curse seal. I want him safe, even after I'm gone."

"Done!" Tsunade nodded, "I want details on how to remove that seal later." Itachi nodded and took a breath to speak again.

"The second, I wish for you to allow Kagome to become a citizen of Konoha. She is an innocent, and I want her to be safe. She means... more than you can imagine to me." The longing in his voice caused several wide-eyed looks and raised brows, however, the silence still reigned. Tsunade considered this request carefully before nodding.

"I will do this. These are your only requests?" At the Sharingan weilder's nod, she sighed. "Very well. I will carry out your final requests."

"Thank you. I have nothing further to say then."

"Very well. These ANBU," four guards filled the room suddenly, "will escort you unharmed to your cell, Uchiha. You will be provided food and water, and tomorrow, you will be informed of your execution date."

"I... see."

"The rest of you are dismissed!" Tsunade declared firmly, waving her hand and watching wearily as the heads of the clans exited one by one.

The four ANBU moved as one, two taking each side of him, one in the front, and one behind him. Despite the fact that they'd completely drained his chakra, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up at the malicious feelings coming off of the four elite ninjas. It had to have been the aura reading ability Kagome had explained to him. Apparently, it didn't rely on chakra at all like he'd previously thought.

Just as they were leaving, though, he stopped, then turned to face the quiet Hokage.

"I want to see her." The ANBU behind him hissed and raised a hand to strike out. It was caught by the blonde woman. Despite the fact that she didn't always actively participate in battle, she still moved fast enough to stop things.

"... Why?"

"I want to tell her myself." Tsunade took a moment to consider this, then nodded.

"Very well. She's waiting in one of the conference rooms. I believe your brother is with her," she sighed, turning to open the door and walking out. Itachi and his guards followed behind the important woman, watching as she opened doors and checked inside. Finally, though, they came to one door that was shut. Even so, they could hear the shouting going on behind the door as clear as day.

"Don't you understand! He did all of that to protect you!" Kagome's voice screamed, sounding hoarse from being used so much. Itachi fidgeted, worried that his younger brother would try and hurt the girl.

"It doesn't matter! He still took away everyone I cared about! Do you know what that's like?" Sasuke shouted, and the people outside flinched when something glass shattered against one of the walls.

"OF COURSE I DO, YOU BRAT! YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY ONE TO LOSE PEOPLE YOU CARE ABOUT!" the priestess's voice cracked brokenly at the word 'care', "AND NOW YOU WANT TO TELL ME THAT I SHOULD LET SOMEONE ELSE I CARE ABOUT BE TAKEN AWAY FROM ME?"

"How could you care for him? He's a monster!" The sound of flesh hitting flesh snapped the group outside into action and Tsunade pulled open the door quickly. Kagome's hand was raised in a way that indicated that she'd just slapped the crap out of the surprised looking Uchiha in the room with her. He was watching her with wide dark eyes as she gulped in great lungfuls of air.

"Don't you ever talk about your brother like that!" she hissed so quietly, they had to shuffle in the door to hear what she was saying, "He did something so selfless, so caring as to spare you, and you talk about him like that? He loves you! Otherwise, he wouldn't have let you live!"

Sasuke opened his mouth, whether to argue or apologize, no one would ever know.

"Kagome. That's enough," Itachi sighed, shaking his head at her when she whirled around to face him with wide eyes. She'd been crying, and there wasn't a thing he could do to keep from doing the same in another minute or so. Sasuke flinched visibly at the sound of his voice, and backed away into a corner. Watching his little brother's actions, the older Uchiha knew there would be no reconciling their past.

The priestess approached him, not in the least detered by the menacing guards surrounding him. "What... What did they say?" Her voice was so small, so very fragile sounding that he felt something in him break at the thought of hurting her. But...

"You... I made a deal with the Hokage. She said she'll let you be instated as a citizen of Konoha. You'll have full rights, and the protection of the Leaf ninja, should anything happen." He couldn't meet her gaze, those piercing eyes trying so desperately to search his out.

"Itachi?"

"These people will keep you safe. You won't have to be afraid if the Akatsuki try to come after you."

"Itachi?"

"They're giving you a second chance. It'll be like starting over again and-!"

"Itachi!" she interrupted him, grabbing a fistful of his shirt and dragging his face down to her level. To where he had to meet her gaze. She watched him very carefully for a moment before her eyes widened in realization and her fingers went limp.

"No..."

"You can live freely... without the burden of worrying about me."

"Don't... don't leave me again," Kagome whimpered, gripping his shirt tightly and burying her face in his shoulder. He could feel the warmth of her tears already soaking into the material, "Please... There has to be another way. Something else we can do!"

"I... I'm sorry. I've done everything I can. The decision was not mine to make in the first place," the older Uchiha spoke, resignation clear in his voice. "Please... don't let me hurt you any more than I already have."

"Itachi." The former heir glanced up, noting that the Hokage was awkwardly shifting her feet, "It's time to go." He nodded and stepped away from the priestess. The grip on his shirt tightened and she gazed up at him, tears still dripping from her eyes.

"Let go, Kagome."

"I... I can't," she mumbled brokenly, helplessly. Itachi closed his eyes and dregged up what little power he could to urge her on. Opening them again, the faintest impression of the Sharingan whirled in his dark eyes.

"For the sake of your happiness, you have to let me go." Her fingers automatically loosened, the bunched fabric sliding from her grip as he stepped back again.

"Please..." she murmured again, her normally blue eyes a stormy grey color in her turmoil.

"I..." The ANBU guards began to pull him away, and he swallowed his nerves once and for all, "I love you. So... just be happy."

Shocked as she was, they carted him off before she had the chance to respond. A moment later, Kagome collapsed into herself in tears.

Sasuke couldn't help but wonder if maybe, he was wrong to say all the things he had about his brother. Here was this woman, crying for someone that was supposed to be evil, and yet...

'And yet, he says he loves her,' the younger Uchiha thought, swallowing carefully and automatically taking a step towards the priestess. His feet led him instinctively to the girl curled on the floor in pain and he knelt next to her. 'Why would he tell her if it's only going to make her hurt more?'

By the time he came back to himself, he had an armful of the dark-haired girl as she sobbed into his shirt brokenly.

"I don't understand," the teen murmured, rubbing her back in soothing circles the way his mother used to do whenever he woke up from a bad dream, "Why would he tell you that if he knows it will make you cry?"

Kagome clung to the confused boy, desperately trying to get herself back under control. A moment later, she had enough resolve to respond in between enormous gulps of air. "Because... he wants me to know... that he accepts me... completely. Not as... someone else... Not as... a replacement... but as... Kagome... He loves me..."

"I... I still don't understand," Sasuke stated, still unsure of what she meant. But then, everyone he loved was gone, so, even if it was his bastard of a brother, he could understand the pain of losing someone you cared deeply about.

'Even if it is Itachi.'

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Over the next couple of days, no one could talk of anything else other than Itachi Uchiha's execution date, which had been set for a week later. Kagome bolted herself into a room the Hokage was allowing her to stay in, unwilling to associate with the people that condemned the one person she cared the most about in this world. The only person she even remote tried to make conversation with was, ironically, Sasuke.

The younger Uchiha was apparently fascinated by the fact that his cold emotionless brother could care so deeply about someone that had such volatile, and extreme, emotions like Kagome. She slowly opened up to the boy, answering his curious questions about the brother he had always known, but thought had hated him. Sasuke was quickly coming to the conclusion that Itachi had played him for a fool the night of the Uchiha Massacre.

"So then... Konoha is really to blame for my family's deaths," Sasuke mused out loud two nights before Itachi's execution, "And now they're about to take my brother away too." Kagome merely shrugged miserably and continued to absently fiddle with the necklace Itachi had given back to her. The gift that she'd given him. He'd wanted her to keep it.

"To remember me by. Someday, the pain will fade away, and you'll be able to think fondly of our time together." The priestess snorted inelegantly, startling Sasuke out of his own thoughts, and rose to her feet. Picking up a dark colored shawl, she absently pulled it over her blue kimono and peeked out the window. The sun had long since set, dim street lights glowing in the night.

"What you think about Konoha is your own business, Sasuke. I don't really care one way or another at this point." She almost shook her head. When had she become so cold? Turning, she shoved on her sandals, pulled the Shikon no Tama from its' hiding spot to stow up her sleeve, and reached for the door handle to the outside world.

"Where are you going?"

"Out." The boy rose to his feet and started to follow her. It wasn't his business what she wanted to do; and frankly, he'd already made up his mind. Tonight, he'd set out with the Sound Five in the direction of Orochimaru's hideout. Once there, he'd become strong enough to avenge his family and take Konoha down with him.

It would finally put an end to the Uchiha line.

"Me too. I've got some things to do."

"Okay." Kagome pulled open the door and stepped out. Nodding to the sullen boy, she whispered "Be safe" and walked away. She knew he was going to do something drastic, so she wasn't going to stop him. It was his life, and he would live it how he chose to see fit.

It was a quiet walk to the area where the death row criminals were kept. No one in their right minds wanted to talk to her. Most people didn't even look in her direction. All they would see was the woman that Itachi Uchiha had brought with him.

'Because to them, all they see in him is a monster. They will never take the time to konw him for who he really is.' Hiding her shaking hands in her sleeves, she gripped the faintly glowing Jewel in a habitual movement as it pulsed gently with her sorrow.

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Several minutes later, the former time traveler was standing in front of the prison doors.

Kagome swallowed delicately and faced down the ANBU guards.

"I was told, by your Hokage, that I could see him one more time before his- his-!" she couldn't finish the sentence. It felt like if she said it out loud, there would be nothing she could do. The two guards exchanged wary glances that Kagome wasn't able to see before finally nodding.

"Very well," one stated, sighing quietly and pulling the correct set of keys out, "You have one hour. After that, we'll be forced to drag you out. I really don't want to have to do that, lady." The other gave an impreceptible signal and they opened the door. Leading the priestess down the twists of hallways, they came to stop at a nondescript looking door. Pulling another key, they unlocked and opened the door and gestured for her to go inside.

"Call when your done. Otherwise, we'll come get you when your time is up," the guard stated, bowing just the tiniest bit and turning to leave. Kagome nodded silently, pulled her shawl a little closer to her, and stepped into the darkened room. The door shut behind her.

"Hello?"

"Itachi?" The dark-haired girl's eyes adjusted to the light and eventually she was able to see inside the cell. Despite being locked behind a door, the Uchiha was also behind a set of bars as thick around as her wrists.

"Kagome? What are you doing here?" Itachi glanced up, heart in his throat at the sight of the priestess. She looked so... desolate. The dark circles under her dull blue eyes were clearly visible. She seemed to have lost some weight also. Gone was the vibrant girl he'd fallen hard for. It its' place was a young woman that had seen too much pain, had experienced losses too great for her to handle. The bright smile that she would always give him was replaced with bitter anguish. There was a hollowness in her eyes that he'd never seen before. He was looking into the eyes of someone that had finally lost their will to fight.

He thought she still looked lovely, broken as she was.

"I-!" her breath hitched and she held back the urge to sob, "I came to see you, of course."

The moment she knelt next to the bars, he was next to her in an instant, pulling her into a hug and whipsering apologies.

"I'm sorry. This is my fault. I've done this to you."

"I..." Kagome took a deep breath and met his eyes, a glimmer of a sparkle returning to them. Maybe she wasn't as broken as he thought? "I'd like to say that it would have been better if we'd never met." Itachi flinched visibly at the words, the backlash of sorrow hitting him like a tidal wave. "But then... I'm sure I'd be lying. You didn't do this to me. I... I knew that caring for someone as dangerous as you could lead to this. It didn't matter, though. I just... I can't help who I love."

The former heir sucked in a breath, stunned to actually hear her say it out loud. She loved him. She really loved him.

'And I'm putting her through hell.'

"I'm glad to have met you, Itachi, and I..." Reaching into the cell and cradling his face gently in her hands, Kagome whispered the words that she'd kept locked away in her for the longest time out loud as tears dripped down her cheeks.

"I wish I could save you." He shook his head and smirked in self-mockery.

"You've done enough, Kagome. I don't regret... meeting you. That has been the greatest thing to ever happen to me," he replied, blinking when the room slowly started getting brighter. "What-!"

A flash lit up the entire cell, a roar filling the air and making the room shake. The last thing he heard before he blacked out were the shouts of his ANBU guards and Kagome whispering,

"What have I done?"

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Kagome wanted to scream in anger at the Jewel for listening to her selfish words. She'd always been so careful to not say the words out loud. But with Itachi's impending execution and the lack of sleep over guilt, the dreaded "I wish" had spilt from her lips before she could stop herself.

And then, she'd disappeared. From the world. From time. Even from existence briefly. She'd been trapped in the Shikon no Tama for her selfish wish, and though she didn't regret it, she still agonized over never seeing anyone ever again. Over never seeing Itachi again. Midoriko's soul would be freed and laid to rest, and her own would become a part of the Sacred Jewel.

"Kagome." Whipping around in her lighted space, she gulped when the powerful preistess approached her.

"Lady Midoriko. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to say it," she cried, bowing her head in shame and hiding the tears in her eyes.

"I know, child. Love does... things to you. They make you say what you think is right," Midoriko replied, lifting the younger priestess's chin to meet gazes, "But tell me the truth, would you really take back your words if it meant leaving this place?"

Kagome thought for a moment, then shook her head sadly. "I... I would still say them. I love him, and I want to save him. He deserves to be happy, for all the suffering he was forced to endure."

"And you? Do you deserve to be happy, for all the suffering you've had to take in?"

Kagome sighed and avoided the older woman's piercing eyes, "I... want to be happy. But... that's not my choice, is it? I... said the words."

Midoriko smiled gently, warmth shining in her eyes. Her guardian really was such a selfless girl. Even at the cost of her own happiness, she still insisted on helping others.

"I will give you... your chance, Kagome. But don't waste it," she finally replied, earning a shocked look from the younger girl. Blue eyes filled with tears and she nodded happily, too overcome with emotion to say anything.

A light built around them and everything whited out. Kagome closed her eyes tightly and felt herself falling backwards. And then, she hit what felt like water, but was actually the hard ground, and blacked out.

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He felt like he was floating in a sea of warmth and light. It was... a soothing feeling. One that he'd like to get around to feeling more often. Maybe if he was reborn, he'd have a better life next time.

'Though, even if I won't remember her, a new life wouldn't be the same without Kagome,' he thought wistfully, opening his eyes and blinking rapidly at the sharp light.

Checking his surroundings, he realized that he actually was floating in a sea of light. A bluish-yellow light. Well, that explained the bouyancy feeling.

"I see you're enjoying yourself, Itachi Uchiha." A woman's voice that he didn't recognize penetrated his senses and he whipped around, only to be turned several ways from the lack of gravity. He ended upside down once he was done spinning, and with the beginnings of a nasty headache.

The woman's voice laughed lightly at his predicament, and he repressed a sigh at being her entertainment. He did not enjoy that.

"Explain yourself, woman!" he hissed, glancing one way, then the next, before looking behind him and meeting the eyes of the woman. She was taller than your average female, with long dark hair and eyes that seemed to pierce into your soul. Well, that's about what it felt like she was doing to him right now.

"Calm yourself, Itachi Uchiha," she looked him over and sighed quietly. Honestly, she wasn't sure what her guardian saw in the young man, but she was willing to help her in the end.

"You know my name, and yet I don't have the privelege to know yours," the Uchiha muttered, averting his eyes finally. He couldn't look this woman in the face, for some reason. He wasn't sure why. She seemed... too pure. Almost like-

"You... you're like Kagome." She nodded and smiled tightly.

"Yes. I am Midoriko. The true soul of the Shikon no Tama. I'm sure Kagome told you about those things, right?" At the former heir's shocked nod, she continued, "Through countless centuries, the Jewel was passed from human to human, priestess to priestess, until I finally reached young Kagome's hands. She has been, by far, the strongest-willed guardian I've ever been given."

"She is... very head-strong, and kind," he had to agree with her on that. Kagome was... well, Kagome. There was no way to describe it. She simply was.

"And yet, she wishes for me to save you, of all people," Midoriko accused, leveling him with a glare, "You, who has lived to kill, destroyed your own family, who fights, not for honor, not for glory, but for your own selfish gain." Itachi bowed his head in shame, knowing that there was no way this woman would wish for him to be saved. He knew that, and yet...

"Yet, where you waivered, she held firm. Where you sought to give up, she continued to fight. Where you continually questioned your loyalty, she remained steadfast and determined to believe in you. And somehow, you've shown an undying desire to protect her. To keep her safe. To even love her, if given the chance."

The Sharingan user's head rose with each new word that she said, hope beginning to blossom in his aching chest.

"I must ask, though. Do you believe yourself worthy of having my Kagome?" Midoriko asked lightly, tilting her head when he swallowed thickly and met her gaze unflinchingly.

"I... I don't. I am a foolish, arrogant, despicable kind of man. However, if given the chance," he took a breath, then straightened up proudly. Now he looked every inch the regal clan leader he was supposed to be. "I would not waiver. I would not give up. I would never question her loyalty. I would protect her. I would keep her safe; even from myself, if need be. I would hold firm. I would fight for her. I would die for her. I would believe in her. And... I would love her to the best of my ability."

Midoriko smiled gently, shaking her head at young love. Though, this time, she hoped she was making the right decision.

"... Against my better judgement, I'm going to help you. If you break your word, though, it's the pits of hell for you. To be the guardian of my guardian. Do you really wish to take on such a task, Itachi Uchiha?"

"If it meant being with Kagome again, I would do anything for her."

The older priestess lifted her hand and placed it on Itachi's head. Light gathered into her fingertips and the world began to glow brilliantly.

"You better not mess this up, boy. Not many people ever get a second chance."

Light blinded him, and his senses blacked out.

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1 Year Later

Kagome Higurashi glanced up at the dark clouds, rain covering what was supposed to be a beautiful day. Sighing quietly, she flipped open her umbrella and set out to start walking, even though her friends weren't ready yet. She needed... a moment to herself.

It had been a year since she'd disappeared from his world. Her final words had activated a portion of the jewel. Her wish, however, had been left ungranted. After all, if she'd been able to save him, then wouldn't she still be there? Doing something? She sniffled, fighting the tears back valiantly.

'I didn't even get to say goodbye...'

Kicking at a puddle, she wove her way through the evening crowds, uncertain of her destination. Nothing seemed right; in this world she'd been born in. After trying to carve a place in the Feudal Era for herself, she'd associated that as home. Now, with the events of the alternate world she'd lived two and a half years in, nothing seemed right anymore without-

'Itachi. I miss you.' It literally hurt her heart to think of the Uchiha. She could feel it crumbling with her precarious self-control. But then, she'd gone and played the love game again, and it had only brought her grief. When was it going to be her chance to live her happily ever after?

'I wish-! But look what happened the last time you said those words, eh Kagome-girl?' the priestess thought bitterly, shaking her head viciously to dislodge the sadness in her. It wouldn't do her any good to stay this way. She'd promised Midoriko that she wouldn't waste her chance. Everyone was already worried about her. Her friends had become distant, feeling as though they didn't know her anymore. Her family had become clingy, almost to the point of suffocation. In her loss, she'd ground her nose to her books and brought up her dismal grades as best as she could. Nothing could account for a half a year of poor grades and two more years of missing school all together. At this point, all she had left was the shrine. No college would look twice at her grades. And her mind-

'-Is obviously going insane.' Because several yards in front of her, was the man that she'd been seeing in her dreams for the past year. The eighteen year old blinked, rubbed her eyes furiously, then looked again.

He was still there.

And he was walking right towards her. Dressed casually in a pair of dark jeans and a dark long sleeved button down shirt. With his long hair tied back loosely. Carrying an umbrella. And he was watching her intently. Almost as though he knew her.

She gulped and stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, watching with wide eyes as he approached her languidly. Was he... older? But how? They were near the same age when they'd first met! And when he finally stopped in front of her, she couldn't breathe; couldn't even speak. There was so much she wanted to say!

Did he know her? Would he recognize her? How was he even here? And why was he older than her by almost 8 years?

"... I... I," she couldn't even make the words come out. And then he smiled that arrogant grin at her, and suddenly, everything seemed normal again. She didn't know how, exactly, he was here, but she didn't really give a damn either.

"I'm home, Kagome." That deep timber in his voice sent shivers skating down her spine instantly; just like he'd always been able to do. Without a word, she dropped her umbrella, heedless of the fact that she'd be soaked later, and threw herself into his arms. Apparently, he dropped his too, because they were both getting really wet. Neither seemed to really care, though, because she was wrapped in his arms and everything finally felt right. Standing on her toes, she grinned up at him in contentment.

"Welcome home, Itachi." And then she kissed him. Itachi should have known better than to be surprised; but he was. Snapping out of it, he slid his hands into her wet hair and kissed her back with everything he could manage. He really didn't mind, though. Didn't even care that they were getting incredulous and amused looks from the people surrounding them. From the moment he'd remembered, he'd been waiting for this very instant. He was finally where he truly belonged.

With her.

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Circle me and the needle

Moves gracefully

Back and forth

If my heart was a compass

You'd be north

Risk it all 'cause I'll

Catch you if you fall

Wherever you go

If my heart was a house

You'd be home

-Owl City, If My Heart Was A House

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A/N: AND THE END! WOOOOOH! IT'S OVER! Thank you to everyone who has stuck with me from beginning to end! This journey has been fantastic and I've really enjoyed it. Now, I'll be taking a small break from here on. But don't worry. I'll probably be back with more for you all to enjoy! Until then, I thank you for your undying support!

THIS IS THE FINAL CHAPTER! THERE WILL BE NO MORE UPDATES FOR THIS STORY! OTHER ONE-SHOTS WILL BE ADDED TO ADDITIONALS!

Those final reviews are, of course, appreciated.