One Of Us ( Akatsuki Fan-fiction)

Chapter 37

Your bottom lip quivered as you waited for his chest to rise, even once. Anything that might prove he was still alive, but nothing happened. He lay still on the ground with a smile on his face. You felt tears stinging your eyes so you shut them.

"Itachi, it's not funny," you whispered harshly as you wiped your tears away. "Knock it off already. I don't find this joke funny you know."

Once he still didn't answer, you opened your eyes and leaned down. You placed your ear on his chest above his heart. Your eyes widened. His heart wasn't beating, and his body was steadily growing colder and colder by the second. Your body jerked up immediately and you stared down at Itachi. You couldn't think or feel anything. You didn't notice the wind had begun to pick up as you made some hand signs and closed your eyes. I won't let you die here Itachi. You clenched your teeth as you searched the nether world. Your soul floated among the others as you searched for Itachi's soul.

Where are you? You thought as your eyes swept over the souls. Finally, your eyes landed on a soul standing with two others. Even if you didn't know two of them, you knew the second tallest one belonged to Itachi. You made another hand sign and the soul was pulled towards you. Itachi's eyes widened once he saw your soul.

"Aiko?"

"Itachi, I'm bringing you back," was all you said before you made a final hand sign and Itachi's soul began to disappear from the nether world. You opened your eyes and saw Itachi's soul standing beside you. You moved your hands over Itachi's body and waited impatiently until the soul was ready to return to the body. Once the soul was completely over Itachi's body, you slowly brought your hands down. If something went wrong, who knew what would happen? You certainly didn't. All you knew, was that once the soul was returned to the body the person would live once more. However, you didn't know what would happen if the process was sped up or forced.

All you could do was go through the process slowly and carefully. You didn't want to risk any fatal mistakes, let alone not being able to bring Itachi back.

~Naruto~

"Kakashi sensei, look over there," Naruto pointed at an area where there were dark clouds that had started to disperse.

Kakashi looked in the direction he pointed. "Hinata," he said.

Hinata nodded. "Yes, Sasuke's chakra is definitely over there."

"Sasuke?" Naruto asked. Kakashi and Hinata both nodded. Naruto faced forward again. "What about Itachi? Is there any sign of him?"

"I'll check," Hinata said as she activated her Byakugan. Her eyes widened and she gasped slightly.

"What?" Naruto asked. "What is it?"

"It seems Itachi is... dead," Hinata murmured.

"What?" Kakashi asked. "Itachi? Dead?"

Hinata nodded. "Not only that but, there's a girl there. There's a strange chakra above her hands. And I think... Itachi's body is lying before her, his chakra is dim."

"A girl?" Naruto whispered. He looked at Kakashi and Sakura. They were both looking at him and nodded once he met their gazes. So, they were thinking the same thing he was, they were thinking it had to be that girl.

~Aiko~

The process was very difficult, more difficult than you remembered any other time being.

"Itachi, stop fighting it!" you yelled. "Take your soul back! Please!"

You forced your hands down, no longer thinking about the risks. Itachi was being stubborn, he was somehow fighting against you. But you didn't know how. That you knew of, he was 'dead' for now, so there was no way he could be fighting against you right now. You clenched your teeth and shut your eyes to prevent tears from spilling. That was fruitless, as tears began to slowly cascade out your eyes and down your cheeks. Your body rocked softly as sobs escaped.