"She's right, Sasuke..." Hearing those kind of words from his little brother was painful. And he spoke from experience when he insisted, "When you blame yourself, you cannot forgive yourself... and without forgiveness, there is nothing... to lessen the blame... You wound yourself... with every thought... until you bleed yourself dry..."

Itachi slouched in his seat, so very exhausted. He could barely keep his head up. But this was important.

"You are stronger than that, Sasuke." He scolded his little brother. "Do not... lose yourself... like that..."