AN/ The last version of Princess and the Weasel. If I don't get it right this time, I'm not going to. Background: Set in the panels directly after we see Itachi and the others resurrected. So... AU! I like my heroines to be a little tougher. If it's too OOC for you, well... sorry. This is my fanfic, though I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. This is ITACHI's story. If it's not noted who the speaker is, it's him. :)

ALSO! I need a BETA reader/editor. The story is DONE, I just need honest feedback. PM me.

Chapter 1 Death is Only the Beginning

Carry on, you will always remember

Carry on, nothing equals the splendor

The center lights around your vanity

But surely heaven waits for you - Carry on My Wayward Son by Kansas

I woke up. Just like every other morning of my existence, yet, this was different. For starters, I distinctly remember dying. As I lay there my memories bled back. I remembered giving Sasuke what protections I could. Over all, I remembered my blood, warm and sticky on the crumbled walls where I died. The coppery taste and overwhelming smell as I coughed my last breaths. Yes, I should be dead. Tears of sheer frustration stung my tightly closed eyes. When will life ever be done with me?

"I can sense you're awake, yeah." Deideira's voice was soft, the tone light and joking. A joke for sure, since he died even before I did.

I stirred, keeping my eyes closed, "How am I awake? How are you here?" I could hear myself, voice heavy with the extreme unease I was feeling. I was at someone else's mercy, a feeling I was unfamiliar with. Not that it mattered, since I couldn't be used anymore. My sharingan was effectively dead, and without it, I was near blind.

I heard Deideira shrug, "Sasori figures Orochimaru raised us from the dead." I cold almost see the cold dislike on the other man's face, "Puppet bastard's probably right, yeah." He paused, "Last I remember I blew myself up trying to kill your ass of a brother, yeah. Get this, I feel great though! You know how my scope eye used to hurt, yeah? It feels like it did before I ever got fitted for it!"

My brow furled, "I killed Orochimaru with Amaterasu."

Grunting sourly, Deideira answered, "Guess it didn't take, yeah."

I sat forward, being childish wasn't going to get me out of here, where ever 'here' was. And if Deideira had been cured, then... It was almost too much to hope. I steeled my self for disappointment and opened my eyes. The room was dark, but I could see everything in it. Not just see, but as well as I could when I joined ANBU! I trampled all that excitement and joy down to a bare ember. I swung my legs over the side, running my hands over my body. Like Deideira, I felt great. I looked up to see him smirking at me.

"You look surprised." He laughed, "Don't worry if you feel like you have no chakra. This room is heavily warded. You're the last to wake."

"Can we escape?"

"Escape, yeah?"

"I do not stutter."

"Neither do I! Yeah! Weren't you listening? I said there's hardly any chakra in here, yeah."

Dropping to the floor, I stood, surveying the room. "I don't need chakra to escape." A loud guffaw erupted from the other side of the room, making my head turn, "Kakuzu?"

"Aye." his deep voice confirmed, "I'm with you on escape, I couldn't stand Orochimaru when he was part of us. Or ever." He shook his head before meeting my eyes, "But I can't even get my stitches to wiggle." His sigh was irritated, "I had a nice long life before meeting you guys."

I dismissed the old nin. I took a closer look around seeing..."Pain? Is that you?" The shining rinnegan was the only thing I could identify on the shrunken old man propped up against the far wall.

"This is my true appearance, Itachi." Nagato frowned, "That being the case, I doubt I could help you escape. Without my chakra, I can't even move without assistance. I am only Nagato now, old friend."

"How far the mighty have fallen, yeah." Deideira agreed with our old leader.

I walked around the room, trailing my hands along the walls, examining the door. "Kakuzu? You don't't wish to leave? Hard to believe you've grown timid in your old age."

"I can still kick your ass, Uchiha. No chakra means no genjitsu to save yourself from me." He glared at me, "They have guards. Kisame watches this cell, and he is in no way impaired. We all know his levels, he could take us all apart. Beside that, if Orochimaru is behind this..." He spat, "I don't need a snake tainted death again so soon after he raised my carcass." His strange green eyes glowered at his cell mates.

I searched the ceiling. Kakuzu was right, of course. There didn't seem to be much hope. "What of Sasori?"

"What about him, yeah?"

I regarded the haughty blonde, "Where is he? You said he was here too."

"Remember that baka, Tobi? He's really..."

I interrupted angrily, "Uchiha Madara!" I spat the name like a curse. It hadn't worked! Sasuke. I had pinned all my hopes and dreams on him, and it hadn't worked. I had been so sure.

"Right. Yeah. Anyway, he came in and took Sasori for questioning before you woke."

Nagato slumped against the wall until it looked like that was the only thing between him and an undignified lump on the floor. Apparently the resurrection jutsu hadn't worked much rejuvenation magic on him. I had been working up to it, but seeing the most powerful nin I'd ever met on the floor like that crystallized the thought in my mind. I did not want to be here. Stuck in a room with sad little men and washed up shinobi. I didn't want or really even need their help, I only wanted... I sighed wearily. I want to go home.

I had done all I could for Sasuke. I tried not to let the disappointment take me under. I felt like the least I could do was go back. Back to Konoha and face whatever judgment she might mete out. I winced then, cursing my momentary lack of courage, thinking about Konoha. But, I could die at it's hands, finally face the justice I so richly deserved. First things first, I needed to escape. Kisame would help, if I could just talk to him. I gathered my determination, and raised one hand to pound on the door.

Meanwhile in Konoha...

Hinata

I waited, hands clutched behind me, for the Lady Hokage to finish. Tsunade had been expounding on our upcoming duties and training as emergency medics for at least fifteen minutes longer than nessasary. I snuck a look at Ino, and smiled as she blinked slowly. Ino was definitely fading fast. Looks like she'd had a late night.

"In conclusion," Tsunade sounded like she meant it this time, and I retrained my gaze. "You should report to the hospital. I believe you both have shifts?"

We both nodded. I worked in the maternity ward while Ino was working with the mental health patients as well as occasional emergency nursing staff. "Shizune has been ordered to leave training schedules with your department head. They'll take care of the rest." She gave a nod, "Intel suggests that Madara isn't ready to move yet. Use this time wisely, you two." The Hokage's chair swiveled around, "Now get out of here, go have fun. It might be the last chance you have for awhile."

"Hai," we answered in near unison before turning to leave. Softly closing the door, I started down the hallway to check in at the hospital.

"Hinata!" Ino's sweet voice caught me short, "I wanted to talk to you for a minute, want to grab lunch?"

"Sure, Ino, can we meet at the Tea House in ten minutes or so? I really want to get ahold of my training schedule at the hospital." I loved working in the hospital. I especially loved working in the OB/GYN and Maternity ward. My father even encouraged it, and in reality, I agreed with my overbearing father about this: It was making me more friendly and open. More the heiress that I should be to keep the family running smoothly when my father passed.

"Sure," Ino gave a small wave, "See you in ten."

Returning the wave, I jogged to the hospital. This close to the Tower, I was there before I even really raised my heartbeat. Taking the steps up in bounds, I slowed to a walk once inside. Greeting the admitting nurses, I continued down the halls to the Woman's Wing. That isn't what it's called, but with a whole village of stubborn male ninja, the name sort-of stuck. I couldn't help but display my sunniest smile as I nodded to patients. Even for a village with a thriving civilian population it was a small ward. A Ninja village is geared toward war and patching up soldiers, but where you find men, you find women. And where you find a man and woman you will shortly need a place where babies could be born.

I went into a door marked 'Nurse Station 12' and checked over the schedule for the next two weeks. I was only working two days a week, it seemed, but the envelope marked simply with my name promised more than enough work. Anything to help out.

Poking my head into a few rooms, I exchanged quiet words with the women inside. With a sense of time slipping away, I bid the nurses good-bye. Eat with Ino, then meet with the boys to train. I tapped my watch with my index finger, right on time! With that thought, I made my way to the Tea House.

Walking into the café, I had no problem finding Ino. She always stood out no matter where she was or what she was doing. I forced down a whistful sigh, I stood out just enough. With a smile, I shuffled into the booth opposite Ino. "Thanks for waiting for me. Did you order?"

"Ah, no, not yet." Ino looked embarrassed. "Have you been here before?"

"Yes, Shino-kun likes quiet, and they allow Akamaru, so Kiba-kun likes it here, too. I love their spinach quiche."

"Mmm." Ino shot a look at me from under her lashes. She looked a little uncomfortable. "Let's order."

The waitress came and left, and we sat breathing in the soft scent of tea. Ino smiled, "Tea always relaxes me."

"Mmm. Me too." I sat my tea quietly back on it's saucer. "It's obvious you want to tell me something, Ino."

The other girl looked surprised. "Yeah, you know, Kiba and I had a date, and, well, we went to the Pouch."

I groaned, "You took Kiba-kun drinking?"

"Too bad you weren't around last night, believe me, I'll know better," Ino's grin faltered, "Anyway, with a couple of drinks in him, I asked how catching up with Sasuke went."

I colored. I sensed what was coming next. I just hoped Ino didn't know the whole story, or at least the parts of the story that were important to me. "Please, continue."

"Right. He told me..he said that Sakura told Naruto-kun she loved him, and to come back to the village with her." Ino blushed, "I'm so sorry, Hinata."

"It's ok, Ino. I'm not upset. He told her he didn't believe her. I heard it all already."

"But, isn't that who you like?"

"As long as I can remember." I shrugged, the awkward subject making me feel like everyone was staring. "But, Ino..." I took a breath to calm my nerves, "Sakura wasn't doing it for Naruto-kun. She was hoping to save Sasuke. I don't know why she would think giving herself away would have any difference to Naruto-kun. I know he knows her better than that. He wants a girl who is true to herself. I think that's why he said no."

Ino's eyes widened at my admission, "I... Well, I thought you should know."

I nodded sadly. Flagging the waitress, I spoke once again, "Ino, I'm not feeling well, please enjoy your meal on me today." The blonde nodded mutely as I spoke to the waitress, "I'm not feeling well, please wrap mine to go, and prepare the check, I'm paying for my friend, as well."

The waitress moved off with a small bow. I stood, "I only wanted to add one last thing. Please try not to hurt Kiba-kun's feelings, Ino. Have a nice day." I paid the bill, and took my lunch to my team's favorite training area, a grassy patch just outside the village gate. Settling in to wait, I unwrapped the quiche, and poked it with a fork.

I was glad Ino didn't seem to know about my failed confession to Naruto. It had seemed like the best time to say 'I love you'. With a whimper I couldn't stop, I tossed the quiche as hard as I could. The tears that had threatened earlier slipped from my eyes now. I was glad Ino didn't know I'd confessed, and didn't know he'd never answered. In my lower moments I thought he didn't care enough to tell me to get lost. In my better, I thought he'd never even heard. Being in love wasn't supposed to be this hard, was it?