Itachi and ANBU

"Hokage-sama" Itachi said softly as he crouched before the Hokage.

"Success?" he asked, not turning to face the Uchiha.

"No, one left" he said, "Sasuke". The Hokage turned before turning back.

"Please…" Itachi said, changing from crouching, he was on his knees, begging,

"Let him live" he said once again. The Hokage nodded almost right away.

"Go, they will be looking for you" he said, he heard a whooshing sound and he knew, Uchiha Itachi was gone.

"There he is"

"After him, quick"

"Captain Itachi!"

"He's not our captain anymore"

"ITACHI!"

The ANBU's followed their former captain, friend and rival but now, it was different. Itachi wasn't their captain, not a friend or rival, they were enemies.

He was a traitor and they were ANBU.

No more were the friendly spars which the thirteen years old would win, only real fights where one will die.

Genma didn't know what to do anymore, they were friends since Genin.

Though Itachi was always better than him at everything, he didn't show off.

They helped each other and they were friends. They played and they fought, they were rivals.

Hana didn't want to follow him. He comforted her when she cried, healed her when she was wounded, they were friends.

He fought her when they train, she lost him but he didn't care, he respected her and she respected him, they were rivals.

"Hana…Genma…" Itachi said; he had waited for them.

"What shall we do captain?" one of the ANBU's asked.

"Itachi…" Genma said softly.

"How're you doing? Did you have a mental break down and killed your own clan or something?" Genma said in a fake cheerful voice. The mood of the conversation didn't change much though…thanks to Itachi's cold stare and no answer.

"Itachi…why'd you do it?" Hana asked, she was shaking uncontrollably now.

"On orders" he replied receiving a shock from all of them.

"From…who" some of the others asked.

"The village elders…" he said slowly. He received a few punches, kicks and shurikens but he dodged easily.

"How dare you say that about the elders?" many of them shouted angrily. Genma and Hana didn't move though.

"Why did they do it?" she asked.

"I can't tell you...only that the Uchiha had to be destroyed"

"They had to be destroyed? You crazy bastard, it was your own clan, who the hell would get a family member to kill his own clan, there's too much risk of betrayal! ANBU, attack!" one shouted and about a half of the ANBU attacked him.

As the last ANBU landed on the floor, he had waited for Itachi to slice his neck but the blade didn't come. Itachi was walking away. The other half had already gone back without parting words. He gave a moan as he tried to move. Itachi stopped in his tracks. He turned around and walked back.

'This is it, my end' the ANBU thought before he fell into unconsciousness.

He woke up again in the middle of the forest; all of his friends which had attacked with him were there, all wounds healed with a healing jutsu.

"You're awake" he heard a voice. He turned and almost screamed. It was Itachi sitting on s rock staring at him. He looked again at his surroundings, he was on a mat and he had a blanket.

"Thank you…" he whispered. Itachi nodded and disappeared.

_ _ _ _ Many years later_ _ _ _

Uchiha Itachi came back but not alone, he had a tall blue man named Hoshigake Kisame. The ANBU's saw and recognized him immediately but they let him walk.

Hana and Genma would never forget their friend and they both suspected his actions so they followed him to a dango shop. They went in a ordered some snacks before sitting near them. When Kisame moved for the bathroom, they saw Itachi come their way.

Genma slid a hand into his pack and gripped a kunai but his gaze was directed to the food in front.

Itachi stopped at their table and whispered:

"Shouldn't you be killing me?"

The two immediately turned to him.

"Why, suddenly feeling guilty?" Hana asked, preparing to attack but as she stared into his eyes, she wasn'y able to move. Genma was having the same problem.

Itachi wasn't stupid, he knew that they didn't attack him yet because of their childhood bonds.

"Hana, Genma...please let go of me" he said and turned away, walking back to his table.

"Forget me, all that happened between us three, all the times we were together, I'm not who you think I am anymore...I'm not your friend" he forced out those words and he saw tears in Hana's eyes.

"You idiot" Genma said and finding that he could move again, he grasped Itachi's collar, "you betrayed the village and you think we still haven't hated you?"

"If you did, you would have attacked me already, I know you are holding a kunai in your other hand" he said, emotions not changing.

Genma let go of him and he confessed.

"You're right, I can never hate you even if I wanted to...I'm sorry"

"No, I'm sorry..." Itachi said and disappeared with a puff of smoke.

Genma turned to Hana who was crying silently. He held her in his arms and promised to himself: 'I will be the one who protects Hana...' he hestitated a while and smiled softly, 'until you come back to us...Itachi'

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Author's note
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Thanks for reading!