OK guys. Listen up. This is my first ever fanfic so if any of you give me anything other than good constructive criticism, you'll have my fists to answer to!

Paine: I do not own Naruto or any character in this story other than Itsu. God damnit! Why can't I own it!? –screams to the heavens-

Itachi: -sees her suffering and chuckles- Aah yes…these are the affects of my Mangekyou…because I'm cool like that.

Paine: Stop it Itachi-niisan! –kicks his nuts- You didn't even use that technique on me!...this is the cold, bitter truth…AND WHY DOES THIS NOT MAKE ME FEEL BETTER!?

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Sitting In A Tree

Chapter one: …An Episode Of a day…

"Mikoto-san!" Mikoto Uchiha looked up from her gardening at her name and at the sound of someone panting. Hmm…Who's this?

"Mikoto-san, I finally found you!" It was a young girl. She had dark, jet-black, curly locks, which fell over her face as she leaned forward. Her skin was milky white and flawlessly smooth. And her Carribbean eyes were merry and bright. Her figure was quite Elven and exquisite. She seemed about her own Sasuke's age. Mikoto smiled at her.

"What is it, my dear? What do you need?

The girl bowed to the Uchiha lady and continued. "Uchiha-san, my name is Itsu Eki. Hokage-sama sent me to find you. She said that you would be her choice in a hospitable person. Um…she was wondering if you would allow me to remain with you for a short amount of time…until I get settled in."

"Oh, yes, Itsu. Tsunade informed me of that earlier today. Please come with me, my child. I'll take you to our home." She took the 16 year-old's hand and started leading her toward a large mansion.At the foot of it, a large arena, obviously the training grounds, rose to meet them. The Uchiha estate was HUGE! It was hard to believe that they were in just the garden. "Why don't you tell me about yourself? It'll take a few minutes to get there."

"Well…" She seemed to be thinking of how to tell her story. "Of course, you must have heard when this happened. I come from Yukigakure, The Village Hidden in the Snow. A few weeks ago it was completely demolished by a band of Orochimaru-sama's sound-nin. My family was destroyed and when Tsunade-sama came to see the village I was…the only one left there…I managed to kill a few of the ninja and went into hiding when more of them showed up. My parents were killed, personally, by Orochimaru. Apparently, he wanted me…I suppose he knows about my talent. You see, I have created most of the jutsu that I use. I am actually working on one that can penetrate the Sharingan in a way that my other justu cannot be copied when I use them. He seems to be interested in that."

Itsu spoke absentmindedly. She seemed to be lost in some painful memory.

Mikoto broke through her barrier of thoughts by hugging her out of the blue. "Oh, dear. That's horrible! Well, come inside and I'll introduce you to the rest of the rest of the family, hmm?"

"Yes, let's! I am very excited to meet the legendary Uchiha clan of the Leaf village." Itsu threw a fist in the air. "I've heard that they kick serious butt."

However, as they walked into the house, they were met with an argument. 16-year-old Sasuke and 18-year-old Itachi Uchiha were arguing over the last piece of pie.

"Oh, hello, dear!" Fugaku exclaimed in an exhausted tone. Mikoto nodded to him before her eyes roved over the boys.

"Mom said I can have---"

"Don't even say it, you lying wet-nosed runt­. Mother told me you weren't allowed to have sugar because you have bathroom problems!" At this Sasuke's face turned beet red and Itachi had a wide smirk on his face.

"Dears, why don't you just share? I'm sure we could––" Mikoto was interrupted by the boys in unison.

"NO!"

Mikoto looked back at Itsu, who was looking on with a mischievous smile. She leaned up into Mikoto's ear and gave a laugh.

"Need help?" Mikoto looked down at her and nodded desperately.

Itsu walked slowly towards the table where the pie lay. Checking to make sure that the two brothers were still fighting, she took the pie and ate it in less than four bites. She then walked over to the two brothers and stood there until they acknowledged her.

"Um…what are you fighting about?" Mikoto and Fugaku were in fits of silent laughter.

Itachi Uchiha turned to Sasuke and made his voice even more deadly than it usually was (if that was possible), "That pie is mine, little brother. Deal with it." When he turned towards the table, though, his eyes widened to see the plate empty.

That was when Itsu lost control and started laughing maniacally, followed, two seconds later, by Mikoto and Fugaku. The look on Itachi's face was priceless! Itsu wished that she'd had a camera with her to capture this moment: the moment that Itachi's usually stoic face showed emotion…(A/N: Ahh, yes, good times xP)

"I am sorry Itachi-san but I just had to do that…" She was actually kind of afraid, knowing his reputation at the Leaf village. He stared at her murderously, which left her shuddering for a moment, and turned to go to his room. She looked over at Sasuke…"What's his problem?"

Sasuke just shrugged and looked her up and down, smirking. "Hn."

"What are you looking at?" Itsu was beginning to turn red.

As he was passing her on the way to his own room, he leaned down, somehow, inconspicuously, whispered, "Oh, nothing. It's just funny to get girls like you ticked off…" He chuckled in her ear, his hot breath leaving a tingling sensation on her neck and ear lobe.

She was slightly irritated at this but she decided not to give him the satisfaction of that. Instead, she tripped him. As he stumbled slightly and caught himself, he took her wrist in a deadly grip and pulled her into the hallway.

"Ow… Let go…that hurts, you idiot!" Tears were starting to spring in her eyes.

"Oh? Idiot, am I?" He gripped her hand tighter. "What the hell did you trip me for?!"

Her tears stopped abruptly. "Oh, no reason, really. I just like to get guys like you ticked off." She stared at him defiantly ignoring the death glare she was being given. "Now let go!" She stepped on his foot and, in his surprise, he let go of her.

Itsu practically ran back to the living room where Fugaku and Mikoto were sitting, missing the smirk and "Hn," that came from Sasuke.

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

"Mikoto-san?" Mikoto looked up fondly at her as Itsu came back into living room. Mikoto was extremely thankful that she had stopped the argument. Strangely, even as Itsu had just arrived there that day, she was already like family.

"Ah yes, thank you for stopping that war, earlier. It was an interesting solution to their argument." She laughed.

"Yes, very classy…" Fugaku agreed, chortling.

She turned red. "I think…um…Itachi-san? I think he is angry with me. Maybe I should apologize…"

Fugaku surprised her by laughing. "Oh, him? He'll live."

At that precise moment, a still-angry looking Itachi sauntered in, grabbed a water bottle from the fridge and walked out again.

At the last minute he shouted over his shoulder. "I don't want dinner!"

"Oh shoot…I forgot about dinner…"

"Mikoto! Can I cook?! PLLEEAASE?"

"Sure, if you must. Do you need help?"

Itsu was already in the kitchen and preparing everything before yelling a "No! It's okay!" She quickly prepared dinner. It was large dinner done in a matter of…what? 15 minutes? Record timing. She set everything up and asked Mikoto where the bathroom and her room were. Mikoto told her. She ran, rushing, into her room, which contained a bathroom and quickly showered changing into a fancy dress, the only one that fit her small body, that Mikoto provided her with.

"I'm back!" She announced presence to see that everyone had started eating. Of course, with the exception of one person. Itachi.

Sasuke looked up when she entered and managed to refrained himself from whistling. And he used to think Sakura was hot. But…Itsu…She had no competition, whatsoever. Her face was flushed from the bath and she had a very fresh, intoxicating look in her eyes. And her smell…ahh…so sweet. It was rolling off her skin like a cascade of sensuous scents. It was like pine and tea. And her dress was the best part. It clung to all of her curves and…she looked sexy…That was just about the only way to sum it up.

She noticed this but chose to ignore the fact until she noticed his eyes following her movements. She's so lithe and graceful…Damn, Sasuke, shut your face and start eating. He only just realized he was starving and averted his gaze to his empty plate. He piled up a load of food onto his plate and began eating as if he had not in weeks.

"Hey, mom, where'd you learn to cook like this? It's awesome."

"Actually, Sasuke, dear, I didn't cook this fabulous dinner." She said grinning at Itsu , whose ears were turning red, a telltale sign of embarrassment. However, Sasuke was still stuffing his face so he did not notice this.

"Oh? Well, then, who did?" He was saying this absent-mindedly.

"Itsu." When Sasuke heard this, he choked on the bread he was biting into.

He coughed. "Oh. I see. Itsu-san, the food is delicious."

"Thank you, Sasuke-kun," She acknowledged him casually. "But please, do not be so formal with me even if I am to be staying here for only a short time. It make me feel really old…I don't want to let go of my childhood…but I do…I'm getting confused, just don't formal, okay?

"Okay, Itsu-chan." He smirked and she returned it. They were making a good enough show of getting along. Neither wanted to deal with upset parents.

"Actually, Itsu," Fugaku interrupted. "You can stay here as long as you want…If you can keep breaking up the ridiculous fights these to dunderheads keep getting into." He gave her a crinkly-eyed smile and, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sasuke scowl.

"I'll see what I can do about that, Fugaku-san." She gave a small laugh.

"I'm done eating." Itsu stood up and took another plate, loading it with food. At the questioning looks from the family, her NEW family, she merely stated, "Itachi-san," at which they all nodded.

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

After having asked Fugaku where the older Uchiha's room was, she carefully made her way up, carrying a plate laden with food. When she softly knocked on the door, a "still-frustrated-at-the-new-comer" answered with a rude, "Who is it?"

She cleared her throat. "Can I please come in?"

He repeated what he said the first time and she sighed, slightly aggravated at his childish behavior but fascinated. "Itsu Eki. And I'm tired of standing here. I'm coming in."

She pushed open the door and walked into his room. It seemed empty. At that exact moment though, the door shut and Itachi was standing there, locking it. "What do you want?"

Instead of answering the question, Itsu looked at the locked door. "Why did you lock the door?"

He smirked, sensing her uneasiness. "Why? Are you afraid?"

"N-No!" But this only made his smirk grow more pronounced and her worry increase. Oh shoot…what'd I get myself into?

"Really? Hmm…I thought you looked a little tense…" He loved teasing people like this. It was funny watching the different feelings of terror on their faces.

"Well, I'm not. I just came to give you food…But only because Mikoto-san forced me!" She lied, not knowing the reason behind it at all.

Itachi looked at the plate and then back at her, that irrational smile still in place. "That's all? I don't believe it." He really didn't. Girls were always fawning over him, but they didn't try to hide it or play hard to get, like this one.

She looked at him and saw that he was deep in thought. Itsu tried to brush past him to the door before his hand shot out and caught her wrist. She yelped.

That was the second time that had happened to her today. She became aggravated by this and glared at him. He returned her glare and leaned down, whispering in her ear. "Thank you for the food, Itsu-chan."

She trembled against his light pressure on her body, her heart thudding hyperactively. He chuckled and led her to the door when he found she couldn't move on her own. "Come again, your welcome at anytime…If you catch my drift." He winked.

At this, she finally snapped out of her trance and shoved him back into his room, shutting the door in his still-laughing face.

She ran at her fully appraised ninja speed, not very behind Itachi's own (A/N: She's so cool! xD). When she reached her room she fell on her bed and groaned, only to find someone already was on her bed. She looked into the smirking face of Sasuke Uchiha and groaned internally, again.

He was whispering for some reason and she had to struggle to catch all the words. "Listen I just wanted to talk to you about something important. You see, my birthday is coming up and Mikoto told me to tell you about. But that's not all I wanted to say. My mother and father, both, have been badgering me to bring a date to the party––"

Itsu could not believe where this was going. She let Sasuke finish.

"––So I was wondering if you'd be willing to go with me?...Just asking…" Sasuke had decided to tack that on in the end just to sound nonchalant. When he looked at her he saw her face turning into about seventeen different shades of red.

"Um…Sasuke-kun, why would you want to go with me? You hardly know me…"

"Yes, but your the only sane girl I know at the time…all the other will most likely drive me crazy before the party even starts with giggling and clinging." Sasuke gulped and looked visibly tortured. Itsu felt sorry for him, but also felt like laughing.

"Okay, Sasuke-kun. I would love to go with you." She gave his hand a squeeze and her eyes told him, 'Don't worry, I won't let those girl torment you like they usually do.'

"You…You will? Really? Thanks! You're a real life savor!" He cleared his throat. "I mean this will at least get my parents off my back." Before she knew what was happening he had hugged her. Not in the casual friendly way… koff, koff In the other way… Itsu went red in the face and hugged him back awkwardly.

"Yes…but for now…Get out of my room!" She said this in a low, urgent whisper.

"Right…Sorry" At the door he stopped again to say something else but Itsu took his hand and pulled him out of the room before going back in there herself. She heard a muffled "Goodnight" and returned it, fatigued.

When she finally changed into the loose fitting, comfortable pajamas that Mikoto-san had given her and brushed her teeth, she sank into the bed. I must thank Mikoto-san for her hospitality…Actually, everyone had been too kind…Some people just had a different way of showing there kindness. This day has been such an episode. With that last thought, she slipped in and out of consciousness before falling into a deep, dreamless sleep.

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Who do you think it is? I'll give you a hint. His name starts with an "I"…So what do you think? I might continue but only if I have reviews!

Itachi: You hurt me! –he holds his balls and rolls on the floor groaning-

Paine: You are such a baby…-walks away leaving him there in the grasp of her "paine-paralysis" Jutsu-

Itachi: Noo! You can not leave me here like this, fool! We're in the woods! –struggles to move-

Paine: Your right! –puts various meats him and stands, admiring her work- Perfect! –sashays away-

Itachi: Evil! EEEVIIILLL! You are eeviil! –struggles to move, only managing to roll over-