Author's note: Found this in an old junkdrive, from about four years ago. :)
Lightning exploads with a deafening boom outside of seven year old Sasuke Uchiha's bedroom window, causing him to jump and hide under his covers. Silent tears roll down his cheeks. Another crack of thunder, this time followed by a flash of loud lightning. He screamed. Outside in the living room, he could hear the sound of his father, Fugaku, sighing in discust. "Fugaku! He's seven years old! Leave him alone, he's just a little boy...!" Mikoto, his mother said in his defense. "Mother's right, Dad." Sasuke's older brother Itachi said. "He is just a little boy. Seven." Itachi got up from the table and walked to Sasuke's room. He opened the door, and Sasuke was hiding under his covers and sobbing. "Dad! I-I'm sorry! I-I won't cry anymore, I promise! Ju-just don't hit me, please?!" Sasuke begged. "...Sasuke...it's me..." Itachi said sullenly. "I won't hit you." He sat on Sasuke's bed with him. Sasuke crawled over to him, and sat on his lap. "Itachi, I'm scared...!" He sobbed. Itachi wrapped his arms around him. "I won't let anything happen to you." In the living room, Mikoto was yelling at Fugaku. "You hit him?! When?! Why?! He's your son, too! He can't be perfect, you know?! It's because he isn't like Itachi, isn't it?! You ass-hole! Where did you hit him?!" "I didn't hit him." "You didn't hit him, huh?! You're lying, Fugaku! Listen to him! He's terrified of you!" She stormed off towards Sasuke's room. She gently opened the door, standing there with tears in her eyes. "Sasuke...baby, where did Daddy hit you? You can tell mommy." She came toward the bed, and knelt down. "He-he hit me in-in the stomach...Mommy...it hurts so bad!" "I know, honey. Did he leave a mark, baby?" Sasuke carefully lifted up his shirt to expose a deep purple bruise that shown off brilliantly with the hue of his pale skin. "Daddy told me not to show it to anybody..a-and if I did he-he'd hit me again, but harder...! Mommy don't let him hit me! Please don't let him hit me!" Fresh tears streamed down Sasuke's face. "I won't let him, Sasuke...he isn't going to hurt you anymore." She promised with tears rolling down her cheeks. Itach's own eyes now had tears in them, as he held onto Sasuke tighter. "Okay, sweetie. I'm going to go and talk to Daddy. I'll see you in the morning." She kissed him on the forehead, which was returned with a small kiss to her cheek. "Good night, baby." She backed through the door, shutting it. Itachi stayed behind. "Sasuke...why didn't you tell me that Dad hits you?" "He-he told me not to...! Itachi, he would find out that I told you, and hit me again!" Sasuke's eyes were frantic. Itachi laid Sasuke down on the bed, and laid behind him, putting his arm around him. Sasuke soon fell asleep. "Fugaku, I can't believe-I just cannot believe you'd sink so low as to hit your youngest son!" Mikoto whispered in a dangerous tone. "The brat's lying to you, sweetie. Why would I hit him in the first place?" He smiled, confident. "One: He showed me the bruise on his stomach. Two: Because you think he's lesser than Itachi. Fugaku, sure he isn't like Itachi, but give him a chance. Next week, he starts the Ninja Academy, and he'll shine above the rest. I just know it. Now be quiet, he just fell asleep." She walked to the master bedroom where she and Fugaku sleep. Itachi gently got out of Sasuke's bed, and picked up the stuffed green dinosaur that has become Sasuke's favorite toy, and placed it under his arm. Sasuke immediately curled it up to his chest, causing Itachi to smile. He went to his room. Once in his own bed, he laid there thinking about the bruise on Sasuke's stomach. It was the size of Fugaku's fist. He fell asleep soon thereafter. The next morning, Mikoto got Itachi up, and waited ten minutes, then went to get Sasuke up. He was tossing and turning, with sweat sprinkled on his cheeks and forehead. He opened his eyes slowly, and looked blearily at Mikoto, who knelt down by his bed again. "...Sasuke...you know you can tell Mommy anything, right? If you want to talk about your feelings, I'll be right here, alright? Your brother Itachi would listen, too." He smiled up to her, despite his pale, clammy skin. "C'mon, let's go and get you some breakfast. How's that sound?" She held out her hand, and Sasuke eagerly took it, and the two walked into the kitchen. Sasuke sat by Itachi, trying not to meet his dad's eyes. "Morning Sasuke." Fugaku sighed. "M-morning, Dad.." Sasuke said without looking up. "Look at me when you're talking to me, Sasuke! That's disrespectful!" Fugaku shouted, slamming his palm on the table, causing Sasuke to jump. Mikoto came to the doorway. "What's going on?" She looked angrily at Fugaku. Tears filled Sasuke's dark eyes, and his lower lip started to quiver. "Fugaku, he's crying!" She quickly went to Sasuke's side, and he enveloped her in a hug. Itachi placed his hand on his shoulder. "You're such a jerk, Fugaku! Why can't you just leave him alone for once?! Huh?!" Itachi stood up and grabbed his bag. "Well, I should go...Sasuke...we can hang out around town later, if you want." He smiled down to him. Despite his flowing tears, Sasuke smiled brilliantly. "No, Itachi you'll have academy homework to do! That's more important than hanging out with Sasuke." The smile was erased from Sasuke's small face, and he burried his face into Mikoto's chest, sobbing loudly. She placed one of her hands on the small of his back, and the other on the back of his head, holding him close to her. "Nah. I want to play with Sasuke, he deserves it." Itachi smiled kindly down to Sasuke, who only turned his head to look at him, a small smile forming. Itachi left for school. Mikoto looked down to a still crying Sasuke. "Hey Sasuke, let's go and look at the cherry blossoms, sound like fun?" He looked up to her, shaking his head. "We can take a little money and get some dumplings at the dumpling shop." She kissed him on the nose, making him giggle. She stood up, and grabbed Sasuke's hand. Once at the park, Mikoto met a friend of hers, Kagami, who was with her seven year old son, Hotaka. "Go and play with Hotaka, Sasuke sweetie. Mommy's going to talk with Kagami, okay?" "Yeah...that's okay." Sasuke smiled, and let go of her hand to run off with Hotaka. The two sat on the dirt sidewalk and played with one another. Five minutes had passed, and Sasuke stood up to stretch, and crumpled into a heep, holding his stomach, and gasping for air. Mikoto and Kagami immediately ran to the small boy's side. "Mommy-it hurts!" "I know, baby. Just don't move for a moment." She held him to her. "Is he having stomach cramps?" "Well...sort of..." Mikoto looked remorsefully up from Sasuke to Kagami. "Fugaku hit him the other night...and he's got a bruise on his stomach." "He hit him?! Why would anybody hit little Sasuke?" "Sasuke...Mommy wants to talk to Kagami for a minute, can you walk...?" "Y-yeah...I'll go and sit by that big tree." He shakily pointed to a large cherry blossom tree about twenty feet from them. "That's good, baby. When we're done here, we'll buy you an ice pack, okay? That will make the pain go away." She smiled a fake smile towards him, and he-with some help from Hotaka, limped over to the tree. "I don't know what to do...Sasuke loves Fugaku, but he is so mean to him! He says that he'll never measure up to Itachi's level, and makes fun of him. Sasuke's just a little boy...sure he's thin and fragile looking, but he will be a great ninja like Itachi...I can just tell! He starts the academy next week...and I know he's super excited, but he's afraid of messing up, and Fugaku's reaction..." "If you want, you can come and stay at my place...and bring Itachi with you." "Thanks, I really should get Sasuke out of our home before something really bad happens to him..." The two looked over to Sasuke, who had curled his knees up to his chest, and fell asleep with Hotaka next to him. "I know that his stomach hurts pretty bad, but...what am I supposed to do about Fugaku? He-he's going to hurt Sasuke..." "Hey, you're a kunoichi, aren't you? Do what you have to do.." "Oh Kagami, I haven't done that sort of thing in years...I don't know if I would put up a good enough fight to save him.." "Hey, you're an Uchiha, right? You guys are bred for war...what's to be worried about?" Mikoto smiled to her. "Well, I promised Sasuke some dumplings before we go home...so I should probably leave. Thank you for helping out." "Anytime, honey." Mikoto waved goodbye, and picked up a sleeping Sasuke. They walked to the dumpling shop, and Mikoto sat Sasuke down on one of the benches. the employee, Konata, knows the family well and asked why Sasuke's face was tear-stained. "He-he got hit in the stomach the other night, and now he's got a pretty nasty bruise...he stretched at the park, and hurt it." "He wanted the cherry blossom dumplings, right? He can have them without pay. It's on me, this time, alright? That might cheer him up." She smiled bleakly. "Thank you, Konata. He would like that...that saves Fugaku some money..." She looked at her watch. "Oh, I think that I'll go and pick Itachi up from school, now. Thanks again, Konata. She picked up Sasuke, placing his chin on her shoulder, and grabbed the bag of dumplings and left for the academy. She was early. Itachi saw her out the classroom window, and waved slightly. Once school was out, he came through the doors and asked what was wrong with Sasuke. "He hurt his stomach at the park today...so I let him fall asleep. Konata gave us a bag of dumplings for no pay, and I had extra time, so I figured that I'd come to pick you up." "That's okay..." He looked over to Iruka, who was walking over to them. "You're Itachi's mom, correct?" "Yessir. Is there something you'd like to discuss...?" She looked apprehensive. "Well, I know it's none of my business, but I couldn't help noticing that Itachi was acting wierd today, and the way you're holding Sasuke, I'd say that something's wrong..." "Oh...Sasuke...he-he's alright..." "Well, your face tells me that you're hiding something...is something going on at home? You can feel free to talk to me..." "Iruka...it's nothing...he's fine, really." "...Alright then..." He looked down to Itachi. "I'll see you Monday morning, then Itachi." "Right. Have a good weekend, Sensei." The trio turned around and left towards the Uchiha District. "Itachi...has Sasuke ever said anything about your father?" "No...just what he told us last night. I had no idea that he had hit him." His face darkened. "Is he alright now?" "Yeah, he'll feel better when he wakes up. When we get home, I'm going to put him in his room and let him sleep for a while...will you stay in there with him, Itachi? I have some more errands to run, and I can't take him with me...the whole village will find out about it, and I don't want him put under that much pressure. Fugaku's hard enough on him as it is...I just need you to protect him for about an hour." "Of course. I'll sit by him." At the estate, Mikoto laid Sasuke in his bed, and kissed him on the cheek. Itachi got a book and sat on the corner of the bed, leaning up against the wall. Half an hour later, Sasuke woke up. "...Itachi...what're you doing in here...?" Sasuke asked, confused. "It's nothing, Sasuke. Don't worry about it." "...It's because that you think that I'm going to do something wrong and get in trouble, isn't it? You want to make sure that I keep my mouth shut, right Itachi?" Sasuke asked, and broke down in tears. "No...Sasuke, that isn't it at all...we just want to make sure that Dad doesn't hit you again, that's all...nobody thinks that of you..nobody." He dragged Sasuke onto his lap, facing the opposite way, that way his legs are around his waist, and his arms around his neck. Sasuke held on tightly to Itachi's neck and continued to cry. Fugaku stomped down the hallway, and into his room. "Look at you, Sasuke! Always crying...you're such a baby!" "I am not!" Fugaku got closer to him. "What did you just say, you little shit? Huh?! What did you say to me?!" "I-I-I am not a baby, Dad!" Itachi held tighter to Sasuke and stood up and turned around so that he was facing Fugaku. "Dad...just leave him alone." Itachi tried, but Fugaku was drunk, so it didn't matter. "No! I'm going to teach him a lesson...that brat!" He grabbed the back of Sasuke's shirt, and pulled him out of Itachi's comforting arms. Sasuke tried to reach for Itachi. Whilst holding him in the air, he punched him once in the stomach, making Sasuke gasp, and defensively curl his legs up. He dropped him to the floor with a loud thud, and went to kick him, but Itachi quickly grabbed his leg. Fugaku knocked him down, then kicked Sasuke in the face, causing his nose to bleed. "Daddy...! Please, no more! No more! I-I'm sorry!" Sasuke cried, bursting into tears. Fugaku kicked him in the ear. "You learn your lesson?!" "Yes! Daddy, I'm sorry!" He bawled his response. Tears filled and flooded Itachi's eyes, as he grabbed Sasuke up and ran out of the house. They hid in a shed behind an old lady's house a block away from them. Sasuke's ear began to bleed from where his dad had kicked him earlier. He cried harder. "Oh, Sasuke...shhh, it's alright. He wouldn't come after us, now...we'll be alright.." "I-Itachi...my eyesight's getting blurry!" Sasuke said desperately, while rubbing his eyes. "I-I can't see!" He swayed back and forth slightly. "Your eyes are blurry..?..Oh, Sasuke lie down!" Itachi's warning was too late, Sasuke fell backwards down to the ground, and began convulsing. "H-help!" Itachi cried, tears running down his cheeks. "I'm going to be right back, Sasuke!" He ran to the house and got the old lady's attention. "P-please, help me! My baby brother's having a seizure! I-I don't know what to do!" "Show me where he is." They rushed back to the shed behind the house to get Sasuke. He was still convulsing. "What happened?" "Our dad hit him! He-he's bleeding!" "I see that...I'll wait untill he's done convulsing, and take him to the hospital, alright? He's going to be alright, son." She pulled Sasuke's head onto her lap, and he stopped convulsing momentarily. His eyes drooped, and he passed out. "Sasuke!" "It's common to pass out after having a seizure, son. He's fine." She picked him up, and she and Itachi rushed to the hospital. "Now, I can't go in with you, but just tell them everything that happened...and they'll take care of him." "Wait! W-why won't you help me..?" Tears still ran down his face. "Because I aint your mother.." She left. Itachi picked Sasuke up, and rushed him into the hospital. "H-help! My brother's hurt!" A nurse immediately rushed to them. Once in a room, Sasuke was cleaned up, and changed into a hospital-set of clothing. They placed an I.V. with a mild sedative in his right collarbone. Itachi sat on his bed. He was shaking, and his shirt and left cheek was covered in Sasuke's blood. Twenty minutes later, Sasuke woke up. His right ear had a cotton ball taped in it, and his left eye had turned a dull purple. "I-Itachi...?" "I'm right here, Sasuke..." "Wh-why are you crying...I'm alright...s-s-see?" He started to cry once he looked down to the I.V. in his chest. "Itachi, what is that...? It-it hurts!" He began to hyperventilate. "Sasuke! Calm down! Please?! You'll pass out again!" He rushed to him, and Sasuke breathed faster. A machine beside the bed beeped loudly, and a nurse rushed in. "Sasuke, you're having a panic attack!" She laid him down, and placed an oxygen mask over his mouth. Sasuke's eyes were frantic, and darted quickly from one person to another. "Honey, place your hands on your stomach. Feel yourself breathe, alright? You're going to be fine." He did as he was told, and calmed down. "Now, when I take that mask off, we're going to go to the bathroom, alright?" She pulled off the mask, and helped him out of bed, taking the saline drip with them. They went acrossed the hall, and Itachi followed. She knelt Sasuke down in front of a toilet, and he threw up. "Sasuke...? Why'd he get sick?" "He's alright. It's just his nerves." Sasuke thew up again. The nurse rubbed his back. He sat back, and she washed his face off with a wet cloth. "Do you think you're going to be sick again?" He shook his head no. She helped him up, and took him back to his room. She took off his shirt, leaving him in his pajama bottoms. There was a bandage wrapped around his side, and over one of his shoulders. "You'll feel better once you've cooled down, okay?" She opened the window and left. Sasuke laid down in the bed. Itachi sat down with him. "Are you okay, Sasuke?" He shook his head yes. Sasuke's skin had paled and he now had dark bags under his eyes. Mikoto rushed in. "Oh, Sasuke...my baby boy!" She hugged him tightly. Sasuke burst into tears, while silent tears rolled down Itachi's face. She turned to Itachi. "He hit you, too, didn't he?! I'm so sorry you two, I should never have left you alone." "It isn't your fault, Mommy...I was asleep, and Itachi was at school...it's okay." "Sasuke, you're so brave, but it's not okay! He hit you! One of your ribs are broken!" Sasuke didn't say anything. "I'm going to sign you out, and we're going to stay somewhere else tonight, okay." "I don't think that we'll be staying in the estate for much longer...and I'm sorry, but I don't think we'll be seeing Fugaku much, either." Sasuke started to cry again. "Sasuke...? Sweetheart, what's wrong?" "I-it's all my fault! I'm sorry Mommy!" He burried his face in her neck. "Oh, Sasuke...it isn't your fault. Fugaku had no right doing this to you, and it most definately is not your fault." "C'mon, we're going to go and stay with Konata for a while. How's that sound, Sasuke?" "Uh-huh." Sasuke said and yawned. "Yeah, but you have to get some sleep, first." They went to the house and knocked on the door. She hurried to answer it. "Hey...what happened to Sasuke?! Did that bastard do this to him?!" "Can we come in?" "Yes! Yes, come in!" They went through the door, and sat down at the table. "Tell me what happened. But first, Sasuke, why don't you and Itachi go and lie down in the spare bedroom, okay? It's getting late." "Goodnight, Mommy." Sasuke said and kissed her. "Goodnight, sweetheart." She kissed Sasuke and looked up to Itachi. "You need to take a shower soon. You've got blood on you, sweetie." "Sure." He kissed her and grabbed Sasuke's hand and the two went to the bedroom. Once in the room, Sasuke crawled into the bed, and covered up with the blankets, pulling them up to his ear since it was cold. Itachi made sure that Sasuke would be okay, and went to the bathroom to shower. "So, tell me what happened." "I'm not sure myself. I just know that Itachi grabbed Sasuke and ran away. I know that Sasuke had a seizure, and passed out. One of his ribs are broken, and his right eardrum busted. His left eye is starting to blacken. I-I don't know what to do..!" "Stay here for a few days, then we'll figure things out, okay?" "Yeah..." Itachi pulled his shirt off, and looked down to the blood. Tears ran down his face, and slowly he burst into tears. "Hold on. I think that Itachi is crying...I don't want to leave him alone in there...I'll be right back." Mikoto quietly rushed to the bathroom to envelope Itachi in a warm hug. "Mom...!" "Shhh, it's alright, your brother's going to be alright..." "Yeah, but Mom-I-I was standing right there! I should've done something else to help him!" "The point is, Itachi, that you tried to help. That's all that matters." She pulled his head into her as he continued to cry. In the bedroom, Sasuke tossed and turned. He started to sweat. "It's going to be alright, Itachi. Go ahead and take a shower, and go to bed. Alright, sweetie?" "Y-yeah..." "If you want, I'll stay with you untill you're done in here.." She smiled slightly. "Mom..." Itachi's face reddened, and he smiled. "There's that smile I was waiting for." He averted his eyes as more tears came to them. "Itachi, your baby brother is going to be alright. I promise. Just give me time to figure things out, and then we'll go an from there, okay?" He shook his head, and she grabbed him and hugged him. In the other room, Sasuke opened his eyes and sat up in the bed. "Mo...mommy...! Mommy!" He curled his legs up to his chest. "Itachi...take a shower, I'm going to go to Sasuke, okay?" "Mommy!" "Just a sec, Sasuke!" She said sweetly; kissed Itachi on the forehead and left.