Thank you amgs, itachiluv89, and Laffy50 for the reviews! Sorry this took so long to get up. Enjoy!


CHAPTER TWO


Itachi Uchiha stared out the window of his thirty-eighth floor office suite, letting the steady stream of cars and pedestrians blur into little blobs of color far below. He had known this day would come. That at some point his actions to support the only family he had left would lead to his little brother making one of those life-changing bad decisions. As much as he tried to deny it, he knew it was inevitable, that someday the allure of money and growing up with a big brother working for known mobsters would blur the ethical and legal lines enough that Sasuke would cross it. He just hadn't known that it would happen so early in his brother's budding law enforcement career. Nor had he counted on the extreme guilt and shame that his brother's thoughtless actions would bring him.

It was another hot day, the heat creating wavy lines against the metallic building across the street. Itachi stared at them, trying to ignore the constant image of Sasuke smiling up at him, his eyes bright and happy. How long had it been since he had seen his brother look happy? Had he smiled, truly smiled, since their parents' death?

The guilt continued to build as he thought about his parents. He was supposed to protect and care for Sasuke. That was his job as the older brother. He had thought he was doing the right thing taking an offer from the Akatsuki. It had seemed like the only way to support and protect his brother, but in the end it probably paved the way for his shortsighted sibling to make a deal with a snake; a very dangerous snake who happened to be enemies with his employers.

The idiot, he thought, moving away from the window and returning to his large, heavy oak desk. He tapped his pen on the draft of the contract he was supposed to be editing. He should focus on work, forget his brother, and carry on like he had been. He hadn't even seen or spoken Sasuke for nearly a decade, his younger brother making it clear that he hated him. But that didn't relieve him of his burden as the eldest, or dampen the love he felt for his sibling. Sasuke was the only family he had left and he was going to be in some very deep trouble if things were left as they were.

Glancing down at the contract, he knew what he had to do. The Akatsuki had served their purpose and he had more than repaid his debt to their leader. His true duty remained with the last of his family and the city that he loved.

Itachi didn't give another thought as he grabbed his suit coat, briefcase, and keys and rushed from the office. His secretary called out after him, but he just gave her wave indicating that she should make his excuses for him. It was better for everyone if no one knew where he was going. If they did, well there were certain members of the mafia that were dying to have the honor of sending him to hell and this would be the perfect excuse to do so. He had no intention of giving them that chance until he had already done what he could to make things right for his brother, which meant a drastic change in tactics on his part.

The afternoon traffic was thankfully light. Itachi's patience seemed to be growing thinner as each minute passed. He had no time to be sitting in a traffic jam as he cruised through the city, not when his brother's wellbeing was on the line. No matter how much he had done for the Akatsuki he knew that there was nothing he could do to stay their hand when the boss decided that someone needed to be taken care of. His level of influence ended once they decided to no longer keep things legal. But if he could just meet with his old contacts and just maybe get a position where he could nudge Sasuke away from danger, well that was worth putting himself at risk.

And he would be at risk. There was no question about that. Just looking up at the county courthouse as he parked, with its statue of Lady Justice and her scales was enough to remind him of what was in the balance.

With a deep breath, he stared at his hands still gripping the wheel. He needed to contact Tsunade, the county DA, and he needed to do it without the Akatsuki higher ups knowing about it. He knew that his employers monitored his cell phone. They really made no secret about it, making it completely useless for personal use and more than useless for what he was about to do. Pay phones were also out. There weren't many left after the advent of mobile phones, making them far less secure for secretive calls than they once had been. His only option was to personally see Konoha's leader when it came to upholding the law and give her something so good she couldn't refuse his request.

"She'll bite," he told himself, sliding out from his car with a cool, collected look that he barely felt. Turning away from Justice's scales, he moved towards a small sandwich shop that was a known spot for the civil servants that worked in the government building next door. He hoped to spot the DA's assistant, Shizune, and have her relay his message that he wanted to meet her boss in private. He couldn't risk waltzing into her office without a reason, not with so many spies for both the Akatsuki and the Sound lurking in the hierarchy of the government. No, he needed as much discretion he could get, if only to gain a day or two extra to prepare for the danger he was about to be in.

Itachi did his best to not think about what would most likely happen to him as he slid into a chair on the far side of the café. From his corner he watched the people who rushed in and out without sparing him a glance. Here he was just another suit not worth noticing. That was all the better for him. The only attention he needed was from the DA's assistant, Shizune, if she ever showed up. The crowd began to thin, leaving Itachi with the sinking feeling that he was going to have to be more aggressive and requesting a meeting with Konoha's DA. He was just about to get up to leave when a familiar blonde strode through the door.

Shun Kita, he thought with a small smile. She had once worked for a money-hungry worm named Gato, making all of his businesses that violated numerous antitrust laws completely legal. That alone was enough to make him take notice of her abilities, not to mention the numerous times they had been seated across from each other at some mediation or during the proceedings of litigation. He respected that she never used her femininity to provoke rulings in her direction, like so many other female attorneys working in the private sector. In fact, her trim figure only seemed to be accented more by her well-tailored, but modest suits than the more form-fitting and revealing pieces her counterparts often wore. Maybe it was because her clothing forced the male attorneys facing her pay attention to her words and the confident, commanding arguments she made rather than just focusing on her breasts. He wouldn't be surprised to find that his image of her as a tall, powerful woman had more to do with her confidence than her actual height and strength.

Settling back in his chair, he stared at her, waiting for her to turn from the counter. It took only a minute or two for her to grab a sandwich and pay, but it felt like an eternity to him. Each heartbeat was one closer to potentially his last, while each second that ticked away was one less for his brother. The Akatsuki weren't known for being kind those that worked for the Sound, and were even less civilized to traitors. No matter what happened here today, one or both of the Uchiha brothers would be in some very real, very serious danger.

Morbid thoughts wouldn't help him do what he needed to do to protect Sasuke, though. So instead of focusing on the horrible outcomes, he cleared his throat and gave Shun Kita a small nod as she turned from the counter. From the look on her face, he was the last person she expected to see, her blue eyes growing wide then narrowing into the predatory stare he had come to expect from her.

"My, my, what are you doing this far downtown?" she asked, taking a step toward him, but being sure to keep a respectable distance that wouldn't allow anyone to think they were meeting.

"I was hoping to speak with Ms. Senju," he answered softly, hoping that no ears were tuned into their conversation.

"Is that so? Well, you would be better off trying her office than waiting around in a deli."

"I was also hoping for discretion."

Kita tilted her head a bit, her sharp blue eyes holding his without any of the shy nervousness that many female counselors looked at him with. He had a reputation for being cold, calculating, and aloof. It made him seem utterly unapproachable by anyone who didn't have enough confidence in their own abilities playing the game of law. Even outside of work, the only women who seemed to approach him were the gorgeous kind that had an impenetrable wall around their hearts that was as thick as their makeup. They wanted money, prestige, and to leech off the power of their man, not companionship, trust, or deep, unadulterated love. Not that he thought much about love or a future spouse. He had enough on his plate trying to raise Sasuke, and, with how things were going now, protecting his brother would probably mean his death. But still, he could appreciate a woman who didn't feel the need to flash her skin or really even fix her hair and still be able to meet his eyes without the slightest sign of wavering.

"Why? We don't have any of your clients currently under litigation," she finally said.

"It's of a personal nature."

Again, she stared at him, her eyes locking his as if she could read all of his secrets there. Itachi was sure that her ability to intimidate without a word was part of what made her one of the best in their little law bubble and had made her, if what he heard was correct, an unseemly large salary when she worked for Gato. Whatever had made her leave the private sector for public service no one knew, but it was a huge score for the county and a huge loss for anyone out looking to make a sleezy, underhanded fortune.

"Well, then, I will leave you to your private, personal things and go about my own business," Kita said with a curt nod after breaking her focus. "I'm sure I will be seeing you sooner rather than later, Uchiha. Try not to be distracted by whatever it is that's crawling under your skin. I do hate not having a challenge."

Normally, the clipped, polite insults from Kita would make him at least crack a small smile, if not an appropriate retort, but today was different. The lunchtime rush was over and the likelihood of meeting anyone else from Tsunade's office slim. Itachi knew that he needed to act on whatever little opportunity he had.

"Wait, Ms. Kita," he called out as he stood. "Could I be so bold as to ask you for a favor?"

As expected, Kita's eyes widened in surprise. You didn't ask other litigators for favors. Especially not when they would always be on the opposite side of the room from you. But he was desperate. If he could have just marched up to Tsunade and spoke to her plainly without fear that the powers that always loomed over him wouldn't kill the only person that mattered to him immediately, he would have. But he was forced to be cautious and secretive, leaving Kita his only chance.

"Now, Mr. Uchiha, that is a very, very tempting question. Unfortunately, I doubt that any favor I would perform for you would actually be worth the payout. Your… affiliations, well they have a tendency to grab ahold of people who are involved with their people. As I'm sure you can understand, I have no interest in the association."

Itachi nodded, his head hanging slightly. She spoke the truth. People affiliated with the Akatsuki, although well paid and influential, were ostracized from the rest of society. People were afraid to get too close just in case they made too much of an impression and were suddenly "asked" to do a favor for the mobsters. It made him unhireable by any outside private agency just as much as it made him practically untouchable by the law. The double-edged sword of crime never ceased to impress and frustrate him.

Still, he would not fail. He made a promise to his parents and this was the only way that he could see that he could keep it. "Again, this is a personal matter. All I would need from you is to ask Tsunade to meet me in courtroom 4B in thirty minutes. If you do this I would owe you more than you know."

He thought he had kept his voice cool and calm, but by the small upward flick of her lips, he knew that he sounded as desperate as he felt. Well, he sounded as desperate as an Uchiha could sound, which didn't really do justice to just how anxious he actually was.

"Itachi Uchiha begging. Now this is something that I didn't expect when I decided to grab a sandwich."

"Life is full of surprises."

"Surprises are rarely good."

"I know, but I truly do need to speak with your boss, and soon."

Kita gave him one last hard look before nodding. "Alright, Uchiha, I'll bite. Consider your message sent and you owing me a debt. And believe me, I won't forget to collect."

"I would be very surprised if you did."

She gave him a large smile, one that almost reached her eyes, before she turned and made her way back to the county office building.

Itachi watched her go, relief and fear filling him in equal parts. He gave her a few minutes before leaving the deli and heading towards the courthouse that sat next to the government building. It was not every day that he went there without a case to defend, but it wasn't completely unreasonable for him to show up, book a few mediation rooms, and do the sorts of things that grunt lawyers and paralegals often were sent to do. It was the best idea he could come up with to keep flapping tongues somewhat quiet and his true purpose a secret until his plan was fully realized. Which he hoped would be an easy sell as the door to the courtroom opened, revealing a frowning middle-aged woman with thinning blonde hair and a reputation for having the stubbornness and forcefulness of a bull.

"Ms. Senju," he said, standing and taking Konoha's DA's hand. "Thank you for meeting with me."

"It's not every day that you contact my office, Itachi, or say that you have something urgent to discuss."

"Yes. Is there some place private we can talk here? Somewhere without coms recording our conversation?"

The DA nodded, motioning for him to follow her. Their steps echoed down the wide marble hallways with an eerie hollow sound that made his chest tighten. He had been in this building many times before defending his mafia employers, but never had he found the sound of his own steps to be so foreboding. It was as if the harsh slapping noise of his shoes mixed with Tsunade's imperiously clacking heels was a strange death march, taking him to a path that could only end poorly for him. In his heart, he knew he was freely choosing to pursue something that would make him some very powerful enemies, but to not do so would mean a raw, bitter guilt eating at him if anything happened to Sasuke.

"In here," the gruff woman said with a wave, ushering him into one of the many rooms reserved for mediation. He didn't hesitate taking his normal spot near the head of the table, Tsunade following suit. "Now, what is it that we're doing here?"

"I'm here because I would like a job with you."

Silence met him, the older woman's mouth hanging open slightly. "You would like a what with me?"

"A job."

"A job. A job doing what?"

"As one of the deputy DAs. I know you have the funding available to hire another assistant attorney. Hire me."

Again, the district attorney stared at him, her hand reaching into her jacket and pulling out a flask. He watched her take a long draught before she met his eyes again, this time her look hard. "Why would I do that?"

"Because I'm the only reason the Akatsuki get off and I can be sure that you have the evidence you need to make convictions stick."

"That sounds like a conflict of interest. I can't use evidence you provide and then have you on my team as part of the prosecution. It would be inadmissible."

"Not if an anonymous tip put your men in possession of some very incriminating documents, followed by my help in the prosecution."

"And what about an ethical conflict of prosecuting a former client?"

"Technically, I'm an independent contractor at an independently owned defense firm and I pick and choose my cases as I please. While I won't be able to be involved with some higher member's prosecution, I can help with others. And I can help you behind the scenes with the ones I can't ethically touch."

Tsunade leaned back, her fingers rapping on the table while she thought. "What do you get out of this? We can't pay you much. We can't even really protect you if you're in some kind of trouble."

"I'm not looking for money and I'm not in trouble. But I have started to regret the strained relationship I have with my family. And that strain was due to my job. If I hope to ever fix this I need to break away from my former clients and work for the same team as my brother," he answered, letting a small lie cover the core of his true purpose. It was better for Tsunade to think him looking for a family relationship than out his brother as a dirty cop. If the goal was to keep Sasuke alive and eventually get him out of the clutches of the Sound, it meant that his brother needed the protection of the county and a career that took him leaps further than an affiliation with a gang could.

"You mean Sasuke?"

"I do."

"Kakashi says he hates you with a passion."

"I'm surprised I've even come up. Sasuke said I was dead for all he was concerned."

"Psych evals," Tsuanade replied with a shrug. "Nothing stays dead when a day of psych testing is involved."

"I suppose not," Itachi answered, keeping his expression neutral despite the hope that was blossoming that the notoriously hardheaded DA might actually be warming to the idea.

"So you hope to win your brother's love by showing him that you're fighting for our side?"

"That, and help his career by making him a key investigator whenever possible," he answered honestly.

Tsunade leaned back in her chair, crossing her hands in front of her face. "I see. If I'm going to consider this I want a show of what I can expect to get from you besides strong court presence. What is the sort of information that you could provide?"

Itachi let the corners of his mouth turn, relief washing over him. He had her, and now it was just a matter of sealing the deal. Leaning forward, he met her eyes. "What do you know about the Akatsuki's arsonist, Deidara?"

Tsuande smiled and leaned forward. "It's funny that you should mention him," she started, silently signing off on his position and starting what most likely would be the last thing he would ever be able to do for his little brother.