A/N: Um...so here's the 2nd chap. For those of you who notice every little detail, yes...Naruto did grow 2 inches since the prequel.

Wow, so many nice reviews for the first chapter! I was apprehensive about the reception of this sequel, many people have said that no sequel would be able to live up to Until You. However, I decided to go ahead with it and it seems like you all are pleased, so...Onward.

Thank you guys so much!

Chapter 2

Naruto looked at the person responsible for Sasuke's painful life with suddenly red eyes. A growl rumbled in his chest. He moved toward Itachi, but Sasuke made a small gesture with one hand, down by his side.

Itachi looked at the big blond. He had to be six-foot-six a least. What was up with those eyes and the growling? He'd caught the movement of Sasuke's hand that halted the guy from going for Itachi. Seemed his little brother had himself a relationship going on with the blond man. Very interesting. But that was for later. For now, he turned his eyes to the boy he'd killed their clan for, noting the differences and similarities between them.

Sasuke was just about the same height as Itachi, maybe an inch taller. His hair was worn in the same style, with the same two locks framing his cheeks. His body was somewhat rawboned, while Itachi's was compact. They both had dark eyes framed by long dark lashes. Itachi was willing to bet his little brother made the ladies cream their panties, just like he did. How old would Sasuke be now?

Sasuke. Gods above, Sasuke was alive! That knowledge truly penetrated Itachi's mind for the first time. He broke into the first grin anybody in Akatsuki had ever seen from him. Itachi threw his arms around his frozen brother and hugged him fiercely, his hat falling from his hand.

Sasuke felt himself come out of his stupor at feeling his brother touch him. He reacted to Itachi's roaming hands instinctively, violently. Lightning erupted from his entire body as he shoved Itachi as hard as he could. "Don't touch me," Sasuke screamed.

Itachi skidded backward, along with the rest of Akatsuki. They all watched Sasuke warily. Naruto put a hand on Sasuke's heaving shoulder and squeezed reassuringly. Sasuke jumped, but didn't shrug off the hand. He was panting harshly, looking around in confusion.

Okay, Sasuke thought. I just had a really bad flashback. Fucking hell, Itachi. Itachi is here!

On some level, Sasuke had known his brother must be alive somewhere. He just hadn't given it much thought. Not even after the night he and Blondie had left Konoha and he'd divulged his past in all its nightmarish glory. Itachi was gone and that was that. Or so he'd thought. Looking at where Itachi crouched with a slight frown between his eyes, it seemed everything they'd shared as brothers came rushing back. The same old feelings and insecurities raised their ugly heads merrily inside Sasuke as if to say 'See? We were gone but now we're back to totally fuck with your mind, haha!' Blondie's hand felt good just then. Blondie was his rock.

Itachi eyed his brother craftily. He didn't know what had come over Sasuke just now, but that blond seemed to calm him down entirely too quickly. The blond had power over his little brother. The blond had Sasuke's affection and loyalty, Itachi saw.

The blond had to die.

Sasuke was his, Itachi thought possessively. How his brother had survived when he himself had seen that he was dead could be figured out later. For now, Itachi felt a burning need to assert his dominion over his brother and reclaim what had been lost to him so long ago. That meant getting Sasuke to calm down around him. Fine. He could play it cool.

Itachi, long dormant inside from the ravages of that horrible night of slaughter, found himself blossoming, returning to his old self as if by sorcery. Uchiha Itachi was reborn in his brother's presence, just as he'd died at the sight of his brother's lifeless body. The old love, terrible and consuming in its intensity, came flooding back as he straightened and walked slowly toward Sasuke. He tempered his smile to a less threatening expression of his former grin.

"I'm sorry," Sasuke stuttered. "I don't know what came over me." He watched his brother coming toward him.

Itachi had been about to apologize himself. On hearing that his brother had opted to say it first, he changed tactics, dropping his own smile to put a 'hurt-but-trying-to-get-over-it' look on his face. "It's okay. I know we haven't seen each other since that…since that night I tried to save your life…I understand if you feel like you hate me. I just…I missed you, Little Brother. I thought you were dead."

Sasuke was given pause. Itachi chuckled inwardly. He'd deliberately brought up that night to see Sasuke's reaction to it and to remind his brother that he did, in fact, owe Itachi for saving his life back then.

"How could you think I was dead when you left me in that basement," Sasuke asked curiously. The other people who were with Itachi were starting to creep closer now, listening intently to things Itachi had always kept very private. Sasuke had eyes only for his brother, but Naruto noticed that he and Sasuke were slowly being surrounded. He shifted his weight on his feet, hanging on to a bit of the Kyuubi chakra.

"When I came back for you, ANBU showed me your dead body. I checked, there was no pulse. What was the last thing you remember?" Itachi had now reached Sasuke. He stood close to him without touching him.

"ANBU kicking in the basement door."

Itachi appeared thoughtful. "Then I was deliberately tricked. Huh. Well, anyways, I left. I couldn't stay knowing that I'd failed to keep my own brother safe. It was too painful for me." Itachi watched Sasuke's face.

Sasuke was having all his previous beliefs about that night restructured. He'd thought Itachi had just gone crazy and left him. Now he found out his brother had thought he was dead. But…but that means that he didn't leave me in Konoha to rot, after all. He didn't mean to leave me. That info and that alone seemed to register with Sasuke. He looked at his brother again, really seeing him, really having the fact that he had a brother who was standing right in front of him pierce his mind. Sasuke smiled.

Well, now, Itachi thought, looking at that smile. Little Brother certainly is pretty. He kept his own face slightly sorrowful. By refusing to blink, Itachi managed to make his eyes glassy. He lowered his gaze now, speaking softly.

"I'm sorry if my hug offended you before. I just…"

Naruto saw Itachi smirk openly at him over Sasuke's shoulder as the younger Uchiha spontaneously hugged his brother. Naruto grit his teeth in anger. Couldn't Sasuke see his brother was manipulating him? The blond would have thought that Sasuke, as an experienced practitioner of the very same tactics Itachi was using, would spot it immediately. Sasuke appeared blind to his brother's machinations, though.

The Akatsuki members were dumbfounded. Never had they seen this manipulative, involved and shady side of Itachi. He redefined the term 'stoic'. You could expect the world to end before he said three words throughout the day. Complete sentences had never been spoken by Itachi in their hearing and as for the affection, the clear and patent interest he showed in this 'brother', well…suffice it to say that no one would be getting on this brother's bad side anytime soon. Whatever he meant to Itachi, it would mean their deaths if anyone rubbed this Sasuke the wrong way; Itachi was impossible to beat.

It seemed the reunion was complete. "Sasuke," Itachi said when the hug was over. "You still live in Konoha?"

Shocked and happy Sasuke might be to discover his brother, but something made him say that he didn't have a home. He didn't want to tell of the cottage he and Naruto had taken over. Itachi smiled.

"Come with us, then. I'm sure our leader will be happy to have you since you did kill two of our number. Well, your friend here did. Who is he, by the way, does he have a name?" Itachi ran his eyes up and down the powerful body Naruto kept steadfastly by Sasuke's elbow.

Naruto stepped forward, placing himself slightly in front of Sasuke to face Itachi dead on, head lowered somewhat to look him in the eye. "I am Uzumaki Naruto."

The black eyes held the blue ones for several tense minutes. A primitive and nameless understanding passed between Itachi and Naruto: Itachi would have to step over the blond's dead body to get to Sasuke in any way. And Naruto wasn't going down easily.

Sasuke saw Blondie and his brother having a little staring contest. He could tell his friend was tense and ready to fight. He put a hand on Blondie's arm reassuringly, tugging slightly to pull him back. "Blondie, come on, it's cool." When Naruto didn't budge, but only seemed to tense further Sasuke added, "I want to talk to you for a minute. Come on."

Naruto reluctantly turned away from Itachi's unflinching stare to let himself be led away. Sasuke walked a few yards away from the four people, only stopping when they were out of earshot.

"What do you think?" Sasuke asked. He looked up at Naruto with bright eyes.

For a change, Naruto countered with a question of his own, wanting to know if Sasuke was aware of his brother's true nature or not. "What do you think?"

"I think we should take my brother up on his offer."

Naruto had not expected that. Sasuke was not someone who believed in groups or sharing or in anything social. "Why?"

"Because he's my brother! Jesus Fucking Christ, I haven't seen him in years and he thought I was dead all this time. I thought he abandoned me, but he didn't. Maybe you don't understand, but that means a lot."

Naruto stared hard at Sasuke. "Your brother is dangerous."

"He always has been. Come on, Blondie, please?" Sasuke drew out the last word as he bounced in place slightly.

"We know nothing of this leader or the organization your brother is a part of and I personally feel no desire to join them. If you wish to go with your brother, then go. I will go home."

Sasuke was briefly at a loss for words. He really hadn't anticipated that Blondie would need to be convinced. The big lug was always happy to follow wherever Sasuke led. He never contradicted Sasuke in any way, not since the issue with the bath when they'd first met. Sasuke had managed to forget during this past year that Blondie could be aggressive and had definite ideas of his own sometimes. And once Blondie made up his mind, that was it.

"You mean," Sasuke said hesitantly, "go our separate ways?"

"I don't trust your brother. I want you to stay away from him, but I don't think you will. I want to protect you from him, but I don't think you will let me. So, yes. We will go our separate ways for now. When you are ready to come home I will be waiting."

Sasuke felt panicky. No. Just no. Blondie could not leave him. He just couldn't. But Sasuke didn't want to refuse this chance to reunite with his brother, either. Blondie was being extremely selfish and Sasuke said so.

"I am not being selfish," Naruto said in his calm, melodious voice. "I am not preventing you from being with your brother. I simply do not wish to be a part of his schemes."

"Well, who says he's scheming? Look, I know what I said about him and what he did to me, but that was a long time ago. Give him a chance, please? For me? I can handle him, I swear."

Naruto looked at Sasuke. Maybe he didn't know much, but it seemed to him that Sasuke was uncharacteristically taking a lot on faith. He hadn't seen his brother in ten years. There was no way that Sasuke could be sure he'd be able to handle Itachi.

It was with serious misgivings that Naruto gave in to Sasuke. And he only did that under the condition that they would leave Itachi and his group of questionable friends if it became clear that they meant Sasuke and Naruto harm.

Sasuke scoffed. "Why would they want to hurt us?" He was walking back toward Itachi and the others, Naruto at his side.

"I think the relevant question is what would stop them from wanting to." Naruto's eyes roved over the odd assortment of people with Itachi. He already knew the answer to his question lay in Sasuke's brother. He'd caught the subtle vibes they gave off: they were afraid of Itachi. So long as Itachi wanted them unharmed then they would be safe. If Itachi gave the order to kill Naruto then Naruto would be killed.

The blond remained alert and aware of the people with Itachi as well as of Itachi himself as he and Sasuke joined them. They can try, Naruto thought.

Sasuke retrieved his fallen bag of money before they set out. Itachi, Naruto noticed, kept himself beside Sasuke the entire time they were traveling, trying to crowd Naruto out of the way. He kept Sasuke's attention on him by maintaining a steady stream of conversation. Naruto had tried to ask Sasuke a question but Itachi talked right over him. Naruto had not tried to speak again. He only listened as Itachi filled in the missing years to Sasuke, telling him all he'd done since he'd left the village.

It was a few days before they reached Akatsuki's hideout. Once there, Deidara launched into an explanation to the leader, some freak with a multitude of piercings called Pain, about how Kakuzu and Hidan had been snuffed by the blond. Deidara attempted to add his own thoughts and opinions to this but Itachi shoved him aside. The elder Uchiha stood in front of Pain and regarded him with red eyes.

"This is my brother. I want him to join us. He's Uchiha, so I'm sure he's far above average as far as fighting skills go."

"No," Pain said tonelessly.

There was silence around the hideout. Deidara covered his mouth with a hand to hide his smile. He had to execute a little cough to camouflage the small laugh that leaked out. No one else thought it was funny, though. Every member of Akatsuki happened to be in residence today. They all stood in a half circle behind Itachi. Sasuke and Naruto stood to Itachi's left. Leader stood in front of his chair.

"Why not?" Itachi asked.

"Have you read the latest edition of the Bingo book? I have known you have a brother since I read it. He and that blond are missing-nin, yes, but the blond is the only one who is S-class. I happen to know from my contacts in Konoha that he is also a Jinchuuriki. You know what we do to Jinchuuriki. Them joining is out of the question."

At learning that Naruto was a Jinchuuriki every head except Sasuke's and Pain's turned to regard him. Itachi's eyes narrowed before he turned his attention back to Pain.

"Be that as it may," Itachi said, "I-"

"I have spoken. Obey me or join your brother. You will be replaced." Pain took a seat in his chair and crossed his legs.

Itachi fell silent. The other members of the organization watched with bated breath. Itachi's eyes were red as death.

One comes to develop a sixth sense about impending violence when they are skilled ninja. Everyone present was more than skilled and even Sasuke, definitely the weakest one there, jumped back a split second before Itachi went after Pain.

The dark-haired man seemed to vanish as he streaked toward his superior. The leader of Akatsuki managed to narrowly evade the attack. He formed a seal and summoned five bodies to himself. Sasuke and Naruto noticed that these new arrivals also had many piercings. Sasuke wondered if they were Pain's siblings or friends. Naruto was able to tell that the bodies weren't alive in the strictest sense. He felt himself bristling.

Itachi knew what he was doing. He didn't attack at random, but seemed to go after specific bodies in a specific order. Pain's gravitational attacks were either withstood or evaded. Each body was eliminated by Itachi until finally only Pain himself was left. Sasuke was forcibly reminded of the night his clan had been killed. Itachi had gone into a killing frenzy then just as he was now. Both times had to do with Sasuke. It made the younger Uchiha's heart burst with love and pride. He watched Itachi killing the strong bodies in awe.

Pain was dead. Itachi stood over the broken corpse and let his breathing return to normal. The Akatsuki members watched him warily, wondering what on earth was going to happen next. They weren't long in finding out.

"Right," Itachi said conversationally. "I'm running things now. You may all bow down and acknowledge me." He waited while the Akatsuki members lowered themselves to one knee. Deidara had the nerve to try and curse Itachi out instead of bowing.

"Mangekyo Sharingan."

Deidara slammed himself down to one knee.

"Okay, that will do," Itachi intoned. "Sasuke is joining the group. Anyone who has something to say about it can make it known now and die. Anyone?" Itachi looked at each face. Everyone lowered their eyes.

Sasuke raised his hand in the air. Itachi nodded at him to let him know he could speak. He beckoned Sasuke closer.

"What about Blondie?" Sasuke asked as he stepped around the fallen bodies of Pain to reach his brother. "You didn't say anything about him joining."

"Because he's not invited. He's not joining us, Sasuke."

"Why?"

"Because he's Jinchuuriki. We'll probably kill him."

Sasuke stared at Itachi, horror-struck. He backed away from him. "No. Then I'm not joining. How could you think I'd let you kill my friend? You are out of your fucking mind. Forget it, I'm not joining your-"

"Oh, you're joining alright, Little Brother. I may not have been around for the last ten years, but I'm your older brother and I'm responsible for your ass. You're joining and that's that. Kisame, Zetsu," Itachi addressed two people. "Grab the Jinchuuriki."

Naruto had not relaxed or let down his guard since Pain had announced what he was. He shifted his feet now so that he'd be able to fight both Kisame and Zetsu. He saw that the big one with the sword was going to be leading and crouched.

Itachi watched as Kisame went up against Naruto. Zetsu hung back, waiting for an opportunity to lend Kisame some assistance. A frown developed between Itachi's eyes as Kisame was repelled again and again. Naruto got Kisame in a choke hold that the shark nin couldn't break out of. His arms flailed uselessly as the big blond cut off his air supply. He couldn't even form seals. Kisame's sword had been knocked from his hands and kicked aside near the beginning of the fight.

"Call your men off or he dies," Naruto said.

Kisame was passing out. Itachi finally barked, "Alright! Back off."

Zetsu moved out of Naruto's reach immediately. Kisame was dropped on the floor, senseless. Sasuke ran over to Naruto to make sure he was alright. Naruto ignored him, preferring to keep his eyes on the people around him. He was slightly winded, but unharmed.

Itachi studied the way his brother fawned over the big blond. He wondered idly if he himself would be able to take this Naruto. Maybe. It'd be close, though. Too close for him to risk it right now. He had to have his brother, though. Dammit!

"Sasuke," Itachi said jovially, pasting a big smile on his face. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. Of course we won't kill your friend there. He can join with you, no problem. I was just testing you guys." Itachi gave a little laugh.

Sasuke looked over his shoulder at his brother. Naruto would have sworn that there was no way Sasuke would believe such obvious lies, but Sasuke smiled back uncertainly at Itachi.

Naruto did not bother to bring up his condition for accompanying Sasuke to this place. Obviously, Sasuke was not planning on honoring it; Itachi and his associates had just tried to harm Naruto and yet Sasuke was walking toward them as if nothing had happened instead of leaving with Naruto. This fact left Naruto feeling angry, hurt and bewildered.

The indoctrination complete, the other members of Akatsuki moved forward to welcome Sasuke. Naruto was eyed, but avoided. He was too strong for them to feel comfortable around. The big blond stood aside as Sasuke was swallowed by the other members, all talking and asking him questions. Itachi stood near his brother, beaming with pride.

But he also watched the blond. He was a thorn in Itachi's foot. One that would be removed shortly. Naruto saw Itachi looking and stared back. Itachi offered a big, toothy smile. Naruto didn't smile in return.

I can't wait to kill you, Itachi thought venomously.