Chapter 2 – Still Worth Fighting For

It was one of the coldest mornings they'd had so far.

Itachi regarded the large space critically, watching how the others shuffled closer together for warmth. Unlike their homes back in Konoha, in the hideout there were no heaters. No warm beds to snuggle into. In the large room that occupied a single chair (almost a throne, really), they were able to light a fire, one that stubbornly fought the cold, but it could only do so much when there were so many of them. Fortunately, the shinobi were thoughtful and raised to endure such hardships. Civilians were sat in front of the fire, children in front of them.

It sickened him that such innocent people were dragged into the mess Danzo had created – that his clan partly created, too. There were children as young as two in the hideout, their features dirty, clothes smelling strongly of sweat and in some cases, urine and faeces. None of them complained about the smell, understanding that it was a stressful time for the children (one who wasn't even toilet trained yet, although the mother was working hard to try and change that). If they, grown men and women, were struggling to come to terms with what happened, were plagued with vicious nightmares, then one could only imagine how horrifically the children were suffering.

Still, he couldn't help but feel a small slither of hope wedging itself into his heart as he saw two of the younger children playing, managing to talk the older children into joining them. There were obviously no toys for them to play with, but they had their imaginations, which were somehow still so innocent. It strengthened his resolve more than anything. Made him more determined to protect them, to take back Konoha. He had to give those children a future. A chance to live, to experience life and make something of themselves.

A small dog suddenly running into the hideout captured their attention, but nobody reacted negatively, instantly recognising the pug as one of Hatake Kakashi's ninken. Turning, Itachi knelt before the dog, holding out his hand and accepting the scroll he'd been carrying in his mouth. It was easy ignoring the drool by now. He'd grown used to it.

"How's everyone holding up?" asked Pakkun, gaze drifting throughout the group.

Several of the children brightened as they recognised his voice, eyes widening with delight, but they knew better than to rush at him while Itachi still had business to discuss. They hadn't understood at first, wanting nothing more than to play with Pakkun, who'd in all honesty looked as though he'd wanted to be anywhere but there, however, after the first couple of weeks of tugging and rough petting, he'd grown used to the treatment, noticing the happiness in their eyes, knowing it was a distraction from their situation.

Keeping his voice low as the children resumed playing with one another, Itachi told him, "We're running low on supplies. Our strongest have been leaving the hideout to try and find missions for rogue-nin, but due to the oncoming war…"

"You'd think that'd mean more business," the pug huffed and sat down. He continued to pant from the journey and it made the Uchiha wish they had water to spare for him. Sighing, he pulled out his own canteen, opening the lid and tipping it up slightly, allowing Pakkun to drink it. He did so happily but stopped himself from drinking too much, understanding that they had to make it last. They couldn't leave the hideout more than what was necessary. "You've got a few newcomers." His intelligent eyes went around the room again, settling on Naruto for a moment, before then moving to Sasuke. "But still no Sakura, huh?"

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Naruto dropping his head low, hair shielding his eyes, whereas his brother didn't seem overly concerned, continuing to listen in on the conversation with a dispassionate stare.

"What is happening inside Konoha?" Itachi asked, not wishing to answer the question. He almost wished he could copy Naruto's example, but instead of hanging his head with sadness, his own would be in shame. Guilt. He should have done more that night. Like he'd said: running was unsightly.

If Pakkun noticed the less than subtle change of topic, he chose not to question it, although Itachi knew he'd heard a short-lived whine. "There's an underground group of rebels," he informed him and then nosed the scroll in his hand. "Kakashi thinks Danzo's closing in, though. He's readying the suspects, preparing to run."

Of course. It surprised him that it'd taken Danzo so long to find an excuse to rid himself of Kakashi. The Copy-Nin was his biggest threat, as the villagers would lay down their lives for the man without hesitation, whereas with Danzo, they resisted. They hesitated in taking orders, only taking them to save their own lives. Unlike how they feared Danzo, they respected Kakashi. If anyone was going to overthrow him, then it would be him, even if he was reluctant to do it.

"Ensure Kakashi-san knows where we are," Itachi told him. "Although it is already hidden, as you are aware, I have enveloped the hideout in genjutsu as an extra precaution. To outsiders who happen to stumble across it, it appears as nothing more than an empty building."

Pakkun nodded. "Only reason I knew you were in here was because of your scent, kid. Kakashi'll know, too."

Allowing his lips to pull up faintly at the corners, he reached out, giving the pug a well-deserved ear scratch. Over the past two months or so, he'd done so much for their group, going out of his way to check on them and bring supplies. However, he couldn't bring too much as Konoha was on strict rations. It was precautionary because they were preparing for war and despite the fact they were all so hungry, none of them wished to leave their comrades with empty stomachs, not when they were working under Danzo and unable to rest properly.

"I'll try and find more stragglers before I go back." Standing, Pakkun paused and then licked his hand in a surprisingly comforting gesture. "But don't rule Sakura out yet, kid. Don't forget how strong she is."

He knew better than to underestimate Sakura's skills, but he also knew better than to underestimate her heart, too. That night would have been tortuous for her, having lost her sibling disciple and shishou.

"How are her parents?"

The dog stretched out his legs, preparing himself for another run. He wouldn't be returning to Konoha as it would arouse suspicion. No, Kakashi sent Pakkun whenever he left for a mission, whenever he was certain he was alone and it was safe. "Understandably worried. I don't get to see them much, but that blonde girl's keeping an eye on them. The one who smells like flowers."

Yamanaka Ino. He shouldn't have been surprised. "And her team?"

"Holding on." Once again, his eyes searched the hideout, waiting until Naruto was looking up at him before he said more loudly, "Don't go rusty there, Naruto. We're gonna need your skills."

"Doggy!" one of the children suddenly yelled.

Sighing, Pakkun sat back down, nodding once. "I suppose I can wait an hour or two."

Itachi nodded and gave one last ear scratch, telling him, "Rest after this, Pakkun."

He smiled at that. "I will when you will."

The inside information was useful, there was no denying that. If Kakashi truly was to leave Konoha then that would leave them in the dark, as there was no other shinobi there that he trusted enough to send information to them. It was too risky to have anyone beneath Kakashi's skill set find out where they were or send a summon to them, as it could, in turn, lead Danzo to finding their location. They were still weakened, unable to fully replenish their chakra due to lack of food and rest.

From what he was aware of, the Inuzuka Clan remained in Konoha, but as he'd previously stated: it was too risky. Their ninken were hardly inconspicuous and while Itachi knew Pakkun stood out, it wasn't to the extent that their ninken did, for they were always by their masters' sides. Pakkun was a summon who didn't even have to return to Konoha or Kakashi once his task was complete.

They couldn't chance sending one of his crows, or Naruto's toads. Again, Danzo would be watching for them. He would notice them in a heartbeat. He more than likely had eyes all over Konoha and its walls, waiting for the moment they revealed themselves.

The scroll itself wasn't overly worrying. It simply informed him of who Danzo's lead suspects were – they had someone even further inside, apparently. Someone who was willing to go against the man while working alongside him. Itachi attempted to guess the identity of the person (only in his mind, of course), but it was impossible. There were too many people surrounding Danzo, mostly his ROOT agents. According to Kakashi, he always had his guard with him, dismissing the Yondaime and Godaime's guard for they apparently weren't to be trusted. In fact, Shiranui Genma was second on the list of suspects, coming straight after Kakashi.

It made sense, in all honesty. Genma and his team had always been loyal to their Hokage, both Namikaze Minato and Senju Tsunade. They would have died with their Godaime had they not already been away on a mission during the attack. To make matters more personal, Itachi could recall a rumour he'd once heard around the village of Genma and Shizune being romantically involved. From what Hyuuga Neji had told him, however, Shizune had died that night protecting Tsunade. Genma – his team, too – would want revenge for not only the death of their Hokage, but for Shizune, too. That was neither here nor there, however. They were all out for revenge.

Looking back to Kakashi's scroll, Itachi narrowed his eyes. While it wasn't too worrying, it meant that their numbers would expand once more. If they continued to grow then they would have no choice but to find a bigger place to stay. There were several rooms, sure, but they'd found that they preferred to stay close and not entirely because of how cold it was becoming. They chose to stay close for comfort, the shinobi wishing to let the civilians and children know that, despite their circumstances, with them, they were safe. They could sleep – or at least try to sleep – with them watching over them.

The most worrying factor was their supplies, which were already running dangerously low. Several of them were going without food simply so that the civilians and children could eat.

"A run?"

He nodded once at Hyuuga Neji's question. "I will go. Neji-san, I would like you to accompany me, but Hanabi-san, I would prefer for you stay here. It will be unnecessary for two Byakugan users to accompany me."

The girl nodded, features detached, but eyes determined. "I will watch over the group."

For someone so young, she was more reliable than most he'd come to know over the years. Then again, age meant nothing. Not in their profession. "Keep watch over the surrounding area, also. Nobody should be able to make it through my genjutsu." Shisui had taught it to him, had helped him perfect it. Aside from Tsukuyomi, it was his strongest genjutsu yet. "It is precautionary, but-"

"We cannot take the risk," she finished for him.

"Precisely." Gesturing to the scroll, he murmured, "Kakashi-san stated that he and a handful of others will be joining us."

"For definite?"

Again, he nodded. "Danzo has grown suspicious of the inside rebels and plans to eliminate his lead suspects. This list starts with Kakashi-san."

"And will be followed by the Hokage's former guard." Neji's gaze narrowed. "To not gain unwanted attention, he will eliminate them one by one, coming up with countless excuses as to why it was necessary."

"That or publicly execute them to prove a point," Hanabi added, her eyes moving to the scroll. "If Danzo can kill strong shinobi like them who are a massive advantage to the village, then he will have no qualms in killing the weaker ones who don't truly benefit him."

She was smart, too. Regarding her silently for a moment, inwardly thankful that he didn't have to dumb himself down or coddle her and hide her from the truth, he turned his attention to Neji. "Which suggests he has even stronger ROOT operatives at his disposal, making the others replaceable."

"Making us all replaceable."

They all looked over to Naruto, who was standing in the archway to the small room he and the two Hyuuga prodigies were sitting in, though it didn't surprise them. Naruto had a tendency to eavesdrop. What surprised them was Sasuke standing a few feet behind him, his unemotional stare a complete opposite of Naruto's frown. As he'd previously pointed out: the hideout had several rooms, but they'd chosen to remain in the largest, staying together in case of surprise attacks. However, they did not discuss Konoha's state or any news regarding Konoha in front of them, for it would only cause more panic and worry. They continued to stay close, but not close enough for any of them to overhear.

"Will Kakashi-sensei make it out?" the blond questioned, not giving them a chance to reply.

Itachi couldn't make any promises, not when he couldn't keep them. He couldn't give Naruto false hopes, either. If something went wrong, if Hatake Kakashi died after he promised the boy that he'd make it out, that he'd survive, then…

Then what, exactly?

"Kakashi-san is a strong shinobi, Naruto-kun, with many skills-"

"That doesn't answer his question."

Itachi resisted the urge to sigh, having grown used to his brother's constant need to question him. It was aggravating, sure, but he understood his reasons. After all, he was the one who had dragged him out of Konoha, abandoning their clan and parents who'd fought valiantly to create an opening for them. Sasuke had every right to distrust his authority, to question everything he said and did. He probably seemed like a coward more than the powerful older brother he'd once adored.

"The probability of Kakashi-san escaping Konoha is as likely as our own escape, if his sources are not giving him false information." Although that was unlikely, given the level of difficulty to flee. Had the information been a lie, they would have decreased the number, allowing Kakashi to believe it would be simpler and leading him into a false sense of security. "As I was saying, however, Kakashi-san is strong and has a wide range of skills, some of which I am certain you know nothing about. Do not underestimate him."

The words seemed to ease some of the worry Naruto was feeling, because he nodded once, frown smoothing, if only by the smallest amount. "And this meeting is because…?"

There was no harm in telling him. At most, the blond would demand to go with them, wanting to be of use. That was easily dealt with. "In his scroll, Kakashi-san mentioned that others would be joining him. We are already low on supplies and will need to try and replenish them."

"But I thought nobody could get any missions?" questioned Sasuke suspiciously, his gaze attempting to pierce a hole through his head.

Itachi wouldn't lie. His distrust, his hatred, hurt. It was his little brother, after all. He was supposed to be able to trust his brother with his life, whereas at that moment, he didn't even trust him with the smallest amount of information. Instead of showing the hurt it caused, he languidly met his eyes, raising his eyebrow a fraction to show that he was growing tired of constantly being questioned, despite earlier stating that Sasuke had every right to do so. "We are shinobi, Sasuke. I believe it isn't below our skill set to hunt for food." Turning his head to the side dismissively, he added, "If it comes down to it, those most skilled at henge jutsu will disguise themselves and ask around once more for missions."

There had to be work somewhere and if they dissociated themselves from Konoha, the probability of finding work would grow higher. Most clients didn't care about where rogue-nin came from, didn't care about their pasts, but Danzo was manipulative. He was dangerous. He would do whatever necessary to achieve his goals. If pressure was placed upon clients, they wouldn't want to go against the Rokudaime Hokage for fear of what would happen to them.

A scowl took over his brother's features, his chakra spiking, but the sudden hand clapping down on his shoulder followed by Naruto's warning glare had him huffing with annoyance and turning, walking away from them without another word.

"How childish," Hanabi muttered, pale eyes leaving the Uchiha crest on the back of his shirt before moving back to Itachi's. "Are you sure you wouldn't rather Neji-nii-san and I trade places? Perhaps it would be better to leave the strongest Byakugan user here, since you will be leaving, also. Otherwise we will be leaving the group considerably weaker."

"That may be so," Neji argued quietly. He didn't even spare the retreating Uchiha a single glance. "But out there is just as dangerous, Hanabi-sama. Itachi-san's genjutsu is protecting the group, however, should he run into trouble and is defeated, the genjutsu will drop, leaving everyone vulnerable – if they even notice the genjutsu ended."

While he disliked admitting such a thing, Neji was right – he needed defending, to a degree. As he'd stated, should anything happen to him, everyone at the hideout would be put at great risk. They didn't have enough energy to continue running, not when children and civilians were involved.

"Do not doubt your abilities, Hanabi-san," Itachi murmured in reply. "You are more than capable of defending them."

At his side, Naruto grinned, scratching the back of his head. It brightened his expression, there was no doubt about it, but Itachi could still see the exhaustion clearly, no matter how hard he was trying to hide it. "Hinata always spoke so highly of you, Hanabi. She's really proud of you, y'know."

"She's," the young girl repeated. She looked down between them, not meeting their eyes and beside her, Neji sighed, hand coming to her shoulder. "O-nee-sama stayed behind to help others escape, even though it meant her death or capture." Hanabi looked back to Naruto, expression returning to showing her detachment. Itachi could understand the need to shut those emotions down, though. "It's not she is. It's she was. O-nee-sama was proud of me."

"Don't say that."

If Hanabi was surprised by Naruto's sudden seriousness, she didn't show it. Instead, she continued to stare up at him unfalteringly. "Why? It's the truth. O-nee-sama knew what would happen, yet she still stayed behind. She sacrificed herself-"

"Don't say that," he snarled, blue eyes finally alight for the first time in months. It had Itachi narrowing his own eyes on him, had Neji shifting slightly, their gazes meeting for a split second before returning to the pair. If the seal was ever going to be weakened, it would be right then when Naruto was most emotionally unstable. It gave the Kyuubi the opportunity to take control. They couldn't risk that happening. There were too many innocent people nearby. "You're supposed to be her little sister. How the hell can you say that, huh?"

"You are an idealist, whereas I am a realist." Even as his anger seemed to grow, she remained unmoved. Pale features composed, serious. "What makes you so sure she's alive?"

"Because Hinata is…"

When he trailed off, she raised an eyebrow. "O-nee-sama is…?" Hanabi pushed, then shook her head, annoyance becoming as obvious as Naruto's anger. "O-nee-sama is O-nee-sama, therefore, I love her. However, I know she was mentally and emotionally weak. To save others, she would have given her life to ensure their escape."

Another face came to the front of Itachi's mind, just as he was certain it did Naruto's. It was the face of a woman the same age, a woman who was also emotionally weak. Someone who was more than willing to sacrifice herself to protect others, otherwise she wouldn't be able to sleep at night, her heart in too much pain to allow it.

Those kind green eyes would forever haunt him, of that he was sure.

"It is nice to believe she may be alive," she continued. She seemed completely uncaring of the fact Naruto was now gritting his teeth, almost grinding them together, completely uncaring of the trembling of his fists and the reddening of his face. "But it has been over two months now. O-nee-sama would have tried to contact me if she was alive, even if to only tell me she is well."

"You…!"

"Enough, Naruto," Neji ordered calmly. "It would be best to leave the argument at that."

Everyone had lost someone that night. People they knew better than they knew themselves. While that hadn't been the case towards the end, what with his disappearance and whatnot, Itachi had always known Shisui that way. He knew his friend would have known which hideout to go to, just as he knew his friend had been at a major disadvantage that night. He would have fought alongside Sakura had he thought, for a single second, that she needed help. And that would have ended in his death if he'd gone against Danzo or his strongest ROOT operatives.

As Hanabi had said: it was more pleasant and preferable to view them as alive, but deep down, Itachi knew that, should Shisui and Sakura be alive and still in Konoha, they would not be the same people if he happened to cross their paths once more. Danzo's need to eradicate the evidence of his hatred towards the clan would mean Shisui's death and due to her being there that night and undoubtedly protecting Shisui, it was the same for Sakura. If not, they would just as undoubtedly be experiencing some of the worst kinds of torture imaginable until they relinquished all information and control to him, until they willingly served him and became his mindless puppets.

"Hinata is alive," Naruto muttered, but the Uchiha was fairly certain that it was another's face stuck to the front of his mind. Spinning on his heel, he stomped out of the room and while the subject had been painful for them all in their own ways, Itachi couldn't deny that he felt somewhat… lighter, if that was the right word to use, to see the fight back in his angry eyes. "You'll see."

A/N - So because it's one of my closest friend's birthday today, I decided to update earlier than planned with this chapter. Nena, happy birthday and I'm sorry it's taken so long to get this out after promising it to you earlier this morning. You know how needy boyfriends can be, always demanding our attention ;-)

Anyways, have a good day, beautiful. I hope you get spoiled like you deserve to.