That Saturday found Ashten and Naruto at the school. Naruto practically forced Ashten to participate in the program. The two stepped out of their car, walking off as the doors closed by themselves.

"Naruto this is bullshit! I don't need any damn guidance! I am perfectly fine on my own"

"Right… Which is why you wake up every morning with mysterious cuts" Naruto grilled him.

Ashten quieted down immediately, he didn't want to do something that won't work, he just wanted to die… And get it over with. Sighing, Ashten and Naruto made their way into the school, where Itachi and Sasuke stood waiting. The Uzumaki brothers stopped and the Uchiha brothers smiled.

"Hello, we're you guys counselors for this program" Itachi informed them.

Ashten's eyes widened and he glared daggers at Naruto, who held his hands up in innocence.

"You little…"

"I didn't know!" Naruto explained quickly.

"Don't worry, we'll help you… You like ice cream?" Itachi asked.

Ashten's eyes narrowed and he looked away defiantly. "… Yeah…"

Itachi smiled. "Cool, let's go, there's a really good ice cream shop down the street, and it's walking distance. However, I thought we could also go to the local amusement park so it would best to take a car"

Ashten nodded, that sounded like fun, he was excited! A feeling he had long since forgotten. He shifted uncomfortably. Naruto noticed and quickly looked up to him.

"Ashten?"

"I'm… Excited… It's so foreign and uncomfortable…"

"That's ok, it's nice to be happy every once in a while, indulge in the joys of life"

Ashten cast his eyes down to the ground, as did Naruto. "All we've ever known was dread…" Naruto whispered.

"Us too, that's why we want to help you both" Sasuke said, taking Naruto's hands in his.

Ashten growled low in his throat, then coughed to hide it. "Sorry, I had to cough"

Sasuke dropped Naruto's hands. "You're protective…"

"Old habits die hard" was all Ashten would say.

"It's not a bad habit to have Ashten, you just have to know and trust Naruto that he knows not to put himself in danger" Itachi told him.

Ashten gripped Naruto's hand absentmindedly. "I know… I just… When you've had a life like ours… It's hard to trust anyone with anything precious to you…"

Ashten's eyes blanked then, and he saw Orochimaru's laughing face, holding a kunai to Naruto's neck, threatening his life just to tie Ashten's hands behind his back…

"Ashten!" Naruto called, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Huh? Oh sorry, what were you saying?"

"I said whose car are we taking?" Itachi asked.

Ashten looked to his Ashton Martin, and smiled. Maybe he could start taking steps… He threw his keys to Itachi, who caught them.

"We can take my car, her name is Natori, and do take care of her"

Ashten turned on his heel and began walking towards his car, and the Uchiha brothers looked to Naruto, who smiled.

"He's testing you to see if he can trust you… If he can't even trust you his car, he will never let you in"

The trio strolled to the car. Ashten watched them, noting how Sasuke and Naruto were huddled together and talking. He noticed the blush on his cheeks and the way he would smile, he saw how Sasuke laughed and teased him. Ashten smiled gently, he couldn't take that away from him. That's why he needed to die soon, so that Naruto could finally move on and not have him weighting him down. Naruto's eyes suddenly caught fire and he glared angrily at Ashten, who cursed.

He heard his thoughts.

Itachi got in the driver's seat while Ashten got in the passenger's side. Naruto and Sasuke took the back seats. Itachi pressed unlock and the car doors opened, allowing the four inside and then closing behind them.

"Wow. This must be a 2014 Ashton Martin Vanquish Volante"

"This is exactly what it is" Ashten smiled.

Itachi smiled back, putting the key in the ignition and letting it roar to life. Itachi put the car in reverse and backed it up, then put it in drive and sped off. Ashten watched everything Itachi did, from him shifting in his seat to him gently pressing down on the brakes to stop at the ice cream drive thru.

"Alright, what's everyone getting?"

"Ooh! Ooh! Do they have ramen flavored?" Naruto asked.

Ashten whirled in his seat. "What the hell is up with you and Ramen!?"

The Uchihas laughed. Naruto grumbled out a strawberry cone, Sasuke ordered cherry since it was the same shade of red as a tomato, and ironically, both Ashten and Itachi ordered chocolate milkshakes. Pulling up to the drive-thru, Itachi paid for the treats and handed everyone theirs. The group sped off and headed to the park. Ashten was no longer paying attention to the way Itachi drove, and Naruto grinned broadly, hinting that Itachi had earned Ashten's trust somewhat. He wasn't that easy convinced. They pulled up to the park and got out of the car, letting the doors close, the group made their way inside. Itachi watched as Ashten's eyes widened, looking around the park with a curious gaze. Sasuke noticed this too.

"Ashten? Have you ever been to a park?" he asked.

"Master said that such childish thinking would get me killed… And that I should strike it from thoughts… I've never seen such a wondrous place!" Ashten exclaimed.

He smiled brightly, and Naruto's eyes widened.

It had been so long since Ashten smiled genuinely…

Itachi gasped at such beauty, he never knew Ashten had such a wonderful smile. It rivaled the very sun in brightness. Itachi gently walked forward and took Ashten's hand, smiling at him in encouragement.

"Come on, I'll show you around. This is Konoha's famous Sarutobi amusement park, named after the third Hokage"

"Wow… Say Itachi, what do you call that ride there?" Ashten asked, pointing to a red ride with the sign that said 'Vortex'.

"That's the Vortex Ashten, it spins you around in circles and your feet are dangling. See?" he asked as a group of screaming riders shot passed them.

"Whoa!" Ashten exclaimed.

Itachi smiled. "Wanna ride?"

Ashten turned around and hopped up and down, his alit with joy and excitement. "Can we really?"

Seeing him so happy and joyous made Naruto's eyes tear up. He had never seen Ashten so excited about anything. Sasuke took Naruto's hand and smiled.

"He's never been so excited before in his life has he?"

"No… Come on, let's take pictures!" Naruto exclaimed, grabbing his camera.

Ashten looked over and smiled, letting the camera snap a shot of him and Itachi standing in life for the Vortex. Another was snapped of them getting on. Itachi sat beside Ashten and grabbed his hand. He felt Ashten's excitement becoming contagious.

"You ready?" he asked.

"Yes! I can't wait!" Ashten exclaimed.

As if on cue, the bell sounded, and the ride pulled off.

"Have fun!" they heard Naruto yell before the ride took off, twisting and turning and spiraling and loop-de-looping.

Ashten screamed in excitement, earning a chuckle from Itachi. He was used to heart-stopping rides like this, but Ashten, being his first on anything like this… It was endearing.

When they got off, Naruto and Sasuke laughed at a trembling Ashten, who gripped Itachi for support.

"Sh-shut up…" Ashten whined, grinning like an idiot along with the rest of them.

"Do you wanna ride another one?"

Ashten nodded feverishly, and Itachi had to hold him to keep him from rushing through the park. A spark ran down Ashten's spine, and he gasped at the feel, just as Itachi let him go. They stared at each other for a bit, before Ashten blushed and looked away, and Itachi grinned. Sasuke and Naruto smiled, they knew Ashten could be saved.

There was hope…

"Ooh! Itachi what's that?" Ashten asked, pointing to the tall pole-looking ride. It was purple and yellow, with yellow seats that dangled a person's feet. Ashten watched as people were strapped securely, then the bell rung. They ascended all the way up to the top, which didn't look far from his position. They stayed there for a moment, before the bell rung… And they dropped. Ashten flinched at the screams that were heard until they stopped a quarter of the way down and descended slowly.

Itachi smirked. "That's called the drop zone Ashten, wanna ride it?"

Ashten gulped, but he nodded anyway. Itachi led Ashten up to the seats and they sat down along with the other tourists. They were securely strapped in before the bell sounded and they began their ascend.

"Have fun!" Sasuke called this time.

Ashten felt the cool air hitting him, and smiled as he watched the people on the ground get smaller and smaller until they were like ants. Suddenly, Ashten looked out and gulped. He could see the entire park from this height, even the parking lot.

"I-Itachi I-I-I'm scared…" Ashten stuttered.

"It's okay… Just hold my hand" he replied.

Ashten nodded, and grabbed Itachi's hand. He strangely felt better… Until the bell went off. The seats dropped, and Ashten found himself screaming for dear life until like he'd seen, it stopped a quarter down. He gasped as the seats descended down, and they were let off. Ashten quivered, latching onto Itachi's arm, much to his delight.

"Nothing scares you does it?" Ashten asked him.

"When I have a beautiful young man on my arm, I can't be scared of anything"

Ashten blushed at the compliment, then sighed sadly.

"That's a phrase I haven't heard towards me since I was ten…"

Itachi touched Ashten's face. "Those who put you down are nothing but inferior to you, and they don't deserve to bask in your beauty and light"

Ashten smiled and hugged Itachi around his neck. Even though it seemed like it, Ashten wasn't letting everything Itachi said go to his head, and he knew it. Itachi led Ashten and their siblings to the game station. Ashten stopped at one and stared at the snake stuffed animal with blank eyes. Itachi and the others turned, but Naruto knew why he stared.

"Ashten! Come on! Sasuke and Itachi said that they were going to win us prizes!" Naruto exclaimed happily.

Ashten looked to his younger brother, then pointed to the snake animal. Naruto looked up and gulped. He walked over and gripped Ashten's hand, pulling him back over to the Uchihas. For a while the two said nothing, but they brightened up and looked around the prizes. Itachi and Sasuke looked to each other, then at them.

They were hiding something. And it had something to do with that snake animal.

Suddenly, Ashten felt something cold and hard touch his chest. He looked down and gasped at the beautiful golden locket with rubies outlining it.

"It would look beautiful on you…" said a smooth voice, and Ashten turned to see a man with red hair and piercing gray eyes, wearing a black hooded cape with red clouds on it.

Ashten blushed, looking down at it with wide eyes. The man lifted his face to gaze in his eyes.

"Yes… It contrasts beautifully with your eyes" his gaze slid to Naruto, and in an instant Naruto's neck adorned another golden locket with emeralds outlining it.

"Yes… I'll give these to you both" he smiled.

Ashten's eyes narrowed immediately and he yanked Naruto beside him, glaring distrustfully. Itachi growled jealously, as did Sasuke.

"What do you want for these necklaces? And how do we know that they are real?" Ashten asked.

"A discerning one you are… I assure you they are indeed real, and I want nothing in return… A token of my thanks"

"Thanks? For what?"

"For having eternal beauty…" he sighed.

The Uzumaki brothers looked to their mentors, then back to the mysterious man… Only to find that he was gone.

Ashten scanned the area quietly, looking for any signs of the mysterious jewel man. Naruto grabbed his hand gently, and then removed the lockets.

"They're beautiful Ashten" Naruto whined, trying to indirectly persuade his brother to let him keep it.

Ashten's eyes bled a blazing yellow color and he stared at the locket around his neck for a while until he smile, letting his eyes turn back to their deep sapphire.

"Yes Naruto, they are beautiful…" he mused sadly.

Naruto took Ashten's hand and led him back towards Itachi and Sasuke. As they were watching, the Uchiha brothers gazed at them. How could someone do something so terrible to such beautiful souls? How could they tear them down so deep that they don't want to even be alive anymore? How many times has Ashten stared down a barrel?

The group stayed at the park until it closed, then they traveled back to the school. Ashten had fallen asleep, and as they pulled up and killed the engine, Itachi gazed at his sleeping, unguarded form. He was so beautiful, and it broke his heart to see him so dead inside.

"Naruto… Can we really save him?" he asked.

Naruto looked to his brother and nodded. "Yes, throughout it all, he's the one who kept me anchored… I guess he didn't realize that he was drowning as well… Ashten is strong; he'll come out of this alive…"

Itachi nodded, even though to him it sounded like a mantra. Naruto looked to a sleeping Ashten and smiled, noting how peaceful he slept. Itachi opened the door and went to get out, but he heard Ashten start to whimper. Naruto quickly grabbed Itachi's arm.

"He's never slept so peacefully before… You're having an effect on him… I think it's your scent, it makes him feel safe"

Itachi smiled, taking off his jacket and covering Ashten with it. Naruto looked up at him and smiled, thanking him before releasing his arm. Itachi walked a little ways ahead to give Sasuke and Naruto some privacy.

"I had fun teme" Naruto smiled.

"Me too dobe" Sasuke grinned.

Sasuke leaned forward and captured Naruto's lips gently. Naruto's face went so red his cheeks looked like cherries. They parted, and Naruto's smile was so bright that he could function as a second sun.

"I'll see you at school" Sasuke said.

"Yeah, see you" Naruto blushed.

Sasuke then inclined his head to Ashten. "We'll help him, and then you both will never have to be sad again"

Naruto wrinkled his brow, but Sasuke had walked before he could ask what he meant. Sighing, Naruto put the car in drive and drove home. He pulled into the garage and picked Ashten up out of the seat. He carried Ashten into their house and butt shut the door, then walked up the stairs to Ashten's room, where he laid Ashten down on his bed and wrapped Itachi's jacket around him to keep him warm and keep his scent surrounding him. He didn't mind it at all, especially since this was something Ashten would do for him whenever he was tired from training.

Back then, Ashten was always there when he needed him, and now he needed him, so Naruto would be there.

He would always be there for Ashten… Even in death, he'd be right behind him.