A/N: I realized when I finished typing that I did not really end the last chapter well enough for this to work the way I want. So this chapter takes place just after Sasuke falls asleep. My muses are still gone so I'm just pushing through my writers block! I am also writing this as I go along so I may change my mind entirely and fix some specific details earlier on. ANOTHER FLASHBACK IN THIS CHAPTER! But just one, and its really small.

Disclaimer: I think we've already established that I do not own Naruto.

Dedication: to……. [Insert name here!!!

Chapter VI

Flames engulfed the building and though he wasn't really there, Sasuke clearly saw everyone burning. Flesh charring to black as their mouths turned to O's in wordless screams. It was silent except for the slight cackling of the flames mocking.

It disturbed him to walkthrough the flames, who gently licked at him, and see everyone he ever cared about perish. He was about to scream before he saw something that made his blood run cold. Itachi was there, burning, but he didn't look scared, only saddened. That was what disturbed Sasuke the most. As the vision of his brother dimmed with tears, scent invaded his nostrils and his hearing was back, and the teen screamed until his eyes flew open to view the room he had fallen asleep in only hours before.

He almost flew to the bathroom and made it just in time to bend his head over the toilet. He was covered in a fine sheen of sweat, and was shaking something fierce. He wasn't crying, though he had dry tear tracks down his cheeks, just a single tear fled down his cheek before he was able to get up to go to the kitchen for a glass of water.

His mind was still so tired and unfocused that he didn't even notice a shadow moving quickly away in his living room. This was the same blonde shadow that had followed him home earlier, but this time the shadow didn't hate his assignment, didn't hate the little brat. How could he after hearing that blood-freezing scream and the small teen loosing his dinner, all the while mumbling, "Itachi, Itachi."

The blonde even felt a small twinge of pity at the young boy he'd been assigned to secretly look after. But the kid being awake made his job infinitely more difficult. He was just supposed to plant the bugs and make sure the kid was okay, then disappear and listen from a distance. Now he was trapped in the coat closet with no way out without having to pass through the kitchen.

He heaved a sigh of relief when he heard feet slowly making their way back upstairs, and he quickly finished what he was hired to do then left silently, wishing the kid nightmare free dreams.

[FLASHBACK

Sasuke was just finishing packing his things for a cousin's wedding when he heard yelling. Sighing he realized it was between Itachi and his father. The two seemed to go at it daily and it was starting to take its toll. His father was ever surly; his mother was drinking more, and Itachi… Well Itachi was getting colder, and more remote.

Not to Sasuke of course, but to his parents, and he never smiled. He also has been hanging out with an unseemly crowd who are always out late into the night. Sasuke barely saw his older brother; since he started college, Itachi has spent his days in class, his evenings studying, and his nights doing God knows what with his "friends."

Sasuke paused as he was putting his laptop in his bag. "Did I just hear what I think I heard?" he whispered under his breath. Slowly he sneaked downstairs so he could better hear the conversation.

"Yeah, you heard me, so what if I quit school?" Itachi challenged, his voice no louder than necessary, but yielding no emotion whatsoever. It was like he was dead. Which got Sasuke thinking, 'The only time I ever hear any emotion in his voice is when he's talking to me, or one of his buddies. It's always to my parents.'

Sasuke was forcefully pulled away from his thoughts when his father exploded. "You live under my roof, you live by my rules!"

Itachi seemed to ponder this for a moment and replied quite evenly, "When we get back from the wedding, I'll pack my things and be gone."

Sasuke was so shocked at the announcement that he almost didn't miss getting clobbered in the nose when the door was pushed violently open. His father huffed out and seconds later the door to his bedroom slammed shut.

He walked into the kitchen where Itachi was still sitting, staring absently out the window. Itachi turned his head when he first heard the door open and was shocked to see Sasuke standing there, eyes as wide as saucers. Itachi felt immediately guilty for letting his anger consume him so much so that he didn't notice Sasuke was listening. He noted that the boy's already pale complexion had paled even more.

He gave a reassuring smile to the smaller boy that seemed to pain he younger slightly.

"Why… Why are you leaving me?" The youngest Uchiha asked quietly.

"Oh, no, I'm not leaving you, squirt, I'm leaving the tyranny of this house." Not the only reason, but Sasuke needed to hear it. "C'mere." The boy timidly took the steps closer and sat in the offered chair. "I need you to understand this. I would never willingly leave you squirt, never. I just can't get what needs to be done living in this house. Just think about it, if I leave school, then I'll be able to see you more."

"Yeah, but you won't be here with me! I'll be all alone!" Itachi almost flinched at the implications. One of Sasuke's strongest fears was being totally alone, and why hadn't he remembered? Itachi mentally scolded himself. He probably should have thought this whole thing through more…

[END FLASHBACK

Miles away from the slumbering form of Sasuke, the blonde who was tailing him earlier was sitting languidly in a chair waiting for his slightly late boss/friend.

He was dressed comfortably in long jeans and a long sleeve shirt, his long hair pinned up in a ponytail. He was sitting there for less than five minutes when a tall dark haired young man walked into the room.

Worry was etched into every line of his tired face when he greeted the blonde. The blonde was his most trusted friend, and he was the only one he would ever allow to see him in such a state of vulnerability, a fact that the blonde was only too happy to notice.

Seeing the other wasn't interested with idle chitchat, Deidara got right to business. "The bugs are planted, but I have to tell you something. He had this terrible nightmare, woke up screaming, then tossed his cookies." The blonde gave the other a look. "He really misses you, you know that, Itachi?"

A/N: O.O

Oh yeah, I went there. Bet you weren't expecting that! I hope to update Saturday/Sunday, this week is going to be really busy for me. Reviews please?