Yeah... I worked SOOOO hard on this one, as my emoness was at it's peak, so please enjoy.

WARNING: MORE CHILD ABUSE! WATCH OUT!

... I do not own...


Kimiko could only stare at her father, surprised that he would go as far as lifting her off the ground by her THROAT.

He dropped her and kicked her balled up heap on the floor a few times, before reaching down and yanking her up into a standing position.

"NO ONE REALLY CARES ABOUT YOU. GET IT THROUGH YOUR HEAD." Her father said through gritted teeth, locking eyes with her.

Kimiko nodded, looking down.

After several more minutes of physical, emotional, mental, and psychological abuse Itachi himself would never think of using, Kimiko was finally sent to her room. Thrown, more like it.

She landed in a bloody, messy, depressed heap on the ground in front of her bedroom door. She opened it and crawled inside before pulling herself onto the bed and staring up at the ceiling. Itachi, burning with hate and, he, a hardened shinobi killer, forever scarred by the things just screamed at an 11 year old child, stared at Kimiko, wondering how she could possibly have not broken down in tears by that point.

She stared up at the ceiling, and with the very last of her chakra, healed herself as best she could. She managed to close up most of the wounds, but some still struggled to close. She reached in between her bed and the wall before pulling out a bottle of pills. She dumped 2 out into her hand and ate them.

"I'm an idiot." She muttered, smiling the saddest smile Itachi had ever seen.

'That's it. I can't take it anymore.' Itachi thought, opening the window and hopping inside.

"Itachi?" Kimiko asked hoarsely yet surprised, coughing afterwards.

"I saw what happened. You're coming with me. Now." Itachi said, locking eyes with her.

"I take it you were eavesdropping?" Kimiko asked sitting up.

Itachi blushed suddenly, but he nodded.

"I have stuff packed already, if you're wondering." Kimiko said, standing up and stumbling around, collecting a few last minute items before slinging it over her back and following him out the window, where Sasuke was waiting.

Itachi, seeing that Kimiko wouldn't be able to make it to their destination while walking, picked her up bridal style and they were off.

Kimiko was taken aback by the fact that these two would go through such torture just to see if she was alright. But, her father's words still rang in her head. 'No one else cares.'

Before long, they arrived at the hospital, the last place Kimiko expected to be taken.

"What are we doing here, exactly?" Kimiko asked, her emotions seemingly stunned from all the abuse just recently directed towards her.

"Tsunade told me to take you here if I managed to track you down." Itachi explained, carrying her inside and handing her over to Tsunade and Shizune, who were waiting for them.

"Wow… A whole `entourage just for me…" Kimiko said to herself, being carried off by Shizune.

After an hour or so went by, Shizune came out carrying a chart.

"Kimiko is seriously injured, and Lady Tsunade would like to keep her for observation." Shizune explained, brushing some of her bangs from her eyes.

"How bad is it, if I may ask?" Itachi asked.

"Are you sure you're ready for all this? She has 3 broken ribs, a sprained wrist, several serious cuts and scrapes, severe blood loss, malnutrition, dehydration, and it's possible she got some rather dangerous infections from the cuts. She was so weak that she passed out while we were examining her. Was there something you left out of the mission report?" Shizune stated, looking at Itachi for an answer to her question.

"No. Her… Parents did some of the damage…" Itachi explained, looking away from Shizune's questioning look.

"Oh… alright. You can go home now. We'll take good care of her." Shizune said, giving him and Sasuke a reassuring smile.

The two were hesitant to leave, but they finally went home. Mikoto quickly tended to Sasuke and questioned Itachi on how Sasuke could be that banged up on such a simple mission.

Itachi explained everything (trying not to use much detail in the events involving Orochimaru), and Mikoto nearly cried when Itachi finished the story at just before they arrived home.

"She's such a sweet little girl… Who could ever harm such a beautiful little girl?" Mikoto asked, wiping a tear away from her eye.

"Apparently, her own PARENTS…" Sasuke said, his tone lined with hatred, crossing his arms.

"We HAVE to let her stay with us… she doesn't deserve such a horrible life… I'll talk to your father about it. But for now, I want you two to go to bed. My two boys need their rest. And Sasuke should've been in bed by now!" Mikoto said, turning to Sasuke with her hands on her hips.

"S-sorry… Good night." Sasuke said, turning and scurrying to his bedroom.

"I guess I better get to bed too… Good night, mom." Itachi said, turning and heading for his bedroom.

'Why didn't she say anything? She could've been over this hell a while ago… Kisame was right. She puts herself before others… Sometimes I wonder if it's a good thing…' Itachi thought, his mind restlessly searching through old memories; anything to even consider as a sign of the kind of torment she suffered through every day. What he couldn't understand was the fact that she could lighten even the darkest mood with just that beautiful smile of hers, and how she could bring such joy to everyone around her while her own life was nothing but a miserable struggle just to make it through the day without even the slightest consideration of ending it all, to just give up and die. He was surprised she hadn't stopped fighting, and he knew that she would've most likely given up if he hadn't come and saved her from it all. But he hoped that she wouldn't realize that. He didn't want to be repaid for his actions; he simply wanted her to be safe from such a horrible existence.

The last thought that went through his head before drifting off was only a simple plea.

'Please say 'yes', father.'


How was that? I KNOW deep down that was a good chapter, but I need to know if YOU GUYS did. And for all of you who are still loyal and awesome enough to still be reading this, I LOVE YOU GUYS.

Review. That's all it takes to make my day.