I'm really sorry this took so long to update. It was hard for me to get back in gear after the holidays, and then I had exams all this week (which were awful and sucked me of energy).

Not to mention, this was a really hard chapter to write. It's another unexciting one, so prepare yourselves. I promise that the next one will be much more fulfilling and energetic. There's also not any dialogue in this, not counting the last part. That was very challenging, personally. I love writing dialogue, so it took a lot of concentration not to do that.

Lastly, I hope all of you are having a good start to the New Year and are enjoying yourselves. If you've been stressing about school/college like me, cheer up! It will all be over soon and then you can relax! ;D

Neguru Sucashi: Hahaha. :D Have some patience. He will eventually.

Fake Bliss: :D Thanks!

eternalsmiles: I know. He doesn't usually do that, hm? :)

Chirisaa Tomoko: You've got me worried now. Was the description bad?? :/

HeavensPheonix561: :D Thank you.

.luvr: You're right; that totally slipped my mind. :) Thanks for the suggestion, by the way.

RozenMaiden14: You spoke too soon! My consistency is down the drain now. XD Not irrelevant at all!! I like knowing that I'm doing what I need to do and not rushing through it. It's a big complaint of mine when author's rush, and I'm glad I'm doing the right things to keep all of you reading. :)

Afictionado: Thank you so much! Throughout the whole kiss scene I was freaking out, wondering if I was portraying it all right. I'm glad you all liked it!

Drea1284: I know, right? They were overdue for some intimacy. :D Yes, he does, but I think Hyugas will by Hyugas, and that means Hiashi will do whatever he wants. You'll find out this chapter! Yay!

xCrazyKindOvWeirdx: Thanks so much for taking the time to read it! No, he won't die. I love him too dearly as a character to kill him off. Thanks! :D

Pandabear_N2: Thank you very much! :D

TheHypocrite: This is an AU. So, no, they're not.

LiL sPoIlEd BrAt: Thanks! :)

Disclaimer: I do not, nor shall ever, own Naruto.


Reflections.

TenTen hated settling for complacency.

Things at Fort Minato had slowed considerably, and it seemed like there was not much purpose to their staying there. Itachi and his soldiers hadn't entered their sights in weeks.

Soldiers were restless, the captains impatient.

It was near torture, waiting for correspondence from the front. Little news came, and when it did, it was small, vague information. Nothing that could possibly be shared with a feeling of importance.

In the days following the First Squad's departure, TenTen had desperately tried to craft a letter to Neji, attempting to explain her actions before he had left.

Her papers ended up tossed in the fire, edges black and curling from the heat.

It was hard to contrive what she felt onto paper. Words had failed her.

Actually, TenTen wasn't particularly sure what she felt. Somehow, it was complicated to comprehend.

She liked him well enough, and she enjoyed his company, but every time she thought about him, a surge of happiness shot through her spine.

It was a peculiar and enlightening sensation, further illustrated by the excitement TenTen felt when she kissed Neji.

Reflecting on her actions, they most likely weren't the smartest decisions. He was the Commander, the most important person in the entire army, and she had gone about carelessly, acting on her whims.

After failing with her writing, TenTen decided to forget the entire sentiment.

It would work itself out, if it were meant to be.

-

At first, Neji didn't know what to expect from the front.

Following the next few weeks, he came to understand the state of things.

It was dirty and obscene and grim. Days melted together, seeming like a never-ending extension of the previous day.

Neji lost sleep at night, and on most days he lacked an appetite, sometimes scarcely eating anything at all.

Lee had scolded him once or twice, concerned with the dark circles and his body's increased thinness.

Neji shrugged off the reproof carelessly; there were other things that required his attention, more so than his physical health.

Itachi's defense was as strong as ever. The soldiers he presented never seemed to lose numbers, solidifying Shikamaru and TenTen's previous theories in his mind.

Neji did find some comfort, however, in the surrounding captains that knew more of the front than Neji himself.

Ibiki, despite his looming figure, was generously forthright with information. His reserves of knowledge were extensive, and he shared them easily with Neji when he asked.

Shikaku, as usual, kept to himself, the epitome of Shikamaru's own behavior. He avoided anything and everything he could get out of, though he was willingly involved in all matters Itachi Uchiha. Shikaku had been compiling a file on the elder Uchiha for months now, the papers measuring a foot off a surface.

Tsume was her usual brash self, and disregarded Neji usually, answering questions he singularly asked her, if nothing else. Neji did not blame her harsh demeanor. A couple of years with Kiba had well versed Neji for the Inuzuka's moodiness.

Anko was loud and rambunctious, qualities that reminded Neji swiftly of a blonde captain he was well acquainted with. Under Ibiki's guidance, Anko informed Neji of other matters, usually foreign policies, most of which she'd been dealing with in the years previous to the war.

And the last remaining captain, and by far the one Neji liked the least, Genma Shiranui. Neji thought he was far too cocky and obnoxious for his own good. He always showed up late, always had the worst excuses for said lateness, and did not show even the slightest respect for Neji's position. Neji wasn't one to lord it over people, but in essence, he was the official commander of the army, placing him above Genma. This, though, was apparently not a good enough reason for Genma to attempt niceties. And if Genma wasn't going to try, neither was Neji. He hated him, and that was that.

The only true source of solace Neji had were his daydreams. With his lack of sleep, his thoughts drifted more easily, revolving around a single being: TenTen. When his mind wasn't occupied with the various complexities of Itachi, the war, budgets, and soldiers, Neji was thinking of her.

On several occasions he considered writing her, but he could never find the time to do it. He was either in meetings all day, or commanding at the front, watching history play out before him.

But after his first few weeks at the front had passed, Neji disregarded his previous thoughts of correspondence.

He had no way of knowing, really, what she had been thinking when she'd kissed him. They had not discussed it, or underwent any preliminary decisions.

It had just happened, seemingly.

Neji wasn't sure why, but he began to doubt her actions the longer he was away from her.

Had she been teasing him?

Did she want something from him?

Neji did not know.

He did not like to think that she was using him, because he did not see that in her character. But then again, he did not really know her that well.

And that was what worried him.

If he did have this peculiar . . . infatuation with this woman he barely knew, what did that say of him?

He wasn't a fickle human being, by any means. He valued others and what they conveyed in their personalities. But this was just different.

Neji had shown little interest in the women he was regularly surrounded by, focusing instead on obtaining his goal of knighthood.

Even in adolescence, he was unnaturally concentrated on his objectives and desires. Women just had not been on his list, at that point in time.

But now, Neji felt differently on the subject. All because of some plain, brown-eyed brunette who was too quick to smile.

He did not know what was wrong with him.

-

For the past few days, Sasuke had been sitting in a cold, soggy tree.

He was less than pleased to be perched there, but his current status was the best hope he had of not being seen.

From his surroundings, this was where the main war was being waged. There were other battles of course, spread out across the expanse of the Fire Country, but this was the most important, evident by the amount of soldiers.

Sasuke had followed his brother and his company of soldiers here after a week and a half of travel.

He was careful to cover his tracks, in case someone was trailing him from behind, and keep a safe distance from the large group.

When they had finally made camp with the others and settled into front life once more, Sasuke had scouted out the area, making quick work of gaining knowledge.

Instead of making camp on the ground, though, Sasuke had decided to occupy a tall pine near the edge of the forest he'd trekked through following Itachi.

It was not a hard existence, though it was certainly irritable. Sasuke ran out of food the day after he'd taken up residence in the pine, having to resort to trapping and eating squirrel that happened by.

For water, Sasuke had gotten lucky. Rain had soaked through the pine, its nettles still dripping with the rain's droplets. Sasuke carefully gathered them, sucking the nettles dry of the excess.

Yes, it was demeaning and annoying, but it was survival and there was nothing shameful about that.

While Sasuke sat huddled in his pine, he thought, heedlessly planning out his next course of action.

He was not one to rush into things unprepared, but a camp full of his brother's allies would certainly not make things any easier.

However, Sasuke needn't have worried.

The next morning, before Sasuke had woken up, a scout had spotted him in his tree. After alerting a soldier of the man in the tree, Sasuke was unceremoniously awakened by an arrow in his foot. It was painful and surprising enough that Sasuke lost his balance and the tree and fell ten yards, hitting the ground face-first. It jarred his entire body, and Sasuke realized he was shaking when his kidnappers lifted him from the ground, half-carrying him to the encampment.

The soldiers spoke to him, but Sasuke ignored them, concerned with the pain in his foot and the loss of his element of surprise.

They would think he was a spy, but Itachi himself would know better.

Sasuke swallowed past his fear. There was no doubt—Itachi would kill him, severing the lasting remainder of his family.

But Sasuke would make sure—the soldiers were leading him to a big tent at the end of a long trail, no doubt Itachi's living quarters—that he would not die without a fight. After all, Sasuke was the younger of the two, more agile. And the soldiers had neglected to rid him of weapons. Sasuke had a small knife in his boot. He would use that.

A soldier posted at the mouth of the large tent moved aside, holding the flap open for their entrance.

Sasuke was not surprised by the tent's extravagance. Wherever Itachi had been before the war, it had been exotic. Various trinkets and furniture lay around the tent, haphazardly placed. Rugs lied on the ground, patterns and colors melding together.

Sasuke was forced to the ground, where they tied his hands together. They disregarded his injured foot, not even bothering to pull the arrow out.

Grudgingly, Sasuke looked up, laying harsh eyes on his elder brother who was lounging on a high-backed chair.

Itachi did not spare him a single glance, training his dark irises on the lingering soldiers.

"Leave us," he ordered in a clipped tone.

They obeyed, the tent flap falling back into place.

Finally, Itachi met Sasuke's gaze, apparently satisfied that no one was listening.

"Sasuke," greeted Itachi curtly, a hint of mocking in his smirk.

Sasuke blinked, shifting his hands closer to his boot, where his knife lay waiting.

"Hello, brother," he finally replied, filling the echoing silence.

His fingers grasped the knife and slid it slowly from the boot, setting to work on the binding on his hands.

Itachi did not seem to notice, as he spoke again, droll.

"Really, Sasuke, I thought you knew better than to make your presence so well known. I knew you'd been following me. I presume you mean to kill me, hm? Gather your revenge for our parents and relatives?"

The binding was almost cut through, but Sasuke replied willingly, "That's right."

Itachi smiled slightly, amused.

"Do you really not approve of my actions? They were for the best, for both of us."

Sasuke flinched and narrowed his eyes.

"Is that what you think?" he responded, his tone sharp. "I was a child and you left me without any way of protecting myself! I had to live by myself for years!"

Itachi was unfazed.

"That was your own choice," answered Itachi. "I gave you your life without any restrictions. You could have done what you wanted."

Sasuke's black eyes burned with anger. His bindings fell away from his wrists.

Though, there was question he needed before killing his brother. He would not allow Itachi to elude him again. Not this time.

"Why did you do it?" Sasuke inquired emotionally. "Why did you let me live when you slaughtered everyone else?"

Itachi stared at his younger brother for a second, seeming to make his mind up about something.

Ultimately, he murmured, "Because I need you to help me."

Sasuke blinked; he had not been anticipating this.

He forced his mouth to ask another question.

"Why do you need me? What service could I possibly provide?"

Itachi cleared his throat.

"You are aware that currently there is a war between myself and the Land of Fire?"

Sasuke nodded.

"Well, unfortunately, the spies I have placed in the Fire's army have been less than successful. They usually get themselves killed, and dead informants are of no use to me. In a few weeks, I am planning to send soldiers to Fort Minato. The Commander left the fort with lesser numbers when he came here. I'll send the soldiers to attack, engaging with the other squads. If we're lucky, the Commander will visit when he hears of the attack."

Sasuke suspiciously thought over this plan.

"And you want me to go to Fort Minato?" he eventually queried.

Itachi nodded once, drumming his fingers on the arm of the chair.

"Yes, but not as a soldier. Following the battle, I want you to offer your services to one of the squads there."

Sasuke frowned a little.

"You want me as a spy? To infiltrate?"

"Yes."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at Itachi.

"Why should I do this for you?"

Itachi thoughtfully cocked his head at Sasuke.

After a lengthy pause, Itachi said, "I let you live, didn't I, Sasuke?"

Sasuke gripped his small knife half-heartedly.

Sasuke knew it was true, and how could he refuse the man who had granted him the gift of living?

Sasuke loosed his fingers from the knife, letting it fall to the ground.

Itachi noticed this and stood from his chair, walking shortly to Sasuke before kneeling down and embracing him.

"It's nice to see you again, Brother."


Ooh, the plot thickens.

Please review. :)