A/N: Sorry I haven't been updating omgosh I've been busy with school, my art, modeling && trying to find a job so it's been rather hectic! Please bear with me! I promise the next chapter is going to be ridiculously long && awesome :] Should be up by next week!

The raven rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on. Perfect.

By the time Itachi came back with a can of pop [1] and a bowl of soup in his lap Sasuke was already gone. Itachi rubbed his lips lightly against his teeth and strolled over to the black duffle bag lying near the foot of the bed. "Sasuke could never take truth well." The eldest Uchiha thought to himself and tugged off his garments. "Maybe I shouldn't have said that …" But then again, why should he have not? Once dressed, Itachi repositioned himself back in the wheelchair he wished he didn't have to use for a week and popped the tab of his pop can. For a moment, Itachi just sat there staring at his cooling food. He wasn't hungry anymore. When he first bought it, the stuff looked decent, now it just appeared to be disgusting.

Eventually he found himself wondering what his little brother could be doing at that moment. There was no doubt in his mind that the teen was off training, always seeking to become stronger, faster, and smarter each day. All that seeking is what drew him to Orochimaru. That could probably be his own fault though considering the fact that Sasuke most likely would have never gone down that path if the massacre never happened. Sasuke wouldn't be still continuously pushing himself to the brink. Itachi ran his slender fingers through thick raven bangs, unconsciously blowing into the soup. For so many years he thought he was doing the right thing, what was best for Sasuke, himself, and the village until recently. Maybe every thing he had thought to be 'the best decision' really wasn't after all. Maybe he failed. Why did he pick the village over his family? It was a question he asked himself every day while in the Akatsuki. Did that mean he was some type of evil person for it? The Uchiha bit his lip and closed his eyes. What kind of person kills their own family when they could have just said 'no' and taken the consequences for their rebellion? The cowardly? The mentally ill? The cold hearted? He was probably all of those things. Maybe he was a monster. In the back of his mind he just knew every one else was thinking that too. Maybe he just wanted to bring Madara down to assure himself that he wasn't and was never an evil criminal.

A few minutes later, a soft rapping was heard at the door. Itachi sighed and put his chopsticks down. He was tired of seeing those stupid nurses. For a moment, he contemplated using Naruto's sexy jutsu to appear as a nurse. Itachi smirked to himself and pushed the childish thought away. At least the nurse could distract him from his thoughts.

"Come in." He said and blinked in surprise when it turned out not to be a nurse but Hinata. "You can come all the way in, Hinata-chan."

Hinata's blush deepened as she stepped in and twirled her index fingers. "Um … h-hi, Itachi-kun."

Itachi tore his gaze away from her eyes and to her ever moving fingers. It must be a nervous habit. He used to have one of those too. He wondered what Hinata was doing visiting him though. The prodigy was not set on creating friendships with his younger brother's peers.

"Is there something you need?" He had to ask. Itachi watched as the chunin lowered her head and buckled her knees with interest. She always appeared to be in a nervous wreck.

"I-I was wondering if you wanted to come walk around the village with me. U-Um y-you don't have to … it's just … I know you were probably bored a-a-and lonely and no one has come to see you yet."

Itachi concealed another wave of surprise. He didn't expect that one. He wondered why Hinata would want to spend any portion of the day with him but still, he nodded and tossed his soup and pop in the trash.

TBC

[1] Pop - Soda