DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ITACHI OR ANYTHING FROM 'NARUTO'.

Thanks so much to everyone who read and reviewed my chapter! They mean a lot to me, and just make my day when I can see that people enjoy what I write so much. ^___^

Sorry it has taken so long for this one. I tried like 3 times at my parents place but just wouldn't let me upload the document. :( But the internet in the apartment is behaving a little better, and my hubby is FINALLY letting me use it. :p Also, if I finish any more chapters this week I won't be able to upload them most likely because of the library doing inventory... :( Unless I go back to my parents again, which I doubt. So enjoy while you can! :D

REMEMBER!: REVIEWS = 3! ;P

This is one doozy of a chapter, you guys, so hold on to your butts! :D

Eat up! ^_^

Chapter 10

4 Years later

Twenty-five year old Itachi sat on the roof of his house in the Clan of the Uzumaki's. The sun was just beginning to show his rosy head in the early morning light of dawn. Black faded to navy blue, to ocean blue, purple, lavender pink, to red and orange. Birds began their morning chorus, waking up the other creatures in the vicinity. But Itachi barely noticed any of it.

Four years. Has it really been four years? He thought, moving his bangs from his forehead.

He sighed wearily, his heart throbbing in his chest. Life seemed to stand still, and yet, he could feel it whizzing by. Itachi was still in his prime, thanks to the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, but his heart felt old and weary. Worn from a life-times worth of grief. They said that time healed all wounds. Itachi knew better. Time did little to heal the true and depthless wounds of the heart, for Itachi still mourned the death of his brother, Sasuke, with every breath he drew.

When the sky was half lit by the sun, Itachi could smell food being cooked at the home of the Uzumaki Patriarch, cooked by his only child, Akiko, now twenty years of age. When she was done cooking, she would wheel her father into the dining area, then he would wait for her to go retrieve Itachi to join them for breakfast.

Still refusing to open up to anyone, Itachi did little of his own house cleaning. Mostly, he worked around the village to help better it, and he helped Takao-sama with his outdoor chores. He had suffered a stroke two years back and was unable to walk now, which also meant that he was unable to perform many of the tasks he was capable of doing before the stroke. Out of kindness, Itachi decided to stick around a little longer to help Takao. The former ANBU shinobi felt compelled to help the benevolent old doctor. Akiko took it upon herself to clean both her father's home and Itachi's.

Though Itachi felt he could never truly love someone again, he felt a special connection, a fondness, towards Takao-sama and Akiko-san. Akiko had saved his life once, and nursed him back to health. Takao had given him his brother's eyes, and as a result, saved his life, again, from death. Then they built Itachi a home to live in till the time came for him to leave. The things those two had done on his behalf were… amazingly gracious.

"Itachi-kuuun!" A melodic voice called out. "Are you up there? I've finished breakfast, and father is in the dining room. Why don't you come and join us?"

Itachi stood up and walked to the edge of his roof and looked down. He could see the lovely features of his savior, Akiko, looking up at him with concern on her face. "I'll be down in a second." He leapt down and landed gently beside her.

……

Takao and Itachi sat at the table while Akiko went to fetch breakfast. While they were alone, Takao took the moment to ask Itachi something.

"Itachi-san, there is something I would like to discuss with you later… alone. When you have a spare moment, that is. Would that be alright?" There was an undertone to Takao's voice that Itachi picked up on. He narrowed his eyes at the elderly doctor briefly before replying.

"It would be fine, -- "

Just then, Akiko brought in a large tray of food on it. "Order up!" She joked, smiling sweetly at Itachi and her father.

"You have your mothers talent for cooking, Akiko-chan! You'll make some lucky man very happy one day, I'll hazard a guess." Takao robustly proclaimed, looking lovingly upon his daughter.

Akiko blushed, pleased, while looking at Itachi through lowered lashes. "Yes, father." She said, shyly.

When the three were finished eating, Akiko took their dishes into the kitchen to wash them. Itachi took this opportunity to talk to Takao about what he mentioned earlier. "I have a few minutes before I need to get to work; what is it you wanted to talk about, Takao-sama?"

"Let us go outside to the shed to talk, shall we?" Takao asked, motioning to Itachi to roll him outside.

A little puzzled at what should be kept so well hidden from Akiko, Itachi complied and proceeded to roll Takao out to the shed.

"Have a seat, son." Takao indicated an empty space that could be used to sit on.

Itachi sat, looking hard at Takao, trying to figure out what this was all about. "What is it, Takao-sama? Is everything alright?" He asked, concern stealing into his voice.

"My age has caught up to me, Itachi-san. Before I had a stroke, I would have never guessed that in two years time I would be in a wheel chair, decaying. I know I don't look it, but inside I am beginning to turn." He sighed heavily, closing his eyes and sadly shaking his head.

Itachi's brow became etched with concern, studying the old doctor. Briefly turning on his Sharingan, he could see that Takao's chakra wasn't looking good. It burned slightly bigger than a flickering flame. Turning it off, Itachi asked, "What's going on, Takao-sama?"

Sighing again, the doctor answered, "I amdying, Itachi-san. I don't know how much longer I will last. I've been doing my best to keep my illness a secret from the whole clan. No one, not even Akiko-chan, knows how sick I really am. If I had to make an educated guess, I would say that I will probably die within the year." At that moment, Takao seemed to age twenty more years before Itachi's eyes, obviously weighed down by the great burdens he felt.

Itachi leapt to his feet. "You can't be that old, Takao-sama! Akiko-san is only twenty years old herself!"

Takao looked up at Itachi, his voice more worn than before. "She is the child of my late years. Her mother was much younger than I, but not very strong. She died giving birth to a still born child a year after Akiko." Longing for his young and beautiful wife gleamed in Takao's eyes, a tear shimmering in one. "Akiko-chan looks so much like her mother, it is truly a blessing." The doctor spoke softly, as if to himself.

Itachi sat back down and crossed his arms over his chest, searching Takao's eyes for answers. "So, what are you getting at here, exactly?" The shinobi asked, disguising the suspicion from his voice.

It was quiet for a moment while the question hung in the air. At last, Takao spoke.

"When I die here soon, who will be the leader of my Clan? My eldest son died years ago in an earth quake, and his own son, Takeshi-kun, won't be ready to lead the clan for a number of years. Clan law dictates that someone younger than 20 cannot be patriarch. He has at least ten years before that can happen." He paused, gazing fully into Itachi's eyes, giving the Uchiha a meaningful look.

"… You mean… You mean that… ? You mean for me to act as Clan Patriarch until Takeshi is old enough?" Itachi spluttered, disbelief etched in his face. "But I am not Uzumaki! I am Uchiha! It cannot be possible that I can rule the Clan!"

"There is a way… Itachi-san. My true purpose in asking to speak with you in private is this: Will you, Uchiha Itachi, marry my daughter, Akiko?"

WOO! *whipes forehead* Was that unexpected, or WHAT?? :P I hope you enjoyed it!!!!!!!!!

As a writer your thoughts and opinions are very important to meh! =D So please let me know what you think. ^.^