So sorry for the wait! Worse of all, it's not a long chapter - I wanted to get this out as soon as possible. Thanks for bearing with me. And thanks for the reviews from Arikashikari, Reaper-and-ChuckNorris, Azura Soul Reaver, and booberry123.

Chapter 11~

Mitsuki had been unconscious for the past week. During which, Itachi was by her bedside whenever they were completely alone. He would stare down at the sleeping girl, trying to find the little sister he once cared for with all his heart. But it was difficult. Seven years they had been apart and Mitsuki had grown so much. At the age of fourteen, she would be a completely different person to him. But he could still feel a connection, weak as it was, it was still there.

Yet, when he looked at her there was the need to protect her, and some other emotion he couldn't describe. He figured it was love – love a brother had for his little sister. But, without being in Mitsuki's life for such a long time – could he really call himself her older brother?

Itachi had loved the little girl that would curl up in his arms whenever there was a thunder storm. That was the four year old Mitsuki. Now, she was fourteen. She wasn't a little girl anymore – she defiantly didn't look like an innocent child. She was a Kunoichi that had been in battle and faced death.

She was nothing like the Mitsuki he remembered. And it brought a sorrowful pain upon him. The Mitsuki he knew had grown up and left him behind.

'I should leave…' Itachi thought with a heavy heart.

He stood up from the chair and started to make his way out of her room. The weight of his emotions were too much for him; he was unable to turn around and give Mitsuki one last parting glance.

"Don't go…" A soft, weak voice said.

At first Itachi thought he imagined the voice but then he heard it again, "Please, don't leave me, Nii-san…"

The agony in her voice almost brought him to his knees. Itachi turned back and saw Mitsuki staring at him with soft, teary eyes. His heart reached out for her, and he found himself back in the chair, holding one of her pale hands in his.

"I'm right here, Mitsuki." Itachi soothed.

"I kept my promise," She mumbled, her eyes slowly closing, "I never forgot you… and I still… care for you…" Mitsuki's eyes fluttered close as she fell unconscious once again.

A small, unnoticeable smile came to Itachi's lips. He returned her hand to her side and got comfortable on the chair.

'Maybe it's not too late…'

~O~O~

The first thing Mitsuki saw was Itachi. He sat in a chair by the bed, his arms crossed over his chest and head bowed. She saw the rise and fall of his shoulders and could hear the soft sound of his breathing in the silent room. "Itachi…?" She whispered under her breath.

When she received no reply she slowly pushed herself up from the bed, clenching her teeth from the pain that flared through her wounds. A wince escaped her throat before she could stop it, alerting the sleeping Uchiha.

"Mitsuki," Itachi was beside her the next second, helping her up with a hand on the hollow of her back, "You need to be more careful." With his help, Mitsuki was able to sit up with her back leaning against the pillows

"Thank you," Mitsuki said quietly. She sneaked a glance at Itachi, noticing how he was staring intently at her. Heat came to her cheeks as she looked quickly away, her hands fiddling with the edges of the bed sheets.

"How do you feel?"

"Fine, I guess. It just hurts when I move…" She replied uncertainly, feeling unsure and nervous in the presence of Itachi.

"Mitsuki," Itachi sat on the edge of the bed, "Forgive me for what I said."

She glanced up at him in surprise before adverting her gaze when she felt her face heat up again. She nodded stiffly, "Of course."

"Why won't you look at me?" He questioned quietly. Slowly, he lifted a hand to her face, his fingertips just barely trailing down the side of her face. "Do I disgust you that much?"

"No." Mitsuki shook her head violently at his words. "I still care for you… I'm just afraid-" She looked up at him, her eyes meeting his unwaveringly, "I'm afraid that you've forgotten me… that you hate me." Silence followed, with Mitsuki turning her head away and Itachi watching her carefully, "I'm afraid that you will be a complete stranger to me."

"It's true," Itachi thought over his words carefully, "It has been too long. We will probably not recognize each other, but we still have memories of what we were like, and we have time to learn."

Mitsuki met his gaze with dark pools of brown, "As my Nii-san? Or Itachi?"

"I will always be your Nii-san. But time has done unforgivable things, that I can no longer be the older brother you deserve." Itachi answered honestly, "For now, I will be the Itachi that the cruel fates have turned into."

"I understand, and I don't mind." She gave him a tiny, but sad smile, "The Itachi I see before me still reminds me of my loving Nii-san."

Itachi just let out a half hearted chuckle, although he didn't return the smile, "I'm glad then."

oOoOo

Itachi watched from over the top of his book as Mitsuki and Deidara continued to chatter animatedly with each other, all smiles and laughter. A twinge of envy was harvesting in his chest. He felt that he should be the once beside a happy Mitsuki, sharing smiles with her. But that was her Nii-san talking.

Itachi, the Shinobi he was now, had a reputation for being a cold, heartless man. One who would never associate with someone 'lower' than him – meaning everyone. This was the person he allowed himself to become. 'It was such a horrible mistake…'

Mitsuki laughter seemed to light up the whole room, drawing his attention to her. Her short charcoal hair framed her face and seemed to draw even more attention to her soft eyes. The smile that graced her lips brought out the natural pink in her cheeks even more, making her all the more beautiful…

"Wow," He heard her excited gasp, "It looks like it's actually alive!" A clay bird flew around room before landing on Mitsuki's palm, "It's kind of cute too."

"Do you want to see the best part, yeah?" Deidara gave her a smirk. The bird took flight once more and halfway to the ceiling it exploded. Mitsuki gave a surprised yelp and then fell into a fit of laughter alongside the blonde Shinobi.

Itachi returned to the line that he had been reading over and over again the past ten minutes, realizing he wouldn't be able to concentrate with Mitsuki on the other side of the room. He let out an inaudible sigh, wondering why Mitsuki was such a distraction all of a sudden. His earlier thought still lingered in his mind as he glanced up at the black haired Kunoichi, then back to his book.

Why was he looking at Mitsuki like that? It was completely inappropriate of him… Even so, Itachi found his eyes drifting back to said girl. What was wrong with him? They were finally together again, and now this.

Irritated at himself and unwilling to contemplate the emotions, Itachi got up and left the room to find someone to take his frustrations on.

The whole time she was talking with Deidara, she was skillfully sneaking glances at the raven haired Shinobi while he was reading. It wasn't intentionally. It was like her eyes just wanted to look at him even though she knew it was wrong. It was like she had a crush on him-

'No! I can't-! I don't!'

It must just be because she wasn't use to how the seventeen year old Itachi looked, 'Yeah… That's all…'

Mitsuki watched Itachi leave the room from the corner of her eyes. Something in her heart tugged at her to follow him, but she used all her will power to stay put. Instead, she redirected her attention to the enthusiastic Deidara, finding it easily to keep her mind off the Uchiha with him around.

Again, so sorry! Please review! ~Darksoul4