Oh...chapter 11...nice...nice nice nice. Thanks for the positive feedback.

Kilee Drifter.

Itachi looked down at Sasuke. His hardbeat was steady, his breathing was faint but noticeable. But his body was cold and his eyes were closed. His face looked much paler; almost clear. His eyes opened from time to time, and they look liked the life was sucked right out of them. It was like Sasuke was already dead. Like his body was trying to live, but he'd given up. Itachi placed his hand on Sasuke's forehead.

"I'm so sorry." Shisui walked up to Itachi quietly, watching Itachi mumble that same statement over and over again. The Uchiha brothers were falling apart at the seams again, but this time not by the seeds of hatred. Itachi was shaking, begging Sasuke to wake up. Begging him to look him in the eye, move a finger. He couldn't bear it, but he had to leave the two alone for a while.

Shisui walked out quietly, walking directly into Hiromi becuase of his lack of attention. Hiromi looked up at Shisui timidly, then smiled sadly and walked away. He teleported himself back out from Sunagakure and into the Uchiha Clan district, walking among the empty houses. He wondered if Sasuke had ever taken residence in one of the houses, or if they had just been left to rot. He smiled slightly going, walking up to one of the shops in the area. The windows were broken. The door was unhinged at the top and falling apart. The sheleves were knocked down, and there were broken objects and banners for the shop that had been torn to ribbons. Itachi had made short work of not only the people, but the place as well. It was probably uninhabitable now. But there were some good supplies here he could use that Itachi had managed NOT to damage. Some herbs and things that were very well-preserved. Or at least good enough to use.

"Hm...what do I need? Well some of this...this...oh that should do...eh no this has mold on it..." Shisui managed to eventually find everything he needed. After mixing the substances and making a very special potion, he placed it in a small open case he found in another house, then put the case in his pocket and did some handsigns to teleport himself back by the hospital in Suna.

---Later---

Hiromi walked into the room where Sasuke was sleeping and replaced the food that she had left for Itachi with new, not spoiled food.

How long has he been at it? I wonder what's going on in the poor man's head. He hasn't taken his eyes of his brother for even a second. I just wish that the kid would wake up. And it's been seven straight hours. He'll need some rest. It's easy to see that he didn't sleep well and he has't touched any food. This is the third meal I've had to replace today.

"Excuse me, but you're going to have to eat something soon, sir." Hiromi looked down, not wanting to know what would happen soon. Itachi sat down not talking his eyes off of Sasuke. Then one of his hands moved and he took the plate and started eating, still sitting where he was. Hiromi smiled and left the room for a minute. She went and got Itachi something to drink with his food. He was probably parched as well as famished. And who did she meet coming near Itachi's room but Shisui Uchiha himself, who was coming back.

"Is that tea for Itachi?"

"Oh, yes. I'll get some soon for you too, if you want." Hiromi looked at the eldest of the Uchiha trio and turned slightly pink. Shisui smiled, and took out a small case with a vial of powder inside. He poured it into the drink. Hiromi stood there confused, and moved her hand to start shielding the tea as the powder came down. Shisui stopped her.

"Don't worry it's a sleeping draught. He'd need it." Shisui smiled. Hiromi, being naive, trusted Shisui and gave him the tea. Not that Shisui was going to lie about this. Itachi took a small sip of it and looked back at Sasuke.

"Isn't he gonna need food to?" Itachi asked, pointing at Sasuke. Hiromi jumped.

"I'm afraid that..." Hiromi's voice drifted off. Shisui jumped, hoping that the medicine he'd slipped into Itachi's tea would kick in at any moment. Itachi got up angrily.

"You can't do this! You can't let him go like this! You're gonna kill him! You're gonna---" Itachi fainted. Shisui looked at him sadly.

"Are you really gonna do this to him? He's so young. And after everything that happened..." Shisui looked away. Hiromi had tears in her eyes.

"If push comes to shove, yes. He'll die.But there's a slim chance that Sasuke will wake up. Take him back to your home. And may I ask a favor?"

"What?"

"May I come with you? To Konoha?'

"Why?"

"To work...and because..."

"What?"

"It's nothing." Shisui looked at Hiromi and nodded. She could come. It would be better for Sasuke in Konoha anyway, since Tsunade would be around.