--How The World Falls Apart--
There was a tiger lily on the table in a vase when Mikoto got home. Much to her surprise, Itachi came in from the garden when she got home, and offered to help her with her work. It had been a long time since Mikoto had gotten domestic help from her oldest son. She knew he was still recovering, but there was no harm in letting him do some light chores. He even helped her with her stretches, which he hadn't done since he was five. His long, thing hand pressing on her back were much different from a chubby five year-old's, but he was still Itachi.
Though, she had to admit, he was acting a little strange. He kept giving things lingering looks--touching the worm tatami in the manner of someone saying good-bye, or someone saying hello. She didn't know which. He was also quiet in an odd way--serene was almost the word, but there was a strange sadness hanging around him. He almost seemed resigned. Of course, he said he was fine when she asked, but he gave her a smile that chilled her to the bone.
Fugaku was right. She didn't know her son anymore.
She'd thought she did, but this afternoon......she was so tempted to say this wasn't her Itachi. He didn't have any sharp words or looks. He'd even lost the playful teasing he would sometimes engage in. He acted like a very sad old man, and that was terrible for a thirteen year-old, ANBU or not. She knew--knew he hadn't been like this even a day earlier, though, know that she thought about it, Itachi hadn't been completely himself since that night.
Sometimes he had been fully his old self, but other times, especially when he was with Sasuke, he'd been just....off. Alone, those incidents could be discounted, but added together, it made Mikoto wonder. She should probably mention this to Fugaku, except he would probably just tell her what he always did--that he wasn't her child anymore, but a ninja. If he did, she was going to be sorely tempted to stab him somewhere especially painful. She was sick of her concerns not being listened to. Itachi was her son to, and her opinion was just as valid as Fugaku's.
Even he should be able to admit Itachi was behaving very oddly this morning. There was always a certain degree of odd one had to expect when it came to Itachi, but this was beyond even that. Something, Mikoto through fiercely as she fixed supper, was wrong. She would even go as far as to suggest a mind control jutsu, but those were notoriously hard to carry off on sharingan users, unless one had the sharingan as well. Even the Yamanaka expressed difficulty over controlling an Uchiha.
She was almost ashamed at the relief she felt when Fugaku and Sasuke got home for supper. She hated the fact Itachi had unnerved her so much, but she could not help the rush of relief she felt when she heard Fugaku's deep voice calling that he was home, echoed by Sasuke's lighter voice. It was odd they should arrive home together, though, Mikoto wiped her hands and left her final preparation of supper to go greet the rest of the family.
Mikoto poked her head around the corner, pleasant smile pasted on her face. It dropped when she saw Sasuke's face, which had a livid bruise across it, starting on his right cheek and extending almost up to his hair line.
"He and Naruto-kun got into a small scuffle. Sasuke took Naruto's shin across his face," Fugaku explained, placing his hand on Sasuke's head and rumpling the already unruly mass.
"Nn, but I knocked out two of Naruto's teeth,:" Sasuke interjected, sounding both proud and a little ashamed. He looked hesitantly at his mother as if she might disapprove of what he'd done.
"What was the fight about?" Mikoto asked, leaning down to turn Sasuke's face from side to side, examining the bruise from all angles.
"I don't remember," Sasuke shrugged, and Fugaku gave the boy a fond, exasperated smile. "Iruka-sensei fixed the bruise so it wouldn't swell too much, and Mizuki-sensei made me put ice on it too." Sasuke submitted to the inspection without more protest, like a good child. Itachi would have fussed and refused, insisting he was more than fine and didn't need to be mothered.
"If you can't remember what you were fighting about, it probably wasn't a good reason to be fighting in the first place," Itachi intoned softly from where he'd crept in. Sasuke pulled back from his mother's hand and turned to face his brother. Mikoto saw him smother the smile that tried to grow on his face.
"I won," Sasuke said, trying to stand up straighter.
"Ah, but what did you win?" Itachi asked, voice coaxing instead of scornful or disapproving. Sasuke frowned, putting his head to this side as he tried to find the right answer to Itachi's question.
"I just won," Sasuke replied slowly. "That's all." Itachi gave his head a very small shake, and Sasuke's face dropped. Whatever the right answer had been, he hadn't given it.
"At least you still have all your teeth," Itachi seemed resigned, and Sasuke looked wary. Itachi made a motion with his fingers--a come here motion he always used for Sasuke, calling him to heel like a puppy. Sasuke perked up and kicked off his shoes, shuffling forward to his brother.
"Mikoto, do you need help with supper?" Fugaku asked, eyes on the children.
she really didn't. She just needed to throw some things together and then it would be ready. "If you wouldn't mind......" Sasuke had grabbed onto Itachi's hand to keep his brother from poking him in the forehead, and Itachi was giving Sasuke and indulgent smile. Mikoto hurried back to the kitchen. She heard Fugaku washing up, smoothing the water over his scarred hands and splashing ir over his face.
She remembered when that face had been a mystery. When she'd been told she was to be betrothed to Uchiha Fugaku, she didn't have a face to put the name too. Everyone spoke highly of him, but Mikoto had never paid much attention to exactly who he was, thinking they would never really cross paths. The betrothal had, obviously, changed all of that. Mikoto also remembered the first time she'd ever seen Fugaku, just off the front lines with bags under his eyes and bone weary. Even then, he'd been handsome.
Now, with all the heavy lines of care and obsession in his face, he was a different sort of handsome to her.
Fugaku walked up beside her, and his nimble hands moved to help hers. Mikoto was silent for a bit, arranging and rearranging her words in her head. She felt like a little girl again, juts meeting her betrothed instead of a woman married fourteen years. Her hands slowly stilled, and Fugaku stopped to look at her.
"I want Itachi to get a psyche evaluation before you send he goes back to ANBU," Mikoto finally said, eyes steely and jaw set stubbornly.
Fugaku gave her a look with a slow blink. "Has he been that odd today?"
'Odd' didn't even begin to cover it. Mikoto scowled, lips twisted up. She resisted the urge to throw the word 'creepy' back at her husband. "He's not himself, Fugaku. I don't care what you say, but Itachi has not been acting like himself. It's small things now, and it's not all the time, but you cannot tell me it's nothing to worry about. I can feel it."
Fugaku was silent for a moment, and his hands went back to work. He looked away from her piercing gaze. "I know."
"You know?" Mikoto pressed.
Fugaku nodded. "You're right. Itachi's not himself, and he hasn't been ever since he got sick." Fugaku sighed. "I'll make sure to get him a psych evaluation, but off the record. I'll asked Kaiko-sensei to–"
"No, I want a Yamanaka to do it," Mikoto said sharply. Fugaku nodded.
She expected Fugaku to protest how hard it would be to get a Yamanaka to do an off the record evaluation. He didn't. He hadn't even protested her insistence he get evaluated. Mikoto frowned and went back to work. "How long have you been thinking about getting him one?"
Fugaku sighed, and Mikoto began to think he wouldn't answer. "Ever since I met him coming back from the monument."
"Then why not before now?" Mikoto asked, chopping a carrot viciously into pieces. This was their son's mental health they were talking about.
"I was holding on to hope that he wouldn't need one after all," Fugaku said finally. "But, you're right, he should be evaluated."
"I'm glad we agree on something." Mikoto pressed a quick kiss to Fugaku's cheek before grabbed the bowl she'd just prepared and carrying it out.
"Mikoto," Fugaku's voice was tired and exasperated. Mikoto stopped and looked back at him. His face was dark, like it usually was these days. Mikoto hadn't seen him laugh in so long she didn't think he could anymore. She rarely even saw him smile, and the terrible things was he hadn't always been like this. He'd never been the happiest man, but he'd not been this severe grey man she barely spoke too anymore.
"The kids are waiting," Mikoto said shortly. She turned and walked out of the kitchen and heard Fugaku following her. She placed her bowl down and went back to the kitchen for the rest of the food. When she returned, Itachi and Sasuke were waiting at the table, Itachi still as stone, and Sasuke fidgeting as a child should.
Mikoto smiled and took her place, feeling rather fake tonight. She almost wished Fugaku hadn't come home, but at the same time she felt better he was here. Itachi, with his solemn eyes and quiet ways, was beginning to unnerve her. She kept catching herself watching him--as a ninja watched an opponent, not as a mother watched her son.
Half way through the meal Mikoto heard the door open. Fugaku frowned and began to stand, and both boys looked up sharply as they heard hurried feet coming up the hall. Mikoto began to rise, when Kaika came striding into the room. He was breathing hard and flushed.
"Fugaku-sama! There's been an incident. We need you at the police station," Kaika reported quickly, giving a bow. "And pardon my intrusion."
Fugaku stood, and Mikoto mirrored his motion, looking over at the boys. Sasuke looked frightened, glancing from his father to Kaika, who was usually a cheerful man. Itachi--Itachi looked thunderstruck. His eyes were downcast but wide. He looked almost sick, and Mikoto got a sudden feeling Itachi knew what had happened. It was impossible for him to know, but...
Itachi looked up and caught his mother's accusing look. He blinked, face smoothing out so perfectly it was revolting. His glance become questioning, and there was no trace of his earlier emotions. Mikoto quickly pulled her eyes away and followed after Fugaku and Kaika.
She found them in the hallway, and Fugaku's face was grave. He looked up at Mikoto. " There was an incident over by the Hicken district. A fight occurred, and, in the course of quelling it, a civilian was killed. By the police."
Mikoto moved closer to the two, lowering her voice. This certainly merited the disturbance of dinner. "Who was involved?"
"Kenji and Arai," Kaika reported softly.
"They're at the station, then? I'll head down right away." Fugaku said, and if he'd looked tired before, it was nothing like what he looked like now. There would be days and weeks of inquiries, questions, and other things on top off all the other work he had to do. This was also a big set back for the clan as a whole. No one liked to hear the police had killed someone--especially by accident.
"Ah, no, they're not at headquarters," Kaika managed softly. Fugaku shot him a sharp look. The police involved should be in holding until Fugaku got there to deal with it, unless they were injured. even Mikoto knew that.
"ANBU came and took them to the T and I department for questioning about the incident."
Fugaku's face darkened further. "This is not a matter for ANBU. This is a police matter, and they have no right to step in, and no certainly no reason of precedence for taking my officers into T and I for interrogation." Fugaku snapped.
"I know, but when we came to get them, they refused to give them back. They said they were too combative and--" Kaika stopped and then started again, almost stuttering. "We couldn't be trusted to be impartial because we were all 'Uchiha trash.'"
Mikoto glanced at Fugaku, and only caught a glimpse of the dark anger on his face before he shut all expression off of his face like a mask. "Kaika, go get Ryouma and Sanzo, and tell them to meet me at the red gate. Arai and Kenji are going to be back in our custody before midnight."
"Someone needs to tell Hanako and Kiki what's happened," Kaika put in softly, eyes going from Fugaku to Mikoto. He could feel, as they all could, this was a moment of change. When morning came, something would be vastly different.
"I'll go," Mikoto said quickly. "Hanako's nine months pregnant, and the news will need to be broken gently. I'll stop by Kiki's, tell her, and take her with me to Hanako's. We'll wait there until we here news."
Fugaku nodded. "I'll send a runner as soon as we have them, with a report on their conditions." Fugaku looked at Kaika and made an impatient motion. "You have your order, now go. We need to take action now." Kaika nodded, and hurried out of the door. Mikoto looked to Fugaku, who looked back.
Something was up--something more than the brutality incident. If ANBU had police officers in for interrogation, which they should not, but did now, it could be an overzealous captain, or it could be something more. This could be ANBU using any excuse, even when their wasn't one, to question an Uchiha under torture. Were Arai and Kenji in on the stickier plots? Mikoto didn't know. Even if they weren't, they could give away valuable information. It was important to get them out before then.
Fugaku dropped a hand onto Mikoto's shoulder, and gave it a squeeze before he headed off down the hall to their room to get his uniform. Mikoto took a breath and hurried back to where Sasuke and Itachi were waiting. Itachi was in the hall, and the look he gave Mikoto let her know he's heard everything.
"I'll watch Sasuke," Itachi told her as she approached, looking up with wide child's eyes.
"Itachi," Mikoto paused, and then blundered ahead. "Did you know what was going to happen?"
Itachi blinked, and he drew back a little. "How could I know?" He looked at her in shock. Was she suggesting this was a plot by ANBU and Itachi was in on it. Did the mother dare suspect her son of such a thing? Those eyes, accusing, wounded, and maybe a little scared, looked more like her son's. Mikoto's earlier suspicion softened when faced with that.
Mikoto shook her head. "You couldn't, I'm sorry.....with what happened we're all a little...uptight." Mikoto kissed Itachi on the top of his smooth head, and he bore the indulgence with a stiff back. "Watch out for Sasuke, and don't let him know what's going on. Oh, and help him with his homework, and get him to bed at a decent hour. He has class tomorrow." Mikoto hoped he did. This night could go terribly wrong.
"Mikoto," Fugaku appeared again, and he handed Mikoto a kunai holster, filled with deadly implements. Fugaku had his tonfa stuck in his belt. He looked like he was going to war. Mikoto didn't know if that was good or bad. She pressed her lips together and followed him out, catching the glance Fugaku gave Itachi. Was Fugaku going to ask Itachi to come--to pit him against his ANBU compatriots? Itachi returned it with an impassive face and went back to Sasuke. Fugaku walked on.
The night air was cool. Mikoto breathed in and looked up at the sky. Fugaku stepped out beside her, and for a moment they were still. "Do you think I'll need the kunai?" Mikoto asked somberly.
Fugaku let out a slow breath of air. "I don't know anymore, but if you do need them, I want you to have them. Whatever happens tonight, I want my family to be safe."
Mikoto nodded. "Then you'd best hurry. Two of your family are in T and I's care, and I don't think they're enjoying it much." Fugaku nodded, jaw hardening and eyes growing glassy. His hand brushed against Mikoto's, and then he was off, taking to the ninja highway of the rooftops. Mikoto watched him go, and then turned to walk down the darkening street.
A/N:THIRTEEN REVIEWS WHOOOOOOOO! :D ((random stat, this story is on 84 people's alerts! :O)) Sorry this wasn't on Friday. T^T I will try to do better. I'll be down a class after this week, so I foresee more time to write. Thanks to: ClockRepair, Willow-Bee the Cat, Silver Queen, KyoxSakiFan, SkywardShadow, Ayame Shikazuge, PoisonBerry13, dundee998, RmfD, silvereyed, Koolneko22 and Ellesra!