Unsettling Thoughts

I clench my eyes closed, hoping to stop my eyes from overflowing again. One more cool trail leaks just as I hear Inner calling out my name. I open my eyes and for a moment everything I see is a blur, then thankfully my vision clears. The site before me causes me to laugh.

Inner is lying face down on the floor, her hands bound behind her back in handcuffs and her butt was sticking up in the air. Providing Itachi, who is standing upon her behind, a stand.

"Stop laughing," she mutters, her face turns towards me. Half of it was smashed up against the floor. When I laugh again she glares at me with her eye that isn't forced closed. I bring a hand up to cover my mouth while using my other to grip my torso to help hide the shaking from laughing so hard.

"How did this happen?" ask in between giggles. She growls at me.

"I don't even know!"

That's it I can't hold it in anymore. I burst out laughing; the tears I tried to hide earlier that wouldn't fall now did so with ease as I doubled over.

"Sakura-san," says a deep calming voice. I look up and see Itachi floating a few feet away from my face. Slowly the laughter stops bubbling up in my throat as I remember what I learned about him not to long ago. It was him right? I mean what are the odds that I would have the heart of a guy who was an Itachi only to end up with another Itachi later as my adorable spirit guide? I have to say not very high.

"Yes?" I question as he scrutinizes me before letting out a small 'hmm'.

"It appears as if whatever was causing you such distress earlier has stopped. May I ask what has upset you so?"

I look into his beady little red eyes with the four pupils. "I learned of your past. That's why I was so upset." At this revelation he cocks his head to the side.

"You know my past? How?" he replies in that monotone voice.

I blink at him. What?

"Don't…don't you know your life while you were alive?"

"No." he tells me with a small shake to his tiny head. "When one becomes a spirit guide it is usually because they had suffered greatly in life and wish to help others live with as little pain as possible. If we had existed for so many centuries don't you think our suffering would eventually taint us? If that were to happen we could eventually turn into ghosts or even demons. But because of this we lose a majority of our memories when death claims us."

I look at him, feeling the agony on my face.

He doesn't remember how he died. Does he know I have his heart? I wonder.

"What do you remember?" I ask.

Itachi looks towards the window; he stares at it as the moon light shines through.

"Not much," he answers. "I know I had a family, defiantly had a brother-a little foolish one at that. I remember my first name but not my last. And I know Konoha was my home, I remember the leaf symbol on the flag…" he trails off lost in thought.

He remembers Sasuke, I think while I close my eyes. That's good.

"I saw spirits," he suddenly whispers.

Shocked I open my eyes and meet his gaze.

"I remember I saw them while I was alive. It was a usual thing I think," he points towards his eyes "I believe it is the reason my eyes are red like this."

After Itachi's admission I asked if he wanted me to tell him the little bit I knew of him. He declined, saying that all the memories he lost wouldn't help him in the long run. In order to do his job effectively he couldn't force his memories to return. He would either have to access them over time or exist without them. Shortly after that explanation he vanished again.

Inner and I are currently sitting on my bed, leaning against one another back to back in order to hold each other up. We changed into pajamas and I took the last of my medicine for tonight. I had hoped to fall asleep early but my mind is too active. I keep replaying the events that happened throughout the day in my mind in hopes of understanding everything.

"Orochimaru knew," Inner suddenly whispers. I look over my shoulder and ust see a curtain of green hair.

"Hmm?" I question.

"He knew about Itachi's ability, he knew about yours. Obviously that bastard wanted what you two had. He wanted to see spirits and demons but since he couldn't he had to find out the difference between you two and the rest of the world…" she sighs.

"So what your saying is that during those months he held Itachi captive he was experimenting on him." I state.

"Yes."

"Then what does that have to do with me? He didn't experiment on me while I was in the hospital."

"He didn't have too. Others were already doing all the work for him," she mutters. "Though their goals were different I'm sure if he got his hands on monthly updates on your testing he could find the data he needed. Only he would know what to look for if he's been this interested in the supernatural for all this time."

"Kabuto must have been giving him copies of my file. That's how he knew I was going to get a new heart."

"Mhm," she hums.

I relax as I felt as if a weight has just been released from my shoulders even as worry and fear burrow deeper in my heart.

"But then why Itachi's heart?" I question.

"The heart holds the most spiritual energy in the body, yet your organs were so damaged it was amazing you could have so much excess energy. I think Orochimaru believed that if you were given a regular heart your abilities would weaken. Which is total bull, that's how it would have stayed at first but eventually your energy would start to return to normal. However I will admit that since you got that Stuffed-Toy's heart your abilities did grow, so maybe giving you another spiritualist's heart was the goal." Inner explains as she shrugs..

"But then why did he want me stronger?" I ask her once again over my shoulder. This time she meets my gaze. Her usual glowing pink eyes are flat and dull while her face is empty.

"I don't know."

I awoke to the sound of grunts. Groaning I turn to see the light from my clock stating the time.

3:03 a.m.

Sitting up I look for Inner and found her, dressing in her fighting closes, stuck in a headlock held by a mysterious being shrouded in darkness.

Startled I jerk up and turn to face our intruder. Fury clouds my face to hide the fear infecting my body. I fight the urge to reach for any weapons. If it can hold Inner then that means it's a spirit or a demon. No physical objects I had would hurt it or free Inner.

"Who are you?" I demand in a quiet stern voice. I cannot show weakness in front of being like this. I learned that from years of running from said creatures. "What are you doing here?"

I hear a faint murmur as the unknown entity turns to Inners ear. I see her eyes widen in shock before she is pushed towards me. I catch her and together we fall back onto my bed. Her face is buried in my neck and I feel her shiver.

"How?" she demands in a terrifying whisper that causes me to take a deep breath so I can calm down. Oh man, I think. She's so pissed.

Movement causes me to turn and I see our intruder steps into the faded moonlight. My eyes widen as I notice he walks through the foot of my bed where he stands with his torso sticking out. Slowly my gaze travels up until I notice their face. I feel as if I had just been given a punch to the gut as I see the spirit of my friend glowering down at me. His red eyes dully glow in the night as his black hair frames his pale face.

"Sasuke…" I whisper.

A/N:

Tadah! The First Day Arc is now OFFICIALLY OVER!

*spins around in a little dance*

That was so much longer than I intended it to be but there you have it. Now we can move onto the fun stuff! Onward to the action and romance!

Poor Inner, it seems like she just can't beat the Uchiha's. Twice in this chapter they got the better of her. Even when they are stuck in a cute little Weasel-Otter form!

Oh and for those of you who don't know or remember Inner's nicknames for people here they are.

Ino- Piglet

Naruto- Idiot

Sasuke- Caveman

Kakashi- Pervert

Sarutobi- Ol'bastard

Itachi- Stuffed-Toy

Lastly I just wanted to say thank you for all my reviewers and active readers! Your reviews help keep me motivated to write faster and update quicker! That being said I was ecstatic when I saw that this story has reached over 100 views!

Thank you all so much and keep reviewing my story! I love reading your thoughts on how it is going!

Special shout out to "Yo" who asked for Inner's hand in marriage! *smiles brightly* Sadly she told me to turn them down due to her being a spiritual being that already has her hands more than full with Sakura's issues. She wishes Yo all the best though!

And thanks to Yo's bro who introduced him to my story! =D

The next Arc begins next chapter! I'll update soon!