Yuki's eyes fluttered open when the light from the hallway ran across her face,"Otousan?"

Fugaku stiffened,"Are you alright?"

"Not really," she replied sitting up on the edge of the bed. She straightened out the hem of her pastel yellow nightgown. A part of her wondered why Fugaku was in his uniform instead of his casual wear.

Fugaku opened the door wider and bent down to his knees, arms open wide and hands motioning her over to him. It was all too nostalgic. Like he was trying to get her to walk over to him for the first time all over again. And just like before, Yuki turned away unsurely at first, peering at Sasuke's still sleeping form. Being confident her brother was still asleep, she slid off the edge and made her way to her father hesitantly. Unsure of what to do, she stood awkwardly in front of him, and was taken by surprise when Fugaku lifted her into his arms and began carrying her to an unknown destination. Yuki noted he slipped a piece of paper and pencil into his pocket before they left the house. She shivered in the chilly night air, wrapping her arms around Fugaku's neck to pull herself closer. A night gown was much better suited to wear inside the house. Chilly winds nipped at her skin through the fairly thin fabric. The father daughter duo kept a silence between them but Fugaku didn't put Yuki down. He continued to hold her as he lead them through the compound. Yuki soon began to recognize the path and direction they were heading.

They were going to the Naka River.

The place she had been avoiding all week long.

The same place where Shisui committed suicide.

When the sun came rolling around Fugaku was already seated in the kitchen sipping his cup of daily green tea. Mikoto was washing dishes. Sasuke was eating his breakfast. Itachi was out. Yuki on the other hand was missing. Sasuke had woken up to only himself in his bed. Yuki was no where in the house which lead to Itachi volunteering to search for her.

"Do you think onii-san will find Yuki?" Sasuke would ask every few minutes.

Either Mikoto or Fugaku would reply with,"Of course he'll be home with her in a few minutes."

This time as if on cue Itachi appeared. However it wasn't Yuki with him but one of the clansmen. Itachi had a melancholy look on his face. In silence Itachi held out a folded piece of paper to his father. Fugaku eyed it curiously, going from his son to the paper. He unfolded and his heart sank upon recognizing the handwriting and the message.

I'm sorry. I can't go on anymore.

In Yuki's handwriting. That message was in Yuki's handwriting. Fugaku's head shot up to look at his eldest son. Praying for this was all to be some kind of sick joke.

The look on Itachi's face told him other wise, "Yuki committed suicide at the Naka River last night or early this morning and left this note. Her body wasn't found. She's gone."

Everyone in the room was frozen in shock. Mikoto's fingers lost connection to her brain and the dish in her hand shattered. Her knees gave out on her just as fast. Itachi had to be joking. Not Yuki. Not her precious daughter. Not her only daughter. In a panicked frenzy she yanked the note out of Fugaku's hands, wanting to see the proof with her own eyes. Her heart shattered. It was Yuki's handwriting. Mikoto would recognize it anywhere. With glassy eyes she ran to her bedroom, choking out a sob. It was selfish of her to say it, but however Yuki must have felt hearing about Shisui's suicide; Mikoto felt a hundred times worse than that.

Sasuke's delight of seeing Itachi became dread. If seeing Itachi meant hearing him say those words; then he would have rather not see Itachi. His face paled. His hands shook. She was still here yesterday. They had gone to the academy together. He had held her hand. He was just with her last night. He had tried to comfort her and show her things were going to be alright. Sasuke wondered if throughout the day all Yuki thought about was killing herself, and he didn't do anything to prevent it from happening.

Itachi's face hardened watching how his mother and brother reacted to the news. His father's face remained distant and blank. He took a deep breath, "I will continue my search for her body," and with that he walked away, unable to see his family break down almost quite literally in front of his eyes. However a part of him was not convinced Yuki was dead. The clansmen with him left to their own duties leaving Itachi alone to think. He made his way back to the Naka River. There was no way Yuki would have done suicide, and especially here. She had been avoiding the mere direction of going to the river. His hands flew up to his face and tears streaked his cheeks without him even being aware of it. The guilt in his chest grew. All this time he had been avoiding looking at her. He couldn't bear to see her in the doll like state she was in. Knowing that he was involved, he felt it was his fault. It was his fault Yuki had sank into a dull sulking state. He felt like he had committed a crime; in which sure he was an accomplice but never less just as guilty as the mastermind. Now she was gone. She decided to go the same way she thought Shisui had. Maybe he was right and she didn't commit suicide. But then where would she be now? Itachi took a deep breath. He was probably just being desperate and hoping she was still here for him to redeem himself. Wiping his tears, his eyes hardened trying accept the cruel reality.

Fugaku waited for Sasuke to leave the room but when the boy sat there in a daze; Fugaku got up to talk to his wife. He should have told her about last night right when they woke up. At the same time he was slightly 'glad' he didn't. He himself was good at hiding his emotions, but Mikoto he wasn't so confident she could. She had begun to lose her touch once she was informed of Shisui's death. He walked into their bed room to find her sobbing in distraught. Mikoto buried her face into their mattress, her knees scraping the wooden floor. He closed the door shut and locked it. Quickly he held her in her arms; a slightly rare act of affection and put his mouth close to her ear, "Mikoto stop crying. She can hear you."

That definitely made her sobs come to a steady halt, "W-what?"

"She's not dead," he kept his voice low enough so that it was audible to her ears, and her ears only.

Mikoto's eyes widened as the sorrow that was eating at her was crumpling away, "She's... she's not..."

"She's not dead. I'm sorry. I should have told you sooner but I had to do something."

"Fugaku what are you talking about?"

"Yuki isn't dead."

"And you're not lying to me?"

"Do you think I would use our daughter's life as a joke?"

Mikoto shook her head, regaining her composure, "Where is she then?"

"I'll let you see her at night when it's safer. But I promise you she's okay."

Swallowing the lump in her throat; she let out a sigh of relief, "Thank God."

"Okaachan?"

That one word was enough to bring tears to Mikoto's eyes. The image of Yuki standing there alive grew blurry with tears. Her daughter was still alive. The girl she had carried inside her for nine months was still here. The girl she had cared for and nurtured and taught was standing right in front of her. Her daughter was still here. Mikoto threw her arms around her presumed to be dead daughter. She wept tears of joy as she ran her fingers through the child's messy hair. Yuki slowly allowed her arms to wrap around her mother. Fugaku watched from the door, making sure no one was to know of this secret. It was a long time before anyone had actually said anything. Mikoto was still crying and holding on to Yuki as if the girl would float away if she let go. Yuki was unsure of what to say. Her eyes lingered over to her stoic father at the door who stood in his usual stance; his arms crossed, eyes stern, and the frown on his face. Time flew by so fast that the more gentle expression he had the night before already seemed like a distant memory.

"Is something going to happen otousan?" Yuki pondered as the sound of the rushing river grew louder. Onyx orbs scanning the area briefly for anything out of place.

"Don't worry about it. Just do what I tell you to do," was his flat response. And then the silence took over again. Onyx eyes scanned the area. The moon lit up the vast space, serving as a giant lantern. Yuki wondered if this was when Shisui killed himself. Had he admired the beautiful scenery before drowning himself in the freezing cold water? Her stomach tightened at the thought of him. Ever since then he was taboo for her yet at the same time he continued to give her happiness. Fugaku's heavy footsteps came to a halt and he let Yuki slide off his broad back. Without leaving his position, he placed the paper on his back and handed her the pencil, "Yuki I need you to write a note. Write down the words I'm sorry I can't go on anymore."

"Yes otousan," she raised an eyebrow at his request but obediently did as she was told.

"Put it under that rock over there." Again Yuki did as she was told without a single question. "Yuki, I want you to listen very carefully. You're not going to be able to see Itachi and Sasuke for awhile a-"

"What? Why?"

"Yuki let me finish. It's for your own safety. You don't get to question this. Something bad might be happening soon and we need to keep you safe."

"But if something is going to happen then Itachi-nii and Sasuke-nii need to be kept safe too."

"I can hold save one of you this way," Fugaku snapped,"Please Yuki. When I say something is going to happen just listen to me and do what I say without questioning it."

Yuki paused. She examined Fugaku's expression. When had her father gained his creases and wrinkles she wondered. Her onyx eyes locked with his. Despite the firm and stern frown on his face his eyes were trying to express another emotion. Yuki couldn't identify what it was. But she knew Fugaku wouldn't do something without a good reason for it. This was serious business. She averted her eyes back to the river,"Okay otousan."

Yuki turned away from her father and held Mikoto's hand as she led her to a small table in the room. After Mikoto regained her composure and the two brightened the aura a bit, Yuki decided now might be her last opportunity. Yuki fiddled with her fingers much like her best friend would. She kept her head down, her raven locks created a curtain, "Okaachan?" Yuki said meekly, avoiding eye contact, "What if I don't want to fight? What if I want to become something else?"

"Like what?"

"I want... I want to become a medical ninja."

"Yuki..."

"I know... I know that the Uchiha clan are a proud clan. And I'm proud to be an Uchiha- I really am. And I know that we're known for being excellent ninja with remarkable skills and power. But I don't," she bit her lip, "I don't want to fight. I don't want to kill. I still see it at night sometimes. That rogue ninja I killed. I don't want to have to remember anymore of that. The feeling of slashing through him still feels so... My hands shake just thinking about it. I still want to be able to help though. I want to contribute. I am an Uchiha after all. Iruka sensei says I have really good chakra control. Shi- he taught me the body flicker jutsu. I don't really know where I'm going with this okaachan. I know otousan and you might not approve and I was really scared but I don't know what's going on and when the next chance I'll get to talk to you will be. I want to be a medic nin."

At this point Yuki's small fingers clenched on to the hem of her dress firmly; the grip had been gradually building up as she spoke. She had her eyes closed shut and her head had been pulled closer to the ground. The wooden floor felt cold against her forehead. Mikoto stared at her child, taken back by the confession. The small child gulped at the silence. She felt the warmth of Mikoto's hand press on to her back. Her eyes became glassy from the touch but she bit her lip to keep the promise she made to herself. The two stayed in a silence. Mikoto kept her hand on Yuki's small back. Yuki could feel Mikoto's warm and loving gaze on her. She could even feel the small smile that had crept on her mother's lips. No words were needed to be said. Just with that one simple gesture, Yuki knew her mother was supporting her choices.

Reevaluating it in her head, she realized how silly she had been; because her mother had always supported her in every decision she made. And she always would.

Yuki could wager her heart and soul on it.