A/n: a long chapter here and the last but one. Ok, get ready for the ending
Let it be a small ahead-of-time Xmas present for you. The next and the LAST chapter will be posted in a week, and will be another tiny gift for the New Year
I like how Tsunade acts here. She's very vividly ascribed, and that I hope you'll notice too, tell me what you think in ur comments.
Chapter XXI
Chapter Twenty One Summary: a single telephone call can change the destiny of not one, but the three of them. The only question - will the change be for the better or worse?
Sakura was in Itachi's room, absorbed in patching the torn jacket of her uniform when suddenly the telephone rang - something that never happened in this house. On its own, her hand reached for the receiver,
- Hello?
- Sakura?
Sasuke didn't expect to her her, but collected himself quite quickly, and prattled on,
- All the better. Look here, take Itachi and go to Hokage-sama's office straight away
- Hokage's office? - she asked, surprised. - Sasuke, what's wrong?
- You'll see later. Step lively, I'm waiting, - with this said, he hung up, leaving his wife astounded at such an out-of-the-blue piece of news.
- I heard it ring, - Itachi entered the room. - Who called?
- Sasuke, - she put the jacket aside. - He told us to go to Hokage now. I have no idea why, but he sounded nervous
- Hmm, - thoughtfully, he ran his fingers across his cheek. - Did he say "you and me"? I'm under home arrest, sort of
She shrugged,
- Yet, he's waiting for us. I think he'd asked Tsunade's permission and we won't have trouble with it. So, - she gave Itachi a quizzical look. - You coming?
They passed the porch and when in the middle of the street, Itachi stopped, hesitant. He was so good at orientating inside the house, his blindness barely noticeable, but here outside and in an unfamiliar atmosphere, it was different. Under the bright sunrays the pallor of his skin, light-deprived for more than a year, could not but reveal. Sakura caught this inconvenience and took him by the arm,
- Let's go, - she said in a soft voice, slightly pushing him in the right direction, and upon his nod, she took a breath and pressed to him, happy.
They walked along the streets of Konoha. Very few, except probably high-ranked shinobi's, knew the elder Uchiha in the face, and Sakura too, was not a star. Konoha, for it was a large village, didn't have many ninja's.
Itachi's thick dark locks fell onto his face, covering the unseeing eyes, and Sakura's slow pace and prop, made his steps assured, therefore, strangers could take them for a couple on a walk.
The girl spotted occasional glances of passersby, more often indifferent than kindly-curious or openly jealous, those flashed young girls, and upon them, Sakura perked her chin up and clang to Itachi still tighter.
On the inside, it was warm and cheerful as she now felt like an average woman, something she has forgotten since her last name changed to Uchiha. She smiled to herself as well as the world around, meanwhile Itachi kept silent all the time, deeply inhaling the cold March air, turning his head left and right, every sound not lost upon his attentive ear; his face expressed little, if anything, yet Sakura knew he enjoyed this unexpected stroll, for he's been missing the chill of the wind and the open space.
- Now left, - she whispered, and they turned round the corner, where ahead of them grew the building with 'fire' kanji on its wall; it meant Hokage's office.
A young chuunin at the reception desk raised his head from the documents,
- Uchiha Sakura-san, - followed his nervous swallow as he leered at the dark-haired man, whose mouth only just subtly curved in a smirk when he heard the shiver in the guy's voice. - Please, come in
- Thank you, - she hid a smile, tugging at Itachi's arm, leaving the chuunin breathless.
- Stairs, - she warned him quietly, having his thoughtful nod before they went up.
Here, in Hokage's office, civilians were a lot fewer, in contrast with astonished and disapproving looks, and there were such who glared at them unashamingly. She felt them with her back, increasing the clasp on his arm. It was Hokage who had called for them, so nothing blameworthy - and she flung her head up, stubbornly, whereas Inner Sakura shook her fist,
"Hey, hey, look everyone, Uchiha Itachi walks hand-in-hand with me. Surprised? Haha!"
As for the man, he too, sensed the confusion their appearance caused, only to him the situation seemed funny.
Just in front of the special room, she stopped, and after a double knock a muffled 'Come in' let them know they could enter.
Tsunade looked up from a pile of papers, Sakura tensed upon her heavy stare, and Sasuke, previously with his back to the door, turned around in an instant, then came up to the desk, now standing right behind Hokage's shoulder. For a time being, the woman dropped no word, sizing them up, and Sasuke kept silent, seeing Itachi's blind eyes looking into nothingness, as usual.
- Uchiha Itachi, - Hokage said at last, her brow furrowed.
- Yes, Hokage-sama? - his politeness had her shudder, although quick to recover.
- Your brother, Uchiha Sasuke, asked me a favor, - and judging by her face, the favor was not at all appeasing.
Sakura and her husband exchanged a glance - the latter's bore what looked like a smile.
- He asked me to grant you freedom, - words were stone-sharp. - Remove house imprisonment and permit you to go on missions
Sakura felt like banged with a hard item, 'He asked what? Tsunade will never ever-'
- Supposedly, you can guess how I regard this idea. I am responsible for Konoha, and cannot allow an S-class criminal walk about the village. And yet, your brother is willing to vouch for you, which I find really odd, especially considering your attitide to each other. Then again, he most likely has reasons for this, - a pause during which Sasuke shifting from one foot to the other. - I want to know what you think about it
- You are the ruler of the village, Tsunade-sama, - he intoned levelly. - All goes in accordance with your decision
- I see, - she enounced after a silence, nails tapping against the table top. - You and Sasuke, leave the room, I have to speak with my apprentice.
The younger Uchiha lingered on, but complied, and taking the elder's hand, left the place, smiling on his wife. The door shut afterwards; the kunoichi was one-on-one with her boss. Tension ensued.
- Sakura, - finally resounded in the room. - I greatly respect your husband, who is a talented shinobi and has done a lot for Konoha and does his job excellently. For him, I can make a concession. But this... this goes beyond the limits. Konoha, no doubt, will get an advantage with Itachi's skills, the more so because he has become less dangerous without this Mangekyou of his. The question is can we control him. I have no idea what your hubby feels towards him and what's going on between them, for it's none of my business, but I'm of opinion, that Sasuke... is not quite sane. Here's why I want to hear your views. - Tsunade put her chin on the clasped palms, then scrutinized the girl. - You know them well enough, don't you? And please no no's here. For your concern, I do remember what you were like several months ago, and where you spent the nights, and not that I could miss it. Like I said, your personal life is yours, I'm not interested which of the brothers you sleep with-
Sakura flamed up, trying to object or say something, but the woman cut her off with a single gesture,
- I simply want to know what thinks my assistant, and who, I'm positive, can make decisions despite emotions and affections, - those hazelnut orbs drilled right through her, so she had to lower her eyes.
- It's... tough, - was all she managed.
Tsunade sighed, reclining against the back of the chair,
- Who on earth is this man? - she shook her head like doomed, then mumbled, - What's so special about Uchiha Itachi that makes everyone act out of their normal selves? So avidly hating younger brother asks to grant him freedom, and my best medic and trustworthy student refuses to judge independently! - irritation awoke in her voice.
Sakura bent her head still lower,
- Who am I to judge him? - she murmured as if to herself. - I did speak to him, however strange it may sound, he's become close and dear to me. But I really doubt anyone can brag about understanding his nature. Neither can I, Tsunade-sama, - the emerald of her eyes met Hokage's brown. - I don't want to take the load of responsibility.
The older woman studied her for a while, and with utmost precision, then sighed and rubbed her forehead - she felt worn-out,
- Wish you knew how fed up I am of you, Uchihas! Sometimes I think there's more evil than good from your hellish family. Now call them in, - leant against the desk, she arranged the papers, annoyed as she seemed.
Once all the three gathered in front of the woman, she rased her head with the gloomiest of her glares,
- Uchiha Itachi, - immediately, he focused. - Step forward
He did so, calmly, she looked him up and down, this time not adversely, but pryly, before knitting her brow and ordering,
- Your arm
He stretched out the right limb, she touched his wrist with the metal bracelet, it shone in an even blue light of her chakra, upon which followed a short clap, and the thing undid. The man was puzzled as the Fifth put the string off and tossed it onto the pile of papers. Absent-minded, the man moved his hand back and forth before facing Tsunade with a mute question, touching the wrist.
- You're allowed to move about the surroundings, the training grounds, although the ANBU will keep an eye on you. So tricks excluded. Besides that, you're allowed to go on missions, but only with Sasuke or Sasuka. In case any rule is neglected or you attempt to flee or sabotage an act of outrage or any damage, extreme measures will be taken. Uchiha Sasuke, - now her stern gaze fell on the younger guy. - You aacount for your brother, and respond for his actions. All clear?
He nodded.
- It will take some time to get back to my previous shape and get used to fighting in my present state, - in the same even mild voice explained Itachi, so that it seemed nothing extraordinary ever happened.
He was given a dark glare, meaning Tsunade was far from contented with the decision made, and involuntarily yet naturally the anger poured onto the man,
- You have one month, - she spat out. - That's all. Dismissed. And Sasuke, - she had his attention. - You'd better try hard to avoid trouble in Konoha
- Understood, - returned the guy, bowing humbly.