Chapter 26: Dare to Dream

I really did not mean for this chapter to take as long as it has. I apologize. I would like to thank everyone that read, followed, and favored this fanfic. :) You're a lovely. I would also like to throw out that I want to start doing something for the people following along - I would like to start writing one-shots for people. At the 100th review on this story (that counts for any reviews after it ends) I will write a one shot for the person that wrote the 100th review. For part 3 I will write a one-shot for every 50th review - that means the 50th, 100th, 150th.

Once again I would like to recommend The Tale of Two Leaves by Windschatten because I love it and I'm totally stalking it. Join me.

Please look over any typos I left in here and I apologize if it's a little too fluffy. Sighh.. I just don't know what I think of this chapter.

Chapter Summary: Arashi meets Itachi for a short hiatus from their lives as ninjas.

Song: Mogwai - Take Me Somewhere Nice

Chapter 26: Dare to Dream

Once a year, the village of Yoji had a festival celebrating its past and reveling in its current state of prosperity. It owed much of its success to its hot spring rich location and it quickly became known as a tourist area. The streets were wide, well kept and busy with merchants, civilians, and tourists. The shops and restaurants bustled with business ad everywhere one looked there were signs that advertised a spa, a casino, or other landmarks people often came to see. As with most places in the Land of Fire, the climate was sunny and the skies were clear except for a few lazy clouds.

If there was one place in the entire country that someone could relax, it was there.

I have to be the only person in this area ready to tear my hair out.

Arashi sat on one of the too-firm beds in the hotel room she booked weeks before. The plan had seemed brilliant and fool-proof, but now that she was there, she felt insane.

He's going to think I'm crazy. Who does this sort of thing? Why didn't I think about this more? I've so over stepped boundaries and he's going to think I'm obsessed with him.

She looked at the clock. The parameters of the mission included Itachi meeting his client in her room at a specific time - which was ten minutes away. She expected him to be a little early. He always beat her to any meeting spot they agreed on.

His signature came into range and her back stiffened.

Beside her was a box with a present in it for him. Their usual agreement of eating at a cafe and catching up felt insufficient. She wanted this to be special.

Itachi tapped his knuckles against the door a few times. Arashi shot to her feet, glanced at a mirror, and went to let him in.

No backing out now.

Itachi's eyebrows rose. Instead of the client he thought he was meeting, he was greeted by a nervous kunoichi that looked ready to bolt any second. He did not say anything at first. He glanced past her, into the room, and then pinned her with an inquiring look.

"Surprise!" Arashi held her arms out. "Welcome to the beginning of your paid two day vacation."

"So," his tone was flat and his lips were a hard line, "You're my client."

"Uh, yeah. You're too busy and tired all the time. I get it that you're an ANBU captain and you're in high demand, but if those tired lines on your face get any deeper, they're going to be permanent."

The air around him shifted and he looked away from her, "You should not have done this."

Tension filled the room.

"I just wanted you to rest."

"My duties and responsibilities have been put off for this."

Her stomach twisted into a knot, "I'm sorry. You don't have to stay for the full two days - or any of the days, really."

He did not reply. Instead, he averted his gaze. Arashi fidgeted - it was like he just disconnected from the situation to consider something. She felt forgotten and the ache to know what his thoughts were dug into her like a thorn.

"At least step in here? I have something for you."

He moved inside, but stayed by the door.

He really doesn't want to be here, does he?

She plucked the box off the bed and handed it to him. Without looking at her, he opened it and pulled out a necklace. It was simple in design with three silver rings and a thin but sturdy chain.

"I wanted to give you something to keep with you. I guess since you gave me this scarf, my thoughts were along the lines of something you could wear."

He let out a short hum and replied, distantly, "We should do what you hired me for."

Arashi looked down at the floor, "This was pushy, wasn't it?"

He did not reply and his lack of a response was as bad as a slap.

"I just-" she swallowed over a lump in her throat, "I just worry about you. I worry about your safety on those missions, I worry about your happiness at home, and I worry about the stress and mental strain you go through."

His expression softened, but his voice was firm as he replied, "You worry too much."

"No, I don't think so. Not in this situation. You never talk to me about anything that happens in your life. I feel like it's a guessing game or a puzzle and when I get closer to piecing it together to get a picture of what's going on in your mind, you take a handful of those pieces and walk away." The words rushed out of her like water through a broken dam. "I don't mean to cling because I know all that would accomplish is pushing you away and I don't think I could stand to lose you, so I try to not pry, but you've become so distant. I feel like you're gradually separating yourself from me and the more I watch you, the more apparent it becomes that something is wrong and you're in pain."

He watched her with his face set into a passive mask.

"Is ANBU what you really want? Have you thought about resigning?"

"I have no reason to resign."

"No reason? You haven't been yourself lately and I want you to be happy."

"I assure you, I am only tired."

It was hard to read him. She never realized how frustrating it would be when, at that instant, his striking eyes took on the veiled cast that she knew all too well as a refusal to discuss something. She could sense the troubled cast to his chakra, but she was unsure as to whether it was linked to her current state or if she was right and he needed out of the Black Ops.

All she knew was that he was not going to tell her and she felt like an idiot.

She wrapped her arms around herself, "I'm losing you, aren't I? It's only a matter of time before I won't even have a place in your life."

"Never."

The softness of his tone surprised her, but he went no further to explain.

She shook her head, "I just wish I could help you. I didn't mean to make you mad. I should've thought this through better-"

"Forgive me," Itachi wrapped his hand around hers, "You're right. I do need this break."

She stared at him in disbelief. His lips were curved into a smile, but she knew what he said was only meant to placate her. Knowing that the expression he wore then was only another mask was almost worse than if he chose to walk away. She wanted genuine happiness - not a lie. She wanted to be the cause of that happiness.

He tugged her into a walk.

Did I really just say all of that to him? She stared at her boots. He must hate me right now.

Every step felt like she was lifting weights instead of her feet. This was not how she planned for this to begin. It was supposed to be something he would enjoy, not something he would tolerate with a generous amount of longsuffering.

He squeezed her hand comfortingly when they reached the street and instead of releasing her like she expected him to, his grasp remained firm and soothing. She wanted to be the one to soothe him, but she did not openly acknowledge it. She was afraid that even one word would spoil the gesture, so she chose to indulge in a guilty silence.

Itachi was not the type that sought physical contact. Even with her insistence to hug him as a child, he tolerated it at best. The hold he hand on her was almost like an apology and encouragement in one. She tried to not focus on it, but it was difficult. She had never left the village with him before and there was something intimate about it just being them in a crowd of people they did not know.

More people were gathering in the streets as time went on and more stands were erected in preparation for the festival. The sights, smells, and variety of signatures played with her senses, and if not for the worried thoughts of her friend, she would have been grinning from ear to ear.

Arashi was not stupid. There was something wrong with him and she knew he was keeping it from her.

Arashi shook her head. She needed to steer this toward something more positive. It would be a waste if they were miserable the entire time. She scanned their surroundings for something for them to do and her eyes fell on a game stand with stuffed animals as prizes. There was one in particular that caught her attention. It was a badly sewn together cat that was both hideous and adorable at the same time.

"So, where do you want to go?" She focused on him. "This is meant to be your mini vacation."

He shrugged a shoulder.

Ugh. She looked around and her attention was once again drawn in by the patchwork cat. "How about we play a game?"

They went over to it and Arashi eyed the set up, dubiously. There were bottles lined up in rows and the point of the game was to throw rings around their necks. The man that was running it watched her, flippantly.

"Hey, I'd like to try," She pulled out some ryo to pay for her attempts. "How much?"

He pointed to a sign, "No ninjas."

"Huh? Why?"

"Ain't fair to the normal people."

"Oh."

Itachi placed a hand on her shoulder, "I guess I won't get to play, but at least you can, Arashi."

The man raised his eyebrow, "You both look like ninjas to me."

Itachi shook his head, "No. I am here to look after her as my mission."

He was the picture of sincerity. Arashi had been near some good liars and Itachi was definitely at the top of the list. He slid into the farce without a second's hesitation.

"Ain't that a ninja pouch tied onto the girl's waist?"

She looked at her medical pouch, "What? This? Ah, nah. It's a fanny pack. I know, I'm lame."

He rubbed his chin, "So, you're being escorted by a ninja? You're not bringing trouble here, are you?"

"No," she shook her head. "Daddy just wanted to make sure I was safe since he couldn't come with me."

Itachi released her shoulder, "It's just a precaution."

Oh my, this is fun. She giggled, "Yeah, Daddy's afraid I'll get abducted or something. I mean, who worries about human trafficking in a place like this!"

"Alright." The man gathered a few rings, "I'll be watching you."

"Okay!" She exchanged the ryo for the rings.

Itachi whispered into her ear, "Miss the first several."

A shiver ran up her spine and she nodded.

I can just hear Daisuke laughing about how I'd miss without trying.

She wet her lips and lined up a throw. She felt like the man was staring a hole through the side of her face, waiting for her to out herself as a shinobi.

Really? He's a bit too suspicious.

She threw the first ring and it bounced off the side of the bottle.

Alright, one toss thrown away. She mustered up a bubbly giggle, "Okay, maybe the next one!"

The next skidded across the top of two bottles and clattered on the ground.

She pouted.

Itachi touched her shoulder, "Try throwing them more gently."

She loved this act.

"This is harder than it looks."

Itachi slid one of the rings out of her hand, "Hold it like this."

This is way more enjoyable than the actual game. She watched him with the best confused look she could contort her face into. "Okay, so like that?"

The Uchiha nodded.

Arashi intentionally missed again.

"Ugh! I'm terrible at this!" She tugged at her hair. "Maybe if I'm a little more careful."

Itachi shrugged, "These games are a waste, but it's up to you if you want to try again."

"You're getting better." The man encouraged her, now convinced that she was a civilian - a civilian willing to throw ryo away. "I bet you'll get it the next few times. Here, I'll give you another ring for free."

"Really?" She grinned at him.

"Here, go on, girl."

She took it from him, stared intently at the bottles, and threw the ring. It clattered around the neck of one of the center bottles.

She cheered, "Yeah!"

The man snorted, "Good job. Which one do you want?"

"The cat." Itachi pointed to it.

Arashi squinted at him, He noticed? I looked at it like twice. That's almost creepy.

She hugged the stuffed animal to her chest. She grabbed onto Itachi's sleeve and tugged him into a walk beside her. They were forced to stay almost arm in arm because the groups of people pressed in around them.

"Okay, what do you want to do now?" She called over the crowd.

He scanned their surroundings, "There's a dango stand over there."

"Alright, we'll get a snack."

Once they had their food in hand, they continued walking the streets. Arashi was fairly certain Itachi was in a better mood after their ruse to get the ugly stuffed animal than he was when they met in the hotel. Not that she could have perceived that accurately from his outward appearance. He was good at showing only what he wanted to be seen.

If not for her sensory skills, then she would have been lost in her attempts to read him.

Something caught her attention and she paused to look over her shoulder. A photographer stood next to a sign advertising his work.

She nudged Itachi and pointed, "We should take a picture together."

He inclined his head.

Arashi pushed through the crowd with Itachi at her heels. The photographer greeted them and ushered them over into a roped off area where he had a backdrop set up.

"Okay, so, we just pose or whatever?" she asked.

"Move a little closer to each other and smile?" The photographer suggested.

"Um, okay."

It was awkward to pose together when they both had dango in their hands and she had a patchwork cat in a headlock under one of her arms.

The photographer snapped a photo and frowned, "I think there's something on your mouth, girl."

Arashi wiped some food off her lips, "Eww. We'll have to take another one."

Itachi chuckled, quietly.

She squinted at him, "You could've told me I looked like an idiot."

The photographer snapped another photo and she glared at him.

"What?" He shrugged, innocently. "Your expression will look hilarious."

Arashi leaned against Itachi and forced a smile - she was sure she would look angry or crazy - and the photographer took another photo.

"So," he took a step back, "Do you want to take anymore?"

"I think this is fine." She replied.

"Well, which one do you want?"

Arashi shrugged, "All of them."

"Eh? Alright. They'll be ready for you tonight or you can pick them up tomorrow."

"Oh. Okay." She turned to Itachi, "What do you want to do after this? We have another hour or two until the main event of the festival is supposed to start, I think."

He shrugged.

"Guess we'll just waste some time, then."

They weaved through several more stands and pulled the same ruse on many more games. After the initial burst of annoyance, Itachi seemed to enjoy himself. The behavior was erratic for him and she was not sure how she should perceive it.

"Look, it's finally starting!" Arashi whispered, loudly.

They stood in a crowd of people and watched as the procession came down the center of the street.

First came horses carrying the town's leader and the priests from a local temple. They wore ceremonial clothing from a century before. Next came people dressed in armor, carrying weapons used in skirmishes before the Lands were defined and before organized militaries existed.

Arashi glanced at Itachi to check his reaction. He watched the procession with an interested spark in his eyes. She knew he was linking everything to the history texts he liked to study. It was his influence that led to her taking more interest in history.

If she was to be completely honest, she found it to be a mostly boring subject, but she pushed through it to connect better with him.

Next, performers followed the soldiers, playing instruments. Behind them were people carrying floats and flags. She linked her arm with his and pointed at a particularly colorful one.

I wish I could do this with Itachi all the time. Sure, this isn't anything too amazing, but being able to be with him without his clan breathing down his neck and glaring at me with their freaky eyes makes it worth it.

Arashi had always said she wanted to help people and that was her greatest motivation. She still stood by that, but now she dreamed of things she once frowned on. She wanted to be loved and recognized as not only a shinobi, but as a girl - by a certain Uchiha ANBU captain that loved history and embodied what she wanted to see in herself.

When they got back to the hotel room, Arashi dropped a bag of dango on the bed and went over to the TV. Itachi stripped his weapons from his body and removed his shoes before he settled on the bed beside the food.

"Think they have anything decent to watch?" She peered through the small selection. "You know, I never watch television. I never have the time."

Nothing caught her fancy. Everything looked dated and boring. Most of them were documentaries about the festival they just watched or the local terrain.

"Eh, let's learn about hot springs."

Itachi snorted and pulled a stick of dango from the bag.

"Er," Arashi squinted. "Does the volume not get any louder on this thing?"

She messed with it a bit and sighed.

"Well, we might not be able to hear it too well, but it's something. I mean, look! We have time to watch a box with lights in it!"

He raised an eyebrow at her. She shrugged and climbed onto the bed beside him. They adjusted the pillows together to prop up against as they picked through the leftover food they brought with them.

Sheesh, the last time we had the time to hang out like this was when we were little. She grinned. Actually, we've never even gotten to have this much time together. An evening of hide and seek or tag as kids doesn't equate to this. My dad would crap a brick if he knew I was doing this with a guy.

The documentary was not well put together and the sound was off.

Well, this kinda sucks. Maybe I should've chosen to turn on the radio, instead.

Arashi blinked awake and looked around, blearily. The lights were turned off, leaving only the television's blank screen as the only thing lighting the room. She blinked a few times. Itachi's warm signature was right beside her.

She mumbled out in a half whisper, "Did I fall asleep?"

When he responded, his voice was as thick with sleep as hers, "Yeah."

His arm was pinned under her.

"Oh. Did I fall asleep on you?"

"Yeah."

"Sorry. Want me to move?"

She felt him shrug.

"That documentary was terrible," she breathed out.

Sleep tugged at her consciousness. If she was entirely awake, she would have been flustered by their current position. Instead, she closed her eyes and pressed her cheek into his shoulder.

"Itachi?" she whispered

He hummed.

"Do you have a dream?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Just curious. You've never mentioned any to me."

"Hmm, is your dream still to become a renowned medic?"

"I think that's really more of a goal. As long as I get to help people, I feel like I'm achieving it."

"Then you have a new dream?"

"Maybe," she played with a few strands of his hair. "If you tell me yours, I might tell you mine."

He was quiet for so long that she thought he was asleep, "I don't have time to dream."

"Oh."

It was always a series of objections and goals in his life. She mentally reprimanded herself for thinking he would join in on her silly, half asleep conversation.

"I figured just about everyone has a secret aspiration or desire." She explained and twisted the hair around her finger. "Maybe someday we'll both have the time to compare what we want in life and not just what's expected of us."

She hated that she could not see his face, but she doubted she would have the courage to look, regardless. It was easier for her to hope that he could reciprocate her feelings rather than mustering the courage to discover if he did or not. If he did not, she was afraid it would ruin everything between them.

Arashi felt his body relax beside her. She did not realize he had even been tense - he was so skilled at appearing calm and at ease that she missed that detail. Each steady rise and fall of his chest beckoned her to join hm. Whether or not he had a dream, she would never be sure, but she hoped that even if it was just for that night, they could dream together.

The sensation of fingers brushing across her throat - tracing the scar tissue - made her spine stiffen. Her heart went from being at rest to racing in less than a second. The memories of the kunai cutting through her skin and the terror that gripped her as she fell was again all too real.

Her eyes fluttered open and Itachi pulled his hand away. She sat up and gasped in a deep breath. It was only the two of them.

He watched her with his eyebrows knit together in concern, "You wanted to visit the hot springs before leaving today?"

She nodded, but her heart still thrummed wildly. She leaned forward to cradle her head in her hands and her attention shifted down to her scarf. It had been loosened and shifted away from the scar, but she knew it was tied securely around her neck the night before. Even if she tossed and turned while she slept, it would have still been in place.

He wanted to look at it?

She peered up at him through the loose strands of hair that fell in her face. She wondered if it bothered him as much as it bothered her. The image of his face when he discovered it was enough to haunt her. It was the most emotion she had ever seen from him.

"It's a pretty bad scar, huh?"

He sighed through his nose and replied, "You survived."

"And that's all that matters, right?"

He inclined his head and stood. He was ready for the day and it dawned on her that he let her oversleep for several hours.

Arashi frowned, "I set an alarm."

"You looked tired."

Her frown deepened and she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. For the sake of reinforcing her desire to be more mature, she resisted the urge to pout.

He poked her nose, "We still have time, so don't make that face."

"It's hard for me to not make a face when you poke it - which is better than when you used to flick me all the time. That hurt."

Her turned, took a step toward the door, and looked at her over his shoulder.

"Okay, okay."

She hated being rushed right after waking up.

Arashi looked down at herself. She wore nothing but a towel. It covered everything personal, but she felt like she was naked and baring herself to the world - or more accurately, everyone in the hot spring she was about to enter. She wondered why she thought a mixed gender one was the perfect choice now. She would be able to talk to Itachi in a much more potentially intimate setting - she was trying desperately to separate herself from just being his childhood friend - but in the face of the opportunity, more insecurities bubbled up.

Arashi was at a strange point in her life where she was starting to transition from being all skin, bone, legs, and elbows, but the changes left her with mixed emotions. It was her body and she took care of it, but she could not control the way it was developing. She could not use her biological family as a gauge to guess at what she would end up favoring, because she did not know who they were and had never seen pictures.

Her adoptive mother was a beautiful woman and she found herself once again wishing they shared blood. Her adoptive parents were so wonderful to her that she never had the desire to look into her biological parents. She assumed she was orphaned because of the last war, just as many other children were orphaned. They never spoke of the details and continued to care for each other as if they had always been a family from the start of her life. In fact, Kazika still did not know that she was adopted. Arashi pushed the thought from her mind - there was no point in revisiting something that bothered her when she dwelled on it.

She had more pressing things to focus on.

Arashi took a deep breath and went to find Itachi. He was already in the water and waiting for her. There were several other people, as well, but she paid them no mind.

As she entered, the heat made pleasurable chills course through her. There was nothing that compared to a hot bath or shower and the warmth helped ease the nervousness that pressed in on her.

Until a man's eyes fell on her neck and the ripple effect of imagining how she got such a gruesome scar passed across his face and onto the faces of those around him that noticed right after he did.

The sensation of the wet towel stuck to her skin began to suffocate her as she stood frozen - she would never be free of the memento Satoshi marred her with and no matter how much time passed, it was still painful to acknowledge.

Her hand rose to the scar and she turned away from their stares. She did not want to wear a scarf into the spring, because of the silly looks it would have earned her, but now she felt that perhaps quizzical expressions were the better option.

Her eyes met with Itachi's. He was still waiting on her to join him with a friendly curve to his lips. It was a gesture she had a hunch he directed at her because he knew she liked it. It was a rare occurrence to ever see him fully smile, but he often offered her that and right now she needed it. She was sure he saw their reaction and she noted that he was careful to keep his gaze level with hers.

Another thing that she noticed was that he now wore the necklace she gave him.

Well, at least he doesn't completely hate it, I guess.

She settled beside him, "I was thinking that maybe after this, we could go find a gambling ring and put ourselves in crazy debt."

Itachi arched an eyebrow at her, "It is good to emulate Tsunade, but only in her professional achievements."

Arashi snorted, "I guess so. I really wouldn't want to be considered a financial joke. I'd rather waste my ryo on other things."

The conversation died there.

I love and hate how quiet he is. She sighed, "So, I'm assuming Sasuke's enjoying the Academy? Does he still pressure you into training him?"

"All the time." Itachi replied and there was a fond note underlying the words. "What of Kazika?"

"Ehh," she shook her head. "He likes it, but I think right now it's mostly for social reasons. He likes being near other kids and it gives him an excuse to 'practice with his tanto', but I really think he just likes showing it off more than anything right now."

Itachi hummed, "How is Naruto?"

She thought of the boy's bright eyes and smiled. Everyone knew she had a soft spot for him. It started off as a feeling of obligation to him because of his parents, but now she just wanted to look after him as she would Kazika. Naruto threw his whole heart into what he did and although he had his own issues that frustrated her to no end, he was just a kid and his life was not easy. Akio and Daisuke never brought him up to her - she was not even sure what their opinion of the boy was. It was not a subject she breached with people because she was afraid to find out that they hated the boy and then the whole situation would become awkward.

Itachi's more thoughtful than they are, though. She shrugged, "He's managing. He'll never be the top of his class and he's far from book smart, but he's hanging in. He's a determined boy."

Itachi nodded once.

Okay, what else do I say?

Typically, she liked companionable silence between them, but she wanted to keep him talking. When people talked, they gave away something of themselves. The more a person talked, the better the person listening could figure them out and she wanted to goad him into letting her in more.

Maybe something a little closer to home will draw him out? She cleared her throat, "So, a while back, your dad mentioned maybe recruiting me into the Police Force once I'm a Jounin. He said that you would eventually leave ANBU and start working with him and I guess he thought I'd be of help because of my friendship with you and my specialization as a medic."

A flash of emotion passed over his face and he frowned.

"I don't intend to join the Police Force."

"Wait, but doesn't your dad want you to?"

He shrugged, "It's what Sasuke wants. As long as our father has one of us to take his place, he will be fine."

"He wants you to fill his place. What do you want to do, instead?"

"I can become the clan leader without leading the Police Force. It would open up more time for me to look after the Uchiha's interests on a more personal level."

"So, you're going to leave that to Sasuke?" I guess the two of you could make a good team for your clan."

Itachi did everything his father had ever asked of him - he became a shinobi, worked hard in preparation to become the clan leader, put the Uchiha's interests before his own, joined ANBU - everything. That he was now adamant in his own choice struck her as strange. He loved his little brother and it made sense that he would want the boy to achieve his own dreams, but there was something else to the situation that he was keeping from her.

"Is everything okay with you and your dad?"

"Everything is fine."

"Of course it is." She crossed her arms and squinted at him. "I guess if I manage to get recruited, I could look after Sasuke for you a bit."

They lapsed into silence again.

Itachi's the only reason I even wanted to join...

"You might not be as welcomed in their ranks as you've been led to believe."

She blinked and eyed him, curiously, "Yeah?"

"My clan is very proud. They are set in their ways and more often than not, they are blind to anything or anyone that doesn't conform to their set of beliefs and standards."

She frowned and picked at a loose string on her towel, "I know that it would be different for me and harder. I fully expect to be looked down on for not being as skilled or talented."

"Being born an Uchiha does not mean one is born better than anyone else. Natural talent will only take you so far. Perseverance and hard work prove to be the more valuable traits. Pride can easily hide that truth. Just as it can blind people so completely that they can no longer see reality." Itachi stared into the water as he spoke. "They might never see your true worth, no matter how hard you try to show them. They refuse to see what they do not want to see."

Arashi chewed on her lip. That was the most negative thing he had ever said to her about the Uchiha. Everyone knew they were proud, but his statement of them being blinded by it was new.

She knew there was something about Fugaku's offer that did not sit well with her. She knew that there was a hook behind the bait - but now it struck her that the bait was not for her. Did Fugaku want to use her as added leverage to pressure Itachi into following in his footsteps completely? With all of the pieces fitting together, she had a feeling that she was nothing more than an attempt by Fugaku to add more incentive for Itachi to do what he wanted him to.

She chewed on her lips.

Tense, secretive, exhausted, irritable, displeased with his clan, something up with his dad - oh yeah, something's wrong. She shrugged, "Out of the Uchiha, I think your opinion is the only one that matters to me."

His eyebrows rose in mild surprise - he had seen her fidget anxiously near his father since she was six.

"I mean, I don't want them thinking badly of me," she shifted, nervously. "But, I find myself wondering what it will be like when you're in charge. I do care about your parents, Sasuke, Shisui, and everyone who is still nice to me, because they've come to feel like a second family to me, but you're different from all of them. I care for them because I care for you."

It was a half-confession of sorts.

His lips formed a line and he continued to stare into the water.

Arashi's heart lurched. Did I say the wrong thing?

A full moment passed before he replied with a simple, "I know."

It was not a negative reaction to what she had to say, but it left her wanting to know more. She wanted to know his opinions and his deeper thoughts on the matter, but she knew she would not get it out of him.

Silence pressed in on them again.

I hate this. Why can't this be easy?

Arashi gathered her nerves together and ran a thumb over his tear duct line and down his cheek. She remembered when they were younger and the creases of his face were not as prominent from exhaustion. They made him look much older than he really was.

I wish I could take all of this from him. I wish he would let me help him shoulder some of the weight of whatever has him like this.

A soft sigh passed through his lips and she pulled her hand back.

The sudden absence of her touch pulled his gaze back to her, "This was thoughtful of you."

"I still can't believe Sandaime-sama played along with it, but I couldn't think of a better way to make you take a break. That's not healthy, you know."

The corners of his mouth quirked up, slightly, "I guess it couldn't be helped. What chance did I have with the two of you conspiring against me?"

"Conspiring for you!" She laughed.

Arashi was sad to leave Yoji. Sukai served as quick transportation and it would not take him long to get them back to Konoha. They intended to drop Itachi off outside of the village so that he could return at a different time to keep his clan from being suspicious. The only proof of their adventure was the pictures she had hidden in her pack.

She glanced at him again and frowned. He seemed a little more rested than he had before, but another day or two would have been even better. What bothered her more than the tired lines of his face was the distance in his eyes as he stared unseeingly in thought.

"So, I'm not losing you?"

He regarded her in a way that made her feel like he was looking through her, "No. Even if we walk very different paths in life and even if we're unable to be together for long stretches of time, remember that we're both working toward the greater good of our village and that keeps us connected."

She snorted and shook her head, "The Will of Fire."

And that's it for chapter 26. I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter at all. I think I've just ruined this whole thing and I was so excited to write it. xD ahhhh! If anyone has any opinions, criticisms, suggestions - feel free to share them in a review. All feedback is appreciated.

Juliedoo: I'm starting to think I capable of writing only awkward characters and awkward situations. Sigh. It makes me happy that you like Arashi as a character. I feel like she's come quite a way from when she was that six year old girl I started writing on a whim one night.

I'm hoping to focus a bit on a more subtle mission soon, but we'll see how it all works out as the story progresses. Espionage is fun, but there isn't much more to go for part 2. xD I've been juggling a few things around to make some more room for it, because that's an aspect I sorely wished had more focus in canon.

Thank you for your reviews! I always love them. :)

Windschatten: I've read too many fanfictions where all of the male characters develop feelings for the main female OC. None of that here. xD Naomi will end up getting a bit more focus through part 3 and 4. I really look forward into delving into her character a bit more than just the occasional catty remark here and there.

Itachi is a character that I don't feel comfortable speaking for. I'll write scenes for him, but I don't want to come out and say what he might be really thinking. It's totally up to a reader's interpretation for a lot of it, although I do plan on answering some questions as time goes on.

Thank you for this review and I hope it lives up to your expectations even if it's just a little bit. :D

Misora Asuka: xD I'm glad that you like Kazika. I'm wanting to slowly introduce him into the story and eventually give him a little more focus. He might not be the brightest crayon in the box, but he IS sneaky, so it makes him fun to write. I had fun mentioning the canon characters, even if it was just in passing.

You'll just have to wait to see how she acts after the massacre. It does change who she is a bit. :)

Thank you for the review! I really appreciate it!