"Why are you so upset, it's my house?" Kisame asked looking at Itachi as they walked on the newly rebuilt floor in the kitchen. Itachi looked at the floor and bounced on it to hear it not creak for once. "I had to pay for everything; all you did was baby-sit for the plumber and repair man. Can you say something?"

Itachi looked up at him with a blank expression. He stared quietly for a minute before raising a hand and pointing softly over to the sink. "I had them add a garbage disposal."

"Have I ever told you how wonderful an asset you are?" Kisame said patting him on the head. He walked out into the living room and sat down on a couch. He laughed to himself as Itachi walked in. "You know, now that I have the damn thing I'm never going to use it."

Itachi stopped, saw two headlights moving across the windows and past the door. He turned his head to look at his friend, "Were we expecting company? Somebody just pulled in."

Kisame shook his head trying to think. Itachi opened the front door and looked out as the thin black car shut down in Kismae's drive way. Itachi walked out as Nagato and Konan stepped out. Nagato looked over at him, "We have to talk, now and in private."

"Come on in." Itachi said and the two followed him. Konan stopped by the door and greeted Kisame. Itachi looked back at the two. "Kisame, why don't you show Konan your new TV?"

"You should see it, flat screen. Look at her!" Kisame said happily as Nagato and Itachi walked out of hearing to the back yard. Nagato wasted no time and produced the photo of Orochimaru for Itachi. Itachi tried to take a step past him but Nagato moved in the way trying to explain gently. "This was taken outside of Sasuke's school. Madara doesn't want you to go screaming off all Highlander-like, seeing as you have a tendency to do that to people who threaten Sasuke."

Itachi stopped and suddenly got defensive of his actions. "Do you have a little brother Nagato? No, you don't. You don't also have him as your sole surviving relative and the reason you get up in the morning. I will do anything to protect him."

"Such as calm down and listen to me?" Nagato asked placing his hands on his shoulders to get him to look at him. "Madara has order him dead on sight, with Hidan loaded with weapons, I don't expect he'll be alive at the end of the week. Get a gun, watch your back and let Madara protect Sasuke."

"Madara protect Sasuke? Yeah right." Itachi said and Nagato sighed. "You know something I don't? Please share before I rip your hands off me and go find my brother."

"Madara is talking with Sasuke right now, he'll be fine. You can go shove him in a protective bubble later." Nagato said and patted his shoulder. "Now, we have other things to discuss as well. It seems Madara wants Sasuke in the movement, and you know I don't want him in there; he'll steal my place in line for the throne. You don't want him there, he'll end up going down with us."

"He'll say no, I've already talked to him. He knows what Madara's up to, everything. I let Sasori tell him." Itachi said muttering. "Is there anything else?"

---------( blAck bIrd )---------

Sasuke arrived outside the gates in his new shoes and decided he would actually use the intercom system. He stuck his hand out pressing a large red button and waited for something to happen. He expected a little voice to come over the speaker but the gate just opened up and Sasuke walked in. It was about that time he vowed he would never let Suigetsu borrow his car again, he needed it.

Approaching Sasuke saw as his uncle exited the house and motioned for him to hurry up. Sasuke did and was quickly ushered inside the large mansion slamming the door behind them. Marada placed a hand on Sasuke back and lead him to the side room; Madara's personal office. As old men have a tendancy to do, it was filled with trophies, awards and taxidermy animals he bought because he didn't want to go through the hassles of shooting them himself. Madara sat down behind a large desk and offered a seat to Sasuke on the other side.

"Sasuke, there's something important I want to talk to you about, and your brother, Itachi, is probably going to tell you it in more passionate words." Madara said and set a photo of a thinly pale man down. "This used to be my top researcher some four or five years ago. We ran him off when we discovered he was using your brother for experimentations. He's quite dangerous and has a taste for messing with children."

"Pedophile?" Sasuke asked looking at the picture. "It doesn't matter, I can beat him off."

"Not pedophile, but more young boys have a good bounce back rate. He's powerful, he won't fight, he'll capture or lure you. You need to watch your back, watch your friend's backs. He's been seen at your high school. We believe he may be targeting you."

"What did he do to my brother?" Sasuke asked and Madara went quiet. He waited for a second and sighed. "I suppose if I asked Itachi, he wouldn't tell me anything either, correct? Is he that bad?"

"Yes, one of the first times I cried was actually when we found Itachi after an experiment. It was just twelve months after I got the both of you; I thought he was going to die. He was persistent enough to stay alive for you though. Don't you remember going to the college hospital to see him? It was when you first met Hoshigaki."

"The first year after my parent's died… it's kind of a blur." Sasuke confessed. "I don't remember anything from it. So… this guy, who is he and what do I need to be prepared for?"

"Is name is Orochimaru, and you need to basically get a gun and be in practice with it. You need to start carrying a weapon on you from…" Sasuke was quick as he pulled his knife out, opened it with a flick of the wrist and slammed it into the desk. Madara smiled. "Ah, I see you already do… Do they allow that at school?"

"Like I care. Anyway, too many people have them there, it's best not to bring up the knives and just ignore them. Guns on the other hand; that I can't take to school, not even carry in my car. We'll just have to hope that if he does show up, I can escape him or kill him with the knife." Sasuke said about to get up but Madara made a noise and Sasuke sat back down. "Is there something else?"

"I got a call from your principle Friday afternoon. You broke a boy's arm." Madara said and stood up to walk around the other side of the desk. He leaned on the side and crossed his arms. "The boy's parents wanted to sue the school and us, however, Deidara got down there as soon as I called him. He went through some video tapes and some stories from Itachi. Why on Earth were you being bullied for the past three years?"

"I told you people don't like me." Sasuke left his answer at that no matter what Madara said next. He ignore his guardian until he heard the words 'join the movement.' Sasuke stopped and looked at him. "What?"

"Would you like to join the movement? And not the saps working in the outer circles, my inner circle with all my researchers. You have great potential Sasuke, you just need the right place to grow in." Madara said trying to sound inspirational.

"So, I'm like a plant?" Sasuke asked. "If I am I eat way too much meat for a plant."

"Funny." Sasuke smiled taking it as a compliment. Madara patted him on the head and got up walking over to one of the book shelves. After search through for a minute or two he pulled out some textbooks and walked back over handing them to Sasuke. "I talked to your principle when he called, told him you were bored, summer classes can be allowed for high schoolers at the college. Look through these books, if you think you can handle these classes for summer, I'll get you registered and pay for everything. Then you'll be there for the meetings."

"I've been through all these, you can just enroll me." Sasuke said standing up with the weight of the four textbooks. He set them on the desk and pulled up his knife. "I'm not so keen on joining however, I think I'd like to investigate whether I could actually believe in Quantity. Give me time to think it over."

"Alright, I'll register you tonight. I'll give Itachi your schedule at tomorrow's meeting, alright?" Madara said as Sasuke picked up the books and began walking out. "Also, next time, bring over your girlfriend, I want to meet her."

"Alright." Sasuke left thinking 'Karin would enjoy posing as my girlfriend too much.'

---------( blAck bIrd )---------

Itachi looked quietly at Nagato and nodded. Nagato smiled, "So you understand why this must remain quiet from everyone, especially since I can ruin everything for everyone, just like you. It's a level playing field, but now we're on the same team."

"I'm going to give you the warning I gave Sasori. If you cross me, you'll scream, but I won't let you die." Itachi said coldly. He turned towards the kitchen door and opened it up allowing Nagato to go inside first. They both arrived in the living room to find Konan and Kisame engrossed in the new television. "…And the Samon swim up stream, leaping in bounds to their death bed amongst the falling leaves to return to the life cycle."

"I never knew so much about fish…" Konan said shocked. As the commercials ended she looked over at Nagato. "Are we done?"

"Yes, we are… Unless you want to watch more TV. I don't have an opposition to staying." Nagato said looking over at Kisame. The blue haired man moved over on the couch so he could sit next to Konan. Nagato looked at Itachi, "Are you going to stay, visit your brother or go crazy?"

"That's really none of your business, is it Nagato?" Itachi said and grabbed his father's police jacket from off the coat rack. He barged out the door slamming it tightly behind him and began walking down the street. Dusk was setting and Itachi felt the heavy piece of weapondry against his ribs. He couldn't help it, he grabbed the holster.

"I don't want a gun Nagato. Guns are useless." Itachi said rejecting the offering of a gun and holster. Nagato persisted.

"I know you don't have one." Nagato said and shoved it back at him. Itachi still refused to grab it."Guns save lives."

"Guns take lives." Itachi slapped the gun from Nagato's hand onto the dead grass of Kisame's back yard. "I don't want it. You know I won't use it. I don't fight outside competition."

"It's Madara's orders until Orochimaru's dead. Especially with you and Sasuke. Remember how fond of you he was?" Nagato walked over and grabbed the gun and shoved it at Itachi. "Put it on under your shirt, keep it hidden and safe since you're not registered to carry a firearm."

Itachi's hand clamped on it, just having it near him, he felt filthy. He sighed and heard the gothic sounds of Chopplin's Funeral March playing in a slow mood. He listen for a second before grabbing his phone and seeing 'Sasuke' on the screen. He smiled and answered. "Hello."

"Madara told me to get a gun. What the Hell is so bad about this Orochimaru guy?" Sasuke's voice asked rapidly. Before Itachi had time to say anything Sasuke continued. "Also, can you come pick me up? Madara ditched books on me and Suigetsu has my car."

Itachi stopped, "My cars at Black Bird, it'll be twenty minutes just for me to get to it. Where are you at?"

"Finch Street at Nine Mile."

Itachi scratched his head, "Um, go to 1920 Finch Street, it should be less then a block, if you can run there. I'll be by as soon as possible."

"Okay." Sasuke was going to ask who lived there but the call ended. He sighed and set his phone back in his pocket under the darkening street lamp and picked his books up and began to walk towards 1920 Finch Street with the books weighing heavily in his arms. Just what he wanted to be; cumbersome when he was going to a stranger's place. He wandered up to the small house and saw the car noting it to be familiar.

Sasuke rearranged the books on one arm and knocked on the door. A few moments later a half-agitated law student opened the door and looked down at him. "You're Itachi's kid brother aren't you?"

"He told me to come here and wait until he picks me up." Sasuke said. At the sound of his voice Deidara was pulled out of the way to show Sasori. "Oh, so this is why he told me to come here."

"Hello Sasuke, what are you doing over here?" Sasori said and let Sasuke inside. Sasori quickly took a look outside and closed the door. "It's too dangerous for you, especially you, to be wandering."

"Madara just got done telling me that. I was on my way home but these books weigh like fifty pounds each." Sasuke said setting them down on a table and rubbing his overworked arm. While he was doing that Sasori walked over and read through the titles.

"Well, then you know of the present danger?" Sasori asked and Sasuke nodded. The teacher then stopped and looked at him. "Why do you have these? We aren't using any of them until summer."

"Madara's getting me into classes over summer. He thought it would be a good way to try and press the Quantity movement on me. Of course it wasn't seeing as I tuned out half way through his speech." Sasuke said turning to him and looking over at Deidara. "So, what's up with you two?"

"Document organization by date then by alphabetization." Deidara said upset crossing his arms, "Oh the documents. All the documents would make up about fifteen filing cabinets and someone's too busy to help me with the slave labor."

"I told you, I have to get the grades in tonight so I can help you tomorrow. I only have three more papers to go." Sasori argued in his defense. "And it's only 1,353 folders, half of them are already organized."

"Still…" Deidara complained and began to walk off.

"I'll help." Sasuke said quickly. Deidara scratched his head and then waved for him to follow. Deidara took him to Sasori's spare office where the piles and piles of files were stacked about everywhere. "So we have to organize the folders."

"Yea, after we do the documents inside them. Here." Deidara said handing Sasuke a three inch folder. "Knock yourself out kid."

Sasuke sat straight down on the floor and began going through the files and set them into dates on the floor. All the while he was doing this he was skimming the documents for information. Sasuke finished the folder rather quickly then just grabbed another one.

Deidara looked at him. "You're like your brother somewhat. You're too quiet. He has this thing with being reserved unless he's really pissed, likes to play it cool. It pisses me off, he's always acting like that and he has those damn red contacts, never takes them out."

"He's got a stigmatism. He has to ware them, he just thought it be cool to special order them red. He gets those once a month, the ones you can sleep with so he doesn't have to bother with them." Sasuke said and began on the second folder. "We act like this because we went through being cold, I'm just warming up a bit faster. Killing your parents killers… It doesn't do one any good."

"I heard about that. Sorry about your parents kid, if it helps any, my father was a demolition expert, like to blow shit up. One day came home, mom was caught cheating, blew everything all to Hell. I was outside when it happened. I may have lost my parents, but the explosion was beautiful… hmm…" Deidara said reminiscing. He huffed, "I would like to blow shit up for a living, hell even fireworks but I got a scholarship that 100% covers my education in law, not engineering."

"Well, be a lawyer for a few years and save up the money to go back." Sasuke said like it was obvious.

"Well, I would, but I'd be so busy with the job, where's the time?" Deidara asked. He sat down with a few files and began shifting through. "Itachi says you're a lot more violent then he is, but so far, you haven't threatened my life once. Usually when he sees me there me and some type of unpleasant death involved in the conversation."

"You're probably hitting on a touchy subject. Some things are more sensitive to him then to me." Sasuke said finishing the second file he stacked it on to the other one and heard his phone go off. He pulled it out and looked at it; smiling warmly Sasuke answered. "Hey babe."

Deidara looked at him, "Aw, you've got a little…" Sasuke picked up a paper clip and chucked it at Deidara's head.

"I'll be home as soon as Itachi comes and gets me. I'll tell you when I get home." Sasuke said and saw Deidara coming up with an ingenious idea to pick on him involving the paperclip and a rubber band fastened between his fingers. "Love you too, bye. Ow…"

Sasuke rubbed the center of his forehead where the paper clip slapped. Deidara laughed, "That's so cute, young people in love. However, you're helping me, get back to work, you can talk to your little girlfriend later."

"Boyfriend, he's my boyfriend." Sasuke corrected and grabbed another file. He smirked, "You are rather annoying. I think I can understand why Itachi dislikes you. Maybe it's that and that you look like a chick."

"You know what you little punk…!" Deidara stopped as the door opened up and Itachi stepped in. He waved a finger at Sasuke feeling helpless at the situation. "He's being mean to me!"

"He's mean to everyone, you need to be thicker skinned, Deidara." Itachi said and whistled at his brother. Sasuke stood up and walked out saluting. Deidara stomped his foot angrily and walked out trying to protest but Sasori was busy talking to them both about the books Madara had given Sasuke. "It looks like you'll be pretty busy for three months. I'm just going to warn you, even though you're a friend to me, you're still a student and have to do the same or better level work to earn your place in my classes."

"I know." Sasuke said and picked up the books. "That's for taking me in for a little bit."

"No problem. Just a bit of advice though, don't go out alone." Sasori said. He and Itachi nodded at each other and the two brothers left. Deidara walked out still cross and growled angrily. Sasori looked at him, "So, you don't get along with any of the Uchihas?"

"Nope, they're a lot of stuck-up pig heads. That and all of them are mean as a habit or hobby. I hope they fall into a barrel of powder and explode into a million tiny pieces." Deidara said and walked away as if he had just said the most natural thing in the world.