Chapter 36 – From This Day Forward

This was the important news?

Sighing, Shikamaru stared up at the darkening sky. It was rare of them to be outside the village nowadays, especially himself as he was never too far from Kurenai now that she was getting on in her pregnancy, but… Again, he sighed. Uchiha Shisui was certainly making his job a lot easier. He just couldn't decide if it was a good thing or a bad thing.

In a way, it felt like Shisui was trying to replace Asuma – that was what the illogical side of him, the deep anger within himself, was always screaming. Shisui was making moves on Kurenai (who was pregnant!) now that Asuma was out of the way. However, the Uchiha had apparently been told something by Kurenai, because just a few days ago, he approached Shikamaru, holding his hands up in a sign of truce.

To say that it had been an awkward conversation would be a slight understatement, but Shisui had silenced those petty, childish thoughts in Shikamaru's mind. He'd made the younger man see sense. No, Shisui was not and would never be able to replace Asuma. He was taking care of Kurenai because he cared for her. Yes, Shisui admitted that he had feelings for the woman, but also admitted that they'd spoken about those feelings and there weren't any misunderstandings. Kurenai was still grieving and there was no telling how long it would take her to be able to open her heart again.

If he was upset about that fact, Shisui hid it well. And that was why Shikamaru was so laid back about the man becoming more and more involved in not only Kurenai's life, but also the unborn child's, too. Not only was he understanding and accepting, but he had Kurenai's best interests at heart and… Well, if Kurenai was under Uchiha Shisui's protection, then the same went for the baby. Asuma's baby. Uchiha Shisui was a powerful man who was highly respected. If anybody could protect them, Shisui could.

So, right at that moment in time, Shikamaru was outside of the village walls with his team. Like he had thought moments before, he usually never strayed too far from Kurenai, but she was currently with Shisui, taking another one of their strolls around the village. They helped relax her, helped her get at least a little exercise.

The sky was a mesmerising variety of colours as Shikamaru reclined onto the damp grass, uncaring about that minor detail. There were shades of orange, red and purple/blue mixed in there, giving it one of the nicest colours he'd seen in a long while. Yes, he enjoyed watching the blue sky and all the clouds, but this had a more relaxing feeling to it. It allowed a great weight to lift from him along with the sigh that left him.

Temari once told him that she loved how the setting sun meant another day was over, another chapter was closed. Tomorrow was a new start, allowing them to do things over or differently. It gave them a chance to right their wrongs and put the past into the past.

Tch. He gave a lazy smirk. Trust that troublesome woman to make her way into his thoughts somehow without even trying.

"You called us out here because of Sakura?" Choji muttered, scratching his cheek.

"…Yeah," Ino murmured.

"Ino…" the big man sighed, though hid his annoyance well. He always did unless somebody called him fat. "I'm sure Sakura's fine. Can I go now? Ma's cooking her homemade–"

"I have no one else to talk to," she whispered, hands angrily clenching into fists against her knees at having to admit such a thing. After a moment Ino shifted her arms until they were wrapped around her legs, bringing her knees up to her chest. "You guys are… You're family to me and right now, I need my family. Sakura's… She's not being herself and I don't know why. She's not letting me in."

Sighing, Shikamaru closed his dark eyes for a few moments. The only reason he wasn't telling his teammate to get over it was because he had also picked up on the fact that something was wrong. The last time he'd seen Sakura had been only a few hours ago and she had been withdrawn, staying almost tucked into Itachi's side like she couldn't face looking at anyone. Something was different about her. Off, even.

"Even Sasuke-kun knows." Ino sighed. "I tried talking to him about it, but he told me to stay out of Sakura and Itachi-san's relationship, that I'd already meddled and caused problems!"

"You did," Shikamaru pointed out, his eyes staying shut. "Also, Sakura's only just gotten her position back at the hospital because of what you said. Who knows how Itachi reacted to finding out what you blurted out."

Ino remained silent, already knowing these things.

"Look," Shikamaru sighed as he finally opened his eyes and sat up, leaning back on his hands. "Sakura will tell you what's wrong in her own time. You need to earn her trust again after what you did. She–"

"You're wrong," she whispered.

"How's he wrong?" Choji frowned. "Sounds like good advice to me!"

Ino sighed and stared forward. "I know Sakura better than I know myself, just like she knows me better than she knows herself. It's always been that way." Her eyebrows knitted together. "She's hurting. Badly. And I…" It hurt Shikamaru and Choji when Ino's voice went slightly higher, indicating that she was close to bursting into tears. "And I don't know what to do to help her. I can't get through to her!" Just as Shikamaru opened his mouth, she cut him off, "You don't understand. This hasn't only just started. It started not long after she got married to Itachi-san. This has been going on for at least a month now, if not longer."

Frowning, Shikamaru murmured, "And you think he's hurting her?"

A pause. "I don't know what to think. All I know is that my best friend's suffering and it started only months after marrying him. Every time I see her now, she's avoided me, or stuck close to Itachi. She's not being herself!"

A different voice, one none of them had been expecting, spoke up, making them startle, "Itachi isn't hurting Sakura-chan."

"Naruto!" Ino hissed, standing quickly and whirling around to look behind them. "What the hell are you doing out here?"

He awkwardly pointed at the woman by his side. "Me and Hinata wanted to go for a walk, to get away from the village for a while."

Hinata nodded softly, refusing to fidget. Being with Naruto was helping her confidence a lot nowadays. "We heard you talking about Sakura-san and Naruto-kun was… concerned, by some of the things we heard."

Sighing, Ino fisted her hands on her hips. "Well no offence, but it doesn't–"

"Before you say anything, it does concern me. Sakura-chan's my teammate and one of my closest friends," Naruto snapped in return before the blonde could even finish her sentence. "But your thoughts… They're wrong. Itachi isn't hurting her and would never hurt her. You haven't seen them together, so you don't know what he's like. Sakura-chan's been upset about something for months now and came home upset."

"How do you know that?" Shikamaru drawled even though he didn't feel like questioning the other man. It was clear that, while Naruto was concerned, it was nothing too serious. He would've tried harder to find out, otherwise.

"Because the entire team and Shisui was over at their place when she got home. Itachi asked us to leave so that he could find out what happened," he spoke more calmly this time and instead of yelling, he was talking. "Sakura-chan hasn't said anything to anybody about it – not that I know of. If she hasn't even told Sasuke – and I know she hasn't – then it's not something she wants everybody to know."

It had always been that way since Naruto returned from training with Jiraiya and he knew he couldn't change that. During his three years of absence, Sakura and Sasuke had formed a bond and grown closer to one another. He didn't know the details and didn't want to know them, but Naruto accepted that. It wasn't like they kept him out of the loop, because they told him all kinds of things (some things that he didn't even want to know – although that was more Sakura than Sasuke). It was simply that the more painful stuff, the more personal stuff that was definitely private, was shared between only the two of them before anybody else.

"He has a point, Ino." Shikamaru sighed. "You of all people know how surprisingly close Sakura and Sasuke are. If she hasn't even told him, then it's really personal."

By his side, Hinata watched Naruto's expression before reaching out and taking his hand. It was a bold move on her part, as she was still rather nervous around him. However, after dying, Hinata had learned that she needed to act while she still could. If she wanted Naruto, then she needed to try harder and become stronger for him. She needed to make her feelings known instead of hiding and stuttering, instead of turning tomato red and being unable to speak whenever he was around.

It was when he glanced down at their hands and then up into her eyes that Hinata smiled softly, finding the courage to say, "Maybe Sakura-san needs some time to think to herself?"

He nodded slowly. "Yeah… And she has Itachi there, right?"

She nodded once, her smile still present. "Right!"

"Come on." The blond grinned, tugging on Hinata's hand and yanking her against his side, chuckling at the startled squeak. "We're still supposed to be on our date!"

"Well, bye to you, too!" Ino yelled after them, growling when Naruto waved over his shoulder distractedly. Groaning with annoyance, she dropped to the ground beside Shikamaru, frowning. "Do you think they're right? I should just give Sakura time?"

"After Sasuke, she goes to you." Shikamaru shrugged. "So yeah. She'll tell you when she's ready."

Nodding, Ino glanced away from the pair of them, hiding her deepening frown. She accepted their words, but at the same time, her gut was twisting and warning her that this time, it wouldn't be the same.

It had been a month since discovering she may not be able to have children. Sakura had been…

The truth was, was that she hadn't been coping with it. It had actually gotten to a point where Itachi was no longer sent on missions, although that may have been more because of the fact he was about to become Hokage, and they couldn't have their Hokage dying before he even became Hokage. But it was obvious that both he and Tsunade were worried about her. It was the look in their usually empty and cold eyes. Don't get her wrong, because Sakura was capable of functioning, she was able to go out and do her job, saving people, but…

Sitting behind her desk with her head in her upturned fist, Sakura closed her eyes and breathed deeply.

She wasn't going to lie, because it could be so painful at times. The first week had been unbearable and even though she was ashamed to admit it, Sakura had rarely left Itachi's side, clinging to him and seeking that comfort and peace he always radiated around her. She desperately needed that safety he offered to her without complaint. People had sent her unsure glances, curious stares, when they spotted Sakura walking much more closely to Itachi than usual, when they saw her paler than usual features, the dark circles forming under her eyes. Shizune had thought it was stress and gave her the second week after being given the news, off.

It was probably done as a thoughtful gesture, as Shizune had even said that Sakura deserved a well earned break after all the hard work she'd done. However, Sakura was not grateful for the break. It left her with absolutely nothing to do, and with nothing to do, she could not keep her mind from steering in that direction.

Seeing families playing and laughing around the village pained her. Seeing pregnant women pained her. Seeing the wonders of starting a family, of having a family to call your own, pained her. Sakura wanted that. She wanted it all. Itachi reminded her whenever he saw that look in her eyes that it wasn't impossible, that it would simply be more difficult for them, but it was hard to remain optimistic at times such as these. All Sakura could focus on was the loud and sharp reminders.

So instead of working in the hospital on the second week and instead of staying home all day, thinking about what she possibly could never have, Sakura took a mission and left the village for eight days with Kakashi, Naruto and Sasuke. Her boys. They took her mind away from everything for a short while, made her smile for the first time in days.

The sound of the window opening in her office was the only warning she got of having a visitor. It didn't surprise her. Sakura knew his chakra extremely well by now.

"Can't you use the door?" she sighed, slowly opening her eyes. "You're becoming too much like Kakashi-sensei."

In response, Sasuke merely entered the office, slipping in through the window and standing in the middle of the small room. It didn't look much like an office, but he supposed it sufficed and she was able to get her work done. It didn't need to be anything fancy.

"People are talking."

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "People are always talking."

"About you," he muttered, folding his arms over his chest. "They think Itachi is controlling you."

"They think–" she cut herself off and took another deep breath. "You don't have to worry, Sasuke-kun. Itachi isn't controlling me."

"Then are you going to tell me what's going on?" the Uchiha pushed and even though his voice was quiet, his expression was cold. That didn't shock her, though. Sasuke always had that expression on his face. "Are you going to explain to me why my brother is being painted as a bad guy?"

Shaking her head, Sakura stretched her arms out in front of her, listening to the cracks that told her she had been sitting still for too long. It was her lunch break, but she hadn't felt hungry in the slightest so skipped the meal. "There's nothing to tell. Itachi isn't controlling me and this isn't a case of domestic violence, or whatever is going through their minds. I'm just…" She sighed. "I'm just–"

"Not yourself," Sasuke finished for her. A pause after she nodded. "Why?"

Once again, she shook her head. "I'm not in the mood to talk about it."

"Sakura."

"Sasuke-kun–"

"You can…" He paused, averting his eyes as an awkward feeling crept up on him. "You can still talk to me," he grumbled, "even though you're married to Itachi now."

Her eyes closed and a soft smile pulled at her lips. "And I'm really grateful for that, and hope you know that the same applies to you. But… This just isn't something I'm ready to talk about yet, Sasuke-kun. It's no secret that there's something wrong, but…" Sakura's eyebrows knitted together as she stared down at her desk, her throat feeling tight. "I'm just not ready yet. It's not… It's not my time."

Not her time? Sasuke couldn't control the frown that settled on his features as he took a step closer to the desk. However, he knew that he couldn't be rough with Sakura like he was with Naruto. If he wanted the blond to look at him, Sasuke would merely yank on his hair, or punch him. That always got his attention. With Sakura, despite the fact he knew she could handle somebody being rough with her, it felt wrong to be that way with her, to treat her in such a way. Instead, Sasuke reached out and placed a single finger under her chin, firmly lifting her head until she was looking up at him.

"Itachi hasn't hurt you? Or upset you?"

It was heart warming to see him treating her with so much delicacy, so much care, especially since he wasn't one to treat anybody other than his mother in such a way. Also, it made her reluctantly smile as the thought of Sasuke confronting Itachi about the matter played in her mind. In her mind, she saw Itachi brushing off the accusation by tapping Sasuke on the forehead and walking away. Conversation done. It would be amusing, but it would also be saddening for the younger Uchiha brother to be brushed off in such a way, so the smile soon disappeared.

"No, Itachi hasn't hurt me," she murmured to him honestly, her eyes practically screaming the truth in her words. "I've been more drawn to him lately, I'll admit to that and yes, it probably looks bad. The truth is though…"

He raised an eyebrow, withdrawing his hand and shoving both hands into his pockets. "The truth is…?"

"I've been needing his support and comfort a lot, lately," Sakura whispered, quickly clearing her throat. "It's not easy…"

Seeing that she was closing up, withdrawing, Sasuke sighed and nodded once, gesturing with his head that she was to follow him. "There's a clan meeting. Itachi would have escorted you there himself, especially since it'll be your first meeting with the entire clan." As his wife, no less. "But he's been busy with missions lately and just made it back in time to shower and make himself presentable."

Sakura kept her mouth shut about the fact that they weren't missions Itachi was on. At the moment, he wasn't allowed to leave the village until after he became Hokage – and even then, he would be stuck to his desk most of the time. "It's fine. Do I look okay?"

He nodded once. "You don't have to dress formally. What you're wearing now is fine."

Just as he turned to her window, Sakura caught his arm and gave him an annoyed frown. "I have a door that works fine, you know."

There was a pause, one where Sasuke's lips pulled into a small smirk, before he nodded once more and moved over to the door, opening it and casually walking out, leaving Sakura to trail after him.

Sakura sat by Itachi's side as his wife, her legs folded beneath her and her hands resting calmly in their folded position on her lap. It was similar to the way Uchiha Mikoto was sitting, and she had nodded once in approval to her, making it known to Sakura that she was doing well.

It was her first ever clan meeting and already, she had felt every set of eyes land on her and narrow suspiciously. That was most likely due to the fact everybody except for herself had dark hair, so she definitely stood out like a sore thumb. It was enough to make Sakura feel incredibly self-conscious.

On one of her sides sat Itachi. On the other was Sasuke. On Itachi's other side was Shisui and sat right at the front around a semi-circle shaped table and facing them, were the elders of the clan. Right at the centre of that table was the patriarch and by his side, the matriarch. Each of them up on that altar held a powerful aura that had Sakura's heart beating faster, had her palms sweating ever so slightly. If she had ever thought that the Uchiha Clan was intense before, now they were…

There were no words for how suffocating it all felt, how intense everything was.

"We have called this meeting today to discuss several topics," one elder spoke up.

Sakura recognised one of the men vaguely as one of the elders who had been present during the dinner she had hosted, the dinner where she and Itachi announced their engagement. Daiki. And not too many seats away from him sat Fumio, the other elder who had been present during that dinner. They were both sat proudly, heads held high, although it was neither of them who were speaking. It was a different man, one Sakura didn't know by name. In fact, the only names she knew up on that alter were Fugaku, Mikoto, Fumio and Daiki. The others were all a mystery.

It seemed like pretty much the entire clan had turned up, Sakura noticed, although didn't turn around to look behind her. Instead she kept her eyes forward, focusing intently on the words being said, on the occasional nod of encouragement Mikoto discreetly gave her, telling her she was doing okay.

"To start things off," the spokesman of the elders said, his voice echoing along the stone walls. "We would like to congratulate Itachi on marrying his woman."

A tick took over her eyebrow for a couple of seconds. His woman? Was she suddenly an object? By her side, Itachi glanced down at her, silently warning her with his eyes to stay silent. Unless spoken to, to speak during clan meetings without permission was classed as disrespectful. Many had been punished over the years for such an act and Itachi refused to have his wife be one of those who was punished.

"However," Daiki muttered.

"We discovered something earlier today," another one of the elders spoke up, immediately gaining Itachi's, Sakura's and Sasuke's attention. The former was blank, but his curiosity and suspicion was slightly obvious. Sakura frowned softly and Sasuke narrowed his eyes a fraction. "Something about your wife, Itachi."

They both tensed.

Sakura held her breath, already knowing exactly what they knew. It was that look in their cold, hard eyes that told her.

"How did you get a hold of Sakura's medical records?" Itachi asked calmly. The way his body tensed and his fists clenched against his thighs, however, stated that he was anything but calm. "They are highly classified."

Frowning, Sasuke looked between the two before risking a glance at his parents, who both seemed equally annoyed, yet hid it well. His father folded his arms over his chest, hiding his clenching fists and his eyes closed, whereas his mother's eyebrows knitted together, eyes flashing with her anger. No doubt they had been informed on what they were currently talking about before the meeting.

"That is our business," another man spoke up, his voice gravelly and slow.

Itachi's eyes narrowed. "It is also my business, given that this is my wife we are discussing. You should not have been capable of accessing those files and I know that Hokage-sama would not grant you permission to them."

But his words went ignored.

"Itachi, we cannot allow for you to become clan head if your chosen partner is not capable of conceiving, unless you plan on taking a mistress."

In that exact moment, her heart felt like it was shattering to pieces and the man's harsh words felt as though they were echoing cruelly around the room. Even the other highly respected members of the Uchiha Clan looked disgusted that such a thing was being said. Shisui was startled for a moment, not truly believing what he was hearing, before he was fiercely stomping back his vicious glare.

A broodmare, in other words. Sakura bit the inside of her cheek harshly. The news of it being more difficult for her to conceive than other women was still fresh in her mind and still caused her a great deal of pain. Adding the thought of Itachi sleeping with another woman, having children with another woman just because she couldn't give them to him, hurt her more than any attack she'd ever suffered before.

"I have no intention of taking a mistress," he spoke seriously, his voice holding an edge to it. "As for Sakura's capability of conceiving, it has not been confirmed that she is infertile. It will simply be more difficult for us to have children."

Us.

He said us.

Sakura's chest flooded with warmth as Itachi's words repeated themselves in her mind. Of course he had already told her that she wouldn't be left alone, that he would be by her side and supporting her, but… He had never said us. Itachi was acting like this wasn't only her problem, but his too.

"Itachi–"

"Enough," Mikoto spoke up, cutting off the elders of the clan and ignoring how Fugaku's eyes snapped open, staring at her in disbelief. He may have been able to sit back and allow them to more or less attack their son and his wife with their words, but she would not stand for it. Not over something like this. It was not Sakura's fault. "Itachi has chosen Sakura-san to be his wife and I know my son. He will do whatever it takes to be with her and make her happy."

Fugaku's eyes narrowed a fraction, but he was silent. He knew where Mikoto was going with this.

The dark haired woman sat up straighter, her aura becoming darker as she glared at the elders seated each side of herself and her husband. The semi-circle shaped table allowed her to do this without straining her neck, or having to turn her head too much. "I will not allow you to bully my son. He wishes to be with Sakura-san – and I will support his decision." She turned her head forward to look at the front row of Uchiha, giving the younger woman a soft smile. "Do not let this upset you too greatly, Sakura-san. One way or another, knowing my son the way I do, Itachi will somehow give you children."

A blush swept over her cheeks and the pain in her chest flared for a moment.

"If you are insinuating that they adopt," one of the elders spoke up, his voice cold and harsh, "then we are against it. The child will not be an Uchiha and we refuse to have a non-Uchiha as future clan heir."

"I am not insinuating anything of the sort," Mikoto answered calmly, the smile slipping away as she spoke with the elders once more. "Up until now, I have sat back and allowed you all to interfere with my family, with how my own sons should be raised. But no more. If being with Sakura-san is what Itachi truly wants, then you will not be allowed to bully him into changing his mind."

Not that they would be able to, Sakura thought as she glanced up at Itachi. They were already married and once he had his mind set on something, it was a done deal. Sasuke had told her that.

Sasuke.

Her eyes trailed up to the younger Uchiha brother sat on her other side, the one who seemed to be in shock ever since the mentioning of it possibly being impossible for her to conceive. That did not surprise her. In a way, she and Sasuke were connected. They felt each other's pain. And now her distress and sadness and pain that had been building the past month was finally explained to him.

Feeling her gaze, Sasuke glanced down at her, his expression unreadable, yet the way his fists clenched told her enough. He was growing angry with the elders, with the way they were acting as though this was a big nuisance. However, he knew to stay silent, especially as Itachi shot him a warning glance over the top of Sakura's head out of the corner of his eye.

"We have always known that Itachi would refuse to marry into the clan," Fugaku suddenly spoke up. He seemed impatient. "Do not forget how pleased you were with my son's choice of bride."

"Fugaku-sama, you–" Fumio spoke up, only to be cut off.

"It is not for sure." His voice hardened, eyes glaring at the elders. "They have told you multiple times now that there is a chance of Sakura being capable of conceiving. Even if it is only a small percentage, there is still a chance."

Itachi was left stunned as his father defended them, as he defended Sakura. From his side, he heard Sakura's breath leave her, saw how her eyes held a new admiration for Uchiha Fugaku. She appreciated what he was doing greatly.

"And you are all aware of the fact that if you continue pushing my son, trying to make him back into a corner," his voice turned deadly, head lowering a fraction, "he will push back. And this time, I will not stop him."

Silence.

Many stared at Itachi with wide eyes. Sakura and Sasuke included.

"Are you threatening us, Fugaku?" an elder demanded angrily.

"I am merely stating facts. If my son does not strike back, then he will disown the clan." Mikoto's eyes widened a fraction. "I am not saying he will disown his family, but his clan. Itachi has always done what he thinks is the right thing to do, has always put others before himself. This clan especially. If he wishes to step down from becoming patriarch of the clan and pass it to Sasuke because you will not allow this, I will not stop him. He may be clan heir, but this woman is his wife. She is the one he has chosen as his life partner. I know that, had our roles been reversed, if it had been myself and Mikoto stood in Itachi and Sakura's position, I would not allow you to push me into a corner, into something I do not want to do."

Powerful emotions. Sakura could vaguely recall Itachi telling her one time that the Uchiha Clan all experienced powerful emotions.

"If I may," Shisui spoke up, standing as he received a nod from Fugaku. "I just want to say a thing or two." His stance was sure, confident and the way he looked at the elders told them not to interrupt him or even attempt at cutting him off. "Many times, Itachi has sat back and allowed you to push him around, even though he is more than capable of silencing you all. You may not know it, but he always had a choice. You have never been able to control Itachi. Not once."

Many of the elders glared at Shisui, though their eyes soon snapped to Itachi's.

He stared back calmly, coldly.

Shisui did not give them the time to utter a single word. "You lost control of Itachi the moment he turned six years old. How do I know? Because I trained him. I was there the day he perfected his jutsu, the day he graduated from the academy, made chunin, joined ANBU! Despite his mother being completely against an eleven year old child joining ANBU, you pushed him into that, too. This, however," Shisui smirked arrogantly, "you will not be able to sway his decision or push him into anything. Sakura means a lot to him. Like with how he perfected his jutsu, how he mastered a lot of things, I watched Itachi fall in love with Sakura. I watched Sakura fall in love with Itachi. You won't be able to get in the way of that. You'd have to kill him first, which I will not allow to happen. You have forced many things onto Itachi and I know for a fact that I am not the only one who is against this sudden assault on Uchiha Sakura."

From his seat, Sasuke also stood up. Unlike Shisui, however, he wasn't capable of hiding his emotions. His Sharingan was activated and spinning wildly, fists clenching and unclenching. There was a murderous glare being directed at the elders and the killing intent that was filling the room only seemed to amplify his emotions. "I agree with Shisui," he spat. "I am against this ambush on my teammate, on my brother's wife. And I'm going to make damn sure that I find out how you got a hold of her medical files! You seem to have forgotten just whose apprentice Sakura is. You've forgotten who her sensei is. You've forgotten who her teammates are. Telling us that you 'discovered something' is more or less admitting that you have been snooping on Sakura."

She had never seen him so protective of her before, so all Sakura could do was stare up at Sasuke with a mixture of shock, awe and gratefulness. Part of her was afraid, however, because it didn't seem as though he could control his sudden burst of anger. In fact, Sakura knew that he couldn't. How? Because of the way Itachi stood up and shifted ever so slightly, as though preparing himself to restrain his brother. She stood up, too, not liking all of the anger and hatred and killing intent that was slowly suffocating her.

"I've gone along with a lot of things. I've accepted the fact I'll never have your full approval. Accepted that I'll never be as great as Itachi and that you all resent me for that fact. I've bitten my tongue and allowed you to get away with many things that nobody else would have. You sit there in your seats, thinking you're so much better than us, yet over the years you have become nothing more than a bunch self-righteous has-beens. In your eyes, you probably think what you're saying is okay, because you're only 'thinking of what is best for our clan' but I call bullshit. You may have approved of Itachi's choice of partner, but I saw the way your eyes narrowed when you looked at Sakura. I can see the contempt now!"

It surprised her greatly when a few Uchiha muttered in agreement and it seemed it surprised the elders, too. They were taking her side instead of the elders. What the…

"Sasuke, you are just a child, sit down and–"

"Make me," he replied arrogantly, his red and black eyes narrowing as the design in them changed, as it morphed into the Mangekyō. "I surpassed all of you long ago."

Even his father was put on edge, eyes widening a fraction as he saw his son's eyes.

"Calm down, Sasuke," Itachi spoke smoothly, his voice empty of all emotion. He wasn't even looking at his brother. "Some things can simply not be helped, though you must learn to accept those things."

The younger Uchiha looked absolutely outraged. "You're just going to let them–"

Another set of eyes suddenly swirled into the Mangekyō design as Itachi's eyes snapped to Sasuke's, narrowed and deadly and the sight of his Sharingan made Sasuke's seem like child's play. The way the other Uchiha tensed to Sasuke's killing intent was nothing compared to how they suddenly tensed at Itachi's. And that was because they knew nobody would be capable of stopping Itachi except for Shisui, though he was already on Itachi's side. Would he stop his friend if he began murdering those within their clan? It was hard to tell. All they knew was that the situation had turned deadly. So, very, very deadly.

When he noticed that nobody would dare to interrupt him, that more or less everyone was holding their breaths, Itachi spoke. "No, I will not allow them to talk down to my wife. And I do not care about their opinions." Itachi's eyes drifted to the elders'. "To spy on my wife is one thing, but to bring up such a thing in front of almost our entire clan? Something that you know full well is strictly private?" His eyes narrowed dangerously. "Do you have a death wish?"

"Itachi–"

"I am still talking," he stated, cutting off the elder. Then, Itachi stood up straighter, glancing down at Sakura for a moment, before seeming to come to a decision.

His next words left everyone in a state of disbelief and shock.

"As of this moment, I am no longer the heir to the Uchiha clan. I am giving the title to Sasuke, who is more than capable of handling such a role."

A/N - Ooooh shit. Drama, drama, drama!

So in less than six weeks, five now I think, my little nephew is going to be born! I'm so excited to meet him and spoil him rotten! Ugh, it's a shame my brother lives in a different town, but I've already told him I'll be babysitting the baby all the time.

Okay, good mood spoiled. The 'celebrity' I grew up absolutely adoring died on Monday and people are saying he committed suicide. While girls nowadays have One Direction or Justin Bieber, I had Lil' Chris and I'm actually gutted that he's dead. Got to meet him on my sixteenth birthday! He seemed so kind and just a genuinely nice person. RIP Chris Hardman x

Another thing that spoiled my good mood is that I had my last Japanese lesson today :-(

But, it's a known fact that I always write more than usual when I'm in a bad mood. Perhaps that's why I always end up going on killing sprees.