While he had been worried over Sakura's health while they were caring for her family, he fell sick himself. He tried to ignore the early symptoms, but in the end, even he laid in bed, shivering under the blankets, as the fever took over his body. During his feverish days he barely remembered anything, drifting on and off as people watched over him. The only memory he has was listening to Sakura's mother and Ino talk as they cleaned the room.

"I mean, for him to stay during these times it has to mean something, right? Maybe once this is all over he'll finally propose."

"Mom, I don't think that's going to happen. I explained to you that he's only looking after Sakura for research reasons.

"I'm sure it must have started that way, but they've been together for a little over half a year now! Surely by now something must have come out of it, your sister is so lovely do you really think him so cold-hearted that he hasn't fallen for her?"

"I do. Look, mom, I can't go into details but just because he's a Duke, doesn't mean he's a gentleman. He's still a wizard first, and you know wizards aren't like us. They have other things in mind."

"I just worry over her. Your father and I won't be around forever, you know. What's going to happen to her in a few years from now? She'll turn into an old maid with a sordid past with a recluse wizard. Who'll want her then? How will she take care of herself without a husband?"

"I'll take care of Sakura, mom."

"Pfft, don't get me started on you…"

Itachi put it out of his mind as he focused on his recovery, nursed to health by the Yamanakas and Sakura. They were all extremely kind and thankful to him, and Itachi was reminded of what it was like to live in a house filled with people who were family. He found himself growing used to them, even coming to enjoy their company. And he knew he wasn't the only one, considering Sai's daily visits. For the first time in years, Itachi was once again in a place that was loud and bustling with life. He had just managed to find the strength to drag himself out of bed to join the others in the living room one day, when they were all surprised by terrible news.

"The Queen has succumbed to the plague." Sai broke the news as soon as he had removed his coat and settled down. All the women gasped in surprise, while Inoichi closed his eyes mournfully. Itachi was also upset, but less for the life lost, and more for the upcoming wave of responsibilities he'd have to attend to. "Master Kakashi informed me, and asked me to pass on the message that Master Itachi, Miss Sakura and Miss Ino will all be required to attend the funeral, tomorrow."

"Oh my! What an honor you two! Come, come, we must prepare proper garments for you two. Do you think Madam Kurenai can help us find something last minute?" Ino and Sakura were promptly dragged away by their mother, leaving the three men in the room alone.

"Master Inoichi, would you mind terribly if Master Kakashi visited to speak with Master Itachi? He claims to have something of great importance to discuss." Sai politely asked the chief of the household. Inoichi nodded, offering the use of his personal study, assuring them that he'd take care that they wouldn't be interrupted.

Kakashi appeared an hour after Sai's departure, carrying a large package with him, wrapped in brown paper. He smiled and made small talk with Inoichi for a couple minutes before leaving for the study with Itachi. Itachi used the walls and furniture as support as he slowly and weakly made his way to the study. As soon as he was there, he allowed himself to fall ungracefully in a seat, tired from the exertion.

"You seem quite weak, I'm worried you won't make it to the funeral tomorrow."

"I'm fine." Itachi grumbled. "And what is that monstrous thing you're carrying?" Itachi directed a raised eyebrow at the large package Kakashi had brought into the room.

The silver-haired man smirked. He reached for the cords holding it together, undoing the knot and allowing the fabric to fall, revealing one painting of a ballroom, filled with young women in white.

"This took me a great deal of trouble to find, and I think it is the missing puzzle to Miss Sakura's origin." Kakashi placed the painting on a chair, allowing Itachi a good look at it.

Curious, Itachi scanned the painting with his sharp eyes, until he stopped on a familiar looking figure. In the painting she was talking to another woman, the two of them standing side by side on a corner, looking at the dancing couples. Itachi didn't know what they were saying, but the woman's smile and bright eyes were too similar to be a coincidence.

"Kakashi… This…"

"This painting was made by a budding artist, who lived in Konoha, offering his services to the wealthy, promising big depictions of their fancy parties and wealth. This here is a particular ball, and the only known depiction I could find of Miss Sawako Inarizuka." Kakashi pointed at the dark haired, green eyed woman who shared Sakura's petite figure.

"Sawako Inarizuka?" Itachi asked. The name was completely unfamiliar to him.

"Miss Sawako Inarizuka ingressed in Fire's Wizard School due to her outstanding grades and understanding of magic theory. In fact, in the two years she was a student only you managed to surpass her outstanding scores. However, Miss Inarizuka was unable to continue her studies as while her theories were impressive, her ability to make them come true was lacking, as her magical capabilities were below average. The school strongly discouraged her return and Miss Inarizuka disappeared. I was wondering about the identity of the two people who had assisted in Orochimaru's experiment, understanding that they had to be people of some skill. Trapped at home, afraid of being sick, I had my agents secure me a detailed list of every student who had been through the Magical Academy." Kakashi grinned, proud of himself. "And note this: the two years that Miss Inarizuka was at the school, Orochimaru was also there, teaching."

"So you think she got kicked out, he recognized her talent and recruited her?" Itachi asked. Kakashi nodded. Itachi couldn't tear his eyes away from the bright green eyes that looked so familiar to him. For a second he looked at the woman next to her and frowned, recognizing her too. "Kakashi, the young woman next to her, I know her."

Kakashi turned around to see the painting once more, leaning in closer.

"You're right. That looks a lot like Ino's mother." Kakashi tilted his head sideways. He had been so focused on Sawako Inarizuka that he hadn't noticed the other woman.

"I think I know what might have happened." Itachi whispered, and Kakashi turned around to look at his friend once more. "It's likely that after the repeated failed attempts with babies, they might have tried to alter the child while still in the womb. To preserve secrecy, it's possible that she might have chosen to bear the child herself. When it was born a failure… Perhaps the motherly instinct took over, and instead of disposing of the child she escaped with it, giving it away to her friend, so the child might be safe." Itachi spoke in a low tone. Orochimaru was famous for his ruthless lack of morals, he would have easily discarded the baby, and it wasn't unthinkable that a mother's love would supersede a scientist's ambition.

"Do you think that Madam Yamanaka knows? That Miss Sakura might be the daughter of her friend?" Kakashi asked. He had only met the kind woman once, and she didn't seem the type of person who could keep a secret.

"I don't think so. A while ago I interrogated her using a spell, and she didn't mention anything beyond finding Sakura at her doorstep." Itachi shook his head. There was no chance that a simple civilian woman could have lied to him while under his magic.

"We can always ask, it's entirely possible she has no idea. Perhaps she simply thought that Sakura resembled her friend, which might have encouraged her to keep her. Sometimes there's no deep, hidden secret behind people's thoughts. Sometimes it's just a feeling, just instinct." Kakashi shrugged.

"Either way, I still sustain that we keep quiet about this. They're a happy family and the knowledge of the truth behind Sakura's birth might only cause them heartache." After seeing Sakura happy and loved among the Yamanakas, he couldn't find it in him to do anything that could potentially damage their bonds.

"Very well, I will keep it a secret. I'll hide this in my own home, as I suspect that after Ino has gained access to my office, there's not much I can hide from her in there anymore. The girl is quite devious." Kakashi chuckled. Itachi could only nod in agreement. "I will come by tomorrow with a suitable suit for you, we can all head to the funeral together."

"Thank you." Deep down Itachi was thanking Kakashi for more than just a suit. He knew his friend cared about him and looked after him in his own way, and Itachi was glad that despite his cold behavior towards him, Kakashi had never given up on him.

Exhausted from the day's events, Itachi returned to bed immediately after Kakashi left, sleeping through the rest of the day and night, recovering his energies for the big day ahead.

He was woken up the previous day early, by the noise of someone moving about the room. He opened his eyes to find Sakura, crouched over a small box, rummaging through its contents.

"Sakura?" Itachi still felt the drowsiness of sleep making his eyelids heavy and his thought process slow.

"Oh, I'm sorry, did I wake you? I was looking for a brooch." Sakura turned around, smiling apologetically. "You can go back to sleep for another couple hours, my father will come wake you up when it's your turn to bathe."

Itachi nodded, grumbling something and returning to the peaceful darkness of sleep. He felt that he had barely fallen asleep again when he was being shaken awake by Inoichi. Getting up, Itachi allowed the older male to help him to the bathroom, where a tub of hot water was waiting for him. After the long hours of sleep and the hot bath, Itachi almost felt like he was back to his usual self. He dried himself, and looking into the mirror noticed his face looked thinner than usual, highlighting his gauntness, making the lines on his face darker than usual. At least I'll look properly somber for a Queen's funeral, he thought.

Waiting for him were clothes of the usual make and quality he wore, and Itachi wondered if Kakashi even knew his favored tailor. Deciding to not dwell on that too much, he gratefully put the soft silks on, tying his hair into his favored low ponytail. Once he was finished, he felt as if he had almost completely returned to his old self. Reinvigorated, Itachi left the bedroom for the living room, finding Sakura there, arranging two white flower bouquets. She wore black, and despite it being Itachi's favorite color, he thought she looked much better in the pastel tones she preferred.

"Are you almost ready? Ino's just fixing up her hair. Sai's waiting outside." Sakura told him, giving him a smile before returning to her flower arrangement. Itachi didn't recognize any of the white flowers, but they were beautifully arranged in tasteful bouquets. Sakura finished and wiped her hands on the towel. She smiled at her handiwork and looked at Itachi once again. "Once you're well enough to travel, we can return to Konoha. Ino, mom and dad all have made full recoveries. Your help was much appreciated."

Itachi didn't know what to say, remembering his previous shameful behavior, and simply nodded once.

"Sakura! Have you finished the flowers?" Ino joined them, wearing a dress that was similar to Sakura's. When they stood side by side, Itachi could see the sisterhood between them, even if they didn't look similar at all, the way they portrayed themselves, the way they dressed and even their bright vividness stood out to him.

"Shall we?" Itachi asked. The two of them nodded, heading out. As soon as they were outside, with Sai, Ino took his arm, walking off. Itachi tried following them, but still fragilized by his recent bout with the illness, quickly slowed down.

"Are you still tired? You can lean on me, if you like." Sakura offered her arm to him. Itachi gratefully took it, and together they made their way to the Castle. Following Ino and Sai from a distance, Sakura and Itachi moved forward in a comfortable silence. The streets were almost completely empty, with only a few people moving towards the castle here and there. Everyone in black, bearing white flowers. He noticed all the other couples walking around arm in arm, and the memory of the conversation he overhead came to him once more. To any stranger, they probably looked just like every other couple around them.

Due to Itachi's slower pace, it took them several minutes, but they could see the long line to pass through the Castle Gates. Itachi and Sakura stopped at the tail end for several minutes, looking for Ino and Sai. They weren't anywhere, and were surprised when they found Shikamaru instead.

"What are you two doing here?" He asked them, looking surprised.

"Waiting to go through the gates?" Sakura answered. Shikamaru sighed, and motioned for them to follow him. He walked past the primary gate, circling around to one of the smaller side gates. The door was closed, but as soon as they came in sight, it opened, revealing a man with droopy eyes.

"Tenzo." Itachi muttered under his breath. He knew the man had worked closely with his father during Danzo's rebellion. Tenzo bowed respectfully as they walked past him and Itachi nodded, acknowledging the man's presence.

"That Gate's for all the commoners. They're only letting a few of them through." Shikamaru spoke. "The ceremony will be held at the inner garden." He broke off from them, saying he had seen a close friend he wanted to greet.

"The inner garden is this way." Sakura pointed towards one of the palace's side entrances. Itachi was surprised with her knowledge for a second, until he remembered she had spent the time he had been at war there. It made sense she'd become familiar with the gardens. Itachi's suspicion was certified as soon as they walked past a group of middle-aged men, all of them who waved and nodded to "Lady Sakura" enthusiastically.

"They're the gardeners, we became friends while I was here. They taught me a lot, all of them very nice people." Sakura explained, blushing slightly. Itachi found himself amused at Sakura's capacity to charm people.

As soon as they made it to the inner garden, they were greeted by one of the Castle's many butlers, who took them to their seats. As the Uchiha Duke, his place was at the front row, right by the Royal Family. Neither the prince nor the king were there yet. The only person who was there was a young woman that Itachi recognized as Hinata Hyuuga, the prince's fiancee.

Itachi allowed Sakura to take the seat next to him, knowing that the Hyuuga Lady was very shy and would likely prefer to be next to another woman. Sakura gave her a small smile as soon as she was seated. Itachi simply stared ahead, to where there was already a hole dug, and a small podium for speeches to be given. He was prepared for a long, drawn-out ceremony, full of long speeches about the Queen's many good attributes.

Around them, more and more people were seated until eventually all the chairs were taken. At that point Sakura and Hinata were talking in a low tone. Shikamaru eventually reappeared taking the seat to Itachi's right.

"This is so troublesome…" The younger male complained.

"Try to stay awake throughout the entire thing." Itachi smirked. The Nara clan was infamous for sleeping through important events, and Itachi couldn't help but make fun of them. Shikamaru only grunted in response, slumping in his chair.

"The King and the Prince!" The ceremony started with the entrance of the two grieving males and Itachi noticed the deep red marks around the prince's eyes. Naruto had also cried repeatedly during the Uchiha funeral, and Itachi had resented him then. Now he could only pity the young man.

To Itachi the ceremony went through in a daze, as several people talked through what felt hours on end. He was barely awake, feeling the heat of the sun warm him up. He tried his best to keep his eyes open, not wanting to make a bad impression and just as he was about to give up, Sakura nudged him.

"Itachi?" She was pulling him to stand, and he did so in a confused manner. Around them people were walking forward to place their flowers atop Kushina's coffin. Following Sakura's lead, Itachi watched her gently deposit the flowers atop all the others. She then guided him out, to allow the next person to do the same. "Are you alright?" She asked him in a concerned tone.

"I'm fine. Just the sun and heat…" Itachi pulled on his tie, opening the buttons of his suit to reveal his vest.

"It is unusually warm today. Do you want to go inside? Lady Hinata told me they were having a reception for close friends and family afterwards. I believe we were invited." Sakura asked and Itachi nodded. They retreated to the cool inside, filling him with relief. There, they found Hinata and Naruto together, the young prince crouched down, his head hidden in his arms.

Sakura looked unsure of what to do, but Itachi had an idea of what Naruto was going through. "Take Lady Hinata to the reception room. If anyone asks, tell them you don't know where the prince is." Itachi found his old energy returning to him as he watched the prince in pain.

Sakura nodded, and gently pulling Lady Hinata away she whispered to the young woman as they walked away, leaving Itachi and Naruto alone.

Once they were alone, Itachi cast a sealing spell on the door, to make sure they wouldn't be intruded upon. He sat down next to the blonde man, and placing an arm around his shoulders, he sat there, gently tapping Naruto's shoulders, in a comforting manner.

"I'm not my brother, and we're not close friends, but for today, I will lend you my shoulder as I'm sure Sasuke would."

Naruto Uzumaki: Naruto Uzumaki known as the Golden King, ushered Fire Country into an age of prosperity greater than ever before. Through his smart, charismatic rule, Fire recovered from one of its darkest times, brought upon by the wars that happened during his father's rule. He ironed out several trade and cooperation agreements with every corner of the Land, and throughout his time, Capital City became the cultural center of the continent, attracting visitors from all over.

This was such a difficult chapter to write! I'm not entirely satisfied with it, but I don't know if I'll ever be, so I'm choosing to keep to schedule and publish the best version of it that I could live with. Once again I hope everyone's staying safe, and if you're like Itachi, and trying to recover your strength, make sure to not over-exert yourself.