The ruckus was getting louder. She could hear two loud voices arguing on top of their lungs as she made her way to the communal area of the hideout. Karin and Suigetsu were at it again, but this time it got physical. The redhead jumped on the blonde pulling his hair and biting his ear. Suigetsu yelled trying to throw the crazy woman off his back. Mei stared in amusement. Sasuke watched the scene unfolding in front of him with his usual indifference. Mei sat beside him.

"Aren't you going to stop them?" she asked.

Sasuke shrugged. "And deny myself their brilliant repertoire?"

Juugo walked into the room with a plate full of steaming food. Mei's tummy rumbled. The night before she had no appetite and, in the morning, she felt sick from a cup of coffee. Juugo dropped on the empty seat near her. The smell of food tickled her senses. Mei's eyes widened as a wave of nausea hit her hard. She resisted putting her hand on her mouth. She held her breath and counted to ten trying to fight it. When she took another breath, she understood all too clearly that she will not be able to hold it. She got up and hurried to the door ignoring the confused looks she got from the guys. And only one pair of eyes sparked behind thin rimmed glasses. Mei dropped on her knees and emptied her stomach contents into the toilet. She panted heavily feeling lightheaded. What was happening? She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. If she did not know better, she would have thought that she was pregnant, but it was impossible. Most of the women in her bloodline could not conceive. Even Mei's grandmother was not her father's mother, she was her father's aunt, yet she treated Mei like her own. As Mei grew older, grandmother told her about the peculiarities of their family. With Mei's approval, she examined the girl, but the prognosis was not comforting. Then what was happening?

Mei felt another wave of nausea. She emptied the remainder of her stomach, trying to wrap her head around the situation. What would she do if she was pregnant? Mei shook her head violently, pushing those thoughts away. She rinsed her mouth and washed her face. Her hand rested on her belly. She had to stop assuming. Mei needed to know. Mei peeked out to make sure that no one was around and rushed to her bedroom.

/

"You are unusually late today," Itachi said. His lean figure rested on the wall of the Uchiha hideout.

"I had some errands to run," Mei responded. She dropped her bag on the floor and took off the cloak. Her hair fell freely on her shoulders and her chest. Itachi pushed himself away from the wall and walked closer. His hands outlined her figure. Mei closed her eyes savouring his touch. Itachi rested his hands on her waist. "You've gotten thinner," he stated making her tense. Itachi felt her heartbeat speed up. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Mei gently brushed his hands away. Itachi's eyes narrowed.

He caught her hand and forced her to turn around. His other hand lifted her chin forcing the girl to look at him. "Don't lie to me," Itachi's voice became hoarser but Mei was not fazed.

"Tell me why you eliminated the Uchiha clan."

/

A soft knock on the door broke his concentration. Sasuke frowned. He stood up and opened the door. Karin smiled at him sweetly.

"What?" he questioned.

She pushed a strand of her hair behind her back, a gesture she acquired from Mei, and pushed past him.

"We need to talk," she said taking a seat. Sasuke raised his eyebrows feeling hints of rage rise in his chest.

"It can wait," he retorted, but Karin ignored him.

"It's about your little girlfriend,"

/

Itachi's hard gaze was suffocating. He slowly released her body and took a step back.

"No." his short answer made her angry. Mei caught his arm and pulled him back.

"Itachi," she said quietly. "I've never asked you for anything. I have never given you any conditions or ultimatums." She continued holding his arm. "I need to know,"

/

The smirk on Karin's face was alarming.

"What did you want to tell me? Make it quick."

She raised her hands as if showing her submissiveness. "Of course, of course," she crossed her legs and relaxed her pose. "Did you know that your little girlfriend is pregnant?"

"What?"

"Yes, yes," Karin sing-sang. "I cannot tell for sure for how long, judging by her stomach, must be the first three months."

"What the fuck are you saying, Karin?" Sasuke's dark eyes darkened. Karin could feel his aura thickening. Suddenly it became hard to breathe. Sasuke slowly rose to his feet. "Do you know what you are saying?"

Karin swallowed the lump in her throat. She had never seen Sasuke this deadly. The darkness around him was thickening. He caught fear in the redhead's eyes.

"I…I can even tell you who the father is." She said nervously.

"Who?" Sasuke leaned to her face, levelling with her. "Who is it, Karin?"

/

"Why didn't you tell Sasuke?" Mei's lips trembled. Her whole body was shaking as she tried to process the information. The truth about the massacre. The truth behind Itachi's actions. It changed everything.

"This changes nothing," Itachi said coldly.

"The truth changes everything!" she argued heatedly. "So many years of hatred, obsession, self-sacrifice…Itachi…Sasuke did not deserve this." Mei paced back and forth biting her thumb. "Why..." she could not finish her sentence. Knowing that Danzo gave Itachi an ultimatum, to die along with the Uchiha Clan or assassinate the entire Uchiha Clan in exchange of his little brother's life, made her nauseous. To avoid the coup, to save lives, Itachi…he… Mei dropped on knees and vomited.

"Mei!" Itachi kneeled beside her, moving the hair out of her face. She spat the bile out and wiped her mouth.

"I'm fine."

"Like hell you are," he snapped back. Itachi lifted her up and carried her to an improvised bed. He eased her down, but Mei refused to settle.

"You've put him through hell." She said looking into Itachi's eyes. "All these years he'd been alone…mounting and sophisticating his hate, when you could have told him the truth."

Itachi glared at her.

"He had never been alone. He always had you." He said angrily.

"And whom did you have?" she snapped back.

"I needed no one,"

Mei froze, feeling the words cut her right through. The girl clenched her fists and took a deep breath. She glanced at Itachi, her gaze cold and flinty. Her lips curled into a bitter smile.

"I'm sorry. I did not mean it the way it came out. Mei I…" but Mei did not listen. She slapped his hands away hard.

"Do not touch me." She pushed herself off the floor and grabbed her bag. Itachi grabbed her arm and yanked her back. Mei turned around. Her hand connected with his face. Loud slapping sound silenced all the other noises. "I said, do not touch me,"

"Mei…"

"You needed no one, right? Then you have no one." Mei pushed past him and made her way out of the hideout. She could feel his burning gaze drilling her back, but she had enough. She was exhausted. When a safe distance from the hideout was reached, she could no longer control herself. Mei leaned on the tree and burst into tears.

/

"At first I thought it was yours," Karin mumbled. Sasuke's aura supressed her will to live. "The chakra of the child seemed similar to the one you have, but then," she gulped, "then I remembered that you said you were not together,"

Sasuke stepped closer. "So, I've scanned her body with this new technique I've been working on…what I'm trying to say is…" the girl chocked nervously. "the child has a similar chakra to you, but not enough to be yours. The father must be your blood relative."

/

The hideout was dark and silent.

Mei made her way to the room. She was too exhausted to think. The lights in her room went on and Mei gasped. Sasuke sat on her bed. His legs were spread, and katana leaned on the bed. He slowly looked up at her. His face was unreadable.

"Sasuke, you startled me! What are you doing here? Why were you sitting in the dark?" she asked taking off her cloak. Mei did not notice the long look Sasuke sent at her stomach.

Sasuke stood up and closed the distance between them.

"Congratulations," he said darkly.

"What?" Mei turned to face him. Sasuke glared down at her.

"I suppose I should congratulate the father too, right Mei? Because that's where you've been right now, right?"

Mei stepped back knocking down the chair. "I don't know what you are talking about."

"Liar." Sasuke cupped her face. "You little deceitful liar." He spat. "How long have you been seeing my dear brother? A week, a month, a year?" Sasuke's cold fingers caught her chin. His grip hurt. "Did he fuck you well?" he hissed like a snake. Mei grabbed onto his arms trying to ease his grip. "Was it fun doing this behind my back? Oh, what am I saying? Of course, it was," his other hand outlined her waist and moved to her stomach.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm so sorry."

Sasuke laughed. He threw his head back and laughed like a madman. "You've betrayed me, Mei. Do not think you can get away with it. I will deal with you later. Now," he brought his face closer looking into her eyes, "Tell me where I can find Itachi." Sasuke closed one eye and activated his Sharingan, forcing the "peering into one's mind" onto her. Mei's body became limp in his arms. Sasuke held her closer, never breaking the stare. "Where is Itachi?"

"He is in the Uchiha hideout," she responded automatically. Sasuke continued looking at her. Mei's limp body hanged in his arms. Sasuke leaned and pressed his lips to hers. "Why did you do it?" he whispered against her parted lips.

A tear escaped her eye. "I love him,"

Itachi broke the gaze and deactivated the Sharingan. Mei's body dropped on the cold floor. Sasuke turned away and picked up his katana. He made his way to the door when she grabbed on his arm.

"Please don't do it. Sasuke…I beg you, please…Itachi…he…" Sasuke pulled back his arm and pushed her again, causing her body to slam into the wall. The girl groaned in pain. The other team members came running to the sound of something slamming into the wall.

Suigetsu entered the room first. He glanced around quickly assessing the situation.

"Do not let her out of here, until I come back." Sasuke said solemnly.

Mei rose to her feet and weakly rushed towards him. "Sasuke, please…"

"I will deal with this traitor later."

Mei pleaded but Sasuke could no longer hear her. The team exited her room and locked it with a jutsu. Sasuke fixed the katana behind his back and rushed to the Uchiha Clan hideout. He had never felt closer to his goal. He was finally going to take revenge on his brother, and he was going to make him pay for everything in full.

/

When Sasuke entered the hideout, Itachi was already waiting. The older Uchiha sat on the Uchiha throne with his legs crossed, looking like he was bored.

"That Sharingan. How much can you actually see?" he questioned.

"Your death," Sasuke replied coldly.

"My death huh," Itachi's eyes were closed. "Well then…" Itachi disappeared and reappeared next to Sasuke. "Make it happen."