AN: Hi there, honestly this story is more for me than anybody else but guess I wanted to share none the less. Know it's not the best but eh…we all try right? Lol, back to the story.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

CHAPTER 3

From inside his office the Hokage plans out his last few days. All his personal affairs have been finalised and all he has left to do is the letters he wishes write to the people he trusts most and missives he needs to have in place. The tea he had been nursing has grown cold while he was pondering the thoughts he wished to relay. Drawing on his pipe he leans back in his comfortable chair behind his big desk, his mind drifting to the night when everything leading up to this day began.

He was rooted to his chair in complete and utter surprise and shock at the scene unfolding before him. The voice drifting through his office does not belong to the young Uchiha heir he sees standing proudly in front of him, the usual blazing blood red of his Sharingan is non-existent in the brilliant orbs of light that glows like spotlights from his eyes.

"Please, do not fear me. I mean you no harm, I merely wish to lend my assistance to you Hokage-sama. Allow me to negate this precarious situation in order to preserve more lives than you can imagine. I would have done so without consent and I still can, however…. this young man has persuaded me to include you as I will require your assistance again when the time comes."

Itachi bows deeply after this and waits for a response from the old man still frozen in shock behind his desk.

Kakashi, recovered from his initial shock has flashed behind the young man ready to subdue the intruder and sudden threat to the head of their village. He finds himself just as suddenly face down in front of the Hokage bent over the desk and pinned with his hands behind his back unable to move. He did not even see Itachi flinch! Expecting to feel deadly KI or at the very least a threatening aura permeate from this body behind him, instead all he felt was a calm, soothing and warm feeling he had forced himself to forget and bury over the years….love? Impossible!

"You say you come in peace yet you have my shinobi pinned on my desk in front of me and another of my men in your grasp. How can you expect me to accept what you have to say?"

The Hokage spoke confidently in his scratchy voice ringing with the years he has spent serving his village. His surprise and shock hidden behind his shinobi mask honed from decades of use not only on the battlefield but also in the politics which currently threatens to tilt the very balance of life in the village.

"Forgive me Hokage-sama, I do not wish to confuse the situation but…I cannot let this boy whom I am merely using to communicate with you to fall prey to any kind of harm. You will need his and many others still to face and defeat your oldest and most dangerous enemy yet. The one hidden in the shadows since the beginning of shinobi life, the one nobody knows exists…. yet."

She pauses in her explanation and breaths deeply almost as if she is trying to fight down and swallow some intense emotion within. Her voice which rang of bells when she had spoken first has become ethereal and light enveloping them with a soothing calm and serenity despite the strained situation and warring emotions currently present. Her gaze fixed to the ninja tucked beneath her hold is (dare he say) soft and empathetic brimming with emotions even if they are only orbs of light. Her next words were directed to Kakashi where he was pinned beneath her borrowed arms and upper body on the desk.

"Hatake-san, after so many years I am honoured to finally meet you in person again. Your father was a great man and it breaks my heart to know I could do nothing to save him and you from your misfortunes. My presence here now is to fulfil a promise and debt I have to him and you both. His only request before his final act was that you remember the love you felt in your younger years, to have your pure soul preserved as much as possible in this trying life as a shinobi."

Kakashi froze, glaring at Itachi over his shoulder with his uncovered eye. How did this…. person know his father? The man that let down his team, the village and then his own son in the worst act of cowardice imaginable? The emotions flitting through his lone eye ranges from shock to confusion to anger and lastly pain but only for a moment.

"Do not speak of him!" Is all he manages to utter before she leans over and blows gently over his eye. Immediately his whole body relaxes and goes completely slack making him an unwilling bystander only. Shisui steps forward at this point to drag him into the seat opposite the Hokage seating him as comfortably as possible in his current state.

The long raven haired boy turns to the Hokage once more.

"I need to speak and explain and to do so I require this body to be unharmed. Hatake-san is merely subdued and will stay so until you understand what needs to be done. Danzo has Root already lying in wait for the Uchiha massacre we only have a few hours to save as many lives as we can if not all. I need you to trust me and I promise I will return here afterwards to explain it all. Shisui needs to stay here as he is being directly targeted for his abilities and he is another precious person you will need in your battle to come. Please keep him safe."

In a whirl of light that flickers out she disappeared leaving the office of the Hokage before he could even acknowledge or agree to her request.

"Hokage-sama" Shisui who has returned to his knelt position with his head bent beckons. His voice is shaky and only then the Hokage notices how truly dishevelled the boy really looks.

"Can you explain?" Hiruzen finally enquires as he decides that he needs to try and retrieve as much information about these strange occurrences as possible. He cannot explain why but he has a feeling that he needs to trust this Light and the current unfolding events but it does not mean he won't try and glean as much information as possible in the meantime.

Shisui finally looks up and Hiruzen narrows his sharp eyes as he notices the blood trickling from the boys left eye over his cheek and down his chin, the eye is currently covered with his forehead protector much like Kakashi's.

"What happened to you?" he demands from the boy whom he knows is powerful but also prefers peace to fighting.

"Danzo" his answer merely a soft sigh.

The single worded answer suddenly clarifies a lot for the older man and he leans back into his chair. He was aware that the old fool was plotting behind the scenes but he never had anything as evidence, but this…. this had changed the whole situation and just perhaps he could use it to the benefit of others. It is sad to have to exploit such a huge injustice but all shinobi know and understand that sacrifice for the greater good always will fall on them as the protectors of the village, their ways and loved ones.

He has the question hanging in the back of his mind the threat that was mentioned, could it be Danzo? His inner feeling tells him that something even more dire is afoot, and he means to know what.

"He tried to steal my eyes for their prowess and he plans on having Itachi follow through with the decision to kill the whole clan to avert the coup. I managed to escape but not before losing my left eye to him. I was going to gift my other to Itachi to use in order for him to protect the village and the clan, he would succeed where I have failed." He gestures to his eye by cupping his palm over the headband covering the left side of his head and face.

"I would've thrown myself into the river afterwards but I was spared from that fate too. I found Itachi like that at our usual meeting place after that incident. He or she stopped me then." his disheartened sigh not missed by the old man listening in earnest to his tale.

"Please, just hear him out. Root is already lying in wait to annihilate the clan and him if he does not comply to what was ordered of him. We need to stop the bloodshed." the final requests came tumbling out in ragged pleas from the boys' lips betraying his faith in not only his cousin but also the Entity that has involved herself.

Hiruzen sighs … "so, it has begun! Seems no matter my reservations on the matter, I am forced to comply with our new and unexpected…ally?!" he questions but already know the boy won't be able to further assist with information.

"Make yourself as comfortable as possible for now, seems we can do nothing more than wait at this time" Hiruzen speaks softly to Shisui.

Glancing at Kakashi who is still motionless in his seat the Hokage addresses him confidently. "You need to stand down for now, when Itachi or whoever that is returns I will request for your release. I need you to be able bodied if we are to proceed, understood?"

Unable to answer Kakashi merely blinks his agreement. In his mind however, he sees all that is happening with Itachi and his clan unbeknownst to either of the two ninja present. At the same time, he is being shown moments in time he has not witnessed before. Moments that transpired when this Light met his father.

Turning back to his empty scrolls rolled out in front of him he picks up his brush and inks it before starting to move it across the page with precision and determination. He has made many plans to be put into place and many orders still to have fulfilled before his time as the Hokage comes to an end and he means to have them all followed to the letter even if they will only be conveyed after he has laid down his life in service of his beloved Konoha. His careful planning had taken more time than he had hoped but he was confident that his last act as a Leaf Ninja will give the rest of them sufficient time to prepare.

Fugako is seated across from Mikoto where she is busy pouring them freshly brewed tea. He watches her and sees the beautiful girl that captured his heart on a bloody battlefield even before he knew they were promised to be wed not long after. He wonders sometimes if she even knows that he had loved her before the marriage contracts had been signed by them, he doubts this because he had never even told her of the time he had watched her kill with the elegant grace that flows from her so naturally.

Mikoto catches her husband looking at her with very seldom seen softness in his eyes. He is a hard man she thinks, hardened by the wars and harshness of life but she knows of the tender side he possesses even if he thinks he hides it from her so well.

"I don't possess my youthful beauty anymore you know" she gently says as a small blush creeps over her nose at his intense gaze.

"You will always be beautiful in my eyes" he says confidently albeit a little stunned by his open admission.

"Why Otto, you are very open today" she softly laughs but still rises to stand behind him and lay a reassuring hand on his shoulder letting him know that she appreciates his softer words.

"I wish I could have made you as happy as you made me these past few years" her voice is suddenly filled with sadness and pain making Fugako brush his lips over her fingers as he cradles it in his hand.

"You blessed me with more happiness than I deserve. Never doubt that, never doubt the bond we share" he still struggles to voice his softer side and he knows that she thrives on hearing it. He has tried but he always seems to unconsciously lock it up, unable to break through his years of hiding them emotions away.

"We have a lot of work to be done Mikoto. Hokage has been clear in what he requires from us" he finally settles on addressing business rather than further blunder forward in an attempt to have an intimate moment with his wife.

She sighs softly both in agreement and resignation "I know."

Her admission he knows is to both the said and unsaid between them. Rising after finishing his tea he turns to her and encases her in a hug that he seldom does outside their bedroom. "Our sons are strong like their mother, thank you."

She feels a tear slip down her eye making sure to catch it on her shoulder before he sees it escaping. These moments are precious and few from Fugako and she never wishes to make him feel more uncomfortable when he does allow this side to show.

"I wish I could have saved our daughter Mikoto" he knows she is saddened by her lost child. It crushes his heart too but he is just better at hiding it from everybody. Nobody had known she was with child at the time of the near massacre, fighting so hard for the clan that night had cost them both their unborn much wanted child. She had been adamant about wanting a very big family with many children when they were first introduced, and he wanted to grant her her every wish and want.

It had taken so much from Mikoto to carry on, emotionally and physically, but he could see her heart thereafter was forever torn apart as she could not conceive again after that night. He was too scared of losing her and had forbade her to carry him another child.

She turns to him and just smiles "She would have been so beautiful." He just nods and tenderly kisses the top of her head before he turns to leave for the Hokage tower where he has been assisting Hiruzen as his most trusted advisor.

Mikoto returns to her musings and tea after he leaves remembering the night their lives had changed so drastically.

Dozens of cut down Root agents was littered around the compound, blood and the aftermath of each violent encounter present to anybody that would find themselves walking in the moonlit streets. They had started on the outer edges killing whoever they found in their beds, working their way to the more densely populated inner area. Many of the Uchiha victims were only just children and women none of whom even possessed the Sharingan, being of the weaker bloodline they seldom had gifted offspring to become fierce warriors. They chose to do the 'civilian like' duties, farming and produce to assist their gifted counterparts instead. Even with their quick interception near a third of her clan had fallen this night.

The pain started right after being knocked into a wall by a particularly burly agent that had caught her unawares as she was casting a rather intricate and wide spread genjutsu for a large number of attackers closing in on them. Itachi came from the side and without his usual finesse he callously and very brutally sliced right through the man after seeing her launched into the wall with an oomph that knocked the air right out of her.

She had not even told him he was going to be a big brother again yet. Birthing and bearing her second child had been too taxing on her health, she had thought she would never again have another child. She so desperately wants a little raven haired girl whom she can pass her own knowledge and jutsu to. They had been keeping it quiet in case anything goes wrong, at least this way neither Sasuke nor Itachi will share in the loss should anything go wrong.

With Fugaku currently out of commission it is up to her to protect the clan, she strengthens her resolve and picks up the katana that landed near her feet when she was knocked back.

Just then the rest of the clansman showed up stating the remaining remnants of the living Root agents have either taken off or are currently immobilised in the clearing before the shrine where she and Itachi had focussed their protection knowing that the strongest adversaries would bring the fight to them. Although the hatred was pushing up from her belly at the danger her unborn child was put in she knows that execution is not the way it should be done, if they were not killed in battle then their lives would be spared so they could face the penalties for their crimes.

Itachi moves over to her and speaks for the first time since the fighting has started nearly two hours prior "You should get some rest now" the gentleness in the voice not missed as she gazes into the orbs of light that reminds her it is not her son speaking.

Before she could even try to object in any form she doubles over in excruciating pain, falling to her knees holding her unseen growing bump beneath her blood soaked black yukata. Feeling the exact moment when her daughter's life fades from her body she lets out an anguished cry before her sight goes completely blank and she sinks into the ground in a heap of bloodied clothes and hair.

Her last memory before allowing the pain and darkness to claim her consciousness was of Fugako exiting the shrine doors to find them. His expression was, for the first time she can recall since meeting him, etched on his face in clear lines…. of pain, concern and grief.

Breaking herself away from the memory she sighs, eyes glistening with unshed tears and hidden sadness. She looks out to the small garden in the centre courtyard of their massive home, where the sunshine and light breeze is playing with the flowers and butterflies.

"I think another sleepover for Team 7 is long overdue. Better inform Sasuke when he returns from the exams." She schemes with sudden mischief brightening her once sad eyes and a smile softening her sharp features. Having them ever present over the years since the teams' creation has brought her so much joy, gaining a boisterous blonde son and bubbly pink haired daughter bringing much needed life to her fragile heart.

Shisui and Itachi has been watching the fight between Team 7 and their opponents from afar. Itachi grinding his teeth and tightening his jaw and fists to keep from interfering, even when he witnessed Sakura chopping off her vibrant pink mane in an attempt to save her teammates.

"They each have true strength" he muses to Shisui who he glances at for the first time since the battle started. He is surprised to see Shisui has a firm grip on a branch nearly pulling off the bark in his attempt to restrain himself.

"Yeah, they do" he says. "But still, just seems like they are being targeted" he adds his suspicion to hear what his cousin thinks.

Turning his red eyes with twirling tomoe towards the last leg of the confrontation below them he says "They are." Shisui jerks his head up to stare at Itachi, concern etched deeply in his face and brow. Until understanding dawns over his face "And THAT is why we are here, right?" Itachi just nods his consent while still watching the scene below waiting for when he might be needed to intervene.

When Naruto was swallowed by the snake both he and Shisui almost intervened until they saw the snake start to squirm and grow and eventually burst from all the shadow clones that Naruto had summoned inside its gut. Clever and sly indeed.

When Sasuke however took a hit it had been Shisui who held his arm back. "Have faith in him." He had relented and his Otouto had surprised him in his efficiency then to mislead and over power such a strong opponent by inflicting pain on himself. The following battle had been very enlightening in regards to his brothers' abilities and capabilities. Still, Sasuke is young and he is not as strong…yet.

But this, this was something else. This was no mere Grass ninja toying with his brother's team, this was Orochimaru – targeting Sasuke as his next vessel. As he drops down below onto the branch with Shisui following between the threat and his brother a bright light like the last time erupted from above him. Down dropped a figure clad in a dark green uniform similar to what the Anbu wears with the same colour cloak and hood over it. The mask however was not of an animal like the Anbu but rather a mesh of geometric circles intertwining…..the flower of life symbol! The symbol was expertly woven together over a mesh making it look like a flower pattern while still obscuring the view of the persons face.

He knew who it was though, the calm and serenity falling over them and him like a welcome blanket on a cold and chilly night, as she dropped down his suspicion was confirmed even before she started into action.

Swinging her arm in a full circle in front of her, meeting gloved hands in front and then throwing them out on both sides as if to keep them behind her forming a near unseen curtain between Team 7, Itachi, Shisui and the opponent. The almost curtain has a faint glow to it and both Itachi and Shisui can feel the chakra emanating in waves off of it. It is a barrier protecting them from Orochimaru who has tried to strike in the confusion by elongating his neck like a snake to reach his target, Sasuke. Itachi darts forward in that moment to avert the sudden threat unaware that no threat would be able to pass through as long as her arms were held up in place.

"Patience my Weasel, no harm will befall you" the bell-like voice assures him stopping him dead in his tracks before looking over her shoulder to add with confidence "Any of you."

"Well, well…. this has become very fascinating. Won't you agree Koutaigou?" Orochimaru sneers at the figure that has interrupted his hunt and effectively cut off his prey from him. He flits his slit eyes behind them to Sasuke who is still exhausted from his fight and is near empty on chakra. "Come to me when you want more power and I will grant you more power than you can imagine" he hisses to Sasuke with a smile meant to be inviting.

"He will never need you for that nor will you ever lay your fangs into him!"

Itachi is physically vibrating with restraint, his killing intent has grown to choking proportions and everybody inside the protection barrier is affected by it. Orochimaru merely chuckles and melts into the tree vanishing every trace that he was ever there with them.

"Aniki, I did not need your help" is the last words Sasuke utters before he succumbs to the chakra exhaustion and falls forward unable to break his fall on the broad branch they are standing on.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura hurtles forward to cushion his fall by landing between him and the hard surface waiting to greet his injured body and holds him close cradling him in her lap. Too tired to move any further she just remains there stroking his hair and rocking back and forth trying to soothe them both.

Before anybody can say anything else the green clad form nears Itachi and Shisui giving a small bow from the waist. "You both have grown up a lot since our last meeting" her voice rings clarity and bells once again. It sooths everybody and calms the very air around them setting everybody at once at ease, almost wiping the experience from a few moments before seem like a distant memory.

"Leave them to complete their exam. There is much they still need to learn here" she answers the question on both their faces before they even get to voice it.

"Has it begun?" The question falls from Itachi's lips before he can even think it.

"It began a very long time ago; we are just merely trying for a different outcome" she responds solemnly turning to face him alone.

"Is that even possible?" Shisui enquires with worry furrowing his brow.

"Have I not done so in the past?" she gently answers with earnest as she turns her head to have him in her full view.

"I'm in need of your assistance once more my little Weasel, will you again trust me?" she enquires softly without turning to face Itachi again completely keeping her attention fixed on the older Uchiha.

"I owe you so much, this is the least I can do. Whatever you require, I am your tool" Itachi answers without hesitance with a bow of his head. She chuckles lightly and it makes the air around them become light and revived turning her attention back to him again.

"Very well then, thank you." She almost floats to his side and then turns her head to the young female Gennin that watches everything transpire in front of her with a gaping mouth while still holding Sasuke in a protective embrace.

"You are stronger than you think you are. Believe in yourself, your team cannot survive without you, Sakura. They just need to rest and recuperate and you are more than capable of seeing them through this to the end." Her assurance and acknowledgement is breathed on a warm whisper floating through the air to the young girls' ears.

Shisui in the meantime had moved to unpinned Naruto from the tree where he was hanging unconscious for this whole ordeal after being knocked out by Orochimaru earlier. The kunai that Sakura used to save him from his fall had stuck in deep almost to the hilt into the tree and held him safely hanging until now.

Turning to Itachi once more she says "Come..."

They both step through a light like doorway that opened up right in the middle of the parties present, disappearing from sight and sense when it closed just as suddenly as it had opened.

Being left alone so abruptly Sakura and Shisui both stare at each other for a while before he finally breaks the silence around them.

"I... I cannot help you with your exam but I can at least help you bring them down to a more secure place. You may not realise this but all SHE has said is true you know. Trusting her and following her advice would only be in all our best interests now."

Sakura who is still astounded can only nod her head but as she looks down to Sasuke and Naruto laying out cold next to each other where Shisui had laid him down, her heart swells and her resolve strengthens once more as her stubbornness raises its head once again.

"No…..no thank you, Shisui-san. I will trust as you ask but I have to do this on my own….my way… this is my purpose, my mission!" her voice rings clear and unwavering despite her current weakened state.

Shisui merely nods in understanding and the corners of his mouth lifts into a knowing smile as he turns away and jumps to the next branch and away from the exhausted Team 7. He knows how important they are to the Light and he also knows that IT would not have left them in a vulnerable state if they were in any further danger.

He moves swiftly out of sight from Sakura but his true mission is not forgotten to him as he doubles back higher up the tee tops masking his chakra again. With Itachi gone now this falls on him to complete – watch Team 7 and ensure they fall to no harm. "I won't let you down cousin, not again" he murmurs to himself.

Sakura leans back once she is alone and thinks on what had just happened. Inhaling deeply, she resigns herself to finding a secure location for them for the rest of the night so her teammates can recover and for her to easily guard them. Tucking both scrolls safely away she is thankful that despite everything they have managed to fulfil at least this part of the exam. This will allow them at least some much needed time and reprieve in order to make it to the tower.

"Where are we?" Itachi asks abruptly as they enter a meadow that he does not recognise.

"We are….. in between for now. I need to speak to you privately and what is currently unfolding will take a short while to do so. Unfortunately, your presence there may influence the outcome so I have lured you away to secure the path. You will not be happy with it but it is for the greater good." The Light informs him earnestly.

"Am I not needed there?"

"Not at this moment, no. You are needed here as I need a more…. personal request from you this time."

Eyebrow arched in his signature way of curiosity "More personal than inhabiting my body and mind?" he enquires blandly.

Again chuckling reminiscent of ringing bells she answers "Actually yes, it is this time."

"As I have already said Mi'lady, I am your tool. For the good and service of Konoha and you, I will do whatever is needed."

"Arigato, my little Weasel. None of what I want to accomplish would be possible without you. This…. vessel I am in currently; it will remain here when I depart. My Lotus will require some assistance to acclimatise here. She is not of this world and although she possesses powers of her own she still does not how to wield them."

"This is not your own form?"

"No, it is not. I do not have a physical form to manifest, I rely on temporary vessels on the occasions when it is needed."

"How am I to assist you with this… vessel?"

"I require somebody who will help her to familiarise herself with her own powers. Help her discover them and also keep her safe, a family if you will. My Lotus is a direct link to me and her world and there are those who have discovered the secrets of her world. She comes from a place where chakra is not harnessed in any way and the people there are not even aware of their own prowess. Hence her needing the tuition in this field. Becoming my vessel has opened her to accepting these added …. benefits but she still lacks the training to hone them. With this said, being my vessel also allows her to have access to some of my abilities."

She watches him carefully to gauge his reaction from the information she has given him before she continues.

"I have gifted her with the knowledge but the guidance to unlock and use it falls on another…you, should you accept. My Lotus is a rare find for me, her presence called to me in her world and if not for her sacrifice earlier I would not have been able to intervene when I did that time. Against my better judgement I have accepted her sacrifice this time…to manifest here now. Her sacrifice this time allows for a more…. physical presence for me here. The timing it seems is quite opportune too."

"You won't be leaving again?" his surprise is evident in his voice at this point.

"I will, and when I leave my Lotus will remain here. I will only be able to manifest here through my Lotus though; my visits here however are limited in number. I trust it will only be needed when it is absolutely needed here. Should you need to converse with me then you may ask my Lotus to connect us here" she explains by gesturing with her hand towards the meadow where they are.

"As you wish" he agrees softly before his curiosity over powers him.

"Do you have any ideas to what powers your Lotus possess?"

"She can amass and store enormous amounts of chakra just what that is needed for I also do not know, her ability to produce very powerful condensed chakra is in itself astounding - it is much faster than is usual for any seasoned shinobi. I believe she may have a dormant Kekkei Genkai, what that is and how to awaken it though is as much a mystery to me as it is to you, sorry. Not being of this world, much is unknown of her abilities but her loyalty is rivalled perhaps only by ours. She is invested in Konoha and its people much like you. She has personal missions here too, which she needs to complete if we want to change the tide as we would like to. As long as she wears this mask however she is as an efficient shinobi as any, it allows her mind to access the information I have incorporated into this body in this world. I am merely asking you to help her unlock every facet of this information already within her grasp, please."

"You need not beg Mi'lady" he says aghast that she was speaking to him as an equal almost?

"If this is all you need I will gladly do so. I will protect her even from the village if needed. I am however a bit intrigued by what you said about keeping her safe. Safe from whom?"

"Ah. You know that she cannot just be accepted into the village because we will it to be so but aside from that the threat to her is as real as the threat is to Sasuke becoming a vessel. Orochimaru has learnt of her world and he wishes to bring powerful vessels over for himself. My Lotus is aware and prepared for the protocols that the village will need to accept her though; she is not ready to face Orochimaru or the other threat – not yet."

"The snake is bringing people back from her world? Is he not the only threat?"

"So far not successfully no, he may succeed if he is able to capture Lotus though. The other is an older more dangerous threat; as I am the Light so he is the Darkness, only known as Zetsu. You will receive more of the answers you seek when the time is right."

"I will not allow that to happen, I promise to avoid it as I would avoid Sasuke to fall victim to him. But….knowing what to look out for would help greatly in protecting her."

"I know" she smiles. "That is why I asked you."

Itachi's lips curl slightly at this and he just nods.

"When you need Lotus to be shinobi-ready have her put on this mask and attire then a normal summoning jutsu would suffice, as soon as her training is completed she will no longer require this summons."

"Would I not need to sign a summoning contract first?" he enquires.

"You will… your first time should be done on the flower of life symbol on her person, thereafter it would be the same as any other."

"I am able to summon her like any other, from any place?" his eyebrow quirked.

"Yes you can, especially after she has unlocked the knowledge within, it should come in very handy I would presume."

She pauses and exhales hard before she continues "Itachi, despite how it may seem or what you or Nalina may think – I care for both of you, you both are precious to me. I have lost enough precious people to me already. I owe Nalina so much and I cannot even begin to repay her, much like you she refuses to acknowledge that I need her so much more than she needs me. She made….is making the ultimate sacrifice. Once again in service for me. She is like my daughter and I would like to gift her a beautiful full life as she deserves. I am hoping after everything is done I can do just that."

She gazes off into the unknown and becomes saddened by some distant memory as her voice lowers to a whisper "Because I couldn't do it for him."

He is startled by this admission and shows it clearly on his face (he hopes). The Light makes no effort to explain her comment further for him though, rather focussing back to his importance to the success of their shared venture.

"You are as far as I can tell for the first time the living embodiment of Ying and Yang reborn. You are special."

He does not miss her avoiding her previous comment but feigns ignorance to play along for now, filing the information away until he can unravel the mystery at a later stage. "No more special than any other Uchiha. I have merely been trained exceptionally well honestly" he shrugs.

She turns to face him "That is so far from the truth and deep down you know it to be true. Remember what I told you the night we met? Love is the path to follow, Life is the road to success. This was your belief even before I came along. Not many others ever realise that kind of enlightenment before death much less when they are a child. Even less men realise the true strength there is to be found in love and humility, but you? You were born with it ingrained into your very being and THAT is why you are so strong."

He gazes over the meadow where the wildflowers gently move with the soft breeze and mull over her words. Not for the first time he realises how at peace he feels, how free it feels to be in her presence yet at the same time there is something new, something different – something he can't quite place. This is what he was looking for, what he missed, the peace and freedom he felt in her presence and now a soothing calmness too? He questions this new revelation only for a moment before he finally turns back to face her "I will do everything in my power to live up to your high regard of me and I promise, your Lotus…. your daughter…will fall to no harm while I breath."

Smiling behind the mask she looks at him while gesturing to a worn path through the meadow.

"Then I do believe it is time you finally meet."

AN : Ok, just fluff and background I know but in my defense I think it is needed. Next time folks :)