The Weasel and the Lotus

by Midnight's Lotus Bloom

What if the massacre had been averted by an outside force? Itachi finds himself pulled in and saved in the nick of time and the following series of events plots a whole new path ahead. Heavy OOC and OC in store, very slow burn. Main pairing ItaOC. AU (Future pairings - Nejiten, Sasusaku, Naruhina)

6. Chapter 6

A/N: Please tell me what you think, thanks. Yes, I love music…all music, all kinds, all genres old and new. And yes, it is because of certain songs this fic formed…hope it explains a bit.

Warning – trigger alert: Violence, abuse, rape

Music: Candle in the wind

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

CHAPTER 6

"I need you to scan her chakra pathways with your Byakugan and tell me what you see" Tsunade wastes no time as she hurls out the order to him as soon as he steps inside. If his scan proves her theory, and she suspects it will, then they really do need to protect this girl at all costs. This amount of power will be like a honey hive ripe for the picking for Orochimaru.

Tsunade watches the couple from across the desk in her office at the hospital, elbows on the edge fingers intertwined hiding the lower part of her face from view behind her hands. "I have some news to share, perhaps I should clear the room first." Eyeing the girls and Neji behind the couple – "It is of a personal nature after all" – returning her gaze to them she waits for their response.

They turn to each other and look over their shoulders to the teens behind them, Mikoto has her eyes fixed on Nalina – "I want Nalina to stay" – she almost whispers to Fugaku and the medic. Sakura and Neji exchange quick glances and before they could be asked to leave disappear out the door simultaneously leaving a somewhat shocked Nalina behind.

"Very well then." – Tsunade directs her attention fully to the worried couple in front of her – "There is no other way to say this…. congratulations are in order I believe. Mikoto, Fugaku…you are…expecting."

Fugaku nearly chokes on his last breath – "Wh-what? No! Th-there must be some mistake...Mikoto?" – he turns to his wife with a look of shock and some fear reflecting in his onyx eyes at her.

"I assure you there is no mistake. I've felt their chakra signatures myself and had bloodwork done to verify it. Your wife is expecting…twins at that. She is almost three months along now- "

"Three months?!" Fugaku sputters and looks to his wife who has a slight blush across her pale face now. He then glances at Nalina behind them, she merely smiles eyes bright and pure joy beaming from her face.

"Yes, now stop interrupting me!" Tsunade growls "I understand there were complications last time but we will do everything in our power to ensure that ALL of them are safe and sound- "

"They will be Hokage-sama, my Mistress has instructed me to ensure it" the young girl who had remained silent the whole time speaks up softly while walking over to kneel beside Mikoto. "She asked me tell you that she wishes she could have saved her then but you can rest assured you will hold your daughter in your arms this time. Both of you will, I promise." Looking at Fugaku now she whispers her assurances.

The Uchiha's just look at each other, both shocked beyond words trying to process the information just received.

"Will you let me finish for once? There is another more pressing matter we really need to discuss here!" Tsunade having lost her temper now bangs her fist down on the desk to stress her point. The desk creaks and summarily splits right down the middle making Nalina jump as Mikoto and Fugaku both turn to her having composed themselves a bit more.

"I have discovered something very strange in Nalina's chakra core, or maybe I should say cores. She has two it seems which is impossible I know but ask Neji yourself, he viewed it with his Byakugan. Apart from that each and every diamond on her back is not a tattoo like originally thought but rather more like the seal I have on my forehead. Meaning….she has that many reserves of chakra at her disposal and from what I could glean…..they have never been used and are now starting to fill in the lotus on her back as well." Inhaling deeply as she had relayed all this on a single breath for fear of being interrupted again.

Nalina bursts into giggles as she gets up and ambles around the desk to open the drawer next to Tsunade. She draws out the bottle of sake hidden there and proceeds to pour the blonde a cup of her favourite drink of choice. "Oh is that what those are? I've wondered why Mistress adorned me so with them, thank you Hokage-sama" she beams while bowing at the dumbstruck blonde.

"You don't know, do you" Tsunade deadpans while taking a gulp of the cup now in her hand.

"Know what?" all three present asks at the same time.

"Well the second core, which as far as I can see is responsible for extremely condensed and potent chakra, is also enveloping her productive system choking it like a protective casing making it impenetrable even to my chakra, essentially this is making her infertile."

Suddenly Nalina's chakra starts to furl and pulse immersing the whole room in a sadness that overtakes all of them "She…she is only trying to protect me" she manages to stumble out these words before lifting her head. Her darkened eyes now drowning in tears and grief as she looks around the room meeting the gazes of the three adults present with their looks of pity, in Tsunade's eyes she sees a fleeting moment of contempt before the rueful emotion takes precedence. Her chakra flares and in that moment with tears streaming down her face she blinks out, lotus bloom petals dispersing before the first one even touches the ground. All three look at each other as the reality of what just happened dawns on them.

-o-

In the dark of the room he grunts and holds back the howls of anguish as his appendages are literally rotting alive. Orochimaru bites down on the inside of his cheek as he watches Kabuto dress and clean the wounds he calls arms in the dim light that a single candle provides.

"That stupid old man! Did he really think this would stop me?" the words dripping with venom as they grind their way through his clenched teeth.

"Lord Orochimaru, please. I have to dress these firsts then I will bring the medicine to numb the pain for you." the young medic tries to placate his seething lord who is writhing in pain at the moment.

"Then get on with it you idiot! I don't have all fucking day." unable to handle the pain and growing humiliation of having his abilities so drastically limited by his former sensei he lashes out at the only person present.

"Yes my Lord" a meek and compliant answer the only respite.

In the midst of the exchange they do not see the dark form rising from the dank soft soil of the floor in the room they occupy. "I told you not to underestimate her you know." The Venus fly-trap look alike offers as announcement for his presence.

"This was not her, Zetsu! It was that pathetic old man Saratobi, the fool. He thought he could kill me with this weak jutsu but he was wrong. My arms may not be working now but they will again soon" he almost howls in glee hoping his words rang true although he had a feeling they did not.

"Oh? So you did not see her? I thought I felt her presence in this world for a short while" the form known as Zetsu inquires not worried that his ally is being eaten up by the pain.

"She was there only to prevent me from taking what is rightfully mine, my next vessel. But no matter I have another I can use this time but I will have my Sharingan for the next time" ignoring the disregard of his comrade before him only focussing on his own selfish needs and goals.

"Soon you will not need to steal your vessels but actually sculpt your own perfect fit yourself. Just help me catch her. The amount of warriors we can bring over with those abilities of hers will be enough to crush this world and make it ours." He knows the dangle of unlimited power and resources will ensure the alliance remains intact. However fickle this tool is he is still very much needed in securing his sister Zetsu muses silently.

"Yesssss!" the consonant hisses out much like a snake. "I cannot wait. I will use another in the meantime but that vessel will only be ready in six months' time I am stuck having to deal with this excruciating pain and godawful ineptitude till then." Throwing a glare once more to the young man who diligently continues to attend to his mutilated arms.

"Soon my friend, very soon we both will have what we deserve." He promises as he sinks back into the floor from whence he came before leaving them alone in the dark once again.

-o-

Nalina had not meant to just disappear, she was not even sure how she did it to begin with but she had to admit she was relieved at being away from the worry and pity that was starting to suffocate her in that room. The lessons with Itachi had not started to cover this development yet, it came as a surprise to her the first time it happened and now again.

This time however she was standing in the clearing near the small orchard where they usually trained together. Her emotions had just overtaken her in that moment, one second she was ecstatic to share in the news of not one but two new arrivals the next she was seeing pity and sadness for her swimming in the eyes of people she has grown to love in the short while she has been here.

"I cannot have them pitying me, it's not right – it's just not fair. They deserve only happiness; they've suffered far too much sadness in their lifetimes they don't need to add me to their list too." She says to herself while hugging her arms close to her body tears running down her cheeks as her chakra rolls off of her in dark curling furls and waves. "Tsunade just don't understand Mistress, she don't understand why you did this….but I do. And, I'm thankful…given it was unnecessary but the thought behind it shows you care." Still talking to herself she does not initially notice the two people having a disagreement not too far from the small training area. Their rising voices however soon pulls her from her own despair with a sharp tug.

They are standing on the small wooden docking bridge on the lake next to the training ground arguing. The young girl cowers as the male raises his hand to bring it down across her face. Before his hand even falls on his target Nalina appears between him and the child in a whoosh of lotus leaves as she holds out her hands to try and protect the young girl. "Noooo!"

"You! Get out of my way you stupid girl. This is none of your business." He hisses at her.

"Please…you don't have to hurt her. Please…let me help you." She all but begs the man while she turns to help the girl up keeping herself between the two.

"Help me?! Help me...she says! I. Don't. Need. Your. Help!" he screams back at her making her cringe with the KI rolling off him now. "You think you're so much better than all of us. THEY protect you and take you in making as if you are somehow our saviour when you actually just want to weaken us with your tales of light and love!" he spits the words down at her as he towers over her menacingly.

"What?!" the astonishment is clear on her face and in her voice, herself not sure if it is at his assumptions or the utter loathing and hate that is evident in his tone and aura which surprisingly she can read without a fault loud and clear.

"You heard me bitch!" he hurls the words at her like they are weapons he wields, raising angry fists intent to rain down unspeakable pain onto both females before him.

Nalina sees the danger and all she can do in that moment is curl her body around the small frame now shivering in fear beneath her. She feels the first of the heavy blows fall on her back and across her shoulders. A loud snap registers somewhere in her preoccupied mind but the accompanying pain is shoved in a cavern deep down on instinct in her consciousness, she just continues to keep her body as a shield around the terrified child never once uttering a single sound.

The man becomes so enraged by the fact that he hears no wails to please stop or cries of pain and anguish, he starts kicking and punching even harder, mercilessly no longer aiming for the little girl but now directing every single bone cracking blow at her protector. He roars loudly as he unleashes all his anger in the attack he is now hailing down on Nalina relentlessly as she continues to act as a human armour. His growing KI has started to attract a few bystanders most of whom knows him and shares his sentiments of Nalina and thus not interfering but nobody notices as a blonde head bobs between the trees with a pair of blood red Sharingan right beside him clearing the trees just behind the small gathering.

"Naruto! Go to the hospital and get my parents here now!" Sasuke orders sharply before the other boy can even see who is under attack. He knows when the knucklehead sees who it is in need nobody would be able to stop him.

"But- "

"JUST GO NARUTO…..NOW!" shouting to drive the blue eyed boy into action as he moves to try and help the now curled up Nalina. Hearing the urgency in his voice Naruto spins around mid-leap pumping chakra to his legs and runs off in the direction of the hospital. Sasuke feel his Aniki before he sees him over the heads of the few bystanders.

Itachi felt Nalina just poof out from the room but he was still reeling from hearing about the new additions to the family AND the extent of Nalina's strength. She was gone before he could even intervene and his search for the past half hour has been fruitless, his tolerance is not for the first time stretched to the limit. He has yet to figure out how her blinking works, she's only done it twice now. The first time she had blinked into her room but it was painstakingly empty when he had checked. Where else could she have gone?

He was roaming around the outside of the main house trying to not venture too far in case she returned there. That is when he felt the growing KI in the air and faintly recognised a signature that has become all too familiar to him but was drenched in fear now. Immediately he moved towards the growing threat and nearly unleashed his own wrath at the sight that greeted him.

The man was stepping back making hand signs and bringing his curled finger to his lips in the signature fire technique. Nalina now wracked with burning pain throughout her whole body feels his KI choking her, peeking over her shoulder she watches as he inhales - a dark figure rushes towards him from behind. 'He won't make it in time' she thinks as she returns her gaze to the girl sobbing in her arms beneath her. All she can focus on in that small sliver of time is protecting the girl and the urgency of keeping her safe and free of harm completely overwhelms her. Her scalp starts to pull sharply as if her hair is being torn from the roots, it begins to burn like fire as she looks at the life-saving water surrounding them, and all she thinks of is protecting the innocent young girl in her arms.

Itachi sees Nalina covered in so much blood curled into a ball as the man, one of his clansman, steps back to aim a fire jutsu at her – his gut wrenches. He moves but somehow it all just feels too slow, like time has slowed down and is moving in slow motion, he won't make it in time!

And then he sees it.

Her hair somehow comes to life unwinding on its own falling around her curling and covering her completely as a column of water lifts right at the moment when the huge fireball surges through the air and swallows it. What he had thought was a column of water was actually a massive water dragon now encircling Nalina within its tail-end as the head opened its huge mouth and effectively engulfed the fire ball, extinguishing it down its watery throat into fits of escaping steam as it moves down into its gullet with still ample room between it and Nalina who is now safely cocooned in her hair and completely out of sight of everybody.

He reaches the clansman as the dragon appears and since Nalina was out of immediate danger he dealt with the vile man in front of him first. Shock and horror evident on the man's face, those being the last emotions his face displayed before he falls down to the ground in a very unceremonious manner twitching violently in agony from whatever he was currently experiencing within the genjutsu he was caught in. Turning around to face the water dragon Sasuke reaches Itachi's side silently, apparent concern clear in his aura. The dragon rears its head as if to swallow them both as Sasuke calls out – "Nalina-chan!" – the dragon falters and with her still safely curled within the coils of its tail, it eventually allows the brothers to pass as it moves to form a hydrous writhing barrier between them and the on looking crowd.

Drawing closer they see she is engulfed by the blue-black shield of her hair as it encases her completely. "Nalina-chan? Let us help you, please" the thick emotion in Sasuke's voice startles Itachi more than the plea at the end. Since when has his Otouto become so expressive? He reaches out but gets pulled back by Itachi who motions him to wait, they have no idea what kind of defences she has and they do not even know if she will recognise them in that moment. He feels an ache form in his chest for the helpless position that they find themselves in. Whether it was their presence or the fact that Sasuke spoke out, they do not know but by some miracle her hair shield started to soften and open up ending up as a messy mass of curls now drenched in blood and water. Her blood. Itachi moves into action as he kneels by her side only then noticing the shivering form of the child she was protecting underneath her, unscathed it seems.

Blood shot gold eyes meets blood red Mangekyou in the second it takes for her to recognise who it is "Itachi? Save her… please." His name from her lips in that moment sounds like music to his ears as the ache turns to a feint yearning, her voice barely a croak in comparison to her usual summer tone. Her plea to protect the child moves him to comply without hesitance. "Sasuke, come take the girl. We need to take them to Lady Tsunade immediately" although his voice is harsh and demanding his brother hears the emotions held back by sheer will power alone in the undertones. As he lifts Nalina now almost unconscious into his arms he can see where she has a gaping gash in her head caused by a nasty blow and the crimson life essence seeps over her shut eyelid. He watches as the trickle runs over her face and down her throat and in that moment he cannot contain his utter disgust for the man who did this to her. "Take him to a holding cell, he will be dealt with when we return" the look he throws to the same onlookers makes no empty threats as he turns his Mangekyou tomoe twirling eyes onto them, urging them to seek his vengeance with defiance now.

He feels his arm become warm and wet and realise that a bone on her back has punctured through and her blood is soaking his own clothes now. Forgoing the run he opts to teleport as he fears for the extent of her injuries, leaving the space in a flurry of crow feathers. Sasuke is shocked by the sudden disappearance and having a frightened little girl thrust into his care, he turns to the dispersing crowd ensuring his brothers orders are followed before he picks up the child and makes his way to the hospital.

-O-

"She's fine really, there wasn't much for me do as her body had already started to heal itself, seems that is another ability revealed."

"Then why is she not awake yet."

"Honestly? I have no clue. Physically there is no reason for her to still be unconscious."

"It didn't seem like she was self-healing when I found her, is it even possible for that to happen without her being aware of it?"

"From what we know thus far her full scale of powers are unknown…even to her. Guess we should just wait and see then. But I can tell you this; whatever is keeping her asleep is something big. She has more scars than either of us can imagine, scars that run deeper than flesh."

-O-

She hears the voices and knows they are talking about her, she just feels so very tired…so utterly exhausted her lids way too heavy to even attempt to open. Then she remembers why.

He was chasing her again; she can still feel his breath on her neck.

Still feel his fingers digging into her shoulders.

Feel his hands clawing on her back.

"STOP"

His bruising touches.

His vicelike grips.

"PLEASE!"

His crushing affection.

His painful attention.

"NO PLEASE."

Smell his stifling scent.

Hear the bones cracking.

"PLEEEEASE!"

Every single one he snaps.

"NO."

Taste the blood.

Her blood.

"PLEASE, LET ME GO"

Feel the pain.

Feel the punches and kicks.

"IT HURTS."

Feel her baby…fighting,

And losing…..

"SAVE HER!"

His eyes….so very dark…so frightening…so

So full of hate. She remembers it all now, it was locked away but now…now it's back.

"PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEEEEASE! STOP! PLEASE STOOOOP! NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

-O-

Tsunade steps out of the private room where Nalina has been placed to recover. She looks down the corridor that is filled with people, everybody worried about the girl they all met a mere three months ago. 'How can one girl make such an impact' she wonders. It was not so long ago but each person there feels like it is a lifetime already. Mikoto was escorted home by Fugaku, she was in a state and the stress not good at all for the babies – Tsunade had demanded she be removed for her own sake. Neji was against the wall a scowl darkening his face after getting into a tiff with Sasuke about them not being capable of protecting her. It had taken Nara Shikaku and Akimichi Choza to break them up eventually. Hiashi had sent several of his own bodyguards to stand guard but they were halted at the front door.

Naruto sat hunched in a corner beating his fists bloody against the wall until Kakashi had stopped him. Sakura was feeling lost but didn't dare move away from the doorway any more than necessary. Even Kakashi was trying to keep his usual composure but there was the gnawing worry etched around his lone eye.

Yamanaka Inoichi had offered his assistance with the prisoner and left earlier with Fugaku. He had been blinded with fury and was on the verge of executing the perpetrator on the spot, only Yamanaka's reasoning convincing him to first interrogate and then decide. Shisui tried his best to remove Itachi from the bedside but to no avail so he ended up taking the remaining seat in the room.

And then the blood curdling heart wrenching calls from the room brought them all back from their reverie.

"PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEEEEASE! STOP! PLEASE STOOOOP! NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

-O-

Her throat has finally opened enough for a sound to escape, hands outstretched and eyes flooded she shoots up straight from where she lay. Mouth open with the last of her screams still ripping from her gut she meets two eyes….dark eyes…black eyes...HIS eyes!

"Nooooooo! Get away from me…please, please….pleeeease!" she is sobbing now having fought for distance from those burning eyes, those orbs that could melt her and had broken her…killed her. "Kakashi-onii-san…please!" the name had barely left her lips when the silver spiky hair was next to her, cuddling her face in the crook of his neck and his arms encircling her now shivering frame cooing softly to calm her.

Itachi feels a sense of dread and envy creep through his boiling veins at the sight before him. She seeks comfort in the arms of Kakashi and recoils from his touch as if he had been her assailant, it was infuriating him, it was hurting him. He feels offended and angry and so very confused at his own reaction to the situation. Shisui watches closely as he sees his best friend fight down the urge to lash out as Nalina allows herself to be rocked and hushed by Kakashi. He pretends not to have seen the hurt as it passed over his cousin's face when she swatted his hands away; he feigns ignorance at the near jealous behaviour his best friend portrays.

"Don't let him hurt me again please, I-I'll do anything" sobbing uncontrollably drenching the older man's shoulder.

"Shhh, shhh…nobody is gonna hurt you. We are all here. That man is long gone" Kakashi purrs.

"What man?" Itachi clips out, jaw clenched meeting Kakashi's cold gaze as he moves around the bed to the side where Nalina is now huddling closer to the silver haired ninja.

"Not now!" Kakashi abruptly cuts him off as he rubs small circles on her back still shushing gently in her ear.

Tsunade has watched from the doorway and she also noted the fear that was still clinging to the girl the tendrils cold and icy as they leech off her touching every life within the walls around. She knows that kind of fear, the kind that will eat you alive, keeps you barely functioning, the kind that renders you worthless in the most unexpected of times, the kind that sits and grows and festers until all that is left is that fear and nothing else - she has seen it many times "I need to have a word with her…ALONE" she demands "NOW!"

Hearing her booming voice Nalina finally raises her head from its hiding place in the crook of Kakashi's neck as recollection burns bright in her eyes now. "Kakashi and Itachi-san can stay… please" all she softly whispers finally releasing her grip from around his waist instead latching onto his hand still keeping him close.

Alone in the room with the three ninja Nalina turns to Itachi "Thank you Itachi-san, for rescuing me. I apologise if my behaviour has offended you it was not my intent. Please, can you bring them all to the in between, if your chakra is not enough take my hand and channel mine – there is something you all need to see there."

Surprised looks are exchanged between Kakashi and Tsunade but Itachi eyes her warily as his heart clenches when he sees her grasp tighten around the other mans' hand at the request. He starts with Kakashi then Tsunade finally he tips Nalina's head back gently with his finger under her chin as he stares into her eyes, tomoe twirling furiously.

This time they enter her consciousness directly and all of them are standing next to the stream. The opposite edge now a mountain cliff adjacent to the waterfall with the meadow only on one side.

"I have brought you here to explain a few things, things that are needed to be known in order for us to prepare for the future. A future that is becoming more and more unknown to us." her small explanation is followed by a transparent pane-like window floating down in front of them and on it they see their world but also not their world. It seems younger with more nature less villages. Images are now moving and morphing as she starts to explain, the earnest in her voice edged with need that encourages them to merely listen and watch.

"Many years ago, the sage of six paths created the shinobi way of life but very few know where it actually all began. There are books which you will classify as fairy tales when they are actually history lessons long forgotten."

A figure appears before them of a beautiful woman with long flowing white hair and lilac eyes. "Meet Kaguya; mother of chakra and of the sage of six paths and his twin brother. She was love personified, having loved mankind despite their many flaws and weaknesses. She fell in love with a mortal and had birthed him two sons. He possessed all the love she had to offer in his hands, he held her very soul and heart in his palms. Then when he broke her heart by hunting her down she in turn turned her back on love from that day on. Banishing the light within herself to embrace the darkness."

They watch as the Light is born from her, drifting into the world moving from place to place. "The light in her heart having given way to the darkness that had spawned from her heartache. My Mistress – her light, her love – was forced out. My Mistress is essentially the loving, nurturing side of Kaguya's heart that was left after it was consumed by loathing and heartbreak. My Mistress does not have her own form as she does not require it but her powers' does. She was adrift in a world formless for a long time but because of the love and hope of mankind she survived and thrived. She was captured by Moon Island monks who held her prisoner but also protected her, until the White Fang and his team came for the unknown treasure." They watch as Sakumo steals the Light and takes her into himself.

They see a battle being fought between mother and sons. "When Kaguya turned her wrath on the world however her sons decided to seal her away. What you see as the moon is actually her prison. During the fight to seal her away Zetsu leeched out and was born – him being the darkness that festered in her heart after being forsaken by the love of her life. He is the darkness and he influences the hatred, doubt and negativity in everybody he touches but his influence can be done subtly as it can be nurtured and grown from the person's own darkness in their hearts. My Mistress and he are…the Yin and Yang of life. Good and evil, dark and light, one cannot exist without the other." They watch as the blob of black shadows drops and hides away – they watch as the blob grows stronger over time – they see him planting mistrust and hate among brothers.

They witness as he targets one lineage and infects them for generations to come. "Over the years Zetsu has planned to free his mother in order for her to dominate this world. All the wars and tribulations you have faced are part of his grand plan to free Kaguya. He however needs my Mistress as well as all the Bijuu's power to unlock her cell. He also requires the Sharingan and that is why the Uchiha has always been targeted, he is the reason there is a Curse of Hatred within your clan, he is the reason why your Sharingan activates only after great loss, he is the reason that there is illness as recompense for using your blood trait. There is another way but he has blinded this world to it since his birth. And that is why Mistress has sent me, to change the path, to make a difference, to spare the lives that will be lost if he continues in his fool hardy mission."

The three stand and watch not sure if they should speak or just wait for the explanation to continue. Itachi is looking around the meadow, eyeing the cliff and stream and he sees a black chest drifting down the stream in a small boat. He wonders what that is about as he wonders where the Light is at this moment.

"Where is your Mistress?" the question escapes his lips before he even realises.

For the first time since they arrived she turns and looks at him, "She will be here shortly Itachi-san. I apologise for you having to tolerate my presence, I know you prefer my Mistress's company. It is just easier to convey this message here as it is a lot to absorb also in person my emotions tends to get in the way and I have already taken too much time to relay everything that is needed."

Turning back to the others – "Hokage-sama, thank you for accepting Sakura as your apprentice at least one Sannin legacy is secured now. Would you please request that Naruto be trained under Jiraiya–sama, Sasuke would need to be paired with Anko-san, since none of us would want him to be within any kind of reach of Orochimaru. Please, will you help me secure these senseis for them? We have but 3 maybe 4 short years before they will be almost ready."

Tsunade is surprised by the sudden change in the girl but agrees to her request with a nod. This meadow, this place is making her feel way too accommodating and serene, it feels like the walls and barriers she has built over the years are being dissolved and she does not like it one bit. She would like to leave here as soon as she can.

"Kakashi-san, I also need to request a favour of you too please. On Moon Island there is a lantern, it used to house my Mistress in the beginning. Before she could merge with another. This container holds great power even after all this time and Zetsu, should he ever find it, would be that much closer to accomplishing his plans. Would you accompany me to retrieve it, please?

"Anything to ease your mission Nalina…. to help your Mistress" is his simple answer to her request as he wonders if he will finally hear why his father had to die so many years ago.

"Kakashi-san, I wish I had the courage to impart this information with you outside of this place, the reason why your father had to sacrifice his life. My Mistress, only a very select few can ever become a vessel for her and even then fewer still can survive when she leaves them. Unfortunately light attracts light and when she leaves a vessel their essence or light leaves with her, she has no control over this – it is her Yang, her balance. Your father set her free of his own volition and gave his life after asking her only one thing. To ensure that you know true love, and that is another reason why we are here…to change the path." She answers his unspoken question and the emotion in her eyes then completely overwhelms him.

"Lotus…. you've brought guests? I am pleased you are adjusting and you have done well in bringing them here for this. But I am going to insist that you show them your darkness. They need to understand." The voice filling the meadow now rings out as it gives her an order for the first time since she can remember. She cannot refuse.

"A-as you wish, Mistress" her aura becomes darker, heavier as she motions the visitors to follow her downstream. Itachi notices the sunshine diminishing the further they move just as he feels the Mistress's presence linger behind them staying just within the shining light. Her peace and serenity a comforting feeling on his back as the path ahead starts to feel burdened with uncertainty, doubt, pain and sadness. They continue until the world seems to be caught in an eternal dusk, barely light enough to see and pregnant shadows waiting for the chance to grow and swallow everything in its way. In the stream ahead he spies the small boat caught in a shallow between some rocks just before the stream itself disappears down a crater darker than the blackest night.

Nalina has moved closer, hesitant, unwilling and scared with shoulders hunched making her seem even smaller. She pulls the boat closer dragging the chest out almost tripping in the struggle; the three companions are rooted to the ground unable to assist her in freeing her burden. She hauls the chest into a space surrounded by many different kinds of white flowers. There are tulips, peonies, peace lilies and many more every bloom casting a little more of the shadows back. She ushers them closer and steps out of the circle turning her back to them she moves towards the stream and settles in the middle of the waters surrounding herself with lotus blooms of every imaginable hue and shade that floats down the stream pooling around her like a barrier.

Her voice is clear and the tremor feint as she finally says "Kakashi-san, please open the chest." Hesitantly he reaches out and lifts the latch, flipping the lid open.

Immediately they are sucked into a world where a pair of coal black soulless eyes constantly peers down on them. The fear and dismay they feel are not their own but it is so thick and palpable that it coats their tongues and sticks to their skin adding to their discomfort. They watch small snippets flash before them, a girl who looks very much like Nalina, a timid and shy young woman admiring a mysterious dark man, they never see his face. They watch him ignore and dismiss her, but the ominous eyes continue to bear down like an ever present demon almost stifling in its presence. One moment he is turning away from her the next he is chasing her lashing out with clawed fingers as he rips clumps of hair from her head, nails raking deep scratches in flesh and cloth. Catching her he relishes in hurting her, bruising her, making her scream, taking his time to torture her. They could see him talking, screaming but they could hear nothing as the silence around them engulfed even their own sounds of disgust at the scenes unfolding before them.

As if the beatings and torture was not enough they see how he thrives when her bones eventually start to crack and break one at a time. The final act of his defilement happens when he shoves her down face first, bending her over - head down and back side up to rip away her innocence like nothing more than an inconvenient rag to be dispensed of. Ramming into her over and over again as she screams from the newfound searing pain while her own blood covers them both. He leaves her broken and bleeding and time seems to move on as does she. In between his punishments continue and they notice how she is no longer fighting but just takes whatever punishments he deems fit including being violated after most beatings, bearing it like a burden on her shoulders. Her screaming has stopped with her fighting but the bruising and broken bones remain despite the silence.

Then they notice the way she protects her stomach from taking any direct hits.

The realisation of her situation hits them and just as suddenly the world around them shifts. Just as his punishments becomes more focussed on the one place that she is protecting. Now they can not only feel her fear but can also smell her blood and hear her bones snap as he kicks and punches her abdomen and back and then they feel her loss when the internal fight is over. They watch as he moves over her taking her tired head between his hands gripping tightly into her hair as he mouths "YOU'RE NOT WORTH LOVING" before he slams the back of her skull into the cold hard floor, the red oozing out like spilt paint, a growing smudge against grey concrete.

As the puddle grows in size the world they are in around them start to go black.

They stand in the circle as if waking from a dream; they are no longer in the darkness but back in the brightly lit meadow. Nalina is still standing in the stream with her back turned to them.

"He..he took her from me that day, leaving me for dead. Mistress used her essence that was left inside me to come back the night she merged with Itachi. She was too small and weak to sustain Mistress for long without affecting him, her sacrifice spared Itachi's life. And now? Now I am here." Her words are hollow, winter clinging to the edges making them feel cold to the bone.

"My Lotus has not only given me her life but also that of her unborn daughter. When I found Nalina the day she was born her essence, her soul was calling out to me, pulling me towards her like a magnet. It seems my perfect vessel was born in a different dimension from this one and she called to me through time and space. Her mother passed shortly after her birth and I have been her constant occupant since then. Kakashi, your father took me inside him but was not aware of the consequences of doing so at the time. He set me free to find her and faked his own suicide to hide my escape. There are still people looking for me in your world. Nalina loves easily and completely her heart the purest of pure, even her scars give her strength. This makes her my perfect container as we complement each other giving each what the other lacks. She is the only one who can make light from dark but I fear what would happen if darkness ever took root in her." the voice explains but the tone is tanged with sadness.

"Mistress, forgive me but… I-I think they need to leave now" Nalina was still not turning around to face them.

Itachi hears her sorrow and feels her seeking solace from the trauma she just shared, it's still too fresh for her, the wounds still too raw to leave vulnerable to outside scrutiny. He reaches for Tsunade and Kakashi and they disappear before either one could say anything more. "Hime….." he begins to walk over to join her in the stream.

"Itachi-san don't, don't enter the waters it will freeze you. Please… please just….just leave me for now. I'll be coming shortly" she dismisses him.

Looking at her back he feels her pain as it eats away inside his gut, cleaving open his own heart in its wake "No! You did not forsake us when we needed it and I will not forsake you now…not when you need someone to stay with you…for you" his voice stern but it carries a soft and gentle resonance that is almost soothing.

"Y-your eyes…..they…they are so much like his…they remind me of him. I am sorry" the sob she tries to hide erupts like a hiccup.

"Then I will only ever use my Sharingan in your presence" he concedes easily.

She twirls around eyes wide and he sees for the first time her tears flowing like rivers over her cheeks just as silver as the water in which she is standing. "Why would you do that?"

He holds out his hand as his eyes bleed red and his tomoe twirls beautifully, lazily "Because you deserve it and so much more Hime." Before she can even reply the meadow bleeds into black skies with red swirling clouds and a crimson moon hanging low. "Since you showed me yours, let me show you mine" he says as a small smile plays on his face, his hand still waiting for her to take.

She looks up at him confusion and awe apparent in her doe like expression. The red rimming around her orbs giving her an eerie look of desolation, Itachi inwardly swears to personally banish the look from her face and mind. "Show me what?" she whispers hoarsely, hesitantly reaching halfway with her fingers before halting, the distance between them just a breath and a cavern waiting to be bridged.

He does not move any closer but reaches both hands out to her now, palms up fingers relaxed in invitation "Show you the darkness that lies within my own heart." Her gaze jumps from his finger tips to his twirling tomoe and he sees the indecision there almost trying to sink her curiosity "You shared yours, let me share mine…please" the appeal the final lifeboat as her palm crosses the ravine between them to rest in his slim cool powerful hand. He didn't know it but in that moment a seed took root in Nalina's heart, a seed not even she knew was there, a seed that if nurtured and nourished will become a stronger bond than either of them has ever known.

He takes only a moment to draw her softly closer to his tall lean but muscular frame "It will be intense so hold on tight, don't be afraid" a near whisper against her temple as he lifts her into his arms.

Snaking her arms around his neck she gazes into his twirling crimson eyes and nods her understanding, suddenly feeling dumbfounded by his utter tenderness leaving her breathless and her heart fluttering in an unfamiliar way. He holds her secure against his toned chest as he turns towards the looming darkness as it grows ever closer to overtaking them both in its magnitude. She takes in the scenes as his own living nightmares unfolds before her, immersing her in his emotions as they tore into his soul, mangling and fraying the fibres to shreds – leaving him to fit them together like one too many jig saw puzzle pieces mixed together.

She sees him just four years old making his first kill – she feels his heart become tainted with a growing black spot in a far off hidden corner.

She watches as he bears witness to his clans' betrayals – the anguish seeping into her core leaves her cold, she shivers and he holds her closer.

She experiences every single kill thereafter – each life taken making the blackness in his heart grow just that much more, remembering every person's life he took by name by heart.

She lives through the favouritism of his father – the bitterness adding to the growing blackness as Sasuke is overlooked and shunned every single time.

She observes every single dark ugly mission he endured for his village – the hollowness it leaves behind tainting her senses with flavours of resentment and anger.

She absorbs the events around the massacre – their crumbling hearts unified at the slaughter prevented by the fellow village men whose blood he shed.

She breaks when Izumi is cut down in the massacre – the cracks on his heart mirrored on her own with that memory.

She watches, lives, experiences and feels every solitary dark moment he has endured, harboured and tucked away from the light – and it fills her heart with raw emotion for his silent suffering. Every fear he has exposed to her - by him, laying himself bare to her witness and judgment – willingly he has allowed her entrance to his pain.

In this moment, in his space she realises that all of this is so very opposite to who he really truly is, the man his heart urges him to be – despite the growing darkness he has a light that refuses to be dulled by even a portion of the shadows he lives in for the sake of those and that which he loves. Her gaze on him softens and had he seen the look passing over her spirit broken features he would see himself being reborn in a new light within the amber and gold depths. "Let me take this pain away for you, please" pleadingly the invocation stumbles forth heavy with the restrained emotion she feels.

Looking down with a deep fondness shining in his blood red twirling stare he simply says "Only once you let me chase away yours."

She opens her eyes to find her room filled with people, every single one waiting for her to return. She turns to find Kakashi still cradling her head on his lap, Tsunade seated at her feet looking deep in thought and Itachi sitting on a chair in a corner away from her, eyes still bleeding crimson as he watches her intently. She smiles at him genuinely, silently giving him thanks for his sacrifice. "I am sorry if I made you all worry. But, I am fine now." She meekly offers to everybody present.

"You have nothing to apologise for, we are just happy you are well. The girl you protected and her mother is outside and would like to see you" Tsunade responds as she pulls herself from her own thoughts.

"I would like that very much thank you" Nalina accepts with a small bow of her head.

The door opens and the girl holding a small bunch of wildflowers in her hands and another woman enters - "Nalina-sama" – they bow deep and low not stepping any closer to the bed than just inside the door – "I am Bashira and my mother and I would like to thank you for preventing any harm to befall me today. We apologise and beg for your forgiveness on behalf of my father. He is a hard man but he is a good man. I am not as strong as he would like me to be but I will work harder to make him proud of me, a daughter worthy of his affections."

She starts crying as the room hears her soft sobs being swallowed before she continues – "We beg of you to spare his life."

"Whaat?! Nalina is up and out of her bed kneeling before the girl and her mother in a second. "Please, don't bow to me." Lifting the girls face towards her she speaks softly "Can you explain why you are asking for his life to be spared? It was just a misunderstanding; your father is already home waiting for you both" she assures the girl watching as a light flickers in the black depths of her eyes. Bowing again while ushering their thanks they both leave to head home.

"You should not have done that. Father will be making an example of him" Itachi offers an explanation after they had left.

Not bothering to get up from her knees she whirls around to face him through the many bodies between them catching just the crimson twirl of his tomoe – "Then you will help me stop him….now!" The dispersing lotus petals the only sign left behind of her presence in the room, black crow feathers follow suit leaving the room in silence.

As he expected she had transported back to her room, he found her tripping over her own feet trying to move past him. "Do you even know where you're going?" he asks softly wondering if she had even noted her mussed hair that somebody made into a simple messy plait and the hospital patient pyjama's she was sporting currently. He gathered she did not else she would have changed before attempting to barge in on his father as he was dealing with her attacker.

"I was hoping you would divulge some directions now that you're here" her clipped tone and her furling chakra clear signs of her impatience and determination.

He grabs a cloak from her wardrobe and drapes it over her shoulders "Hold on" his only command before they puff away in a burst of feathers.

When they appear in an empty office she turns to him but before she could utter anything a scream fills the air around them. Her eyes grow nearly as big as saucers as realisation dawns on her horror filled features "Nonononono… Fugaku-samaaaa."

Tearing down the corridor towards the now dulling screams, cloak flapping and braid trailing like a moving serpent behind her, she heads to the cells of the police building. Finding in one of the interrogation rooms Fugaku, three guards and Inoichi standing over a man writhing in agony. "Please stop, please…please, pleeease!" she begs as she drops down over the man who had nearly burnt her and his daughter to death earlier.

"Uchiha-sama please…show him mercy. This is why I am here. It was not his fault. It IS not his fault. The darkness – Zetsu - rooting it out – take years. Pleeease just stop" weeping uncontrollably now making her speech garbled and incoherent as she tries to soothe the man in her arms.

Itachi moves to his father as the men present stares at the girl now protecting the one they would punish for hurting her, he whispers for a few moments to his father and Inoichi. They just look at him with incomprehension. "We cannot just let him get away with disobeying orders not only from his clan head but also the Hokage! Surely if we do not set him right his fate would be sealed far worse by the village-"

Fugaku does not get to finish his statement as the Hokage herself steps into the room at that very moment – "Seeing as the person he attacked is now protecting him I do not think we can override the decision to grant him mercy, don't you agree?"

"Lady Tsunade-sama, thank you for coming! Please, can you heal him?" her relief apparent at the woman's appearance as well as the silent consensus "Fugaku-sama I appreciate your fierce protectiveness of me, it is heart-warming but this man… he is still your family. He made a mistake that's all, I feel no ill will towards him. I still wish to help him, please" she looks up at the two clan heads now her eyes continuing to desperately plea with them.

"Will you explain what you mean by help him?" Inoichi finally asks as he watches the girl still beside the man they have been interrogating and punishing till now.

Tsunade has joined her next to the man and was now hovering over him with glowing green hands scanning for any damages and healing where she could. Nalina not willing to leave him just lifts her head to stare into cool blue eyes "I mean to take away his pain and darkness that clouds his judgement right now." I need to purge this world of the darkness that has been planted and is being nurtured."

By the end of that day Nalina and everybody else was exhausted, Akimasa (having learnt his name now) returned home to his waiting family, Inoichi and the rest all having left the Uchiha compound for their own homes. Only Tsunade and Kakashi had remained, they joined the family with Team 7 and Shisui for the dinner Mikoto had lovingly prepared. The table was distractingly silent for once as everybody had their own thoughts to work through, eating almost absent-mindedly only Nalina was having great trouble in actually eating the food before her. Itachi watches as she just moves the food around not lifting anything to her lips.

"Jiraiya will be here within the week and he has already agreed to train Naruto, apparently he was planning to do so for a while now but was not sure how it would be received" Tsunade is the first to break the silence. Naruto jerked upright at the mention of his name, food nearly forgotten. "Unfortunately due to the nature of his work they will be leaving the village to take on his training" – motioning to Naruto with her head.

"I know" Nalina adds "They will be gone for nearly two and half years- "she does not get to finish before being interrupted by the very loud knucklehead ninja.

"Oi! Nalina how come you know so much about us anyways? I thought you said you've never been here and your Mistress neither. So how is it you know stuff even before we do?" although abrupt his question is one that was nagging at the back of every bodies mind but none was brave enough to ask. They all looked expectantly at her now forgiving the blonde his sudden outburst.

She looks at all the eyes now focussed on her and can feel their curiosity finally getting the better of them as they wait for an answer, she sighs loud, long and deep – "I never did get around to telling you that did I" – she starts. "In my world there is a book…this" – waving her hand over her head – "is a story. I thought it was just that till Mistress told me everything. We could do nothing to help or intervene until…-" she goes silent now – "until…till there was a way for her to bridge the worlds" – she finally finishes and three pairs of eyes fall on her, she feels them looking at her and her aura cloaks her heavy and thick in that moment.

Sensing that Nalina is in distress Sakura scoots over to her placing her small hand over hers and says "How about I help you tonight? Your hair has grown so much and you may need help to manage it" she tries to chuckle softly to lighten the mood.

Nalina lifts her amber gaze to meet green ones "Thanks, I would like that" they excuse themselves and disappear down the corridor to her room.

Itachi watches the retreating forms silently as he wonders how she will dance later that night.

He was waiting in hiding when she entered the empty training room with shoes around her neck and player in hand the buds already nestled in her ears. There were tears clinging to the corners of her eyes and remnants of streaks over her cheeks from earlier. This night her dancing was slow and languid filled with the saddest of emotions. It pained him to watch her now as her movements stirred up sentiments he was so used to burying deep down unwilling to let himself actually experience them. The dance did not have a cresting moment this time but just tapered off slowing to an uneasy halt as it ended with her breaking down crumbling and crying softly. Her aura leaking raw feeling – the sight of her cracked the wall he had built over time, hairline fractures bleeding his own afflictions forcing him to begin to dissolve the festering puss oozing through him.

He was at a loss, not quite sure if what he was feeling was his own or simply his empathy for her pain finally laying claim to him. As hard as he tried this time he could not bury or hide it away deep down, he had to face them head on. Looking at her sobbing form he feels her pain slowly dissipate, it doesn't dissolve completely but it lessens enough to make a difference. He wonders, 'Is this how she fights her darkness?'