Kei-Kei Yuki: Writing this chapter made me teared up a bit as he was one of my favorite characters! Also, guys, I got in touch with a commissioner who is doing artwork of my SasuFemNaru God Mode-Gaiden Arc and they really do look like a power-couple! Can't wait to show it to you guys! Enjoy the story~!

Beta: Ana-DaughterofHades

Thank-you

Standing in the middle of the forest, staring into those bright cerulean blue eyes, a feeling of nostalgia hit Itachi. Remembering a time when the blonde standing before him barely reached his ankles, nearly blinding him with her smile of pureness and happiness that reminded him so much of Sasuke. He would land on the balcony that belonged to a woman who went by the name Umino Iruka-who begged and stating her case to the Third Hokage who allowed her to take guardianship over the blonde. "Weasel-chan! Naru-chan and Ruka-nee made cookies!" She would come running up to him, presenting him with whatever new dessert she and her new guardian had baked.

Itachi recalled himself smiling fondly at the girl, underneath his mask, allowing her to grasp his hand and pull her inside their apartment. Itachi knew his actions went against the Anbu code, instructed to stay in the shadows, and keep a distance from the nine-tails jinchuuriki. Yet, there was something about the girl's smile that made him go against that rule. Maybe it was due to how much her eagerness reminded him of Sasuke or the pity that he felt towards this small innocent child who had to suffer the ill-will of an entire village for something that was out of her control.

"Why are you here, Uchiha Itachi?" Back in the present, Naruko demanded an answer from him, on guard, and ready to strike if Itachi so much as moved a step forward.

"I do not wish to do battle. Just want to talk with you." Itachi noticed that the girl had changed a little since he last saw her traveling with the toad sanin, which was a couple of years ago. The little girl he once watched over had grown into a fine young woman.

She bore a striking resemblance to her late father, but Itachi remembered his mother once stating with a sad look, eyes filled with pity as they by mistake caught glimpse of the blonde jinchuuriki girl being chased out of a store as Itachi was accompanying his mother on an errand, "She looks so much like Kushina-chan." It was the first time Itachi saw a tear run down his mother's cheek, having a faint feeling that the Kushina woman his mother mentioned was the red-headed woman who always visited their house.

"Okay, talk!" Naruko voice brought Itachi from out his memories, sensing two clones rushing at him, but they stopped upon her command. Shocking him a little that Naruko could trust his words, but then again, Naruko always had a great perception of people. At a young age, Itachi could spot signs of this, recalling a time Naruko quickly entrusted Shisui, who was assigned on the Anbu guard with him one night. Naruko, in actuality, had many Anbu guards, but not all of them were as friendly as Itachi and Shisui, the two Uchihas who came from a clan known for their cold and aloof personalities.

Nor did Naruko treat other Anbu guards in the same fashion as she treated them. Whenever one would appear at random, delivering Naruko's guardian messages sent from the Hokage, many of them found this assignment a bore or viewed Naruko in the same light as the rest of the village, which was how it always ended up in Itachi's hands.

"Why are you so attached to my brother? I've heard the story of the both of you; why do you still chase after him?" The reason why Itachi chose now to reveal himself rested with these questions. After hearing of his little brother's relationship with Naruko, before he left this place, Itachi must know why she still chased after him after everything that had happened between them.

Resting a hand on her hip, Naruko couldn't stop herself from sighing. "You know, I've heard that question a lot ever since I came back, but never did I think you would ask me! Heh, people must really think I'm a complete weirdo for chasing after that jackass. Alright, listen up, 'cause I won't repeat myself!" Rising her head high, Naruko stared directly at Itachi, who had his full intentions focused on her.

"That bastard and I share a bond. Yeah, we may have fought and argued all the time, but he is still my teme at the end of the day. The one who I declared to be my rival! No one can understand Sasuke's pain and loneliness as I can! It's not like I blame him for chasing vengeance, but I'm blaming the way he did it. He forsakes all those who cared for him, just to hunt down you! He should've carried us along, but that dumbass always loves to take the hard route and chooses to sacrifice himself rather than take us along as if he's some selfless hero! Yet this path he chose to take will break him more than anything, and I can't let that happen to someone I care about, especially after all the things we have faced. Sasuke is more than just a friend to me... but someone special that I need to protect!" Naruko's words carried honesty, eyes clear as the summer day, as a shadow hint of a smirk appeared briefly on Itachi's face.

When the Uchiha Clan's massacre left the clan wiped out except for one, Itachi was sick to his stomach, throwing up in a nearby alley, disgusted with himself. Unable to block their screams or wash their blood from his hands, something in Itachi broke that night. Before he knew it, he found himself standing on a familiar balcony, a pair of tan hands clutching his own. That was when Itachi looked down and saw those innocent orbs staring concernedly at him. Upon seeing his hands, which he had used to kill many, he immediately snatched them away—not wanting to taint this child's pureness, especially after he just ruined his little brother and left him with a mental scar that would most likely never heal.

"Weasel-chan, is there something wrong? Naru-chan gets the feeling that you're sad!" She was the first person to show him concern after the massacre and the last person he would see. Removing his mask, Itachi fell to his knees. Indeed, his young beautiful face was tainted with tear marks and suddenly found himself hugged by a warm body, her small hands patting his head.

"Whenever Naru-chan feels sad and lonely, Ruka-nee always hugs me to wipe away the pain. So let Naru-chan wipe away your pain." Uchihas are not one known for expressing their emotions, but on that night, Itachi bawled like a baby in the arms of a little girl who was utterly blind to the heinous crime he had committed.

A sin that would no doubt be sent straight to King Yama, but at least towards the end, he could save the one who meant the most to him. Despite what happened and the burden he must now carry for the rest of his life, at least he was able to save his little brother.

"Naruko-chan, can you do me one last favor?" Itachi admittedly felt ashamed for his actions, but also knew he had little time left.

"Sure! Naru-chan loves helping!" Staring at her eager round chubby face, Itachi found himself deeply saddened by the fact that he would no longer see this precious ray of sunshine that was kind enough to bask him in her warmth during his time as her Anbu guard.

"I have a little brother in the academy. I believe he is in the same classroom as you. Can you please watch over him while I'm away." In the far back of his head, Itachi felt foolish asking a mere seven-year-old to take on such a big and responsible task but reassured himself by saying that the warm and kind presence of Naruko would help guide and save Sasuke.

"Sure! Naru-chan will help him! But... Naru-chan doesn't know your brother's name?" The tiny blonde girl's face reflected confusion. A sad chuckle issued from Itachi, uttering only his last name, "...Uchiha. You'll definitely find him." Because after tonight, there would only be one last Uchiha left in the village. Knowing that his time was now up as it was time for him to meet his accomplice, Itachi printed the detail of Naruko's face in his mind, ignoring the pang in his chest as he guiltily cast the girl in a deep genjutsu sleep. Catching her small body when it fell, he carried her to the couch and gently set her down.

Bending down, Itachi softly touched the red ribbons he had bestowed upon the blonde when he was kind enough to do something about her tangled mass of blonde hair. Trailing a finger down her soft whiskered cheek, Itachi shed one last tear before vanishing into the night, never to be seen again. Until years later, now labeled as a notorious criminal, sent to capture the girl who no longer remembered him.

Itachi had a feeling that after he left, Danzo most likely had someone trailing him, and that person must've sealed or wiped away Naruko's memories of him. Seeing as when they met again, Naruko vaguely remembered his face, but something was blocking her memories of that night. Whatever they did to her not only caused her to lose her memories of him but also the promise she made. Funny enough, despite her loss of memory, Naruko still ended up holding true to the promise she made with him.

"My little brother is truly fortunate to have you in his life." Before Naruko could blink, Itachi reappeared before her, and a finger pressed against her forehead. Naruko knew she should react, but she was stunned by the small hint of a smile she saw on his face. Once again, Naruko found herself hit with a douse of familiarity, but before she could say anything, Itachi opened his mouth.

"It was my luck meeting you in this life. Thank you," Itachi parted with these last words, not giving the blonde a chance to respond as he undid the seal blocking her memories, catching her when she fell unconscious and gently sat her on the ground, bracing her back against a tree. Before leaving, he smirked upon seeing the blonde still wearing the red ribbons he had once given to her, stepping away and disappearing like a shadow as he left to meet with his little brother.

End of Thank-You