Sasuke meets a former Konoha resident who offers to help him, Izumi is given an examination.

Chapter Text

Sasuke's morning had turned out to be a pile of steaming shit. As the day wore on, it seemed only to be attracting flies.

As if being kidnapped and blackmailed into becoming a missing nin and allowing entrance for an enemy of his village

were not distasteful enough, the smug medic gave him a tour of the fates of ongoing torture victims he described

as experiments.

"This place is a hellhole.", he remarked to his escort.

Kabuto smirked, "Depends on which side of the bars you're on."

"Which side will that be?"

"The one that keeps you alive until morning, for now."

Suicide in defense of the village had come to mind as an option.

It was a lot better fate than some of the other ones he was paraded before on the way to his quarters.

Sasuke probed,"I wasn't aware I needed to be alive for the possession to work."

Kabuto stopped walking and looked him over,"You don't, but it's preferable."

Shit., Sasuke thought, There goes that way out.

"Will I remain conscious?", he asked as they resumed walking again, not sure which answer he preferred just now.

The bespectacled man shrugged,"It depends on the host."

They stopped in front of a cell that the medic opened, gesturing inside,"Welcome home."

Tendrils of mold snaked up the stone walls, a thin and sagging mattress on a rickety frame without blanket or pillow,

a corroded metal sink, and a single candle on a nightstand greeted him behind the iron door.

He noticed a small dip in the floor, a drain perhaps.

"Dinner will be along in a while.", the medic informed, "Till tomorrow."

Sasuke laid back on the dusty mattress.

Maybe he should let his family hate him, come clean. If he ever had the chance.

There wasn't much to lose now. He could be executed for allowing this.

He hoped no one else was harmed by Orochimaru's visit, but something in the way the man had looked

at him told him he only wanted in and out with Izumi. Why else would he use his body to enter it?

At the very least he hoped to return his child to Konoha and take Izumi to hell with him.

The thought of leaving everyone behind was crushing and he brushed it away.

"Just piling regrets.", he said aloud.

"You too, huh?", a rather soft female voice answered.

He turned his face to the door of the cell, surprised to find a slight woman was standing there, long black braided hair

to her waist and strange blue eyes, amused she had caught him unaware.

"What do you want?", he asked, annoyed at her teasing.

"To give you dinner.", she replied, appreciative eyes drinking him in.

He scowled at her attention,"Tch."

"You're cute, but not very charming are you?", she said, a sour expression replacing her earlier interest.

A little insulted, Sasuke replied,"I can be when I must."

She rolled her eyes,"So it's more like a chore for you, instead of a concern?"

"Hn."

"Well,", she said, making her disapproval clear,"I can see why you've come alone."

He sat up, ready to let her have a dose of his non charming demeanor when he caught sight of the look she

was giving him now. It was remarkably similar to the one Mikoto would use on him when she was reminding

him of the manners she taught him.

He swallowed and rose, took the plate from her and sat back down on the bed.

"Thank you.", he said, just loud enough to be heard.

"You're 're an Uchiha aren't you? ", the girl asked.

Not this again ,"So?"

"I hear you'll be on Kabuto's table tomorrow for a journey. If you don't want Lord Orochimaru in your head, I can help."

"How?"

"I can put a shield around your mind so he can't get in. If he does something you don't want to see...you won't have to."

"Why would it matter that I'm an Uchiha and why would you help me?"

"That would make you a leaf ninja, right? I came from Konoha too. My sister still lives there."

Sounded plausible, and he wasn't choosy right now. At this point, why not?

She would likely be punished for killing him, not that it would stop the sannin anyway.

He could at least say he protected the village's secrets to the best of his ability, or tried to.

"Do it."

She nodded,"Eat first. You will be nearly comatose until he leaves your body."

Sasuke ate while she made her other rounds.

When she finished and returned, he handed her the finished plate and looked at her to ask what was next, but the question died in his throat.

Her eyes spun red.


Unable to rouse Sasuke from his slumber, Kabuto let out a frustrated noise.

"This kid is a pain in the ass."

Orochimaru couldn't argue. He seemed to have the same ability Izuna did.

There should be no such issue with Izumi.

"Though worth it, you'll see.", the sannin replied.

He was allowed into Konoha without fanfare other than,"Early as usual, Uchiha."


Izumi knew she had fucked up. Royally.

When she'd caught Sakura in a genjutsu, she began showing her times she and Itachi played together, holding hands.

The first kiss, more of them. She felt Sakura's sting of discomfort.

All was going well, so she moved into times when she had teased him and Itachi was struggling with physical need,

figuring that would rattle her even better.

The sting vanished, Sakura's calm and resolve and maybe even...pity coming to the fore.

Izumi shifted to scenes between her and Sasuke, but it was only more of the same reaction, even stronger.

Then some freakish mental guardian suddenly booted her out.

Sakura's resistance had pissed her off, so she pushed on Itachi...which might have been a fatal mistake.

His mastery of Eternal Mangekyou stunned her, she was no match. Itachi's killing intent blazed.

He blamed her for his brother turning on him, ached to change it and eliminate her.

Thankfully, she was taken to Hokage tower. Maybe someone had seen her plight and called for help.

Hoping so, she decided to play the victim this remained silent until they were in the Hokage's office,

even as they sealed her sight. Appearing as a threat wouldn't help her right now.

After Naruto explained the position he found them in and before Sakura could take a breath to add to it, she risked

speaking out of turn to play it up,"Itachi's insane! He tried to kill me! Please protect me Hokage-sama!"

Itachi remained silent, radiating a determined rage.

"With pleasure,", Kakashi replied evenly, "but first, Sakura?"

"Yes?"

"I'd like to know who the father of her child is."

Izumi startled, then became hysterical,"I refuse to do it here! I want protection first!"

"It's her right to not have this revealed in public, have at least some privacy.", Sakura agreed,

heart sinking as she saw realization wash over her husbands face of just who the father might be.

"Permission granted. She'll be held in protective custody in our medical unit for now."

Kakashi beckoned to an Anbu nearby,"Racoon, go with them."

"Hai."

The door shut after the trio departed and Kakashi turned his attention to Itachi.

"So…... Sakura's a married woman now?"

Itachi considered the most efficient reply, eyes narrowed,"I destroyed your wedding present."

Kakashi took his bottom lip into his teeth and bit down so his smile wouldn't quite reach his eyes.

Rin had told him one drunken evening at the pub that Obito was at his best when feeling possessive.

You're welcome Sakura.

"I see. My apologies if I've offended.", Kakashi remarked, remorse clearly not meant in the slightest.

"Hn." Itachi realized he would be the victim of Kakashi's teasing now as well and not just a spectator.

"We have sealed her sharingan of course, but I imagine you'd like to accompany her and Sakura to the holding cell?", The Copy nin asked.

"Yes, Hokage-sama."

"I'll be right behind you.", Naruto called after Itachi as he approached the doors.

Once they shut, Naruto leaned over the desk of the Sixth,"So what's with this lady's kid?

What's the big deal?"


Sakura had never been so insulted in all her life.

Her husband was a human being with as he seemed, she was well aware that he was quite as human as anyone else.

She was 6 years old when this began between he and Izumi. Of course he wouldn't have preferred her at the time.

It was petty and ridiculous and unkind to her husband, and highly underestimated her understanding and intelligence.

Her mother always told her to pay attention to what people like that didn't shove in your face.

The first mission they had gone on together, a very personal one to the Uchiha, was the first time he had shown genuine affection for her.

She had been on the very edge of chakra was wounded badly but refused her healing until she was recovered.

Every time she saw that scar she was reminded of his caring and protective behavior towards her that was well beyond mission protocol.

None of the scenes Izumi showed her were graced by that scar he bore for her benefit.

All of them were at least a year ago, probably more.

When Izumi started showing her scenes of Sasuke, it broke Sakura's heart.

The younger Uchiha must not have said a bad word about Sakura to her, because Izumi seemed the type to have shown her if he had.

His displays of affection for Izumi never reached his eyes.

Guilt, need, anger, inadequacy, resentment, fear. All were present, but not love.

He wanted to bond, but some part of him refused. He never gave her presents, not even a glass of water.

Nothing to see here, except what was lacking.

So, it was with head held high that she endured the seething woman's curses on the way to her cell.

Once Izumi had that baby, she'd be more than happy to punch her into next week.

Until then, Sakura sufficed to let Izumi know she trusts Itachi implicitly, then put her to sleep so she could examine

her without enduring any further abuse.

Her brief exam concluded, she found a smile on her lips despite the situation.

Being the only child, she was looking forward to being someone's aunt the only way it was possible for her.

Sakura smiled kindly at her husband when he appeared.

"Any news yet?", he asked.

"Until the baby is born, exact parentage is impossible to tell without harming the baby.

What I can tell you is it's an Uchiha and only an Uchiha, Itachi-kun."

The wind of anger blew out of his sails as he studied the floor, the storm inside replaced by relief and remorse.

This abomination of a woman held his niece or nephew, his mother's first grandchild.

He'd been inches from destroying it.

He clenched a fist,"I should have known, suspected."

"I'm sure he went to great lengths to hide it from you.", Sakura said softly, hoping to assuage his guilt.

He looked up and stepped closer to her, eyes brimming with concern.

"Sakura, what were you shown?"

Sakura decided to keep it simple.

"You wanting her.", she said, taking his hand in hers and attempting a reassuring squeeze.

He wanted to cover her in kisses just then, amazed at her maturity and care for him after being assaulted with such a thing,

but a very familiar presence alerted him.


He sensed the girl in the prison. It was convenient that she wouldn't have the chance to run.

Apparently, she wasn't just causing trouble for his host.

The boy was trusted enough to be let through to the area his target was being held.

The problem was the two ninjas near her, and one in particular.

The sannin was powerful enough to handle them, even in this state, but preferred not to alert anyone else to his presence.

He did not want to slither into Izumi and hide in a cell within her until he could wheedle his way out.

He decided to approach anyway. The biggest risk was leaving his own body vulnerable at base for too long.

Sasuke being unconscious made his journey require more chakra to move about.

He needed to make this quick and return home.