Author's Note: I went back and watched both sub and dub of Naruto Episodes 128-131 and I felt the subtitles were lame, I usually copy the subtitles, but I'm sorry, this is partly changed to the dub wording in some places. This chapter is so sad, but so sweet.

Citations: Naruto Episode #128-129, Itachi's Story: [Midnight] pg. 13-24

Chapter's Song: "Say You Like Me" by We The Kings

Chapter 34
Never Gonna Leave

Akina swiped with her nekote, and then got in a defensive position with a bladed fan. It looked like a dance as she stood in rows with other Mochizuki girls her age moving in unison.

The Mochizuki elder oversaw their training, clapping her hands. "That's enough for today."

All the girls turned to one another to chitter-chatter, Akina out of place, so she folded her fan and placed it in her kunai holster. Taking off each of her ten nekote, as well. She then headed for the door to leave the dojo, and sat down outside in the grass under a tree.

All the girls slowly left, passing her by without a word. She must have been the talk of their whispering and gossip. "Why do I even come here…?" Akina bitterly thought.

Kee-arr! Akina looked up, passed the shadow of the tree leaves she sat beneath, seeing the messenger hawk, she placed her arm out for it to land. Petting the hawk down its wings, and then opening the letter pouch on its leg. It flew off after she did that.

I've decided to stay with my Dad until the time comes that you need me.
Shisui doesn't live in a big place, I know he'd bunk with me, but I'd hate
to intrude on him and to be honest, I'm making up for lost time with my Dad.
We send our love and hopes for you as the future of The Mochizuki!

-Mochizuki Benjiro

Akina sighed, and put the letter in her pocket. She left the Mochizuki Compound, down the hill, to see Shisui leaning on the post entryway. "Hey," Shisui had waited for her. "How was training?"

"Good." She replied in a monotone voice as she walked with Shisui back to the Uchiha Compound. "Benjiro is staying with his dad."

Shisui, even when having sad eyes, had a comforting disposition. "He's bonding with his dad."

"Yeah," Akina nodded, happy for Benjiro. It was quiet the rest of the way as they both climbed the stairs into Shisui's home.

"Welcome home," Yuasa greeted.

"Thanks. I'm going to shower." Akina smiled, heading for the hall.

"You have a date with Itachi tonight, right?" Shisui grinned devilishly.

A shiver ran up Akina's spine, making her hold the wall, she pouted with glaring eyes as she looked back at Shisui. "It's not a date. Aren't you going with him tomorrow?"

"That's a mission. Not the same thing." He cocked his head to the side, smirking even more.

"We're just friends hanging out." Akina insisted.

"Leave her alone, Shisui." His mother Yuasa giggled. "These things play out naturally."

"Okay." Shisui sarcastically sighed. "Let me know when it's official."

Akina just walked away mid-sentence and he heard the door close shut.

"Hmph." Shisui exclaimed happily.

Sasuke knelt by a tree, he looked to Itachi who was readying himself, eyes closed. Sasuke gulped. Itachi lunged straight up in the air in an instant, flipping himself upside down with four kunai in each hand. He let go of each one, and threw two kunai to hit two kunai.

Right before hitting the ground, he flipped upside-right and landed kneeling. He raised his head, his Sharigan stern.

Sasuke's mouth was agape in awe of his elder brother. "Wow, Itachi. You nailed every target. Even the one in the blind spot behind the rock." Sasuke then grabbed two kunai and crossed his arms, grinning aggressively. "All right! Now it's my turn!"

"No, Sasuke." Itachi firmly stated facing in his direction. "It's time to go."

Sasuke lowered his kunai and pouted with a glare. "What happened to the new Shuriken Jutsu you promised to teach me, huh?"

"It'll have to wait 'til later. I have an important mission in the morning, and I need to prepare for it."

"Hmph." Sasuke pouted and looked away. "You're such a big, fat liar."

Itachi smiled, but his eyes were sad. He gestured his hand for Sasuke to come closer. Sasuke's eyes shifted to notice and he smiled, dashing off to Itachi.

"Sorry, Sasuke. Maybe some other time." He then flicked Sasuke in the forehead.

"Ow!" Sasuke then glared up at Itachi.

"Hm?" Itachi asked.

Sasuke crossed his kunai in front of his chest once again. "Okay, just watch this." Sasuke ran off.

Before Itachi had the chance to stop him, Sasuke was flying toward the target. "Hey!" Itachi reached out. "Be careful!" Itachi shouted, while before his eyes, Sasuke twisted his ankle, and plunged magnificently into the ground, headfirst— THUD.

"Ow!" A flock of birds flew off at the sound.

"Sasuke! Are you okay?" Itachi dashed over to Sasuke, as the boy rolled over, and winced at his ankle pain, Itachi took bandages out of his pouch to begin wrapping Sasuke's ankle. "Just like me…"

Sasuke giggled as Itachi carried him. Itachi looked back to him smirking. "How come the one who twisted his ankle is the one who's laughing? Or maybe you were just looking for a way to get out of walking home."

"No way. That's not it." Sasuke disregarded. "It's just that I can't stop thinking how I'm finally going to start at The Academy tomorrow."

Itachi smiled, looking ahead. "I'm gonna give it nothing but my best. I'm gonna do so well that even Father will be proud of me. I'll make him see he has more than one son he can count on."

"Nii-san… I'll get off." Sasuke mumbled as Itachi carried him on his back.

"Don't push yourself…" Itachi scolded as he glanced back at his brother.

"Okay…" Sasuke submitted. "Oh…"

"What's up?"

"This is the place… Where Father works, right?" Sasuke asked as they passed by the Police Department building. Itachi stopped.

"Mhm… The Headquarters of The Leaf Police Force." Itachi acknowledged.

"I was wondering," Sasuke said. "How come the crest of the Uchiha Clan is part of the Leaf Police Force insignia?"

"Oh… So you noticed, huh?" Itachi stared off.

"Of course…"

"Right… Let me see if I can explain it for you." Itachi thought. "It was the Uchiha Clan's earliest ancestors who established the police here in the village. So, when they created the symbol for the organization, they used the family crest.

Since a long time ago, the Uchiha have always ensured the peace here. The crest is a testament to our clan's pride and way of life centuries old. Over the years, the Uchiha Clan has grown smaller, but even now, nearly all of us are part of the force and work to uphold the peace in this village." Itachi glanced back at Sasuke.

"Shisui is an exception… He's been assigned missions out in the field to keep him from being severely curtailed by being contained within the clan's framework. Sasuke doesn't need to hear this…" So Itachi abandoned that line of thought.

"Which is good, because only the most exceptional of shinobi can weed out the criminals hiding among their brethren." Itachi assured, and thought, "And the only one capable of bringing to a close battles started by other ninja is an even greater ninja."

"Wow, Dad is the coolest!" Sasuke chimed. Itachi began walking again. "Are you going to join the police force, too?" Sasuke's innocent question pierced his heart.

"I'm not." The real answer got stuck in his throat. "Well… I'm not sure…" Even his tone was made to sound uncertain. He could never tell his little brother about joining the Anbu for the sake of their clan, and how dissatisfied they were with the village. All he could do was offer some non-committal response.

"Why not?!" Sasuke demanded to know.

Itachi glanced back again, seeing Sasuke's passionate smile, his glittering purity wretched Itachi's heart. "When I grow up, I'm definitely going to join the Police Force! And Father's coming to tomorrow's entrance ceremony. It's the first step to my dream."

"That's right." Itachi said as he was reminded of himself feeling the same way when he started at The Academy. Though their dreams were different.

As they came up on the Uchiha Compound, Itachi abruptly felt an aura beside the wall. Fugaku stepped out from behind the entrance, arms crossed, glaring. "You're late, Itachi… What were you doing?"

"Father…" Sasuke addressed.

"I have something to talk to you about. Let's go." Fugaku said sternly.

Itachi's brows furrowed, as Sasuke peaked his head around blankly. Their father started walking with a confident stride, and Itachi moved heavy feet to chase after him, his little brother still on his back. "When did I become annoyed by Father?" He knew the answer, but he didn't want to acknowledge it.

"That's my boy." Fugaku smiled to praise Itachi as he and Sasuke knelt before their father. "You've come this far in just half a year after being promoted to Chunin. About tomorrow's special mission… I've decided to go along with you."

Silence. Itachi felt his heart start to pound in his chest. The assassination of Mukai was tomorrow. "Exactly how much does my father know? And who did he hear about the mission from? Someone close to Danzo."

"Tomorrow?" Sasuke thought.

"If you complete this mission, Itachi… Your entrance into the Anbu Black Ops is almost assured!" Fugaku's Sharigan then turned on to meet Itachi's onyx glare. "You understand, right?"

Itachi had already notified Danzo that he was taking Shisui. The fact that his father didn't know this must mean that he was only aware that the mission was tomorrow. "You don't have to be so worried… More importantly…" Itachi glanced down smiling at a smiling Sasuke to give him time to speak.

"Um… Father…" Sasuke began, meekly. "Tomorrow's my—"

"This mission tomorrow, it's not just about you. Your performance will reflect on our entire clan." Fugaku interrupted.

Sasuke's eyes fell to the ground in disappointment, his courage shattered, he felt invisible. Itachi glanced, noticing this, his anger toward his father surpassed his limits. "Is the clan that important? Does he not care about Sasuke? I'm going on a possibly fatal mission." Itachi hated all of it. "I'm quitting tomorrow's mission, after all." Itachi informed blankly.

"What're you talking about?! That's insanity!" Fugaku barked. "You know how important this is!"

Itachi closed his eyes and opened to look directly at Fugaku. "I'm gong to Sasuke's Academy entrance ceremony tomorrow…"

Shock filled both Sasuke and Fugaku's eyes, Sasuke glancing to Itachi nervously.

"Our family has to attend. It's customary at The Academy. There was the notice, right… Father?" Itachi faintly smiled passive aggressively. Itachi was serious when he said he was abandoning the mission. Those words came from the bottom of his heart, and were no lie.

His father tried to understand this. Fugaku groaned and stood up. "I get it already. I'll go to The Academy…"

The boys then followed Fugaku out, walking along the porch toward the dining room, passed the garden came the dry sound of the bamboo rocker arm of the shishi-odoshi clacking against the rock. Sasuke feeling bad for the stormy air between his father and elder brother, Itachi glanced back at Sasuke with a smile. "Your left leg… Be sure to ice it."

Sasuke stopped. "Okay…" A complicated expression on his face, thinking, "Nii-san… He's so distant..."

Itachi had no idea what to say to Sasuke at that moment.

Akina waited outside Ichiraku Ramen, Itachi walking up on her, but he stopped and watched her for a bit through the crowds of people. She noticed him though, her eyes lighting up for her to wave her delicate fingers softly to him.

"Hello," Itachi smiled softly, feeling all of his stress wash off of him. He approached, hands in his pockets.

"Hi. No Sasuke?" She wondered, peering around him.

"Oh no, he hurt his ankle earlier." He awkwardly averted his eyes and then returned to look at her glistening green eyes. "Thank you for being so good with him."

"He's fun. I can't believe how much he keeps growing." She smiled, placing her hand to Sasuke's height at just below her shoulder, next to her breast. Itachi blushed and looked away in shame. "How was your day?"

He didn't answer, as he then held the curtain to Ichiraku open for Akina to walk into.

"Welcome, Akina!" Teuchi greeted.

"Akina-chan!" Ayame came out from the back. "And Itachi-kun, too. How're you guys?"

"We're good, Ayame-chan. How are you?"

"Good, thanks. What can I get you?"

"Um," Itachi looked at Akina. "Gyoza?"

"Yeah," She nodded, smiling at the sound of him knowing her favorite. "Two vegetable gyoza, please."

"Coming right up!"

"So," Akina leaned in to Itachi, him noticing, her eyes looked into his, making him feel like she was looking into his soul. "How was your day?"

"Like I said, just training with Sasuke." Itachi dismissed.

"Yeah, that he hurt his ankle."

"Yeah," He nodded sadly.

"Then why do you seem to be the one that's hurt?"

"Huh?" Itachi raised his eyes to hers again. "Her eyes are so gentle and sincere…"

"I'm all ears if you want to talk about it, but no pressure if you don't." She took her glass of water from Ayame.

"Thank you for caring…" Itachi took his water from Ayame.

"Hm?" She gently expressed. "Nervous for your mission tomorrow?"

"You… You actually care. My safety, my mental wellbeing. You're not thinking about yourself when we talk."

"Whose the self-centered person you're mad at?"

"Father." He then stuffed a gyoza in his mouth to chew on his frustration.

"Oh…" Akina swallowed before asking, "What happened?"

"I could bear my father not caring about me, but not caring about Sasuke and seeing Sasuke insecure about it… It hurts and makes me feel guilty."

"It's not your fault. You're the one to become the head of your clan. Have you told your Dad that isn't your dream?"

"No, of course not…" Itachi's brows furrowed.

"Sorry," She took a bite and chewed, thinking. "Tomorrow is the entrance ceremony at The Academy… Your dad wasn't going to go to see Sasuke?"

"You're as sharp as ever."

"Not really… I'm a bodyguard of the Hokage tomorrow."

"Oh, right… You're an Anbu bodyguard."

"So both you and your father are missing Sasuke's entrance ceremony?

"No, I convinced my father to go with the threat to not go on my mission tomorrow."

"Ah, now that's sharp." She finished her plate. "Well, I'm going, so I'll congratulate Sasuke on your behalf for what it's worth."

"Huh?" His eyes raised, looking at her to his right.

"I'm not you, but—"

"Thank you." He sincerely stared into her eyes. "Thank you."

"My pleasure." She grinned to dismiss his gratitude. "Though I stand by what I said about telling your dad your intents…"

"Yeah…" He put enough money for both of them on the counter. "Shall we walk?"

"Huh? You don't have to pay for me…" She glared at the money.

"Well, you're a good therapist." He smirked, getting off his stool.

"Thank you! Come again!" Teuchi and Ayame bowed.

"See you, Ayame-chan, Teuchi-san."

"First of many dates!" Ayame squeaked once they were gone.

"I'm your friend." Akina corrected, raising her eyebrow as she caught up with him.

"No," He shook his head. "You're my best friend."

"Yeah," She smiled in agreement.

"Come on…" He gestured with his chin up at the cliffside. They headed towards the Hokage Monument.

Once they were at the top, they stood overlooking the village. Akina noticing Itachi lost in thought as his breath sounded nervous breathing in through his nose. "I can't say I understand your feelings, but I know the pressure you feel. My dad's dead and I still feel that pressure."

"I'm sorry for complaining." Itachi's eyes were sucked back in regret.

"Don't be feeling guilty again," Akina giggled.

"Okay, I won't." He sat down overlooking the Village. She sat beside him.

"You really didn't have to pay for me," Akina insisted. "I'm in Anbu, I still make more than you."

"Who's feeling guilty now?" He smiled.

"Haha, but really—"

"It's principal." He shrugged. "I'll be joining Anbu soon enough."

"Be safe tomorrow, okay?"

"I will. This is just the next step, I can't die yet."

"…I want to be a great shinobi, but there's greatness besides being The Hokage."

"No there's not. The strength of the Village's Kage is what projects fear and keeps peace. I will make such a peace."

"To think I'll have to look at your mug up here someday… That's when I'll leave this village."

"Huh?" He quickly looked to the side where she sat, staring surprised at her face that dreamingly looked over The Village.

"If the girls went crazy in Academy, what more when you become Hokage?" She giggled, teasingly glancing at him. "You'll be quite the eligible bachelor."

"Really?" He blushed uncertain.

"I'm not saying that if you become Hokage everyone will acknowledge you more. It is the one who is acknowledge that becomes Hokage… And not because you have a handsome face." She pointed to her grinning smile.

"Akina…"

"I'm Anbu under the Hokage. I won't be taking orders from you."

"What about becoming the head of your clan?"

"I have to do it, but that's not really my dream anymore." She pointed out at the houses below. "Look, it's the village that is home, not my clan. When my clan outcast me, Uchiha took me in."

"So you'll just leave someday?"

"Someday is a dangerous word, but… I just want to get out there. Not on a mission. Able to stop, have a cup of tea at a café."

"Why is it a dangerous word?" He wondered with a curious expression.

"Because it's procrastination." She shrugged. "There's this little town on the coast called Miyazaki I want to visit."

"Can I… Join you?"

"Sure, but you're going to be The Hokage… Probably Izumi's husband… You'll be busy." Akina awkwardly, but blankly stated. "She's strong, but simple."

"I know…" Itachi didn't know what to say. He didn't want to hear Akina assist for him to be with someone other than her. It felt like rejection was coming.

"Each of these faces, there was a strong woman behind each one of these men." Akina with her dignified tone continued her point. "Uzumaki Mito, Mochizuki Amarante, Sarutobi Biwako, Uzumaki Kushina."

"…Mochizuki Akina." He added bluntly.

She slowly turned her head to him, speechless, but then defensively lean in close to his face. "Because you think I'd give you a better chance at becoming Hokage because of my name?"

"No, I-I—" He was alarmed.

"How could you say something like that?" She pleaded.

"I didn't mean it like that, Akina..." Slight shaking of his head.

She leaned in further. "Then how did you mean it?"

His jaw went slack and he looked down to her lips, and back to her eyes. Akina blushed and pulled away swiftly, holding her hand to her chest, averting her eyes.

"I got to go." She announced, leaving.

"Huh? Akina!" He got up, rushing after her.

Akina turned to her side. "You broke Izumi's heart being insensitive and now you make an out of the blue comment like that? I'm not interested in a political relationship with my best friend, Itachi."

"It's not about politics, Akina… I-I—"

"Izumi likes you." POOF! She was gone in a puff of Indigo petals blending with the night sky.

Itachi sighed. "And I like you."

"Your friend is such a jerk." Akina stormed into Shisui's home, Shisui sharpening his kunai in the living room.

"What happened?" He blankly wondered.

"He insinuated that I should be his wife because a Mochizuki has been a Hokage's wife before. Political relationship."

"Did you ever consider that he was being sincere?"

"No!" She scoffed. "Well, he was blushing, but he has other options…"

"So you don't like him like that?" Shisui discreetly interrogated.

"I didn't say that…" She pouted. "I don't know. He's my rival and my best friend…"

Shisui smiled. "Then you should know, he can be awkward, but it doesn't seem like it because he's so stoic. He's being honest, Akina."

"I don't believe it. Izumi—"

"Didn't you say Izumi was mad because he corrected Shinko that she wasn't his girlfriend?"

"Yeah…" Akina nodded. "He rejected her because of… Feelings for me?"

Shisui nodded.

"If he's got feelings for me, he's go to come out with directly. It comes out of his lips first, not mine." She left into her room, a solid thud of her door closing.

"Okay." Shisui agreed blankly to nobody.