Chapter 5: As the Angel Watches

"Itachi!"

"Aye, Father?" Itachi sat on the couch next to his mother, his hands wounds around with dark blue yarn. Itachi's Father grabbed the teenager by the collar and pulled him away.

"You can help the woman later, but now you must come with me."

Itachi cringed as he followed his father down the hall into a dark room. Lord Uchiha pressed soome numbers intoa keypad, and the wall slid out, showing what looked like a lab.

"Father, what is this?" Itachi asked, pupils widening at the bright light that reached his eyes.

Father what is this?" Lord Uchiha mimicked cruelly. "This, my son, is the family business."

"What do you mean?"

Lord Uchiha grinned. "We're a biological weapons manufacturer. The best. You know why?"

No answer. Itachi's eyes darted to where a dead rat lay dead in it's cage, covered in purple boils.

"Because of our little gift. We see everyone's greatest fears and make it a reality through disease. This is something you'll be doing years from now when you take over the family business. Now I want you to-"

"I won't." Came Itachi's reply. "I won't do this."

A swift smack stung his face. "Shut up. You are an Uchiha and you will carry on the family business. That is, if you want to see your mother and brother Sasuke alive."

"What?"

Lord Uchiha looked at Itachi with a cruel smirk. "Your mother is no longer able to bear me children, and I already have three sons. What is one less? Toshio would be happy to follow in my footsteps if the chance should arise."

Itachi looked at his father in shock. "No."

Lord Uchiha threw his son out of the lab and back into the hall. "I'll give you three days to change your mind, if you don't, they are dead." The door slammed.

"NO! NO! I WON'T! NO!"

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Artemis watched Itachi toss and turn in her bed, sweat forming on his brow. "No, no," he mumbled.

Artemis resoaked the washcloth and put it on his forehead. Her eyes stung for lack of tears, for she had cried them all away. She took Itachi's hand and pressed it against her sheek. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

Sasuke watched the scene play out in Itachi's mind in horror. So that was why... Oh Lord. Sasuke's whole life was a sham. This revenge was misplaced. And now here he was, watching the daughter he never had sit by his brother's bedside, nursing him back to health. He was dumbstruck. What in the world had happened to his life? Just yesterday, he still had a purpose, an avenging spirit, and his lack of obligation. Now, everything he had had was being destroyed by this little dark-haired teenager in cut-offs. What was happening?

Not being able to take it anymore, he turned back into the living room where sakura waited anxiously on the couch. "Is he ok?"

Sasuke nodded. "He's got a bit of a fever, but he should get over it soon. But Arty's a wreck. Crying so much she can't do it anymore, saying sorry over and over again. It's pretty bad."

" Arty." Sakura said quietly.

"What?'

"Arty. You called her Arty," said Sakura, looking up at him. "I've never called her Arty in front of you, how did you know?"

Sasuke blushed. "Um, I don't know. Just suits her, I guess."

"How would you know? You don't even know her."

"Maybe not, but I can see a little bit. Sakura, how did she meet my brother?"

"I don't know. I had no clue about it until now."

"How? Where did you think she learned about the Sharingan?"

"I just figured she learned about it from Kakashi, or something. I don't know!" Sakura stood up. "Don't ask me these things. They don't concern me. If you want to know, ask Arty herself. Because despite the need you profess to know more about her, you sure as Hell aren't speaking to her much!"

Before Sasuke knew it, he was yelling. "Well how the hell am I supposed to do that? She obviously does not want me around, and she keeps disappearing every few minutes! What am I supposed to do? Just go, 'Hey, I'm your Dad, now tell me about yourself?'"

"Well, I'd change thw words a bit, but yes! That would be a start!"

Artemis peeked her head through the door. "You guys know I can hear you, right? Jesus, what is wrong with you? You see each other for the first time in fourteen years, and already you're holloering at each other! Great to see what bright prospects I'm facing, living with both of you!" With that she slammed the door hard.

Sasuke and Sakura looked at each other. "Well, you can't say she doesn't speak her mind," Sasuke said. "Bit assertive, isn't she?"

Sakura sighed. "She gets it from you."

Sasuke smiled. "Yeah, maybe, she definitely doesn't get her volume from me."

Sakura smiled. "You should hear some of the things that come out of her mouth. Ever since she was a little girl, all filled with energy, spilling out a million statements a second. You wouldn't believe it. Sometimes I wonder if she channels your spirit in the way she has with words. Only at least hers aren't said in such a cold manner."

Sasuke shifted uncomfortably. "Well, at least she doesn't have yor forehead."

The foresaid body part burned crimson. "Well, at least she doesn't have your weird-shaped mouth!"

"I CAN STILL HERE YOU!" Came Artemis's yell.

The two parents burst out laughing. Another angry yell escaped from Artemis's room.

"JESUS! BETWEEN THE TWO OF YOU, NO WONDER MY VOICE IS SO LOUD! THANKS A LOT!"

They continued to laugh hysterically.

Artemis finally just turned the music up to a deafening volume. Itachi finally calmed down and stayed still. A weak smile played on his lips. A large one played on Artemis's. She patted herself on the back, cringing in preparation for the pain that usually came with touching her seal. It didn't come. Confused, she applied more pressure. Nothing. Artemis removed her netting and looked at her shoulder in the mirror. The mark was gone.

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Sakura lay on her side, on the living room floor, the blankets pulled up passed her chest. Sasuke looked back at her with a smile. "So, have I gotten any better?"

"Uchiha Sasuke, you are the most perverted person on earth!"

"That is unfair. One, you havn't even met everyone on earth, so you couldn't know, and two; if I wasn't, you would not have Artemis."

Sakura smacked him. "Shut up."

Artemis watched them from her doorway. She was not sure whether to be disgusted, jealous, or happy. But at least she could be sure of one thing, Sasuke did care for her mother. She could see it in his eyes.

She closed the door silently and turned back to face her bed. She walked over to her boombox, turned down the volume, switched the song, and crawled up next to the sleeping Itachi. She pushed back a couple of his bangs to see his face properly.

There's a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold
And she's buyingthe stairway to heaven
And when she gets there she knows if the stores are closed
With a word she can get what she came for...

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Itachi's eyes fluttered open. He felt a warm body up against his. He looks down at himself to see his niece sleeping, her head resting on his hip. He smiled, despite the pain that seemed to envelope his entire body. He took a small bit of Arty's hair between his two fingers. It was greasy and unwashed, yet still silky and pretty. He chuckled to himself, remembering the time before the Uchiha Massacre, When he used to lie with Sasuke like this.

Where was his brother? Surely he was in the house, yes, there was his presence. But what was he doing on the living room floor? The answer hit him like a ton of a bricks, which doubled in pain due to his current state of comfort. Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh...

He groaned. Ugh, how painful. But at least now he knew he had trained the girl well enough to kick his ass. Don't worry, Sakura, you won't have to worry about the Akatsuke trying to hurt this little Uchiha, they'd be dead before they harmed a touch a hair on her head.

Itachi swelled with pride, as if the girl was his own. Well, wasn't she? Sure, he wasn't her father, but he was more her father than her biological link outside. She definitely seemed to like him more, and they got along well, she reminded him of the days he was a human, and she seemed to really care. Seriously, even after trying to kill him, she was nursing him back to health. They did seem very right for each other, not in a lover's way, but in a sort of bond that practically tattooed "Itachi's Daughter," to her forehead.

Fuck DNA.

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Artemis's head shifted, and she became aware of orange enveloping her vision. NO! She was just about to go all the way with Johnny Depp right before Freddy Krueger got to him! She wasn't happy. Where the hell was Bon? Bon? Why aren't you screaming at me? Fuck, today was not going to be good. It seemed she had skipped the Highway altogether and went straight to Hell. She felt like she had a hangover, which was possible, she didn't remember anything from the night before.

She openedopened a crusty eye, quickly closing it again when the glare of the sun hit her dialated pupils. Why was her head on a rock?

No, wait. This was someone's hip. Artemis panicked. Holy Fuck. Who was she sleeping on? She tilted her head to meet the dark eyes of her favorite person staring down at her with a calculating gaze. The memories flooded back, and she smiled.

"Itachi," she slurred drunkenly, "You're ok."

"Well," came the bemused reply, "I wouldn't say that, you really did a number on me."

Artemis looked down. "I'm sorry. I just, lost control."

It was only then did she realize she was staring at his dick.

"EWWWW!"

Itachi looked at her, realized what was wrong, and laughed. "Thanks, but no thanks, Arty. We're related, remeber?"

"DUH! NOW GET OUT OF MY ROOM SO I CAN GET DRESSED!"

"Okay," Itachi said, hoisting himslef off the bed and pressing play on her boom box. "Let me just leave you some parting words of wisdom."

"LIVING EASY!" Ahhhhh, there was Bon.

"Thanks."

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AN: Ahhhhhh, how sweet. Don't worry, though, I'll be giving Sasuke and Arty some one on one time...Eventually. This chapter was a little shorter than the others, but I felt it best to end it there.