An: Review please! Okay, this is gonna be the climax now. I think it's probably going to end soon, so it's good news for y'all, I think. Review!

Chapter 9

The Encounter and Promise

A small girl around the age of five walked slowly on the dirt walkway in the middle of the not-so-busy street of Konoha. She had jet-black hair and two big, beautiful, green eyes. She had just been to Aunt Ino's flower shop, but apparently, Naomi went training with her dad so she couldn't play. As the little girl passed Ichiraku Ramen Shop, a voice from inside yelled for her. It was her friend Umazaki Ronin and Uncle Naruto.

"Keiko!" Ronin shouted as he jumped down from his seat, waving. Uncle Naruto turned around in his seat and smiled, and motioned her to come over.

"Keiko! What are you doing by yourself?" Asked Naruto as she and Ronin entered the shop.

"Oh, I went to go and check if Naomi could play, but she went training with Uncle Shikamaru." She said.

"Who? Oh, yeah!" Said Naruto. He still couldn't get used to hearing 'uncle' and 'aunt'.

"Well, I have to go home. My mom wants me to come home soon." She said with a smile and turned to leave. She waved good-bye to the two males.

As she got to the street where her house was located, she noticed that no one was outside today. Usually, Granny Ikamaru would be outside on her porch and would always wave to Keiko. However, today, the old woman wasn't there. Keiko bit her lip. Today was a lonely day. At least she would be looking forward to seeing dad come home after a mission. Suddenly, she heard a voice she had never heard before from behind.

"Uchiha Keiko, is it?" Said the voice. Keiko stopped in her tracks and turned around. Her eyes were open, and her two high pigtails (AN: I'm trying to get the image that she looks like Ururu from Bleach) swung around as she did. A single bang landed in front of her face and she pushed it away.

"Who are you?" She asked as she came face to face with a tall man that looked a bit like her father. He had the same sharnigan eyes that her father had too.

"Has your father never mentioned me?" He asked. He smirked. "Why, I'm your uncle, of course. It's a shame he has never mentioned me. . . ." He said.

"B-but my father said that I didn't have any uncles from his side." Keiko said back.

The strange man smirked. "Your father's wrong." He said in a low, scary voice and suddenly, he disappeared. Keiko was scared. This strange man gave frightening aura off of him. She ran home and opened the door to find her father already home.

"Daddy!" She said as she ran towards Sasuke. Sasuke stood up to go and swoop his daughter into his arms and turn around. "You're back!" She said with a smile.

"Have you been good?" He asked.

"Yes." She said as he set her down. "Hi mommy." She said and gave her mother a kiss. She sat down at the table they were all at.

"Did you find Naomi?" Asked Sakura, with her hand supporting her face gently. Sakura had grown even more beautiful than before. Her hair was a bit longer now, down to her shoulders. Her ivory smooth skin radiated with a special glow it seemed, and her sparkling green eyes made you melt. Keiko always wanted to look like her mother.

"No. Aunt Ino said that she went training with her dad." She said. "But I saw Uncle Naruto and Ronin at the ramen shop." She said.

"Ah, typical Naruto. . ." Muttered Sasuke with a smile as he looked over at Sakura.

"Oh, daddy?" Asked Keiko as the thought of the strange man entered her mind once more.

"Hm?"

"There's something I wanted to ask you. . . ." She began slowly.

"What is it?" Sasuke asked, leaning back in his chair.

"You said before I didn't have any uncles, right?" She asked, cautiously.

"Yes. . . .Why do you bring this up?" Asked Sasuke.

"Because just when I was outside, I met this strange man. . . ." She said, not daring to look at her parent's faces. Their relaxed faces instantly turned into tense and worried expressions. They looked at each other.

"Keiko, what kind of strange man? What did he look like?" Asked Sakura urgently.

"He kinda looked like Ottosan. . . . .he also had the sharnigan too." She repeated, peeking up at her father's face. "His hair was in a pony tail, and he had a slash through his forehead protector."

"It can't be. . ." Said Sasuke stunned. "Keiko, if you ever see this man again, run as fast as you can." He said urgently. This scared Keiko.

"Who is he?" She asked quietly.

"No one, Keiko. You're father and I need to talk. Why don't you go and watch TV or something really quick?" She told her daughter. Keiko wandered off into the living room.

Later that night, Sasuke went into his daughter's bedroom to check on her and give her a kiss. When he opened the door, he didn't hear a sound so he thought she was asleep. Just as he was about to leave, he heard the soft sound of his daughter's voice.

"Daddy?" She called out.

"Hm?" He responded, walking back by her side.

"Daddy, I'm scared of that man I saw today. . . . .If he's my uncle, he wouldn't do anything to me, right?" She asked. Her to green orbs were filled with fear. He could tell. He knew he shouldn't tell the truth about Itachi, because that would only scare her even more. Finally, he sighed.

"Don't be scared Keiko. . . . .I'll protect you no matter what." He said as he leaned over and gave her a kiss.

"Promise?" She asked as she stuck out her pinky for a pinky-promise.

"Promise." He said as he hooked pinkies.

The went back to his and Sakura's room to find Sakura in bed, and reading. He sighed and changed into his sleeping clothes. As he climbed into bed, all of a sudden, they heard the high-pitched scream of their daughter. The couple looked at each other, both of their eyes in fear. They jumped out and ran as fast as they could into her bedroom to find the worst scenario ever.

Itachi stood in the middle of the room with Keiko slung over his shoulder. She was screaming and crying.

"Keiko!" Screamed Sakura as tears began to stream down her face.

"Mommy!" She cried back, unable to see her mother.

"Itachi! What do you want from her?" Asked Sasuke. "You should be dead!"

Itachi smirked. "That's what you think Sasuke. . . . .Why do I want her? This girl carries power that surpasses you and your wife. . . . .It even may surpass mine. She'll make a great apprentice and Konoha will then be under my rule." Said Itachi.

"She's your niece! How could you do this to her?" Shouted Sakura, desperate. "Sasuke, please do something!"

"Daddy! Save me!" She shouted just as Itachi turned his back, revealing her face, and he took off out of the window.

Sasuke saw his daughter's crying face full of fear, and her hand outstretched at them both. Both of them felt helpless, not able to rescue their one and only daughter. Suddenly, Sasuke thought of the promise they had made earlier.

Flashback

"Don't be scared Keiko. . . . .I'll protect you no matter what." He said as he leaned over and gave her a kiss.

"Promise?" She asked as she stuck out her pinky for a pinky-promise.

"Promise." He said as he hooked pinkies.

End of flashback

"I'll keep my promise Keiko. . . .I'll keep you safe."