Sorry if this update and the next ones after it will take time – my university has resumed and we're on the last three most difficult and hectic months. Thanks for the awesome support!

The Link

Chapter IV: Barbecue

The purple-eyed Jounin named Koyuki surveyed the wreck that had been her brother's house. She stepped carefully over the burnt timber and foundations, running her gloved hands gently over each piece of charred furniture or window, whatever remnant it may be of her brother's family. Tears of anger and revenge flowed from her eyes, her purple eyes that currently had its pupils narrowed into slits.

"Hajime, Kurumi and Miyabi..." she whispered the names of the family that had once lived here. Her thoughts strayed to her niece, Miyabi. Was she alive? She was only six months old – far too young to be involved the in mess of their hardly noticeable village. Koyuki clenched her hands into fists. It could be that the Akatsuki had taken her niece. If that were so, she could never see her again. Earlier she had seen the barely recognizable body of his brother's wife, Kurumi. She had died Sealing the Houou into her daughter. The Jounin gritted her teeth. Why, Kurumi? Why did you do it? Do you want your daughter to suffer being alone and detested all her life?

"My lady," a voice said, and Koyuki turned to see one of her Hunters kneeling before her. "We found no traces of the attackers except this." He held up the wide-brimmed cap that had always been trademarked on Akatsuki members. Her purple eyes flashed as she slashed the cap neatly in two with one of her wakizashi.

"I have no need of hats, Nataku." She said coldly. "I need the whereabouts of my niece!"

The henchman hesitated. "My lady..."

"Miyabi is alive; don't tell me to give her up for dead!" Koyuki shouted. "Get out of my sight!"

The henchman vanished in a blur of movement. Koyuki bent low to pick up a burnt head protector from the ground. The insignia of Kirigakure was etched onto the bloodstained chromium plate. Her brother's blood. Koyuki's hands closed tight over the head protector. She will find Miyabi. Even if it was the last thing she would ever do. She and her niece were the only remaining members of the Purple clan now.

Hold on, sweet darling Miyabi. Auntie will find you! I promise!

Itachi ran his right index finger gently over the baby's cheek. The girl was sleeping in his arms, smelling very good because of the bath Sasuke had given her. The corners of the older Uchiha's lips twitched. Sasuke had made such a riot in the bathroom. One moment they were quiet, the next Heion was crying her heart out while Sasuke was also screaming in panic beside her. Itachi had had to restore calm by himself. One of these days, Sasuke would end up killing the girl. Not if he could help it, though.

The baby stirred in Itachi's arms. He cradled her close as he sat out in the open near one of the Uchiha's abandoned private gardens. Her face was the last thing he had ever seen before blindness had claimed his eyes. Her small, doll-like face with its ever pouting pink lips and purple eyes. It did not help that her eyes reminded him of her father – the damn bastard who was first ever in history to defeat his Tsukuyomi. It was a pity that his name would be forgotten in the sands of time, though.

Itachi contemplated upon his orders in silence. The Akatsuki had ordered him, Kisame and Deidara to obtain the third most powerful tailed monster, the golden-tailed Houou, which had been currently spotted in the Hidden Mist. Unlike Gaara's Shukaku and Naruto's Kyuubi, the Houou was a rather passive beast. It would not attack unless severely provoked, and was generally playful with humans. The Hidden Mist's Purple Clan had recently gained the Houou's trust, and thus they were dispatched from the Akatsuki. But the girl's mother sealed the beast into her, and they had had no choice but to take her with them...until her father barred their way like a rock.

Itachi never thought he, Kisame and Deidara would be overpowered by a single man. The man had a bloodline limit; it could be easily spotted just by noticing their clan's peculiar eye color. It had to be one of the strongest bloodline limits around. It defeated his Mangekyo Sharingan and even hastened his blindness, so now here he was, quite useless without his eyesight.

Itachi shifted his weight to his left leg just as needles attacked his right one. The baby snuggled closer into his shirt. He could still regain his eyesight, though, but if that were to happen...he would no longer be able to use Sharingan forever. The Uchiha compressed his lips together. He would stay here, hidden in Konoha, until his eyesight returned. After that, leaving with the baby and incapacitating Sasuke would be easy as chicken feed. Or he could wait until Deidara and Kisame found him. It would be easier that way, and he would have no need to confront his weakling brother.

A sudden cry from the baby jerked Itachi out of his thoughts, and he slowly rose, ignoring the cramping of his right leg. He went back into the house. Where did Sasuke leave the baby's milk anyway...? He reached with his right hand and winced as a shattering sound echoed in the house. Itachi seriously hoped that wasn't Heion's milk bottle.

Tsunade frowned suspiciously up at one Sarutobi Asuma. "What did you just say?"

Asuma shifted the cigarette he had been chewing. "Uchiha Sasuke came knocking at our door earlier this day and asked Kurenai about how we were taking care of our children. And strange questions they were too, Godaime-sama. He asked about how to change diapers, give a baby a bath...how to clean its ears and nose..."

"Why would he want to know those things?" said Tsunade, eyebrows rising.

Asuma shrugged. "I wish I knew, Godaime-sama."

Tsunade frowned thoughtfully. "Sasuke doesn't have a girlfriend, does he?"

"He'd dated Tenten for a couple of months, but nothing came of that, so I've known from Gai." Asuma replied. "And Kakashi told me that Sasuke hadn't courted or dated anyone else. He's been seeing Hinata a lot more frequent than usual, but Neji reported that their conversations were friendly."

The Hokage straightened in her swivel chair and took the folder Asuma delivered. "I know it's none of our business...but do tell Kurenai that if she might weasel out something interesting..."

"Of course, Godaime-sama." Asuma replied promptly. "Kurenai wishes me to remind you of our son's second birthday come this next month..."

"Good grief, I'm Eikichi's godmother, aren't I?" Tsunade exclaimed as she pulled out a planner from one of her drawers and put down the date.

"Godaime-sama most certainly is." Asuma smiled.

"I'll be there." Tsunade grinned back at him. "So then...allow me a three-day period to review this report you've turned in." Asuma bowed briefly. And then the door opened again to admit Sakura, who deposited a white envelope onto Tsunade's desk before going out again to resume her training with Shizune.

"A letter from Naruto." Asuma said.

Tsunade immediately grabbed the envelope and looked at it. Naruto's slightly messy scrawl read: Kiri, Wave Country. So he and Orochimaru were in the Hidden Mist? Tsunade tore open the envelope without effort, and out came spilling two photographs and a note paper. The first photograph was a colored shot of a spectacular view from one of the beaches of the Wave Country. The other was a shot of Naruto and Orochimaru as they made faces at the camera. Tsunade couldn't help but gave a half-crooked smile. She looked at the note.

Doing well over here, nothing to worry. Close enough to master Kokuangyou no Jutsu. It's a bitch. Going to meet with perverted hermit next week. –Naruto

"Kokuangyou? Nidaime-sama's technique?" Asuma repeated.

Tsunade nodded and folded up the note to insert it back into the envelope. She pulled open yet another drawer that was especially used for Naruto's letters only and tucked the note into it. The photographs Tsunade added to a scrapbook that Sakura and Shizune made for her.

"If Naruto can have the best mentor regarding that genjutsu, it's Orochimaru." She said. She shook her head. "Asuma, the education of the Rokudaime Hokage is unfolding right before our eyes."

"I'm home!" Sasuke announced as he entered the Uchiha mansion and removed his sandals before walking further inside the house. "Hey Itachi, where are you? Look at these things I've bought for Heion-chan..." True enough, Sasuke had two bulging bags of baby things with him. There were little white shirts, socks and bonnets and even some rattles, dolls and teethers. "Itachi!" he called again.

"Here in the kitchen!" came Itachi's...strained...voice.

Upon noting the stress in his brother's voice, Sasuke immediately dropped his shopping to the floor and ran to the kitchen. The room...was a mess. Plates and bowls lay as broken shards on the tatami floor, and flour was scattered all over the stove and sink. Itachi was sitting on the table, Heion happily cradled in his arms as he fed her. There was even a white streak of flour on Itachi's nose, and there was a toothpick sticking out of his hair. He looked ready to erupt. Sasuke did not mean to, but his right hand flew to his mouth in an attempt to stop an oncoming guffaw. His brother looked ridiculous.

"W-what happened to you?" Sasuke asked, failing miserably to keep the laughter out of his voice.

Itachi glared at Sasuke's shoulder. "I had trouble looking for the girl's milk, Sasuke."

Sasuke gave a snort of laughter. "Didn't I tell you that it was on the bar?"

Itachi glared at him even further. The older Uchiha did not like his mistakes being pointed out to him. "You should have left it here on the table." He hissed. "And don't you dare laugh at me." He added, forestalling Sasuke's cackle.

But Sasuke couldn't help but laugh. He laughed so hard, in fact, that he had to sit down because his knees refused to support his weight. Itachi only glowered at the floor, a faint blush on his cheeks. Heion made a sound, and he removed the emptied milk bottle from her. He lifted her up and set her on his right shoulder so she could burp properly. Sasuke finally had a grip on himself and finally stopped laughing.

"How was your day?" Itachi asked timidly as he gently patted the baby's back.

Sasuke stared. Did his brother just ask how his day was? Since when did Itachi do that? "Oh, fine and sort of boring." He answered as he rose. "My turn on dinner, right?"

"Yes." Itachi replied as Heion burped loudly.

"Go clean your mess, Itachi. I'm not lifting a finger to do it for you." Sasuke said as he opened the refrigerator.

Itachi did not answer but rose and went to his bedroom. After a moment he came back with a broom and dustpan and started to clean. Sasuke watched his brother from the corners of his eyes. Itachi had never been this obedient, no, never. And he in turn did not speak calmly with him until now. Sasuke knew something strange had started in the house the moment his brother had returned with his daughter. Did perchance being a father was finally grating on him? Was he regretting what he did? Highly unlikely, Sasuke thought dismissively. He won't change. Unless it was Naruto who was with him. We both hate each other and he knows it.

"Some people are at the door." Itachi said suddenly, turning his head to the direction of the living room. "Girls."

Sasuke dropped the wooden spatula he was holding, eyes wide. "What? Go hide, quick!"

Itachi left the broom and dustpan on the floor and very quietly went to his room. Sasuke heard the sliding of the door. He did not remove his apron as he went up front the house to see who called. His heart was beating wildly in his chest. Did they notice? But who could possibly -? And then he remembered his tactless moves in the past few days. Damn fool, Sasuke! Of course SOMEBODY'S bound to notice you buying baby products! Gritting his teeth, he saw the shadows behind the door. He swallowed hard.

"Saaasuke-kuuuun!"

Sasuke very nearly turned to stone. Ino and Sakura! Damn it, of all the people to visit why those two twittering chipmunks! He moved like a robot as he opened the door, and the smile on his face felt like it was someone else's. "Ino and Sakura! What a pleasant surprise, what can I do for you?"

The two Chuunins exchanged a sly look before giggling shrilly. Sasuke crossed his fingers inside his apron pocket. Oh please, let them go away...let them go away...I'm begging you with all of my abilities as a ninja, PLEASE SEND THEM AWAY!

"Aren't you even inviting us inside?" Sakura asked.

Sasuke would have loved to answer 'Hell no!' But that would only spark Ino's curiosity. Before he could answer he noticed the bulging bags of food both girls had. There were ten bottles of sake, even. Sasuke paled.

"What're those for?" he asked, nodding toward the food and sliding the door shut behind him.

"Mou," said Ino as she stepped up to him and twirled a finger on his chest. "You forgot that it's your turn to host barbecue party this week. Shikamaru and the others will arrive soon – they've gone to get some interesting video CDs."

"M-my turn to host barbecue?" Sasuke repeated, aghast. "But...but I thought..." Naruto had always said he'd been a lame liar. "I thought...it wasn't my turn until...uh...eh...next month?" he tried adding a half-crooked smile.

Sakura looked at him oddly. "What are you saying? It's your turn every third week, Sasuke-kun. We had barbecue last week at Neji's, right? Are you sure you're all right? You look pale."

"I'm...I'm fine." Sasuke said faintly. In truth he was screaming inside his own head. NO! HEAVENS NO, WHY NOW? GOOD LORD, HELP ME! His lips and throat felt very dry. He would have a hard time sending these two away. They would wonder why, and it'd be a matter of time before somebody – maybe Neji – would come check his house. He could not have that. If they find out Itachi's back and even living with him again...it would be chaos. "Well...ah...let's go inside." He slid the door open and stepped back as the girls went in, laughing shrilly. And then he suddenly remembered Itachi leaving the feeding bottle and milk out in the open.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Sasuke screamed as he leapt inside and barred Ino's way to the kitchen. The blonde raised her eyebrows at him. "No, no, wait, you can't use the kitchen yet...I'm not finish cleaning up...!" Naruto's words repeated inside his head. You've always been a lame liar, Sasuke. He even thought he heard the dobe's annoying cackle.

"What happened?" Ino asked, tiptoeing as she hoped to see the kitchen. "Did you blow something up?"

"Just go away, please." He said, pointing to the living room. He didn't mean to be cold as he said that, but there was no other way. Ino looked at him, hurt. Then she silently went to join Sakura. The Uchiha let out a long breath of relief and started to clean in blinding speed. He carefully set the feeding bottle and milk into his apron pockets (lucky they were deep). He then tiptoed carefully to Itachi's door and slid the feeding bottle and milk inside.

And then there were shrieks of hilarity as the boys finally arrived. Sasuke never thought he'd be as nervous as this all of his life. Shikamaru brought the karaoke microphone with him while Chouji brought three large bags of wasabi-flavored potato chips. Neji had the barbecue. Surprisingly, Hinata was with him. Tenten was also there. Sasuke shut his eyes and silently promised that if he survived this night, he would give ten times as much offering to the temples.

"Hey, Sasuke, where's the grill?" Neji asked.

"Uhm...uh...in the kitchen." He said lamely, gesturing. Neji went into the kitchen and rummaged through it. And then the Anbu called, "HEY CHOUJI, DID YOU BUY CHARCOALS!"

"I did!" the Akimichi called back.

Shikamaru was taking out cans of beer from his bag. "Pity Naruto isn't here. Hey Sasuke, what's with the apron?" he asked, eyebrows rising.

"I was just about to cook dinner." Sasuke replied as he hurriedly removed his apron.

He shot a secret look toward his brother's door and bit his lower lip. He seriously hoped Itachi wouldn't mind having a very late dinner and was up to keeping Heion as silent as she could be.

Orochimaru looked at the list Naruto wrote for him. The Serpent shook his head. Naruto could finish all of this? The sun had just set in the Hidden Mist, and the Serpent went out to get things for dinner. Jiraiya had joined them earlier and volunteered to cook up a hotpot. Naruto got very excited and quickly wrote down a list of ingredients and whatnot. He even tried to insist coming to get the food, but Orochimaru said he liked to do this alone. Sometimes he just woke up like that. Also, it was not like the Shinobi of the Hidden Mist would quickly notice him. He was good at being unnoticeable when he chose.

Already the Serpent had the vegetables needed. Now it was time to go for the beef. He pocketed Naruto's list and walked silently down the street, careful to keep his gaze averted to the ground. He was just about to enter a grocery when sudden pain erupted inside his head, turning his vision into a wild kaleidoscope of colors.

"Ugh!"

He did not notice that his vegetables had fallen to the street. He reached up with his bandaged hands and clutched his head. It hurt so much it must be cleaving apart now. And then the Serpent fell to his knees. His vision was darkening, and...

There was a retching sound as he threw up his lunch. His vision was darkening. The pain was increasing by the second. Now he was on all fours on the street, breathing harshly.

"Oi, mister, are you all right? Hey!"

He tried to answer, but he just retched again. The world had disappeared entirely. He felt somebody's hands on his shoulders, trying to pull him up. But his legs didn't like to support his weight. The pain spread downward. Now he couldn't breathe. He gave a rattling gasp.

"Go find a medic, quick! This man looks like he's dying!"

"What happened?"

"Go get a medic!"

"Is that blood?"

This man looks like he's dying...dying, am I? A feeble thought sparked in his head. I'm keeping my promise to my student, I'm not dying...

Orochimaru fell forward into the arms of the Chuunin who had tried pulling him up. He had lost consciousness.

It was one in the morning when the gang finally went away and merciful silence resettled in the Uchiha compound. Many times during the night, Shikamaru and Hinata claimed they had heard a weird crying sound from somewhere and wanted to see what it was. Chouji said it was just the sake, and Sasuke built on this theory. He invented all sorts of lies from stray cats in the other empty houses to wandering ducks who liked to terrorize the neighborhood. Sasuke was very thankful that Kiba didn't manage to get off that night and join them. It would have been bigger trouble what with the dog boy's amazing sense of smell.

Now Sasuke had a tray of fish, rice and soup for his brother. He slid Itachi's door open and went inside. Heion was sleeping peacefully on the bed beside Itachi. Itachi was also fast asleep. Sasuke deposited the meal on his brother's study table and proceeded to poke him awake.

"Itachi...hey Itachi..."

"Hnh...w-what? Kisame?"

Sasuke frowned under the dim lamplight. "I'm not Kisame. Get up. I have your dinner."

Itachi sat up and rubbed his eyes before carefully lifting himself off the bed so as not to wake Heion. He went to his study table and ate hungrily. He even asked for three more bowls of rice.

"I'm sorry." Sasuke said. "It was unexpected...troublesome fools..."

Itachi waved his chopsticks to say it was okay. He tackled the glass of water and emptied it in one gulp. "That's fine...thank you for the food, Sasuke."

Sasuke picked up the tray and left his brother to continue his sleep. In the kitchen, he realized that that was the first time he ever apologized to his brother, and that that was the first time Itachi said thank you to him. A disbelieving smile spread on Sasuke's lips as he turned on the faucet.

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