I just realized that I forgot the disclaimness on the first two chapters, so here it is: I wish sasuke was mine and too bad wishing doesn't do anything. Faith is cool and she's mine, though. )

Btw, leave reviews people. I do want to know that someone's reading it.

One more thing. TracEy, sorry the update's late. We didn't get back yesterday.

One more thing, just kidding…

A few weeks later, Faith finally began to settle into her new home. She incessantly asked for her mother the first few weeks but received endless amounts of indirect half answers and the subject sank under the surface slowly, covered by a thin layer of uneasiness.

Mikoto took Faith to see the Hokage a week after she arrived. Faith, nervous at first, was relieved and disappointed when all she got was a lollipop, a pat on the head, and a 20 minute wait in the hallway outside the Hokage's office while Mikoto "discussed police business with the Hokage."

At home, Itachi took peculiar interest in the girl, "Faith, do you want to look around the town a little? I have the rest of the day off."

"Um…okay."

Sasuke flinched; Itachi had promised the afternoon to him. "But, nii-chan, you said we'd go train in the forest today." She's stealing my brother! This means war.

"Don't be so selfish, little brother, Faith just got here, she needs to see the town," Itachi reasoned and flicked Sasuke on the forehead. Then, he added, "You can come along, too."

Sasuke mumbled an "okay" but wrinkled his nose at Faith in an attempt to death glare, and Faith stared at him, puzzled.

The gigantic faces of the Hokages hung over them as the man who was least likely to have children strolled around town with two halt-pints at his heels, competing for his attention.

"Itachi! Look!" Sasuke yelled as he balanced a stack of plastic plates on his head.

Faith's method of attraction? Well…seven year old girls somehow always suck up the attention by just standing there, which really ticked someone off.

Itachi paused to watch a few more acrobatics starring his spikey haired brother and then moved on with Faith clutching his sleeve, "Come on, Sasuke. We have to get to the academy before that clown Iruka runs off with Naruto to the ramen shop, again."

Sasuke, realizing that the trip was just an order from their mother to register Faith at the academy, grinned and ran after them. He hated the idea that his brother would prefer some new girl over him; even if Itachi's never been particularly affectionate with him (at all), his nii-chan sometimes made up for the lack of attention from his father.

"There it is, the ninja academy…and there he is, the slacker's leaving and it's only 3 o'clock. OY! IRUKA!"

"Eh? Oh, Itachi-san. Hello."

"You weren't just about to cut out on our appointment, right?"

"Oh! Ooof course not. I was just," he rubbed his head as Naruto yelled "Come on, Iruka sensei!" in the background. "I was just…watering the flowers. Hehe."

Sasuke raised his eyebrow at his sensei. It's hard to imagine that someone as silly as Iruka is a real ninja. Would he even stab people? Then again, maybe that's why he works at the academy.

"Whatever. This is Faith," Itachi motions at …air! "Faith! Sasuke! Did you see her leave? Sasuke?"

"Oh, they're probably with Naruto. He's been trying to recruit partners in crime all day," Iruka offered. "Come on, I know what he's trying to steal." Sure enough, they found the three little culprits below a open high window to the storeroom. Each was clutching a prize, a shiny forehead protector, and grinning widely.

"NARUTO! You better put that back before I…hey! Come back here! Ack!" Iruka started to run after them but Itachi grabbed the back of his vest.

"Let's go do Faith's registration paperwork. They'll be back soon."

After sprinting halfway across town, Naruto suddenly stopped. Sasuke slammed into Naruto and Faith into Sasuke. They lay, laughing and wheezing, in a heap of arms and legs in the middle of Konoha's busiest street. The new girl agreed to mischief readily, and Sasuke tagged along, too. Naruto couldn't believe that Sasuke actually came along; he was so used to the local children's de facto discrimination that he never even tried to associate with an Uchiha. Yet here they are, a tangled mess of innocent companionship, dirt, and stolen goods.