A/N: Well, well. I update again. I particularly like this chapter…it is so…well, I won't tell you. You have to read it yourself. And review. A special piece of news, though: Shoujo Queen is now the OFFICIAL co-writer of this story! Yay! Betcha couldn't guess that that would happen, could ya! –coughs- Now, on with the story! You must tell me what you think of what's happening – particularly if the characters are believable. –nod nod- A special note to my reviewers, Qazicle, Shoujo Queen, brokenwind, and Sacred Rainbow Tenshi Yuki, you guys rock! . Thanks for the support!

Disclaimer: Kakashi is mine, Itachi belongs to Shoujo Queen, either than that, we own diddlysquat.

Chapter 5: Disturbance

Sakura woke with a start from a disturbing dream. Breathing deeply, she tried to shake the images of death from her mind. Okay, she thought, I'll just isolate everyone's chakra to make sure they're still here. It was what she always did to reassure herself when she was frightened. Reaching out, she found her senseis. Kakashi was awake, though not doing anything. Probably reading his retarded book.

Ah, there was Ayumi-sama's. She was asleep. Poor Ayumi-sama. She'd had a long day yesterday.

And Naruto's, with Sasuke's close by. Surprisingly, Naruto was up as well as Sasuke – an uncommon occurrence. Mentally shrugging, she tentatively reached out for Itachi's chakra.

She gave a strangled gasp at the proximity of the sleeping shinobi.

He was really, really close.

The door burst open.

Before she could grab the kunai knife that was strapped to her thigh, or even scream. Itachi was kneeling by her bed. "Are you alright?" he queried. Wait – Itachi? Asking a QUESTION? As she was attempting to somehow rationalize this, he continued. "I heard you gasp, and thought you might be in trouble."

She mutely shook her head, then, as he sat back on his heels, whispered, "No, Uchiha-sama. I was merely surprised to sense you so close." He dipped his dark head, but she noticed that he seemed a bit disappointed when she called him "Uchiha-sama".

First a question, then showing disappointment…Sakura's pink head was reeling from this strange new side of Itachi that she was seeing.

She ripped her eyes away from his blood red ones as she heard pounding feet down the hallway. "C'mon guys!" a familiar voice called out, "I'm hungry! Let's get breakfast!" Sakura rolled her eyes and got up from her bed. She stalked into the hallway and punched Naruto.

"Baka!" she whispered, "Ayumi-sama is asleep!"

"Oh, that's right! Sorry!" he exclaimed, lowering his voice in mid-sentence as she punched him again.

His blue eyes narrowed, looking at something over her shoulder. She turned to see Itachi nonchalantly walking out of her room. When she spun around the give Naruto an explanation, he was gone, and all that was left where he had been was a dissipating cloud of smoke.

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Kakashi walked out of his room, yawning and stretching. It had been a long night of deep thought and half-forgotten memories. His Icha Icha Paradise had been unable to distract him, and he was dangling it, unread, from his right hand.

The other hand held his Leaf headband to his naked chest. He was wearing his jounin uniform pants – with no belt so that they hung low on his hips – and his ever-present mask. His silver hair cascaded over his face, effectively hiding his Sharingan.

He lounged against the doorway, breathing in the familiar scent of cinnamon that lingered throughout the house, and the equally familiar smell of delicate white roses that always hung around…

"Good morning, Hatake. Did you sleep well?" he pushed back his hair to find Ayumi smirking up at him.

And found himself unable to answer as he took in her just-tight-enough tank top, the inch of firm skin showing where her shirt ended, and the long legs extending from the just-short-enough shorts. He let his eyes glide over her again and again until he felt the pressure leave his left hand as cool fingers brushed against his skin. He wrenched his eyes to her face to see her hands putting on his headband and adjusting his mask.

Seeing that she was on her tiptoes to reach him, and having a hard time at hit, he bent his head.

In doing so, a long-forgotten memory sprang before his inner eyes.

She giggled as he caught her waist, pulling her to him for a kiss. His hands caressed the small of her back beneath her tank top as she snuggled into his naked chest, running her hands over his muscled shoulders and arms.

She pushed his hair away from his eyes and fastened his headband on his forehead, caressing his scar before pulling the hiate down to cover his newly-gained Sharingan. "Let me make that easier for you…" he murmured, bending his head close to hers. She knotted the hiate, and he stole another kiss from her delicious lips, breathing in the scent of white roses that always lingered around her.

"Hatake!" she giggled, "I have to go, or sensei will be suspicious!" Reluctantly, he let her go, but not before…

"Hatake? Hatake? Hey, baka, are you there?" Her small hand waved in front of his visible eye as he blinked the memory away.

"Yes, I'm here…just remembering something that I had forgotten." His eye crinkled as he smiled down at her. She raised an eyebrow, then shook her head. "Like breakfast?" she queried flippantly.

He laughed. "With Naruto around, it's pretty difficult to forget anything to do with food!" Bowing slightly, he walked past her in the direction of…

"Wait!" she called out "The kitchen's this way!

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All through breakfast, Naruto was silent and moody. Even a comment from Sasuke, which usually would have provoked another pointless argument between the two, went unnoticed as he stared at his bowl of steaming oatmeal.

He ate without his usual gusto, and didn't answer anyone, not even Ayumi asking if he would have more.

Itachi, however, was polite and even spoke a few sentences!

After he finished, Naruto got up, rinsed his bowl, and left the kitchen.

Sasuke shot a question at Kakashi with his eyes, and said jounin nodded.

The raven-haired Uchiha boy thanked Ayumi for breakfast, bid the others a good morning, and dashed out after his sullen teammate.

Ayumi raised her eyebrows. "That was strange…" she commented before asking Sakura to help her clean up. The pink-haired kunoichi excitedly agreed, and shooed the two jounins out of the kitchen.

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Kakashi jerked his head up from his book. He could have sworn he heard Sasuke's voice. Said genin came running up, calling Kakashi's name.

"Kakashi-sensei! It's Naruto – you have to get to the front of the house! I'm going to find Ayumi-sama!" With that, he was off again, yelling for the Higurashi woman.

Kakashi stuffed his book in his pocket, cursing under his breath, and ran.

When he reached the front of the house, Ayumi was already there. She was running up to Itachi and Naruto, who were having a one-sided argument.

"Baka-ketsu, you stay away from Sakura-chan, you hear me?" Naruto was speaking very quietly, through clenched teeth. "You go near her again, and you will not live to see another sunrise. Know this, you Uchiha bastard: if you do anything to Sakura, the nine-tail fox demon of Konoha will eat your Sharingan for breakfast. Do I make myself clear?"

Itachi merely looked at him.

"Are you finished?" he lazily enquired.

When Naruto glared at him, speechless with anger, he nodded and began walking over to the recently arrived Sakura.

"Why you…" Naruto ran to throw a handful of shuriken at the Uchiha's arrogant back.

In the blink of an eye, Ayumi was between the two. "Hey! Do I have to use this?" she pointed to her eyes as the smoke from her transportation jutsu cleared.

"If you must fight," she continued, "leave the estate."

Naruto savagely nodded, and called to Itachi.

"I challenge you to come off the grounds and fight me to the death," he quietly seethed.

A/N: Mwahahaha! I, your evil authoress, leave you yet another cliffhanger! My co-authoress is quite against the whole principal of a cliff-hanger, but agreed with me that it keeps people reading…

Now, Let's see…I may never tell you what happens next (and you'll get no more juicy Kakashi flashbacks!) if I don't get a few reviews. –smirks- So, when people are upset at me because I haven't updated, it'll be YOUR fault! And I will tell them to yell at you. –nod nod- Many thanks to those of you who did, and do, review – you guys are my heroes!

Oh, and in the next chapter, or the one after that, I am introducing a new character. She won't be predominant, but…well, lets just say we'll have to see, right?