A/N: Okay, so another chapter. So sorry to those of you waiting for another Tears of the Sun chapter – I can't seem to get my head around it these days. But, this story is almost done, and when it is, I'll have more brain space to think about Andromeda fan fiction. .

So, anyways, this is mostly a connecting chapter – things explained, but nothing really dramatic happens.

Disclaimer: Once again, I really don't own anything, but I often am deluded into thinking that I own Kakashi, and Shoujo Queen is certain that she owns Itachi. –nod nod- Also, the lyrics to the lullaby are from Dearest by Ayumi Hamasaki. I don't own 'em either.

Chapter 8: The Game of Treachery

He was lying on a bed, and a woman was leaning over him. "Are you mommy's cute little baby boy? Are you?" she giggled, and kissed his little toes. He burbled, and grinned up at her as she wrapped him in blankets and strapped him into a backpack. She pulled it onto her back, and hefted a heavy bag onto her shoulder. "We've got a long trip, little one, so you just go to sleep. In two days, you'll get to see daddy! Won't that be fun?"

She began trudging away from the huge moss-covered house.

"I'll miss this place," she whispered, and, squaring her shoulders, stepped into the forest.

The next thing he knew, he was awake, seeing the trees rush past him, and hearing the swish of leaves brushing past the young woman carrying him. Frightened, he began to cry. She immediately stopped, and took off the backpack he was in. "Are you alright? Aww, don't cry! Here, mommy'll make it all better." She hugged him close and soothed his cries into her pale blue dress. "My poor baby! Shhhh, Shhhh," she began to hum softly, and then to sing.

"Hontou ni taisetsu na mono subete suttee

Shimaetara ii ni ne

Genjitsu wa tada zankoku de

Sonna toki itsu date

Me o tojire ba

Waratteru kini ga iru…"

She continued singing the lullaby as she bundled him back up in his blankets and strapped him snugly into the backpack. She picked it up and pulled it again onto her back, and leapt back to the treetops, still singing.

Naruto awoke with a start, and whispered, "Mother…"

Sasuke looked at him strangely. "What's the matter, Naruto? You look shell-shocked."

The blonde swivelled his head to his Uchiha companion, and muttered, "Nothing. It's nothing. Just a stupid dream."

The raven-haired boy looked at the tears pooling in the blue eyes, and replied, "Naruto, something is wrong, and you're going to tell me. What dream? And why did you say 'mother'? What's going on?"

Naruto lowered his head, and gritted, "I dreamed of my mom, okay? But, I think it was more than a dream. I think it was a memory. If so, Sasuke, then…" he stopped.

"Then what?" Sasuke prompted.

"I…I…I don't know. It was just a dream. Forget it." He got up, and walked over to the cupboard. He spun with a shirt in his hand as the door swung open.

"You guys, I need your help!"

The boys stared at Sakura in her green shorts and top. Their eyes went down to the kunai knife strapped to her thigh, then back up to her anxious eyes.

"We're in Sakura-chan! What's up?" Naruto grinned like an idiot. Sasuke muttered a soft "Dobe," and smacked him. The two glared at each other then turned back to Sakura.

"Okay, it's this. Kakashi-sensei is acting weird, right?"

"What else is new?" Naruto quipped.

"Weirder than usual, Naruto! Anyways, somehow, he must have said something to hurt Ayumi-san, and I think we need to do something. I mean, Kakashi-sensei is in love with her, but she was sobbing all over the place. And she wouldn't tell me what was wrong. We have to figure out what's going on!"

Naruto looked puzzled. "But, Sakura, why would Kakashi want to hurt her? I mean, if they are in love as you said, then wouldn't he want to protect her?"

Sasuke's eyes grew wider. "If he was being controlled…no, it can't be! No! But, why?" He began pacing, and put his hands on his head, still muttering to himself.

The other two genin looked at him, then Sakura brightened. "Controlled! You mean, like brainwashed?"

Naruto picked up on her thread. "It's gotta be Itachi! I mean, seriously. Doesn't he have the most advanced Sharingan? And, if Kakashi could control Zabuza with his, couldn't Itachi do the same, but on a worse level?"

Sakura stared at him.

Sasuke stared at him.

"Wow. That's exactly what I was thinking! Naruto, you're surprising!"

Naruto smirked. "I'm not as dumb as you think I am!"

Sakura smiled at him. "Good, then! Let's start on our plan!"

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Kakashi stared out of his window, watching the rain pound against the glass, and the cherry tree's blossoms fall, soaked, to the ground.

He sighed. As long as he didn't do anything, his mind was free. Itachi's Sharingan, because it was a Kakai Genkai, didn't use much chakra, but, in order to keep this amount of control over as powerful a shinobi as Kakashi, he used a lot of energy.

Damn.

The boy had obviously laid his plans well, and they had fallen quite gracefully into the Uchiha's trap. And, in doing so, jeopardized their secret mission.

Although, Kakashi wasn't entirely certain what Itachi had to gain from such a trap.

The boy seemed to want the reunited lovers to be at odds, but why? Why, also, did he seem to want to get between Sakura and Naruto? And, what was with the too-friendly girl, Nariesha?

As he pondered this, Kakashi saw the hated figure go up to the cherry tree, and look to its top branches. He seemed to be talking to someone.

Kakashi shook his head. Stupid kid. He went back to his previous thoughts.

What reason would the Uchiha have to want to cause division in Team 7 and their possible allies?

The reality hit him, and he felt a chill go through him.

This was bad.

Very, very bad.

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"Well, Higurashi, what are you doing in the tree?"

She glared down at him.

"Sitting, Uchiha brat. And trying to figure out what in deepest hell is going on. Got a problem with that?"

He smirked up at her. "Was that a challenge?"

She snorted in derision. "Baka-ne, you know as well as I do that a battle between a Higurashi and an Uchiha is as disastrous as a child born of a union between those two clans."

"There has never been an Uchiha-Higurashi child."

"Because it was forbidden. Because of the danger of such a child."

"So, you are stating that a battle between us would be as horrible and mutually suicidal as a theoretical child?"

"I am."

"Well, rest assured, Higurashi, I am not going to fight you. I'm just here to see how you are doing."

"Very poorly, thanks. Why do you want to know, Uchiha?"

"Because. I want to see how my plans are coming along."

"A villain to the last. A cliché one, as well, seeing as you are gloating prematurely. What is this glorious plan, oh stupid one?"

"Do you honestly think I'm going to tell you?"

"Do you honestly think that you can manipulate me with your Mangenkyo Sharingan? Don't try to deny it, I can see your beady little red eyes swirling, Uchiha."

"How are you resisting them?"

"I'm a Higurashi. My Kakai Genkai allows me to repel every jutsu thrown at me. Including bloodline traits. Ours cancel each other out, dobe."

"Good to know. Perhaps you would consider telling me exactly why you are in the tree?"

"Normally, I wouldn't tell you anything. But, whatever. I'm here because of you. Your chakra is weak, and you seem to be tired."

"What does that have to do with you taking on a sudden fondness for trees?"

"I need to spell it out?"

"Don't mock me, woman."

"Okay, then. You are obviously manipulating Kakashi through your Sharingan hypnosis technique. He is powerful, so you have to use a lot of chakra to control him. At least, that's my theory."

"Well, Higurashi, you have certainly done your homework. Good for you."

"So…care to tell me why?"

"Care to come down?"

"Not a chance, Uchiha."

"My answer is the same, Higurashi. Have fun picking cherry blossoms out of your hair."

"Have fun taking care of your cold all by yourself."

"I'm not sick."

"You will be if you don't get out of the rain now."

"First sensible thing you've said today."

"Go suck on a senbo."

"Higurashi bitch."

"Uchiha bastard."

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Naruto walked up to the cherry tree, and stared up into the branches. A flash of pale blue met his questing eyes, and he remembered the dream.

Ayumi jumped out of her lofty perch, and landed in front of him, shaking the thoughts from his head. Until he looked at her.

"Mother…" he whispered.

She smiled at him through the tears and rain mingling on her cheeks, and enveloped him in her arms,

"My little boy…my baby…my Naruto…"

"Why weren't you there? Why did you leave me?" he sobbed into her sopping brown curls. She lifted his face to hers, and kissed his nose. "It's a long story. Sit down here, and I'll tell you."

Obligingly, he sat, and waited expectantly for her to begin.

"It all started one sunny day in the summer 14 years ago. I had just been accepted as a genin, and was meeting my team for the first time. Our sensei began by telling us that he didn't approve of female ninja. I was heartbroken. Later that day, my team-mate Iruka…"

"You knew him? He was my sensei at the Academy!"

She giggled. "That Iruka. He always did love teaching…well, anyways, he introduced me to a friend of his, Kakashi Hatake, a chuunin. The three of us got on well, and soon we were discussing my sensei, Uzumaki-san. Don't look so surprised, Naruto. I'll get to that part later. Kakashi was horrified to learn how Uzumaki-sensei felt, and told me that he, personally, would train me. I was happy that a chuunin would be paying so much attention to me, and I accepted.

"True to his word, Kakashi trained me a lot over that summer, and we grew closer together. We still hung out with Iruka, but, more and more, it was becoming clear that Kakashi and I were close. The two other kunoichis who had graduated with me teased me about it, but I told them that it was merely a professional relationship.

"Well, the next spring, Kakashi and I were dating. Not officially, although Iruka and my best friend Kurenai, and a few others knew. Kakashi and I still trained together, and Uzumaki-sensei didn't seem to notice that I was becoming very proficient despite his lack of attention to me. One night, after a particularly strenuous training session, Kakashi kissed me. It exploded from there, and…well, you're old enough, Naruto, to know what that means."

He nodded.

"Good. I don't want to go into details, but…"

Naruto listened closely as his mother told him the story of how he was born, her happiness, her plans for him, and the one moment of kindness and concern her sensei had ever shown her that brought all her hopes and dreams crashing down.

A/N: Wow, this is longer than I've ever written! Yay! . I really had fun with this, and I adored the whole concept of Itachi's awfulness… Unfortunately, no Nariesha in this chapter, but she'll be back next chapter to wreak more havoc! .