As expected of him…Itachi was stood waiting for her when she arrived. Hana stopped dead in her tracks when she spotted him standing there, cloak on. He spotted her immediately, and when he did, he knew she wasn't okay. At the end of the day, she was his baby sister and he could read her like an open book.

Tears forming in the youth's eyes, she let out a couple of sniffles while their eyes met. Itachi held his arms open for her to run into, and she did. As fast as she could.
"Itachi!" she cried, snuggling into his warmth. Itachi held her close to him.
"What's the matter, Hana?" he cooed.
"My heart hurts" she sobbed, "Sasuke and Sumi they…"
"It's alright," he said calmly, "I know."
"You know?" she gasped.
"I know of your feelings for Sasuke. It's normal for our clan but Hana, you mustn't."

"Why not?" she asked, even while knowing it was too late. He had probably noticed she was gone by now, there was no turning back. If she went back to the village without a good excuse, they would probably arrest her for conspiring with Itachi, despite her age.
"Because he has a mission to fulfil."
Hana frowned, "that again? Itachi, I will never let anyone kill you!"
He did what he always did when she got cross, and poked her forehead.
"Hm, we'll see."
"Are you underestimating me?!" she yelled.

Again, he poked her forehead.
"No, my dear little sister."
"Then?!"
"You don't want to hurt Sasuke, do you?"
"No, I don't…but I will, if I have to."
Itachi gasped in surprise, realising in that second just how deeply hurt Hana was.

"Enough about him" Hana said, looking down and hiding her eyes with her hair, "where are we going to go, Itachi?"
"The hideout, of course" he said to her.
"The hideout? You have one of those?" she asked, looking up at him. He started to walk.
"It's a few days away."
"It's okay, I brought enough food for two for at least three days" she said, "Sasuke would be mad but- forget him."
Itachi nodded, waiting a few steps up ahead, "are you sure you want to do this? There's no turning back once you arrive at the hideout."
Hana clenched her fists, "I don't care, as long as we're together, big brother! Don't you get that?"
His eyes widened.

"Sasuke is mostly mean and cold towards me and everyone around him. You're so – you're so kind to me. I don't get that often."
"Weren't you popular at the academy?" he asked. She walked a little bit to him.
"It's not genuine. The boys were nice to me because they thought I was beautiful, and the girls were nice to me because I am Sasuke's sister."
"I understand" he said, holding out his hand. Hana took it, and he started to walk with her.
"There's no need to worry anymore, Hana. I'll look out for you."

BEEP. BEEP.

"Um…big brother? What is that beeping sound?" Hana questioned. When she looked up at her big brother, he was flickering. Hana's eyes widened.
"Itachi!" she exclaimed, and in that second, her eyes snapped open. Looking around the room, the first face she was greeted with was a worried-looking Nari.

"NARI!" she yelled, jumping up and almost bumping heads with her.
"Hana! Oh, I was so worried about you!" she cried, "the doctor wasn't sure you would wake up!"
"Wh-what happened? Where's Itachi?!" she exclaimed.
"Itachi? Itachi obviously isn't here" she said, blinking a few times, "did you see him?"
"Yes! We-we were walking together. Away from the v-" she stopped, seeing the worried look on Nari's face.

"Don't you remember what happened?" Nari questioned, "at the Hokage faces?"
"Sure I do" Hana nodded, "we overheard Sasuke and Sumi talking about me. You said you wanted to leave, and so we did. I went home and – well. Yeah. That's it."
She looked away from Nari.
"Hana…that's not what happened at all" Nari said worriedly.

Hana blinked at her a few times.
"It's not?"
"No, it's not."
"Then wha-what happened?" Hana asked.
Nari looked away, playing with her fingers.
"Well, go on."
"W-well, I told you we should leave, but you were so overcome with anger that you climbed up the fourth Hokage's face and confronted Sumi. She attacked you, and she knocked you unconscious. You hit your head pretty hard."

Hana frowned deeply, trying to remember it all – but it hurt her head badly to even try.
"Don't put too much pressure on yourself, it's okay."
"How long was I out?" Hana questioned, blinking because her head was pounding and annoying her eyes.
"…a month."
"A MONTH?!" Hana yelled, "but the-the Chunin exams!"
"We missed them…" Nari sighed, "I'm sorry, Hana. I should have protected you up there."
"It's not your fault at all" Hana sighed, tears in her eyes, "it's all mine."

"No, Hana!" Nari frowned, which was a rare sight, "it's not your fault at all. We have next year."
"Did Sasuke pass?"
"Yeah."
Hana gripped onto the bedsheets, "has he been here often?"
"All day, every day. He's not here now because he has a mission. He told me to stay with you until he got back."
She almost smiled, but she couldn't bring herself to. So, she had imagined the whole thing. Well, dreamt it. She dreamt that she was going away with Itachi and yet…she felt so happy in that dream.

Nari cleared her throat, snapping her attention back.
"Sumi has been suspended for the attack. Takahashi sensei was so angry. The doctors weren't sure you were even going to make it…to be honest."
She shook her head, not wanting to even think about that.
"What's going to happen to her now?"
"Well, they don't know. They were waiting to see if you woke up. If not, she'd be charged with murder, but since you woke up – it's up to you to decide what happens to her."

Hana nodded along, "I see."
"So, what are you going to do?"
"I'll have to think about it" Hana confessed. Nari didn't even begin to tell her what had gone down during the exams, the attack on the village and the death of the Hokage. Also, the new Hokage. It would be too much for poor Hana to process.

"Okay" Nari nodded.
"You won't be angry with me if I have her convicted, will you?" Hana asked lowly, "I can't lose you too."
"Of course not" Nari said, taking her hand and holding it tightly, "it's totally understandable. She did a lot of damage. I didn't know she had it in her."
"Well, jealousy is a terrible thing…" Hana muttered.
"And just so you know, I gave Sasuke an earful about hiding his relationship from you. He also broke up with her. I think Sasuke cares about you a lot so, don't go too hard on him."

A silence followed. Nari blinked a few times, her eyes following Hana's gaze, which was on the wall all of a sudden. Hana slowly turned her head to face Nari, eyelashes fluttering.
"Sasuke?"
"Yeah, Sasuke" Nari laughed, "silly goose, what's wrong with you?"
"Who's Sasuke?"
"Hana?" Nari called worriedly.
"I'm sorry, I don't know who that is. Is he your friend?"
"Hana what the hell? Stop playing with me it's not funny!"

Hana snarled, snapping her hand away from Nari. Nari stood up from her chair and rushed to the door, frightened by her movements.
"He's your brother!"
"I DON'T HAVE A BROTHER" Hana shouted.
"Hey now, I know you're upset but of course you have a brother" Nari gasped, placing her hand on the doorhandle. It rattled a few times, and she stepped back to open it. The doctor stood there, beaming widely.

"She's awake but she is suddenly acting strange" Nari explained, pointing to Hana who was now stood up and had taking a fighting stance.
"Please, Ms. Uchiha. Lay back down!" the doctor exclaimed worriedly, "you mustn't stand you must be weak."
"I AM NOT weak!" Hana yelled angrily, "I'm just fine!"
"She doesn't remember her brother, even though she was talking about him a few minutes ago."

"Hm, how odd" the doctor said, approaching the bed slowly, "Ms. Uchiha, may I examine your head a little bit?"
"No."
"It's important that I do. You don't want to get ill, do you?"
Hana squinted at him, and a few seconds later she was laying back down in the bed, covering herself with her blanket.

The doctor took a further look at her wound, which was healing nicely on the outside. However, it clearly was getting worse on the inside. Nari stood by the door, tears trickling down her cheeks. She was so worried that Hana would forget about her – and everything they had been through. She was also dreading Sasuke's reaction if she didn't remember him fast.

"We're going to have to do another scan, but it's not appearing to be good" the doctor told Nari in a whisper, "is there any way you can contact her brother?"
"I-I can ask the hokage to send Kakashi Sensei a message."
"Perfect. I suggest you do so immediately."
"Will she be okay, doctor?" Nari asked sadly, "will she die?"
"There's a possibility, I won't lie" he told her. Nari burst into tears.
"Now, now. It's not a high possibility, but prepare yourself" he said, placing his hands on her shoulders to soothe her, "and get that message sent as soon as possible."
"Yes, doctor" Nari whimpered.

The doctor left the room, and Hana just lay there – gazing up at the ceiling.
"I dreamt of a nice man" she said, smiling a little bit, "with long, black hair tied in a ponytail. Beautiful onyx eyes. He was wearing a black cloak, with red clouds on it. He was taking me somewhere, I don't know where."
Nari listened to her, wiping at her eyes with her sleeve. Of course, Nari had a feeling she was talking about Itachi, but she said nothing.
"He was so kind to me. Holding my hand, smiling at me. I-I wish I could see him again. Do you think I will?"

Nari bit her bottom lip, "I don't think so, Hana."
"Wh-why?" Hana asked, continuing to stare up at the ceiling with that wide smile. That pure, happy smile.
"It's hard to explain."
"It's okay, I don't want to know why I can't see him again. I'll remember that face forever. He was handsome, you know?"
Nari chuckled, "I'm sure he was. I have to go, okay?"
"Where are you going?" she asked, panicked. She sat up in the bed, but then immediately fell back down, groaning in pain. Nari held the tears back, she had never seen Hana like this in all the years she had known her.

"Stay there" she said, her bottom lip wobbling, "I'll be back in a few minutes, I promise."
Hana slowly nodded. Clearly even nodding was hurting her head. Nari left the room, closing the door behind her. Sighing, Hana thought about the mans face. As soon as she did, that genuine smile appeared on her face again.
"I was happy" she said, closing her eyes and thinking about him.

"So happy."