Shaking my head as I settle down beneath a tree. I had left the village four days ago, and Sasuke last night. Figuring I finally have time to rest and catch up on even a little bit of sleep I sigh and close my eyes. Thinking about what had happened with Sasuke. -"What are you to my brother?"- -"Were you two dating?"- Sasuke's and Itachi's words ring together in my head as I fight to sleep. What's wrong with me? I thought to myself as I see Sasuke standing ahead of me to my right in the trees I had settled down in. Itachi to my left, and Kakashi straight ahead. All of them looking at me in their own way. As I look at Itachi images of him and I fly over his form. Then Kakashi as the same blocks him from view only of him and me. When I look at Sasuke I couldn't help but smile as I see the images flowing past him. Every banter, every argument, the times on the rooftop at Tazuna's, all of our training, everything. Shaking my head I look back at Kakashi remembering him leaping forward to whisper playfully in my ear, the time we were in front of the cave as the others slept, even when he carried me back to the wood house. Being in his lap, feeling him hold me close to him. When I look back to Itachi I watch our lives over the last three years. Too many images to count. Until the image of the two of us standing on a cliff in the land of lightning, the sun setting before us as I lean my head against his shoulder.

Jerking myself awake from being reminded of that day, I cover my eyes with my right hand blocking the sun which is peeking through the treetops. "That was the day, Itachi told me that love was an emotion that could never be shared between us." Feeling the same sting I had successfully hidden that day, I sit up looking down at the ground. I know why he said it. Even now I feel it too. Things between us never felt like when Kakashi had held me. With Itachi everything was easy. He used me to ease his pain and I used him to ease my loneliness. But with Kakashi and even Sasuke. There was always a spark that stood a chance of forming into anything if given the opportunity. And yet... "When Kakashi held me, even with my heart pounding in my ears. All I could think of was getting up and walking away. I never lost myself, not like when Sasuke kissed me." Frowning I lean back against the tree with a sigh. Kakashi's presence was always welcoming. Accepting the silence I wanted to be in. When I watched the anime I had only liked Kakashi with Itachi a close second. Kakashi was always my second favorite anime character below Light. "Shocker of it is... In the anime I disliked Sasuke.." Lightly shaking my head at my own words I get up and leap back into the trees. All three of them are important to me. Above anyone else in this world.

"Maybe I lost myself because he was the only one who noticed I was gone. Even with his incessant desire for revenge. He noticed when no one else did."

Four days had passed since Kira leaped into the trees away from him. He had thought about her words to him his entire way to the hideout. Kira had told him to go straight there but she had also said Aphrodite was retrieving his gift and should arrive not too long after he did. For the first time in years, he didn't feel rushed. The time was coming that he would soon kill his brother and get his revenge. Even so, as he sets on the throne in the main hall of the hideout he found his hand moving from his forehead as he was resting to touch his lips. He had thought about doing that very thing so many times before he left the village. Yet every time he got close to it she had managed to slip away from him. Over these last three years, he thought about what he would do when all of this was over and he saw her again. He hadn't expected her to show up out of nowhere and kill Orochimaru herself.

When he had run to the room he hadn't known what he would find, and he seriously debated about not going to find out at all. But the sudden spike in chakra was familiar to him. He had felt driven to find out who it belonged to. When he walked into the room he hadn't expected to find her. Her long black hair she had usually kept down was pulled up in a high ponytail. Her swirling red gaze sent chills up his spine. He could feel her killer intent with such ferocity, it felt like he was being crushed into the floor. When she had dropped Orochimaru's body it was as if what she had just done didn't faze her. The girl he had known even three years ago already had a figure growing into a woman. But there she stood. Her high collared long sleeve jacket stopping just beneath her breasts forcing the fabric to curve around the mounds in an enticing way. From just above her belly button down to the waist of form-fitting bluish-grey pants was bare for his eyes to see. Yet when she raised her hand in a sign it more looked like she had only raised her fingers to her lips. He couldn't help but say her name as if he was telling himself who the woman was.

As she stepped off the bed she looked more like a predator, and when she moved, her muscles shifted beneath her skin, her swirling red eyes staring at him as if he was going to be next. Every muscle in his body screamed at him, telling him how dangerous she was and when she spoke. A voice that was usually full of her own arrogance was now as icy as her glare used to be. He felt himself grab the hilt of his sword subconsciously, his body reacting while his mind was still frozen. When he had told her that he was going to kill Orochimaru he had expected words she had told him before. For her to claim that she would protect him. Instead, she admitted that she knew what he had planned and that he would have won. Her claim confused him, releasing the fear that had built up inside of him so he could do anything other than cling to his sword.

When he had asked her why, he didn't expect her to contradict herself. She had claimed she didn't kill Orochimaru for him but then she answered that she did it because he didn't need to kill his emotions completely before all but telling him to leave with her. No matter what he did, she didn't try to threaten him. He had half expected her to say come with me or else as she would have three years ago. But she didn't, in the end, she gave him the choice. He had thought she killed Orochimaru so that there would be nothing keeping him from the village, yet again she had countered. Blowing his expectations out of the water by saying where she wanted to take him. To a hideout, only Uchiha knew about from stories passed down in the clan. She knew about it. As if that wasn't enough to cause his suspicion she claimed she knew where Itachi was and she would bring him there. When she explained that he was one who had trained her over the last three years it felt off. Like she was hiding more to it than that. So he followed her. Thoughts of the plans he had made running through his mind. The plans of what he would do after he got his revenge and seen her again, mingled with the fact that she not only knows where his brother is but she knew about Uchiha history.

Burning anger roared to life inside of him, wondering why she would have been with him, even as he grabbed onto the hand he had noticed was injured by whatever jutsu it was she had used against Orochimaru. A whip of pure blue fire and it had eaten away at the skin on her hand. In his anger, he didn't care. He held her firmly expecting to make her call out in some sort of pain, but it never happened. "The Akatsuki." He realized only feeding his anger. "That's why you weren't at any of your training spots." As they landed he found himself drawn into her kiwi scent and pulled her against him. "You noticed." For the first time since he had seen her take Orochimaru's head, there was emotion in her voice. Not of anger for him hurting her, not her usual annoyance for his abrupt actions. She didn't even show shock over suddenly being held. There was pain as if this entire time she had truly believed he hadn't realized when she disappeared. Torn between wanting to hold her closer to him and to further take in her scent he bowed his head to her ear as he spoke. Telling her he did notice. "Everyone else thought I left with you. They never realized the Akatsuki came and collected me." Collected her? Once again he was taken aback by her turn of phrase. Almost as if she had planned to leave with them.

So he asked how she could join them. Again she retorted back rather than openly talking to him like she used to. But within her words, he caught her meaning. She truly believed he never cared about anything beyond avenging his clan. Even now, almost four years later she couldn't see his feelings. Even now she tried to escape him just like she used to. "I regret nothing." He found himself telling her in answer to her retort. Enjoying the goosebumps that appeared on her neck as he breathed against her ear. "Well, I didn't exactly go willingly. Even so, I don't regret it." She didn't... choose to go? That burning anger inside of him came back with a vengeance as he held her tighter. As if he would let her go she would disappear again. The Akatsuki took her against her will. Made her join them. This entire time she was with... HIM. as if killing his clan wasn't enough, he wanted to take her from him too. "What are you to my brother?" His anger had his arm tightening around her possessively. "What? Are you thinking this could be your chance to take something from him?" This retort baffled him. She didn't outright deny it and she had thought so little of herself that she seriously believed he thought about killing her to hurt Itachi.

"He and Fishface were my partners in the organization for the most part. However, he never wanted to become attached because he has prepared himself to die by your hands." There were so many meanings in what she said it took him a minute to even guess what she had meant. "You expect me to believe he feels guilt?" Doubtful that was the meaning she was getting at. He just found himself hoping it is what she meant otherwise it would mean that there was something between them but then Itachi dumped her. "Sasuke, I'd let me go before I make you." She suddenly warns reminding him of the intense desire to kill she had shown when she finished Orochimaru. The sight of a predator that walked towards him. "I don't expect you to believe anything I say right now. Not until you see the gift I have for you." Again about this gift? Is she trying to coerce him to let go after threatening him? He couldn't help but chuckle at the very antics of her he had missed. "You never could hurt me." He claimed with his own retort.

"Oh really? And why couldn't I?" He couldn't believe his ears. All of the retorts until now were full of fire and slight anger. This time.. she was teasing him? She even had the same tone as when she used to call him Emo boy. He hadn't even realized his hold on her had slacked enough she was able to get away. With well-practiced reflexes, he managed to catch her. Not wanting her to leave. The plans he had made racing through his mind mixing with the possibility that Itachi had gotten to her first. It was in that split second he decided. He couldn't let her go back to Itachi without letting her know how he has always felt about her. When he pulled her back into his arms it was only now he realized how much her coat hides from view as she is pressed against his chest. Without allowing a moment of hesitation he kissed her. Her lips were softer than he had ever thought they could be. He couldn't help but close his eyes holding her against him. Feeling how well she fit into his arms. The warmth radiating off of her skin only pulled him to continue.

He expected her to push out of his hold. To break the kiss and step away from him if only to put distance between them like she always did. Instead, her hands moved over his chest sending warm shivers down his spine and when they finally reached their destination, her arms wrapped around his shoulders. He very nearly lost it. The only girl who never seemed to like him. Was the only girl he ever wanted to like him. Every time he had been around her he wanted to take her hand, to do anything to let her know. But he was afraid of how she would react. Especially when every time he got close to her she would back away. And now, she was in his arms and their lips were moving together. She was kissing him back. She didn't deny him. These thoughts had him smirking even before raising his head just a little bit. When she opens her eyes he finally found himself a bit nervous about what he had just done. "So what's this gift?" He asked to alleviate some of his nerves. With his question, she finally steps away. Putting the usual distance between them. For a moment he wondered if he should have just kept quiet. Or if she was now regretting what they had done. Even as she turned away it felt like she was leaving him even though she was never his, to begin with. "You'll hate me after you see it. And for that, it's okay." Again she was playing herself off as unimportant not understanding his feelings at all! "Like that could ever happen."

"I'll give you a hint." She suddenly says over her shoulder to him. His gaze met hers curiously. "I've kept this a secret from you since we were seven. Now go, it could take Aphrodite a few more days to get there. If you go straight there you should get there shortly before she does and with my speed, I should have Itachi there a few hours give or take after she arrives." She explained again. As if going straight there was necessary and how she continued to tell him she was bringing Itachi. Almost like she was using his hate for Itachi to make sure he did as she said. "Don't get sidetracked rounding up Hebi." Wait! How did she know about... I haven't even put the team together yet. They don't even know who they are or what I decided to call my group. "Those guys can wait. Especially since you were only going to round them up to help you find Itachi anyway. They are unnecessary at the moment since I'll bring Itachi to you." With that, she left. She left him standing there watching after her in pure shock. Now uncertain about his initial thoughts of her and his brother. -Could she have already known about the hideout somehow? She already knew about Hebi and why I decided I was going to put the team together after Orochimaru was out of the way. Since she knows that.. what else does she know? Or better yet, if she figured all of that out, why can't she figure out how I feel? This is the second time I've confessed my feelings to her and again she didn't understand.-

Sasuke was pulled out of his thoughts hearing footsteps echoing through the hideout. Sitting up a bit straighter he waits curiously wondering if it's Aphrodite and the gift or an ill-tempered raven-haired beauty. He listened closely to the footsteps drawing closer. One set so light on the stone floor their steps barely made a sound. With two other sets trailing behind them. Even as the door to the main hall opens his eyes widen remembering Kira's hint. A secret she's kept since they were seven years old. The blond who entered first may as well have been invisible to him. He stands as he watches the two behind her quietly wondering if he was seeing things. "Sasuke? Oh, Sasuke!" The woman yells before suddenly running towards him as he steps down away from the throne. Her long black hair flowing behind her in a rush. He half expected her to go right through him until her arms wrap around him holding him close to her. A scent he hasn't smelled in 9 years. "If this is a genjutsu. I'll kill him." He grunts before finding his arms slipping around her slender form as she cries into his shoulder.

"It's not." Aphrodite speaks up drawing his cold gaze. "Kira and your brother took them out of the village to go into hiding until the time was right." She explains using her Anbu empty tone. Kira? and Itachi? "That girl, Kira. She kept her promise." His mother coos against him even as he looks up to his dad. He had the same look he always had when looking at Sasuke a look he had often mistaken as disapproval. But he knew now that his silent standoffish demeanor wasn't because of that at all. In fact, just by being here, he was showing he had wanted to see him. "I don't understand." Sasuke says even as he remembers Kira telling him to decide if he still wants to kill his brother after he sees his gift. Also when she said he will hate her when he sees them. It is only now Sasuke understands what she meant. For 9 years she has kept it a secret from him that his parents have been alive this entire time. Itachi had never killed them.

He had no idea how long he had been holding his mother. But when the door to the hall opens a second time he couldn't help the glare that fell upon the two walking inside. "Why didn't you ever tell me!" His anger-fueled voice reverberates against the walls as his eyes never leave hers. His anger only growing when his brother's hand moves to rest on her shoulder. "We had to make you believe they were dead." She speaks up causing Itachi's mouth to close as he was about to speak. "Why?!" He snaps pulling away from his mother and moving more towards her only to stop when Itachi goes to stand between them protectively.