"Sakura-chan, why don't you just talk to her if you're so interested?" Naruto inquired.

"Because I don't know her."

"But that's the point of talking to her…to get to know her…"

"It's just weird. Now that I think about it, Sasuke-kun has always been with her, even when we were kids. I can't believe I don't know her," she sighed.

"Don't feel bad. I don't know her either. She seems to keep to herself. I barely even see her."

"Kakashi-sensei knows her."

"But Kakashi-sensei is weird," he chuckled.

"She doesn't hang around enough to find out anything about her, plus…she doesn't look like she'd be easy to talk to."

"I'm sure she's nice. I can tell."

"Kokoa?"

"Yeeees?" She looked over from the couch.

"I want to ask you about something."

"Is it boy stuff, Sasuke? I'll try, but I'm not too good –"

"No…"

"Good. What is it?"

"Here." He walked over, handing her a slip of paper. Her eyes widened.

"Hah, no."

"You don't even know what it is –"

"Of course I do, Sasuke. That's why I laughed and then said no."

"Kokoa –"

"Yes?" She glanced up with a forced smile.

"Let's talk. I'm not that little kid you took in. I'm older, not to mention a shinobi as well."

"Fine, let's "talk," Sasuke."

"I want to do it."

"Sasuke…" She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees.

"I'm serious. Kakashi passed that out to Naruto and Sakura too. The entire team has to agree for us to be eligible. I can't be the one to screw it up, and I need to do this."

"Sasuke, you aren't ready for the Chunin Exams. You have no idea what it's like. You could die. It's terrifying, and you're so young."

"I'm not young, and I'm not the only one taking it. All the other rookies are too."

"I can't –"

"Kokoa, you always try to protect me from things, and I get it, especially when I was younger. You worry, and I get annoyed sometimes, but I know you have good intentions; it's because you care, but you can't protect me from everything."

"I can try," she said sadly.

"It's impossible. I need to take this. I can't let my team down. I have to become a chunin. I have to get stronger. How else will I get revenge if I'm stuck as a Konoha genin?" he snapped.

"Revenge?" she whispered, blinking in surprise. In her heart, Kokoa knew Sasuke resented Itachi and wished his brother would pay for the lives he took. It was expected, but this was the first time Sasuke admitted to wanting revenge. He made sure to keep the fact from her, not wanting to upset or worry her, but that wasn't the case anymore. He was growing in height and in power. He decided years ago that his purpose was to avenge his clan and destroy Itachi.

"You can't keep holding me back," he stated.

"Holding you back? From what?"

"From getting stronger."

"From throwing your life away, maybe."

"How can you say that? Why are you so surprised, Kokoa? He took everything from me! Stood over the dead bodies of my parents like they meant nothing! He left me alone to suffer and torment. As the last Uchiha, my goal – my purpose is to avenge my clan, to make him pay for what he did! It always has been. This is my destiny."

"Your destiny? So you're just on this power trip, doing everything and anything to get stronger so you can kill your brother? Then what? You come back and pretend everything's ok again? Well guess what, it won't be. You are willing to leave your friends, to leave me and go after him? He hasn't come back for you. Why open that door, Sasuke?" She bit her lip, not liking the way he spoke.

"Just because I haven't seen him in years doesn't mean his sins have been erased. I will get stronger, I will find Itachi, and I will kill him. It's what I have to do, what I want to do. He should have killed me that night, but he didn't. He destroyed my life and he abandoned you. I'm doing this for you too, Kokoa. He has to pay."

"You don't have to do this, Sasuke. You should grow as a shinobi, but not to throw your life away for revenge! You sound crazy."

"You're telling me not to avenge my clan, and I'm the crazy one?" He gave her a look. "Why are you so against it?"

"You'll get hurt, and it won't change anything in the end. They'll still be dead, and it'll be just the two of us."

"Still, Kokoa, someone has to pay. I made my decision a long time ago."

"Why wait until now to tell me?" she whispered, leaning back into the couch.

"I thought you knew. It's obvious, isn't it?"

"Still…"

"You can't stop me, Kokoa. If you care, if you understand any of my pain, you won't get in the way. You mean everything to me. You have been there, you have cared for me, you have given me everything, and I am so thankful, but revenge is something I need more than any of that stuff," he explained, on the edge of his seat. She gazed off to the side, not saying anything.

"Is there some other reason you don't want me doing this?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Like what?" she said coolly, careful not to show the panic in her voice or eyes.

"I don't know, you just seem so against it."

"I just don't want to lose you, Sasuke."

"If there's something else, tell me, since we're being honest."

"There's nothing, Sasuke. I just don't want you to walk the path of revenge. It will destroy you."

"He destroyed me a long time ago. The damage is done. I can only go up from here."

"Sasuke…" She turned away again. Did he suspect? Did he know that she still loved Itachi; that the thought of his death, especially at Sasuke's hands, was unbearable? Did he know that she would do anything to keep him from achieving his revenge, at least until she was able to speak to Itachi and get the answers she's yearned for, and that she'd delay it even after then? Kokoa kept the picture of her and Itachi safe, nestled between the pages of a book and stuffed in a dark corner of the house. She kept the Uchiha crest pendant in a locket she found on her journey home from a mission years ago, so that she could tell herself she still wore his necklace in a way.

While she truly was worried for Sasuke's safety, she also didn't want Itachi dying; not yet. Kokoa worked hard to move on. She worked hard to put up this act, this face for the elders, for the villagers, for Sasuke. She was detached, split off, numb. She rarely got involved, but like revenge was Sasuke's purpose in life, Kokoa's was to hear Itachi's truth.

"Kakashi, please. Kakashi-san, you have to listen to me."

"Kokoa, Sasuke is old enough to make his own decisions."

"But he's not old enough to realize the consequences."

"Even if he wasn't bent on revenge, he would eventually have to take the exams to move forward in ranks. He's a shinobi. You took the exams."

"Yeah, I know how awful they are. If he dies…"

"Kokoa, Sasuke is part of a team now. He has to think of his comrades. If he doesn't sign up, then the others won't be allowed to take it. It's all about teamwork right now. The exam would do them some good, considering their teamwork has been pure shit since the Land of Waves. Sasuke is growing, and I know that scares you. You've been by him since he was a child. You've seen him grow and change. You understand his pain. It's ok to be worried, to be afraid, but you can't stop him from progress. You shouldn't be the one who stops him."

"The more he progresses, the closer he gets to that power he's so fixated on. I figured he'd want revenge, but he never mentioned it up until now. All these years he's been feeding that darkness in his heart; giving into that hatred. I know the real Sasuke is still there, but once he gets that power…I'm afraid he'll be lost. What happens after revenge? Nothing. Just emptiness." She held herself, staring to the side with sad eyes.

"Knowing you, this isn't about Sasuke only, is it?" he inquired.

"Please don't –"

"We're having this conversation, Kokoa. In order to help you, I need to know all of it. This is about him, isn't it? If Sasuke keeps growing and gets stronger, he will confront Itachi. He will do everything in his power to kill his brother. You can't accept that, can you?" He lowered his voice.

"It's been years, Kakashi-san, since I've seen his face and heard his voice. So many dark, painful, lonely years. I had Sasuke, but he couldn't hold me like Itachi. He couldn't comfort me the way I needed. The night before the massacre, Itachi confronted me. He started saying we couldn't be together, it wouldn't work, that he had responsibilities to his clan. He ended our relationship, and as I turned to leave, I took what turned out to be my final glance at him, and there was something in his eyes, Kakashi.

I don't know if it was regret, sadness, anger, irritation, relief. I don't know, but there was something. Then the next morning everyone was dead. I'm not saying he didn't kill the clan. He told Sasuke he did. He showed him. I can't deny that his hands were drenched in the blood of his kin, but there has to be a reason other than to test his abilities. Was he set up? Abandoned? Played? Was there a deal? Was he in some trouble? I need to know his story."

"What makes you think he'll tell you?"

"I don't know what he'd do if we met, but that doesn't mean I'm going to give up."

"You could end up in a lot of trouble with Konoha and with Itachi. If he turns out to be the murderer everyone's made him out to be, he will kill you without batting an eye, Kokoa."

"He could have killed me that night."

"He could have killed Sasuke too, but he didn't. That doesn't mean anything. If you confront him, who's to say he won't make sure you never get in his way? If he cared, he'd at least tell you something, Kokoa."

"What are getting at?"

"That sometimes even those who give in to darkness, to evil, have something or someone precious to them. Even villains can have their own form of sick love. If Itachi loved you, don't you think he would have taken you with him, or at least given you the choice?"

"I…" She rubbed her arm, sighing deeply. "Regardless, all those years ago, I promised Itachi I would protect his younger brother if anything ever happened to him, even if it means saving Sasuke from his own darkness. I also promised Uchiha Shisui and Itachi that I would be by his side no matter what. Although Itachi never heard me say it, I promised to always love him. I can't walk away, not until I get the answers. Perhaps I'll settle down once I get some closure, but right now I need this."

"And here I thought you might have changed a bit over time. You're still the same, Kokoa," he sighed.

"It was an act, Kakashi. Someone as elite as you surely would have seen right through it, no?"

"Maybe I wanted to believe that you had moved on a bit. Even if I'm harsh at times, I'm just looking out for you Kokoa. You need to be careful, especially around the Hokage, Danzo, and elders."

"I know. Believe me, I know. I bet it wouldn't be as bad if they were off my case," she sighed. "Do you know what it's like to be bound to someone? To have yourself and your actions judged because of the mistakes of another?"

"I have some idea," he said, adjusting his mask. She blinked, realizing he meant his father.

"That's right, you do."

"No worries. I know what you were getting at. Look, even if I did try persuading Sasuke, it wouldn't work. He won't even listen to you. Why in the hell would he take my advice? He's got his mind set on something, and once Sasuke does that, there's no stopping him. The most you can do is be there for him when he needs you, and if the time ever comes, you will worry about it then. You carry enough pain and guilt. Don't add all this anxiety and worry to the mix, Kokoa. Just let him take the exam and grow with Naruto and Sakura."

"Hai…arigato, Kakashi-san."

"Yeah, yeah. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a book to finish," he smirked.

"Hn, fine, fine."

"Oh, I forgot to mention that while I was at the Hokage's building earlier, I overheard that you might be assigned a mission. This would be your first one in months, right?"

"Yes. Seriously? It's been so long since I've left the village. I hope you heard right."

"I hope it goes well. Let me know if you end up leaving. Sayonara for now, Kokoa." Poof!

"A mission? Finally. I can finally get out of this place."

"Ho? A new assignment. Some action at last, Itachi-san. To the Land of Fire. Think you'll see any old acquaintances?"

"I doubt it," he replied, raising his collar.

"I'm sure it'd be fun to see some friends and how much you've all changed." Kisame peered over, hoping for some reaction. Nothing."Still, it's good to get back out there after being cooped up at the base for ages. Let's take our time on this little adventure, Itachi-san."

"I agree. We can finally get out of this place."

Things will start moving within the next few chapters. As always, thanks for swinging by :)