Chapter 4

Dare not say that man forgets sooner than woman, that his love has an earlier death. I have loved none but you.

She awakens in a dark sewer.

Before Naruto can feel anything beyond the instinctive buzz of fear she always gets when facing the great gates that hold back the kyuubi, Itachi appears before her.

"Whaa–" Her eyes blow wide and her lips part in surprise. The sharingan lets Itachi do that? Just… pop into someone's head with a single glance?

"A shared genjutsu." Itachi correctly interprets her look. "I trap you in your mind and project myself here."

"Then we have time, right?"

Naruto's face firms, determination sweeping over her features, but Itachi cuts her off before she can even begin.

"Naruto, I know what you want to say, but I can't do more than give you intel so you can better prepare yourself."

The Uzumaki clenches her jaw mulishly. "Why not? What's making you stay?"

Itachi considers his words carefully. "There are several incredibly powerful individuals in the Akatsuki who are committed to their goals."

"Then what about you?" She turns the tables. "You're betraying them right now, what keeps you safe?"

Itachi just eyes her distantly, and Naruto knows he has never even taken himself into account.

And she's angry now, furious that her friend would treat himself so callously when she has spent so, so long worrying about him.

She changes tactics. "If you're so devoted to thwarting them, why not stay with me and make sure they'll never get the kyuubi?"

But Itachi is shaking his head at her words. "Even if I left, they would just send other people. I can best keep you safe where I am."

"I don't need to be kept safe!" Naruto bursts out, upset. Does he still think of her as the same little girl who needed protecting? "We could go so far away they would never be able to find us."

"It wouldn't work." He says gently, but firmly. His eyes look sad as he watches her. "Their reach is farther than you can imagine."

Naruto growls in frustration, raking a hand through red strands.

"I've only just gotten you back." She says desperately.

Don't leave me again.

The still water ripples beneath their feet.

"Oh spare me."

A great rumbling voice intrudes upon their conversation and the Uzumaki leaps in shock, her face filling with embarrassment and anger as she turns toward the giant chakra monster. Naruto doesn't care if it is the great and powerful ninetails or not. If someone interrupts them again…

"No one asked you to listen in!" She snaps.

"Trust me." It drawls back, opening one crimson, slitted eye from where it's lounging inside the cage. "I would rather be anywhere else. Even death would be preferable to listening to you mooning over – "

Naruto flushes beetroot. "Who's mooning, you freeloading, – "

"– a blasted Uchiha. Of all the people – "

" – mangy fox! You're nosier than an old biddy, spying on private – "

"– it could be, it had to be someone from that wretched – "

" – conversations that have nothing to do with you! You'd think – "

"– clan. As if I needed more proof that the world has it out for me – "

Naruto and the fox's argument is interrupted as Itachi chuckles, the sound causing the both of them break off to look at him.

"I didn't know you and the ninetails were friends, Naruto." He teases, lip quirking.

Both Naruto and the fox stare at him like he's suddenly announced he wears pink tutus to church every Sunday, before bursting into heated denials.

"Friends with this guy? He has a temper problem like you wouldn't believe – "

"You filthy Uchiha! As if I would lower myself to – "

Itachi is still smiling as he bows politely to the kyuubi.

"My apologies." He tells it. "I'm afraid I need to borrow your host for a moment."

And with a single gesture of his hand, the ninetails dissolves into frothy orange chakra leaving Naruto to gape in astonishment. Never has she wished so strongly that she didn't suck at genjutsu.

"Sorry." She mumbles. "Not even my head is private."

The energy fizzes down into the water below their feet, and Naruto is suddenly struck by a bout of inappropriate giggles at the sight.

"It reminds me of my favourite bubble bath." She says defensively in the face of Itachi's raised brow.

He huffs, eyeing her fondly. "Only you, Naruto."

Her heart swells even as she fights down the mortification. He just saw her get into a shouting match with the fox – that's just the furthest thing from cool!

Now alone in the cavernous sewer, the moment of levity passes and Naruto is reminded of their situation.

She bites her lip anxiously. "Will you tell me why you can't leave with me?"

Itachi looks at her for a long moment, and her heart beats like a hummingbird within her chest. She reaches over to take his hand in hers.

"Please?"

He exhales slowly.

"Alright."

Itachi tells her everything.

He tells her of his family and the massacre, of the Akatsuki and the man posing as Madara – the one who has the strength to back up the claim.

Naruto goggles at him.

"You mean to say that imposter-Madara, the guy you think released the kyuubi into Konoha and caused the whole Uchiha situation to begin with, is the leader of Akatsuki. And yet you're still working for him?"

Itachi shoots her a look. "I'm keeping tabs on his movements."

"Well, it doesn't sound as if you're accomplishing anything further in Akatsuki." Naruto points out, quite reasonably in her opinion. "You already know all their identities, capabilities and resources, right? And now you're stuck going along with their plans while still under imposter-Madara's nose, right?"

Itachi looks slightly pained at her name for the masked man but does nod reluctantly.

"Then you need to stop playing by his rules. You need to shake things up." Naruto says emphatically. "Madara invited you into his organisation all those years ago, already knowing that you would do exactly as you are now."

She cocks an eyebrow challengingly. "It sounds to me like you're just playing his game."

Naruto can see her words strike home. Itachi is way smarter than her, he must have already been thinking the same thing but lacked any true options other than the path he was already set on.

"Itachi." She looks him straight in the eyes. "You don't have to do everything alone. Let me help you."

The Uchiha doesn't look convinced.

But he is wavering, Naruto can tell.

"The Akatsuki must be planning something big with all the tailed beasts. Jiraiya couldn't tell me what for, but I assume it's nothing good – "she glances at Itachi and continues when he doesn't correct her – "and you don't want them to succeed. As far as I can see, we have three problems."

She holds out her fingers and ticks them off as she goes.

"Danzo, and the threat of Sasuke being used by him if he no longer has his S-ranked older brother who could return eyes-blazing back to Konoha. You can't defect from Akatsuki without Pein coming after you. And finally, imposter-Madara would get suspicious as to why you've suddenly changed tactics after so long and likely kill you himself."

She puts her hands on her hips.

"It sounds like these three have the same solution." The Uzumaki makes a slicing motion with her hand. "Let's just off them all."

Her words startle a snort out of Itachi. "Naruto, if I could kill them, I would have already done it."

She turns her eyes on him, purple nearly glowing with unearthly determination.

"We can take them." She says, voice full of unshakable, burning conviction. "I know I'm not at your level yet, but I'm great with wind techniques, I've got chakra like you wouldn't believe and I've been learning sealing. If we set a trap I'm sure we can take them."

"Maybe most of them." Itachi concedes. "But it isn't the ordinary Akatsuki members I'm wary of."

Pein. Madara.

Naruto bites her lip.

Even if she masters her jinchuuriki training, she doesn't know if they could take on the men who purposefully hunt people like her - and those who control them.

"Can't we use this?" She suddenly asks. "It sounds like the masked man is trying really hard to keep out of the spotlight, right?"

Itachi nods.

"Probably so he isn't called out as the fake he is." Naruto muses. "But that just means when Akatsuki comes after us, it's not going to be him. Both him and Pein don't want to draw too much attention to themselves, so even if they come after us, we have time.

"We'll chip away at them, one member at a time." She says fiercely. "And when they finally rouse themselves to come after us in person, we'll be ready for them."

Naruto meets his eyes, her own gaze full of earnestness.

"I know it's a gamble. I know we might not succeed. But we need to stop being reactive and take the fight to them! Isn't this our best shot at foiling their plans?"

The Uchiha looks torn.

"They're my enemies too." She says firmly. "Let me help you."

"If you return to Konoha, you will be safe for years yet." Itachi tells her, looking pained.

Naruto takes a step closer, clear and unwavering.

"I don't want to be safe." She repeats, voice steadfast. "I just want to be with you."

And like all those years ago, the times when Naruto would ask him to read her another story despite it being way past any reasonable bedtime; when she would request ramen for dinner even though she'd had it the day before; when she cajoled him into playing by the river despite being on duty – Itachi concedes.

He closes his eyes for a long moment, and when he opens them again, Naruto can see his capitulation.

"Are you sure?" He asks for form's sake, but he already knows her answer.

Naruto bobs her head up and down, nodding fiercely, her throat feeling oddly tight. Itachi sighs, but his lips quirk up.

"Alright."

Exultation roars through Naruto; triumph so powerful it's a physical force sweeping through her body. No victory has ever been so sweet.

"You mean it!?" Her voice emerges as a squeak and she feels impossibly happy, like she's floating.

Itachi chuckles. "Yes.

She grins widely, laughing in delight and then launches herself at him.

Naruto clutches him tightly and Itachi returns the embrace with equal fervour. She savours the moment, burning it into her mind as if she is the one with the sharingan, to remember for the days to come.

This time when they part, Naruto knows it is not the last time and she beams; a glorious, radiant smile up at him.

Itachi smiles back, and despite the red in them, his eyes are as gentle as they were when they were children.

This time, the touch of the sharingan sends her into true unconsciousness, and Naruto falls willingly into its embrace.