Disclaimer: Naruto and all its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

A few days before the fire

"I think it's time to set the next phase of our plan into motion." Shisui squinted at the reports displayed messily in front of him.

"I don't like this," Itachi began, "Does it have to be Sasuke?"

"He's the best candidate. We know the Akatsuki will want to get an Uchiha over to their side. Why? That is what we're trying to find out. Most of the other Uchiha are part of the police force in some way. If we send anyone from the police, they will only grow suspicious of us. The ones who aren't probably wouldn't survive this. Sasuke is the only one who is not an official member but have a decent chance at success." Shisui explained, a hint of sympathy in his voice.

"But he's part of the main family, wouldn't that make him more suspicious?" Itachi already knew he was fighting a losing argument, but he wasn't about to put his younger brother in danger so easily.

"We can probably spin some story of how Sasuke wants to sabotage his family so that he can inherit all the assets of the Uchiha Corporation. It's always like that in dramas." Obito piped in cheerily in an attempt to lighten the mood.

"Please stop talking as if I'm not here." Sasuke spoke from where he was leaning against the wall. His posture looked relax but Itachi could tell he was tense.

"Are you sure you're okay with this, Sasuke? If not then we'll think of something el-"

"I will be fine nii-san," Sasuke said, too monotonous to be natural. Itachi caught a slight waver in his voice. "Besides, Shisui-nii-san and Obito-jii-san are right. I am the best person for this."

"I still think don't think it's a good idea. That story doesn't even sound plausible, they'll be suspicious of you for sure!"

"Can you think of a better idea then nii-san?"

Itachi slumped. He couldn't. He had been trying for days.

"I will be fine nii-san," Sasuke repeated, this time his voice soft but determined. "I will be contacting you when I can to report on my progress. You'll know if something goes wrong."

Itachi doesn't seem placated by this, "It will be dangerous for you to contact us. We won't know if you are even dead or alive until too late."

"I promise I will find a way to contact you safely. Trust me, nii-san." Sasuke raised two fingers to poke Itachi right in the centre of his forehead. Itachi's eyes went wide. He was usually the one doing it to Sasuke. He looked up to see Sasuke actually smiling at him.

"Fine," Itachi muttered, defeated.

"You better come back to us."

"Ah."

On the morning of the day of the fire

"Are you sure you have everything you need, Sasuke?"

Sasuke sighed for the umpteenth time. "I'm going undercover. I'm not supposed to bring anything. Are you even meant to be here right now?"

"Can you blame me? My younger brother is walking off into danger and all I can do is sit and wait for you to tell me you're not dead."

"You have your part to do too."

"But it's nowhere near as dangerous as yours!"

"It can't be helped nii-san. I was planning to join the police force after I get my degree anyway. I am just starting a little earlier."

"Undercover operations are not a normal part of the job. Even I've only been on one."

Sasuke fought the urge to sigh again while massaging his forehead. It was nice that Itachi was so concerned for him, and he really was scared at first, but now he really just wants to leave already if it meant that he wouldn't have to listen to Itachi's nagging.

"Have you thought of a story to tell Naruto-kun and Sakura-chan?"

Sasuke froze. He had the feeling Itachi was not going to like what he says next.

"I'm not going to tell them anything. It's better for them to think I just disappeared."

Itachi looked like he was ready to yell something at him. Those two cousins were almost like younger siblings to him and he does not appreciate the fact that Sasuke was just going to leave them worried sick. But on second thought, maybe it would be safer for their cause. He knows Naruto is a loudmouth idiot who will likely increase suspicions on Sasuke if Sasuke gave him any reason to believe he didn't truly 'disappear'. Sakura on the other hand…

"Shouldn't you at least say something to your girlfriend?"

Sasuke knew what Itachi was implying. Even if they were both denying it, there was a real risk to this mission. It was the reason he didn't want to meet with anyone beforehand, knowing it would make it harder for him to go forward with it.

Sasuke hesitated for a few moments, considering. Then he pulled out his phone and tapped to a very familiar name in his contacts.

Sakura practically collapsed onto the chair of her office, exhausted. The surgery was a major one and had occupied her entire morning. While she was relieved it was a success and the patient will make a full recovery, she was quite ready to fall into very long nap. She was very tempted to skip lunch and use that time to sleep…

Just as she was about to doze off, her phone vibrated loudly in the quiet office and she jumped up with a start. It was her private mobile that was vibrating, having been put to silent. Her brows furrowed. She rarely got personal calls while she was still in the hospital. Staring at the caller ID in even more confusion, she picked up.

"Naruto? What's going on? You usually just barge straight into my off-"

Naruto's panicked rambling cut her off, "Sakura-chan! I just heard from Kakashi-jii that the Uchiha building is on fire and I don't know if Sasuke was in there, I've been trying to ring him but it goes straight into voicemail and-"

"Naruto calm down." Sakura could feel a rising panic within herself but she forced herself to keep her composure. "Keep trying to contact him, I will prepare the hospital for the emergency—the ambulances are surely on their way by now. There isn't much we can do except hope he wasn't there. I will try my best here to limit the casualties, I'm sure the fire department are also doing their best. Sasuke-kun… Sasuke-kun wouldn't die that easily right?" Sakura hoped her voice sounded somewhat cheery.

Naruto seemed somewhat convinced, "Yeah you're right Sakura-chan! The teme is stronger than that! His whole family is super strong too so I'm sure everyone is fine! I'll keep trying to call him now so bye Sakura-chan!" and he hung up.

Sakura gripped the phone to her chest and forced herself to breathe deeply in an attempt to calm herself down. In a moment it will be chaos in the emergency department and it wouldn't do well to have the head doctor all panicked and shaken. There were lives depending on her.

After building her resolve, she turned on her lock screen to look at the picture of her and Sasuke, hoping to send a quick prayer that he's safe wherever he is, only to have her heart stopped in her chest.

There was a voicemail from Sasuke. From the date of the notification, it was sent earlier in the morning, when she was in surgery. She shakily opened the voicemail and raised it to her ear, not even daring to breathe.

What she heard sent whatever hope she had of calming down crumbling into dust.

"Thank you for everything Sakura. And… I'm sorry."

Thank you for reading!