Part Three

Ria was sitting with her back against a tree, she was drawing as per usual, whenever they had free time off missions and weren't training she would be drawing. She loved to draw, she jumped when Shisui lay down with his head in her lap, his eyes on the sky, he seemed utterly calm, she thought about pushing him off but decided to give in and let him stay there, he wasn't harming anyone.

After a while she glanced down to see that his eyes were closed, he seemed so peaceful. They had been working together for 4 years and were very well in synch, both of them Chunin's, passing the exam together years earlier. She put her sketchbook aside as she gently reached out and touched his hair, she ran her fingers through it, it was such an intimate loving move, he couldn't help but smile and enjoy the sensation. He suddenly sat up, his eyes on her, "Rizzie, go on a date with me?"

She stared at him, again taken aback by his words, "What?"

"I'm being deadly serious, this is no joke to me," he touched her jaw with his fingertips, there was no hint of humor in his eyes as he continued, "I really, really like you and I want us to go on a real date, you and me."

"I don't think that's a good idea," she replied.

"Why?" hurt flitted in him,

"Because we are on the same team," she sighed, "Shisui…" she stressed, "It would be dangerous to cross lines when we have to trust each other with our lives."

He thought for a moment and then lay back down with his head in her lap his eyes on the sky, he was silent confusing her at his reaction, "So," he glanced at her from below, "If we weren't on the same team, you'd go out with me?"

"You don't want to be on the same team as me?" she was hurt by the thought of it, she considered Shisui her best friend.

"No," his eyes widened, "No, I don't mean it like that, I'm just saying we won't always be on a squad, eventually we will have our own paths becoming Jonin, or Anbu…" he said quietly but then smiled, "When that day comes, when we no longer rely on one another with our lives will you go out with me?"

"I will always trust you with my life," she couldn't help but run her fingers through his hair, it soothed him making a tremble run down his spine by her touch, "And I hope you feel the same."

"I do, but Rizzie," he reached out and touched her jaw again, "Will you go out with me then?"

She stopped her action a blush filling her surprising both of them, Ria had never blushed in front of him, he didn't think she even knew how, she averted her gaze, "I don't know, maybe."

He sat up sharply his eyes fixed on her, "Do you, do you think you could like me?" there was so much hope peeling off of him.

She kept her eyes away, her hair falling across her face as she was silent, she had never felt her heart, beat so loudly, she didn't know why this was happening, she had always been fine with Shisui but that moment faced with that question in those circumstances she couldn't help but feel unhinged. He brushed her hair back leaving a tingle across her skin, she got up her hands tight around her sketchbook and pencil, "Maybe," she whispered and ran off leaving him stunned staring at the place she was in previously.

It had been a few weeks since Shisui had become a member of the Anbu corps, he was doing incredibly well but due to his missions, Ria hadn't seen him. It felt weird not to be around him or know how he was, she found herself missing him greatly. She was looking after her grandmother when there was a knock on the front door, she went to open it to find Shisui standing outside looking nervous his hands behind his back, "Shisui," she said brightly, "What are you doing here?"

He blushed and kicked the floor, "Uh, I bought you these," he suddenly thrust a bouquet of jasmine flowers at her, "I know they are your favorites."

Ria's eyes sparkled as she took the flowers, they were genuinely her favorite, she smiled, "Come on in and thank you."

Shisui followed her his eyes drawn to her, he had missed her terribly and now seeing her again he knew she was all he would ever want, Ria put the flowers in a vase as she did so Shisui wandered to her grandma and began conversing with her. Ria looked up surprised, "When did you learn to sign?"

He grinned glancing at her, "Sharingan eye helped, I've been watching you all these years."

Ria blushed and giggled, she couldn't help but feel her heart skip a beat to see Shisui communicating with her grandma, it made it seem as if he was part of their world. He had made the effort to learn so he could talk to her, that meant a lot to Ria.

Shisui then turned to Ria, "I was wondering," he began, "Seeing as we are no longer on the same squad, would you maybe, like to go to dinner with me?"

Her smile faded as she stared at Shisui her eyes wide, "Are you asking me out?" it had been a year since they had, had that conversation, it seemed like a distant memory, Ria assumed he had forgotten all about it as he made no indication he was still interested in her. But here he was asking her out to dinner.

Shisui nodded, he lowered his eyes, "I really do like you Rizzie, I have liked you for a long time now and I've been waiting for this time to ask you properly, you said your reluctance was us being on the same team but now we aren't so maybe…maybe you might want to…?" he glanced up, he was putting himself on the chopping board, it was the most nerve-wracking thing he had ever done. He had faced some dangerous villains in his life but he had never felt the fear like he felt it facing her, waiting for her response.

Ria was still a little stunned, "Are you sure?"

He nodded furiously, "I like you and I was hoping maybe you might learn to like me someday."

She blushed hard, lowering her eyes, "I do like you."

It was his turn to be stunned, "You do?" he choked.

She nodded biting her lip, "And if you are sure, I'd like to have dinner with you."

"Now?" his eyes brightened.

"Now?" she squeaked.

He glanced at Ria's grandma and hurriedly asked her for her permission as Ria covered her face blushing, her grandmother laughed and granted it, she would be fine as she was just watching television, set for the evening. Shisui couldn't believe it, his excitement bubbled he kissed her grandma on the cheek ran to Ria and took her hand, "I am not wasting any time, you are coming with me," he waved and pulled Ria behind with him as she giggled her eyes on him as she watched his happiness burst out. She had never seen Shisui this happy and he was a genuinely happy person. Everything felt surreal, having him hold her hand, the sensation of his skin against hers, their fingers intertwined, sitting beside him in the restaurant and just being with him. It was all new, it was all exciting.

She felt happy.

Sasuke and Shisui were arguing about who was stronger, Itachi or Shisui, Ria dropped by she put her arms around Itachi making him blush as she grinned, "What about me, I think I could take the Uchiha's on?"

Shisui brightened up immediately when he heard her voice he turned to look at her and then scowled at Itachi, "Oi get your hands off my girlfriend."

"To be fair, I'm the one who has my hands on him," Ria corrected making Sasuke snigger and Itachi grin, she had a way of melting their hearts, they both liked her, deeply. Ria made Shisui happy, and Shisui was important to both of them so she became important to them through her relationship with him.

"Mine, mine, mine," he grabbed Ria who giggled and pulled her into his arms tightly as he kissed her cheek, she covered her face blushing, the other two laughed. They were such a happy couple, they had been together for what felt like years.

"Did you know Sasuke," Ria stayed in Shisui's arms her eyes on Sasuke who blushed at being spoken to by Ria, she was stunning even to the 7-year-old, "Shisui never won the Chunin Exams, he lost to me in the finals."

"What?" Sasuke's eyes widened, "You lost to her!"

Shisui grinned, "Hey, don't ever underestimate Rizzie, she was doing jitsus way advanced for her age."

"But she's a girl, without the Sharingan!" Sasuke couldn't understand how it was possible.

"Well, I wasn't as experienced with it as I am now," Shisui glanced at Ria making her pout, "But you know we have been training together for years, she knows how it works and she hid a lot of her talent from me till that match."

"You still don't know all of what I can do," she grinned, "No one does, that's what makes me special, I don't need the accolades you boys do, I'm a true ninja."

"But, but, she's a girl!" Sasuke still couldn't believe it.

"And what's that supposed to mean, Sasuke. Never underestimate your opponent ever, not by gender, by looks or even by reputation, you never know what they might be capable of," Ria warned him, "Look at Shisui who'd think such a loser would be capable of becoming an Anbu Captain?"

Itachi and Sasuke burst in to laughter as Shisui stared at Ria, "If I'm a loser, what are you? You are the one dating me!"

"Well I'm just stupid," she giggled her eyes on him.

"And I love you," he kissed her in front of them not caring about where they were when they broke apart his eyes sparkled, "And I'm going to marry you."

"We'll see about that," she giggled, not at all embarrassed with him.

He twirled her about, "I mean it, we are going to have a massive wedding, the whole village is going to be invited to see me marry the most beautiful girl in the whole world, I've already picked out my best man," he grinned at Itachi who crossed his arms sighing, Shisui was such a dreamer. "It's going to be perfect and then we will have lots of little shinobis all beautiful and strong Uchihas, we will have a big house and we will grow old together, you as my wife and me as your husband."

"Lots of little shinobis?" Ria raised an eyebrow, "You really think I'd have even one child with you?"

He beamed nodding furiously, "We will have lots of kids, 10, 12, 20!" his eyes widened as he thought about them, Ria stared at him as the other two sniggered falling to the floor as Shisui was off in his own world, Ria pulled him out of it,

"I am not having 20 kids!"

"Fine, fine," he put his arm around her, "We'll have 30, we probably should get started soon, if we want to be young parents."

Ria shrieked and ran away, "Don't you dare even think about it!"

He chuckled and ran after her, his love for her had only grown despite his clan's reluctance on accepting Ria as his girlfriend due to her lack of perceived strength and importance, he adored her and she adored him, they were incredibly happy with one another. Their relationship continued to develop, they weren't very open about it other than in front of her grandma, Itachi, and Sasuke. No one else really knew the two were together or had been for years. As they got more intimate, physically, Shisui finally asked her to marry him and she, fully invested in their lives together accepted without a second thought, he was her life and she couldn't imagine being with anyone else.

He was the only one she saw.

Kakashi couldn't help but be impressed by the 18-year-old girl who fought effortlessly beside him, he already knew the skill of Shisui Uchiha who was famed for his Body Flicker technique, but this girl was talented herself. This was truly a strong team. He cornered the girl when they were out of the others hearing, he scowled at her from under his Anbu mask, "You should not be fighting in the condition you are in."

She stared at him, "How'd you…"

"I'm not an idiot!" he snapped.

"And neither am I, so don't treat me like one," she pushed him off of her.

"You are putting both yourself and your team in danger…"

She scowled, "If there is one thing I am not doing it is putting them in danger! I know my limits." It hit him then when he saw her properly, this was the same girl he met 10 years ago, the girl who cared for her grandmother, the same kunoichi he was taken by. She had grown up to be an even more beautiful woman, with serious talent.

Ria stood on the edge of the waterfall from where Shisui had committed suicide. Anger filled her, she furiously pulled off her ring, the ring he had given her so giddily a year before. The time when they were happy. When this pain didn't exist. She threw it as far as she could, the tears stinging her eyes as she fell to her knees.

She wasn't enough.

She didn't mean enough to him for him to stay with her. She covered her face, as her body trembled with the tears that wouldn't stop coming, why did he have to do this to her? When would this hurt end? The sound of the ring splashing into the river echoed in her ears. She cried out, she couldn't do it, she jumped down as fast as she could, it was the last thing she had of his that he gave her, it was a symbol and she couldn't let it go. She dived into the water and grabbed it. She was shivering and soaked through as she climbed back out on to the rock-face, her breathing jagged the ring clasped tightly in her hand, her muscles squeezed as her body wretched, she hadn't eaten for a while so couldn't throw up. She collapsed weakly, her body shuddering under the stress it was in. Her eyes opened when she felt warm arms pick her up, "What…" she began.

It was Kakashi, he wasn't wearing his usual Anbu mask, "That was incredibly stupid."

"Why…" her eyes flickered making him sigh,

"I'm taking you to the hospital," he carried her not noticing that Itachi had seen everything, he was planning on going down to talk to Ria himself, but seeing Kakashi there surprised him. He had no idea his former Anbu captain was keeping an eye on her, he had no idea why. It made him curious. He kept far away but watched the two. Kakashi stayed by Ria's side whilst she was in the hospital, she was severely dehydrated and exhausted so they kept her overnight.

Sasuke ran right into Ria, his eyes filled with tears he looked up at her, "You have to run, Rizzie, you have to run!"

"Sasuke," she held him close kneeling to his eye level, he was weak and covered in blood, "Who did…" before he could respond Itachi appeared, he tensed his jaw, he didn't want this conflict, she put Sasuke behind her, "Itachi," she said tensely.

"No, Rizzie, no go, he'll kill you," Sasuke tried to pull at her clothes.

"Listen to the baby," Itachi's voice was cold, "You should leave, this does not concern you."

"Anything that happens in this village concerns me," she stood up straight, "I am a shinobi of the Hidden Leaf Village and I will protect it and it's inhabitants to the day I die."

"Well maybe I can bring that day sooner," Itachi pulled out his sword and the two jumped into their fight, Sasuke screamed expecting Ria's death imminently, but she managed to keep up. He stumbled back his eyes fixated on the two, they were aggressive and neither held back, their speed was incredible, their power immense, he had no idea Ria was this good.

"Get out of here, Sasuke," Ria called out to him, "Run I will deal with this problem."

"If you survive," Itachi gritted his teeth, he hadn't expected Ria to be a fight for him, but she was holding up her end incredibly well. Sasuke was hesitant but finally ran, Ria was getting difficult to beat. He was already drained from fighting his clan and using his Mangeyko Sharingan, he didn't know if he would beat her, then Tobi arrived. He smirked, drawing his own sword, "Oh, I see what little Shisui saw in you, you really are a delight," he joined the fight making Ria attack both, she remained focused and in control but it was getting increasingly difficult to keep both at bay. Then it happened, she had been doing her best not to look in Itachi's eyes knowing what might happen if she did, he used the last bit of his power to stop her freezing her body completely. He was expecting that this would be their chance to run before Anbu Black Ops arrive but Tobi used that moment to stab Ria repeatedly in the stomach, blood filled her mouth and she fell to the floor, Itachi was stunned.

"Why?" he began.

Tobi smiled, "Why leave someone who might become a threat, let's go," they left Ria bleeding profusely on the ground, she had gone in to shock, her body breaking, blood pooling around her.

It was too late.