A/N: So this chapter is hella late. I'm sorry, but I have a hole in one of my teeth and the pain makes it hard to focus...

Chapter Fourteen

The thing is, he'd been planning his death since he was thirteen.

The day that Shisui committed suicide was the day that he'd known that no matter what he wanted to happen, no matter how much he yearned for an ending where he and Sasuke would live safe and happy with their family, it just wouldn't happen.

How could it be when Shisui's promise of using Kotoamastukami had been the only thing staying the elders' hands. When he knew from his crows that even if the plan had gone as he and Shisui had hoped they'd be excommunicated from the clan, forever enslaved to Danzou to keep their clan safe.

So the night after Shisui died, after his tears had finally run dry, he started to plan for a way to keep Sasuke safe. Initially, he had planned to offer his father village secrets to stall the clan so he could research a way to clear their names. Then came the order.

The order, the mission that had sentenced his entire clan to death. Only his offer to finish the mission on the condition that he be allowed to spare a single person had allowed Sasuke to live and at that moment, he'd known that he wouldn't live past his 22nd birthday.

While not a genius the likes of the previous generation, he had known that Sasuke was capable of anything with the right drive and he'd used that drive to steer him towards revenge. The night he'd placed him under the Mangekyo, he'd hoped to awaken his Sharingan in a (relatively) safe environment, giving him another step up as well as access to the only person left that would be able to help him with his kekkei genkai. When it had failed, he'd continued to keep an eye on him, hoping that once Sasuke awakened his Sharingan he could at least awaken the next form without watching his closest friend die.

Once that happened it should've been a simple performance to convince the other to kill him and then take his eyes as recompense.

So where had it all gone wrong?

Had it been when Shisui and Obito returned?

After all, Shisui knew him better than anyone, at least when he was a teen.

Or was it when his parents had been discovered alive?

No, they wouldn't have known what he was planning regardless.

Was it when the Sandaime had told Team Seven the truth?

It should've been, and yet even after that, he'd had a plan. Even if it had been one built on desperation and his need to repent for what he'd done. It hadn't been his best plan, not even close but he'd known that it would work.

No, all of it changed with the Nidaime.

Senju Tobirama was the last person that should've cared about his health, whether he was the person that had freed him from the seals or not. After all, not only had he been part of the clan the man hated the most (supposedly) and he'd betrayed (officially) the village the man had helped his brother create.

There was no reason for the man to care so much for him and yet, as his eyes slid open, he found carmine eyes staring down at him warm and stubborn all at once.

"You're awake."

He nodded, refusing to let his frustration and despair at that fact show despite knowing that the former Hokage would be able to feel it anyway. The older man gazed at him for a moment then he sighed.

"I'm too old for this," he muttered softly before placing a gentle hand on the silent young man's head. "I know you weren't planning to live past the invasion, gaki. But you have to understand, I couldn't let you die. Not without giving you a chance to live."

His heart shook at the words but he swallowed thickly. "Why? Why do you even care?" He whispered and the former Kage chuckled softly.

"Honestly? You're my friend. Besides, what kind of friend would I be if I let you die before me?"

He stared up at the man, feeling his chakra waver in response to his emotions but for once, he didn't know what he was feeling. Luckily, he didn't have much time to ponder it either as the door to the room he was in burst open and several people poured in.

Shisui, Kisame, Obito, Madara, and-

His chest tightened as he sat up and a black blur attached itself to him with an all too familiar cry.

"Nii-san!"

Sasuke hugged him tightly, his shoulders trembling even as his sobs remained inaudible.

"Don't do that again." The teen scolded, voice wet and he sighed, a tiny weary smile finally curling across his lips.

Shisui nodded in agreement and he huffed. "I won't." He replied and for the first time in a long time, he meant it.

*/*

"The Elders, barring Danzou were executed two days ago for treason and your name was cleared. Tou-san and Kaa-san were charged with treason as well for the coup but were given time served and a six-month probationary sentence since it was determined that their deaths mitigated their circumstances." Sasuke explained as Kisame brought his brother some dango. The former nuke-nin hummed at his words, dark eyes lighting up as he bit into his dango.

"I see." His brow furrowed. "How are K-they alive?"

Shisui sighed. "How else? When the Sandaime went to arrest Danzou we found them being kept in a stasis. According to his notes, he was keeping them in case you ever became a threat to the village."

Tobirama snorted. "For whatever reason, he was especially terrified of you, gaki. Even While I was in a stasis he would spend hours plotting ways to counter if you entered the village. When you killed Orochimaru, he escalated his plans."

Itachi shrugged. "The only one who knows more of the village secrets than its Kage is its Anbu captains. I told him if anything happened to Sasuke that I could trace to him I would sell those secrets to the enemy." He revealed calmly and Tobirama nodded.

"As I suspected." Sasuke cut in before the former Kage could continue.

"So, what do you plan to do now?"

Itachi stilled and glanced at him then at Kisame. An entire conversation passed between the two and he couldn't help but wonder what their relationship was.

After a moment of silence, he spoke. "I need to speak to Pein-sama, but I…I don't think I would be able to stay in Konoha permanently."

"But-" Shisui's protest was cut off by his surrogate younger brother shaking his head.

"No. Mission or not, I still killed most of our family. Not to mention that for almost a decade I have been running from Konoha Anbu and shinobi and I doubt that given the crimes I have committed to keep my cover, I'll just be welcomed back. I think it would be better to split my residence between here and my home in Amegakure."

"But you'll still come home, right? You're not going to vanish or plan something crazy again?"

He shook his head and a smile reminiscent of the ones he'd give when Sasuke was younger curled across his lips.

"I am not. I was hoping to speak to Pein-sama about working as our ambassador for Konoha. This will allow me to keep my citizenship in both Ame and Konoha."

Shisui smiled at this ruffling the younger man's hair. "Shoulda known you think of something like that." He commented before cuffing him gently across the head.

"And that's for leaving me and Sasuke-chan so that you could go off and die a martyr. Without Nidaime-sama you would've died."

Something resembling a pout crossed the raven's lips but he didn't respond otherwise, Kisame nodding in agreement to Shisui's words.

Sasuke felt something warm pool in his chest at the hopeful atmosphere and yet one issue still lingered on the horizon:

Their parents.

Since The invasion had ended four days ago, neither of their parents had even attempted to visit Itachi. Their father had come the closest, making his way to the house the Akatsuki were staying in before turning away before even knocking, or lurking in the shadows near the house to listen as Tobirama and Kisame discussed Itachi's health. Their mother had done neither, only watching them from the main house and asking a few sparse questions when he, Shisui, and Obito returned.

It was driving him insane.

He tried to understand that they needed time but anyone that had known him since before the massacre knew he wasn't anywhere near-patient and he was close to losing his temper with them both.

So, when he saw the way his brother's eyes flicked towards the door as if expecting (hoping) that their parents would come through them yet dreading it all the same he knew he was done.

Something had to be done, and soon.

A/N: One more chapter! Woohoo!