The sun quickly hid behind the large towers in the heart of the village, buildings that Itachi couldn't help but note hadn't been there when he was alive. The whole village had changed in the years since he passed, but he didn't have time to stop and observe all the differences now, not while he was looking for Sasuke.

Just as he hurried past Ichiraku, a voice called out to him. It didn't click until the fourth time that the person yelling "Boruto!" was calling for him. Itachi stopped in his tracks and turned to see the man from the picture Mitsuki brought him in the hospital jogging toward him.

"Where are you heading at this hour?" Konohamaru asked, slowing to a stop beside him. "I wanted to come visit but your dad said tomorrow would be better."

Sarutobi, Itachi instantly heard in his head, but this time the voice was his own. He could tell just from looking at him that he was Lord Third's grandson. His heart sank. He knew Konohamaru's parents from the Anbu, and they were killed just months before Itachi deserted the village. So this is what had become of the boy.

"Oh, I'm just trying to get some fresh air," Itachi responded and started walking again.

Konohamaru lazily followed suit. "How are you feeling? Shouldn't you be resting? Mitsuki said your memory wasn't one-hundred percent, and your dad was kind of miffed that you didn't remember him." He laughed to himself. "Oh, Big Brother Naruto, always mad over you." Itachi couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the clear infatuation in his voice for Naruto.

"Well, while I was out, I did want to go talk to Sasuke too."

Konohamaru sighed. "Always looking for Sasuke."

Itachi decided to ignore Konohamaru's obviously disappointed pout and use it as a propelling opportunity. "Do you have any idea where he could be?"

"Probably at home, I'd assume."

"Great! Do you know where that is by chance?"

Konohamaru slowed his walking to a stop. "Huh," he said slowly, "you really did lose part of your memory. Does your head feel okay enough to be out right now?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Itachi turned on his heel, feeling the blood rise in his cheeks in annoyance. "I just really need to find him right now...Sensei," he tacked on in the end. Maybe if he felt respected and not in opposition with Sasuke, he'd be more willing to help.

But Konohamaru just narrowed his eyes even deeper. "Hm. Okay." He sounded unconvinced, but still he ended with, "Yeah, I'll show you where he lives. But then you have to promise to go straight home okay? I don't want your mom coming after me if she finds out I aided you in your little late-night stroll. And at least let me walk you."

Itachi didn't want to argue, and at least for the time being neither did Konohamaru. They walked silently side by side through the dark back streets and alleyways to Sasuke's, the echo of their footsteps the only sound between them. A warmth rose in Itachi's chest, and he quickly recognized it as the feeling of safety. He couldn't help but think about the days when he'd walk these same streets with Shisui home after a long day of training. How he looked up to him, wanting to do everything he did, just as Sasuke wanted to do everything Itachi did; he was the older brother he always wanted but never had. And now here he was, decades later, walking these streets with a new role model of a younger generation. A blanket of sadness fell over him. Damn. Where was Shisui now?

"Do you want me to walk you to the door?" Konohamaru asked suddenly. He had stopped walking in front of a large apartment building at the end of the street.

Itachi looked up at the looming illuminated windows that smiled down at him like teeth. He was up there, somewhere. "I'm okay," he said quietly. "Thank you, Sensei."

"Apartment 217," Konohamaru said. And with that he disappeared, leaving Itachi alone in front of his past and future.

It took him a moment to ease his now shaking hands and to gain the courage to walk inside. He wasn't one to get easily flustered, but the weight of the significance of this moment was suffocating. He was going to see his brother again, man to man- or, well, boy to man- and he might be able to gain information about the mission that could shed some light on why he was back.

Itachi shakily climbed the stairs to the second floor, his legs moving mechanically toward the door, until he was suddenly face to face with the curved black numbers of 217. Do it. He raised his hand to knock three times, his heart beating in time with his fist.

He heard sudden movement behind the door; someone was coming. Don't pass out, don't pass out. If he didn't die from a heart attack right then and now, Itachi was certain he'd never die again. He watched, eyes bulging wide, as the door knob turned to the right. This was the moment of truth.

Itachi didn't realize he was expecting his brother at the door until his heart skipped a beat at the sight of someone totally different. Staring back at him wasn't the tall figure of his brother, but the same-height figure of a girl. That girl. His niece.

"Oh, Boruto! Hi!" she chirped, totally oblivious to who was actually standing in front of her. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

Itachi felt his mouth gape open, all words at the tip of his tongue disappearing into smoke in the small four inch gap between him and his niece. His eyes instantly moved over her to take all of her in: he knew those eyes- those were his brother's. That hair- he ruffled the same shock of black hair on Sasuke. He fought the urge to reach out, to see if it felt the same. That little nose. That mouth that was now rapidly molding into a frown; he recognized that too, his memories placing it as the same one Sasuke gave him when he told him he couldn't play.

"Boruto. Are you okay?"

No. I'm sorry. Itachi's eyes burned with tears and he still couldn't force his tongue to move. I'm sorry I couldn't be there. I'm sorry I couldn't hold you when you were born or watch you graduate from the academy. I'm sorry I wasn't there when you awakened your sharingan, to buy you treats when your parents said no, to spoil you rotten. I'm sorry you can't ever meet your grandparents. All the dreams he ever wanted for his family burned his skin as they dripped down his cheeks.

"Boruto…?" Her eyes widened when she saw the tears drop and turned her head. "Dad it's Boruto! I think something's wrong!"

MOVE. Itachi's mouth finally formed words. "I-I'm sorry," he choked.

He looked up in time to see Sasuke swing around the corner. "What?" His eyes furrowed at the sight of his student standing small in the doorway, cheeks stained with tears. "What are you doing here? Come in. Is it Naruto? Did something happen?"

Itachi forced his legs to move over the threshold into the Uchiha household. The last time he was in the head of the Uchiha clan's home…

"No, I-I'm sorry." He sniffed and hurriedly wiped his eyes. "I just got overwhelmed, is all. I-I…" Think. He turned his attention to Sarada. "I'm just so happy t-to see you. Thank you for saving me."

Sarada eyed him cautiously for a moment then broke out into a grin. "You are so weird, you know that?"

"Why are you here?" Sasuke asked again. "Come, sit down. I don't think you should be out right now"

Itachi followed his brother to the table and sat down opposite of him. Sarada sat down beside her father, and for the first time in decades he was sitting at a table staring out at his family.

"I feel fine," Itachi maintained. "I know I'm still recovering but there's no way I can stay cooped up in my room."

"Typical." Sarada pursed her lips. So this one's sassy.

"I just wanted to ask you a few questions about the other night, about what you and...my dad saw."

Sasuke sat back in his chair and folded his arms; he was a mirror image of their father at that moment. "The Anbu already questioned me," he said. "We saw nothing, and neither did Sarada. I thought that they were coming to talk to you?"

"Yeah, they did, but they didn't find anything when they probed me."

Sasuke sat up and cupped his hands together on the table, intrigued. "What? Nothing?" he asked. "How is that possible?"

Itachi shook his head. "And Na- my dad won't talk about why this is such a big deal. I want to know what's going on."

Sasuke sat silently for a moment, staring down at the table, before closing his eyes and sighing. "Well, if he doesn't want to tell you anything I don't think this is necessarily my place either."

"Please, Sasuke." Please, little brother.

Sasuke shook his head. "To be honest," he continued, "I know just about as much as you do. It's not your job to worry about this anymore; it doesn't even concern you honestly: you just happened to be in the crossfire during the attack. It's the Anbu's job now."

Itachi slammed his fist on the table, surprised at his own fiery personality; must be the part of Boruto. "But if the Anbu is on it then it's important," he cried. If the Anbu is on it it's a last resort. I would know.

Sasuke just stared silently into Itachi's eyes. He challenged him back for a moment until he was forced to look away; it was a stare so intense he was scared Sasuke could see into his soul, his true soul.

"Just stay out of it," Sasuke growled. He turned to look at Sarada. "You too."

"Me?!" she cried, clearly offended. "What did I even do?! I'm not the one who came here after a serious surgery asking questions!"

"I know you, too, and both of you somehow seem to get into trouble when you're together."

Sarada's mouth gaped open. "Don't lump me in with him!"

Itachi saw Sasuke's mouth spread into a smirk, the closest thing to a smile he'd seen since he came back. "Okay, calm yourself." He turned back to Itachi. "I'm sorry, but I can't help you. I'm just telling you to please drop it and focus on getting better. Do your parents know you came here?"

Itachi considered lying but knew he'd probably just create more problems for himself; he shook his head.

"Mmm. Wonderful. Well, I think you should go back home right now to rest." His eyes rose to the ceiling as though he was lost in thought. "...And how about this..." he continued, challenging Itachi again with this stare.

"...If I go home and rest, and keep my nose out of this, we can train tomorrow," Itachi blurted. This could be his chance to continue to learn and spend more time with Sasuke; he wasn't going to let his injury and Sasuke's vagueness end their relationship right here or end his mission for answers.

Sasuke stared ahead silently and raised his cupped hands to his mouth as he considered. Come on, come on. Don't shut me out, Sasuke. Finally, after what felt like an eternity to Itachi, Sasuke lowered his hands. "Deal," he said. "Just don't tell Sakura. She'd kill both of us if she knew you were training this soon out of surgery."

"Wow, big bribe to keep him from doing anything," Sarada mused.

Itachi's mind wound but he broke out into a large grin that hurt his cheeks. "Deal."

Sasuke stood to see his student out. Itachi turned to him and Sarada one last time before walking out the door. "See you tomorrow? Both of you?"

Sasuke nodded. "Tomorrow."

Even after Sasuke shut the door behind him, Itachi stood staring at it for a few more minutes thinking about how it was all that separated him from the loves of his life. While standing there, Sarada's voice echoed in his ears. "Wow, big bribe to keep him from doing anything," she had said. Sasuke was risking his student's health and the wrath of his wife by training Itachi to keep him from sticking his nose in this.

Sasuke had lied. He knew this was serious and was trying to stop Itachi- Boruto- from investigating. He wanted to spend time with him to keep him in place.

What were they hiding? And what could he learn from training with Sasuke?