Hi! I'm back :) I'm just writing as much as I can, riding on the wave of inspiration before I lose it again. As always, please pardon my grammar. I will edit it someday.

Chapter 9

Hari awakens to an ominously dark room. Like all torture rooms of the enemy, it was drenched in the tears and blood of the innocent, smelled like burnt flesh of corpses and had traces of slimy guts all over the floor-

"You're awake." Hari's eyes snapped towards the voice, narrowing at the sight of the familiar orange coloured mask of her kidnapper. His blood red eye flickers over her face and immediately she knows to look away lest she gets caught in a Tsukiyomi. F*ck. She better get the hell out of here before anyone realizes, there would be no telling what Gaara and Naruto would do if they knew she was kidnapped by the Akatsuki.

"You're very powerful, yet surprisingly extremely weak, Doctor Hari." The man mused, propping his hands on the desks. Okay really, Hari was exaggerating about the state of the room. It was honestly pretty decent, just that it had zero décor and used actual candle sticks instead of lamps. Hari wonders exactly who the hell lights and changes the candles every day. Sasuke? The Akatsuki member who screws up a mission?

"I'm a civilian doctor who just happens to have some weird abilities." Hari shrugs her shoulders nonchalantly, her mind racing to form a plan for escape. The fact that he knows that she runs Hallows should be expected, since she did fight Pain after all. "Nothing special I'm sure." The man remains silent, fumbling with possibly torture equipment on the table. Really, the room is too dark for Hari to see shit.

"Special enough to take Itachi's body from right under my nose." He drawled. The minute he mentions the word Itachi, Hari bristles with anger, her eyes subconsciously glows with magical energy and the man appeared alarmed by her reaction, raising both his hands up.

"Calm down my dear. Perhaps, a familiar face will suffice." The man steps back into the shadows and gestures for someone to walk out. Hari squints. Really this dreary place was too dark for your resident non sharingan girl. Her eyes widened as the very person she wanted to bitch slap walks right out of the shadows.

"Nee-san." Sasuke mumbles sheepishly, looking as blind as a bat and possibly as guilty as he should be. His eyes were robbed off their rich dark brown, replaced by a greying hue that she is most definitely familiar with. For a second, Hari just takes in his appearance, her eyes going over the purpling bruises and the haggard appearance of his skin. He looked like he aged a good 4 years. Oh gosh Itachi what did you do to him?

"Ah…Sasuke." Hari sighs, rubbing her temples with her fingers feeling a little stressed from the situation. One brother after the next, both fraternizing with the enemy. What should she do? She watched as he opens his mouth to speak and she stops him with a raised palm.

"You want me to heal your eyes. Possibly transplant your brother's eyes to you." Hari takes the words out of his mouth, and he looks a little startled.

"You know…"

"I do. Itachi had wanted this." She said. To be honest, Hari could just regrow Sasuke's eyes just like she had with Itachi giving him a new set of magical eyeballs, but she guessed the sentimental effects of a transplant had its merits. Hari clenched her fist and slowly opened them revealing a glass case filled with life preserving liquid. "Here." She shakes the bottle watching the two rather creepy looking eyes of her husband bob within the clear yellow, and pressed the glass tube into his open palms. Sasuke looked surprised by how easy it was to obtain what he wanted, fingering the glass in his palms.

"I think. You can at least trust me in the transplant. You don't have to be here." Hari points out to the masked man and looks expectantly at Sasuke.

"Fine, I will give you two your privacy." The masked man chuckled, crossing his arms. "I will be around so don't try anything funny." He disappeared, swirling out of view. Hari frowns. That was definitely not like apparition. Hari immediately turned to Sasuke, her fingers waving to cast a quick Muffliato.

"Lie down quick." Hari mumbles and he follows without a word, appearing meeker than what she had heard from Naruto. Where was the psychopathic crazy otouto who had lost his head from grief? "Why are you doing this? Explain to me right now." She hissed in Parseltongue, fishing out some dittany from her expandable pouch. She dabs it onto a shocked Sasuke, watching as his bruises melt into green and yellow hues before disappearing completely.

"How do you know this? It's only for snake summoners!" Sasuke hissed back, surprised by her fluency.

"There are many things you don't know about me, otouto." She quickly breezes past the topic. "But one thing is for sure. I definitely don't trust that man." Hari replied, waving her fingers over his eyes, completely numbing his nerves. She watched as his jaws clamped up at her words, especially when she calls him her little brother.

"Nee-san…There's no need to try to convince me out of this I am already certain of my revenge. Just earlier…" His lips pulled into a wide smile, and now Hari could finally see the extent of how broken he was. "I finally defeated one of Itachi's enemies for us." Sasuke's lips spread even further, and Hari tries not to grimace because at that moment she was removing his eyes and when her patient had an orgasmic expression while she practically rips out his eyeballs, it looked exactly like something out of a zombie porno b-rated movie.

"He was a Konoha elder, someone who was in charge of Konoha. It was the best feeling I've ever had in my entire life Nee-san!" He sounded so f*cking happy to kill someone, Hari's heart twisted in pity and sorrow her expression solemn at his words. Itachi you really f*cked up your brother. "To finally purify the Uchiha's name to rid us of the stain of darkness and I've decided that Nee-san. I will kill them all and protect us. Get rid of Konoha and all that deemed Itachi a traitor for his sacrifices. The Uchiha will finally be avenged!" Hell that was the most screwed up sentence she had ever heard in her entire life. Even Voldemort paled in comparison. If Itachi were a popstar, Sasuke would be the crazy brother who murders all the haters.

"Sasuke." She sighs, gently placing Itachi's eyes into the empty socket of her younger brother with magic. "Do you understand what you are trying to do?" Sasuke's mouth sets into a thin grim line. "Do you understand that by being with Akatsuki you are essentially fighting against the Five Great Nations? Do you-" Hari inhales deeply, her mind desperately trying to remember the news that Death had told her about, "-understand that what that man wants is an infinite genjutsu. Brainwashing the entire world to what? Live like mindless plants in their own dreams?"

"I don't care as long as I get my revenge as long as you are safe from Konoha-"

"Konoha is not your greatest concern, otouto." Hari's eyes well up with frustrated tears. "If the entire world were to be brainwashed like headless chickens I will never be safe because no one could protect me. Not even you when you become brainwashed. What then Sasuke? What then?"

"I will kill him before that happens. I will kill him, I promise you. We can rule this world together, no one will ever hurt us ever again." Sasuke growls as she finishes tying up his nerves, melding them together. His intentions were always good even when screwed up, Hari realizes. Inside all that hatred was a prickly cactus who wanted nothing but just peace and for everyone to leave him alone with his family. She doesn't notice it but tears dripped from her eyes and spill on his cheeks.

"Nee-san. Don't cry. Please, I promise I will protect you on behalf of Itachi I will. I will do everything for us." Sasuke wipes at the tear and says, Hari could hear his voice crack from emotions as he struggles to understand his feelings having focused them all into revenge. Damned brat.

"That's the problem Sasuke. Where is the part in this story where you go out and have fun with your friends? Itachi would have wanted you to get married, to enjoy life, to stop fighting and just live."

"He ended it by killing my parents, Nee-san. He ended it by killing our clan." Sasuke replied as she placed her palm over his eyes allowing her magic to make final touches to his retinas.

"What about what I want? I want you to be safe Sasuke. Safe!" Hari emphasizes her words vehemently. "I can't fight much like you." Hari leaves out the part where she's an experienced dueller, with a plethora of magic spells under her belt. "However, I do want you to be as safe as possible and that is definitely not here in the Akatsuki!"

"Nee-san. I am a rogue ninja. I can never be safe again."

"I see." Hari smiles softly to herself, a sad half smile filled with sorrow. It seems like even she could not convince him. Honestly, if his own best friend could not convince him, how could she, the sister-in-law he just met convince him at all? She mentally does a quick apology to Itachi and Naruto. I can never convince you, can I? Only your brother would be able to change your mind."

"…Hn."

"Open your eyes Sasuke, slowly." Hari ends the spell and lifts her palm from his lids. She watches as his eyelashes flutter and slowly he opens his eyes, the black pupils focusing on her face. For once, Hari watched as a genuine smile appears on his lips, his eyes lighting up with wonder.

"Nee-san, you are beautiful."

"Thank you, Sasuke." Hari smiles, gently ruffling his hair and adding yet another healing charm on him in the process. "Don't immediately use them alright? You've got to stop using sharingan for a few days." She neglects to mention the various protection spells she puts in place on his eyes to prevent bleeding and headaches. She was pretty sure he would be flashing his sharingan the minute she leaves.

"Hn." Sasuke nods in agreement, watching her carefully from the bed.

"Sasuke, we have to leave-"

"You're too much of an asset to leave, Doctor." The masked man appears right behind her and he holds her wrist with a gloved hand in a death grip.

"Perhaps. But, you can't keep me here." Hari replies, craning her neck and her eyes flash a brilliant green. She vanishes out of his hold in a swirl of green reappearing before them, her hands crackling with magical power, running up and down her fingers in sparks of pure magical energy. She warps out of view and reappears, gripping onto Sasuke's arm ready to apparate out of this hellhole.

They reappear, smashing right onto the sides of a caved wall. Sasuke reacts immediately, flipping her over so that he would absorb the brunt of the impact. The magical protection spell she laced over his skin cracks on impact and shatters into iridescent bits of light shards. What the hell? She actually could not apparate away? An anti-disapparition jinx? Sasuke gently placed her onto the floor, his expression tells her all she needs to know. He knew this would happen.

"It appears that Zetsu was right. A fuinjutsu using demonic chakra could keep you here." The masked man mused, reappearing before them. "I had my doubts, but it appears that tailed beast chakra is your weakness."

"I won't do anything you want me to do, you asshole!" Hari spits.

"I know." The masked man turned to her, she could practically hear the smile in his voice. "Which is why the only thing we can do is to keep you under a genjutsu. Sasuke." Sasuke slams her into the wall, lifting her body up with his arms, his eyes bleed into a crimson glow. Hari squeezes her eyes shut. Damn it! She should have botched the transplant! One less Uchiha to fight.

"Come on Nee-san. Just open your eyes. I will protect you."

"Hell NO!" She flicks her wrist sending a table flying towards them. Sasuke-she really doesn't know if he's on her side or not-immediately protects her by slamming a foot into the wood causing it to crack into pieces. She runs, angling her body lower to duck from Sasuke's grip. The masked man teleports to her, his fingers raised to her neck and she flicks her palm towards him sending a bright beam of energy towards his body, sending him flying back towards the wall.

"Impressive. This energy isn't even chakra." The man drawls, pulling out a long sword.

"Madara! You promised not to hurt her!" Sasuke growled. The man-Madara? warps into view, his sword reflecting the glow of his eyes.

"EXPALLIARMUS!" Hari flicks her wrist sending the sword spinning through the air. The blade so sharp that it makes a high-pitched ringing as it sliced through the air. It makes a loud clang on the floor. She pressed her hands together, swirling her clenched fist in the air drawing magical power and pulls it open. Fiendfyre.

Her own fire monster, a Hungarian horntail dragon, roars into view. It was not a normal fire, the flames chased after Madara as if they were alive, sentient with intent to kill. Cursed. It roars, the fire sizzling and crackling the intensity of the heat washes over Hari in a burst of hot air. She struggles to control it as it raced towards Madara, the flames eating up at the furniture, setting the cave ablaze.

Madara screams, as the firey dragon catches on his cloak burning up his leg and for a second Hari relaxes thinking that it's over. Madara dispels it quickly with his sharingan, his red eyes flashing madly towards her. F*ck she forgot. Amaterasu was something like Fiendfyre. He stumbles chuckling as she dispels the dragon just before it could reach Sasuke.

"A fire just like Amaterasu. Amazing. Where exactly did Itachi find you?" Madara asked.

"I found him! Reducto!" She spins and flicks her fingers towards him but he disappears too quickly and the chair behind him becomes the unlucky victim, exploding into black ashes.

"It's a shame but your only weakness. Is that you're not a ninja." Madara appears right in front her, a kunai in his hands he swings his arms ready to stab the weapon right into her stomach, intent on harming her just enough for her to lose composure and open her eyes. Hari has no choice but to squeeze her eyes shut, her hands raised upwards in an attempt to protect herself. However, Madara was too fast, his reflexes too quick for her to stop him.

"MADARA! NO!" Sasuke screamed. Before the blade pierces into her flesh, Hari is carried away by a pair of strong manly arms. Her heart practically leaps into her mouth as her magic sings in recognition. The smell of winter and fresh snow surrounds her body. No way. No way in actual hell.

"You could never stay out of trouble, could you Harumi?"

Her eyes meet orbs that were so brown they appear almost black in colour. Hari believes them to be copper drizzled with honey. The colour rich like dollops of thick chocolate when happy, but quickly becomes the shards of granite that ships shatter during a thunderstorm when angry. Those eyes were kind and familiar that melts into a brilliant red which swirled with an intricate black pattern laced with flickers of gold that she had never seen before.

"ITACHI!" Sasuke screamed in utter shock, looking like he had seen a ghost rise from his grave. Itachi doesn't even bother looking at him, and the small crease in his head indicates his anger at his little brother for not protecting her well enough. Itachi smiles gently at her, a genuine happy smile that she had missed seeing on his face. Hari happily notes the lack of eye bags on his now pristine face.

"Close your eyes and sleep…When you wake up we'll be home."

And Hari does. She falls fast asleep, completely relaxed in the arms of her lover. Honestly, not the best of times to fall asleep, but screw that shit. She was just happy to see him finally awake.

-(.-.)-

Naruto sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, his lips pulled into a thin line of worry. When he had fainted from hyperventilation, Yamato told him that Hari was the one who knocked him out and healed him. Naruto distinctly remembers his angel, her beautiful face knotted with worry and her hair had been extra beautiful. The crimson locks dotted with little snowflakes that glistened and sparkled in the light of the sun. She looked like a winter fairy, his winter fairy. He regretted fainting so soon, he should have taken a good look before succumbing to her spell.

Yamato said she had left almost immediately, saying something about visiting a brother. Naruto had been alarmed, he was pretty sure her only brother was Sasuke. Naruto had raced to find Sasuke. He expected her to be there, but she wasn't. Which scared the crap out of him. He couldn't exactly ask Sasuke. He really did not know how much the bastard knew about Hari and he certainly did not want to explain that he was kind of married to the wife of his brother. That would certainly start a family feud. He rubbed his nose, a small smile on his lips. Heh. He was actually a real brother to Sasuke. It sometimes blew his mind.

Naruto had ran back to Konoha like his life depended on it, immediately heading to her convenience store to meet one of Hari's elves. His friends were all alarmed by him, especially since he gave a half-assed excuse about a sales on supreme luxurious toilet paper that he needed to wipe his ass. God. It was such a dumb answer. Naruto cringed to himself. The elves did not go into specifics but they did say that Itachi was with Hari and that calmed him down a lot. After hearing the entire story of Itachi's double agent life from Madara, he trusted the guy and was totally okay with him. Kind of.

Naruto's lips curled downwards. Frankly speaking, Itachi was much older and much more experienced than Naruto in terms of relationships. When it came to love, Naruto definitely did not want to be the worst man in the relationship. He wanted to be the best! He wanted to be the one to make Hari feel the most loved! He wanted to be the most chivalrous and the one with the best skills in bed! Tch. With Itachi fake dead and largely out of the war, the guy could probably spend the most time with Hari, protecting her, caring for her and urgh kissing her. It was kind of bad of Naruto but this was exactly the reason why he wished Itachi was still in that coma. At least then only Gaara was his main competitor, who would probably be super super busy with his kazekage stuff.

Damn it now Naruto had to find some way to contact Hari and stop Itachi from taking all her love. He really should ask her for some method of communication. He couldn't keep running back to Lifesaver, blabbering some excuse on sales of goods. This was also why he wanted to come clean with his friends. He needed all the help he could get.

"Since we're all here, I thought I should get this straight after Sakura jokingly confessed to me." Naruto glanced at his friends. "I really can't have that happen again. Seriously." Naruto shivered thinking of how Hari would react. It would definitely not be good.

"A joke? Do you really think it's that easy for a girl to confess?" Sakura yelled, looking mighty embarrassed that he just blabbered out the incident. Well, serves her right.

"Yeah because the thing is…" Naruto huffs, feeling a little nervous. His heart beating quickly at the reveal. "I'm already engaged." Naruto points out. Might as well just spill the beans quickly rather than take them out one by one.

"What? Busy? Of course we know you are busy Naruto." Kiba shrugs. "Get to the point man."

"Yeah, we all know you aren't looking to get in a relationship." Tenten laughs, shaking her head. "Right girls? No one wants to hook up with Naruto now." Naruto winced mentally. Ouch that hurt.

"Wait WHAT? Come on guys! Are you looking down on me or what?" Naruto gapped at them, stunned by the sheer stupidity of the situation. Did they just take the second meaning of his words because they couldn't believe he was married? "I'm ENGAGED!"

"Yeah okay. Yea we get it Naruto." Ino rolled her eye, twirling her hair. "So?"

"SO?" Naruto gaped at them. "SO? WHAT THE HELL GUYS DO YOU ALL LOOK DOWN ON ME OR SOMETHING?" Could they not believe he was married? The word engagement definitely meant marriage when used in this sentence structure! God and he was supposed to be the dead last.

"Okay, okay calm down Naruto. Yes, you are occupied." Shikamaru, the so called smartest guy in the group, raised his hands towards him in surrender. Naruto was so ready to smack him on the head with a rasengan. God. His friends.

"Urgh. Now you're making me say the M word oh my god guys." Naruto groaned, slapping a palm to his head. His face burning with embarrassment. Really, it's not that he's embarrassed to be married to Hari. He's a lucky man that's for sure, to bag such a hot girl at his age? Damn if he were anyone else he would be so jealous. Still, it was not every day when you tell your good friends you are married at a time when no one gets married.

"Huh what M word? Mother f*cker?" Kiba asked, highly confused. "I really don't get where this conversation is going, man. Just out with it we haven't got all the time in the world." God they were really seriously getting on his nerve.

"Yeah what do you want to say, Naruto?" Choji glanced at him. "Just say it we won't judge."

"I'm already past the point of judging you, Naruto." Shino adds in, a weak attempt to help, really.

"GUYS! I'M ENGAGED, WHICH MEANS-" Naruto practically bellows, extremely frustrated with his friends. Damn it they really loved to play with him, don't they? "-I HAVE A FIANCEE! I'M GETTING MARRIED!" He pants at the outburst, and for a second his friends stared at him in shock. The awkward silence that follows is one of disbelief, with Naruto blushing red with embarrassment at their stares.

"What? Don't joke around Naruto-"Neji begins to say an amused smirk on his lips.

"I'M NOT!" Naruto spluttered. They still didn't believe him?

"No way. There is no way." Sakura shakes her head staring at him in shock. "You can't just say this and expect us to believe you." Naruto mentally screamed in frustration, he scratched his head furiously and sat down.

"Well and you know what? I'M NOT GOING TO WAIT FOR YOU ALL TO BELIEVE ME. I'LL JUST TELL YOU EVERYTHING." Naruto laughs almost crazily, his face burning brighter and brighter shades of red. "Because of some whacky ancestral magic shit! Not only is my wife arranged marriage with me, but also Gaara and Itachi which makes Sasuke my BROTHER-IN-LAW." The reaction to his words consisted of laughter and snickers. "So, this is really a family feud you should let me deal with him."

"What the f*ck Naruto? Is this your new method to convince us to let you fight Sasuke alone?" Kiba slammed his fist into the wood. "That sucked man. That really sucked."

"I don't understand how you think that lie would convince us." Neji mused. "You really are the biggest village idiot after all."

"Idiot." Sakura shakes her head. "I should have known."

"ARGH! ARE YOU ALL EVEN MY FRIENDS? DAMN IT!"

At this rate, they would only believe him if he had a child with Hari. Damn it!

Hm…

Maybe he should work on that. Heehee.

-(._.)-

Hari's eyes fluttered open, wincing slightly as the light of the afternoon sun catches her eye. She reflexively looks away, moaning slightly squeezing her eyes shut in anger. Someone chuckles and fingers gently pushed strands of hair away from her face. Hari slowly opened her eyes squinting to see red crimson orbs staring back at her. The black patterns spinning lazily around dilated pupils. Itachi smiles, his hand gently stroking her hair.

"Mm…What are you doing?" Hari mumbles, her voice raspy with sleep. She stretches, reaching her hand far above her head and spells herself clean, too lazy to get up and really wash up. Itachi chuckles, watching as soap bubbles appear and disappear from her mouth and her hair combs itself into proper locks.

"Watching you." Itachi replied. Hari sits up and reached over, cupping his face with her hands. Suddenly, she feels so incredibly overwhelmed, her heart racing in her chest as she meets his eyes. Large almond-shaped pupils framed by lush eyelashes which were splayed outwards, making his eyes the most beautiful she had ever seen in her entire life. She kind of forgot a little, about how beautiful Itachi was and Hari dies inside a little every time he meets her eye because she can't seem to believe how lucky she is to be engaged to him.

She watched as he slowly, kisses her wrist, his eyes never leaving hers and her hands are on his neck as he leans in for a kiss. This kiss was bittersweet and full of love. Hari finds herself lingering on his lips, just memorizing the feeling of his touch on her skin. His wintery scent of Christmas and pine and snow, the way the magic coursed through her veins like jets of snow. His eyes never leave hers, the Mangekyou spinning languidly, recording her every movement into his mind. Hari smiles, the dumbass was using his ultimate power just so that he could remember everything.

"I missed you so much." Hari murmurs on his lips, her hands on both sides of his face, her thumbs gently rubbing the now smooth skin, lacking the usual eye bag. "You're so stupid. Do you know that?"

"I know. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for letting you wait this long." Itachi sounded heartbroken, his voice soft and melancholic. "I love you Harumi." He says in a heartbeat, and Hari is startled by his sudden confession, blinking her eyes frantically in shock.

Itachi smiles, apologetically. "I never say that to you enough and when I…I died. I regretted so many things." He takes her hand, interlacing the digits together. "I wanted to see you." He beguns and those five words seemed to be what gives him his strength to continue. "I wanted to see you so so much." He gasped. "I wanted to propose to you. I wanted to marry you." His other hand finds its way to her belly and Hari numbly watches him, her lips trembling with so many emotions she can't exactly pinpoint what.

"I wanted to see you round with my child. I wanted to see our grandchildren. I wanted to grow old with you." Itachi smiled bitterly and Hari watches in shock as tears spill from his eyes, dripping down his face. "I didn't want to die then," He swallows and Hari's heart cries at the sight of her beautiful angel crying before her. No Itachi. No…" I only realized it then when I died, when everything was taken away from me. But, most important I wanted to tell you I love you."

"Oh Itachi-" Hari began to say.

"Harumi, I'm sorry for causing you so much pain." Itachi laughs, a sad chuckle wet with tears. "I don't know if it was a dream or a hallucination, but at that moment in my death, I saw your parents and I knelt down and promised that I would protect you and love you forever if they would just give me one more chance to go back to you." Itachi's voice was trembling with emotions, and Hari could hear the loud thump of her heart as her eyes well up with tears, influenced by his emotions. "I really don't know how you saved me, but I'm really, really so thankful that you gave me back this life. This life that I plan to live with you for the rest of my years."

"Itachi…"

"This was definitely not planned well." Itachi laughs and he gets off the bed and kneels down on one knee, and Hari's heart just stops. It just completely stops and her eyes goes wide as he practically ninja summons out a box. He opens it and the ring sparkles in the afternoon sun.

"Harumi Lily Potter-Black-Slytherin." Itachi chuckles through wet eyes, his voice trembling, losing the usual ninja demeanour Hari is so used to. He looks so vulnerable, so afraid yet so happy, as he displays his heart out for her wide in the open.

"Will you marry me?"

"You didn't even have to ask." Hari replies, laughing through touched tears. "Yes. It has always been a yes since the day I met you."

Itachi smiles. It is a wide grin so unlike himself that Hari feels so shocked by the shear happiness radiating from him as he slips on the ring onto her finger. It is a small and simple band of solid gold with a small diamond flanked by two red ruby gems.

Their lips met once more, a kiss laced with happy tears under the light of the afternoon sun.

For a moment, all was right again in the world.

5085 words

This is really a perfect place to end a chapter. XD

Thanks for reading! See you all soon:) Hopefully I can finish this story before the year ends.