Yes, I know, this chapter is massive. I would've split it into two, but I felt it was best to get it all out the way at once.

I Will Love You Always

The room was relatively quiet as Kakashi and Naruto slept on, barring Naruto's occasional mutterings about ramen. Sasuke had tried sleeping and had maybe dozed for an hour before waking up again. He thought he'd be more exhausted but his mind wouldn't shut down even if his body wanted to. Instead, he slipped off his futon as quietly as possible and tip-toed to the sliding glass door. Likely, he'd wake the other two up the moment he went outside but he needed some fresh air.

Quietly pulling the door shut behind him, he walked to the edge of the raised wooden porch and sat down, dangling one leg with the other against his chest. The air from under the house was perfectly chilled, which was exactly what he'd hoped for. Feeling it reminded him of how much he loved that same spot back home.

Not his current home; and if home was where the heart was, then his current place of residence wasn't a home. He was reminded of the house he lived in with his family, a spacious, traditional-style structure spread out over the large property and even though it was only the four of them, he remembered how as a child, he'd frequently gotten lost in the maze of rooms.

As he reminisced, his only company was the flickering fireflies that glowed in the distant reaches of the garden where the porch overlooked. What made him recall these memories about the old house this time? In the past, it had been simple longing for the way things used to be. But the nights of crying about missing his family were long past. And spending time with Itachi during the war had helped him to finally understand the full circumstances behind his family's demise.

Itachi…there was a memory of his brother that was tugging at him but what did his brother have to do with anything at this time? His brother was deceased, this time hopefully for good.

Well…

Sasuke closed his eyes for a moment to steady his breathing. He tried to shut down the thought before it came but it slipped past anyways. What he could only think and never say was that he couldn't truthfully say that if Itachi were reanimated again, he wouldn't be happy. Fighting alongside his brother, finally as equals, had probably been one of the happiest moments of his life so far. He thought that chance had been taken from him when he'd killed Itachi with his own hands.

But that too wasn't what was bothering him. The real reason he felt the need to get out of the room to clear his head was because of one of its occupants, one Naruto Uzumaki. He already knew he wasn't ready to delve into recounting what they'd done that evening. At least…not here. But then, what did Naruto have to do with him thinking of his brother?

He let the thoughts drift over him, the same as the thin clouds slowly passing across the half moon. Back in the days of living within the clan, there'd been someone else that Itachi had become acquainted with, but Sasuke remembered that the person had not been part of the Uchiha and thus, was not entirely welcome. It was more than just another villager coming to visit their secluded clan…there was specifically something about them that made them unwelcome.

As he stared at the moon, it finally snapped into place. Itachi had once been friends with someone from the Hyuga clan. He remembered now the pale whitish eyes that'd scared him a little as a kid. Now that he'd opened the floodgates, the thoughts freely poured forth. He laid back on the deck, arms under his head as he allowed himself to be taken back to that time.

~.~.~

His name was Masaru Hyuga. Sasuke could only speculate that he and Itachi might've been classmates from the academy as otherwise, the Uchiha had little dealings with the Hyuga. At the time, Itachi was around the age he was currently but Sasuke knew he'd only been about eleven as he was counting down the days of his twelfth birthday and dropping hints to his family about what he wanted.

He'd also been really hoping that at long last, Itachi would make time to train with him. He was already making great marks at the academy but their father never failed to compare his successes (and failures) to Itachi's seemingly perfect record. So, what better way to learn than directly from the best?

Sasuke saw himself back then, blissfully ignorant of the darkness lurking under the surface between his clan and the Leaf village. He remembered his younger self running home with a test in his hands, a perfect score! Mom and dad would be so proud and maybe Itachi would have something kind to add as well. Except for when he got home, he found the place empty. His shoulders deflated; was there no one he could share this happy moment with? No, they had to be somewhere around here! He began to run throughout the halls, calling out for anyone to be home.

Indeed though, the house was completely empty. With no one there, he decided to go out and look around to see if anyone had spotted his family. It was possible they were at a meeting; it seemed there were a lot of those going on. Everyone seemed restless and agitated but nobody would tell him why. Well, that was fine. He'd just continue to get better so that maybe he could do grown-up things, even as a kid, like Itachi had done. Then he'd know everything!

But first, he had to find his brother. He checked several shops and the homes of several of their friends but none had seen him. Nightfall was almost upon him, which was when he was supposed to return home, but he didn't want to be there by himself. The last spot he could think of where Itachi would go were the woods surrounding the village. But…it was darker in there than out here in the open. He weighed his options…go home and be alone. Or, take a risk and find his brother. Mustering up every ounce of courage, he decided to continue the search.

An hour later, he was completely exhausted and had used up what little chakra he could control. He looked up into the moonlit sky and shivered; he really hadn't thought this through. He was cold and hungry, shaky from weakness. While the initial woods around the village were supposed to be protected, the Leaf ninja couldn't be everywhere at once, making him an easy target. He also knew enough to know that an Uchiha made a valuable takedown for enemies. The Sharingan were their prized possession and it was no secret in the shinobi world that their power was both feared and coveted.

As he stumbled through the trees, he could only hope he wasn't so valuable to any enemies. His Sharingan hadn't awoken yet. But…would that stop someone from taking him hostage until it did happen? Or, could they possibly take his eyes now and the power would awaken anyways? And even if it didn't awaken with someone else…the thought that they'd rather take his eyes and neither of them use it, rather than letting him have that power…this made him shiver even more. He had to get back as soon as possible.

If he'd had any chakra left, he could've hopped into a tree to get a better view of his surroundings, but he was too tired to manage it. Instead, he attempted to retrace his steps from the ground. At least it was a clear night and he could see the North Star. The village would be to the northeast. Trying to keep as quiet as he could, he followed the star, hoping his bare-bones training so far would realistically prevail.

But then, he heard something to his right. He froze, holding even his breath as he listened. Things were quiet for a while before—there! It sounded like something shifting on the dry, summer grass. He thought maybe it was a snake, but the sound wasn't continuous, like slithering, nor did it sound like footsteps. From his pocket, he withdrew a shuriken, beginning to slowly creep forward. Once he threw the shuriken, he could quickly weave the hand signs for the Fireball jutsu.

And with what chakra, idiot? He reminded himself. It would take at least an hour for him to restore even a little bit. Alright, fine, so he had no chakra. He still had weapons and hand to hand combat training. He wasn't completely helpless; he could do this.

He continued to creep forward, crouching down and remaining only in the shadows cast by the moon. Maybe he'd overhear the disastrous plans of enemy shinobi. Then, he could request a meeting with the Hokage himself. The Leaf ninja, no, the ANBU would be mobilized based off his intel. They'd call him brave for daring to get that close to the enemy, and at such a young age, too! He'd be the hero of the Leaf and finally…finally…his father would acknowledge him for his own prowess instead of always comparing him to Itachi.

"Itachi."

He immediately slapped a hand over his mouth. Had he said his brother's name out loud? He stopped walking to listen again, seeing how the enemy would react. He heard nothing but another shuffle in the grass and leaves. Maybe they hadn't heard him but he didn't want to be that naïve. He again took a few steps forward and was just about to continue until this time, something in his line of sight halted his progress.

There so happened to be Itachi, sitting on the ground at the base of a tree with someone lying on their back, their head in his lap. Sasuke's first thought was that they were injured. Maybe Itachi wasn't able to get them back to the village and as far as he was aware of, Itachi didn't know medical jutsu. Should he run and get help? No, first let Itachi know that he was there and then go get help. Even if Itachi was injured, he was just so happy to see his brother and that his searching hadn't been in vain. He opened his mouth to call out to his brother—

Instead, the other person moved first. A hand reached up from where they lay in Itachi's lap, grabbing the front of the shirt and pulling down. Sasuke could only just hear a playful male giggle before Itachi's lips touched the other person's. They stayed like that for a long moment, lips breaking apart and reconnecting again over and over, each contact deep and intimate. It was honestly the first time Sasuke had ever seen kissing outside of TV shows. Even their parents didn't kiss, at least not in front of them. So many emotions were racing through him that he didn't understand but he felt he shouldn't be watching this. He turned to walk away.

"Sasuke."

He spun back around to see Itachi gently pushing the other person off his lap. They sat up reluctantly, looking bashful at being caught. That's when he was finally able to get a good look at them, immediately honing in on the silvery eyes that were as much a trademark to the Hyuga as the red pupils were to the Uchiha and the Sharingan. Masaru, was it? He only knew the name as he'd seen him a few times before, walking with Itachi inside the village.

Sasuke took a few steps forward. He halted just at the edge of the shadows, refusing to step directly into the moonlight. Itachi noticed it and smiled. "It's okay, I'm not going to reprimand you if that's what you're worried about. However, there is something that I need for you to do."

Here, even Masaru looked at him curiously. "Itachi…" he said, his voice filled with caution. Itachi only raised a hand, quietly calming his concerns.

"Please keep what you saw here only to yourself," Itachi went on. "Don't even mention it to mom and dad, okay? We had a meeting tonight and I…skipped it." His eyes fell and even Sasuke winced as he knew the severity of his actions. A lot of people in the clan really depended on Itachi so him not being present at important functions was seen as an immense offense.

"And definitely don't tell them I was with Masaru," Itachi added, looking to the other teen. The Hyuga grimaced at hearing that, but remained quiet. "I really don't want for you to have to lie, because both you and I know you're not really great at that."

Sasuke flushed; Itachi was extremely adept at reading a lie. Tiny fibs got by his parents but Itachi never failed to pick apart the truth even behind those. "What I'd like for you to do is when you go home, please go directly to your room. Start on your homework. With luck, mom and dad won't be home yet. I'll be there shortly afterwards and that way, you won't need to answer any questions about where I've been. Can you do that for me?"

Without hesitation, Sasuke nodded. He didn't want to be there, intruding upon this private moment. He was about to again turn away when he saw Itachi gesture him over. Perhaps there was something he wanted to give him to take back? Finally coming out of the shadows, he walked eagerly over to his brother, hand outstretched to receive whatever it was Itachi wanted him to take.

Then a sharp tap on his forehead caused him to jerk to a stop. Sasuke grunted, glaring at his brother. He always did this! And that damn tap hurt! But then Itachi smiled at him. Itachi rarely smiled but the fact that he never hesitated to do so with him always made him feel extra special. His muscles reacted before he could stop them and Sasuke felt his own smile forming, always happy to see his brother happy. He gave a confident nod to him before turning and sprinting back to the village.

Everything went according to Itachi's plan with him arriving home before anyone else. Ten minutes later, he heard the front door slide open and the soft padding of feet pass down the hallway. However, he knew a giant fight was going to ensue. He hated when his parents argued with Itachi and sure enough, when they returned home, he could distinctly make out the yells of their father, Fugaku, even from three rooms away.

"This is the second meeting in two months that you've missed, Itachi," Sasuke overheard, sitting at his room desk and staring blankly at the sheet of homework in front of him. His father's voice cut across his concentration. "The meetings are hardly even worth it if you're not going to be there to share your information. You know you're the eyes and ears for this clan, it was the entire purpose of you joining the ANBU. Tell me, what is more important than the future of the Uchiha?"

Sasuke already knew what the scene in the living room looked like. Their father and mother were probably sitting at the table while Itachi knelt in front of them. His brother would mask any true emotion and offer up an apology, promising to work harder. Itachi would keep that promise and thus, he wouldn't see his brother for days on end as he traveled on various missions. Itachi would never complain, absorbing the criticisms of the clan dutifully.

"I'm deeply sorry," he heard Itachi say, and pictured him bowing to their parents. "The Hokage wanted a very detailed report regarding the last assignment and also issued a new one. I'll be leaving out tomorrow morning. Had I seemed impatient to leave, he might've gotten suspicious as to why and might've found out about the meeting."

Fugaku was quiet for a moment and Sasuke could envision him rubbing his chin thoughtfully, thinking this over. "Very well then. We have reason to believe we're already under surveillance by the village. He probably already knows of the meeting and might've even kept you there to prevent you from speaking. That will not thwart us; the Uchiha will rise back to our rightful position within the Leaf."

Sasuke trembled hearing that. Was his clan planning a revolt against the Leaf? But why? Weren't they part of the Leaf already? Though…their clan was on the outskirts. But then he heard Fugaku ask, "And just what is this assignment that you've been sent on anyways?"

"You know I'm not to talk about ANBU work, father."

"You tell us everything else happening out there but your loyalty to the ANBU is where you draw the line?" Fugaku scoffed at him, and Sasuke heard his mother quietly mumble "Dear…" probably putting a hand on his arm to get him to calm down. "We need as much information as we can if we're going to succeed. Or don't tell me you're switching loyalties," their father said dangerously.

Still, Itachi did not cave and his voice even dared to become defiant against their father. "The Leaf village includes the Uchiha clan as well and the Uchiha clan is part of the Leaf. I work to protect both."

You tell 'em, Itachi! Sasuke thought proudly, hiding a giggle behind his hand. Itachi always knew how to stand up to their father better than he ever could.

There was again another pause and then his father sighed. "Alright. The next meeting though will be held at the end of the month. We expect for you to be there this time, Itachi. The time to act is nearly upon us." Sasuke heard his father and mother get up and retreat to their room and he breathed a sigh of relief. Good, Itachi wasn't in major trouble. But still…all the talk about "time to act" and "if we're going to succeed" still made him feel apprehensive about the deeper workings in the clan.

The next morning, he awoke to find that the lie Itachi had seemingly told had actually been correct. His bedroom was empty with several items for long-term travel missing. The days passed and then turned to weeks. The meeting that was to be held at the end of the month came and went and still no Itachi.

It was only in the middle of the next month that his brother appeared. Sasuke came home to find his shoes in the entrance hall, placed on the shoe rack. Please let this not be a cruel joke; Itachi was actually home! Maybe he'd be there for a while to compensate for the long mission. This time, Sasuke wasn't going to take no for an answer; he would make Itachi train him!

He ran down the hallway, heading directly to his brother's room. Without even thinking of knocking, he immediately threw open the door, but instantly regretted it. At the sound, Itachi quickly sat up from his bed, locking on to him with Sharingan. Sasuke saw his brother in a way he hardly ever had, hair tousled from sleep and his eyes rather bleary. Damn, he hadn't meant to wake him up…

"S-sorry," Sasuke apologized and began to back out of the room when something else on the bed stirred.

"What's going on?" A sleepy voice inquired, pulling back the covers. Masaru sat himself up next to Itachi, yawning as he rubbed sleep from his eyes. His long brown hair wasn't pulled back like most Hyuga, instead falling free over his bare shoulders with the blanket covering his lower half. Blinking, he looked at Sasuke and then gave a small smile. "Oh, it's just you."

"Go back to sleep," Itachi encouraged him, giving him a tender kiss on the forehead. Masaru closed his eyes, enjoying the touch. He agreeably nestled back under the covers, presently falling asleep again. With that settled, Itachi focused his attention back at Sasuke. "Shhh…" was all he said, putting a finger to his lips, crinkling his eyes playfully. His eyes, now back to normal, flicked over Masaru's sleeping form and then back to him.

Sasuke gulped but nodded and shut the door quietly. Tip-toeing back to his room, he dropped his schoolbag on the floor before flinging himself on his bed. He sighed heavily, thinking about what he'd just seen.

He didn't dislike Masaru, though he didn't know much about him. But as a Hyuga, he would never be accepted amongst the Uchiha. Surely, Itachi knew this? And then there was the fact that Masaru was male. While Konoha had no official stance against homosexuality, he'd never seen two men or women together. He felt the undesirability of this even more when he was within the Uchiha walls. Freedom to choose was only allowed up until anything threatened the bloodline. It was fine if they married an ordinary shinobi or civilian from the village but those from other prominent clans were an unspoken taboo.

But as Sasuke lay there and thought, he wondered just why. Wouldn't it be a great benefit to the village to have shinobi that, for example, could use both the Byakugan and the Sharingan? If somehow Itachi and Masaru could have a child, it's possible their offspring would probably become an even more historic shinobi than Itachi already was.

He sighed again though and pushed the thought away. He had a ton of homework to do as Iruka-sensei had punished the entire class due to a prank that stupid Uzumaki kid had pulled.

The rest of the day dragged by, their mother going to visit a friend and their father working at the police station. At last, Sasuke finished the homework, tossing his pencil down triumphantly. He'd ask Itachi to check over it for him later but for now, he wondered if his brother was up from his nap yet. Sliding back his desk chair, he left the room to quietly pass by his brother's bedroom.

He initially heard nothing, to his disappointment. But Itachi was probably exhausted from his missions; even when he was home, he probably got very few full nights of sleep. He was just about to turn away when he heard a rustling and then his brother's name being whispered. Ah, maybe Masaru could wake up Itachi! He glanced out the hallway window. There was perhaps still another hour of daylight left. That'd be enough time to get in a bit of training though he could stay out longer after dark if Itachi was with him.

He waited eagerly for his brother to respond but Itachi said nothing. Instead, he only heard Masaru murmur his brother's name again, then followed by a sharp intake of breath. He heard more shuffling, and then a quiet, rhythmic movement and the soft sound of bodies against each other. At that, Sasuke clapped a hand over his mouth, stumbling back to his room in mortification.

His hope of training once again ruined, Sasuke hid himself under a pillow until he fell asleep.

The days again passed but Itachi was not sent out on any extensive missions. He was even able to have several conversations with his brother though the topic always stayed light, with Itachi primarily praising Sasuke's hard work. It made it hard to stay mad at him and he readily forgave Itachi for not always being there. Sasuke could only bask in the warm joy of being with the person he admired most.

Soon enough though, the happiness faded. Something was going on, something big. It wasn't just the Uchiha clan that seemed on edge, but the entire Leaf. When he was at home, everyone retained a strained silence, which kept him in his room for fear of someone finally snapping. Today though, he didn't feel like being cooped in his room. After dinner had finished that evening, he crept back out through his window and headed into town.

His favorite place to go was the rooftop of the hospital. Most of the roofs were slanted but the hospital roof was long and flat so as to hang the washed sheets out to dry. He enjoyed lying amongst them, watching the white fabric billow and hearing the sheets snap in the wind. He knew the timing of when the laundry was collected and put out and rarely any patients went up there, making it a prime location for him to get out the house and think.

However, just as he landed on the roof that evening, he heard the voices of two others. He checked his watch; he should've had at least an hour before anyone came out to collect the laundry. Only if the weather was cold or threatened rain was the schedule changed but tonight was clear and they were in the midst of summer. A warm wind blew through his hair, making him want the people to leave that much faster so that he could have it all to himself.

As he walked forward though, he saw the unmistakable profile of Masaru. A sheet dancing on the clothes line partially masked the second person but Sasuke instantly recognized Itachi anyways. Within the last few weeks, he'd run into them so much, it was almost unsurprising to see them there. And yet, he'd had too many shocking experiences of stumbling across these two, curbing any desire to stay and see what was going on. That is, until Masaru spoke.

"What the hell do you mean, Itachi?" Masaru raised his voice. The sound of the sheets kept his voice from traveling far but Sasuke could hear him clearly from where he stood. "Mind running that by me one more time?

"I told you. This isn't going to work out," Itachi said, his voice deep and somber. "You know it like I know it."

Masaru clenched his fists by his side. "No, I don't know it! We've been together for nearly two years, what's changed? What, does it have something to do with the ANBU? That's never stopped us before." His voice wavered, and he quickly brushed a hand across his wet eyes. "Ha, great, now I'm crying! I've not cried in years."

Itachi remained impassive, choosing instead to answer his initial questions. He spoke slowly, as though to ensure he emphasized a point. "Things are getting dangerous with my clan, Masaru. In fact, it's with the entire village. I know you feel it. I can't give many details, but…I don't want you to get caught up in this. It's better if we end things here."

"You don't get to decide that for me! If it concerns the entire village then it concerns me as well!" Masaru countered him. "And you don't have to keep everything to yourself. Itachi, talk to me. You used to tell me everything. I'm strong; you know this. Whatever it is, I know I can help you."

He shouldn't be watching this. Sasuke should leave, just hop over to the next roof and keep going. But at this point, if he moved, he'd likely be noticed. Feeling horrible while doing it, he crouched low and focused as much as possible on hiding his chakra.

After a considerable silence, Itachi responded. "It's not like we could've been together for long anyways. You knew this was temporary when we started."

"Fuck you!" Masaru actually screamed, a flare of chakra rising for a moment. "If I knew in two years that you'd leave me, I wouldn't have even wasted my time! If it's about our clans, I'm not part of the main family so who I marry doesn't matter. And even if I were, it's none of their business."

Itachi coldly laughed, making Sasuke shiver. Was this unfeeling person really his big brother? "You know, it's not just about you. I'm the next heir to become the head of the Uchiha. There's no way my clan would ever approve of someone like you."

Clearly, this hurt Masaru as his lip trembled, more tears slipping past. He bit down and looked away. "I don't care about that either. Everything you're saying just sounds like excuses with no valid reason. Is this really all I mean to you? Can you really look me in the eye and say you don't love me?" He looked back at Itachi, his wet eyes a mirror of the moon overhead. "Can you?"

With a face as still as a Noh mask, Itachi gave his verdict. "I've never loved you."

There was a long moment of silence with even the wind falling quiet, causing the sheets to become still. In time though, Masaru reached into his pouch, withdrawing a knife not too different from a box cutter. Sasuke eyed the weapon curiously; it wouldn't hold up in a battle against another blade unless there was some other way it was used. So, Masaru was going to engage his brother in a fight. He felt his anticipation rising. He'd never seen his brother spar with anyone that wasn't an Uchiha. As much as he also felt bad for Masaru, this could prove to be a valuable learning experience.

But that expectation was very short-lived, as was the rest of Masaru's life. Clearly, even Itachi had expected a battle as neither foresaw that Masaru would instead swipe the blade across his throat. Before either registered what had been done, he was already dying on the ground, blood burbling from the wound. Sasuke was too horrified to move, gaping at the prone body. It was over within seconds, too short to even get help even with them already at the hospital. He saw the immense amount of blood, the silver eyes still open and reflecting nothing but pain and heartache. He covered his mouth, fighting hard not to retch.

Itachi's legs gave, staining his clothes from where he fell. He controlled himself only enough to not scream but instead slammed a fist into the ground. "Damn it, Masaru! You were supposed to just go home! You were supposed to hate me. I can deal with the hate. But no. Like a fool, you just had to fall in love with me." He crawled forward, his mask cracked as a tear fell. "I'm so sorry. I meant it; I didn't want you to get involved. You were supposed to live. And yet…I've taken your life anyways. All for a lie," he added as he reached Masaru. Looking down into the faded, silver eyes, he whispered, "I loved you. I love you. Always."

He knelt there, not caring about getting dirty while stroking the long brown hair. After some time, he pulled back, reaching up to his collar. Itachi pulled a necklace off and a shimmering flash could be seen before he instead put it on Masaru. Sasuke recognized what it was immediately. On Itachi's last birthday, their father had given it to him, telling him it was not his to keep forever and to one day give it to someone who was truly special. So this was who he had chosen.

"Sasuke. Let's go home."

Sasuke wasn't even surprised that Itachi knew he was there. Stiffly getting up, he went to his brother's side, keeping his eyes averted from the body on the ground. However, he weakly asked, "What do we do about…him?"

"I'll speak with Lord Third and explain everything. He'll know what to do."

He nodded to his brother, hoping that he was right. Both closed their eyes to say a quiet prayer before departing. Itachi went to the Hokage's office but Sasuke went back home, barricading himself in his bedroom.

Less than three weeks later, the Uchiha clan would be slaughtered.

~.~.~

Sasuke opened his eyes back in the present, refocusing his eyes on the new position of the moon. He'd been out much longer than he'd meant to. He remembered that the circulated story regarding Masaru's death was that he died in combat. He and Itachi had gone to the funeral, but only on the peripheral so as to not be noticed.

Thinking of Masaru and Itachi though made him think of his budding…whatever…with Naruto. It was too early to call it a relationship but they'd definitely gone beyond friendship. He felt their connection was strong enough for him to give away the ring belonging to his mother. Had she lived, she would've presented it to him around his current age (instead of him taking it from their bedroom after their death), making him promise to give it to someone he valued, just like their father had requested of Itachi.

Itachi however had underestimated Masaru's loyalty and had acted, thinking he knew what was best for him. The result had been unfortunate, but Itachi's intentions still remained that he'd only meant to protect the person he cared for. Even he knew that had his brother been up front and honest, things could have turned out differently. Although…Sasuke couldn't say for certainty that even that outcome would've been positive, given the situation.

As for he and Naruto, he still had his misgivings but he wasn't ready to give up. Naruto was important to him; that was an unshakable fact. Giving away the keepsake wasn't only just for Naruto's sake, but for his own as a promise that he would strive forward to confront his feelings instead of burying them as he'd done in the past.

Nodding at his resolution, Sasuke picked himself up and slipped back inside.

This chapter's title is actually a quote from Itachi to Sasuke, his very last words to him before he died (again) after he'd been reanimated.