Series: Naruto
Setting: AU
Prompt: 27. Writers Choice -Lost and Found
Rating: K
Word Count: 2, 035
Warnings: None
Summary: Things we seek are usually right under our nose.

Time Waits For You

"…Momma…?"

His eyes began to open exceedingly slowly feeling the grainy sting of dryness, closing them back down again to rub over the sensitive orbs concealed by the sore eyelids. Again he called out again in a tiny voice from the scratching in his throat that caused the rasping plea, followed by a deep chesty cough, covering his mouth up with his hand so germs wouldn't be spread, feeling the inner rumbling inside his chest that felt like he was about to tear open. This was the repercussions of being outside in the cold weather for an entire day and part of the night, his lungs drawing in those prolonged frozen breaths repetitively until congestion constricted the small organ bringing on the flu he was starting to suffer.

Dark red eyes opened up once again, looking around curiously at the unknown place that he had found himself in. Everything in the room was splashed with shades of pink, walls covered with floral wallpaper, bedding set lines with teddy bears, chested drawers and matching desk, this room was not decorated for a boy even he at a tender age knew that this would most definitely be a girls room. But what was he doing in a room like this? Itachi had no recollection on how he got there or where he was, last memory was trying to get out of the blizzard and the shadow that watched over him. Was it an angel? Of course not, he didn't believe in angels and the only one close enough to consider being that was his mother.

A sudden jump from the knock on the other side of the door snapped the young boy awake, lifting his head up as if he was trying to see over an invisible wall while the door opened debating what kind of person would come in behind it. Maybe it was his mother, they were about to move so she could have found him and taken him away before he got to see Deidara. That he didn't want, not one bit, starting to fret that his last chance to see him had been removed with all of his efforts in vain.

"Ah you are awake my child. How do you feel? You were deathly cold last night and I was fretting about your safety. But at least now you are awake. Would you like some tea or a glass of milk? I can make you some breakfast if you are hungry. Where is your mother and father? What is your name?"

Itachi could only stare apathetically while the questions and explanations were blasted at him at the rapid rate that his barely awake mind could understand, blinking gradually between pauses of breath while she started up again in the assault. He wasn't at home or at Deidara's, he doubted that this was even the apartment block anymore. He was trapped in a house with a silver haired grandmother that was bound to speak about boring things about how it was down at the bingo hall. He had a grandmother too, only one since the other passed away before he was born but she talked exactly like her except a little slower. "I'm not allowed to talk to strangers" he quietly replied once she had stopped for a moment, rubbing his throat really wanting to take her up on that offer for a warm glass of milk and maybe a bit of honey. His mother always made it for him when he had a sore throat.

Slowly due to her age and bad hip, she lowered herself down onto the end of the bed to press her hand against his forehead wanting to feel the temperature that was certain to be high only to face a frightened child pulling away from her. "Your mother is very wise so I will introduce myself. My name is Mrs Takihito" she started, extending her hand out to his instead in a polite greeting, smiling at the reluctant child took it with a shake. "We found you last night outside the apartments where my daughter lives and you fell asleep in her arms. She couldn't take care of you since my granddaughter and her are going away on holidays this morning so I brought you back here to warm you up but it seems you have caught a cold" Her voice raised in the childish manner that you would speak to someone his age, dulling down the words for the simple mind could understand. "Now that I have introduced myself, let's get you breakfast and you can tell me who you are"

Nodding slightly still a bit overcome by it all, Itachi slid out of bed and followed behind her not taking the outstretched hand that was offered for a guide, looking up at her the entire time with a small request for some warm milk and honey but nothing to eat. Hearing what he wanted she set off to the kitchen and started to boil some milk, Itachi taking a seat at the counter, still with his eyes firmly fixated on her. "My name is Itachi, thank you for giving me a place to sleep for the night" Never disrespect your elders, that was something that he took serious. "I'm looking for my friend but I lost where he lives"

The warm mug gently placed down in front of him with a few shortbread biscuits in case he did want something to eat after all, the one who announced herself as Mrs Takihito took a seat opposite the counter, dunking a tea bag into her hot water, smiling sweetly back at him. "Does your parents know?" she asked discarding the used bag in a bin.

"I left them a note"

It might have not have been the smartest decision that he had made in his life but he thought it was the right thing to do, his mother would have found it and known where to go in fact she might have been there right now waiting for him to show up. Ooh he had to find Deidara's house quickly or else she might be worried about him.

Last of the furniture started to cycle into the loading truck in the front yard, Mikoto watching each piece carried away not caring if anything was broken or how it was handled, her son was still missing and it had been an entire night. She had never spent that long away from him and the way that the snow came down… she didn't want to think about it but all night she stayed awake waiting for him to return.

"We have to go and look for him" she yelled again frustrated with the lack of consideration from her husband, biting her nails down to skin, sick with worry about him. He wasn't a teenager who was capable of taking care of himself, he was only five years old.

Still no reply from Fugaku too worried about making sure everything was taken and nothing left behind, Sasuke happily gurgled from his bouncer watching all the excitement of the move finding it absolutely amusing. That was the final straw for Mikoto, moving out the way while some of the kitchen appliances moved past her, kneeling down in front of her baby boy, picking him up resting him on her hip. "I am going and I don't care… wait wait wait!" she cried out to the next lot of removalists that went past, placing Sasuke over back where he was.

Kneeling down on an angle she looked at the fridge door that had been cleared off a few days prior to make sure nothing would get lost but now there was a piece of paper stuck on with a magnet with the scribbled writing of an underdeveloped hand. Snatching the note up she quickly scanned over it, covering her mouth up from the clue that he had been there all the time and she hadn't noticed. What kind of a terrible mother was she leaving such a place unlooked. "He is at Deidara's!" Mikoto exclaimed loudly to her ignorant husband, snatching Sasuke up running to the car, buckling him it and leaving as fast as she could.

The note still held firmly in her hand while she drove, pushing the speedometer over the recommended limit for the area without a worry of being pulled over by Police. Even if they did work for her husband, that alone wouldn't slow her down. She was going to get to her baby as fast as she could, praying that he made it there safely having the warm place to stay, completely forgetting for that brief moment that they were away on holidays in hope that they returned early.

"Wait here, I'm going to try and find your mother" Mrs Takihito told Itachi, offering him a seat in the lounge room to watch some television while she went to call the Police to see if there were any children that had been reported missing.

Itachi didn't want to watch anything at that moment, sighing loudly following by a lot of coughing and more frequently from the musk smell throughout the house that irritated his lungs. He wondered what they were all doing, walking over to the window sitting down on the seat looking out the window with sad eyes. All hope was fading quickly, he was never going to find any of them again, forever to spend the rest of his life with the nice but really chatty old lady to help her knit and clean. He didn't want to knit, that was a girl thing. Sighing once again he placed his hand against the cold glass, peering out at the falling snow only to stop mid exhale, choking down the coughs that wanted to come out. He couldn't believe it.

"Deidara!" he squeaked, wiping away the mist over the window staring at the house across the road. That was his house, he was positive of it, the 4 Wheel Drive pulling up in the driveway he certainly remembered from how hard it was to climb up into it. He had found him, Deidara was there, his friend he spent all that time searching for was right there in front of his eyes.

Jumping down off the window seat at a speed that might have been classed as fast as lighting, Itachi opened up the front door and ran outside to the street, quickly darting his head back and forth checking for traffic, waiting for a couple of cars to pass and then ran over to the other side. There he was, getting out of the car! He called out his name but his voice couldn't get loud enough to be heard, running fast as his legs could carry him grabbing him from behind, hugging his back that caused a gasp of shock from the long lost blonde.

"Itachi what are you doing here, un" Deidara asked with a huge smile, loving the fact that he had come to see him just as he come home, spinning under the hold to hug him back. It has been a long time since he had seen him and he had so much he wanted to show and tell him about his holidays plus he had a present for him.

"Hi Itachi. Where's your mother?" Deidara's father asked, quickly finding out from the luxury vehicle tearing up the driveway coming to an abrupt stop.

His name called out loud made him turn to see what was going on, turning to see his mother coming up as well, captured from behind from the long slender arms being hugged in the same fashion that he had done to Deidara earlier. "Itachi…" That was all she could say, sobbing hot tears embracing them both sandwiching her son in the middle, smothering him with kisses from the final relief that he had been found, alive and well.

Blinking a few times, Deidara's face wrinkled up utterly confused on what was going on, simultaneous looks coming from his parent's, looking over at elder women who joined their side that lived across the road. It seems like they had missed out on something.