The Uchiha in the Shadows

Waken Nightmare.

I couldn't sleep at all. My body was numb, though my eyes burnt with never dieing tears. A whimper would escape my lips every few hours, but at some point, I became so weak that the room was nothing but silent.

The air was so thick, that if I moved, the earth would shatter like the mirror I destroyed earlier. The demon has been laughing at me all night, whispering how weak I looked, how easily I was destroyed. But when it comes to family, there is nothing else in the world that could bring me down with such little effort. I am not ashamed, but I am frightened.

"Don't do anything stupid, Itachi. Don't harm them. God, please don't harm Sasuke." I muttered in the darkness, questioning of what was happening in the moonlight. But I soon found my answer when ear piercing screams rang through the air.

I Squeezed my eyes shut, letting a throaty sob escape my lips.

~ "Why don't you help them, Dear mortal? Are they not worth it? Or are you as weak as it seems. To scared to see your brother in his true form. To scared to see your friends and family laying face down to the floor? Your blood has been spilled. But you do nothing about it. Why?" He mocked me, swishing his tails in excitement. "Your blood is spilled. I know you smell the death in the air, it's so strong that you bloody humans SHOULD be able to sense it. But you ignore, you ignore because it is your own. Pitiful."~

My heart monitor sounded like it was going to go through the roof. It was so fast, so loud, that my anxiety went up along with it. I was panicked. "Shut up! Leave me alone!" I gasped, breaking the dark silence between the two of us. "I am not pitiful! H-how am I supposed to know that Itachi is the cause of that scream, hm? Children, men, women across the villages scream every night! There is always a criminal, there is always death, so who shall prove that the criminal that caused this pain is my brother?!" I wept, blocking all images that it is him.

I could feel the wolf smirk. His eyes set on the ceiling, his teeth glistening. "Don't be blind. You saw his eyes, those coal black eyes were set on kill mode. He was prepared to slaughter many people. He had a purpose, of which we don't know, we will only know the outcome. Why loose sleep when all you have to do…is face the facts, and rest your eyes."

I glared at those beautiful eyes, my fist clenching. Right when I was about to respond, three ANBU came bursting through my door. "Uchiha Michiko, you must come with us. It is for your protection." One with a Penguin mask spoke as he helped me out of bed. I panicked.

"Does this have something to do with my family?" I asked in a small voice, feeling childish. The Penguin looked over at the Tiger and Hawk masks. He sighed and looked me square in the eye. "Your clan has been slaughter. The only people who survived were both of your brothers. I-Itachi….he went crazy we're guessing….and just destroyed everyone." He whispered, trying to comfort me as I fell to the ground.

My expression was blank, my eyes went dull as I fell on my knees. Tears slipped out as my mouth began to tremor. My hands shook as memories of my happy family filled my mind. My mother, cooking and smiling as a young Sasuke tried to steal a cookie from the pan. My father, reading the newspaper while letting me play with his hair. And then there was Itachi, him smiling as I passed my first exam as an Academy Student. A sob escaped my throat as I though of the last words he said to me,

I love you, baby sister. And all I ask of you, is that you find happiness.

How could I possibly find happiness? You slaughtered my family, my friends. You've destroyed all that I lived for and protected. You've demolished the life I was prepared to create. You killed them all……including myself.

I was being carried out of the room by the Penguin ANBU. I let out no sound, expressed no emotion. I felt dead inside, dead as the people I cared for. But then I remembered that the Penguin mentioned that BOTH of my brothers were alive. "Sasuke….where is Sasuke?! Let me see him!"

I screamed out of nowhere, wiggling out of his grasp. I could hear the faint cry of a child down the hall, and knew immediately where he was. I ran down the hall, my hair blowing behind me, my hospital gown moving with my body. I was as fast as lighting, speed itself, maneuvering down the halls to where those childish wails were coming from. Finally, I was just behind the door of where my last relative lay.

I put my head against the wooden door and listened to him cry for his family, OUR family. I swung the door open slowly, only to lay eyes on the one sight I wished to never see.

My little brother lay there on the hospital bed, his coal eyes staring at the ceiling. Tears were all over his face, shirt, and the blankets on-top of him. His mouth gaped, and nostrils flared. His small face was red as his hands shook in the silence of the night. I wasn't a medical nin, but I knew my baby brother was in a state of shock.

"Sasuke…..oh Sasuke…." I whispered as I allowed my tears to fall freely once more. His head turned to my direction, a short gasp breaking the silence. "Onne-san!" He wailed as he flung himself out of the bed, and crashed his small body into my own. I kneeled down to his level, allowing him to bury his wet face into the crook of my neck. "I-I thought you were dead too! I thought Itachi got you….I thought I was alone!" He screamed, his voice echoing throughout the room.

I brushed his hair with my fingers, taking in his scent. "No Otouto, I'm right here. I'm with you, I'm with you." I murmured to him soothingly. My grip on him tightened as I felt him slowly fall against the floor. "I'll never let you be alone Otouto. I will protect you with my life, I will be with you. Just call my name, and I will be there." I cooed, my voice starting to crack.

We sat there, mourning for our clan for hours. I held him through the night, his fingers never loosening from around my neck. He cried in his sleep, he moaned in pain, and wouldn't stop whispering for me to never leave him. At that very moment, I regained my purpose in-life. I would do anything in my power to protect my Otouto, to teach him how to protect himself when I am forced to be gone. I will become his guardian, as well as his sister and friend. When he needed a shoulder to cry on, I will be there. When children at school tease him, I will be there. When he comes face to face with our older brother……

My thoughts stopped. What would I do if I ever saw Itachi again? Would I hate him? Would I hug him because he is one of the last of our family? Would I kiss him to see if he's real, or kill him to make sure he's not? What would I do if we encountered each other?

What would happened to Sasuke?

The questions running through my mind were giving me a head-ach, as well as a heart ach.

I was lost within the confines of my mind, holding the small body against me with brutal strength as the sun began to rise. The glare of light came through the window, dawning a halo around us. My tears of mourning have ran out, my cries of pain are gone. What is left is not a girl, but a woman who holds deep and disgusting secrets. One who protects her village from her inner demon, and protects the only one she loves, from the one whom she loved the most.

"Michiko." A mans voice spoke. I sighed as I looked up to see the Hokage staring down at our pathetic sight. "I…….I have no idea how much pain your in. I feel absolutely horrible that you saved our entire village, only to loose the ones whom you wanted to protect the most. How you have to grow up so fast, within a night, makes my heart feel heavy. I apologies for everything, even though it might not be my fault." He whispered as he kneeled down next to us.

I softly smiled at him. "Thank you for your kind words. Do you have any place where Sasuke and I can live? I don't think he would want to go back to the compound after seeing what he saw." The Hokage nodded. "Absolutely. You will not have to pay rent or for your food and resources. As a child and a ninja, I understand you wont be able to hold a job. Take it as a present for your mourning." He responded. I smirked, but it probably looked more like a sad smile.

"I'm not a child, sir, but I thank you for your compassion. I don't know how I could ever repay you." I glanced down at the sleeping Sasuke. I could feel the air change as the Hokage stood up. "Just keep being my ANBU Captain, that's all I ask." He then left the room, two other ANBU following him on his way out.

I breathed out of my nose, thinking about where we should live. Near the complex? As far away as possible? I wasn't sure, I suppose I'll have to go over it with Sasuke. Out of nowhere he suddenly stirred, blinking his eyes as if he was trying to make the sun flutter away.

He looked around, lost, and unsure of his surroundings. I almost burst into tears when it dawned on him of what happened. His grip on me was hard, painful even. "I miss them. I miss them…." He whispered. I kissed his forehead. "I know hunny, I know."

One year later.

Sasuke was never the same. He never expressed his emotions, never played with his friends, he just constantly studied and trained. His dirty little secret is that he never slept in his own room, he always ended up sleeping next to me because he constantly had nightmares.

Though he was distant with everyone else, he was still loving and caring to me. He vowed he would protect me with his life, and would always be by my side. It made me smile on how lovely he was to me, but I felt a little frightened on how attached he was becoming. I was afraid that he would never be able to let me go, and if I ever died in a mission or even from health…..his life would surely end.

"Hey Sasuke, how was the academy?" I smiled as prepared some food for the next day. I had a mission later tonight till tomarrow afternoon, and I wanted to make sure that Sasuke would be alright by himself. He dropped his things and hugged my waist. I rolled my eyes as I patted his head. "Not good?"

"Girls keep following and calling me Sasuke-kun. It's annoying." He growled into my leg. I chuckled. "A lot of boys would die to be in your place, Sasuke-kun." He looked up to me and glared. "That's not funny Michiko." I blinked, that was the first time he ever used my name instead of Onne-san. To say the least, I felt a pang of sadness flowing through my body. He was growing up too fast, faster than anyone else his age.

"I know, my humor is failing in this age." I grinned. He lifted an eyebrow. "Your only 13, your acting as if your 50." I glanced at him, wiping my hands on a paper towel. "Your only 9 and your acting as if your 90!" It was his turn to roll his eyes. "Your so immature sometimes." I stuck my tongue out at him. "Maybe your too mature!".

He gave up and went to his room. I finished preparing the food when there was a knock at the door. I had no idea who it could be so I rushed over to the door and swung it open. "Huh? What the hell do you want Kakashi? I have things to do before we go on our mission." I grunted as I looked around.

"Lovely greeting. May I come in?" I could tell he was smiling under his mask. "You know you can't come in, your future student lives here and he's not supposed to know who you are." I grinned at him. "Oh well, scratch that move." He scratched his chin and pulled a scroll out of his pocket. "The hokage wanted me to give this to you before we left for the mission. He said it had something to do with your family, so you should read it before we go." I nodded my head. "Thanks Kakashi, see you in a little while."

He poofed into the air, disappearing from my eyes. I closed the door and locked it behind me. I held the scroll in my hands, curious of what was inside of it. I quickly ripped off the seal, and opened it.

Michiko,

Hope you do well on your mission. But there is something you should know before you go. This mission deals with the Akatsuki. You might not know, but your eldest brother, Uchiha Itachi is in this group. I want to forewarn you that you might see him and his comrades, and if you don't want to go, you don't have to. Though your part in this mission would be much appreciated. You out of all of us know his powers and jutsu, so even the littlest information will help.

Thank you,

Hiruzen Sarutobi.

My eyes burned as I read the scroll over twenty times. Itachi, I might encounter my brother. I didn't know if I wanted to go now, I was afraid of what would happen, and what wouldn't happen. The one thing I know for sure is that Sasuke cannot know where I'm going and what may happen, or else he would flip or try to follow us.

"Michiko, I'm hungry. Can we have dumplings for dinner?" Sasuke yawned as he re-entered the downstairs hall. I quickly put the scroll in my pocket, securing it so it wouldn't fall out. "Of course Otouto, would you like to help me prepare it?" He sighed, obviously annoyed that he had to give me any assistance. "Fine…..where are you going for your mission?" He asked as he started to clean his hands in the kitchen. I was grabbing some things in the fridge, contemplating on what to tell him.

"I am going to the Village hidden in the sound. I suppose we are just going out to get some rouge ninja that threatened the village. Nothing big." I muttered, placeing the materials on the counter. He raised a thin eyebrow, his small but pudgy face showing that he was not amused. "You lying to me, Michiko-chan."

A dark smile appeared on my face, hidden by my dark locks as I started to chop some vegetables. "I wish I was Sasuke……I really do…"

"Liar~" The demon within me whispered. "Liar liar pants on fire......you know you want to see him. That murderer. Your almost as bad as he is, seeing as you wouldn't want to hurt him~" He hissed. I closed my eyes, lost within the confinds of my mind. "Please, don't do this to me now. I've lived with your insults for a year, non-stop. Just let me rest before I go through something that could possibly make us both meet our death." I responded, looking at those all-to famliar metal bars. 10 tails swished behind the cage, blue eyes glareing at my being. "Blame this on yourself, mortal~ For I am not the one who makes the stupid decisions around here." He dissapeard, leaving me back in the kitchen with Sasuke.

I looked over at my little brother, pondering at the words the cruel demon had just spoken. Though I am ashamed to say......for once, I actually agree with the immortal.

Whoa! Talk about a long time for a update! I sincerely apologies! I know this was an incredibly boring chapter, but the next one has much more Romance and Action. I know I'm sort of flying through things, but I want to get to the point of where Sasuke is at least 14 years-old, that's where the main part of my story comes in. So Thanks for reading, until next time!

-Michelle