...Seven Year Itch…

The world of shinobi changed within seven years; Kisame didn't recognize it.

He had changed, despite death, within seven years; he didn't recognize himself at times.

He remembered the Naruto brat: loud, brash, rude, and the bane of his and Itachi's partnership. It was boredom and nostalgia that brought him to Konoha to check in on his partner—somewhat friend's old village. Kisame saw it in Itachi's face when they first entered Konoha all those years ago, love and loyalty etched into his being for this village.

Kisame could relate. Mist had been his life, his reason for living, and it had all been lies. Lies that he believed as his truths. Had Itachi felt the same? He was willing to die as a lie, for a lie. Kisame wanted to die for truth and now his situation was unbalanced. Living, dead, or maybe somewhere in-between. The critical thinking he once relinquished for instinct he had no choice but to extract. The space between his brows pinched as fought to remember something, he scoffed. It wasn't worth the headache, remembering something forgotten.

A cloud of dust erupted like a wave; it washed over and through him. His eyes were unbothered; the physical didn't affect him anymore. It troubled him in the beginning, the lack of sensation and touch. No longer did he flinch, but he couldn't help flinching this time. It wasn't the debris, cracked and shattered ground, nor was it the rush of wind. It was the person behind the demonstration, Naruto.

The kid had grown up.

He was wearing Hokage robes.

Things had changed.

Konoha must've been mentally disturbed to elect Naruto as Hokage. All talk, no skills was what he had thought of the kid when he first met him. Despite the white robe with a crimson swirl upon the back, he loudly laughed and raised his hands to crowd of children. The gasps of awe filled the air and inflated his ego.

"Of course I'm cool!"

Kisame felt the familiar pinch of pressure attack his brow with a vengeance. This idiot is Hokage; this was what the shinobi world had come to. Naruto's laughter consumed the children's laughter and Kisame realized the Hokage was demonstrating a technique for Konoha's future ninja.

There had never been innocence in the faces of the children from Mist. The only demonstrations in Mist were the gruesome deaths of those that failed. He understood Mist wasn't what used to be, but he couldn't' forget the bloody history—his past.

"Stop showing off, Brother!"

Naruto's laughter ceased as his gaze looked to the pouting girl now standing in front of him. Her cobalt eyes were lit with annoyance as she kept her arms tightly wrapped around her flat chest. Her short black hair was pulled into a single ebony dumpling atop her head leaving her bangs to frame her slender face. He was vaguely reminded of a piece of Dango.

"Eh, Little Chitai, don't scold your Hokage." Naruto whined more than scolded, the children giggled at him as Chitai remained serious.

"I'm embarrassed you act my age," Chitai pouted.

Naruto laughed as he assured, "You should act six, and you're too serious." He glanced away as he softly grumbled, "Believe it."

Her voice was high-pitched, her cheeks puffed up in embarrassment and anger. If it wasn't for her soul he would've never guessed that the child standing up to the Hokage was female. His nose twitched and he caught the vague scent of cherries. It couldn't be.

Chitai barely bore a resemblance to Kagome, but this child couldn't be her. The woman said she'd reincarnate, but could something like that happen so soon? She looked nothing Naruto; the family relationship was lost to him.

"Kagome!"

Kisame twisted his head to the left and sharply grinned; if he wasn't damned already, he'd be damned now. Sasuke Uchiha crossed the distance in a few steps and placed his hand upon the girl's shoulders. The weight of the touch caused the child to lose all spunk. Her emotions were buried beneath a mask of indifference. It was a look Kisame associated with Uchiha. Naruto looked between the two and clapped his hands as he pointed to the Hokage Tower.

"Your sensei is waiting for you all!" He scowled when the children didn't react. "Hurry up and go before you get in trouble—there's food."

The promise of food caused the children to vanish in moment and the three of them were left alone. Sasuke's hand upon the girl's shoulder like a weight and Naruto solemnly watching the interaction. Kisame regarded the girl; she did look like an Uchiha.

Itachi never settled with anyone and Sasuke is too young.

"My name." The girl spoke quietly unlike the tone she held earlier. It was filled with pride and not subdued despite the softness. "..is Chitai Kagome Uchiha." She stepped away and sharply turned on her heel as she pointed an accusing finger toward Sasuke. "I do not answer to someone that ignores me!"

The child was fast. She stepped forward and vanished in a blur. Her soul burned with energy and life warning him that her time was not near.

"You sure are a bastard," Naruto said, bluntly.

Sasuke's glare was a firm as he kept his silence. The rage was seething beneath his skin as he glared at the Hokage. Naruto smirked as he reached up and cradled the back of his head with his arms. His gaze focused on the sky despite being lost in his thoughts. It was as if nothing in the world mattered. The only thing he was grateful for was being in Chitai's life as an adopted brother. He scowled, Sasuke was still too serious.

"It was foolish to leave her with me," Sasuke finally muttered.

Naruto silently arched a brow as he looked to the boy—now man he fought so hard to bring back to the village. In the end, he never brought him back. Sasuke came back because of Itachi, the hatred of Konoha was still there, but it was subdued for Chitai.

"Don't be an idiot like usual—"

"Naruto…"

"She's still your family."

Kisame looked to Sasuke watching as his look darkened then saddened. There was a defeated sorrow upon the man that caused his shoulders to sag.

"Kagome—"

Naruto gave Sasuke a look.

"Chitai." It was correction that left a bitter sting upon his tongue. He preferred Kagome to Chitai. "…is a mistake."

Naruto scowled as he sharply reminded, "She is the last of your family!" Sasuke's eyes darkened as he glanced away preferring not to have this conversation. Naruto reached out and crushed the Uchiha's shirt in his hand as he growled, "She is your brother's legacy."

Sasuke jerked away as if burned, his eyes wild as if he had been cornered. Naruto was aware of his brother's pain, but to acknowledge it as if wounds had healed was not acceptable. He didn't wish to think of Chitai's origins. She would merely be Kagome, a name granted to her by Sakura. His heart wasn't burdened by her existence when he looked at her as Kagome the orphan, the girl in the labs, and forgot she was Uchiha. There were ghosts that haunted him and clung to her like a thick sheen of perspiration, the past would always linger, overshadowing anything she could be.

"Sasuke." The softness in Naruto's voice forced him from his dark thoughts. The Hokage looked deeply upset, his eyes reflecting something they were both familiar with. Not being recognized. "You can't tell me raising her means nothing to you…can you?"

Sasuke felt like they were kids facing off once more, a chasm between them. Except, there was no reason to fight. Did Kagome mean anything to him—she's my world. She was Itachi's legacy, the last of the Uchiha, and the only family he had left. She wasn't truly family, a surviving mistake of the past, but she had become family.

"Naruto," Sasuke whispered, "she's my world."

The emotion in those words left Naruto feeling breathless. The Uchiha did his best to hide behind his mask, and to see him this way. His feelings toward Chitai weren't confused. He smirked; he knew leaving the child with Sasuke was the right choice.

Kisame watched Itachi's brother leave, trailing no doubt after the girl. He didn't understand what legacy Itachi could leave behind. His eyebrows furrowed, he didn't have anything to leave behind. Naruto softly grumbled before he followed after the school kids. Kisame let his eyes drift shut as he searched for her soul; the soul that had once tasted of cherries. He easily found her once more and recognized the soul as Chitai, Kagome. There was no doubt in his mind that Chitai Kagome Uchiha was the reincarnation of the Kagome that that made him a reaper, a Collector.

His seven years of wandering, collecting, and being restless would come to an end starting now. It seemed the Uchiha drama would never end and he would be here to watch it all unfold.

Author's Note:

Chitai pronounced She-tie. She is truly Kagome; there is no doubt about it. Though how is related to the Uchiha? Any guesses?

Questions may be answered. Concerns may be addressed. Reviews will be praised. Constructive Critic will be valued.