Alright! Chapter two is up! Lots of dialogue in this one…As always, I don't own anything Naruto-related. Thanks for reading and

make sure to review.

I woke up with one word ringing around my head.

He's an Uchiha?

Last night was fuzzy in my mind. My first few moments awake roiled with a confusing mix of emotions. I was confused, tired, scared. Where was I?

The room was poorly lit with a golden dawn light which warmed the predominant color in the simple yet elegant room, which was white. The walls were bare, aside from a window on one wall and an ornate mirror on the other. The bed I was in was pushed into a corner, and a desk was in the opposite, a brown metal lamp resting ontop. There was a door to my right. It was ajar.

I slowly sat up, reveling in the delicious feeling of warmth. The bed was strewn with an array of comforters and fuzzy bedspreads. I stretched slowly, groaning, feeling sore all over. I winced and leaned down, reaching under the covers to knead my calf muscles. My fingers caressed a soft bandage, covering where the nail had cut me.

Looking over to the mirror on the left wall, I stared at my face. It actually wasn't that bad, considering. There was a purple bruise stretching along my right jaw and another crossing under my eye onto the bridge of my nose, as well as a few scrapes. That eye looked slightly shadowed, but not black. My right forearm was encased in a white black cast, stark against the clean white room. I gazed at the black, the memories of last night flooding back in full detail. I shuddered, small senses coming to my mind. The sound of the ringing pipe, the smacking impact of skin on skin. The taste of coppery blood, the vile taste on the men's hands. The scent of spilled alcohol and the frosty snow. Then, cutting through the lingering pain of the pipe against my arm, came memories of soft dark hair, the scent of apples and soap, and the glint off of silver piercings. I looked around, seeing no one in the room besides myself. Where was the man who called himself Sasuke Uchiha?

I pushed my hair back from my face with shaky hands. I can't believe I'd actually met an Uchiha. For a low class girl like me, there had been virtually no chance of seeing one, let alone meeting one. The Uchiha's were an extremely rich, albeit arrogant, family that worked as Executive Protection. That meant that they took jobs as bodyguards for dignitaries, politicians, the president, etcetera. The family, consisting of the parents, Fugaku and Mikoto, and their prodigious sons, Itachi and Sasuke, as well as many other family members, hired out their services all over the world. Last I heard they were over in Japan protecting some American politicians.

I swung my legs out from under the blankets and rested my bare feet on the creamy shag carpet, noting absent mindedly that I was dressed in new jeans and a form-fitting black T-shirt. It was time to find out what was going on. As I stood up, the room rolled unsteadily, but slowly stopped. I took one cautious step, then another one, gradually regaining my balance. The door was open just a crack. Carefully curling my fingers around the edge, I pulled it open a bit more, scanning the hallway beyond. Several closed doors lined the left side, continuing all the way down to the opposite end. On the right, the room flared out into a huge open space, a curling metal railing along the edge. Carpeted stairs wound down to another floor. On the ceiling over the open space, a crystal chandelier reflected golden light coming in from a myriad of windows. Taking a step out into the hallway, I cocked my head, listening. Faint music was coming from the door closest to mine. It sounded like beat boxing, with a heavy, thumping techno beat. I moved to stand outside the door and listened closer.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Did he wake you up?"

I started violently at the soft voice and whirled around, fists raised, ready to attack or defend. I blinked when I saw a woman standing there, hands curled around a white dishrag. She was about middle –aged, with long dark hair framing her face and pale skin. An amiable light gleamed in her dark eyes. I blinked again, clearing my throat.

"No! Uh, no. I just was just, um…" I trailed off, staring at her. "You look like Sasuke!"

She laughed gently. "Actually, Sasuke looks a lot like me." She smiled. "I am Mikoto Uchiha."

"Oh," I said, eyes wide. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" She said, coming towards me. "It's my son who should be sorry, for waking you. Hold on for a moment, please," she said calmly. She stepped beside me to knock on the door.

"Sasuke? Sasuke, your guest is awake. I'm going to show her around the house. Make yourself presentable and find Fugaku. Tell him I want to speak with him. Alright?"

There was a muffled "K'ay," from inside the room. Mikoto turned to me and smiled.

"Come with me."

She turned and pointed back at the room I woke up in. "That is our guest room." She pointed back at the room where the music had been coming. "That's Sasuke's room. He usually plays music, so I hope it doesn't bother you."

Mikoto quickly gave me a tour of the upstairs, pointing out her and Fugaku's room, Itachi's room and several offices. I only remembered flashes and impressions. A bit of a cherry wood desk. A painting of vibrant colors. A wall of elegant metal work.

"Now," she said, leading me down the stairs. "I need to talk with you and Fugaku."

We passed another teenager on the stairs. He had the same the dark hair and eyes and pale skin as the rest of the Uchiha's I had met, except his hair was long and gathered into a low ponytail. Long tear troughs were pronounced underneath his eyes. He was probably two years older than me. Smiling at Mikoto, he shuffled a few papers in his hands and shoved a grey cell phone into his jeans pocket.

"Itachi," Mikoto said warmly.

"Hey, mom," he said. He turned to me, acknowledging me with a polite nod. "Who is this?"

Mikoto waited patiently for me to answer.

"My name is Chalice Mikaelson," I said. Immediately Itachi's face darkened slightly.

"Mikaelson? Are you the daughter of that…screwed up couple?"

"Itachi!" exclaimed Mikoto, aghast. I looked to her and shook my head, slightly miffed at the way I had been labeled.

"No, that's the best description I've heard of them, actually. Yes, they are screwed up. That's why I ran away."

She was silent for a moment, studying my face. Then she sighed. "Where are you thinking of going then? You can't live on the streets."

Now I was silent. I had no idea where I was going to go. I looked down at my bare feet. My fists clenched.

"I don't know," I admitted. Mikoto sighed next to me.

"Well, all the better I talk to Fugaku." She turned to Itachi. "Do you know where he is?"

"I thought Sasuke was getting him," he said. His phone vibrated and he pulled it out of his pocket, checking the screen. "Well, I gotta go. Shisui and I are meeting up." He climbed the stairs past us and disappeared into his room.

"Alright then. Come on Chalice, this way," Mikoto said, descending the stairs once again. She led me to the right where a bunch of ottomans and couches rested in creamy tones. "Have a seat please, and tell me why you ran away."

At least an hour passed as I told Mikoto my story. How it all started at school. How I climbed out the window, then how I ran. How I fought against the men and how Sasuke came to save me. When I was done, we both sat silently for what seemed was a long, long time. Suddenly there were footsteps. A man swept into the room, grey jacket fluttering, stern onyx eyes flashing. His short dark hair reached to his shoulders and underneath his eyes were the same pronounced tear troughs Itachi had inherited.

"Fugaku," said Mikoto, shaking herself out of the daze my story had left her in. "How nice of you to join us."

He studied me with his stern gaze, than turned back the way he had come. "Sasuke, come in here. I need your side of the story as well."

My eyes were drawn to him as Sasuke stepped into the room.

He was dressed all in black again, dark jeans and a T-shirt with Celtic designs like his tattoo picked out in red. His bangs framed his face, and his hair spiked around in gentle points. The light streaming in from the windows flashed off of the three silver hoops in his ear and lit up the contrast between the black ink of the tattoo on his neck against his pale skin.

"Your name is Chalice, isn't it?"

I turned to Fugaku, who had seated himself by Mikoto on a low couch. Sasuke perched on the edge of an ottoman, looking directly at me.

"Yes, sir."

"Please, call me Fugaku," he said, amiably waving a hand. Then his expression became serious. "So, you ran away. I presume you have a good reason for doing so?"

I bit my lip. "Yes." I looked straight at him. "My parents were…are abusive. And no matter what you say, I'm not going back there."

He shook his head. "I wasn't thinking of sending you back. I was wondering whether or not to call authorities or not." He peered at me for a moment. "Do you have any living relations?"

"No," I replied, my heartbeat jacking up the moment he mentioned authorities. "But please, Fugaku, don't tell anyone. I can handle myself. I could live on the streets."

He closed his eyes and sighed. "The confidence of youth." Turning to Sasuke, he told him "Tell me again what happened last night."

"I was walking out by the park," began Sasuke, his low voice rolling around the room, "when I heard a commotion. I went to investigate to find a girl," at this his eyes flicked to me "Chalice, being attacked by three men. At first she handled herself well, executing several martial arts maneuvers, but was overwhelmed. I started running and knocked out two of the men after they broke her arm."

I touched my cast softly.

"After that I saw to her arm, spoke with her, determined that she needed medical help and brought her here."

"Thank you, Sasuke," said Fugaku, turning to me. His dark eyes studied mine for a moment. Then he shook his head and declared, "I think the best possible solution for the moment if for Chalice to take refuge with us. If people ask, she is training here under our program." He looked to Mikoto. "It would be best if you actually taught her a few things, so if she needed to prove it…"

"Of course," said Mikoto, smiling and bowing her head. "I would be delighted to."

"So!" bellowed Fugaku, standing. "Chalice, from this point on you are enrolled in an exclusive Uchiha Executive Protection program. The guest room is yours." And with that, he swept out of the room, just as he had come in.

He's a brief man, I thought.

Mikoto smiled and stood as well. "Congratulations on making the program." She winked, and went out after Fugaku.

Leaving me alone with Sasuke.

I stood and looked over to see that he had done the same thing. We gazed at each other for a moment before he broke the silence, asking;

"Are you alright? Not too…shaky from last night?"

I couldn't read the intentions behind his dark eyes.

"Yes, I'm fine." Having nothing else to say, I lapsed into silence. He studied me for a moment more before smirking and turning away.

"Meet me in the dojo in half an hour," he casually tossed over his shoulder as he left the room. "You can ask Mikoto where it is."

"What? Why?" I stuttered, taken aback by his sudden demand.

His only answer was a short, amused laugh.

Dun Dun Dun! :D Please review!