Summary: "AnBu Owl, your mission as stated annihilate the uprising Hyuuga clan, leave none alive. Any left alive aside from afore mentioned Hyuuga heiress, will be seen as disloyalty and you will be immediately dispatched as a Nuke Nin. Do not disappoint us.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Naruto

Short author's note: This is three years into the past in the beginning of this chapter; also chapter dedicated to Acidrain14 a good friend of mine here on fan fiction!

Chapter Six

Thanks for the memories

"Remember Itachi this is important, I know I don't have to remind you but as a father it is my place." Itachi nodded curtly, 'Of course he doesn't need to, but he has too.' Itachi couldn't help his bitterness.

This man was blinded by his own goals, blinded by the fact that a child prodigy had come from him. So much so that Itachi felt ready to snap, almost like a coiled wire.

But he could not, he was Uchiha Heir and if he did not take this burden he knew who would. Itachi would die before such a thing was placed on his little brother.

"Itachi come here, I've got your Yukata." His mother beckoned him to his room; soft black eyes alight with warmth. The sliver edges on the black Yukata gleamed, the only decoration being the red and white Uchiha fan glaring proudly from the back.

Quickly he was dressed, his mother softly adding her own measure of comfort. She knew how angry he was, he never said anything. She just knew. Because that what mothers were, they were warm and protecting.

Unfortunately she could not protect him from his demise. His death that always hung over him as a shinobi.

"Father." No other words needed to be spoken; they both stepped outside, snow fresh and crisp on the ground. Itachi blinked the soft white substance was not new to him, but it was among the very few times he had seen it not stained.

He shook his head, such a pointless thought to dwell on. He was a shinobi and it was bred into his being to kill, no matter the cost.

Arriving shortly at the Hyuuga residence he couldn't suppress the feeling of being watched, knowing it was the Hyuuga household he may very well be the test subject of curious Hyuuga children.

Itachi mentally shrugged, they were young they would learn.

"Hiashi-san." His father nodded towards the elder Hyuuga head, Hiashi, who in turn returned the greeting.

"I can assume this is your son?" Hiashi said cold white eyes seemingly glaring at him, Itachi's father nodded. He was disgusted, that sickening gleam of self-satisfaction. The gleam always presented itself upon Itachi's return from a highly ranked mission.

There was no concern for his eight year old son, no sympathy for sending him out into a war. Just ride and satisfaction that his son was a good Heir and shinobi. Nothing more, nothing less.

Itachi was a tool.

"He is strong." Hiashi stated, Itachi could detect a longing. Maids swiftly entered the room, circling a small little girl. She was dressed in a pale lavender kimono, white cherry blossoms scattering in the wind at the edges. The Hyuuga symbol seemed to wilt from her back like a dying flame, Itachi was confused.

The kimono was subtly well made, the symbol proud and burning like the flame it was designed to be. So why did he feel like the Hyuuga girl was wilting, it him just as quick as the question had risen.

She was the Heiress.

Everything made sense now.

"Hinata, perhaps you should show Itachi-san the household. Maybe offer some tea near the koi pond?" Itachi's eyes narrowed almost unnoticeably, that was the same tone his own father had used on Sasuke.

"Y-yes father, I-if you w-will please f-follow me Uchiha-san." Itachi rose fluidly, Hinata could detect the grace of a killer. Her eyes widened while her father's narrowed. She could already hear his voice, so bitter and resentful, because of her.

When they stepped into the hall, a soft sigh of relief came from the girl. She was nothing short of terrified, even if she did not reveal it.

"W-would y-you l-like some t-tea?" Itachi nodded as she retrieved the kettle, steam billowed out and she was carrying it bare handed. It was a wonder she did not cry, or had her tears long ago dried?

"I a-apologize for the w-wait." Her meek voice reached him as she poured the tea for both him and herself.

"It was no trouble." He assured watching her as she pulled open the door, a cold gust of wind intruding into the room.

"The k-koi pond is r-right there." Itachi nodded and followed her, the snow causing no problems to his bare feet. He was used to it, he was a shinobi.

Ice slowly crept across the edges of the pond, frosting the still green grass as it did so. It was a slow process, but it seemed to go on forever. Even at the edges of the household, the koi swam easily through the ice.

But Itachi could see one, it was dead floating on its back its eyes wide open. Instinctively he tried to block Hinata from the sight, but it seemed that she had already seen.

Instead of bursting into tears she frowned softly, her eyes (Itachi mentally noted were a very peculiar shade of lavender) softened with sorrow and a familiar look of farewell.

A passing maid saw this and Hinata asked for a white bag, Itachi couldn't believe how easily she seemed to accept death. Even if it was just a fish, Hinata was still but a child. How could she come into terms so easily?

As if understanding his mentally raged war Hinata peered up at him, her hands still gently removing the koi from the pond.

"M-my m-mother, d-died when she g-gave b-birth t-to H-Hanabi. I a-accepted w-when I r-realized s-she wasn't g-going to come back. B-But Uchiha-san I-is d-death r-really a bad thing?"

Itachi drew in a breath, he knew that the Hyuuga had lost their lady. But she was only a child, despite the fact that he himself had seen a war when he was around her age. She had seen nothing.

"Losing someone precious to you, is almost unbearable. Why do you think death can be a greater life than what we are living?"

"If we suffer here, w-wouldn't y-you a-also w-want to l-leave t-this p-place? F-Father w-wants m-me to be a k-kunochi, I d-don't want to k-kill people. N-not when they have families w-waiting for t-them." Lavender tinted eyes looked up at him, a soothing quality he grew to like rather quickly.

Itachi could easily relate, but in the end they didn't have a choice did they?

"Hinata, I never wanted to be a shinobi as well. I have seen and caused enough deaths for my life. Yet I know it will continue." Why did he open his stupid mouth?

"B-Because y-you are a sh-shinobi. But I-Itachi d-don't feel d-discouraged, we m-may n-not l-like who we are now or even in t-the future. B-But life goes on, w-we just have to l-live with it. E-even if y-you don't like y-yourself I l-like y-you." Itachi looked down at her.

He saw Hyuuga Hinata, and he saw her tears. But then again, he also saw her smile.

Perhaps, he could hold out just a little longer.

Author's note: Ta Da! Total past written chapter! Hopefully you've enjoyed it! Especially you Acidain14!