Oh my...
Think you're ready for this one? Better grab your helmets kids, cause its gonna blow your mind.
I think that everyone has anticipated this chapter, whether you know it or not.

As always, enjoy.

"If you lay a single finger on her, I will kill you where you stand."

She stopped breathing altogether. Her heart threatened to leap from her throat at the sound of that voice. That deep voice that she only heard in her dreams...

Almost hesitantly, Koneko looked to her right, her eyes moistening.

There he was; a palm flat against the wall to support him though he still had a slight weak lean. Uchiha Itachi.

Immediately, tears poured from her eyes and she prayed. Prayed, that this wasn't a genjutsu. That he was real. That this was real. Koneko internally begged to embrace his struggling form, but the man behind her was radiating in pure resentment. Any slight movements toward her ill husband may take her life..

Madara's gloved hand clenched so tightly that the fabric began to tear as his fingers buried themselves into his palm. He cursed wildly within himself. Glancing between the girl and Sasuke, one could perceive that they were both equally shocked at Itachi's return.

"Nii-san..." Sasuke murmured, his mouth agape. Itachi smiled in return, some streams of blood trickled down the edge of his lips.

His blind gaze flickered toward her, and an ecstatic smile blessed her face, though she continued to cry. The happiest tears she would ever shed.

With softened eyes, he gave her one last sparing glance before looking to Madara; the gentility and love in his onyx hues dissipated. His glare told of hatred and hostility.

"Move away from her... Now..." Itachi breathed feebly, struggling to stay upright. As soon as those words left his mouth, he nearly collapsed, but gathered himself quickly.

The masked man sneered spitefully, "Look at you! You can hardly stand on your own two feet and you dare to threaten me in that state?" He erupted in a dark laugh and seconds after, his lips drew back into a snarl and he barked forcefully, "Go crawl back into the ground where you belong, you worthless mutt!"

With a burst of energy, Itachi straightened. No longer requiring the assistance of the wall to help him, his fists balled at his side. The black-clad shinobi stared down the Uchiha founder as his irises developed into the Sharingan and swirled into the Mangekyou.

Acting on impulse, Madara threw her to the side and moved with remarkable speed toward the injured shinobi, producing a kunai, "I'll put you back where you belong!"

A piercing clang was heard as the Uchiha founder's blade met with Sasuke's sword. The younger smirked, "Only and Uchiha can defeat an Uchiha, and you currently have two against you. Give up,"

Madara scoffed, "Hardly. Two Uchiha, yet one is incompetent and the other is a mere child. I have nothing to fret over."

Suddenly, Itachi crumpled due to the internal damage done to his body; hacking up heavy amounts of blood. She was immediately at his side, holding his fallen person; whispering calm and loving words into his ear, kissing him gently as she gathered the appropriate chakra to mend his lungs.

He didn't take his blind gaze off of her for a single moment. Koneko smiled through her tears and tightened her hold as she cradled the man closer.

"I love you.." Itachi muttered into her soft hair before slowly drifting into unconsciousness. Gently, she placed a kiss to his forehead, "I love you too..."

She spared a desperate glance at Sasuke, who seemed to notice this. The older brother needed to be given medical attention as soon as possible, and this was not a proper location to aid him in. Alternatively in her fragile condition, there was no way she could carry him to a bedroom.

This fight had to end swiftly, for the sake of Itachi's life.

Although, Madara was not in any better situation. All of the appropriate weapons that he had concealed for Sasuke's possible rebellion were in his chamber, locked away. True, he was a legendary shinobi, but not a fool. A kunai would not suffice to win a battle with another Uchiha who possessed a more effective and powerful blade.

Dammit. These two brothers were impacting heavily his Moon's Eye operation.

Straightening from his prepared crouch, Madara's visible eye slimmed hatefully, "This is foolish." and he suddenly disappeared.

Koneko cradled her husband's head close to her chest, tenderly stroking his dirtied charcoal hair, "Sasuke... Is he gone?"

"Hn.. I don't sense his chakra anywhere." He slid the sword into the scabbard strapped to his back as he took a final glance around the room. Once sure that Madara had certainly left, he turned to meet her concerned green eyes.

She whimpered, averting her gaze to glimmer down at her comatose husband, "We have to help him.."

"Yeah..." Sasuke responded; lifting his weakened older brother while Koneko followed closely behind, sniffling once every few moments.

For now, rest and recovery was necessary.

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