Chapter 5

Itachi watched as Ari ran past him. He could easily catch up to her so he decided to let think she had left him in the dust. He hadn't actually been told by the hokage to bring Ari to him. Yes, it was true that she was wanted at the hokages office, but his father had simply told him to send her there. Not take her there himself. Oh well, he was curious as to why the hokage wanted to see her.

'I should probably catch up to her now.' he thought as he sprang from the porch and took off down the street after her.

Ari was so ecstatic that she had managed to ditch Itachi and he hadn't caught up to her yet. She was almost to the hokages office and then...it happened. Her excitment got the better of her and in the blink of an eye she wasn't running toward the office building, she was tumbing. She wasn't a perpetually clumsy kid...but she had her moments.

Her tumbling landed her flat on her face in front of the door of the office building. Standing up, she brushed herself off and was preparing to open the door only to have it burst open and almost hit her. Jumping out of the way she watched as figure with silver hair darted out and upon seeing her came to an abrupt stop.

"Yo," he said looking down at her. "I was just coming to look for you. Itachi came back without you and said that you had probably gotten lost."

Ari's face turned red with anger. "I didn't get lost Kakashi-sensei. I knew where i was going the whole time."

"I am sure you did, but the hokage is looking for you, so you better get going." He took her hand and led her up the stairs to the hokages office.

Itachi was standing outside the door when they got there. Ari glared at him as she passed and went into the room. He started to follow but was stopped by Kakashi.

"Stay out here. This matter does not concern you."

Ari looked over her shoulder and she couldn't resist sticking her tongue out at him before the doors were closed. Ari glanced around the room observing who was there. Besides Kakashi-sensei and herself, the hokage was seating at his desk with two of his advisers next to him. Itachi's father, Fugaku, was also in the room. Ari stared at him in curiousity wondering why he would be here. He was the head of the police in Konoha but she was quite certain she hadn't done anything criminal. Yet.

"Ari, please come here." the hokages voice brought her attention back to him. She slowly stepped up to the desk and raised her gaze to meet his.

"The matter I have to discuss with you is of the utmost importance. You knew that your father was sent on a very dangerous mission. He knew the risks and chose to accept it in duty to his village."

Ari's face remained blank, but her head was spinning. 'What could he mean?' she thought, starting to worry.

Seeing no reaction from the little girl the hokage went on speaking. No sense beating around the bush with this girl. Her father had raved about her intelligence and had always prided himself on being able to speak to her like an adult, though she was still just a small child.

"Your father was killed by while he was on the mission. He was a very well respected shinobi of this village, and he will be remembered with honor. Being so young and having no relatives living here I am placing you under the care of Uchiha clan since you are close neighbors with them. Is this understood?"

Ari's head was spinning so fast she wanted to scream for it to stop. She couldn't believe anything that he had just said. How could he talk in the past tense when speaking about her father? He was away on a mission and was going to come back. He was going to be back early and maybe even make it to parents day for the first time. She still had to show him how much she had learned at the academy. He was coming back...right?

The others in the room were looking at her with concern as she stood there in silence. Her eyes were wide and unseeing as she stared at the hokage. Fugaku came forward and put a hand on her shoulder causing her to jerk in fright. He knelt down and looked at her face, frowning when her wide eyes met his.

"Do you understand what this means Ari-chan?" he asked her. Her mouth remained closed and he received no answer. "Ari, your father was killed on a mission. He's dead. Do you understand?"

"H-he's...he's de-dead?" Ari finally choked out. Her brain felt like it was about to explode.

"Yes, he's dead."

"Dead...dead...dead..." The words echoed in her head and she couldn't take them anymore. She began to sob as she broke free of his hold and dashed to the door.

"Ari-chan!" Kakashi shouted as she threw open the door and ran right into Itachi with enough force to send him flying to the ground and her to fall to the floor beside him. But she was up in a second and running again before Itachi knew what had happened.

The hokage sighed as Itachi got up and stepped into the room.

"Her father wanted her to be told straight out if something like this were to happen. But she is, afterall, only a child. I should have told her in a softer way."

"You informed her the way Rayku would have wanted it. There was nothing else you could do. But, now we have to find her. There is no telling where she might have run off to." Fugaku said.

Kakashi looked at the door Ari had just run through. "You won't have to look for her. Give her some time to herself. She will return when she feels she is ready."

The hokage watched as he walked toward the door. "I suppose you are right, Kakashi. She needs time to grieve. The services need to be prepared. I will let you know the details after i have discussed them with Fugaku."

Kakashi nodded and then disappeared.

Itachi looked at his father, hoping to get an explanation of what had happened.

"Come, Itachi, we will go home. There is nothing more we can do right now." His father said leading him to the door. "I will come early tomorrow to discuss the details with you, Hokage-sama."

The hokage nodded and watched them leave before leaning back into his chair. The advisors, who had been quiet the whole time, looked at him expectantly.

"No more work today. I am going home. You should too." he told them tiredly.

They nodded and disappeared from the room, leaving the hokage to his thoughts. Tomorrow was going to be a long sad day.

Authoress Note: I hope you liked it. Please let my know if you did by reviewing! It was difficult to write and the next chapter will not be any easier. Reviews would mean a lot!!!

PunkKitten