AN: Sorry I updated a couple days late. It's a hefty chapter - well, this is actually only half of it. A lot of shit happens in the next half. I think. Kind of- yes. I'm sorry, I did promise that it would be tied off here, but I'm afraid the word count was just getting stupid for one chapter. So I cut it off here, and I'm going to have a final, sad but... eventful chapter next time. It's half done, so if all goes well it should come out quicker. Enjoy, friends.

"Speak."

Naruto shook his head, tapping his throat. Sasuke caught on, working quickly to break the seal on his voice. Now that the Uchiha had calmed slightly, he noticed that Naruto looked... ill. Much more ill than he'd imagined ever seeing the blond. His cheeks weren't quite gaunt but instead just slim, his cheekbones slightly more defined, eye sockets more sunken, everything about him just slightly more sickly than Sasuke had expected. He brushed it aside; it wasn't as if he cared. He just needed him to stay alive, so that the seal could use the Kyuubi's chakra – and then that was that. He could leave Naruto dead in a ditch somewhere while he did his work.

Yeah. He'd do that, if it came to it.

"Sasuke," Naruto said. His voice was croaky from disuse. "What the- How-"

Sasuke didn't even look at the boy. "It's too late. I've already activated the jutsu."

The Uchiha felt Naruto seething beside him, teeth gritted and fists clenched. "How could you- can't you think about someone other than yourself, for once?! What if we can't come back? I haven't said goodbye to anyone!"

Sasuke turned to Naruto, smirking slightly, eyes laughing. He said nothing, but his eyes said enough, and Naruto's fury escalated.

"We can't come back?! Did you think about me at-"

"No." He hadn't. Then again, Sasuke supposed he'd had no clue what this was going to do.

Naruto attempted to punch him, but the punch was easily blocked by Sasuke's palm. Naruto's weak. Weaker than the last time I saw him. Sasuke frowned. What a moron.

The blond let the energy fall out of his punch, letting the clenched fist fall to the ground in front of him before falling onto his back and looking at the sky. "You asshole. You fucking bastard." His breathing was heavy with the adrenaline of pure rage. He looked at Sasuke; he looked no different than before, but Naruto could tell with a mere glance that something was very different about Sasuke. "They'll... come looking for me. Obaa-chan will worry... Sakura-chan..."

The raven turned to Naruto, looking the blond straight in the eyes. Seeing him almost entirely off-guard, eyes dark and gaze purposeful, was odd; the comfort in his posture making Naruto feel on edge. He'd not seen Sasuke so free in years. "Once we've ventured into the past, this world will cease to exist. Everyone you know, everything we've ever known, will die, and then we will, too."

Naruto felt his stomach drop.

"So don't worry about them looking for you."

The Uzumaki felt like his world was collapsing around him. Everything- everyone- the recognition he'd earned, those he loved, the village, everything – gone – it outraged him, angered him, infuriated him –

"Sasuke-"

Naruto lunged for Sasuke, fist aimed at his gut, but Sasuke simply grabbed Naruto by the shoulder with his left arm and twisted, pushing Naruto heavily onto his back at Sasuke's side. There was a loud, painful-sounding thwack as the blond hit the ground. Sasuke closed his eyes, before unsheathing his chokuto and poising it at Naruto's neck. Naruto stopped dead in his tracks.

"You don't get it," Sasuke said plainly. "We only have one hour to deliberate before we go. And I need to not kill you before then. So don't make me."

Uchihas just have this charm about them, Naruto thought dryly.

There was a long pause.

"Stop acting like you're superior to me, you fucking asshole."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, his condescending expression reflecting down the length of the blade. "You're rather weak today, Naruto," he sneered. The tone he used made Naruto's stomach turn.

Shut up, Sasuke. Just fucking shut up. He knew the Uchiha just got a kick out of seeing him so helplessly angry. Naruto closed his eyes, head spinning as he gritted his teeth and tried to think rationally in any way, shape or form. "So, why exactly am I here?"

Sasuke lowered the chokuto, sheathing it as he stood before the glowing seal. "My brother left me this after his death. I came here to finish it. You're a requirement."

"Your brother?" Naruto interrupted. "But isn't he-"

Naruto stopped the moment he saw the conflicted look in Sasuke's eyes. He knew something had conspired between Sasuke and Itachi that he could never understand – something that had changed Sasuke. How, and for better or worse was hard to determine.

"So, what do we have to do?"

Sasuke sat down beside the seal. "We have one day in the past to rectify all we can, and less than one hour of preparation before we leave."

"You said an hour."

"You started talking," Sasuke shot back before continuing. "I'm not going to repeat myself. The day we're returning is the day of the massacre. We don't have enough time to do everything, so we have to do what we can."

Naruto folded his arms. "So, what about what I want?"

The Uchiha leaned forward, elbows on his knees and chin resting on his interlocking fingers. The notion was so reminiscent of their youth it made Naruto's heart ache with sadness. Sasuke looked as though he was thinking for a moment, before he closed his eyes, smirking, and said,

"Well, I suppose I'll make time for that. Even for an idiot like you."

Sakura felt a heavy weight fall to the bottom of her stomach.

She'd only left for a second – honestly – and now Naruto was nowhere to be found. It had been half an hour, but Sakura felt a great uneasiness. She'd expected the blond to just wait until she returned, knowing that he had no voice and that general navigation was just of increased difficulty anyway. But he was gone, with no trace whatsoever. Vanished. She'd asked around the ornamental stands he'd been stood by, but it was a strangely busy day and it was as though he'd simply dissipated amongst the crowds into nothing. Naturally, Sakura tried to reason that Naruto was simply browsing or lost, but she couldn't help feel very strongly otherwise.

"Sakura."

She turned to Shikamaru, and winced. The act alone was enough to tell him that Naruto was gone. He sighed, rubbing the sides of his temples as he scanned the surroundings. The Nara popped a cigarette in his mouth, sparking a lighter and letting out a puff of smoke.

"Shikamaru, this is a big deal!"

"So why aren't you doing anything?" Shikamaru took a large puff of his cigarette, his wrist getting knocked by a particularly careless woman. He walked out of the crowd, walking to a side path with Sakura in tow.

"It's not that I don't want to," Sakura said, fists clenched. "He's just not- it's not-"

The Nara flicked his cigarette. "Sasuke."

"What? What are you-"

"I think it's Sasuke."

Sakura closed her eyes. That wasn't a name she wanted to hear right now. Or ever.

She knew Shikamaru was staring straight at her, but she refused to open her eyes. "You knew Sasuke had came here. Did you really think Naruto was going to stand idly by?" Shikamaru said. "He's not that kind of guy. Troublesome."

"Do you really think he would have left without a word?" Sakura said, her words dangerously quiet. "I was with him one second, and he was gone the next! Surely he would have left during the night, well-equipped, or... or something! Not now, not that suddenly! He knew I'd worry! He's not that stupid, Shikamaru-"

Shikamaru flicked the last bit of ash off his cigarette, letting the butt fall to the ground as he crushed it beneath his foot. "Everything you know about Naruto, and everything you know about Sasuke, never quite works when they're together."

I hate how Shikamaru is always right. She sighed deeply, looking into the sky. It was darkening quickly.

"I spoke to the guy we're meant to be stealing the scroll from." Shikamaru fumbled for the packet of cigarettes, his fingers meeting nothing but empty cardboard. He looked mildly irritated. "Well, he's not dead. But he told me not to worry about Naruto and Sasuke – told me that it would all be okay."

"So, what? You trust this old guy?"

Shikamaru shook his head. "No. But he's a well-respected fuuinjutsu master. People only have words of praise for him." He put his hands in his pockets, leaning against the wall and looking at the sky. "He helped Sasuke with something. I'm sure of it. Sakura, I think something big is going to happen."

"You're not making any sense-"

And, then the sky began to crack.

Yet, as Sakura and Shikamaru exchanged looks of horror and watched shards of the sky fall down, all she could think was,

Oh, for God's sake, what have those two done now?!

"So, I suppose we just... fix everything?"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "We have one day, idiot."

The blond huffed, folding his arms. "It was just a suggestion, bastard!"

Sasuke leaned back onto the grass. His eyes were pensive. "The massacre."

Naruto looked at the boy. As much as he sympathised with the pleasant idea of this Sasuke growing up happily, the matter was not an easy one. Itachi wasn't an easy foe, and Naruto had heard he had been a born genius. Even at this age, he wouldn't be easy to take down without wasting copious amounts of time and causing a ruckus. As far as Naruto knew, Itachi was also psychotic, most likely. He couldn't lie and say that killing Itachi was an easy situation. "Sasuke... Itachi won't be easy to kill. Even at that age..."

The raven closed his eyes. "No. I'll speak with him."

"Speak?" Naruto said incredulously. "You can't just talk him out of-"

"I will." Sasuke's voice was sharp, cold and firm, leaving no room for Naruto to argue.

"What about Orochimaru?"

Sasuke was silent for a moment, and Naruto supposed he was weighing up the pros and cons of eradicating Orochimaru altogether. He may not receive the training he did from the snake, but the man was a killer, a perverse man who abandoned and killed ruthlessly and thoughtlessly. A writhing snake indeed, grovelling on his stomach for immortality. Naruto couldn't see the point in it; spending your life struggling to extend it. It was just stupid.

"We can't go all the way to Sound in one day."

"But – but we can tell someone! The Third Hokage was killed by that- that-" Naruto was seething. Even Sasuke understood; he'd felt the Third Hokage's death, perhaps not as Naruto had but he'd been young at the time. Back then, Sasuke had cared. It felt distant.

Sasuke nodded.

"We can tell the Third Hokage himself! He can sort out everything- he'll make sure everything is fine." Sasuke could hear in Naruto's voice that he sounded delighted at the notion of the seeing the man well once again.

But the Uchiha shook his head. "This time isn't enough to decide whether that's a good idea. We don't know whether he'll do what we want." And, more importantly, when he finds out about the massacre, he may order Itachi to go through with it regardless.

"So what do you suggest we do?" Naruto huffed, folding his arms and looking questioningly at him.

Sasuke sat up. As sick as Naruto was, he certainly hadn't let himself become any less of an annoyance. He'd not expected anything less from the Uzumaki's gratingly stubborn nature.

"We tell Itachi."

"-eh!? Sasuke, why do you think Itachi will even listen to-"

"He's innocent."

Naruto went quiet, his angry expression melting into one of shock and a strange, subdued look, his open mouth closing. He broke eye contact with Sasuke, looking at the ground before leaning backwards and closing his eyes. "And this- all of this-"

Sasuke nodded. He understood completely what Naruto had said, though he'd really said nothing at all. He hadn't needed to. The idiot was persistent, naïve and ignorant to everything that happened most of the time, but Sasuke couldn't help but respect his aptitude with those around him.

What Naruto did not say was that Itachi had made this entire seal for him. He'd spent his life works on this, and gifted it to him. Left reality in Sasuke's tiny, tiny hands. Itachi had given him the opportunity to change everything, and given him the opportunity to carve out a happy future for himself, in another time. He was a pacifist by nature, Sasuke knew he could have prevented the coming about of shinobi altogether, killed Madara, benefited the whole of mankind – but Itachi had chosen him.

Itachi had chosen him, over everything else in this world. Sasuke felt his head pounding. Everything felt so distant. Nii-san, where are you? What do you want me to do?

"Oi. Sasuke."

Sasuke looked at Naruto, looked at his skin sallow and eyes sunken with sickness, and looked at his eyes. They pissed Sasuke off; no matter how sick, how dead Naruto was, they were always so bright, so persistent, even when Sasuke couldn't see them and hadn't seen them – they were always there. Strong, bright eyes, that almost made Naruto's irritating and annoying nature seem endearing. It never quite did. Naruto was still nothing more than an itch on Sasuke's flesh. Yet if Naruto was not there to bother him, the people Naruto had "inspired" and "saved" were. Sasuke often thought that he'd never be free of Naruto until they were both dead.

Not that he ever thought about Naruto.

"Usuratonkachi." The insult that had turned into a strange, friendly term of endearment felt alien to Naruto's ears. No one else called him that, and Sasuke hadn't used that name for him in a long time. He laughed.

The two spoke for the rest of the hour, Naruto speaking animatedly and Sasuke as quietly and coldly as usual at first glance, but perhaps his insults softer, kinder, his harsh demeanor less biting and cruel. You wouldn't say that the conversation was that of two ninja who'd fought together on the battlefield their whole lives; you wouldn't say they were best friends. But even if you didn't see Naruto's genuine smile, and even if you didn't see Sasuke's subdued smirks – if you knew Naruto, and you knew Sasuke, you'd know that the conversation went far further than what was spoken aloud. You'd know that Sasuke never smiled for anything, not for anyone. You'd know Naruto never did anything less than his big, confident grin.

No one had put it better than Shikamaru – Naruto and Sasuke were both predictable equations, until they were put together.

"It's almost been an hour. I don't know what to do! Do I stand up? Sit down? Are we going to fall out of mid-air or land on the ground? Sasuke-"

"Shut up, idiot." The Uchiha took off his jacket. Night was falling quickly, and Naruto felt uneasy as the sky began to darken, a soft bluish gradient stretching across it. Nonetheless, the air was humid, even without the clouds trapping heat within; the sun had heated the Earth and it was still warm beneath Naruto's feet.

"Are you sure about this? All of this-"

"Yes." Sasuke's voice was a brutally cold knife that cut straight through the thick, wet air. Naruto felt overpowered, finding only a little consolation in that he could still fight considerably well if he employed senjutsu. He found himself spurting out words, constant, useless words that just flowed out of his mouth in a substitute for the conversation he knew he'd have to have, though maybe he wouldn't. Sasuke was anything but stupid, and Naruto knew he'd taken one look at him and seen his limp, weak body.

The blond was immensely grateful that Sasuke had not taken advantage of it. It had not gone further than Sasuke's harsh jibe, and as hurtful as it had been – Naruto knew it was Sasuke's way of not asking. Not invading his privacy.

"What if… it doesn't work? Like, we do all this stuff… and the massacre still happens, Konoha is still destroyed, and everything is just… the same?" Naruto's voice was so weak; he felt like a sick child asking about his own death.

"Then it happens." Sasuke closed his eyes, holding the seal.

Naruto clutched the grass beside him, handfuls of wet grass as he pulled it out of the ground and let it fall gently- slowly. It's a strange feeling, to know that this world is going to die, and we'll be the only things left. No one will remember our world. No one will remember the attack of Pein. No one will remember Tsunade as Hokage. No one will remember any of it. Our world is over, and then, I'll just be a knuckle-headed kid again. The knotting thread of reality completely undone, forever.

"Are you alright, scaredy cat?"

Naruto's eyes widened. Did Sasuke just make a joke to lighten the atmosphere!? He spluttered, gritting his teeth. "Are you making fun of me?!"

The raven smirked at him.

In the midst of their quarrelling, Naruto stopped. Sasuke followed his gaze to the sky. In the mighty blue colour, there were cracks. Yes, cracks, fine cracks that spread and let through a blinding darkness like nothing Naruto had ever seen – falling, coming so close, and Naruto felt almost like the air was cracking too – everything was, everything, and then they were just sat, choking, where was the air - "Agh!"

He hit the ground hard.

Sasuke didn't make any noise at all, just wincing slightly as he sat up, and Naruto found himself in a world so surreal he had no idea what he was really doing here at all. Formed of nothing but darkness and cold, unnaturally sharp blocks, the world was just so empty. It made him shiver. The air didn't feel right either; as though it had nothing in it, but was sustaining them anyway.

"How long are we going to be here?" Naruto asked, moaning and looking bored. He couldn't help but feel that it was more out of fear. Naruto hated it here. The air, the atmosphere and uncertainty of it all made it feel as though the ground was going to be pulled out from beneath his feet any minute.

"Time's not really passing." Sasuke smirked at the blond boy as he twitched at the answer. The Uchiha supposed that time was passing here, but really, it wasn't going to be as "long" as it was... minus time? They were going back in time. So this wouldn't take any time at all. It would... give time? Sasuke felt his head aching.

"You know what I mean, asshole!"

"Shut up, usuratonkachi."

Naruto glared, cursing at him beneath his breath. He fell back heavily onto the makeshift ground. He'd felt comfier, but it wasn't as hard as he'd expected. He sighed, staring into the strange darkness above.

"Sakura-chan is dead," he whispered. "Tsunade-obaa-chan is dead, too. Kakashi-sensei. Iruka-sensei. Dead. I'll never see them again."

"You will."

Naruto rolled onto his side, staring blankly ahead. "Are they the same people? I'm a different Naruto. Why are we even doing this?"

The raven looked at Naruto, withdrawing a shuriken and running his finger along the straight yet jagged lengths. "This is our timeline that we are rewriting... they're us." Sasuke understood what Naruto was saying, but the Uchiha couldn't help but note the odd nature of it. That Naruto wouldn't want to help someone. That Naruto would just want to lay down and die. It was a thought that Sasuke couldn't quite accustom himself to, but- no, he was glad. He was glad Naruto would leave him the goddamn hell alone.

A sharp hacking brought him straight out of his thoughts, and his eyes focused to blood, blood on him and blood on the floor and blood on Naruto. Naruto was coughing, throwing up blood, and it was everywhere – spattered all over him and all over his clothes. Sasuke didn't have time to utter anything as he grabbed the blond by the side, laying him on the ground to his side and letting him throw up blood mixed with bile. He looks so sick, his face, his eyes-

"Goddamn- eurgh-"

Sasuke's eyes were cold, sharp, calculating. Naruto smiled.

"I'm just... a bit sick." And Naruto could feel the horrendous acute pains in his stomach, that made him clutch his knees to his torso and grit his teeth. The blond knew that something was wrong with the Kyuubi, something was very wrong with the Bijuu- hacking up more blood-

"How sick?"

The concern in Sasuke's voice was something that made Naruto want to cry. Masked by anger, annoyance, irritation, and yet – and yet-

"I'm dying," Naruto whispered. Sasuke looked at him with a look he didn't want to interpret, and then Naruto was yelling, punching Sasuke in the gut with all his strength, his arm aching as he watched Sasuke heaving for breath, coughing. Naruto face the floor, leaning on arms trembling beneath his weight- the weight he barely had- and he knew, by Sasuke's reaction that the raven had allowed it. Sasuke had allowed Naruto to do that. Out of a mutual understanding, that Naruto hadn't even known of.

"Pity," Naruto said.

"What?"

"You're pitying me." Naruto clenched his fists, staring at the solid metal ground below. "Like I'm pitiable."

Sasuke said nothing, and Naruto lunged for him again, before Sasuke grabbed him by the collar and violently lashed him onto the ground. The blond cried out, but knew that it would leave nothing more than a few bruises. The blond coughed, blood dripping from his lips and sliding into the cracks of his teeth.

"You are," Sasuke spat. "If you're going to be such a dead weight, I'll kill you and leave you here."

The Uzumaki sat up, and, wiping the blood of the corner of his mouth, grinned. It was a bloody grin, with red staining his chin and teeth, but it was bright, just as bright as it had ever been.

"Hmph! Bastard - I'll kill you first!"

Sasuke couldn't help but feel a reluctant relief as Naruto began laughing again.

"Fuck!"

The fall hadn't been all too great, Sasuke had to admit. Itachi probably hadn't accounted for something as fickle in his calculations, but it had been a relatively large fall. Whereas he hadn't much of a problem dealing with it, the same couldn't be said for Naruto. Dying, indeed; his bones were jutting already. Whatever illness it was, it was draining his muscle mass and fat so quickly.

Said idiot was rubbing his back and moaning, but stopped, sitting up and looking around. It was very late at night- Sasuke would have estimated midnight exactly. The moon was almost as full as he'd remembered it on that fateful night – a memory that still made his stomach churn.

"Sasuke- Sasuke. It's Konoha."

Sigh. "Yeah." I know. We've planned this for an hour now.

"It was destroyed, but- but look. That's the Hokage tower. There's my apartment complex! Everything- everything is here," Naruto said. His voice was shaky, and the love for his home village was obvious. Sasuke absent-mindedly wondered how one could love such a hateful village.

He took a moment to absorb his surroundings, noting that they were on the Hokage Mountain, overlooking the vast village. Sasuke took a moment to drag Naruto over, away from the village and out of sight.

"We can't afford for anyone to come looking for us. Let's stay out of sight for now."

Naruto nodded, pouting like a scolded dog. "Before... we go anywhere, let's go to my apartment."

The place was as cold, if not colder than outside.

Sasuke was surprised it was permitted for a kid to live in a place like this. Though, Naruto hadn't been considered a kid most of the time; more an animal and scapegoat. The apartments themselves were located in a poorer area. But as they entered the apartment, there were certain things that Sasuke could see were not from any kind of child's mess; like the blankets pinned up over certain parts of the wall to cover abusive spray point that Naruto hadn't been able to remove. Little shards of broken glass, where it was obvious the window had been broken recently but quickly replaced. Abuse. It made Sasuke feel maybe a tiny bit sorry for the kid. For Naruto.

Naruto had obviously seen Sasuke analysing the place, because he briefly opened his mouth to say something before closing it and continuing to walk. Naruto nodded at Sasuke, and Sasuke understood. If Naruto saw Sasuke, that would be fine. But if Naruto saw Naruto, that would be when the problems arose. Sasuke walked in first.

The young child was just that- so young. So small. 7. Sasuke had felt like 7 had been a big age, looking up to such a prodigious older brother who had been excelling at that age. But Naruto was so, so small, in a huge bed – a single bed – wrapped in blankets. From behind him, Naruto tapped his shoulder, ushering him out into the hall.

"What?"

Naruto fumbled in his pocket for something- before bringing out a small photo. It was his mother, a beautiful red-headed woman who looked matronly and kind, clutching a pregnant stomach and blushing. He walked into the hall, fumbling in his own drawers for a pen. "Write on the back of this," Naruto whispered. "Saying, 'I love you very much. Eat well, and always smile. Become the best ninja you can. You can do it. Love from, Mother.'"

"Why can't you do it?"

"My handwriting is a mess, and yours is more feminine."

Sasuke said nothing at the comment (the blond swore he saw his eyebrow twitch), but wrote it nonetheless, handing Naruto back the photo as he crept into his room. Naruto reached into his pocket one last time, bringing out his wallet. It was bulging with money, and he gave it to Sasuke. The raven raised an eyebrow.

"He needs it."

He nodded, taking the photo and money and placing it on the young childs' bedside. Sasuke felt his breath catch in his throat when the young Naruto stirred, turning his head from it's face down position to looking at Sasuke. The eyes were open, and Sasuke's trained ears could hear Naruto quickly getting out of sight.

The child blinked, his eyes half-lidded with sleep.

"Who are you?"

Fuck. Shit. "I'm- an angel."

Sasuke thought he heard Naruto choking back laughter in the hall for a second.

"An angel, huh?" The younger Naruto rolled over, staring at the ceiling before crossing his arms and yawning. "I don't believe you."

"Why?" How the hell do I act like an angel? What do angels even do?!

"Angels haven't come to help me before."

"We- only come and help if you really need us."

The younger Naruto rolled over, pressing his face into his pillow and looking straight forward. "I did. I did need you."

Shit. "Well... uh..." Fuck. "Is there anything you want?"

"Huh?"

"Anything. I'll give you one wish." I hope he doesn't ask for a goddamn lifetime supply of ramen. Fucking Naruto, leaving me in here on my own-

"Really?! Any wish I want?!" The kid had bounced out of bed, kneeling and bouncing on the bed in a mere second.

Oh Jesus. "Yes. But only one."

The younger Naruto didn't even hesitate.

"A family! A tou-san, or, or a kaa-san – or a nii-san, or a nee-san! Any... any will do!" Sasuke felt himself feeling sorry for the kid. It was a pitiful sight. "Just a family. Any... any will do."

What a thing to ask for. Any regular child would ask for a world of ice cream.

But Sasuke'd had a feeling it would be this; Sasuke had had a feeling it would be for a family, or for friends. And he knew just how to do it.

He couldn't say why he was doing it. Sasuke didn't know himself. But maybe – just a little bit – he felt like he might of, somehow-

-cared about what happened to Naruto.

"I'll give you the best family you could have asked for."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

The moment they got out of earshot, Naruto began laughing hysterically.

"Angel?! You?! I must have been senile!" He doubled over laughing in the middle of the street, people peering out of their windows at the two hooded men in the street. "And how exactly do you think you're going to keep these promises you're throwing out?"

Sasuke folded his arms, waiting for the boy's laughter to die down. "I know who'll take care of him."

Naruto's laughing stopped, looking up at the raven with a skeptical look. "I don't think you understand how hated I was- how hated I am. Whatever. This time-travel stuff is really confusing." He stood up, brushing off the knees of his clothing before folding his arms.

"Are you sure you're not just an idiot?"

Naruto gritted his teeth, and began walking, muttering profanities under his breath. "So, where to next, Sasuke?"

"Itachi."

Naruto's eyes widened and his jaw dropped, as he realised what exactly Sasuke had been planning all along.

It was past midnight, now. Maybe 3, 4 in the morning. Neither of them were sure, but the sun was far below the horizon, its light producing a tiny, intangible gradient at the edge of the sky. It was a cloudless night, tiny pinpricks of red-blue-white light peering through the night sky. The Uchiha complex was eerie in the night, the homes quiet and ominous. Sasuke couldn't help but feel threatened as they crept through the complex, the home of the police force.

He was only glad for the fact he and Naruto were such high calibre shinobi. If not for that, Naruto's sickness would have rendered him a complete burden by now. He was annoying enough without Sasuke having to lug him around.

They arrived at the Uchiha complex, and Sasuke felt himself frozen as they infiltrated the home. He felt like crying. What a feeling – his mother and father were sleeping upstairs, happily – as was his younger self – and Itachi. Yet, Sasuke felt like someone was gripping his heart tightly, relentlessly when he remembered he would not be able to see the wonderful, soft smile of his mother again. As he had dreamt, all these years. Even his father's stern and never-quite-approving smile was something he'd have died to see again. The longing was overwhelming – the longing to go upstairs and burst into their bedroom, hold them and cry like a child.

Naruto must have sensed his feelings, because the blond caught his attention and nodded his head towards the upstairs. Sasuke shook his head; he knew his brother too well. Even beneath chakra suppression techniques, Itachi would know they were here.

Hopefully, he would also know why.

Sure enough, quietly, and with his sword drawn, Itachi descended the stairs. Sasuke had half-heartedly hoped that Itachi'd have come downstairs in his pyjamas, so he could feel some sense of amusement, but he hadn't. He'd come down in shinobi gear, and Sasuke knew he had not been sleeping. The Uchiha supposed that if he were in his place, he wouldn't sleep either. What person could possibly sleep, with such a hefty burden breaking their back?

Seeing his brother's face again made his heart hurt, but it was such a strange sensation to notice that he was indeed taller than the boy. Sasuke didn't know why he hadn't expected that, but Itachi had always been taller; a tall, admirable figure in his life. Itachi nodded to outside, and they tentatively escaped once again. Sasuke couldn't help but notice, as they crept through the shadows of the Uchiha district, Itachi had led the way. Even at the age of 13, he led the way. He knew it was something about Itachi's presence. Something about his kindness, knowledge and calmness that made you feel as though your life would be not only safe, but better off in his hands.

They reached the forestry of the Training Grounds quickly and without incident, and Itachi turned to them, unsheathing his sword once again. Yet, as he looked at Sasuke, it was as though he immediately knew.

"Sasuke," he whispered. "So, it worked."

"Nii-san." Sasuke felt like his stomach was falling – he had such a great deal to say, but not enough time or will-power-

"Do you still say that?" Itachi's eyes were sad. "After all I've done."

"How do you know what you've done?"

"I know what I'm going to do." Itachi had lowered his sword, the shining blade hanging limply by his side. "You look so different, Sasuke. So tall, strong... filled with hatred."

Sasuke shook his head. "I found out the truth, after hating you my whole life. Abandoning Konoha. I decided... that Konoha needed to be destroyed, for what it did to you. Our family."

Itachi looked disappointed, but only slightly. "It's done nothing to me, Sasuke. I must perform the inevitable. To avoid war, Sasuke." He looked up at Sasuke – what a strange sensation – and looked melancholy. "You came here to convince me otherwise, didn't you?"

Sasuke didn't laugh, but he felt like he should've. "What else?"

"If I don't do it, then someone else will."

"Then let them," Sasuke whispered. "But let me have a big brother."

Itachi looked conflicted, stricken by Sasuke's words. "If it was that easy..."

Naruto felt like an intruder on the whole situation, but couldn't hold back a hacking cough that sprayed blood all over the two. The pain in his stomach – oh fuck –

"Oi, Naruto!"

"Naruto, huh," Itachi mused. "The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki. He became your comrade?"

"No."

The grip on Sasuke's arm that Naruto had been using to support himself turned into a pinching grip. "Bastard..."

Itachi let a soft, subdued smile cross his face watching the odd exchange between the two. He didn't need to see them in battle to know that they were friends. Sasuke appeared reluctant, and Itachi was sure he was, but he knew that the two were closer than they'd ever admit. "Are you alright?"

"He's fine. I have a couple of favours to ask, Itachi."

Itachi nodded at Sasuke. "Yes?"

"The first being... Naruto. This world's Naruto."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "Naruto?" His eyes widened in realisation. "You want me to take him in?"

Sasuke began to stutter on his words, looking faintly embarrassed. "Uh, long story short-"

"-Sasuke told Naruto he was an angel, and he promised him a brother!" Naruto finished, hiccupping into hysterical laughter. Itachi too, looked at his younger brother with a laughing expression.

Sasuke tried to move past the subject. "It was on the spot improvisation, so, anyway-"

"Ahahahaha!" Naruto's laughter was deafening, and Sasuke twitched.

For some reason, Itachi found himself holding back laughter too. He nodded, smiling. "I suppose I could take young Naruto in. It may be for the best for me to move out now anyway."

"Oh God, my fucking sides-"

"You're under suspicion for Shisui's murder anyway, aren't you?"

"-a fucking angel! Sasuke!"

"It won't seem too abrupt, I suppose," Itachi said. The corners of his mouth were twitching, as were Sasuke's eyebrows.

"-was it a Freudian slip or something? Jesus, I just can't-"

Itachi found himself chuckling, and he covered his mouth in a half-hearted attempt to cover his laughing. Sasuke found himself blushing, clenching his fists and gritting his teeth in his attempts to try and salvage his bruised ego.

"Don't you laugh at me too, Itachi!"

He did, and the field began echoing with the sound of two people laughing and the other indignantly protesting and unsuccessfully trying to get some genuine points across.

"Otouto-" Itachi stopped himself. "Ah, maybe that doesn't quite apply." After all, Sasuke was now older and taller than him.

Itachi couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the situation. A couple years ago, he had began the seal, and now these people had come from a time where things hadn't gone all too well. This timeline. Itachi had committed the acts he did, and though he was yet to ask, things seemed to have gone relatively terribly. This Naruto boy, too, was dying.

He'd met Minato on a couple of occasions. He had only been young, but the man was imposing yet kind. Strong, agile, but funny and good with children. He'd never treated Itachi like he was younger than him, which Itachi had always liked, since he'd never felt like he was. The man was dead, Naruto his only legacy – and maybe Itachi felt some sort of duty, maybe he should have taken care of Naruto too. The boy was dying now, but of course – Itachi had a second chance. A chance to give young Naruto a life he'd never known.

"It's tonight, then." They'd stopped to have tea in a small tea shop, Sasuke employing the technique that had been used on Naruto when they'd met, thanks to his Sharingan. "You'll kill them tonight, under Danzo's orders."

The place was empty, and Sasuke had ordered tamryoku-cha. It was strong, and the scent cleared his head. Itachi had ordered a sweeter tea, by the smell, but Sasuke didn't know what. The shop had only just opened.

"Our clan is a terrible sacrifice, Sasuke." Itachi looked forlornly at his tea, but Sasuke soon realised he was looking at his own hands. It made his heart feel like it was twisting. Sasuke did not know how he could have ever mistaken his brother for a manic killer, even with all the indicating evidence. "It is better than the entirety of Konoha. The instigation of war."

"War," Sasuke repeated. "War. I'd rather war."

Itachi closed his eyes, shaking his head. "You haven't seen what I've seen, Sasuke."

No matter what, Itachi carried the heavy burden of wisdom – no matter what time, era or anything. No matter how old and weathered Sasuke had become, Itachi was eternally older than him. Wiser.

Naruto looked, not bored per se, but distracted, eyes wandering outside of the window. His love for the village was as clear as day to both of them. A smile ran across his face as he looked at the familiar buildings, even the ground. The mere existence of it made his heart pound.

"In the letter you wrote to me, you admitted you'd done wrong." Sasuke took a sip of his tea. "This can't be the right way to go about it, Nii-san. Who ordered the massacre?"

"Danzo."

"And who ordered the coup?"

Itachi's grip tightened around his drink. "Otou-san- Uchiha Fugaku."

Sasuke bit his tongue and forced out words he wished he'd never have had to say.

"Then we'll have to kill them."

Itachi was gone.

Fugaku had noticed the moment he had woken up. He'd not felt Itachi's chakra in a sleep-like state before he had fell asleep himself, and he suspected the Uchiha had escaped the moment he knew everyone in the house was in a deep sleep. He felt his muscles tighten, and he closed his eyes, trying to reign in his anger. Fugaku had no idea where he could have possibly gone wrong, in the upbringing of a seemingly perfect child – to bring about a traitor.

Shisui had been found dead, and the cause of death was from drowning himself. Yet, all suspected Itachi. Even he did; though the cause seemed concievable, the circumstance did not. Fugaku couldn't help but think, however, that it was odd that Itachi could conduct in such a stupidly obvious way. He'd have expected his son to make a more clean killing – ah, that wasn't right at all. He hadn't 'expected' his son to do anything like this at all.

Mikoto was already up, and as he dressed and went downstairs, she was preparing food. Fugaku could sense the woman was attempting to find some sense of normalcy in the midst of this mess, and she turned to smile at him.

"Sasuke isn't up yet. He seemed sleepy."

Fugaku nodded, and he knew that she knew. She'd have probably known from the moment she woke up as well, and as he took some paperwork and sat down, he wondered if she knew what was coming.

"Where do you think he's gone?" Her voice was quiet, yet worried – it angered Fugaku, that she could consider her son innocent. That she could worry about him, even though he was but a traitorous dog to Fugaku.

"Back to the council, like the lapdog he is, no doubt."

"Don't speak of him like that." Mikoto's voice was sharp and firm. Sometimes Fugaku forgot that she had been a jounin in her own right in her youth.

Fugaku snorted. "You should know better than to let a traitor mar the iron will of the Uchiha. Son or not."

Mikoto put down her cooking knife, placing both hands on the counter and bowing her head. She was shaking, and for a moment Fugaku suspected it was with tears, before realising that she was shaking with pure, unadulterated anger.

"Do not speak of our son as a thing. A 'traitor'! You raised him, Fugaku-"

"-and he has betrayed us, Mikoto! As an Uchiha, it is his duty to use his talent for the clan, and he murdered Shisui-"

"You don't know that for certain!"

"He did, and you know it, Mikoto." Fugaku's tone was becoming more forceful and demanding by the minute, and he felt himself becoming tense with anger. "The clan raised him, and he has the audacity to kill one of our own. You know that the council is behind this. The Uchiha rightfully belong as rulers, and he could claim that title if he were not so-"

"Not so what?" Mikoto asked, her voice low and dangerous with fury. "Not so what, Fugaku?! Kind?! Our son is a gentle boy, and you know it! You should have known Itachi would not want anything to do with the bloody reign of the Uchiha! I sympathise with him!"

A deadly silence fell.

"You what?"

"I sympathise with him," Mikoto repeated. Tears fell from her eyes. "I sympathise with him, I do, I do, I do!"

The woman shut her eyes, holding the sides of her head as she cried.

"Get out, Mikoto."

"Fugaku-"

"Get out."

The woman rushed out of the home in floods of tears, and Itachi silently thanked his father for the favour.

Mikoto left the house just in time to miss the murder of her husband.

"Itachi."

"Otou-san."

The man sighed deeply, letting his head loll back on his chair. "A pacifist as always, Itachi."

Itachi said nothing, but Fugaku saw the blade held to his throat shook with the unsteady poise of Itachi's hand.

"I'm sorry it's come to this." Fugaku turned his gaze to the hooded man that was accompanying him. The man turned to Itachi.

"Nii-san, I can't let you do this." Nii-san- what, Sasuke? "I will take this burden."

Itachi paused. "Sasuke, I-"

"No. You have a life ahead of you. I have a day."

The man lowered his hood, and walked over to Fugaku.

It was unmistakably Sasuke, but he was altogether very different. In height, stature, but what bothered him was the cold, cold eyes. No happy, carefree smiles, no naivety. At one point, he may have been glad for such a transformation, but now, it just terrified him.

"You can't be Sasuke," he breathed. "Sasuke's just a child."

"If we don't kill you, the whole clan must be killed." The Sasuke-lookalike closed his eyes and knotted his eyebrows, as though recalling an unpleasant memory. "Sasuke will be alone in the world. For the sake of cleansing the Uchiha, he will lead a life of hatred."

Sasuke's voice was rising, becoming more passionately forceful and strong as he spoke. "I will kill you, and I will eradicate this fate. I will save my family. My mother, my brother. My aunties and uncles. If that is at the cost of your life, so be it!"

"From the future. You're from the future." Fugaku's revelation was quiet. He looked at Sasuke, and smiled. Sasuke had never seen such a smile from the man before. Never seen such an honest approval, such an honest pride – never for him.

"You've grown into a fine young man, Sasuke. I'm sorry for everything I must have done to you. I... am very proud of you, Sasuke. Itachi." Sasuke felt himself choking, holding back tears. "You both represent more than the Uchiha name to me. You are my sons."

Sasuke could hear the patter of Itachi's falling tears.

"It's far too late now," Fugaku said. "The coup has already been initiated. My death should be signal enough for the Uchiha."

"Please tell Mikoto I love her dearly."

Sasuke nodded, and with shaking hands and tearful eyes, ran his sword straight through his father's heart. In the minutes after, he could not bring himself to withdraw the blade from his father's chest. The tears did not stop.

Ero-sennin,

I haven't been writing because, I've been... well, busy. With time-travel, and stuff. It's a long story, but I'm sure you're watching anyway!

Sasuke and Itachi left to go kill their father. To stop the coup. I'll be with them when we go to kill Danzo – Danzo won't be an easy opponent, especially with ROOT.

I'm so sick, Ero-sennin. I finally understand why Itachi brought me along; for the Kyuubi's chakra. The Kyuubi must have been keeping my illness at bay with the crazy healing – for it to have overcome him, I must have been really ill. Itachi used that chakra to power the time travel, and now that he's gone... I'm just withering. Dying. I know I'm going to die today anyway, but I'm really scared I'll die before the deadline at midnight.

I gave my kid self a picture of my mother. Maybe it'll cheer him up. I never understood why they didn't give me a picture of her anyway.

Sasuke. I met Sasuke, Ero-sennin.

I never got to bring him home, but I'm spending my... our last day together. We're the only people alive from that timeline, now. Are they dead, or... I don't know. I don't think Itachi knew, either. I wonder who's up there, with you.

Sasuke's been... nice. He's colder, harsher than he used to be... but he's himself. If I'm moping, he knows how to get me up and running. It gives me hope that maybe, underneath it all, he's still there. That bastard in Team 7.

It doesn't matter now. Nothing does.

I can't help but feel stupid that everything I worked to do doesn't even matter anymore. That we're just resetting the clock, but... I'm happy. I'm really happy, too, because we get a second chance. A second chance to live life again.

Ero-sennin, I promise that this time, I'll bring about world peace. I'll bring about a day where shinobi can understand one another.

I never go back on my word.

See you soon,

Naruto

AN: It's too goddamn long. I even tried to cut down the writing in some scenes here (less is more in emotional scenes sometimes) but it's still at around 8000. Not cool.

Please review and tell me how to improve! The more advice you give me, the better this will get. So, please.

(Also please tell me if anything is badly worded, confusing, etc. - Again, improvement.)