Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. That right goes to Masashi Kishimoto.

Chapter 4:

They reached Naruto's apartment and stepped inside, closing the door behind them and locking it, before they went over to the couch and sat down. Sasuke looked at Minato, who dropped his henge and started in immediately, "Your eyes are correct. I am Minato Namikaze, the Yondaime Hokage. I am also Naruto's father, though it was kept secret from him until Kakashi told him. Kami sent me back to the Living Realm after she'd seen Naruto's hardships, to be a father for my son."

Sasuke's eyes widened, but then he grew thoughtful, "And why did you decide to tell me?"

Minato sighed, "One was your friendship with Naruto. The other...is a lot more difficult and a lot to take in, but I think that you can handle it."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, "What is it?"

Minato wordlessly unsealed the file he'd stolen, "Read this and you will understand. I'm sorry if this hurts you, but I felt that you deserved to know. I beg of you not retaliate against the village. It was all Danzo Shimura to blame for this."

Sasuke's eyes widened and he hesitated before he opened the file and read through it. As he went, tears rose up in his eyes and his hands started shaking as water dripped down his cheeks, "This...This...Is it all true?"

Minato nodded, "Yes, and as I said, please don't retaliate against the village. It was Danzo Shimura and I plan to...end him very soon. This…" Minato's hands started shaking in rage as his face became angry. His voice turned to a spit, "This is disgusting and unacceptable! I knew he ran ROOT! I disbanded it and as soon as I was dead, he restarted it! That damn man will get what's coming to him! The Yondaime, Yellow Flash of Konoha, Minato Namikaze, swears that much!"

The file dropped to the ground and Sasuke collapsed forwards, crying. Naruto quickly caught him in his arms and let him cry against his chest as he picked up the file. He read through it and a burning rage rose up inside of him. Tears rose up in his eyes as he realized what Sasuke was going through. Damn Danzo! Damn him! He would pay for causing this much pain to his friend! He would pay!

He put the file on the table with a look of disgust and wrapped his arms around Sasuke completely. He hugged him tightly, "God, I'm so sorry, Sasuke. You don't deserve this. Danzo will pay. I won't let this...this crime go unpunished! Never! And I never go back on my word!"

Sasuke laid in his arms, tears dripping down his face and Naruto held him tightly, wanting to somehow comfort him, somehow help with his pain. Minato watched this with sadness in his eyes and he leaned forward, "I...I'm truly sorry that I had to cause you pain to read this, but I felt as though you deserved to know that your brother loved you more than anyone else. He loved you so much that he killed his family and left for a life of loneliness and betrayal to help you survive. He showed you what he did because he wanted to give you a reason to live. He wanted you to chase him and kill him so that he would pay for his sins. Itachi is a good man. He's stronger than me, that much I know."

Sasuke was silent a moment and then he spoke in a cracked whisper, "All along...All along, he cared. He loved me. Brother, why? Why did you have to go? Why are you so far away?"

Naruto clenched his fists and looked up at his father. He didn't know what to do. Sasuke was in pain and there was nothing that he could do for his only friend. Minato's face grew hard as he saw the distraught boys and he picked up the folder, "I am going to deal with Danzo. I think that it's about time he got what was coming to him. Naruto, Sasuke, I'll be back."

Naruto nodded, but Sasuke was unresponsive, still shaking in near silent sobs in his friend's arms. Minato jumped from the window silently, not even raising a henge. It was late and he was fast.

After a bit Naruto grabbed his friend and took him to his room, where he sat on the bed against the wall and held Sasuke in his arms tightly. After a bit, Sasuke looked up, "Naruto?"

"Yes?"

"You...You don't think me weak, do you?"

Naruto grew confused, "Why would you think that?"

"I haven't cried in years and I just cried over this."

"Oh, Sasuke, no. You're not weak. This was something that me, not even knowing your brother well, cried over. You both had to go through so much. You're not weak, never weak. I'm sure."

Sasuke was silent a minute, then, "Do you think...that Itachi will think me weak? Do you think that your father can get him back? I hated him all of these years, never knowing the truth and now...I want him back. I want him back badly, more than anything."

Naruto smiled reassuringly, "My dad will get him back. I know he will. I will always be there, even when he does. I don't think you're weak and neither will your brother. Don't worry about that. You're very strong. Believe in yourself, Sasuke."

Sasuke looked back down and rested his forehead against Naruto's chest, "You think so?"

"I know so."

Sasuke sighed in relief, "Thank you for believing in me even when I've shown weakness. It means a lot."

"Of course, Sasuke. Always."

OoOoOo

Sarutobi puffed on his pipe, looking at the last of the paperwork he had to finish before bed when someone rushed in the door, "Hokage-sama! Danzo Shimura's been murdered!"

Sarutobi's eyes widened, "What?! By who?!"

A file suddenly flew onto his desk and a cold voice spoke, "Me, for high treason against Konoha and the Hokage."

His head whipped around and the ANBU tensed into a fighting form. Sarutobi spoke, "Come out! Now!"

A tall man stepped from the shadows. First, the bottom hem of a cloak with red flames on it, then the light rose up to reveal that the rest of the cloak was white. It finally hit the intruder's face and lit up his bright blue eyes, though now ice-cold, and his bright blonde hair. He looked at Sarutobi, "I am disappointed, Hiruzen. I am disappointed that the village I gave my life for fell to this!" The last word was spat as he pointed at the folder.

Sarutobi gasped, "M-Minato?! How?!"

"I came back for my son! My son who didn't even know who I was! I came back to life for him and I came back to...to this, this! An innocent thirteen year old was forced to kill his entire clan, his family! And torture his little brother! He was forced to kill all of them for Goddamn Danzo! He was forced to abandon his little brother, who he cared about more than his life! Danzo told Itachi Uchiha that either he would kill the entire clan, including Sasuke, or Itachi would kill the entire clan and leave only his brother alive! I am disgusted! I am disgusted at this village! I don't even know if it's worth saving anymore! You tell me! You tell me why this village was worth my life, all my son's mistreatment, all his abuse! Tell me why I should've made Naruto live without his parents for a village that would do this!"

Sarutobi's mouth was open in shock and the ANBU was frozen in horror as Minato finished. Sarutobi wordlessly grabbed the file and read through it, his eyes widening and then narrowing, "Cat, tell the council that Danzo Shimura was accused of high treason and has been proven guilty. Tell them that he was executed."

The ANBU unfroze and was about to leave when Minato spoke, "Don't tell them about me yet and don't mention Itachi's situation. His life will be in grave danger if word gets out that he's not a missing-nin anymore. I will contact the boy myself."

The ANBU nodded, "Hai, Yondaime-sama." Then she was gone.

Sarutobi then looked at Minato to see him pinching his nose and taking deep breaths to calm himself, before he sat down in the chair across from the third Hokage and spoke in a cold voice, though now more controlled, "Why, Hiruzen Sarutobi, did this happen? Why did this village go down so low? Why was my son treated like a monster? And most importantly, why did you not investigate the Uchiha incident further? A clan genius does not kill his entire family for 'power' as he put it. Answer my questions truthfully and I might not horribly mutilate you when you're done."

Sarutobi paled. You would have better luck escaping the Shinigami than Minato Namikaze's wrath and he knew it. He'd seen it. He gulped and then sat forward, "Naruto was because you have many enemies. He was going to find out when he became at least chunin level so that he could defend himself. I tried my hardest to help him. I told the village he was a hero, but they did not listen, so I passed a law not to mention the kyuubi in the village unless in history lessons."

Minato's eyes narrowed, "I see. While I understand your reasoning, I do not approve. My son has been through Hell and back because you did not tell them who he was. Continue. Itachi?"

Sarutobi sighed, "I'm afraid that Danzo fooled me in that account. I knew only that Itachi killed his entire clan and said that it was to 'test his limits'. I knew of the rebellion they were planning, but Danzo's words overpowered my gut feeling, so I did not investigate further."

"I see. That is...disappointing. I want Itachi pardoned, but I don't want it announced yet. I will go to him myself and tell him. If word gets out that he was framed or coerced into doing it, his life will be in grave danger."

"Are you sure that's a good idea, Minato?"

"Yes, I want this righted. Sasuke is at Naruto's house in pieces after hearing the truth about Itachi. He needs his brother. I will most likely leave tomorrow. According to Danzo's files, Itachi is in Rain at the Akatsuki Headquarters. I will go there and get him."

Sarutobi sighed, "Alright, if you insist, Minato." He suddenly gained a small smile, "But you have to help me with the paperwork that comes with this."

Minato smirked, the dark mood gone, "Wanna hear the secret to paperwork?"

Sarutobi's eye lit up, "What is it?!"

Minato chuckled, "Shadow clones."

Sarutobi's eyes went wide and the he wordlessly pulled out a small square of wood that had a chibi Tobirama on it. The Tobirama was holding up a target and little words in the corner said to use in cases of extreme stupidity. Sarutobi then started slamming his head into the target, "Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid."

Minato chuckled and stopped him, "You're going to get a concussion. Well, have fun with that."

Sarutobi nodded and Minato was gone.

OoOoOo

Naruto looked at him, "Are you really going? You just got here."

Minato sighed, "I know I did. I know, but I'm going to get Itachi back for your friend. I'll leave a shadow clone with you. How about that? It's not as good as the real me, but I'm the only one that can do this safely."

Naruto sighed and looked at the sleeping Sasuke on his couch, before he turned back, "Alright, it's fine. Sasuke deserves someone to love him too. Don't worry about the clone. I don't want you to waste your chakra. I'll see you when you get back, dad. You better be back in one piece."

Minato smiled and cast a henge, "Alright, I'll sure try, sunshine. Goodbye. Be good for Kakashi."

Naruto smiled as well, "I'll certainly try."

Minato nodded and then he was gone out the window. Naruto immediately missed him, but he knew that Sasuke deserved a loving person too. He sighed and went to take a shower, glad that his dad had fixed the water problem.

OoOoOo

Minato arrived at the edge of Rain and looked to see a large tower in the distance. Now he just needed to find out about Itachi's location and find him. Hopefully, he wasn't too far away or it would be difficult.

He crept through the foliage quietly, hiding from all eyes, until he arrived in a small clearing. He jumped into a tree and sat down, crossing his legs and closing his eyes, before he spread his senses out. He was a very good chakra sensor, though he hadn't told anyone, and had read Sasuke's quite well. Now he was looking for something similar.

He finally found it along with one that sensed of water and large chakra stores and he hopped down and went that direction. He arrived to see two figures leaning against a tree. One was a fishlike man and he was sleeping and the other was watching around him warily with black eyes. Minato could tell that he was an Uchiha by his looks and his chakra.

He thought a moment and then slipped behind a tree and did a henge. He needed to pull Itachi away from the other man. He crept out, purposefully raising his chakra to levels that someone could sense, though just barely so to stop Itachi from studying his chakra and realizing right away that it was a strong opponent.

He slipped out and went through the tall grass and he saw Itachi's head whip his direction as a kunai left his sleeve and fell into his hand. The Uchiha stood and came towards him and he quickly ran away, hiding his looks for now. Itachi followed him until they were out of the fishlike man's range of view and he stopped behind a tree.

He heard footsteps and then they stopped behind the tree and he pulled out a scroll from his pocket. He tossed it around the tree and heard a gasp and someone jump back, but when the scroll didn't blow up or anything of the sort, he heard it get grabbed and unrolled.

He heard another gasp and he stayed silent, before a deep male voice spoke, "What is this? What is the meaning of this? Who are you and why have you come?"

He spoke, still staying out of firing range, "I came to deliver that to you, Itachi Uchiha. Only I had the skill to do so and I felt it my job. Sasuke wants you back. He was broken up at my son's house when I left to find you. He's very upset."

Itachi's tone became suspicious, "And how did he find out the truth?"

"I told it to him and then I went and murdered Danzo for causing you and Sasuke so much pain. Danzo never told the Hokage of his plans. He simply went through with them and forced you, an innocent thirteen year old at the time, to kill your family. It disgusted me, so I went a buried a kunai through his cold heart. Then, I ripped the fake arm he had made that was filled with stolen Sharingan off. I sealed it away and left it for Hiruzen. Sarutobi pardoned you, as that scroll says, but it's not common knowledge because I didn't want you to get killed."

Itachi was silent a moment, "I want to see your face."

"So you can use your Sharingan to prove that I'm not lying?"

"Yes." Minato sighed and then stepped out from behind the tree to see Itachi standing there with the scroll in his hand. The Uchiha's eyes widened when he saw him, "Yondaime-sama?!"

"Yes, I was brought back to life for my son, Naruto. Naruto is Sasuke's friend, and therefore, I feel responsible for the boy. I want to see him happy once more, which is why I came."

Itachi's eyes widened further as his Sharingan revealed that this was the truth and then he looked at the scroll again, "Then...this is real? I'm a Konoha nin again?"

"Yes, you are a Konoha nin again, but only if you wish to be so. I can tell you that Sasuke wants you very much and I can also say that I have a way that we can very convincingly 'fake your death' so that you're not chased and Sasuke's not put in danger on our way back."

Itachi looked at him with a newfound hope, "You...can help me see my brother again?"

"Yes, Itachi. I swear that I will help you see your brother again."

Itachi looked down at the scroll and then rolled it up and slipped it away and looked up, "Alright. Let's do this. I want to see Sasuke again."

Minato smiled and nodded, before he made a rapid succession of hand seals. A blood clone of Itachi appeared next to them, looking around, and Minato spoke, "This is a real blood clone, a real body. It's your blood clone. We will destroy this and because of this certain jutsu, it won't disappear."

Itachi nodded and then slipped off his Akatsuki cloak and put it on the clone. He slipped the ring off of his finger and then his slashed Konoha headband and they both went on the clone. Satisfied, he stepped away, "Now what, Yondaime-sama?"

"Please call me Minato."

"Now what Minato-sama?"

Minato groaned and then pulled out his kunai, "Killing blows on the clone and we will send it back to your teammate on Death's door, where he will tell your friend that it was Orochimaru and then die."

Itachi nodded and drew his own kunai, falling into a fighting stance, "We need to destroy its eyes somehow, so that Leader-sama cannot take the body for the Sharingan. Orochimaru has been aiming for my eyes since I left Konoha, so removing them would be the best option."

Minato nodded, "Alright, let's do this."

OoOoOo

Kisame woke up to staggering footsteps and he whipped his head around to find Itachi. Sure that kid freaked him out a bit, killing his entire family and all, but he didn't want him dead nonetheless.

He didn't see him and then footsteps got closer. He stood, eyeing the bushes near the footsteps he was hearing. His eyes widened in shock when the identity was revealed. Itachi had his clothes in tatters and blood pouring from multiple wounds spanning across his body. His eyes were closed and blood poured from underneath the eyelids, going down his face in streams.

Kisame gasped and Itachi came closer, before falling to his knees and speaking in a faint and slightly gargled voice, "K-Ki...sa...me."

Kisame rushed forwards and caught him as he collapsed forwards, "Itachi, what happened?!"

"O-O...ro...chi...ma...ru...stole...m-my...eyes...I...I...ma...naged...t-to...c-crush th-them...b-but...he...was...t-too...strong."

Itachi! Hold on! Leader can heal you!"

"N-No...too...late."

Kisame stood quickly, picking Itachi up with him as he went, and started rushing back to Rain Tower. He felt Itachi shudder in his arms and then fall limp. He looked down to see his head loll limply and his hand dangle from his arms, letting the small picture his teammate always carried of his little brother fall to the ground. Kisame's eyes closed as Itachi's chakra disappeared completely and then he picked up the picture of the little boy and tucked it into Itachi's cloak, before continuing his journey with the body in his hands.

He arrived and went upstairs, where he knocked on Leader's door. "Come in." He stepped in and the orange haired man looked up in curiosity. His eyes widened as he came across the dead body and he shot up, "What happened to him?!"

"He told me I could take a nap and he would keep watch while we waited for the client, so I fell asleep. I woke up to hear staggering footsteps and I jumped to the ready, but then Itachi came from the bushes looking like this. He said that Orochimaru attacked him and stole his eyes. He managed to crush the eyes so that Orochimaru couldn't use them, but he was fatally injured. He died on the way here."

Leader's face grew angry, "I see. Orochimaru will pay dearly for killing one of our own. That much I will make certain. Since Itachi's eyes are gone, I can't make him into a body, so we will bury him tomorrow. Leave me."

Kisame nodded and left.

OoOoOo

Meanwhile, Itachi and Minato jumped through the forest towards Konoha. Minato had given Itachi his Arashi look to henge into, so that they wouldn't get attacked. Konoha was two days travel from here, so they would get there shortly.

The Uchiha was nervous, he had to admit. He was worried that Sasuke would hate him. He was worried that he would only be seen as a threat that had to be eliminated. But his main concern was his brother. He'd been alone for so long because of him, been through so much pain. Would Sasuke be able to forgive him?

They finally arrived at the village and Minato stopped at the gates. The guards' eyes widened in shock as he saw Minato and the Yondaime gave a small amused smile, "Well, hello Kotetsu. Never thought you'd see me again, I see. How are you?"

"Y-Yondaime-sama?! How?!"

"I came back to life for my son."

"Your son, Yondaime-sama?"

"Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze is my son."

Kotetsu's eyes widened in shock yet again, "I-I see. You may enter, Yondaime-sama."

"Thank you, Kotetsu." They stepped inside and then jumped onto the rooftops, heading towards the Hokage Tower. They jumped inside and Minato spoke, "I have returned, Sarutobi."

Sarutobi looked up and his eyes caught on the henged Itachi, who was looking around warily. He waved his hand, "ANBU, you may go. This is the real Yondaime. I've already confirmed it."

The hidden ANBU left and Itachi relaxed a small amount, before he bowed with his hand over his heart in a fist, "Hokage-sama."

"You can stand, Itachi. There's no need to bow. Please rise."

Itachi rose up and moved his hand and Minato put a hand on his shoulder, "We don't want formalities, Itachi. I just wanted to let Sarutobi know that we got you back. I must say, he was quite upset when he learned of the truth behind the massacre. Danzo has been publicly announced executed for his crimes, though no one knows what the crimes were except a few and they won't share it."

Itachi nodded and relaxed even more, sighing in relief, "Thank you for giving me this chance to make it up to my brother."

Minato smiled, "No need to thank us, Itachi. We couldn't let an innocent man be hunted for something he had no choice about. Now, Naruto and Sasuke are probably at Naruto's apartment, but Sarutobi, if you please."

The third nodded and waved his hand. A picture appeared in his crystal ball of the two boys. Minato indeed recognized the background as Naruto's apartment and he nodded his head, "Thank you. If there is nothing else, I think it's about time Sasuke sees his brother again."

Then they were gone. They jumped towards Naruto's apartment and when they got there, Minato knocked, "I'm back Naruto."

"Dad!" The door opened to reveal Naruto and the younger blonde smiled and wrapped his father in a giant hug, "I missed you, dad!"

Minato chuckled, "Well, now I'm here and I brought a...guest. Is Sasuke here?"

Naruto's eyes lit up and he looked at Itachi and waved, "Hi, I'm Naruto."

Itachi nodded, "And I am Itachi."

"Come on! Sasuke's inside!"

They stepped inside and followed Naruto to the living room, where a chess board was sitting. Sasuke looked up and his eyes immediately transferred over to his henged brother. His eyes turned red and swirled with three tomoes and then he gasped and was up in seconds.

He crashed into his brother's chest and hugged him tightly and Itachi stumbled, before he looked down to see Sasuke crying into his chest. Hs expression immediately softened and he wrapped his arms around the crying boy. Naruto and Minato saw this and smiled, before they left to get dinner, leaving the two Uchihas alone. Itachi sat down on the couch, keeping his brother tight and rubbing his back and Sasuke just cried into his chest, clutching him tightly, "Nii-san, you're back. You're really back."

Itachi smiled, "Yes Ototo, I'm back. I'm sorry for ever leaving. I won't do it again, not to you."

Sasuke sniffled and looked up at him with hopeful eyes, "Really?"

"Yes, really." Sasuke smiled and laid his head on Itachi's chest, just listening and smiling happily. After a bit, Itachi spoke, "So, when did you awaken the Sharingan?"

He blinked in surprise and then smiled again and spoke, "A while back. Naruto's been helping me control it by training with me."

Itachi thought a moment and then nodded, "I'm glad."

Sasuke looked up, "Want to see something cool?"

"Oh, what?" Sasuke smirked and his eyes swirled faster, before they blended together to reveal his Mangekyou. Itachi's eyes widened in shock, "H-How?! When?!"

"A few months ago, right after I became a genin, Naruto was attacked...and killed. He died in front of me. An angry mob pitchforked him and then slashed his throat. I blamed myself because I hadn't been quick enough to stop the blade and then my eye started hurting. I'm glad that Naruto managed to find a way to come back. He's my only real friend here in the village."

"Do you know...how he managed to come back?"

Now, a new voice spoke, "Yeah, I'm a reincarnated soul. You've probably heard of Indra Otsutsuki, Itachi."

Itachi whipped his head around to see Naruto in the window with his father next to him, "H-How did you manage to sneak up on me?"

"My dad's the Hokage and I'm just good like that."

"Wait! You said Indra Otsutsuki! He's the first Sharingan wielder ever!"

Naruto smirked and hopped down, "I know he is, I mean I am."

His eyes swirled into his own Mangekyou and Itachi's eyes widened even further, "You...You mean that you have the Mangekyou as well?!"

"Yeah, and I was training Sasuke how to use his. I already warned him about the blindness and he only uses his Mangekyou in dire situations."

Itachi looked at Naruto in shock, "You're Indra Otsutsuki?"

"Yes, indeed I am."

"That's...wow, amazing. Does that mean that you can use all the powers of the Mangekyou?"

"Of course, all of them, and I won't go blind because of it. Now, dad and I brought you back some food, so here." He threw a bag of food and Itachi and he caught in, opening it to reveal pocky and tomatoes. He chuckled and handed Sasuke the tomatoes, which were devoured like a rampant beast, before he started on his pocky.

Naruto chuckled at their respective reactions and then smiled brightly, "Guess what! Dad says that Namikaze Cottage is repaired, thanks to old man Hokage, and we can go live there! There's four bedrooms, so everyone will get their own room. Will you guys come stay with us?"

Sasuke looked at Itachi and then back at Naruto and smiled, "Yeah, sure, Naruto."

Naruto's smile grew, "Yay! Did you hear that, dad?! They want to come stay with us!"

Minato chuckled, "Yes, I heard."

OoOoOo