R e d W a t e r

C h a p t e r VIII

It had bee a few weeks after the 'Kakashi incident'. Things were getting better for me. Mom was out of the house even more often than usual and this meant night visits to Itachi's apartment.

The night before everything went to hell, Itachi and I laid on his bed. We just lay there for the longest time, neither one of us feeling the need to talk right then. His warm body hugged me close enough that I could hear his heart beating. Itachi's fingers stroked my hair as I closed my eyes, feeling very at peace with the world at the current moment Then surprisingly, it was Itachi who broke the silence.

"Sasuke," he muttered quietly into my ear.

I didn't answer but shifted slightly to let him know I was listening.

"Sasuke. I've been thinking about the…injuries you've received from Mom." He paused for a long while. "What if…it became so bad…the injuries I mean…that you had to choose between hers or your death…"

I shifted even more so, now facing my brother. "…are you suggesting I kill her or something? What are you trying to say, Itachi?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing. And to think, moments ago I was thinking everything was fine.

"Would it be better if I did it?" Itachi's voice was border line of his normally calm voice. I knew he was serious.

"What the hell?!" I sat up immediately. Itachi also slowly sat up on his bed.

"Don't think I'm going to wait around for her to even come close to killing you, Sasuke. We both know damn well that she's just going to get worse." his voice rose. "Tell me, Sasuke. Do you want her to kill you?"

"Sh-she wont!" I insisted, grabbing Itachi by the shoulders. "I…Itachi, she wont."

"…Sasuke," Itachi wrapped me up in his arms. "When we were little…I couldn't stand Dad hurting you like he did…and now Mom. It's just as bad as when he beat you if not worse, Sasuke…" I could feel my brother hug me tighter. "…because now, I can't do a fuck'n thing about it." I heard the anger in his voice growing.

Touching his face gently with my fingers, I shook my head. "I promise, she's not going to kill me. Not yet…unless she finds out about…us…which she wont, so everything'll be fine." I reassured him with a smile.

He tried to return the smile, but could only manage a small half smile. "I would never forgive myself…if you died. Hell, I think I'd kill myself if I found out you were dead."

I looked up in horror as he said this. I didn't think he'd go as far as to commit suicide if I died. "N-no! Even if Mom killed me, you cannot die! I…I love you too much…" I blushed, saying these words. Itachi lowered his head to mine, kissing me softly on the lips.

Our argument was pretty much over at that point, except for his last words, "It's going to stop, Sasuke. I won't let her hurt you. Not ever again."

…

I heard Kakashi tapping a pencil on his large wooden desk as he waited for the class to finish. The language arts test sat in front of me, completed and pushed to a corner of my desk before I rested my head on my own smaller desk. I heard the silver haired man get up and approach my desk to take my paper. I sat back up, seeing my teacher still standing at my desk, apparently waiting for me to answer him.

"What?" I asked him grumpily.

"Come, I'd like to talk to you in the hall." Kakashi told me in a cheerful voice. Reluctantly, I rose from my seat and followed him out of the classroom.

I still didn't say anything as we stood out side of the classroom door, staring at each other for the moment. The expression in his eye had changed, now looking down at me seriously.

"Sasuke, how are things? When…he talked to me a few days ago, he seemed a little uneasy about the situation with your mom." Kakashi said to me.

My eyes widened slightly, surprised that they were in touch with each other since Kakashi found out about me visiting Itachi. "How…you guys are talking to each other? Why-?"

"I was surprised too when he called me, but he wanted to talk about a few things involving your mom." he explained. "Has your mom done anything to you lately?"

I shook my head. "No. She's rarely been home…what were you talking about? What did you say about me…or my mom?" I asked my teacher, now very confused. Why did Itachi need to talk to Kakashi?

"It's nothing. He just wanted to know my point of view of the relationship between you and your mom since he left."

Something told me Kakashi hadn't let me know the complete truth but I couldn't finish, hearing a loud voice over the intercom say, "Sasuke Uchiha. Please come to the office with your things. You're leaving for the day." I frowned, thinking, 'Who the hell would be taking me out of school at this hour? And why? It's only second period…' Without another word to Kakashi, I headed for my locker to get my backpack.

I stuffed my math and history book inside the bag before slamming my locker. I was curious but at the same time scared to see who was here to pick me up. It was almost guaranteed to be my mom and I wondered what she would do to me once we were home. Maybe she was angry with me. Would she beat me? These thoughts went through my head as I approached the office. The class bell rung and I heard students leave their previous classes, talking and laughing.

I stopped at the end of the hall, nearest to the office, seeing Itachi standing there with an impatient, almost scared look on his face. It frightened me. What could he possibly want with me right now? I was in school…not that I didn't mind escaping my next four periods. But what was wrong? Why did he look so freaked out? I guess I could only tell his emotion since I knew him pretty well. To anyone else, they'd see the emotionless face he always puts on.

"Ita…Itachi, what are you doing he-" I walked quickly toward him. Seeing me, he grabbed me by the waist, pulling me into a hug. "Itachi, what's wrong?" I whispered.

He still didn't say anything and I felt his body tense as Itachi looked up, seeing a person standing across from us. It was Kakashi. "Itachi, what was the purpose of pulling Sasuke out of school?" My teacher was frowning at my brother.

Itachi let go of me and walked to Kakashi, suddenly grabbing the silver haired man's black shirt and slamming him into a wall near the front doors to my school. Though my teacher's expression hadn't seemed to change, I cried, "Itachi!" 'What the hell?! Why was Itachi doing this?'

"Did you say anything?" I heard my brother growl at Kakashi. "Did you tell anyone Sasuke was visiting me?"

"No. I haven't." Kakashi answered simply. "You need to calm down, Itachi. You don't want to cause a scene."

"Don't lie, Kakashi! Did you?!" Itachi's grip tightened on Kakashi's shirt. I rushed over to the two of them.

"I'm not lying, Itachi." my teacher shook his head.

"What is this about?! Itachi, let him go!" I said, my voice failing to keep calm. "Please…stop." I told him weakly. My brother glanced at me for a moment before releasing my LA teacher. Itachi took me by the arm and pulled me out of the building. He didn't say a word as he got me into the car.

We stayed quiet for the longest time as he drove toward his apartment. I looked at him worriedly, now very scared as to why Itachi was acting this way. He kept his eyes on the road the whole time, not glancing at me even once. It was a while before I dared to speak.

"I…Itachi…what's going on?" I said in barely a whisper and questioned as to whether he heard me. But eventually I heard him speak, though it was only two words and it didn't tell me much.

"I'm sorry."

I didn't say anything else through out the rest of the car ride, trusting him to tell me once he's calmed down.

We were back in his apartment and I sat on his couch as I saw him begin to dial numbers on a phone. Then more silence before, "Deidara," I almost jumped, hearing his voice again. "Did you tell anyone about Sasuke?" Itachi asked his friend coldly. He paused, hearing the response the blond gave him. "Just answer the damn question!" He snapped, making me really jump this time. There was a pause again before he let out a growl and hung up the phone.

I didn't move from my spot on the couch, looking up at him with fearful eyes. Itachi's eyes met mine and immediately his expression softened. He beckoned for me to come to him. I did and he put his arms around me once more.

I closed my eyes, relaxing in his warm arms. I felt him relax too and I took a deep breath, hoping he wouldn't freak out again before saying, "Ita…Itachi, please tell me…what's wrong?"

My brother didn't say anything for the longest time and I was about to try and ask him again. "I…Sasuke, I thought…you were dead."

T o B e C o n t i n u e d . . .

P l e a s e R e v i e w.

iluvitachi93