Hierarchical Complexity

by IceHaze

Understanding and predicting the behaviors of humans requires extensive analysis. Understanding and predicting the behaviors of Uchiha Itachi requires a miracle.

6. V Primary

Disclaimer: No one will ever understand my suffering. The torture that comes with not owning Naruto or Sailor Moon. Such is the tragedy that ensues upon a fanfiction author. Damn you Kishimoto and Takeuchi. I shall get you back...somehow. (If you don't get the reference, definitely do some research).
Timeline: Non Massacre, slighlty alternate...only slightly. Even though it is a crossover, yes...only slightly.
Warnings: Language, sexual suggestive situations and Shisui
Author's Notes: I had every intention to get this out by June 30. Unfortunately I don't have Dialga and as such cannot control time. The story came out a little later but that's the fate of people with actual jobs and other projects.

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Primary

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A cold chill ran through his spine which instinctively made his body shiver. He pulled the sheets over his head and buried himself further into the mattress. And after a few seconds of deliberating the fact that a mattress was underneath his body, did he suddenly jerk his eyes open in an abrupt fashion.

It was still dark; the only lights illuminating the room being the small amount of moonlight creeping through the curtains of a balcony, one he didn't recall owning. His breathing picked up slightly as he tried to adjust to the darkness; images being nothing but shadowed blurs. He activated his sharingan in his alarmed state. It was almost like cat vision; the heightened senses allowed him to survey his surroundings more appropriately. He didn't recall the shade of color of the curtains, nor did he recall curtains for that matter. The creamy colors of the walls were also foreign, as were the scrolls hanging from them and the lampshade right next to him. His closet was not supposed to be so close to the bed and his body should not have been so elevated up from the floor.

He was a little alarmed and blamed it mostly on his half sleepy state. In a rush to uncover his whereabouts, his body rose quickly from the bed. And he would have made it another two steps, were it not for an obstacle in the ground that caused his body to stumble over. Using his reflexes, he held two arms out and easily managed to soften his landing.

"What the…?"

He turned around at a small amount of noise that was beginning to increase in volume. It was a horrid moaning sound, almost eerie. There were no words, the sounds being nothing more than incoherent babble. The voice became louder and louder until soon, his eyes began to notice the shape of an apparition appear before him. The figure started out as a lump and then slowly, it began to take a more definite shape. Clothed hands shot out from each side of the main lump and now the figure had three huge humps wailing about.

"Uhhhh….mehhhh…."

"What are you?" For a split second, Itachi had almost conceded to the notion that it was perhaps a vengeful spirit appearing before him to torture at his conscience. But the idea was immediately discarded as his mind came to; ghosts were nothing more than works of fiction and he reprimanded himself at the silly idea.

"Who are you?"

The moans became louder, yet no words were formed. Instead, the three lumps of white began to get bigger, rising and looking down at his crouched form.

"Muohhhh…meahh….uaaa"

When the voice did not respond, he got on his feet and kicked it back. With a loud noise, it collided with the bed. If he had doubts of it being a wandering spirit before, those doubts were extinguished now. Any apparition would not have absorbed a physical hit, let alone collided with physical objects. And a genjutsu was out of the question. No, this was an intruder. And how one got past Uchiha security was beyond his guess.

The moans became louder now, more incoherent and suddenly increasingly threatening. The apparition rose, flailing angrily and violently. Itachi responded by closing in and using his elbow to knock the figure back to the ground, his knee caught said figure's stomach and delivered an obviously painful blow. It was then he began to hear more moaning and wheezing. The figure was coughing now. And he narrowed his eyes as he heard words begin to form.

"I…ta…chi…you…bas…tard…"

This intruder knew him; suspicion rose. He responded by immediately capturing the figure in a headlock between his arms. And the body began to thrash more violently now; it was quite apparent it was desperate for air.

"Who are you?" He demanded.

"It's…..mmm…e…you…idi…ot…"

That choked voice was distinctly female; one he recognized instantly. He released his hold on her quite suddenly as that information processed, watching as she fell to the floor with no resistance. He reached over and pulled the sheets off and the figure of the female coughing and gasping for breath bore into his eyes. "Usagi?"

"You tried to kill me."

"Sorry."

"You say sorry when you accidentally step on someone's toes. When you accidentally call them by the wrong name. When you pass by them without noticing them and saying hello. Hell, when you forget their birthday. You don't say sorry when you attempt to murder them!"

She grabbed her body pillow and attempted to throw him down and choke him but was stopped abruptly by his strong hands.

"I thought you were an intruder."

"An intruder?"

"Yes. Now tell me what you are doing in my room."

"You mean my room."

"Your room?"

"Yes, my room. This is my place, Itachi."

He glanced around at his surroundings, understanding now why nothing seemed at all familiar to him. He should have realized it sooner.

She noticed his disoriented appearance, almost as if he had inherited a small bout of amnesia. "You fell asleep here last night, after we hung out."

His head looked every which way, piecing out the previous night's events. When it finally became clear that it may have already been the next day, he rose again in alarm.

"What time is it?"

Usagi grabbed her blankets and proceeded to lie back down. "Early."

"I know 'early.' But what time is it? What are the hours?"

"There are no hours before sunrise, only early." She shoved her face into her pillow, giving him one loud yawn before turning over into her makeshift bed.

He muttered an 'idiot' before getting up and heading over to the bathroom to wash his face. After giving it a quick splash, he dried up and immediately went to search for a way to unveil the dreaded hours. "You need an alarm clock in your room."

"Not you too," she slurred and attempted to ignore his lecture by burying under her pillow and blanket. She had enough lecturing from her sensei and peers; she didn't need one from him now as well, especially so early in the morning.

Ignoring her, he went back into the living room where he remembered the antique clock he helped set up for her the previous evening. And the second he caught the position of the hour hand, he immediately scurried about.

"Hey what's wrong?" she called out from her room.

"I have to go, now."

"Why? What time is it?"

"Six-fifteen."

"That's it? You're freaking out because it's just a little past six? The sun's not even up yet."

"The sun's not up because of the position the hemisphere is currently in due to the—"

"Spare me the geology lesson. It's too early for lectures." She grabbed the pillow and smashed it on her face. "Anyway why does it matter what time it is? Just go back to sleep."

"Unlike some lazy people I know, I actually have work that needs to be done."

"This early in the morning?"

"Work never rests with the Uchiha. If I don't start early, I would be working throughout the night finishing it up." After straightening his clothes out in front of the bathroom mirror, he took quick strides to the door. It was only when he started putting his footwear on that Usagi decided to enter the living room to bid him farewell. Her hair was completely disheveled and her clothes wrinkled. One hand was carefully rubbing her right eye while the other was dragging a blanket across the floor.

"Well good morning, sunshine."

"Very funny." She took a deep yawn and continued to rub her eyes, smacking her mouth at the distasteful morning breath.

"You really are not a morning person."

"No. And when I become future dictator of this universe, the whole concept will be banned. I will demand work to begin no earlier than noon."

He strapped one of his footwear on while shaking his head at the notion. "And what about your beloved pancakes? Without breakfast, you would have to do without them."

"I'm going to be a ruler. I can very well eat pancakes whenever the hell I please."

"Foolish girl." He finished tying his shoes and straightened his figure to a full stand. "I better get going. If I wait any longer, someone from headquarters is bound to throw a fit."

"Okay," she yawned. "When will I see you again?"

"Not for a while. I'll be very busy the next few weeks. I'll let you know if anything comes up."

"All right, then. Guess I'll see you later."

"Ah."

He left immediately and she watched the door a few seconds after his disappearance. She was still worried about him. Although she was glad to take his mind off a few things, she knew there was just something off kilter about him. He was very pensive and wary the previous night. Suspicious of her every move and extremely cautious to reveal nothing of his personal life. Itachi was never one to bring her into his affairs and a small part of her felt a slight hint of disappointment for not being involved in the major parts of his life. But such was their friendship, as he would have liked to have it anyway. She suspected a lot had to do with his clan's view of the world outside its own. She wasn't naïve enough to believe they would accept her existence and most likely, would be suspicious of her leaking information to others as she was merely an outsider in their eyes. And so she kept on believing that Itachi was doing this to protect her which gave her some reassurance that he did care, to some extent.

"I wonder what's wrong him." She would have liked to inquire a bit more last night as to what exactly made him behave so strangely. Itachi never liked people pressuring him into answering questions but if she knew more about the circumstances leading to his peculiar mood, then it would have been easier to help him. Even if he had no desire for it.

"Oh well." She walked over to lock the door before turning around to get a few more hours of sleep. Stopping by the couch, she picked up a piece of thrown clothing and headed off back into the room. But halfway there, she began to realize that the texture of that particular clothing was very foreign to her touch. And when she glanced down to analyze it, she realized that it was because that clothing was, in fact, not hers. Itachi never left behind any traces that would indicate he was ever in any given area, especially not her apartment. Judging by the fact that he was careless enough to do such a thing now, it became apparent to her as to how disoriented he was at the moment. She would definitely have to bring it up on their next meeting. It just wasn't normal.

"Unless…" It hadn't been that long since he left. She could easily get dressed and catch up to him. Her speed was far superior to even Itachi's and so she could utilize that and a few shortcuts to cut him off. Once there, she could use the garment as an excuse to see him in order to initialize conversation. Itachi never liked her coming too close to the Uchiha district; he would be even more on edge if they showed up together. It was the perfect way to trap him then. Force a confession by threatening to follow. He would be much too nervous to call her bluff and eventually give her something to satisfy her curiosity of his behavior. She folded up the clothing and giggled at her mischievous plan. Once she figured out his problems, she was certain she could help him resolve them.

And all would be normal again.

---

"Captain, are you sure?"

"Yes. Now rally the people I've assigned and have them meet up at the designated area."

As soon as his scout left, he began pacing around the house viciously and glancing at the clock impatiently. When he realized how late it was becoming, he mumbled some incoherent swears. The whole situation had him irritable, for many reasons besides the lack of sleep.

"Fugaku, sweetie. Calm down."

She pleaded for him to return to the kitchen to calm his nerves with some tea but he refused each time. She knew something was amiss the moment she heard her husband stomping around the house after leaving Itachi's room. She had slowly opened her eyes from the commotion, knowing that based on his actions, Itachi had probably not returned at all last night.

"Where is that little brat?"

"Will you relax? I'm sure there's a perfectly good explanation."

"He didn't come home at all last night. You think that's something to take easy?"

"Itachi has done this before; it's not unusual."

"Yes but until now he has never outright lied to us about his whereabouts. I knew asking the Hokage for the time off from Anbu would pay off. I just didn't expect he would slip up so soon. We must have caught him completely off guard."

"Maybe we're jumping to conclusions. After all, Itachi gets sudden missions all the time—most of them classified. Maybe the Hokage needed him on an urgent assignment and had to break the deal?"

"The arrangements made, specifically stated that should he be going on any mission that the Uchiha Police be notified of his absence. As you can see, none of the Hokage's aides have made it here to inform us of such a thing."

"Maybe they think it's too early?"

"Our work here never stops. There is always someone stationed at headquarters. They could have easily reported to them and sent a shinobi to me."

"Maybe we're overreacting. Maybe he's…"

"What? Staying over at his lover's place I presume? Please, Mikoto. This is serious. And I expect you to handle the situation as such. Enough with these idiotic fantasies of yours."

"Well it was just a thought!"

"No, that boy is probably stirring up trouble as it is. When he gets here, I'm taking him straight to headquarters for a real interrogation."

"Shouldn't you wait until you at least talk to Shisui? He might have more information regarding his absence."

"We can't waste time. If Itachi…" His form straightened into a soldier's stance. His eyes narrowed and focused on the environment around him. "Speak of the devil." Fugaku recognized his son's presence immediately and walked away, Mikoto following close behind. When they rounded the corner and headed down the corridor and out the door, they caught their son glancing over as he walked into the house's small courtyard. Fugaku immediately stalked over onto the cold wet grass to meet his son halfway.

"Itachi?"

Itachi merely stared passively, waiting for his father to continue.

"It's almost seven; I've been waiting for you for some time now. Where have you been?"

He could ignore his father's tone; he was always impatient to begin work. On top of that, he had a strict routine he refused to let run astray. It meant accomplishing everything at the exact time it needed to be done. It was understandable he was upset at his normal schedule being thrown off right in the morning. But what set him into caution mode was his mother's worried and pleading looks.

"I was out delivering a scroll last night and then had some duties to tend to soon after. It consumed a majority of my time."

Fugaku immediately glanced over at Mikoto who was now equally concerned.

"Very well. Get dressed for the day and report to the front of the house when you are done. We have some important work that needs to be finished back at headquarters."

He opened his mouth to protest but was immediately silenced by his father's next words.

"Your other duties will wait for another time, as I have already informed your superiors that you will be occupied with domestic affairs for some time now."

He narrowed his eyes instantly. In that one sentence, a few things were made clear to him. Not only was his father suspicious again of his behavior, but he was now at the clan's mercy. His father had obviously made arrangements without his knowledge to exclude him from his usual line of work in Anbu. And doubled with the fact that he admitted to doing a job that was nonexistent and being caught in the lie, Itachi realized just how much deeper in the hole he was buried. He would have to be extremely careful in his next steps in order to work his way out of the situation.

"Ah." He retreated to his room as instructed.

"Now what?"

Fugaku did look at Mikoto but offered no response, simply brushing past her to wait for his son outside. After a short amount of time, Itachi returned in his jounin attire.

"Let's go."

Mikoto watched as her husband and son walked away to work together. There was a horrible feeling settling in her stomach. She knew what Fugaku was up to. With the others summoned to meet up, it meant they would conduct an open interrogation with Itachi. And she needn't be reminded of how aggressive those men could be with their victims. She clutched onto her shirt in agony; despite the possibilities, the thought of those scoundrels hurting her son made her sick with worry. Ignoring her husband's earlier pleas to stay behind, she hurried out the house and rushed up to meet with them.

All household members fled the scene, unbeknownst to them that their actions were carefully monitored.

"What the hell is going on?"

Usagi hopped down from her previous concealed position on the roof. Despite knowing that it was probably not in her interest to listen to family quarrels, she couldn't help but remain hidden and eavesdrop. There was no doubt when she did, that whatever problems Itachi was facing, were a result of tension in his family. His father was obviously agitated at him for having been missing all night and she felt guilty at causing the friction since Itachi was covering up the true story. And when she noticed the two parents stealing glances at each other, she knew something was up, even when they dismissed the conversation in preparation for work. She was willing to let all that go and be about her business, when she caught his mother watching them leave, following their trail soon after. It was at that action that Usagi realized that whatever was about to transpire was not going to be pleasant for Itachi.

She sighed. It was beyond her control and Itachi would be upset if she intervened. No. It was best to just leave now and avoid it all. After carefully examining the area and realizing there was no presence of anyone left in the house, she jumped off the roof and ran to the small deck leading to the side entrance. Venturing only a few feet into the house, she decided to simply drop the article on the floor. It wouldn't look too suspicious. His mother would attempt laundry later and brush it off as simple laziness. But then an idea struck her.

The three of them were heading over to the Uchiha police station, of that she was certain. Perhaps there was a way she could gain more insight as to how far Itachi's problems ran and maybe even conjure up a solution. She could easily pretend she found the jacket on the streets and return it to the lost and found, in which she would have secured her entrance into the main part of the building and attempt to sneak around to pry for information.

Usagi glanced up at the sky, small rays of light were beginning to glitter the sky and she knew that the complete sunrise would not be far off. She would wait only a little more until she made her move into their territory, then it wouldn't look so suspicious as to why she was up and about on her own so early in the morning. She ran off from his house and loitered in the vicinity for a while, biding her time until she was ready to move in with her plan.

---

"I wonder what's got everyone so worked up."

He had finished his official guard duty a few hours ago, desperate to finish up his report and get some sleep before meeting with Fugaku later that day. What he had not expected were the number of officers already present inside the building. It was true that a lot of the grunt work was accomplished at night including basic cleaning duties and paperwork, but never had he seen such an orchestrated chaos at such an early time. The usual mess didn't arrive until after lunch. And he knew from the way everyone was moving that this was not a regular rush of work that was suddenly thrown upon them. Several officers were dallying about, giving rough instructions and securing the area in the back, making sure to clear any obstructions. More men working in that area were given the explicit orders to move away as several other men entered the back corridors. It was the main interrogation room; there was no mistake about it. His eyes caught one of the men coming out from the back and Shisui realized it was his only chance at gathering intelligence.

"Oi, Tekka!"

The man gave a few commands to some officers and hesitantly walked over to Shisui.

"Is the captain here yet? I have to update him on a few things."

"You're going to have to wait until possibly this afternoon. The captain will be here but you won't be permitted to see him yet."

"Why's that?"

Tekka took a few steps back before submitting to the fact that he had once again relayed too much attention. "Why is it always me you try to pry information from? Can't you get another officer in trouble?"

"Hey, come on. It's not like I'm asking you for details. I just want to know what's going on."

"I…don't know."

"Look, if it's about Itachi, I already know the situation. We discussed it the other day remember? Plus, Chief has already given me orders to keep an eye on the guy. The message I want to relay to him pertains to the case. I was ordered to be present for the interrogation should it arise soon. So I need you to confirm the information to me. I need to join those men."

"Well, okay. They're preparing the interrogation as we speak."

"Then I take it he got caught?"

"Yes. He was missing all night long and didn't return home until this morning. He was also found lying in regards to his duties in Anbu. He told Mikoto-san that he was finishing up Anbu work last night. And well, you know that he's not working there temporarily."

"I see."

"If you're going to be part of this, you should prepare to head over to the back of the building, interrogation room B. Your old man and a few others should be waiting for you. And you might want to hurry up."

"Thanks Tekka, I appreciate it."

As Tekka left to finish up more preparations, Itachi and his parents walked into the building. Shisui noticed Itachi's head keeping low, walking in slow strides as his father and now several others began to walk right behind him. And had it not been for his unbound state, Itachi would have appeared like every other criminal that was brought into the station. He walked down the main lobby and past several offices before completely disappearing into the back corridor. The two exchanged only a brief moment of eye contact as the others began ushering him to continue his pace. He listened in for any clues about the specifics of the interrogation but only heard muttered instructions to Fugaku and Mikoto who were asked to wait outside with their son as everyone was briefed on what was going to happen. He wondered what exactly was going on inside Itachi's mind at the moment. For someone about to be in quite an ordeal, he was handling the situation calmly, but such was his nature. Either way, there had to be a way in.

There were too many people, and those genuinely involved in the case proved that the matter was being treated with utmost respect. The problem was that he stretched the truth with Tekka. He was not exactly involved with the interrogation per se. While he did have information to report and played an active role in this entire plot, he was never invited by Fugaku to the actual interrogation. Getting into the room would have to be an act of intrusion on his part and would require a well thought out plan and some stealth. Simply demanding to be a part of the congregation would not suffice with the superiors who were much smarter than Tekka and would also not fall for his cons. No, he would have to come up with something else.

Suddenly the sounds of the glass doors opening alerted his ears to a new presence, one that was not readily welcomed by the officers as they gave harsh instructions for the person to leave and come at a later time. His ears twitched in recognition to the voice of the recipient. His body was suddenly alerted completely to the situation at hand. His mind had begun to work diligently at concocting another idea and as soon as everything processed accordingly, did he allow his lips to pull up into a smile.

---

It was a different room from before, much smaller, and much darker. There were a few candles hung around here and there, creating a much more somber ambience. From each position of the candle was an officer aligned in the outer rim of the room. Normally, interrogations were given by one officer to make it a solely interpersonal conversation among two. But he knew they wouldn't risk such a thing. There was some credit to be offered for their intelligence, and the chair in the middle proved that much. He caught a glimpse of some familiar patterns under the chair which he concluded to be some kind of seal. The officers were obviously taking every precaution, even restricting him from his sharingan during the process. He sighed. It was going to be a rough conversation.

"We'll begin as soon as everyone settles in. Tekka?"

The brown-haired man walked into the center of the room, appearing right before Itachi with a pair of unique cuffs. Itachi realized then how much harder it would be to control the situation, given that they planned to restrict his chakra as well as his sharingan. And as soon as he allowed them to bind his hands behind his back, he was given orders to remain seated.

Yashiro, the man given the task as the main interrogator made a motion for the other officers not needed to guard outside. Itachi watched as he marched right over to his parents afterwards.

"Captain, I please ask that you excuse your wife from the room."

"Mikoto."

"No. I'm staying. This concerns me just as much as you, Fugaku."

"This is not the time to argue, Mikoto. Just do as you're told. This is no place for a w—"

"For a what? A woman? I'm his mother. I have every right to be here, even more so than any of these men."

"Interrogations can get ugly, Mikoto. You won't be allowed to interfere; your emotions can't get the better of you."

"I…I understand. But you forget I was a kunoichi before being a mother. I won't interfere. I simply want to hear the truth from him. And I know this will be the only way to hear it all out." She also didn't want Fugaku twisting any information from the interrogation which she was sure he would do had she not been present. No, the only way to clear Itachi was for every family member to be present, to prevent any distortion of truths.

Fugaku sighed, relenting in his wife's unwavering determination. "Very well. But remember, we are not to interfere with the interrogation."

"Yes, I promise."

He nodded over at Yashiro who reluctantly accepted his captain's response. "All right then. We'll begin the interrogation momentarily. Your jobs in this will be to watch for any physical cues Itachi may leak." He nodded over to the select few that were allowed in, assigned to wait against the wall. He then looked over to the elder who returned a nod, assuring Yashiro that all was ready and that it was okay to begin.

"I want to remind all of you that anything that goes on in this room will remain strictly confidential. Anyone found revealing information will be prosecuted and dealt with accordingly. During the time of this interrogation, no one will be permitted to leave or speak. Only the officers designated in advance will take an active part in this interrogation."

Itachi wanted desperately to roll his eyes as Yashiro continued to read over the regulations pertaining to the interrogation. He tried even harder to fight it as he walked over and began reading his rights as a citizen. It wasn't as if any of that would be exercised in his case. He was sure they would completely forego protocol as they already had done. Any accusations of treason made on an Anbu official usually entailed dealing directly with the Hokage. But when he thought back to his father's statement, he realized that they somehow bypassed that normal protocol by gaining some type of special permission from him. It was unsure when they went about doing it as it wasn't even hinted to him while at work. The circumstances made his situation more difficult as he wasn't able to plea for his usual rights and immunity. It was amusing, how far these people were willing to go on about a case which had no pre-existing evidence or basis. Leave it to an Uchiha to chase fireflies in daylight.

"Again, I remind you that you are on record as of now. And with that said, we'll begin. Uchiha Itachi you are currently held under the suspicion of illegal activities. I'm sure you are aware that the Uchiha have been watching you for some time and have been investigating the situation recently. As with protocol, you are given the opportunity to state your case and any evidence that could clear you from any accusations during the course of this interrogation. We'll begin with the most recent suspicious activity, your whereabouts last night. According to your mother, you left the house at approximately five forty-eight evening time. Please address to the people in this room what you were doing that preoccupied your time from the hours of five forty-eight until approximately six fifty-seven this morning."

There were two ways out of this: tell the truth about Usagi, or distort the night's occurrences a little. His first instinct was to simply tell them the truth but realized instantly that it wouldn't be that simple. Their minds were already set that he was involved in some type of crime. Judging by how Yashiro had given him the opportunity to speak as well as Inabi on the sidelines ready to play the bad cop, he knew instantly the strategy laid before him if only because he had perfected it himself. They were going to volley different tempos back and forth, soft and benevolent then harsh and violent until they coerced a false confession from him. In turn, they would subsequently create a series of hypothetical scenarios and false data to verify the claim. Even if he did admit to being with Usagi, they wouldn't simply accept that truthful information, especially considering his history when it came to associations. Or if they did believe him, they would immediately bring her into the case and accuse her of joint conspiracy or whatever plot they had concocted in their seemingly brilliant minds. Either way, he had to be careful. It was best to tell truths piece by piece and see how it played out.

"I was simply out."

"Your mother has informed us that you gave her misleading information. According to her, you stated that you were going to deliver a scroll and then had some duties to fulfill afterwards. Now the first part of your story checks out as we have confirmed it with the Hokage; however we all know the last part to be a false claim. Your work with Anbu was recently suspended to attend to domestic affairs thus rendering you incapable of completing said task. What do you say in your defense?"

"I told her I had duties to fulfill. I never said they were official."

"Then what duties did you have to fulfill? What were you doing last night that required your attention for so long?"

He remained stoic, thinking of countless ways to answer his question, but in the end he decided it was probably best to just go with the truth. Usagi had been a secret long enough and despite his attempts to keep her out of harm's way, he managed to get himself caught up in such an elaborately orchestrated quandary. It was rather bothersome.

"I was…with a friend."

"A friend? I see. Now is this a business prospect?"

"A personal one."

"I see. Well the truth of the matter is we have evidence that suggests otherwise."

Itachi braced himself for the next part of the interrogation. The evidence Yashiro was suggesting was false, naturally. It was all a ploy for the coercion. They used it many a times in Anbu on criminals who they suspected were involved in several undercover operations but had no shred of evidence to plant on them. The false claim of evidence would eventually disrupt the culprit's usual demeanor and completely throw him in disarray. And when he saw Inabi closing in on him while Yashiro took steps back out of the spotlight, he knew that it was also time for the sweet talk to end.

"Look, let's just cut the bullshit and get straight to the point. It's what you like best, isn't it? We've given you several liberties in order to appease to your good nature when we could have easily used our own bloodline against you. In fact, I see no harm in a little mental torture. You're obviously up to no good and if making you writhe in fucking pain is what'll get the job done then shit, so be it. So I'll ask you again, what the hell were you really doing?"

"As I stated before, I was with a friend." He spoke calmly and remained so even as he anticipated the blow that eventually landed on his left jaw. He heard a gasp, one he instantly recognized as his mother. But he didn't have time to ponder more about it as he was lifted by his collar to be in direct eye contact with Inabi.

"You can lie to anyone else in this room, but not me. I see you for what you really are. Damn pathetic excuse for a man. Lying to your officers, to your superiors, hell even your own fucking mother."

"I didn't lie. I was with a friend."

"You disappear without warning after your missions."

"I like to train on my own."

Inabi's grip tightened. "You conveniently forget to inform your family of your whereabouts."

"I have a right to privacy."

His nostrils flared. "You've been spending more time away from the district during your disappearances."

"I have a life outside this clan as well."

"And what's more is that you have no alibi to testify to any of your claims."

He was shoved roughly back into his chair, regaining his balance on it soon after. His eyes followed Inabi who was walking away and he knew then Yashiro would return to play out his part once again.

"Itachi, there are two simple paths to choose from. One you can tell us the truth and lessen your punishment or two you can continue your lie and ensure incarceration. We simply want to help you in making the right decision. It's not too late to work with us, Itachi. We're here for you. We just want to help."

Another trap. The cruelest one in the book. Both were once again lies and would lead the victim nowhere except straight to prison. It was just another cheap trick to lower their guard and make them believe that these people were genuinely on their side. Most victims that made it this far would easily fall prey and confess, hoping to lessen their term in prison. After confessing, they would be arrested and immediately evicted from the room, having only one destination ready for them.

"So we ask you again, Itachi. Where were you last night? What were you doing? Don't be afraid; tell us the truth."

His brain began to process more information, coming up with more routes to steer the conversation. Delivering the truth had gotten him nowhere but further into the interrogation and giving in to false crimes would only earn him time behind bars. There had to be a safe way out, some type of plan to get him out of this predicament. But what Inabi said earlier was true. Usagi was his only alibi, and without her, his case would get nowhere. Furthermore, they needed proof they congregated the previous night which would actually work if the Inuzuka clan got involved. But it would be an automatic no since the Uchiha would dismiss other clans getting involved. It would make them look vulnerable that they had such a problem occurring in their clan. There had to be some way to maneuver. A trump card.

There just had to be.

---

As soon as she entered, she knew that whatever was transpiring in the building was not welcome to outsiders. Several officers were crowded around desks, whispering secrets while gazing to a shadowed corridor far off in the distance. Something was going on pertaining to Itachi, of that she was certain. And it was also possible that the repercussions would be severe. Thinking of the severity of the situation as well as her ties to his current dilemma only fueled her uneasiness. Perhaps instead of turning in the jacket, she could use it as evidence to help his case. But how she would go about it was a different story. Just getting through the doors was a difficult task as she was shooed away by the officers standing guard, insisting she return at a later time. It was that gesture that alerted her that something troubling was occurring inside. And thus it took every skill she acquired to infiltrate the base. Haruka's team was specifically trained in the art of espionage; it was their design. And so with skills of a crafty ninja, she began to move her way into the station, avoiding any Uchiha men catching her movements.

The front of the building was rather simple to infiltrate; the few people that were waiting behind the glass entrance were busy filing away papers and whispering gossip. She used that to her full advantage and snuck between a bulletin and makeshift wall. As she peeked over the bulletin, she planned out her next move. The first path was the quickest but filled with less people while the other path took more time and contained more officers. Either way was unappealing as the empty path would immediately gain her attention from her sudden movements and the latter would simply garner attention from the people loitering about. She glanced up around the ceiling; it too would attract attention as it offered no cover. Her eyes scanned more of the area and eventually found a split between the wall and the circulation vents. The space between the two was a tight fit but she was sure if she lay flat, she could squeeze her body in between them. Furthermore, many officers adorned the layouts of their offices with tall plants and other props; she could easily hide behind their cover.

As soon as Usagi was sure no one was looking, she wrapped the jacket around her waist and used her speed and chakra to latch onto the wall and slip into the space. While laying completely flat, she grabbed a hold of the vent and began to slide her body forward, carefully stopping when people walked by and continuing as soon as they left. She eventually managed to guide herself closer and closer to her desired destination. This was the next difficult part of the plan. Two officers were standing at the entrance of the corridor, guarding. There was a path on the wall she could easily walk on which would land her right behind them. After that, it would be a matter of speed in order to get her further down the corridor. But it would be pointless if the guards were on full alert. She sighed, thinking of a way to cause even a split second of distraction for the men. It was all she really needed as she was sure her speed would be enough for that time. Looking behind the path she took, she noticed the plants she passed by on the way. They would have to do.

She gathered a small amount of chakra and knew she had to be quick about it as it would raise awareness for the officers. In one quick motion she sent a small gust of wind down the vent's path which in turn caused a few plants to fall over. Her ears picked up the sounds of glass crashing and officers yelling over the commotion. She cringed and thought of the damage she would have to pay for later but quickly shook the idea out in order to focus. The deed had fulfilled its purpose as the two guards momentarily averted their gaze over to the disruption. Usagi seized the opportunity and followed the path she laid out earlier, careful to avoid being seen. At the moment she landed behind the two she immediately jumped out of the way and sped down the hall to hide between a few ledges in the wall. She turned back to look at the officers who must have sensed a presence. After finding nothing out of the ordinary, they went about their previous business of guarding. She let out a breath of air and walked down the hall, immediately stopping and hiding as she looked around the corner. More officers were standing guard, specifically around one room. It didn't take a genius to figure out what they were guarding. But now she faced another problem. Three officers in a row, lined up in a hall that had absolutely no way of hiding. If she wanted to go in, it would have to be an upfront assault.

"Now what do I do? There's no way to get past them without being seen first."

"I know. And it's a miracle you made it this far."

She refrained from screaming, instead simply straightening her back. Her skin began to turn pale as she felt a chill run down her back from those last whispered words in her ear. With great effort, she attempted to control her shaking and forced herself to turn around. And when she did, it became more of an effort not raise attention.

"Shisui, it's you."

"May I ask what you're doing here, Usagi?"

"Oh, um…I was…" she looked around and felt the article from earlier that was still wrapped around her waist. She quickly untied it and offered it for inspection. "I was simply…turning this into the lost and found."

"By sliding through the air vents?"

"Oh well…the guys in front were jerks and wouldn't let me in so I had to figure out some way. Then I just headed over to where I was told to go."

"Right. Well if that's the case then they pointed you in the wrong direction."

"What?"

"The lost and found is that way," he pointed to the other side of the building with his head, raising an eyebrow in suspicion.

"Oh, um. Okay. But, hey what are you doing here?" she demanded.

"I was turning in a report when I noticed a suspicious character working her way into this part of the room."

She crossed her arms. "Oh yeah. Then why didn't you stop me earlier?"

"I was curious to see how far you could make it. I must say, I'm quite impressed with your skills. That, or our officers are surely losing their touch if they didn't even notice you. But I commend you on your ability to exploit such a weaknesses in our security system and building layout. Never would have thought of it myself."

"Oh well…"

"If the lost and found is all you're looking for then by all means, let me escort you there. In fact, I'll just make your task easier. Hand over the jacket to me, and I'll take care of it myself."

"Okay…" She began to comply when a sudden outburst from within the room caught her attention and she immediately glanced over down the hall. The commotion was enough to distract Shisui as he too averted his gaze. He was quick, however, to redirect his attention to her.

"Usagi, hurry up."

"Hey, Shisui. What's going on back there?"

"Hmm?"

"That yelling. What's going on?"

"It's confidential."

"But..."she sighed knowing he wouldn't reveal such covert operations. But when she heard a sigh escape him, she gazed up in bewilderment.

"There's an interrogation going. One of our clan members is currently being interrogated for alleged crimes."

"Crimes?"

"He was accused of engaging in criminal activities. According to the investigators, he's been working with other clans, possibly even other villages. Stealing information from us and offering it to them in exchange for some monetary reward. Several pieces of evidence have been compiled that solidifies this claim. Just last night, he was said to be missing. The entire night, gone with not so much a trace as where he was. It was suspicious enough to alert all the officers here."

"All night…" She whispered back the phrase and took a gulp before continuing. "Who is this person?"

"Usagi. I've told you enough as it is. Come on let's go."

"I only ask because…because you look so…distraught. As if this person means so much to you."

"That's not the point. Now let's go. I won't tell anyone you made it this far. It would be an insult to them anyway."

"It's Itachi, isn't it?"

Shisui's eyebrows rose at her bold statement. "How would you know that?"

"Well just yesterday you were talking about a friend that was close enough to you to call brother. And judging by how much this is affecting you, I would say that the person behind those doors is in fact that friend."

"Affecting me?"

"Yes, I can tell by how you're avoiding the situation and trying to rush me out of here."

"Clever girl. And yes, if you must know it is Itachi."

"I see. So what's going to happen to him now?"

"Well, as of right now, he is being interrogated to force the truth out of him. When that happens, his punishment will follow suit."

"Punishment? What do you mean, punishment? What would they do to him?"

"It's hard to say for sure but if Itachi is in this deep, it won't be good. The Uchiha are a strict clan and will not tolerate traitors. If he is giving information to foreign shinobi about our clan's secrets, the outcome will not be pleasant for him. Torture to find out what information he gave away and then ultimately…death."

Her heart skipped a beat at that thought and she forcibly gulped. "D-death?" She whispered, her skin taking on a paler hue.

"Well, yeah. They have to; you don't think they'd let him escape back into their territory do you? No. They'll hang him for sure."

"Hang?" she squeaked.

"Yes, if they're merciful they'll behead him. But Uchiha are pretty ruthless with traitors. And for such an act of treason, he won't receive an honorable death. No, it's definitely to the gallows with him."

She was in a complete frenzy now. "You have to do something!" she began whispering harshly, forgetting completely that it could draw attention to them.

"Me? Do what?"

"If he's any bit of a friend you claim him to be, you should believe in his innocence from those accusations! You should know deep inside that he wouldn't commit those crimes."

"But that's just the thing, Usagi. I don't know. And even I have to admit that his actions as of recently have been very shady."

"What do you mean?"

"He leaves out on missions but doesn't come back for long periods of time. He goes missing and doesn't bother to inform his family where he's going or where he's been. He doesn't communicate with his parents that well and even lies to hide where he's been. We've caught him a few times as is the problem today. He also disappears at any short notice, beyond his act of duties. Last night, he left the household and didn't bother to tell anyone where he was going. He said he had Anbu duty but we all know that wasn't the case. He's on leave from them at the moment. Yep. It's looking pretty dismal for him at the moment."

"But…" She wanted to tell him everything. Tell him the truth and that perhaps at least a quarter of those moments he was missing was a result of them training in the past and hanging out in the present. It was true that Itachi insisted on this lifestyle but did that mean that she had to stay in the sidelines and watch her friend die? Knowing there was something she could have done to save him. No. Itachi had done enough to keep her safe in the past. It was about time she returned the favor.

"Shisui."

"Hmm?"

"I…there's something…"

"What? What's wrong Usagi?"

"You see…I…"

"Look, I didn't mean to tell you this upsetting news. It doesn't concern you so let's just go."

"I…"

He reached over and grabbed a hold of her shoulder, only to come short a few seconds later as she bolted for the door to the room. He hadn't counted on that.

"Hey! What are you doing back here?"

She tackled two officers who were caught completely by surprise. The third came in to grab her but she kicked off the wall to her right and completely bypassed him. After a few more steps, she made it to the door, hearing the other officers yelling at her to cease while Shisui insisted he would stop her himself. She continued on despite their threatening voices. Itachi had to be clear of this trouble; they had a right to know the truth. She would go in there, tell the story and relieve Itachi of his horrible fate. It was all planned out well in her head. What she hadn't counted on was her lack of grace in dire situations, nor the jacket sleeve that was dangling too low to the ground.

"Stop right ther-uahh!" It all happened quickly. Her foot caught on to that piece of garment first, she lost her footing soon after and eventually began to flail her arms in an attempt to maintain her balance. She grabbed onto the first person she saw for support but leaned too heavily and had him sprawled on the floor for her efforts. She began hopping on her left leg to regain control but ended up bumping into another officer who fell over instantly. As she flailed about more, a leg on the floor caused her to dive in head first. And in just three seconds, her body began to somersault into a spin, taking down a row of Uchiha officers with her. Her screams echoed in the room, the grunts of men following suit.

"Oww." She grabbed her head in order to soothe the aching feeling that was beginning to spread from her temple down to her neck and collarbone. When her feet regained the ability, she began to stand up. However, her attempt was immediately thwarted and quite suddenly, the air in her lungs was cut off from its oxygen source as a firm hand had pinned her body roughly down to the ground by her neck.

"Who the hell are you?" She heard the officer yell and wanted desperately to respond but found she honestly couldn't with his hold and she pondered at whether or not he even realized his own strength. She couldn't even feel where he was holding anymore. Her legs began to kick violently as her vision became more and more of a blurred picture.

"What are you doing here?"

In a fight for survival, fair play was tossed aside. All she could think about was getting loose enough to escape and catch her breath. So she didn't think twice when she lifted her leg, brought it close to her body and immediately kicked the man in an area she knew would take some time to recover.

A hand made its way to her again and she immediately dodged out of the way of another hold. When she settled some distance, she acknowledged the men she had collided with who were already on their feet. They positioned themselves around her to cut off her maneuverability and any planned escape. She stood completely still, making sure not to make any sudden movements that could trigger an offensive response. And she realized with great uneasiness how serious the situation had become when most men present began to glare back with crimson eyes and dangerous intent.

One of the officers approached her carefully. The wooden cane he was holding hit the tiled floor with a loud clanking sound each step he made. "If you're smart, you'll state your purpose without delay."

She blinked several times to readjust to the darkness. Once the room didn't contain a blur of shadows, she began to assess everything around her. To her left were a couple of people she had seen in passing before, officers obviously. Right next to them were two people she immediately labeled as Itachi's parents and several feet in front of them were more officers, forming a visible circle around their prisoner. Itachi was seated on a chair with a seal underneath it, bound by some peculiar sets of handcuffs. He was looking dead at her, eyes unreadable, posture flawlessly still, but she could tell he was extremely apprehensive to her presence in the room.

"Well?"

She turned to stare at the elderly man. "I…um…"

"Sometime today, girl."

She inhaled a breath before straightening her posture in order to regain some confidence. Once she was certain her voice wouldn't release squeals, she began to speak evenly and clearly. "I came because of this man."

All eyebrows were raised now. Some in alarm and others in disbelief.

"You're here because of Itachi?"

Her assaulter immediately cut in. "Are you some type of accomplice in his crimes?"

"No! Nothing like that! I just came to tell you the truth about him. Itachi is innocent! I swear!"

The man showed no amusement. But her attention wasn't on him; rather, it was on the elderly man. She had no real knowledge of how clans worked as she wasn't a part of one herself nor did she gain any insight from her friends as she was hardly invited to their clan functions. But one look at this man, just a feel of his aura and she knew he was the type of person that commanded respect, especially with how the others were waiting patiently for his cue. And looking into his eyes, she knew that this man could save Itachi. The judgment would be all on him.

"And how would you know that, girl?"

It was now or never. She gulped one last time and shakily opened her mouth to speak. Her heart continued to beat wildly but she steadied her voice in order to get the words out in one go.

"Because Itachi was with me all last night."

It suddenly felt as though even the air through the vents had been hung in suspension. She glanced around the room to gauge their reactions. Several officers stared blankly back at her. A few others actually had their mouths halfway open in awe. To her right, the man from earlier had even faltered back a few steps. She carefully looked to her left and noticed that Itachi's parents were frozen in astonishment from the revelation. And when she turned to look at Itachi, was disappointed to see that his face was completely hidden as he was avoiding her gaze completely.

"You really expect us to believe that bull? Maybe you're not an accomplice but how do we know you're not trying to save his ass by coming up with such a farfetched fabrication? What proof do you have of this?"

She snapped her neck in order to look at the man she attacked earlier. He was glaring now and his posture appeared ready to come at her again. She took her own defensive stance as well and the others must have sensed the oncoming confrontation as they began to calm the man down.

"Inabi, let her continue!"

"There's no proof other than her word! How are we…"

"What's that?"

The argument ceased as the only other female presence aside from Usagi spoke up. The soft voice was a stark contrast to the rough male voices and was thus immediately recognized. In response to her question, they all turned to look at the object to which she was currently pointing. One of the officers immediately went over to retrieve it for her.

"This is my son's jacket."

Yashiro immediately stepped forward at her statement. "Mikoto-san, are you sure?"

"There's no doubt about it. This right here…" she let her finger point to a small patched area. From afar it blended with the shirt but upon closer inspection one could see how different the threaded patch in that area was to its surroundings—in both color and stitching. "…is where I patched up a missing piece from his shirt. And over here…" she pointed to a very faint stain which was barely noticeable in the darkness "…is where Sasuke spilled some juice on him. Furthermore, the size and dimensions fit my son perfectly. I'm positive it belongs to him."

"But…it….Captain!" Inabi yelled in frustration.

Fugaku was beyond awed by it all. He switched his gaze from Inabi, to Itachi, to the girl and right back. Unsure of what to do.

"The girl is telling the truth, Captain."

He walked into the room casually, heading straight over to Usagi. The attention he gained was immediate and all officers were now awaiting for him to continue.

"That is in fact Itachi's jacket as even Mikoto-san has verified it herself. This girl here brought it over in order to use it in conjunction with his alibi. I have been monitoring Itachi as requested so I can attest to this proclamation. Last night, he was in fact on a simple outing after delivering his scroll to the Hokage. I was on patrol last night when I came across Itachi walking in the streets. After which he retired for the night at this girl's living quarters. Everything she is telling you is truthful. Itachi really is innocent of these crimes, Oyaji."

Usagi frowned. She should have expected there was a reason he was suddenly so interested in knowing about her. Which also confirmed her suspicions of there being domestic disputes that Itachi was experiencing. It explained everything—his sudden skittish behavior, his withdrawal from explaining anything to her and his exasperation with his family. She would have to confront Itachi about it later for further details. For now, the case at hand was much more significant. And regardless of how Shisui conducted everything in secrecy, she was thankful that this matter would finally be put to rest.

The elderly man cleared his throat to regain his audience. "Well, this is an unexpected turn of events. Itachi, do you concur with this girl's statements?"

It was his turn now to have an audience. He avoided everyone's gaze, not knowing how to handle the officers, angry at Shisui, upset with Usagi and completely horrified by his mother whom he knew would throw a fit as soon as he went home. "Yes."

"Very well. The only thing left is to confirm these accounts. You two, take these kids into different rooms so we can begin separate interrogations. Shisui, report to my office and Fugaku, you and Mikoto please wait in the lobby. If the stories match up, they'll be free to go. In the meantime, no one is to leave this building. Understood?"

"Yes sir," they all replied in unison. And the two aforementioned officers immediately began to lead Usagi and the now untied Itachi into separate rooms.

"Let's go wait in the lobby."

After placing a hand on his wife's back, Fugaku ushered her into the lobby area. He stopped by a few machines along the way, grabbing some loose change from a vest pocket and retrieving a few items. It had not been too long of a morning but because of the events, he and his wife left the house without a proper breakfast. Admittedly, his stomach was beginning to protest at the lack of nutrients. While a bag of chips was not what he would consider nutritious, he knew it would be enough for the moment. He handed his wife a similar item and the two sat down in the lobby, consuming their goods in silence for quite some time.

Fugaku leaned back and stared up into the ceiling. The events that just transpired had left him entirely confused and he anxiously anticipated seeing Shisui's full report on the matter. He wasn't quite sure to believe it all and it happened rather fast that his mind had yet to process all the information that had just been thrown at him. Itachi was apparently innocent. Well, innocent from the previous accusations. And he was not engaging in any illicit activities, at least none that would earn him time in prison. He just couldn't believe it actually all revolved around a woman. Fugaku let out a loud sigh. And sensing the oncoming words, he immediately shushed his wife.

"Mikoto, don't…"

"I…was…right," with each word, she poked at his shoulder.

"Mikoto."

"Itachi is in a conspiracy. Itachi is up to no good. Itachi is leaking information to neighboring villages. And does anyone listen to my ideas? No. Heavens no. Mikoto is a woman. Mikoto doesn't know how to handle a situation. Mikoto is creating fantasies…"

"Enough. Fine. You were correct. I apologize."

"Oh don't apologize to me. I believe you and the entire team owe that to Itachi. You have put your son through quite a hell. I expect you all to apologize formally to the boy. "

"Fair enough. I'll talk to the boy and apologize to him as soon as I get the opportunity. Now will you cease this conversation?"

"Okay." She smiled and giddily latched herself onto his arms. "So, what did you think?"

"I'm beyond perplexed."

She flicked her fingers at his forehead. "I meant about the girl."

"Well, she looks familiar."

"You aggravating man! I meant physically!"

"Excuse me?"

"Well I'm not saying you have to check her out. But don't you think she's a little different of what you'd expect your son to have for a girlfriend?"

He sighed. His wife was always engaging in such frivolous talks. But the more he gave it thought, the more he had to agree. It was true that Itachi never showed interest in women but he suspected that he would eventually grow out of it like most people did. And when he did grow out of it, that he would find a suitable woman from his clan. His current choice left him thoroughly dumbfounded. It was not in his character at all.

"I never would have expected Itachi to be attracted to blondes. I mean, I guess I was like you. I always pictured he would marry someone from the clan. But well, our son never ceases to amaze us. We don't know much about this girl but from what I've seen, her character is far too much a contrast from Itachi's."

"Mm."

"Oh what a situation we have on our hands. I can only imagine how this will heavily impact our clan's future."

"Yes. I can't even begin to fathom how it will affect his role as future patriarch. If it had been someone from the clan, it would be easy enough to tackle the issue as there would be no secrets to hide. But I don't think I care too much for outsiders having so much knowledge and insight. I find it a liability to the security needed to sustain this establishment."

"No, no, no! I wasn't talking about that. I was talking about the offspring!"

"Offspring?"

"Yes. If those two procreate, we will now have new recessive genes circulating in the Uchiha clan. I can't even begin to imagine what blonde Uchiha will look like! Oh, but wouldn't it be cute? Long, luscious blonde hair. Or maybe even cute and short. Like if Sasuke had blonde hair! And do you think she'll pass on the alleles for her blue eyes as well? I mean, me personally I would love to see an Uchiha with blue eyes. There's just something about blue that has me so fascinated. It has a very inexplicable, foreign appeal to it. Oh, and if they developed the sharingan wouldn't it look so adorable to see them switch between those two colors? Blue then red. Red then blue. Ah! I think I hit cuteness overload, Fugaku."

He blinked blankly before completely turning his attention away. "I really need to seek therapy for you."

"Oh come on." She pulled again at his arm. "Don't tell me you haven't given it thought?"

"A discussion for another day, Mikoto. I hardly think grandchildren lie in our immediate future."

"Well maybe not now, but it's definitely a possibility. You heard her; they spent the entire night together. So at the very least, it's safe to assume our son has a healthy sex drive. Which also means we needn't worry about him as our son will acquire a legacy and pass on his genes to the future generations."

He released a heavy breath of air, not responding at all to her comments. How many times did he have to tell her that their son was not a wild animal?

She shook him in irritation. "Say something, will you?"

"What do you want me to say, Mikoto?"

"I don't know. Like what do you make of all this?"

"Honestly, I haven't a clue. And I'm not quite sure where to go from here. So let's drop the subject."

"Oh, all right." She sulked and fell back into her chair, throwing his arm away in irritation to his lack of interaction with her. "Well, for now, I suppose we can wait on those two to return."

It was fate in her eyes for as soon as the words escaped her mouth, she heard a door click open and some officers delivering instructions. She was eager to talk to her son about the whole ordeal. The boy had plenty of explaining to do. But when the figures rounded the corner, her smile grew even wider. Perhaps this was a much more opportune situation.

"You know…I suddenly became very thirsty. It must have been those chips. I think I will fetch a drink from those machines."

"Here, let me get it for you."

She pushed him gently back to the seat. "Oh, no. You stay right there. It isn't a bother at all."

"Very well." Fugaku reached into his pocket and dropped a few coins into his wife's hands. As soon as he did, however, he caught a glimpse of some people past the lobby and frowned. "Mikoto, no."

"What's wrong dear?"

"I know what you're planning to do. Don't."

"I assure you, I haven't the slightest clue to what you are referring."

"You know very well what I'm talking about. You're going to—"

"Fugaku. Please come here for a minute. I need to go over some things with you."

Mikoto smiled victoriously. "See, honey. Duty calls." She pulled the change away from him completely and offered a small peck on his nose. "Off you go."

He muttered instructions she chose to ignore as she walked right past him and the other officers to the other side of the lobby where her current target was situated quietly on a chair. After slipping some coins in the machine, she retrieved two items and walked casually back to the empty seat right beside the girl.

"Thirsty?"

She was startled at the sudden intrusion into her daydreaming and glanced up only to be alarmed again.

"Care for a drink?"

"Oh, um. Sure." Usagi tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear before accepting the offer.

"Quite a day it's been. And only still morning."

Usagi slurped her drink, gnawing a little at the bottle's edge as she replied shyly. "Yeah."

"I'm Mikoto, by the way." She smiled at the girl. And now that she was up close, she realized just how vivid a blue her eyes were. They were a dark blue blended into a lighter hue the further they got from the pupil. And she marveled at her golden hair, shiny long and very well kept. While her skin was a healthy, creamy color, it appeared only mildly smooth and she could tell from her hands that this girl had her fair share of battles. All in all, she didn't know what quite to make of her. But intrigued she was nonetheless.

"You're Itachi's mother, aren't you?"

"Why, yes I am. That's my baby boy."

She giggled at the statement, thankful for her humor to break the ice. "I'm Tsukino Usagi."

"Usagi?" How intriguing.

"Yes, that's correct. And it's a pleasure to finally meet you."

"Why, thank you. But you will have to forgive me and my memory. I don't recall the surname being familiar."

"Oh, well…I'm not from any kind of clan or anything special like that, if that's what you mean."

How intriguing of a choice indeed.

"So tell me, Usagi, if you don't mind me calling you that…"

"No, it's fine."

"Well I was just wondering…was my son ever going to introduce you to the family? You see, you should know that our clan is not keen on having secrets kept from us."

"I do apologize! But I couldn't…say anything. I mean, Itachi…"

"I see."

She sighed. "I really am sorry. But he made me promise not to mention it to anyone. Actually, not even my friends know."

"That boy. I'll make sure he gets a talking or two."

"Is he really that much in trouble?"

"Well, I suppose not as much as he could have been. And I know Itachi might be upset with you for breaking your promise to him but the boy shouldn't have forced you into such a precarious situation to begin with. I apologize on his behalf. And believe me; you couldn't have come at a sooner moment. Thank you, for helping my son."

When Mikoto reached over to hug her, she wasn't quite sure what to do. Following the routine she would do with any one of her friends, she simply held her back and rested her head on her shoulder. In doing so, she felt the warmth radiating from her body and wondered if the feeling was what having a family was like. Was what having a mother was like. And she smiled at the opportunity to experience it at least once in her life.

"You're welcome."

---

He poured a glass of water into two cups, taking one for himself and handing one over to his companion. "So this is what you were preoccupied with? I have to admit, I never saw it coming."

Itachi accepted the water and drank it slowly, watching the old man's movements carefully.

"I guess if I was in your position I would not have hastily brought the girl into the Uchiha world either. You have a lot to think about by doing it. And on top of that, a man of your reputation would obviously want less attention drawn to himself. What I'm trying to say is, what you've done is completely reasonable. But I hope you understand how much trouble all this secrecy has created and the repercussions that you could have been dealt. What would you have done if the girl didn't testify for you?"

"It would have all worked out regardless. Especially when considering I was innocent of those crimes to begin with."

"Yes, quite possibly. And on top of that, I'm sure you realized the traps we set up for you. The seal in the room being the obvious one."

"Yes."

"It was a weak seal, more of a pseudo one actually. I used it to gauge your reaction to it. Would you activate your sharingan and manipulate the interrogation, kill us all or exploit it by running away? The handcuffs were there as well for that reason. They barely restricted any chakra from you. No, in fact, most of the restrictions were made by you. I was actually ready to dismiss the entire interrogation until that girl made her entrance. A rather amusing display and impeccable timing on her part I might add. You have a peculiar choice of women."

"Hm."

"So, how long have you known her?" He grabbed the pitcher of water and began to pour more into his own glass before taking a few drinks from it.

"A couple years, give or take."

His face showed he was mildly impressed. "You kept her a secret that long. You're even better than I thought. I see all that time as an Anbu captain wasn't for naught. So tell me, did you have any plans at all to introduce her to your world?"

"No."

"Then you were ready to keep her a secret for your entire life provided you could get away with it?"

"Yes."

He took another swig. "And she was okay with this arrangement?"

"I made it clear when we first met. She never protested against it."

"No. Which is quite surprising because any other woman in that situation would have eventually forsaken the strangled relationship. She must either be a loyal character or completely enthralled by your fortune and utilizing you for your future position in this clan."

"It's not like that."

"Oh?"

"Not exactly. She didn't even know who I really was when we first met. Not entirely."

"I see. Look, Itachi, you are entitled to a personal life outside the stringent boundaries of this family."

He was taken back a bit by this sudden statement.

"It is not in anyone's position to deprive you of such a thing. But it's also important that you are more open about certain aspects of your life. It's one thing to keep secrets, another to dodge questions or warp the truth. It isn't in your nature to engage openly in conversations, never has been. But at the very least, keep in touch with your immediate family. A simple "I'm seeing someone" may have sufficed. In the end, I'm sure even your mother would have understood your need for privacy. Instead you led them on a wild hunt which got us nowhere. You could have easily been incarcerated for this regardless of your innocence. So I simply ask that you make an attempt to communicate more with your family. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir."

"I do believe a formal apology is due. I will make sure my officers approach you personally and your father as well. On behalf of the police force, I would like to extend my sincerest apology for the events that occurred today. I'm sure both your stories will be fairly similar so I can say with confidence that you will be released soon. Go into the lobby and wait for further instructions. I need to examine some of this and file it away for records to close the case. You're dismissed for the moment."

"Ah."

He walked away in relief that the matter was almost settled. His mind began a countdown and he knew that if he could just get through this day, a large burden would be eliminated. What exactly would happen from this point on in regards to Usagi would be highly dependent on his family's reaction to her. He suspected his mother would adjust to everything well. His father was another story. As was the people in the Uchiha clan.

He took a deep breath and walked down the corridor, heading straight for the lobby. Along the way several officers immediately began to take notice, stealing glances at him. To his right a couple of men held up files to obscure their faces, whispering something that brought about a sudden sense of humor between them. To his left he noticed another officer going back to writing on his desk after offering him a barely masked smirk. His ears picked up another group gossiping; one man asking for confirmation of the situation, another assuring him that the rumor was true, the third informing them the current location of his companion within the building.

Itachi grimaced when he realized several officers were making excuses to walk through the lobby, most likely getting a glimpse of Usagi. As he continued past most of the offices, one officer actually gave him a jab on his side accompanied with a suggestive smile, his coworker making a snide remark about his libido. And it was at that last comment that he realized the reputation he had built in the last ten years was consequently shattered in one morning by a single statement. No, after today everyone would look upon him as they did Shisui, a sexual deviant. It was demeaning.

"You're welcome."

His ears perked at the voice, knowing instantly Usagi was speaking with someone. He had a distinct feeling of who her companion was.

"Itachi?"

He heeded to his mother's call, walking over to the pair as they rose in his presence. His mother had sympathetic eyes for Usagi which was not the case for him. There was an impending storm brewing behind that fake smile and it was obvious from his mother's history of impatience that this scolding would not wait until they were situated safely within the walls of his own home. Her aura coordinated with this as Usagi was suddenly feeling uncomfortable standing between his mother and him.

"I'm going to use the restroom. I'll be right back."

There was no guarantee that if she stayed, his mother wouldn't have executed the next part of the conversation. Since he was young, she was never shy about reprimanding her children in public.

"Sit."

It was a non-negotiable command of which he immediately complied.

"You have a lot of explaining to do, young man. You lied to me on several occasions."

"I never lied to you."

"Twisting your words is just as every bit lying as stating false claims in my eyes. I asked you a straightforward question and I expected such an answer from you."

"There are no women involved in my life, not the way you're expecting anyway."

"And what do you consider her?"

"She's simply a friend."

"A friend? With benefits I presume?" She crossed her arms, completely in opposition at what her son was implying.

"Nothing of the sort."

"So then you're seeing her for much more than that?"

"Yes."

"Well then…"

"No. I mean, not that way."

"Uh, huh."

"We're not…"

"Oh please, Itachi. It's over. No need to lie about a situation that has already been clarified."

"But…"

"Enough, young man. Now tell me..." she leaned over and whispered. "How old is she?"

"About sixteen. But…"

Mikoto held a hand to her chest, releasing a breath of air. "Oh thank goodness!"

"What now?"

"Well, she appeared a bit too young to me so I was just making sure you weren't going to get into any more trouble."

"Look, you don't underst—"

"Okay now onto the next question. And answer me truthfully because I seriously need to know this. Are you two taking the proper precautions during your… sessions."

"Kaa-san."

"I want the truth, Itachi."

"I'm…we're not…"

"You're not?"

"No, that's not what I meant. I just meant that the two of us…"

"I don't need to know details, sweetie. I just want you to answer the question."

"I think you need more details. And I've been trying to answer your question."

"Well then out with it. I'm listening."

"I know what you're thinking. But it's not at all like that. Whatever you're assuming transpired did not happen. So I repeat, we did not have…"

"Okay, the faking thing was cute in the beginning, now it's just plain irritating."

"I'm not faking anything."

"Tell me the truth."

"I am. You won't believe a damn thing I say!"

"Don't you dare take that tone with me, young man. I can raise my voice, draw attention and make a spectacle of this if you insist. I'm not above physically disciplining you in front of all these people."

Itachi heavily sighed away his frustration, wanting so desperately to follow the images he had often seen in caricatures that yanked away strands of hair at such exasperating situations. He criticized the act before but realized now it was a very fitting gesture.

"You know what? Okay, yes. Fine. You win. We've been seeing each other in secrecy, engaging in intimate acts, and yes, we're using protection. Does that satisfy you?"

"See? Now was that so hard, sweetie?"

"Much harder than you think aggravating woman," he trailed off, the words coming out as nothing more than angry mutters in his mother's ears.

Mikoto reached over to pull her son in a sideways embrace. "Now, now. There's no need to be embarrassed, Itachi. Sex is a wonderful and beautiful experience."

"Kaa-san, please…stop."

"Oh, what in the world are you going on about now?"

"Of the audience," he hissed the phrase as his eyes made a very subtle movement.

Mikoto followed Itachi's cue and looked around discreetly. Several officers were suddenly not so distant, easing closer to them and lending an unused ear to the environment. Some were hiding behind painfully obvious objects and doing poorly to conceal their entire bodies. Others were feigning work, glancing every once in a while at the interactions between the two of them.

"Oh, right. Well, it's nothing to be concerned about but yes," she cleared her throat. "…we'll continue this discussion when we get back home."

At the sudden break, the two glanced around the room. The officers formerly attentive at their discussion began to fake conversations and walk away casually as if nothing had occurred.

"Uh…I…"

They turned around to face Usagi who decided then to reenter the lobby.

"Oh Usagi, you're back. Wonderful timing. You see, I was just about to freshen up myself. I'll leave my son to you for now." She gave a wink before deserting the two.

Usagi sat down on the chair Mikoto once occupied, leaning heavily back in complete exhaustion.

"Is it illegal to kill your mother?"

She laughed nervously. "Well, it is greatly frowned upon."

"Hmm."

She grew uncomfortable at how tense he appeared. She expected that he must have gotten some type of lecture for keeping secrets from his mother but never imagined it would have left him in such a sour mood.

"What a morning, huh? I almost got killed on two occasions and you nearly got incarcerated. We make quite the team."

"Hm."

"Oh, but on the bright side at least you don't have to work in Anbu for a while!"

"Hm."

"And hey, looks like you might get a bit of vacation time. How ironic, huh? We were just talking about it…last…"

She frowned when he wasn't responding at all to her light talk. "Look, um, I'm so sorry about everything. And I'm sorry I went against your wishes. But I was genuinely worried once I found out about the situation.

"What were you even doing here?"

"I, well, I wanted to bring your jacket back."

"I would've come back for it eventually."

Her smile was not out of humor. "Yeah, I know. But…I was worried about you. I thought I could just make it an excuse to talk to you and bribe out information. But when I saw you and your parents, I decided to follow you and find out what the problem was. You looked…I don't know, like you were caught doing something wrong. Then after I found out the outcome that lay before you, I guess…I was just worried. You're my friend. I didn't want anything bad happening to you."

"I wasn't in any immediate danger."

"But the interrogation…"

"Was nothing more than a setup. I would have been cleared of any accusations if it progressed any further."

She stared dumbly. "Oh…"

He leaned back as well, scrunching his face when he noticed the group of officers carefully monitoring the interaction between them. And the more people he saw, the more curious he became about another detail.

"Hey."

"Yeah?"

"How did you even get past security, anyway?"

"Oh, that was easy. Through those hanging vents up there. I squeezed into the space between them and the wall."

His eyes followed the path they created, noticing several details along the trail. The location it stopped in, the obscurity created by the various objects along its path and a suspiciously broken pot of tall plants.

"Huh, clever."

"Yeah, Shisui said so too."

"Shisui?" He narrowed his eyes instantly.

"Yeah, he caught me afterwards but luckily didn't turn me in. He's the reason I decided to help you in the end. I was worried about the punishments you were going to get for the alleged crimes you were falsely committed for."

"Punishments?"

"He told me about the gallows and beheading. I got so freaked out, I completely ignored the fact that there were so many guards and just decided to dive in head first. I know, pretty reckless of me but, hey, I did manage to get pass security."

"Beheading? Gallows? They don't do away with criminals they don't have substantial evidence against. And where do you find gallows in Konoha?"

"But…but…he told me they had evidence! And that they were going to cut you up into pieces and chop your head off, and I think he said something about turning you into a weird science experiment unless that was the part I was making up in my head…"

"Lies."

"Lies? I don't get it. It doesn't make any sense. Why would he…oh." She suddenly caught on to the trap of which she was easily caught.

"Yes."

"That bastard!"

"I agree."

"Good morning, you two."

They both turned to glare at the newcomer.

"Oh, come on. Don't give me that look. You two brought this upon yourselves. So can I sit here?"

"No!"

He ignored their united negative replies and sat casually in the seat beside Itachi.

"It's your fault I'm in this mess."

"My fault? You were the mysterious one prancing around in obscurity using artifices to disguise your illicit dalliance."

"I missed a lot of that. Itachi, what does dalliance mean?"

"Not now, Usagi."

"Cute." He gave a small chuckle and leaned over to whisper in Itachi's ear. "So I take it you both lost your virginities together then?"

Itachi's ears burned subtly as he shoved Shisui away. "It's not like that."

"Oh really? Then I'll just ask Usagi."

"Go right ahead."

Shisui rested his elbow on his knee, bending forward and resting his chin on his hand as he turned his attention to Usagi. "So, Usagi. Tell me…what exactly did you and Itachi do last night?"

"We ate some food and talked."

Itachi smirked. "There, you see."

"And after that?"

"We went to my bedroom and played games."

Itachi stilled.

"Oh really?" He smiled mischievously at Itachi. "What kind of games?"

"The usual. Shougi, checkers."

"Ah, some of my favorite positions."

"Usagi…" Itachi warned.

"And did you enjoy your time?"

Usagi smiled. "Yep, Itachi did too but he won't admit it."

"Usagi…" he hissed.

"Well I'm glad your evening went by smoothly."

"Not really. Itachi was overexcited and couldn't focus half the time. And then after it was over, he just passed out. Kind of left me hanging."

He couldn't hold his laughter now.

"Enough, Shisui."

"One more thing I've been wanting to know. How would you rate Itachi: gentle or rough?"

The images of nearly being killed and tossed aside were still fresh in her memory and she pouted. "Definitely rough. I have a few bruises from last night to prove it."

"All right," Itachi immediately obscured Shisui's vision of Usagi, effectively interrupting the conversation. "That's enough."

He tried desperately to control his laughter. "Right, right. I get it."

"Shisui, I'd like to talk to you in private."

"If you insist. Well, Usagi, I'll see you around."

The two walked away, leaving Usagi momentarily alone. They walked past several people who had obviously witnessed the three of them interacting judging by their amused faces. Itachi frowned. Shisui was not helping the situation at all. He led his friend into another side of the building. Only after they reached a desolate corner in a vacant area did Itachi speak.

"It's not what you think."

"Believe me, I know."

"Do you, now?"

"Yeah, I kind of figured out from the beginning. I've had my fair share of experience in the matter, Itachi. I know the difference between a sexually active couple and a platonic friendship. I can also spot a virgin when I see one. I could easily recognize her innocence."

"Then what was that back there?"

"Simple teasing. I just love playing around with virgins. They make it too easy. That and it was priceless watching you squirm. I don't know why everyone thinks of you so serious when it's actually easy to get you excited. Or maybe it's just my personal gift. After all, I'm hitting you with the only arsenal that's hard for you to combat."

"You had your fun, now stop. This is serious. My mother thinks I'm currently in a sexual relationship with her."

"Did you tell her the truth?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"She thought I was lying."

"So you told her a lie?"

"Yes."

"Which in turn, for her, was the truth?"

"Essentially."

"You guys make this too easy. I've reached a point that has surpassed amusement. Thank you for the wonderful entertainment and brilliant performance."

"I don't think it's funny."

"Come on, you have to admit this is all pretty hysterical. Everyone was running around thinking you were some kind of assassin ready to kill us all in a bloody genocide when in fact all you were doing was hanging out with some girl. I think it's pretty damn funny. A bit too dark for my normal taste, but the humor is still there."

"Hmm."

"One day we'll all look back and laugh at this. You'll see."

In some twisted way the entire chain of events was somewhat amusing. He smiled faintly.

"Why did you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Why did you hide her? If you guys are just friends, why keep it a secret?"

"It's hard to explain. There were so many factors to consider. When we first started off, it was simply to train. I knew that if I spared any time with her, teaching her, that it would immediately be scorned. So I told her to keep quiet. You know how the clan is about keeping our techniques a secret. On top of that, if I got distracted from my normal routine, my father would have been on my case from the start. Also…"

"Yeah?"

"I just…I just wanted something away from it all."

"Away from what?"

"The clan. I wanted a place I could go to that didn't have rigid rules, or paperwork or routines. With her, it was like a haven. A place far away from the clan, where I could…be me. And I guess, in the end…I just really liked hanging out with her. You know?"

"No. Not really. Aside from coworkers anf family, I've never had one-on-one time with a woman that didn't result in sex. You can think me crude, vulgar or whatever you want, but in the end, it's the same story with all men. Tell me, have you ever seen your father, Inabi, Yashiro, Tekka or anyone else associate casually with woman that weren't their lovers?"

"I suppose not."

"A group of guys and girls hanging out, certainly. Two guys in a group of girls, sure. Hell, even in a group of three. But just two? I'm not saying it can't be done. It's just unusual, that's all. Especially considering how long you two have probably known each other. It's just highly unprobable that two people of the opposite sex who shared so much private time together didn't develop some type of intimate relationship. But I guess you're a living testament, if everything you're telling me is true."

"What are you saying?"

"Oh come on, Itachi. Don't tell me in the entire time you've known the girl that you never once had even a split second thought of doing indecent things with her."

"I…"

Shisui waved a finger at Itachi. "Ah, you hesitated."

"Well, I was deliberating the answer."

"No, you were having a mental flashback. You've thought about it before, haven't you?"

"Not by choice."

"Come again?"

"Blame it on my mother. I never once gave it thought until she brought it up. But the moment is past now. I was simply overanalyzing a few things."

"But the point is you had the thoughts, didn't you?"

He answered begrudgingly. "Yes, I gave it a fleeting thought. But that's all it was, fleeting."

"And it's perfectly normal. You've known her for quite some time now. It's only natural you two built up a chemistry. And I admit, the girl is very attractive. Hell, if she wasn't a virgin or already claimed, I'd probably have made a pass at her."

"She's not claimed."

"Yet."

"What's your point in all this?"

"Just simply nourishing my inquisitive nature. That, and I was wondering in what direction you plan to take this friendship. I mean, how long did you think it would last?"

"I don't plan on letting this progress if that's your implication."

"Yes, but I also meant when Usagi can no longer keep a personal friendship with you."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well, do you think Usagi's future boyfriend or husband is going to allow her to keep seeing another man in private?"

Shisui watched at his friend's reaction. That piece of information was something Itachi had obviously never given thought. He was now suddenly at a loss for words.

"What? Don't tell me you thought she was going to remain single her entire life."

"Well, I thought she was like me. I mean, she never made an effort to look for anyone."

"Maybe because she had you."

"She doesn't see me that way."

"Maybe. Maybe not. Or maybe she's also a late bloomer. But if not you, someone else."

"What do you mean?"

"I know her type. It won't be long until she gains a man's interest, or until she becomes interested herself. And then what? I mean, how would you feel about that? I guess what I'm getting at is, are you sure this is how you want this relationship to go? Because it can be more, Itachi. It all depends on how you feel. So if you think you could get serious with her, just give it a try. What could it hurt?"

"I'm fine with the way things are right now. As for that issue, I will come to terms with it when necessary. For the moment, just let things be, Shisui."

"You know, your mother is right. You can be exasperating at times."

"Speaking of my mother, we should get back. I see my father has returned as well and I'm not too thrilled with both of them pestering Usagi simultaneously."

"As you wish. I'll let this go for now."

They exited the empty office, walking quickly over to Usagi who was making an effort not to attract attention from any of the officers surrounding her.

"Shisui, I need to see you in my office. We have some work that needs to be completed and filed away. As for you Itachi, you and the girl are officially dismissed. And I expect you to escort your mother straight home."

Without offering more instructions, he immediately retired into his office, taking Shisui along with him.

"That man. Always business. Well, never mind him. Shall we get going home?"

"Ah."

As they exited the building, Usagi stepped away from the group. "If it's okay with both of you, I think I'll head back home. I have a few things I need to get done today for my team."

"Are you sure you don't want my son to escort you? I can make it back home by myself."

Usagi shook her head. "His father gave him specific orders to escort you back safely. I wouldn't want to put Itachi in another comprising situation by breaking that. I can make it back home just fine."

"Very well then, but oh Usagi?" She called out as Usagi made her first effort to exit.

"Yes?"

"Are you busy tomorrow?"

"I do have an assignment, yes."

"Well are you free anytime this week?"

"Um, Saturday should be clear. Is something wrong?"

"No. Nothing at all. I just simply wondered if you would like to come over to our house for lunch. I'd be delighted to have you as a guest so we can have some quality time together. And I'm sure my son would enjoy your company as well."

She turned to Itachi and pleaded for an answer from him. But he gave her none, letting the decision rest solely on her. "Well, sure. I can stop by. Is noon okay?"

"That would work out just fine."

"Do I need to bring anything?"

"Just your appetite, sweetie. I'll take care of the rest."

"Okay, I'll see you two then. Goodbye." She waved a farewell, starting a sprint to her house.

She smiled as she thought about everything. Perhaps Itachi was worried for nothing? So far, no one had particularly hated her. She did cause a riot but it was expected considering how unorthodox a disruption like the one she created during the interrogation was. The men were most likely taken by surprise than anything else. And his mother was especially kind and generous. She didn't seem at all bothered by her presence. But as she continued running, she realized that it wasn't all untrue. Itachi's concerns had some validity.

Usagi thought back to Itachi's father as he entered the room. They didn't have an opportunity to exchange so much as a word between the time he appeared and the time Itachi and Shisui returned. But she recalled the way his sharp eyes were focused on her for that brief moment, reading right through her as a sharingan would. It was a quick spell of intimidation and it would be inwardly deceitful if she believed even for a second that his father did not frighten her. While the other men she encountered that day had their own share of compelling gazes, it was nothing like his father. Painted with aggression, bordered with scrutiny and varnished with a touch of disdain. Winning her way into his good graces would not come easily.

If ever.

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End

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Author's Notes: Yes, shame on me. I took a little too long but in all fairness I did give everyone a fair warning about my lapse. Luckily some of my SasuSaku fics are done so I got right back on the HC train. I was so eager to get this up soon that I had my two betas work with me constantly the last week or so on it. Thank you two for everything. Hope you guys are still enjoying this story. I know this chapter made a lot of people go "WTF?" but in all honesty it's such an Uchiha thing for them to do-overreact to things like this. And after doing more research on police investigations and interrogations I realized that they also do the same thing. And true story, I did go into a Police Station, a few in fact, in order to understand the layout. When asked what I needed, I simply responded that I was trying to figure out a way to get to "that man's office" by breaching security. Luckily I also threw in I was writing a story since the cop wasn't too thrilled by my line of thinking. He immediately laughed and let me go about my observations.

Chapter Notes: Oh no! Everyone has figured out the truth? How will they cope with it? I don't know. We'll see. But I guarantee you that Mikoto is excited about this. Ohhoho. And now Itachi can fulfill his rumored role as the 'immortal sex god.' (And all credits go to Uncyclopedia for that coined phrase).

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Next Chapter: Mikoto has invited Usagi over for some lunch and to spend some quality time with her. How will this all work out? I can't say much but one phrase comes to mind: Yellow rubber duckies. And that special meaning will not be revealed until the next chapter. So anticipate it!

Hope you still enjoyed-ed the story.

~Icehaze