Conversations

During the return to Konoha, Sasuke remained a good two hundred yards ahead of them. Kakashi snuck peeks at Iruka often, but Iruka remained silent. He tried to wait. To focus on the wind of their passage through the trees, the white of Sasuke's shirt, the ache in his muscles from traveling so much at such speed…but he was done. Patience gone. "Will you say something?"

"Like?" Iruka was calm.

"When are we removing Naruto from Itachi's presence?"

"Is that what's been bothering you? Why you've been so short-tempered?"

"I don't see how you can classify this as anything but an emergency."

"Well. It is that. But, as seen, the situation is also dangerous. I don't have to tell you what removing Naruto right now would have him do to us. As if we even could."

Kakashi ground his teeth until his head ached. "You're right. I know you're right. I just can't shake the idea of Naruto being controlled, Itachi setting himself up as king of Konoha."

"He hasn't so far."

"So far."

"If he were controlling Naruto, or wiping his memory, don't you think he'd have him forget Danzo?"

"…Huh."

"Or abandon thoughts of women and cheating on Sasuke?"

"Didn't think of it that way." He let out a deep breath. "Makes me feel a little better. But-"

Sasuke dropped onto their branch at the precise moment they also landed, effectively halting all travel. His face was forbidding. And he was staring at Iruka. "What'd you say to him?"

Iruka straightened from his landing. "I'm sorry? What did I say to whom?"

Sasuke took a step closer. Every line of his body was stiff. His jaw was tight, and now his eyes were turning red. "Itachi. Who the fuck do you think? Naruto's been locked down for the past thirty hours, who else would I be talking about? My brother, the one who called you, what'd you say to him when he did?"

"I told you. He was panicked about Naruto, wanted advice - "

"Iruka? I swear to Christ, if you don't answer me…" He took a breath that did nothing to lessen the threat oozing from him. "Tell me what you said. Exactly."

"I did."

"No, you didn't. You dwelled on what Naruto said to Itachi and what Itachi said to you…but what did you say to him?"

Iruka's face went blank. A careful smoothing out of his features. When he spoke, his voice was likewise pitched to a studied tone of neutrality. "I don't understand."

Sasuke's blood, already hot, hovered just beneath the boiling point. "Is that right." Faint tendrils of lightning danced around his shoulders, arms, and fingertips. The scent of ozone was heavy. "You expect me to believe you've forgotten that Mo said Itachi considers Naruto to be a God? Or maybe you think I'm too stupid to realize people don't suggest deicide without a push. Itachi told me he would break himself before failing Naruto, so what…did you…say."

Iruka forced himself to hold Sasuke's glare. He had forgotten Mo's words in the shock of seeing Naruto and Itachi. And he had been rather light on his diagnosis to Itachi. "I only wanted to impress upon him the seriousness of the situation."

"By saying what?"

"It's not of particular relevance - "

"My brother is out of his mind right now, did you see him? I've never seen him like that. He called you for help and you fucked him over. Okay." He nodded. "Listen good. Both of you. You ever come near my brother, Mo, their kids, or me again? Ever? It will be the last thing either of you does. We clear?" He looked back and forth between them, but his eyes lingered on Kakashi now.

Kakashi had long since exposed his own Sharingan. Sasuke's menace was palpable. Before Itachi's phone call, he would have bet his life that he could take Sasuke ten times out of ten. However, the revelation that Sasuke could likely wipe his mind of all memory or force him to commit suicide or some other horror, all without lifting a finger, kept him from attacking. Sasuke wouldn't make such a threat if he couldn't back it up. And he couldn't back it up with muscle. That left brains.

Still, it took Iruka putting a hand on his arm to get him to stand down. Even then, he held Sasuke's stare until the latter leapt into the night and left them completely.

Sasuke arrived at Mo's to find Sakura at the kitchen table, Kayo on her lap, and Ichi in his highchair. She was gamely trying to feed both children at once. Considering that Ichi and Kayo were screaming with such force their bodies were stiff, it was an exercise in futility. Both small faces were covered in snot and oatmeal. Oatmeal was on Sakura in several places. Her face was almost as red as the children's. "Hey," he said.

The screaming stopped at once. Both kids reached for him with mewls of need. Sakura gave him Kayo, reached for her bag, and went to the door. She turned. "Moegi's on bed rest. Her pressure took a turn several hours ago. I suspect she's neglected herself for some days. Dehydration, fatigue. I don't know what's going on in her personal life, but the stress isn't her friend." She wrapped her scarf over a blotch of oatmeal stuck to her neck. "Can I ask you something?"

Ichi shrieked from his chair, calling him. "Yeah."

"Itachi's ANBU, Tech Division."

"Yes?"

"Low level?"

"He, we, run the department."

"Then you have an elite health insurance package."

He dimly recalled reading this information in his contract. "So?"

"So, in that package there are options for expecting women and mothers with children. Moegi can have a medically trained aide in here, as well as childcare, at no cost. Especially if you're not going to be here full time. Even if you are, you need a break sometimes. Think about it." She left.

-oOo-

He spent long minutes just holding his niece and nephew. They were quiet for this. Neither child tolerated strangers. "Mo?" he called.

"Lying down!"

"Need anything?"

"Deal with them, then we can talk."

The kids were clingy. Too many foreign faces of a sudden, father absent, mother obviously not herself. They whined and cried whenever he put them down. Made getting them ready for the day more difficult than it had ever been for him.

He sat on the floor, legs crossed, eyes closed, kids on his lap. Took slow, measured breaths. Stayed that way.

At first, they fussed. Pet his face, pinched him. They wanted attention. He stroked them, acknowledged them, but didn't waver from his mission to reestablish calm. It was slow work. Kayo gave up first. Fit herself in the triangle of space between his legs and put her head on his thigh. Ichi switched to pinching her, but she wasn't shy about using her sharp new teeth on his hand. A howl from Ichi, a slap to his sister that Sasuke blocked, and then Ichi was done. He straddled the other thigh, lay his head on Sasuke's chest, and put a thumb in his mouth.

When they were at last quiet, and Sasuke felt he could breathe without unleashing Sharingan, he bathed and dressed them. They were cooperative now. Docile, even. From there, it was easier to slip into their routine. A walk to the park, an hour of playtime, back home for lunch, then down for their naps.

And Naruto wants kids. He had to fight back Sharingan again.

Mo was sitting against her pillows when he walked in with her lunch on a tray. He waited while she devoured everything. "Itachi's not doing well. Sakura says your stress is a problem, but I know if I don't tell you the truth, you'll speculate and worry, and that'll make the stress ten times worse."

"Damn fucking straight it would." Her eyes were wide from the moment he said her husband wasn't doing well.

"I told Itachi I got you guys, and I do, so I need you to hang tough while I break it down. Cool?"

She swallowed. "I don't know if I can ever tell you what it means to me that you don't shield me. How much I love you for that. In your own way, you respect me more than my husband does." She reached for his hand. Squeezed it. Steadied herself with a breath. "I can handle it. Promise." But she was scared. A cramp in her abdomen made her put a hand on it. She continued to take deep breaths, trying to manage her nerves.

He told her everything. She squeezed his hand harder with each sentence. When he got to his suspicions about what Iruka might have said to Itachi, she turned her head. His hand was white from the force of her grip, so he stopped there to allow her time. But she was too enraged. She turned back to find that the same anger lurked in his eyes. His unnatural calm and stillness was from this anger, she saw.

The first time she'd seen him, he was lying on that convenience store floor. Beat to shit, but exhibiting this same stillness. Always this self-possession, this quiet strength when all else around him was in turmoil. His steady gaze brought to mind also that she was former ANBU. She'd been through far worse than this. Life with Itachi was making her soft. "I'm good. Go on."

"That's everything. Sakura made a suggestion, though."

She listened, but watched Sasuke more. His tone was dead, his face stoic. Like he was just going through the motions. Knowing his brother was coming apart at the seams didn't help him, either. On top of his treatment from both Naruto and Itachi, it was a wonder he hadn't cracked. "Sasuke."

"Yeah."

"I've been slacking. Your brother practically demands it, but I'm done. Enough. I'm forgetting who I am, letting him control everything. It's gotten to a point where the slightest thing sends me running to him. I've managed whole teams, assassination missions, been tortured. I survived foster care. I can handle my own damn kids. Just give me a few days to get my health in order."

"…Before what?"

"Before you go. You can call an aide then."

He stood, taking the tray with him. "I'm not leaving you. Told you I'd get Itachi home. Meant it." He closed her door on his way out.

Downstairs, he pulled out his phone. "You good?"

Itachi fished his cell out of a pocket mid-leap. Listened. Sent back an answering voice note. "Maintaining."

Going flat out like this, he could do eight, ten hours. He had another thirty minutes in him, maybe an hour. Two, if he pushed. Pushing made the injuries Akatsuki gave him flare up, though. And they were already singing.

He could feel Naruto behind him. Chakra blazing. Panting. Steady, though. Focused. Jesus, he could feel that focus pointed at the back of his head. Daring him to stop. Willing him not to.

Well, fuck it. He was only human.

Early afternoon. He picked a glade swallowed in shadow, dropped down, and worked at not flinching when Naruto dropped down in front of him.

Naruto's eyes were red. They looked nowhere but at him.

Itachi took his time studying the slit pupils as he dug an energy pellet from his bag. "I need three hours. Then I can go again."

"For how long?" Naruto's lips barely moved.

"Another eight hours. Then I'll need to sleep. Two, three hours. Preferably five."

"How long till we reach Danzo."

"Assuming I'm allowed my rest periods, but still going balls out when I'm not down…two, three days. Maybe less. Never actually been where we're going."

"Sleep. Five hours. After the next run." Only then did he turn away. He faced the direction they'd been going, staring through the trees.

Itachi stared at his back. Never in all his life had he felt worse about himself. He'd looked this man in the eye and named him brother. Then betrayed him. He wanted to throw up.

But he was also ready to murder Naruto at the slightest provocation. It wasn't Naruto, Iruka said. Tell the truth, he wasn't sure he wouldn't kill Naruto anyway. Once Danzo was dead. If it meant keeping Sasuke safe…

Why wait, then? If he's a danger, what's stopping you?

Sasuke. This walking nightmare was Sasuke's heart. That was why. But I'm Sasuke's heart.

-oOo-

The second he felt Itachi's eyes leave him, he turned his head just enough to look at him.

Itachi was crouched on the balls of his feet. Elbows on his knees, hands clasped. Eyes closed. Relaxed.

He knew better.

If he wasn't looking at him, he wouldn't know the man was there. Itachi was completely masked. He couldn't even hear him breathing, and his hearing was extraordinary. Everything about Itachi shouted that he thought himself in danger; he was in defense mode.

What about me? I'm the one in danger from him.

Such a novel concept. Him. In danger. From a man half his weight. He wasn't fooled, though. Whether he could feel Itachi or not, he could feel the killing intent radiating from him.

He'd taken care to keep Itachi in front of him. The fact that even given the speed Itachi used, he made virtually no sound whenever he landed was duly noted. The man was silent death. He catalogued everything. The perfect ease of movement Itachi displayed. The fluidity of muscles. Itachi was a machine. He'd had ample time to wonder what it must be like to have someone like him as an enemy. But then he didn't have to wonder too hard, did he? Aside from that Genjutsu, the entire powerful organization of Akatsuki was no more due to this slight man hunkered ten feet away. To think that I once called him weak.

A line of sweat that had nothing to do with exertion made its way down his spine.

After Danzo, I may have to kill him. I'll give him a chance to explain. Just one. But that Genjutsu… I might kill him anyway.

His mind returned to Danzo as he finally looked away. I hope Danzo puts up a fight. If I find him weak and shriveled and on his death bed, I'll have to kill him gently so I can make it last. That possibility held little appeal. He wanted a war. Danzo owed him 25 years and his parents. He meant to collect.

His eyes went to Itachi again. Stayed there.

What would it be like to fight him?

That would be a war. His pulse quickened. A smile had his fangs showing.

She could hear Sasuke's voice lilting through the kids' bedtime story. Ichi's piercing squeal. Silence. Sasuke brushing his teeth in the upstairs bath. Gargling. Spitting. The toilet flushed. More silence.

He opened her bedroom door without knocking. "Please don't sleep in here," she said.

He froze with a hand on the knob. "Why not?"

"I love you, kid. Really. I do. Words cannot express how much your help with the brats means to me, or you keeping me in the know about your brother. But it's very obvious you've never been around women."

"And that's a problem?"

"Yes. You don't enter a woman's closed bedroom without first knocking, then waiting for permission to enter. She could be naked, or changing her tampon."

"Christ, I didn't – "

"You don't sleep in a married woman's bed, no matter what your relationship is with her. Personally, I'm only comfortable sleeping next to my husband. Sleeping next to his brother is sort of gross. Plus, women like their privacy. You know, to fart in peace, etc." She held in her smile at how red his face was.

"I'm sorry. I thought it was the best way to make sure you're safe."

"And I appreciate the concept. I may be pregnant, but I'm not as helpless as all that. I'm perfectly safe in my own bed."

"You sure?"

"I'd feel a lot better if you stayed near the kids."

She'd seen it off and on when Sasuke was living with them before, but never as strongly as she did now. Watching the way he hesitated, it struck her anew how thoroughly Itachi had his brother trained. She doubted Sasuke had ever been allowed to think for himself. The times he had, she was sure Itachi made the kid pay for it in some way, followed by reinforcement of the rules. "I'm fine, I promise."

"What if you miscarry?"

"Your presence would hardly prevent it. I can holler for you if I need you. "

"Okay. If you're sure. Guess I'll go bunk down in the nursery?"

"Thank you."

-oOo-

Now I can think.

Prior to marriage, she'd operated on ANBU protocol in her professional as well as her private life. Marriage to Itachi was…like switching one superior for another, she decided. He needed things a certain way. Caught in her first taste of love, regular sex, and being valued, it was easy to comply. She just let him decide everything. It was liberating, really. At first. Then the kids had sucked up all her time and attention.

This situation was like being underwater during a war. Finally surfacing from the stupor of obedient housewife to the harsh reality of what was happening in the real word, the first thing she did was resort to her old training. First thing's first: Analyze the sitch.

Naruto and Itachi were each changing to a dangerous degree. Off on a mission they may or may not survive, though Danzo likely wouldn't be the one to end either of them. Sasuke was slowly cracking beneath the stress of being emotionally abandoned by the two most important people to him. She was a burden he was doing his best to shoulder. Not to mention her health was circling the drain due to her own stress.

That's the gist. Now, what's the objective?

To have her husband home safe and sane. For Naruto to get the resolution he needed and also return sane. For Sasuke to maybe, if it was at all possible, open up about his feelings. And for her health to be at a level that didn't require so much attention.

So far so good. What do I actually have control over?

Certainly not Naruto. Much as she hated to admit it, not Itachi either. Nothing she could do here would affect the outcome of this mission for either of them. She excised them from her mind completely. Put them in their own sealed container and shoved the container to a dark corner of her mind.

Sasuke.

Kid was in dire need of someone to take care of him for a change. If Itachi was a pseudo father figure, that made her the same as his mother. The idea alone made her emotions well up and tears prick her eyes. He needs a listener. Support. A lot of love. I can do that. I will do that. God knows Naruto and Itachi aren't. As much as Itachi loves that boy, the way he treats him sickens me.

Which brought her to herself. Her health. She couldn't support anyone from perpetual bed rest.

He came awake because he sensed people at the house door. The moment he opened his eyes, there was a single, tiny knock, as if given with one knuckle. Then another.

A full minute went by. No further sounds. The people didn't leave.

Whoever they were, they could sense him; the knocks had only been given once he'd woken, and were made softly enough so the children weren't disturbed.

-oOo-

He opened the door to find a woman an inch taller than himself and half again as broad. Standing beside her was a child who gazed up at him with large and serious grey eyes. She was hugging a pink backpack. He looked back and forth between them and said, "What."

"Uchiha Sasuke?" It was the child. He didn't answer her. She pulled a file from the backpack and handed it to him. "We're here at Moegi's request."

He took it and held it while he gave them a more thorough inspection. The tall woman had thick grey hair tamed into a fat bun at the back of her head. She had on a skirt —something he never saw on women—that came to just below her knees. Orthopedic shoes he associated with middle-aged women. Her hands were folded over her stomach. Hands, he noted, that had the unmistakable look of a skilled Taijutsu user. Her eyes were dark and deep-set, her face unlined.

The child. She was tiny, looked to be no older than seven or eight, with a blonde ponytail sitting so high on her crown, it was almost on her forehead. She was wearing a silver and pink jacket and pink sneakers with violently happy heart faces on them. He actually stared at that for several seconds, before finally opening the folder.

The info was shockingly sparse. A fact that had alarm bells going off. The woman's name was Kimuka Shizuka, nickname Bard. A matron with a number of years' experience caring for ninja injured on missions.

He glanced at her hands again. He was willing to bet she was deceptively strong and fast. Her dark eyes didn't blink, challenging him to ask her something.

He turned the single page in the file. The child, Makata Aori, went by the name Chitch. Experienced professional child playmate. He read that again: playmate. No other data on either of them. He glanced back and forth between them again, clocked their stares, then closed the door in their faces.

"The fuck, Mo, you couldn't give me a heads up?" He glared at her in the medicine cabinet mirror while she spat into the sink, rinsed her toothbrush, and shut off the faucet. He followed her out of the bathroom.

In her room, she got in bed and tucked the blanket around her waist. "I could have," she said, leaning against the headboard. "I didn't feel like hearing your protests. When they got here would be time enough for you to know. They're my kids, it was my decision."

"Itachi left me here to protect you guys. You can't – "

"Don't ever tell me what I can't do." She watched him clench his jaw. Waited while he took in a long breath through his nose. "Hand me that, please."

He gave her the jar of hand cream from her nightstand, hesitated, then sat on the edge of her bed. "Mo, we – "

"Just because you're here doesn't mean your authority, such as it is, supersedes mine. I'm sure Itachi would like to think so, but that's not the case." She smoothed cream along her forearms.

Sasuke grit his teeth through a count of five this time, then tried again. "We don't know these people."

"I did a stint as a Hunter-nin for three years. Chitch was my team leader."

"That kid was a Hunter-nin?"

"That kid is actually two years older than I am."

"Jesus…"

"Bard was in ANBU during my early years. In my unit. We did several missions together before she got transferred to Special Ops."

"The hell is Special Ops?"

She paused in the act of creaming her elbows as she frowned. "Right. Spec-nin aren't common knowledge. Not in any database. Just the Kage and Captain's minds, known and operated solely by the Hokage and Captain of ANBU. Period. They're not housed in ANBU barracks, don't receive missions through headquarters. Don't even wear masks or uniforms. You could be passing any ordinary citizen on the street and they could be Spec. Probably shouldn't be telling you this. I only know about it because Bard told me before her transfer. We were kind of close, being the only girls in our unit at the time, and she's almost my age."

"No, she's not."

"A year younger than me. As for what Spec-nin are, they're mostly infiltration, I think. Maybe a few high-level or delicate assassinations. Chitch is Spec-nin too. Think Bard usually gets sent for matronly positions. Specs typically have a long list of non-combative skills under their belt. Bard passed Tsunade-sama's intermediate field medicine course. Third tier. So, if anything, she's overqualified for this position."

"And Chitch?"

"Among other things, she's exceptionally skilled at infiltrating children, getting their trust, getting information from them that they don't realize they have."

"They sound like the very last people Itachi would have around his kids. They have to go, Mo. I'll handle things, I promise. Okay? Please."

"Can't you trust me on this?"

He spent a full minute staring at her. "No. They could be here to murder us all."

She sighed. Bit her lip. Reached for his hand and held it in her lap with both of hers. Her large, dark eyes were grave, and her voice carefully modulated to a tone of reasonableness when she said, "Sasuke. Sweetie. I need you to really hear what I'm about to say. Okay?"

"Okay?" But he could feel his walls going up.

She felt it too, and gave his hand an encouraging squeeze. "What Itachi did to you," she began, "instilling such fear and paranoia in you when you were small…that was the right thing to do. At the time. He was a baby with a helpless infant on his hands. It was the only thing he could do to keep you safe. Fear keeps us safe, that's why we feel it. And back then, that was his greatest protection too. He made sure to keep your fear as tight and sharp as his own growing up, so that you could be safe. So you both could be."

She wouldn't let go his hand so he could wipe his tears, and his other was firmly tucked into his armpit. He resorted to staring at the window.

"But Sasuke, that's not how your lives are anymore. You're grown. You understand the world, you know how to differentiate between actual danger and normal social situations. Itachi continuing to be so paranoid, and keeping you paranoid, is wrong. Making you adhere to his insane rules is wrong. How he treats you…is wrong." She watched his composure crack, the tears coming faster, if still silently. "It's wrong," she repeated. "The way he uses you like some tool, like something without feelings, without rights…that's wrong. We can say it out loud, Sasuke. He loves us tremendously, would probably die for us in a heartbeat, but how he treats his family is fucking wrong."

The hand she wasn't holding came up to cover his face as he rocked forward. His forehead was on his knees, shoulders shaking with brutally stifled sobs.

She stroked his hair, helpless against her own tears now. "I've only been with him a few years, and it still took me over an hour to text Sakura and break his rule. I can't imagine how much harder this must be for you, who grew up with him. But Chitch and Bard are here to help us. Not every stranger is out to kill you, Sasuke. You're safe. I promise you, you…are…safe. Can you believe that?"

"Yes." His voice was a croak. He sat up and ran the inside of his sleeve down his face. "Most of the time I can. But not with these two. They're outside the door. Right now. I saw them. By that, I mean I got a read on them. They don't feel safe, Mo."

"Sweetie – "

"No." He pulled himself together with an effort. Straightened so he could turn toward her and give her his full attention. "I get all that you said, but it wasn't just fear that kept us safe. I can't…I don't know how to explain it other than as a feeling. Itachi and I, we feel when something's off. And I feel it now. Nothing about those two is normal. Nothing. It's like a scream, like…like someone standing right behind me. Something I'm feeling with my whole body."

She studied his expression. The way he was now squeezing her hand in an effort to get her to believe him. This same manic conviction that enemies lurked around every corner was what had kept her adherent to Itachi's rules for their entire marriage. What had isolated her from life, her friends, normal pursuits. She suddenly missed going to a coffee shop with her team after a long mission, getting an iced flat white, and just shooting the shit. She missed pedicures and kunai karaoke. Dinner with friends. She missed living. But Itachi was hard to resist, especially once she saw how debilitating his fear was. Somewhere along the way she'd gone from humoring him to keep his anxiety manageable, to mostly believing him. It was just easier not to go against him. He was never violent to her, never abusive, but utterly inflexible about his perceived notion of safety. And with the kids, she simply had zero energy to fight him on his ideas.

Sasuke, who'd always struck her as infinitely more flexible than her husband, apparently held this one thing in common with him. This rigidity about safety. Much of that was wrapped up in his relationship with Itachi. How he viewed his older brother, and the blind obedience he had to him. Being raised in it, like she said. There was no fighting Sasuke on this, in other words. He wouldn't change his mind. "Do you trust me?" she said.

"Yes. But that doesn't account for ignorance, and there are some things I trust to no one but my brother. That includes safety. Do you trust me?"

"Yes." No qualifiers. After all, he and Itachi had managed to stay out of Akatsuki's clutches for seventeen years. And she had not, in fact, ever had to live her life on the run. Then again, this doubt in herself was one of the things living with Itachi had brought out in her. She could never trust her own judgement anymore.

"Then let's compromise. I will allow that you may be right in this instance, despite what I feel about those two. However, I will be pursuing my own peace of mind regarding them. Which means investigating. During that time, they can stay. I'll be observing. Closely. Okay?"

"That is a compromise. Itachi wouldn't be letting them in the door if he felt they were off. So, thank you for that." She watched him nod, his eyes already going distant as his mind became occupied with this new problem. She gave him a few moments, wherein he seemed to forget she was there, but finally asked, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, why?" He took his hand out of her grasp.

"Feel like I touched on some things you don't talk about. Your brother," she clarified when he frowned.

"What about him?"

"You're pissed at him right now. And you have every right to be." When all he did was stare, she added, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Nothing to talk about." He got up and left the room.

She stared at her door, which he'd left ajar. Well? Congratulations, Itachi. You have truly broken that boy.

At the top of the stairs, he took a minute to compose himself. He'd already given himself away by leaving them waiting, so there went his hope for having them believe he wasn't suspicious of them. But he was nothing if not an accomplished actor.

No matter what Mo said or believed, catastrophizing was, hands down, one of the most useful weapons in Itachi's toolbox of safety. 'Always visualize this,' he would say. 'What is the absolute worse-case scenario? Just how badly can this go wrong? And work from there.' Okay. Worst case, the aides were here to kill them. What was the stealthiest way to go about that? Touch. To what end? Whatever reasons Madara had harbored for wanting his clan dead. He'd never received concrete info on that.

That's if Uchiha are even the target. Target could be Naruto. He's not here, but his family is. If that's the case, ransom could be the goal. It's not like going up against Naruto head-on is an option for many people. Strike at his heart, though…

Possible. Probable, even.

I'll be neutral, he decided while jogging down the stairs. A demeanor that encompasses the suspicion they already know I have, while hiding the fact that I am hardcore on the offensive right now.

At the door, he paused again. House was quiet. Kids still asleep. He took a deep breath. Here we go. Itachi, I promise. I got this.

-oOo-

Mo came down a few minutes after he let them in. There were some whispered pleasantries exchanged and a bit of reminiscing, before Mo led the way up to the kids' bedroom. He watched closely the entire time as he brought up the rear. Chitch bounced up the treads, Bard moved sedately, hands clasped all the way up.

Kids would likely stir in a few minutes. Ichi usually woke up first, yelling for his uncle. That would invariably wake up Kayo. The adults waited in a line against the wall, facing their beds.

Ichi was right on schedule. Not usually being in the room when he woke, this was Sasuke's first time witnessing the process. Ichi sat up, spent several seconds yawning and fisting his eyes, then filled his lungs for the expected yell.

Except he got a look at them all when he did. At first, his face split in a grin at seeing Sasuke and his mother. Then he saw Bard and Chitch. His face went from ecstatic to guarded immediately.

Sasuke was fascinated. Ichi could be counted upon to howl the roof down whenever he was the slightest bit mad or unhappy. This silent caution as he slid off his bed and padded to Kayo's crib was something new. Likewise, he didn't know the kid could climb the rails like that, to actually sit in the crib itself. Outstanding, Itachi. You'd be proud. Kid went directly to who he feels he needs to protect.

Chitch scared the shit out of him by shouting, "Hi, Ichi!" She pranced to the crib and grabbed the rails. Kayo, who'd slept through her brother landing on her mattress, stirred at hearing this. She woke, saw a strange face peering at her, and started to smile. Chitch reached through the rails to touch Kayo's hair.

Ichi bit her.

Both Chitch and Ichi started bawling then, Chitch sitting on the floor to do hers with the addition of some kicking. Kayo contributed her two cents and joined her noise to theirs. Sasuke saw that actual tears were streaming down Chitch's face. Flawless.

"Sasuke?" Mo said. She put a hand to the small of her back as she moved to an armchair Itachi had put in the corner for story time. "If you wouldn't mind."

He scooped them out of the crib and stood swaying with them until they were silent. Chitch timed her crying so that she went quiet at the same moment they did. She saw Kayo looking at her and smiled. Kayo turned away.

Eventually, he washed them up in the bathroom then brought them back to the room to dress for the day. He noticed Chitch had divested herself of her pink jacket. Her blouse was purple. The sleeves were shaped like butterflies. Bard was handing Mo a cup of tea. He pursed his lips at that, positive that Mo hadn't moved from her chair to make sure her tea wasn't poisoned as it was being prepared.

There was a moment when both kids were dressed and he was about to take them down for breakfast. Chitch darted over to take Kayo's hand. Ichi roared and ran at her with the intention to strike. Chitch ran to Sasuke, clung to his waist a moment, and wailed when Ichi gave her jealous kicks and punches. When Ichi left off and turned away, she snuck after him, gave a tap to his head, then ran as he chased her in rage. She kept that up, laughing as she touched him and ran, touched him and ran, until Ichi was laughing too. Precisely when it had become a game of tag, Sasuke couldn't say…only that it was masterfully done. Cutting his eyes at Mo, he saw her smiling in relief. Bard, however, was watching him, not Chitch or the kids, and not Mo.

It was Chitch who held Ichi's hand as they navigated the stairs. Kayo was on her hip and content to be there. Sasuke kept his eyes open as the babbling trio entered the kitchen. Mo stayed upstairs with Bard.

Watching strangers touch Itachi's kids was like watching a kunai coming it at his head without dodging, he decided. An exercise in torture. He had to give it to Chitch, though, the kids were practically eating out of her hand. Breakfast and clean-up went off as smoothly as it did for him, if not smoother, and she sent up a tray for Mo besides. A healthy dose of jealousy soured his stomach. While he sat on the couch and watched Chitch get the kids ready for their morning outing, he did a thorough background check into both aides. How Mo let them show up without a check by him was beyond his comprehension. He, in hindsight, should never have compromised by letting them in the door before checking them. I fucked up, Itachi, but I still got this.

Half his screen showed the data he was pulling up. The other half was dedicated to the security and traffic cameras Itachi had Naruto install around Konoha. On them, he monitored and recorded Chitch and the kids' progress to the park, at the park, and their trip back.

Bard's history tickled his senses in an unpleasant way. He stopped typing while he scanned the data again. Pulled his mind back from the details to try and see the big picture. That he was looking at false data for both aides, he had no doubt, but it was very subtly done. He didn't know if this was SOP for Special Ops. Captain would asked to be paid with a blowjob if he sought info from him on either woman…no. He would have to dig this out himself.

"Find anything iffy?" Mo said as she came and sat beside him.

He didn't look away from the screen. "Shouldn't you be in bed?"

"Turns out handling my own shit works wonders for my blood pressure. And I'm not bleeding, so no immediate danger of miscarriage. What'd you find?"

"You said you know them."

"I do."

"How well?"

"Pretty well. I mean, I explained how I knew them when we were upstairs."

Sasuke grunted. And that was years ago. "They've been away from the village on several occasions."

"I would imagine so, given their occupations. God, Sasuke, what are you – "

"How'd they come to be your choice? You asked for them?"

Pause. "No, actually. I texted Sakura. She sent me back several candidates fitting the criteria I specified."

"Something's off about Bard."

Mo closed her eyes and sighed long and hard through her nose. Nodded. "I know we discussed this already, but she's been vetted, Sasuke."

"Not by me. If I say something's off, it's off. Also as already discussed. She's off." Bard entered the kitchen then. He didn't trouble to lower his voice. "And I'm going to find out what it is."

Mo watched from Sasuke's laptop as her kids and Chitch turn onto their street. "Guess you'll do whatever you want."

"Don't start. We made a deal."

"I know. But we've seen them in action now. Can't you just trust me?"

"Not in this, no."

"Why? Why is Itachi, with all his delusions, the only one you trust?"

"Because his delusions are based on fact. I have no idea what you're basing your belief in these people on. I don't trust your judgement because I know the digital world and you don't."

"Well. I know Chitch and Bard."

Chitch entered then with the kids and paused at hearing her name.

Sasuke closed his laptop with a snap and turned to face her. "You've been stuck in the house for the past three years, so with all due respect, you don't know anything. Which makes Chitch and Bard strangers. I will be vetting them for my own peace of mind." He looked at the aides in question now, who were staring at him. He addressed them. "If I verify anything, and I mean so much as a single word, in your data as false, I will end your existence as you know it. That's not an exaggeration. You don't even want to be here if or when my brother finds out, but it won't matter where you run to. The fact that you were in his house, touching his kids, means your lives will be forfeit. Between Itachi and me? I'm the safer option. If there's anything either of you would like to disclose now, before I really start digging, the floor is open." He stared back and forth between them.

Chitch turned and led the kids away, singing some song about washing up before lunch. When she was upstairs, and they could all hear water running in the bathroom, Bard said, "Yakushi Kabuto was my father."

Sasuke threw his eyes on.

Bard stood calmly, hands clasped before her waist. "He tried to recruit me for Akatsuki several times but I was never a part of that organization. The early part of my history is false because I was…I was raised with them. In Akatsuki."

He could barely speak. "And they just let you leave?"

"No. My father faked my death. Hid me here. Where he could keep an eye on me. No one here knows who I am."

"You mean no one knows the daughter of Tsunade's murderer is breathing free air," he snapped.

"Correct. I had no direct contact with my father once my death was established. I'm not responsible for his actions." She was utterly composed.

Kabuto, when they'd walked into Tsunade's hospital room after he'd recalled Itachi's Hide and Seek message, had displayed this same unshakable calm. Sasuke saw the similarities and grit his teeth. "I'll decide what's what. You may or may not be aware, but Itachi considers the present Hokage to be his brother. A sentiment reciprocated. The Hokage also happens to be my lover. The Hokage slaughtered your father in a grisly fashion. Yet here you are, taking care of the Hokage's sister-in-law. That doesn't sound like a conflict of interest to you? Or the fact that the Hokage murdered the organization that raised you? Come to think of it, why didn't you out Akatsuki to the authorities here? That's treason."

"I had to remain hidden."

"You – " He brought a fist to his mouth. Closed his eyes. Counted to ten. "Mo?"

"Do what you have to do." Her voice was ice.

He watched Itachi listen to a lengthy voice note without breaking stride. Nothing the man did broke his stride. He privately thought the man could answer a call of nature without breaking his forward momentum. So when Itachi called a halt after hearing the note, he was more than a little surprised. He dropped down beside him. "What."

In answer, Itachi played the note on speaker. He noted that Itachi's eyes were red.

He had to listen to it twice; the first time, he couldn't focus on anything but Sasuke's voice. How different it sounded when not speaking to him. When not aware of him and, apparently, not in his vicinity. There was a matter-of-factness to it, even given the dire news it portrayed, that had a surprising jolt of desire kicking him in the balls. So that's what he's like when I'm not around.

The memory of their last words came back to him. The way he'd willingly chosen Danzo over him. He looked at Itachi, his brother, who was so scared of him he'd muzzled him, but was still here helping him because he'd asked. Sasuke probably thought what he'd said to Itachi was only between them, but he'd heard every word. 'Get him there, turn him loose, get back home.' His own recent thoughts about possibly killing Itachi now hit him like a thunderclap. My God, what am I doing? What indeed. He's right to be scared of me. Truth be told, he was scared of himself at the moment.

There'd been silence for some time, he realized. Itachi was watching him. "Play it again." Itachi complied. "Sasuke feels this is a matter for me to decide?"

"Isn't it?"

"I suppose it is. City security."

"I'ma just say here and now that I don't give a fuck what you choose to do. They're dead."

"Understood."

"…It is?"

He gave a single nod. "Even if what this Bard says is true, we'll never know what's in her mind or heart. Well, her mind maybe. Via Ino. But there's no guarantee she isn't some sleeper-nin."

"Exactly."

"Have Sasuke do it immediately. She might not be alone. Frankly, the more I think about it, the more it makes sense that an organization as powerful as Akatsuki would have peripheral agents." He stared at Itachi's phone. Then ahead, in the direction they were traveling.

He could all but smell Danzo. The urge to continue was primal. Overwhelming. But more than the current situation in Itachi's home was starting to get to through to him now. Such as the fact that Sasuke, Itachi, Mo…they were his family. He finally had one. And they were in danger. He wanted Danzo dead, yes, but his family needed him.

-oOo-

Itachi sent a text with instructions to Sasuke, then stowed his phone. Pinned Naruto with a stare. He could engineer this fuckfest to his favor, he decided. But he had boundaries, so instead he said, "If we push, and I mean really book, we can make Danzo by late morning, tomorrow afternoon. I need to get home."

"I know."

"Great. Let's continue, then. No more breaks." He leapt, but a hand like steel grabbed him back down. Right out of the air. He turned with a Genjutsu blazing, sure this was it, he was dead, guy had finally snapped…but then he was on his back, blinking up at the trees. "What…"

Naruto leaned over him. "We need to talk - "

"You knocked me out again? Like at my old apartment?"

" - and I prefer we do it now. Before we head back."

"Dude." He got to his feet. "Don't ever fucking grab me. Ever." He took a moment to let the lingering dizziness fade. "Talk? I don't have time for this." He backed up a few steps before preparing to leap. "Told you, my ass needs to be h – "

Naruto was glowing orange. His eyes were red now, too. The heat radiating from him withered the grass in a spreading circle. "Try putting that Genjutsu on me again. I'm not asking. I'm telling. Do it."

He had to back up even farther to breathe. "You – "

"Now."

He had the Genjutsu launched at Naruto before the echo of that roar faded. Felt it land. Felt how that demon chakra blocked him. It was beyond powerful. Like meeting a falling mountain with an umbrella. Luckily, he didn't need strength. All he needed was speed, accuracy, and stealth. He slipped past the demon's shield…then came up short.

He was mind to mind with the demon itself.

It regarded him with towering, bristling animosity, but also wariness; it knew he was the one to gag Naruto earlier. Fascinating. Outside of this little showdown, where he stood in the forest, he knew the hairs on his body were probably standing on end. Never before had he encountered human-level intelligence in something not, well, human. This thing was looking at him. The size of it alone had him almost shitting himself. This was the source of Naruto's power to heal, and blow up that torture chamber, and demolish his apartment. This was the reason Naruto lived on the mountain. This was what Akatsuki'd wanted. This thing that stared at him with lips writhing in hate, and fangs longer than he was tall. His terror was so far gone he could scarcely think. My ass could really die up in here.

He summoned his scattered focus with a supreme effort.

Last time, he'd hit Naruto with the Genjutsu right after leaving Mo. Hadn't even sensed the demon. Now, it was both alert and ready for him. That was food for thought. He didn't know how he knew—maybe Sasuke had mentioned it once—but he had it in his mind that this thing was usually dormant in Naruto. Right now it was awake. Had been for God knew how long. Maybe since the Genjutsu. Did a dormant demon mean a rational Naruto? An alert demon, an irrational Naruto?

He stared at its eyes, aware that he was past Naruto's mind completely. Moving carefully, he launched a simple suppression at the demon's mind. Good news was that it worked. Bad news: it wasn't a human mind, so he lost precious seconds searching for the precise spot that enabled sentience. When he found it, he hit it and held it. On his way out, he encountered Naruto's shocked consciousness, and paused. 'Do you really need me to do this?'

Naruto looked at the demon. Its eyes wore Sharingan. There was wonder in his voice when he said, 'He couldn't fight you.'

'And neither can you.'

'I want to talk.'

'Danzo?'

'I'm aborting this mission.'

That he wasn't expecting to hear. He released them both and exited Naruto's mind. Watched as Naruto frowned and turned his back, hand over his mouth. The demon's chakra was gone, but he didn't release Sharingan.

"You're afraid of me." Naruto's voice was flat.

"Yes."

"Why."

Several possible answers sped across his mind. He went for the most in-depth one.

Naruto turned around halfway through to stare at him with eyes and mouth wide open.

"Felt…fuck, felt like the only way to save us was by taking you out. Permanently. I originally muzzled you because you were spiralling. Then I left it in place, altered it, and stuck you in that Genjutsu in order to give myself time to think. Time to…I don't know. For you to maybe snap out of it. So I wouldn't have to kill you."

Naruto moistened his lips. "Can you? Kill me?"

"I'd rather not answer that." He tried blinking his eyes clear, but the tears kept welling. "As it is, I don't know if I'm worthy of being your brother anymore. I betrayed you. Lied to you. Fucked up, man. Fucked up bad."

-oOo-

It was an amazing thing to see Itachi cry. Worse than his first time witnessing it. With the tears, though, some of Itachi's defenses slipped. He could now smell just how terrified he was, and wondered at this ability to mask his scent. He could do it, but he considered himself to be far above Itachi's level. Fear heightens his abilities. Another stunning insight into this man he hardly knew. Well, he did tell me the more afraid he is, the stronger his senses. Or something to that effect.

He chose his words carefully. "Itachi…no matter how preoccupied I am, I am never so unaware as to hurt my family." He remembered his recent thoughts on killing Itachi. "If I ever came at you, it would be in full knowledge of the fact, and after considerable provocation. Such as the way you muzzled me. That left me angry and feeling decidedly vulnerable. Not a sensation I relished at all. But were Danzo in front of me right now, and it was a choice between him and you? So help me, I'd choose you. I want him dead, Itachi. More than I want my next breath. But you I'd give my life for. No matter how enraged I am, I could never hurt you or Sasuke. Or Mo, or your kids. I honestly can't believe Iruka said those things, or that he feels it was all your fault. I will never forgive him for that. Never."

"I guess I'm glad to hear all that. But you did threaten to kill him and anyone else who got in your way on this."

"Him, yes. Someone else, certainly. But not you or Sasuke. You're untouchable, and thus exempt from any threats I make."

"What about cheating on Sasuke?"

"Whether Sasuke and I become parents, and how, is a discussion for me and him. I would never go behind his back."

Itachi didn't blink.

"I have not killed in a senseless rage since my rescue from Danzo, Itachi. I don't know that I could. Certainly not you or those I love. Maybe I've been a bit…demanding since learning Danzo's alive – "

"You didn't want me saying goodbye to Mo."

"I'm sorry."

Itachi pushed his lips out. "You don't see it, Naruto. How dangerous you are. You nearly killed me when I snuck up to your room that time. I clocked how you said you didn't like being muzzled, and would only kill me after informing me…thanks. But you got rage issues and a ton of power. Not a good combo. That's why I muzzled you. Because despite your best intentions, you don't actually have much control. Under normal circumstances, I don't fuck with people like you for that very reason. Still. I claimed you as my brother in full knowledge of that." He took a deep breath. Shook his head. "So there's no excuse for what I did. But you scared the shit out of me."

How he relished this honesty. "I can see that. I think Iruka scared you even worse."

"Yeah. That too." Peeked at Naruto. Glanced away. "Look, I, uh…I ain't too rational when I get scared past a certain point. I see one thing, and one thing only. Survival. Sasuke's. Mine too, but him first and always. Thought you stopped seeing us, so…" He shrugged in discomfort. "Can you forgive me? I need you to forgive me. Got no right to ask, but I need it."

It was then he became aware of the sweat on Itachi's face, and the tremors running through his body. There was a look in Itachi's eyes, a staring, unblinking quality, that set alarm bells off in him. "Yes. Of course. Do you forgive me for my own behavior? For scaring you?"

The tiniest of hesitations. "Yes."

You're lying. You forgive me but don't trust me. "Thank you."

"I need to say something and I can only say it once."

"I'm listening." He made sure to keep his face, voice, and body language as unthreatening as possible. He doesn't see how dangerous he is either.

"Okay. Here it is. I got rules I live by. Certain…things…I don't do to my family, no matter what. No matter what. I crossed that line with you. Not…not all the way, but enough. Too much. I can't take that back, but I'm looking you in the eye, here and now, and promising I will never do that again. No matter how far gone you are or how dangerous. My word on it."

"I believe you."

"Good."

He watched Itachi palm sweat off his brow. "Would you like to go home now? I can have us there instantly."

"No. Said I wouldn't fail you. You need this, so we're going. Sasuke has instructions. Let's get this done."

He suited action to words and leapt away.

He took a moment to note that Itachi hadn't disturbed so much as a leaf when he disappeared into the trees. You're distracted. And something besides me has you on edge. Filing that information away, he jumped after him. And I'll be dealing with you next, Iruka.