New Home

When I found mom she was in her room packing her personal belongings. She looked sad and yet the glow that was coming off of her was so bright I knew there wasn't any sadness there. She was happy to move, happy to go to the Uchiha compound and be with the man that she loved.

"Mom?" I called out to her, voice soft and unsure. When she turned around to face me she smiled before sighing. One look from my face and she knew what I wanted to ask, she knew how confused I was feeling.

"Oh honey, I know all of it is so sudden but it'll really be best for you to move there. The Uchiha compound is safe, the safest place until that snake leaves at least." she said, her anger surfacing when referring to the man who had attacked me. Hei growled ever so quietly then.

"I don't care if it's best for me, are you okay with it mom?" I asked only to hear a soft chuckle. Damn, I had forgotten about her own watching guard. "This conversation is not open to public, leave us alone." I called out only to have the leader of the akatsuki to appear before me and bow.

"My pardons Princess but I find it slightly humoring that the child is trying to care for the mother rather than the other way around." he said. Mom smiled, she too thought it humorous but when they both saw my face they froze.

"There is nothing funny about a child looking after his or her parents. Its only right." I said, voice tight. "Now leave, there isn't any danger. Not with all these Uchiha around." I said. He knew I was serious, he could tell with the look in my eye and so with a bow he was gone. Mom looked at me with surprise in her eyes.

"When did you become so grown up?" she asked.

"I don't know. You still haven't answered my question mom. Why? You feel uncomfortable when near any Uchiha leader, excluding Otou-san, so why now? Why all of a sudden?" I asked, trying to figure out where he fear suddenly disappeared to. She sighed then.

"You were alway a quick study weren't you?" she asked, taunting a bit. I smiled then.

"Of course, like mother like daughter." I said while taking a seat next to her and reaching out to pet Hei's fur. Again he stayed with us. He had alway looked after my mother and I when we were both together, he understand and he knew how much my mother meant to me. Mom smiled and pet Hei too.

"He's really protective of you." she stated causing Hei to turn.

"And of you Sakura-san." he said while purring into her touch. Seeing mom smile like that made me happy. It had been far too long since I had last seen her smile.

"Go pack your belongs Izakura, you'll get your explanation when we get home." she said, keeping her hand on Hei and sighing. Mentally I smiled, she found the same comfort in Hei that I found. Hei was such a majestic, warm, loving and pure being I was blessed to have been given.

"Hai, stay if you want Hei. I'll be fine." I called, noticing how comfortable he was. Hei nodded and mom smiled, causing me to smile. This was my family, my home, my sense of warmth and it didn't matter where we were or where we lived. So long as I had these two by my side, so long as mom and dad were happy and safe, and Hei was safe I was good.

When I got to my room I started to pack things, mostly my cloths and my weapons. The cloths took less time of course, it took me just a little over two hours of my opening hiding places, going through secret compartments and undoing seals so as to reveal my weapons and their where abouts. I was unlocking a hidden door in the back of my closest and packing a box full of weapons when all of a sudden I felt someone in the room. Instinctively I threw kunai out and reached for the senbon needles.

"You're just like your mother." the man spoke, the sand around him protecting and guarding him. I recognized him, he was the one who had protected me, saved me when that vile man had attacked.

"Master Garra of the sand, to what do I owe this visit?" I asked, sighing and finishing my packing. He looked at me then, surprised that I hadn't shown much more reaction than that.

"Your mother, I could not speak with her due to your blood animal. He is quite protective of you and what you keep close." he said, while looking over the photos on my dresser.

"That can be easily fixed." I said with a smile on my face. "Hei." I called out, the faintest of whispers however in less than a second he was standing before me bowing and waiting.

"Yes my lady?"

"It seems that master Garra here wants to speak with mom. Care to join me while they chat?"

"Hai my lady."

"There you are Master Garra, you may go." I said, grinning and petting Hei. Once Garra was gone he looked at the box packed with weapons and laughed.

"Will you be allowed to take these all with you?" he asked while moving to help close the box.

"Who said they would find them?" I said with a smile on my face. Once I was done packing I walked over to mom. Garra was gone and surrounding her were Uchiha clan members, picking and carrying the last of her boxes. The instant they saw they all stopped and bowed, acknowledging me as most did now that they knew who I was.

"Princess." they all breathed out, mom just stood back and watched in amazement, trying to hide her amusement.

"Hai,....umm I'm done packing mom. Where should I leave the boxes?" I asked but before she could as half of the men who were helping mom out left the room and went for my things. Anger rose in me then but mom shook her head. She may no have minded but I sure as hell did. Talk about rude. And so against most of their efforts and words I helped mom finish mover out the last bit of her stuff.

When we got to the Uchiha compound Lord Madara greeted us. He smiled and mom and me.

"Welcome home ladies." he said while leading the way down the street and toward the house we'd be living in. Though even if we had to find it our selves it wouldn't have been hard, it was the only house that had people walking in and out non stop.

"Thank you Lord Madara, so much. For everything." mom spoke, speaking for both of us. If they would be content with mom playing my part in court, in whatever it was I was suppose to be playing in then let her do it. As far as I was concerned I just wanted to know why it was mom had suddenly changed her mind. When we walked in the house I found most of the things unpacked and put where they belonged. Wow, so much for simply moving.

"No need for the thanks. I'm sure that you'll find that everything is put away where they should. Now if you will excuse me I must get things ready for the dinner tonight." he said, smiling at us again before turning his attention to me. "There is a proper gown in your closet Princess, you are to wear it for tonight's dinner. Should it need any fixing please let us know." and with that he was gone. Mom looked over at me with an expression of feeling sorry for me.

"Mom..."

"Oh come on now, it wouldn't kill you to dress like a girl every once in a while. Now go pick your room." she said causing Hei and I to walk through the house. Mom stayed in the front, she was telling everyone where to put what. Upon walking in through the door the first thing you'd meet was the living room and boy was it big, it was the size of moms master bed room. Then to the left was the kitchen and dinning room, rooms I had a feeling I wouldn't be spending too much time in. To the right there was set of stairs, slowly Hei and I made our way to them. They were simply and thankfully wide enough so that Hei and I could walk up side by side.

"This is certain elegant my lady." Hei noted while staring down the hallway. There was four rooms on each side of the hall and equally divided between each one. All the doors seemed to be the same but it was the last room on the left that caught my attention. Slowly I made my way to it and when we walked in it felt like home. Despite the fact that no one had been living in it for a while the room was warm and welcoming, not to mention painted in my favorite color.

"Looks like we've found our room Hei, will you let mom know?" I asked, and without giving me an answer Hei was gone. The room was large, spacious and thankfully had enough pace for my to get Hei his own little bed. While walking around and noticing I had my own bathroom I took mental notes as to where I could build in my compartments, where I would be able to store all of my weapons. I was about to start on the major compartment when out of no where she appeared.

"Princess, I do not suggest that you build in your room. Should you harm your self..." she started to speak, lecturing me and worried about me accident drawing my own blood. Damn, how the hell I had forgotten about them was beyond me.

"Hai, understood Konan-san." I said before turning to face her. "Tell me, how is it that you knew what I was planing to do, that I wanted to build?" I asked, looking her over and adding the slightest amount of power to my eyes. In that instant, as soon as I had fed my eyes the power needed Hei was beside me, growling.

'It's alright Hei, just talking with Konan.'

'I thought you were in trouble, is she bothering you my lady?'

'No.'

When Konan-san didn't answer I nodded my head and smiled. I should have made sure I was alone before revealing all of my weapons, before taking out of hiding and putting them into the box.

"So you were watching. None the less I will take your advice, now if you would excuse me I need to unpack and get dress." I said as politely as I could. I didn't like bossing people around, I didn't like having to give out orders but I didn't like being spied on either.

"I am to guard you Princess and therefore am not to leave your side." she said before going back into hiding. With a sigh I turned down to Hei. "Well, so much for not being watched."

"Should I build another barrier my lady?"

"No need Hei, just have them set thing down when they bring my stuff up. I'll be in the shower, apparently there's a dinner we need to attend to." and with that I walked off into the shower.

By the time I got out of the shower everything was quiet and I could smell mom two rooms down from my own. Hei was out on the bed, he was asleep and a grin played my face upon seeing him. When I walked over to the closet and found a blood red dress, one fit for Princess I sighed. This wasn't something I liked to do often, dresses just simply weren't my things. I was the daughter of a hunter, of one of the strongest hunters in the world and yet now I was being watched like a child and being told to dress properly. Hell no. Sadly of course I did so. Once dressed I walked out of the room and to where I knew mom would be only to pause. She was talking to Otou-san.

"This is too much Itachi. The house it too big, what will Izakura do when I'm working late and your attending meetings?" she asked, it smelled like mom had just gotten out of a shower too.

"She will be watched until she has mastered her skills, she is safe Sakura." he said.

"Promise."

"I give you my oath." he said. As soon as they were done slowly I walked to door and knocked.

"Ummm, mom?" I called out to her only to have the two turn to me. The way they were standing, looking at each other and holding one another made me, helped me understand why it was that mom had decided to move here. Both looked at me as if they were looking at me for the first time.

"Mom? Itachi-sensei?" I called out again, causing them both to snap out of it.

"You look beautiful honey." mom said, calling out to me before moving to hug. A smile crept on my face before I turned and saw Sakuno looking around and behind me.

"Hei's asleep in my room Sakuno-san." I said.

"Master, may I?"

"Go ahead Sakuno." was all Itachi-sensei said before she was gone. A smile spread across my face.

"She's as over protective of him as he is of me." I said before sighing. "Mom I know why you decided to move here, why you think its safe." I said, causing the two to look at me seriously then.

"And why is that?" she challenged, taunting in her voice. A taunting I knew all too well and was normally not a good sign. Every time she used that tone on me I was wrong.

"Because you miss Itachi-sensei. You still love him mom, and if your happy here with him then so be it." as soon as the words left my mouth the two were hugging me, showing me how much they cared for me. It wasn't for the fact that I had just taken time to actually fix my makeup to suit my dress I would have allowed the tears that were building in my eyes to escape but considering I had I did not allow it. Soon even Hei and Sakuno stay at our sides, both purring and curling up against us.

"Welcome home Sakura, Izakura. You're where you belong." Itachi-sensei said before giving each of us a kiss on top of our heads and turning.

"Sakuno everything it ready, would you like to attend the dinner or should I call you after?"

"I will attend master, I have a pup to look after." she said, causing Hei to grunt. A grin formed on my face then, Hei was actually being treated like a child, he too was being watched like I was.

'Ha! That's what you get for mocking me.' I send out to him, causing him to grunt some more.

'My lady...' was all he responded before Itachi-sensei lead the way. I had decided that I would address as my father when and after I had been introduced as his daughter. No sooner and no later. This was my home now, I had a family and the fact that I was only about to meet most of them didn't scare me in the least bit.