I am so sorry for taking so long. Now exams are over, I'm back home from university and I have a whole summer to write... as long as I don't let my games distract me. I've taken a new liking to Soul Calibur 4... Tira is amazing... I can't help it... But I will be writing more, I can assure you of that.

Oh and I apologize for any out of characterness with the lovely elder Uchiha.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or "Concrete Angel" by Martina McBride

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Chapter 41:

Naruto felt a shiver run down his spine and he looked ahead anxiously. He didn't feel good. Things didn't feel right and he had a sneaky premonition that things weren't going to be going well.

"In a bit of a hurry, are ya now?" The taxi driver asked, catching Naruto's eyes in the rear-view mirror.

"Um... just a little bit..." Naruto muttered. He felt extremely uncomfortable in this situation. Stuck in the back seat of this man's car. He knew that this man knew who he was. Everyone in this town did. However, it was this man's job to drive him where he needed to go. He wasn't worried about being hurt by this man, but it was still awkward.

"Get there soon enough." He spoke casually, but there was an irritated tone in his voice. The man probably wasn't thrilled to by driving the Uzumaki boy around, but he was getting paid so he wasn't complaining.

Naruto squirmed in his seat as he tried to settle down. Looking out the window he swallowed the lump in his throat that refused to stay down. He couldn't sit still no matter how hard he tried. That chill... it wasn't just a normal chill... he could feel that something was out of place. Something wasn't right and it had Naruto's heart pounding with worry.

----

"Such a cold greeting to give your dear older brother after he's been away from home for so long."

Itachi's voice was dark and cold. There was sarcasm written somewhere in that voice, but only those who knew him well enough could read it. Sasuke no longer considered him one of those people who knew him well anymore.... but he could still pick this up.

"This isn't your home anymore, brother." Sasuke stated in the same manner as his brother.

Any bystander would immediately be able to relate them to one another. They were like mirror images of each other; with the same looks, the same voice, the same stature. The only thing different about them was their age, their height and Sasuke's bleeding red eyes. He was furious under the surface, while Itachi was probably laughing it up inside.

"True enough."

Sasuke was taken aback by his brother's acceptance of this fact but didn't show it on the surface. "What do you want?"

Itachi titled his head slightly, gazing into Sasuke's eyes, "Paying a visit." He stated as though it should have been completely obvious and natural for him as an older brother to return home to visit his younger brother.

"Cut the crap. We both know that's fucking bullshit."

"Temper, little brother."

"Fuck you." Sasuke growled, his anger finally leaking into his expression as he scowled.

"True colors are now shown. You are as angry as I expected."

"Not even close, older brother!" Sasuke spat, glaring with intensity. There was no way for Itachi to know the extent of the hatred and anger that swelled within him, all directed at his dear older brother.

"No. It is just as I expected. Just as I told you. Isn't that right, little brother?"

"Foster your hatred and despise me." Itachi's words from the past resonated within Sasuke's mind, causing him to glare even more.

"You disgust me, older brother. You think that I hate you just because you told me to? Are you that arrogant?"

"Foolish little brother. So naive."

Sasuke growled inwardly. He hated how vague his brother was. He never explained anything that he said or any of the vague answers he gave.

"Why are we talking, big brother. Didn't you come here to finish the job?" Sasuke snarled, taking a step forward to show that he wasn't afraid of his older brother. Bluffing was a technique Sasuke had gotten good at over the years, he didn't show that he was so terrified he should be trembling and for the moment, he would even attempt to convince himself that he wasn't afraid.

Itachi wasn't even fazed by the movement of his younger brother, Sasuke could have leapt at him with a katana and the psycho probably still wouldn't bat an eyelash. Damn his brother and his overly controlled emotions.

"As I said, little brother, so naive. Now I bring the question back to you. Are you that arrogant?"

Sasuke narrowed his dark eyes, unsure of where his brother was taking this. What other reasons would Itachi have for returning home and leaving terrifying messages on his answering machine?

Itachi seemed to smirk before he let his eyes wander around the hallway and then into the kitchen beyond the doorway he was standing next to. "You have quite the friend, don't you little brother."

Sasuke kept silent. He didn't want to know where Itachi was going with this. Obviously he knew about Naruto because of the messages on his answering machine. The horrible messages that scared the shit out of his boyfriend.

If Itachi was looking for an answer he didn't seem to care because he continued on in what to Sasuke sounded more obnoxious and arrogant than his original voice. "An interesting relationship. I didn't think I would return and find my home inhabited by homos."

Sasuke didn't react to this but his facial expression grew darker and more threatening. Before he never even thought about what his older brother's reaction would be to Sasuke being gay, mainly because Itachi wasn't part of his family anymore and wasn't around to witness this. Itachi's opinion didn't matter to him, or so he thought. But now that he was hearing his brother badmouth him, it irked him a little bit more than he would have imagined.

"Quite the boy to pull you over to the dark side. The Uzumaki child. One step above Uchiha."

"My name is sullied by you just as his is by his mother! It has nothing to do with him!" Sasuke couldn't take it anymore. He wasn't as good at controlling his emotions as his brother and somehow he was glad of that. It made him much more human than Itachi and whenever the subject turned to his boyfriend, it showed how much he cared for him.

"Did I hit a nerve, little brother?" Itachi's subtle attitude was breaking through more with each word.

Sasuke couldn't help but snarl again. He felt like a caged animal around his brother. He wanted to attack, to end his brother's words but he just couldn't will himself to move beyond this barrier.

"My little brother is gay. Mother would be proud."

"Mom's son is a psychopath who fucking killed her! I think she'd have a much easier time accepting me!"

Itachi didn't seem at all fazed by this and merely stepped into the kitchen. Sasuke stretched his neck sideways so his eyes could follow him but the only way he could keep his eyes locked on Itachi was to move forward to the doorway. He gritted his teeth together a moment as he thought about the consequences. This could be a perfect opportunity for Itachi to strike if Sasuke was vulnerable in front of the doorway, but for some reason Sasuke's instincts told him that Itachi wasn't going to attack him just yet. So he took the initiative and walked towards the doorway, crossing his arms, with the blade still up his sleeve, he glanced in to see his older brother investigating the pantry.

"You've developed a taste for ramen." It was almost like a question, Sasuke wasn't sure, but he didn't give him time to answer because Itachi continued to speak. "Or does the blonde like it?"

He glanced at his little brother, obviously this was a question. This time Sasuke refused to answer and continued to stare at him dryly.

"What are you here for Itachi? If... you're not going to kill me." It took some effort to get the actual words from out of his mouth but Sasuke tried to say them as calmly and evenly as possible. He was nervous and he was afraid and he was trying not to show it but that didn't make the emotions any less real or hard to hide.

"Foolish little brother." Itachi shook his head and seemed to avoid the question as he roamed around the rest of the kitchen. The fridge became his next target and then the cabinets. He didn't seem to intrigued, impressed, or disgusted by anything he saw.

"When is your boyfriend coming back?"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed curiously. That question seemed suspicious and out of place, very unlike his brother who would normally be silent or subtle. "Why do you care?"

"Don't you want you lover to meet your older brother?"

"I'd rather die." Sasuke growled. He meant what he said. There was no way on earth that he would ever allow his brother anywhere near Naruto, he would sooner die than let that happen.

"Now if you're dead. Who's to stop me from finding him myself?"

"Why do you insist on killing everything I love?" Sasuke exclaimed, his voice was full of rage that he could no longer keep down. He hated his brother with everything in him and he felt the exact opposite for his beloved, if Naruto's life was endangered, he would destroy whatever was threatening him.

"Is that what I'm doing?" Itachi turned around from the cabinet he was looking into and locked his eyes with Sasuke's.

Was he mocking him? Sasuke hissed inwardly. Why did he continue to torment him like this? It was driving him mad!

"God damn you Itachi!" Sasuke yelled and suddenly found himself running across the kitchen floor towards Itachi with his free arm balled into a fist. He charged full force at his brother but just as soon as he reached his brother's position, he found his back bending backwards over the counter and a hand firmly wrapped around his throat.

"Ugh!" Sasuke gasped for air but couldn't find any with his brother's large hand squeezing his airway. Desperately he clawed at his brother's hand, still only with his free hand, in attempt to pry the hand away. Simultaneously he kicked out with his legs but couldn't find enough strength to remove his brother from him.

"I-ta-!"

His brother didn't blink as his grip tightened around Sasuke's throat. He didn't even speak as Sasuke gasped for air that he wasn't able to breathe.

Just as suddenly, Sasuke collapsed on the floor, gasping to fill his starving lungs at his brother's feet. He knelt there for what felt an hour, in reality it was only a few minutes. But when one had been choked by an older brother who is capable of so much more than restraining air flow for a few minutes, you can't make sense of time as well as any other person.

"Don't be so cocky, little brother."

"Ha...!" Sasuke couldn't respond, nor did he want to. His brother was strong and he had been foolish. He was a rash idiot to think running at his brother with a fist would do anything but get himself into trouble. What he needed to do was calm himself and look for the perfect opportunity to strike. It needed to be fatal, it needed to be something Itachi wouldn't have time to counter. It needed.... to be more quiet so Sasuke could think... what was that noise?

"Expecting someone?" Itachi asked, moving out of the view of the window while still be able to glance out.

A car? Who was in his driveway? Why the hell would someone choose now of all times to visit him?

"Blonde. Could that be your boyfriend?"

Sasuke eyes widened in fear. If that idiot was here he was going to.... he was... well, to be honest he was going to panic. He didn't have the slightest idea how he could keep calm and end this with Naruto around. Not to mention his life was in danger just from being involved with Sasuke. Itachi was the very reason he had never gotten too involved with people before, whether it be friend or more. Somehow two people worked their way past that and one brought along others... hopefully Itachi didn't know about them.

Sasuke struggled to stand, coughing as he was still trying to control his breathing. He moved to the window, keeping a steady eye on his brother. Sure enough, Naruto stepped out of a cab and was walking towards his doorstep as the car drove off.

That moron! Sasuke frowned and gritted his teeth. He had told him to stay away! And driving a cab right up into the driveway! Did that boy not understand that a killer could be, and now was, in his house. If he wanted to come back, subtle would have been a much better idea.

He snuck a glance in at Itachi, who looked rather smug to him. Itachi knew Sasuke hadn't been expecting Naruto, that was obvious enough.

The door opened slowly. Damn it. Sasuke eyed his brother who's own eyes were watching the hallway. "Don't even think about it." Sasuke hissed in a low, threatening whisper.

Itachi only glanced back at Sasuke for a moment before returning his eyes to the hallway. "Go get your boyfriend, little brother."

Sasuke glared, but he moved towards the doorway side stepping so he could keep an eye on both where he was going and Itachi.

"Sasuke!"

"Shh!" Sasuke growled at Naruto's exclamation once he entered the hallway. His eyes never left his brother who seemed to be smiling maliciously at him.

"What's wrong Sasuke? Is he-"

"Shut up, Naruto!" Sasuke growled. Why did he have to be here. Why couldn't he have listened to him. And now, Sasuke didn't even have the time to scald him because now Itachi could turn this into some sick hostage situation. "I told you to stay away."

He finally took time to glance at his boyfriend to see that his blue eyes were a lit with fear and anxiety. Sasuke let out a small sigh.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke... I just... I couldn't..."

"It's okay... it's been done. Just..." Sasuke lowered his voice to below a whisper and leaned in close to Naruto's ear. "Just leave now. Walk out and run, I'll hold him-"

"Little brother, aren't you going to introduce me to your boyfriend?" Itachi's voice called his attention back to the kitchen where he saw a new shiny weapon in his older brother's hand. It wasn't pointed at anyone, but bringing it out was an obvious threat and Sasuke knew it would be bad to test him.

Sasuke locked eyes with his boyfriend who looked like a cowering bunny and gritted his teeth down to the gums... seriously Itachi was giving him a sick problem. He reached out with his free hand and took Naruto's, pulling him into the kitchen behind him, shielding him with his own body.

"Uzumaki Naruto." Itachi spoke once his head was visible from behind Sasuke's shoulder.

Naruto swallowed audibly and Sasuke squeezed his trembling hand.

"Naruto... this is my older brother... Itachi..." Sasuke was speaking both to Naruto and his brother but he his eyes were firmly fixed on Itachi as he added, "the murderer of my family."

"How tense." Itachi said without hesitation. He wasn't at all concerned with the fact that his little brother outed his past so abruptly.

Naruto shuffled his feet but didn't move from behind his boyfriend. He was shaking like mad. He had no doubt spotted the gun that Itachi didn't keep very far out of sight. Right now, Sasuke knew he had to keep his cool far better than he previously had, Naruto's life was on the line.

"An interesting relationship indeed. The son of one of the most famous serial killers with my little brother... a Uchiha... two natural born kil-"

"You're wrong!"

Sasuke froze up, eyes widening. He couldn't believe that... and it seemed Itachi was a little taken aback as well. Sasuke turned his head to glance at his boyfriend who was glaring full force at Itachi. It shocked him to the core that Naruto had just yelled at Itachi after knowing what he was capable of. Naruto was growing a backbone to yell at a man with a gun.

"Naruto?" Sasuke questioned in a soft tone, hoping to hush him.

"You're wrong... Sasuke isn't like you at all. He's twice the man you could ever hope to become by doing what you've done! And I... I'm not like... I'm not my mother!" Naruto was breathing hard, as though had screamed his heart out.

Sasuke's eyes softened as he stared back at the blonde. That had taken a hell of a lot of effort to get out, and he knew it... "Naruto..."

The two boys stared into the other's eyes and offered each other the smallest of smiles. It was a horribly tense and dangerous moment but Sasuke was proud of his boyfriend.

"How sweet." Itachi's cruel voice broke their gaze and redirected them to him. "Such a loving couple. Shame to break it up." His hand that held the gun moved slightly and Sasuke raised the hand that concealed the knife within his sleeve, moving the other arm to push Naruto further behind his body.

"Now, now, Sasuke. I don't want to kill anyone. Why would I harm my beloved little brother?"

Sasuke glared at his older brother's mocking. He couldn't trust his word, Itachi should know this and realize these words were useless on Sasuke's deaf ears.

"Just move aside and let me take what I came for."

----

Naruto shivered from behind Sasuke's body. He couldn't believe what was happening. Sasuke's older brother had a gun that would inevitably be pointed at them... and he'd killed people in the past... people that he should have loved. There was no doubt in Naruto's mind that Itachi was capable of killing his younger brother and his younger brother's boyfriend.

"Just move aside and let me take what I came for."

Itachi's words confused Naruto instantly... he told Sasuke to move? Then did that mean...? Naruto narrowed his eyes in confusion at the older Uchiha.

"What are you talking about, Itachi?" Sasuke questioned, his voice concerned and just as confused as Naruto.

"I told you Sasuke, don't be so arrogant. The Uzumaki kid... dating my little brother. I didn't believe Sasori and Deidara when they told me."

What!? Naruto's eyes widened in shock... those names... those were... they were the strangers from the alley with Gaara, Temari and Kankuro. But how could...? Why would he...?

"... very close... little brother... valuable... loved..." Temari's hushed words that were whispered to the strangers rushed back to his mind. Sasori had asked what the Sabaku's had... what they could use for a deal it seemed. She had someone who was very close to... someone's little brother? Someone who Deidara said might like the interesting news. They were going to trade him to the other gang... they were using him because he was close to Sasuke?

"Are they part of the gang you proved yourself to?" Naruto found himself asking, further confusing his boyfriend and drawing all of Itachi's attention to him.

"So you remember that encounter. Too bad those Sabaku kids protected you when things went bad and dropped you off some place you wouldn't get into more trouble. Strange to see that he gave up on trying to use you to gain power in the Akatsuki. Perhaps he really did have feelings for you. Who knows, he's back in his home town now."

"Why?" Naruto couldn't think. He wasn't able to process this very well... he just wanted to know why. Why was he so important to this Akatsuki gang? "Why would I be a bargaining chip so they could get accepted into your gang?"

"Naruto..."

"No, Sasuke. I need to know... why would... why..."

"You know already." Itachi called him out.

He knew... Naruto knew why already but he needed confirmation, he needed to know that the reason was because of...

"Your name. Uzumaki. You are the son of the Nine Tailed Fox. Your mother's legendary name that you've probably never heard before."

She had a title? Was she that horrific that she deserved a title to be feared by?

"All that's left now is her son. Sasuke, step aside."

Naruto started to tremble. They wanted to take him because he was his mother's son... they wanted him to be like her. He couldn't do that. He wasn't like her. He wasn't a murderer!

"No." Sasuke's voice was loud, firm, and angry, but it was an unnerving tone of calm. It was almost like Itachi's monotone voice. "You can't have him."

"Sasuke, I don't want to kill you."

"Fuck you, Itachi. You'll have to if you want him."

"Sasuke..." Naruto murmured as Sasuke pushed him back further, taking a step back to move them closer to the hall.

This action caused Itachi to raise his gun and point it at his brother. "Sasuke. I do not want to kill you." Still he pressed on with that... a murderer trying to assure his little brother than he didn't want to spill blood... it sounded so ironic from Naruto's perspective and Sasuke's probably as well. Itachi left him to build up hate and practically promised to return one day and now he was trying to convince him that he wanted him to be alive as he pointed a gun at him... Naruto nearly laughed if he wasn't so terrified his veins were trembling.

Sasuke continued to glare at his brother and pushed Naruto back into the hallway. Itachi advanced by one step and one step only because he just as quickly cocked his gun.

Suddenly Naruto couldn't think because he was shoved to the right, into the hallway and towards the front door and just as suddenly a shoot went off. As he hit the floor he heard Sasuke's scream and immediately looked up to see Sasuke holding his shoulder.

"Sasuke!"

"Run! Naruto! Run!" Sasuke yelled through gritted teeth but Naruto couldn't move. He immediately moved to Sasuke's side and pulled him out of the doorway. He wasn't going to leave him. He couldn't leave the one he loved to die.

Sasuke crawled towards the door with Naruto who dragged him and Naruto was glad he didn't object anymore. However, that didn't matter anymore because they both froze as Itachi stepped out into the hallway.

"You can save him Naruto. I won't have to kill him if you come quietly. It's your decis-"

"Shut the fuck up Itachi! Stop playing mind games with me!" Naruto hollered at the elder Uchiha's face, standing up to move in front of Sasuke, who immediately grabbed his ankle to try and haul him back. "I won't leave his side. I am not a murderer! I can't kill people! I will not become part of your gang and I won't let you kill your brother! You're a sick fucking bastard and I- Ahhh!"

Another shot from Itachi's gun was shot directly into Naruto's arm. He didn't know if he was lucky or not that it was his better arm that was shot instead of the one that was still healing from the last bullet wound. It wasn't a pleasant experience to be shot again and now Naruto knew that it wasn't something you could get used to, even though it was slightly more tolerable... but that could have been the adrenaline.

Naruto gripped his wounded arm but didn't waver in his footing. Itachi just stared at him, he wasn't surprised or impressed, he looked indifferent as he had when Naruto had first walked into the kitchen. What was with this guy's attitude? Killing people must have mad him like this... or maybe he killed people because he was like this.

He felt shuffling behind him and glanced down to see that Sasuke had stood up beside him.

"Itachi... you can't have him. Naruto is not what you think he is. He isn't like you. Just like I'm not like you, he isn't like his mother. Your mission is going to fail no matter what. So why don't you just leave- ugh..."

Sasuke held back his cry of pain as a bullet went through his leg. He leaned his hand against the wall for support and his eyes looked strained from the agony he was holding back, but other than that he didn't move.

Naruto moved to take Sasuke's other hand into his own but Sasuke resisted. That was strange, he only wanted to support him... normally Sasuke wasn't this proud to- well, normally his older brother wasn't around and threatening him with a gun. Nothing about this situation was normal. Naruto had to understand that and perhaps he could get them out.

Talking was obviously not going to get them out so Naruto had to think quickly because Itachi aimed the gun yet again at Sasuke. But before Naruto could think up a plan, Sasuke's body was suddenly moving towards his brother with a knife in the hand that he refused to give to Naruto.

Itachi didn't even blink as he shot at Sasuke again.

"No!" Naruto yelled and found himself moving forward too, only far to slowly because the bullet had luckily missed Sasuke and he managed to get one stab into his brother's shoulder. Itachi moved back swiftly, not looking the least bit bothered by the blade still lodged in his flesh and aimed the gun at Sasuke again.

Naruto moved as fast as his body would allow him and pushed Sasuke's body against the wall and down to the ground just as the shot was fired from Itachi's gun.

He felt his breathing stop short in his lungs and his vision blurred. He could see the figure of Itachi above them and no other sound than the cocking of his gun. Before his consciousness faded to darkness he heard Itachi curse as one last gun shot was fired.