He body flickered quickly towards the direction the previous kunai came from and brought down Sakura's kunai towards their attacker. His kunai met its target, only for the body of his attacker to deform into various crows.

"Caw, caw..." The crows cawed as they flew away and revealed a familiar person.

"Itachi..."

Shisui gasped as Itachi lifted him up by Sakura's throat. "Who are you little girl?"

"W-wait, it's me. Shisui." Shisui gasped out mentally apologizing to Sakura for the damage that was being inflicted on her throat. Itachi's fingers loosened enough for him to pry them off. He succeeded in doing so, only because Itachi allowed him to.

"I am not a fool." Itachi neutrally said.

Shisui picked up the denial in his tone, a trait he's learned from years of knowing the Uchiha. "Itachi it is me. I can proof it!"

"How?"

For a split second Itachi sounded so vulnerable, just like he had back when his teammate was killed and everyone else congratulated him for unlocking his Sharingan. Emerald green eyes softened. "Ask me anything only the two of us would know."

And he did.

Itachi fired off questions and questions that only they would know.

Shisui answered questions after questions until there were none left.

(O-O)

Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't help but smile in amusement as Ino Yamanaka and Naruto Uzumaki paced back in forward in his office, their other friends Shikamaru, Choji and Kiba looking resigned to their...lively behavior.

He waved off his annoyed secretary.

"What may I help you with today?" He asked the children in front of him. If it were any other Kage they would be annoyed if Academy students randomly barged into their office using their Clan status as a means to force their secretary to let kids in, but Hiruzen was a more lenient kind of Kage.

Ino Yamanaka straightened up, looking as diplomatic as an amateur, but determined. Something Hiruzen could appreciate from the new generation would be that they had more guts than his did.

"We would all like to request permission to leave Konoha."

"Permission denied." Hiruzen automatically said. "Sakura Haruno will be back eventually, there is no need to be so hasty." He informed once again wondering how the pink haired child could possibly have both the Yamanaka clan heiress and the Jinchuriki as her self-proclaimed guards.

"But we miss her!" Kiba piped in with Akamaru barking in agreement.

'It seems like Tsume's boy is on his way to being stringed by Sakura Haruno as well.' Hiruzen thought.

He didn't think that Sakura Haruno had any ill intentions by befriending these children in front of him and it was also expected considering Ino had initiated the forming of this group by befriending Sakura Haruno. But it was still worrying for a civilian to have this much power over these children.

He had no doubt that if the Haruno child ever chose to become a diplomatic or such, she would have a huge saying in Konohagakure's affairs. Something which Hiruzen didn't know how to feel about.

"And when we went to her room-"

"You broke in her house?" Hiruzen asked furrowing his eyebrows in concern. Trespassing was punishable, but he would just let them off with a warning. They didn't mean anything ill by it.

"That's not important gramps! Her room was a mess! It's never a mess, dattebayo!" Naruto yelled.

"Troublesome," The Nara heir finally spoke up. "She was probably on a rush."

'Left in a haste? Was she searching for something?' Hiruzen's eyes narrowed in suspicion.

(O-O)

"You really are Shisui...but how?"

Shisui gave Itachi a sad smile. "I died Itachi, I thought I'd stay dead. But then I woke up. I couldn't interact with anything -until recently that is, but even then I don't know if it was a fluke or not- and I couldn't speak with anyone. To put it bluntly, I woke up as a ghost. A ghost." Shisui repeated taking a deep breath. "And the Uchiha clan was gone," Itachi flinched, "I guess something happened, but you can explain it to me."

"So you can possess anyone's body? Why choose this one?" Itachi questioned with a slight frown.

"It doesn't work that way. I wouldn't have done something so risky using this body," Itachi blinked, noting that Shisui sounded a bit protective for a moment. "Sakura's body is the only one I'm capable of possessing."

"Why?"

"Because she's the only person I've come across who can see ghosts."

"Does she...?"

Shisui nodded. "She's aware of everything that's going on, but chose to give us some privacy. I trust her."

Itachi relaxed, anyone who Shisui found trustworthy often was. "Danzo...he.." Itachi took in a small breath, not sure how to explain what happened. "After you died, the tension got thicker. Danzo, he...made me choose. The clan or the village."

"And you chose the village." Shisui stated, feeling both proud and sad at the fact. He loved his clan too after all.

"Yes, so I killed them. I killed them all, except..."

"For Sasuke, I know."

Itachi nodded. "Then I fled and joined the Akatsuki." As a spy.

"I figured that much, but what I'm wondering is how you killed off the whole clan. Don't get me wrong, you're exceptional, but you couldn't have done all that alone."

"I didn't. Madara Uchiha helped me."

Emerald eyes widened. "T-that's impossible...he's dead Itachi."

"He's an impostor." Itachi informed. "For a moment I truly believed he was the real deal, but..."

"But?"

"Madara Uchiha wouldn't slaughter the Uchiha clan while wearing a mask."

Realization dawned Shisui. "He's too arrogant to not show his face to the people who 'forsake' him in favor of another."

"Hn."

"Then why use Madara's identity?"

"I don't know."

Shisui sighed, just when he thought things couldn't get more complicated. "I'm assuming he's the reason you joined the Akatsuki."

Itachi nodded. "He's the leader. Until he's finished recruiting the rest of the members, he won't state the goal of this organization."

"I'm sorry you had to go through all this." Shisui finally apologized. "You don't have to forgive me, but I am."

Itachi didn't say anything for a moment.

"Why? Why give me this?" His eyes turned into the Mangekyou Sharingan.

"You were the only one I could trust, please understand."

"Why couldn't there be another way? Why did you just...kill yourself?" Why leave me all alone?

"What do you mean? There wasn't any other way!"

"There was." Itachi calmly intoned. "We could have taken your eye back from Danzo, you could have cast the Genjutsu to get rid of the Clan's hatred, we could have gotten rid of Danzo and you'd still be alive with everyone else."

All those 'could haves' were pointless to discuss, Itachi knew that, but he still wanted to let Shisui know that things could have gone differently. Something he himself figured out mere days ago.

"I was useless Itachi, I failed. I couldn't use the Genjutsu. Even if we took back the eye, what then? Would that have honestly made a difference?"

"You would still be alive."

Shisui's breath hitched. "I...Itachi..I'm.." He didn't know what to say. He felt like such a bastard for leaving a thirteen year old to deal with traumatizing drama all by himself.

(O-O)

"Advanced Genjutsu?" Hiruzen repeated.

The kneeling Anbu in front of him nodded. "Yes, along with advanced chakra theory notes."

Hiruzen felt stressed. "How did she acquire those notes?" He asked no one in particular.

If he had been slightly concerned about Sakura Haruno, now he was suspicious.

"There are no evidence or items indicating her to be a spy."

Which made her more suspicious.

"Once Haruno returns, you and your team are to take turns observing her."

There was no need to be said what would be done if it were to be revealed that Sakura Haruno had ill intentions.

(O-O)

"How's Sasuke?" Itachi asked changing the topic.

"He...he's not okay, he wants to kill you, you know? But that's probably part of your plan, right?"

"It's atonement."

"You have nothing to atone for, you're the victim Itachi."

"Look out for him for me."

Shisui could hear the small plead breaking through Itachi's tone. "I will. Sakura has a soft spot for him too, so she'll help."

Itachi nodded.

"Listen Itachi, you're right. There could have been another way. I failed you. And for that I'm sorry. I'm truly sorry. I won't ever be able to make it up to you, but it doesn't matter. I should be the one atoning."

"It's alright Shisui. I have to go now, but I'll keep in contact." Itachi managed a small smile. "I trust you to take care of things in Konoha."

Shisui was too surprised to say anything as Itachi left. A shinobi must see underneath the underneath.

By entrusting him with Konoha Itachi was basically saying: I trust you. Which meant he forgave him. It didn't make Shisui feel better, it only made him feel worse.

"You are an exceptional idiot..." He mumbled falling to Sakura's knees.

"Shisui, what's wrong? Why did you stop possessing me?" He heard Sakura ask in worry.

Sakura looked on as Shisui raised his shaking hands. "I...don't deserve it."

"Deserve what? Shisui, you're not making any sense."

"I should be atoning..."

Sakura frowned as Shisui continued mumbling things that didn't make sense to her. But she recognized one thing. Shisui needed her right now.

She inched closer to him and wrapped her arms around him in a hug. "It'll all be okay Shisui, I'm here for you. Whatever you should be atoning for, I'll help you out with. I'll be here for you. I'll help you always."

Chapter End.

Author's Note: I hope this chapter doesn't really disappoint. It was filled with Uchiha feels and geared towards ShiSaku in the end a bit, so I hope that makes up for it. Stay tuned for Sakura's return to Konoha, because this was only the beginning of the real drama.

Questions:

1. Will Hiruzen find out Sakura's secret?

2. What does Itachi think of everything?