Itachi's Promise: Chapter Seventeen

"Orochimaru, your early," Madara told Orochimaru.

"Yes," Orochimaru replied, refusing to tare his eyes from Itachi's small form hiding behind Kisame.

"Mission complete?" Madara asked.

"Yes, Sir," Orochimaru answered.

"Kisame, take Itachi home and ensure he stays safe," Madara ordered, Itachi looked up at Madara and thought for a second.

"Madara, I will update you tomorrow night about Itachi," Kisame told Madara.

Walking away down the hall, Kisame forced Itachi back into his room and once again knocked the poor boy into a forced sleep. Carrying Itachi in his arms, Kisame was back in the Hidden Leaf Village in under two hours and safety put Itachi finally back in his bed and covered him up. Being careful not to step on the two other boys, Kisame walked across the room, set the sword he had given Itachi on the dresser and jumped out the window. Landing on the floor, Kisame turned round to look back up at the window, before disappearing into the darkness. Remaining close enough he could sense Itachi, he remained in the shadows watching and waiting.

"Good morning," Itachi greeted, as Tadao and Raiden finally sat up from their bed on the floor.

"Morning," Raiden and Tadao yawned.

Itachi nodded, placed his book on his nightstand and got out of his bed. Forcing a shudder to remain under his skin as his feet hit the cold floor. Itachi stepped over Raiden's legs and into a small space between Raiden and his dresser. On his dresser lay the sword Kisame had given him at the Akatsuki base, Itachi smiled and looked out his window. Nearby in the shadows of the tree, Kisame watched as Itachi looked down at the sword and smiled and then out the window at his hiding figure.

"Hungry?" Itachi asked, leaving the sword and turning to his teammates.

"No," Tadao answered, for both of them.

"Come on, you have a big day ahead of you," Itachi told them.

Without another word both Raiden and Tadao stood and followed Itachi down the steps and into the kitchen where Mikoto was already cooking a usual morning breakfast in the Uchiha household (eggs, bacon, hash brown and sausages). Raiden, Tadao and Itachi sat in three of the four bar stools, as Sasuke came running down the stairs and crashed into the back of Mikoto's legs. Itachi watched his little brother as he released his mother and then looked up at her in happiness.

"Itachi, your father has gone on a mission early this morning, after Raiden and Tadao have gone home will you take him to the park?" Mikoto asked, Itachi nodded and looked at his teammates sitting beside him as zombies.

They ate breakfast in silence, before Raiden and Tadao thanked Mikoto and then Itachi at the door and then left to return home and face their parents. Itachi watched as his teammates forms disappeared and then went to find his brother. Finding Sasuke in the play room, Itachi picked him up and off they were heading for the park once again.

"Itachi," Kisame greeted, as Itachi came and took a seat beside him as Sasuke played at the park before them.

"Kisame, they are so sad," Itachi spoke.

"They will get over it," Kisame replied.

"Should they have to, because a deal I make with the Akatsuki leader?" Itachi almost yelled, getting up on to his knees and still looking up at Kisame.

"Itachi, you made the deal and now you have to live with it," Kisame replied, Itachi nodded, he knew he had to complete the deal no matter what.

"I know," Itachi replied.

There was a long silence as they sat under the large tree, Itachi not knowing what to say and Kisame not wanting to anger or hurt Itachi. Itachi after a minute or two stood up and left. He walked to the side of the playground and ushered for his brother to come to the edge of sandpit.

"Ready to go home yet?" Itachi asked, Sasuke shook his head and Itachi nodded.

Itachi returned to sit beside Kisame, against the urge to just tell Sasuke it was time to go and leave it at that. Kisame watched Itachi through the corner of his eyes, watching as his eyes watched every since one of his brothers movements.

"Itachi, everything will turn out the way it should," Kisame told Itachi.

"I know, I just…" Itachi began, not knowing exactly how to say what he meant.

"No one said this was going to be easy," Kisame replied, Itachi nodded in agreement and then returned to watching Sasuke.

"Thank you," Itachi replied, Kisame looked towards him as Itachi looked towards Kisame.

"Itachi, Itachi, Itachi, look what I found," Sasuke yelled, holding something up and running towards Itachi.

Itachi looked at the object in Sasuke's hand and then jumped from his spot, running towards his brother as fast as he could and snatched from his blooded it from his hand. Itachi looked down at the kunai that lay in the palm of his hand. Itachi rested his hand on his brother's shoulder and looked up towards Kisame standing in front of him.

"Kisame, I want to talk to Orochimaru," Itachi whispered.

"Why?" Kisame asked.

"To make a deal," Itachi replied.

To Be Continued...Please Comment

Please excuse how long it took to write this chapter, I have been dealing with family issues