Sorry it took a while! Like I said, life has been busy... Hehe, sorry guys, but it'll be a while until you find out what the "mystery item" Aname gave Itachi is. So yeah. I'll try to upload as quickly as I can, I promise! And I'm sorry this chapter kinda sucks. But it's better than the last one, right...?

Anyways, enjoy!

You know what Itachi really hated? His life.

Guess what famous S-Ranked criminal was dragged back to Konoha with a certain cotton-candy head and fox-kid?

Must I say it?

It had been roughly a month since Itachi's great escape. But what happened the fifth day of his runaway (ooh, a rhyme!)?

Itachi had left his inn from the small town he stayed in and started into the forest to continue his quest for Sasuke. He HAD to find him. And of course, it wouldn't be too hard, as he knew exactly where the Akatsuki hideout was. But he had a map so that he could get back on the usual path back there.

Let's see… he thought as he stared down at the map, careful not to crash into any trees.

What shocked him TONS, though, is when he stepped out into the forest and into the sunlight. He looked up from his map to see that he was at his destination. The Heaven Bridge.

He would have been happier to see it, if he hadn't seen Orochimaru, Kabuto, a pink-haired chick, some kid that was really pasty white and looked a bit like his little brother, some guy with eye wrinkles that looked strangely familiar, and last, but NOT least…

Was Naruto.

It was as if Itachi had made a big appearance, because the second he looked up from his map, all six shinobi were staring intently at him.

"SASUKE!" They all yelled (except for the pasty white boy and the guy with eye wrinkles).

All of them began yelling different things at the exact same time, nearly driving the poor Uchiha insane.

"Sasuke! You were SUPPOSED to stay in the lair! Go back, Sasuke, it's not too late!" Orochimaru was yelling desparately.

"What the hell are you DOING! Leave! Get out of here RIGHT NOW! You have to get far away from here!" Kabuto was yelling.

"SASUKE! WHY THE HELL DID YOU LEAVE! OROCHIMARU IS JUST USING YOU!" Naruto was practically screaming his head off.

"Run, Sasuke! RUN!" The pink-haired chick was close to tears as she screeched this sentence over and over again.

The Uchiha, the pasty white boy, and the wrinkle-eyed man all just stared in shock as all this was going on.

"I REFUSE to let you cross this bridge!" Orochimaru yelled, guarding the entrance in a very protective manner, Kabuto copying him.

The Uchiha looked down into the trench the bridge was placed over. It looked pretty deep and dangerous. But he must have been possessed, because before he had a clue what he was doing, Itachi was backing up toward the trees. The four shinobi were still screeching like mad, but only one voice stood out in his mind.

"Run, Sasuke! RUN!"

Then, Itachi was running straight for the trench. He felt panicked, but his feet wouldn't stop moving. Everything was going in slow motion as he leapt over the wide trench. Like a ballerina.

The other six stared from the bridge up at him in awe, seeing how graceful he was, and studying the fearless expression on his face.

Even though Itachi felt like freaking out, he just couldn't. Would he make it to the other side?

The answer was a big fat…

YES!

His right foot landed on the other side, then he was running through the other side of the forest and disappeared through the trees.

"RUN!" Naruto now yelled while he heard the high-pitched and very excited squeal, obviously the pink chick.

Ew, she must be a Sasuke fangirl.

"Sasuke-kun!" Orochimaru was sobbing. "SASUKE-KUN! WHY!"

Itachi heard the battle proceed as he, once again, ran like FOREST GUMP. THIS time, he would never stop.

And he SERIOUSLY didn't stop for DAYS. Not even to spend the nights in inns. Nope, he just ran day and night for frickin' EVER. Don't even ask how this is possible, but he must have been pretty desperate to get away from there.

Itachi abruptly stopped when he nearly ran into a familiar gate. What did it say over it?

Konoha.

Itachi face-palmed.

"Sasuke?" Thank Jashin it wasn't Orochimaru or Kabuto's voice.

But it WAS from Naruto.

The Uchiha turned around to see everyone that was at the bridge, with the exception of Orochimaru and Kabuto, thank Jashin.

They all looked… so happy. The pink chick had tears in her eyes.

Naruto spoke up again. "So, you took the month-long way back to Konoha? You know there's a shorter path, right?"

"What are you talking about 'the long way'?" Itachi curiously, slightly crossly asked.

"Um, how should I put this?" Naruto said thoughtfully, dramatically stroking his chin. He was obviously being sarcastic. "So you are NOT aware that you just ran around the entire perimeter of the Fire Country?

Itachi's jaw dropped.

"WHAT!" He exclaimed.

"Ah, you know," Naruto said with a shrug. "You HAD to have been running to get here by now. Or else you would only be halfway here."

There was a tense silence in the air between the shinobi.

Suddenly, the pink chick piped up. "Um, Sasuke. I don't think that you've met Yamato and Sai yet."

The two unknown shinobi waved. The familiar older man spoke up first. "It's nice to finally meet you, Sasuke. I'm Yamato."

The pasty white boy had on an awkward smile. "And… I'm Sai."

Itachi just bowed his head towards the two.

"So Sasuke," Naruto started up again. "The real question is this: Would you rather stay with a pedophile, or with your friends?"

Itachi was in a very sticky situation. He found himself with no choice; for he was right outside the main entrance to Konoha, with Sasuke's friends who had been tracking him down all this time. And then there was Yamato, whose real name was Tenzou… from the Anbu. Itachi narrowed his eyes at him. But he didn't have much of a reason to be angry at him, so he quickly looked away.

Naruto stared at him, his gaze penetrating. The pink chick looked hopeful. Sai looked empty, and "Yamato" was smiling kindly at him. They all seemed nice enough. Sasuke was SOOO much better off with them than with a pedophile and his partner-in-crime.

Itachi winced as he closed his eyes. Turning his head away, he lifted a shaky finger to point at Naruto and the others. His decision was made, and he couldn't go back.

He popped open his left eye. Naruto was now beaming.

"He's staying! He's staying!" Naruto giddily stated while jumping up and down with the squealing pink chick next to him. "Sakura, he's staying here in Konoha!"

So THAT'S the pink chick's name. Remember that, Itachi, the former Akatsuki member thought to himself.

Tenzou looked pleased while Sai looked awkward and happy. He whipped out a book and began frantically reading, but Itachi couldn't quite see the title.

"It's great you're staying, Sasuke," Naruto said, "because we have a surprise for you!"

Sakura nodded her head. "Just wait and see!"

Then, as if on cue, the main gate began to open before them, and revealed Sasuke's surprise…

It'd really make my day... if I got reviews *hint hint* ^_^