Hey y'all! Just wanted to let you know I probably won't pump out chapters like this, but I'm just getting real excited about the pace and stuff I cover in this story. Not too humorous, but meh. I tend to cover the same old jokes over and over anyways.

Warning: This story is pretty slow progressing, I may not make it to genin days until chapter 5 if I keep up at this rate :b

Disclaimer: All people will be OOC. Why? Because it's a fanfiction durrrrr.

Beta: There are no such things as Beta's... because I like to hear people complain about my poorly written English.

Chapter 2: After the Funeral

The Choices We Make Uphold Another's Future

Atsuko had her head bowed, as the wake proceeded. Fellow friends had come over, ones who had not spoken with Yuto after he had brought little Akarei back. They gave their farewells, some their laments at his passing. It truly was too quick to process both her son and Ai were gone. In their place was only Obito. And an unexpected one too.

The grey haired woman scanned the two young ones, as Obito was sleeping in the play pen, while Akarei stared on at everyone attending the wake. Atsuko always felt her eyes were mature for her age, but was not disturbed by them as Yuto and others had been. She could tell her own son was wary of her, why? She blamed that it was because Akarei was unlike any child she had raised under her own roof, and that she was female. Yuto had a hard time courting Ai, especially since she was the only girl he could make a coherent sentence with.

Yuto had siblings, all of them died young; but they were all exuberant and loud. For the first time Atsuko had to deal with a quiet child, much too alike to her husband. Akarei would mostly help Obito wordlessly (although that was too be expected since she was still a baby) or stare and take in the world around her.

The grandmother was cut out from her thoughts, as Uchiha Fugaku entered, with his newly wedded wife Mikoto. The old woman remembered how Ai and Mikoto would always liven up the house when she was pregnant.

"It has been too long, Atsuko-san." Mikoto gave a reverant bow, as Atsuko replied in the same polite manner.

"Fugaku-kun and Mikoto-chan. You two have grown up. I remember when Yuto and his siblings would run away from you're wrath Mikoto-chan. Fugaku-kun, you taught my sons very well."

Fugaku gruffed, as his stare turned to Akarei. "Apparently not well enough."

The other Uchiha members had started to leave, as Fugaku clearly made that this was business they had to talk about. Clan business; especially about the young red-haired one.

Obito started to cry, when the intimidating chakra spread through the room. Akarei crawled over, and immediately held Obito, a gesture Mikoto thought was very cute. Obito's cries died down, as did Fugaku's chakra. Akarei continued to comfort Obito.

"The little girl may have tested Uchiha, but she wasn't tested to see if she was Yuto's."

Atsuko's demeanor changed, as she glared at the heir of the clan. Mikoto could see Fugaku squirming under her stare.

"Are you questioning my son's word, Fugaku-kun."

"It is not about questioning, it is about confirming. I, like all the others, have all reasonable doubt that Yuto would be so careless to go off and have another child. Especially with someone who is not Ai."

The older woman bristled, as Obito gurgled, while Akarei was silent. Mikoto left the two, as she walked closer to the play pen.

"Indeed I agree with my husband, Atsuko-san."

Obito lifted his hands to be held, but Mikoto went after the smaller one. She lifted Akarei, as Akarei just stared into her eyes.

"Her hair is nothing like Yuto's, and her eyes are similar. However, there are too many differences to think that this is his child."

Obito started to let out a few cries, before wailing to be held. Akarei looked back at Obito, before biting Mikoto. The three looked on with surprise at the toothless baby gnawing on her arm.

"I'm sorry." Atsuko got up and took Akarei out of Mikoto's arms. Akarei pointed to Obito who was still crying. Fugaku and Mikoto's eyebrow went up at that. Atsuko picked up Obito as she comforted the young boy, while Akarei sat quietly in her lap.

"Atsuko-san, has that baby been examined?" Mikoto questioned.

"Why yes, Yuto took her to the hospital the first day he got back."

Fugaku came closer to his wife, as he folded his arms.

"That's not what my wife meant, Atsuko-san. Has she been seen by the Yamanaka's?"

"No, she's only been checked physically." Atsuko realized what the two were insinuating. "You can't possibly believe Yuto brought in a spy to the clan, could you?"

Mikoto cleared her throat, as she went to go hold Obito. Atsuko gave the boy to her, as Obito smiled at Mikoto. "It's not what we're insinuating, we just think from our first encounter with her she is much too..."

"She's too intelligent for her age." Fugaku finished the sentence, getting straight to the point.

Atsuko looked at Akarei, who looked back at her. Akarei then stared at Obito.

"She acts like an infant, I swear she does."

"That doesn't mean she can't have an adult's mind in her. As soon as possible I want her examined by the Yamanaka's." Fugaku let out a sigh, as he turned to head out the door. "That's all I have to discuss for now. Report back to the elders and I, when you have. My condolences to the loss of your son."

Mikoto gave back Obito, as stared wearily at Akarei. She left behind her husband, as the wake was now over.

A few hours, and her son was now ash. A fellow member helped her carry the urn, as she held onto the two children. Obito had acted as an infant: complaining when something was wrong, selfishly crying out for attention, and curious about what was going on around him. She looked to Akarei, who seemed to only just analyze everything with her eyes. She wouldn't cry out when her diaper was full, Atsuko could only tell by the smell or when Obito cried because of it. She would feed when offered, but never cry out for food like Obito. If she found bruises or red spots, the child would do nothing if she brushed her fingers against it. Akarei had been the easier and hardest child she had to deal with in her life.

"Akarei, what am I to do with you?" Atsuko whispered under her breath. However Akarei looked up the older woman, as Obito was now sleeping after being fed and burped. Atsuko looked, when she felt something on her leg, and saw Akarei's hand on it. Her eyes looked up at her, as if everything was going to be okay.

Atsuko ran her hand across hers, as she picked them both up and headed to the baby room.

"It's been a long day for you both, how about tucking in early today?"

It was easy enough to get Obito in, he was already asleep. However she could see Akarei closed her eyes immediately as she was laid down, as if she could understand Atsuko's demands. The grandmother looked at the two from the doorway, before she closed it. She closed her eyes, as she headed out, towards the Yamanaka compound.

Inoichi was surprised when he saw an older woman enter the flower shop. He lazed about at the counter, saying hi to beauties his age, or a bit older; but this grandma was too old for his liking.

"Welcome! Do you need help?"

The older woman walked to the counter, as Inoichi sat up straight, taking in her slightly rushed walk. He then noticed the Uchiha symbol reflecting off of a mirror in the corner of the room on the back of her shirt. His eyebrows scrunched in confusion. Why was an Uchiha here?

"Hello, I'm looking for Yamanaka Inoki."

The boy lit up, as Atsuko saw him smile. "Oh you're after my dad? I'll go get him. Although if it's for business, he's got the day off today, so I don't know if he'll come out."

The older woman grabbed his hand, something that shocked Inoichi. "Please tell him it's something imporant, from Uchiha Atsuko." She let go, as Inoichi held his hand. He would've lost it if they were enemies. This old woman was mighty fierce for someone so fragile looking.

"Alright, I'll try to tell my dad he absolutely has to help." The woman smiled, and Inoichi remembered why his mother always warned him that women were a scary form of the human species when they didn't get what they wanted.

He rounded the back, as he came to see his Dad lounging about with his friends in their living room.

"Hey, Dad, I need help."

The older man looked disappointed, as his friends snickered. "What do you need help with? I'm kinda busy winning at Mah-Jong."

"Some lady is asking for you personally, and she said it's important."

The older man scoffed as he waved his hand. "Geez the women never stop coming after me do they..." The group chuckled before a familiar voice rang out from behind Inoichi.

"Is that any way to speak about me, Yamanaka Inoichi. I kicked your ass in ANBU, I can do it again if you'd like."

Inoki's drink came spurting out his mouth like a broken water fountain, as everyone turned in surprise to see Uchiha Atsuko in the doorway.

"Uhhh, Uchiha-san. You aren't supposed to be back here." Inoichi tried to reason, but Inoki came up and dismissed his son with a smack on the back.

"Go back outside, to the front to the store." Inoichi looked between the two, before noticing everyone else was leaving.

The Uchiha and Yamanaka stared at one another, before Inoki offered Atsuko a seat.

"No thanks, I shall be quick about it. I want my grand-daughter to be interrogated as if she were a spy."

Inoki raised an eyebrow, before laughing. "Good one Atsuko, but seriously what do you want?"

"I just told you."

Inoki's gaze turned serious. "I thought you had a grandson, just about a year back?"

Atsuko let out a sigh.

"And now I have another."

Inoki looked strangely at Atsuko, he had known Yuto. Yuto only loved Ai, and was practically the only woman he could talk with, besides his own mother.

"But Ai died giving birth to Obito, so how could-"

"Like I said, Inoki. I have another."

Inoki went and grabbed two cups of tea, but Atsuko didn't touch hers.

"So let's say I'm going to mind-examine this child, what am I looking for?"

"Anything. Anything that can give you reasonable doubt that she is not a child. A foreign memory, foreign name, or anything that can prove she is not an 8 month-old child."

Inoki scratched his head. "She could be just a prodigy, your clan is good at popping prodigy's out whenever we hit war."

Atsuko's gaze wavered to the window, before sighing. "I have to be back soon, Obito will be up from his nap; and there is chores to be done. I'm just asking you to examine her, and then come with me to report to the elders of my clan and Fugaku-kun."

Inoki scratched his head. "I don't want to get involved in clan matters, as head of my own clan it could be bad news for me to get whatever trouble Yuto got into."

Atsuko glared at him, as Inoki flinched.

"You owe this to him. He's now no longer with us." Inoki's eyes widened.

"Wait. Yuto... Yuto is gone?"

Atsuko sighed. "Yes, just last week."

Inoki set his tea down. "But, I was with him just the week before, we were talking about his kids. Ah shit, no wonder he sounded so ominous. Sorry about my lanuage, Atsuko-san."

The older woman shook her head. She had heard far worse from her own clan when she stood by Yuto's side to care for Akarei.

"Alright I'll do it. But none of this has to be public, right?"

"Exactly what I was hoping for, Inoki-kun."

The older woman quickly left, as Inoki sat there, processing that one of his friends was now dead. He gritted his teeth as he tried to hold back the falling tears that streamed down his face.

"Fuck Yuto, why didn't you just tell me you knew you were going to die? We were best friends in the academy. Did all of that just vanish when you had a kid?"

Inoki looked at the small child, as she sat in the raised up toddler seat. Her eyes stared back into his, as they sat in the small interrogation room. She seemed a bit panicked. Normal for a child in a strange environment with a stranger. But for an 8 ½ month-old to recognize that, quite strange for the norm.

He looked back at the glass mirror behind the kid, as Atsuko stood behind that mirror looking at the both of them.

"I'm going to begin." Is all she heard, before she saw him raise his hands and begin some seals.

"Psycho Mind Transmission."

Atsuko's heart took a few leaps, as she felt Akarei's chakra spike. Inoki continued with the jutsu as he sifted through her memories. He saw how she was raised by Yuto and Atsuko. He saw how Yuto favored Obito over her, but the child was actually happy for Obito, he could feel her happiness in the memory. She felt saddened, depressed, and angry whenever Obito cried, groaned, or gave some form of communication that he was unwell. He looked back further, seeing a red haired woman give her over to Yuto. But he couldn't quite hear what they were speaking about well. It must've been right after she had been birthed, and the woman surely had to be the mid-wife.

Inoki released the top of his hand from the child, as Akarei began to cry. Atsuko ran into the room, before comforting the child; the first time she had ever seen Akarei cry.

"So is she?"

"She's definitely a child, I saw no indication she could be a spy. She's definitely your grand-daughter."

Atsuko gave a sigh of relief.

"So do I head out now with you, or come later?"

"Come in the evening before the moon is up. You do know where the Uchiha Clan Outer Relations Building is right?"

"If I didn't how would I always right up complaints about Yuto searching me every time I come into the village, because he wanted to find some good food on me."

Atsuko chuckled, as the baby clung onto her. Inoki petted the child's head, but it only made her more panicked. "Guess I gave her quite the scare."

"She'll be fine." Atsuko kissed the top of her head, as she calmed the infant. "I have to go."

"Safe journey, Atsuko-san." The older woman nodded her head, as she left the T&I room.

The elders and Fugaku were at a disagreement. Fugaku scrunched his eyebrows, as he looked back at Atsuko, who had brought both children with her. There beside her was Yamanaka Inoki. An annoyance in everything was how Fugaku saw him. But he trusted the other clan's head's word. The child was just a prodigy. However the elders digressed.

They wouldn't be able to execute the child, it was against Konoha law. But they could bar her from getting any Uchiha support, either physically or mentally. She would treated as any orphan stranger. That is what the elder's wanted, to ostracize this baby. Her bloodline would be sealed away, and if it managed to awaken, her eyes would be transplanted. She would be spayed like a dog, and continue on with her life.

But now that another clan has been brought in, it would harder to get away with it. The separation of government from clan matters was pretty high at this moment, if Danzo didn't keep on closing the gap, they wouldn't have this much unrest. And now to deal with an outsider was pushing Fugaku's limit on what he could do, since he recently became head and had to deal with all of these problems.

Elder Uchiha Kenshin spoke up, as Fugaku massaged his temple. "This child is clearly not one of us. Her papers should've been rejected from the moment she got here, and she should've been shipped off to live with that Uzumaki devil." Mikoto bristled, as Fugaku could imagine her skewering Kenshin if he dared to walk in their home after this.

Uchiha Kiyoko sighed. "Her blood was shown to be related to us by 50%, and unfortunately she only scored 35% on the Uzumaki blood count relative sheet. Since we have the higher percentage, it was automatically ruled by Hiruzen and Danzo that we take care of her, and not mention her relation to Uzumaki Kushina."

Uchiha Shinsen grumbled, as all he wanted to do was go home to his family and eat. "Why not allow Atsuko to take care of her? It's not like Atsuko has been complaining."

Kenshin glared at Shinsen. "So we take in every little orphan that wants to join the Uchiha clan. Our budget is already stretched with the police work we have to do, we don't have much to give away."

Uchiha Honoka sat still in her chair. "I agree with Kenshin that I do not like how she was readily accepted into the clan. I, however, disagree that she would be a liability. If Atsuko agrees that neither child will need help from the orphan funding, since they have already so much to live off of from Ai and Yuto, not to mention Atsuko will care for them as long as she lives; then I'm content with allowing the young one to stay."

Atsuko stood their appalled at that statement, as the rest of the council started to agree. Inoki felt bad, as that meant at Atsuko's passing, the children would receive no help from their clan. The only thing they would have to hope on is the saintly Uchiha Samaritan, which in his mind did not exist.

This was the only way Atsuko could finally appease them.

"I will sign the papers, if it means I'm allowed to keep this child."

Mikoto looked on with shock, but regained her composure, as she lead Atsuko out.

"Thank you very much for you're help, Inoki-kun." Atsuko smiled at Inoki, as she left the room with Mikoto.

"You are no longer need here, Inoki-san." Fugaku's gruff voice echoed from his chair. "Please see yourself out, I don't have anymore time to be wasting on this fiasco."

The others left swiftly, as if tired of having to deal with each other's presence. Inoki left, completely overwhelmed with how different their clans dealt with things.

As he exited the compounds premise, he muttered under his breathe. "I don't understand why they had to make a big deal with one child. What if someone wanted to adopt, would that be a crime too?"

Obito began cry out, as Atsuko quickly reached into the freezer for some ice. She stuff Obito's face in, as his teething gums happily gnawed at the cold substance. Atsuko looked to Akarei, who was still a quiet child, only ever crying out when Obito cried out. She thought it was sweet, how Akarei copied Obito. Akarei noticed Obito chewing on the ice with such joy, she opened her mouth and pointed at Obito.

"Alright, alright. I'll get you some ice too." Atsuko gave her a larger cube, as she trusted Akarei much more than Obito. Akarei was indeed a prodigy, already reading before she had learned how to write, putting small sentences together with vocab cards, while Obito barely could keep up with the normal developing rate of a child. But Akarei still shared little childish moments, most of them when she was with Obito.

There was one concerning thing that Atsuko thought about. A few months ago at the day care, they had separated Obito and Akarei, for bath time. She had been called and sought out, because Akarei and put up such a fit, that she was hurting herself and others with all her thrashing and crying. As soon as she was put in the same room as Obito she calmed down. Obito on the other hand, was completely fine without Akarei. They asked her if she had ever separated them before, and she mentioned only once.

It was the time she was taking her to the Yamanaka's, she had voiced aloud that she was only going to be gone from Obito for a bit, but she didn't realize how attached Akarei was to Obito.

Suddenly being gripped and not knowing what was going on, Akarei had unleashed a terror tantrum that they said only a 5 year old should be capable of. She even had ended up bruising herself and causing a scratch on her back from when she went crashing into a shelf that caused a vase to break.

Since then Atsuko has refrained from separating them, not that they ever were at home.

Obito, now two years old, was gaining his teeth. Akarei still had toothless gums, but always tried to copy Obito's smile. Hopefully when she was older she wouldn't be so attached.

"Granny! Granny! Flower!" The older woman smiled, as they were taking a walk around the community Uchiha garden, with Obito holding her hand, and Akarei holding Obito's other hand. He could now run around, but Atsuko for now was holding on to him, to make sure he didn't dart into any danger. After walking around the park and seeing the coast was clear she let go his hand. Obito ran around as he tried naming all sorts of things.

"Rei-chan, Rei-chan, look!" A bird flew through the sky, as Akarei looked up.

"Falcon." She replied.

"Fal-Falkin."

Akarei shook her head. "Falcon." She repeated.

"Falcon." Obito finally said. Akarei smiled at the 3 year old. "Granny! Granny! Look, a falcon!"

Atsuko smiled and nodded, as Obito came racing up to her, while pointing at it. "Yes, yes. It's a falcon. Good boy, Obito." He giggled, as he went back to racing in the grass.

"Catch me, Catch me if you can!" He cried out after Akarei. Akarei chased after him, but it didn't take her long to catch up to him. They fell, as they laughed. Atsuko took out her thermos, as she poured herself a cup of tea.

Suddenly she noticed a presence walking nearby, as she let out a sigh.

"Uchiha Kagami, it has been a long time."

"It has." He replied. He looked out at the children. "Soon my daughter is going to marry. Hopefully they'll have sprightly little ones like yours."

Atsuko looked incredulously at Kagami. "Your daughter, Emiko, the cold ice queen who has turned down all suitors is getting married?"

"Don't say that. You make it sound like she was bound to grow up to be an angry old cat lady."

Atsuko didn't say anything. Kagami's eye twitched in irritation. Atsuko muttered under her breath.

"Well, I guess I lose the 2000 yen to Mimiko."

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that." Kagami replied.

"Do you know when they plan on having the wedding?"

"Next month. They hope to have a child in a couple years though, when their finances are more situated. Still, I didn't think Emiko would get married so fast."

Atsuko patted the middle-aged man on the back. "There there. That's what I thought of my youngest Yuto, and look at it now. I'm raising his beautiful children."

Kagami wiped the tiny tears building up. "I'm sorry-"

"It's fine. You don't have to give your condolences twice, Kagami-kun."

Kagami continued to watch the children, as Akarei and Obito played around. Obito was recklessly wandering back and forth, while Akarei followed him, hesitating and watching him as if she were his bodyguard.

"That young one I heard is quite the prodigy."

Atsuko raised an eyebrow at Kagami. "Are you interested in teaching her?" Her voice gave Kagami the chills, as her chakra grew a bit intimidating.

"No, but Danzo has been talking with me about her."

Atsuko's chakra spiked, as it leaked the intent to kill. Kagami noticed Akarei look in their direction, her own chakra reacting with warning. Obito however, continued to play around.

"Danzo should know better than to come after children. Especially Uchiha children." Atsuko warned.

Kagami sat up straighter, as he watched Akarei, the child who acted too mature for her age.

"I know. But still. I just wanted to tell you that. When will Obito be going to the academy?"

"At the age of 5, as all must when it is a war time." Atsuko replied. "I plan on putting Akarei with him as well."

"Well you should teach much to her now, so Danzo won't snatch her up while she is away from your sight." Kagami reasoned. "Danzo doesn't speak of others without a reason. There are only two reasons for him to speak of someone: He is interested in them or interested in killing them." Kagami brushed off the few cherry blossom petals that had fallen onto his lap as he got up, getting ready to leave.

"Well I've shared what I wanted, is there anything else you wished to speak of before I leave, Atsuko-baa-san."

Atsuko waved her hand, as she shooed him away with her hand. "You have Emiko to worry about. You should sign her up for a pre-nupitual agreement if the boy isn't an Uchiha."

Kagami raised a confused eyebrow. "You think I would allow my girl to marry a non-Uchiha." Kagami gave a swift turn and scoff. "If she's marrying a non-Uchiha, then they can't turn out too bad. You bring up too many traditional thoughts."

Kagami left, as Atsuko thought about what he said. Yes, she joked, but in fact it was a hurtful one if Akarei had heard it. She was of Uchiha descent, but her mother's blood wasn't. She wasn't ashamed of her son, more proud of him to face his faults then to run from them. But if she always talked of Uchiha pride and clansmen ship, would she deter Akarei? She would have to apologize to Kagami next time she saw him.

She looked up, as she saw Obito about rolling around in the grass, as Akarei sat nearby watching.

"Obito! Akarei! Come get something to eat!" The boy pulled himself up as he ran on over, Akarei tight on his heel. Before he could barrel into Atsuko, Akarei pulled the back of his shirt as he raced on over.

"Rei-chan!? Why'd you pull me!?" He cried out indignantly.

"You are not good at stopping. You shouldn't crash into Atsuko-baa-chan. She's frail."

Atsuko ruffled both their heads, as Obito's hair had recently been cut, and Akarei's barely fell above her shoulders in a tight straight line cut.

"Now, now, you two. I'm not that frail Akarei. Obito you should know it is not nice to run directly into people. You could hurt yourself and the person you are running into."

They both apologized in unison, as Atsuko gave them a cup of tea, before getting out some rice balls.

"Now how about I tell both of you a story?"

Obito flinched as he felt Akarei crawl into his futon again. He didn't mind, but Baa-chan always tucked them into their own beds, so why did Akarei always crawl into his?

"Rei-chan, why you don't sleep in your's?" He asked.

Her face frowned, as her back touched his. "I don't like my dreams when I sleep alone. They are horrible."

Obito knew their was a word for that. He had heard some older kids talking about it. What was it called again. A nightdream? No, a nighthorse? No, a nightmare!

"You get nightmares?" His voice low as he questioned her curiously. Akarei always seemed fine, but Obito hated nightmares. One time he had one where he was surrounded by spiders; but in the end the dream was fine, because Akarei came and squished all them with her slipper.

Akarei nodded her head. "They are very scary. Really scary. I don't get them when I sleep next to you."

Obito nodded his head. "Then you can always sleep with me. I'll protect you from the nightmares."

She smiled back at him, before turning to her side, as they faced away from each other.

"Night, Rei-chan."

"Goodnight, Obito."

So if you have any comments/suggestions/questions, please leave them behind with a review :D

Hopefully I'll have access to my computer this weekend so I can update then too...

Until next time, enjoy your day/week/weekend/month/next-time-I-update-and-you-see-the-next-chapter :P