Sasuke sat outside the room Itachi was being interrogated in. He sat against the wall, ankles crossed staring at the crack on the ceiling. Kakashi sat nearby, face buried in one of his books. It was completely silent between the two and neither bothered to fill it with mindless and needless talking. Sasuke's eyes followed the large crack as it ran down into the corner of the wall. Naruto...the idiot had peeked in several minutes ago asking if it was over yet. Honestly, Sasuke and Kakashi had no idea what they could be talking to Itachi about. Possibly gauging if Itachi was truly thirteen. Sasuke stood and leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. Kakashi watched him from behind the book.

"Worried?"

"No."

Kakashi shrugged and returned to his book. Sasuke glanced towards the door, fighting the urge to just spy on them. However, Sasuke had no doubt that the doors were heavily guarded against any type of attack. The Uchiha returned to looking at the wall. Kakashi turned a page, humming to himself. Kakashi cast a dark glare at the Copy nin as he continued to read his porn. He fought down the urge to say something and merely closed his eyes.

When the door finally opened, Sasuke had a hard time pretending that he had not been waiting impatiently. Itachi and Danzō walked from the room, the man touching Itachi's shoulder as they moved. An uneasy feeling filled Sasuke's gut at the sight of that old man's fingers brushing slightly against Itachi's neck but the next second they were resting on his shoulder passively as if nothing had happened. Danzō regarded Kakashi and Sasuke blankly for a moment before looking back to Itachi.

"It has been decided that Itachi will have weekly meeting with our council to evaluate his...condition. From what we gather his memories of his future...exploits are gone. Perhaps for good. It would be wise to keep Itachi's existence in Konoha a secret. We would not want the masses having a go at him would we?" The old man chuckled without humor while closely regarding Itachi. Sasuke fought down a scowl. Danzō met the younger...now older Uchiha's eyes coldly.

"The Hokage has decided to spare you from punishment...she had outside influence no doubt. I advice you to not squander it." He spoke this last part softly as if threatening him. Sasuke bowed stiffly in understanding. Kakashi bowed deeply and thanked Danzō. The old man grunted in response, his eyes sweeping once more over Itachi who seemed lost in his own world. He smiled at the boy...but not a kind smile and once again Sasuke had to fight down the cold feeling and dismiss it. Danzō dismissed the nin before walking back into the room, slamming the door behind him.

The walk back to the district was tense, and they traveled the alleyways to avoid notice. Kakashi said his goodbyes before they reached the Uchiha wall, leaving the brothers to trek back alone. Karin greeted the brother's from where she was pulling overgrown weeds from one of the cousin's gardens. Sasuke grunted a greeting and kept walking while Karin quickly tried to usher Itachi over. Luckily, Juugo managed to catch Sasuke's attention and the smaller Uchiha approached the woman who offered the boy a grin.

"You're so skinny Itachi-kun!" She mused. "You need to eat more! I went to the store and bought some candies...don't tell Sasuke!" The smile she threw Itachi had his hunched shoulders relaxing. He smiled slightly at the woman before quickly returning to Sasuke's side. Sasuke was busy speaking to Juugo and Suigetsu and did not spare the Uchiha a passing glance. He began walking again and Itachi followed, pointedly avoiding looking around the houses. Once inside their parent's house, Itachi was shoved against the nearest wall.

"What did Danzō say?" Sasuke demanded, gripping Itachi's shoulders tightly. Itachi regarded him warily.

"Why?" He asked and Sasuke shoved Itachi hard against the wall, his grip tightening.

"You owe me answers." He stated coldly, glaring down at Itachi. Itachi's face dimmed at the truth in the words.

"Nothing that you didn't already tell me." He admitted and Sasuke scoffed in disbelief. Itachi was good at playing innocent. Always had been. But he was not so easily fooled anymore. At the moment he had the upper hand over Itachi and he planned on using it to his advantage.

"You're innocent act might have some fooled Itachi, but I know better. I've seen first hand what you're capable of. I might not be killing you today or tomorrow but I promised you earlier that you would still suffer. I can allow Danzō to do some creative things to you and not give a shit. Or I can offer you this slim chance of mercy. It's up to you." Sasuke's voice was pleasant, but his expression dark. Itachi tilted his chin defiantly. He was already doomed by what he had done. Why bother playing the coward now. No. If he was as awful as everyone told him he was, he would make sure they did not forget it. He would earn his death. He would make them truly earn the right to hate him. Even if it broke his heart.

"You say you know me otouto." Itachi leaned close to Sasuke's ear. "You know nothing. I spit on your false mercy." He whispered. This boy who wore his brother's face would never be his Sasuke. Just as Itachi would never be this boy's Itachi. He did not know why he killed them. But he would find out. Even if they tried to stop him. The smile Sasuke offered Itachi chilled him to the core. That smile he saw in his nightmares. Those eyes, red and cruel. This was not his otouto. Itachi had destroyed him. He would face his punishment for that sin.

The broken wrists he was left with were barely noticed. He barely felt it. Instead he was left with that empty feeling he had been acquainted with since he awoke to the man in the mask. The man in the mask had been in his thoughts since he had last seen him.

The man behind the mask was the man with the answers.

Itachi's sleep was plagued that saw Shisui and himself, in the woods speaking in hushed voices. He could hear his family arguing and Shisui was so pale. There was blood, but for the life of him Itachi could not find the source... Danzō was smiling at him and ushering him into his office...why were they alone? Shisui was back again. He was scared and hurt. Something was wrong. His dreams were fractured. Sasuke was running to him and Shisui. The little boy was bickering with Shisui saying Itachi was stronger...Shisui and Itachi had shared a grin.

"...Kotoamatsukami..."

"Fugaku...the only way..."

"…You're my best friend and the only one I can count on… Protect the village… and the Uchiha name."

"I'm not going to last long anyway!"

Itachi awoke suddenly, chest heaving as he sobbed. He buried his face into his pillow to muffle the noise. How could he have done this? How could he have betrayed them? He wiped at his eyes, body trembling. Why was he so weak? Outside his room sat a crow, perched on the window ledge. It cawed softly before taking flight, one eye glowing brightly in the night sky.

When Itachi awoke the next morning he did not recall his dream at all. Later when he was avoiding Sasuke something his mother had said to him flashed through his mind, it had not crossed his mind that yesterday he had not remembered her words or that Danzō had called him into his office. It did not seem important that he recognized something that yesterday was foreign.

Later that week, Danzō called to meet with Itachi and Sasuke delivered him with barely a glance back. Danzō had smiled at the Uchiha in a way Itachi was not familiar with. Shisui's long dead words ringing through his ears. What had Shisui said...why was he having these dreams?

Itachi had ealier approached Sasuke about their family. Sasuke had been leaving to find Naruto when Itachi stopped him.

"Sasuke!" He called out and without turning Sasuke answered.

"What?"

"Mother and father and...and everyone else...could I...could I visit their resting place?" Itachi asked, feeling like if he did not ask now he never would. Slowly Sasuke turned to face his brother.

"Excuse me?"

"Their graves...please I want to see them."

"You do not deserve to lay eyes on them." Sasuke replied softly and Itachi nodded in agreement.

"I know but-"

"You will not go to them." Sasuke spoke up sharply and Itachi stepped forward, backing straightening.

"Sasuke-"

"You have no right."

"Please..."

Suddenly, Sasuke was upon his brother lifting him bodily off the floor and raged coursed through his chest. How dare he. How dare he! This murderer believed he had any right to look upon them!? He heard Itachi let out a pained gasp and he reveled in it. He was doing this for them!

Should it please him this much to physically over power someone so much smaller? Wasn't this what psychopaths did? Torture the smaller and weaker for sheer pleasure? But Itachi wasn't weaker. He might be small but even now this monster could out power him. When he was finished, Itachi did not ask about them again...

Sleep could not come soon enough for either brother. Sasuke was exhausted and had promptly collapsed on his bed. He paid no mind to his brother ho had shut himself in his room after Sasuke had finished with him. Once he was sure Sasuke was asleep, Itachi slipped outside. He walked barefoot towards the water's edge and dipped his toes into the cold liquid. It was a chilly night and he was not dressed for it. Yet here he stood, staring at the water. His uneasiness persisted. He needed to see them. He wandered that night, only grabbing a cloak from his room he fled to where he knew the Uchiha monument rested. Despite Sasuke's warnings, he could not stay away. He needed to see them. He approached slowly, as if expecting to be struck down. The large slab of stone listed everyone killed and Itachi forced himself to read each and every name. He sat before their monument, arms wrapped around his knees as he stared at it. He felt as if they were all staring at him. They were demanding to know why he did it. He demanded the same. His eyes rested on his mother's name. His father's.

Shisui's...

Overhead the sky opened, pouring down rain. He did not move from his spot. He tried to remember. He really did. Instead, all his thoughts were muddled.

"I'm sorry." He whispered to their grave. "I'm so sorry. It would never be worth it. No power could be worth this..." He buried his face in his arms, fighting back tears. He did not look up or react to the presence behind him. He needed to be with them in the only way he could now. For in death he would never be reunited with them. This was his only chance. A chance he did not deserve. The blood running down his hands was too great. Kakashi stood several feet away, arms crossed allowing the boy to mourn. When Pakkun questioned alerting Sasuke, the nin shook his head.

"He's not hurting anyone here." He replied without looking away from the Uchiha. Pakkun huffed but did not argue. Rain rolled down the side of Kakashi's face but he did not bother to wipe it away. Pakkun cocked his head at the boy who sat so very still.

"How do you think Sasuke would react to Itachi being here?" Pakkun questioned.

"He'd break more than Itachi's wrists." Kakashi replied without any doubt.

"You think he means it? Itachi I mean?" He nodded to the teenager. Slowly, Kakashi nodded.

"I think there are pieces to this puzzle I am missing." He replied, eyes hollow. Pakkun did not speak again and Kakashi did not look away from the Uchiha. It was going to be a long night.

Danzō stared at the night sky in silence. Behind him sat his council deep in discussion.

"What if he remembers?" One whispered.

"He will surely tell someone!"

"Take his eyes! Before he destroys us all!" Another snarled.

Danzō allowed them to argue among themselves, a sneer slowly curling his lips as he thought of Itachi. The boy had played directly into his hands. He had sensed Sasuke's hatred for him. The hotheaded Uchiha would not defend his murderer brother. He would look the other way as long as Itachi was not killed.

Oh the possibilities...

In his hand, Danzō held a marble figurine. He stroked him thumb over the smooth surface as he watched a cloud overhead. With Itachi as a child, the truth would never be known. He could kill Sasuke and make Itachi disappear for good. The opportunity was golden...

But for now...

Danzō was content to let everything play out as it was. He stroked his thumb once more over the figure before looking at it. He smiled slowly, his bandaged face lit up in glee. Nestled in his palm, sat a miniature crow. It stared at him, wings tucked against itself. Wings that needed to be clipped.

Danzō chuckled.

If no one has guessed yet, what's happening is that Itachi is gaining a bit more memory each day. So one day he will remember what happened to Shisui and what Danzō is hiding... it will start as dreams and soon he will begin to see it as it happened and follow his own steps.