42. Eternal Love

*Some people have not been able to read this chapter and others have, I'm not sure why. So I've reposted this chapter in hopes it fixes the problem*

We'd set out early this morning, myself, Keitaro, Cherushii, Sasuke, Hiroaki and a sizeable amount of the Makase Clan. We'd left when the sky had barely turned pink and the air was still crisp and chilly. I absently rubbed at my arms in an attempt to stimulate heat, but my feet were colder than anywhere else in my body as we traveled through the damp grass, dew and blades of grass sticking to my sandals.

With no leads to go on, we were forced to head straight to the battlefield. Neither Keitaro nor Sasuke had any idea where Itachi might be so we had to assume he'd be in battle, carrying out orders. However, Keitaro was fairly certain Itachi would have broken the hold on himself. But with no certainty over who had cast the Edo Tensei in the first place, we had no idea where Itachi would have gone.

Regardless, my clan members were to make their way to the battlefield regardless of my destination. Guilt racked through me over the fact that I may very well be sending them to their deaths. If I could stop this Edo Tensei, at least those enemies would be taken care of. Right now, however, I felt like I was sending pigs to slaughter.

And while I was hopeful we would find Itachi, and quickly, I worried about how it might affect Sasuke. Would it renew his rage and hatred? Or would speaking with his brother finally give him the closure he desperately needed? Maybe Itachi could even convince him to forget his path of vengeance.

I took a peek over at Sasuke, who walked silently to my right, his attention set ahead of him. We'd hardly spoken since the night at the tavern. Any communication between the two of us was business. Except for…

I shook my head.

I recalled pieces of that evening; dancing with Hiroaki, the kiss we shared, Sasuke pulling me out of the tavern. After that, things began to get a bit hazy. I vaguely remembered the conversation about the Edo Tensei, though not in much detail. I remembered Cherushii and the story she'd told me. But everything after that came in flashes.

There was a set of stairs, that I remembered. Sasuke had to help me up because I was too clumsy to ascend them on my own. I couldn't remember making it to my room, just that Sasuke had brought me there. And then, I was in his lap and I remembered the warmth and comfort and his apology.

But I was beginning to doubt that last part had even happened. Sasuke showed no indication that anything had transpired between us. He still regarded me with aloofness, although it was less of a cool indifference than it had been prior. But there was no evidence that Sasuke had held me close and finally delivered those two words I'd been so desperate to hear.

I was beginning to think I had made it all up. Perhaps it was a dream I'd had. That thought made me sad. And the entire ordeal had made things increasingly complicated with Hiroaki.

Since that evening, the passion that had threatened to envelop me as Hiroaki and I kissed, had dissipated. My heart had ceased to race when he smiled at me, especially when Sasuke was in the room. The butterflies had faded.

I was angry about it, actually. I'd felt something for Hiroaki, something I hadn't experienced since Sasuke had left Konoha. I liked him and he treated me well. His eyes always shone with warmth and endearment; a complete opposite from my ex-teammate. But Sasuke had walked right in and, just like that, dismantled it all.

Why shouldn't I be angry? I wanted to like Hiroaki. I wanted to be cared for and loved. I deserved someone who could look at me and at least smile. And still, last night's conversation had transpired.

After the night at the inn, I'd returned to staying with Hiroaki. His presence was still a great comfort for me, even if I had noticed my sudden shift in feelings towards him. And like many of my nights here, I found myself on Hiroaki's porch. I sat on the steps, gaze cast upwards at the sky.

My mind was on tomorrow, when we would set off for the battlefield. The preparations had been made and there was nothing but six hours separating me from now and our departure. I was nervous.

While Keitaro had considered my ascension to the clan leader very well executed, I wasn't inclined to agree. I felt like I had stumbled through the transition and would have been in way over my head without the assistance of my brother and Hiroaki. I had eased into the position just in time for it to change. Now I wasn't just the clan leader, I was their commander. I was now responsible for sending my people to the battlefield. Responsible for the lives that might be lost. For that families that would be torn apart.

It all made me a little nauseous and I hugged my knees to my chest. I had led others into battle before; I was a chuunin after all. I'd been responsible for lives and important secrets and negotiations. But, somehow, it wasn't the same.

Though I had led comrades into battle, and I was technically responsible as squad leader, I wasn't completely responsible. Those I led had been trained the same as me, taken the same oath. They had volunteered their lives in service to the nation. But this was different.

I was not on equal ground with the members of my clan. They didn't see me as a comrade; they saw me as their leader. They hadn't planned their lives around me, or my agenda. Agreeing to fight with me was out of loyalty, not duty; and it terrified me. If my comrades had failed a mission, it would reflect on them and their skills. If my subjects died in a war I brought them into, that reflected on me.

Behind me, a door slid open and a familiar presence wandered over, taking a seat beside me. He was quiet at first, joining me in searching the stars. Part of me felt comforted that he was next to me. Part of me felt sick that I might be responsible for his death as well.

"You okay?" he finally asked, his voice barely a murmur.

A gave an depricating huff. "No."

"You're doing the right thing."

"I know," I wrung my fingers together. "I just…"

I trailed off, but Hiroaki didn't seem to need a further explanation. Instead he brushed his shoulder against mine; I leaned into him. I wanted to stay here like this, in this moment. But I couldn't. There were things that needed to be done. I sighed inwardly.

I couldn't say how long we sat like that, continuing our silent vigil, seeking solace in the comfort of one another. But eventually, Hiroaki spoke.

"When all of this is over…" he hesitated. "What will you do?"

"What do you mean?"

"You are our leader…"

I sighed. I'd thought little of it, but the thought had still crossed my mind. Could I settle here in Sunagakure after the war? The idea seemed strange to me. Konoha was my home.

"I…I guess I haven't put enough thought into it. I know I have a responsibility but…"

"But…?"

"But I already have a home," I admitted quietly.

Hiroaki nodded once in understanding. "Would you consider staying here…with me?"

A weight dropped in my stomach and I closed my eyes, as though I would open them and find myself somewhere else but here. I felt like I was standing before Kiba all over again, preparing to see the hurt and disappointment in those beautiful, amber-colored eyes.

A long moment passed before Hiroaki spoke again, very softly. "Hey…"

Begrudgingly, I opened my eyes, looking up at Hiroaki, but I was taken a bit aback. Hiroaki was looking at me although he already knew my answer, as though my silence had been confirmation. Carefully, he reached up, caressing my cheek with his thumb.

His smile was sad, but sincere. "I get it. You're a storm chaser."

The understanding in his eyes made tears well in my eyes. Hiroaki leaned in, wrapping me in a hug; and we stayed like that for some time.

I was so lost in thought I hadn't noticed Keitaro come to an abrupt stop ahead of me. I bumped into his back, immediately snapping out of my thoughts. I bounced back a step and shook my head as if to clear it, focusing my gaze on Keitaro's back. I could immediately sense his unease curling around him. I could see it in the rigidness of his posture and the tightness of his shoulders.

Not wanting to draw attention, I stepped to his side, murmuring to him. "What's wrong?"

Keitaro didn't respond at first. I watched him visibly swallow against his throat. His face was a bit paler than usual, his lips set in a thin line. I noticed his hands clench into fists unconsciously.

Peeking over my shoulder, I caught the gazes of Sasuke and Cherushii. They had noted something was wrong, though the question in their eyes indicated they were as confused as I was.

"Keitaro," I tried again, voice low, placing a hand on his arm subtly.

My touch seemed to snap him from his reverie, but he still looked unsettled. His eyes slowly found mine and they looked…haunted. But finally, he spoke. "Hiroaki."

Hiroaki stepped away from his position amongst the other Makase members, coming to a halt just behind Keitaro and myself. I pivoted to look at him but Keitaro spoke to him over his shoulder.

"Yes?"

"It's time for you to take over," Keitaro said.

Hiroaki frowned. We'd discussed what would happen if Cherushii, Sasuke, Keitaro and myself needed to split from the group. I had chosen Hiroaki, whom I trusted with my life, to lead the Makase in my absence. I found myself looking back to Keitaro in surprise, but he said no more.

Hiroaki nodded at my brother before his eyes glanced over to mine. Swallowing against my throat, I left my brother's side and walked over to Hiroaki. His eyes seemed to search mine for a moment before a ghost of a smile slid onto his lips.

I felt myself smile gently in response, but I felt my eyes burn. I was…sad. It felt like I'd only just found Hiroaki and I wasn't ready to see him go. Especially when I had no way of knowing if I would ever see him again. The thought caused my heart to constrict.

Hiroaki must have seen all I felt in my eyes and his smile turned a little sad in response. He placed his wrist over his heart, and I shook my head before flinging my arms around him and pulling him close to me. His scent filled my nostrils and I felt that burn in my throat again.

"Please be careful," I murmured against his chest as his arms wound their way around me.

"You too," he whispered, lips against my forehead. "Stay safe."

I forced myself to step away, blinking away the trace of wetness in my eyes. I forced a smile on my face. "Tsuyo, hozon, eiyo."

He placed his wrist over his heart again. "Tsuyo, hozon, eiyo."

And then I watched as Hiroaki turned and addressed the clan. With a decisive "Let's move out", they aligned into their formation and began to move away.

I watched until every single clan member faded into the forestry before I finally turned back to my brother. It didn't appear as though he'd witnessed the scene at all. Rather, his eyes were set on the distance, his lips still pressed in a firm line, his body tense.

"Keitaro, what is going on?" I asked yet again.

He was silent for a moment before he answered. "Can't you sense it?"

His voice was quiet, almost hoarse. His attention was still focused on something I could not see. I found myself glancing at my remaining companions. Sasuke remained alert, but he gave no indication that he knew what had so disturbed Keitaro. Cherushii looked pensive, her eyes also set in the direction that Keitaro's were.

"It's them, Nakao," Keitaro whispered. "Our parents."

My reaction was sluggish as my mind comprehended my brother's words, and then I felt like I'd been punched in the gut. Our parents? How was that even possible? They were dead, and they had been for eight years. Keitaro was clearly mistaken. But I swallowed against my throat.

Keitaro was convinced, I could see it in his face, hear it in his voice. I saw the paleness of his face, the clenching of his fists. But…how could it be possible?

"Keitaro, that's not possible," I said quietly, tightly.

But it was as though he wasn't listening. His voice was heavy, thick with emotion as he spoke, but not to me; to himself. "They're here."

Emotions were beginning to pile into my chest. Grief and pain and longing were beginning to swell, but my disbelief kept them from spilling over. Because they couldn't be here. They were dead.

And that's when I remembered the entire reason we were here was to hunt down a dead man. A dead man brought to life by a jutsu.

The Edo Tensei.

I swallowed thickly, my eyes settling on the forestry before me. Could I dare to hope Keitaro was right?

I couldn't say how long we all stood there, encased in our own silence. Everything was eerily still. But my heart thudding in my chest was clear as a bell, echoing in my ears. And then, finally, I heard it.

Footsteps.

They were light, quick. An untrained ear would not have caught the sound. And then I did sense something. Something that had been locked away for so long and now came hurtling to the forefront of my mind. It was suddenly as familiar as it had been eight years ago. Memories burst forth in my mind, saturating it with images and sounds that had been tucked away.

One second, the clearing before me was empty and a second later, it wasn't.

My entire body was still, paralyzed as it tried to decipher what to do. Emotions seemed to plow into me, striking me in my brain and my chest, my stomach and the nerve endings in my fingers. My breath had been stolen from me and I'd forgotten how to breathe. The world around me ceased to be and it was just me and the two figures that stood before me, a mere ten feet away.

When I spoke my voice was very small, soft, threatening to crack if I spoke any louder. "Mom…Dad…"

In a way, they appeared as I remembered them. I could feel their essence. I could see the kindness in their faces. My mother's long brown hair, swirling around her shoulders in the wind. My father's auburn-colored bangs falling into his eyes as Keitaro's did. And yet, they were different. Their pale skin looked cracked, as though made from clay. My mother's beautiful purple eyes were gone, replaced by black scleroses and even blacker irises.

I felt frozen in place while my eyes greedily took them in. My parents, it seemed, were doing the same. It didn't seem that the Edo Tensei allowed its victims to cry, because I was certain my mother would be as her eyes shifted from me to Keitaro repeatedly.

Finally, my mother spoke, and the sound of her voice almost brought me to my knees. "Look at you two."

I watched, still frozen, as my parents drew nearer. My mother walked straight up to me, her eyes roaming my face. Slowly, carefully, her hand reached up to my face, her fingers caressing my skin. "Aren't you beautiful..."

I didn't realize I was crying until my mother wiped away a tear with her thumb. But it hardly mattered because they just kept coming, running down my cheeks silently as my brain still tried to grapple with what my eyes were seeing.

My mother's skin felt dry and brittle. Her eyes did not quite crinkle as they should as she smiled. Still, the overwhelming love in her black eyes slammed into me and I was suddenly shaking, my lips trembling. Shaking fingers reached up, closing over my mother's hand that rested on my cheek.

"I can't believe you're here…" I whispered.

She gave me a sad smile, her thumb swiping over my cheek again. "I'm sorry we missed your birthday."

And that was it. A choked sob was wrenched from my throat and I flung my arms forward, holding onto my mother as though she'd disappear if I loosened my grip. I found myself sobbing into her chest, vaguely noticing the lack of a heartbeat, as though I was four years old again.

"Sssh," my mother said, setting to stroking my hair.

But I couldn't stop. I knew that Cherushii was watching me. I knew Sasuke was watching. But I couldn't halt the tears that blinded me or the sudden, agonizing ache that filled my chest completely. I just cried. And I cried. And cried.

I don't know when I was finally able to gain composure. It could have been minutes, it could have been hours. But, finally, I was able to pull away, though I did not move far. My mother ran her hands up and down my arms, taking in my whole body as I held back my sobs.

"Look at you," she said softly, her voice filled with pride. "A kunoichi."

"I killed him," I suddenly blurted out. "Natsuo. The boy who…I killed him."

My mother flashed me a sad smile. "That's not important, love. You're here. That's all I care about."

I gulped down a sob as my mother pulled away gently, settling her eyes on her other child. I watched as she moved over to Keitaro, who looked as though he was being held together by one string. I watched as my mother stood before him, gazing up into his face. Her fingers traced his face before she held her arms open for him. My brother leaned into her embrace, hiding his face in my mother's neck, his arms tight around her. I could see his shoulders shaking.

I turned my gaze to my father, who took a few steps towards me. Despite the cracked skin and the black eyes, a trace of his jovialness still played on his face as he cocked his head at me.

"You look like your mother," he smiled down at me.

I managed a weak smile before I closed the distance between us, wrapping my arms around my father's torso. His arms slid around me, giving me a tight squeeze and I let myself be five again, standing in our kitchen, laughing as he bear-hugged me.

I blinked away tears as my dad pulled away, settling his eyes on Keitaro. He and my mother had separated, and our father wandered over, clapping Keitaro soundly on the shoulder.

"You did well, son," he said softly before pulling my brother into a hug.

My mother's eyes wandered the clearing before her eyes settled on something. I pivoted to see the object of her interest was a person.

"Uchiha Sasuke," my mother's lips quirked into a smile. "Is that you?"

Sasuke's face was passive and he gave her a nod in acknowledgement.

"I always knew you two would never be separated."

I should have told her she had been wrong. I should have told her how often I'd lost him. How different we were from the children that used to play in her backyard. But the words died on my tongue as I glanced to Sasuke. He was looking at me. I could not read his face, or his eyes, but…

"I know who you are."

I blinked, pulling my gaze from Sasuke as my mother spoke to someone else. Cherushii. She was standing off to the side, suddenly frozen as my mother addressed her. I could see the guilt that flooded her face as she looked from my mother, to my father, to me.

"You look like her," was all my mother said, however, a small smile on her face. I'd never seen Cherushii bow so low.

It was then that I felt someone walk up to me. I felt his arm just barely brush against mine and I glanced up as Sasuke came to a stop beside me. Although I tried to catch his eye, his eyes remained planted on my mother. I said nothing, turning my gaze back to her as well, taking comfort in the presence beside me.

"What are you guys doing here?" Keitaro asked, grabbing my attention. He had stepped away from our father, his attention moving between him and our mother.

"The same as you, I imagine," my mother replied, her mouth quirking into a smile. "Judging by the lack of disbelief from seeing us, I have an inkling you know exactly what you're looking at."

"The Edo Tensei," Keitaro nodded, his face forming itself into its usual serious demeanor. "We were…trying to locate the source."

My father nodded. "That was our mission after we broke free of the jutsu's hold. We can feel…a pull."

"We wanted to stop it," my mother nodded and she glanced behind her at the forestry she had appeared from. "And we're not the only ones."

I saw Keitaro's jaw clench. "What do you mean?"

"Someone's been following us," my father replied. "Or…not so much following us, as following the pull as well."

I swallowed against my throat. Another had broken free and was seeking out the one responsible for the reanimation. By the tensing I felt from Sasuke beside me, I knew we were of the same mind. Keitaro, too, appeared to be thinking the same thing.

"Perhaps there's no need to continue this journey," my mother mused. "When there's plenty of capable ninja to do so. Right, Tetsuo?"

My mother glanced to my father who nodded.

"Then what will you do?" Sasuke asked.

"Perhaps we'd be of better use on the battlefield, Aika," my father said, reaching out to my mother and touching her wrist with his fingertips. She smiled up at him.

"But…" I blurted before I could stop myself. I swallowed the rest of the sentence, even as my throat swelled shut.

My parents turned their gazes on me and offered me sad smiles. I hadn't needed to finish. This was the last time I would ever see them. They would cease to be once the jutsu was ended. Perhaps it was kinder they not accompany us. At least I wouldn't have to see them disintegrate before my eyes.

My mother stepped forwards, moving to stand in front of me. She tapped my chest, right over my heart. "We're still here."

But that didn't stop the tears from welling in my eyes. My mother leaned in, wrapping me in a hug and I clung to her, hoping to draw out the moment for as long as possible.

But there was no time. My mother drew back, wiping away a tear from my face. "You should follow our comrade to the source. I imagine they'll be along shortly."

I swallowed against my tight throat, giving a jerky nod. But I held back the tears.

"Good girl," my mother murmured, a smile on her face. She leaned in, placing a kiss on my forehead. "I love you, sweetheart."

"I love you too," I said, voice strained as she pulled away and moved over to Keitaro, bestowing him with one last kiss as well.

My father then glanced at Sasuke, a playful smirk on his lips. "You be careful with her now."

In another life, I would have scoffed or blubbered in embarrassment. But I could only watch my parents, trying not to think of the last time I watched their backs as they walked away, when I was eight and I would never see them alive again. My eyes followed them as they moved away, but just before they disappeared from view, I saw my mother glance over her shoulder and our eyes locked. I knew, as a tear rolled down my cheek, that if she could have shed a tear, she would have. But instead, she gave me one last, lingering smile, and disappeared into the forestry.

Silenced consumed our group, the air heavy around us. But there was no time to sink into my grief. There was no time to mourn. We had a job to do. And it was only a few minutes before we felt another presence.

"He's here," Keitaro suddenly said sharply. A moment later, a figure dashed out of the forestry, moving by treetop. They did not pause or look our way as they soared over us.

"Quickly, follow him!" Keitaro ordered, but he needn't have bothered. Sasuke was already leaping into the trees and I was at his heels.

We hurried to catch up to the Uchiha before us, Sasuke leading the group, seeming to have forgotten the three of us following him. His attention was solely focused on his brother.

"Wait! Itachi, I know it's you!" Sasuke shouted ahead, although his brother seemed to be ignoring him. "I said wait! Are you listening to me!?"

Itachi glanced over his shoulder but did not stop.

"I cannot stop now," he finally replied. "I have important things to do."

"I don't care about that! Now you are in front of my eyes…there is a mountain of things I want to ask you!"

"Even if I tell you…to leave it for later, you would not listen to me."

"Do you remember what you said to me!? 'When you have the same eyes as me, come to me'!" Sasuke yelled at Itachi's back. "So why are you running away!? Do you feel guilty because you lied to me!? Or you don't have the courage to tell me the truth! I already know everything about you! That's why I decided to destroy Konoha!"

"I already told this to you when we fought…people live their convictions…If you think in that way…if your truth is an illusion…then the truth about me in reality is…"

"I'm not in an illusion anymore! I can see through your genjutsu! Because these are your eyes!"

Itachi was silent again. I could feel the tension rolling off of Sasuke from my position behind him. I tried to give him a respectable distance as he tried to communicate with his brother, but I was still plenty close enough to hear their conversation.

"Why only me, Itachi!? Why am I different from our mother and father? Why just me?"

"You didn't know anything about what was happening at the time…you did not know anything about the Uchiha clan's foolish idea. You were just a kid. I also thought that one day, I should be judged for the crimes I committed by an Uchiha like you. For that sake I used the hatred within you…and that's why I failed. The only thing I did was giving the hatred to you and making you flee from the village…I turned you into a criminal. I wished that you would walk the right path and yet, from the moment I died, you are walking the wrong path."

Sasuke opened his mouth to reply, but it was then that Itachi dropped down to the earth. The rest of us were quick to follow, finding ourselves before the mouth of a cave. Itachi did not pause before entering and we trailed inside after him, finding ourselves in a large, open areas. Stone pillars rose from the ground to the ceiling.

Two other figures occupied the cavern. A familiar figure lay unconscious on the stone ground and I noticed, with a blink of surprise, that it was Anko. What was she doing here? The other figure was kneeling on the ground, a cloak pulled up over their head.

"You can't kill me," the cloaked figure said. The voice sounded distorted, yet familiar. It tugged at my memory. "The justsu can never be stopped if I am killed. My luck has finally turned!"

The figure laughed to himself and then raised his head to look at us. A gasp escaped my lips. He looked much different than the last time I had seen him. His skin was deathly pale, red patches covering the skin around slitted eyes. A white serpent was slithering around him from beneath his cloak, as though the end of it was attached to his back. Still, I recognized the facial structure, the glasses, the silver hair.

"Kabuto…!" Sasuke murmured.

"It's surprising to see you, my incentive for helping with the battle, come to me at this very moment. Lucky me…" Kabuto smiled, revealing elongated canines, sharp and pointy.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "What does that mean? What are you doing here?"

"It's a bit complex, I'll try to make it simple," Kabuto said, a distinctive hiss following his esses.

"Feel free to explain. I'll stop your Edo Tensei in the meanwhile," Itachi said, putting his fingers into seals.

"This jutsu has no weakness and no risks," said Kabuto. "I'd like to explain this to you, Itachi, but you see…I don't think Sasuke-kun will stand still if you do something. If you're impatient you might be unable to stop even things that could be stopped and cause the opposite to happen."

But Sasuke remained still, eyes trained on Kabuto.

"You want to defeat Itachi again because he murdered the Uchiha clan. In other words, Itachi is currently a nuisance for both of us, Sasuke-kun. Why don't we join forces and defeat him together?" a slow grin spread across Kabuto's face.

Sasuke's face remained passive. "I followed Itachi because I want to talk to him."

Kabuto's eyes narrowed at this. "Tell me then, which side are you on now?"

There was a moment of silence before, moving so fast it went almost unseen, Sasuke flung several shuriken at Kabuto. Keitaro, however, pulled out several kunai and flung them at the shuriken with a burst of chakra to enhance speed, knocking the weapons out of the air.

Sasuke whirled on my brother. "What are you doing!?"

"If he's dead, the Edo Tensei can never be stopped," Keitaro replied.

"I will speak with you later, Sasuke," Itachi commented from in front of us. "In exchange for that, let me defeat him first."

Keitaro broke away from the group, coming to a stop beside his old friend. "I'm helping."

Itachi glanced over to Keitaro before nodding. "Of course."

Kabuto snickered. "Well, it seems a shame to leave out everyone else. It's a good thing I brought company."

My eyebrows crinkled together as Keitaro looked behind him to a darkened corner of the cavern. A second later, a figure materialized, walking out into the dim lighting of the area. My blood immediately chilled. Black irises, that had once been a plum-shaded purple, scanned the room.

It was Cherushii who spoke, taking a step forward to stand next to me. "Natsuo…?"

Those black eyes landed on Cherushii, sandy-blonde bangs falling into his vision. "Cherushii; I see you've abandoned our master to work with this trash. You're a disgrace."

Cherushii let an amused scoff. "I'm the disgrace? I'm not the one who's dead."

Natsuo scowled at that, sharpening his features. I could feel the animosity radiating off the siblings. Still, Natsuo fixed a devilish smirk on his face. "Well, I am alive now."

"I'll gladly return you to rotting in the ground," Cherushii said coolly.

"Give it a try, dear sister."

The two glared at one another soundly before each activating their kekki genki. The enormous burst of energy swept through the entire cavern. Without hesitation, the siblings each sent waves of wind barreling at the other. The gusts collided, sending a blast across the area, whipping my hair rapidly around my head.

The two jumped into the air, Cherushii pulling out her whip. She cracked it, sending sonic booms around her, but Natsuo put up a barrier, effectively blocking her attack. He dropped it just as quickly when the attack had ceased, creating a sword formed from molded chakra.

Sword drawn back, Natsuo flew towards his sister, aiming for her chest. Cherushii dodged out of the way before spinning around rapidly. A vortex of wind spun around her as I watched her body liquify, the ability gain from Orochimaru's experimentation. I watched in awe as she began to merge with the wind, creating a swirling vortex of water.

Cherushii barreled towards Natsuo, whose eyes narrowed, but were not lit with alarm. Natsuo dodged, but he seemed to have miscalculated Cherushii's speed. He barely escaped being sucked into her vortex.

While most of her body remained as water in the twister, Cherushii's torso emerged, her whip in one hand. With a flick of her wrist, she sent the tongs flying for her brother. Natsuo was still caught off guard, stumbling a bit after miscalculating Cherushii's speed, and I was sure her attack would land home.

But suddenly, Natsuo's wind exploded in front of him, swelling up and around him. It was not a typical wall that I used to block attacks, but a different form. The wind began to curve, thinning in some places, bolstering others, until I was looking at a giant snake hovering over Natsuo.

Cherushii had little warning before the snake struck, like a viper, bashing into Cherushii's twister. Her upper body broke free of her wind, her body reforming into a solid mass. Her own wind flickered and died as she flew into a stone pillar, the back of her skull hitting the stone with a resounding 'crack'.

As Cherushii fell to the ground, Natsuo approached her, a sickening grin spreading across his face. Cherushii was wincing as she shakily got to her knees. Natsuo's snake shot out again, but not at Cherushii. It crashed into the stone pillar Cherushii had smashed into. The stone first cracked, spider webs branching out across the pillar before it broke apart, heavy pieces tumbling down towards Cherushii.

Cherushii was able to roll out of the way, hopping to her feet, though with a noticeable waver. The snake turned its head on her, moving to strike. Cherushii dodged to her left, but it seemed Natsuo had been anticipated this. The snake's trunk split, forming another head. The new head intercepted Cherushii, striking as she tried to dodge. The blonde slammed into a nearby pillar with a cry, blood spurting from her lips on impact, her whip flying out of her hand.

She fell gracelessly to the ground, where Natsuo's wind pinned her to the floor. Cherushii's body turned to water in an attempt to free herself, but it had the opposite effect. The sheer force of her brother's wind began sucking at her new form, trying to dry up the water she was currently made of. She quickly reverted, crying out in pain as she did so.

Cherushii!

I made to go to her, but Sasuke's hand reached out, clasping his fingers around my wrist.

"What are you doing?" I hissed at him. "Let go!"

But Sasuke jerked me back. At the same time, one head of the snake struck the pillar next to Cherushii, cracking it as it had done the last one. But this time Cherushii was grimacing in pain and she was too distracted to dodge as the pillar crumbled apart. Pieces flew in all directions, including where I would have been had I rushed to Cherushii's aid. A large chunk of stone fell on her right arm, pinning it to the ground.

Natsuo stepped over to his fallen sibling, smirking as Cherushii's left hand grasped for the whip that lay just out of reach. With a smirk, Natsuo picked it up, his eyes homing in on her neck, and flicked his wrist. The whip uncoiled, but instead of wrapping around Cherushii's neck, it wrapped around the blade of my dagger.

Natsuo's face registered surprise as I had suddenly flickered in front of Cherushii. I pulled at my blade, yanking the whip free from Natsuo's grip. He was quick to put some distance between us.

Seeing Natsuo now, just after seeing my dead parents, made a new hatred bubble in my gut. They were dead because of him. I had lost that love because of him. Hatred and rage pumped through my veins as I watched his lip curl into a sneer.

"Intent on dying so soon, Nakao?"

Natsuo's own eyes burned with hatred. The snake that had hovered over him vanished, leaving his wind to flow around him formless.

I leveled a glare on him. "In case you've forgotten, I was the one who killed you."

"This time, you won't be so lucky."

I had no time to respond, if I even planned to, as Natsuo rushed me. Gripping my daggers, I shook Cherushii's whip off my one blade. I let my knees slacken as he ran nearer, noting how fast he was. He ran through a string of handsigns before he reached me, pulling a fist back.

The air around me whistled sharply. I ducked and spun out of the way before a blast of air shot through the area where my head had just been, slamming into a far wall. A large crater formed in the wall beneath a plume of dust and raining pebbles.

Still low, I swept a leg at Natsuo's ankles. He jumped up and away, his wind forming reforming into a snake. I straightened, running through handsigns as my wind seeped from my pores. With another set of quick handsigns, I took in a breath of air, blowing flame into my wind. Natsuo was prepared. He pushed out a great sweep of air, pushing my flames back towards me. I cried out in alarm and stumbled back as the heat grazed my face and I hurried to cut off my jutsu to avoid harm.

It was then that Sasuke suddenly appeared behind Natsuo. Katana drawn, he slashed the blade towards Natsuo's neck. The blonde jumped out of the way, somersaulting in the air and landing behind me. Too slow to react, I was grabbed from behind as Natsuo wrapped an arm around my throat, tugging me against him. I choked, momentarily disoriented as Natsuo formed his wind into some type of hammer and slammed it into my gut.

A cry wrenched from my lips, a speckle or two of blood dripping onto my chin. I felt my daggers drop at the impact. One blade fell to the ground with a clatter, but Natsuo caught the other one, quick to hold it against my neck.

Natsuo trained his gaze on Sasuke. "Back down or I slit her throat open."

Sasuke halted where he stood. His grip tightened on his blade, but it remained at his side.

"Now isn't this romantic?" I could not see Natsuo's face, but I could hear his grin in his words. "Lovers fighting side by side."

I was finally regaining my breath and a low growl issued in my throat. I was aware of the cold steel against my throat but my brain was working, trying to think of a way out of my current position.

"Tell me," I could feel his lips at my ear. "How do you feel about dying together?"

That threat was his mistake. I wasn't about to let Sasuke get hurt because of me. Clenching my teeth together, I pulled my chakra together before letting out as blast of wind. The force was so strong and done so quickly, it rushed out of my pores, slicing at them as it was freed.

Pain erupted across my body as cuts opened across my skin, stinging and burning. I clenched my teeth harder against the pain. It was effective none the less and I heard Natsuo suck in a breath of alarm before he was blasted away from me, flying backwards into a stone pillar.

I wavered before my knees gave out and I fell to the ground. Before I dropped completely, I felt a hand on my elbow and I was being pulled back to my feet. Sasuke stood next to me, releasing my arm as soon as I was standing firmly. But I wasn't paying him much mind. My skin with searing, dots of blood appearing beneath my light purple shirt and leggings.

Ignoring my pain, I focused my attention forward as Natsuo pushed himself to his feet. He cracked his neck and shook some blonde bangs from his eyes.

"You've gotten stronger, Nakao," he said nonchalantly. "But not strong enough to defeat me."

I gave a huff of amusement. "I seem to recall you saying something very similar once before. You know, before I killed you the first time."

As black as his eyes already were, they seemed to turn darker. He had a little smirk on his face, but it was cold. Without warning, he conjured a vortex of wind before him and I tensed, anticipating his next move. But instead of launching an attack at me, his vortex began to drill into the ground.

The ground began to tremble beneath my feet and I had to put my arms out to keep my balance. The ground before Natsuo was flinging dust and chunks of earth into the air as a hole began to form.

Is he trying to cause an earthquake!? He'll bring this whole place down!

A crack formed in the earth, quickly expanding, spreading out away from Natsuo. I quickly began to draw on my chakra, reaching out into the air itself to pull on the water in the air to bolster my wind. A bead a sweat rolled down my face as I concentrated.

When I felt my energy waver, I acted. I forced my own wind into the crack on the ground, kicking up debris. I felt my wind hit Natsuo's and clenched my teeth as I felt him push back. He was powerful and I had no intention of getting into a shoving match with him. Instead, I sent a giant wave a power pulsing down the line and it overpowered Natsuo's wind, forcing him out of the earth. The ground between us seemed to explode, spraying dust and debris in every direction.

"Follow me!" I said to Sasuke, hurrying into the dust storm around my cousin. These powerful attacks were depleting my energy and I needed to end this. Natsuo seemed stronger than I remembered and I wondered if the Edo Tensei granted its subjects extra strength.

Sasuke didn't respond but I felt him follow me. Though the dust was thick, I could easily spot Natsuo's shimmering chakra. I tried to sneak up on him, attack him from behind, but he was privy to seeing my chakra as well. Natsuo whirled around as I aimed an attack for his head. I flickered, appearing behind him again; but he spun around quickly, throwing a blast of wind at me.

As I dodged out of the way, Sasuke appeared behind our opponent. He slashed at Natsuo with his blade, but Natsuo's wind formed into that snake again and plowed into Sasuke from the side, sending Sasuke flying to the left. The snake followed him and Sasuke leapt away. I watched as the dance continued, Sasuke leaping away from persistent attacks.

I held back for a moment, assessing the situation. I wondered how much chakra Sasuke might be able to make Natsuo spend. If his strength was weakened a bit, I'd be able to end this. And so I let them continue, summoning my own chakra. It was when the snake actually made contact with Sasuke again that I decided to act.

While Natsuo was distracted, I sent my wind at him, encircling him in a ring of my chakra-infused wind. Natsuo turned sharp eyes on me, withdrawing his wind from Sasuke and using it to bash into my ring. I gritted my teeth as I felt the blows against my power and I felt a strain. He was going to outlast me.

Then, suddenly, a fireball roared to life, bathing the immediate energy in light and heat. It struck my wind, setting my wind ablaze and creating a fire so intense that orange and red completely engulfed my vision. Still, I sent another surge of chakra down the line, making Sasuke's fire burn brighter and hotter. I felt sweat drip down my face, but not from the heat.

When I felt my energy wane, I pulled back, letting the fire dim. I breathed heavily, eyes on the fire, watching for any movement.

With a sudden shout, Natsuo burst out of my wind. My eyes widened in surprise as he flew at me with great speed, one of my daggers in his hand. With critical aim, he plunged the dagger into my chest…and I disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Natsuo growled, realizing the replication, before twirling around. But he was too late. I fell down on him from above, tackling him to the ground, straddling him. Kunai in hand, I plunged it towards Natsuo's heart.

Dropping the blade in his hand, Natsuo reached out, catching my plunging wrist. I pushed against him, but he held firm, keeping my kunai from dipping any further. I brought my other arm up, readying to punch him, but his hand snapped out and caught that wrist too.

My teeth clenched together as we struggled against one another, muscles straining. Using deep reserves, I summoned chakra and wind slithered down my arms, coiling around Natsuo's. I saw his eyes harden but it was too late, I constricted my power and his arms shattered. They fell limply to the ground and I gave Natsuo no chance to stop me. I raised the kunai above my head.

Although it was but a second, the moment seemed to stretch on. My eyes locked on Natsuo's and I saw...nothing. There was no fear in his eyes and even the hatred didn't seem as strong as usual. Instead I found…realization. Realization that he was going to die again-and it didn't bother him.

Anger poured through me, hot and blinding. I wanted him to be afraid. I wanted him to hurt as I had hurt when he had murdered my parents. I wanted to cause him pain, though I wasn't sure he could even feel pain in this form. I wanted him to suffer as I obliterated him.

My mother stepped between myself and Sasuke, setting a plate of rice balls down on the table. I caught a faint whiff of vanilla as her hair brushed my shoulders.

My lips puckered into a pout as I narrowed my eyes at the dish. "Aww…Sasuke's favorite?"

Sasuke shamelessly set to work on the rice balls.

My mother tried to give me a reproachful look, but there was a smile on her lips. "Sasuke's the guest."

"Guest? He practically lives here," my father said with amusement as he entered the room. I watched him walk over to my mother and plant a kiss on her cheek.

I set to grumbling.

"No pouting," my mother reprimanded, tapping me on the nose as she sat down. "Next time, I'll make your favorite."

But there hadn't been a next time.

Fury engulfed me. With a cry, I plunged the blade into his chest. Warm blood splattered against my hand and my face.

Breathing heavily, I gazed at the still face of Natsuo, spite dripping off my words. "I killed you again you mother fucker."

Before my eyes, Natsuo's body began to disintegrate into ash until I was sitting in a pile of it. The adrenaline began to seep out of me and a wave of dizziness washed over me. I tried to stand, but I faltered. But hands grabbed me and pulled me to my feet.

I gazed up at Sasuke to find him staring down at me. He seemed to be assessing me, scanning me for injury. I felt my heart skip a beat as I realized that I was feeling a sense of familiarity. That I stood in Sasuke's presence and it felt like it had all those years ago. My breath caught in my throat when his eyes found mine.

"There's blood on your face," he said.

I deflated, trying to ignore how I could put myself in the position to feel that way. Trying not to look annoyed, I reached a gloved hand to my face, wiping at it. Pulling my attention from Sasuke, I glanced to my feet, at the remains of my cousin…

"Cherushii!" I gasped suddenly.

I whirled around, eyes scanning the area for her. She lay where I'd left her, her arm still trapped beneath the stone. She looked pale and her eyes were closed. Hurrying towards her, I dropped to my knees at her side.

"Cherushii!" I shook her shoulder urgently.

Cherushii's eyelids twitched before they inched open. Her eyes found mine, clouded with pain and fatigue. I let out an inaudible sigh of relief.

"Hold on," I told her before pushing the heavy stone off of her, then helping her to sit up.

Cherushii cried out in pain as I pulled her up and I saw agony flash across her face.

"How bad is it?" I asked her.

"Definitely broken," Cherushii ground out.

I frowned, but something else pulled my attention from Cherushii. I stood as Itachi and my brother walked over to us. I glanced behind them, looking to see if they had killed Kabuto, but I saw him standing. Although, upon closer inspection, I noticed he was frozen, as still as a statue. My eyebrows furrowed.

Despite my curiosity, I pulled my gaze from Kabuto to Itachi, who was walking straight towards his brother. He seemed to be shining, his body emanating a white light. His clay-like skin was cracking further, breaking apart, and I realized that the Edo Tensei was releasing.

"Before saying goodbye, I will tell you what you want to know…there is no need to lie anymore," Itachi said softly, stopping before Sasuke. "What I did that night before leaving you…is exactly as Danzou and Madara told you."

Sasuke's lips set into a firm line, his expression unreadable. I wondered if there had perhaps been a part of him that hoped Madara had been wrong.

"I will show you the truth," Itachi said quietly as his eyes locked with Sasuke's.

The two stood still, gazing at one another and I realized they could probably communicate via their Sharingan. Part of me began to fret, worrying over Sasuke's reaction. What he had gone through after learning the truth had been hard enough. Now he was going to witness it firsthand?

I knew the connection had broken when Sasuke gasped, his face coming alive. He gazed at his brother with wide eyes.

"I always lied to you, telling you to forgive me. I always kept you far away with my own hands. I didn't want to involve you…but now I think that, maybe, you would have been able to change our mother, father, the Uchiha," Itachi slowly raised a hand. "If I had faced you from the start, tried to see things from your point of view and talked with you about the truth…But I failed, and no matter what I say now, it still won't reach you. That's why I'm finally going to say what I really think."

Itachi reached out, grabbing Sasuke by the back of the head. He pulled his brother close to him, resting his forehead against Sasuke's.

"You don't have to forgive me…But know, no matter what you decide to do from now…I will love you forever."

Sasuke's eyes were still wide when Itachi pulled away. With slowly, wobbly footsteps, Itachi turned from his brother and moved over to Keitaro. Keitaro closed the gap between them.

"Watch out for my little brother," Itachi said softly.

"Of course."

"You have always been my best friend," Itachi said, reaching out and placing a hand on my brother's shoulder.

Keitaro mustered a small, watery smile, placing his hand on Itachi's shoulder. The two men stared at one another before Keitaro pulled Itachi into a hug. I watched Keitaro whisper something into Itachi's ear, but it was too soft to hear.

Seconds later, Itachi's body crumbled apart, turning to ash. Keitaro never moved, his body now hugging the air, covered in ashes. It was a long moment before he opened his eyes, staring blankly at the open space before him, his arms falling to his sides. He peered down to the ashes at his feet.

My heart constricted in my chest as I watched my brother's face fill with sorrow. The raw pain in his eyes made me want to cry, to run forward, to hold him, to find a way to take away the pain. But there was nothing I could do. Not for this kind of grief.

Still on the ground, I heard Cherushii speak sadly. "I'm not sure he'll ever love again."

It took a moment for the words to register before I blinked, glancing down at Cherushii. "What?"

Cherushii shot me a look that clearly said that I was an idiot. "Wasn't it obvious?"

As the truth dawned on me, I glanced back to my brother, seeing his grief in a whole new light. I watched as a teardrop slid down his face and I had to turn my gaze away. Because I knew the loss he was feeling. So many things made sense now and I found that it was no trouble to forgive my brother for leaving when he did to be with Itachi.

Heart feeling heavy in my chest, I looked to Sasuke again, if just to relieve myself of my brother's grief. Sasuke's eyes were on his brother's ashes as well. He stood very still and his face actually revealed some emotion.

Swallowing against my throat, I stepped over to Sasuke, laying a hesitant hand on his arm. He did not shake me off. "Hey…are you okay?"

He didn't respond at first. In fact, I began to wonder if he'd even heard me. But then, still looking at what remained of Itachi, he spoke.

"What…am I…?"

He said it so soft it felt like a punch to the gut. To hear him so lost and so sad…

I couldn't stand it. How could I make him stop hurting? How could I take the pain away?

Silently, my hand slid down the length of Sasuke's arm and I grasped his hand in mine. My heart was pounding in my chest, preparing for rejection, but Sasuke did not pull away. Rather, to my great surprise, I felt a slight pressure in my hand as Sasuke squeezed it gently, just once.

Despite the sadness that hung around me, I felt my breath hitch in my throat and my heart skip a beat. And we stood like that for a long moment before the rock wall on the other side of the room exploded.

Sasuke jerked away, his hand ripping free from mine as he turned towards the explosion. Trying to push down a sudden rush of disappointment, I watched two figures emerge from the dust and debris.

"Found you!" Suigetsu said triumphantly, grinning to himself as Juugo came to a stop beside him. His eyes took in the entire area before his eyes rested on the statue-like Kabuto. "Is that Kabuto? What's that coming out of his stomach? It looks like a huge-"

"You can leave it there," Sasuke interrupted, wandering to a nearby pile of rubble and taking a seat.

Juugo moved over to the prone and forgotten Anko, checking for signs of life.

"What business do you have with me now?" Sasuke asked the pair. "Why did you come looking for me?"

"Yeah! Well, you know, we found a cool thing at the lair and, you know…" Suigetsu gestured as he spoke.

"It seems that Kabuto's Edo Tensei is defeated, but Madara is still around," Juugo cut in, hefting Anko up over his shoulder.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed.

"Don't get in the way when I'm talking with Sasuke!" Suigetsu yelled over at Juugo. His tone changed, however, when he refocused on Sasuke. "But anyway, look at this!"

I watched curiously as Suigetsu produce a scroll from inside his cloak and walked over to Sasuke, handing it to him. Sasuke opened it, his eyes scanning whatever was written there.

"Isn't it cool!" Suigetsu exclaimed. "With that we can rule the shinobi world-"

"This is it…" Sasuke stared miraculously at the scroll. My eyebrows furrowed, but Sasuke did not elaborate. Rather, he closed the scroll getting to his feet. "Anyway, there's someone I need to meet. I'm going."

"Who?" Keitaro asked, breaking his silence. I glanced over to him, watching his schooled expression, perfected from years of being a shinobi. His gaze was set intently on Sasuke and I realized Keitaro had every intention of fulfilling his promise to Itachi.

"To the one who knows everything…." Sasuke met my brother's gaze. "Orochimaru."

Author's Note:

So this took me forever to get out. My apologies; I think I've been in a funk. Just haven't felt like writing. And it's not like this is one of my strongest chapters. Still, I hope you enjoyed it! Stay safe, readers.