Hello! I hope you'll like this chapter!

Disclaimer: I own the OCs in this fic, the rest is Masashi Kishomoto's. Sorry for any spelling mistakes or any OCCness.

Character age:

Akane, Itachi: 21

Naruto, Sasuke: 16

Shisui: 25

Kakashi: 30

"Don't you think it's weird?" Sasuke asked us as we were jumping from tree to tree. I shot him a look above my shoulder whereas Kakashi just glanced at him from the corner of his eyes.

"What is?"

"It's rare from Konoha to ask shinobi already on a mission to make a detour for another one," Kakashi informed me. I pondered over it.

"Really? It's pretty common in Kiri."

"The state of the village is not the same. In a few years Kiri might stop doing that."

"I guess..." I frowned. "Then, do you think there's something happening in Konoha Sasuke?"

"I think so, after all, why would the Hokage send us both near Ame?" I bit the inside of my cheek and made a Shadow Clone.

After a nod, she teleported in an Hiraishin. We were close to Ame anyway, but I didn't think much of the order we received as we were about to go home. It just made us a little bit late compared to when we were supposed to come back.

I widened my eyes when I received my clone's memories and stopped abruptly.

"Akane? What's going on then?" Kakashi asked me seriously.

"There was an assassination attempt on the Hokage. She's fine, but Konoha is under attack." A cloud hid the moon for a second, Sasuke's and Kakashi's faces shadowed by it. "There's a defense barrier but aimed inward. Mom's on it. Hiraishin seems to work fine to get inside the barrier, but my clone tried to use it to leave the village but was dispelled. I only have a way in, but the Hokage told us to obey Mom."

"Which means?" Sasuke inquired, folding his arms over his chest.

"We're going to Konoha and try to break through the barrier from the outside."

We sped up but when we got here, it seemed to already be over. I told the boys I was going to help Mom and that they should help the injured.

I visited my cousin and a boy named Sora in the hospital the next day.

"Seriously, I leave for a few days, just a few days!" Naruto grinned.

"Sorry nee-chan, but we totally didn't need you!" I twitched. "Shisui-nii dealt with Sora so fast though!" I eyed Sora, who looked away.

"Body flicker and Sharingan can be a deadly combination." I put the basket of fruits violently on his stomach and he whined in pain.

"Nee-chan!"

"There's not enough space on the nightstand." I pursed my lips. "But good job Naru, I'm glad you're okay."

"Heh, it would be awkward if you were sad about it." I rolled my eyes and ruffled his hair.

"See you later Naru." I left his room and focused a little to find Sakura's chakra. I quickly found her. "Sakura."

"Hum?" She turned around and smiled at me. "Akane, good morning."

"Morning. Can I ask you a favor?"

"Of course, what is it?"

"Well…"

I met up with Shisui later at Ichiraku, just to hang out. He seemed tired.

"You okay?" He started.

"Yeah sure, just a little tired!" He slurped his noodles and I slapped him in the back when he choked on them.

"Tired, sure," I drawled blandly. He sighed.

"Fine, fine...did you ask Sakura that she takes care of Naruto personally, her or someone she approves her?"

"I did," I confirmed and he sighed again. "I fail to see how it is any of your business."

"Well, I really don't care, you are allowed to ask this but...Manami didn't like it."

"Huh?"

"She wanted to check on him but she couldn't and she told me she...felt rejected and that you didn't trust her."

"I don't." Shisui turned his eyes to me. "When it comes to my family, I don't trust easily, especially Naruto and how he is a jinchuriki." He pursed his lips.

"I see, Itachi told you about her...opinions..." I nodded. "She changed. I told him she did."

"I am sure she did, and you are free to date her. It won't change the fact I don't want just anyone taking care of Naruto, that's all. Sakura is his teammate anyway, she knows his file better than anyone. It's not just her anyway."

Although, I'll admit she was the one targeted. Shisui didn't need to know that though.

"Wouldn't a written message have been better Raikage-sama?" A growled at C, Darui silent on his right.

Nii Yugito was dead, the Nibi extracted from her body. Kumo had launched a search party immediately, A having to restrain his brother from joining them as it would have given him to the Akatsuki on a silver platter.

Ultimately, they had a short fight with the Akatsuki. Yugito's body was found, still warm, indicating they had been close to saving her.

But they failed.

They took the body back, examined it and saw how her seal, and the improvements made, had been broken through with many efforts. A was the Raikage, it was his duty to protect his village. Jinchurikis were weapons, admitting to losing one was admitting Kumo was weaker than usual. Admitting it to another village was almost begging to be attacked.

However, they had been warned. Konoha, Kiri and Suna had made an alliance to face off the Akatsuki. They asked Kumo to join, but he turned them down. His village was strong and didn't need others' information to deal with rogue shinobi. Shinobi should never compromise or bow down in front of each other.

Yet, Yugito was dead. Kumo was strong, yet they failed in taking their weapon back and now it was within the hands of an organization aiming at taking all of the bijuus. He was not told of why, but from B's behavior, it was something bad. If it required all of the bijuus, then it was bad for everyone.

"We tried to kill them when they left, coming ourselves will show our good will," Darui said casually.

"Or admitting to them they were right!" C replied.

"You can't say they were wrong."

"Dar..."

"Enough!" A barked at them. They shut up. "We're going to Konoha to tell them we lost a jinchuriki and that the Akatsuki is indeed a threat."

"And what, we join their forces?"

"We were asked by two shinobi. We're going to meet with the Hokage. If she asks herself, then I might consider it."

"So you were just angry they sent Akane and the Uchiha instead of asking themselves," Darui commented. "From the moment the information is received, shouldn't it be enough?"

"Point is, what will be said in Konoha will help me make a decision."

One of the guards ran off to the Hokage when they appeared in sight, the white and yellow hat proudly on his head. The entire way to the Hokage tower, people would stop and stare, whispering among themselves.

Tsunade stood up when they entered her office, four other shinobi in the room, including Jiraya.

"It is a surprise, Raikage-sama."

"Princess Tsunade." He noticed the way her jaw clench at the nickname.

Here, she was the Godaime Hokage.

"What brings you so far from your village?"

"I came to tell you the jinchuriki of Nibi fell to the Akatsuki." Tsunade raised a blond brow, Jiraya shifting slightly by her side. She sat back down.

"Is that so? And why telling me this when you turned us down earlier this year?"

"Don't understand things I am not implying, Hokage. The Akatsuki may have gotten the Nibi, but Kumo will be ready for when they'll try to get Hachibi. I just thought I'd come and tell you so you get prepared. I don't want to deal with your inability to protect your jinchurikis." Tsunade frowned deeply.

After a few more words, tension thick in the room, it was agreed the Raikage and his bodyguards would stay in Konoha for a few days so that Konoha sent messages to Suna and Kiri.

I felt a shiver ran down my spine.

"That's bad," Minato voice said in the back of my head.

"It's probably nothing."

"Or something is going to fall on you." I rolled my eyes at Tobirama.

"Nee-chan, you're okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Something is going to fall on you."

"Shush Tobirama!"

"Ah young Uzumaki, I'm afraid my brother is right!" The Shodai rarely spoke out, it was mainly oji-chan and Tobirama.

I raised my head and teleported to a marker in the blink of an eye, before a fist crushed me.

"What the hell Raikage-sama!?" I screamed as his lightning armor disappeared.

"Just a greeting."

"Hold on Naruto!" I looked at Kakashi, holding back Naruto and his rasengan.

"But that guy attacked..."

"Naruto, this is the Raikage, you can't attack him like that."

"Rai...kage…?" He looked at A and his rasengan vanished. Fu was shocked behind them.

"What are you doing here in Konoha?" He narrowed his eyes at the headband around my neck and the Konoha emblem in it.

"Nii Yugito was killed by the Akatsuki." My body froze. "I thought you'd want to know after the trouble you went through to get an audience with me."

"Yes...my condolences for your loss..." He grunted. I clenched my fists by my side when he left, catching Darui's eyes for a second.

I didn't care.

They had Shukaku and Matatabi. It meant Isobu was next.

It meant Haku was next. I wasn't ready for that.

The next day, Tsunade made me come to her office with Sasuke.

"I'm sure you're aware the Raikage is in town and that the jinchuriki of the Nibi was taken." Sasuke nodded firmly. "I am planning on sending various teams to track down the Akatsuki and take the fight to them. Kiri and Suna will do the same in their areas. I want to go over everything we know about the Akatsuki members so that I can send the information to the Mizukage and Kazekage." The three villages were exchanging information as part of the alliance.

I told her everything I knew about Hoshigaki-san and Dad, as well as the Zombie duo, adding what I remembered from our fight against them. Pain and the kunoichi, Konan, were quickly done as well and then Sasori and Obito. However, I kept calling him Tobi, just in case.

I felt drained though.

Completely and utterly drained.

"You wanted to see me Father?" Sasuke asked, realizing his mother and brother were also there.

"Please sit." Sasuke shut the door behind him and sat down. "The Hokage wanted to tell me that the Raikage praised you before leaving Konoha." A shiver ran up his back.

The memory of fighting the Raikage was not a good one.

"She mentioned the use of a purple, skeletal armor." So that was what it was about. "As well as black flames, much like Itachi's Amaterasu. Care to explain?" Sasuke could feel his palm getting more and more sweaty.

"I have the Mangekyou." Itachi frowned next to him and his mother looked down. Fugaku sighed at his youngest.

"Why didn't you tell us before? You and Itachi could exchange each other's eyes so that you don't go blind, so wh..."

"Sasuke? Sasuke, what's wrong?" Mikoto asked her son worriedly.

"Sasuke?" Itachi called him, grabbing his arm as Sasuke was struggling to breath.

The sound of birds crying, the light, the warm feeling around his hand, how slippery her blood felt, how Akane had briefly been replaced by Naruto, then Sakura back then.

It was all coming back to him and keeping him from breathing.

"He's having a panic attack," he heard his brother saying to his parents. "Sasuke, Sasuke listen to me. Just do like me, okay?" He saw his brother breathing deeply and imitated him, holding his breathing for a couple of seconds before exhaling.

He repeated that for a few seconds until the panic that had risen in him disappeared, leaving guilt take over.

"Sasuke you can tell us what happened," his mother told him, on his other side and massaging his shoulder.

"I didn't want to," he whispered after a few seconds, "I didn't want to but Taiga he...he put Akane between himself and my Chidori." Itachi tensed next to him.

"Taiga? Uchiha Taiga?" Sasuke nodded at his father's question. "He's alive?" Sasuke took a scroll in his back pouch and unsealed an item.

Three pairs of onyx eyes stared at the eyeball floating in the liquid of the jar.

"He used Izanagi in the war, it's all I could get for Shisui. He...he had the Mangekyou as well and could control matter at will. He used that to use Akane as a meat shield and I...my hand went through her stomach and she..."

"I don't understand, Akane-chan is fine today," Mikoto whispered, but it was loud enough for everyone to hear it.

"Five minutes and thirty-seven seconds," Sasuke mumbled under his breath. "She was dead for five minutes and thirty-seven seconds and if she wasn't an Uzumaki then she..." He exhaled with frustration. "I knew you would want to know how it appeared Father, that's why I didn't tell you."

"I see." He shot his eldest a look.

He was disturbed but hiding it as well as he could.

How ironic was it both his sons awakened the Mangekyou due to the same person?

"Can you tell us more about the context?"

"I'm sorry, I can't."

"It can't be helped I guess," Fugaku sighed. "There will be a meeting in two days. You having the Mangekyou will remain a secret. Until then, keep up the hard work Sasuke." His son nodded. "Being praised by a Kage is not nothing. I will keep Taiga's eye for now." On this note, Fugaku told them they were excused.

Sasuke waited to be far from home to sigh deeply, dropping his tense shoulders. His brother was still there, was still tense from the news, but at least it was out.

"That idiot," he heard his brother mutter under his breath.

"Nii-san, it wasn't..."

"I know Sasuke, it wasn't yours either," Itachi interrupted him coldly. He ran a hand on his face. "It's just...a lot to take in at once."

"I know." There was a short silence, during which the youngest remembered something. "Nii-san, ever since I came back, I've heard...things in the Compound." Itachi stared at him. "Maybe it's my imagination but I've heard people criticizing Father's leadership."

The oldest rubbed his temple. Sasuke had noticed something too then. Usually, he would have already gone to Shisui to share his worry, but Shisui was busy. He wanted to settle down for good and apparently, it required all of his time. However, even if Sasuke was still a genin, he had had his fair share of crisis. He was an Uchiha as well, he could be the help Itachi needed.

He told his brother he wouldn't treat him as a kid anymore, this was the perfect opportunity to show it.

"I think that there is another coup in the making." Sasuke frowned. "But not against Konoha. Against Father."

"What!? How could they possibly think they can overthrow Father!?"

"Well...we both might have played a role in it. My strange behavior years ago and you defecting to join Orochimaru probably tarnished his image but he never told us."

"You think?" Itachi raised a single brow and Sasuke averted his eyes, knowing his brother was sure of what he was saying. "What do we do then if it's true?"

"Well, I'm still stuck in Konoha so I'll investigate on my side. You on the other hand, keep doing what you're doing. Tagging along Akane during her trip got you a reputation, keep building it. You're a key element for the relationship between Konoha and other villages now, especially Kiri."

"I know that." He nodded. "Okay, I'll do that. Should we tell Akane though? I mean, she's the clan's Seal Master and our friend, she could..."

"No."

"What? But..."

"Sasuke, you will not involve her again. She's already too involved because you guys are engaged, don't involve her in a possible coup. She's got enough on her plate as it is, understood?" He frowned when he saw the doubt in Sasuke's eyes. "Sasuke, do I make myself clear?"

"She will know at some point nii-san, better now than..."

"I said no!" Itachi snapped at his younger brother. Sasuke widened his eyes.

Itachi never snapped at him like that, which he must have realized because his face went from anger to shame in a second.

"I'm sorry Sasuke, I didn't mean to snap at you like that."

"It's nothing."

"Thanks."

"...she's alive you kn..."

"See you later." Itachi turned around and left.

Sasuke watched his brother leaving. He was hiding his worry very poorly.

When Itachi went home, Akane was sitting at the dining table. A thick black cloth was covering it to protect it from the ink she was using. She was probably working on the Hyuuga case.

"Hey," she said, eyes stuck on the lines she was drawing.

He pictured her, bloody and with glassy eyes, in his brother's arms as her blood was on his hands. She had been dead for five minutes, what if she had remained dead? How would have Sasuke coped with that?

Hell, how would he have coped with that a second time?

He walked up to her quietly.

"Did you bring dinn..." He took her chin between his fingers and raised her face toward him. She blinked in confusion. "Ita...Hey!" He poked her in the forehead.

"Five minutes and thirty-seven seconds huh..." She froze.

"What? Where did you hear th...st..." He poked her, again, again until he felt at least some of his frustration had been evacuated.

She rubbed her forehead, whining.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you but...does it mean you know fo..."

"Sasuke has the Mangekyou, I know." She looked down.

"Sorry." He didn't respond.

Quietly, she got up and embraced him, her cheek resting on his shoulder.

"I know Itachi, but I'm here."

"You won't always be that lucky," he heard himself say in a muffled voice.

When did he embrace her back, his face in her neck?

"I know." His fingers went to her pulse point. He sighed when he felt it beating. She pulled back after a few seconds. "Anyway, I'm still here and loud enough to piss you off every morning so don't make such a face!"

"Hn." She patted his head.

"Come on, it's in the past! Anyway, can I ask you a question?"

"What?" She went to her room and came back with two outfits. "The left one."

"Thanks! I'm really excited for this date so..." Wait, did he hear her right?

"Date? With whom?"

"Darui, the Raikage's bodyguard. We went on a few dates when I was in Kumo. He's a nice guy."

"You really think dating a foreign shinobi is wise?" She shrugged.

"I'm not spilling any secrets and it's not as if we were getting married either. I mean, you and I are friends but not from the same village." He frowned deeply.

"It's not the same at all." She rolled her eyes.

"Chill, it's none of your business anyway."

"Is it wrong to worry about a friend now?"

"Damn, Sasuke was bad enough, don't replace him!" On this note, she slammed the door of her room behind her. "Stay out of my love life Itachi!"

He glared at her door.

He wanted the exact opposite.

The date went great and Kumo left Konoha as they came. The atmosphere at the Hyuugas had been tense. Hell, Itachi had been distant, clearly not approving of my decision. A part of me couldn't help but see jealousy in him like old Itachi would sometimes be jealous of men flirting with me, but I was sure it was just my imagination.

It couldn't be.

I refuse.

Itachi had no reason to be jealous.

"Okay, so you're good enough to use jutsu of the Great Fireball level. I think the next step with your chakra control would be unsealing your sharingan, at least once, to see how it goes," I told him. He was less tired than he used to.

His stamina had improved a lot, his chakra reserves as well.

I was a great teacher.

"Hn."

His social awkwardness, that disappeared through time, came back though. Or he just didn't want to talk to me. In any case, it was getting on my nerves. I swear I was going to knock him in the head before the end of the day.

"It's all for to..." He started leaving. "You fucking jerk," I insulted him quietly.

As I was supposed to spar with Temari, and have her show me how better she was at Wind-based jutsu, I evacuated my frustration against her. Hopefully she was good otherwise she'd be dead meat.

Kou had observed everything quietly, turning me down when I asked him to spar against me.

"So Uchiha doesn't like you dating a guy?" Temari summed up, her water canteen in her hand.

"I can't say I don't agree with him," Kou commented idly. I pointed a finger at him.

"I get why you or the Hyuuga clan would think that, but Itachi has no business whatsoever in my love life!" I kicked a rock in a tree. "He's so annoying! Okay, I'll admit dating foreign shinobi is not recommended but giving me the silent treatment is just childish!"

"It seems to work pretty well though," Temari said with a smirk. I glared at her. "I mean, the guy is probably jealous because he's crushing on his roommate and you've been thinking about him and his behavior since then!" I blushed.

"He's not crushing on me, we're just friends!"

"Huh..." I turned to Kou.

"What!?"

"Nothing, just thinking that you're an Uchiha magnet." I opened my mouth. "Seriously, if you were kidnapped and used as an Uchiha bait, I'm sure it would work." I plopped down in front of them when Temari snickered.

"Yeah, but the kidnappers would be dead in a second."

"Stuck in a genjutsu forever." I rolled my eyes.

I didn't need them to tell me Itachi had a crush on me.

Since that Kumo came, things had been...I don't know, tense but calm at the same time. We had not heard from the Akatsuki in the country, there was nothing from Mei-sensei so Haku was fine as well. Naruto could go into Version One at will but couldn't control himself above three tails. He did say he could go see Kurama when he wanted though, but apparently the Fox just kept playing possum. Yamato-senpai was there to keep an eye on them when I couldn't, and was there was well when Naruto was training to make this Rasenshuriken.

Kakashi and Sasuke were currently on a mission though, tracking down Orochimaru. I wasn't sent on it.

I wasn't sent outside of the village a lot. I knew I was the Akatsuki's target and I knew many things that could interest them, but still, I could be useful outside of Konoha.

"Actually, I have been thinking about this." I opened my eyes, finding myself in front of Minato and Tobirama. Hashirama seemed to be sleeping. "Before I died, I sealed half the Kyubi in me."

"Huh huh."

"Remember how it was trying to get free a few years ago?" I nodded, absently rubbing my stomach.

"So?" Tobirama sighed.

"Then maybe, this Akatsuki could try to get the Fox through you." I raised an unimpressed brow.

"Good luck breaking the Shinigami Seal first."

"Well, they wouldn't know that until they tried, would they?" the Nidaimed retorted, irritated.

"If they have a powerful sensor or if Ushio talked, then you could be a target for more than being annoying on your trip." I pursed my lips.

"Thanks for the annoying part."

"True, you're annoying all the time." Tobirama dodged my punch easily.

"I feel like cutting off the connection more and more often."

"Point is, Tsunade-sama is right to keep you inside the village as much as possible. Training Naruto and Fuu is the most useful thing you can do right now, as well as helping Itachi-kun getting back in shape. Fuinjutsu experts aren't necessarily the most needed on the battlefield Akane," oji-chan told me sternly. I looked down.

"I know, but it's frustrating to feel like trapped."

"You're too valuable to be lost on a mission, and if you're abducted and your eye removed, you'll spill everything to this fake Madara." Oji-chan glared at the floor and I looked up seriously at Tobirama.

"I know." I put a hand over my left eye. "I know."

Back then, I had asked Inoichi-san to erect mental defenses so that not everyone could enter my mind. It was still there. However, the mental block there was to make it impossible for me to talk about my original timeline vanished when Mom strengthen my seal. So far it never was a problem but…

What would Obito do if he knew what I knew?

I left my mind. Temari and Kou didn't notice anything and were sparring. Tsunade-san was keeping me in the village to keep me from falling in the wrong hands. I didn't see any other reasons.

I didn't see any other reason she would want to keep me in the village.

Hey! Thanks for reading and leave a review to tell me what you thought of this chapter! Thanks to Raylisfor the review!

Bye!