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: 23

Naruto, Sasuke: 17

Shisui: 26

Kakashi: 31

"So...are you planning on getting out of bed?" Mom asked me, putting a cup of tea on my nightstand.

"I have a therapy session programmed, so yes."

"I mean, before." She was sitting on the floor, her back against the nightstand.

"I'm fine here," I put the covers of my bed on my head but she removed them. "If I get up I'll end up...having a breakdown and…"

"Well at some point you'll have to get out of bed and face the outside world honey. It's been four days and you haven't left your room."

"I don't want to see anybody."

"I noticed." She removed a piece of my hair from my face. "Sasuke-kun came by to see how you were."

"How is he?"

"Naruto has taken upon himself to make him express his feelings, mainly in training. They're both pretty beaten up, I think Sakura started to only heal the essential." I cracked a little smile. "But...he told me Itachi advised him to seek therapy. He's thinking about it. His mother made him swallow his pride."

"That's good." She pursed her lips and I rolled my eyes. "I don't want to talk about Itachi."

"I know. But...he has visited me everyday at work." I frowned. "He comes and asks how you are. Then I asked Sasuke-kun how he was and...he works, a lot."

"Yeah, it sounds like him."

"Honey, that boy really loves you very much." I bit my bottom lip. "And while I understand why you need some distance between you and the Uchihas, you and I both know it's not just that, and he knows that too."

"I'm a mess, I know we need to talk but...he has so much on his plate, I don't want him to worry over me too."

"He will in any case, might as well put his mind a little bit at ease." I looked at her. "Don't get me wrong, having you back at home is wonderful, but we both know your place is no longer in this house."

"That's rude." She slapped my arm.

"You'll always have a home here Akane, don't make me say what I didn't say! But...you can't deny that you have another one that is more suited for you now." I nodded slowly and kissed her on the cheek.

"I love you Mom."

"I love you too. Now get up, and get cleaned up." She stood up. "Fuu woke up so I'm going to visit her with Naruto."

"Say 'hi' for me." It was good.

An hour later I was in front of my old place. I was about to knock on the door before remembering he asked me not to and just get in. I opened the door quietly and immediately heard voices in the living-room. He was home then. I took my shoes off and crept to the doorway.

"I can't believe you Itachi," Mikoto-san stated in disappointment. "It makes a lot more sense that Izumi-chan doesn't want anything to do with you anymore!"

"I didn't think she would ask to officially leave the clan Mother, it's…"

"You used her as an emotional safety net!" Itachi was smart enough not to to stay quiet.

"Pursuing Akane when I was a teenager would have caused more troubles than…"

"Because it didn't cause troubles now?" I bit my bottom lip and stepped back, but it was without counting on Sasuke leaving the bathroom, wiping his hands on his pants.

He blinked at me, I did the same and he quickly joined me to keep me here.

"You love her!" Itachi shot back.

"Of course I do, but it's not the issue here! Even if it was an arrange marriage, she was still engaged to your brother! You both put yourselves in a dangerous position and don't you dare talk back to me!" I shot Sasuke a confused look. "And you put your brother in a very uncomfortable position as well!"

"I already apologized to him for that."

"She kept a lot to herself for a long time," Sasuke explained quietly to me. "She always approved of you two, and your relationship, but does not approve of many of Itachi's actions and decisions regarding you and Izumi." I hugged him, my head on his shoulder.

He went still for a second and hugged me back.

"Are we good?" I mumbled against him.

"On my side, yes." I looked up at him with a small smile.

"Good then. How is therapy?" He grimaced.

"I have my first session today, Mother's...taking me like a little kid. She thinks I might try to run away." I shot him a pointed look. "Oh shut up."

Without notice, he dragged me in the living-room.

"Look who I found hiding," Sasuke told them with a smirk. I punched him in the ribs.

"I can come back later if it's a bad ti…"

"No!" Itachi cried out with wide eyes.

"It seems...impor…"

"We can continue this conversation later," Mikoto-san told me with an embarrassed smile. "Good to see you Akane." I smiled faintly at her as she left. Sasuke glanced at us, shrugged and followed his mother, asking her to wait for him.

I watched Itachi going to the kitchen and put a pot of water on the stove.

"Were you and Mikoto-san...fighting?" He sighed.

"She came to scold me."

"Izumi left the clan?"

"...yes. She asked for an emergency meeting with my father and...he's thinking about accepting. At least the engagement was called off." He looked up at me, keeping a neutral face. "I didn't think you would come so soon."

"My mom talked to me...and here I am. She can be a wizard sometimes." He smirked a little at that. "Look, I...I'm sorry, I doubt me not wanting to get back together was the reunion you were expecting but...I...I…" He put the water in the teapot and pulled some cookies from the cupboard.

"Akane." I looked at him. He put the tray on the coffee table. "Take a deep breath and let's sit down, okay?" I nodded hastily.

"Okay, okay...I can do that." However, the more I was here, next to him and him just patiently waiting for me to speak, the more I was getting anxious.

"It's just me Akane," he said gently. "I've seen you at some of your worst moments, I will not judge you for anything you are going through right now."

"I'm a mess," I blurted out. He put down his cup of tea and turned toward me, a leg on the couch, his arm on the back of it. "I'm...I really thought I could...could deal with this be...before we get back together but I...I…" I sniffed, trying to keep the tears in my eyes at bay. "You have enough on your plate as it is and I didn't...I didn't want to add to it because...I'm...I'm such a mess I'm sorry…"

Without a word, he moved closer to me and put an arm around my waist, the other in my hair and pulled me into his embrace.

"I know you're a mess," he whispered softly in my ear. How could he be so collected right now?

"I'm sorry...last time you...you…looked so sad and…"

"A lot had just happened, my emotions cooled off. You may be a mess, but you're my mess so don't ever think I have too much going on that you feel the need to stay away from me, okay?" I nodded.

"I'm so...mad at you too…" I started sobbing.

"It's fair."

"And...and so happy that you...you're okay...even after Pain and...and…" I buried my face in his chest as the sobs were too much and I was crying all the frustration, anger, sorrow, guilt, and anguish accumulated over the past ten months.

He hugged me through it, his hand running circles in my back as he whispered sweet words and how I should just let everything out.

I just fell asleep at some point because the tears wouldn't stop falling. When I woke up, the sun was setting and my head was on Itachi's lap. He was running his fingers through my hair and reading with the other hand.

"Are you feeling better?" I sat and nodded. He smiled. "Good then." I looked at his shirt, still damp.

"The only times I remember crying so much were when Mom and you died," I muttered.

"Well, we're both still around." He cupped my cheek and wiped some treacherous tears.

I kissed him without thinking when I saw the small distance between us. He was surprised for a second but cupped my other cheek and kissed me back. It was simple, and sweet and shy on my part. I broke the kiss and licked my lips as he smiled.

"I take it you still want me around?" I nodded vividly.

"I love you," I replied, making him smile happily. I gulped and moved back. "But I don't...I just…"

"Akane, we love each other so whatever it is, we can overcome it, okay?" he said quickly, kissing my hand.

"It's your clan." He frowned and took a deep breath. "I mean...yeah, what they did was awful but...I can't, we can't keep pretending they don't exist, that you don't have those...responsibilities and duties and…"

"Akane…" he tried to stop me, but I jumped on my feet.

"No Itachi, I can't pretend reality doesn't exist when I realized you being a criminal was easier!" He looked down, fists clenched hard on his thighs. "Saying nice things doesn't erase the problem, and even if we're both single and we're free to be together...what kind of...I'm not good enough for you."

"What?" he asked, stunned. "Where does that even come from?"

"From me, and then some women...talked shit about me at your engagement party and said how Izumi and you were making a perfect couple and…"

"Akane, don't listen to gossip, they don't kn…"

"But they're right!" I yelled to him. "I mean, I have traumas, and PTSDs, and I have this need to try and control everything so that it goes right, and I'm still borderline suicidal because of my recklessness and even physically I'm...I have these weird teeth, there's a big 'Bloody Mist' written on my forehead, I'm not the perfect lady that you need to have as your partner when you take over, I'm not...I'm not good enough, I just don't fit in your life Itachi, I'm not...respectable or...graceful or...and I'm going to be the Mizukage, so how does that even work out, I mean it's...and you're…"

"And I am what?" he asked me coldly, cold eyes staring at the wall in front of him. I showed him with my hand.

"You're too good for me, you're handsome, and smart, and kind, just...at the wedding, you were acting as the future leader of your clan and it...it really suited you Itachi...I'm not…"

"Good enough? I caught that already." He was angry. "Are you done?" I nodded weakly.

He took a deep breath.

"Is whatever you did to your seal making this worst?" I nodded. "Okay." He stood up. "Do you know what the role of the clan head's wife is? What my mother has to do?" I shook my head. "Nothing. The clan head should marry an Uchiha woman, preferably a kunoichi who awakened the Sharingan. Then, the kunoichi retires to be a housewife. She barely gives her opinion on clan matters. If anything, she's there to be pretty, give kids and raise them and God forbids if the couple is struggling to have their first child because it is obviously the woman's fault. Why would I chain you like that?" I blinked at him, and he pinched his nose. "Akane, you're...so infuriating, it's so infuriating to hear you put yourself down. You're plenty good enough for me, do you know why?"

I shook my head again.

"You love me, and I love you and it's the only thing I want in a romantic partner. My position of heir? It's a job, and a chore at times and I'd never put you through that willingly. I care about my clan, about their safety, but it remains a job I kept because otherwise Sasuke would have to deal with it." He grabbed my arms firmly. "If I wanted a colleague, I would have asked for an arranged marriage. But I'm in love with you, because you never saw my last name before me. You've always seen me for me only, that's why I can fully be myself and relax when I'm home with you. Our relationship is the only thing that's truly mine and I won't let my clan or any of our villages come in between. You fit in my life because you're an outsider Akane, so I can leave everything behind at the end of the day."

He wiped away the new tears that were falling.

"I know my name is a heavy one, it comes with a lot of pressure but please, please," he whispered, leaning his forehead against mine, "please don't let it crush you because you're the only reason I didn't let it crush me."

"I...I don't want to be a burden…"

"You'll never be a burden to me." I hiccupped. "You fit so well in my life, don't ever think you don't again. It doesn't matter if you're the Mizukage, we'll figure it out. I'll never accept that not being together for good is the solution though." He moved his head back so he could look me in the eyes. "We're great together, aren't we?" I chuckled through my tears and nodded. "You push me to be more selfish and I balance your recklessness out, it's a good deal." He kissed my nose. "Point is, I don't see my personal life without you in the future. Maybe some physical distance but nothing more." He kissed my forehead. "I know it's scary, to make plans and such, but we'll figure it out." He kissed me on the lips. "We'll figure everything out, don't worry about this for now. If you're scared come talk to me, I'll comfort you but never, ever think you're not good enough, or that you don't fit."

"I cheated on you," I blurted out. He froze for a few seconds and pushed me back slowly. "I think."

"You think you cheated on me?" he repeated with narrowed eyes. "And you're telling me this after what I said?"

"I just...can't keep it for me...that's why I didn't want to kiss you back then, and Shisui had just confessed to me too but...I couldn't kiss you and not think of…"

"It happened during the war?" I nodded.

"We infiltrated the Land of Earth, and to get information I infiltrated the Red-Light District as an oiran and…"

"You slept with someone else?" he asked me blandly, not letting any emotion show. I shook my head furiously.

"No! I mean, Sasuke was with me, sex was the last of the last last resort! That guy...he kissed me, and I released poison from the seal on my lips but he wasn't affected and pushed me off him...he touched my butt too and...I almost bumped my head against the corner of the table but didn't and then he straddled me when I was on the floor and started to undre…"

"Did he abuse you?" he asked me, darkly this time, the anger no longer directed at me.

"No, I got really scared but got over it, got senbons and stabbed him in the neck. Then Sasuke came and erased his memories but...yeah, I'm sorry, I…"

"That's not cheating Akane," he sighed deeply. I blinked in confusion. "If anything, someone tried to…" He clenched his jaw and looked up. "I'm a shinobi, I know this kind of things can happen, and I know you did this kind of things before and where you stopped. It's...Have you been thinking you've cheated on me for months then?" I nodded meekly. "Who knows?"

"Sasuke. I made him promise not to tell anyone." He nodded.

"Well he knows when to keep his mouth shut sometimes," I heard him mutter under his breath. "But you didn't cheat on me." I felt a wave of relief wash over me and I jumped in his arms, embracing him in a crushing hug.

"I was so scared...you'd hate me for it…" He hugged me back and kissed my temple.

"Do you know if that man is still alive?" I shook my head. "Hn."

"...I couldn't stop thinking I didn't want anyone but you to touch me in that way," I mumbled against him. He hugged me tighter. "I love you so much it hurts sometimes when I get scared of doing something wrong and…"

"Then just come and talk to me sweetheart." I blushed at the nickname. "I told you you were stuck with me, I meant it."

"I hope so." He chuckled in my ear.

Ultimately, I ran out of tears. Itachi brought us to the couch and laid down on it, keeping me on top of him. My face was in the crook of his neck as his arm was around my waist.

"So, do you want to be my girlfriend again?" he asked me quietly.

"If you're no longer engaged, then yes, of course." He breathed out in relief. "You really thought about...our future?"

"Haven't you?"

"You know I struggle to project myself."

"Right." He started to play with the fingers of my left hand before stopping on my engagement ring. "You still wear it?"

"To be honest I forget it's here." He took it off my finger without a word and put in on the coffee table. "Feel better?"

"I hated seeing the ring on your finger," he admitted quietly. I closed my eyes and nuzzled more against him.

"How do you picture it?"

"Our future?" I nodded. "Is it wrong if I picture it in Konoha?"

"No, I don't see myself living in Kiri forever. If anything, my personal life has always been linked to Konoha. Kiri...a cross has been put on it regarding that a long time ago and...it may be over, but there are things I can't forget." He hummed.

"Well then, I see a house. Not in the Compound, but not in the town center either, just a quiet residential area. We both have our own studies and I probably banned you from experimenting some things inside at some point."

"A yard then?"

"Yes. A medium-size one. You don't like gardening, so I'll take care of it, but I won't necessarily have the time. Your mother chastises us for wasting the potential." I giggled against him. She would. "A cat, maybe two or a dog with it. I've always wanted a cat."

"Really?"

"I remember asking for one and a few months later Sasuke was born." I burst into laughter.

"You got...Sasuke ins…" He laughed too.

"It's true though. But we'd foster a kitten and raise him or her. There'd be a bigger kitchen so we could cook together but I could get away quick enough when I mention your seasoning." I pinched his ribs. "There'd be a bathroom just for our room. Sasuke would probably still come uninvited thinking he owns the place."

"It sounds very nice."

"I think so too." I shot him a look when he fell silent.

"Is that all?"

"Pretty much." I raised my upper half, leaning on my elbow.

"You'd tell me if there was something else, right?"

"I know what I can and can't have Akane." I looked down. "It's fine, as long as I get to go home to you then I'm fine."

"Itachi, I want you to be honest with me. Do you see a child in that house?" He pursed his lips and stayed quiet. Then he sat down.

"I do." I hugged him around the neck, my chin on his shoulder. "I always thought wanting children came from having found the right person and I...have been thinking about it more and more. If anything, the war made me think of what I wanted in my future." He looked at me. "I want to have a baby with you, see you pregnant with our child and everything that comes with it, and share this with you...but I know you don't want children Akane, and that's fine. And if one day you realize you want one, then we can look for adoption, there are always solutions."

"Itachi…"

"But as I said, we could foster and raise animals too, that's fine," he continued, clearly wanting to change the subject.

"I take it back." He blinked at me. "When I said I didn't want children, I take it back. There were some...changes regarding that."

"What do you mean?" He shot my stomach a quick look.

"I'm...not saying never." He looked hopeful out of sudden.

"It's a maybe?" He really was cute.

I put a hand on my stomach.

"Tsunade-san told me I could carry a pregnancy full term, what I did with the Shinigami...had some impact on that." He widened his eyes in shock. "Don't get carried away okay, it's still not...on my mind at all and…"

"No, of course, it's just…" He licked his lips. "I just crossed that possibility out when you told me you…"

"We weren't even together back then."

"A man can dream." He kissed me before I could talk.

"Is that why you were so beaten up about it?" He nodded sheepishly and I shook my head. "Impossible." We kissed again and he laid me down.

There was some groping, and tongue, and smoldering looks but most of all it was tender.

"Can we…" Itachi left the spot on my neck to look at me in the eyes. "Can we take it...slow this time?"

"Is it because of that man?"

"Well...I'm working on that with Inoichi-san, and a lot of other things. No, it's just...we haven't seen each other in a long time, even less in here. I...need to ease back into it, our relationship, the safe environment...all of it." He smiled gently.

"Of course, sweetheart, take the time you need."

"It's...probably going to be quick, you have...good arguments." He smirked and lay down on me, his head on my chest. I put my hands in his hair.

"We're back together, it's all that matters."

I just ran my hand in his hair in silence, enjoying finally having him back. It felt like I was finally home, but not totally. I knew I wouldn't feel like I was back home until I moved back here, but for now...I needed to get used to Itachi again.

"Nii-san!" Itachi groaned and raised his head from my chest as Sasuke appeared, out of breath. "Oh, you made up?"

"Yes, what do you want?" Itachi was not happy to be disturbed.

"We have a code GP."

"You have code names? That's cute." Itachi was pale like a sheet though.

"It's for our grandparents," Sasuke explained.

"I thought they died during the Kyuubi attack."

"On Father's side yes. It's on Mother's side we're talking about." I raised a brow. "It's plain weird to be honest."

"Did you talk to me about them and I forgot or…" I trailed off, looking at Itachi.

"No, I don't even think of them to be honest, so I didn't mention them. Like Sasuke said it's...weird. They can't stand Father, they live outside the village…"

"And I'm their favorite grandson," Sasuke added. Itachi rolled his eyes. "Anyway, they heard about the wedding and came to ask why they were not invited, Father sent me before they could see me."

"Is it that bad?" I asked him.

"Every time they'd visit them, Father was way too eager to ask me if I wanted to come, that is until I became a genin."

"You were saved early," I murmured to Itachi, elbowing him in the ribs with a teasing smirk. He opened his mouth, ready to say something but stopped when he glanced at me. He smiled happily instead.

"It's still as disgusting as it was months ago," Sasuke felt the need to comment, breaking the moment.

"Sasuke, go wait outside."

"It's the second time today you're kicking me out nii-san, I'll remember it." He still left.

"I'll go home too." I kissed his cheek. "Go deal with your grandparents."

"Hn." He pulled me against him, his lips meeting mine quickly.

It was long, and intense, but we broke it for air. I was panting, and red, and the string of saliva between us made me blush even more.

He tried to go for another kiss, but Sasuke called him, annoyed.

"They had to come today," he groaned under his breath, standing up. I followed his lead.

"Good luck, it seems you'll need it." I waved at them with a small smile and left.

Against all odds, Naru was waiting for me when I got home, apparently upset about something.

"Hey?"

"You're not back with Itachi, are you?" I blinked.

"How do you know?" He groaned.

"Nee-chan, no! He hurt you, a lot! This whole clan has!" I sighed.

"Naru, listen…"

"No, you already hid it from me for months and now you're…"

"We didn't tell anybody!"

"Yet people knew! Kakash-sensei, Sasuke, Sakura-chan, Aunty, Mikoto-ba-chan, Shisui, they knew!"

"Because they figured it out Naruto! We didn't go to them to tell them!" He shook his head furiously. "It does not concern you anyway!"

"Of course it does! He needs to get my approval and he doesn't have it!"

"Yet we're together again. I love him. I'm not planning for it to end."

"Until there's another case and he dump you again." This one hurt. "I'm trying to protect you from being hurt again nee-chan, or next thing we know they steal you and break you and…"

"Steal me? I'm not an object."

"Well I want my sister back once and for all and they keep…"

"Is it what this is about? I'm right here."

"For how long?" I sighed.

"It doesn't matter, I'm here right now, isn't that enough?" He shook his head furiously. "Naruto, you're seventeen, you know things can't be like they were when you were a child. You have your own social life and...I have a boyfriend and I'd like you two to get along. I mean, you liked Itachi before, didn't you?"

"Before!" he almost roared in anger. "Then I discovered that when I'd talk to him or anything in the war, he was having sex with you behind my back and never thought about telling me!"

"Okay. Naru, we are in a relationship, say that instead of directly jumping to the sexual part of a relationship. Look, I'm sorry I didn't tell you, okay? It would have been better to do so when it got serious but…I was engaged to Sasuke."

"He made you cry, and hurt, and...wait, were the twins his!?" I blinked.

"Oh, you didn't catch that?"

"But you raised them alone and...where was he?"

"Naru...he...died." He widened his eyes. "I thought...I don't know, I thought I told you. The disease Itachi had...before he had it too, but couldn't have access to the proper care and he died from it shortly before turning twenty-two."

"You were together." I nodded. "And he died on you." I nodded more slowly. "Oh."

"I don't want it to be a failure this time, but I know I'll never be fully happy with our relationship if you don't approve of it."

I took a few steps closer to him and grabbed his hands.

"Please, give him a shot to make it up to you. I know you feel betrayed but...I'm sure he didn't want to hurt your feelings. It was just...a very happy turn of event in a very bad situation." He pursed his lips, conflicted.

"Does Dad approve?"

"He has no say in my relationship and they don't spy on me in my personal life anyway. But...I think so, yes."

"And Aunty?"

"She convinced me to go talk to him." He glanced at the ceiling.

"Fine. I'm...going to try and give him a chance. But one time only."

"It will be enough."

I opened my arms to him. He stared for a few seconds and accepted.

"I love you very much Naruto," I whispered, hugging him tightly.

"Love you too nee-chan...You're still my nee-chan first."

"Of course. You're sure to have spot at the wedding if I ever get married, he doesn't." He nodded firmly.

"Right!"

Hey! Thanks for reading and leave a review to tell me what you thought of this chapter! Thanks to Amaterasu53for the review!

Bye!