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: 24

Naruto, Sasuke: 19

Shisui: 28

Kakashi: 33

My mind was blown.

"Nee-chan?"

"Gimme a minute, it's a lot to catch up on." I didn't even know what was the most shocking. "How could Haku let them put the hat on my head?" He shrugged.

"Are you going to be okay?"

"Yeah, I mean…having to adapt quickly is necessary but…Well, sensei will need to stay in office for a little while, at least until I can catch up with current business." I pursed my lips. "My great-grandfather really is alive?"

"We were shocked too. I was dragged in a clan meeting, which is oppressing by the way, I get why Sasuke would try to avoid them, and he was there talking about our past and how he had failed but wanted to do right by the people who were still here and possibly going back with us…"

"Oh, it's big, that is big. You don't have any experience in that so…"

"Itachi was there, he helped a lot." I blinked. Right…Fugaku-san passed a year ago, so Itachi was the head of clan, as well as the Sixth Hokage.

He was the Hokage and not Kakashi…damn.

"Min is leaving with us, and for now no other Uchihas seems to want to do the same, but they have talked about reconnecting with each other as they are Uchihas and those in Konoha have closed a long and painful chapter."

"It's different for us. We're split everywhere. You and Mom are in Konoha, Tsunade-san kind of wherever she goes, and she's recognized as a Senju first and foremost, Karin and I are in Kiri and there are others around we don't know about. The Uzumakis will not come back from its ashes to its grandeur of yesterday…it was easier before when we were all at the same place as Karin before never showed an interest in the clan but now…just between Konoha and Kiri it would be complicated with Kiri being the first place they'd see with me as its leader, but Konoha has a deep history with Uzushio and stuff…I have a headache."

"Itachi pretty much said the same thing, and with the Uchihas, he said it might be too much at once. But people don't seem to really want to leave this place."

"What about the officials here?"

"Those who were in charge before and fled in exile came back and are trying to put everything back in order, but it is going to take time." He looked at me worriedly. "Are you really okay?"

"Yes, I am. I forgot stuff but I'm not unable to handle myself and…" I sighed. "Despite thinking the rebellion is still going…my body is not under half the stress it was…just yesterday to me so…I can't not listen to my body." I offered him a small smile. "I am fine Naru, and will get better once we're home, I can assure you." He nodded and embraced me tightly.

I almost couldn't breathe at first.

"Sorry you had to see this," I whispered to him. He sniffed and buried his face in the crook of my neck as I ran my hands up and down in his back. Quiet sobs quickly filled my ear. "I'm here, it's alright…"

Dying in front of anyone was never in my plan, yet here I was, comforting Naruto who had to see my dead body.

Sakura allowed me to move around and leave the room the very next day. Once I was out of the bathroom, feeling refreshed, I cracked my back and explored a little. I knew that I was in an Uzumaki house of the common compound between the Uzumakis and Uchihas here.

I went on the maru, their version of an engawa and looked at the inner yard. It was pretty and showed how big the hanok was. As I walked alongside it, I recognized Itachi's voice in a room, the sliding-door slightly opened. Him and the other voice were getting closer and closer until they exited the room in front of me. Itachi was with an old man, and they were deep in a discussion, not seeing me. After a couple of minutes of me standing there in silence, the old man noticed me and raised a brow, which made Itachi look above his shoulder.

"Tell me the moment you know when you are leaving," the old man said before walking past me and leaving. My eyes followed him.

"Are you exploring the place?" I blinked and looked at Itachi. I frowned at the cigarette in his mouth.

"You're smoking?"

"It started during the war, and I still do when I'm stressed." He blew the smoke in the air, looking up at the sky.

"I wasn't…exploring exactly, just stretching my legs. Thanks for helping Naru out by the way."

"It was nothing." I pursed my lips at the silence and shot a look above my shoulder.

"Was it him? My great-grandfather?"

"Yes." I looked back at the Uchiha.

"What do you think of him?"

"He wants to do right by his people, but from the cold shoulder he just gave you, I'd say he's not ready with anything regarding your grandmother." I looked down in thoughts. "How are you feeling?"

"Out of place," I replied without thinking. I scratched my temple. "It's weird. And…I'm sorry for pushing you away like that when I woke up."

"You were confused, that's okay." I furrowed my brows at him.

"Can we…can we talk? Do you have time for a talk?"

"Always s…" he started, stopping himself at the beginning of his word. "Let's go to your room."

We sat in silence, in front of each other for maybe five minutes before he cleared his throat.

"You know you don't have to force yourself to do anything regarding me Akane." I turned my eyes to him. There was nothing but kindness and patience in his gaze and I gulped at its intensity. I was not used to that from him.

"I…it's…I'm sorry." He opened his mouth and I fully turned to him, beating him to talking. "I mean, I know I'm not the Akane you wanted to have when I'd wake up and that ironically, my last memories regarding you are the opposite of what our relationship became today so…"

"I wanted you to be alive when you'd wake up Akane." He smiled faintly, lowering his eyes to the floor. "I can't pretend that the fact you have forgotten the past five years, and our relationship doesn't affect me, but you died right in front of me so seeing you alive and well…it's the only thing I truly wanted." I blushed a little at that.

I was in a highly foreign and embarrassing territory. I wasn't used to having Itachi…like this. Even before, there was always a wall he never let me go through because of his own reasons and I had no choice but to respect that. Here? It seemed all walls were down.

"Are you scared of me though?" he asked me more seriously, raising his eyes to me. "You were years ago."

"Oh. Well…I'm not, not at all." He raised a brow. "It's like the stress I felt a few days ago to me. My mind is giving me a narrative, but my body is giving me another one. Just like I'm not as stressed, I…I'm not scared of you but…" He watched me expectantly and I averted my eyes from him. "I feel safe." He chuckled quietly and I gulped, my throat suddenly dry.

"It's good to hear."

"Do you know when we are leaving?" He pursed his lips.

"In three days at worst, I hope. We can't stay here indefinitely. I can't stay away from Konoha for too long." The realization that he would leave to Konoha, and I'd stay in Kiri made my stomach drop.

"Oh, of course you can't." I couldn't hide my disappointment though.

"I am not planning on going back to Konoha right away Akane," he assured me softly. "I just need to be able to contact Shikamaru and Kakashi-san." I blinked. "And I don't want to leave you immediately either." I blushed hard and he smirked. "At least that didn't change." I took my pillow and threw it at him, who laughed as he caught it.

Itachi had a very nice laugh.

God, I really was picking up on every single attractive thing in him now, didn't I?

"In all honesty, I don't want to leave until I know you can go back to work properly." I raised a brow. "I know how demanding the job is, I want to be sure you can handle it before leaving. I don't want things to be too overwhelming for you."

"…thank you Itachi."

"It's nothing."

"It's not nothing, just let me thank you without you diminishing what you're doing," I replied sternly, frowning at him. He blinked, taken back.

"Alright." I stared at him, having the deep need to hug him or just get close to him. Realizing my staring, he frowned. "Akane?"

"Can I…try something?" He nodded without thinking and I approached him on all four. Then, I sat on my knees in front of him.

Without a word, I hugged him. He hugged me back almost instantly and I almost melted in his embrace. I felt safe, and most of all loved and treasured, even if it was just a hug and I didn't remember us. My heart was beating wildly in my chest and there were knots in my stomach. Itachi buried his face in the crook of my neck, his arms holding me tightly around my waist and I sighed a little.

Ultimately, I broke the hug after a couple of minutes and nodded to myself.

"What were you trying to do?"

"See how it felt to hug you even if I don't remember our relationship."

"And?" he inquired.

"It feels right." He grinned at that and poked me on the forehead, shocking me.

"It's good to hear." I put my hand on my forehead, knowing he'd do that only to Sasuke.

"We really are in a relationship." He nodded. "And…and it's a solid one?" He nodded again, but sharper. I gulped. "I can trust you and rely on you, right?" He took my hand and kissed my knuckles.

"You can, I swear you can." I ignored the fluttering of my heart.

"I will then." I smiled hesitantly at him. "Thank you." I saw him starting to lower his head toward me, but he stopped himself immediately. I opted for not saying anything about him wanting to kiss me.

It couldn't be easy for him to be careful of what I'd accept or not regarding intimacy at the moment and accept there were stuff that were better left aside for now, even if he wanted to do them.

Two days later, we were leaving. I stood quietly between Naruto and Sasuke, who obviously did not know how to handle my memory loss from how awkward he was around me, as Itachi exchanged a few words with Wataru-nim. We were quickly on a ship, watching the land getting farther and farther away from us. Sakura was talking to this Min girl about what would happen once she'd be in Konoha, but not to worry as she would be taken care of.

On the way back to Sen'i, I was leaning on the barrier of the ship, watching the waters moving softly around us. Itachi said he'd give Wataru's letter to the Mizukage. I was supposed to be the Mizukage and I couldn't help but be frustrated with the guilt in my stomach when he said that. Just like I didn't enjoy how everyone was treading carefully with me, uncomfortable when I'd stare numbly at them at the mention of something I didn't remember.

I felt useless and as if I was disappointing everyone.

I was still thinking deeply once on the ship between Sen'i and Ryoushi. Once we were back on the ground and on the way back to Kiri, I couldn't help but wonder about one thing.

Why was it dead silent in my mind? Oji-chan would usually have talked to me already, but nothing. It didn't seem like I could reach the place in my mind where I could see and talk to him.

"Uzu-nee." I looked up at Haku as we were near Kiri. Konoha was already near the gates with Masashi. "Sasuke is going to take you to your place while I go to Mei-san to tell her about your condition. Is it going to be alright?"

"Please stop talking to me as if I was going to have a breakdown," I asked him quietly. He furrowed his brows, and I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Look, I get it, the situation is weird but you're all talking to me as if I was a kid who needed explanations on everything. I didn't suddenly become mentally challenged."

"Yes, of course, it's just…I'm sorry." I patted his shoulder.

"Don't worry about it but talk to me normally."

I followed Sasuke to my place, surprised at the size of it.

"Itachi said they'd come by once they're done," Sasuke told me. I nodded, watching him walking around as if he knew the place by heart.

"Are you okay?" I asked him, following him to the kitchen. He didn't move from his spot, busy making something.

"I am."

"You're avoiding me."

"I know. I have a reason." I looked at the fuming tea in front of me. He put the teapot between us and stared at the flat surface of his beverage. "I was told I should be careful of what I'm saying to you and seeing everyone tiptoeing around you is annoying, so I stay away."

"It is, very much," I agreed. "When they said 'careful', do you mean regarding the people who died, and that Naruto did not mention?" He nodded, raising his eyes to me, silently asking me how I knew. "People die in conflicts between shinobis, and Naru, as much as I love him, he can't hide it from me when he is uncomfortable talking about something." I put my hands on the cup. "So, go ahead. I fear I already know who they are deep down."

He told me. I had a feeling already about Mangetsu, Utakata and Naoto, they died before as well. I wasn't expecting Kimou, and I knew about Fugaku-san. Hearing about Mom losing her leg was something though.

"Thank you for telling me, Sasuke."

"Someone had to, and they're all acting as if you were going to break at every single thing." I sighed.

"I know."

"Are you going to be okay?"

"You know, I lost five years of memories, yet it seems like deep down, there are things I still know. I'm not…surprised by what you're saying. I am sad, but not grief-stricken either it's…it's a strange feeling."

"Like déjà-vu?"

"Yeah, kind of like déjà-vu in a way."

"Did anything start to come back?"

"No, nothing yet. But, I am home now so I am hoping that…" He nodded.

"I'm going to stick around for a little bit anyway." I frowned. "I was planning on coming here and stick around anyway, but I think as next month it's December…I'll go home for Christmas, if not a little bit earlier."

"Can you? I mean, Naruto told me you had a special treatment from Kiri with a big pout on his face but…"

"You're the one who can allow me to stay."

"And Itachi can tell you to go home."

"Yes, but you are in a peculiar situation so I'm sure it would put his mind at ease if…"

"Fine, I'll talk to him." He smirked and I shook my head in resignation. "There is stuff that do not change."

"If it works, why try to change it?" I rolled my eyes fondly at him.

Naruto, Itachi and Haku came back in the evening as I was going through photo albums. The picture of Itachi and I in my room didn't escape my eyes and I put the picture side against the nightstand. Knowing I forgot things was one thing, having them thrown in my face was another.

I raised a curious brow when Haku exited his bedroom with a bag.

"I am going to stay at Suigetsu's for a few days."

"Why?" He opened his mouth and shot Itachi a quick look.

"I asked him to." I frowned at my so-called boyfriend. "It's better if there's not too many people around when you're home."

"But you get to stay I bet." He frowned, not liking my tone.

"It's better to have someone who knows your life the best." I opened my mouth, ready to retort something but Haku beat me to it.

"It's fine Uzu-nee, Itachi did not kick me out of my home or anything, I agree with his reasoning." I glanced between him and Itachi and ended up pursing my lips.

"If you're okay with it then I guess…I am too…" I looked at Sasuke and Naruto. "Are you staying at a hotel then?" Sasuke shot his brother a quick look, who returned it.

"It seems so," he answered, the news being new to him as well. Naru walked to me and hugged me.

"Dai wants you at the hospital tomorrow, he wants to do his 'usual' he said." I nodded.

"Got it." He just wanted to give me a check-out to see my health for himself. The three bo…no, men now, left and I was left alone with Itachi.

He went to the kitchen to cook dinner, Sasuke bought some groceries while they were gone, and I followed him, staring at him.

"Someone who knows me best?" I repeated with narrowed eyes.

"Yes."

"And it's you?"

"I believe so." I crossed my arms.

"Naruto told me I spent a lot of time with Sasuke, so…"

"It's not comparable," he interrupted me. "I have a lifetime over him." I blinked.

"What?" He tensed and took a deep breath before turning around.

"Right. Naruto wouldn't have told you as you're the only person to know." I gulped. "When you made your mark evolved, I was involved in that, and it resulted in me getting memories from before."

"I don't believe you."

"Remember the first time I coughed blood and passed out on you on the road with Kisame?" I froze. "When I woke up, I left to find you and you were swimming. When you found me, you called me rude."

"…I did," I said quietly. He gulped, now uncomfortable.

"The reason for my rudeness was that…I did find you and saw you…swimming…" I paled. I was butt-naked in that pound. "And…if I was rude it's because…because seeing you gave me…I had an erection." I took a deep breath.

"You peeped on me?" He nodded sheepishly. "And never came clean about it?" He shook his head. "I'm taking my apology back regarding hurting you when I woke up. You deserved it."

"That's fair." There were a few seconds of silence. "Do you believe me now?"

"Yes, I do!" I exclaimed, exasperated, my hands on my hips. "There is no point in me telling this in this many details and you added some so yes, I believe you!" I shot him a stern look. "Pervert."

"Always with you." I blushed hard and he did blush a little as well. "Sorry, it was uncalled for."

"Is it the kind of things you randomly say?" He nodded, slightly ashamed.

"Or corny and cheesy things. Anything that can embarrass you and make you blush really."

"You're a wolf in sheep clothing," I whispered, my hands on my cheeks. "You're…where are you slee…"

"The spare room. There are three. I was not planning on imposing on you."

"Oh." He raised a brow. I sounded disappointed after all. "I mean, sure, yeah, do that."

"However, Akane." I looked at him, waiting the rest of the sentence. He looked at me dead in the eyes, now more than serious. "If you need something, anything, be it day or night, ask me."

"I'm not disabled Itachi." His eyes were intense, if not desperate.

"Please," he insisted. I held his gaze for a few seconds and sighed, beaten.

"Alright. You win, I'll ask you." He didn't say anything, just appeared to be deep in thoughts.

Once in bed later that night, Itachi telling me he'd come with me at the hospital the next day, I couldn't help but feel awkward. Not only did the Uchiha seem to make sure there was no way for me to avoid going to the hospital, him telling me he had seen me try to deal with things on my own too much, but it was just…awkward. He bid me good night with a poke on the forehead and went in his room, his door closing softly behind him.

As for me, I stood there for a minute or two, staring at the door of my room, not sure I wanted to get in it alone. Even now, as I was staring at the closet, it felt wrong, and cold. It was almost December, in three days, but still.

Having Itachi in the room next door was weird and I hated it, here, I admitted it. I didn't remember shit but clearly, I didn't want him to stay away or act as if…

I wanted to be his girlfriend. I was not stupid, I knew fully well how I was feeling around him was the same as before and that I was in love with him, deeply, very, very deeply even with no memories.

"This is stupid," I grumbled through my teeth, throwing the covers away from me to go to my door.

However, as I opened it, I found myself face to face with Itachi, who was mumbling to himself under his breath. We were both surprised to see the other and stared without a word.

"I…" he started, before clearing his throat. "I know it's going to sound weird, but can I sleep on the floor?" I raised a brow.

"Huh? The floor?" He sighed.

"I know you enough to know even if you told me you would, you won't ask for help if…please, I'm going crazy in the guest room."

"Wow, rude."

"And true," he retorted sternly.

"It's…okay you're right." I swallowed, my throat now feeling dry at the idea of Itachi sleeping in the same room as me.

"You don't have to accept, but it would just be as if it was a mission."

"A mission?"

"Yeah, when you sleep next to your teammate?"

"Oh right. But the floor is…"

"There are at least three futons in the spare room."

"Go ahead then."

"Are you sure?" I nodded. "What were you doing by the way?" After what he said, I didn't feel the need to tell him I was planning on…I don't know, make him come to my room? Get in his?

"Water, and bathroom."

I drank my glass of water in one go, then did go to the bathroom, my heart beating too hard in my chest. A mission? He compared it to a mission when he could have…I don't know, compared it a sleepover between friends?

For the first time since I woke up, I think I finally saw how much he actually was struggling with the situation.

When I climbed back in bed, he was already in the futon at the foot of my bed.

"Goodnight then," I whispered as I turned off the lights.

"Goodnight."

It wasn't easy.

He was happy Akane was alive. It hurt like hell to think she didn't remember their relationship, one of his worst fears now reality, but he knew her by heart. She said she felt safe with him, and that hugging him felt right, which only meant he didn't imagine things when he'd see fondness in her eyes as she'd look at him. It wasn't his Akane exactly, but it was Akane nonetheless, reminding him of how she was before they had sex for the first time, and they'd dance around each other without expressing their feelings.

Which meant Akane had feelings for him still. If anything, she was probably confused about them and didn't want to bother him with it, and he wouldn't push her to speak on the matter. He didn't want to admit he was in love with her until he broke up with Izumi after all, realizing only after Kiri how jealous he could be of Shisui back in the day.

He was happy, more than happy, to know Akane was still in love with him in her circumstances. He couldn't ignore how much he wanted to be closer to her. However, the worst thing was that he still felt shitty. Akane would get better, and even if, in the worst-case scenario she didn't remember them, he knew deep down it wouldn't mean they would be over.

He felt shitty because he couldn't shake the fact he let her die in front of him go. She was full-on dead in front of him and no matter how much he tried to be there for her and help her while also dealing with the Uchihas and Uzumakis as the Hokage, this feeling was not going away. Add to that the nightmares he'd get at night and…

He had no idea how he would feel once back in Konoha. If he couldn't actively help Akane in her everyday life, he might just drown in the guilt he was feeling or dissociate completely.

When he woke up from a nightmare in the middle of the night, sweating and panting from having to relive Samuru killing Akane again, he saw Akane's concerned face above his. He sat, a hand on his face and accepted the glass of water she presented him. Once the glass was empty, he breathed out.

Without a word, Akane slid to the floor next to him, took his hand and put it over her heart.

"I'm still here." Seeing the question in his eyes, she smiled sadly. "You were asking me to forgive you in your sleep."

"Sorry for waking you up."

"Don't worry about it." She tilted her head on the side, her pretty, full pinky lips slightly opened.

He would have kissed her already in other circumstances. She would have pried on the subject a little and he would have told her because she didn't need much to make him talk. Then he would have been in her warm embrace, inhaling her scent to calm his nerves down.

It was torture to have her at arm-length but not able to have her like before. It didn't help that he couldn't keep his eyes away from her. Even now, with the dim light from the lamp on her nightstand, he couldn't help but find her beautiful with her disheveled long auburn hair, although it seemed browner now due to the season, her bangs falling in her eyes. She scratched her nose, he always found her turned-up nose helped maintain a certain innocence to her looks, and her lips looked so, so kissable right now. He kept his eyes from going down to her body, knowing despite her pajamas that covered it, he would still find it hot.

Akane would always be cute, adorable, gorgeous, or hot, be it one of them or all of them at the same time. He would always be drawn to her like a moth to a flame.

"I don't hold you accountable for what happened you know." He couldn't meet her eyes. "But I know saying this won't make you feel better."

"Hn." Her cold hand cupped his cheek before she kissed the other, surprising him. Yet, the contact was too short to his liking.

Being in a long-distance relationship was hard enough as it was and now this…

She hugged him tightly, her body against his and he hugged her back, taking deep breaths as his nose was buried in her hair.

"You saved my life Itachi."

"Right," he replied sarcastically. "It didn't seem like it when I was asking you to wake up, but you didn't."

"I don't mean…Come." She took his hand and pulled him on the bed. He stared at her, both of them sitting crossed legs in front of each other. "I mean, maybe I told you already, but I mean…before, like, before I tagged along you and Hoshigaki-san." It did not ring a bell. "Mom was dead, and I didn't have anything or anyone to go home to, I didn't have a home period. If I had not stumbled on you guys and if you had not said I was staying with you…I probably would have offed myself in the following months, if not weeks. It sure was a thought in a corner of my mind that would not leave." He gulped quietly.

He did not know that. Akane never told him that.

"And you know, we weren't close or anything at first but…I felt seen." She smiled shyly at him. "If anything, you saved my life when I truly had nothing left, you came into it just at the right moment and I…I'm so glad I had the chance to know you Itachi, even when you were a criminal. Even as such, you were the best thing that happened to me, and still today…just remember, if the guilt gets too suffocating, that I'm more than grateful you're here." She was blushing a little, not as much as he was, and his heart was beating fast too… "And…and I don't know if you still consider me as your girlfriend right now but…but I'm not…I'm not against it so you know."

"You have no idea how deeply in love I am with you," he whispered without thinking. She widened her eyes. "I want to make love to you so much too you…" She hid her face, her cheeks burning.

"Itachi! You can't say stuff like that out of the blue!"

"But I think it?" She just slipped under the covers and hid her face in her pillow.

"Go to bed now." He was about to leave the bed when she grabbed his wrist. He glanced at her in curiosity. "No, I said bed."

"…are you sure?" She nodded and without a word, he slipped in bed, facing her.

"Can I ask you something?" He nodded. "I know you must be frustrated right now, but would you let me make the first step in terms of physical affection we…haven't had since I woke up?"

"Of course, take your time." She smiled sweetly at him, Itachi cursing in his mind. She wasn't making this easy.

"Thank you." She kissed his cheek once more, lingering above it for a few seconds. "I mean it, when I say I'm glad you're in my life, no matter the mistakes and things we fail to do in time." He hesitantly reached out to her hand, that was in front of her face, and took it in his, crossing his fingers with hers. She smiled again and he returned it, although his was smaller and she closed her eyes.

As long as she wanted him by her side, he would be fine.

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

Bye!