Disclaimer: The characters are Masashi Kishimoto's property, I own the OCs.

Characters age:

Akane: 13 - 15 1/2 (46 - 48 1/2)

Itachi: 13- 15 1/2 (30 - 32 1/2)

Shisui: 16 - 18

Naruto / Sasuke: 8 - 10

Kakashi: 22 - 24


"What did you just say?" Minato pursed his lips, his hands crossed on his desk.

"Akane and Shisui left the village." Itachi still felt like he was hearing it wrong. Akane had killed Root members, sure but…surely Minato would find something to protect her. Surely Shisui would have been protected as well after Danzou…

He didn't have all the information. His father had found him as he was looking for Akane and Shisui in the woods and had taken him to the Hokage. Danzou was confined, the arm he usually covered was the result of Orochimaru's experimentation, had sharingans in it so it would be removed. They would use that and the help of the Hyuugas to bring peace with the Uchihas again.

His brain didn't want to focus on this though. Akane and Shisui had left Konoha. Together.

"I need to go," he said mechanically, turning around to leave.

"Where are you going?"

"After them." Minato sighed.

"Kakashi, go with him. When you see they have both crossed the border, you come back. I'll…do the necessary in the morning."

He was ahead of Kakashi and even Pakkun. He was vaguely aware of Kakashi telling him other anbus had been sent to track them down as well. He didn't care. He wanted to get his hand on them and make them explain why they would leave without even telling him.

Itachi stopped dead in his tracks when they reached a tree. He blinked; his onyx eyes stuck on the Konoha headband stuck in the trunk of the tree.

"That's Akane's, I'm sure of it," Pakkun confirmed firmly.

It was crossed.

The leaf of Konoha was crossed. It…Akane had left it here on purpose and had crossed it. She was leaving on her own free will; it was the only explanation he could see for this.

She was leaving on her own free will, not because she couldn't stay in Konoha anymore. Whenever it had been that she had taken to decision to leave, she had not deemed it necessary to tell him apparently.

Was their relationship truly dead at this point or did she want to hurt him by leaving like this? Because if it was the latter, it was a great success.

He removed the forehead protector from the tree and put it in his pocket. There was no sign of Shisui for now. The sun was already up when they reached the border of the Land of Hot Water.

"Yeah, Akane's scent goes beyond the border and there's Shisui's scent with her." Itachi stepped forward but Kakashi put his hand on his shoulder.

"Itachi, the orders were clear."

"I don't care." Kakashi's hand tightened on him.

"I can't imagine how you must be feeling right now, but there's nothing you can do anymore. They're both…they're both missing-nins now. Following them won't make anything better Itachi." Kakashi was right, he knew it. "Let's go back to the village, it's been a long night, and you just came back from a mission."

He didn't want to. He wanted to look for them and get to the bottom of this. He knew he couldn't do it without risking his own status in Konoha.

He followed Kakashi in the end but did not utter a word on the way back. He went to bed before being taken to a clan meeting in the evening. The Hokage was there. There were talks. They said the Hyuuga Clan would have a few of their members in the Police Forces, that they could see that as surveillance but that if anything could see their genjutsu it was the Byakugan. People were not happy, of course, some asked his father to say something, ask why Danzou was not sentenced to death.

They said Shisui had left and that Danzou had intercepted him about to use the Mangekyou on their clan. It cast a chill. Shisui was admired in the clan, a prodigy, one of their best elements. Now they were realizing their schemes had pushed him to such extent, and that now he was gone after fighting against Danzou.

Itachi felt like he could break or blow up at the smallest thing.

"How do we know it's not the Uzumaki who turned him?" someone asked. He was his father's age, a part of the Police Forces.

Itachi saw red.

In a second, he was on the man, his foot on his abdomen, pressing hard on it. His hand was clenched on his collar, his fist ready to hit him and his sharingans were burning in his eyes, his face now murderous.

They knew nothing.

"Itachi that's enough," his father scolded him coldly, his hand on his wrist. He remained on the man for a few more seconds before he let his father pull him back.

"He never wanted to be hostile to Konoha," Itachi said coldly. "If someone pushed him to this, it's all of you who cannot see beyond your own pettiness and resentment. You're the reason he's gone." He had not been able to tell this before, he had to take upon himself and keep his anger and resentment toward his clan to himself.

"Itachi, I think it is enough," Minato told him. He bit the inside of his cheek, a conflicted look on his face. "However, he is right," the Hokage continued for the rest of the room. "Danzou ordering you to stay away from the Kyuubi eight years ago and people's resentment about it are my fault. I should have done something about it a long time ago. That being said, the man behind the attack possessed at least one sharingan able to control Kyuubi. Now, I want you all to understand once and for all I do not think a shinobi or a kunoichi from the village did this. It is up to you to know which one is the most important, the fan on your back or the leaf on your forehead." Many of his kinsmen looked down. "We have all lost eight years ago; I hope today we can finally use this to move forward together as the village and the Uchiha clan have been wounded by this man."

"We are shinobi of the Hidden Leaf," his father stated firmly, walking to the Hokage's side. "No matter what the reasons were for the Nidaime to give our clan the responsibility of Konoha's protection, we take pride in it, and we cannot possibly take pride in it without feeling we are part of the village. However, I must admit that it has led to arrogance and an even bigger resentment to know the people we protect did not see us as their fellow citizens." Fugaku bowed to the Hokage. "I will gladly welcome the Hyuuga clan among our ranks, and then other citizens of Konoha if they want to protect it." He straightened up. "We will help you find the man responsible for the attack eight years ago. Nobody who would use the Sharingan against Konoha is a member of the clan." His father clenched his fists. "I will let Konoha take my sharingans if I am proven wrong."

"Fugaku-sama!" a woman yelled.

"I know you can seal it away," Fugaku continued. "If I am wrong, then seal it." It was dead silent among his peers.

"Alright. I will remember it," Minato said after a short silence. His blue eyes went back to them. They were sky blue and yet harsh as steel. "Anyone has something to say?" No one dared speak. "Alright. Then I will take my leave."

"Captain!" Of course, the second Minato was out they'd try to protest. "You can't be serious!"

"I am. The old generation's resentment comes from the trauma Madara inflicted on Konoha when he left, when he fought the Shodai with the Kyuubi. They do not like us, we know it and the Hokage knows it as well, because the Elders do not enjoy having him as the Hokage. Now do we want to prove them right and remain in Madara's shadow or do we get out of it and follow the Fourth Hokage?"

He would also remember his father's words and make sure he'd keep it.

Six months went by with one routine. Get up, shower, eat, mission, training, eat, sleep and repeat. Itachi was like in a daze, a daze in which he would do things mechanically; his body was acting on its own. His mind was miles away from what he was really doing. He had gotten himself in the hospital quite a few times because he was distracted, and he had heard his father talk with his mother about his ruthlessness in missions. Or he was efficient, or he was distracted, they had to pick what they wanted. As long as he was working and doing something, he could keep going.

At least, until he saw the first snow of December. The cold settling during the previous days had soured his mood and seeing snow falling just…snapped something in him. He went to their spot and sat down, his eyes on the snow-covered village in front of him. His hand was in the snow on his left. Akane would always sit on his left. She'd snuggle against him and keep him warm when they would come here during the winter. She loved the first snow, she always said she felt energetic when it was snowing but that the first snow was fortifying for the following months, especially in summer.

Was it snowing where she was? If Shisui was still with her, they probably wouldn't be in the Land of Water or Kiri. The Land of Frost maybe? She'd be fine there. There had been no sign of them in the country in the past six months after all. He was sure of it; he was looking for them when he could after all.

Yet, there was nothing.

He had not felt so alone in many, many years. His parents were there, his brother, Izumi even, but it was just making him feel even lonelier. Shisui was gone, again. Itachi had not been able to help him, again. He no longer had him to rely on or talk to when his clan and their expectations were too much.

He no longer had his sun to cast light on his world. His world had shifted back to gray like after the massacre. Akane no longer was here to hug him and soothe him or give him the strength to keep going on. She no longer was here to give him the will to live for himself and not others. Why would he if she was not here? She had been here for thirteen years of his life. She was one of the people he had known the longest in a way, and she was like him, remembering a version of the world no one truly knew about here.

Now it was back to just him and his memories haunting him again.

Itachi gritted his teeth, his eyes getting hotter and hotter until they were burning; there was a lump in his throat hurting. The first sob left his lips. He raised his knees and hugged them against his chest, burying his face in-between.

Then, he broke down in tears. He had not in six months, half-refusing to believe they were really gone because Shisui wouldn't leave him behind if he were alive, because no matter how bad their relationship had been Akane would tell him if she had such plans. He couldn't have been this blind.

Could he? He didn't want to tell her anything to protect her, to keep her away from his clan. Had it not just made her feel unwanted? Was her decision to leave what she had wanted to tell him the last time they talked to each other? He had not talked to her in months, and their last hug was even older, or just the last time she had smiled at him.

His heart was not broken. It was shattered in a thousand pieces. He could not even bring himself to be glad his Mangekyou decided to come back as he was crying. The trauma needed had to be less important because he had a lot of it already.

Someone hugged him from behind. He recognized his mother's floral scent but couldn't bring himself to try to stop crying.

"I'm here Itachi, Mom is here," she whispered to him, managing to turn him a little so he was leaning against her. "I'm so sorry you had your heart broken like this Itachi. I'm sure despite all of it, Akane still cares about you." He scoffed, his sobs dying down. Tears kept running down his face though.

"Does she?" he asked back quietly. He was tired of everything. Right now, he wanted to stay in his mother's arms, something that had not happened in so long, and let her soothe him. "I messed up so much Mom, and I lied too much…" Mikoto clicked her tongue.

"So did she, none of you are innocent in this. When your paths cross again, you will be able to get closure and move on." He wasn't sure he even wanted to move on. He had felt so blessed to have Akane love him like she had but this love was in ruins now.

"You don't know if we'll cross paths again, I don't even know if she's still…" The last thing he wanted was to think Akane had died somewhere, and no one knew about it. "I'll never move on."

"Don't say that. Akane is tough, she's an Uzumaki. She won't die now." He heard his mother take a short, deep breath right next to his ear. "I know your feelings for one another are deep, deeper and stronger than they should be at your age, but I promise, the heartbreak will pass." He would only get used to it. Something his mother had said struck him though.

"What do you mean they're stronger than they should be?" Had his mother noticed something.

"You are my son Itachi, that I am sure of, no matter what happened you are my son, and it is all that matters." She knew. Maybe not everything, but she knew he was not exactly…a kid. "And I have to apologize to you for failing as your mother."

"You have not…" Her arms tightened around him.

"I have. When you showed you were a prodigy and your father took you to the battlefield, I should have done something, tried to convince him you were too young instead of…you are our son before the heir, and I know we have not always made you feel this way. I can't help but think maybe…maybe if it had not happened, you would not have felt the need to keep people in the dark to protect them."

He had never really thought about how his mother had felt back then. His father had taken him to the battlefield and then he was thrown into harsh trainings to become the heir. He had pushed himself in his free time, trying to be the best shinobi possible to stop conflicts.

He had never thought about what it had done to his mother to watch him do this and not say a word because he was the heir, and his father was the one to decide. Before, his memories had been selective regarding his childhood, the pressure of spying and the coup omnipresent in his memories. Now he had seen how his mother was with his brother, and remembered that despite knowing she loved him, Sasuke had gotten more of her attention than him, and could be a child for longer until his hand cut it short. He was okay with it, if he had to carry more weight as the older brother so Sasuke could enjoy his childhood, he would happily do it. It did not mean it prevented the small amount of jealousy he would feel as he would see his brother act his age, something he had never been able to do when he was younger.

The fact Sasuke could act his age if he was taking the pressure of the clan on his shoulders largely won over this petty jealousy though, so much he had never really realized it was there to begin with until a few years ago.

They stayed like this for some time and then he followed his mother home. Akane's whereabouts were his biggest concern, followed by Shisui. He was worried, of course, and wanted to know how he was, if he was still with Akane and such. He knew Shisui could handle himself though. Danzou might have caused his death before, but only because Shisui had been trapped. Anyone could be tricked by the element of surprise, and sadly it had been his case.

Shisui had only one eye left now. He hoped he was still alive and that no one would come for the other eye. He had lost his ability to use the Susanoo now and Itachi had no idea if his Mangekyou could still function with only one eye.

He was sad, depressed because he had lost both his best friends at the same time. Was it cheesy to think the girl he was in love with was also his best friend? Maybe, but he did not care. He had no one to talk to anymore, but he had to overcome this. There were days where he wanted to stay in bed in the dark, but he could not. His clan was slowly coming out of isolationism, and he had to pull his weight, like any Uchiha. Hell, Sasuke was tasked by their father to be social with the many clan heirs in his class, to his brother's annoyance.

During these dark six months, he had barely acknowledged Sasuke. He felt terrible about it, especially because he had no idea if his brother had tried to talk to him or approach him. He slowly started to pay more attention to what was happening around him, listening more during dinners and such. One night, the week before Christmas, his brother, put his chopsticks and bowl down.

"Father." Fugaku glanced at his youngest. "I was invited to Hyuuga's birthday party." Fugaku nodded.

"Good job."

"And Aburame Shino's."

"Oh, I wasn't aware you were talking to Shibi-san's son," Mikoto noted. Sasuke shrugged.

"I am not. Naruto does, and he got both of us invited at this one. He doesn't talk much, and the insect thing is weird but he's not a bad person I guess."

"And Hinata-chan?"

"Kou-san invited me personally. Naruto was already invited." Itachi glanced at him.

He had not had much contact with Kou in a while. He had never been close to Yasuo, but he had considered Kou a friend back at the Academy. Plus, he knew things about what had happened. Now he was coming to terms with how the Uchiha massacre had become Uchiha Shisui's and Uzumaki Akane's betrayals of the Hidden Leaf, he should go see him.

"Naruto must be nervous about a reception at the Hyuugas'." Sasuke shrugged.

"It's not the same party. There's the big, official one where Father said we'd go. Then there is one for children." He sighed. "I'm not sure I am looking forward to it."

"You should Sasuke," Fugaku told him. "Many future clan leaders are in your generation, the more bonds you forge with them, the better it will be for the clan." Sasuke scowled discreetly at their father and went back to eating.

"You can't force friendships with people you have no affinity with. The best you can do is nurture mutual respect," Itachi said quietly. His family all looked at him. He glanced at his brother quickly and tried to smile, even if it seemed like the muscles used for it were rusty now. His brother looked away.

"Yamanaka breaks my eardrums Father," Sasuke added.

"My, are you popular with girls Sasuke?" their mother teased him.

"They do scream my name a lot." Wasn't this familiar? "I just know Hyuuga and Haruno." Haruno? Wasn't she the pink-haired medic in his team with Naruto and Kakashi?

"There's no Haruno clan in the village," his father pointed out.

"She's from a civilian family." His father opened his mouth, but his mother spoke before him.

"Well, civilians should not be overlooked by any member of clans because of their background. If anything, they are braver than us because they chose this path and were not born in the shinobi life. You never know how strong they could become. After all, our esteemed Hokage is from a civilian background." Sasuke just ate some rice.

"She's annoying, and Naruto is crushing bad on her."

"Annoying?" Mikoto repeated. Sasuke looked away, glanced shyly at their father, and started to blush.

"She always beats me in theory," he admitted through gritted teeth. That was unexpected.

Their mother started to laugh, Sasuke blushing even more. Fugaku cleared his throat.

"Well, it happens sometimes. Civilians see our world from an outsider point of view, they can see details we do not see because we are too used to how things are. Like your mother said, the Hokage is from a civilian background, so don't underestimate anyone." Sasuke breathed out loudly, blowing on a few locks of his bangs.

After Hinata's birthday party, Itachi saw his brother in a room next to his father's study. He was making ink with quick moves, obviously having done this often before. He pondered over interrupting him for a quick chat or keep moving to not disturb him. It seemed Sasuke made the choice for him because he opened the door wide and glanced at him curiously.

"Do you need something Nii-san?"

"No, not really. What are you doing?" Sasuke glanced at the papers covering the chabudai.

"Fuinjutsu homework."

"Homework? Who gave you homework?" Sasuke raised a brow.

"Kushina-ba-san, she's teaching me now." Itachi cursed himself in his mind. He had been so busy wallowing himself in self-pity he had no idea what was going on in his brother's life, who was eight. "Do you want to stay?"

"If you'll have me." Sasuke nodded eagerly and Itachi closed the door behind him. Sasuke was doing his work, his lips pursed, and Itachi knew it was because he wanted to tell him what he was doing. He asked him a question, asked him to explain what he was doing, and Sasuke's face brightened, and he started to talk animatedly.

It was strange. He had never pictured Sasuke loving Fuinjutsu, but he had remained secluded within their clan in his spare time before. By being so much with Uzumakis, he was bound to see or hear a few things. Plus, it would be a good thing for Sasuke to find a niche for himself, away from the Uchiha clan.

"You seem to really like it." Sasuke nodded firmly.

"Nee-san is a good teacher." He pursed his lips and looked down. His younger brother's eyes became sadder as well. "I miss them you know, even Shisui-san." Itachi chuckled weakly.

"I know, I miss them too." Sasuke looked up at him.

"Are you better now? Mom said you were depressed, and I should give you space." It made sense their mother would tell Sasuke this to prevent the younger one to see him being so low.

"To be honest, I still am depressed," Itachi admitted quietly, crossing his arms on the table. "However, I cannot stay like this forever. The world has not stopped spinning when I was feeling down, the only thing I can do is learn to live with it." Sasuke averted his eyes. "What is it?"

"It's just…I think Nee-san was planning on leaving anyway." Itachi frowned. "We talked a lot and at some point, she started saying deep things she wanted me to remember."

"Such as?"

"Like I'm not you and shouldn't try to be you," Sasuke said quietly. Itachi blinked. "There's nothing wrong with you Nii-san, it's just…it's a lot to be your brother."

"I hope you know it never was my intention to…"

"Oh, I know that." He put his hand on his eye. "And since Mom told me not to tell Father about the Sharingan, I think I understand better what Nee-san meant. Father wants me to get close to heirs since I know about the failed coup, it's enough duty for me." Sasuke's exasperated expression made him look older, but it made Itachi smile. He looked like a grumpy old man. "Are you…mad at Father by the way?" Itachi's gaze became harsher.

"Why the question?"

"He asked me." That was new. "He thought maybe I knew. He thinks you're mad at him because you haven't talked to him properly in months and have been neglecting your duties. I think he worries you could leave the clan too."

"It has not escalated this far yet." Sasuke widened his eyes. Itachi sighed. "I am not happy with him, and I do avoid him to avoid saying things I wouldn't be able to take back." Sasuke raised his brows. "He said things at the clan meeting after all of this fiasco, and I care more about him keeping his word than being his son and heir right now."

"…do you think he's guilty for Shisui and Nee-san leaving?" Itachi did not think that per say but…

"A part of me resent him for that as well," he admitted to his brother. The only thing he had asked was what had happened, but his father had remained silent. Honestly, he had no interest in taking over the clan if his father could not keep his word.

"Mom said he was sad and felt guilty already." Itachi looked back at him. Sasuke shrugged. "Shisui was a prodigy of the clan, Nee-san his student and his other two students got caught in the crossfire." It would not surprise him if his father thought he had failed on several levels then, even if Akane was not a growing genin exactly.

"We all fell victim to our blind spots." He had been focused on saving his clan and keeping Shisui alive. He had taken Akane for granted and never thought she would actively go behind his back and now…they were both gone.

"Do you think you could train me again?" Itachi smiled softly and nodded.

"Of course, Sasuke, I'd love it."

"…would you mind if Naruto came as well?" Itachi raised a brow. "And maybe you could talk to him?"

"Why?"

"He thinks you hate him or something." That was unexpected. "He's having a really bad time; he's tried to leave to look for Nee-san many times but his parents kept him from leaving. People in town say she threw away Minato-san's generosity and that she deserves…bad thing to happen to her, that she never was one of us anyway and Naruto just blows up at them, screaming at them they didn't know anything, and that Nee-san risked her life for them a lot in the past. Then they started saying things about him and a fox…"

"And at school?"

"He's calmer there, Iruka-sensei can talk some sense into him but the slightest thing make him angry. He also thinks you're mad at him or hates him because he's an Uzumaki."

"…do you mean by association? He thinks I'm mad at Akane, so him?" Sasuke nodded and Itachi rubbed his temple. "I'll have a talk with him."

As Sasuke had said, Naruto was awkward when they got on the training ground. Itachi told his brother to start, who understood the cue for him to leave Itachi talk to Naruto. The Uzumaki watched Sasuke leave with wide, betrayed eyes.

"Naruto? Can we talk?" He nodded, but shyly. "Come on, let's go sit over there." Once both of them sat on a boulder, which gave them a nice view of Sasuke training in shurikenjutsu, Itachi looked at the blond boy. "My brother told me you thought I was mad at you or hated you."

"Dammit teme," Naruto grumbled under his breath, trying to hide. "It was not…"

"I don't." Naruto looked up at him, blinking his blue eyes at him in confusion. "I have no reason to be mad at you or hate you Naruto. If anything, Sasuke can tell you I was not very…okay per say."

"He did already." Of course, he did.

"He also told me you were having a hard time with what people were saying." Naruto looked down with a frown.

"They don't even know Nee-chan," he muttered. "She's not a bad person, she had a reason to…" His shoulders dropped. "She had to have a reason for leaving 'ttebayo, I know she had."

"I think so too." Relief was obvious in Naruto's gaze. Itachi put his hand on his head. "She wouldn't have left you and Sasuke like this, I'm sure she had a reason. Which means, I don't think she would approve of you trying to look for her." Naruto blushed in embarrassment.

"But…she didn't even say goodbye, and what if she needs help?" How Itachi understood how he was feeling, he felt the same way.

"Akane is strong, I am sure she will be fine."

"…I hope you're right." He took a deep breath. "Itachi-nii…"

"Yes?"

"If you see her, or Shisui-nii, are you going to fight them?" Itachi blinked. He had not really thought of this. Would he? If they were to be enemies, would he?

"I guess as long as there is no reason to fight, no," he answered after a few seconds. Naruto didn't move and suddenly, tears appeared in his eyes. "Naruto?"

"I want Nee-chan," he started sobbing. Itachi put his arm around his small shoulders and pulled him against him. Sometimes, it was hard to picture him like the one he had entrusted Shisui's eye with, the one he had entrusted his brother with. If anything, he owed this first Naruto to take care of the child one.


He opened his eyes and looked around. The sun was slipping through the curtains of the bedroom, but he could see the green hill behind it. He stood up and cracked his back, curled his toes on the carpet and stretched out with a yawn. He stood up and left the room for the main room. His eyes softened when he saw Akane making breakfast, with nothing but panties and his shirt on. The radio was on, broadcasting a popular song at the moment, not that he knew any song that was popular at the moment.

He quietly slipped behind her and embraced her waist, leaving chaste kisses in her neck.

"Morning," she greeted him, trying to make him stop. "Come on, there's one spot I'm ticklish there and you…Itachi!" He left one last kiss on her neck, kissed her cheek, and put his chin on her shoulder.

"Morning," he said in a husky voice. She shivered and he smiled faintly. He knew she loved his voice, especially in the morning. Sometimes, he wondered if she didn't love it the most after he had coughed his throat raw.

"You're strangely touchy-feely this morning." He slouched a little on her, tightened his hold on her.

"Am I not allowed to hug and kiss my girlfriend in the morning?"

"Hum…" She was musing over it. "Well, if this relationship was a good one, I'd say yes." He sighed deeply.

"Please, don't ruin this again."

"I can't help it, you're the one making me say this." She turned around and put a piece of toast in his mouth. "After all, I am not really here and we're not home at the cabin. I'm just a fragment of your imagination your subconscious is making." He leaned his forehead against hers.

"At least I can see you here." He kissed her lips. "We're still together here."

"Don't you think it is ironic for me?" He looked down at her thoughtful face. "It is. It is ironic to think it was easier for us to be together when you were a wanted criminal." There was knock on the door. Then he was surrounded by darkness, the Akane he remembered last seeing in front of him in the distance, on her knees.

A purple, demonic entity appeared behind her and gripped at her left arm. He stood there, unable to move a muscle, as Akane screamed in pain when the entity, most probably the Shinigami, twisted her arm at various angles.

Then, he woke up abruptly, sitting up panting. His hands were clenched on the sheets, and he was sweating. He put his hand on his forehead while he tried to calm down.

He was no stranger to dreaming of when Akane and him were quietly living together before. It would start perfectly and then his mind would remind him of his failures with her face and her voice. He was…partly happy though. He could see her in his sleep after all.

Yet, this…it was new.

"Itachi, are you okay?" his mother asked him through the door. "I thought I heard you yell something."

"I am fine," he replied, struggling to swallow his own saliva. His throat was dry.

"Well, breakfast is ready if you have time."

"Thank you."

Like every morning, he glanced at the picture of Akane and him on his desk after they had become chuunin and ran his finger on the ice raven with a small smile. Then, he got ready and went down.

Seasons had gone by. Six months had turned into a year, which had turned into two, and then two and a half. It had officially been ten years since he had gone from helping stop a war to being in his child body. He was doing his best to be present for both Sasuke and Naruto and life had resumed its course. He was still not at the stage where he could think of the past fondly. Going back to where he would train with Shisui brought back good memories but did not make him feel happy. He would just be sad and wonder where he was. He would sink back in his sadness a little bit when winter would come as well, the sight of snow reminding him of Akane who no longer was with him.

Sometimes he wondered how he would react if they were in front of him. So far, there had been no sign of any of them. He would ask on his missions, in the Land of Fire or abroad, but no one had seen them. He knew, deep down, that if they had split up, Akane was back in Kiri and would not come back on the continent anytime soon, but what of Shisui? Where could he possibly be?

When January was there, he started to see a few members of his clan being secretive. They were the same ones who were in favor or a coup and did not want to trust the Hokage. Following his instinct, he started to spy on them. The plot against the Hokage's life unfolded in a matter of days and once he had enough information, he brought it back to Minato directly.

Minato told him they would deal with it and tasked Itachi to keep doing what he had been doing. Eventually, one evening they attempted to take Minato's life. However, he was waiting for them, with Fugaku. They first shuddered in fear at his sight, asking what he was doing here. Then, after some minutes spent talking, one of them yelled at them that it didn't matter what Fugaku was saying because he was next. They were dealt with quickly.

However, shinobi quickly came to the Hokage to tell them there was a fire at the Police Station and that Suiton users were putting it out. Itachi followed his father and was shocked at seeing the smoke still coming out of the building.

"Captain!" a Hyuuga said when he saw them. "Your wife and son have been taken to the hospital."

"What?" Fugaku asked him harshly. "What happened?"

"We think bombs were planted in your office. Uchiha-san and Sasuke-san were both waiting for you here." Color left Itachi's face. "Sasuke-san was conscious, but not Uchiha-san."

"Father, Mom needs you, I'll handle things here," Itachi said, noticing his father was shaken up. He had never seen him like this. His mother had never been in actual danger either though.

"Isamu will help you." On this note, Fugaku left in a hurry, leaving him with the Hyuuga. Itachi glanced at him.

"I am Hyuuga Isamu," he confirmed to him. "I believe you know my cousin Kou."

"I do." He followed Isamu. Despite the circumstances, he was keeping a cool head. Night had settled heavily, and rain had started falling when things fully calmed down.

"Itachi-san, we can handle it now." Itachi wasn't exactly sure if he could leave yet though.

"Itachi." He looked behind him to see Tenzou. "I'll take over and Kakashi-senpai shouldn't be long. You need to go to the hospital."

"Is it bad?" Tenzou realized how he had sounded.

"Your mother and brother are both okay from what I know." Itachi sighed in relief. "But…you need to go there."

"Alright." He glanced once more and the blackened Police Station, people throwing the destroyed furniture outside for now.

Sasuke was waiting for him in the lobby. Itachi crouched in front of him and pulled him in a hug, Sasuke standing there awkwardly.

"I'm alright Nii-san…it's embarrassing…" Itachi let go of him, who was red in embarrassment. Well, he had to reach that stage at some point.

"Are you really alright?" Sasuke nodded.

"Yes, I inhaled some smoke but other than that, I'm okay. It's Mom who…" Sasuke clenched his fists by his sides. "She shielded me but then when we got to the hospital, she was bleeding…down there." Itachi frowned.

"What do you mean?" Sasuke looked up at him.

"I don't know, but when Father got here, I tried to listen, and I think I heard the word 'miscarriage'?" Itachi widened his eyes.

His mother was…had been pregnant and had miscarried? They…they could have had another sibling?

"I think I heard Father cry too," Sasuke finished more quietly. Itachi breathed out slowly. His mother had been sent to the hospital by Uchiha rebels and had miscarried. His father would not be forgiving anymore. "Should we…go there?"

"Let's wait outside her room for now."

Their father opened the door and told them to come inside two hours later. He was pale and obviously grief-stricken. Their mother was no better. She had cried and had bandages up to her neck. Sasuke immediately went in her open arms as he quietly shut the door behind him. Mikoto hugged Sasuke tightly and stretched out one of her arms to him. His legs moved on their own and he was quickly next to his brother in their mother's embrace. She was shaking a little.

"You know already, don't you?" she asked them in a whisper. Itachi nodded numbly. Mikoto released them and he noticed their father was at the foot of the bed. "The…baby was a girl. She was thirteen-weeks." His father wouldn't look away from the village outside the window.

"Why didn't you tell us?" She cupped Sasuke's cheek and smiled at him.

"A lot can go wrong in the first twelve weeks. We were planning on telling you soon but…" She bit her bottom lip.

"Mikoto, you need to rest," their father told her.

"I love you boys," she whispered to them.

"We love you too Mom," Sasuke replied, his voice muffled by her hospital gown.

"There should be foo…"

"Mom, don't worry about that," Itachi scolded her weakly. "We can handle it, focus on yourself first." Her smile withered a little. "Please?"

"If you ask so politely Itachi," she whispered, taking a deep breath. He looked at his father, who shook his head.

"Don't worry about me," he told them curtly. Itachi nodded and glanced at his brother.

"Let's go." Sasuke hugged his mother one last time, whispered something in her ear that made her chuckle and followed his brother.

Itachi closed the door, but he had the time to see his mother breaking down and his father quickly rushing to her side to embrace her. He didn't recall seeing his parents ever acting like a couple, only as parents. Yet, his father was concerned and didn't want to leave her side.

Suddenly, he was thrown back to when Akane was in the hospital, and he was spending every ounce of his spare of time with her. It looked like he was his father's son in the end.

Over the following weeks, he saw a side of his father he had never seen before. He was constantly home, taking work home and delegating as much as possible to his men to rebuild the Police Station. He could see that, despite working in his study, he was ready to help his mother for the smallest thing. She knew that, because when he would appear out of nowhere after she had dropped something, she would roll her eyes fondly when he'd leave.

Something told him he had his overprotectiveness from his father and not his mother like he had originally thought.


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