The air inside the small, dark office that Uchiha Itachi knelt in was stale, the taste sticking to the prodigy's tongue and leaving an unpleasant taste in his mouth as he waited for the man for whom he was on his knees to speak. His knees ached from their position on the unforgiving wooden floors, but Itachi only gritted his teeth below his white porcelain Crow mask, refusing to give his superior the satisfaction of hearing or seeing any sign of discomfort. Itachi may be this man's underling, but he still had his pride - which wasn't something most Root agents could claim.

"Your first mission went well, Crow," the man spoke to him with no emotion after another two solid minutes of silence, his voice flat and deep, the floor creaking with his heavy footsteps as he rounded the corner of his desk.

Itachi gave a minute nod of his head, taking advantage of the man's turned back to shift his sore kneecap slightly, relieving the pressure that threatened to crack the bone. "Thank you, Lord Danzo," the prodigy said quietly and respectfully.

"It seems you worked well with Beetle and Kanoe."

Itachi did not respond this time. He had not, in fact, worked well with his new team. Beetle was clearly a member of the Aburame clan and he reminded him of another Aburame that he had briefly been paired with in the past. Beetle was just one more of the glorified babysitters that Danzo had no doubt tasked with keeping an eye on Itachi's development. Kanoe had been no better; the man had no personality and seemed more concerned with advancing Danzo's underhanded efforts to control Konoha from the shadows than he was in protecting the village as he'd sworn an oath to do.

If Danzo was bothered by Itachi's silence, he didn't let it be known as he continued, "I have another mission for you. This one will require a certain level of skill that I feel your new team is perfectly suited for."

Itachi blinked in agitation underneath his mask, willing his fingers not to give away his annoyance with Danzo's words. They'd only just returned from a bloody mission in the Land of Waves a few hours prior and Itachi still hadn't been home yet. He craved a hot, home-cooked meal and a good night's sleep in his own bed.

"Where will we be heading?" The Uchiha asked, impressing himself with the even-keeled tone he managed to find.

"The northernmost border, to a small village in the foothills of the mountains in Earth country," Danzo answered, glancing out the window to the dark, quiet streets of Konoha. "You will leave tomorrow morning at first light. Upon your arrival in the area, you will wait for contact from your former teammate, Aburame Yoji."

"Yoji, Sir?" Itachi asked, his interest piqued. "Will we be working with Team Ro?"

"No; as a matter of fact." Danzo's lips curled in a malicious smirk that sent a chill down Itachi's spine. The man continued, "Your mission is to complete the sabotage of a mission given to them by our spineless Hokage."

"I understand."

"At this moment, Team Ro is on a mission to escort a girl from Iwa to Konoha. The Third intends to offer her safe harbor from her clan's desires to utilize her as a weapon for their nation. He is foolish, but his weak heart has given me an opportunity to seize this weapon for Konoha's use instead," Danzo explained, his eyes cold and calculated as he turned to stare into Itachi's dark ones through the eye slits of his mask.

Itachi felt icy fingers gripping his lungs as his body stiffened. "Are we to attack Team Ro?"

Danzo hummed in thought. "I had thought about that course of action," the bandaged man spoke airily, as though they weren't discussing slaughtering loyal Leaf shinobi - his own comrades. He waved his hand in the air and with a light sigh, he continued, "But, no. You will be backtracking their steps into the Pass. I don't have the specifics; Yoji will pass on the location you are to go to, where the girl will have been left for you."

"I see," Itachi murmured. "So Yoji will be staging her death, then? I assume that's why my team will be useful in her retrieval. Beetle will no doubt have the antitoxin."

Danzo smirked. "You always were exceptionally bright, Crow," he told the Uchiha, his voice tinged with something that sounded almost like envious pride. His tone turned sharp with his next words. "Do not fail in this mission. She is important to plans that are in place to ensure the long-term strength of our village. The Third is a sentimental fool and does not grasp how vital this girl's kekkei genkai will be for Konoha."

"I understand, Lord Danzo. My team will retrieve this girl and bring her back to Root Headquarters."

"Yes," Danzo nodded, his eyes flicking to Itachi's knee as an audible crack echoed through the darkened room; Itachi's knee had given under the pressure. The Uchiha took a controlled breath to stop himself from reacting when he saw a flash of sadistic pleasure in Danzo's lone eye as the sound met his ears. The man continued after a moment, "Once she is here in Konoha, you are to integrate yourself into her life. You will train her between your missions. You will become someone she trusts implicitly, Crow. This will aid my goal of developing her into the tool she will become."

Itachi nodded and said nothing else as Danzo dismissed him a few minutes later after telling him where he would be meeting Beetle and Kanoe in little more than a few hours' time. The sharp pain in his knee told him to head straight for the hospital, but he turned east instead and began heading for his clan's district. It was late but he was sure that Izumi, an Uchiha medic nin who lived next door, would likely be up and about, just as he knew his mother would be. Itachi allowed himself a rare smile at the thought of home and the comforts he would be able to enjoy tonight, even if only for a few hours.

Two Days Later

It was just before dawn when Itachi and his team arrived in the village Danzo had sent them to. They had traveled nearly non-stop on their journey; Itachi had wanted to beat Team Ro to the area so that he could scout the area out and figure out his best course of action once Beetle was contacted by Yoji.

A mile or so from the edge of the village, the trio encountered a young woman who was also on her way in to town. Without any encouragement from Itachi or his teammates, the woman told them all about how she was a waitress at the small breakfast diner in the village center. More of interest to Itachi was how she went on to tell them how she met everyone coming and going from her little village - Tako, she called the town, a look of pride on her face.

With just a little prompting, the girl told Itachi about another group of Leaf ninja that she had recently encountered - a three-man squad like his own, led by a mysterious and silent teenage boy with silver hair and a stoic expression on a masked face. Itachi knew immediately based on the description of Hatake Kakashi that it was Team Ro who had passed through.

When Itachi asked if they'd indicated whether they'd be back or not, the waitress divulged that the youngest in that group had told her they anticipated being back in Tako by the week's end - and that he had shyly asked her if she knew the best shop to get things a girl might need. All of this information told Itachi that he should be expecting Team Ro's arrival within the next twenty-four hours or so.

When they were back at their temporary camp, the silence between the three teammates continued. Itachi occupied his time watching the area through the eyes of his crows. He found Tako to be a peaceful place, its residents wandering the streets at a far slower pace than the hurried rush of the civilians in Konoha who never seemed to stop and smell the roses. There were no active shinobi living here, although Itachi did notice a few retired ones making their way around town.

He wondered if perhaps someday he would get that chance, but he struck the thought from his mind as quickly as it came. He wasn't just any ninja; he was Uchiha Itachi, one of the crown jewels of the Leaf and the heir to his clan. Even if by some miracle the day came that he was able to stop going on missions, he would never be free from the burdens that came with being a future clan head.

At the same time Itachi spotted Team Ro on the edge of the woods on the other side of the village, Beetle's insects made their host aware of them as well. Itachi pulled his focus away from the crows, taking just a moment to recollect himself before he moved to his feet.

"I'm aware," Itachi spoke as Beetle began to announce the other team's arrival to the area. "Send a message to Yoji telling him to be at the fork in the road on this side of the village in two hour's time. We'll head into the mountains from there to avoid being noticed. Hatake has excellent perception of chakra signatures as well as a keen sense of smell."

Yoji nodded, holding an insect on his finger before he cast it into the air towards the north. "We should go there now," Beetle replied quietly. "Yoji's insects have a particularly strong venom; the target will likely be close to death by the time we arrive. There won't be time to spare."

Itachi's only response was a curt nod as he waited for his two teammates to collect their things before the three of them headed to the rendezvous point he had set. He wasn't worried about Yoji being followed by either of the other shinobi on his team. When Itachi had spotted them a few minutes prior, he had noticed a sharp difference in the Hatake Kakashi he had seen compared to the cold, emotionless man that he had spent two years on Team Ro with. This Kakashi had seemed haunted, a hollow look on his face that told the Uchiha that whatever had occurred in the North Pass had been especially traumatic for his former teammate.

Two hours later, Yoji approached the fork in the road and told them where to find the target. He had left the girl at the back of a cave. Just as Beetle had predicted, Yoji's insects had taken a toll on the girl, and he warned them to get to her sooner rather than later. As soon as the information had been exchanged, Itachi and his team headed out.

It took them a little over seven hours to find the cave, and by the time they found her the girl looked like a corpse. Itachi had been expecting her to be in rough shape, but he'd understood immediately upon seeing her why Hatake had been so visibly upset. She appeared to be frozen, her body stiff and blue.

Beetle pulled a small glass vial out of his coat pocket and readied a syringe before stabbing it into a vein below the curve of her elbow, giving her a full dose. After thirty seconds, Itachi crouched down and placed a firm hand on the girl's chest, keeping her prone on the ground as she coughed and gasped for breath.

There was a wild, panicked look in her eyes when she opened them to find three men clad in white masks surrounding her. No doubt she was terrified, Itachi thought to himself. The last thing she probably remembered was going to sleep in the company of the markedly less intimidating Team Ro. The Uchiha was fully aware of how frightening he appeared to be to most people, and he couldn't say he wouldn't be scared of Beetle and Kanoe if he were in her shoes, either.

"Relax," he told the girl calmly, reaching to pull the mask up. Danzo's orders had been to become a confidante for this girl, someone she could trust. That would be much easier if he made himself approachable. "We're here to bring you the rest of the way to Konoha."

"No." The girl spoke, her voice cracked and dry. With wary eyes watching him, she pulled herself away. "Where are Hound and Lizard?"

She didn't ask about the third member of Team Ro, Itachi noticed. "You became very ill yesterday," he told her. "Hound requested backup to come and assist. They left ahead of us."

The girl gave him a suspicious look, her eyes darting between Kanoe and Beetle. Itachi made a subtle lifting motion of his finger behind his back, giving his teammates a silent order to lift their porcelain masks. The girl's face softened after a moment and she loosened her grip on her knees.

"Will I be able to see them in the village?" She asked Itachi as he stood, offering her his hand. He shook his head as he pulled her to her feet, keeping one arm around her shoulders as she wobbled.

"Not likely," he admitted softly. "By the time we get back, Hound and his team will have been sent off on another mission. And besides, you'll be sequestered somewhere secure until the Hokage is certain that there will be no retaliation from the Tsuchikage."

"But they don't know Konoha is involved." The girl frowned, gasping as she went to take a step and stumbled instead. Itachi caught her, glancing up at Kanoe's broad back and strong shoulders. It seemed he'd be useful to this mission, after all.

"Kanoe will carry you," Itachi told her, ignoring her statement. "It will be at least three and a half days walking to get back to Konoha. You should be feeling much better by then."

Itachi didn't say another word as he and Beetle began to make their way to the mouth of the cave, leaving Kanoe to carry the girl. He couldn't understand why Danzo was so interested in her. She was young, about his age, and she was pretty, too. But he saw no sign of anything below the surface of her jumpy, nervous exterior. Did she truly have the capacity to be the weapon Danzo was hoping for?

Four Weeks Later

Over the course of the next four weeks, Itachi took his time getting to know the girl from Iwa. She still hadn't told him her name, so he'd begun affectionately referring to her as Aomizu because of the way her clear, bright blue eyes reminded him of the large pond behind his parents' home.

In the first few days after arriving in Konoha, she had realized quickly that Itachi hadn't been exaggerating when he'd told her she'd be sequestered. Once she'd entered Root headquarters under the cover of darkness, she'd promptly been delivered to Danzo, who had put her up in a small, windowless room in the basement below his office. She hadn't seen daylight for a week after that and when she finally did, it had only been from the small window in the bandaged man's office when he'd summoned her to tell her that while she was under Konoha's protection from her clan and the Tsuchikage, he and the other village elders expected her to train and hone her skills in return for what he'd called their kindness.

It had enraged Itachi, though he wasn't sure why. In the short conversations they'd had each day that week when he'd brought her meals and sat with her, he had made a few observations about the quiet, guarded girl. He had come to realize that it was likely she came from a powerful clan - one who had intended to use her the same way Danzo did. He had also come to understand that although the first fact was true, it was also true that she had no heart for being a ninja. She was soft and kind with far too much compassion and empathy to be the cold-blooded killer Danzo expected him to turn her into.

In her second week in Konoha, Itachi had been able to convince Danzo that a different room - one with a window, perhaps - would improve her mood, which would help him achieve the mission that had been given to him. The bandaged man had begrudgingly agreed and had found a room on the uppermost floor of the training barracks where she'd have some privacy and a view of a tree in the courtyard. Though the room was plain and devoid of any small comforts other than a thin blanket, futon mattress, and pillow, Aomizu had been thrilled with the upgrade and Itachi had sat there with her for hours as she'd watched the tree all afternoon with a look of appreciation on her face that he wished he could understand. How could something as mundane as a single tree bring so much joy to someone?

On her third week, the girl from Iwa had begun to open up more to Itachi. They had been taking a short walk around the courtyard when she explained to him that where she'd come from, there weren't many trees - and none that had soft leaves. She told him how all the trees in Earth country were evergreens and how nothing pretty ever lasted in the cold, desolate land. She explained how much of Iwa was comprised of poor people who slowly starved, the cost of food too high for most due to the fact that most of the nation's food was imported because of poor soil condition in Earth country.

Aomizu had teared up when she'd explained that was why she had wanted so desperately to escape. She and her father had been hearing rumors that the Tsuchikage was tired of paying to import food when he had such capable shinobi with kekkei genkai that could be used to seize control of smaller nations by force. The girl had been terrified at the prospect of being used in such a barbaric manner. She didn't want to be the reason some child somewhere in a foreign land grew up without a parent.

That had been the day Itachi found that he respected Aomizu, the girl who hadn't even told him her real name yet. He had come to know much about her over those three weeks - her favorite books, her favorite music. When he'd learned that one of her favorite meals was ochazuke, he had surprised her the following day with a large container of it that his mother had made when he'd requested it. And once again, just like the tree in the courtyard, Itachi had watched with fascination as she slowly savored every last bite like it was the best meal she'd ever experienced.

That brought him to today; April 15th. The two of them were sitting cross-legged below the old tree in the courtyard with two bento boxes that he'd brought from home. She was leaned back against the tree trunk, eyes cast up to watch as a mother bird above them brought lunch back for her hungry, squawking babies.

"I bet they'll be flying soon," Aomizu remarked to him, glancing his way with vibrant, shining eyes. "I wonder where each of them will end up?"

Itachi thought about it for a moment before he shrugged, taking a bite of rice. He chewed slowly and then swallowed. "I don't know that I've ever wondered that, myself," he admitted, looking up at the nest. "I bet my mother would have an answer for you, though. She's been spending a lot of time outside lately."

Aomizu looked up, arching her eyebrow. "You've never talked about your family with me before, Crow."

"You've never asked," Itachi answered her with a shrug before he continued, "Her name is Mikoto. I'm sure you'd get along well with her. You already seem to be a fan of her cooking." He smiled as he finished speaking, looking over to find Aomizu listening to him intently. She didn't seem at all surprised by the revelation that his mother had been cooking her meals.

"I hope you've told her thank you for me." The girl told him. "She's a wonderful cook."

Itachi smiled a rare smile, nodding. "She is," he agreed. "And she's been trying a lot of new recipes lately. I think it's because she's pregnant again."

"So you have a sibling?" Aomizu asked. Itachi's smile turned into a frown and he sat his half-eaten bento box on the ground beside him.

"Not yet. She...Her last pregnancy ended in a miscarriage last year." He explained sadly.

The girl gasped, tears springing from the corners of her eyes as she reached for Itachi's hand, covering it with her own. "I'm so sorry, Crow. I can't imagine how scary that must have been for you."

Itachi gave her a curious look. He wasn't used to anyone but his mother acknowledging that he was capable of feeling afraid. It was a bit unsettling to him that this nameless girl from a foreign land could somehow see the human parts of him that his superiors expected him to keep locked away.

"She's due in July." Itachi told her, changing the topic as he quickly pulled his hand away from hers. "She hasn't told me yet, but I'm pretty sure it's a boy. I'll have a little brother."

Itachi couldn't keep the small smile from tugging at the corner of his lips. He had been excited the year prior when his parents had told him about that pregnancy. He'd wondered whether it would be a little girl or a boy, but he'd secretly hoped for a boy. The day he'd found his mother collapsed in the garden with a bloody stain on her dress, he'd been terrified that he was going to lose both his would-be sibling and his mother in one devastating blow. Mikoto had very nearly died that day and had only been saved by Izumi when she'd heard Itachi's bloodcurdling screams. It had perhaps been the single most traumatizing event in his life, worse even than being taken to the bloody battlefields in the aftermath of the Third Shinobi World War.

After a short silence, the girl turned to look at him again, a small smile on her face. "You've told me so much about you this afternoon," she murmured as she reached up to tuck her long, dark hair behind her ear as she continued, "and you've done so much for me, too. I don't know how to thank you properly, Crow."

"You don't have to thank me, Aomizu," Itachi told her with a shake of his head. When her blue eyes met his dark ones for a flash of a second, he could almost see a light bulb light above her as a determined smile curled on her lips.

"Koishi." She said suddenly. He gave her a questioning look, arching his eyebrow. She saw his confusion and elaborated, "That's my name, Crow. Nokogiri Koishi."

What a pretty name, Itachi thought to himself. And before he could stop himself from doing so, the Uchiha found himself speaking. "Mine is Itachi," he offered his own name with a half smile. "You don't have to call me Crow."

As Itachi watched Koishi's face light up as she repeated his name softly, he realized that it was going to be nearly impossible for him to carry through with Danzo's plans. How could he take such a pretty girl with such a nice name and turn her into the same kind of cold, hollow weapon that he himself had been molded into?

Author's Note

Hi! So, this story is connected to Breathless but will not contain any spoilers for that story. When I was writing the chapter in which Itachi makes his appearance, I found myself inspired by his story and I decided I wanted to write that story, too. In both stories, Itachi and Kakashi are both the same age. This story begins roughly six months before the Nine Tails attack on Konoha, and will conclude with the Uchiha clan massacre, which will account for a time span of about seven years.

Each chapter title will be taken from a song that I feel encapsulates the overall feel of that particular chapter. This chapter's title is from a song called Trapped Under Ice by Metallica.

I hope you enjoy reading!