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

Characters age:

Akane: 18 (51)

Itachi: 18 (35)

Shisui: 22

Naruto / Sasuke: 13

Kakashi: 27

"Everything's good. Come back in two days at seven, it's a long surgery," Tsunade told Itachi, who put his shirt back on. "Don't eat or drink, get plenty of rest before, no medication, no training, no chakra and no useless activities."

"Understood." He had his hand on the doorknob when he looked at her one last time. "Can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead."

"Has Akane come to see you about headaches?" Tsunade looked at him above her file.

"This is medical confidentiality." He looked away. "But she did. I gave her new, better painkillers with less side-effects until I'm done with you."

"Thank you," he said before leaving. Once he was done at the reception, he took a deep breath and went to the Uzumaki-Namikaze residence.

He rang the bell. He heard a female voice but couldn't understand what it was saying. A few seconds later, Kushina opened the door.

"Oh, hi Itachi."

"I'm sorry, am I interrupting something?" the Uchiha asked, noticing she was out of breath and had red cheeks.

"No, nothing, it was…nothing." Her clothes seemed disheveled as well. "I was just…"

"Who's at the door?" That was Minato's voice. Itachi looked at his mother's best friend in the eyes. She returned it, the unspoken situation now clear between them.

"Akane isn't here, Kakashi picked her up to assist him train Team Seven, see you later!" He was already away from the door when she shut it close.

Interrupting the Hokage and his wife when they were having sex was not on his wish list, yet here he was. He tried not to think about it as he went to Team Seven's usual training ground. He found Kakashi reading his trusty book in a tree branch and joined him without a sound. He raised a curious brow at seeing Akane standing up in front of the three kids, who were sitting and listening to whatever she was saying.

"What's going on?"

"Oh, I'm making Akane my teaching assistant when she's in the village now." Kakshi turned his page. "Why are you here?"

"My surgery is scheduled the day after tomorrow, I wanted to…" Kakashi raised his eye from his book. "Tell Sasuk…"

"Right, as if I didn't know what you and her have done when you took off four days ago." The Uchiha looked away, annoyed by the teasing glint in Kakashi's eye. "Has Tsunade-sama told you anything about the after?"

"Not yet, but I'm sure she doesn't want me to overthink it and worry." The Copy-Ninja put his book away and jumped down, Itachi following him.

"Nii-san?" It made Akane turn around.

"Hey," she said, surprised to see him. They had not seen each other since they had split up in front of the Hokage Tower. He had wanted to walk her home, but she had declined, saying it would be better if it was Kakashi.

He wished he could have rushed to her place the next day like his brother had, but he couldn't. The look on his father's face was enough to make him understand he had to be careful now they were in Konoha.

It was so nice and perfect before they reached Konoha. They were talking, and laughing, and kissing and touching and making love and…he knew they were not in a relationship, but he was so at peace as they would act like one. Despite his future surgery, he had not been this happy in a long time, finally feeling like he had someone to rely on again.

Of course, seeing Shisui had been…nice as well. It was strange, he could see his best friend was walking on eggshells around them and couldn't say everything he wanted to, but he had fled the Akatsuki. It was…good. He had faith in Shisui to stay out of their radar.

"Akane, can I have a word with you?" She blinked and nodded, following him as they went to the woods.

"Hey, what's up?"

"My surgery is in two days; I have to be at the hospital at seven."

"That's…quick."

"I want it to be quick." She gulped.

"Sure, just…" She took a breath and smiled at him. "Good for you, the sooner the better, right?" He tried to put his hand on her cheek, but she caught with a pointed look. "We're in Konoha!"

"There's no one around," he tried to convince her, but she took a step back.

"There are always people watching in this village." He exhaled in frustration. "It's…I'll stop worrying when you're out of surgery, okay?" She ran a hand in her hair. "Anything else?"

"My mother wants you over for lunch at some point."

"Your brother told me when he tried to avoid explaining why he has tried to leave the village."

Yes. While they were away, Sasuke had tried to flee to join Orochimaru. His Cursed Mark evolved, but his resolve was a lot weaker than before and, while he still fought Naruto at the Valley of the End, their father stopped the fight and told Sasuke to come home. Sasuke would be strong one day, but their father was still their father, despite his brother apparently insulting him. Naruto and him were barely out of the hospital when they came back two days ago. Sasuke was forbidden to go outside the village for now.

"She's insistent."

"I can't step a foot in the Compound, that's where I draw the limit, Itachi. Don't make me cross it," she reminded him in a warning tone.

"I'm not, I know where you're coming from. However, my mother is stubborn and will find you, even outside the Compound." She rolled her eyes.

"I'm an Uchiha magnet," she muttered under her breath.

"I've noticed." She shrugged.

"I'm not trying."

"Once again, I have noticed," he repeated. He was painfully aware Akane was getting along too easily with some members of his clan and making her way in their hearts, his own first. "That's all I wanted to tell you. You're okay?"

"Hum? Yes. It's…weird to sleep in my old room, and Minato-san told me he'd get me a studio apartment if I wanted so I'm going to accept. People give me weird looks but…I'm good."

"If it's too much, just tell me." She smiled faintly.

"I think I can handle a few dirty looks 'tachi." He closed his hands in fists.

"I'm going to have a big surgery, can't I have at least one kiss?" he asked quietly, pleading her with his eyes. She put her hands on hers hips and narrowed her eyes at him.

"I know what you're doing."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You do, you're looking at me like a kicked-puppy to bend me to your will!" He kept doing it, kicking an imaginary rock. "Seriously, the more time goes by, the more I realize how many layers you put on yourself through the years."

"If too many layers come off, I might need a hug." She rolled her eyes and hugged him tightly. He was about to smirk in victory when her voice stopped him.

"I dare you to smirk smugly Uchiha," she threatened him under her breath, hugging him tighter.

"Hn." He buried his face in her hair. She relaxed in his arms. "Let's not pretend the roles have never been reversed before." She chuckled.

"Yes, yes." She moved away. "I'll see you before your surgery and give you a kiss there, deal?" He crossed his pinky with hers.

"Deal. If you don't show up and I die, it will be on your conscience forever."

"Itachi!" The worried glint in her eyes was not faked. He took her hand and kissed her knuckles.

"I'm sorry, it was uncalled for." Joking about dying from the surgery when he had died from his disease before was his way to cope with his own worry over the surgery.

It was bringing up too many bad memories for his love though, he should try to stop saying these things around her.

I couldn't sleep the night before his surgery. I left my room at five and was surprised to see Itachi standing outside awkwardly. It was still dark; the streetlights wouldn't be on until five thirty, but I'd recognize his silhouette anywhere.

"This is not the hospital," I told him, trying to ease my mood. "I can barely see you." He activated his sharingans briefly. "Creepy, and useless. I thought you couldn't use chakra before th…" He hugged me tightly, slouching on me a little. I dug my fingers in the back of his jacket, taking a deep breath in it. It smelled like him. "Wanna have breakfast?" He chuckled in my ear.

"I can't eat or drink anything my love."

"Of course, of course…" He moved me back and poked my forehead.

"I can get you something if you want. If we find a place that's opened that is."

"The convenience store is open twenty-four seven."

"Let's go then." We walked away. His arm was around my shoulders and mine was around his waist. The convenience store was empty, and I only had a cup of milk coffee when we sat on a bench outside.

"So, why are you out this early?"

"It was this or being taken to the hospital by my mother." The bag between us was explained. "I want that kiss."

"You'll get it," I assured him, taking a sip of coffee. "You know what the nice thing is about your surgery and you being out of the game for a while?" He raised a brow as the streetlights were turned on, storeowners starting to leave their places for their jobs. "I'll get to see you wearing civilian clothes more. You have things other than the regular Uchiha shirt, right? They're ugly." He smiled faintly.

"You'll find my wardrobe very plain and boring I'm afraid."

"I can't say I'm surprised." I finished my coffee in a comfortable silence. Once it was done, I threw it in the trash, but it bounced on the side of it and fell. Itachi snickered. "Shut up!" He picked it up, sat back down and threw it, the cup landing straight in the trashcan. "Show off."

"Hn." He stood up and threw his bag over his shoulder before he took my hand.

"Where are we going?"

"We're making out in the park before I go to the hospital." I blushed despite myself.

We entered the park…illegally as it opened at eight. Itachi took me to a wooded part of the park. When he found a spot he liked, he dropped his bag on the ground and pulled me in his arms.

It was March, the sun would not get up until he was in the hospital. Still, we made out, and then stayed next to each other on the ground, staring at the sky.

"I'll wake up Akane," he told me suddenly. I glanced at him. His eyes were stuck on the sky. "I don't want to die." I pursed my lips.

"You better wake up." He moved to be on top of me, leaning on his hands on each side of my face.

"Be there when I wake up," he whispered against my lips. "I want to see your face." I put my hand on his cheek.

"I'll try." He kissed me softly on the lips. "Now we should go."

I kissed him one last time when we reached the hospital, in an alley near it. Before he left, he removed his jacket and put it on my shoulders.

"Wha…"

"Right pocket," he whispered in my ear before leaving. I stayed until I saw him entering the building and went home.

Aunty did not comment on the oversized black jacket when she saw me come back. She just asked me if I could stomach anything or wanted brunch. I said I'd make myself something and locked the door of my room once I was inside.

It still felt strange to be back in it. When I got back and set a foot in it, I realized nothing had changed. Things I had left were still at the same place, and the room had been kept cleaned. I sat on the bed and took a deep breath in the collar of the jacket. It calmed my quick heartbeat down.

I looked in his right pocket and frowned when I felt a velvety box. I took it, curious about the black box. It seemed…familiar. I opened it and froze.

That…inside the box was a painfully familiar necklace. The chain was silver, and the pendant was a ruby in the shape of a teardrop, circled by silver. I took it in my hand, staring at it with a tear in my eyes until I felt something on the back of the pendant. I turned it over and bit the inside of my cheek when I saw what was not there before.

In the silver were engraved a few words.

'Yours in life and death.' I wiped the tear from my cheek. Itachi…had anyone told me he was this romantic a year ago, I would not have believed it.

I blinked at the receipt in the box. There was no price, but it was from…years ago. It was shortly before I had turned twelve…

Had he had this for seven years but never…

Gosh.

I watched the sun rise outside, the necklace around my neck and Itachi's jacket on me still. I heard Naru get up and his dad tell him not to wake me up. It was without thinking I would have an Uchiha in the tree in front of my window. Once upon a time, Itachi would be on a branch to slip in my room. Now I had Sasuke, who was gesturing me to come with him. I opened the window.

"Meet me downstairs," I told him before closing the window.

I spent hours with Sasuke, who did not know what to do with Itachi being…in surgery. I took him to lunch.

"Mom is restless," he finally said as we were waiting for our food. "She didn't like that Nii-san left before we were up, but I don't blame him. She can be…very overwhelming."

"She's a mom, it's normal. Enjoy having someone to fuss over your wellbeing while you can." He blinked, taken back. "What?"

"Nothing." Our food arrived. "It's not as if he was going to die anyway." I raised a brow as he cut into his meat. "It's Nii-san, he's not going to die."

It dawned on me Sasuke had never seen someone close to him die in his life. Despite being a shinobi, this…view of life had not been broken yet. Bad things happened to other people but not him.

He was not aware of his loved ones' mortality, or even maybe his own to its full extent. Itachi was in a massive surgery and the thought something could wrong and take his brother away from him had not…crossed his mind.

I decided to keep my mouth shut. It was…between Sasuke and his brother.

"Do you want to swing by the hospital to see how it is going?" He nodded and I left money on the table for lunch. "I have a new sword I have to show you."

"Really?"

"Yeah, it's a clan heirloom, Aunty helped me unseal it. It's connected to my Ice Release." He stopped in the street.

"Can I ask you something Nee-san?" I nodded. "Can I be your apprentice?" I choked on my spit.

"Sorry what?"

"I can't go on missions, I'm stuck in the village and you're here, so you could teach me things. Nii-san can't for a while and Kakashi is avoiding me since I tried to leave." I flicked his forehead.

"It was a dumb thing to do." He rubbed his forehead with a frown.

"I know. Thing is, I'm bored. Sakura is Tsunade-sama's apprentice now, and Naruto's going to leave with this weird guy."

"His name is Jiraya and he is one of the Legendary Sanins, even if he looks and acts dumb." Naruto was leaving with him in a month, after almost begging his mother. She wasn't sure if Jiraya-san was a good example to follow, and she was not entirely wrong. "What makes you think I'm good like these two?"

"I don't have much hope for you to be honest." I deadpanned at him, and he tucked his hands in his pockets. "But you're good."

"You're lucky I love you Sasuke," I retorted coldly. He was not impressed. "I have shit to deal with in the hospital as well, seriously the second I know your brother is fine I'm getting in as well."

"After then." He looked at me up and down. "But you look good to me."

"I 'look'. It doesn't mean I am." I sighed. "I don't even know how long I am in the village for."

"Come on!"

"I'll…think about it, okay?" He nodded and we reached the hospital in silence.

When I spotted the many Uchihas in the lobby, I turned around immediately. Sasuke followed me without a word.

"They won't say anything if you're with me," he stated seriously.

"Still, it's…family, clan, all of that." I leaned against the wall of the dark alley I was in with Itachi this morning. "Can you…go there and ask about your brother?"

"Are you sure you don't want to get inside?"

"…pretty sure."

I had not seen Uchihas since I had gotten back. The way I was looked at years ago and how it had escalated at the Police Station before I left had left a bitter taste in my mouth.

It took Itachi a couple of hours of being in and out of sleep before being really awake. His whole body was sore, especially his chest, and he was very tired, but he was alive. More importantly, the weight in his chest was gone.

"Itachi?" He blinked at his mother. She smiled at him and gave his hand a squeeze. "Hi."

"…hn…"

"I am going to get Tsunade-sama, but everything went well, and you just have to rest now," she assured him warmly, her hand patting his cheek lightly.

"Mom…" She glanced at him, now up. "…love you…" She smiled.

"I love you too. I'll be back quickly."

He turned his head to the other side, the sun shining on the village. He was not sure what time it was, or how long the surgery had been, but it was so sunny outside.

He felt so good too.

"I'm glad to see you awake," Tsunade stated as she entered the room. The white of her coat was very white. "Everything went well. You are going to stay here for a week due to the important work we have done on you, then you will be resting at your place with the less movements possible. You'll stay in bed as much as possible. Then you'll come back, I'll give you a check-up and we'll talk about rehabilitation once the cut has heale…Itachi?"

"The coat is very, very white…Oh hi Mom…" His mother and Tsunade shared a look.

"It was a major surgery, he's on the very good stuff," the Senju explained simply.

"At least he's a happy morphine-user," Mikoto sighed. "You can give me the details."

"There is one thing that is important. We didn't harm his heart, but we had to touch it to remove the parasite. He needs calm and quiet to keep his heartbeat as normal as possible."

"Of course." Tsunade glanced at him, and he smiled weakly. He really couldn't see the resemblance between her and Akane, or her dad.

"It means no girl." Mikoto raised her brows and glanced at him, who was crestfallen. "He gets it."

"But I want…" He sighed deeply.

"We'll talk about that secret girlfriend of yours later," his mother told him.

Akane and him were not even…maybe they could be soon? How nice would it be to be back together, and then get married and wake up next to her every morning, on his own and then by their wailing baby? It was his dream now. Have a family with the woman he loved was his end goal. Not Uchiha Itachi's goal, not Itachi of Konoha's goal, but Itachi's goal, the one who had to put the others before himself his entire life. He had a right to be happy.

His father and his clan be damned. He knew his mother would love to have Akane as her daughter-in-law. Sasuke was already calling her "nee-san" after all…it would just make it official…

Later in the day, his brother visited him. The pain on his chest was waking up, just as he was getting down the cloud he had been on since he was awake.

"Mom said you were high," Sasuke said before he had even closed the door.

"I had my chest cut open," Itachi reminded him with a smile at the corner of his mouth. "I hope I didn't ruin your day."

"No, I was with Nee-san, she didn't look good." Sasuke raised a brow when the ECG spiked for a second. "She's not coming right away." He furrowed his brows.

"Why?"

"Our clan is crowding the hospital because the heir is in a precautious position." He rolled his eyes and rested his head in his pillow. "She saw one she almost ran away." He wasn't surprised. "She said she'd come later."

His heart would be fine if he just saw her and talked to her.

"That thing you had…it's really gone now, isn't it?" Sasuke asked him more quietly. His brother had always been good at not talking about how fatal his disease could be.

He was well aware of it though, Itachi knew that. He gestured his brother to come closer and poked him, although with more difficulty than usual, on the forehead. His arm almost fell back on the mattress as if it weighed a ton.

"You'll stop doing it only when you die or if you lose your hand," Sasuke muttered in annoyance as he was rubbing his forehead. Itachi smiled faintly.

"There are cards in my bag."

His brother stayed with him until his dinner arrived at six. He fell asleep shortly after but was woken up a few hours later when it was dark outside.

"Shit," a female voice cursed, and he smiled to himself.

"Sweetheart?" There was a pause.

"I didn't want to wake you up." Soft footsteps stopped next to him, and a cool hand cupped his cheek. He opened his eyes and turned on the lamp on his nightstand. "Tsunade-san came to tell me I could not kiss you."

"Akane…"

"Hum?"

"I'm high on morphine again…" She chuckled.

"That is not something I thought I would see one day." He caught a glimpse of red around her neck.

"Have you seen the words?" he asked her quietly. She took a sharp breath.

"I did. I was…shocked to say the least to see what it was, or when you purchased it." He sighed as she ran her finger on his face. "But I was touched. You don't get to make me cry with a necklace 'tachi." He chuckled. "Not funny."

"It is…a little…" She shook her head. "Hug me please."

"So, you have some morphine and you become needy and demanding?"

"Please?" he repeated with a pleading look in her eyes.

"Stop it with your kicked-puppy look," she muttered as she lay down on the bed next to him. She put her arm around his waist and her head in the crook of his neck. He leaned his cheek on her head. "The second the ECG spikes up I'm out of here."

"I love you too…" She opened her mouth but stopped when she saw him staring at her lovingly.

"Of course, I love you," she whispered.

"Will you come back tomorrow?"

"I can't. Now I know you're fine, I'm dealing with my headaches." He tried to kiss her when she raised her face to him, but she dodged. "Itachi."

"Just one," he pleaded in a whisper. "Just one, tiny kiss."

"No." He blinked and turned his head the other way. "Really?" He didn't say anything. "Fine, I'll leave." He caught her hand just before it was out of reach. "I'll kiss you when I can, happy?"

"Be mine again," he asked her quietly. She blinked. "Be my girlfriend again."

"Huh…that's…huh…"

"I love you." She gulped and cupped his face with both hands.

"Ask me again when I have told you everything. I think it will make you reconsider." It would not. He knew it would not.

"Okay…" She smiled and there was a sound coming from the ECG.

"And it's my cue to leave 'tachi. Rest, heal, get better." She left in an Hiraishin.

Itachi sighed a little.

She had not said "no".

I was getting an MRI and a battery of other exams. The day was long and exhausting, and I listened to Tsunade-san's medical mumbo jumbo without understanding everything.

"In simple words, you have an accumulation of the energy there is in your arm in your brain, and it is feeding the part of the brain that makes you feel sad, anxious and depressed. On the long-term, it will progressively destroy your brain."

"Huh. I could have told you that." She gave me a pointed look. "Other than that?"

"Physically, you're perfectly fine. Mentally, far from it." I averted my eyes. "Pretending everything is fine until you can't is not a good way to deal with your feelings, and you're a special case. You need to cope in a healthy way."

"Give me one person in our line of work who copes healthily."

"My granduncle," she replied almost immediately.

"The guy was from the Warring State Era, it doesn't count."

"Still, you're going to spend a few days in the psychiatric unit." I widened my eyes. "Minato gave me the green light and you need to see a therapist and have a full mental check-up." I swallowed my saliva with difficulty.

"Is it…really necessary?"

"You already know the answer to this question." I stood up. "Come back at ten tomorrow, the sooner the better." I nodded. "As for the headaches, I am going to have Minato and Kushina have a look at your seal. They could come up with something to reduce the energy flowing in your body."

"Okay."

"However, Akane." I glanced at her. "I know it hurts but see the pain as a good omen. Your body is fighting, and pain is probably the result of your body fighting off darker thoughts. It's better to have this than see you leave in the middle of the night for a suicide mission of your own." I pursed my lips.

"Of course."

I went home without hurrying. The psychiatric hospital? Was I already crazy? With the wars and all of those awful things shinobis were exposed to, I didn't want to hear the screams of those who were too far gone in their PTSDs.

I could hear voices when I reached the house. When I was in front of it, I took a deep breath and opened the door. Minato was in the hallway in a second.

"You can't enter the kitchen yet." I raised a brow. "Naruto is cooking with Kushina for you."

"Oh. I am…flattered." He didn't look sure of it. "Do you know where I am going tomorrow?" His face became more serious. "I see."

"I am not trying to trap you or any…" I interrupted him by hugging him.

"Thank you." He hugged me back awkwardly. "I'm afraid that I will leave the place worse than I already am."

"I asked Inoichi, he knows what to do." I sighed.

"I hope so. Thanks Oji-chan." I left his embrace and entered the kitchen.

Later, when I was in bed, I realized I had called him "Oji-chan". I had not done that since the Kyuubi attack.

The next day, he was with me when I was admitted in the hospital.

Thanks for reading. I hope you have liked it, please do let me know in reviews! Thanks to the Guest for the reviews!

Bye!