Okay, so... I actually intended for there to be about three more updates – one for every active story I have – today, but due to some... Emotional difficulties, I'm going to try my best to just get everything updated this week. Why? Two reasons. One – Thursday is Thanksgiving for us Americans, and I wanted to give to all the readers I am so thankful for XD Yeah, super cheesy. I know. Secondly I wanted to update everything today (and failed) because, well, today's my birthday... U^.^ Yeah, tried to give you guys more of a present. I failed. Anyway – enjoy.

*~*~*~

Kill.

Sasaui eyes twitched as they tried to open. But they wouldn't. It felt like someone had glued them shut. Frowning, Sasaui tried to raise her hands to rub her eyes. Like her eyes, her arms twitched, but didn't move.

Kill.

The word rang forth once more, echoing until it faded into a whisper. Something warm brushed against her arm. Sasaui flinched, but she couldn't get away. Whatever had touched her increased the pressure. The heat grew. It slid around her, encircling her. From there it increased the area, covering her entire torso. All the while, it grew warmer.

Kill!

Sasaui's eyes finally shot open. With the final shout of the word, her body had begun to feel like it was on fire. She screamed. It wasn't only because of the scorching temperature enveloping her – it was also what was causing it. There was a large red aura in front of her, part of it swirling around Sasaui where the heat was. Crimson eyes shimmered within the aura, its glare focused on her.

An outline began to in the middle of the energy. It broke apart to reveal a muzzle filled with fang. With a roar, it shot forward. Sasaui shrieked once more, darkness closing in on her as the aura beast devoured her.

The heat didn't stop.

If anything, it grew worse, sinking deeper than just her skin.

It was so, so hot.

Everything burned.

*~*~*~

"Sasaui?"

The voice barely registered before Sasaui moved. It was quick – instinctive. One moment she was on her back, and the next she was in a crouched position, her hand encircling flesh. It all happened so quickly Sasaui ended up blinking trying to take in what was around her.

The first time she opened her eyes, she thought she saw a flash of green light. By the second time, though, everything else came into focus. Her hand was wrapped around Itachi's arm, and beyond him was white curtains. For some reason, he was stiff, his lips a straight line. She had only ever seen him like that when he was scarily serious, and he never had been like that around her.

She blinked, opening her mouth to ask what was going on, but then everything spun. Her legs gave out from beneath her, leaving her sitting on a soft surface. The fatigue that must have always been there rushed forward. Sasaui's chest rose and fell at a rapid pace as she huffed for breath. Sweat drenched her, some dripping down onto the bed she sat upon.

Itachi watched her for a moment longer. "Sasaui?" he repeated.

Sasaui's chest felt warm, a slight throb occurring as she rubbed it. Although aware she should answer Itachi, instead she looked around. As she had noticed previously, there was a white curtain behind Itachi. It extended half way around the pale blue bed she had awoken from. Swiveling around, she saw beige walls with a large window. Sadly the view only consisted of the side of another wall.

"Sasaui."

His voice was as scarily calm as his expression, forcing Sasaui to finally give him her full attention. Something about his presence tickled a memory in the back of her mind. Her head hurt when she tried to pull at it. After a moment, she frowned and gave up.

"Itachi, am I in a hospital?"

Even as she spoke, once more she felt the beginning of a memory form. This time it slowly added shape. There was Itachi in a room, as well as the Hokage. A form wiggled on the ground. Something about the figure made Sasaui's chest ache even more.

Itachi paused for a moment before slowly nodding. "Yes, that's where we are."

It was so odd. The last thing Sasaui remembered was practicing throwing shuriken and kunai. As she thought about it, she glanced down for the first time. Hanging around her was a white gown, but she could see white linen wrapping around her torso.

Something had damaged her chest. The same place that had hurt so badly during her dream.

Throwing practice. Returning home. Running from Naruto to pull a prank-

All it took was thinking his name. Her entire body stiffened, the day replaying through her head. The murderer who had almost taken her life. Naruto getting beat down for trying to help. Itachi taking the man down. And then Naruto... Sasaui started to tremble as the rest played through. The aura. The chase. The attack.

The urge to kill Naruto.

Tears dripped down Sasaui's face as her chest constricted. Breathing felt nearly impossible. The image of Naruto lunging for her just wouldn't go away. Those red eyes were burned into her memory. Those eyes filled with the same murderous intent she had felt toward him.

They were the same eyes from her dream.

"Itachi," Sasaui breathed in between catching her breath. She reached out, grasping the material of his shirt. "Naruto tried to kill me."

Despite his need for him to be there, Itachi gently removed Sasaui's hand from his sleeve. Her arm dropped to her side. Itachi peaked around the curtain. A moment later he returned to his seat next to Sasaui's bed. His expression had softened, adopting a reassuring smile rather than his straight-lipped appearance.

"Sasaui, I'm going to need you to listen to me, okay?"

The young child crossed her arms, fighting back the sobs that threatened to overwhelm her. If he needed her to listen, it was important. There was no reason to be afraid. Itachi was safe. Itachi wouldn't hurt her.

But she had thought the same thing about Naruto.

Once Sasaui had finally gotten her sobs somewhat under control and stared at Itachi, he took it as his cue to begin. "I am only telling you this because the Hokage gave me permission given what happened. You are not to tell anybody – that means Sasuke as well. You got it?"

Sasaui's head moved down a smidge before returning to its original spot.

"Promise me," Itachi demanded.

"I promise." Speaking felt funny. It was like talking around a big piece of food stuck in her throat.

With a sigh, Itachi leaned forward. "I had really hoped you would just forget what happened," Itachi said. "But, as you haven't, I guess you have to know now." Sasaui simply stared until her brother continued. "You have heard of the Kyuubi attack five years ago, right?"

Even if she was unsure of what this had to do with Naruto, Sasaui nodded. Everyone in Konoha heard of it at some point. The Fourth Hokage had given his life in order to stop the raging nine tailed fox demon. Iruka-sensei had even mentioned it when going over the history of Konoha.

Now that she thought of it, Sasaui had believed Iruka sent Naruto a strange look during the discussion.

Itachi finally dropped his gaze, instead focusing on his intertwined hands. "Well, when the Fourth Hokage sacrificed himself, he didn't actually kill the beast. Instead, he sealed the Kyuubi into a newborn child."

Sasaui opened her mouth to speak, still unsure of how this had anything to do with what happened, but then the bud of an idea began to bloom. From descriptions she had heard of the fox, it had nine massive tails and fiery orange fur.

As well as crimson eyes.

Just like the ones that had glowered at her as she stared at Naruto.

What little control she had gained broke as the tremors returned with renewed force. Itachi had been watching as it all processed, and now slipped into the bed to wrap his arm around his younger sister. Sasaui buried her face into his chest, gripping his shirt as her tears stained it. Maybe it couldn't take the experience away, but it assured her that Itachi – one of the people she felt safest around – was around her.

She had nearly lost her life.

Naruto had nearly taken it from her.

Because Naruto – her best friend and one of the only people outside her family she truly felt safe around – was a demon.

*~*~*~

She could sense him coming up behind her. It was no surprise. He had been denied access to visitation, and more than once Sasaui had heard the ruckus keeping him out caused. Naruto had been persistent, even attempting to beat up a nurse to try to get past.

In the end, he failed, and so he did not see Sasaui for about a week. It had nearly been longer. If not for Itachi, Sasaui didn't think she could have even gone to school. After Sasaui had finished crying, Itachi had asked Sasaui if she would be able to be around Naruto again. He declared he would come up with some excuse for Sasuke when Sasaui said she couldn't, providing her the relief of having Sasuke support her.

But that meant Sasuke didn't know about Naruto. No other child did but herself. It was oddly quite heavy having such knowledge, but Sasaui didn't voice her want for Sasuke to know the truth as well. Itachi asked her to stay silent, and when Father finally had a moment alone with her, he reiterated the need. Except Father expanded to saying Mother couldn't know either. Yet another odd request, but something Sasaui just accepted with a shrug.

"Sasaui," Naruto huffed from behind the twins.

The Uchiha girl flinched, a chill crawling up her spine as she turned. She sagged slightly when she saw Naruto with his normal blue eyes. They weren't the Kyuubi's crimson red. It was okay.

It took all Sasaui's will to keep the tears away. It helped when she finally forced a smile on her face. "Hey, Naruto."

Either sensing her unease or knowing his sister too well, Sasuke stepped forward just enough his shoulder blocked half of Sasaui's figure. It was a discreet movement, but it didn't matter. Even before Sasaui continued, Naruto knew.

It had only been for the briefest of moments, but when Sasaui had first looked at him, her expression had revealed the truth. Rather than the thrilled gleam in her eyes that she always had when she first saw Naruto, Sasaui's onyx eyes had been alight with one of the two emotions typically sent his way.

Fear.

Sasaui was staring at Naruto with the same fear most of the children held. For the small moment it was clear, Naruto had felt his world stop. His lack of breath was no longer because of his run to catch his friend. Even as his world began to move once more, it was only for it to begin shattering. Bit by bit, the light that had shone in the world since he met the Uchiha children began to go out. What was lit was no longer as bright, and the shadows suddenly seemed longer and darker.

Naruto had thought he may have finally found a family. But now he was losing them.

Missing the shift in the blond boy, Sasaui simply rubbed her solar plexus. Even if she was unaware of how badly Naruto would hurt, she knew that breaking off their friendship would not be easy on him. But she just couldn't stay around him anymore.

He tried to kill her. Naruto was a demon. Maybe scarier, she had wanted to kill him. Nothing about their friendship was safe.

"Sorry you couldn't come visit," Sasaui said.

It took Sasaui a moment to recall the story Itachi had given her, but the entire time it took her to think, Naruto was quiet. Oddly he was just then beginning to straighten from his crouched position. Every movement was slow and precise.

"I guess the whole situation with the attacker made Father rethink some things." Sasaui's heart twisted as she thought about what she was going to say next. "He says he thinks you're holding me back, and that people of the Uchiha clan cannot afford to allow that to happen."

Even Sasuke winced as Naruto's mouth began to open and close. Sasaui refused to look, but she could almost feel the plea in his gaze for her to say something else. To smile and say it was all a joke. Or that she was going to stay friends with Naruto still.

Both children knew that wasn't coming. But Sasaui didn't know that Naruto could tell she was lying. There was nothing gained by pointing it out though. Not after the fear he had seen.

Naruto nodded, his hands curling into shaking fists. "I get it," Naruto snapped. He gulped, but it did nothing to help the tightness in his throat. "I'm nothing but a burden, holding back the great Uchiha, huh? Not even worth your time?"

The tears burned, her stomach churning as Naruto's anger struck out. Sasaui's chest ached, but the words actually hurt more. Sasaui crossed her arms. Her fingernails dug into her arm, but it didn't redirect her pain like she wanted.

"I will show you!" Naruto declared. Much like Sasaui's eyes, his glimmered with unshed tears. "I'll become so great I'll beat all the Uchiha." The challenge set, Naruto spun on his heel and sprinted in the opposite direction.

Sasaui's legs gave before Naruto even passed the Academy gates. She faintly heard Sasuke snapping at any curious children to go away. Not that it mattered. Sasaui could care less what they thought.

It was amazing what could happen in the matter of a few days.

In that time, two hearts had shattered.

*~*~*~

Not much, I know. More of a transition into the next chapter, which may be the last one for Sasaui's arc. It was just something of feels really XD What did you guys think? I tried to utilize repetition, and also I feel like I do better with third person omnipotent... So I kind of slipped into that XD Let me know your all's thoughts.