"Nee-chaaaaaann!!!"

I caught my bombshell of a little brother as he launched himself at me, and smiled. He beamed at me, wrapping his little arms around my neck and clutching me tight.

"Did you have a fun playtime with Kiba, Naruto?" he nodded his head vigourously, and I was certain it might roll off of his shoulders. He was only five, making me twelve, and a Chunin, having been out of the Academy for a year now, and taken the Chunin exams with my team in the same year. My team had been pretty miffed about that though; I had been the only one to make Chunin. They were both quite... obnoxious, though in different ways to each other, so I enjoyed rubbing it in their faces. Because I'm mean like that.

But my goal is to become an ANBU, and protect my family, so I can't afford any slip-ups, can I? Although I admit, my life hasn't exactly ran smoothly. I failed the Graduation exam twice, and was the weak link in my Genin team for a long time, so I'm glad to have finally pulled ahead and put my gift and my brain to good use.

"Yeah! We saw Sasuke an' his Onii-san at the park that Hana-chan took us to, an' he played ninja with us!" I shifted him onto my back, and he kicked his legs happily.

"Man, Kaoru, your little brother's so well behaved!" I looked up and my eyes met Hana's. She had been in my class at the Academy, and was a good friend. "I wish Kiba had his manners."

I smiled wryly, reaching back to ruffle Naruto's hair, making him scowl. "Yeah."

"Nee-chan! I'm not a dog!" Naruto swatted my hand away, and I chuckled. Hana smiled, raising an eyebrow, and I saw Kiba standing behind her leg, staring up at me. He was always really shy around me, for some reason that I couldn't quite decipher. I think he had a bit of a crush on me, which I found quite sweet. He is very cute. I gave him a smile, and he blushed, then grinned back.

"Well anyway, we best be getting back. Thank you for looking after Naruto, Hana." she smiled, waving it off.

"It's cool. You'd do the same for me." I smiled and nodded, then nudged Naruto.

"Say bye to Kiba, Naruto." he grinned, and waved hyperly over my shoulder.

"Byeee Kibaa!!" he yelled, right in my ear, and I winced, but smiled.

"Bye Naruto!" Kiba grinned and waved back. The two were still waving by the time I was halfway down the road, until Hana eventually grew impatient and pulled Kiba inside. I chuckled; that girl had so little patience. She did really care for Kiba though, I could feel it.

The happiness and excitement radiating off of Naruto was nice, and made me feel energized. It was a nice break from the constant stoic attitudes of those other chunin I was helping on that escort. Oh, and don't forget the snobbish, bossy attitude of the escortee. Her bad aura was giving me a headache, so the light, relaxed atmosphere that my little brother radiated was nice.

At times, though, it could grow rather tiring. His constant energy wore me out, so I occasionally dumped him on whoever would take him (usually the Hokage or Hana) and go find the peacemaker of my existence. Itachi.

His lack of emotions was relaxing, since I can feel any emotion within a certain radius, so he was sort of my sanctuary. Plus, if an emotion is particularly strong, it rubs off on me, too. That's why I hate conflict. Other people's hurt and anger effects me, making me hurt or angry too, for no reason. And there is nothing more frustrating than fruitless anger.

I do remember, a long time ago, over five years I think, when my mother, Uzumaki Kushina, was alive, and was pregnant with Naruto. I must have been about seven at the time, and had asked if I could feel the baby. Such pride and happiness radiated off of her, that I started crying, just as she was. It had made perfect sense to me at the time; if my mother was crying then why shouldn't I? But then I had figured out that it was more than that. And that it was loosely related to the seal on my forehead, that I cover with my headband.

But no matter. My gift comes in handy sometimes, and even if it was a burden, there wasn't anything I could do about it.

Naruto and I exchanged a small conversation, mostly about how he was upset because Shikamaru couldn't come out to play, because he had a 'funky injection'. I had laughed at that. I think he meant to say 'fungal infection', but the actual words he said brought a very strange mental image, to do with the Nara boy and funk styled fashion.

"Nee-chan?" Naruto spoke in that dreaded, pleading tone of voice, that tone that he only used when he wanted something. I gave him a sideways glance, not wanting to be broken by his big baby blues that he knew all too well I was a sucker for. "Pleaaase can we get ramen for tea?"

I sighed in relief; that was all he wanted? Ichiraku's was just down the road, thank goodness. I was too tired to argue, and I just thought hey? Why not? He's been a good kid, so might as well. I couldn't really be bothered to cook, anyway. I was pretty much exhausted, having walked all the way down to a small village that was in the mountains about twenty miles from Konoha on that escort. That's why Hana had Naruto. Because I had a mission, and I didn't want to leave Naruto home alone, though he insists that he could manage. The Inuzuka's are also one of the few families that aren't funny about Naruto because of the Kyuubi.

"Why not?" I replied, and continued down to the ramen store, while Naruto cheered, yelling happily.

"Ah, Kaoru-chan, good to see you! And Naruto-kun too!" Ayame smiled, and I gave her a small smile in return.

"Good evening, Ayame-chan." Naruto said something along those lines too, then tugged slightly on my hair. I rose an eyebrow at him, and he pointed, indicating that he wanted to hurry up and sit down. I smirked a little, then pulled him off of my back and sat him down at the bar.

"So, what'll it be, Naruto?" Taiuchi asked, and Naruto kicked his legs happily.

"Ooh, ooh, I'll have a miso ramen please, Jiji!" we all smiled at his antics, and then I ordered and we ate and left. Noting much exciting happened, but I decided to take Naruto out somewhere. There was something I wanted to show him. I picked him up and ninja-hopped to the park, taking to the roofs with a fast run. We made it on time, but when we got there, I saw two people already in our spot. I shrugged, going over, seeing who it was.

"Oh, Itachi, Sasuke! Hey!" I had been hanging around Naruto too long... I wasn't usually this bubbly. I smiled, and Itachi looked up at me from where he was sitting with Sasuke on the grass. Apparently he had had the same idea as me.

"Oh. Hello, Kaoru. Hello Naruto." he said, not smiling, but he I could feel that he wasn't displeased or anything, so it was okay.

"Hiya Itachi and Sasuke!!" Naruto said happily. Sasuke smiled and waved meekly at both of us, and I smiled at him. He's so sweet.

Naruto ran over to talk to Sasuke, and I spoke to Itachi, "Mind if we join you? We came to watch the sunset."

He shrugged passively, and I plopped myself down in the grass. "How was your escort?"

I grimaced slightly, and he eyed me, his amusement subtle, but most definitely there. I decided to answer cryptically. "All went to plan."

He merely rose an eyebrow, and I looked away. He watched me for a few seconds, and then I cracked. "By the end of the mission I felt like smacking my client around the diameter of Konoha multiple times."

He smiled slightly, evidently suppressing a chuckle. I didn't notice, but I could feel his humour at my suffering. "He was obnoxious, snobby, a pervert, and didn't seem to understand the meaning of 'personal space'. I had to walk in between two Chunin just to avoid being groped!"

Itachi seemed to be thoroughly amused by my tale of woe, and just watched me rant.

I sat back on the grass, folding my legs, and leaning forward, my elbow on my knee and my chin in my hand.

I perked up when the sun just started to sink under the horizon, pulling Naruto down on my lap and cuddling him close, resting my chin on his head. The blonde spikes in my vision reminded me of when I used to get piggybacks from Otou-chan... the main reason why I often did this.

There were small gasps of appreciation and wonder as the sky bled all different colours, and I was suddenly filled with childish fascination; both my own and that which radiated from the two infants.

Itachi was watching us all with amusement, and I chose to ignore it, allowing myself to dwell in the fantasies of happy families while the sun still cast a magical orange glow on the world, shielding me from cold reality.

But, sadly, as quick as the sunset had begun, it ended, and my world was oppressive once again.

Closing my eyes, I chose to stay like that for a minute; surrounded by friends and my dear little nuisance of a brother. I would have been content staying like that forever. But, unfortunately, Naruto had other ideas.

"Nee-chan..." Naruto broke of with a large yawn, his eyes drooping, "Can we go home now? I'm tired..."

I smiled at him, carrying him with me as I stood up. I shifted him onto my back, and his head dropped gently against my neck. "Come on then, let's get you home. Bye, Itachi, Sasuke."

Naruto waved sleepily as we turned away, and the two Uchiha siblings waved back. How Sasuke was still perky at this hour, I don't know. Even I was tired.

Once we got back to the house, I went and put Naruto in his bed (he had fallen asleep on the way back) and went and had a shower, then changed into my pyjama's and wandered the house for a bit. The whir of the fridge and ticking of the clock were the only noises, apart from the odd stir from Naruto. It was nice and peaceful here when Naruto was asleep; no conflicting emotions to keep me awake.

We lived in the old house now. The one that my mother and I lived in before her and Otou-chan got together. Everyone expects me to not remember it, but I can. I can remember it well.

I went into my room, straight over to my bed, and sat down on it, my chin on my hand. My gaze wandered the room, then fell on my desk. I had several photographs on there, in frames. One of me and Naruto, one of just Naruto, one of me and the rest of my Genin squad and sensei (taken before I became Chunin obviously) and one of Itachi and I. There was also another couple of framed pictures in the draw, but I kept those in there for both personal and non-personal reasons.

The other pictures in the draw were variations of me, Otou-chan and Okaa-san, sometimes without one or two. I had one of my mother when she was pregnant, beaming at the camera that dad and I had snuck a photo of her with (not very well as she saw) and she had a large wooden spoon in one hand and a bowl of chocolate cake mix in the other. The cake mix was also on her face; we had caught her red-handed.

I also had one of Dad, (I had gotten a camera for my fourth birthday from Jiraiya-jii-san, which was why I had so many pictures) in his Hokage robes in his and mom's room, looking very uncomfortable. This one made me smile, since he had always hated the Kage robes. There was also one of both Mom and Dad together, smiling at me with the camera, and a few with me and one or both of them.

I felt a tear roll down my cheek as I looked at all of the printed memories. They were never coming back. I'd never feel the warm embrace of a true parent ever again.

Of course, I knew that Dad wasn't my real Father... but he'd been a father-figure for so long, and he was more of a Father than that scumbag that did such horrible things to me was in five seconds than my real father had been in two whole years. And it pained me to know that two good people like mom and dad were dead, while that maggot of a human being was still alive, enjoying his life that he gets in Konoha's prison. I had sworn, and I'll swear again... if I ever meet that man, I will kill him.

I put the photos away, sure to shut and lock the drawer properly. There were two reasons I didn't leave them out; one, every time I see them I cry. And two, Naruto's not supposed to know his heritage. And if he found out that the fourth Hokage was his father... none of us would ever here the end of it.

Wiping my eyes, I laid back in my bed, pulling the covers over myself and shutting my eyes. I had a long day tomorrow... Auntie was coming over. I needed to be well-rested.

Well there you go! Second chapter! I hope this sort of explains Kaoru's character and position, and also her perspective on things.

And how'd ya like Itachi, huh? OOC, or not OOC?

Well, please comment and vote please!

Or even fan! It's nice to feel loved!

I just want to feel loved... (￣ー￣)