Itachi 7

Before we start, I have an announcement of great importance.

This story is very close to becoming discontinued. Why? Because:

OUT OF THE FORTY-SOMETHING READERS, ONLY TWO HAVE COMMENTED. TWO!! So that's only two comments in seven chapters (including the prologue), and that's not good!! Because if I don't think people are enjoying my story, then I stop writing! It's not that difficult to comment, just go to the bottom of the page and click the box, then type what you thought of it, and click submit! Even on the mobile version (then you just go on story info, and go on comments)! So you guys have no excuse!! Seriously!! I need feedback, or I just completely lose the motivation to get the next chapter out! So please please please comment!

Okay, rant over. For now.

---

I flew a good foot and a half away, before I started to fall. The cliff face rushed by along with the rest of my life, and I was surprised at how calm I felt. I was going to die.

"KAORU!!"

That voice... Itachi...

I suddenly felt extremely angry at myself. How could I give up so easily?! Itachi was up there, holding his own against the Akasuna no Sasori. How could I leave him like this, alone?!

A burning sensation worked it's way over my skin, and my teeth suddenly felt uneven in my mouth. I felt a cold sensation fill my insides, then suddenly flame extremely hot, filling me with power.

I acted fast, pulling a scroll from the pouch on my thigh and casting a series of fast hand seals. "Kuchiyose no jutsu!"

I put my hands together and then out, sending the sudden new, electric blue chakra I had out into the air. Then, I felt a thump as I landed on something, and felt soft fur beneath my fingers. I twisted my fingers in it.

"Senpai? Are you okay?" Ibiri asked anxiously, and I nodded.

"Yes. Just please, get me back up to the top." I croaked, the power fading fast and leaving me feeling drained and tired. The large ninja cat nodded at me, then threw herself at the cliffside, using her chakra infused claws to rocket up the edge.

Once there, I saw that Sasori was gone, so slid off of my summon, thanked her sleepily, seconds before being turned and analysed by a worried Itachi.

"Are you okay?!" he demanded, and I blinked, briefly noting that he had removed his mask so that those beautiful dark eyes could meet mine- ...wait, what..?

I just nodded, slightly shocked that Itachi was showing so much emotion. I had never seen him so worked up before.

But, just like that, he stepped away, and the blank mask was back. "We need to get back to Konoha. Hana hasn't got long."

I looked to the girl, my friend, who was clinging to life by her fingernails. I went to step, but fell to one knee, clutching my leg from the pain. Ibiri was at my side in an instant.

"Senpai, your leg is broken." she said worriedly, and I grunted. I must have not noticed from when Sasori hit me. I noticed Itachi watching me again, and stood up, steadying myself againstthe giant cat beside me.

"Ibiri, help me walk." she seemed to want to argue, but I gave her a look, and she nodded. She helped me over to Hana, "Itachi, help me get Hana onto Ibiri's back."

Itachi nodded, and as soon as we had secured the now unconscious girl to the cat's back, I sent her off. "Run ahead to the Leaf village, and hurry."

Ibiri nodded, and shot away. I looked to Itachi, "You can go ahead too if you want. I can get back on my own."

He shook his head, and moved to stand beside me, taking my arm and holding it around his neck, then wrapping his arm around my waist. I blushed slightly, and looked away, and we started to walk.

"If they come back, you're in no condition to defend yourself. At least Hana has a ninja cat with her." Itachi explained, and I nodded.

"Umm, thanks." why was I suddenly so embarassed? It was only Itachi. The same Itachi that I had known since we had both had to go in to the Academy because of Naruto and Sasuke getting into a fight when they were four. Funnily enough, the two were now almost inseperable, best friends in their own strange way.

But that didn't explain why I was suddenly so shy of Itachi, though. I couldn't seem to pull away from how right it felt to have his arm around my waist, and the two of us so close together that his body heat was radiating to me.

Okay, stop right there. Was I really thinking this way about Itachi, of all people?! He's one of my closest friends, and has been for years, and I've never thought like this before!

The walk was silent, and rather awkward. I guessed I was the only one feeling awkward, since Itachi seemed to be as calm as ever. Stupid unfeeling Uchiha making me so confused.

By the time we reached the gates, I was glad to see a few shinobi from the medical core waiting for us. I was put on a stretcher and rushed away. I looked back to see Itachi, struggling to stay upright, and I tensed, but calmed when he was taken away too. I had forgotten until now, when I was actually in a hospital bed, about his poisoning.

It was odd, though... he hadn't shown any sign of pain on the way back. And yet, usually, Sasori's poisons were fatal. At least, that's what the information said.

I cried out in agony as the med-nin re-set my leg, then bandaged it with a splint. I grit my teeth at the throbbing pain in my limb, toughing it out until it dulled into the background.

"You should stay overnight, just in case we have overlooked something. We are going to run some blood tests for poison, but if all's clear," I winced and looked away as she slid her needle into my arm, "then you can go home tomorrow."

I nodded, laying my head back on the pillow that was so thin that really, there wasn't any actual point to it being there. Fortunately, I was too tired to care, and fell asleep with ease.

---

"Nee-chan!" my eyes slowly opened at the sensation of being shook vigourously. I scowled, sat up, and brought my fist down on Naruto's head.

"Jeez, baka, I'm trying to recover here!!" I scolded. Christ, I'm home two minutes and already my little brother is getting on my nerves!

"U-um, sorry Uzumaki-san, we tried to stop him, but-"

"No worries. He's my brother, so it's all right." I told the stammering nurse, and she bowed, and shuffled out of the room. I then glared at Naruto. "Ever heard of manners?!"

He puffed out his cheeks. "Well, sorry for being worried about my nee-chan."

I sighed, then grinned, and pulled him into a head-lock. "Well, I'm all right, so there's no need." I ruffled his hair, then turned it into a hug. He curled into me, hiding his face in my stomach.

"I was so scared, nee-chan! When they told me you were in the hospital, I thought that-" I felt slight dampness on my shirt, and frowned.

"Shh, it's okay, I'm fine. Hopefully they'll let me out today, so I can come home. Then I'll take you out for ramen, yeah?" He sat up and nodded, unshed tears still glittering in his big blue eyes. I smiled sadly, and wiped them away on my shirt. It was untrue, how much he looked like Dad. "Go on, go back to school. I'll see you at Ichiraku's later."

"Oh, but nee-chaann..." he whined, and I gave him a stern look.

"Go." He pouted, and slid out of the bed, then left, muttering to himself.

A few minutes later, a nurse came into my room, holding a clipboard. "The test results are in. You are unpoisoned, so you can go home as soon as you are ready. There is a crutch on the side that the Doctor wants you to use to get around."

I nodded. "Thank you."

I felt rather subdued at the moment. I had been thinking for a long while, (I had woken up at around 2am and been unable to sleep for a long while) and had come to a conclusion on something that made me frown. I was a rational person, at least I like to think so, but the two conclusions I had drawn both seemed unlikely. The second one, however, seemed more likely than the first, but I had to ask Hana something before I came to a decision.

Once I was dressed and sorted, I went to reception. Someone had left a t-shirt and shorts in my room on the bedside table, since my clothes were dirty and torn. My ANBU mask was also there, which confused me, since I didn't remember picking it up after it fell off back by the cliffside. I guess Danzo sent out a retrieval squad.

"Where's the room of Hana Inuzuka please?" I asked, using my polite-but-demanding indoor voice. With these people you have to be firm, or they never give you want you want. They'll just muck you around.

"R-room 107." she stammered, and I smiled slightly menacingly and left to the corresponding room. Ha, I have so little patience with these people. So scared of ANBU, even if they are on crutches.

I suppose they are kind of right to be, though. A single rogue Leaf ANBU has been known to take out about forty civilians, and some shinobi in one attack. And even then, the only ones that could stop them was a squad of, what? A squad of other ANBU.

And that squad just so happened to be the rogue ANBU's ex-squad. I mean, I know we're supposed to be blank and uncaring, tools for our village and all, but that's a little harsh. That's like if, say, now that Fiore's rogue, Hana had to fight him. We all knew she had feeling for him, so him being a spy must have hit her hard.

I knocked on the door, "Hana?"

There was no answer, so I pushed the door open, only to see Hana laying, asleep, bandaged thickly around her stomach and head. She looked a bit like someone had started to mummify her, but then got lazy and left the job half done. I smiled at her peaceful expression, and turned to leave, only for a voice to stop me.

"Kaoru?" I turned back around, to see Hana slowly sitting up, wincing. I moved closer, knowing not to help her. She was a typical stubborn Inuzuka, after all.

"Hey, how're you doing?" I asked, sitting down on the bedside chair, and she tilted her head from side to side.

"So-so." she said, then scowled, "I'd be a lot better if they'd let me go home, but that won't be any time soon."

I laughed, "Yeah, guess not."

She laughed a little, then winced and stopped. The painful expression then disappeared, and she looked at me curiously.

"So what brings you here? I'd've thought that the moment you were discharged you'd run straight home." she said, and I smiled, a little awkwardly.

"Ah.." I paused, shrugging my shoulders and leaning my elbows on my crutches. "It's a bit of a difficult subject..."

"It's about Itachi." she concluded, a smirk on her face when I didn't deny it. I just nodded, just managing to keep my face blank.

"It's just.. well... what did you mean the other day, what you said in the kitchen?" I asked, changing my question at the last minute. Hana frowned at me, but then a thoughtful expression came onto her face.

"Oh! Just that, the getting you a new headband and stuff was Itachi's idea. He paid for most of it too, but then we don't all have as much money as the son of the Uchiha clan head." Hana said jokingly, and I nodded, filing the information away for later use.

Itachi seemed to be being especially kind lately. It was kind of weird.

"He cares about you a lot, you know." the sudden statement brought me out of my reverie, and I looked up to meet Hana's now very serious expression. I flushed pink, and stammered,

"W-what do you mean?" I tried to shake off the blush, but it didn't work very well. Hana stayed serious, surprisingly not mocking me.

"When you were thrown off that cliff, I was only just conscious, but I could still tell how distraught Itachi was. I've never seen his so upset before." I looked down at the floor, processing what she'd said. Just as I was about to say something, I sensed another presence in the room.

I looked up and growled, "What do you want?"

The ANBU interrogator spoke in a blank, toneless voice. "I'm here for the misdion report. Noone reported back to Danzo-sama, and Itachi-san and Fiore-san are unavailable." I noticed Hana stiffen at the mention of Fiore, and forced myself to stay calm. "Where is Fiore-san?"

I frowned, seeing Hana's upset expression. "Look, now isn't the best time, if you could come back later-"

"Danzo-sama wants the briefing ASAP." the ANBU cut me off, and my frown started to shift into a glare.

"Come back later, my teammate is unwell and you are distressing her." I said angrily, through gritted teeth.

"I have to insist that-"

"No, I have to insist that you please leave, I'll do the mission briefing myself later! Now get lost!!" I pushed the masked-bastard out of the room and forcibly slammed the door, having to use just one crutch. Hey, I might be on crutches, but if all else fails, I'll poke 'em in the eyes. I am not in the best of moods, so don't. Freaking. Test me.

I sat down on the edge of Hana's bed and pulled her to me, strokin her hair. "Shh, it's okay."

"I thought- he cared about- me." she muffled, and my eyebrows pulled downwards sadly.

"I know, I know. He tricked all of us, don't feel bad." I said calmingly.

After a while, Hana had recovered from her upset brought on by that jerk of an interrogator, and sighed.

"You know what? Who needs 'im?" she said, a slightly shaky grin on her face. "I'm going to throw a party. Everyone can stay the night at mine, to celebrate."

This confused me. "Celebrate what?"

"Having gotten rid of the traitor in our midst!" she crowed, then waggled her eyebrows. "And maybe celebrate you and Itachi getting together...?"

I rose an eyebrow, trying to play off the slight blush with nonchalance. "What makes you think we would?"

"Oh, puh-lease! Everyone knows you two like each other!!" of course, this then brought on yet another HUGE blush, which in evidently Hana's mind, was proving her right.

"Do not.." I muttered, folding my arms and tapping my heavy-casted foot on the polished floor. We had had this argument before, and I'd always been certain that I didn't like Itachi in any way other than friendship, but now I wasn't so sure. That was one of the conclusions I came to last night, after all.

Hana didn't say anything, just sat there looking smug. I sighed.

Then she finally decided to speak again. "Well, anyway, I'll clear it with Ma. We'll stay in the barn out back."

"Barn? I had no idea you lived on a farm." I said, and Hana grinned and shook her head.

"No, we live in front of a farm. The guy that owns it has a son that fancies me, so I'll get the son to persuade his dad to let us borrow it." I rose my eyebrows. You sure can get on in life if you know people, huh?

"Obviously, this'll have to be after you get out of the hospital, Hana." I pointed out, and she grimaced, then nodded.

"Yeah, yeah."

---

"Nee-chan! You're late!" Naruto wailed as I arrived, huffing and panting. "I'm starving and I don't have any money!"

"Sorry, sorry, I had to hand in the mission report 'cause Hana and Itachi are still hospitalised." man, running with crutches is hard. By the end of this ordeal, my upper-arm strength is going to be amazing!

"Why couldn't Fiore do it?" Naruto asked grumpily, as we pushed the noren (*decorative curtains) aside, and entered the ramen bar. My expression darkened slightly.

"Fiore's... gone.." I said slowly, not really wanting to say any more than that. Naruto didn't need to hear about all of this yet.

Naruto frowned, somehow already slurping noodles. I ordered mine, and then he asked, "Gone where?"

I sighed, "He's gone rogue. Left the village."

Naruto's eyes widened; he had always liked Fiore, since he came over to ours a lot, being a fellow orphan. "What?! Why?!"

I looked down at the steaming bowl of noodles, "Turns out he was a spy."

"A spy?! Fiore?! No way!" he exclaimed, then went back to slurping noodles, a little sadly, "He seemed like such a nice guy."

I just stuffed a load of noodles in my mouth. "Mm."

---

Whew!! That was a long chapter!!

Btw, I have kinda screwed up the events in the plot line of this story. It's really chizzed up, you'll see when you read.

Also, FRIGGING COMMENT!! Or I won't want to update. Seriously, I'm an attention whore (I've said so once already in another story) so I won't update if I don't get feedback! VOTING ISNT GOOD ENOUGH! I WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK! xD

Sayonara mina-san!