Okay, so in thanks to those who read and reviewed "A Gift to the Uchiha" months ago, I'm pleased you loved it enough to ask for more even though I made it loud and clear you can't make a sequel for the sake of it, and it's TRUE - but now with rewatching the original anime arc in which Itachi when he and Kisame first show up, following Orochimaru's near destruction of the village and the death of Hiruzen Sarutobi, Third Hokage. You know the rest. Now Hanaru is along for the ride...

For those of you who didn't read "A Gift to the Uchiha", I really recommend it before this to avoid confusion.

Disclaimer: obviously, nothing is mine - and disappointingly includes the otherworldly sexy Itachi Uchiha. Except Hanaru.

Who would have thought that the nefarious Itachi Uchiha would find the love of his life in a brothel within the Village Hidden in the Rain of all places?

He had been brought there for his eighteenth birthday to lose his innocence to a random whore, courtesy and encouragement of his fellow Akatsuki, if Kakuzu bitched about wanting better things to spend the money on...but that night had also been the best of the Uchiha's life, if he said so himself. Once in a while, his pride would be dropped to see if something new was worth vulnerability. Even if it was in the form of a young woman who had been on the move much of her life, working in different places to survive. If only to get away from the very village she had been born, for she had lost her family the night the Nine-Tails attacked thirteen years ago. Hanaru Namikaze, the daughter of the Fourth Hokage who gave his life for the village he loved. Had things been different, had she stayed and he'd never killed his clan - had the coup never been planned - he was sure that his parents would have approved of her. He didn't know about Sasuke then, but he was sure otouto would have accused her of stealing his big brother from him.

That night he got her story out of her and then shared flesh, sweat and the sweetest sensations he never knew could exist - he would never admit to the others that they had been right in that he wouldn't regret it.

However, when it was over, he never did plan on asking her to run away with him.

This...look-alike female version of Naruto Uzumaki...she had been here for survival means, as previously stated, and a pure one in body and heart. She matched him in body, but not in heart. His was blacker than the pits of hell. She would be tainted by being bound to a rogue Shinobi, but she had also grown up in the care of another - Jiraiya. Next time I meet with him, I must speak to him. He deserves to know, and the next updates within Akatsuki.

He doubted the Toad Sage would easily let his charge be left in HIS care of all places, but Hanaru could stand on her own toes without him. What would she face without him?

Months ago, he met as the secret informant of the Leaf Village, to give Jiraiya the Toad Sannin the updates on the Akatsuki's activities; it had been his mission by the Third Hokage to ensure the shadowy organization wouldn't go anywhere near their beloved village. Task complete, his clan exterminated to protect the village, his little brother alive...but now Sarutobi was dead, and his brother had not improved. Months ago he'd seen it himself.

"You're still too weak. You don't have enough hate. And you know something? You never will."

It had been so many years, but he was pleased with one progress: Sasuke learned the Chidori from Kakashi. He would have struck Itachi well when he and Kisame arrived for Naruto, the Kyuubi host, but his emotions drove him well enough to lose the fight. He rushed in without a real plan in mind, naiively believing he could save his best friend from his worst enemy. However, Itachi admired that his brother had found someone close enough he could call cherished enough to protect.

Jiraiya had arrived in time to save Naruto, even if the Uchiha had to keep his cover and pretend to be the enemy. Kisame may be his partner, but he would never have to know because their reasons for killing comrades differed greatly. The former Kiri-nin was a thug who got lost in the mist, as he told the shark man when they were assigned as partners.

I killed for the sake of my village and my brother.

I acted on orders.

I never had a choice to forge my own path.

I was a pawn my entire life.

I will die young - at my brother's hand - as just penance.

It had been confirmed then and there that Jiraiya would be training the Uzumaki child - to know that the container of the Nine-Tailed Fox was under the tutelage of one of the legendary Sannin made the Uchiha smile internally that the boy was protected to an extent. But with more time, he wanted to see how the blond child - the legacy of Hanaru's father, the Fourth Hokage - would progress.

She'd been away from Konoha since she was a toddler, so what if she knew about Naruto, or at least that he was the Jinchuuriki of the Nine-Tails? Itachi never bothered asking her. He didn't want her involved with Akatsuki activities. She didn't push him, either. She knew the Akatsuki were planning something. As long as she didn't get in it with Leader, she would be safe.

Ever since Orochimaru left, the rest of them split up. The snake wouldn't be top priority, for he always slipped away like the wily creature he was, but Pain would never let it go. Someday they would get him as they'd get all the Jinchuuriki. It was something Itachi loathed; he hated to collect the Tailed Beasts, but with his beloved Leaf, he had to protect Naruto Uzumaki especially.

He'd seen it in Hanaru's eyes that she had an idea why he and Kisame didn't get the Kyuubi especially. She was very perceptive. She was a rare woman.

A year had gone by since he'd claimed her from the brothel in Rain. She had not been under contract, and Kakuzu unsurprisingly opened his mouth about spending more money in "buying" the girl off. Great Leader - even though only he knew WHO was, not Pain - did approve, as long as she didn't interfere with anything. He had nothing to worry about. The other fools couldn't stop talking about it when they returned to base for next assignments, then part off with their "respectable" partners.

However, to ensure she wasn't Akatsuki - in the eyes of the world - she continued to live as a woman on the move, having odd jobs and taking care of herself. She would be a short-time waitress or assist with the fields, and surprisingly, any childbirths if no one was available. They would be separated until he and Kisame returned for her. When he came back, he allowed a small smile to take place across his face at her in civilian clothes and assisting with a newborn being placed in the arms of its mother. She looked tired, her fair hair out of her eyes and in a messy bun. A few stray strands were plastered to her glistening forehead. A different image from the first time they'd met at the brothel. But her smile was sweet as spring flowers when she helped the kindly elderly physician assist mother and child, taking the baby to be washed.

Kisame chuckled. "Heh, your girl really isn't like the others. Are you going to thank me yet for putting you up to bringing her along?"

"You weren't alone in this. And no, the only thing I will thank is her being in my life."

She was a gift I received - but she is not a trophy. Nevertheless, it is my duty to protect my mate.

Right now, he sat on a cliff overlooking the land. Kisame was busy in the distance, beyond the forest, and engaged with the Four-Tails Jinchuuriki. Another to take and extract. There still left Naruto Uzumaki's Nine-Tails, Killer Bee's Eight-Tails, and the Six-Tails remaining at most. But he had no part to fight this current. It wasn't the first time, and it wasn't also because he was a naturally born pacifist.

He didn't feel right. His lungs had been tightening in the last few days, and only this morning, he began to cough a little bit of blood. Thankfully his partner hadn't noticed. He didn't let it show, but he began to panic, knowing it was severe and might interfere with his plans with Sasuke...the little fool who went off to the snake.

Itachi had been staring off into the distance when he heard the sound of a body being dumped to the ground. He halfway turned around. "Kisame, you're back."

The shark man grunted and prodded the unconscious form of Roshi of Iwagakure with Samehada. "It was very difficult to fight him without killing him," he said, but his eyes gleamed. "He put up quite the fight." Of course, they all do.

Itachi closed his eyes. He didn't want to look at the man anymore, knowing what would become of him. He just wanted this over with and then to fetch his lover. And to find out what was wrong with him and make damned sure it didn't end his plans for his brother and himself...

Hanaru...I'm sorry I dragged you into this.

~o~

What few knew was that she was a dancer. Jiraiya-sensei had seen it before, but he didn't teach her. If you must ask Hanaru Namikaze - also known as Uzumaki because of her mother, and little brother who did not know of her existence - she taught herself how to dance. She'd learned basic belly dancing, kabuki and traditional kagura.

She'd just finished assisting in delivering a mother in childbirth, and both her and the baby were doing so well. The pay was good, but all Hanaru cared about was helping these two which made her think about the family she no longer had. She tried not to shed tears. She never became a true Shinobi, but she knew how to take care and defend herself. Jiraiya would be gone much of the time, and now she learned he was training her brother. She hadn't seen Jiraiya, but she knew Itachi was his informant as to what was going on within the Akatsuki. Oh, she'd heard of them, but she'd so far been away...

...until the night he came along and got her for himself.

Hanaru had no real desire to become a prostitute, but what options had there been when she arrived at Amegakure? That place was hard to infiltrate, but she wasn't a real danger as she'd been seen. Umeko was kind to let her in, but no contract written. Hanaru refused to be bound by paper. And besides, this place was also one Jiraiya would be peeping in for what he called his "research". She could just imagine poor Naruto going through that.

How difficult was it, knowing her baby brother she hadn't seen since she was a toddler, living a horrid orphaned life being abused verbally and physically by the villagers - when he had no say in having the fox demon sealed by their father? He should have been revered, but those who fought that night knew the truth, which would have stained Minato's name if anyone knew. That was why she had been sent away safely, so she wouldn't be targeted for being the sister of the Nine-Tails Jinchuuriki.

That was also why she was afraid to tell Itachi this part of the truth.

He was after Naruto. She didn't talk to him about it, but she was aware of enough. She wasn't completely stupid, if he thought she was.

Her lover whom she ran off with, as well as his partner who was...civil with her, were elsewhere, probably getting another Jinchuuriki, but she did not want to know which. She hoped it wasn't her brother...

In the meantime, she did what she did best, and that was getting an odd job until they came back to get her. A brothel was out of the question now that she was with the infamous Itachi Uchiha now.

Here she was in this town's local tavern, and in a rather revealing costume. It was the old one she used to wear at Umeko's place. Her skin broke out into sweat at the drums and shamisen lute being played, her body moving on its own at the tale of two wandering warriors after a battle in the mountains...

...but then a strong hand grabbed her wrist and pulled her off the stage when the fantasy moment was over. Reality always kicked in.

"Hey, sweet thing, want to have a drink with me?" the man drawled, but she stood where she was after regaining herself, raising both hands before herself without touching him directly on the chest. He wasn't bad-looking, but he had stubble and dowdy, dirty blond hair. She smelled the liquor on his breath. She'd encountered these types before.

Hanaru knew a method that would work. "You're not thinking clear," she told him calmly. "My fiancé will be here any second."

She'd called Itachi the man she was going to marry even though they were far from that. He was always on the run, which meant little time for any kinds of permanent happiness, such as marriage. But while Hanaru understood why, having seen and been with him in the process, she really wanted one thing from him if she'd lose him one day or even his own life: marriage.

The man laughed as he looked around, but it was clear he saw only half of this and half of that - and failed to see the man in mention as well as his partner behind him. "Now, I have heard that before. But, doll, you're simply trying to get away from me, arre yooouuu?" He drew the last couple words into her ear long and hard, the foul stench of booze on his breath that it made her stomach queasy.

"You would do well to release her."

That voice. Deep, velvety and warning - come to her rescue.

Her attacker whirled around at the source of the voice only to come face to face with bloody, vicious red eyes swirling with the black tomoe turning into lethal pinwheels as a threat. "Wh-what? Oh, hell, you're -" He didn't get to finish as he was thrown across the other room. Itachi Uchiha's eyes reverted back to gray-toned onyx then. He wasn't wearing his Akatsuki cloak, only his dark navy tunic and fishnet undershirt, his headband removed. Truth was no one cared in Amegakure, but he was never one to chance unless necessary.

Hanaru glared down at the fool who groaned and tried picking himself up. She could have punched him if she wanted to, but he proved more for her in the heat of the moment. She also hated drawing attention to herself - attention that had been brought on when the man she loved came to her aid.

And who now looked down at her with sore displeasure at finding her here, in a tavern and a revealing costume, almost getting assaulted by a low-life like the one who began spitting curses at them as they were leaving. She flinched at the firm, tight grip he had on her upper arm as he pulled her away. When they were a safe distance from the bar, he picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder, her stomach pressurized by his hard shoulderblade. "Could you put me down?!"

"Be quiet," was the cold reply. "You've brought enough on yourself tonight."

~o~

He had come to collect her now only to find she was in a tavern wearing a revealing costume which was the one she wore when they first met. He admitted she was beautiful as ever - but with all those men ogling her! His blood boiled. Before he came, he removed his cloak and headband, appearing average, but if anyone recognized him, who would care in Rain lands?

He and Kisame returned with Roshi, the Four-Tails taken out, and his body disposed of near his old home. Deidara flew on his bird to abandon the corpse, taking the job off Itachi's hands, because the blond teased him about wanting to "go be with your girl until Leader wants us again". Itachi narrowed his eyes before taking the advice. But when he and the ex-Mist nin arrived where he'd left Hanaru, he was in for a disgusting surprise.

Before that, he found himself entranced at the sight of her dancing body, like a goddess, but it was only for HIM and not the ones watching her. Kisame even whistled before he threatened his partner with the Sharingan. That shut the shark up immediately, before commotion brought their attentions to none other than the sight of his prize being manhandled by an imbecile who clearly had one too many. Snarling, Itachi wondered how dare the bastard think he could touch what was already his. He was about to step in when he heard Hanaru speak as she tried to wriggle her way out.

"...fiancé will be here any second."

Fiancé.

She had called him a man she wanted to marry. But he chose to dwell on this another time, for right now, he rushed in to the rescue. He was no savior, but she couldn't help herself now if she wanted to. Or could it be she didn't want to cause a greater commotion than already?

"You would do well to release her," Itachi said icily, and when refused, his fist sent the man across the room before he made way with Hanaru out the front door by the arm, and slung her over his shoulder when they were safely away. She cursed and furiously fought him back. "Be quiet. You've brought enough on yourself tonight."

"Oh shut up, Itachi! I am not a child!" He tried not to roll his eyes; by the sound and look of it, she was. "You don't get to carry me all the way like this -"

Itachi's patience thread snapped. He stopped where they were now, beneath a tree and in time for the rain to begin its new downpour. "What were you thinking in doing something like that while I was away on important business?" She stuck her chin out at him and folded her arms across her chest. "Kisame and I leave for two weeks, then I arrive and see you on the verge of being ravaged in public against your will. You would have been had I not stepped in." She scoffed and turned her face the other way. He'd had enough of this.

"Hanaru Namikaze, not only that, but you are the daughter of the late Fourth Hokage. That puts you in a delicate position..."

"Delicate position!" she countered, whipping her face around to glare at him. "I'm by no means 'delicate' as you put it, Itachi Uchiha. My parents have been dead since before I could even remember them. I don't need or want a man's protection, or did you forget about that the night we met?" she sneered.

Itachi sighed and closed his eyes. That memory was treasured, but to be used against him was another matter entirely. She was his, but he never treated her like an object. A man's duty, no matter any circumstances, was to protect his mate at all costs. He hadn't been here when she was almost...he would not have made it in time if the extraction hadn't been completed before today. "Hanaru, I beseech you to not fight with me on this." He loathed begging, but what could he do now?

Hanaru turned away from him and resorted to punching a tree, which he thought was very "mature". "Beseech me, huh? Or were you standing on your pride when you saw? You thought I'd be unfaithful to you?" she went on furiously, turning around halfway and glazing in the eyes. "Or is it that you see me as more of a burden than you thought you would?"

Something inside Itachi tore up at the word she used: burden.

She feels she is burdened, because I have "important" matters rather than her. She thought she knew what she got herself into when I took her with me, but she has never endured what I have. She had been too young at the time of the attack of the Nine-Tailed Fox.

But then again, he'd been six years old, and holding his baby brother who was a few months old, at the time. He remembered it like it was yesterday. Having experienced war, hell and his first kills at the tender age of four.

"No, Hanaru," he rasped, looking up at her. "You're far from a burden. I am merely looking out for you." He took a few steps her way, but she slinked back as if wanting to be as far away from him as possible, which wounded him immensely. "I will never view you as -"

Itachi was cut off at the tightening of his lungs, and he heard the choking escape his lips. Gasping, he fell to his knees. The constriction became painful to the point of causing his vision to go white - and the blood appeared on his hand, before his eyes as soon as his vision cleared, made her gasp as well.

"Oh, God, Itachi..."

He found himself leaning forward and coughing up more blood. The pain was terrible. Before he'd come to collect her, he'd visited the physician and got the results which were positive. He'd been given a prescription, but he would have to speak to Konan about this as she was kind enough to ensure her followers weren't mistreated this way. All of them were required to do what was expected of them; other than that, they were treated equal and therefore not dictated.

By the gods, this had to happen at a time like this. I need to take my -

His body seemed to have a mind of its own when his hand reached into his pocket and pulled out the bottle of medication given to him - Ame did have good medical treatment, as best as it could be - but then the one treasure he'd gotten for her fell out as well, though he paid it no mind as he popped open the top of the bottle to grab a pill to toss into his mouth to alleviate the agony ripping through his system. He barely heard Hanaru demand to tell him what was wrong with him; the taste of his own blood and the bitter medicine made his stomach roll over. He closed it in time just before he fell to the ground and passed out - but not before a flash of blue came before his vision.

~o~

The ring had a round sapphire, set on simple silver, and on either side were little diamonds. To dreamy young girls, it was a fairytale come true.

And after testing it about on her hand, finally reaching that finger...she realized why Itachi had gotten it just before he came to her rescue. He had meant it as a surprise to her all along, on last minute notice, but they still needed to talk about this, and she understood why.

Itachi was dying.

It was still in the early stages, but without proper surgery - and due to his status as a missing-nin - he had a year or two to live, continually to prolong via the medication he'd been given, and Konan who was Great Leader's right hand was the one to oversee it for Itachi herself. She was the only woman in the Akatsuki as far as Hanaru knew. She suppressed a small smile at the knowledge that she wouldn't have been the only one. It had taken a few months or so to manifest, according to the physician, but the surgeons here weren't as capable without help from anyone in Konoha, and they weren't allies. Plus, they'd suffered years of civil war, widows and orphans and so on, famine - but even though things were now stable, it wasn't anywhere near the way she would have grown had she stayed in the Leaf Village.

Hanaru felt like she was on autopilot. Kisame had to make the joke of "trouble in paradise" when he brought up the argument after they got her unconscious lover - now fiancé - away to the local inn before they would all set out again. Then she would find another job that wasn't a dancer or prostitute, just to make him happy. It was a sacrifice she was forced to make.

Itachi awoke after she tended to him, washed him after stripping him down, and he awoke naked in bed, the blanket drawn over his body. He shivered, however, but offered a weak smile at the sight of her. "H-Hana-koi," he murmured, reaching up to caress her face, then looked at the hand she placed over his, seeing the winking jewel that he'd gotten to debate with Kakuzu over just for her.

"Forgive me, love," he rasped after a light cough, nothing too harsh, then squeezed his eyes shut. The creases in the lids loosened when it was over. "I never should have..."

She shook her head. He was apologizing after a near-death situation - but death was going to claim him one day sooner or later. "Itachi, don't talk," she said harshly, looking up when Kisame walked in with a tray of food from the innkeeper and his wife in generosity. "In fact, there is nothing to be sorry over. I'm a grown woman; I have heard worse than what you said."

He sighed. "A man would never accuse his woman of such things. I cherish you as I still my little brother...even if I still face death by his hand as it is written," he said, and that was when the dark shadow fell over them both.

I should have tried harder to get him to walk away from this. But he's dead set on it. He feels he deserves it because he had to kill his clan...and his brother is the one to do it.

It was then and there she swore she would never enjoy meeting Sasuke Uchiha, if the chance were to happen.

Hanaru leaned over and bowed her head, laying against Itachi's strong bare chest, melting into the sound of his gently beating heart. She tried her hardest not to cry again. She wanted only to enjoy what little time she and Itachi had left, not to worry about the future. She wasn't a Shinobi, but his number would one day be up.

"But in the meantime -" Itachi's grip tightened around her hand, the one that held the glowing sapphire. "- will you do the honors of becoming my bride?"

Since Naruto timeline is a bit strange, it's unspecified when Itachi and Kisame retrieved the Four-Tails of Iwagakure. It was also unclear WHEN our beloved Uchiha fell ill before he faced Sasuke one last time. While I was in process of bringing this to life, I had at first thought that after he met Hanaru, it would be the reunion between him and his little brother - but then my man suggested that the reunion and death of Sarutobi was BEFORE. So here it all is.

Given this, I am thinking this will be a small series at most, so I don't know when the next will be up. Review please. :D