(takes deep breath) Well, here it is, the final chapter of this fic! It took quite a while, that I admit... still, as usual, I hope it's kinda worthwhile. Be warned for two reasons: firstly, the part when they visit Natsuko is scrapwork galore (I lost an important piece of paper (ARGH!!!), so I had to re-write quite a few parts -.-), and secondly, it is a long chapter! Sorry about that, but when I was done, I just couldn't find a suitable spot to break it up into two parts. I really didn't think it would turn out to be quite this long... ^^;

And remember: I said it would be AU later on, hence the ending!

I hope you'll enjoy it anyway! I pray that you will...

In the evening of the very next day, Itachi lay on his bed, absent-mindedly gazing at the ceiling. He was finally beginning to relax, and even though it was just minimal, it was a start. He deeply detested the way the police had gone about their investigations when they had demanded to talk to him earlier. It was uncommon for them to beat about the bush, and it had made Itachi sick since he knew from the way they looked at him and treated him that he was their prime suspect.

That had made him lose it for a moment as he had attacked them. He had fully meant every word he had spoken. The clan, the clan… it was always the clan. It seemed as if they had no other interests in life besides being oh-so-obedient servants to an ideology based on lust for power. And history showed that too much of that eventually led to one's downfall, but not before bringing misery upon many innocent people. In this particular case, that misery would come with the actual rebellion of the Uchihas, which would most likely result in a civil war, and those always claimed many innocent lives. That had to be stopped, and Itachi knew that although he tried to avoid violence whenever he could, he would do anything to help avoid another war – even if it meant wiping out the entire clan. The Hokage was still trying to negotiate peacefully with Takeshi and the others, but by the looks of how it was going, there wasn't much to hope for.

Needless to say, Itachi's attitude and the speech that went along with it hadn't sat well with Fugaku at all. When he had told him to come inside after talking the police out of arresting him on the spot, that had meant going to the study and enduring yet another lecture about why one shouldn't stray from obligations, especially if they had to do with the clan.

Itachi restrained a sigh and thought about the look on Sasuke's face when he had passed him by on the way inside. The boy had looked so bewildered… and almost afraid, certainly because he was so worried that Itachi would get taken away. Although he knew that Fugaku was watching his every move, Itachi had stopped for a second, giving Sasuke's hair the briefest ruffle ever. There simply wasn't time for much more. Sasuke had made a movement like he wanted to latch onto him, but Fugaku had swiftly intervened, barking at Itachi to get a move on. The elder hadn't seen his sibling since: although he outranked his father as a shinobi, he had been advised – read: ordered – to go to his room and straighten out any issues he might have with the future.

The prodigy knitted his brow as he wondered what Sasuke would say to him next, now that he had witnessed his brother being accused of murder.

Just about then, he heard hushed voices outside his door. He turned his head and raised an eyebrow ever so slightly.

Then someone knocked.

"Yes?"

The door slid open, and Mikoto entered. Itachi watched her approach him hesitantly, looking as if she wasn't supposed to be here. Before she reached his bed, he noticed a movement at the door. Someone peering around the corner, eyes big and full of insecurity and worry. Itachi's breath nearly hitched, and even though he wasn't exactly feeling great just then, a spark of happiness came up within him when he saw Sasuke. He wanted to invite him to come in as well, but when he was about to do that, Mikoto knelt down right in front of his bed. Itachi stared barely past her shoulder, but Sasuke shrank around the corner and out of sight again. Sighing, he focused on his mother instead.

"How are you, Itachi?" she inquired, taking great care to keep her voice down.

"I'm fine," he answered flatly.

She smiled – but it was a sad smile, the type of which Itachi always thought that it didn't suit her – and gently put her hand on her older son's cheek. Itachi took notice of the rueful expression she wore: the one that often appeared after having pointless and tiring arguments. For her, it had been a very long evening, although the same could most certainly be said for everyone else in the house as well.

"I'm so sorry, dear," she murmured, caressing his cheek.

"It's not your fault, okasan," he told her.

"I wish I could do more for you…"

"You already do plenty."

"But you would tell me if there's something else I could do for you, wouldn't you?" she asked softly.

Itachi tried to smile at her, but he had only just begun to do so when he knew that he would fail. He guessed that at best, he looked as if he were about to be sick. "I would."

She nodded, but continued to look rather miserable. The new developments as of recently were taking its visible toll on her, but unlike Fugaku, it hadn't changed anything about her view on her children. Her equal love for both of them remained unchanged.

"No matter what happens, I will always be here for you. I'll do anything I can to help you," she assured him as her hand left his cheek, gently laying itself on his hand.

"I know. Thank you," he said. He could imagine himself smiling slightly at this point, but whether he really managed that was something else entirely.

"I should go now," she whispered. "Your father is expecting me, and in a while, he will come up to check on you. I thought you should know that."

"Am I mistaken if I assume that you shouldn't be here… with me?" Itachi inquired casually.

She shook her head. "No, you're not. I really shouldn't be here, but I couldn't stand the thought of just coming upstairs without checking on you." She breathed a kiss onto his forehead, then stood up and headed back to the door.

"Okasan?"

"Yes, Itachi?" she asked, turning around once more.

"What are you really supposed to be doing?"

She smiled. "Putting Sasuke to bed." Of course, she didn't fail to notice how Itachi perked up at the sound of his brother's name. And as if on cue, Sasuke stepped into view again, still with that same look in his eyes. Mikoto crouched down and told him something that Itachi couldn't understand. Sasuke nodded almost timidly, then received a brief, but very loving embrace from his mother before she rose again and stepped aside. He slipped past her, then the door closed, and the two brothers were plunged into darkness. The curtains were drawn, so not even the moon's light could illuminate the room. A few seconds later, a light was turned on next to the bed, and Sasuke watched the silhouette of his brother move as he sat up.

"Sasuke…"

"Aniki…!" It was almost a whimper instead of the joyous cry that Sasuke usually uttered when they met. He fiddled with his bangs while he looked back at the door, as if fearing that it would burst open any second now and he would get caught by their father. His brother called out to him again, thus regaining his attention. And when he looked back to the bed, he saw Itachi spread his arms just a bit, reaching out for him in a silent invitation.

Recognizing the one offer he never missed out on unless it couldn't be helped, Sasuke swiftly crossed the room, reaching out to fling his arms around Itachi's waist as he went. But the elder didn't let that happen: as soon as Sasuke reached him, he hoisted him up onto the bed, and Sasuke ended up wrapping his arms around Itachi's chest instead, snuggling up to his upper body.

Itachi held him close, smiling genuinely for the first time since Shisui's death. He guessed that Sasuke had no idea how much this meant to him. After all he had seen and heard today… the new side of his brother, the accusation and God-knew-what his father had told him during dinner… after all that, he could have chosen to avoid him, but here he was again – here in his arms, the place he only reluctantly left once he was there. Itachi knew that Sasuke wasn't quite sure about this, but love and concern had driven both him and his mother to secretly disobey Fugaku.

"I'm so glad you came, Sasuke," he muttered, running a hand through the boy's hair.

"I was so worried, nii-san." Sasuke fidgeted and wriggled out of the embrace so he could stare up at his sibling. "I thought they would take you away… and you were so angry…"

Thinking back on that situation chased nearly all the warmth away from Itachi's eyes. "I don't appreciate it at all if people say one thing while their behavior clearly says something else. It's dishonest and sneaky… purely despicable."

Sasuke cringed at the tone of voice his brother used. It had a sharp edge to it that he had heard only once so far: when they had come home after their first kiss, and Fugaku had tried to separate them. Otherwise, Itachi had been indifferent at best, but never so disdainful. He looked away nervously, wondering what he should say next. But before he could decide on something, a hand laid itself comfortingly on his cheek. Slowly, he looked back at Itachi. The look in the other's eyes said it all, yet he spoke aloud all the same:

"I'm sorry, Sasuke. I got somewhat carried away and didn't mean to unsettle you."

The younger Uchiha blinked, marveling at this sudden change in attitude and expression. When Itachi looked at him like this, he always found it rather hard to believe that he might ever get angry again, or that he ever had been. All he saw now was his loving older brother… who had been accused of a most horrid crime. Speaking of which…

"Aniki, I don't get it… how could they think that you did such a terrible thing? Why would you kill Shisui? He was your best friend, and best friends don't kill each other… right?" he added almost timidly and looked up in time to see Itachi close his eyes. Even then, Sasuke could sense that he was very troubled – but like his mother, he just thought that he was grieving deeply over the suicide of his best friend. They didn't know that he was still struggling to come to terms with the notion that all accusations were justified, since he really was Shisui's murderer.

"Some people do, Sasuke. I know people who have done exactly that," Itachi pointed out. 'And I am one of them now…' With a soft sigh, he lay down, facing the door.

Frowning, Sasuke crawled closer to him, lay down on his stomach and tugged at his sibling's shirt. Itachi opened one eye just a bit. Sasuke offered him the best smile he could manage in his state of worry and concern.

"But you wouldn't. I don't believe you'd do that," he told the elder before lightly kissing his cheek, hoping to make him feel better, if only a little bit. He hoped to return the favor that Itachi had done so often for him.

His spirits took flight when both of Itachi's eyes opened again and his brother rewarded him with a soft yet infatuating kiss on the lips. The touch didn't last very long, but it was by far enough to make Sasuke long for more.

"Nii-san…" he breathed when Itachi's lips left his.

"Sasuke, I appreciate all of this very much, but perhaps it is for the best if you'd go now. I would never forgive myself if chichi caught you here just because I have tempted you," Itachi whispered.

"I don't want to leave…" Sasuke whined, but slid off the bed nevertheless.

"I wish it wouldn't have to be this way either, but it is my greatest wish to keep you safe from harm. Go to bed, Sasuke… and sweet dreams," Itachi told him.

Sasuke regarded him wistfully, but trusted what his brother said. "Sweet dreams, aniki," he murmured in response, and before Itachi could stop him from doing so (even if he had wanted to), he leaned forward and fleetingly kissed him on the lips before retreating to the door. There, he stopped to look back once more. Itachi raised one hand in a final goodbye gesture, and Sasuke waved back at him before slipping out of the room and closing the door behind him.

Once he was alone again, Itachi's smile ran away from his face fairly quickly as he thought about the firmness in Sasuke's voice when he had claimed to be absolutely sure that the charges against his older brother weren't justified. He trusted him so much… In moments like this, he almost wished that Sasuke wouldn't believe in so much goodwill – it would make it so much harder for him to learn and accept the bitter truth that his idol's hands would forever be stained with the blood of one of his most precious people.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Two days later, Mikoto knocked on the door of Shisui's home.

"Okasan, what should I say? I have no idea… you know… besides «I'm sorry»…" Sasuke said, fidgeting.

She put an arm around him and patted his shoulder. "Honey, don't worry about that too much. It's more important that you're here at all; I'm sure your company will do Natsuko well. That goes for you too, Itachi," she added softly, glancing at her older son.

"Hn," was the only response he gave, his facial expression not changing at all. His eyes only partially gave away how sad he was, otherwise one would have described him to be as inexpressive as a puppet.

Mikoto sighed ruefully and gently made him come closer to her before lightly kissing his forehead just beneath his bangs. Itachi allowed her to do that, but didn't react to it in any way. Sasuke looked up at him worriedly. Ever since he had snuck into the elder's room two days earlier, Itachi had become almost eerily silent – and indifferent, like now. Mikoto had said that he was probably bottling up his sorrow, and by the way her voice had sounded, Sasuke concluded that that wasn't a good thing. And of course he didn't want anything bad to happen to his brother because of that. He reached out, wanting to touch him in the hopes of triggering some sort of reaction – anything was better than simply watching him stare at seemingly nothing at all, as if he were a million miles away from the present.

Just then, the door opened, and they were greeted by Kasumi. She didn't look good at all: dark rings beneath her eyes showed how little she had slept, if she had at all. It cost Itachi a great deal of effort to look into her eyes; they depicted all too clearly how much she suffered from this sudden loss, and he was sure that he wasn't merely imagining to see a spark of confusion as well. Confusion due to why her son had committed suicide so unexpectedly.

A weak smile flitted across her face when she saw the visitors on her doorstep.

"Mikoto… Sasuke-kun…" She sighed. "And even you, Itachi-kun. I'm so glad that you have come…"

"This is the least we can do, Kasumi," Mikoto replied and hugged the other woman. "We're all so sorry…"

"I know…" Kasumi dug her fingers into Mikoto's blouse and grimaced as she struggled not to burst into tears on the spot. Watching her sadly, Sasuke took a step to the side and grabbed the hem of Itachi's shirt with one hand. Instinctively, his sibling put an arm around him.

A moment later, Kasumi drew back, wiped at her eyes and smiled apologetically. "Oh, where are my manners? Please come on in," she invited them.

Mikoto motioned to her sons to go in first, then followed them. An oppressive feeling arose in Itachi as he entered the house – it was weird to be welcomed like this, like he always had been. But he was a murderer… he had no right to be here. It didn't feel right. Yet he needed to tell Natsuko that her brother still loved her, like he had promised Shisui to. The fortune teller may have foreseen broken promises in his future, but this wasn't going to be one of them.

"Obasan, where is Natsuko?" Sasuke asked.

"She's out back. Perhaps we could arrange for you to come inside after a while, and I'll make us all a cup of tea," Kasumi suggested.

Sasuke nodded. "Okay. Come on, aniki!" he prompted Itachi before taking off, hurrying to see his cousin.

"Coming, otouto," Itachi replied, yet he stayed behind a moment longer. "I'm really sorry, Kasumi-san," he said somberly.

Kasumi shook her head, and her lower lip was already quivering as she spread her arms to hug the teenager.

"No formalities, Itachi, no formalities…" she whispered, her voice breaking quickly as she spoke.

A second later, Itachi found himself in a quite awkward situation: she embraced him tightly, and her body shook as she began to sob on his shoulder. This was worse than her welcoming him as always – knowing that he was the very last person on whose shoulder she should be crying her eyes out made Itachi want nothing more than to push her away. He wished he could tell her that he didn't deserve any of this and that he couldn't offer her the solace she needed.

But that wouldn't be fair towards her at all. It would only confuse her to no end, and it would also look very suspicious. As if he had never done this before, Itachi raised a hand and forced himself to pat her back comfortingly while he looked at his mother, praying that she would catch on to his silent distress. Fortunately, his hopes weren't in vain: she stepped forward and gently gripped her friend's arm.

"Come now, Kasumi… let's get you a cup of tea first, before you think about the others…"

Taking great care not to make a move too soon, Mikoto eventually managed to lure Kasumi away from Itachi. But even as the woman's arms let go of him, he got one more good look at her face before she turned away: deep mourning was etched into all her features, especially her eyes. For the brief moment that their eye contact lasted, she looked so desperate that Itachi wondered if her grief was making her see things. Perhaps it was even strong enough to trick her into seeing at least part of her dead son in him…

Finally, she turned away for good and slowly made her way to the kitchen whilst being supported by Mikoto, who was whispering words of comfort. Itachi hadn't realized how much he had tensed up in just two or three seconds. That anxious, longing stare was gone, but he felt numb inside, like a bitter aftertaste of the shock he had gotten when she had proceeded to cry her eyes out on his shoulder. This was only half of it, though – he had yet to face whom he dreaded the most right now. Taking a deep breath, Itachi headed for the backyard.

It was a fairly nice day, and birds were singing in the trees, but the atmosphere out back made one feel like stepping into a small world that was unaffected by nature's high spirits. It was impossible to remain impassive.

Natsuko was sitting at the little pond her family had. Her back was hunched as she sat there with her legs drawn close to her body, and her forehead was touching her knees as if she wanted to make herself as small as possible. Sasuke sat cross-legged next to her and was talking quietly. Itachi couldn't tell if she gave an answer or not, but both options were a possible explanation as to why Sasuke hung his head helplessly. The scene reminded Itachi of when Shisui had tried to comfort him for the first few times, and that strong resemblance was exactly what nearly tore his heart apart all over again. He hadn't even spoken with her yet…

Noiselessly, he crossed the lawn and knelt down right behind the two younger Uchihas. As soon as he did that, Sasuke turned his head to look at him. Natsuko didn't budge.

"Aniki…" Sasuke whispered ruefully.

"I know, Sasuke; but this isn't your fault. It's a difficult situation for all of us," Itachi replied, putting a hand on his sibling's shoulder.

"Maybe you should try saying something," Sasuke suggested, wildly determined to cheer his cousin up.

"It's worth a try…" Itachi silenced when he suddenly felt as if he were being watched. Tearing his gaze away from the one he adored with all his heart, he spotted Natsuko watching them. She had turned her head enough that one eye was visible. She looked so tired and sad… just like he had imagined that she would, but it hit him hard all the same. He wished there was a way he could make her smile again, but even now that he had witnessed her grief for little more than a minute or two, he doubted that that would happen again in this lifetime.

"Itachi…" she murmured in a tear-choked voice.

"Hello, Natsuko," he greeted her.

"Maybe you can help me," she said, slowly sitting up straight again. There were no tears visible in her eyes just now, but for some reason, that made it almost harder for Itachi to bear than if she were crying. He hated the hollowness in her eyes – and considering that the clan's demise was approaching faster than ever, not much would change about that look. The thought was absolutely terrible, but Itachi struggled to retain his composure by reminding himself that she would regain her cheery attitude again: when she would be reunited with her brother in heaven, she would have no more reason to be sad. His theory that he might be putting her out of her misery by killing her probably wasn't such a wild guess after all.

"How could I help you?" he inquired.

"Help me understand, because I don't get it. Why did nii-san leave me? He promised to always be here for me, and now he's gone! He promised!" She bit down hard on her lower lip and averted her gaze as she felt that another crying fit was on its way. Her eyes darted around nervously as she tried to restrain it, for she remembered her mother telling her that it was very hard to understand someone whose speech was interspersed with sobs.

Itachi decided to skip the first part for now and shook his head. "But you're not alone, Natsuko. You've still got many people who love you and are here for you – your parents, for instance…"

"And us!" Sasuke added.

She flashed him a very bleak smile and sniffed heartily. "You don't understand… He promised, Sasuke! I want to see him again! I wish he could tell me why this happened… maybe then I could follow him to wherever he is now!" she whined.

Sasuke appeared to be startled by what she said. "But itoko, you cannot follow him… because he went to heaven, right, aniki?" he asked, turning to glance at Itachi.

"Right, Sasuke. Your parents need you now," he told the girl. "Shisui would want the same thing. Your mother would be devastated if you tried to follow him." Not that it made too much of a difference, technically, but after seeing Kasumi, Itachi truly believed that losing both of her children would literally destroy her.

He didn't know if Natsuko saw any sense in his words or if her sorrow disabled her from doing so. It wasn't something he should rule out; after all, he had often seen people cry over lost loved ones, and he had also seen a few who – as he later learned – never got over their grief. In this particular case, he was amazed that she hadn't been in tears when they arrived and that she hadn't cried yet, and a weird sense of relief overcame him when she started sobbing. She wasn't trying to be brave and hold the tears back, but it would have been too cruel anyhow to expect that. Instead, she covered her face with her hands, bowed her head and wept freely.

For a short while, the two brothers just looked at her, unsure about what they could (or should) do. Itachi stole a glance at Sasuke, and judging by the way Sasuke looked at their cousin, Itachi could tell that he was about to cry as well; Natsuko's grief saddened him immensely, and he himself was still mourning Shisui's death, but he fought to remain as calm as possible, and Itachi found that very respectable.

He tried very hard to cast his guilt aside, for it was inappropriate of him to let that get in his way of comforting Natsuko, like he was expected to. Pursing his lips because of the effort, Itachi reached out and put a hand on one of her shaking shoulders. In her very emotional state, she could have reacted in quite a few different ways: she could have lashed out at him, not wanting anyone to touch her for a while, or she could have shied away, evading his attempt to comfort her. But instead, with a strangled sob, she threw herself into his arms, clung to his shirt and emitted a cry that sounded suspiciously like "Nii-san…!" before burying her tear-stained face in the fabric.

Hesitantly, as if fearing he might break her with a mere touch, Itachi put his arms around her. He felt terrible for being the cause of her sadness, but he continued to tell himself that being here for her was what Shisui would have wanted. He probably was watching them right now…

But Natsuko wasn't the only one who turned to him for comfort he barely managed to offer. When Itachi briefly looked up from the weeping girl in his arms, he caught Sasuke's eye. His little brother was looking thoroughly miserable too, and although Itachi's gaze could best be described as thoughtful, Sasuke interpreted it differently and scooted over to lean against Itachi as well, watching Natsuko while undoubtedly trying to think of something else that could be said or done to cheer her up a bit. He smiled faintly when Itachi put an arm around him as well and gave him a soothing pat.

After a while, Natsuko's crying finally subsided, and she curled up in Itachi's lap, clinging to him like she had sometimes clung to her brother. She had known Itachi – and Sasuke, of course – all her life, and although she addressed them as "cousins", they were more like brothers for her. The ghost of a smile flitted across her face when that thought crossed her mind, and with a sniffle, she opened her eyes to find Sasuke being in Itachi's other arm, staring at her worriedly.

"…You know what?" she asked quietly, her voice barely more than a croak.

Sasuke perked up when he saw that fleeting smile. "What?" he asked back.

"I had a dream last night… I dreamt I had a nightmare and that I was afraid to be alone in my room. So I got out of bed and went to nii-san, and he told me that there's nothing to be afraid of. He also said that I could stay with him if I wanted to, though."

Sasuke nodded, understanding that completely – he often dreamed about his brother, and Itachi was always there to comfort him and give him what he needed.

"The dream looked and felt so real… maybe that's why I woke up," she continued. "So I went to his room, still thinking about the dream… I thought I'd find him there." Her voice softened until it was only a whisper again, and she tightened her grip on Itachi's shirt. "But he wasn't there. Haha had made his bed, but he hadn't slept in it. I was so confused at first and called out for him. I thought maybe he had gone to get a glass of water." Tears welled up in her eyes, and she fought to keep her voice steady enough for people to understand her. "Then I remembered haha and chichi telling me that he was gone and wouldn't be coming back. I tried to imagine and understand it, but I couldn't. I can't believe that he's gone, that he won't ever come home again." As she spoke, her eyes overflowed, and her voice became louder and louder until it was almost a wail. "I miss him so much! It's all so unreal… you know, that I'll… I'll… n-never see him again!"

"Itoko…" Sasuke murmured unhappily. He could hardly stand to see her despair like this.

"You will see him again, Natsuko. Believe me," Itachi said softly, gently squeezing her. "You'll see him again in heaven."

"But I can't wait that long! Why did he leave me at all?! I thought you don't leave the people you love!" she nearly yelled. Sasuke cringed at that.

"Shisui did love you, and he still does. And he didn't really leave you – not completely. He still is with you, and always will be as long as you think of him," Itachi spoke, keeping the promise he had made his friend.

"How would you know that?" She sounded as if she didn't believe him.

"I… I dreamed about him too. He wanted me to tell you these things," Itachi explained, praying that his voice wasn't belying his words.

"Did he also tell you why he had to leave and go to a place where I cannot follow him?! He promised me so many things… and now… and now…!" She faltered, unable to say anything more.

Itachi sighed. He and Sasuke were doing their best, but if he was honest with himself, he hadn't really expected that they would be able to truly comfort her. All they could do was continue to try. At least he had been able to tell her everything that Shisui had wanted to let her know…

Two hours and a cup of tea later, Mikoto and her sons went home again. Although their visit didn't seem to have been successful, Kasumi assured them that she and Natsuko had appreciated it.

"…Nii-san, you won't ever leave me like that, will you?" Sasuke asked hesitantly as they took off their shoes.

"What makes you ask that?" Itachi shot back.

"Shisui promised not to leave Natsuko, but now he left her anyway… and you promised you wouldn't leave me either. Now I'm worried – I don't know what I'd do if you left me," Sasuke explained as he followed his brother to the living room. There, Itachi stopped and stood still for several seconds before slowly turning around.

"I won't leave you, Sasuke. I promise… I really do."

The boy looked up at him anxiously. "You really, really promise?" Losing Itachi was what he currently dreaded the most, and after seeing Natsuko, he had a pretty good idea of what it would be like for him: he doubted he would react any differently than his cousin.

For a moment, Itachi appeared to be unsure, but then he looked dead serious as he picked Sasuke up. Their lips were just an inch or two apart.

"Cross my heart and hope to die, otouto," he whispered.

Sasuke grimaced. "Don't say things like that, aniki… please…"

"It's just a figure of speech," Itachi murmured, then kissed Sasuke tenderly.

Neither guilt nor dread could overpower the sense of completion which he always felt when they kissed, and when he realized that at this point in time, Itachi stopped worrying for good if his intentions might be his downfall someday. What happened to him didn't matter – he didn't matter – only Sasuke did. He was above everything else, and nothing or nobody would ever convince him otherwise, he vowed to himself as he held Sasuke tightly.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Just two weeks later, in the middle of June, Itachi met up with Madara again. The older Uchiha raised an eyebrow, the ghost of a smirk playing on his lips as he watched the prodigy draw close. Itachi had a very absent look in his eyes, his shoulders were slightly slouched and it wasn't that hard to tell that he hadn't slept much last night.

"You don't look so good, Itachi. Is something the matter?" he inquired casually, trying to restrain a full-fledged smirk.

Itachi shot him a strange look, not responding immediately. Quite the opposite of what he looked like and how he was feeling, Madara was sitting beneath a tree, his hands folded behind his head and his face bearing the expression of a well-rested person who could very well be looking forward to the next day. He always looked like this while Itachi was left to silently struggle with himself, making him become even colder and more distant.

"Madara-san, I just got called to Danzo-sama this morning, and he said that the clan must be eliminated as quickly as possible," Itachi answered.

Madara was silent for a moment, then shrugged and sat up. "Well then, I guess we gotta go to work."

Looking as if he were a man who was about to go to work at an office instead of killing his kin, he stood up and calmly dusted himself off before looking at Itachi again with a dreadful, almost cheerful expression on his face.

"Lighten up a bit, Itachi! This business is about to be taken care of, then it won't be bothering you so much anymore!"

"…How do you do that? You speak about this as if it is the most normal thing in the world, or even as if it is something one should anticipate…" Itachi trailed off, his voice sounding hollow, and his expression was void of any enthusiasm that Madara sported plentifully.

The man in question frowned. "You had better not be having second thoughts," he said, hinting at a threat.

"I know what I must do," Itachi reassured him, "But we're talking about committing mass murder and not about going on a field trip."

"Still a pacifist, I see," Madara commented dryly, then sighed. "Itachi, I've waited a long time for this; how can you expect me to whine about it? There is more truth to the phrase «revenge is sweet» than you think there is."

"But these are… well, your people, basically. Yet you act as if you have no ties to them at all," Itachi persisted. To him, Madara's behavior defied all logic, and he longed for an explanation of that – maybe then he would be able to comprehend part of it, even if it didn't mean that he would abandon his virtues.

"Hmpf! That kinda happens when you intend to make things better for people who backstab you in return," Madara replied bitterly, looking grim as he unsheathed his weapon to examine the sharpness of the blade. "…And that is all you need to know – for now, at least," he added as an afterthought, then turned around and walked back to the village. Itachi followed silently, but wasn't satisfied with that answer; Madara's thirst for revenge was still beyond his comprehension.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Several hours later, the sun was slowly setting, turning the sky into a parade of colors. Itachi was sitting on the small balcony of Madara's house, unmoving and with his eyes closed as he meditated. Any minute now, he expected the final part of the mission to start, and he wanted to use all the preparation time as good as he could. In the streets below, he could hear children's voices – maybe a small group laughing as they played tag on the way home. None of them knew that they wouldn't meet up again the next day, like they would probably promise to. Itachi tried not to listen, tried to blot out those high-pitched voices, that pure laughter. He tried to do that by repeatedly telling himself that this was a once-in-a-lifetime thing. But it was so hard to do…

Soft thumps indicated approaching footsteps, and they passed him by before stopping a second later. Itachi opened only one eye at first, then the other as well when he spotted Madara leaning against the balcony's railing, staring at the Uchiha district. He could only see one half of the ancient Uchiha's face, but that was all he needed in order to tell that his eyes were wide open and full of a sinister look as his gaze slowly swerved from one house to another, and the visible corner of his mouth twitched upwards. Maybe he was already dreaming about all the death he was about to cause. Very softly, he began to drum the fingers of his right hand on the railing, as if counting down the seconds by doing so. His attitude had lost even the last bit of creepy cheerfulness, and even from where he sat now, Itachi swore he could feel the menace pulsating in the man's aura.

"It's almost time," Madara suddenly said. He kept looking straight ahead.

"Almost?" Itachi repeated. He could hear the longing in the other's voice; what the hell was he waiting for?

"Yes, almost. I want to wait until the sun has set just a little more – the sky isn't red enough yet." Madara's shoulders shook a bit as he chuckled darkly. "Not red enough yet…" he murmured to himself. Then he turned away and walked back to Itachi. His eyes were already red with the Sharingan, whereas Itachi's were still their natural black color. He knelt down behind the teenager and put his hands on his shoulders. As usual, Itachi stiffened at the touch. He hated it now more than ever.

"Look at the heavens, Itachi. Look at them. Have you ever seen a more beautiful sunset?" Madara asked quietly.

Itachi did as he was told and looked skywards. The clouds were black against the background of the sunset sky. Close around the sun, it was a glowing orange color, then it faded to darker tones before creating on ocean of red which eventually faded to the darkness of the impending night. On any other occasion, Itachi would have agreed that it was indeed a beautiful sight, but currently, it looked like an awful omen of nature.

"Never before have those colors looked so radiant – and I have seen so many sunsets," Madara continued dreamily, apparently not caring that Itachi didn't give an answer. "See that shade of red right over there?" He pointed, looking like a man who was showing his son constellations. "That's what we'll be looking at when we bring the traitors to justice. Not that bright red like when you merely cut the palm of your hand, but dark red when one's life blood gushes out of a fatal wound. But you already know what I'm talking about, don't you? You have seen it before…"

Miraculously, Itachi didn't shiver when he heard those words. But the effort was worth it. And he did know what Madara was talking about; almost instantly, the memory of Shisui's death flashed before his mental eye, and for a second or two, he closed his eyes, telling himself to cast it aside. He couldn't afford to let that disrupt his concentration now – he had spent all afternoon shutting out anything that would have the same effect on him.

For several minutes, neither one of them said anything anymore, remaining motionless as they watched the sun set. Madara didn't bother to remove his hands from Itachi's shoulders, and this made hatred and disgust rise anew in the younger one. Just before he thought he couldn't take it anymore, Madara gave his shoulders a squeeze and whispered into his ear:

"It's time now, Itachi. I know you're ready… I can sense it. That's it; think hateful thoughts, that will help you along. Remember: they did nothing for you. They only repressed your skills, just like you said. Now you can break free!"

When the man's lips nearly brushed his ear, Itachi hastily rose, escaping that closeness which he despised so much. He stepped up to the railing. The sun would disappear beneath the horizon very soon.

"Let's go," he replied brusquely.

"That's the spirit," Madara praised him as he rose too. "Oh, and one last thing: no survivors, remember?"

"…Hn."

"We'll meet again at your house when we've finished our respective halves of the district." Madara already unsheathed his katana, and that evil, almost crazy grin returned to his face. "Happy hunting!" he added, then leapt off the balcony and onto the nearest roof. He didn't stop there, heading for the outskirts of his half. With his long black cloak billowing behind him as he went, he looked like a demon out of hell. Itachi was almost surprised that he wasn't cackling manically.

Sighing ever so softly, he turned towards his half. He mustn't wait much longer, for he wanted to have taken care of everything by the time he met up with Madara again – especially his family. With that thought in mind, Itachi finally left the balcony as well. Unlike Madara, he headed for the nearest house and opened the door, not stopping for the fraction of a second. Few bothered to lock their doors because they trusted that if someone wanted to speak to them, they would knock and patiently wait until they were invited inside. Concentrating hard on this step of the mission, Itachi was nearly guilt-free as he entered the house without permission. He intruded on a family of four, having dinner at the table. When he entered the room, he stopped for a single second to grab his katana. The parents swiftly rose, and the woman screamed when she saw the look on his face as she attempted to gather up her children and take them away to safety. But Itachi let none of that happen. Without saying a single word, he advanced on them and killed the father first. He stared at Itachi with eyes wide open in utter shock and astonishment before he slumped to the floor. The children called out for their father, but they could only utter his name once before Itachi's katana tore through their bodies, ending their lives in a flash. The woman screamed again and tried to flee, but she hadn't gone any further than three steps before the blade was thrust into her from behind, and a gurgle was all that escaped her lips before she too collapsed, dead.

Itachi paused for one of the last times that night as he regarded the tragic scene. One house down, and many more to go. As he looked at the bodies, he wondered about the last thought that had crossed his mind before he had killed them. And he realized that it was something along the lines of cursing Madara; he had a feeling that the bastard might even be enjoying this. Duty or not, this was nothing to laugh about or enjoy. It was one of many things that he hated about that man. He hated him, but he also hated the leaders of the clan – fools who believed in a twisted ideology, and that was all that mattered to them. Just then, the neighbors' voices sounded out; they were coming to investigate. Itachi readied himself for the next kill. And as he did so, he focused on thinking about the person he hated the most right now – if it had helped him before, perhaps it would do the same this time as well…

A man appeared in the doorway first, and he only managed to open his mouth before a certain Uchiha prodigy was upon him.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Barely ten minutes after they had gone to bed, Kasumi and Saborou jumped when the door to their bedroom opened with a clatter, revealing a katana-wielding shadow.

"Holy shit!" Saborou exclaimed while his wife clutched the covers, backing up against the wall behind them a bit. "Hey, what's the big deal?! Who do you think you are?!"

"Don't you recognize me, Saborou-san?" the shadow asked, sounding mildly surprised. But it wasn't genuine surprise. "Perhaps some light would be helpful, don't you agree?"

The two adults exchanged somewhat unsure glances, then Kasumi reached out to turn on the light on her side of the bed. Her hand was trembling – although the face of the intruder had yet to be revealed, she felt that nothing good could result from this unexpected confrontation.

Her fingers flipped the switch, and now their faces were illuminated by more than just moonlight. Of course, it wasn't enough to light up the entire room, but it was sufficient for them to make out who was standing in their doorway.

"…Itachi!" Saborou remarked.

Kasumi said nothing, but gasped instead. She had never seen such an ominous expression on his face before, and she didn't like it at all.

"What happened to you?" her husband continued, noticing some blood on the prodigy's uniform.

"Nothing," Itachi lied, "But it isn't me you should be worrying about." He tightened his grip on the katana's handle. Saborou didn't fail to notice that.

"Kasumi, go get Natsuko," he muttered, trying to move his lips as little as possible while not taking his eyes off Itachi anymore.

Her gaze flickered to him, eyes wide with worry. "But –" she began.

"Go!" he urged her.

Nodding, Kasumi pushed the covers away and swung her legs over the bedside, but Itachi firmly closed the door, making her stop. He didn't exactly slam it, but he closed it with enough force in a silent way of saying «This is the end of the road for you, and there's no escape». He was all too aware of that, so he deemed any additional words unnecessary.

"Stop being foolish, Itachi. If Fugaku knew about this…" Saborou trailed off, shaking his head as if in disappointment.

Itachi's gaze darkened, and he tensed up like a predator that was about to attack its prey. "You have no right to give me orders!" he all but snarled. "As for being foolish, as you called it… I'm just accomplishing my mission."

Since he knew about his son's undercover mission and also had been informed about betrayal suspicions by Fugaku himself, Saborou instantly understood what Itachi meant by that statement. He swore under his breath.

"Fugaku was right! You are a double-crosser!" Two and two were quickly put together, and he pointed an accusing finger at the intruder. "You knew, didn't you?! You knew about Shisui's role… You killed him! You killed my son!"

"Saborou, what on earth…?!" But that was all Kasumi could say before Itachi smiled bitterly.

"You really don't work alongside my father for nothing, Saborou-san. Your conclusion is absolutely correct."

Shock and disbelief made Kasumi's eyes widen further still, and tears welled up in them. Her mouth opened and closed, but no sound escaped her lips. Saborou's reaction, on the other hand, was brief, but vehement.

"You really are a bloody weasel!" he snarled, practically jumping off the bed as his eyes turned red with the clan's kekkei genkai.

But that was a mistake: greatly angered, Itachi called upon the Mangekyou Sharingan and fixated his opponent with a piercing stare. Kasumi watched in horror as the man stopped in his tracks and appeared to be paralyzed for several seconds. Then she screamed shrilly when Itachi stepped up to Saborou and stabbed him with the katana. For a moment, all seemed to stand still before the blade was pulled out of the body, and Saborou fell to the floor, unmoving.

Even as Itachi was stepping away from his uncle, Kasumi flung herself off the bed and knelt down beside her fallen partner, trembling fingers touching him only gingerly at first before digging themselves into his shirt in despair.

"Saborou! Saborou! No, no, not you too…!" she rambled, shaking him. But of course, he didn't react. Suddenly, as if she had just remembered something, she paused and looked up at Itachi. "Tell me it's not true… that… that you killed Shisui…" she whispered hoarsely.

Itachi's eyes became black again. "…It's true, Kasumi-san. I had to, but I wish it needn't have been so."

She briefly averted her gaze, still looking like she couldn't believe it. He watched her eyes dart back and forth as she tried to process this new information, then she snapped out of it and begged: "I don't understand… but whatever you do, please spare Natsuko!"

For a moment, there was a very tense silence.

"I really am very sorry, obasan," Itachi said in a heavy voice, deliberately not specifying what he was sorry about.

Kasumi opened her mouth to scream and plead for her daughter's life, but stiffened an instant later, and her eyes bulged as a blood-stained weapon penetrated her. All of Itachi's training had definitely paid off: his aim was very precise – deadly precise. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head, then she fell forward, hitting the floor with a dull thump.

Itachi barely lingered, for unless he wasn't very deceived, he had little more time to spare before he was supposed to meet up with Madara again, and he aimed to have taken care of his half until then. But he might even have to hurry a bit now if he wanted to make it. He had only just begun to close the door when a somewhat drowsy-sounding voice sounded out:

"…Nii-san, is that you?"

Slowly, he turned around, leaving the door partially closed, and found Natsuko standing in the corridor, rubbing her eyes. But her drowsiness left her very quickly as she gasped and retreated a step when she saw the blood – and that she wasn't facing her brother.

"Itachi…!"

"Natsuko," the older Uchiha replied in acknowledgment, then began to advance on her. "I have brought much grief upon you, and I'd like to let you know that I'm really sorry. But that ends now."

She gawked at him, terrified. Something was dreadfully amiss. What was wrong with him? Why was he acting so strange?

"P-P-Please don't hurt me, i-itoko…" she stammered, backing away from him. He just kept on coming.

"Just once more, and it won't be for long," Itachi assured her.

'Once more? What does he mean by that?!' she wondered wildly. A moment later, she noticed that she couldn't retreat any further. Her hands reached out behind her and felt a wall. She was too petrified to try and escape.

"You're scaring me…" she whimpered.

"You won't need to be scared anymore."

Trembling with fear, Natsuko clasped her hands and shut her eyes tightly. Her lips were quivering as she undoubtedly was trying not to cry. Then they moved ever so slightly, repeating one word over and over again like some sort of mantra as she was about to face her fate:

"Nii-san…"

Itachi couldn't take it anymore. He knew from Sasuke that the girl had been coming to terms with the fact that Shisui would never come back, but to see her hope so dearly for her brother's help was like experiencing their first visit to her after his death all over again. Her thoughts had already followed him; she could probably really imagine herself being with him right now as he prepared to kick the ass of whoever was threatening his sister. Itachi knew this because he shared that distinctive trait with Shisui: to be very protective of their siblings.

"Natsuko, I hope you will do me one more favor," he said as he raised his weapon. The girl whined and peeked at him with one eye. In a whisper, he continued: "Say hello to your brother for me, and tell him I'm sorry."

She opened her eyes again, but she could only choke before the katana was thrust into her, right into her heart. It got broken for the second time, though this time, it was literal and fatal. She could hardly take notice of any pain before she slipped into darkness and out of this world. When she keeled over, her body slid neatly off the blade, and her eyes were still widened with the surprise she had last felt.

Breathing deeply to maintain his composure, Itachi sheathed the katana and knelt down beside her to tuck her hair behind an ear. He started to withdraw his hand, but paused, then reached out again to tenderly close her eyes. "I'm so sorry…" He spoke so quietly that he could barely hear himself. In glum silence, he left the house as stealthily as he had come; he had no more reason to be here. There was only one more stop left, and that would be the hardest one yet.

It was a mere matter of minutes till he reached his house, and his heart sank a bit when he saw Madara waiting in the shadows of a nearby tree. His glowing red eyes gave him away. This was not what he had hoped for – he didn't want to have that man close by when he had to pay this final visit to his home…

"Ah, there you are. I presume you're not quite finished yet…" Madara drawled and stole a glance at the only house they hadn't been to. Itachi believed to see an evil glint in his eyes as he did that.

"Yes, Madara-san. There's only my house left."

"Hmm…" The man seemed to think for a moment, then nodded, smirking. "Good, good. Still, make it snappy; you did try to keep the screaming at a minimum, didn't you?"

Itachi frowned. 'The better question is if you did that…' "I did."

"Mmh." Madara was silent for a moment, then clapped his hands and smiled. He looked cheerful and almost encouraging – Itachi probably wouldn't mind the second aspect so much if it weren't for the first, most unfitting emotion. "Well then, I'll go for a quick spin – you know, just to make sure no one's still twitching or something – while you finish up. We'll meet here again when we're done, and then we can fly the coop, okay?"

"Hn," was all Itachi had to say, but he didn't dare to say much more, not wanting to risk Madara catching on how relieved he was that he didn't need to come up with some excuse to be left alone now. His temporary mentor made a strange noise – later, Itachi would realize that it could nearly be considered a giggle – and as Itachi raised an eyebrow, he turned around and left the scene, walking like someone who was really trying very hard not to skip. Given the situation in particular, that behavior was silently added to a certain someone's list of indicators that Madara was indeed at least a little crazy.

But this was not the right time to be thinking about that. Instead, it was time to take this final step so his mission would finally be accomplished.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Sasuke had stayed behind after school for quite a while to train with the shuriken, and he had lost track of time. When he finally arrived back at the district, night had fallen, and the full moon lit up most of the streets and allies. He was eager to tell his father that he had made lots of progress – and maybe he could ask Itachi again if he would train with him. Last time, Itachi had denied him that favor, but Sasuke would continue to ask; surely sometime his brother would say yes instead of «maybe next time»…

However, when he entered the clan's district, those thoughts got swept out of his mind when a dreadful sight met his eyes.

Bodies. Bodies lying everywhere. People he knew (some only fleetingly, but no matter) were lying face-down in the street with blood staining the ground around them. Nobody moved, even if it were only the twitch of a muscle. Sasuke's eyes widened in horror and bewilderment as he looked around, hoping for some sign… a sign that someone was still moving, that someone could tell him what was going on. To his dismay, he saw none as he trotted towards his home, his steps quickly becoming faster and faster as of all the thoughts that ran through his mind just then, one particular thought stood out: his worry if his parents and his brother (if he was home, that was) were alright.

Like the rest of the district, no lights were on at his house either, and that worried Sasuke even more. It was unusual at this hour – he may have lost track of time, but he couldn't possibly be that late, could he?

"Okasan? Otosan?" he called when he opened the door. Nothing but dead silence greeted him. His heart was in his mouth as he wandered through the house, checking the rooms for any signs of his family with only the sound of his own footsteps for company. Suddenly, he heard two dull thumps, and hope and worry alike arose in him. He hurried to where the noise had come from: the room in which Fugaku discussed most important matters. He had no idea what to expect beyond the doors, and that made his hair stand on end. Shaking all over, he could only stare at the doors for a moment, struggling to move and get it over with. His body seemed unwilling to obey, and Sasuke drew a shuddering breath as he slowly managed to extend a trembling hand.

'Come on, Sasuke… move! Move already!' he tried to encourage himself.

Finally, his fingers closed around the door handle, and his other hand followed suit. Swallowing nervously, Sasuke stepped forward and opened the door.

"Otosan? Okasan?" he asked timidly. Then something on the floor caught his eye, and when he took a closer look, he gasped and nearly stumbled out of the room again.

Like the people in the street, Mikoto and Fugaku were lying there, motionless and with all life swept from their features. Blood had trickled out of their mouths and had gotten splattered on the floor after they had received their deathblow. A cold shiver ran down his spine, then he tore his gaze away from his dead parents to face their murderer, a figure that was still obscured by the shadows.

When it noticed that it had the boy's attention, the figure stepped forward, and the moonlight cast its soft beams on Itachi's face again. Sasuke's eyes widened even more, and his breath hitched.

"Sasuke… there you are," Itachi spoke quietly.

"N-N-Nii-san…" Sasuke stuttered at first, but his voice quickly became louder and steadier as he pleaded for answers from the only survivor he had encountered. "What is going on?! Why did you do this to haha and chichi?!"

"I had to do this, Sasuke. It was my mission," Itachi answered solemnly.

"To kill everybody?!" the younger one exclaimed. He couldn't believe this… it just couldn't be true! Why would Itachi, of all people, kill everybody? This was the clan they had been born into… their friends and relatives… But wait, he hadn't killed everybody yet. Someone was still left… and that someone was him. Realizing that, Sasuke inched back towards the door, staring at his brother with fear etched into every feature of his face.

"I've been waiting for you, otouto," Itachi said and stepped over the bodies of the adults, following Sasuke.

"D-Don't kill me… please…!" Sasuke begged.

"You don't understand… hold still and –" Itachi began. He was nearly close enough to reach out and touch him.

"No! Leave me alone!" Sasuke suddenly yelled, then whirled around and dashed away. Tears of sorrow and fear stung in his eyes as he ran away as fast as he could. He simply had to put as much distance between himself and Itachi as possible…!

"Sasuke, wait!"

Panicking, Sasuke ran faster still, not even daring to look back. His heart was beating so fast that it hurt as he bolted out of his home and into the streets again. He had no idea where he should go to – all he knew was that he had to get out of here before Itachi could slay him as well.

Seemingly out of nowhere, a shadow suddenly jumped onto the street in front of him. With a startled yelp, Sasuke skidded to a halt, but not before he was within the shadow's reach: two hands gripped his arms, and to his horror, he found himself staring right at Itachi. In his panicked state, all he saw was menace, but in fact, Itachi was looking expectant and worried.

"Sasuke, stop! Don't run away like that! I know that this is a most terrible experience for you, but –"

His sibling didn't want to hear anything more. With a desperate cry, he wrenched himself out of Itachi's grasp and staggered away from him again.

"Leave me alone, you murderer!" he screamed.

"Sasuke, no…" Itachi tried to shush him, but Sasuke held his head as if hearing his brother's voice pained him, continuing to evade him.

"Murderer! Murderer!" he cried. Tears of anger and anguish poured freely from his eyes.

Itachi looked around in nearly fearful anticipation. He had to do something, and fast. He had to get past this wall that Sasuke had hastily erected before it was too late.

"Sasuke, listen to me!" he pleaded, though keeping his voice as low as possible. "Don't scream like this, or else he'll hear you!"

"Don't touch me! You're just a fake! An imposter!" Sasuke shouted accusingly. He was still afraid and upset, but also angry: how dare someone commit such a horrible crime in his brother's name! This could only be an awful mistake, like back when he had nearly completely believed that Itachi had kissed Misaki. A small part of him had always had doubts about that, and now that part spoke to him again, suggesting that this might be the same imposter.

'An imposter?!' Itachi thought in the meantime. He could only try to imagine the turmoil Sasuke was in now, and it pained him very much to see his dear little brother look at him like that, so full of contempt and fear. He knew that he couldn't really count on any love and trust from Sasuke now that he had slain their family, but actually being in this situation was far worse than he had imagined it to be. It felt like an invisible being was slowly tearing his heart apart, just to make it all the more painful for him.

"You're mistaken, otouto; it's really me, Itachi," he tried to convince him.

"Liar! Nii-san would never do something like this!" Sasuke insisted.

"Sasuke, look at me! I am not a fake! This is real, and believe me that I am sorry, but do not doubt my identity!" For the first time in quite a while, Itachi raised his own voice as he tried to talk some sense into Sasuke. He hated doing this, but with time running out so fast, he was left with no other choice. He could almost hear the rustling of Madara's cloak as the man approached to investigate what all the ruckus was about, and that intrusion was what he had to avoid at all costs.

Sasuke almost couldn't bear to look Itachi in the eye, and he only managed it so shortly that he wasn't sure if he should believe him or not. Part of him refused to believe it, wanting to place the blame on anybody else except the one he loved so much, but another part of him briefly saw the genuine concern in those still black eyes; concern that no one could fake. Given the dreadfulness of the whole situation, however, the first part triumphed, and he swiftly grabbed a kunai that happened to be lying next to him and pointed it at Itachi. He didn't know if he was ready for this – he probably wasn't, though, according to his voice of reason – but he felt like he had to do this. He had to do this in the name of his parents… and to try and stay alive.

"Sasuke, time is running out, and I need to get this over with right now… so you leave me with no other choice," Itachi said in a rueful tone of voice. While Sasuke prepared to defend himself, expecting an attack, Itachi closed his eyes for a second – and when he opened them again, he stared at Sasuke with the Mangekyou Sharingan, thus whisking his brother away to a world in which he ruled over time, space and all other things.

A mere moment later in the real world, Sasuke swayed as if he had just been through a very tough training session. Everything was unfocused, and Itachi looked like little more than a blur as he approached him. He could hardly stand anymore, let alone keep his eyes open. Blackness began to engulf him when Itachi stood in front of him, and one last thought passed through Sasuke's mind:

'This is it… I'm gonna die…'

Unable to do anything about the hand that reached out for him as the final bit of his strength left his body, Sasuke surrendered to the darkness, and he collapsed to the ground.

Eheh... so... how was it? I sincerely hope it was worth your time. If you could leave me a review, I'd be most delighted... (crosses fingers)

So, that concludes MTCLF. And I know that I've left some bits out, but remember, there will be a sequel! :) However, I have no idea if I'm ever gonna be able to finish that one because in September, I'll be going back to school, and I can't afford to screw that up, so I will most certainly be forced to rearrange my list of priorities. I'll make "important" announcements early enough, though, just so you'll know that I will not have died (and if I would - for whichever reason - I hope my family will respect my will and leave a note for you guys! XD).

I'd like to thank each and every one of you who reviewed, faved and/or alerted this story! I never thought it would get appreciated so much... so thanks a lot to everyone! X3 Special thanks go to CeruleanCypher, SkywardShadow and Crimson Cupcake for being so faithful all the way! (glomps favorite peeps)

Oh, and one more thing: here's a list of the most important songs that inspired me while I wrote this fic! If anyone has any questions about a song or if you'd like to listen to them but can't find them, just PM me, and I'll see what I can do! :D

"I'm Alive" - Disturbed

"Baby Love" - Mother's Finest

"Muddy Water Blues" - Paul Rodgers

"As The Years Go Passing By" - George Thorogood

"Everything I Do, I Do It For You" - Bryan Adams

"Time Flies" - Vaya Con Dios

"Reise, Reise" - Rammstein

"Wonderful Dream" - Melanie Thornton

"Jolly Old Saint Nicholas" - International Children/Holly Players Orchestra

"The Christmas Waltz" - Yuletide Carolers/Holly Players Orchestra

"The Twelve Days Of Christmas" - Bing Crosby

"Fragile" - Sting

"Don't Believe In Love" - Dido

"Eva" - Nightwish

"Meadows Of Heaven" - Nightwish

"Keine war so wie du" - Udo Jürgens

"Garden Of Treasures" - Mike Rowland

"Ohne Dich" - Rammstein

"What Have You Done Now" - Within Temptation

"La Petite Fille De La Mer" - Vangelis

"Grief & Sorrow" - Toshiro Masuda

"The Dragon's Breath" - David Arkenstone

"Lucifer" - The Alan Parsons Project

"The Kinslayer" - Nightwish

"The Road To Hell" - Chris Rea

"What I've Done" - Linkin Park

"Indestructible" - Disturbed

"Tier" - Rammstein

Until the sequel comes out, farewell everybody! And again: THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

~devotedtodreams

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

P.S: For everyone who's interested... the sequel is out now. It's called "Perception Is Everything".