[A/N: Here goes...although I didn't mention it in the description (ran out of room) Itachi is a major player in this as well. Also, massive timeskip ahoy! We are now at the time that would in canon be Shippuden.]

Chapter 1:
The day was clear and cool, and everything in the forest was hushed and still, even the two figures wearing orange-and-black cloaks. The scene would have been peaceful except for the smoke that could still be seen above the trees, testament to the one-sided battle they had just come from.

Kisame glanced cautiously at his partner, trying to judge his mood. While it was clear that Itachi knew he was being watched, he did not respond, which was likely a good sign. His younger partner was so disturbingly calm, even during battle, that Kisame couldn't help worrying that he would eventually snap and slaughter everything in his path. Kisame just wanted enough warning to get out of the way before that happened.

Itachi had never said anything about the incident in which he had cut ties with his family, literally and permanently, but perhaps something like that had been exactly what occurred. You couldn't use someone of Itachi's personality as a weapon without expecting them to eventually turn against their handlers.

Kisame couldn't see why Itachi was still so worked up over the brother, though. Sure, he must have left Sasuke alive for a reason, but he should have known that he couldn't break a little kid like that and expect him to have any will to live afterward. Besides, it had been years; Itachi had had plenty of time to get over it.

When Itachi had first joined Akatsuki, he had been at least approachable, if aloof and forbidding. Kisame had even thought that they would get along pretty well. Then, a few months later, news of the massacre had finally filtered to Ame. With it had come the information that Uchiha Sasuke, the only survivor of the initial attack, had died just two days afterwards.

It was as if someone had flipped a switch in Itachi's head then. His aloofness had turned to misanthropy, and he was so tightly wound even under his carefully schooled, emotionless face that Kisame sometimes almost thought he could hear the time bomb ticking down.

Itachi finally stood, the abrupt movement startling away a few birds perched in the tree he had been sitting under. "Come," he said quietly, and Kisame fell into step just behind him.

It was always safest to do what Itachi said.

The way back to the Akatsuki base led along a river through the forest. The rushing of the water practically drowned out the sound of their footsteps.

Kisame paused for a drink at a slower-flowing portion of the river. Itachi didn't wait for him, but he was almost never in a hurry and therefore moving slowly enough that Kisame would easily be able to catch up.

Itachi waited until he was sure Kisame was well behind him before relaxing, letting his shoulders slump slightly as he paused to look at his reflection in the river. As he let his carefully developed mask recede, he realized that he looked exhausted. He felt exhausted as well, and there was a steady dull ache in his chest reminding him that he was lucky to be this well off.

Itachi allowed a ghost of a smile to waver on his lips for a moment. Lucky, indeed! He had hoped that his illness would progress more quickly, but no person or thing had yet managed to kill him, no matter how much he wanted it.

Sasuke had been the one originally intended for that task. Itachi had only just made it to the Akatsuki headquarters when the news arrived. The image was still crystal-clear in his mind, despite all the years that had passed: Sasuke's bright-eyed face smiling out of a grainy, black-bordered photograph. Sole Survivor of Uchiha Clan Dies in Hospital, the blunt heading underneath had read.

Itachi had thought his plan was perfect, and it had ruined everything. He had done horrible things to protect Sasuke and his good intentions had done nothing but cause his younger brother's death.

Sighing near-inaudibly, Itachi glanced back briefly to where Kisame was kneeling on the bank before turning to continue on his way. He paused for a moment to survey the trail ahead, but suddenly caught a glint light shining off metal in the corner of his eye.

The first attack was a spread of shuriken, skillfully thrown. These were easy enough to duck, but Itachi's unseen adversary had the advantage of territory, as Itachi was now in a clearer area while the attacker could remain in the thicker trees on the other side of the river.

Itachi was now too busy to look back and see if Kisame had noticed what was going on, but was reasonably sure that his older companion would soon arrive…not that Itachi really needed the help. While the attacker had good aim, Itachi's Sharingan enabled him to block the thrown weapons easily with a kunai. It was just a matter of how soon whoever this was would run out of things to throw, and whether they would give up before then.

Or at least, that was what Itachi had assumed. He was busily engaged in blocking a volley of senbon when he sensed movement from one of the trees above him. Dodging would likely let some of the senbon through his defenses, so Itachi waited until the last possible moment before throwing himself to the side as a black-clad figure dropped from the tree nearly on top of him.

Itachi rolled as he fell, wincing a little as the pain in his chest flared with the exertion. He was a little slow to rise, and only just managed to block his adversary's sword thrust. Taking out two more kunai, Itachi threw them with his free hand, forcing his opponent back and giving him time to ascertain the situation.

His opponent was wearing fitted black clothing, and a black hood and mask that covered almost all of his face and hair. Itachi could tell by body shape that it was a boy and probably in his mid-teens, but little else, and nothing that could identify his origins. The sword he wielded was well-made, but had no maker's mark that Itachi could see, and the sword forms the boy was using were a generic blend of regional styles, impossible to place and difficult to defend against due to the unique patterns. Clearly, some effort had gone into disguising him, making Itachi very curious as to who would be bold enough to attack two of the most dangerous missing-nin on the continent in full daylight.

By this point, Itachi could sense Kisame's chakra signature approaching, although he was still too focused on the fight to look. "There is another one across the river," Itachi called as soon as he estimated that his partner was close enough to hear.

"Got it," Kisame shouted back, after which Itachi could hear some splashing sounds that he presumed was Kisame heading across the river.

With this new development, the boy attacking Itachi paused, drawing back a bit and tipping his head to one side, one hand on his hip. He also seemed to have need to adjust his plans, whatever they were. It was at this point that Itachi would normally consider negotiations, but he just wasn't in the mood for that today. Nor did he want to inflict the massive chakra drain of the Mangekyou Sharingan on himself at the moment, so he would just have to end this the old-fashioned way.

Itachi was preparing for a lethal kunai slash when he noticed the boy's eyes and hesitated. Those dark eyes were so like Sasuke's (had been, he reminded himself) and he couldn't bring himself to strike the final blow.

The boy facing him had no such qualms, and moved faster than Itachi had allowed distance for. Not having been expecting a physical attack, Itachi didn't move out of the way in time as the boy seized his arm tightly, pulling him forward. Itachi didn't realize the purpose of this until he felt a senbon slice into his cheek, and at least one more strike his right calf. The injuries immediately began to sear with pain, definitely poisoned. Itachi struggled to catch his breath, trying to walk towards the river and get some water to help flush the toxins out. He only made it a couple of steps before his injured leg gave out and he sank to his knees.

"Itachi!" Kisame shouted, splashing back across the river towards him. Itachi had time to look now, but his vision was going fuzzy. "I found the other one, but he split after throwing a last bunch of senbon… Are you okay? Hey, let's do something about these."

Gentleness was not Kisame's strong point, but once the senbon had been removed from his leg and the puncture wounds cleaned up a bit with water, Itachi began to feel better. Clearly, three senbon's worth wasn't enough poison to be fatal.

"What should we do with him?" Kisame asked once Itachi managed to stand up again.

"Him?" Itachi repeated, then realized who Kisame was talking about.

The boy who had pounced on Itachi from the tree was now lying in a fetal position on the ground, his breath coming in short, raspy gasps. His sword lay a few feet away where he had dropped it to grab Itachi; it had only been a few minutes before.

While Itachi had been little harmed by the three senbon that had hit him, the boy had been struck by at least twelve in his left leg and side. His final attack had obviously been a sacrificial gambit, making Itachi even more curious. "Do you think he could survive?" Itachi asked, walking a bit stiffly over to where the boy lay and kneeling next to him.

Kisame shrugged. "If we get the senbon out right away, he might. Do we really want to drag him all the way back to base, though?"

"I want to question him," Itachi replied firmly, taking hold of one of the senbon and pulling it out. The boy didn't react at all as he removed it, apart from a small spasm. He was pretty far gone and indeed probably wouldn't survive, but Itachi didn't like the thought of just leaving him here.

Once Itachi had taken all the senbon out, Kisame picked the boy up, still grumbling a little. "At least he doesn't weigh very much," Kisame said as he tried to get the boy into a better position to carry (not at all helped by the boy's spasmodic shudders, which made Itachi guess neurotoxin). "If you're that set on keeping him, why don't you take that mask off, then maybe he'll breathe better."

Kisame could be gruff at times, but his suggestions were usually worthwhile to follow. Itachi removed the boy's black mask, then pulled the matching hood back.

The boy's pale face was pinched with pain and damp with sweat, but his jet-black hair fluffed up into stubborn spikes as soon as the hood holding them down was gone. Itachi stared, frozen in shock. "What…?" he whispered vaguely.

"Itachi?" Kisame said in confusion. "Itachi, what's up?"

"I don't—I don't know," Itachi replied after it finally registered that Kisame had said something.

…Sasuke?...

It should have been impossible, but maybe—just maybe—Itachi had something to live for after all.

[A/N: Apologies for my neglect of this story; I hadn't given as much thought to the opening as I have to some of my other stories, so this bit was a little sticky.]