Midnight Memories

I don’t own Naruto nor do I make money from it



Warnings: angst, death, cursing, vampires, supernatural beings and events



Midnight Memories



Chapter Thirteen



Naruto shifted on his feet, staring into Itachi’s eyes. His gaze darted quickly to where Sasuke remained, huddled against the wall. His quickly shifting eyes contained intelligence and sanity despite his posture, which suggested he was less than of sound mind. Blood still framed his mouth in a macabre fashion, appearing almost like lipstick smeared across his lips. Almost on cue, a pink tongue darted out to flick at the red stain, eyes closing as if he’d tasted the most wonderful dessert.



He didn’t want to leave them alone. Something told him to dig his feet in and argue reasons he should stay with Sasuke. He wanted to stay with Sasuke. Even leaving him for a short time wasn’t appealing in the least. That Itachi would shoo him away like child too young to understand the adult discussion attacked his pride. He wasn’t a child, nor was he so naïve he couldn’t offer something to their discussion. He believed Itachi’s explanations of what they were and how he and Sasuke came to be caught in their circle of life and death. He believed what they were. He was capable of taking anything they threw at him…so why was Itachi suddenly being secretive? What did he have to hide?



Sasuke’s eyes shifted back and forth, scanning the room in quick sweeps as if searching for monsters in the shadows of which only he could see. Those crimson eyes paused on Naruto and his head gave a slight nod. He was agreeing. Couldn’t he feel the change in the air? Naruto clenched his teeth against the urge to scream at them for bringing him in only to exclude him.



“Go, I’m fine.”



A muscle ticked in Naruto’s clenched jaw, but he did as commanded--leaving the two brothers to their discussion. He wanted so badly to refuse them but he found himself unable to deny the request. He wasn’t compelled or under any spell that he could tell. Then again, if he was, it was likely he wouldn’t be able to tell.



His grabbed his wallet from his room. Instead of driving, he opted to walk the half a mile to a local diner. The sun had barely risen, shining brightly through the heavy trees surrounding the area. Itachi liked the secluded nature surrounding his home. Naruto had asked once why he chose to live so far from the main parts of the city. It was then Itachi explained his reasons, citing the quiet call of nature and other such nonsense. Looking back, he was probably naïve--a bit less jaded. He was sure Itachi did enjoy the nature setting and the quiet that came along with it, but knowing now what he did, he suspected Itachi’s true purpose was to keep Sasuke as far away from civilization as he could. Even Naruto couldn’t deny Sasuke’s status as a time bomb if steps weren’t taken to control the situation.



That understanding brought the subject of Sasuke to his thoughts. Sasuke was a strange creature. Naruto’s memories…no, not memories. He couldn’t truly call them memories as he had not lived them but only watched them as a theater goer watches a movie and even then, they were fragmented into a collection of scenes surrounded by strong emotions. While it was true his soul had loved Sasuke in various ways, he found his interests in the crimson eyed creature ran much deeper. There was a thread pulled taut between them. It drew him to Sasuke and had absolutely nothing to do with his past memories. He would come to Sasuke even if he had never known him before. He wasn’t sure why he knew this, but he could say without a shadow of a doubt that his and Sasuke’s fate was intertwined in ways superseding everything he thought he knew of love. Love paled when he thought of what he felt. Perhaps it was a similar feeling to what had driven Sasuke mad.



Love He snorted loudly. That emotion alone was a mystery to him. It was hard not to feel the residual emotions lingering in him. Love. Lust. Fear. Hope. They all swirled in the shadows of his mind, choosing the most inopportune times to flow forward and corrupt his thoughts. If Sasuke was his soul mate, as his memories suggested, he wanted to love him as he was now and not because the Naruto five hundred years ago did. It made things difficult. Love. Once again in the spotlight. It was better not to look too deeply into the abyss. There was that saying, when you look into the abyss, the abyss looks into you. He’d heard it in his philosophy class but it felt quite appropriate now. He could almost see the eyes of his dead selves looking out from the abyss of Sasuke’s eyes.



Kicking a pebble across the deserted street, he scowled a bit. He’d never been one to over analyze his life or that of his guardian. Lately, his mind seemed to spin, looking for something to grasp a hold of as the waves of madness threatened him. The world seemed to have gone mad, taking him with it into a purgatory of unknown outcome.



Through all this, a strange spark of excitement curled through him. He’d dated men and women. That was nothing new. He’d even kissed and fondled his fair share of both sexes. His own sex appeal seemed to draw in the sexes, much to Kiba and Sakura’s chagrin. He had to grin at that. Both sexes loved him and not just for his body, regardless of the fact that it was in top condition thanks to soccer and swimming.



“I’m a beast. Men want me. Women want me. Hell, even supernatural creatures of unknown origins want me.” Naruto spoke to the empty street, more to himself than in hopes of being overheard by some passerby.



Walking down the street at a slow amble, he felt his load lighten. Sasuke was healing. In just a mere day, his eyes had lost the wild animalistic look and transformed into something hinting at sanity. He wasn’t afraid. He should be. He should fear for his very life in Sasuke’s presence. He’d been killed once before by the familiar madness eating away at the mind behind soulful eyes. Something told him not to be afraid. Something was coming but he shouldn’t be afraid. Death held no true power over him, the wind purred in his ear. The mysterious intruder seemed to know more than he wished to reveal on that subject. Was there truly any need to hide behind riddles? Was it a game and Naruto the unwilling participant? Asking him straight forward did nothing but earn more questions.



Pein. He’d said his name was Pein. From the multiple piercings lining his face and ears, he’d probably gone through quite a bit of pain. It was strange name for an equally strange individual. He’d felt a pull to this man as well. It wasn’t the same as Sasuke. With Pein, he felt a kindred spirit. It felt different, though. Pein seemed almost disillusioned, a shell of what he should be. The first spark of something other than boredom or mild curiosity had been when he’d faced Itachi. There had been something there. Something curious.



“Something is going on with them,” he murmured. “And you are an idiot who has started talking to yourself. It’s probably the first sign of your growing insanity. At least it means you can join Sasuke in the padded room.”



He chuckled, happy to finally see the small family owned diner come into his view. He was tired of his thoughts. He was tired of trying to analyze his feelings while still being in shock from the strange turn his life had taken. Good food was always a way to take one’s mind off troubles, at least temporarily. Well, bad food could do it too but who would want to use bad food as a medium for distraction?



Pressing the button at the intersection, he waiting impatiently for the signal he could cross. His stomach rumbled loudly, reminding him of his lack of proper sustenance in the last day. Add in that he’d volunteered his blood as food for Sasuke and he was practically running on empty. If he was going to make a regular offering, he should probably keep his strength up. Hell, he would be upset if Sasuke didn’t feed from him. He’d felt things.



The physical was the most obvious but there was something else. He’d felt Sasuke’s blood rushing with each pulse of his heart. He’d felt his lungs fill with oxygen, each breath resonating in his body. The taste of himself on Sasuke’s tongue had been more of a turn on than the actual act. He’d been Sasuke, merged in every part of his mind. Had it not been so fragmented, Naruto was sure their minds would have synchronized instantly. Itachi had mistaken his question to be for the arousal. Which, it was arousing, but the feeding had been so much more. It was almost a reinforcement of his connection with Sasuke. What had been lost over time was being rebuilt.



The sign signaled pedestrians to walk. The little man flashed its urgency not to dawdle to any pedestrian waiting for the signal. Not bothering to glance down the street, he trotted across the crosswalk--fully confident of his safety with the little white man.



He was trotting and then he was flying through the air. His mind was too shocked to register the pain rocketing through him. His body skidded along the gravely road, bouncing and flailing before coming to a stop. The skidding of tires and screams of bystanders echoed in his ears. Had he been hit? Had he foolishly fallen into a sense of false comfort with his life? Had he descended into that all too familiar trap of society’s youth, believing nothing could harm him?



Naruto felt tears rolling down his cheeks, unable to do much more than lay as bystanders crowded around him. He heard screams to call 911 and felt the comforting touch of a stranger wrapping a coat around his body. His body was shivering. Why couldn’t he stop shivering?



His head felt sticky. He couldn’t feel his arms and legs, much less move them. It was a given he probably had internal damage. Through it all, his mind remained calm--almost analytical. He was dying. It was a familiar sensation, like being born but instead of drawing in life, his frail body was releasing it.



“Sa…Sasu…” He tried to call out to him yet his throat closed in on itself. Blood bubbled from his mouth, dripping down his lips much as it had Sasuke’s. Funny how it seemed much less pleasant when it dripped from his own mouth.



“Stay calm. The ambulance is on the way.” Some stranger’s words pushed through the madness. It would be too late. Fate had her hand in this deal. One couldn’t run from their fate. It sounded cliché in his mind. Such a cliché phrase and yet, so true in this moment.



“Giving up so soon?”



The world froze around him. The people stopped moving. The wind stopped blowing. Everything stopped, the pause button pushed. It was impossible. The world shouldn’t freeze like this.



“Pitiful, the human shell encapsulating the soul. You know, there is no heaven or hell. There is no afterlife, per say. All souls are reborn, it’s a balance system. But every so often, a special soul is born. This soul can’t be wiped clean upon death. Sure, the fine details are erased and usually only accessible through dreams but that feeling, that uniqueness to each human is still there.”



Naruto’s eyes hazed, trying to focus on the figure standing before him. Pein. He was here. “Ah…Pa…”



“Don’t try to talk. This is the moment of truth. This is where you become what you were always meant to be. This is the moment when all the world stops and you are given the chance to evolve.” Pein crouched down beside him, his gray eyes hard. “We’re Watchers. We watch. We are the self proclaimed keepers of the balance of all things. If something occurs to endanger the balance, we take action. Take your lover for example. His kind don’t die…at least not easily. They feed off of creatures that do. If there is a boom in their population, it’s our job to take care of it or the balance will bring in very bad things. There was a famous flood brought about by an imbalance in the balance.”



Naruto’s eyes widened, he would rather die than play executioner to a race of people just because they birthed a few too many children. Pein chuckled, pulling out a cigarette from his jacket pocket.



“Your face, so much pain. Do you think this world could survive if there isn’t a balance? Humans and the others have to live in synchronicity. If they don’t, we intervene. It’s funny really, how we come into being. But I think, that’s a discussion for another day. I’m here to take you, or rather, your soul. It’s ripe. After ten lifetimes, you’ve amassed enough power to survive without your body.”



Naruto shook his head. “No!”



“No?” Pein snorted. “You never got to live. Your first life sent a tingle to whatever force takes care of wiping souls. It killed you. Sure, throw in a war and swords…that’s not coincidence that you were taken there and its not a coincidence your little nightwalker was there. The powers that be felt your connection. They felt the link you had to this world before you ever died. And it happened over and over and over. Your soul wouldn’t forget until finally you are here. It’s the end of the line. There will be no more rebirths.”



The world around them wavered slightly, making Pein frown. “Listen to me. There isn’t much time remaining. A choice must be made. Your soul will be destroyed. Souls that aren’t able to be wiped clean are devoured. How do you think your nightwalker will take it?”



Pein pressed his hand to Naruto’s chest, causing feelings of warmth to rush through him until a faint thread revealed itself. It sparkled brightly with some mysterious light, making Naruto want to sit and gaze at it forever. It grew from his chest and flowed away from him.



Then he knew. This was his connection to Sasuke. This was what he’d felt. It had drawn him to Sasuke throughout his entire life.



“I see you know what that is. This little thing is about to snap. He won’t survive it. It’s always been there, even while your soul waited in stasis for rebirth. Do you understand now? His soul is marked just as yours is. There will be no rebirth for him, either. This is it. This is the end. Take my hand.” Pein lowered his hand.



Sasuke. Pein’s words were spoken in truth though Naruto’s heart broke at what he already knew. If there was no hope…if the thread connecting them was severed…



He didn’t think twice. There was no hesitation. If he didn’t take the hand offered him, Sasuke would destroy himself and likely a good portion of the world with him. He didn’t care about the balance of things. He didn’t care if the powers that be held a scale measuring every ounce of creation. All he cared about was Sasuke. Only Sasuke. In those moments, a choice was made though there was really no second option. He reached up and grasped the slender hand.



“I do apologize. This is going to hurt.”



Naruto screamed. Or he thought he did. He couldn’t hear his screams over the roaring in his ears--the screams of lifetimes. It felt like his very being was being ripped from his body. Electricity rippled up and down his nerves, causing his body to convulse wildly. The hand gripping his never slackened its hold, even through the haze he could see Pein’s face was wracked in equal agony. He was sharing his pain. Perhaps his name was appropriate after all.



“Sa…Sasuke…” Naruto arched his back, tendons and veins standing out against his skin. The blood boiled in his veins, becoming molten lava with every rapid pulse of his heart. He was dying but unlike before, there was no comforting warmth or darkness--only agony which surpassed anything he’d felt before. He felt it leaking from him and rushing down the bond connecting him and Sasuke.



“Konan!” Pein’s shout was barely heard through the loud roaring in his ears.



“You idiot!”



A woman stepped from the nothing. Her blue hair shimmered beneath the sun that seemed amazingly even brighter--a white light behind her. The heat ripped through him, burning the skin and muscle from his bones only to replace it anew…and then, silence.



Perhaps it wasn’t a true silence. He heard his heart pulsing blood through his veins. He heard the rush of air with each exhalation. Then, it came. The rocketing agony coming through to him made the previous bout seem like a minor prick. The difference was, Naruto knew this wasn’t his agony. Sasuke. It wasn’t physical. Fight though he might, his body refused to hold out any longer. If he was dying, at least his last thoughts would be of Sasuke.



“You should have called me.” Konan snarled to Pein, who sat slumped beside Naruto.



“There wasn’t time. His decision needed to be now. I told him it would hurt more if he waited.” Pein flinched from her touch, his body heaving.



“Don’t give me that shit. You are a master of time.” She crossed her arms, glaring down at him. Pein shook his head, scooping his arms under Naruto’s shoulders.



“Help me, Konan. We need to get him out of here. He’ll need to stay in stasis for several hours to recover.” Pein’s voice echoed in his ears as the world faded to black.



oOo



“Sasuke, the council is very on edge concerning you.” Itachi began, being diplomatic in order to prevent an explosion in Sasuke.



“Hn.” Sasuke snorted, wrapping his arms tighter around his knees. “They always are.”



“I’m serious, Sasuke.”



Red eyes shot to meet Itachi’s. “So am I. Whether or not they put a warrant on me is irrelevant, isn’t it?”



“I won’t let them hurt you but you are going to be brought before them…soon.” Itachi clenched his jaw at the angry gleam in Sasuke’s eye.



“Do they know?” His claws began to extend, digging into his legs. Sasuke didn’t seem to notice, and wouldn’t have if Itachi hadn’t wrapped his hand around Sasuke’s wrist.



“About Naruto?”



Sasuke nodded, attempting to keep himself calm under the swirling emotions being with Naruto brought to him. “Yes.”



“All suspect something. Some know. I think Danzou will use Naruto against you.” Itachi lifted a hand to the bridge of his nose. He suspected Danzou might attempt to assassinate Naruto for the soul purpose of driving Sasuke over the edge.



“He wants the throne.” Sasuke stared at the blood coating his fingers. He brought his thumb and forefinger together, smearing the red liquid.



“Driving you insane won’t get it for him.” Itachi began to pace. “What’s his angle?”



Sasuke laughed, first a small chuckle which grew into a loud cackle. “Don’t be stupid, Itachi. Can’t you see it? How sane do you think you will be when I’m executed?”



Itachi paled, staring at Sasuke as if he’d grown a second head. “You…Sasuke…you know I wouldn’t let them execute you.”



“Then you would forfeit your throne. Don’t you see? It’s brilliant. I’ve single handedly trapped my brother into a coup. I’ve very nearly handed Danzou the crown.” Sasuke began laughing again. “Don’t you see. If I die, you’ll likely be deemed unfit. A vote of no confidence goes a long way. If you save me after the execution order is given, you forfeit your crown. Brilliant! To think I underestimated that bastard all those years I spent active in the court.”



“Sasuke, you are forgetting that Danzou can not force me to go mad and he has to have a unanimous vote of all members present to execute anyone. Shikamaru…”



“Shikamaru Nara will look after his own skin. He’s smart. He won’t risk his family name on my account.” Sasuke shook his head, frowning at something.



“You have too little faith in others.” Itachi tilted his head, feeling a chill work through him. “The air has changed.”



“Itachi…” Sasuke began rocking, rubbing his arms back and forth. “Something is wrong.”



“Sasuke, stay calm.” Itachi extended his senses to the general area. Everything seemed as it should.



“I can’t…I can’t think…I can’t…feel him…” Sasuke claws began ripping into his forearm, blood dripping thickly down to splash on the ground.



Itachi moved to stop him, only to have the claws slash across his chest. The white shirt split in four rips, blood trickling from where the claws had sliced his skin. Quiet pain rippled through Sasuke’s eyes, his body drawing into a tighter ball.



“Can’t you feel it, Tachi?” he whimpered into his knees. “I can.”



“Naruto is fine. It’s just because he’s out of your scanning distance.” Itachi grasped Sasuke’s shoulders, shaking him harshly. “Get a hold on yourself. Do you want to play into Danzou’s hands?”



“The quiet.” Sasuke’s eyes went distant, his hand reaching to rub across his chest.



“Sasuke? What are you speaking of?”



Sasuke ripped away from Itachi’s grip, prowling away--disappearing into a darkened corner of the room. “The quiet before the storm.”



Chills shot up Itachi’s spine. A sense of foreboding unlike any he’d ever felt resonated in him. His eyes, rarely losing their natural black, began to shift--altering to a deep crimson. The air practically crackled with electricity moments before Sasuke began screaming. His hands ripped at his shirt and then his skin as if to tear it from his bones. Itachi, unable to do much else, tackled him to the ground. Sasuke continued to scream, his eyes red and fangs completely extended.



“Sasuke!” Itachi hissed at the bite of claws into his wrists as Sasuke flailed about wildly.



“I can’t feel him! It hurts!” Sasuke’s body convulsed, his eyes rolling back.



“Sasuke!”



Wrapping a hand around both of Sasuke’s wrists, he used his free hand to gather the drying blood on his chest. Drawing ancient symbols onto Sasuke’s brow, he hissed out a language long dead. The whites in Sasuke’s eyes showed as crimson orbs rolled back into his head and his body went limp. The spell was strong but the stronger a spell, the shorter the duration. It would only give him hours--a day at the most.



Itachi’s hands shook. Blood, both his and Sasuke’s, covered his body. He wiped his hand across his face, smearing blood over the pale skin. He needed to get to Naruto. The dread he’d felt…he didn’t want to consider what would happen if Naruto wasn’t happily eating breakfast. He cursed himself for taking only a taste of Naruto, all those years ago. It would help him track him more easily if he‘d taken more.



He rushed to his room, only taking the time to rinse the blood from his face and to pull on a clean shirt. He found his energy waning significantly after putting Sasuke under. The difficulty he had focusing his eyes was evidence of that.



“Fuck, Sasuke.” Itachi braced himself on the doorjamb. “You aren’t making this easy on me.”



He raised his hand to his chest, wincing under the glare of the sun. He could feel it burning through his skin. He would have to wear a hat and coat if he was going to go out in it. His strength was too drained to walk about without covering.



His nose picked up Naruto’s scent easily, and he knew his ward enjoyed a small family owned diner a short ways down the road. Drawing in as much energy as he could, he flashed quickly to the diner. The sight before him chilled him to the bones. He was sure his heart stopped yet he remained standing. Police and ambulances littered the areas along with pedestrian bystanders stopping to gawk at the circus.



“Naruto…”



The familiar blond head he’d found his hands tussling as a child was matted with blood. His eyes glazed over as a white sheet was lowered over the body before it was lifted onto the stretcher. Several locals recognized him, knowing Naruto was his ward.



“Mr. Uchiha!”



Itachi stumbled against a nearby building. Only Sasuke had ever made him feel this despondent. He was lost, unable to respond. A police officer touched his arm. It took every ounce of self control not to kill him instantly. “Mr. Uchiha?”



Itachi nodded, not trusting himself to speak. “You’re the guardian of Naruto Uzumaki?”



Itachi closed his eyes. “Yes.”



“We need you to come down to the morgue to identify him. I’m sorry to have to put you through this but it’s procedure.” The police officer guided Itachi towards a waiting car.



The entire drive to the hospital, Itachi sat in a state of shock. All he could think was that he’d failed Naruto. There was no reason why he couldn’t have stayed with him and Sasuke. Sasuke was calmer when he was around.



Every mile, he fought to keep his eyes from bleeding red in his grief. Only iron clad control kept him from going as feral as Sasuke. Naruto had resided in his heart as no other but his brother had. He’d swore he would not grow attached the boy. He would only keep him safe for Sasuke. He was a fool, blinded just as Sasuke was by Naruto’s light.



Something about Naruto drew him in. He connected with him--saw something familiar that he was unable to name. Naruto was a like song he’d heard once, reviving a long dead feeling he’d never known he’d felt or missed. It was such a strange sensation, being in Naruto’s presence. He was envious of Sasuke--of how Naruto seemed to only need him.



“Sir?” Itachi glanced at the police officer. “We’re here.”



Itachi gave no response, sliding gracefully from the car. He was careful to keep his hat low on his head until he stepped within the building. The scent of blood and death nearly sent him to his knees. Normally he had guards over his senses to keep from being over powered. With his energy so low, he was bombarded by the odors and the humans’ worthless attempts to cover them. These scents never died to those with preternatural senses.



He followed the officer, standing silently as the man conversed quietly with the medical examiner. Itachi heard every word. It wasn’t hard to over hear them. He really didn’t care until he heard the words ‘hit and run’. His jaw cracked under the effort to keep his dark nature in check. Danzou did this. He didn’t know how, but something told him who was responsible.



“Mr. Uchiha? I’m Kakashi Hatake, the medical examiner. If you’ll follow me.” Dr. Hatake ushered Itachi through a set of double doors where Itachi froze. Naruto’s blood was heavy in the room. It was fresh, undiluted by the cleaners humans use.



“I’m sorry. Usually we clean the deceased before the family come to identify them.” The medical examiner pulled the sheet from a body causing tears to prick his eyes--tears he was unable to shed for several reasons, the first being they would be the color of blood.



Itachi turned, unable to look anymore. He’d fought so hard to keep his eyes from changing and now he was losing the battle.



“You don’t have to hide, King Itachi.”



Itachi swirled around, his eyes a brilliant red and locked on the doctor. A snarl revealed sharpened fangs ready to pierce his throat. “What did you say?”



“Forgive me, I’m one of the shape changers. Wolf. I’m surprised you didn’t scent it on me. We can’t hide from your kind, even in human form. The wolf stays on us. Perhaps your grief, no?” Kakashi’s eyes softened as he glanced at Naruto’s body. “I’ve never known your kind to take in orphans.”



“He was a promise I failed to keep.” Itachi brushed his hand along Naruto’s cheek. It was cold, the skin already decaying. One touch and he knew Naruto’s soul was no longer within. “Forgive me, Naruto. I failed in so many ways.”



“My clan has always respected you. You’ve kept the peace amongst your kind and are a fair judge. We will keep the peace for you while you mourn.” This was no small offer. Hatake was practically offering up his pack as a supernatural militia. Most non humans kept their distance from others of a different breed out of some inbred instinct. Tensions ran high in the presence of others.



“Is there some debt I owe you?” Itachi lowered his hand from Naruto and turned to gaze at the shape shifter.



“Consider this a peace offering amongst our species. There have been rumblings. The wind speaks of plots against you. I think this child’s death wasn’t an accident.” Kakashi pulled the white sheet over Naruto’s head.



“Oh, of that I am certain and there will be a reckoning. I would advise your pack to stay clear. I’m afraid war might be coming.” Itachi strode to the wall. A quick slice to his wrist released blood in a crimson flow. He dipped his fingers in the fluid, writing on the wall in symbols only a select few could read. “It’s funny and sad…I’ve had to call on the ancient magics a lot recently.”



The letters glowed brightly before the blood faded. Kakashi sniffed the air causing Itachi to laugh mirthlessly. “That magic is invisible to your kind. Consider it our bargain. When his body is laid to rest, I’ll consider your oath fulfilled. My part shall be a binding promise. Should you need my aid, speak my name in calling. I will hear you, no matter you location.”



Itachi stumbled against the wall, his body unable to stand any longer. Kakashi Hatake rushed to his side, helping him stand. “You’re not well.”



“Exhaustion. I have much to do, none of it pleasant. Don’t let anyone take his body without my say. What I wrote wasn’t only my oath. It will prevent your from falling under compulsion while you reside in this building.” Itachi shrugged away the wolf’s touch.



“You think someone would try to take him?”



Itachi snarled, his fangs glistening in the florescent lighting. “I’m very sure of it.”



Using the last of his energy, he whispered ancient words. The world faded away and he was once more in his study. There was nothing to hold his body up and he crumpled to the floor. It was then the tears came. Great rivers of red fell from his eyes to stain the carpet. He was helpless to stop them, his body all but drained of energy and the sun was high in the sky.



“Forgive me.” Itachi closed his eyes and was pulled once more into the darkness.



oOo



Pein collapsed against Konan, allowing her to support him. She snarled at him. “You are a fool.”



Pein smiled faintly, “So you continue to say.”



“You could have destroyed yourself.”



“You worry too much. There was no time for a ritual. I had to remove his soul manually.” Pein slumped into a plush chair while Konan started a fire in the fireplace.



“Still…was this boy worth it? There will be others.” Konan took a seat in the adjourning chair, staring into the flames.



Pein nodded, his hands tracing designs on the chair arms. “His bond with that nightwalker…”



Konan’s eyes widened. “That’s what this is about. You see what you were denied.”



“I was denied nothing!” Pein snarled, his fingers tearing into the fabric beneath them.



“Don’t kid yourself.” Konan turned her gaze back to the flames licking at the wood. “I was around long before you.”



Pein shook his head, his eyes staring into the flames and he was carried back. It was hard to fight the pull of the past. It haunted him with a viciousness. He often wondered if it was fate or something else.



“Nagato!”



Nagato gasped for breath, staring at the ornate ceiling. The painted symbols surrounded him, glowing under the words of the surrounding priests. Were they priests? They were cloaked so he couldn’t see their faces. They sounded like priests, their words were foreign and spoken in sync.



“Nagato, you must stay with me.”



She wasn’t who he wanted. He needed someone else. Where was he? Didn’t he feel their bond? Couldn’t he hear him crying out for him? This was their final chance. He needed him.



“My Lady, he’s not going to answer the call. We will have to forcibly remove the soul or he will die. He’s bleeding out too heavily to wait,” one of the hooded priests whispered to the woman standing at his side.



“It could kill him. We’ve never extracted a soul successfully without their bonded soul present.” The blue haired woman brought her hand to her lips.



“Konan, if you don’t hurry, he’s dead anyway. Look at the thread. It’s all but invisible. His bond mate either doesn’t care, or he has not acknowledged the bond. Sadly, it happens far more than not,” the priest sighed.



“He’s had ten lifetimes! I’ve seen him at each death! He’s been there! I’ve watched Nagato since his first lifetime,” argued Konan.



“My dear, powerful though you may be, you are still young by our standards. He is at the death because he is drawn to those places. That his soul does not answer means his soul was not ready for the burden. He unintentionally rejected the bond. Now, you must bring forth this boy’s soul or he will be destroyed.”



Konan looked sadly at Nagato. “Take my hand. I will be your mother into this world.”



Chanting escaladed as he took the offered hand, pain ripping through him and along the thin thread binding him to the man. He heard her words. He’d been rejected. He knew the man. His dark hair and eyes were plastered into his memory. He’d dreamed of him his entire life. He knew his name, music on his tongue. Many nights he laid in bed, whispering the name over and over. It was a prayer to him.



Nagato arched his back, pain was tearing him apart. He cried out the only thing he could. It was his prayer--his mantra. “Itachi!”



Then there was nothing but blackness.



“Nagato.” Konan was shaking his shoulder. “You were dreaming.”



“Pein…” Pein rasped out, sipping the whiskey Konan handed him. It burned down his throat, heating his stomach but unable to force back the chill residing in his soul.



“I’m not calling you that. It’s not who you are.”



Pein closed his eyes. Nagato had died on the alter to be reborn as Pein. The sooner she realized it, the sooner everyone would be happier. “How long was I asleep?”



“About six hours.”



Pein cracked his neck, not liking the stiffness in his body from sleeping in the chair. “The boy?”



“He’ll be awakening soon. You’ll want to be there. Your face will be the only he recognizes.” Konan folded the blanket she’d tossed over him hours earlier.



Pein nodded, standing and stretching. It was time. The boy’s extraction had taken him back to his own. It was a miracle he’d survived with such a small bonding thread. He watched Konan leave to give him a few moments to compose himself.



His hand shook as he lifted a hand to touch his chest. Just as it had a thousand years prior, a thin, translucent thread showed itself. Try though he might, he could not bring himself to clip it. He no longer needed his bond mate yet…he couldn’t bear the thought of destroying it.



Opening the door, he found Konan standing quietly. He smiled at his long time friend. “Let’s go welcome our newest member.”



To be continued.



AN: First off, Icrawlthroughyourwindow...you made my day. Seriously, I showed all my friends that comment because it was made of awesome. now I know when people are rude to me, it's just because they are reading MM and can't be disturbed XD



Secondly, this chapter is very heavy. A lot is revealed but it will only make you all the more confused, I'm sure. Just keep being patient. All will be revealed.