Forgiveness

Warning: violence, cursing, no, no sex yet you pervs.



A/N: whetstone is a oily stone used to sharpen knives. I hope you enjoy. Please remember, this is an alternate reality. Please don't point out things about the manga. I already know since I do read the manga. I just don't agree with some things, namely Itachi's death and Sasuke's going ass crazy.



Forgiveness



Chapter Four



The campfire crackled warmly before Itachi as he stroked his kunai over the whetstone. The scrape of steel over stone created a hissing sound, breaking the near silence of the small tree surrounded clearing. His eyes darted towards the carriage where the sound of two set of breathing reached his trained ears.



Following the encounter at the border of Mountain Country, the remainder of the trip had been exceedingly boring. The pace was slower than he would have liked but the presence of hired guardians must have kept any thieves or bandits at bay. He was thankful. He didn’t want to have to kill in front of the boy but wouldn’t hesitate to do so if the need arose.



Thinking of the boy, he could stop the slight twitching of lips. Ryuu was as energetic as every, eyes popping open every morning at sunrise and not stopping until long after camp had been made. His energy kept the trip from being entirely unbearable.



They’d crossed the border into Fire Country the day before, causing both him and Kisame to be especially on their guard. Tonight would be the last day of camping. They would stop tomorrow at a small respectable inn he and Kisame knew before continuing on into Konoha the following day. They would need to push extra hard tomorrow in order to make it to the inn before it became too dark to travel.



Both he and Kisame were tense. This was the first time either had come so close to one of the primary hidden villages in over six years. Neither let down their guard for even a moment. Both were still listed in the Bingo Books. Itachi’s supposed death gave him a bit of cover but Kisame was still listed as whereabouts unknown; a dangerous thing to be. The danger, if anything, stirred Kisame’s blood enough to keep his natural violent tendencies at bay for now.



“Obito-san.” Itachi lifted his gaze from his task to meet sparking eyes. It hurt every time he looked at the boy. The resemblance to Sasuke was so remarkable, he‘d caught himself several times nearly calling him Sasuke. It wasn’t that he looked so much like Sasuke, but his personality mirrored that of his brother from their childhood. His personality…and his eyes. His eyes held that same look of adoring hero worship and something else he‘d thought he was the last to possess.



“You should be sleeping. We are going to push hard tomorrow to reach the inn in Green Leaf before dark.” Itachi turned his gaze away, trying to ignore him. Of course, the boy would not allow that. Since the first day, Ryuu had latched onto him like a sort of surrogate father. He hung on his every word, begged to ride on his shoulders. Just as when Sasuke was a boy, Ryuu refused to be ignored by Itachi.



The boy pouted as he inched across the clearing towards Itachi. “Mama snores.”



A smile crept along Itachi’s hidden face. “Don’t tell her that. She might get embarrassed.”



“Mamas don get barrassed.” Ryuu grinned settling beside Itachi.



A cold wind chose that moment to whistle through the trees, making the boy beside him cuddle even closer. Itachi moved, opening his thick black cloak to make room for the boy inside its warmth.



“You smell nice. Like Daddy.”



Itachi couldn’t stop the small snort of mirth from escaping his lips. For someone who hadn’t bathed in nearly a week, he was glad he still smelled decent. “I’m glad you approve.”



“Will you stay wiff me when we get home? We can pway ninjas. Daddy pways wiff me sometimes. And Unca Ruto.” Ryuu yawned again, crawling into Itachi’s lap.



“I’m afraid I can’t stay with you.”



“Why?”



“I have to go home.”



“Why?”



“I just do.”



“Don you wike me?” Itachi swore he heard a sniffle. The pang was back in his heart. Curse kids. He hated them. He hated how they latched onto him. He hated how they seemed to worm their way through his defenses. He hated how much they made him remember the days when his little brother doted on his every word. Yes, he hated children.



“I like you.” Itachi said quietly.



“Yay! Then you are staying wiff me. You can sweep in my room. I have a big boy bed.” That settled in Ryuu’s mind, he snuggled closer to Itachi.



Setting aside the weapons, he stretched his legs into a more comfortable position as the boy made himself at home on his lap. His hands reached up to stroke the soft locks of hair as the boy’s breath evened out, signaling his decent into sleep.



“I keep telling you. You need to find you a busty woman with nice hips and have a litter of little dark haired boys and girls. You would make a good father.” Kisame settled beside Itachi before the fire.



“That will never happen.”



“So you say.”



“He’s not a Hyuuga.” Itachi tucked the boy more comfortably into his chest before glancing over at Kisame.



“Course not. Those stuck up prudes probably reproduce asexually.” Kisame snickered at the thought of the illustrious Hyuuga clan reproducing by budding as some sea life did.



“He’s an Uchiha.”



Kisame choked on the bottle of water he was downing, turning incredulous eyes towards his partner. “You are joking?”



“No.”



“Itachi…” Kisame hissed, risking their cover by using his real name but needing to emphasize his point.



“It’s the eyes. They don’t lie.” Itachi closed his own, not wanting to hope that for the slightest moment Sasuke was alive. The last three living Uchihas had been Madara, Itachi, and Sasuke. That didn’t mean there weren’t a few bastards roaming around. His own father had kept a civilian mistress in Konoha. When bastard children were produced, the elders of the clan would be brought in with medic nins. The eyes of the infants were thoroughly examined. Any child developing the nearly invisible red sheen of the Sharingan was taken into the Uchiha clan and given the name but who knew how many bastards out there were whose Sharingan remained dormant only to pass on the trait to their children or grandchildren?



The Sharingan eyes were a mutation of evolution, just as were the Hyuuga Byakugan and Pein’s Rinnegan. Who’s to say that under the right circumstances, a dormant Sharingan couldn’t be born again from someone of diluted Uchiha blood? He wondered who the boy’s father was. Anything was possible. Hell, it could be anyone.



“You don’t think Sasuke…” Kisame brought a hand up to stroke his chin thoughtfully. “I mean, I know we’ve been out of the loop for a while but I would think the revival of the Uchiha clan would have made bigger news. When I last saw your brother, Madara had twisted him so far, I don‘t think you would have recognized him. How do you know this kid is an Uchiha anyway? I don‘t go around believing every blue haired person is my long lost cousin.”



“His eyes haven’t developed but I can see the Sharingan sitting in wait.” Itachi’s own eyes bled to red, the small black tomoes spinning lazily as they gazed at Ryuu’s face. He lifted a finger to raise the lid of one eye. Almost immediately, a ring of red outlined Ryuu’s eye in response to Itachi’s Sharingan.



“Itachi-san, lets just get these people delivered and go home. I don’t want you digging around, looking for some long lost fifth cousin, twice removed. You’ll draw attention to yourself. You might be wearing a mask but anyone who’s met you in battle will remember your eyes. A person doesn’t forget eyes like yours, even if you don‘t use your Sharingan.” Kisame scooped the boy from Itachi’s arms, placing him safely beside his mother in the carriage.



Itachi nodded. His guilt over what he’d done weighed heavily on him. The closer they came to Konoha, the more keenly he felt its pressure. Kisame was right, of course. He was letting his emotions get too involved. There would come a time when he would need to accept punishment for what he’d done but he found himself not wanting to give up his life for simply doing what he was ordered. He had come to term with his family’s death. No, if punishment was rendered, it would be for what he did to Sasuke.



Taking a breath, he deactivated his Sharingan, staring off into the silent forest surrounding the borders of Fire Country. He lifted his gaze to the stars winking at him from between the canopy of trees. They looked different here. No less beautiful but not as bright as in Mountain Country. They seemed further away, lacking the illusion of being able to almost touch them.



As he watched, one by one they began to fade as the light began coloring the east. He contemplated Kisame’s words before coming to a decision. For the first time since his parents’ death, he would visit their resting place. He needed to see them, to tell them of his life. Perhaps Konoha was honorable enough to bury Sasuke with his family and he could do the same for his brother.



He smiled, he wasn’t worried about it. He’d given Naruto a small bit of his chakra, hoping that the other would succeed in his mission to save his friend. If Sasuke was dead, as all evidence stated, he would have made damn sure he was buried with his family. His memories of the blond jinchuriki were of an amazingly strong hellion, determined to save Sasuke from himself. Uzumaki Naruto. That was a name forever branded in his memory. The utter devotion he showed for his friend touched Itachi deeply.



In later days, when he lay broken under Kisame and Keiko’s care, he thought a lot. During one of those reminiscing moments, he recalled his meeting of the blond boy and experienced for the first time jealousy towards his brother. He wondered what it would be like to have a friend such as that. Kisame, good friend that he was, would not devote every particle of his being towards saving him with no thought of himself especially now that he possessed a family. No, Uzumaki Naruto was one of a kind.



Stoking the fire a little before tossing a few spare bits of kindling, he set the pot for water in the warm ashes. The others would begin stirring soon. He wanted to be on the road in no less than an hour. The sooner they reached Konoha, the sooner he could face his past.



~*~



The gates of Konoha loomed familiar for the exhausted troupe. Even a night in an inn did little to comfort the weary travelers. Exhaustion didn’t stop the happy chattering of Ryuu as he babbled on about his Daddy and how he missed him. Itachi shifted nervously on the balls of his feet, eyeing the guards as they passed easily through the gates with minimum fuss. Time may have dulled the memories of shinobi but caution had long been burned into Itachi’s very being. He was sure his mask would quell possibility of subtle recognition but a shinobi who let down his guard was soon a dead one.



Kisame noticed Itachi’s subtle movements signaling nervousness and slapped him hardily on the shoulder. “I know you have places you want to see. Go on, I’ll finish up this shit and get our money. I’ll meet you by the gates in two hours.”



Itachi nodded his thanks before flickering away, taking to the rooftops. He moved faster than the average shinobi, his movements unnoticed by most. It wasn’t uncommon to see shinobi moving along the walls or roofs. Even those who noticed him paid him no mind.



The first thing he noticed as he landed at the edge of the village was the long empty buildings in what was the former Uchiha district had been destroyed. He was grateful his hands were hidden beneath his cloak. They clenched so hard, he was sure his palms were bleeding from his nails.



He forced calm into his mind as he stepped towards the large garden now standing in place of the residences of his childhood. Few people paid him mind as they strolled past. It took every ounce of strength in him to keep from showing his distress. His eyes darted quickly from person to person. The beautiful arrangements of flower beds and benches gave the place a peaceful air. As he made his way towards the center, he saw a large black stone monument, surrounded by flowers.



The mask covering his face hid his frown as he approached cautiously. It was a simple rectangle of dark marble. He leaned in to see a listing of names engraved on the stone. His eyes widened in shock. Here, listed in honor, was the name of every Uchiha killed on that fateful night. His hand shook as he reached up to run his fingers over the names, recalling the faces of each and every one. His hand lingered as it reached Uchiha Mikoto. He swallowed heavily. His mother would have been honored by her name being engraved on this stone. Of all the blood staining his katana that night, hers was the most vibrant. Despite all he did, all the blood on his hands, her eyes shone with love even until her last breath.



His fingers trailed over the remaining names until reaching the end. There, carved in alongside every other member of the family was his name. Uchiha Itachi. Itachi stumbled away from the monument. It was one thing to place the name of his mother on a monument. It was quite another to have his own listed among all those who died. Especially since he was the weapon who struck them down.



“Are you alright, boy?”



Itachi’s mind cleared enough to face the speaker. The elderly woman brushed past him to touch one of the names. “I never understood why it took them so long to build this garden. My best friend was one of the ones killed that night. When the truth came out about it, I didn’t want to believe it. I wanted to keep blaming that boy. After they built this place, I began coming. The sun is nice to these old bones. After sitting and thinking a while, I remember the gentle eyes of that boy. I knew then he couldn’t have done what he did just for the pleasure of it. It’s a shame really. He was so polite.”



“Why…who built this?”



“Are you sure you’re feeling alright? I can call over one of the young people to help you to a medic.”



“Please…who?”



“Well, the entire village. The Hokage. Several of the major families. Once it was revealed the circumstances of the massacre, people showed up. It was about time they tore down those houses. It wasn‘t right to live them standing up as some sort of grim reminder. This is a much nicer way to remember them.” The old woman narrowed her eyes at Itachi. “You remind me a lot of that boy. Same gentle eyes. He didn’t have the sadness I see in yours though. Are you sure you don‘t want to see a medic?”



“Thank you for your assistance.” Itachi whispered, performing a series of hand signs rapidly, he disappeared in a puff of gray smoke.



When he opened his eyes, he found himself standing before the Konoha Cemetery. This was the place he dreaded the most. How he remained on his feet was a mystery to him. It felt as if a string was tied to his soul, pulling him towards where he knew he would see them. It wasn’t hard to find. The Uchiha portion of the cemetery was probably the most distinct. The family crest gleamed brightly above the gate leading to that portion of the cemetery.



In all the years since their death, he had not stepped foot here. For too long his life was darkened by the memory of that night and the blood that stained his eyes red. It was hard to believe it had been so long. He felt like a child again as he stood before the markers. He could clearly see his mother’s warm smile as he entered the kitchen. She always teased him about how much he looked like his father. He could remember the pleased look in his father’s face on the day he was accepted into ANBU.



Falling to his knees, he bowed low, his brow touching the soft grass growing around the tomb. So many times he had played out what he would say to them. Now that he was kneeling before their markers, he was at a loss for words. He was a grown man, yet he could not find the words to express his grief, held deep inside for so long. What could one say at a time such as this? I’m sorry seemed far too meager an offering.



Closing his eyes, he prayed the tears would not come. He prayed for control. He prayed for some sort of comfort to be given where he knew there was none. In all his hurt and confusion, he said the only thing that came to mind.



“Mother…I miss you.”



~*~



Kisame fought back a yawn as carriage pulled to a stop before a gated estate. He rolled his eyes as the head escort offered him a pouch of money. Now he might not be the most calculating individual but Hoshigaki Kisame was not stupid. He nodded to the man before settling on a nearby bench to count the money. He would be ready to charge after the man should they be shorted even one bit.



As he was counting out the money, he heard Ryuu scream in excitement. “Daddy!”



Now, had any other child cried out for their father, he would have ignored them as he did most civilians. This however, was an interesting case. Since speaking with Itachi-san the other day, he was intensely curious as to who the father of the boy was. It was obvious he got his Uchiha genes from the father as the woman was from Mountain Country and very unlikely to have provided them.



Shoving his money in his cloak, he peaked through the gate. To say he was shocked was a massive understatement. In fact, he was so shocked, he might have died on the spot had he not been the healthy individual he was.



Cradling Ryuu in his arms was none other than Uchiha Sasuke. He looked different. His eyes held the same sadness Itachi carried with him. His body was a bit taller than he remembered but it still possessed that lean muscle that most likely made him deadly on the battlefield. The largest difference was the small smile gracing his features as he cradled his son in his arms. It wasn’t the hateful smirk he’d become famous for but an honest to God smile.



“Holy fuck!” hissed Kisame, stumbling back.



He was sure the younger Uchiha if not killed, would have been at the very least, imprisoned. Here he was, married with a kid and to a noble no less. Who would have thought the little brat was Itachi’s nephew all along?



Deciding this was something Itachi needed to know, he raced through the alleyways to the old Uchiha district. He was just as shocked as his partner to see the lush public garden in place of the once empty houses. He wracked his brain, searching it for any clue as to where Itachi would go next.



Closing his eyes, he searched for any sign of Itachi’s chakra. He cursed his own tracking skills. He was more of a fighter, not a tracker. Distinguishing one chakra from another was delicate work that far exceeded his skills. If not for the sudden flare towards the east, he wouldn’t have found him at all. Itachi had a very distinctive chakra signal when angry or upset. It was probably why he kept himself quiet, locking away his feelings from others. An upset Itachi was easy to track.



Racing through the streets, he skidded to a halt before the cemetery. Oh, God. If he was seen before the Uchiha graves, there would be hell to pay by the authorities not to mention the shock knowing Uchiha Itachi was still alive and kicking.



“Itachi-san!” gasped out Kisame as he found his long time partner kneeling before two stone monuments, no doubt those of his parents.



Itachi sat up immediately. His eyes shown red but no tears graced his cheeks. His eyes darkened considerably at the interruption. “What is it?”



“Fuck, you are a goddamned hard person to find. You know that princess and her brat we just brought here? They are Uchihas.” Kisame ground out.



Itachi released a pent up breath. For a moment he’d thought something happened. The way Kisame came, calling him by his given name; he’d feared their cover had been blown, forcing them to flee quickly. Obviously, such wasn’t the case if that was all Kisame had to say. Perhaps their discussion two days ago was finally sinking into his brain.



“I realize this, Kisame. I was the one who told you.” Itachi stood slowly; bowing low to his parent’s grave before moving towards where Kisame stood.



“No! You don’t. I don’t mean they have Uchiha blood, I mean they are goddamn Uchihas. That boy, Ryuu. His name is Uchiha. He doesn’t just have a few wild Uchiha genes, he’s the real thing. Born into the name Uchiha. He’s Sasuke’s spawn.” Kisame hissed.



Itachi turned his face sharply to Kisame. His eyes bled to red, spinning wildly. He may have lost his Mangekyou but he was still a master of the Sharingan. “That’s not humorous, Kisame.”



“Do I look like I’m joking? The last I saw of your brother was him looking like a wild animal with no thought for anyone but himself. If that man is not Sasuke, he’s his fucking twin.” Kisame growled, dropping his gaze so not to be hypnotized by the spinning tomoe.



Itachi simply stood there. He heard Kisame’s words. His brain processed them rapidly as it did every bit of data. He heard them but could not comprehend their meaning. Sasuke. No. It was a lie. Kisame was mistaken. It had been six, nearly seven years. It was Kisame’s brain playing tricks on him. He thought he saw Sasuke because of what they had discussed.



“Itachi-san, let’s leave. I have the money. Let’s go home.”



“No.”



“Itachi-san, you can wear all the masks you want, you would never be able to hide from Sasuke for very long…”



Itachi didn’t respond, instead, he calmly walked from the cemetery. He would never disgrace his parents by arguing with Kisame at their final resting place. Tucking his hands into this cloak, he moved through the gates and towards town.



“Itachi-san! Where are you going?”



“Konohagakure is not forgiving. When one of their weapons becomes faulty, they destroy it. Sasuke is dead. I will show you.” Itachi said quietly, fighting back the hope that somehow, Sasuke had been welcomed back in the fold. No, he would not get his hopes up. The only hope he had was that some how the Uchiha blood had been revived.



“Itachi-san. I know you don’t want to believe it but I know what I saw.” Kisame matched Itachi’s stride as they made their way down streets Itachi knew by heart.



“Kisame…even if it was Sasuke, I would need to see with my own eyes. I could not just leave without knowing. And if it isn’t…I need to see that with my own eyes as well.” Itachi couldn’t stop his stomach from tightening as they neared the gated house.



As houses went, it was probably one of the nicer ones. It wasn’t as large as the one he grew up in, but was obviously well taken care of, offering plenty of room for a family. Itachi was trained to see what was beneath. His eyes darted quickly, assessing any possible weaknesses. He’d been a shinobi too long not to.



Sending a wave of chakra to his legs, he easily leapt over the gate, landing silently in the garden backyard. He took note of the koi pond and very balanced feel of the flora. More than average care went into this garden. It reminded him very much of the garden his mother had kept before her death.



He couldn’t stop the shiver working through him. Though he had no plans on harming anyone, he couldn’t stop the flush of adrenaline that usually came with closing in on one’s prey. A presence appeared behind him. He didn’t have to turn to know it was Kisame.



“Fuck Itachi. You are going to get us arrested but damn I’ll give them a fight to remember.” grinned Kisame, his fingers popping in excitement.



Itachi arched a brow and smiled small twitching of lips beneath his mask. “What about Keiko?”



“She knows how I am. I’ll just make sure one of us gets out of this alive. Just so you know, if I die, I’ll haunt you if you so much as touch her.” Kisame growled.



“Idiot.” Itachi ducked beneath a tree, edging closer to the house. Giggles from Ryuu gave him pause. “Wait here.”



He slid the door open silently, gliding like a ghost as he entered. Years of training kept his footsteps unnoticeable. He was about to open the door when a steel blade stabbed through the wall. A slower man would have been impaled on it. If anything, Itachi was fast. He heard the whistle of the blade as it struck. Any accomplished swordsman would recognize that sound anywhere.



He pulled a kunai from a hidden pocket in his cloak, quickly using it to deflect another slash of the blade. He wasn’t sure why he avoided looking in the face of the other. The chakra felt so familiar, it hurt. He didn’t want to see. He wasn’t sure he could bear to be disappointed.



“Who are you?” growled his opponent.



He might have kept his eyes blind to the face, but there was no denying the deep husky voice of his brother. His iron tight control wavered. In all the years since that one fateful night, his control never slipped. In all that time, he remained completely untouchable. Never once had he allowed anything to get under his skin. He’d always kept his emotions at a distance until now.



It was a slight faltering of movement. To the untrained eye, it was unperceivable. To his opponent, it was the perfect opening. He felt the blade slice through his side. It was rather surprising, actually. There were very few who could land a blow on him. Pain shot up his side in a harsh burning rush. He ignored it as he was trained to do.



“Sasuke…”



“Itachi-san!” Kisame caught him as he stumbled backwards.



Itachi watched through hooded eyes as the face haunting most of his nightmares stared at him, a look of horror plastered across Sasuke‘s face. He could feel his body going into shock, partially from his wound and partially from seeing his brother alive. He blinked back the tears.



His blood stained hand reached towards his brother, trembling. It was as before all over again. He could still feel the pain tearing through his body as he used the last bit of his strength to lift his hand. Both had been at their limits. The look of horror crossing Sasuke’s face then was very much the same one gracing it now.



“Brother…?”



Kisame not wanting to risk saying longer, tossed Itachi over his shoulder and fled from the shock ridden Sasuke. He was smart enough to use the moment to his advantage, it wouldn’t last long. Sasuke was likely to recover from his shock quickly and alert ANBU.



“Sasuke’s alive.” Itachi whispered as darkness threatened his vision. “Sasuke’s alive.”



To be continued…