Sasuke was finally cornered.Itachi would finally scare Sasuke into believing only the worst in him. This was the only way that Sasuke would transform from that dependent little boy into a startling man. Sasuke searched for a way out his his trap but it was useless. Itachi knew so himself. Itachi had resigned himself to his fate long ago. It was Shurrei's plan. Shurrei. Master Puppeteer. Grand Regent of the Fourth Hokage (She would have been made the Fifth had she not declined the offer). But most importantly, Beloved Sister. Itachi knew how Sasuke felt. To be played by the person you loved my dearly. He couldn't help but be betrayed. Poor Shisui. Itachi could not help but hate the man even though he knew that it wasn't Shisui's fault. It was Shurrei who had ordered him to commit the deed and Shisui probably had more guts than Itachi did for he carried out the act amiably. Itachi would falter. How could he kill her. How could he? Shurrei was even worse but he couldn't bring himself to hate. "Hate will bring you nothing, Itachi. If you can control your feelings. Fate will be kind to you," Shurrei advised some time before her death. If only he had listened. It was she who had signed her own family's death warrant. He was certain. Dewdrops that fall unto the lake will start a rippling affect. That certainly was true. It was he who killed Shisui. Oh how he missed her. She had loved him more than his own Mother. She who cherished his one dream more than anything. "Shurrei, I will soon be reunited with you," he thought most lovingly.

He reached forward ready to pull Sasuke's onyx eyes out of their home. He corrected himself. Shurrei's eyes. He remembered the days when Sasuke was known as 'Grey eyes' when he was younger. His dark eyes were a parting gift from the sister Sasuke could never appreciate. Closer. Closer. He stopped. He meditated. Was this what he wanted? Little Brother..... He loved his brother. Sometimes he though of him only as a replacement for Shurrei. But at this moment. He saw Sasuke as he was. He smirked and.... poked his brother's forehead like he used to when he was younger and times were much more simple. Sasuke was stunned and just stood there staring in a state of shock. Itachi felt his body lurch and he gave way to the pain that had ravished his body. He fell.

As he lay there waiting for death to come for him, he thought solely on one thing. Shurrei, Dearest Shurrei. The only happy thing awaiting him after death. He couldn't bear to face his murdered family. Shurrei would, no matter what he did, would forgive him. When Madara first met him, Madara described him as "obsessed". He tried to laugh but all that came out was blood. Obsessions were a common thing in the Uchiha Clan. Itachi felt his body go slowly go numb. He started gasped for breath. His heartbeat slowed. He couldn't think straight. He saw his dead Mother. Mother had driven herself into insanity sometime after Shurrei died. she felt so guilty for her daughter's dark childhood. She claimed that Shurrei haunted her. Mikoto was always kind to Sasuke because she had felt guilty for the way she treated her eldest child. Sasuke was Shurrei in appearance if not in personality. Although Itachi never approved of his Mother's reasoning but he felt grateful that Sasuke didn't have to endure what he and Shurrei had to go through.

And there she was. Ebony black hair let down (the way that the Fourth Hokage, Minato, liked it). Her once downtrodden eyes now glowed with happiness. It seemed that death had brought her the happiness she never got in life. He felt that she was happy to see him. Her soft eyes looked at him with pure love. Dressed in her black kimono that suited her so well. She smiled at him tenderly, arms outstretched. He was three-years-old again. Happy. Radiant. Smiling. "Onee-san!" he shouted as he ran to her. He embraced her tightly and she the same. "You've made me proud, Itachi. I love you," Shurrei said contently. "Shurrei...." he said happily burrowing deeply into her warm arms.

"S-Shurrei....." Itachi silently mouthed. His breath left his body. His heart stopped. It was all over. Death had done him a great favor. He died content and one might think...... happy.

Tobi carried Itachi's body to local shrine. The symbol on the entrance showed who the owner was: the Uchiha Clan. Madara carried the body tenderly because it was a cherished body. "Is it done?" a woman's voice questioned. He nodded. "Give him to me," she ordered. He did as he was told and set Itachi's dead body gently into the woman's grasp. She closed his eyes. He looked peaceful in his sleeping state. She tucked away parts of his hair that stuck out. She sang softly to him "Little Brother, where may you be?". The song was full of sorrow and mourning. Her voice was sweet and sharp. She cradled the corpse like a baby. Her eyes constantly on Itachi. Staring at the corpse willing it to come alive. He decided to leave. He didn't want to bother with her. As he turned to leave the woman said, "Madara-". "This is the first time in twelve years that I have been able to hold my baby Brother". "Shurrei-,"he began. He stopped. Shurrei, who could stare death right in the eye and defy it, was crying. He thought of her an iron will and for that he respected her and feared her but human was she. "I'll look after Sasuke. I promise". And he left without further thought or deed.

She paid him to attention and carried on with her lullaby. That sorrowful lullaby. "One day," she thought. "Your dreams will be realized and I can finally join you. Soon, brother. Soon".