Itachi put his pen down and breathed out, letting the tension seep from his shoulders. His finished report lay on his desk, detailing the Iwa missing nin he'd encountered in his last aboveboard mission. ANBU had to maintain a public persona, after all, or risk getting exposed by the simple act of constantly disappearing without explanation. He was just glad could write this report at home, instead of the musty caves that made up the ANBU barracks.

The report went into his sealed desk drawer, to be submitted the next day. He pushed his chair back, stretching. A quick glance at the sky gave him an approximation of the time—the rain had finally faded to a light drizzle, giving the moon space to peek out of the clouds.

He allowed himself a moment to lean back and simply bask in the quiet sounds of Konoha at night. Bare-faced trees creaked in counterpoint to the Hashirama trees' rustling. Soft voices murmured from the street below, as the owners made their way home.

Months ago, he had pleaded to the Hokage to help his clan, to keep them from falling on their own sword. It had doubled his responsibilities into an agonizing weight. He had to personify the Uchiha name and reputation on every mission, attend hidden meetings and appease the elders leading the coup. Every shift of the clan's sentiments at the Hokage's efforts to bring peace, he reported to the man himself. He and Shisui chased rumors that sprung up like weeds, suffocating his clan from both within and without.

Konoha blurred under his feet, shops closing and families changing as the seasons passed. In trying to do everything he could, everything he cared about moved on without him.

But it was worth it. Things were looking up, even if only slightly. Allowing the Uchiha jounin more missions brought the clan back into the public eye. Their accomplishments were more visible, their reputation building once again. It was a start, and the mood within the clan and the village was already changing because of it.

One last glance out the quiet night sky, then he picked up his empty thermos. It wasn't even midnight yet. Perhaps he could actually get more than four hours of sleep tonight.

He closed his door behind him, just as the door to his right opened. His mother blinked, an empty tray in one hand. Behind her, a lamp chased away the shadows of the room, leaving a single, humanoid form cast against the opposite wall.

She smiled, shutting the door behind her. "Here," she said, her voice soft. "Let me take care of that."

He let her take the thermos, his eyes drifting towards the office. "What time did otou-san get home?" he asked. He had noted his father's tread in the hallway, but hadn't given it more thought.

"Just now." She followed his gaze, her expression as exasperated as it was tender. "He asked for some onigiri so he could keep working. I can make more if you're hungry."

"Thank you, but it's fine. I finished early today." He hesitated. "If otou-san needs help—"

"—he'll ask you. Don't worry." Her feet were a light whisper against the floorboards as she drew him away.

Uchiha Mikoto was fourteen years off active duty. It had unnerved Itachi, the day he realized how much it showed.

She stopped when they were closer to Sasuke's bedroom, far enough that any murmuring could be ignored. "Let your father worry about his own work," she continued. "Go ahead and catch up on some sleep. You've been working very hard, after all."

The corner of his lip pulled upwards at her unwitting echo of his thoughts. "Very well. Thank you, okaa-san."

"Itachi." She cupped his cheek with her free hand. He stilled. "Your father and I are so proud of you."

The breath left his lungs. "Okaa-san?"

"I know your father doesn't say it enough, but believe me when I tell you it's true." She smoothed a lock of hair behind his ear, before pulling away with a sigh. "You remind me of your father, you know. Both of you give your all for the clan, even at the cost of your own wellbeing. I used to worry it would be too much to put on you, but you rose to the challenge."

She clasped the tray and thermos to her chest. Her smile shone in the moonlight. "You've come so far in such a short time. And I want you to know your father and I see that."

Itachi pressed his lips together, swallowing the bile climbing up his throat. "Thank you," he said. "I… am honored by your regard."

She chuckled. "So formal. It's just a mother doting on her child, Itachi."

"I don't know how you want me to react," he said, embarrassment burning his cheeks in spite of himself.

"Nothing. Simply continue as you are." She squeezed his arm. He forced his hands to go lax, instead of the fists they wanted to clench into.

"Then I will do my best—" He took a deep breath, refusing to let his voice crack. "—to continue making you and otou-san proud."

"Starting with a good night's sleep, right? I've held you for long enough." Laughing softly to herself, she headed for the stairs. "Sleep well, Itachi."

"Good night, okaa-san."

He waited for her footsteps to reach the base of the stairs before breathing out. His nails dug into his palms.

Ever since Minako and Naruto began visiting, a change had come over his mother. There was a new light in her eyes, like a painting come to life. She became more… present. Happier. More affectionate.

It was the little things, like a hand on his shoulder, or a plate of mochi to welcome him home. Every loving touch and encouraging word made his heart flutter. He held his head higher. And yet every meeting with the Hokage and his Council poisoned the warmth his mother brought, until only guilt and shame were left.

He was a double agent, betraying his clan to the village for the sake of both. There was nothing to be proud of.

A few strides closed the distance between him and Sasuke's door. He pressed his hand to the door frame, listening. His brother's soft snores eased the storm inside him, little by little, until his head rested against the wall.

This was what mattered. He would walk to hell and back, if it meant children like Sasuke would grow up not knowing war like he did.

"Sweet dreams, otouto," Itachi whispered to the wood. Then he headed back to his room.

He woke up to a call at their gate. "Uchiha-sama, forgive the intrusion…"

A glance out the window confirmed his suspicions. It was early morning, the sky lightening just beyond the towering Hashirama trees at the edge of the village. Any news at this time would not be good news.

He was a step behind his father as the man strode towards their door. Otou-san's haori ruffled in his wake, with Itachi's mother bringing up the rear. Outside, a brown-haired cousin stood at attention, hands clasped in front of him. One of the guards on the night shift—he should be guarding the compound's gates.

"Keita. What is it?" Even in only a jinbei and haori, Itachi's father cut an imposing figure.

The guard didn't waste any time. "Sir, there's a child at the gates asking for Mikoto-sama," he said, report clipped but not rushed. "We tried to turn him away, but he's been too distraught—"

Itachi's blood ran cold. "Okaa-san," he said.

"Go." She stepped forward, dropping any sign of her earlier drowsiness. "Your father and I will take care of things here. Keita-kun, start from…"

The path blurred under his feet. The early morning chill seeped into the folds of his pajamas, trailing goosebumps along his exposed skin. His sandal treads left no mark as he rushed towards the gate.

Keita had said one child, not two. Itachi had never seen Minako and Naruto apart, not since the day Minako had tried to get inside the Uchiha compound. And no other boy would come to the Uchiha compound to ask for his mother at this hour.

Let it be nothing, he prayed, even as his instincts screamed otherwise. Let it be an easy, rectifiable mistake.

He heard Naruto before he saw him. The frantic cries brought back memories of walking up to this very same gate from the other side, wondering at the uncharacteristic fuss happening up ahead. But there was no anger in Naruto's voice, only fear and desperation lacing every word.

Keita's twin knelt at the side of the road, out of the way of the gate. Kouta—his name was Kouta—held tight to the squirming child in his arms, his brow furrowed in badly concealed panic. Naruto thrashed, any coherence lost under his deep, ugly sobs.

"Lemme go… lemme… help… I need… baa-san, help…"

Itachi landed right beside them, startling Kouta into reaching for a kunai. He barely spared him a moment, dipping his head in an apologetic nod. His gaze never left Naruto.

"Naruto-kun," he said.

Naruto's head snapped up. Bloodshot eyes widened, then scrunched up, more tears pouring down his cheeks.

"Itachi!" He threw himself forward, squirming out of Kouta's loosened grip. Itachi caught him, bracing himself on the balls of his feet as Naruto clung on. He shook in Itachi's arms.

"Naruto-kun," Itachi said, rubbing the boy's back. He relaxed his hold, letting no sign of his own alarm come through in his body language. "Where's Minako-chan?"

Naruto's grip tightened. "I don't know!" he wailed. "I w-woke up, and she wasn't there, and I c-couldn't find her! I l-looked all over, and I waited and waited, but she didn't show up and I got so scared—"

Itachi's hand stuttered in its movements, before continuing. He met Kouta's gaze. The older genin nodded and quietly returned to his post.

There was no question in his mind. Naruto was telling the truth. He was excitable, yes, and missed details that others noticed with greater ease. But the Uzumaki twins had been an independent pair long before his mother had taken them under her wing. Naruto would have exhausted all his options before turning to an adult for help.

Which meant that they had wasted enough time as it was.

"Naruto-kun. Naruto-kun." He forced Naruto to pull back, cutting through his babbling. Naruto stared up at him, wide-eyed and pale with terror.

Itachi needed him to calm down. He couldn't answer questions like this, and they would need all the information they could get from him to start the search.

What would Okaa-san do? What would Shisui do?

Okaa-san would try to comfort Naruto, with tender words and touch. Shisui would smile and cajole him, getting him to let down his guard.

Itachi could do that. Right?

He squatted down to Naruto's height. Modulating his voice to be lower, softer, he brought up the same smile he reserved for when Sasuke begged him for training. It came easier than he expected it to.

"I'm going to need you to be brave, Naruto-kun. We need you to answer questions, so we can look for Minako-chan as soon as possible. Can you do that? Can you calm down, so you can tell us what happened?"

Naruto trembled. He shut his eyes, squeezing out the last of his tears, then shook his head to clear it. "I can—I can. I'll be brave. I will, dattebayo."

Itachi had never heard him sound so small.

"Thank you. Now, hold on. I'm taking you home." He scooped him up, one hand underneath him while the other rested on the back of his head. Naruto locked his arms and legs around him, burying his face in Itachi's shoulder.

Every heartbeat was another second lost as Itachi shunshined back. He kept his breathing even, checking to make sure the high speeds wouldn't distress his passenger.

Naruto's stubby nails dug through his thin shirt. Otherwise, he didn't make a sound.

Okaa-san was ready for them at the door. She swept Naruto out of Itachi's arms, cooing softly at his messy face. True to his word, more tears trailed down Naruto's cheeks—but he did not sob.

She deposited him in the dining room with a glass of water and a plate of senbei. He accepted the glass, casting a wary glance at the opposite side of the table. Otou-san, already in his MP uniform, didn't pay him any attention. His gaze stayed focused on his notepad.

It had been years since Itachi's father had personally been in the field, but he still interviewed people from time to time. And he still knew when it was best to step aside and let someone else do the job.

"Can you tell me what happened, Naruto-kun?" Okaa-san said, kneeling on the tatami mats. "When did you realize Minako-chan was missing?"

Naruto curled around his glass. "When I woke up," he said.

Itachi settled down by the door, intent on every word. Slowly, a timeline began to emerge. The twins had collapsed into bed soon after dinner, exhausted by the training he had put them through. Naruto slept like a log, up until he had been woken by the cold from the open window. That was how he had known something was wrong. Minako hated the cold, and always scolded him if he left the windows open.

Naruto searched the apartment first, even the backyard and the rest of the building. When Minako didn't show, he had dithered for about half an hour, before giving in to his panic and running towards the compound.

All in all, it gave a seven hour window for Minako to have gone missing. By now, a total of nine hours. To any seasoned shinobi, nine hours was an eternity.

"Is it possible that she was drawn outside by something? Perhaps she got lost?" Otou-san asked, even if he sounded skeptical himself.

"No!" Naruto glared at him, his fear overridden by his indignation. "Minako would never go out at night! Not without me."

Otou-san's eyebrow rose at the surprising vehemence. "How are you so sure?"

Naruto bit his lip. He turned to Okaa-san, who nodded encouragingly. It seemed to comfort him, because he said, "Coz she's scared of the dark. She can't be alone when it's dark."

The line between Okaa-san's brows deepened. Otou-san nodded firmly, rising to his feet. "That will do. Itachi, alert the Hokage immediately. Mikoto, I'll send an MP back to get more details."

"Hai, otou-san." Itachi stepped aside with a nod.

His father rushed off, shoving the notebook into his pocket and muttering under his breath. Itachi caught a few words, right before he swept out the door.

"But how did they know?"

Naruto's apprehensive look stopped him before he could follow. The boy clung to Okaa-san's kimono, his momentary blaze of courage worn down to fitful sparks. He shook with stifled sobs, eyes wide and watery.

Something in Itachi's chest ached. He pulled on his smile for Sasuke again, trying to reassure him. "It's alright, Naruto-kun. We'll find her."

"Promise?" Naruto whispered.

"Fugaku is the Chief of Police, and the Hokage will soon have his best shinobi on the trail," Okaa-san said, smoothing his hair back. "They'll find Minako-chan."

"D'you promise?" he insisted, never looking away from Itachi.

Itachi dipped his head. "I promise," he said. His mother cast an assessing glance at him—not disapproving, merely resigned.

He knew it was a promise he couldn't make. But he would do his utmost to fulfill it anyway. Because Minako was Naruto's sister; Naruto, who made Sasuke scream and laugh like nothing would. Because she woke something in his mother that he hadn't seen in a long time. Because she teased Shisui into a blushing, giggling mess.

Because she was his friend.

Long practice allowed him to throw on his ANBU armor in less than a minute. He was out his window just as fast, absently noting the sound of Sasuke stirring as he left.

Chakra-enforced leaps took him over rooftops, with not even a click of a shingle to give him away. He kept his pace fast, but even. Urgent enough to keep other ANBU from stopping him, but smooth enough that it wouldn't spark his comrades' insatiable curiosity. He didn't know how great an alarm this incident deserved. Not yet. That was for the Hokage to decide.

Even if Itachi wanted nothing more than to run straight to the twins' apartment and get the investigation started yesterday.

Only one thing could have ripped him from his focused dash towards the Hokage's office. A familiar voice greeted the gate guards below, worn but still cheerful. Itachi stopped, spun on his heel, and dropped down a side street. A quick inspection revealed no humanoid chakra systems nearby. Deactivating his Sharingan, he sealed away his mask and released the tight grip he kept on his chakra.

Shisui arrived in a whisper of shunshin, his landing sending up a puff of dust from the dirt path.

"Itachi?" His grip tightened on his mission pack, as he scanned the armor Itachi had donned. "What is it?"

Itachi was pushing regulations, but the secret of his ANBU status was long dead within the inner circle of the clan anyway. So long as he still kept his mask hidden, it mattered little. Not here, not now.

He spared a moment to scan his best friend. Shadows clung to the wells under his eyes and the lines of exhaustion on his face. His sleeve was torn, even if the skin underneath had been healed. Scorch marks and blood darkened the blues of his uniform into wrinkled black. He looked tired, in the way only off-duty shinobi let themselves be. It meant the shinobi felt safe. It meant they were home.

"Minako-chan is missing," Itachi said.

He watched as Shisui slid his mission persona back on. No hesitation. No thought given to his own fatigue. Just a stone-faced mask, shutting away any levity or injury behind focused determination.

"What do you mean Minako-chan is missing?" Shisui demanded.

"Naruto-kun woke up to find her gone." Itachi quickly filled him in on the rest of the details, ending with, "Father has gone to the station to head the investigation. I need to report to the Hokage."

Shisui nodded. "I'll head for the station, then. I've been to the twins' apartment often enough. I'll know if anything is out of place."

Itachi looked him over again. He was starting to rethink the wisdom of telling Shisui so soon. Of course, his friend would have never forgiven him if he heard the news from another source, possibly a day late besides. Even still…

"You should drop by our home, first," he told him. "It would do Naruto-kun good to see another familiar face."

Shisui grinned wryly and flicked Itachi on the forehead. Itachi's frown deepened. "I'm sure Mikoto-sama has it handled," Shisui said. "Besides, Sasuke-kun's there too, isn't he?"

"Shisui…" Itachi began. His friend waved off his concern.

"I'll tackle things from this end, while you take yours. Alright?" Shisui stepped back, the light in his eyes fierce. His smile was a bloody promise. "Happy hunting."

Itachi huffed, then gave in. His steady gaze was just as vicious. "Happy hunting."

They darted into the trees.

A/N: Feel free to speculate in the reviews! ;) I will neither confirm nor deny, but I love seeing all your theories on what's happening/will happen!

Also, remember that "I'm proud of you son right before you're about to kill me?" scene? Miss me with that shit. I get it, they needed max drama in the space of one page/minute. Since I have a little more leeway than that, I wanted to try my hand at it, hence the scene with Mikoto.

See y'all in two weeks! 3