I know, I know. I'm a complete (insert insult of your choice here).

As always, thank you for your feedback, which motivated me into posting this final chapter, even though I'm still not satisfied with it.

Chapter Five: In which Sasuke puts his pretty, overused eyes to good use.

"Homura Danzo. Tell me about him." Sasuke demanded, bursting into Kabuto's private quarters. The med nin heaved an internal sigh, and didn't look up from where he was sliding a needle into his latest test subject's arm.

Sasuke's chakra flared, and Kabuto, sensing the Uchiha's infamous patience was nearing its end, rolled his eyes, making another few final notes on his clipboard before waving a hand.

"You can go," he told the girl. She eyed Sasuke warily as she brushed past him, doubtlessly tasting his unique gritty, dour flavor: the danger lurking beneath the restless energy he flooded the room with.

"How rude," Kabuto complained, inspecting the vial of blood. "Interrupting me when I'm dealing with such a fascinating specimen—did you know it was possible to taste chakra? Imagine the possibilities—"

Sasuke unsheathed his sword, and Kabuto raised an eyebrow. "There's no need for violence, Sasuke-kun."

"Then answer my question." The boy bit out.

"What was it again? Oh, yes." He made a show of remembering, savoring his next words. "Homura Danzo. A major—one might even say vital—part of Konoha's political system. He's part of the Council of Elders: their unofficial leader. What else? He's unmarried, and — oh yes. He has multiple Sharingan implanted into his right arm."

"I know that," Sasuke replied, his hands clenching. "What I want to know is how he got them."

"I presume it had something to do with his order to end the Uchiha bloodline," Kabuto mused. "Shunshin no Shisui's eye was the first he implanted, after all."

Sasuke froze; Kabuto internally chuckled at the look of desperate hope on his face.

"He—he—ordered it?"

"Well, of course he did. You didn't think your brother wanted to kill your family, did you?"

"If you're lying—" Sasuke hissed.

"Would I do that?" Kabuto wondered.

Sasuke's chakra flared again, and all Kabuto's hairs stood on end. "The file detailing the order is in the library. Konoha 957.33S-ANBU, I believe."

Sasuke disappeared almost before Kabuto had finished his sentence. The med nin allowed a smile to stretch across his pale face.

Things were about to get interesting, that was certain.

Itachi hadn't wanted to kill them.

The thought rattled in Sasuke's brain, slamming into the sides of his skull, slowly, surely, eating away at his anger, replacing it with confusion, hope.

My goal is to kill a certain man.

But what if that man — what if Itachi —what if his nii-san had a reason?

At the very end of the file, Sasuke found it.

An allowance has been made, for a single life, by request of Uchiha Itachi.

I am the allowance, Sasuke thought dimly, letting the paper flutter to the floor. My life— he bargained his future for my life.

It takes almost half a year to find Itachi; tracking the Akatsuki is no easy matter—and breaking into their base should prove to be even more difficult.

Thankfully, Orochimaru seems almost eager to assist him —something about a previous 'partner' of his — and one of the Akatsuki members has a habit of exploding villages for fun, leaving a trail of bodies, though few retain the ability to speak afterwards, so witness are little to none.

Sasuke manages to be patient. He's been waiting almost a decade to face his brother, after all, and the change in his goal has only served to solidify his resolve.

Five months and some days after Sasuke stumbled onto a record of Danzo's uncovered arm, he breaks into his brother's current base.

Explosion sound some five miles away — Orochimaru's grudge match has begun — so the base is nearly empty.

From what Kabuto has garnered, the base has certain valuables that cannot be left unattended, and Itachi is usually left to guard them, because of his Mankegyou's advanced properties.

Sasuke steels himself, and enters.

He's barely stepped foot into the lair when a kunai thunks into the wall behind him.

"The next one goes in your chest," Itachi states quietly.

He sits cross-legged at the center of the room, his eyes closed.

Just a few months ago, the nonchalant air surrounding him would have infuriated the younger Uchiha — how dare he act as though he is somehow superior to Sasuke?

Now, it almost makes him smile. His brother is mediating, as he used do after missions, a lifetime — nine years — ago.

A pang of nostalgia strikes Sasuke, who clenches his fists, but doesn't respond.

"You're silent today. How unlike you."

Sasuke notes the near undetectable trace of concern lacing the elder Uchiha's voice.

"I don't think you're in any place to talk about uncharacteristic actions, idiot."

Itachi's on his feet in an instant, pinning Sasuke to the wall. The younger boy dodges the hand that reaches for his throat, and avoids Itachi's spinning eyes.

His eyes flare red as well, he tosses a fire justu towards Itachi, and the elder Uchiha dodges it lazily. In the time his jutsu has bought him, Sasuke bites his thumb, presses the blood to his wrist, pulling out a sheaf of paper from the seal inscribed onto his body — Itachi catches the paper, the twist of his mouth the only visible trace of his curiosity.

His eyes widen as he skims the pages, though he quickly blanks his expression, dropping the paper and incinerating them.

"You could have done that while I was holding them," Sasuke points out.

Itachi lunges.

"A few papers and you're prepared to forgive me? You're weak after all."

His attacks are sloppy. Desperate.

Which, for Itachi, means they're lethal, barely a millimeter off course.

Sasuke inclines his head, barely avoiding a punch that would have broken at least three ribs.

"When it comes to you, when haven't I been? And I've been trying to forgive you since That Night."

A kick levelled at his stomach knocks the air out of his lungs, but Sasuke refuses to go on the offensive.

"I killed your parents, have you forgotten?" Itachi snarls, sounding every bit a caged animal.

"Our parents," Sasuke corrects — which serves to make Itachi even more vicious.

A barrage of sudden taijutsu leaves him on his knees, forcing back bile.

Itachi unsheathes Sasuke's sword, places it against his throat.

Sasuke's pulse triples.

He feels strangely calm, raising an eyebrow in unspoken question.

Will you do it? Will you kill me?

Itachi's eyes widen, staring through Sasuke, seeing someone else entirely.

Sasuke inhales sharply, opens his mouth, and the metal cuts into his skin.

A thin trickle of blood running onto his collarbone seems to shock Itachi back into consciousness.

"No," he gasps wildly. Sasuke's never seen his brother so unhinged. So out-of-control.

He tilts his throat, allows the metal to bite deeper.

Itachi wrenches the sword away from his skin with a strangled moan.

Sasuke meets his eyes, rises slowly.

"Aniki," he says — pleads — for the first time in nine years.

Itachi drops the sword.

Okay, that's a wrap. Thanks for reading/favoriting/reviewing this story. Drop me a line to tell me how I did - was it an adequate ending? Or just come yell at me for taking so long.

And, lastly, to my reviews - who I was too shy to reply to before this -

Blank Uchiha - Yeah, I'm considering writing a series of spin-offs for each of these scenarios; I do think that there are a lot of ideas that could be further developed, if inspiration strikes.

donahermurphy - I completely agree. Itachi is my favorite ever, but at the same time, he could use an ass-kicking or two.

FluffyBots - yes. Thank you - they should all just be happy. And alive. (Damn it, Itachi.)

matchynishi thank you, thank you - I really wasn't sure if I was characterizing Shisui properly, so it's good to hear that you liked him!

jmtothemusic I'm so glad you liked Shisui! And, yeah, Sasuke was the most adorable kid ever.

roxelyn - Yeah, protective Obito is my favorite Obito. And I'm so glad you liked it!

AngeDREAMS - Yeah, I tried my best to show the "non-jerk" side of Sasuke, because I felt like it wasn't shown enough in the anime/manga. Thanks for your support!

I-heartDire - I will definitely consider it!

Thanks for everything, guys!