Author Notes: THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR LOVE, REVIEWS AND PATIENCE! I spent September packing and preparing for an international move in the middle of a pandemic. It was no fun and made it hard to write, but I'm back with chapter 19!

Thank you MegaDarkly for your help and feedback as always :)

I'm looking for some extra help with this fic! If you would like to help with beta-reading Lost in Translation and give me a hand with some of the romance elements, please let me know! Ideally, I would love someone who has writing experience.

An'un = Dark clouds

Long chapter once again... Enjoy!

Chapter 19

..~**~..

Green chakra flicked to life in Itachi's hand before he brought it to my cheek.

"Itachi, there's no need-"

"Stay still."

I did as he asked, pain receding from my gum and lip where Kinoto had hit me during our fight. Once Itachi was done, he moved on to my swollen wrist without a word.

I watched him work, enjoying the warmth of his chakra seeping through my skin and calming the pain. After experiencing both Tsunade and Sakura's healing jutsu, I could tell Itachi's technique wasn't as refined or effective, but at least the pain was gone.

As he finished, a sudden thought occurred to me.

"Oh crap, we need to find Genma!"

No sooner had the words left my lips that my sensei's chakra approached.

Noticing him too, Itachi stood up to his feet. "I found him first before rushing here. He was surrounded by Root agents. Once we took care of them, I came straight for you."

And thank God he did.

"I'm so glad you're here," I admitted before I could stop myself.

"And what about your old sensei, Lu-chan?" a voice drawled from the doorway. "You glad to see him too?"

"Genma!"

He was leaning against the wall for support, covered in scrapes and bruises. The left sleeve of his jounin uniform was missing and his forearm sported a few burns.

I scrambled to my feet, slipping my arms through Itachi's cloak to completely cover myself before dropping the towel.

"Are you okay?" I hesitated to reach out and touch him seeing the state he was in. "You should probably sit down."

He didn't say a word. Instead his brown eyes noticed Kinoto slumped unconscious in the corner of the room and then my nudity beneath the cloak and the bruises on my face and legs.

"I knew those masked assholes were stalling me," he growled under his breath. He closed his eyes briefly. "Shit, Lucy -"

"It's okay, Itachi got to me in time. Now come on." I helped him to the futon where he sat down with difficulty against the wall. "How did you even find me last night?"

"Kakashi sent me a message through one of his ninken, Pakkun, while I was away. Ever since Pein's attack, I've been sent out on mission after mission, no doubt to keep me away from you. Kakashi sent me all the details of your encounter with him before he left with Naruto and Pakkun stayed behind to help find you. He kept watch at the gates and once you came in with your team, he alerted me."

I stiffened, remembering Two's condition. "Have you heard anything about my team?"

"Shizune's keeping an eye on the two blond kids. The boy is stable, he hasn't woken up yet, but he's all patched up. I went to check on them this morning and the moment I left their tent, the other team jumped me." He winced as he propped his leg up. "I was lucky Uchiha turned up when he did."

He gestured to Itachi who stood by the window, keeping an eye out. At the sound of his name, he peered over his shoulder and gave a nod.

I looked between the two men, more and more questions filling my mind but Genma cut me off.

"Lucy, why don't you go get dressed and then we'll talk?"

Clearly there were some things he wanted to discuss with Itachi first. I wasn't in any mood to argue so I nodded but the sight of Kinoto gave me pause.

"What should we do with him?"

It was strange to see him vulnerable and weak. Kinoto was always serious, his dark eyes always promising violence to whoever disobeyed him. I had spent every day watching myself around him, living under the threat of his beatings and cruel training. Yet now, with his eyes closed and his face slack, he didn't look threatening at all.

"Who is he?" Genma demanded.

"Kinoto, one of Danzou's most trusted," Itachi supplied. I glanced up in surprise that he had known about him. "It seemed he was spying on Lucy for him."

I stood between them, ready to tell them more about the vile man but although the words were at the tip of my tongue, I couldn't make a sound.

"Lucy, why was he here?"

I shook my head at Genma and tapped my throat with my fingers. "Curse seal."

He swore under his breath as Itachi stiffened beside me, a sharp glint in his eyes. They weren't the only ones who were angry.

I looked down at Kinoto again. He was small. Insignificant. An easy target.

"Should we kill him?"

The words slipped past my lips, surprising me.

Genma's brows furrowed as Itachi answered, "He was caught in my Tsukuyomi, he won't be waking up anytime soon. He's no longer a threat."

Sure, he was no longer a threat but that didn't mean I was past hurting him. If Genma and Itachi hadn't been around, I would have gladly stomped him in the face and balls.

I doubted Konoha would approve of those methods.

I nodded, grabbing the sealing scroll from my pack and headed for the bathroom. I needed to get away from Kinoto and clear my head before my anger and hate made me do something stupid.

I won't let him make me kill again. I won't take another life, not even if it's him!

After a few stabilising breaths, I unsealed my belongings inside the tiny bathroom.

I grabbed everything I needed, throwing the clothes on the sink before sealing everything else back up. I slipped into black shorts, combat boots, and a mesh shirt, and noticed they were the clothes Genma had bought for me all those weeks ago. In the mirror, my hair tumbled down my shoulders in a poofy, untangled mess and I glared at it before brushing it out again. I spent some time weaving the top of my hair into a French braid, allowing myself to enjoy the simple pleasure of fixing my hair and forgetting about everything else. Gathering the half-braid and the rest of my hair into a ponytail, I added the open skirt, weapons pouch, and finally the jacket.

I tucked Ryo's necklace under the T-shirt and glanced at my reflection in the mirror.

Genma had been right about choosing teal; it brought a touch a colour to an otherwise black outfit and brought out my green eyes.

Memories of a Halloween party where I had dressed up as Lara Croft wearing similar shorts and a teal tank top flashed in my mind. Someone's house party. High school friends getting drunk. Cheap vodka and rhum, and even cheaper mixers. The stench of cigarettes and booze in the air.

Young and stupid.

A completely different life.

I looked nothing like the high school or university student I used to be. Once upon a time, I was obsessed with my boyfriend and my looks. Then at university, I enjoyed the single life and became more serious about my studies.

But now…

If I ever made it back home, who would I be? Would I ever be that university student again? Could I ever go back to the way things were? Pretend that none of my time in this world had happened?

I turned away from the mirror before I could think of the answers and grabbed the sealing scroll and Itachi's cloak.

I found Genma standing by the desk, a first aid kit open before him as he wrapped his burned forearm. Both Itachi and Kinoto were gone.

"The Uchiha's left to hide the bodies before it's traced back to me," he explained, snapping the kit shut.

"The bodies?" I asked in alarm.

"No one's been killed," he reassured me, checking his bandage. "They may be Root, but they are still Konoha nin. If we killed them, we'd be in even more trouble. The Uchiha merely used his neat little genjutsu trick on the team that attacked me."

I raised a brow. "You mean Tsukuyomi?"

Itachi used Tsukuyomi on Team Ookami? Surely that wasn't good for his eyes… or health…

"Yes." He turned around and took in my appearance. I could tell he wanted to make a teasing comment but the look on my face must have stopped him. Instead his gaze became concerned.

"You okay there, Lu-chan?"

I shrugged. What a loaded question. Would I ever be okay again?

"I am now."

My answer didn't seem to satisfy him and he stepped closer, his jaw clenching and unclenching. He wanted to say more but didn't seem to know how to broach the subject. I was at a loss too. I wanted to say more but didn't want to make things awkward. I wanted to thank him for finding me the previous night. For bringing me back from the edge of insanity after the worst day of my life.

There was so much to say.

He had warned me about Root and I had stubbornly believed I could handle it. I should have listened to him. I should have turned back.

But it was too late now, the damage was done.

I forced a smile to my lips, desperate to lighten the mood. "There's no need to act so serious," I joked. "The last few weeks were probably the worst of my life, but damn did I improve! When failure isn't an option, it really lights a fire under your ass, you know?"

His brown eyes watched me without a hint of mirth.

"Shurikenjutsu, taijutsu, I even learned genjutsu and Shunshin-"

Before I could finish, his arm wrapped around my shoulders and he tugged me against his chest.

"Don't you ever fucking leave like that again," he whispered in my hair, seeing through my pathetic attempt to act like everything was all right. "I don't care whose life you're trying to save, next time you come to me and we figure it out together."

His words took me by surprise and I shuddered, fighting back another round of tears as I wrapped my arms around his torso.

"Genma…" I hid my face in his chest. My thoughts were all jumbled inside my head.

I'm sorry… I'm such a mess… I don't know what to do…

He held me tighter. "I know."

We stayed put without another word, holding each other. I took comfort in his arms and warmth. No matter how awful everything had turned out, I had friends here now. There were people in this world that cared about me and I was grateful to them.

Another chakra signature appeared, startling me. We both turned to find a shadow hovering on the windowsill.

"So tell me more about this plan to kick Root's ass…" Yugao trailed off as I pulled back from Genma's hug. "Lucy!"

She rushed towards me, her eyes checking me over before sharp eyes snapped to Genma. "You idiot! Why even ask for my help getting Lucy out if you went ahead and did it yourself?"

She assessed his injuries and he let her fuss over him with a smirk. "Well, maybe I needed you to come over and play nurse for me."

I rolled my eyes while Yugao clicked her tongue. "Don't start! You could get in serious trouble for this! Were you seen?"

Genma crossed his arms, leaning against the desk. "Relax, it's under control."

Yugao didn't appreciate his laid-back attitude and grabbed his flak jacket. "You better tell me what the hell's going on, Shiranui, or I swear-"

Without warning, another figure Shunshin'd into the room. My breath hitched as Yugao's eyes took in the intruder.

Itachi.

Uh, oh.

Genma's eyes went wide. "Shit."

In a flash, Yugao was at Itachi's throat, the steel blade of her katana screeching against the kunai the Uchiha held up in defense.

"Yugao!" I cried out.

She pounced again and my eyes could barely keep up with their fight. Within seconds, Genma intervened, appearing between them, his grip tight around Yugao's arm.

"Enough! He's with us," he explained and Itachi deactivated his Sharingan as proof although he kept the kunai in hand.

Yugao blanched. "Genma, have you gone mad? That's Uchiha Itachi!"

Damn it… how are we going to explain this to her?

I stepped forward, standing next to Itachi.

"Yugao, I'm sorry, it's hard to explain," I began as her shocked eyes turned to me, "but Genma's telling the truth. He's not an enemy. He's on our side."

Her shoulders tensed as her expression morphed into wild incredulity. She didn't believe me. She thought we'd all gone crazy. And then I saw the look she threw Itachi – one of terrible, vengeful hatred.

Before she could make a move, Genma pinched a nerve in the back of her neck and she fell unconscious in his arms.

"Genma!" I sputtered as he carried her to the futon. "What the hell?"

"Grab what you need, Lucy," he ordered as he settled Yugao down and gently lay her head on his pillow. "You both need to leave. Now! She'll wake up soon."

I looked to Itachi whose expression as usual didn't betray any emotion. He slipped his kunai back inside his weapons pouch and waited.

I quickly turned to my pack and grabbed as many weapons as I could, hooking them to my belt and itching for the wakizashi blade that Kinoto normally lent me for missions. I kept the sealing scroll with me and left everything else in the pack in Genma's room knowing it would be safe.

Finally, I picked up the dark travel cloak and returned it to Itachi.

"Thank you."

His eyes softened as he took it from my hands and then slipped his arms through. "Root will find the agents in their tents soon and suspect an attack."

I looked over my shoulder, realising he was talking to Genma, not me.

"I'll get Kakashi's ninken to spread some false trails and make sure no one comes after you." The tokubetsu jounin got to his feet again to face Itachi, his brown eyes flicking between us. "Take care of Lucy."

Onyx eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "She's safe with me."

There was a definite underlying message that Genma hadn't been able to keep me safe before and I bit my lip, unsure whether I should speak up or not.

After a beat, Itachi turned on his heel. "Lucy, let's go."

"I'll be right there."

He gave me a nod and left without another glance. I felt him head for the cabin door and wait for me there.

Once he was out of earshot, I whirled on Genma. "A bit cold, don't you think?"

I gestured to Yugao laying unconscious on his bed. "We could have tried to calm her down and properly explain rather than knock her out."

"There's no time," Genma defended himself. "Besides, she wouldn't have calmed down with him in the room."

The way he emphasised 'him' caught my attention. Interesting… Do Itachi and Yugao have a history?

Genma took off his bandana with a sigh, running a hand through his long hair. "This is personal for her, she worked with the Uchiha in ANBU before he went rogue and was the one to first discover the massacre. She's also the one who found Sasuke among the carnage. It was – it was a pretty horrific sight."

Bloody hell... I guess that explained the awful look in her eyes when she spotted Itachi. It must have been confusing as hell for her to see him appear like that.

"Just tell her I'm sorry, okay?" I took one last look at them both and headed for the door. "I'll see you both soon."

"Be careful, Lu-chan."

..~**~..

..~**~..

The dark foliage of the trees flashed before his eyes as he jumped from branch to branch, keeping a mindful eye on the kunoichi trailing behind him.

It was a lukewarm autumn day and perfect for traveling north through Fire country. They had been jumping through the trees using chakra for the better part of an hour and from the sheen of sweat on Lucy's face combined with her heavy breathing, Itachi could tell that she was nearing her limit.

He paused on the next branch, waiting for her to catch up. "That's far enough from Konoha. Let's continue on foot."

Jumping down, he headed for the narrow path through the forest that would lead them towards the Land of Iron. Lucy dropped down next to him and bent over, struggling to catch her breath. Her face was flushed and although her long, wavy hair had been pulled back into a braid, thin strands had already escaped it and stuck to her face.

Itachi's eyes drawn to the baby hairs plastered to the curve of her neck.

"Are we being followed?" she asked, between pants.

He met her gaze and shook his head. "The clone I left behind will tell me if a team comes after us."

She nodded, wiping the sweat from her brow and dropping her guard for a moment. He couldn't help but notice the haunted look in her green eyes.

Lucy had changed since he had last seen her. Her time with Root had changed her, and he had already noticed all the little changes since their last time together at the cabin. The physical changes were the most obvious ones. Her arms and legs were more toned and she had gained more flexibility in her movements. More gracefulness. Her stance had changed as well, she held herself more like a shinobi – ready for an attack at any moment, her eyes always assessing their surroundings for danger.

He doubted she had noticed these changes herself, but when Itachi compared her to the girl he first met in River country, they were glaring.

Then there were other changes, ones that, despite the strength and courage she had shown when joining Root's training, she couldn't have imagined. Itachi had seen and heard enough about Danzou's training methods during his time in Konoha to imagine what she had endured. People didn't come out unscathed from such ruthless training and some scars were deeper than others.

He knew enough about the effects of trauma. After all, he had spent years trying to deal with recurring nightmares, lack of sleep, hallucinations…

Lucy's trauma seemed to have affected her chakra as well. He had sensed it when he'd found her in Genma's cabin, pressed face down on the futon by the Root shinobi. Dark, malicious chakra had filled the room and as much as Itachi hadn't wanted to believe it, she had been the source.

His anger threatened to resurface at the thought and he cursed Genma for not intervening earlier – for not calling to him for help sooner.

And he cursed himself even more for having failed to protect her.

"If anyone gets close, I'll be able to sense them," Lucy said, falling in step with him.

Her skills intrigued him. "How far out can you sense other chakra signatures?"

"I'm not sure. I haven't tested my limits… roughly 500 metres, I think?"

500 metres didn't give them a lot of warning, but it was still an impressive distance for a beginner.

"Are we going to find Sasuke then?"

"Aa." A cool breeze swept through the trees, plucking golden fiery leaves that twirled to the ground. "The Five Kage Summit will start in the morning. We'll stop for the night near the border and then head out to find Sasuke first thing."

"I know what happens at the meeting and where we can find him," she admitted and Itachi was glad for the knowledge. Breaking into the Summit and confronting all five Kage in order to rescue his brother was not part of his plan. Madara would also be there, keeping an eye on both the Summit and Sasuke.

"Let's discuss a plan tonight," he said. "Are you hungry?"

He retrieved a couple of onigiri, knowing she was probably starving. They still had a long way to the inn by the border.

"What is it with you and onigiri?" she teased, but happily accepted the triangle rice ball with soy flavoured fish flakes.

They ate in silence, continuing on foot through the dense forest. The sun shone through the canopy of colourful leaves warming their faces. He noticed Lucy watching him closely when she thought he wasn't looking. He wondered what had caught her interest and when he finally caught her gaze, she gulped and looked away.

"You look well," she said in a quiet voice. "I was worried after the fight… Tsunade said you'd been badly injured."

Her words caught him off guard. He hadn't realised Tsunade had kept her updated about his condition, which wasn't surprising considering she had given him news of Lucy as well.

The thought of her keeping tabs on him made him smile.

"Hokage-sama really lives up to her reputation as the best medic-nin," he answered.

The fight against Sasuke had been tough.

His brother had improved beyond his expectations and when Orochimaru's jutsu had appeared facing his own Susanoo, he'd known it was the end. His illness had flared up making him spit mouthfuls of blood. Sensing his weakness, Sasuke had launched his final attack and in the resulting explosion and smoke, Itachi had used Tsunade's forbidden jutsu, instantly switching places with the body the Hokage had carefully prepared for him.

He hadn't remembered arriving at the hideout. The summoning had added more damage to his body and the first few hours were a blur. He had lost so much blood, he had been sure he wouldn't make it, and yet he had awoken in the familiar bed with Tsunade's stern face peering from above.

"Had it not been for our plan, Sasuke would have killed me," he admitted, remembering the determination in his brother's eyes. "From what Tsunade-sama shared with me, the damage was extensive and any use of the Mangekyo Sharingan from now on will put me in danger."

Lucy stopped in her steps. "But you used it when fighting Root."

"Yes."

Judging from the stern look on her face, she disapproved.

"Itachi, you shouldn't have. Your health is more important-"

"Than your life?" he asked with a raised brow.

She paused, biting her lip. He knew she felt guilty for his actions, but damaging his health once more was a risk he was willing to take. Root needed to be stopped by whatever means necessary.

"Just, please be careful," she added in a softer voice. "I'm no medic nin and until we find Sakura-"

"Lucy," he cut in. Her forest green eyes snapped up to his. "There is no need for concern. Tsunade-sama gave me plenty of medicine just in case."

"Okay," she relented. "But let me know if your eyes or lungs give you any trouble."

Itachi already knew he wouldn't, but kept his mouth shut and they kept on walking.

"How do you know Yugao?" he asked after a moment.

The dirt path continued to cut through the forest leading them close to a stream. He could hear the trickling of water up ahead.

"She helped Genma with my training," Lucy answered, brushing back unruly strands of hair behind her ear. "She taught me the basics of kenjutsu and trained me when Genma was away on missions. Did you… know her well?"

"No," he admitted. He never liked thinking back to his life in Konoha before the massacre. He had briefly met the quiet purple-haired kunoichi during the few months he had spent at the Academy and then again when she joined his ANBU unit.

"She's usually really nice. I think she was just in shock to see you and I'm sure with time-"

"I don't expect forgiveness," Itachi said, letting the statement linger as he kept his gaze on the stream ahead. "I don't deserve it. I never wanted anyone to find out the truth behind the massacre and I preferred if it stayed that way."

Lucy remained silent at his side. He had a feeling she did not agree with his decision, but she did not fight him on it.

The forest gave way to a rockier ground as they reached the stream. They drank its clear waters and refilled their canteens, taking a short break. Lucy splashed her face with water rubbing off the dirt and sweat before something caught her attention downstream and she bit back a smile.

Itachi didn't say a word and they set off again, heading towards the small bridge crossing the water.

Lucy ran her hand along the smooth carved stones of the handrails.

"Ishibashi," she said, fondness in her voice.

A hint of amusement lit up her face as her gaze caught his.

"Ishibashi," he echoed, his lips tilting into a smile.

..~**~..

..~**~..

Snowflakes danced in the air all around as Sakura ran. Her breath puffed out like smoke before vanishing in the bitter cold air. She couldn't feel her toes anymore and her fingers were turning numb as well, but they had made it.

She had found him.

She looked up at the orange-clad shinobi sitting atop the inn's roof and tried to remember the plan she had in mind. It was difficult to rein in her anger after what she had heard from Sai during their travels.

She wanted nothing more than to leap up on the roof and punch her stupid teammate in the face.

Don't lose your temper now, she thought as the three male shinobi noticed her group.

"What are you all doing here?" Kakashi asked, hands buried in his pocket, and Sakura paused for a moment wondering if her anger extended to her sensei as well.

Realising it didn't, she looked Naruto dead in the eye. "We need to talk."

He looked back at her, stunned, the orange Sage Mode highlights around his eyes disappearing as he hopped down in front of her. Kiba, Sai and Lee remained quiet at her back.

Sky blue eyes gave her a quizzical look. "Sakura-chan?"

Sakura bit the inside of her cheek. It would be easy to fall in love with Naruto she realised. Konoha's new hero, the strong shinobi with boundless amounts of courage and loyalty. He was an idiot no doubt about it, but a lovable one that would treat her right and never, ever break her heart like Sasuke had.

And still did.

The plan was no doubt going to blow up in her face. On one hand, she had to trick Kiba, Lee and Sai into thinking she was on board with the others about stopping Sasuke-kun for good, and on the other hand, she had to somehow find a way to stop Naruto from running after the rogue Uchiha. Her half-cooked plan involved confessing her feelings for Naruto, hoping he would believe her and bring him back to the safety of Konoha.

Away from Sasuke-kun.

Although she had planned what she wanted to say, her thoughts were occupied elsewhere. They were full with Sai's revelations about the argument he had overheard between Naruto and Lucy.

Sakura was supposed to be confessing her love to the blond idiot, but instead, the flames of anger licked through her.

"Naruto, what the hell did you say to Lucy?" she exploded, closing the gap between them.

Kakashi-sensei's brow disappeared into his hairline as Naruto rubbed the back of his head, a guilty look on his face. "Is that what you want to talk about? You came all this way to talk about her?"

Sakura stood her ground. "Don't change the subject."

She could feel the other three at her back shifting uncomfortably as she had clearly deviated from the plan. Naruto's expression turned sheepish. "It's okay, Kakashi-sensei and Yamato-taichou already talked to me about it-"

"You shouted at her!" she snapped. "She is your friend and she put herself in danger for you and you told her to leave you alone! That isn't like you, Naruto."

The blond's face frowned. "It wasn't like that. You don't know the whole story, she's been keeping secrets. You don't know what she's done-"

"I know exactly what she's done," Sakura hissed, stepping closer. It annoyed her even more that once again Naruto had kept her in the dark again. Once again she was being left out of Team Seven. Neither Naruto nor Kakashi-sensei had even bothered to tell her that they were going after the Raikage, she had found out their whereabouts from Sai!

Well she had plenty of secrets from them as well.

"She was only a civilian when we set a trap for her back at the hospital on ANBU's orders and I was the one Shishou sent to fix her once Ibiki was done with her. I was the one who healed her battered, bleeding, and almost naked body. She looked pitiful and was scared in that cold, damp cell, and yet when she came out of there, she forgave us, Naruto. She forgave us."

She was glad to see her words had the effect of a slap across the face. For once the blond seemed truly at a loss for words.

"She came to live in your apartment and she took care of you! How many people have done that in your life? She cooked and cleaned and when Shishou organised training for her, she did that too. She believed that we would help her find her way home and keep her safe and in return, she helped us. But then she left to go training and we didn't even question it, Naruto. We assumed she would be fine, and we just let her go."

Naruto shook his head. "Baa-chan knew about the training. Lucy chose to join."

"Did she?" Sakura retorted. "Because it didn't look that way when I saw her again during Pein's attack. I think she did it to protect us. Again. She put herself in danger to come find me to warn me about Shishou being in danger. She knew Hinata had to go after you and attacked one of Root to make it happen and was badly beaten for it. They left her bleeding atop of Hokage Mountain for hours as punishment. Kiba and I tried to help her, but they wouldn't let us near her."

"Those fucking assholes," Kiba growled.

Sakura looked over her shoulder. "And then we spent days after Pein's attack clearing the village and setting up camp, but which one of us even tried to look for Lucy?"

Kiba's gaze dropped to the ground in shame.

"We all failed her," she concluded, turning back to face Naruto, "and we need to do better."

The blond's head was downcast as he took in all the information. Sakura noticed Kakashi-sensei lost in thought behind him. It was hard to read his masked face, but she imagined he probably hadn't heard the whole story either.

"You should have told me," Naruto spoke after a moment, his voice betraying his state of mind.

Sakura's light green eyes flicked back to their sensei before settling on him once more. "Looks like we've all been keeping secrets lately."

Naruto sighed, running a hand through his hair. He looked more tired and ragged than usual. "Is that everything you came to tell me?"

"No," she answered, pausing to steel her nerves. "We also need to talk about Sasuke-kun."

..~**~..

..~**~..

Traveling with Itachi was like going for a swim with an Olympic champion. It was both thrilling and frustrating. The guy seemed to have endless amounts of chakra and his speed was incredible. Clearly, I was holding him back, but he never complained.

We spent all day walking, running and tree hopping, and by sunset, we finally made it to a small village on the border with Taki.

I was exhausted, sweaty, and starving, but it wasn't over yet.

"We need to change clothes before we walk into the village," Itachi announced. "Looking like civilians will draw less attention. Do you have any regular clothes?"

"I think so," I answered, trying to remember everything inside my sealing scroll. "Give me a minute."

I slipped behind some tall bushes and found a white sleeveless top, a pair of navy blue shorts and strappy sandals. I changed quickly and hid a kunai at my waist just in case. Changing out of my combat boots into open sandals felt divine after running all day and I felt in a better mood as I returned to Itachi.

A tall man with short sandy blonde hair and hazel eyes greeted me. I startled at the sight, although my senses confirmed what my eyes couldn't.

"Itachi?"

His lips curved in response. "Apologies, I should have warned you. My face is still recognisable around these parts. It is best if I use a henge."

The transformation jutsu was as surprising and realistic as ever and I couldn't help glancing at Itachi from time to time as we walked through the dark little village of traditional wooden houses, rice fields, and dirt paths.

Even with the henge he looked like a hot male lead from a rom-com movie and my cheeks flushed when he caught my eye and grinned. Then, they turned crimson as his arm draped over my shoulders, pulling me against him.

"The inn won't allow us to share a room unless we're married," Itachi whispered in my ear. "So, we'll have to act like a couple."

My eyes went wide. Oh dear God…

"You can wrap your arm around me," he continued, his fingertips brushing along my bare shoulder. I gulped and slipped my hand around his waist, unable to look him in the eye.

I tried to control my breathing. What the hell was wrong with me? I wasn't a virgin. I'd dated guys before, hell I'd pretty much jumped Ryo the first chance I got, yet here I was blushing like a schoolgirl around Itachi.

Why did he make me feel so insecure?

We continued to walk on the dark path lit by small paper lanterns, my heart hammering inside my chest. There was something so intimate about our position. Plus, he smelled enticingly good. Campfire and cedar, and a touch of citrus. His warmth seeped into me, comforting and soothing and I let myself relax against him.

We reached a small black and white traditional building with a large sliding door framed with two large lanterns. The sound of gushing water echoed from behind the building. Itachi pulled away, taking my hand in his instead and we slipped inside.

I stayed in the small lobby area, looking at a display of wooden dolls dressed in gorgeous elaborate kimono as Itachi spoke with the innkeeper. Soon we were shown to our room, Itachi's hand wrapped around mine again, and I couldn't believe my eyes as I stepped into a full tatami Japanese room with paper sliding doors, two futon beds rolled up against the wall, and a low wooden table with seating cushions.

"Wow," I breathed once we were alone in the room.

Itachi dropped the henge and gave me a quizzical look. "You've never been to a traditional inn before?"

"I… um, no." I looked around the room for a bathroom and found none. There was a toilet and sink, but no bath, no shower. "Where's the shower?"

"There's no shower, we'll use the hot spring." He turned to me at my silence. "You have been to a hot spring before, haven't you?"

I cleared my throat. "You mean the large pool of really hot water where everyone bathes together naked? No, I haven't."

Itachi kept quiet, his onyx eyes surveying me as if I were a puzzle and I was suddenly reminded of our first few days together when everything I had done and said had deeply puzzled him too.

Another thought occurred to me.

"Oh, I also heard people with tattoos weren't allowed inside hot springs."

He unclasped his travel cloak, revealing black pants and a high-collared deep blue shirt underneath. "We are paying guests at this inn so you should be fine."

His answer surprised me. "So, you know about my tattoo then."

He remained silent, his face betraying nothing. I stared back, confused, until it hit me. When we first met, after I fainted in the street, I had woken up in my underwear. Itachi had taken my clothes to wash them and must have seen my tattoo then.

"Oh, that's right," I teased, crossing my arms. "When we first met you undressed me while I was unconscious. Got a good look, did you?"

He held my gaze, unruly bangs falling over his eyes. "It wasn't like that."

"I know, it's okay," I reassured him. "Besides, if you didn't see me then, I'm sure you got more than an eyeful this morning."

With the barest hint of a smile on his lips, he turned away to unroll our futons with ease and unpack some belongings. I looked about the room, admiring the various scrolls adorning the walls, but my eyes eventually drifted back to Itachi. He was crouched, inspecting the weapons in his pack and I couldn't help but take notice his chiseled jaw and the soft lines of his lips before my eyes traced over the sinewy muscles of his arms.

Needless to say, he was ridiculously good looking.

You just accused him of ogling you and now you're checking him out like a piece of meat!

My eyes snapped back to his face and his smoldering gaze stared back at me from across the room.

Busted…

Thankfully, I sensed chakra coming our way and turned my attention to the door. Itachi transformed once more as the innkeeper and a plump woman appeared with our dinner. They set the large trays down on the low table and left again, bidding us a good night.

I sat down on one of the cushions, staring at the assortment of small dishes in awe. "This looks amazing."

All the food, however, looked unfamiliar except for the bowl of rice and miso soup.

Is this what they call kaiseki, typical Japanese cuisine? Is that fish? Ok, these look like noodles. What's this bright yellow and pink thing? Is there an order to eat this?

Itachi sat down across from me and I watched him pick up his chopsticks and waited for him to start.

He noticed my hesitation.

I picked up my chopsticks. "Itadakimasu," I muttered, having learned the polite phrase from Naruto.

Itachi mirrored me and we dug in. I reached for the miso soup first and was delighted to find it was thicker than usual and contained many cooked vegetables. I recognised some fish and nibbled on it.

I could sense Itachi's keen eyes glancing at me. I knew he could tell that I was lost with all the dishes.

"Lucy," he eventually spoke up after pouring us water from a jug, "you once said you were from a place called… England. Is that right?"

I almost dropped my chopsticks at his sudden question. "Yes."

"What is it like, your land?" He picked up a bowl scooping rice into his mouth as I continued to taste the various dishes. The grilled fish was surprisingly good.

"It's an island and I guess it's often cold and rains a lot. People really appreciate the summers which are dry, not humid like here. We don't have shinobi per say, we do have soldiers, but they use different weapons. No one has chakra."

"I see."

I debated how much I could really tell Itachi and realised if there was one person I never wanted to lie to, it was him. Perhaps I couldn't tell him everything like I had with Tsunade and Jiraiya, but I refused to lie.

"Itachi, there's something you should know. I don't have a kekkai genkai," I blurted out, setting down my chopsticks. His gaze snapped up to meet mine. "It's just a lie Tsunade asked me to tell everyone, but… for some reason… I don't want to lie to you."

He regarded me in his usual calm fashion, waiting for me to say more.

"I can't explain how I know the things that I know about the past and the future, but it's not a special skill or anything."

His eyes flicked searching my face for the truth. "Are you… from the future?"

I smiled at the question. "No, but that's what I wanted to tell everyone and Tsunade laughed at me and said a kekkai genkai was much more believable."

Itachi smirked a little. "It would have been credible had you not reacted to the simple fire jutsu I used that first night we met the way you had. You looked like you had just seen magic for the first time."

I remembered the jutsu he had cast for the campfire in the woods and the way I had reacted. "It was pretty mind-blowing watching fire come out of your mouth."

"And then Kisame tried to absorb your chakra with Samehada and you were quite… distressed."

"I lost it, you mean!" I supplied with a laugh. "Had a total meltdown. I had no idea what was happening and the language barrier wasn't helping."

I liked the way his lips widened into a smile. "It was certainly entertaining."

We continued to eat as Itachi asked me more questions about England and my time in Konoha and once we were done, he pulled out two dark blue yukata with white belts from the cupboard.

"Let's head to the hot springs first and then we can discuss our plan for tomorrow."

I nodded and followed him out in the hallway using the inn's white slippers and a fluffy towel.

Bathing in a hot spring was fun and ever so relaxing. Thankfully it wasn't too busy and I figured out how to wash my body and hair while seated on a small stool before slipping into the hot creamy white waters of the natural spring. The waters were slightly hotter than a usual bath and were perfect for soothing my muscles after a day of traveling.

Itachi was already in the room when I returned.

"I think I could get used to that," I announced, running my fingers through my curls before braiding my hair for the night.

Itachi agreed before settling down on top of the futon, his back against the wall.

"How much further is the Land of Iron?" I asked, sitting down on my own futon.

"Another day at least. We'll leave at sunrise."

I nodded, remembering that our best bet wasn't the Five Kage summit but the stone bridge where Sasuke defeated Danzou.

"Do you know of a stone bridge that leads to the Land of Iron?" I asked, struggling to remember more details. "I think it has a gate or torii at one end."

"The Samurai Bridge," he answered, recognising my description. "What about it?"

"That's where we need to go. Not the Summit. How far is that?"

"Not so far. We could probably reach it early afternoon. Why? What happens there?"

I bit my lip unsure how much to reveal. "Danzou will get called out by the other Kage at the Summit and once Sasuke and Madara attack, he'll leave heading back to Konoha. Madara catches up with him at the bridge, transports Sasuke there using his eye, and then your brother fights and defeats Danzou there."

I caught the look of surprise on Itachi's face. "Sasuke defeats Danzou? Are you sure?"

"Positive. Madara watches the whole fight and then leaves with Danzou's body. Once he does, I think it might be your best chance to confront Sasuke and hopefully turn him to our side before Madara shows up again. He'll be tired after the fight with Danzou and weaker so it might be easier to get through to him."

Except Sasuke becomes a crazy psychopath at that point and might not listen to reason, I thought with dread. Although if there was one person he would listen to, it had to be his brother.

Itachi seemed lost in his thoughts. "Coming face to face with Sasuke away from the other kages seems like a good idea, and the bridge is closer to our position. Also, it's best that I talk to Sasuke alone without Madara or anyone else trying to influence him."

I nodded, glad we agreed on the next steps.

"There's something else," I added, remembering my promise to Sakura. "Konoha ninja will be there as well. I'm supposed to meet Sakura at the bridge. She was trying to keep Naruto from following Sasuke but I doubt she'll succeed and will go looking for Sasuke herself. Eventually Kakashi and Naruto will show up too or we might cross paths with them before while we're traveling and if that happens, things might get – tricky."

I had no idea how Naruto and Kakashi would react to seeing Itachi. And we certainly wouldn't have the time to stop and explain things if we wanted to get to Sasuke in time. Besides if no one showed up at the bridge then Sasuke would no doubt end up killing Karin, although that could also be seen as a good thing I mused.

The redhead was insanely annoying.

Will you be saving everyone or just the lives you think are valuable? Jiraiya's words echoed in my mind and I rubbed my eyes with the back of my hand.

Jeez, since when did you become my bloody conscience, Jiraiya?

"If anyone gets in the way, I'll handle them," Itachi answered cryptically. "I'll find a way to delay them."

I stifled a yawn. "Okay."

He took pity on me. "Get some sleep, we can talk more tomorrow."

I agreed, slipping underneath the duvet bidding Itachi goodnight. By the time, my head hit the pillow, I was out like a light.

..~**~..

..~**~..

Wind ruffled through my feathers.

The warm summer air lifted me through the sky as I dipped and curved and chanted with joy. I could fly up high past the tallest branch of the Tree and beyond, and then spiral down, down, down until I grazed blades of grass, scaring the butterflies and the bees.

The Tree laughed as I settled upon its branch. It liked to watch me fly. It liked to feed me energy and see how far I could soar and how fast I could go, and I loved it. Dearly.

For years and years and years the Tree was my friend.

But the humans were our enemy.

They came. Alone or in groups. Seeking to destroy the Tree. Blaming it for failed crops and arid land.

But I protected the Tree as best as I could.

One time they came with axes and saws, intent on cutting it down. I swooped and screeched, dispersing them with fear. And if they came too close the Tree would steal their energy.

They came back the next night with arrows and fire wanting to burn it down. So I swooped and screeched but an arrow hit my wing and it burned, and it burned. I fell through the leaves, shrieking with pain until my body slammed against the lowest branch.

"I failed you, Tree. My dearest wish was to protect you, and I failed."

"Do not despair, Bird. You are strong. You have my energy. Take more and make their power yours."

The fire burned my beautiful feathers, my flesh, engulfing me in bright orange flames and smoke.

"It hurts, Tree. It hurts!"

"Feel my energy, Bird. Take it! Let it run through you and harness its power. You will be reborn."

Strange energy coursed through my frail body, rushing through me from my beak to the tip of my tail.

The sizzling of my flesh stopped. The brightness of the flames disappeared and the humans fell quiet.

I swallowed the fire. Absorbed it. Ate it. Loved it. The fire became me, and I became the fire.

The Tree was right.

I was reborn.

The humans shrieked. "Monster! Monster! Kill the Bird of Fire! Kill it!"

They came, again and again and again. With arrows, swords, and spears. I ate their torches and flaming arrows. How the Tree and I laughed! Laughed at the pitiful humans who believed they could defeat us.

They could never defeat us, nor our bond. For I loved the Tree dearly and the Tree loved me. Cherished me and made me fire.

And then everything changed when the lady fell from the sky.

The humans came again. With kunai and swords. Fire pelted down, falling without relent.

But it wasn't fire, it was rain.

And my wings had turned into hands, holding a sword and shaking. The ground was slick with mud and I was sinking, sinking…

"Do you know why I let you go?"

No…

"Because I always keep the weak ones for last."

No!

Then my blade was in his chest. Scarlet eyes bore into mine. "Why? Why did you kill me?"

Please!

Blood seeped from his wound forming a puddle on the ground.

No, this isn't what I wanted – I didn't want this! I'm sorry!

Endless blood seeped into the ground, covering my feet, my hands, my skin.

"Murderer! Murderer!"

NO! NOO!

"Lucy, wake up!"

Two strong hands grasped my wrists trying to hold me down.

"NO!" I shoved the dark figure before me, arms flailing as I tried to get away.

"Lucy, calm down!" the voice insisted. "It's me, Itachi."

I stopped struggling as the fog cleared and I recognised the inn. I fought for breath, my chest heaving, and scanned my surroundings.

A small bedside lamp flooded the room with warm, yellow light and I glanced around the room. The scarlet-eyed shinobi would come, I knew it. He would emerge any second from the dark.

"Lucy." A hand landed on my shoulder and I jumped a mile.

"Don't touch me!"

Itachi knelt behind me in the same dark blue yukata. His body was tense as his eyes looked me over with concern. I turned away, pulling a blanket around my shoulders and shuffled to the end of my futon, as far away from him as I could.

I sat ramrod straight, my whole body trembling in fear.

It's just a dream, I repeated, taking small breaths. You're okay, Luce, you're safe. It's just a dream.

I brushed the tears from my eyes. "Go to sleep, Itachi. I'm okay now."

My voice was weak, but I hoped he would take the hint and leave me alone. For a moment, the room was silent, then he spoke, his voice softer than ever.

"I'm not going anywhere."

I didn't move, staring blankly at the shadows across the room. I couldn't get the image of the rogue nin's dead body out of my head.

Itachi shuffled closer, coming to sit behind me and I could almost feel the heat of his body through my blanket.

We remained seated for a long time, Me, staring into the darkness, my thoughts caught between dream and reality and him, shielding me from the rest of the world, waiting.

After an eternity, the words finally came.

"I killed someone."

They slipped out in a raspy breath, hitting the deadly silence of the room like a stone disturbing the still surface of a lake, breaking the illusion of peace.

"My team was sent on border patrol to test our skills. I can't give you specifics, the curse seal won't let me. We were just meant to observe, but it was a trap. A test, our leader said. He left us out there by ourselves. We all knew something wasn't right. We should have left. And then the enemy… they just appeared. Thugs, missing nin, battle-hardened fighters, and we were just…"

I paused, unable to find the words.

Kids? We were just kids? One killed more men than anyone else and she was the youngest of us. Can we even call her a kid anymore?

Tears slipped down my cheeks falling onto my hands.

"My teammate died saving me. I was scared and weak. I did my best to defend, but I couldn't attack. I didn't want to kill and he died to save me. I couldn't do a thing and I watched him die in my arms."

My voice broke and I stifled a sob with the back of my hand.

Ryo…

After a few deep breaths, a semblance of control returned, and I clenched the blanket tighter between my fingers.

"I don't know what happened after that. I had this urge to save the rest of the team. And suddenly killing the enemy didn't seem to matter anymore. I used genjutsu – it was… it was awful."

A deep, shuddering breath racked through me.

"The enemy shinobi were screaming in fear, but when I found my teammate's murderer I realised - I didn't want to kill him. I didn't want to… but he came at me, and… and then he was dead."

Dead. He's dead. You killed him. Murderer… Murderer!

Blood drained from my face and I shook all over once more. "I killed him."

"Lucy."

I felt light-headed and swayed to one side. Itachi caught me by the arm.

"What's wrong?"

"I think… I'm going to be sick."

I pushed him away, rushing to the toilet and emptied my stomach into the bowl. My stomach heaved, again and again, as I held back my hair with one hand and tried not to choke for air.

Panting for breath, I flushed the toilet, and sat immobile for a while waiting for my strength to return. Finally, the nausea passed replaced by a great fatigue. I washed my face and brushed my teeth mechanically, my mind empty and spent.

I needed sleep.

Itachi stood on the other side of the door, worry etched in his face.

"Do you still feel nauseous?"

I shook my head, unable to say another word. He led me back to the futon and I stiffened, thinking of the nightmare.

"It's okay, you can sleep on my bed," he said, moving my pillow to his futon. "It can help with the nightmares."

I was too tired to question his decision. His futon was just wide enough for us both and I lay with my back to him, hugging my pillow.

I was asleep before Itachi had even switched off the light.

..~**~..

I awoke the next day at dusk, my body still accustomed to Root sleeping patterns. Awaking next to Itachi had been quite a shock and it took me a few good minutes to awkwardly shuffle out of his futon, trying not to disturb his sleep. I had already kept him awake with my nightmares after all and didn't want to disturb him again.

I headed straight for the hot springs and bathed once more, scrubbing away at my skin before letting my body relax in the milky waters.

My mind wandered back to last night's dream. The one with the bird and the tree. It had been so odd and yet felt so real. My mind still remembered the sensation of flying, the wind ruffling my feathers and carrying me up in the sky.

I gave a sigh, slipping down further into the hot bath. God, what is wrong with me? Itachi must think I'm a nutcase!

By the time I was dressed and got through my morning routine, the first rays of the sun filtered through the wooden window blinds. Itachi was sitting at the low table when I returned, last night's food trays replaced with smaller ones containing similar steaming dishes.

"Morning."

"Morning. The innkeeper brought breakfast."

I joined him and we dug in. After a while, an uncomfortable silence stretched between us.

I'm the one who made it uncomfortable by opening up about my nightmares. Itachi killed his own family to save the village and his brother, and you're crying over the death of a criminal! Why couldn't I keep my damn mouth shut?

I picked at my food, wondering what to say to him. Eventually I made a face at the grilled fish on the platter and pushed it away.

"You don't like fish?" he asked, noticing my actions.

"Not in the morning." Since there was no toast in sight, I settled for the soup.

"I'm sorry about last night," I began, staring into my bowl. "For waking you up and unloading like that. You have enough to deal with."

"I don't mind," he answered without missing a beat. "The nightmares, the guilt, it's normal after your first kill."

I swallowed hard. I didn't like the way he said 'first' like one day there might be a 'second' kill.

I set the soup bowl down. "Do you mind keeping quiet about last night? I don't really want everyone to find out."

"I doubt I will be having conversations with Konoha nin anytime soon, but yes, I promise not to say a word," he said, and I nodded in relief. "Although, since what happened occurred during a mission, I believe the information will be reported in your shinobi file."

I froze. Shit, I hadn't thought about that. Tsunade's going to read that once she wakes up and so will Genma.

I cringed at the thought but decided not to dwell on it for now.

"Thanks."

I didn't know for which particular kindness I was thanking him this time. For being there, for being understanding, for not telling anyone? Probably all three.

"I know it's silly not to want everyone to know. What happened is expected for a ninja. I get it, really. I know Genma, Kakashi and everyone else have done far worse things, but that's not me."

Itachi had stopped eating and was watching me with an intent look in his eyes.

"It's just… it's not who I want to be. A killer, I mean. And it certainly isn't what my parents wanted me for me either…"

The words slipped out before I realised what I was saying. As I envisioned my mom finding out about what I had done, my stomach dropped like lead.

"Lucy?"

I set my chopsticks down. "I need to pack a few things and then we can go."

Itachi didn't say another word.

Soon we left the inn and continued on the road leading north. We travelled through the Land of Waterfalls at full speed with a couple of breaks for water and ate ration bars for lunch.

We didn't speak much, which suited me fine. I wasn't good company and Itachi remained tense all day as he surveyed the bridge from afar. Rather than risk infiltrating the Kage Summit, he had sent his summons to survey the Samurai bridge waiting for Madara to arrive.

Instead of talking, I took in the gorgeous sights of lush green valleys, crystal-clear puddles and lakes, moss covered rocks and tree roots. Of course, we also ran past dozens of waterfalls, some tall cascades drowning all the sounds of the forest, others trickling down slick rocks and birthing a myriad of small pools.

It was enchanting. Breath-taking.

"This place is stunning," I spoke up during lunch, breaking the silence. "It's making me want to defect Konoha and come here instead."

Itachi hummed in agreement. "And yet Takigakure ninja are not known for their kindness or beauty. Kakazu came from here."

After a while the waterfalls receded giving way to hilly forests and deciduous trees.

"We're nearing the Land of Iron," he announced as we jumped to the trees again. "We should reach the Bridge within the hour. Madara and Danzou are already there. We should hurry."

The sun was still high in the sky. Sakura should be on her way to the bridge as well with Kiba, Sai and Lee. I wondered which direction they were coming from and if we would cross paths.

The closer we got to the bridge, the more unease I felt. There was something rather dark and sinister ahead and it made my skin crawl.

Was it Obito's chakra? Or even Sasuke's? We weren't close enough for me to feel them and yet I could sense a terrible battle had begun.

And then my senses picked up on something else.

"Someone's coming straight for us, 4 o'clock," I said, turning my head to the side and focusing on the signature. "It's… it's Kakashi, shit!"

Damn it! Had he spotted us? Or followed Sakura's trail which happened to be our path as well? Or had his ninken smelled us or something?

If he stopped us now, I wouldn't reach Sakura in time. Itachi wouldn't reach Sasuke in time. This plan needed perfect timing and we both knew it.

It was clear from Itachi's face that he didn't like the odds of Kakashi interfering. "I'll handle him."

He stopped at the next branch and I almost bumped into him. "What? No!"

"Keep moving towards the bridge. I'll be right behind you."

He turned in Kakashi's direction and jumped away.

"Wait! You can't fight against Kakashi. Itachi, your eyes-"

"There's no time. Go!"

He disappeared through the trees before I could argue any further and after a moment's hesitation, I continued towards the bridge.

Fuck!

Without warning, chakra signatures hit my senses and I almost tumbled to the ground. I continued on foot my fists balling as I recognised Danzou's foul chakra. I wanted nothing more than to run straight for him and plunge a kunai through his heart, but sensing the amount of chakra he was throwing around, I knew I would never stand a chance against him.

I could feel another cold, dark chakra brush up against my senses, but ignored it as I rushed forward, searching for Sakura instead.

I found her not far ahead, almost at the bridge and headed straight for her. The trees began to thin and I emerged onto a dirt path leading to the Samurai Bridge and the Land of Iron beyond.

Explosions and rumbling could be heard from the battle behind me but I waited at the edge of the road, catching my breath until the pink-haired kunoichi appeared a few minutes later.

"Sakura!"

The kunoichi started and whipped out a kunai.

"Woah, hold up, it's me," I added, taking a step back.

"Lucy! Sorry, you surprised me," Sakura admitted. She was flushed from running for so long like me and was completely wrapped in a white travel cloak with two red stripes along the bottom. Her mint green eyes looked behind me. "Where's Itachi-san?"

"He got delayed by Kakashi," I told her as we continued towards the bridge. "He should be here soon. In the meantime, we need to stop Sasuke."

A flash of black light illuminated the sky followed by a resounding explosion. Gusts of wind blew all sorts of leaves, pine needles and dust towards us and once it was over, I felt a chakra disappear from my internal map and a tingling sensation in the back of my throat.

The curse seal was gone.

My lips tugged into a smile. I hope you rot in hell, you old fart.

Sakura took off again. "Let's go."

"Yes, let's go kick some Uchiha ass!" I exclaimed. The pinkette gave me a strange look. Clearly, she didn't share my enthusiasm. "Or well, you know… let's stall Sasuke until Itachi gets here."

As the stone bridge appeared before us, looking battered from the fight, my spirits lifted. The gloom and fatigue were gone and instead I felt better than I had in days, no matter the dangers ahead.

Everything was going to work out fine, I just knew it.

After all, Danzou was finally dead.

..~**~..

Some much needed R&R in this chapter. No Sasuke yet, but next chapter will be all about him and Itachi and Lucy and Sakura and Kakashi and Naruto... you get the gist! They are all coming together and it's going to be a vaudeville mess!

I based a lot of the ryokan scenes around my own experiences in Japan. It's fun to put Lucy in those situations. Plus she got to spend some alone time with Itachi. What do you all think?

Let me know in a REVIEW! :)