Eeewwww, I wrote about Orochimaru in this chapter. He grosses me out so much, I feel slimy just thinking about him.

"Uzumaki, Haruno, out. I don't need you two here right now." The man said bluntly.

Naruto opened his mouth to protest, but the man cut him off. "We'll talk later, Uzumaki. Out."

Naruto lowered his head and complied, with Sakura following suit.

The man waited until they were gone and shut the door behind him. Walking slowly over to Sasuke, he pulled up a chair across from him. "You're a perceptive one, boy, I'll give you that. My name is Orochimaru, the co-head of the police department. I work alongside Lady Tsunade."

He was a pale man, almost unhealthily so, Sasuke noticed, with long black hair and snake-like eyes. Sasuke merely scowled at him.

The snake man laughed. "You know, you're right about a lot of things. The first is that you didn't kill Naruto's mother. And I bet you know who did."

Sasuke lowered his eyes. That was true. He'd pretty much figured it out by now.

"I know who it was as well. And that's why I had to erase him. Your brother, Itachi. He knew too much. Of course, he didn't tell you about any of it. But I'd been looking for a way to get rid of him for a while. When he killed the officer, it was the perfect opportunity. He was vulnerable at the time. Because of you. He wouldn't let you get hurt. He was right to do that, you know. You really are a...valuable specimen." Orochimaru ran an abnormally long tongue over his pale lips, and cackled.

Sasuke shot him a look of disgust, which Orochimaru seemingly ignored.

"You don't know yourself how valuable you are, do you? You don't know about your gift? Or perhaps it's a curse. It all depends on how you perceive it. I, for one, see it as a priceless treasure I must get my hands on. Which is why, Uchiha, you are still alive. It is also why Naruto and all the other underlings haven't been told the truth. It was all to get my hands on you. Even Tsunade herself isn't aware of it."

"Then why are you shooting your mouth off?" Sasuke spat. "Aren't you afraid I'll tell?"

Orochimaru chuckled. "Who would believe you, Sasuke? I just think it's fair for you to know your own fate."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Sasuke growled. "All I know is that you are the one responsible for Itachi's death! You're the reason I'm being framed for his crime! YOU'RE THE REASON KAYDEE IS NO LONGER HERE!"

"Calm yourself, boy," Orochimaru hissed. "Don't speed your demise."

"SHUT--UP!!" Sasuke roared. "I don't want to listen to a single word you have to say! I'll kill you! I'll destroy you with my bare hands!"

Orochimaru smirked. "Hard to do that when they're tied behind your back, ay Sasuke?" He stood up, straitening his black suit. "I think we've chatted enough for the time being. I'll be back to visit you another time." Giving him a slight wave, he slithered out the door.

Sasuke's fists strained against his cuffs, his chest heaving as he took in all he'd heard.

He was being framed! By this snake like monster! Orochimaru wanted him for some untold reason, and had led the others to believing that he was the one who'd killed Naruto's mother. This was a mess he'd have a hard time escaping.

He thought back to the last time he'd seen his brother alive. That final fight had been horrible to watch.

Then something in his mind clicked. This man, this Orochimaru man...he'd seen him before. There was another person too, with gray hair and glasses. He was the one who'd delivered the killing blow to his older brother.

The one who Sasuke had been supposed to kill.

*************************************

"Come on, Sasuke," Itachi hurried his younger brother through the narrow underground streets.

"Itachi? What are you doing? Why are you here? Where did you go that night after you...you know?" Sasuke inquired.

"That's irrelevant," Itachi muttered. "The important thing is that I get you to a safe location."

"What do you mean?" Sasuke asked frustratedly, sick of his questions going unanswered. "Is our home no longer safe?"

Itachi shook his head. "No. They'll be coming after me soon, especially now that I know what I do. Most likely, they'll target you to get to me."

"Do you mean the police?" Sasuke said, frowning. "I know that they'll want you for taking the life of that policewoman, but what is it that you know that they want to eliminate you for?"

"I found out about their true purpose. The higher ups of the police force, I mean. If it gets leaked to the community, it would mean their downfall. The things they do to their own citizens are unacceptable. If you knew the amount of lives they've taken...I'll have to explain to you later. Hurry!"

Sasuke pumped his legs, keeping up with his brother's long strides. Glancing about, he saw a pale man wearing a green police vest standing on the rooftop above them, peering down with a sinister glare on his face.

"Itachi! Look up!" He whispered frantically. But when he glanced up a second time, the man was gone.

"What is it?" Itachi said harshly, his breathing slightly labored from the running. "I don't see anything."

"There was a guy up there, wearing a police uniform," Sasuke muttered. "He disappeared right after I saw him."

Itachi cursed under his breath. "They've found us." He stopped short in his tracks, grabbing Sasuke's arm. "Listen to me, prepare yourself, okay? We'll have to fight them." He looked anxiously at his younger brother. "Sasuke, if I ask you to do something, can you do it? If it would mean the difference between life and death, would you do it?" He slowly pressed something into the palm of Sasuke's hand. "Can you take the life of someone else...if it means saving mine?"

Sasuke looked down. In his hand was the long dagger that Itachi usually carried with him. "Itachi! You want me to..."

"If it comes to it," Itachi said roughly. "If you live down here, there are some things that are unavoidable! Would you rather be killed? Would you rather let me die? Trust me, Sasuke, when I say that these people aren't working for the good of others. They need to be erased."

Sasuke nodded shakily, gripping the weapon tightly in his hands. He knew how to fight, and could hold his own, but he'd never actually killed a person before. The thought of it scared him. He prayed desperately that he wouldn't have to do so.

They stood there for a few minutes, clutching the daggers and glancing about fervently. Then a slow laughter sounded from one of the alleyways.

The pale policeman walked toward them slowly, followed by another with round spectacles and gray hair pulled back in a short tail.

"Hello, Uchiha Itachi, Uchiha Sasuke." The man said in a silky smooth voice. "It's good to finally meet you. Especially you, young Uchiha."

Sasuke glared menacingly at him, sliding into a fighting stance.

"Oh please, I'd like to resolve this without too much conflict. We'll need you to come with us, Itachi."

"Right," Itachi growled. "And maybe we can go out for a quiet lunch after."

The gray haired man snickered. "Don't get cocky, Uchiha. Don't forget we can kill you easily."

Itachi didn't waste another moment. He charged straight up the alley wall, running sideways at the two men, before springing off and launching himself in the air. He pulled out three throwing knives from his belt and hurled them at the police.

The pale man unsheathed his sword, and with definite skill, he knocked them neatly out of the air.

Itachi landed a few yards away in a crouch. Immediately he lunged at them again, not wanting to give them a chance to recover. Ducking the gray haired man's punch, he kicked the pale man in the chest, throwing him back against the wall.

The bespectacled man growled, trying to slash at him with his own sword, but was stopped short as Sasuke kicked his legs out from behind, causing him to collapse. His weapon skittered across the dirt ground, and Sasuke deftly swooped it up. The man stumbled to his feet, grabbing a dagger. Sasuke held his blade in front of him at the ready.

"You take care of him," Itachi called. "I've got this one."

Sasuke nodded, keeping his gaze locked on the snarling policeman.

"I'm not afraid of you," the man laughed. "I'd kill you, except my boss wants you alive."

Itachi glanced over at him, his eyes growing wide. "How do you know about tha--"

"We have our ways," The gray haired man grinned.

Sasuke furrowed his brow. "What are you talking about it?"

The pale policeman cackled. "So, Itachi, you haven't even told your brother about what he can do?"

Itachi turned back to him, his eyes blazing. "Shut up."

Sasuke persisted, his curiosity peaked. "What do you mean?"

"This is not the time, Sasuke!" Itachi yelled. "Focus on the fight!"

Sasuke turned back around just in time to collide with his opponent's fist. Grunting in pain, he stumbled back a few feet before retaliating, kicking him in the jaw.

The gray-haired man circled him, looking for an opening. A few yards away, Itachi and the pale man were going at it, showering the other with blows. Sasuke wasn't sure, but it seemed as if Itachi had the upper hand. Tearing his attention away from them, he charged his attacker again, wielding the blade in the way his brother had taught him. Feinting to one side, he quickly changed direction, thrusting it at the man, who just barely managed to deflect it with his smaller knife.

The man snarled. "You're a troublesome brat. I'll deal with you later." He planted his feet firmly on the ground, and with a mighty heave, he shoved Sasuke away. Whipping around, he ran at Itachi, who was preoccupied with his own battle.

Sasuke gasped. He was going to attack him from behind! Luckily, Itachi shifted to the left, and the dagger sliced across his right arm rather than his back. Still, the damage had been done. His older brother cried out in pain, dropping the knife that had been in that hand. He was completely vulnerable, Sasuke realized, and sprinted to his aid.

The pale faced policeman kicked Itachi to the ground, and raised his sword above him to plunge it through his heart.

"NO!" Sasuke shouted, tackling him to the floor. The man hissed in irritation, bucking back and forth in an unsuccessful attempt to throw Sasuke off. "Urgh--Kabuto! Finish him!"

Sasuke's eyes widened in horror as the man named Kabuto approached his fallen brother. He slid his knife from his belt, preparing to finish him.

Sasuke kicked the pale faced man away from him and launched himself at Kabuto. He slashed downward with his sword, slicing a shallow wound in his chest.

"Deeper Sasuke!" Itachi called hoarsely, blood flowing from his many wounds. "Finish the job!"

Swallowing hard, Sasuke hesitated. How could he kill a person?

"DO IT!!!"

Sasuke steeled himself and thrust the sword at Kabuto's chest. He'd waited a moment to long. The pale man hit him from behind, dropping him to the floor and kicking him repeatedly.

"Sasuke!" Itachi cried out in horror, stretching his left hand out to him.

Worry about yourself! Sasuke wanted to scream. He's coming for you! But all that escaped him were pained cries. Unable to move, he watched in abject terror as Kabuto slowly approached his brother, raising his weapon for a second time. And plunging it down.

"...ITACHI!!!"

Blood pooled out from around the limp body, whose hand was still outstretched to his beloved younger brother.

Blood.

Red.

Bloodred.

A swirling haze of red, black commas spinning lazily.

It burst forth from within him, an explosion behind his eyes, a iris of crimson emerging, and the world became crystal clear.

Blood. He relished it as he fell upon the men who'd caused Itachi's demise, who'd turned that loving, breathing person into a lifeless shell.

Screaming. It filled the air. A long, never ending, drawn out cry of despair. Maybe it was him.

When he next awoke, he was alone.

Oh my god I had so many feels while writing this piece, I wanted to cry so bad. I was cursing myself for what I was doing to Itachi AGAIN, he doesn't deserve it that poor boy *sobs in corner*

SOMEONE GIVE ME A HUG AND MAKE ME FEEL BETTER😥😭😩😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫💧💧💧💧

MY EMOTIONS. I CAN'T.