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Tears of the Unworthy	By : MudbloodMalfoy Category: Naruto > Het - Male/Female > Itachi/Sakura Views: 9325 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto! I am not paid to write this fic.

Chapter List
- 14
- 15
Chapter Fifteen
Underneath the Underneath
Naruto © Masashi Kishimoto

Sakura breathed a sigh as she and Itachi walked calmly past the Chuunin guards at the front gate. Thankfully, the twins were being well-behaved. They seemed to take cues from their parents as to when to be quiet.
Inside the village, Sakura calmly led them to the Yamanaka Flower Shop, where Ino's family lived in the apartment upstairs. Inoichi answered the door, took one look at them, and quickly beckoned them inside without a word. Itachi and the twins waited in the family room while Ino rushed Sakura into her own room for her transformation.
Sakura grimaced as she told Ino to go crazy. She had to look completely different for this to work. Ino's eyes lit up with unholy glee. Two hours later, Sakura walked out of Ino's room. Itachi's eyes widened as he took in his wife.
Her once-pink hair was now cut almost to her head and dyed a sandy brown. Her eyes were now a chocolate brown, and the make-up covering her features effectively hid the rest of her resemblance to Sakura Haruno. Her clothes were now solidly civilian, instead of the genjutsu he had used earlier.
As Sakura made faces at her reflection, Ino appeared with a slightly maniacal grin aimed at Itachi. She held a pair of scissors aloft and snapped them for theatrics. "Okay, Uchiha. You're up."
Itachi fought the urge to wince at the thought of what he was about to endure...
##############
"I still think he should have been a ginger," Sakura said laughingly.
Ino smirked. "But the dark green is much more low-profile. Especially with you two supposedly coming from Kusa."
Itachi simply sat in his chair, fighting off a sulk. His hair had been chopped off, cropped close to his skull. His eyes were now an unassuming blue, and the marks under his eyes had been hidden with concealer. He wore an old traditional outfit of Inoichi's, which hung from his slim frame baggily. At least Sakura's borrowed clothes actually fit. Supposing nothing could change it now, he simply shrugged his shoulders before making his way to Mai and Shin.
The two toddlers had been rather well-behaved the whole time, playing contentedly with each other in the floor. Ino's parents had been happy to watch after them while their daughter had transformed the the now-fugitives. Thinking about what they were going to do, Itachi rubbed his hand across his forehead. A smaller hand joined his, causing Itachi to smile as Mai tried to comfort him the way she had seen her mother do before.
"Thank you, Mai, but you lack the healing touch just yet." Itachi gently drew the small hand down to kiss his daughter's fingers, but was brought up short by the sight that met his eyes. Mai's face was a picture of concentration as she stared at their hands. Shin, having been left behind, wobbled over and placed his hand over his sister's. Itachi blinked and slid into the Sharingan, feeling shock course through him as he took in the twins' chakra.
Where their hands met, their chakra formed one cohesive unit. Mai's was a bright pink, while Shin's was a dark blue. Where they met, the chakra turned inky black. Tapping on the floor with his foot, Itachi sent a flare of chakra to Sakura. The kunoichi made her way to the living room, only to freeze in the doorway. Her own Sharingan flared to life and she gasped at her children. The sound broke the concentration of the twins and their chakra faded away. Shin giggled, drawing his sister's attention. The two settled back onto the floor to play once more.
Sakura stood, frozen, while Itachi rose to stand beside her. "Itachi, that should not even physically possible! They're too young to even develop proper chakra coils, but this...! How..?"
Itachi gathered his wife close and wrapped his arms around her. "I believe our children will one day rule the world."
"That's not even remotely funny, Itachi!"
The Uchiha simply smirked into her neck and held her closer. In truth, he didn't have an explanation, either. Thinking distraction was the key, he pulled away and brought up their next move. "We need to go check into a hotel room. Your apartment and the Uchiha compound are both out of the question, and we can't impose on your friend's family forever."
Sakura forced her eyes to move from the twins and up to Itachi's. Nodding, she agreed, "You're right. And we can secure and reinforce a single room better than we could do anything here. I'll go tell Ino."
While she did so, Itachi began picking up their things and packing them into their bags. When he reached the toys that the twins were playing with, they dutifully handed them over, pouting all the while. Itachi smirked. "You can have them back in a bit."
He swore the two sighed in resignation before turning to play with each other. With everything together, he pulled out the small hats that they had decided to use to cover the twins' distinctive hair colors. With the mix of black and pink covering Mai's head, along with Shin's eye color, it left little doubt as to the parentage of the kids. There was little they could do about Shin's eyes except cast a low-level genjutsu, and they were hesitant to resort to that just yet. For now, he was stuck in the front carrier, facing Itachi's chest. Mai clapped as Sakura picked her up to place in her own carrier, giggling when she found that she had a comfortable pillow to rest her head on.
Shin pouted as his own head rested against Itachi's rather flat, muscled chest. Sakura smiled at the two, tenderness filling her gaze as she playfully tickled her son's foot. Itachi's hand came up to tangle in her hair as Ino and her parents gathered around them. Ino sniffed and quickly latched onto her best frenemy.
"Be careful, okay?" the blonde whispered.
"Of course, Ino-pig," Sakura whispered back playfully.
While her friend turned to say goodbye to Shin and, by default, Itachi, Sakura turned her attention to Ino's parents.
"I can't express how grateful I am that you let us hide here, even with all the danger it could bring to you."
Inoichi smiled gently. "Sakura, you are our daughter's best friend. And if anybody is going to save the Hokage, it would be you."
Sakura blushed. Kimiko stepped forward and enveloped the pinkette in a hug. "You and your family are always welcome in our home, child."
Sakura smiled. "Thank you. Both of you. I'll try to get word back soon about anything I can find out."
Ino slung an arm around her friend. "You'd better, Forehead! You know worrying gives me wrinkles!"
Sakura chuckled. "We can't have that," she said dryly.
A few pleasantries later, the family of four was wandering the streets, looking for a decent hotel. Before too long they found a good-sized room for a decent price. Itachi unlocked the door with the key he had gotten from the front desk and quirked his eyebrow when Sakura dramatically dropped their bags and collapsed backwards onto the large bed. Mai laughed and clapped her hands.
Itachi smirked and turned away from locking the door back. He unstrapped Shin and settled him on the floor before walking over and beginning to set standard barriers on the windows. High-leveled enough to keep them safe, but not high enough for suspicion. Sakura stood after a few moments and moved to the bathroom to secure the windows there. Through it all, the twins watched their parents intently.
Finally, everything was secure enough and the two tired shinobi gathered their children up and readied themselves for bed. As they lay in the comfortable warmth of the large bed, Sakura whispered to Itachi, "Are you okay with watching them tomorrow while I try to get more information?"
Itachi nodded and reassured her, "I will take care of them. Don't get caught. I'm certain Danzou would leap at the chance to catch you inside the village."
Sakura grimaced. "You're right. I'll lay low and try not to draw attention to myself. Without the pink hair, that should be a lot easier."
"I would rather it be pink. This new hair color is...unsettling. It's not you."
His wife blushed and ran her fingers - as well as she could with it so short - through the now-brown locks. "Yeah well, yours is just as weird."
The Uchiha smirked pressed his lips to Sakura's. "Sleep, Sakura. I am sure that tomorrow will be a trying day."
With one last kiss, Sakura did just that.
#############
Resisting the urge to hug every familiar face she saw was something that Sakura was not used to. She had already caught herself moving to wave at acquaintances countless times. But so far, she had been successful, except for Naruto. He had actually recognized her almost immediately, and had had his arm almost broken for his astuteness. (Well, more for his loud mouth, but still.)
After promising to find him later and explain everything, she ditched him in an alley and continued to Hokage Tower. Registering as a foreign citizen was nerve-wracking. But it served the purpose. She and her family were now legally - more or less - allowed anywhere in the village that a Konoha citizen would be. And not a single person had recognized her. That had taken a load from her shoulders. Now, she walked calmly from the Tower to rejoin her family and plan the next stage.
A chill inched down her spine suddenly. Without missing a beat, she barely blinked as she kept moving. Any hesitation could cause their entire plan to go up in smoke. Instead, she smiled politely at everyone she met and even paused a few times to browse through wares on the streets. She bought a pair of leather gloves for Itachi, in case he was serious about wanting to learn more of her strength training. Her own gloves hadn't kept her hands from scarring, but they had lessened the damage quite a bit. Closer to the hotel, she found a vendor selling children's things. She smiled as she ran a hand over a beautiful kimono. Her babies were going to be a year old in a few days. She could barely believe it!
With a wry smile, she bought two nice outfits for the twins. They might not be able to have a party now thanks to Danzou, but they could still go out as a family to celebrate. With that thought in mind, she thanked the vendor and entered the hotel.
The feeling of being watched still hadn't left, but it was no longer a hostile feeling. As she neared their room, she finally got a glimpse of who was following her.
Well, his means of it, anyways. An inky black mouse crouched down the hall, its blank eyes watching her solemnly. Pretending not to notice it, she knocked three times on the door before entering.
Itachi was standing behind the door, kunai at the ready. He lowered the weapon and lifted a brow.
Sakura smiled at his silent communication. "We are now temporary residents of Konoha. And no one recognized me. Oh! I bought you these gloves. For if you wanted to keep learning what Shishou taught me."
Her husband tilted his head in acceptance. "Perhaps we should wait until your Shishou is safely back in her seat before we continue with that. It is a very distinctive style, after all."
Sakura frowned. "I didn't think of that. You're totally right."
With a gentle kiss to her forehead, Itachi pulled her further into their suite. Mai was soon at her parents' knees, waiting to be picked up. Shin, never far from his sister's side, followed quickly. Settling her daughter on her hip, Sakura leaned against Itachi with a sigh. "We need to fix things soon. Shishou hasn't seen them in so long. They probably don't even remember her."
Itachi wanted very much to reassure his wife, but even he didn't know if Tsunade was alive. He hoped, for Sakura's sake, that she was truly fine. He squeezed Sakura to him one last time before releasing her and putting Mai down. Wandering to the window, he looked over the village. Even now, he could pick out the dark figured that shadowed certain villagers.
A few he picked out included Hatake, Umino, multiple Inuzuka as well as Nara and Akimichi. The strongest players on the board, apparently. Catching a glimpse of pink, he stared in consternation as what appeared to be his wife wandered the streets. Turning back, he saw Sakura laying on the floor on her stomach, playing with the kids. Shaking his head, he looked back outside. The splash of pink was gone.
"That was...odd. Perhaps this is something to look into tomorrow."
With that decided, the Uchiha turned back to his family, never noticing the shadow that dropped onto the balcony outside their window.
#########
Later that night, after Itachi and the twins were asleep, Sakura slipped from the bed and out into the living room. With a series of complex seals, she disabled the barriers and wards on the door to the balcony before slipping outside. She stepped up to the railing and tilted her face to the sky as she breathed in the familiar scents of her home.
"You really suck at hiding," she said softly to the shadows, not bothering to open her eyes.
One shadow separated from the rest. A figure moved forward and into the moon's light. "Perhaps I wasn't trying to hide, Hag."
A soft laugh escaped her lips. "Oh, Sai. You haven't changed at all."
"On the contrary, you seem to have changed a lot. Were you ashamed of your previous hideous looks?" the RooT agent asked with a fake smile.
Shaking her head, she shooed him inside. "Hurry, before someone sees you."
"I have provided the cover that a former lover was seeking citizenship, giving me freedom to visit you once or twice without much suspicion."
Sakura quirked a brow. "Former lover? Really, Sai?"
A light blush covered his cheeks as he rubbed the back of his neck. "It was the best I could come up with."
"Obviously," she said sardonically.
A knock at the door, followed by a quiet "Room service!" interrupted any more banter. Without waiting for an answer, the maid opened the door and stepped inside, pushing a laden cart. Sakura smiled and wrapped her arms around the petite woman. "I missed you, Sensei."
Like a mirage, the woman wavered for a moment before Kakashi Hatake took her place. His arms came around his former student. "I missed you, too, Sakura."
Seconds later, the cart disappeared in a cloud of smoke as Naruto bounced up and down like a child. "Where's my hug, Sakura-chan?!"
Laughing, she threw her arms around Naruto before motioning for Sai and Kakashi to join in. "Team Kakashi, back together. Ready to kick some ass and make everything right again?"
Naruto's exuberant "Hell yeah!" made the group chuckle. Just like old times.
Kakashi stepped back and looked Sakura over. "Motherhood agrees with you, Sakura. As does training with Akatsuki members, apparently."
"Her chakra reserves have doubled, as has her stamina. I simply trained her as you trained me, Kakashi-san."
Four pairs of eyes turned to stare guiltily at Itachi as he stepped into the living room and closed the bedroom door. He stared placidly back. "Would I be remiss in assuming another party would benefit whatever plan you have?"
Kakashi smiled beneath his mask. "Come on over, Itachi-kun. We were just catching up for a moment before we got to work."
"From the obviously fake sighting of my wife that I saw from the balcony today, I believe you got to work soon after we arrived in the village."
Sakura turned incredulous eyes to Kakashi. "Seriously? Our cover is flimsy already, Sensei!"
The grey-haired shinobi held his hands up in mock surrender. "It was to help with your cover. Even if someone suspected you were Sakura, seeing "her" in the streets would take some of the heat off of you. Gaara is currently showing your dear husband and children some hospitality while you search for answers here. The fact that Gaara has already allowed Akatsuki members to stay in Suna adds credibility."
Sakura frowned. "I still don't like it."
Naruto smirked. "You don't have to. It's already been done."
Shaking her head, the kunoichi let it go. Moving on, she turned back to Kakashi. "What's being done about Tsunade? Is Danzou searching for her?"
Kakashi nodded. "He doesn't believe she was killed, so he's been having RooT search for her. Very quietly. He doesn't want anyone to know she's still alive."
"But we all know she is! Baa-chan wouldn't let some dumb rouge nin do her in. She's too tough!" Naruto exclaimed.
"Thanks, Naruto," Sakura said softly. "I seriously needed to hear that."
The boisterous blonde wrapped his arms around his teammate. "We'll find her, Sakura-chan. I promise."
Itachi watched as his wife returned Naruto's hug. While he would normally be rather jealous, he could tell there was no sexual intimacy between them, only a familial one. They looked like siblings. If one discounted their wildly different hair color, anyways.
Sai finally broke the two apart. "I believe we should get to work. Too much time has passed, already."
Kakashi nodded his head and settled onto the floor. "Okay, Sakura. Here's the plan."
###########
Itachi couldn't sleep that night. All of their planning rested on one single thing. Well, person. Sakura was the backbone of the cockamamie plan that had been all that they could come up with on short notice. And now the Uchiha was kept awake by something he hadn't felt in years.
Worry.
What if everything fell apart, taking Sakura with it? Could he really raise two children by himself? And what of his own plan to leave Akatsuki? Would Pein let him go if he had the legitimate reason of having to raise his children in Konoha?
Raising a hand to rub at the bridge of his nose, Itachi finally gave up on trying to sleep. He rose almost silently from the bed and made his way into the sitting room that had been their headquarters earlier. With a clear view of the village, he began to meditate. Slowly, he meticulously compartmentalized his worries, his errant thoughts, his daydreams. With a clearer mind, he focused on the intricacies of their plan, meticulously walking through every step and visualizing every possible scenario.
Finally, as the sun was peeking into the valley the village was nestled in, Itachi crawled into bed beside Sakura and slept. Hours later, he was woken by her lips caressing his. He tangled his hand in her hair and deepened the kiss for a moment before drawing back and simply taking her in. He had never let himself imagine a future with her. In the months they had been clandestinely meeting, he had made it a point not to think about the future. Now, though, it was all he could think about. Maybe's and what-if's plagued his mind.
Under his scrutinizing gaze, Sakura grew fidgety. "Itachi?"she prodded softly. The glazed look receded from his eyes as he focused on her once more. With a soft kiss to his lips, Sakura tried to convey her love and trust. When Itachi's hand slid up to gently cup the side of her face, pressing back just as softly, the kunoichi felt her heart skip a beat.
All of the pain, the tears, the heartache, it had all led to this. The love and trust and happiness they had together.
For long minutes, the couple simply kissed chastely, not feeling the need to deepen the caress. Finally, with the sun nearing its zenith, Sakura moved away. "It's almost time, Itachi. The twins are ready to go, we were just letting you sleep a while longer." When her husband simply closed his eyes and pulled her closer, Sakura sighed and ran her fingers through his hair, still not quite used to it being so short. "You know, I never thought we would actually end up together. Now that we are, now that we have a family to protect? I will do everything in my power to keep this. I love you, Itachi, and I trust you to carry out the plan. Please give me the same courtesy."
Itachi pulled away and looked up into the jade eyes that haunted his dreams for years. "I...worry. Logically, I understand that this is the most sound plan we can successfully carry out, and that you are more than capable of doing your part. However, you are my wife. The emotional consequences of such a tie are...uncomfortable to deal with."
Sakura laughed. "Okay, mister romance, let's get going before you put your foot in your mouth."
With a beleaguered sigh, the shinobi rose gracefully from his position and draped his arm across Sakura's shoulders. "Very well. Let us go bring down a regime."

Oh god I feel like I'm never going to get this fic finished. If all goes well, the Tsunade-rescue arc will be the last arc. I'm hoping to tie this up within four or five chapters. To be honest, I'm ready to be done with this and let it go. I'm sure the few who actually still read it are rather ready for it to be done, as well. Haha.
Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter. I'm terribly sorry, but the next chapter will not be soon in coming. I'm in Radiology school, and have very little free time. :/
- 14
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Tears of the Unworthy