Sight and Sound

Going Back

Aster awoke in a hospital bed. She sat up rubbing her neck, trying to remember how she had gotten here. She felt a lump on her neck and looked in the mirror. It was a swollen bruise on her neck. Then she remembered the night before. She felt faint as she saw the ruins of the Uchiha clan in the streets. Itachi stood in the middle of it all. He had told to stay away. Aster could feel the point of the anbu sword at her neck again but he had pulled it away when she had lunged into it. What did that mean? She should be with him, where ever he was. Why wasn't she? Then she recalled Kakashi. The bruise on her neck throbbed when she remembered him having to hit the point again to knock her out. She hadn't gone down without a fight. Something didn't fit here. Why would someone with everything going for them destroy it all? She heard whispering outside the door. She peeked out the one way window. A girl from the academy her age was speaking, "It was so obvious. Someone can't be that perfect." Aster realized she was speaking about Itachi. The girl continued with contempt plain in her voice, "What kind of coward kills a bunch of innocent people and then runs away? He was always so distant; it figures that he was hiding something." Her heart leapt into her throat. Everyone had been so quick to praise him, only yesterday. The people in this village were two-faced, she couldn't trust them. Without wasting another second, Aster climbed out the hospital window and snuck out of Konoha, hoping never to return.

Days passed with Aster sleeping and Itachi caring for her wound. Kisame was gone frequently, and Itachi was uninterested in his affairs. Aster and Itachi didn't speak much to each other after what was said last time.

Finally the silence was broken when Aster was able to walk again.

"I'm a lot better," Aster smiled at him in wary way, still tense from their last conversation.

Itachi didn't look pleased at the compliment, as Aster had expected. Instead he frowned, "It's still not very well healed. I'm not a medical nin, that's what you need."

Aster grimaced, half at what he said and half at the shooting pain in her ribs. "I'm fine. You did great."

He looked at her a seriousness that stilled her. "You're going back to Konoha for proper medical care."

"No, I'm not." She crossed her arms and stuck out her lip.

"We're leaving tomorrow, so pack tonight. Kisame is running other errands, he won't be with us," Itachi turned to walk away, ignoring her pouting.

"You can't make me go!" She cried in a shrill, childish voice.

"Stop acting like a spoiled little kid," Itachi scolded, growing tired of her behavior quickly.

"Well, you can't force me to move my legs and walk. It's all by my own free will." She tried hard to sound more mature.

"Well, with or without you, I'm leaving tomorrow." It was his last resort. She was going back if he had to bribe her. It simply was too dangerous for her to follow him.

She gasped and looked at him disbelievingly. "You wouldn't..."

"I would." He looked her squarely in the eye. Aster's heart sank when she realized he was serious.

"Fine." She tightened her crossed arms and resumed a sullen expression." That's really low, you know. You're cruel, bribing me like that."

Itachi tried to suppress a smirk, but was unable. Instead he turned his back to her and left the room.

The day passed quickly as they prepared to leave. Before either of them knew it, night had fallen. Aster and Itachi went to separate rooms and lay down to sleep.

Aster fell asleep quickly. But about midnight she began to thrash in her sleep. In her dream, she was back in Konoha, reliving the night of the Uchiha massacre.