**Authors Note:

Okay so this one is a little longer than most. I needed a lot of things to happen haha.

So we are getting closer and closer to the Itachi and Sasuke battle in fact it should be started within the next 2-3 chapters. Maybe even the next one depending on how I chose to write the next chapter. Either way I am very excited for it!

But for now here is this! :)

Also! One of my lovely fans had asked to use Rin in her story and with my approval has done just that. So if anyone wants to check it out go the story is called Not Forever. I have also dedicated this chapter to her so just click on her user up top which should take you right to her page! :)

Now then on with the story!

Comment, vote and of course enjoy!

**

Itachi

Pein had called an emergency meeting, normally Rin would ignore it but I insisted that she make an appearance in case it was news she could use to find Sasuke. I knew she was more annoyed that it inturrped our Sharingan training.

"Where are Deidara and Tobi?" Rin asked. I glanced at the astral projections just noticing that they weren't present.

"Deidara is dead" Pein replied simply. I glanced at Rin, who's eyes were very wide. I knew her friends here were in short supply but I stil wasn't sure how she'd take this. He was still Akatsuki after all.

"Another member lost, and I thought he was pretty strong" Kisame muttered.

"D-Dead?" Rin finaly managed to stammer and Pein nodded.

"How?" She demanded.

"It was Sasuke" Pein replied.

"However it appears that Sasuke has died as well" Zetsu added. I stiffened and could feel Rin's eyes on me.

"You should feel greatful Itachi, Rin. Dediara sacrificed his life and saved you both a lot of trouble" Pein continued.

"And Tobi?" Rin asked finally.

"It appears he's dead as well, Deidara detonated himself without regards for his surroundings" Zetsu explained. I knew Rin would doubt this, after all these years she knew better than to think less of Madara.

"No matter, he can easily be replaced but losing Deidara is unfortunate" Pein admitted and I resisted rolling my eyes.

"I must go, let us try to mourn Deidara's death quietly" We all waited for Pein's projection to vanish before we followed suit. When I opened my eyes I was back in field we were using for training, I rose when Rin did. 

"I have maybe like five friends in this world, Sasuke needs to stop killing them" She muttered. She seemed more upset than hurt by the loss but Rin wasn't exactly the express her feelings type.

"You seem to be taking the loss of Sasuke well" Kisame said suddenly.

"The idiot's not dead" She replied shortly.

"Deidara's jutsu...."

"I know all about Dei's jutsu, it was meant for Itachi not Sasuke" She explained.

"So, is Deidara..."

"No, he's dead. He had a shorter fuse than I did. Plus, the Sharingan get's him riled up and he loses focus." She interrupted to which Kisame nodded.

"Sasuke on the other hand is alive."

"How can you be so sure?" Kisame questioned and she glanced at me.

"He feels it too; he knows" She replied to which I slowly nodded in agreement.

"Rin is correct" I confirmed. She could sense it as well as I could, if he were actually dead we would be able to tell.

"You Uchiha are something else" Kisame mumbled. I noticed Rin put her hands together in a familiar hand sign and raised an eyebrow as a shadow clone appeared next to her.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Sasuke will need a healing session after that fight, I know his team and none of them are capable of medical ninjutsu"

"Why don't you pay a personal visit?" Kisame asked as the clone took off.

"Because I have managed to conceal my location for weeks, something I haven't been able to do so perfectly in years. I don't need anyone that's looking for me right now to have the chance at finding me." She explained and I nodded slightly. Rin valued her privacy, and she was correct in the fact that since she returned to the Akatsuki Madara and Pein have kept a tight lock on her location at all times. She had managed to leave so abruptly from her last mission and with the aid of Deidara she basically disappeared from right under Madara's nose.

"Kisame" I said suddenly and he nodded.

"Right" I waited till he was far enough away before I fully faced Rin, she sighed the moment I met her gaze.

"I'll take it our training is over and you want me to go back to Sasuke?" She asked.

"Our training is complete Rin, you are almost ready" I confirmed.

"To be Sasuke's back-up?" She replied shortly and I sighed slightly.

"No" I said simply and she looked up at me.

"Then ready for what?" She demanded.

"I don't know Rin, only you can answer that" I admitted, and it was true. It was time for her to make her choice, she knew as well as I did what was coming.

"I can't lose you Itachi" She said quickly, her voice cracking and her eyes were glazed over.

"And what of Sasuke?" I asked and she pressed her lips together.

"I don't know" She replied honestly and her gaze shifted to her feet. It was silent as I picked up her katana and cloak. I walked to her and first slid her katana into her belt then slid her cloak around her shoulders before fastening the clasp. I nearly stumbled when she wrapped her arms tightly around my torso.

"I love you" I barely heard her voice as she buried her face in my cloak. I could feel her trembling and knew she was fighting tears. I didn't move and for a moment I stopped breathing. Part of me wanted to return the embrace, to reply to her words but I didn't want it to skew her final decision. I needed it to be her own, and hers alone. It was the only way she could live with herself after all was done and settled. I wasn't sure how long we stood like this for, but it was long enough for Kisame to return. Rin finally stepped back when she sensed him nearing, but she didn't look up at me.

"Rin..."

"I just need time, I-Ill figure something out" She interrupted her voice shaking.

"You have a choice to make Rin, that is all you need to focus on" I said firmly and she still didn't meet my gaze.

"Just don't do anything stupid, alright?" She replied and I nodded.

"You too" She smiled slightly.

"It's a deal" She said softly and I caught her wrist before she could start walking away. I felt her tense as she looked at my hand.

"Trust your instincts" She nodded slightly and finally met my gaze, for what could be the last time.

"Good luck, Rin" I said quickly and I heard her take in a shaky breath.

"Thank you Itachi, for everything"

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Rin

I had been walking for hours. I didn't really have a direction other than sticking to the forest. My clone was closing in on Sasuke's location but it would still take time. I knew what Itachi was talking about, and I of course knew that our training would come to an end. I just didn't know what I was going to do about any of it. I had never known. I had always tried to stop it, prevent them from ever meeting again but this was different. This time it wasn't just Sasuke blindly following Itachi, they we're looking for each other and I was, as usual, the wild card. Not Itachi or Sasuke knew who I would stand by, hell not even I knew.

"Dammit" I shouted. I punched the trunk of the tree I had stopped at, hard enough that the wood cracked under the impact. I had never been so confused and I knew where I wanted to be, but that was extremely risky.

"I need to think" I spoke to myself, obviously and if anything it made me feel crazier. I needed to think in peace, without the risk of being found or interrupted. I had a few days at best, but with losing Deidara and still trying to dodge Madara and this whole Sasuke and Itachi thing my mind was a mess. The risk might be worth it. I started hand signs then and released a slow breath focusing on where I wanted to go.

"Shadow transportation jutsu" I mumbled under my breath. The forest faded as I walked through the shadows, it took seconds for me to step out. Far from where I had just been. I activated my sharingan casting a large scale genjutsu to hide my presence as I stepped through the compound gates. Chances are I was far enough away that no one would sense anything and besides, who was going to come check on this old place. I walked slowly through the buildings, every time I returned it seemed more and more damaged than the last.

"Finally" I muttered. I carefully opened the doors of the Nakamo shrine and just as carefully closed it. I needed to be where it happened, this decision needed to come from every memory and experience I've had and where better to channel those than the place I was born. I dusted off one of the mats and sat down crossing my legs, I set my katana in front of me and let the hood of my cloak fall back. I looked at the head of shrine and released a slow breath before closing my eyes.

"Alright Mom, Dad" I said gently ignoring the lump in my throat.

"Help me figure this out"

=============================================================================================

Sasuke

The battle against that Akatsuki member, Deidara I think, had taken its toll. My escape was sloppy and badly timed. I had barely managed to get away alive. He had been much more powerful that I had thought. I didn't even have enough to time to recuperate, not with the Leaf right on our tail. We had to take off nearly as soon as we checked into that inn. After all these years they were still breathing down my neck. I never understood why Naruto couldn't just back off.

"Wait" Karin's voice broke me from my thoughts and I cringed when Suigetsu slammed into my back.

"Pay attention" I hissed and he just chuckled.

"My bad" Was all he had to say.

"Why are we stopping?" I asked and Karin was still.

"I know this chakra" She replied.

"I understand her use but god she's annoying" I looked up the second I heard the voice and there she was, standing on the branch right above us.

"She really is hot" Suigetsu said earning a few punches from Karin, before Karin's focus returned to Rin.

"How the hell did you find us!?" Karin shouted and Rin rolled her eyes as she jumped down.

"You make it sound like it was difficult." She replied.

"I sent Sasuke's sent in every direction, it's impossible..."

"Yeah his scent you fool, I'm not some mutt. I track people more effectively" She said shortly and I sighed.

"Enough you two"

"Man and I thought Karin was annoying before" Suigetsu muttered and I heard Rin snicker.

"Told you so, nice sword by the way." Suigetsu rubbed the back of his head, and had a sheepish smile on his face.

"Yeah well you know how it is, good swords are hard to come by"

"So you are the one that defeated Kimimaro?" The others fell silent at Jugo's voice and Rin shrugged.

"I've killed a lot of people, I need more than just a name" I felt Jugo's chakra spike and I glanced at him.

"Jugo, enough" He seemed startled at first but managed to calm.

"Give us a moment" I said flatly and heard Karin mutter something under her breath as they walked off.

"Where the hell have you been? You we're supposed to help me with Orochimaru." I started and she shrugged.

"Wish I had been there, successfully defeating someone so powerful will do nothing for that ego."

"I'm serious Rin, no one has see you in weeks" I replied but she seemed to ignore me as she stepped closer.

"Sit down, I need to heal you" I followed her directions and she knelt down, pushing aside my cloak and pulling my shirt open. She pressed her hands against my torso and I flinched as the chakra around her hands faded to green.

"Where have you been Rin?" I asked again.

"Around" She replied simply.

"You we're meant to be part of this team" I reminded and she sighed.

"I promised nothing, besides I work for the Akatsuki and we're down a few members. Though you would know all about that wouldn't you?"

"He attacked me, don't tell me you're actually upset about that?" I replied.

"I am, and I won't apologize for it. Deidara was a friend and I would appreciate if you didn't kill anymore of my friends." She said coldly and I felt her hands move towards my chest.

"You're lucky your organs didn't rupture from the wave of his final explosion" She noted.

"Is this the only reason you finally decided to show up? To scold me?" I asked and she sighed.

"No, our Leader called an emergency meeting to announce Deidara's passing. I knew you'd need the healing session." She explained and I nodded slightly.

"So, then you've seen Itachi recently?" I asked and it was silent for a while before she answered.

"Yes, and no I won't tell you where he is." I pushed away her hands then and she frowned slightly.

"Don't be childish, you need to be healed" She insisted as I stood up. 

"He killed our family Rin!" I shouted at her.

"He destroyed our lives and you run around acting like nothing happened! Like he did nothing wrong! You are such..."

"I know it happened you idiot!" She shouted back.

"I don't pretend; I don't ignore it. In fact, I see it everyday I look at him. I know the pain you feel Sasuke and I know the anger but that's the difference between you and I. I don't let it control me." She shot back.

"I was there that day, I heard everything. I listened helplessly while our family fell or did you forget that!?"

"Then why are you so quick to forgive him?" I demanded.

"Because he didn't act alone, and when my life was on the line he saved it. He's not the monster you've made him out to be, there is something more here and if you listened to someone other than yourself for one goddamn second you could see that!" 

"You always took Itachi's side, on everything. You've favoured him since we were kids"

"I'm not taking Itachi's side" She said quickly and I stared at her as she got to her feet.

"So you've taken mine?" I asked.

"I don't know" She admitted.

"You need to make a choice Rin, you need to pick a side. Enough of this back and forth, it's either me or him"

"And if I don't pick yours?" She asked quietly. I stared at her for a minute, it's felt like ages since we've spoken like this. A part of me had really hoped she would have come to her senses, that she would see what I saw. That she would see the truth.

"I don't want to kill you" I admitted, turning from her.

"But if you stand in my way I will cut you down with him" I said firmly and I felt her grab my hand.

"It doesn't have to be like this Sasuke, none of us have to die. We can still fix this" She begged and I sighed, pulling my hand from hers.

"There's nothing to fix" I heard her sigh and felt her hand on my back.

"Good luck Sasuke" She said gently. There was a long pause, and her grip on my shirt became tighter. 

"You're a stubborn idiot" She said, her voice cracking and I rolled my eyes. I was the stubborn one, right.

"And somehow I still love you, big brother" I turned quickly but she was already gone. I realized then it was only a clone, even Rin couldn't vanish that quickly. I sighed as I stared at where she just had been standing. I could still feel the warmth of her hand on my back, her voice still echoed in my head. Of course she would say that to me but it answered nothing. I still didn't know where she was and I still didn't know whose side she was taking. I was back at square one with her and time was running out. If she didn't chose a side, I would choose one for her and if that meant taking her out alongside Itachi then so be it.