Is it too late to fix everything

chapter 15

The story of Itachi kidnapping Sasuke from Konoha became a whispered legend, known only to a select few. It highlighted the lengths to which Itachi was willing to go to protect his brother from the malevolent forces that had consumed him. This dramatic turn of events marked a pivotal moment in both brothers' lives, ultimately steering them down different paths that would forever impact the destiny of the shinobi world.
The Akatsuki base, usually humming with a cold, calculating energy, thrummed with a new, desperate tension.
All six of them walked into the base. The 13 year olds becoming more vigilant of their environment as they now stood in front of the other Akatsuki members. Gulping they kept they gaurd up. Itachi looked at the side-eye and just walked up to Kanon who was standing by the couch. Ignoring the two boys he asked "how's she". Kanon kept silent. That was enough. It was not better nothing was better. They knew. He knew. "Um.." a uncertain voice grabbed everyone's attention they looked at the blonde boy who suddenly flinched slightly by all the attention. Itachi on the other hand turned back to Kanon "can you keep an eye on them for a while. I wanna go check on Haru before.." he motioned to the boys, Kanon nodded. "I will go inform Pain" to the two boys surprise it was hidan. What was surprising was that his tone of speech. Usually he would have added atleast 3 cuss words in that small sentance but now he was like a more attentive and calm. "I will come with you" Kisame added and followed the other. Obito on the other hand plopped himself on the couch sighing. "You guys should sit down too. We are not gonna bite." Naruto and Sasuke relectantly sat at the edge of the couch silently. Questions suffocating Naruto. Where did Itachi go. Does this Haru person his sister. Where is she. What happened. When can he see her.
Painful moments passed when Kisame and Hiden reemerged from the hall ways with a orange haired man following them, his stare still reflects the depths of both anguish and resolve, tempered by the burdens he's chosen to bear, his piercing Rinnegan eyes, usually clouded with a veil of sorrow, momentarily snapping into sharp focus. But amidst the stoicism, there's a flicker of warmth which calmed the two tensed boys.
For a moment, silence hangs heavy, punctuated only by Haruko's shallow breaths. Then, with a gentle incline of his head, Pain introduces himself.
"I am Nagato, Also known as Pain" he says, his voice a low rumble that carries the weight of untold burdens. "Haruko called you brother. I imagine that Itachi and the other may not have filled in on this right?" He asked. Naruto slowly nodded with Sasuke still glancing at every inch of the man and the place. "It's not my place to reveal anything. How long have Itachi gone for" he turned to the other members "around 15 minutes" Obito replied monotonously. Pain nodded "great now why don't we show them to her" this time Kisame stepped forward and indicated Naruto and Sasuke to follow. The small was silent awkward and heavy.
Earlier, Itachi walked into a room that was decorated with medical equipment. In the heart of it lay Haruko, pale and spectral against the dim lighting, her blonde hair cascading around her like faded sunlight. Her chest rose and fell in shallow gasps, each breath carrying the fragile weight of a life slipping away.
Itachi sat beside her, his gaze fixed on the doorway with an intensity that rivaled the Sharingan blazing in his eyes. The air crackled with anticipation as the door creaked open, revealing two figures: Naruto, eyes wide and brows furrowed, and Sasuke, his face an unreadable mask.
Silence, thick and heavy, filled the room until Naruto stopping short at the sight of Haruko. His breath hitched, eyes locked on the woman with hair the same shade as his, the Uzumaki swirl on her cheek echoing his own. Abd a duller yet beautiful shade of sapphire blue similar to his.
Haruko blinked, a fleeting smile gracing her lips. "Na…ruto," she rasped, her voice as fragile as spun glass.
His name, whispered on her dying breath, shattered the dam holding back years of unspoken questions. "Who are you? Why do you look like me?" Naruto choked out, tears welling in his eyes.
"Your… sister," Haruko whispered, each word a precious pearl spat out against the tide of oblivion. "Taken… from Konoha… when we were young." Her voice was raspy and tried yet ever so beautiful.
Naruto's world reeled. A sister? He had a sister? The emotions swirling within him were a maelstrom – confusion, grief, anger, and a desperate longing to connect with this stranger who shared his blood.
Sasuke, usually stoic, shifted beside him, his gaze softening at the sight of Naruto's raw heartbreak. He stepped forward, placing a hand on his shoulder in a silent gesture of comfort.
"You… didn't know me," Haruko continued, her voice fading. "Itachi… found me." She looked at the Uchiha, a flicker of gratitude lighting up her dimming eyes. "He saved me… from the darkness." Tears streamed down Naruto's face as he looked at Itachi, seeing not the enemy he'd once known, but the savior of his lost sister. He bowed, a deep, heartfelt thanks unspoken but understood.
Sasuke, ever the pragmatist, cut through the emotional fog. "What happened to you?" he asked, his voice low. Haruko's smile turned bittersweet. "Experiments… torture… Konoha's… dark secrets." She coughed, a rattling sound that tore at their hearts. "But now… all I want… is to see you both… together."
Naruto knelt beside her, Sasuke unconsciously mirroring his movement on the other side. They took her hands, cold and fragile in theirs, the warmth of their love and acceptance flowing through her. Haruko's smile brightened, a fleeting radiance defying the encroaching darkness. "Brothers… at last," she whispered. A silent observer in the whirlwind of emotions, Itachi stood back, shadows clinging to his figure like a second skin. His onyx eyes, usually sharp and calculating, softened as he witnessed the reunion unfolding before him. Silent tears pricks his eyes which he skillfully hides. Itachi's gaze lingered on his childhood friend. He remembered their laughter echoing through the Konoha streets, their dreams whispered under the starlight. He remembered the day she vanished, a scream torn from his throat but unheard. The guilt, a festering wound, had never truly healed.
In that moment, as Haruko's hand squeezed Naruto's and Sasuke's, forming a bridge of acceptance across their differences, Itachi knew his own path had diverged. Light laighters and voices emerged in the room. Even Sasuke made efforts to talk to Itachi.