Welcome to Hell

Part 2

I wrote the first Welcome to Hell years ago and I never planned on writing a sequel, then I re-read it and realized there were a lot of strings left untied and I should probably get around to wrapping everything up. I will do my best and I thank my readers who have stuck around for so long for this conclusion. As my readers know, I'm not one for unnecessary drama. I don't plan on changing that. So If you're here for relationship angst and high school level drama. I advise you to look elsewhere.

Enjoy

First Chapter

The old lab was desolate after eight years of abandonment. The soldiers of Konohas Responsive Armed Emergency Service, also known as RAES, slowly made their way through the room. Passing turned over tables and dust covered computers. Their footsteps crunched over broken glass and other debris.

The flash lights at the end of their automatic rifles allowed them to search slowly through the wreckage. The leader of the unit reached the door on the far side and glanced briefly at his second in command. The man nodded and turned back to keep an eye on their unit. So far they hadn't run into any NLU's, Non-Living Units, but that didn't mean it would stay this way.

The leader of the unit took a piece of folded paper out of his pocket and read the code written on it. He punched the code into the lock beside the door and held his breath. It had been eight years since the outbreak that saw the rise of the undead in their world, chances that the electricity still worked in the lab was slim.

A light flickered green and the door clicked. He looked over his shoulder and jerked his head. Two men ran forward and took place on either side of the door, their weapons ready. His second in command stood clear of the door and raised his side arm. Pistols were more accurate, he felt. The captain nodded and grasped the door handle. He glanced at the men on either side of him, checking to see if they were ready. They nodded to him and he pulled the door open and jumped back, pulling his side arm as well. Nothing came through, nothing rushed them screaming it's death cries.

The two by the door swiftly entered and began casting around the room, looking for NLU's. The Captain and his Lieutenant followed. His men gave him the all clear and the captain holstered his weapon. He walked over to the single computer on the other side of the room, ignoring the oversized tubes lining the walls. Thank whatever god there was they were empty.

He pressed the power switch but it seemed the last of the power had been used to open the door. Cursing under his breath, he looked under the table and found the tower. He picked it up and placed it on the table. Suddenly there were gun shots behind them. The four in the room whipped around. A fifth ran into the room.

"We have contact," he said before turning around and firing his weapon.

"So much for radio silence Sauske," The lieutenant commented. The captain shook his head.

"Damn," Sasuke muttered, "Naruto, help me with this." Naruto nodded and holstered his own pistol and gripped the tower. With a grunt he tore the siding off. "Shikamaru," Sasuke said. The resident tech genius nodded and went to work on the inner workings of the computer. Sasuke and Naruto and the fourth soldier took their place by the door.

"Report," Sasuke ordered.

"We have confirmed contact with multiple NLU's," Sai's voice came in over the radio. He was cut off by gun shots before he came back, "All class one, and shouldn't be a problem."

"Switch to side arms for now," Sasuke told them, "Conserve ammo. We don't know how many are out there between us and the extraction point." He heard a round of Rogers and a wave of pistol gunfire.

"Got it," Shikamaru said, holding up the hard drive.

"Bag it and let's get out of here," Naruto said.

"Move out," Sasuke ordered, "Head for the extraction point." They all ran out of the room and raced to clear of the building.

xxx

"I swear to god Ino, If I don't talk to another human being I will go insane."

"You are talking to one forehead girl," Ino said into her cell phone. It was a bright sunny day and Ino just got off shift at the hospital. Her volunteer position turned into a full time job as a resident psychologist. With the influx of survivors from the outbreak eight years ago and the soldiers in RAES, her services were badly needed.

"Ino," Sakura growled.

"Okay, okay. I'm on my way over," Ino laughed, "I just have to pick up Inojin from school and I'll be there with you and Sarada soon."

"You sure?" Sakura asked, "I don't want Inojin to catch Sarada's flu."

"It's fine," Ino said, "The kid has an immune system like a horse." She smiled wildly when she reached school. Her son, Inojin jumped up from the playground where he had been playing with his friends and ran towards her.

"Hey little man!" She greeted and gave him a big hug with one arm, "How's my boy!" The blond boy grinned as wide as his mom and began babbling about his day. Ino laughed and let him go.

"Go grab your things and we can go over to Sakura's alright?" she told him. Inojin's eyes went wide and he nodded energetically and took off to get his bag.

"Sounds like he had a full day," Sakura commented over the phone.

Ino rolled her eyes, "I have no idea where he gets his energy. It's definitely not from Sai, and I was not that bad as a kid."

"Says you," Sakura replied, "I think your mother would say differently."

"Screw you forehead. I'll see you in five," Ino said and hung up when her son came back.

In her apartment Sakura laughed and hung up her own cell phone. She stood and stretched, working the kinks out of her back.

"Mama," Sarada called from her room. Sakura sighed. She loved her daughter, she really did. But a week cooped up with a sick five year old was enough to try any mothers' patience. She walked through the spacious three bedroom apartment she shared with her family and opened her daughters' door.

"Hey sweety," Sakura said as she sat on her daughters bed. She placed her hand on her forehead and her other one on Sarada's. "How are you feeling?"

"It sucks," Sarada said coughing, "I'm going to fall behind in school."

"Better then," Sakura said, "Your fever is still high though, so you're stuck here until it breaks." Sarada groaned and pulled her sheets up over her head. "Ino and Inojin are coming over. Inojin has your homework for the week," Sakura told her, pulling down the sheets again and handing Sarada her glasses and a glass of flat ginger ale.

"Just a sip hun, I want to see if you keep it down then I'll get you some soup," Sakura said. Sarada nodded miserably and took her sip dutifully.

"I wish papa was here," Sarada said quietly. Sakura smiled softly and kissed her forehead.

"I do too," Sakura replied. There was a knock and Ino's voice called out from the front door. "Come on," she said standing up and grabbing Sarada's house coat, "Let's go see Ino and Inojin can give you your homework."

xxx

The helicopter landed on the tarmac and the squad and Sasuke jumped out with the rest of his team. Tsunade and Kakashi were waiting for them when they arrived. Tsunade had retired from being mayor and passed it off to Kakashi while she remained in charge of the hospital. Although she was retired, she was still very involved in just about everything.

"How was it?" Kakashi asked. Sasuke indicated Shikamaru who held up the bag with the hard drive. Kakashi nodded. "Take it directly to the labs after decontamination," he told them. "Good job. I see you have no casualties. I'll take your reports tomorrow, go home." Sasuke sighed in relief and briefly saluted Kakashi before walking towards the doctors in front of the decontamination facility. He was surprised not to see Sakura there like she usually was when he came back. At his questioning glance the medic replied.

"Sakura-san took the week off. Sarada is sick," he told him as Sasuke stripped off his flak jacket and handed it off. He stepped into the shower and let the cleaning agent soak his clothes and hair. He rubbed his face and grabbed a cloth to scrub his skin and he pulled off his shirt, handing it to the doctor who bagged it.

"A week?" Sasuke asked.

"It's just the flu," the doctor said, "Sakura-san didn't want to leave her alone."

"Sounds like her," Sasuke replied, stepping out of the shower and grabbing a change of clothes. Sakura would never leave their daughter alone when she was feeling vulnerable. A direct response to how Sakura felt when she was alone for the first six months of the Outbreak. He dressed and changed his pants and stepped out of the facility. Sai was already out and talking on the phone. When Sasuke walked towards his car, Sai caught up with him.

"Ino's at your place with Inojin," he told him. Sasuke nodded and climbed in the drivers' seat. He waved to Naruto who was walking off with his wife Hinata and kids. The blond waved back and made a drinking motion with his hand asking if they could get together to drink later. Sasuke shook his head. The blond shrugged and left with his family. He waited for Sai to buckle in before he drove away to his apartment.

Sasuke had changed a lot in the last six years since he arrived at Konoha. He had a wife who he loved and loved him; he had a wonderful daughter, something he couldn't have imagined during the Outbreak. He still felt the same when he went into the Outside as he did all those years ago. It was like Sakura told him on their journey. He had adapted, and evolved to survive in the Outside. He felt alive when he was fighting for his life against monsters. He couldn't change that and Sakura didn't force him. But he also felt a different kind of charge being home with his family. They were what kept him from falling off the wagon all together when he was out there. Only Sakura, Naruto, and Kakashi knew what he was like when he was in the Outside. That was how he liked to keep it. That's why Naruto was on his team.

But now he was calmer, he was more responsive than before. More vocal. He was less likely to take off your head when you ticked him off. He cared more, now. He cared about this country and the people in it. He would do anything to protect this haven. Even from the forces within. He was one of few people who knew that the greatest danger was not necessarily beyond the islands borders. He would do anything to keep his family, and friends, safe. He never had friends before coming here. Just family.

He parked in his space behind the building and the pair went up to his apartment on the fourth floor. He paused at the door, listening to Ino and Sakura chatting and Sarada, sounding stuffed up, scolding Inojin. He opened the door.

"Papa!"
"Dad!"

Sasuke knelt and opened his arms to embrace his daughter as she ran into his chest .Beside him Sai picked up his son and spun him around.

"Welcome back," Sasuke heard. He looked up and saw Sakura, dressed down in an over sized shirt and leggings with her longish hair tied up in a messy bun. She was beautiful.

"Ah," he said standing with Sarada in his arms, "I'm home."

"Dad! Did you see anything cool? Can you draw me anything?" Inojin asked his father.

"I saw lots of things. Some of them cool. Yes I can draw them for you," Sai answered his sons' rapid fired questions. "But first let me greet your mother." Inojin made a face and wiggled out of his dads grasp before Sai hugged his wife. Ino had come a long way from the spoiled girl who was terrified of anything to do with the Outside to marrying a man who had come from the Outside and went back regularly.

Sasuke looked at Sakura and she just gave him a look that promised later because it didn't look like Sarada was going to let go of Sasuke any time soon. He walked in and sat on the couch.

"How are you feeling Sarada?" he asked, "I heard you were sick." Sarada just stuck out her tongue. "That bad?"

"She'll be fine in a couple of days," Sakura told him sitting next to him. She waved to Ino and Sai as they packed Inojin off. They waved back and left.

"I'm missing school!" Sarada exclaimed puffing out her cheeks, "I'm falling behind."

"You'll be fine," Sasuke said, "You're my daughter after all. And you have your mothers' smarts." Sarada rolled her eyes and muttered under her breath. She sighed and rested her head against Sasukes neck.

"I'm tired," She said.

"Back to bed," Sakura said. Sasuke stood and carried his daughter back to her room and tucked her in bed.

"Will you be staying a while papa?" Sarada asked. Sasuke nodded.

"Kakashi gave me some time off to spend with you a mama," he told her.

"Good," Sarada said and dozed off. Sasuke watched her for a bit, basking in the wonder of being a father.

"How much time?" Sakura asked from the doorway. Sasuke looked over his shoulder at his wife and shrugged.

"I don't know, but I expect we won't be on the next few missions," he said. Sakura nodded and walked away. Sasuke followed, closing the door behind him. He went back into the living room and Sakura embraced him.

"I'm glad it wasn't a bad one," She said. Sasuke returned the hug and buried his nose in her hair breathing in the scent. His wife's ability to track those she cared about and know their well being and how much danger they were in was invaluable on missions, not that she went on many anymore. She preferred to stay at the hospital and work in the labs with Tsunade as her mentor, and stay here with Sarada but she did go out on missions as a medic with Sasuke and Naruto. She was also from the Outside after all, and immune to the virus that turned a living human into an undead monster. She was also one hell of a shot.

"Did you get what you went for?" She asked.

"We had to rip the hard drive out," Sasuke told her, "I have no idea what's on it."

"If we're right, it could hold the information about how this whole thing started," Sakura said. "It could be proof that someone started all this and it could hold the antidote to the virus."

"That's a very big if," Sasuke said. Sakura nodded in agreement.

"True but it's all we have," she said, "Now then, let me welcome you home." She grinned and pushed him towards their bed room. Sasuke smirked back and allowed her to pull him along and closed the door behind him.

xxx

"Sir," the scientist called over to his supervisor. The tall man came over and leaned over the mans shoulder reading the information on the screen.

"This is it," he said, "This is what we've been looking for."

End of Chapter