Sasuke walked steadily down the hall toward the meeting room, his mind deep in thought. The man who called himself Madara was speaking, his voice drifting out of the room, and Sasuke halted on the outside of the closed double doors. It was a moment before he realized that the voices on the other side of the door had ceased, and he slowly pushed the door open as he realized that they must have sensed his presence.

Madara was sitting at the head of the table, and staring intently at the place he was currently standing, if he was displeased about his lateness, Sasuke could not tell. "Please, take a seat, you're right in time," and he nodded to an empty space to his right.

Wordless he drifted into the room and sat down, sparing a glance toward Suigetsu, Karin and Juugo seated closer to the other end of the table and wearily averted his eyes from the blue demon Kisame.

Madara broke the silence, "Good now that we're all here I will continue," making a point to glance to his right, "...so the responsibility of obtaining the eight tails falls on your Sasuke, Team Hawk will move to acquire the hachi-bi and Akatsuki will invade Konoha and obtain the kyuu-bi..."

There were wordless nods of agreement from around the table. Sasuke just sat rigidly in the chair and let Madara's voice become a murmur at the back of his mind. The image of his brother during his last moments played through his mind, another haunting memory to add to an already large pile. His brother, he didn't think of the man with the vehemence he once had in his heart. He's not sure what he thought of the man anymore. All he could think of now was how truly alone he had become. Madara's voice drifted back to his ears as his name was mentioned, he was so very tired of it all.

"… After this Sasuke," he turned to face him then, "you will take the hachi-bi and commence with the invasion and assault of Ko-"

"No…" so very tired.

"noh... What?" a silence filled the room, "do you have a problem with the plan, Sasuke?"

He didn't look up, "No, there is nothing wrong with your plan," Madara seemed relieved, "but I will not be taking part in it."

The silence descended again.

He would leave the ninja world he decided, no more vengeance, no more lies, no more betrayals, things wouldn't be simpler, but they could never get more complicated than his life had been a ninja.

There was a moment where it seemed like Madara was processing his declining of the mission. Sasuke noticed that his team mates, Team Hawk, were looking back and forth between the two of them, Madara was looking hard at him, "Sasuke," he spoke finally, "if it is because you are uncomfortable with attacking your former home, I assure you.."

"No...I'm done."

Kisame chuckled and spoke for the first time, "so you're giving up boy," his teeth gleaming dangerously, "what would Itachi say?" Sasuke only glared, fighting the urge to activate his Sharingan, this man knew nothing about his brother, but then again neither did he, he would let the comment pass.

When Madara spoke again he sounded very disappointed, "You do not wish to make them pay, to make them suffer as you have, to destroy them, have you already forgotten what they did to your brother?" Why was everyone throwing Itachi in his face?

Sasuke moved to stand, his chair scraping along the stone floor, "I know, I haven't forgotten," he could never forget, "but I quit, I don't feel like doing this anymore."

"What do you mean you quit?" This time it was Suigetsu who spoke, but he did not turn to look at him.

"You're quitting the mission?" Karin.

Sasuke sighed audibly, there was a heavy silence, he wanted to wipe that annoying smirk from the blue man's face, "no, being a ninja," he almost whispered it.

"What?" Karin more or less screamed it and he flinched at the noise.

"That's just stupid Sasuke," Suigetsu folded his arms and leaned back in the chair, Karin nodded in agreement.

"You can't quit being a ninja, Sasuke-kun!"

He didn't have to explain himself to them, he didn't have to explain himself to anyone and without further argument he walked toward the door. He deliberately chose not to look at the man, whom he assumed was seething, at the head of the table. He would be no one's pawn any longer.

"Sasuke," he had made it halfway to the door before anyone had spoken and was surprised that it was Juugo, "If you are truly leaving," he began almost hesitantly, "I should like to go with you."

Sasuke paused, he hadn't considered taking any of them, he just wanted to be alone, he had gathered Team Hebi together for one purpose only, ill-fated as it was, it had been accomplished and now he had no more need for them. He had no need of anyone, he continued walking.

"I… don't want to lose control of myself again," Juugo continued, "if there's no one there to stop me…" his voice was calm, but Sasuke could guess the anxiety churning underneath, considering it now, Juugo would not be in this place if he hadn't taken him from his prison, maybe he owed him as much.

"What will you do, Sasuke," Madara interrupted, and Sasuke could feel the tension roll over his back, "what will you do, if you do not stay a shinobi and fight."

He could do anything, he could go anywhere, it didn't matter anymore and he laughed inside at the notion of the first thing that came to mind, putting his hand on the door handle and opening it just a crack he replied, "I think I'll be a fisherman."

The door made a satisfying click as it closed behind him.