A/N: Thanks for the alerts and reviews!


Chapter 2

He was awake long before he opened his eyes.

When he'd been with Orochimaru, he'd had a lot of time to himself. Lying on his cot, eyes closed and thinking of Itachi had been a frequent pastime when he hadn't been training. He would consider many things in this state, take in the distant feel of Kabuto and Orochimaru's chakra as they moved through the hideout. It was a state of stillness that he found suited him.

It was also a good way to get information. You became invisible after awhile if people thought you were asleep or if you were unresponsive.

In truth, he was still injured, but he was also confused. The last thing he remembered was his fight with Itachi. He remembered winning, having his brother fall dead at his feet and then collapsing himself. He'd given everything he had and then some. He'd gazed up into the strangely comforting rain as it pelted his heated face and felt…not, happy, no. A species of peace, something he hadn't felt since his parents had been alive.

But he was lying on some hard surface now, indoors. There were many chakra sources nearby that never left. As if he were under guard. He heard low conversation:

"(Yawn) when's the next shift coming?"

"Couple hours."

"Can't believe this Uchiha is back in the village. Fifty ryou says he leaves again the second he's out of this cell."

"I'll take that action. I don't think the Fifth or the council plan on letting him out anytime soon, though. You heard there's to be a trial?"

"Yeah. Hey, what time is it?"

"About another hour until dawn." There was scuffling, the sound of something being withdrawn from a pocket. "Three-thirty in the morning."

"The Fifth said she'd be by to check on him around nine. How much you want to bet the Uzumaki kid will be here long before then?"

"Mmm. I'll bet you ten ryou that the girls will be here first. Haruno Sakura or that Yamanaka chic. She's hot."

"Deal. Who, the blond?"

"Yeah…I'd love to have those long legs wrapped around me. Bet she's a tight fuck. I'd like to make her scream."

"Sick. I could go for her dad, though. The thought of that hair all over me…I still think Uzumaki will beat the girls. Heard how he took on Akatsuki and saved this Uchiha's neck?"

"Pretty amazing. Still, I wouldn't want to be on his team. Way too powerful, no stealth to him whatsoever."

The conversation switched to who in ANBU was stealthiest, the most deadly. Sasuke had his back to the voices. He'd heard mention of a cell. He opened his eyes at last and found himself face to face with a cement wall. He was lying on his left side.

He was in Konoha, probably at ANBU headquarters. He was under guard, pending some kind of trial or investigation. He'd been 'rescued' from Akatsuki…but that didn't make sense. Had Akatsuki come to the scene of his fight with Itachi? If so, wouldn't they have been there for his brother? What could they have wanted with him?

Naruto. Sakura.

His former team mates. The last he'd seen of them had been at the hideout. Naruto had still been the same weak idiot who thought he could change the world. How had he taken on Akatsuki? Sasuke remembered the demon he'd seen inside the blonde.

He lay there through the shift change, hearing and sensing the faint sounds of the building coming awake above him. He had a lot of thinking to do.


"Awww, Granny! Can't I leave? I'm fine, see?" Naruto waved his arms around energetically in Tsunade's disapproving face. "I have to go see him!"

Sakura slammed her fist onto Naruto's head, knocking him into a doubled over position. "Baka! Tsunade-sama is the best, if she says you need to remain here then shut your mouth and accept it!" She crossed her arms angrily, a vein pulsing in her forehead.

"Oww," Naruto muttered weakly. He clutched his abused head miserably.

"I will visit Sasuke-kun this morning," Sakura said primly. "I'll tell him you asked after him."

"No one is to visit Sasuke until he's been thoroughly interrogated," Tsunade said with finality. "I will be the one to give him your regards. As for your condition, Naruto, You are to remain here at least another twelve hours, under observation. Cease!" she barked when Naruto began protesting again. "You will obey my commands or you'll be spending time here for another reason. Clear?"

Naruto eyed the way Tsunade cracked her knuckles and nodded meekly. Sakura sniffed sanctimoniously. Tsunade saw her. "Sakura!"

"H-hai, Tsunade-sama!"

"Get to the office, we have work to do."

Sakura scurried to obey.


Sasuke was sitting on his cot, one ankle on his knee, arms folded when Tsunade entered the room that contained the holding cells. Her heels clicked out a slow staccato as she approached, her eyes never leaving his face. Shizune walked behind her, timid yet attentive.

She only stood outside his bars at first, assessing his condition visually. He was alert. His eyes were clear, his breathing easy, his complexion healthy. She signaled to one of the ANBU in the room. He hurried forward and unlocked Sasuke's cell with several rapid hand seals. Tsunade entered.

Sasuke noticed how cold her eyes were as she gave him a thorough physical, yet her hands were gentle. She only spoke to him once. "What happened to the Cursed Seal of Heaven Orochimaru gave you?"

Speaking required more effort than he'd thought it would. His voice was slightly hoarse. "It was lost in the fight against my brother."

She did not reply. Instead, she gazed at him neutrally for a moment before moving to leave his cell. She paused at the door to speak to one of his guards. "He's well enough. Send them in." The ANBU agent bowed low to her and disappeared. Tsunade went to stand by the far wall, Shizune at her side with a clipboard clutched to her chest. They both watched him. So did the five other ANBU in the room. Sasuke concentrated on staring at a spot in the air a foot in front of his face.

'Them' turned out to be Morino Ibiki and Yamanaka Inoichi. Sasuke remembered Ibiki from the Chuunin exam a lifetime ago. He was able to deduce that the blonde who walked beside Ibiki was a relative of Ino's by his looks. Behind them walked someone Sasuke was a little more familiar with. At least he'd seen him more often. He'd changed some during the past couple of years. Neji's face was just as devoid of emotion as it used to be.

Ibiki stopped outside the open cell door. He stood to one side, Inoichi on the other. Both men gazed at Sasuke steadily. He did not bother to look at them, only sat with his back leaning against the cold wall. "Neji," Ibiki said tonelessly.

Neji stepped into the cell. He looked down at Sasuke as he coated his hands with chakra and held them in a way that had the first two fingers pressed together, the other fingers folded into an abbreviated fist. "I'm going to need you to lie flat, Sasuke."

Sasuke considered refusing. Whatever was coming was sure to be unpleasant. He decided compliance would get these people to leave him alone sooner than resisting would. His ankle dropped from his knee as his arms slowly unfolded. He didn't like exposing himself this way, but he stretched out on his narrow cot and waited.

Neji worked fast. His hands became a blur as he hit Sasuke's Tenketsus and sealed off his chakra pathways. Sasuke winced and bit back a hiss at how Neji's fingers stung wherever they jabbed his skin. It was over quickly. Neji remained businesslike throughout, his face blank save for a small twist to his mouth. Sasuke dimly recalled Naruto shouting at him at the Valley of the End. A string of names, people who'd come with the blonde to try and save Sasuke. Neji's name had been in that list.

Ibiki and Inoichi moved into the cell in unison as Neji exited it. ANBU brought two stools for them and they sat. Sasuke sat up on the cot and finally met their eyes.

"You're going to be answering some questions, Uchiha Sasuke," Ibiki said. "The procedure can go two ways. Easy-" Ibiki gestured at himself.

"-Or hard," Inoichi said. He placed a hand on his chest as he said this, staring at Sasuke with his pupil-less eyes. Sasuke idly wondered what kind of mental torture would be used if he decided to be difficult. He folded his arms again, placed one ankle on his knee in his previous posture.

"Ask," he said indifferently.

And so began the interrogation. It lasted hours. The occupants in the underground room watched in silence.

Ibiki analyzed Sasuke as Inoichi fired one question after another. The body language was defensive. He suspected this was more habit than fear. The voice was steady, without the strained quality that came with falsehoods. His expression was bland, unconcerned, so he wasn't nervous. The hands did not shake, the foot did not twitch. The kid was remote, monosyllabic, and stoic. If any of the questions struck a nerve, he did not show it. He felt a small frisson of admiration that he quashed immediately. He took over asking the questions, giving Inoichi a chance to observe. Later they would compare notes.

"How many hideouts did Orochimaru have?" Ibiki began.

"I don't know."

"Where is the criminal Yakushi Kabuto?"

"I don't know."

"How much information on Konoha did you give to the enemy?"

"None."

"How long have you been involved with Akatsuki?"

"Never."

"There are reports that you've formed your own team. Where are these individuals?"

Sasuke paused at that one. "I don't know."

"What did Akatsuki want with you?"

"I don't know."

On and on it went, until Tsunade called a halt. Shizune had disappeared some time ago. Now she came forward with a tray of food. She entered the cell and set the tray on the floor near Sasuke's feet. He looked at it, but made no move to touch it.

"It would be wise for you to eat," Tsunade said. "You will need your strength for the next part of the interrogation."

Sasuke did not reply, only sat and stared at nothing. The Fifth Hokage exchanged a glance with Inoichi. She gave him a curt nod. The blonde Jounin turned to Sasuke. "This next part will consist of me reading your memories. It's better if you lie down. And brace yourself; this will not be pleasant."

Sasuke laid down once more. He didn't know how to brace himself for what was coming, but he was glad of the warning because Inoichi was right.

It was far from pleasant.


Naruto nearly vibrated with repressed energy as Tsunade carefully checked him over. It was dark outside his hospital room window. His twelve hours were up. He sat still under her questing palms with difficulty.

"Well," she said grudgingly after a few moments. "There doesn't seem to be the slightest thing wrong with you. Healthy as a horse, as usual. You're free to go."

Naruto hopped off the bed, feeling as if the top of his head might fly off if he didn't get out of there soon. He was almost screaming with pent-up excitement. "Thank you, Granny." He made his voice calm and polite.

She stared at him suspiciously. Not for one second did she believe he would obey her edict not to approach Sasuke. If she was honest with herself, she was curious to see just what he would do to get past all the ANBU guards. That he would succeed she was in little doubt of. And since she was being so honest, she could admit that his determination and sneakiness were traits to look for in a shinobi.

The thing that made her turn away and leave the room without trying to stop him, though, was the fact that he'd been the one to return Sasuke home. She figured he deserved to have a moment with the friend he'd chased so hard for so many years. Tsunade smiled a small, private smile as she clicked down the hospital corridor. She would of course pretend outrage at whatever antics he planned this evening. But if he did succeed in getting past ANBU, she would be very proud indeed.


Ibiki and Inoichi were already addressing the council by the time Tsunade arrived to take her place in the meeting.

"Uchiha Sasuke answered all of our questions truthfully," Inoichi was saying. "I can vouch for that. There was information in his mind about locations of Orochimaru's hideouts and projects, but he spoke truly when he said he didn't know how many hideouts there were. The information on Orochimaru's projects is even now being scrutinized."

"Excellent." Koharu said. "We will send people to investigate and neutralize these locations."

"Regarding the boy's loyalties," Ibiki spoke up. "As far as I can tell, he has no malicious feelings towards Konoha itself. He has not given village secrets away, not that he had any, nor has he committed any acts directly harmful to the village. What he says seems to be the truth: He intended to kill his brother by obtaining power from any means available. Those who got in his way were summarily dealt with. Now that the deed is accomplished he seems content to remain here in Konoha."

"Seems?" Homura wanted clarified.

"Yes. When asked about his plans he stated, and I quote, "The Uchiha clan needs to be rebuilt. My place is here."

Everyone digested this in thoughtful silence. Tsunade tapped her lips with one red-lacquered nail. "What of the people he selected for his team? Might they show up?"

Inoichi answered. "I could find no knowledge of their current whereabouts in Sasuke's mind. They parted just before he fought Itachi."

"Yes," Tsunade said. "Tell me of that fight. How was his cursed seal removed?"

Inoichi went through the fight as Sasuke remembered it, detailing the images he'd gleaned from Sasuke's impression of the event. This, too, everyone mulled over in silence once the telling was done.

Tsunade came out of her reverie awhile later and addressed the council. "I move we cancel the trial," she said assertively. "I will put him on probation for one year. At the end of that time, we can re-evaluate his situation. But for now, I say we allow him the chance to re-assimilate to life in the village. He will not be allowed to leave during his probation."

Before she'd finished speaking, Koharu and Homura were shaking their aged heads in denial. "Out of the question, Tsunade. He is a missing-nin, he must be treated as such."

Tsunade frowned fearsomely. "And what does that mean? He did not go around the countryside killing or commit treason by selling out the village. All he is guilty of is joining a known enemy of Konoha and learning from him. And he has killed that enemy. I am prepared to treat his actions as those carried out by an ill-advised child. He is back. He does not plan to leave. Ibiki and Inoichi, known specialists in their fields, have given you their testimonies: Uchiha Sasuke, while misguided, has no duplicitous intentions towards this village." The council opened their mouths to protest, but Tsunade stood up ominously. "Need I remind you that you operate in an advisory capacity only unless the Hokage is impaired in some way?"

The council closed their mouths.

Tsunade scanned them all with her golden eyes. Satisfied that she would be receiving no further arguments, she relaxed her features into a more serene expression. "Sasuke will have his Tenketsus closed daily for the next six months. He will be monitored. I will see about assigning him guards in case Akatsuki dares to make a play for him, but aside from that, he will be given the freedom to try and recapture some semblance of his former life. If he violates his probation, he will be returned to his cell indefinitely."

She left them then and returned to her office. Once seated behind her desk, she pinched the bridge of her nose. The council always gave her a headache. "Shizune!" she yelled. "Bring me sake! Now!"

Shizune came bustling into the office a moment later, a worried frown on her face. Tsunade took one look at her and asked in dread, "What?"

"Ah, Tsunade-sama," her assistant stammered. "There seems to be a commotion at ANBU headquarters."


Sasuke stifled a groan as he rested a forearm over his eyes. Tsunade had administered care to the injuries he still had from Itachi after the interrogation, but it hadn't helped to erase how quietly horrifying it had been to have Inoichi rifling through his mind. It was like having the man's hands gripping the halves of his brain and trying to pull it apart. He'd been hard-pressed not to vomit. He'd born down on the urge to lash out, keeping himself still and silent. That had gone on for over three hours.

Now he was alone save for two guards who stood against the wall, talking quietly. Sasuke swallowed the sour taste in his mouth. He'd been unable to eat once he'd been left alone. His stomach was empty and growled faintly in the dim cell.

He took a deep breath, trying to dispel his splitting headache by sheer will. He wondered how long he'd have to remain in custody. He wondered where he would go if he wasn't in custody. He wondered a lot of things. His interrogators had been able to take facts from his mind, but they hadn't been able to get information on his feelings. And he certainly didn't volunteer to talk about how he felt. Besides, his feelings were always kept private. Always.

Still, no one had asked what it had been like to kill his brother. They all seemed to see him as some kind of dangerous criminal. It didn't bother him in and of itself, but he didn't like it. He'd never set out to hurt anyone except his brother. He'd only hurt other people if they'd gotten in his way. He didn't particularly care about the village, but he had no desire to hurt it either.

He sighed. What was there in life for him now that he'd accomplished the goal he'd held so close to his heart for most of his sixteen years? He almost snorted at remembering the one lie he'd managed to convince his interrogators of. He was definitely not interested in rebuilding his clan. That part of his ambition had rotted away soon after joining Orochimaru. It had been a childish dream. He didn't want to have a family or be attached to anyone. All he wanted was to live out the rest of his life while he searched for a way for it to have meaning. He was alone and it had been a curse, but now he accepted it.

He liked his solitary existence. He had his hard-earned peace and that was enough.

A noise on one of the upper levels caught his attention. It sounded like a protest. There was the unmistakable tinkle of girlish laughter and then the entire building, basement and all, trembled as if in a minor earthquake. There was a moment of ominous silence. Then what sounded like every male member of ANBU was yelling. Oddly enough they sounded as if they were cheering. Sasuke heard feminine voices mixed in with the yelling and the word 'orgy', issued in fervent voices. He brought his arm down from his eyes to sit up.

The guards in the room were looking up at the ceiling. "That's an unbelievable amount of chakra being released up there," one said. "Did you hear the word orgy?"

The other nodded. "I heard women, too. I think, uh…I think we should investigate." His face was noticeably pink.

"What about him?" the first guard nodded at where Sasuke was listening.

"He's not going anywhere."

They left the room, disappearing up the stairs. The noise briefly swelled to deafening levels as the door to the basement opened, but then the guards shut it behind themselves and Sasuke distantly heard the first one shout, "Holy shit!"

Sasuke sat alone in the room, wondering what was going on. A sound came to him, one that was different from the sounds upstairs. It sounded like grunting. He turned his head this way and that until he realized it was coming from the large circular drain set in the middle of the concrete floor outside his cell. Sasuke watched as a pair of thick hands grasped the grating and shoved it aside with a clang. A blond head emerged, followed by a black and orange track suit.

And somehow Sasuke knew he'd been waiting for this sight since he woke up this morning.