Alright, so for all of you that kept saying more SasuSaku, it is finally coming! I don't want to give too much away yet because I obviously want you guys to read the chapters, but expect to see a lot more interactions between Sasuke and Sakura.

I really hope that the last chapter met your expectations, and that you are curious as to where the story is going to go now. Anyone have any predictions or guesses?

Anyway, I really want to thank everyone who has read and stuck with my story so far! I really hope that it has taken you into another world as you have read it.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or anything related.

Chapter X: The Play of Power

With new truths or lies

Our reality is forever changed

Forgiveness and decisions

Can it be obtainable?

Sakura felt as if she was paralyzed to the earth as she watched Sasuke cry.

She had heard more of the conversation between Itachi and Sasuke than she probably should have, and so did Naruto. If Itachi's story hadn't been believable, the fact that Madara not only murdered Itachi, but had tried to kill Sasuke in a sneak attack after realizing that he was finding out the truth and that Itachi was alive was proof enough to the now deceased Uchiha's claims.

She could have saved him, but he didn't want salvation. He didn't want his life spared, even if it was inevitable that he would die from the sickness that had invaded his whole body.

Where would they go from here? Where would Sasuke go from here?

"Sasuke, I'm sorry about Itachi." Naruto finally said, though it was clear by his expression and his stance that he was hesitant to say anything.

"It doesn't concern you." Sasuke answered flatly.

"Hey I'm not looking for a fight here." Naruto retorted, frustrated at Sasuke's distant words.

"I don't have any intentions of fighting either of you. I no longer have a reason to." Sasuke admonished.

"So what are you going to do then, Sasuke? Obviously you can't go back to Madara." Naruto questioned, wanting to get some kind of answers from the Uchiha.

The once sad expression on Sasuke's face was now once again replaced with the stoic facade that Sakura knew all too well. Maybe Sasuke's emotions were the reason why he always had a controlled expression upon his face.

"Again, it doesn't concern you Naruto." Sasuke grunted, turning to leave.

"Wait!" Sakura called. "Sasuke! Are you really going to leave your brother like this?"

The former Uchiha general stopped, his left foot turning slightly as his head turned to the side to answer.

"Do what you want with his body."

"I can't accept that answer!" Sakura refused. "He was still your brother Sasuke! He deserves a proper burial! You're his family!"

"So what? Who is going to bury him? You? Naruto? The Hyuuga? Have you forgotten that I am an Uchiha? Have you forgotten the lives I have taken? The death I have caused?"

"Sasuke… even so, Itachi believed in you! He wanted to give you a chance to leave that darkness and that hatred behind!" Sakura reasoned, her voice raising with her frustration.

"There is no redemption for someone like me."

"You don't know that!"

"Would you forgive me, Sakura?" Sasuke asked, his voice serious, and his straightforward question catching the pinkette off guard. Sakura's face immediately flushed as her heart immediately started racing at the suddenness of his question.

"I-"

Sakura was cut off before she could even come up with an answer to Sasuke's question when heavy footsteps littered the ground, and Hiashi and the remaining Hyuuga surrounded them, their formation defensive as they had their weapons drawn.

Hiashi eyed Sakura, with a deceased Itachi on her lap, then Naruto, and then Sasuke who made no move to show aggression.

"Hiashi please, before you make any assumptions, Sasuke didn't do this!" Naruto began, immediately trying to diffuse the tension that was quickly amounting.

"Explain what's happened then. If Sasuke Uchiha so much as moves, I will not hesitate to kill him!" Hiashi warned, anger and impatience evident on his expression.

"It was Madara!" Naruto answered. "Sasuke knows the truth, and Madara tried to kill him for it and instead it was Itachi who… who got in the way."

A deep frown was on Hiashi's face as he stared at the Uchiha, who wore a defensive expression himself, but complied with remaining still. Hiashi then looked at Sakura again, the expression on her face confirming what Naruto depicted.

"Take Sasuke Uchiha into custody! I will deal with him at a later date when our people have been tended to." Hiashi ordered, a few of the soldiers immediately complying with the demand of their lord.

Sakura watched as Naruto held back his tongue, knowing that defying the currently furious Lord Hiashi was probably not the best idea. She watched as Sasuke made no struggle of resistance as he was cuffed and blindfolded to be taken away and locked up.

"We need a stretcher. We have one more casualty to add to our funeral ceremony and receive a proper burial." Hiashi further instructed. There were some expressions of question, but they were quickly silenced with a sharp look from Hiashi who dared them to voice their defiance.

It was when Itachi was taken from Sakura's lap that Naruto came over to her, offering her a hand to pull her up from the ground.

Sakura couldn't help but to bury her face in his chest, more tears threatening to spill from her eyes. In response, he placed a hand on her back in an attempt to comfort her.

"It's been a rough day. Let's go back," Naruto began softly. "After we have rested and things settle down, I promise we can address what has happened."

Sakura nodded.

Everything had changed.

It was no use resisting the Hyuuga when Hiashi had ordered Sasuke to be taken as a prisoner.

He knew for a fact that if he truly wanted to, he could have easily escaped, but a small part of him screamed that he should stay put.

He needed to stay.

The question that came from his mouth, almost as if it happened on it's own had completely caught the pinkette off guard, and her surprise was painted clearly on her face. He wondered what her full response to his question would have been, given that he had put her on the spot, but of course there was Naruto, immediately coming to her defense.

It almost infuriated him that now he was left with his question unanswered. He didn't understand why he cared so much, be he had wanted to know. Would she be able to forgive him if he were to decide to walk down the path that Itachi had laid out before him?

Not only would he have to end Madara, but he would have to make right what was wrong. He would have to redeem the Uchiha, and more importantly, he would have to redeem himself.

His words that he spoke to Sakura echoed in his mind.

There was no redemption for a man like him.

Without a word, without any resistance, he allowed them to tie his hands behind his back, to take Kusanagi from his hip and blindfold his eyes. It was clear that they were widely aware of the abilities of his Sharingan.

He would probably be thrown into a prison, and Sasuke had no clue how things would end for him, but part of him felt surprised at Hiashi's words when he had heard the man order for Itachi to be taken with the deceased, to be buried properly.

Itachi was no Hyuuga, but he must have meant something to them, something to Hiashi if he was willing to bury him among their dead. He almost regretted his cold words towards Sakura in regards to the body of his dead brother. It was not that he had necessarily meant it that way, but he was defensive. It was easier to lash out than to be emotional. It was easier to be cold and uncaring.

Not a word was said as some of the Hyuuga soldiers ordered to escort him took him to what he assumed was his intended prison. He heard the sound of metal screeching as a door opened, and he was unceremoniously shoved inside before the metal doors were slammed shut, and the sound of a lock clicked loudly in the room. He heard footsteps fade away.

His prison smelled slightly damn, but he quickly realized that it was still far nicer, and far more inviting than any prison cell in the Uchiha castle ever were. His hands were still tied behind his back, no doubt to prevent him from taking off the cloth that covered his eyes as he stumbled around to feel the prison. The walls were cold, but felt clean, and he still found a small bed with a thin mattress in the corner. He settled himself on it, trying to listen to what was happening around him, but it seemed eerily quiet.

Sasuke was now left in silence to deal with his thoughts and emotions alone.

Sakura and Naruto had followed Hiashi back to the castle. They could only observe as soldiers and civilians alike were busily bustling about, trying to clear out debris and their fallen comrades. The evidence of war was all around them.

"Sakura, may I ask that you please go tend to the wounded." Hiashi began, his voice low but not demanding. If anything, he seemed extremely stressed as he should be.

"Yes, of course. I will do everything that I can." Sakura answered, bowing to Hiashi before taking off into the castle to find her way to the infirmary and makeshift wounded area that she had previously been tending to. She left Naruto with Hiashi.

Naruto followed Hiashi as he entered his home, immediately taking them both to his office where he resigned to his chair, letting out a big sigh as if he had been holding one in this whole time. Naruto noticed that he looked exhausted.

"I'm sorry that this happened," Naruto began. He felt largely responsible for what had happened to them. It was him that Sasuke was trying to lure out, and he had targeted people that were precious to him. He had not been careful enough in hiding his secrets.

"It's not entirely your fault, Naruto." Hiashi reprimanded, rubbing his temples in a circular motion with his hands. "If you hadn't come with Sakura and your men, this would have been much worse. I could have lost Hinata and Hanabi too."

"Yeah, but it wasn't even really me that saved Hinata. It was Itachi. He was forced to play his hand much earlier than he expected. Sakura and I didn't even get to speak to him as much as we wanted to."

"Either way Naruto, it doesn't change the fact that you would come here and protect us without hesitation… I suppose after all, this is your home too." Hiashi reasoned. "I have known Itachi for a while now. He saved me once when I was out on a diplomatic mission and our party was attacked. I have always known the truth about the Uchiha."

Naruto frowned, suddenly some of his questions that had been lurking in the back of his mind seemed to have answers. "Is that why you had helped me? You knew, and that's why you tolerated my want to help Sasuke?" He asked. Hiashi nodded.

"In some ways, yes. However, at the end of the day, the problems of the Uchiha are not the burden of the Hyuuga. The Hyuuga or the Senju can't fix the problems of the Uchiha. Only they can."

"So that's why you won't do anything about it?"

"Precisely. I was willing to support Itachi, but ultimately, he was the only one with information that could have changed anything for the Uchiha, and anything for Sasuke."

"So what are you going to do with Sasuke then?" Naruto questioned, now approaching the subject that he didn't dare approach earlier.

"I don't have an answer for that yet. Technically he should be handed over to the Senju and a sentence decided by them." Hiashi answered.

"Yeah but -"

"Naruto, even if he is your friend, even if Sasuke isn't entirely at fault for everything that has happened that everything that he has done thanks to the schemes of Madara, he is still guilty. He has still taken the lives of so many."

"Your right, it isn't entirely his fault. I know… that the conviction of everything he has done they will want him dead… but if they kill Sasuke then this will never end! Sasuke is the only one besides me, Sakura, and you who know the truth! Even if we know the truth, if they end Sasuke's life, there will be no one else to challenge Madara, no one else to take the throne of the Uchiha clan. This will NEVER stop." Naruto argued. "Besides, haven't we all killed and justified it because of what we believe in?"

"If it were only that easy to look at it from that perspective." Hiashi sighed. "I am furious that my people have suffered under the hands of Sasuke, regardless of his reasoning. It doesn't change the fact that so many are dead, and that most of our home is destroyed. My people will call for justice. What would you have me do with that?"

"Tell them the truth! Tell them Itachi's truth!" Naruto reasoned.

"That still doesn't correct the pain and suffering, Naruto." Hiashi growled. "Besides, how can we even know that Sasuke would even change? That he would somehow become a man that wants peace?"

"He believes in peace for his people. He's believed that Madara was the one who could bring about that peace for his whole life, and was willing to do whatever he needed to make that a reality, no matter the cost." Naruto defended. "Besides, it's not like he can go back to Madara! Madara will kill him!"

"So what? If the Senju and I demand his blood, he would just be a refugee? Free to roam as he pleases, to do as he pleases if we don't convict him?" Hiashi ridiculed. Naruto frowned.

"No. That is not what I am suggesting either." Naruto replied. "I don't know how to answer that right now. All I know is Sasuke must be one hell of a screwed up mess right now. Regardless of the terrible things he has done, his entire life has been turned upside down. I know Hashirama doesn't believe that he is just an inherently bad person, and that you don't either. He could have been something entirely different, had there been different choices available to him."

A knock came to the door interrupting the serious conversation that was taking place between Hiashi and Naruto.

"Lord Hiashi! Lord Hashirama has arrived. He would like an audience with you!" A messenger informed, causing both Hiashi and Naruto to be surprised.

"Take him into the private meeting room. We will meet him there." Hiashi acknowledged, nodding the messenger off.

"No doubt Hashirama will want to hear everything. Come, Naruto." Hiashi beckoned as the two men left the elder's study.

Hashirama was indeed waiting on them patiently, his face a look of concern as both Naruto and Hiashi entered the private meeting room within the Hyuuga mansion.

"I was half expecting to arrive into an ugly battle." Hashirama commented as both men sat across from the Senju leader.

"Indeed. Events escalated quickly, and Madara's cunningness and lies have reared its ugly head." Hiashi answered.

"Is Sakura okay?" Hashirama asked, noticing that Naruto was with Hiashi, but not the pinkette.

"Yes. She is healing the injured right now." Naruto answered.

"What happened here?" Hashirama asked calmly, the hard expression on his face relaxing slightly.

"The Uchiha attacked, with Sasuke at the head of the army, but Itachi intervened." Hiashi began, causing Hashirama's eyes to widen.

"In his condition?" He asked incredulously, as if it was entirely unexpected. Now it was Naruto's turn to be confused at the realization that Hashirama had known who Itachi was. Did that mean that he also knew the truth behind Sasuke and the Uchiha?

"Wait, you knew?" Naruto exclaimed, his surprise evident. Hashirama turned to him, giving him an apologetic look.

"I did. Both Hiashi and I have been safeguarding his secret for a while now in exchange that he monitor the Uchiha. As someone who very much looked the part, he was able to slip in and out of the territory when he was older without anyone questioning him." Hiashi admitted.

"So… that's why… you guys usually planned for everything the Uchiha did." Naruto realized. "Is that why you were so supportive, Hashirama? What's going to happen to Sasuke now?!"

Hiashi raised his hand in front of Naruto, silently demanded the blonde to quiet down and stop his barrage of questions.

"One thing at a time, Naruto." Hiashi demanded, causing the blonde to frown.

"It's true that Sasuke isn't entirely to blame for what has happened between the Senju and the Uchiha. The essence of his actions were his belief that what he was doing was to bring about the peace that Madara wanted, to bring his clan victory and a better life." Hashirama began. "However, you know that even Itachi's story and his misfortune won't quell the unrest and demand for justice against him. This is going to be an ugly political matter."

"Indeed. At this point, Sasuke's chances are grim." Hiashi acknowledged. "Naruto and I were just discussing this. Sasuke is currently locked up in our prison. He allowed himself to be taken as our prisoner without any reality is, he could have escaped easily if he had truly wanted to. Even I could acknowledge that. His prowess with the Sharingan is not something to underestimate."

"Hashirama, regardless of what Sasuke deserves, if you allow him to be executed, you know that it won't end the hatred and the war between the Senju and the Uchiha! I know you believe that." Naruto voiced.

"It is not that I disagree with you Naruto, but what would you do? If your people wanted the death of someone who was their enemy and caused them so much pain and suffering, how do you tell them that he should be shown mercy, when he showed them none?" Hashirama seriously asked.

Naruto went quiet, thinking on how he could answer that question. It was true that dealing with the political aspect of all of this wouldn't be easy.

"Also, we have to consider if Sasuke even cares about his elder brother's story. It's obvious that Madara will try to kill him, both Sakura and Naruto can attest to that since it was Madara that killed Itachi in his surprise attempt to end Sasuke's life." Hiashi added.

"It's not like we are going to be able to come up with a sentence for him by tomorrow. This is something entirely complicated. We are dealing with the horrible crimes that Sasuke has committed, but we are also looking at the only chance to end things between the Uchiha and the Senju for good. To create the peace that both clans have longed for." Hashirama pondered.

"Lord Hashirama, Lord Hiashi, I have done everything I can to help those who were injured. Hinata and Hanabi are still tending to those that still need help, but no one's life is in danger anymore. I saw that you had arrived, Lord Hashirama. Please excuse my intrusion." Sakura asked, her demeanor confident.

"Sakura-" Naruto began but was cut off.

"I'll allow it. You are a witness to what has happened after all, and Itachi did trust you with his secret." Hiashi conceded.

Sakura entered the room, settling herself beside Naruto.

"What are our options then? Obviously we can't make any sort of decision without looking at this from every angle." Hiashi continued.

"Indeed. Normally this is a discussion that I would have to have with the entire council, but you and I both know Hiashi, that the council won't be reasoned with."

"The complexity of politics. This is why I originally didn't want to join the council, but in the end I didn't have a choice. Not if we wanted to support Naruto."

"Sakura," Hashirama began, changing conversation, "I am curious to hear what you think. I have heard both Naruto's and Hiashi's thoughts. As you know, Sasuke Uchiha is now a prisoner of the Hyuuga, and by extension, also the Senju."

"What do you plan to do with him?" Sakura inquired.

"The situation is complex. Not only is this about the possibility of ending this long feud with the Uchiha, but it also have political implications. The Senju will call for justice, and I can guarantee that his sentence won't be merciful."

Sakura's green eyes widened. "An execution?!"

"Most likely. The council of elders are out for blood. Sasuke Uchiha has shed so much blood and taken innocent lives in the name of Madara and the Uchiha."

"Yeah but… can he be entirely to blame?" Sakura asked tentatively.

"That's the complexity of the situation. Looking at it from all different angles, how do we come up with the best solution?" Hashirama pondered.

"Even with Itachi revealing the truth about his and Sasuke's lineage, it doesn't just justify everything that he has done." Hiashi added.

The room fell silent.

"Are you willing to go against the council?" Naruto asked, breaking the silence.

"Naruto!" Hiashi asked, immediately trying to put the blonde back in his place, but Hashirama raised his hand.

"No, Hiashi. Let Naruto speak."

"This is a conversation that I know you are supposed to have with the council present, and yet you have come here and are discussing it with us without the council." Naruto began.

"It's been fairly obvious that I have denied the wishes of the council before, such as making you a General, Naruto." Hashirama deadpanned. "Traditions will mean nothing if we cannot move forward."

"I have an idea." Naruto announced, causing both elder men to look at each other and back at the blonde, as well as Sakura's eyes to widen in curiosity.

Suddenly, a soldier interrupted them, bowing at the door.

"Lord Hiashi, preparations for the burials are complete. We will start with your permission."

Hiashi looked as if he was going to postpone the burials, but Hashirama spoke out.

"Hiashi, tend to your people. I will wait." Hashirama encouraged.

"I'll be sure to have a guest room drawn up for you." Hiashi thanked.

"Also, regardless of Sasuke's impending future, we are not savages." Hashirama added. "He should be allowed to attend the burial of his elder brother."

"Indeed. Naruto, Sakura," Hiashi motioned.

"We will escort him." Naruto agreed.

After meeting with Hashirama, Hiashi, and Naruto, Sakura had followed Naruto to check on Hinata and her younger sister, the four of them deciding to get some food and get cleaned up after Hiashi announced that the burials of their fallen comrades would commence in a couple hours.

It had been a while since Sakura had a chance to sit down and relax in any sense of the word, so a bath to get cleaned up after everything that had happened seemed like a luxury.

Her mind was a jumbled mess from everything that had happened, and she had barely any time to sort out any of her thoughts until now.

What was going to happen to Sasuke? What did Sasuke even want to do? He had allowed the Hyuuga to take him into custody without so much as a hint of resistance, and despite the fact that he had shed tears, he had replaced it fairly quickly with his stoic mask.

But Sakura could see it.

Sasuke's eyes couldn't hide the anguish that screamed from them. He was broken and lost in so many ways. Was his surrender his way of saying that he didn't care if he lived or died or not? Did he believe anything that Itachi had told him? As if that wasn't bad enough, Madara had even sought to take his life once his lies were found out.

Everything that Sasuke knew, everything that he believed in had been ripped away.

Hiashi had asked that she and Naruto escort him to bury his brother, but would he even want to go? What could she even say to him? She was terrified of him, and yet, part of her wanted to be there for him as well.

This wasn't entirely his fault.

Those words he had spoken to her, his voice smooth and low with an emotion she had never heard him express, asking if she would forgive him replayed over and over in her head, the surprise of those words still catching her off guard.

She had been frozen in that moment, her brain unable to come up with a reasonable answer. She had barely managed to spill a word from her mouth when they had been interrupted and she had felt relieved at the time.

She did have her answer though. It was the first two words that came to her mind without a second thought before she had to carefully think about it.

She would.

If he were to change, to fight for peace, seek redemption, she would.

Quite frankly, the fact that she had thought those two words without hesitance frightened her more than anything else.

Maybe she should ask him about it. She had to know. Even if he would most likely refuse to talk to her, she had to try.

Drying herself from her bath, she dried her short pink hair and put on a black sleeveless shirt and a black calf length split skirt with black leggings that Hinata had left for her to wear to the funeral. She slipped on some black sandals to go with it as well. She felt somewhat unfeminine in the outfit, but she blamed it mostly on her short hair that she was not used to. It had been a while since she had worn anything remotely feminine anyway.

She squeezed her face between her hands, making a face in the mirror and letting out a deep sigh as her heart raced.

She probably better go ask Sasuke before she lost her nerve.

Sakura made her way towards the prison. There were four guards stationed there in front of the prison, and more watching no doubt considering that Sasuke was a high profile criminal in a sense.

"I want to see Sasuke Uchiha," Sakura asked when the guards looked to question her approach.

"By yourself?" One of them asked, causing Sakura to glare at him.

"Yes." She stated firmly. "Prisoner or not, he should still have his health checked. I can handle myself."

The guards looked at each other as if still unsure of whether to let her pass or not, but in the end gave way considering everyone knew about her healing abilities by now.

"Fine. You will have ten minutes." The guard allowed.

"Thanks." Sakura nodded, entering the prison.

It was quiet for the most part, but in comparison to the prison that Sasuke had thrown her in the first time she had met him, this was like a guest room.

"What do you want?" Sasuke's voice sounded, his voice low and impatient from a few cells down. Sakura walked past the cells until she saw him, sitting on a small bedframe and mattress. His hands were still tied and his eyes were still covered.

Sakura gulped as she felt her initial determination fade. He couldn't see her so it wouldn't be too late to turn around and leave.

"I want to know," she finally asked, deciding it was too late to run away in the last split second.

"Know what?" Sasuke snapped back, though his voice immediately seemed to change and calm a little.

"If you meant what you said." Sakura finished.

"About what, Sakura?"

Sakura almost jumped when Sasuke said her name as if she didn't expect him to say it. It confirmed why his voice had somewhat softened after she had spoke to him.

"About you not caring about what Itachi said… and asking…" Sakura paused for a moment, almost not wanting to finish her sentence. "If I would forgive you." She asked quietly.

"Even if what Itachi said were true, it doesn't matter. There won't be anything I can do about it." Sasuke answered, ignoring the last part of her question.

"Yeah but…" Sakura trailed off, a silence falling between them.

"Is that all you came to bother me for?" Sasuke questioned impatiently.

"Uh… well… no. Lord Hiashi is burying your brother. He asked Naruto and I to take you to pay your respects." Sakura quietly admitted. Sasuke stood up, walking over to the bars between him and Sakura, causing her already heightened heart rate to increase as he closed to distance between them.

Before either of them could say anything else however, they were interrupted.

"Hey, I thought you were going to wait for me, I was looking for you." Came Naruto's voice as he stalked over to the two of them.

"Sorry, I thought I would be back before you were ready." Sakura quickly answered. Naruto looked at her, and then looked at Sasuke, a curious and suspicious glint in his eye as a frown crossed his face before he sighed.

"Did that bastard agree to seeing his brother?" He asked, decidedly ignoring whatever was happening between Sakura and Sasuke. Sakura was silently glad that he didn't press her further, or scold her.

"I um, was just going to ask him about it." Sakura answered awkwardly.

"Hiashi said we can take his blindfold off so that he can see, but he said that you have to give him this." Naruto continued, holding out a small vial with something foul smelling inside.

"What is that?" Sakura asked, wrinkling her nose at the foul aroma.

"It's some type of liquid to prevent him from using those creepy red eyes." Naruto shrugged. "The smell of it makes me want to gag."

Sakura rolled her eyes at the blonde as she took the vial. By the smell of it, she could immediately tell that it was some sort of tincture of herbs. She also wondered who and where the Hyuuga got a recipe for such a thing.

"So," Naruto questioned, his attention turning to Sasuke, "Are you going to see your brother or not?"

"Are you going to spare me some long winded speech?" Sasuke asked. Naruto grunted.

"I guess." the blonde answered.

"Fine, then."

Naruto motioned for one of the guards to come and unlock the cell door.

When the door was unlocked, Sakura entered the cell with Naruto closely behind.

"Are you okay with me giving you this?" Sakura asked Sasuke.

"Do I have a choice?"

"I would hold my breath." Sakura suggested as she brought the tincture to his mouth, tilting it so that he could drink it in one gulp.

There was a slight grimace on Sasuke's face but he was fast to control any evidence of the foul taste he experienced.

Naruto drew his sword, slicing the bindings from Sasuke's hands. Sakura and Naruto both took a step back as Sasuke reached up for the blindfolds upon his eyes as he pulled it from his face.

Onyx orbs met viridian as the first thing Sasuke saw was Sakura's face. Sakura felt like shrinking away under their intensity, but his gaze was soft in comparison to the coldness they usually held. Their eyes locked for a moment before he dropped the blindfold to the floor and averted his gaze to scan his surroundings.

"So does that nasty stuff work?" Naruto inquired, breaking the silence that had fallen between all of them.

Sasuke closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath and exhaling it in a controlled manner.

"Seems to." he finally answered.

"Okay, then let's go." Naruto announced.

"You really going to let me walk around without restraints?" Sasuke asked as if the idea of it was insane.

"You don't even have a weapon… and yeah yeah, I'm sure you can do plenty of damage without one. I don't think you will cause a problem, Sasuke." Naruto exclaimed confidently. "Besides, even if you tried, I would kick your ass, and if I fail, all it will take is one punch from Sakura!"

"Tch." Sasuke grunted. "You trust too easy, you idiot."

"Yeah but you know I'm not wrong." Naruto shrugged. "We need to have a talk later… you too, Sakura."

"What makes you think I am interested in anything you have to say?" Sasuke insulted.

Sakura was filled with confusion but also a small suspicion of what Naruto might have in mind. What was he thinking? She glanced at Sasuke who seemed entirely unamused by Naruto's words.

"Trust me, you're going to want to hear what I have to say."

Awkwardness wouldn't even begin to describe how Sasuke felt as the blonde and pinkette beside him escorted him through the Hyuuga compound and out towards their burial fields.

Hyuuga soldiers glared at him. Others whispered, and some even questioned what was going on, expressing their clear dislike at him. He had deserved their sneers and nasty words, but Naruto would give them one look that silenced them.

Sakura said nothing as she walked beside Naruto as they took him to the burial place of his older brother.

Sasuke knew nothing about this man, other than the fact that he was his older brother, or at least him and everyone around him claimed he was.

Even if he wanted to deny it however, and call this man a liar, deep down he knew that he would only be lying to himself.

Sasuke had no memories of his older brother, and yet when he looked at his casket he felt a pang of sadness and disappointment.

He would never get to know this man. He will never get any more information about his history.

He had once again lost his brother that he had thought he already lost once.

Sasuke didn't cry as resting words were spoken on behalf of this man, and the casket was lowered into the ground and dirt was being shoveled upon it.

Sakura and Naruto stood beside him silently, most likely offering their condolences and mourning for his death in silence. He glanced at Sakura out of the corner of his eyes, the look of sadness evident on her face. Something inside him twisted in a way that made him feel sick. Was he allowing himself to feel guilt? He was sure that he had caused this sadness upon her features many times, and had not once cared before.

There was no redemption for him. He didn't deserve it. It didn't matter that all of a sudden killing meant nothing to him. It didn't matter that Madara's attempted attack on his life had shown him the reality of the lies that he was living.

He was a harbinger of death, and deserved punishment as such. He could not blame them for their hatred against him.

There was nothing left for him, and in a way, he was ready to give up on living.

The ceremony was short, and soon after Naruto and Sasuke were escorting him back to his prison cell. His eyes burned. They had been burning this whole time thanks to whatever it was that Naruto had been instructed to give him to drink, but he refused to say anything or act on his pain. It had indeed made it so that he could not activate the eyes of his clan.

They were coming upon the grounds of the Hyuuga mansion when suddenly Naruto grabbed Sasuke by the shirt, yanking him to an alley between the walls and one of the buildings. He jerked his head to motion Sakura to follow him as she gave him a confused and alarming look before stumbling after them.

"What the hell!" Sasuke growled, instantly irritated at the blonde.

"Just shut up, Sasuke. Look you and Sakura need to hear what I have to say. I can't say it with other people around."

"Naruto!" Sakura whispered harshly, unsure of what to do, but she didn't continue to say anything else.

"Fine. Spit it out." Sasuke snapped.

"Look, I don't have a lot of time to explain any details but if I'm going to do this then Sasuke you have to be on the same page."

"Do what?" Sasuke asked, clearly becoming more impatient by the second.

"Break you out of prison." Naruto answered seriously causing both Sakura and Sasuke to look at his as if he had all of a sudden grown a second head.

"Naruto what do you mean break him out of prison?" Sakura interrogated.

"Sakura, I will tell you details later," Naruto hastily answered. "Right now I need this bastard to swear that if I do it, he's going to to fight Madara for the Uchiha and end this war."

Sasuke gritted his teeth. Fight Madara for the Uchiha? Like this? He would no doubt be a fugitive from both the Senju and the Uchiha if whatever plan Naruto had up sleeve worked. He would be going up against him with nothing.

"Swear it, Sasuke!" Naruto growled as he clenched the Uchiha's shirt in his fist. "Make better use of your life instead of submitting to death."

Sasuke's face because serious. Whatever Naruto was scheming, he was offering Sasuke a choice. He was challenging the Uchiha to live.

Maybe this way, he might be able to obtain even the smallest amount of redemption.

"I swear, Naruto."

The walk back to the prison after Naruto had yanked them both off to announce his plan was silent. Sakura had no idea what to say, or if she should even say anything at all.

She remembered that both Hiashi and Hashirama didn't seem particularly aligned with the idea of sentencing Sasuke to the capital punishment that they knew he would be given, but dealing with the political aspect of this whole thing was going to be far from easy.

Naruto had asked if Hashirama was willing to defy the council. He had said that he might have some sort of a plan.

Sakura was trying to piece together everything she knew in order to try and understand what the blonde was thinking.

If Naruto helped Sasuke escape and was caught, would that make him a fugitive and a traitor? What did Naruto expect from her in all this?

Sasuke was once again bound and blindfolded by guards when he was returned to his prison cell. She had caught his gaze on her as they tied the blindfold around his eyes, his expression unreadable, causing Sakura to feel a heat rise to her cheeks even though she didn't understand why.

Did he deserve a second chance? A choice he could choose on his own?

His misguidance in his life had led Sasuke to become the ruthless person he was, but even so, Sakura had seen a small amount of good in him.

Where would his path take him under different guidance if he was willing to change?

They didn't say any good byes as Naruto and Sakura left the prison and headed back towards the mansion. It was now late into the night and neither had slept in almost two days.

"Sakura, I know you're tired and want to sleep," Naruto started, his voice calm yet uncertain. "but I want you to hear me out."

"Naruto, if you do this, what about Hinata?" Sakura asked, knowing that she wouldn't refuse Naruto's forwardness in wanting to have this conversation now.

"Hinata?" Naruto asked, as if dumbfounded at her question.

"Yes, you idiot. If you do this and get caught, you won't be able to be with her, will you?"

Naruto's eyes widened at Sakura's words, but it seemed that he realized that she knew about them.

"No," he answered shakily, "I won't… but if that sacrifice means that we can bring peace to the world, and that neither of us will have to live in fear of the future, then that's all that matters. It doesn't matter how much I love Hinata if I am weighed down with guilt my whole life."

Sakura sighed. "I'm sorry, Naruto. I can't even begin to imagine what you're feeling."

The two of them had settled in a private garden area, talking quietly.

"Sakura, if I don't do this, then you know the capital punishment will be given to Sasuke," Naruto began.

"Yeah, I do… and even with the horrible things he's done… If they do that, this war will never end. Madara will continue the cycle of hatred." Sakura answered.

"But the Senju and the council of advisors will never let him off, even if he isn't entirely to blame. It would cause severe political unrest and could possibly cause civil war amongst the Senju."

"If Sasuke escapes on his own though, he will have virtually no chance." Sakura acknowledged.

"If Sasuke is to have any chance at defeating Madara and taking back the Uchiha, he's going to be a fugitive and he is most likely going to need any aid he can get from the free clans, and let's face it, he probably doesn't know the first thing about any of that."

Sakura couldn't help but give a light chuckle at Naruto's blatant insult on Sasuke's inability.

"I suppose that's true."

"That's why I have to go with him." Naruto reasoned. Sakura was about to voice her concerns about Naruto's idea when a voice interrupted them.

"Doing this will also prevent internal conflict and political unrest among the Senju."

Sakura and Naruto jumped as Hiashi walked out of the shadows of the Hyuuga mansion, his arms crossed, but his expression soft.

"Hiashi you -"

The elder cut Naruto off.

"If you are planning on being a fugitive, you should probably work on your stealth skills." he reprimanded softly. "I saw you pull Sasuke in between the walls. I knew you would be planning something."

"Are you going to stop me?" Naruto questioned defensively. Hiashi stared at the blonde for a moment before giving his answer.

"No. On the contrary Naruto, I think you are right." Hiashi admitted. "This is a risky political play of your own, but it's the only option for Sasuke to rectify his wrongs, keep the Senju together, and save Hashirama from being in the middle of of it all. You know however, that he won't approve. Not of this."

"I know. That's why he can't be in on it. At first I thought I should tell him the truth, but if he knows the truth and the advisors find out that he knew, then he will be tried as an accomplice and then we will have accomplished nothing!" Naruto explained.

Sakura couldn't help but understand and agree with everything that Naruto was saying, but she still wanted to know what it was Naruto wanted from her.

"Naruto," Sakura asked, wanting to know the answer to her question before this conversation continued, "What is it exactly do you want from me?"

Naruto looked at her, his expression intense.

"Sakura, I want you to decide," Naruto asked seriously. "Whether you want to stay, or come with us."

A lot of dialogue this chapter, and some small SasuSaku moments, but if she decides to go with Naruto and Sasuke, expect a lot of relationship development between the two.

I would really appreciate it if you guys reviewed and left me your thoughts! I don't know how you guys are feeling about the story and the direction it's taking if you don't.

Thanks for reading!