Chapter 10: Live

Severus-

A hand clutched his and Severus, in a daze, dimly knew that it was Hinata's. It couldn't have been Lee. He was crouched next to Gaara, speaking softly and slowly. Another hand took Severus' arm and he looked up at Iruka.

"We need to go, now."

"Go?" They shouldn't go. It was like a funeral and people weren't supposed to leave early from a funeral. Were they? He didn't know. They hadn't let him go to his ma's funeral. He didn't know. "But…"

Iruka's hand slipped around his shoulders and Severus felt himself being pulled away, back towards Sunagakure. "Come on. This is a private time. They don't need us here. Walk with me, Severus. We'll get you something to drink and maybe a rest."

"No." Severus pulled a little against Iruka, but it didn't no good and Iruka just continued to gently pull him. "I don't need a rest. I… they killed little Tora?"

Iruka walked between Severus and Hinata, an arm around each of them. "Everything will be all right and even if it isn't, we don't have any business interfering. Our mission was to deliver and administer the medication, nothing else. What happens to Sunagakure is Gaara's decision, now."

"But Tora… she's just a baby."

Iruka met Severus' desperate eyes, but only shook his head. "We need to go."

The three of them - Iruka, Hinata, and Severus - sat together in a small, well cared for garden in the center of the village. The mission was completed. They'd done what they'd come to do and as soon as Lee was properly healed, they would return to Konohagakure.

"And that might take some time," Iruka said. "Our Lee doesn't allow himself to be weak in anyway. And now, with Sunagakure in mourning, there's a chance that he might want to stay and help. He won't, of course, but that will make things harder on him."

"He's a friend of Gaara's, isn't he?" Severus asked. He sat next to Iruka and put his arms around himself. He felt cold. "How did they meet?"

"Gaara tried to kill him." Iruka answered mildly before he turned to Hinata and put a hand on her shoulder. "How are you doing? This isn't exactly the way I wanted to welcome you into my family. I hope you're not going to be too uncomfortable with a house full of men. It might be a bit lonely for you."

Hinata shook her head. "No. Not at all. I'm sure everything will be fine."

Without any warning at all, Severus was on his back on the ground, staring up at the too bright sky before he'd even realizeded that he'd been pushed down. It was Iruka who'd pushed him and, with his face pinched and his mouth squeezed into a tight line, held him down. Iruka wasn't looking at something behind Severus' head.

"Kabuto!"

A voice that Severus didn't recognize, answered, "Hello. Been a long time, hasn't it? You look surprised. You shouldn't be. Where my master goes, I go." Kabuto was no older than Iruka and wore wire-rim spectacles. He stood with a lazy sort of slouch adn held two tiny darts with green feathered fletching. His smile was awful; a self-assured smirk that made Severus want nothing more than to strike him.

Iruka made as if to get to his feet, but Kabuto made a whipping motion with one hand and threw one of the darts. It struck Iruka in the shoulder. Iruka turned a dreadful green and then went pale. He slumped and nearly fell on Severus. "What have you done?" His voice didn't sound quite right; it was as if he couldn't catch his breath. His eyes grew wide and he slumped onto Severus.

"Arrogant insect." Kabuto was at them in an instant and seized Iruka by the ponytail. With a sharp yank, he wrenched Iruka up and to the side, rolling him off Severus and onto the dirt. "You'd crow to your stinking Hokage about my master's murder, wouldn't you? My master." He let out a sudden, broken sob and gave Iruka's hair another harsh tug, enough to yank his head up and backwards at a painful looking angle. "Oh, my sweet master. You killed him - took the life of the greatest of men."

"Let him go!" Severus started to get up, but Kabuto kicked him in the knee and it flared with unbelievable pain.

Kabuto looked down at Severus with a frightening smile on his face, even then he held Iruka up by the hair. "The wizard brat… such a useless thing. Weak, pathetic civilian." He spat the last word like a curse and opened his mouth to say something else, but instead, his eyes popped open, comically wide, before he doubled over, dropping Iruka to the ground where he landed with a thud and a moan.

Hinata, with her little hands raised in front of her and almost lowered into a crouching position, stood a yard or so away from Kabuto. Her mouth was drawn into a tight line and her white eyes were narrowed.

"And those eyes would be the all-seeing eyes of the Hyuuga clan." Kabuto stood up and straightened his spectacles. He regarded Hinata with something like curiosity. "And you would be the reject. Hinata. The failure." He chuckled and rubbed his ribs. "It was fine blow, little girl, but no failure is going to stand against me."

What happened next was almost too fast for Severus to follow. Hinata said nothing to the insult, but flew towards them with her arms out stretched. One delicate hand seized Severus by the arm and, with a spin, and tossed him away from Kabuto. He landed yards away, thumping hard enough to rap his head on the ground before he rolled three times. When he finally came to a stop, Severus coughed out dust and blinking sand from his eyes, Severus looked up to see Hinata standing between him and Kabuto.

Kabuto laughed in the face of her fearsome glare and pulled a card out of the vest he wore. He waved the card at Hinata. "I have your card, too, heiress. All your statistics. Timid and unsure. The laughing stock of - "

He broke off when Hinata charged. She was quiet in battle, no yelling, or threats or taunts. She didn't even cry out when Kabuto struck a blow hard to her ribs that caused her to stagger back momentarily. Silent and focused, she fairly danced around him, spinning and striking so rapidly that Severus found he couldn't follow her movements. The only way he knew that she'd hit her mark was when Kabuto grimaced or flinched. Around and around she went, attacking an ankle, then the backbone, and the side of the head.

Kabuto didn't just take the attack. He struck as often as Hinata did and soon there was blood running out of Hinata's mouth. Her face was bruised. Through it all, she didn't slow.

There seemed to be no pattern to her attack and not a single blow had managed to do more than make Kabuto flinch. Still, on and on, Hinata dashed around Kabuto in a whirlwind. It was like a dance, Severus marveled.

Kabuto lashed out at her, knocking away her hands before she could do him any real damage to him. He struck her on the side of the head then gave her a kick to the side that made her stumble and almost fall before she recovered and moved at him, again.

"Stay down, pest!" Kabuto snarled. "I'm done with this game." He kicked at her and she went flying limply back towards where Severus lay. She landed on her feet, but crouched down with one hand on the sand between her feet. She was breathing heavily and the blood from her mouth dripped down her chin. She swayed momentarily.

"My arm," Hinata muttered.

It was bent, half-way between elbow and wrist; obviously broken. Severus hadn't even seen it happen.

Kabuto dismissed them by turning away and looking down at the fallen Iruka, smirking down at him.

"I need his back," Hinata whispered, breathlessly. "There's one point left I need to strike."

Severus had no idea what she was talking about, but there was no time to question. He narrowed his eyes and nodded sharply. "Done." Severus got to his feet, quite pleased that he wasn't shaking overly much. With his fists clenched at his sides, Severus barked out, "I didn't mean it!"

Kabuto looked at him, sharply, but said nothing.

"I didn't mean it. Really!" He began to step forward, but also slightly away from Hinata. "I didn't want to kill anyone. But I was scared! Your master just took me and I was sick and he said weird things! I only wanted to get away."

"Well… you certainly did that."

"I never wanted to kill anyone, you've got to believe me!" His eyes were burning. He blinked and tears ran out of both eyes. "I was just scared!" Severus sucked in a sharp breath and suddenly half-way turned away from Kabuto. "And I… I…" His voice trailed away for a moment before he slipped his arms around himself and shook. "I'm a murderer." He took a few more steps until he'd drawn Kabuto into turning his back on Hinata. "You liked him?"

Kabuto nodded. "He was the greatest of men, the most amazing person. You'll die for taking him from me."

Very slowly, Severus nodded. "Yes." He took a few more steps and spoke with horrified whisper, slowly raising his voice until he was certain that Kabuto's entire attention was fixed on him. "Yes. That's the only way, isn't it?" His forehead furrowed. "Sin must be atoned for and what greater sin…? An equal payment is needed. A life for a life." With his breathing deliberately rapid and uneven, he turned to face Kabuto. "A life!" With that, he charged, throwing himself at Kabuto. Kabuto looked surprised - but not unhappy - as he began reaching out with one hand, fingers bent like claws.

Then, in that moment, with Kabuto's attention firmly fixed on Severus, Hinata raced to him and struck.

The triumphant gleam in Kabuto's eyes flared, then vanished when his eyes suddenly closed and he fell mere moments before Severus would have crashed into him. Instead, Severus stumbled over Kabuto, but managed to keep on his feet until he came to a stopped near Hinata who'd come up behind Kabuto.

He grinned at her. "I have no idea what you did to him, but whatever it was, I'm impressed."

Hinata wasn't nearly so pleased. She looked pale and had to shake herself to keep from staring at Kabuto where he lay face-down on the ground. "Are you all right?"

"Of course I am. That was fantastic! You're amazing!" He paused and looked down at Kabuto. His elation dimmed. "He's dead, isn't he?"

Hinata wordlessly nodded.

The two stood frozen for a moment with the corpse between them before they rushed to Iurka. Kneeling at his side, Severus shook Iruka's arm. "Sir? Sir!"

"Don't holler." Iruka opened his eyes, lazily. He couldn't seem to quite focus on Severus. "It's not polite." His head tilted to the side where Kabuto lay. "Dead?"

"Yes, sir." Hinata knelt on Iruka's other side.

Iruka reached a shaky hand up to pat Hinata's cheek. "Good girl. Mark him off in your bingo book." He almost smiled before his hand fell and his eyes closed, again.

Severus looked at Hinata. "What's a bingo book?"

"Something you don't need to worry about." A hand closed around Severus' throat and squeezed.

He couldn't breathe. Hinata was looking at him, horrified. Severus wrenched his head just enough that he could see Kabuto, alive and quite well, standing behind him. There wasn't as much as a single mark on him, not one bruise that Hinata had given him. It didn't seem possible, but Kabuto tightened his grip enough that Severus saw stars and darkness began to creep into the edges of his vision.

"Let him go!" Hinata's cry sounded strange – as though she was underwater. He saw her charge, but she didn't seem to get close before Kabuto dragged him away. Then, like Iruka, Hinata was on the ground. She didn't get up.

There was quiet, then, but Severus didn't know if it was because of the silence or because he was loosing consciousness. He couldn't seem to focus and there were stars in front of his eyes. He felt numb in his arms and legs.

"I'll skin you," Kabuto's soft voice whispered against Severus' ear. "I'll skin you alive and then, when your pain is unbearable, maybe, just maybe, I'll allow you to die."

Severus tried to say something, though he wasn't sure what. He could hardly keep his head upright. His lips felt funny. He tried to raise his hands to hit Kabuto, but he was sluggish and could not little more than wave his hands pathetically.

He was going to die.

There was no one around to save him.

And he could see them… like shadows just in front of him. Ma was smiling and she looked healthy, again. Pop held out his arms and called something that Severus could almost hear.

It hurt to see them. He wanted so badly to go to them, to be held and to hear them and to never again be afraid of being alone. They were so close, he could almost touch them. If he could reach out, if he could just move his arms… but Kabuto was squeezing too tightly. Severus mouthed 'ma' and 'pop' but he couldn't get the sounds out. They looked at one another and seemed to communicate something. Severus' ma stepped a little closer, but pop touched her arm and she stopped. Again, something passed between them. Severus' pop looked at Kabuto and he seemed angry. They both came closer, one shadow on either side of Severus. There was nothing to them, he could almost see through them.

Ma's shadows leaned close and, for the first time in years, he heard her voice. "Live."

Severus wanted to cry.

Pop moved to touch Severus' face, but Severus couldn't feel anything. "You must live."

And Severus was dropped and, even as he inhaled a deep breath, he saw the shadows of his parents fade with the whispered command, 'live', still fresh in his mind.

Lee was fighting, tearing Kabuto away from Severus. It only lasted a minute until Lee, still in his still weakened state, was thrown aside.

Something inside of Severus – something dark and weak and crying – wished for death. He wanted to go with the shades of his parents. He wanted to see them clearly. He wanted that aching hole inside of himself to be filled.

"Live."

It had been an order and Severus had always been an obedient son. He stood up and faced Kabuto. That darkness inside of him kept moving, like something alive that wanted to escape.

Kabuto reached again for Iruka and it was then that the twisting, writhing something broke loose from Severus. It was nothing he could see, but he could feel it as surely as anything. That overwhelming something struck Kabuto, knocking him back a step. So hard did it strike him that his spectacles were knocked off his face and his head snapped back.

Accidental magic… Severus had never been so glad for it.

Kabuto took a deep breath and turned furiously to Severus. He took a step towards him, but then stopped.

It was a horrific sight. Severus watched as the color drained from Kabuto's eyes. The color didn't simply fade, it bled out of him, running down his cheeks like tears. Soon, his eyes were as white as Hinata's.

"What…?" Kabuto raised his hands to his face and blinked. "What have you done?" He took a step, but stopped and waved his hands in front of him. "I'm blind! You wretched little – "

Lee seized Kabuto by the head and gave it a wrench so fast that even Severus heard the sickening crunch of bones being crushed. Kabuto fell face down in the sand.

"Is he dead for real this time?"

Lee stared down at the body and nodded, slowly. "That other," he looked at the second corpse, the one they'd thought was Kabuto. "It was a trick of his. He can animate the body of a dead person and make them do as he pleases."

"Possession?" Severus felt sick at the word. His ma had once told him of such evil things, but to possess the dead seemed like even more of a violation for they, truly, couldn't defend themselves.

"He's done it before. But not this time. This," Lee knelt and rolled Kabuto onto his back. "This is really him. He's dead."

Iruka was made of stronger stuff than whatever poison Kabuto had used. He didn't wake, but didn't immediately die, either. They carried him into Gaara's home and laid him on a bed. Looking down at Iruka, so still and unresponsive, Severus was almost angry at Lee for killing Kabuto. They couldn't identify what kind of poison had been used on Iruka.

Severus set to work in Gaara's kitchen. It was a sparse, sad little room. There was very little food and even fewer ingredients that Severus could use. He dug through cabinets and all he found that was at all useful was a small cooking pot.

"He will die."

Severus whipped around, the cooking pot in hand, to face Gaara standing in the kitchen doorway. "Not if I can help it."

"But you can't, can you? You look frightened."

The cold statement ran around inside Severus' head like a mad mouse.

Gaara turned and left the kitchen, going to the room where they'd put Iruka. He showed no emotion at all as he looked down at Iruka slipping slowly towards death or when he saw Hinata cradling her broken arm that Lee had managed to straighten and splint. He did, for just a split second, frown at Lee, who, in his exhaustion, was leaning against a wall.

The ones who'd murdered the children and Baki-san were dead, but Gaara didn't bother to give them any further details. Lee, exhausted, had fallen asleep on the floor beside Iruka. Hinata was sorely injured from the battle and, though she gamely tried to stay away for Iruka's sake, her eyes were half-lidded and her bruised, bloodied face pitiful to look at. Temari urged her to lay down - the bed they'd put Iruka on was more than big enough to share. While Hinata lay there, Temari sat by Iruka's side and was holding her fingers against the side of his throat. "His heart is beating too quickly. His color isn't healthy. I think, very soon, he will be dead."

Like an explosion, Severus burst and threw the pot in his hand across the room where it struck a wall and fell. "Why did it have to be a desert?" He rounded on Gaara with his fists at his sides and snarled, "Why did you have to live in a desert? There's not a single farm for miles!"

Gaara didn't so much as blink at Severus' outburst. "It's hard to farm in sand."

"Gee! Is it really?" Severus then went on to spew every foul word he could think of to insult not only Gaara, but also his village and pedigree. When he'd finished and was panting for breath, Severus realized that he was crying and hated himself for it. That awful, burning hate that had begun to ease was boiling again. Again, there was going to be a death and he was going to just sit around impotently. Someone innocent… no. Not innocent. Iruka was a killer and proud of it. He was proud that he taught children to kill. He was not innocent, but he was good. He was kind and gentle and he loved his children. He was good and he should be saved, but, once again, Severus was useless. "Why can't you have just one farm? All I need is one goat!"

Gaara cocked his head a little to one side. "You wish for a goat?"

"I think I was talking quite clearly."

"Is that your wish, then?"

Severus frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"You saved my brother. That one," he pointed to Lee. "Told me and he doesn't lie. You saved my sister and my village from a miserable end. And now, for a second time, you've saved my people."

Temari said, "We caught up with those people Hyuuga-san saw." She gave a respectful nod to Hinata. "A basic interrogation turned up that they were from a nearby village. No one you'd know, I'm sure. They would have benefited greatly from out destruction and what better way than to take advantage of the plague? The temporary camp where we put the children to keep them safe from the sickness was so vulnerable... such an easy target. When we returned home, we found where you'd left Orochimaru's lapdog." She sneered when she said it. "Kabuto was well-armed with explosive tags and a search found more placed around the village. I have no doubt he would have killed us all if you hadn't stopped him."

Gaara nodded. "I owe you much. If it's a goat you want, I'll find one."

Severus laughed. "Fine. Go get me a goat and we'll call it all even."

"Wish granted." Gaara turned abruptly and walked out of the kitchen.

There was nothing to do. Severus sat next to Iruka's bedside and stared at him. Iruka didn't wake, though Lee, weak and silent, did and came to sit next to Severus and Hinata, with her broken arm bound tightly to her chest, watched them from where she lay. In the doorway of the bedroom, Temari, with her formidable presence, stood like a stone guard. It seemed like hours passed before Hinata reached across Iruka's body and lightly tugged Severus' arm. It took him a moment to look at her.

"Severus," her voice was even softer than normal, as if she were afraid to disturb Iruka's sleep. "How long can you stay? With us, I mean."

"He can't," Lee answered for Severus. "He has to leave today."

Severus shook his head. "I'm not leaving. Not now."

"You have to. Not only for the sake of the mission, but for yourself. You have that hearing to attend, don't you? I gave my word that I'd get you back in time. We leave today."

"No." It was the calmest Severus had felt in a long time. There was no anger. None at all. "I'm going to stay."

"Your hearing…"

"Ma and pop are dead." Severus' chest tightened for a second, then eased. "There isn't a thing I can do that'll change that. Iruka's alive. Besides, you don't have to worry about your mission. No one will notice if I'm not at school for a day or so. No one will care." Mister Hagrid would care, Severus knew, and he'd worry. But if he knew the reason, Severus was sure he'd understand. He wouldn't want Severus to leave someone on their death-bed.

Lee was quiet for a moment. "But we don't know how to help Iruka-sensei. He could die any minute."

"How reliable is Gaara?"

"Very."

"Then we'll save him so long as Gaara is fast enough. The poison is slow acting. Kabuto could have chosen one that would have killed instantaneously. He was gloating at Iruka, obviously wanted him to suffer." Iruka's face grimaced in pain, even while sleeping. "This poison," Severus said. "Was chosen for cruelty. On the upside, it gives us time. Maybe hours or even days." Days of suffering… Severus shook his head and, looking for a distraction, turned to Hinata. "What's a bingo book? Iruka mentioned it, earlier."

Hinata answered, "I don't have mine with me - there never seemed to be much reason for me to carry it. It's a book with the names and most recent photograph of renegades. Each time one is found and killed, the killer gets to mark them off in their bingo book. It's rather like a bragging book."

"Why do you do that?"

"Do what?" Hinata asked.

"Put yourself down. You just said you don't carry one because you don't need it. You really don't think you have anything to brag about?" Severus shook his head. "You're amazing."

It seemed strange that such a simple statement would make Hinata freeze and turn red - it was true. She was brave enough to go on a dangerous missing across a terrible desert to a place where everyone was dying of a mysterious sickness. She was brave enough to stand against Kabuto the crackpot and she didn't even cry when her arm had been broken.

She was just about the most incredible person Severus had ever met.

Gaara was back, then, and motioned for Severus to follow him. Along with Lee, Severus followed the Kazekage. There, in the street just outside Gaara's home, were nearly two dozen goats. Big and small, some with horns and some without, adults and kids, and all different colors.

Gaara stood with his arms crossed, silently waiting.

"Where did they come from?" Severus asked. "You can't have a farm here."

"Nomads," Gaara answered. "They herd their animals close by at times. They were happy to trade these few of their herd in exchange for water. I found them a new underground spring." Gaara motioned at the goats. "These are payment for the lives of my villagers. Take your pick."

Iruka, much to everyone's relief, completely recovered almost instantly as soon as the bezoar, the cure to all poisons, was found and administered.

To be continued…