.

10.

more than enough

.

"Karin, Jugo, Suigetsu. Do you know them?" His hand is still on the door, but when Sakura speaks, it drops. Shock, pure and simple, courses through him.

At her side, Naruto bounces. "Yeah, teme? Do you? We're supposed to find out and then tell baa-chan."

Because they're his interrogators now. Because his glares and short, clipped answers were too simple, to empty, and the hate in his eyes drove Tsunade crazy. They'll get more out of you, she'd said, sighing as she marked the record scroll.

And they did.

"Yes," says Sasuke, following them into the kitchen, trying to ignore the jerkiness of his movements, the shakiness of his breath. "I do. Why?"

"Well," Naruto says, flopping into a chair and putting his feet on the table, "they were caught by a Suna patrol, like, what was it, Sakura? Three days ago?"

"Two." Sakura sits and pulls out a scroll. "Yes. Two days ago a Suna patrol group intercepted a team of three nin - one female and two male. Upon capture and interrogation they revealed themselves as Karin, Jugo, and Suigetsu and claimed to be teammates of the missing - "

Wide-eyed, Sakura gapes at Sasuke. Naruto does too. Staring at the scroll snatched from Sakura's hands, Sasuke doesn't look at them. His eyes are skimming, fast and almost frantic, down the carefully transcribed figures. His fingers dimple the paper with the pressure they exert. Finally, he looks up.

"What will happen to them?"

It takes Sakura a moment to answer. "I... What?"

"My team," he slams the scroll to the table, points at the names. "What will happen to them?'

As he says team, Sakura flinches. "Well -"

"Will they be put to death?" 

"Bastard," Naruto is smiling, but it looks strained, pained, forced, "if anyone would be executed, it's you."

"They'll be rehabilitated, I think. Like you." Shakily, Sakura looks up at Sasuke, trying to look reassuring. "And that - Jugo? - they're going to send him down here later, because of his curse seal and - "

"And you'll help him." It isn't quite a question, but there is a lilt to his voice that tells Sakura he needs to be assured.

"Yes."

"And don't wor - well, Gaara will be good to them, Sasuke. He'll be fair."

Sasuke nods, looks at the paper spread before him, and moves to sit. Carefully picking up her pen, Sakura swallows. "Teammates?"

"Yes. Former members of both Hawk and Snake."

He waits until Sakura's hand has stopped moving. When their eyes meet she slowly sets down the pen.

"Is that all you needed to know?"

"Yep," says Naruto, grin back with gusto. "That's all. But what's up with this Snake and Hawk, eh?"


As Sasuke starts his tale, cautiously at first, but then with more enthusiasm, more detail, he watches the other two and wonders if he should feel more guilty. But he doesn't feel anything other than creeping relief. Naruto's bright, bright smile flashes and wavers, shifts and shines to match Sakura's bright, bright eyes, that are so eager and full and wondering and Sasuke thinks about his other team; about glasses and scared monsters and blue hair and - and he thinks that he's ok with this... that he's ok with Team Hawk disintegrating into nothing, letting this chapter of his life close and end. They aren't paying too heavily for his mistake: They'll be able to live their lives perhaps better than before.

And maybe -- maybe -- he's just-as-close-as-he-can-get -to-glad that Sakura is laughing at him, slowly but truly, and Naruto is smiling a smile that he remembers from so long ago and that it doesn't feel anything like loss, this moment.

It feels like the exact opposite.

--

note: I don't like this chapter. I liked the original, but this isn't it. Wanna know why?

My computer crashed. I've already thrown my fit on lj, so suffice it to say that FBNF suffered greatly as a result. I'll apologize in advance: Things will be moving a bit slower, probably, and a whole lot jerkier.

(I'm sorry!)

Now, concerning the actual chapter: Recognizing that Team Hawk/Snake meant something to Sasuke is important, I feel. It makes him a - for lack of a better word - nicer person. But I don't think he's bonded to them quite so strongly as Team Seven. So I mentioned them and then knocked them out of the picture.

'Cause that's how I roll.