I own nothing Naruto

All was dark, black, empty, silent. Stark awoke to the sound of water dripping and pipes leaking steam. Looking around he knew that this was not real, but he stood up, seeing only darkness beneath him. Before him he found a gate, sealed shut. And between the bars of the colossal gate, were two glowing red eyes, burning with the most intense feeling of hatred.

Stark growled, "Where are we Kubi?" He said, not showing a bit of fear in his voice, the fox was silent only letting slip a malicious growl of its own, which made the very steel of the gate groan. He paused.

"What do you want mortal? Why did even begin to think you could overpower a thing such as me? What sort of fool are you?"

"Shut it! As a person, my decision was a foolish one..." He paused, the fox grinning, its teeth all still sharp and gleaming, "But I am not a normal person, I am a shinobi, one of the best of my kind. And I knew it was my duty to make sure you never saw the light of day again. So I took it upon myself." He smirked, spitting towards the fox, "Haven't been much of a bother so far." He said, mocking the demon fox, within a split second of that remark, a massive claw shot through the slits in the gate grabbing him, and bringing him face to face with the bars, crushing him roaring in his face.

Stark awoke startled in the middle of the night, looking around, his body dripping with sweat. He saw Yo drifting in and out of sleep with her pestle and mortar in hand, he panted crawling over to the stream and rolling into it, his body felt like it was on fire, and his torso felt like his had been crushed. He lay in the stream shaken for some time, slowly recomposing himself.

Yo woke up fully now, hearing a splash and sat up quickly. Stark was gone. She could see him, over in the stream lying there. She watched him for a while, letting him calm down. Yo grabbed one of the blankets and water bottle walking over to the stream and knelt down, touching his shoulder lightly, "Come on" she smiled reassuringly at him. She offered him the Bottle and blanket, "Lets go sit down."

"I'm fine. Thank you." He said taking the water bottle and drinking it down in a few gulps. He walked slowly with her back to the fire and sat down onto the ground, his body felt strange weak, his head still hurt.

Yo sat down on the ground and pulled Stark backwards laying his head in her lap, "You are not fine." she brushed the hair out of his face, "Please let me help?"

Stark frowned as he looked up at her, "I'm sorry." He said taking a deep breath, then finally exhaling, "Fine. You can help..." He said frowning as he closed his eyes slightly defeated.

Yo kissed his forehead softly holding his head, infusing small amount of chakra to supplement his energy, "Would you like to explain now? Or sleep first? I'll do whatever I can."

"The day Naruto died, I couldn't let the Kubi escape..." He said softly his eyes still closed, "I had to seal him away, I used myself. I absorbed the fox into my own body, you know they say it's impossible for a normal Nin to do that." He smiled softly his eyes still closed squinting in pain, he opened them slowly, his once dark brown eyes were now red and slit, "I need to put a proper seal on us so he doesn't get out...My power has been constantly drained into holding the weak seal as it is." That was the lie, he didn't have a seal, he was holding the fox back himself, that's why he was so drained, he lay there now breathing softly, his eyes closed once more, "It hurts, Yo."

Yo bent down and hugged him, "Shh Stark. Just lay here Okay?" her chest hurt but she was glad he had finally told her. Yo gently laid his head on the ground and got a cloth cool in the stream putting it on his forehead giving him some of medicine she had just made earlier. She could hardly see anything. The fire had gone out and the moon was hidden behind the thick trees. Then she began writing on a paper, "You know I have to a least try to seal it right?" she bit her lip.

"But the power, I could have if I just controlled it..." He said softly, "I know you have to thought." He said softly laying there.

Yo kissed him lightly, "I thought I told you to relax. I know you would like the power. With what I can do, you will probably still have some unfortunately. I'll do a Kuji-in." she placed the paper on shoulder. "Just try and sleep. I'll be here the entire time and here when you wake up." She smiled and touched his forehead sending the soothing warmth of her chakra into his body, releasing the tension in his muscles once again. She sat next to him mumbling something softly, "Rin, Pyō, Tō, Sha, Kai, Jin, Retsu, Zai, Zen." she exhaled repeating it. "Ko" the paper glowed brightly in the dark cool night, fusing downwards into his skin, all of her Chakra going into the seal penetrating as deep as it could.

Stark was sent back into the boiler room, to face the gate, in his head he could hear Yo: he smiled. He felt safer, seeing the seal on the gate grow stronger he walked forward towards it, "Kubi, you hear that? She is going to seal you within me, for good. We are going to be spending a lot more time together in the future." He smirked, having found new courage.

"Don't be too sure Sarutobi, Your grandfather and father have both died giving their life's to save something they deemed worthy, they were fools just as you are now. You may have some power, only so that you may live, and know you will need me." It spoke before slowly fading away behind the gate.

Stark smiled but it was a bitter happiness, as he slowly felt himself sinking back into the darkness. He awoke once more, on Yo's lap.

Yo had her forehead resting on Stark's, still holding his head, she breathed softly, shallow, barely conscious. Some how Yo still managed to send small amounts of Chakra to flow over his body from where her hands rested on the sides of his head, even after using all her chakra on the seal and staying awake while he fought with the Kubi, the mist quietly stealing chakra from anything it could. She didn't notice him wake up.

Stark smiled softly, his body didn't feel as weak anymore, softly he tapped Yo's knee, "Yo."

Yo jumped slightly sitting up quickly and laughed, almost crying, "Good morning sleepy." she smiled softly "How are you feeling?" she asked weakly.