Hashirama's outburst caused an uproar throughout the Uchiha compound and just as the sentries were going to rush in to secure the area, Madara shifted his gaze from his still stunned lover to the entry way. The other Uchiha members blinked a few times in confusion when nothing seemed out of place aside from the Hokage's usual calming aura. The last thing the raven needed was others interfering with his affairs or even questioning the mental state of the village leader. Above all else the village needed to maintain a stable structure even if it was simply an illusion. Instantly he sent another glare in the direction of the guards who gulped in fear and immediately turned around and closed the door behind them. If nothing else it appeared as though Madara's facial features still had the strong ability to repeal anyone from his sight regardless of whose side they were on. A small sigh escaped his throat before he returned his glance at his nearly comatose partner. The stern expression melted away as Madara tried to lock eyes with Hashirama who was still trying to recover from the nightmare he experienced. Just having Madara near seemed to be enough to chase away the uncomfortable feelings reeling through the Senju's body. 'What on earth is the matter with him now? Hashirama has always been an emotional individual but this...'

Needless to say the recent events were troubling for both of them. Just the thought of Madara returning to a path of darkness was more than anything Hashirama could bare. At the same time Madara wanted nothing more than for Hashirama to be happy. All their lives both Hashirama and Madara have witnessed the hardships of war and everything associated with darkness. If they couldn't find peace together the two hoped that the other find a path leading to it eventually. Fortunately in the recent weeks the pair finally made progress on their dreams and changing the fate of the world. All Madara's thoughts on the matter were disrupted when he realized he was still half naked. A small sigh escaped his throat as he slowly moved to get some clothes but before he could get too far he felt Hashirama reach out and grab his arm. "Don't... go..." Madara blinked when he heard the still scared tone in Hashirama's voice. "Please stay... with me... Madara."

In that moment Madara wanted to shout and lecture him on the principles of reality but instead he let out a breath and turned his head to face Hashirama again. It went without saying that in that instant the once powerful Hashirama appeared to be nothing more than a wimpy teenager. "Move over I'll join you." Upon hearing conformation that Madara wasn't going anywhere Hashirama released his lover's arm and scooted over to the edge of the bed. Lightly Madara shook his head and climbed in to the center before laying down once again. Once he was comfortable he reached over and pulled Hashirama onto his bare chest and gently stroked his long locks. The longer the pair stayed in each other's embrace the more the calmness returned to their being. Hashirama's once quickened breath started to sync with Madara's and the raven's beating heart calmed the Senju's racing one. Madara leaned his head back against the headboard and closed his eyes finding the whole situation relaxing.

Even though the images Izuna shared with Hashirama were fading from his conscious mind those confusing thoughts still plagued him. "Madara... are you happy? I mean are you happy with how things are between us and the village?" Hashirama suddenly questioned thinking it would be better to confront the raven on the subject now than to let emotions fester and grow more destructive over time. Once again Madara was taken by surprise when Hashirama asked him about something that seemed rather obvious to everyone.

Carefully he repositioned Hashirama's head so he would be looking up at him before breaking a small smile. "Idiot, of course I am. What could possibly convince you otherwise?" There was no denying that the two were at odds nearly two weeks ago but the near death experience made Madara realize there was more to life than simply acquiring titles. A small frown appeared on Hashirama's face when he realized Madara turned the tables on him and was trying to get to the heart of what was on his mind. "That dream..." Hashirama muttered. Once again Madara felt annoyed that he would allow a dream to influence his thinking. Before he could open his mouth to rebut Hashirama, the Senju shook his head and continued after shaking off the hesitation that was preventing him from speaking his mind. "No, Madara... it wasn't just images cooked up by my imagination. I just...I just feel as though it is an omen."

Madara rose an eyebrow and blinked a few times feeling that Hashirama was being vague on purpose. "What made you come to that conclusion? Just what did you see?!" A defeated sigh escaped Hashirama's throat when he realized Madara wasn't going to just accept that and move on. If he truly wanted to get to the bottom of it he could use his ocular powers to get the answers Hashirama wouldn't utter on his own.

Finally Hashirama pulled himself upright and glanced over at Madara who was clearly getting slightly impatient to find out the truth. "Izuna... I saw Izuna in my dream. He warned me that the new powers you possess will drive you into darkness. I shudder to think that you'd destroy everything we've built with your own hands without any hesitation." As Hashirama recalled the scene of destruction a few tears started to swell up in his eyes which caused Madara to widen his own. "I'm just afraid that you'll find the pull of power more appealing than you find the love and friendship I have to offer you. I don't want to lose you! Not after what happened already! I DON'T WANT TO..." Before Hashirama could finish his statement Madara grabbed Hashirama and pulled him into a tight embrace. Madara didn't need to hear the words to verify the truth behind them. Knowing that alone was more than enough for the raven. "Shhh now. I promise... I won't leave your side."

Hashirama broke a smile and buried his face deeper into Madara's chest. "Ever?" A small chuckle escaped Madara's throat before nodding. "Never." While having more power was thrilling for Madara ultimately he wanted to keep his word to Izuna and protect the clan. Hearing the words directly from Madara's mouth put Hashirama in a better mood and ultimately chased away his anxieties.

"Madara-sama?" Suddenly came the voice of another Uchiha from the other side of the door. The Uchiha leader grumbled a little under his breath hoping whoever it was would give up and go away. After waiting a few moments the other again tried to get a response from the clan leader to the dismay of Madara. Even though Hashirama was disappointed that someone else got Madara's attention for a moment he was aware that his lover still had to deal with clan affairs. The elder shinobi just smiled and nodded giving Madara the ok to handle business elsewhere. As the other was just about to call for him a third time Madara turned his attention to the door and replied. "I heard you the first time. What is it?"

A small sweat drop slid down the Uchiha's face when he heard the slight annoyance in Madara's voice. He gulped before informing him that the clan meeting was just about to get underway and his presence was required. Ever since the Uchiha joined forces with the Senju to create the village, Madara grew to despise those meetings since most of the time no one listened to what he had to say. Regardless of his personal feelings it was his duty as clan leader to initiate the proceedings and to keep order between the individual members. "I'll be there shortly." After letting out another sigh Madara picked himself up off the bed and went into his closet to pull out his usual high necked jacket . He positioned a golden sash around his waist and flung his long black hair behind him before making his way to the door. "Speak of clan matters, shouldn't you be getting back to work? You don't think the village is going to run itself do you?"

Hashirama let out a small laugh before innocently rubbing his cheek. Even though he'd never say this but that lets get down to work attitude was exactly like Tobirama's. As much as those two hated one another they both knew how to get the free spirited Hashirama to get down to the task at hand. "Can't I just stay here for a while longer? You're bed is just so comfortable." Like a child he tried curling himself up within the blankets and looked rather content breathing in Madara's scent that lingered.

Madara's eye twitched in annoyance but internally he couldn't help but find the whole thing amusing. It never ceased to amaze him how Hashirama could wield such power but carry on like a child all at the same time. Of course someone had to be the adult in the room and unfortunately that task was left to the raven. "Get moving Senju, unless of course you'd rather me punish you all over again." While the statement made Hashirama think of some dirty things he could tell by Madara's aura that he was thinking something completely different. Being on the receiving end of the Uchiha's genjutsu or advanced ninjutsu for that matter was nothing he wanted to experience again. Needless to say he wasn't able to move properly in over a week when Madara was finished with him the last time. Hearing Hashirama get off the bed made Madara break another smile before he brushed aside the door and made his way to the clan's meeting place deep within the compound. While the meetings were typically routine Madara would soon discover that this one would be anything but.

Along the path to the clan's meeting place Madara wondered what topics would be up for discussion this time. During the last gathering tensions seemed to be on the rise about Madara's calls for defensive measures to protect the clan. Before the incident it became clear that the clan was considering ousting him from his current position and elect to have someone else lead them. While that may have been the case weeks ago, the simple fact they pulled together to get him a get well gift indicated perhaps they were willing to at least hear him out instead of simply burying the issue to live in denial. The raven stopped at the top of the stairs and stared at the shrine where the meetings were held. A concerned expression appeared on his features as he felt butterflies flutter in his chest. 'Pull yourself together!' He mentally shouted at himself. Madara took a deep breath before heading in to await the other clan members.

Immediately following Madara's entrance to the temple a familiar spiral formed in the middle of the court yard. Out of the void appeared the attacker everyone was searching for. "While the Senju is away the snake can play." The masked man shifted his attention back toward the path leading to the village and thought about his course of action. Feeding the seeds of Madara's own hatred was important before influence was spread throughout the entire clan. The last thing Tobi needed at this juncture was for someone to interfere with his strategy. In order to prevent that the masked shinobi pulled out several talismans and placed them in strategic points to erect a temporary barrier to keep the other clan members out until his private meeting with Madara could be concluded. With his preparations complete, Tobi turned on his heel and made his way into the meeting place.

Meanwhile Madara had lit the passage way to the gathering place and waited patiently for everyone to arrive. He stood against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes closed in an effort to center himself. Only moments later did Madara's ear twitch at the sound of footsteps echoing down the spiral staircase. Slowly he rose his head and opened his eyes to great the first to arrive on the scene. "Seems your injuries have healed up nicely. I'd expect nothing more from the legendary Uchiha Madara."

Instantly Madara reached down to his side to pull out a kunai and activated his sharingan recognizing the voice of individual as the one who attacked him several weeks ago. The steps grew louder and louder before the outline of his mask became visible in the flickering torch light. "You have a great deal of nerve showing up here. If you think you'll be able to finish what you started you are mistaken." Without any hesitation Madara flung the kunai straight for Tobi's right shoulder but had the same result as their previous fight. The weapon seemed to pass straight through him and buried itself in the wall behind him. An annoyed growl escaped Madara's throat as he glared down the masked man. "Who the HELL are you?!"

No matter the time or place people appeared to have the very same reaction when witnessing Tobi's powers. The cloaked figure shrugged off Madara's question and continued to glance at him through his mask unnerved by the situation. While Tobi was well aware that this Madara was at his prime it soon became obvious that he did not appear before the Uchiha leader to start a fight. "I'm no one, simply a being that sees the world as you do. I've come to speak to you about fate and present you with an opportunity to alter history itself."

Needless to say Madara wasn't particularly buying into the story the mysterious individual was spouting. A bit of laughter escaped his throat as he folded his arms and began to allow his chakra to swirl around him. "There's no need. Besides you are in no position to offer me anything of value. You shall not be leaving here with your life, one way or another. Now you'll understand the folly of your ways by not finishing me when you had the opportunity."

A sigh escaped Tobi's throat when he realized Madara was still Madara. Even when they first meet the elder Uchiha always wanted to throw his power around and manipulate things to work in his favor. Making Madara listen to what he had to say wouldn't be as simple as he first thought. "The clan is preoccupied at the moment." Outside the temple the rest of the clan found themselves unable to pass through the arch to get through the building. Madara glanced up upon hearing the shouts of his fellow clansmen as they attempted to break through and get to their leader's side. Another annoyed growl escaped Madara's throat as he formed a fist at his side. "If you so much as harm one hair on ANY of their heads I swear...!" Madara shouted. Threatening him directly was one thing but involving his clan in their struggle was something entirely different.

Tobi was please that he finally had Madara's full attention. He doubted that the Uchiha leader would make any false moves with the well being of his clansmen in the balance. Feeling his position has been fortified the masked man continued what he was saying. "For now it's just the two of us. Senju power or not I'm more than capable of countering your every move for I know you better than you think. Hear me out and then make your decision." Madara wasn't sure if the individual before him was just spouting nonsense but given the stakes he decided to play things cool. If the mysterious man really wanted to kill him, Madara was certain he would have made his move by now. The elder man took another deep breath and relaxed before again leaning up against the wall to listen to his story.

The win seemed to be in Tobi's favor for the moment but as he already knew, Madara would be Madara. At many moment he could decide to change his mind and go on the offensive again. Only by presenting a strong enough case would he achieve his goal. "Are you content with things as they are? The once feared Uchiha Madara living in the shadow of Senju Hashirama." Again Madara was taken aback by the question. Everyone around him seemed to believe that he was displeased with how things turned out. While there were elements about the current situation he'd like to see change the basic premise at the center of it all was just what he was looking for. Supporting his lover and being in a position to protect the clan was all that mattered. The silence between them gave Tobi conformation of this belief which caused him to let out a small breath. "This stagnation will leave you with nothing. History itself will simply forget about you. While the simple mention of your name will drive fear into the hearts of your fellow shinobi... the contributions you provided... the sacrifices you made will be forgotten."

For a long time now Madara had felt that the world would leave behind his legacy in the time of war. In the current age all clans were looking toward piece. Ultimately it made sense for the contributions of an individual out for nothing but war to be forgotten. The raven had seen that first hand with the legacy of his own father. No one talked about what he did in the past and he understood the day would come when that fate would fall to him as well. "As long as the village thrives, the clan carries on and Hashirama gets the happiness he deserves I could care less how the history books recall myself."

Knowing that those three things were Madara's driving force Tobi knew exactly where to head with his speech to push Madara into acting. To emphasis the seriousness of what he was talking about, Tobi changed the tone of his voice. "That's just the issue. NONE of that will be realized." A rather shocked expression appeared on Madara's face. Behind Tobi's mask a smirk appeared on his features. He had Madara exactly where he wanted him. "Thus is the reason for my attack on you. In order to change that you needed the power to prevent all the calamities that are ahead. Only you can weed out the cancer that will destroy the very dream you fought so long for."

Clearly Madara didn't want to be swayed by honeyed words but deep down he felt the other was speaking the truth. From the beginning Madara suspected that Tobirama would be the one reasonable for eliminating the Uchiha. Even though he once had feelings for his younger brother it was clear he didn't feel those same connections with anyone else. "You expect me to believe that Hashirama would allow for such a thing to happen?" Although the Senju and Uchiha were old enemies dating back as far as both clan's existed Madara knew that his partner wouldn't allow anything to happen to them. All shinobi who called Konoha home were a part of him and any attacks on them were personal.

Tobi was not surprised by Madara's reluctance to believe his claims. Aside from Madara there wasn't a single soul who could rival Hashirama in battle. It seemed unlikely that anyone would be able to topple him. Even though that fact was true, Tobi knew twisting the truth a little could continue to push Madara in the direction he wanted. "Senju Hashirama won't be alive to do anything about it." In that moment Madara felt as though a sharp object has pierced his heart. While he knew everyone had to die someday hearing it didn't make him feel any better. Before he could ask who was responsible Tobi continued on with his explanation. "That woman... Uzumaki Mito is responsible for his death. With her sealing jutsu she weakened Hashirama enough to leave him in a disadvantage in a battle against a rival village. In the end she..."

Before he could finish his statement he once again saw Madara's chakra swirl around him as his anger began to rise. Not only was he annoyed that his lover would lower his guard but to be tricked by a woman no less. He had welcomed her into his home and he didn't consider for a moment that she was out to destroy him. "Mito isn't the only threat Hashirama chooses to keep by his side. There is also his brother Tobirama. His influence will have lasting implications for the clan none of them positive. That animosity of his will cause a civil war which will wipe out the clan but also this village. With his own hands he'll continue where his father left off..."

"ENOUGH!" Madara shouted. No matter what it took, Madara wasn't going to allow any of that to happen. Regardless if it was true or not. Tobi couldn't be happier seeing Madara's reaction. He didn't know if the Uchiha leader would take what he said seriously but ultimately he didn't care as long as history was changed and Madara achieved what he wanted from the beginning. Before he could become victim to Madara's anger he started to teleport away. "Consider what I've said. Act how you will but remember inaction will only lead to destruction."

A heavy sigh escaped Madara's throat as he gazed out into the emptiness of the room. Nothing good has come out of the appearance of the mysterious individual and the more he thought about his words the more disturbed he became. Another serious expression appeared on his features as he made up his mind. "I will protect Hashirama no matter what it takes. Even if I have to become the devil himself I will assure his happiness."

To be continued...

A/N: Hey everyone. I'm finally back with a brand new chapter. Hope you all enjoyed it. Both Madara and Hashirama have received warnings about the future but can either do anything for the betterment of the other? Or will everything come crashing down around them? Only time will tell for sure. Don't forget to review. Till next time.