A/N: I wish I owned the characters, but I don't. *cries in a corner*
Chapter Eleven
"I will make this rather brief," said Shikamaru as he and Temari sat down in the floor down the hallway from Saya's playroom. The chuunin looked at Temari.
"Ino is divorcing me," said Shikamaru, "She found someone else."
"Who?" asked Temari.
"My best friend," chuckled Shikamaru, "Truth be told, I am rather happy for them. He has loved her for a long time, since we were children. I would rather see them together and being happy than Ino staying married to me and being unhappy. Don't get me wrong. I do love her, but she has been nothing more than like a sister to me."
Shikamaru took Temari's hand and squeezed it.
"Do you still want to marry me?" asked the chuunin, "Especially after all of this?"
Temari smiled and kissed Shikamaru on the cheek.
"Yes, I want to still marry you," replied Temari, "You are a troublesome fool, but yes, I will. Whenever will be fine by me."
"Hopefully in the next few months," Shikamaru replied, "Ino hasn't told her parents yet. My parents already figured it out before I left Konoha this time around."
"Your parents are good about things like that, especially your father," said Temari, "Remember the time I was pregnant, before you married Ino?"
"He was the only one, besides me, that didn't want me to marry her. I wish I would have stood up to my mother and done something about it."
Temari kissed Shikamaru once more.
"That is in the past, Shikamaru. You cannot do anything about it," said Temari, "It was bound to come to this sooner or later."
"Daddy! Mama! Where are you?"
Shikamaru and Temari looked up the corridor. Saya ran toward the shinobi, Naruto following behind her. Saya jumped onto Shikamaru's lap.
"Daddy! Come play with me!" smiled Saya.
"Sorry, Shikamaru," said Naruto, catching up with the little girl, "She insisted on seeing her daddy."
"That's alright," replied Shikamaru, hugging Saya, "She reminds me of her mother."
Shikamaru saw Temari blush a bright red out of the corner of his eye.
Shit, thought Sasuke.
He wasn't supposed to run into any of his old comrades. Now, here they were, waiting on Sasuke. The Uchiha proceeded up the walkway toward the Kazekage Mansion, Kankuro following closely behind him. In front of the doorway stood Gaara and Temari. Lee stood to the Kazekage's left, and Shikamaru stood to Temari's right. Naruto was nowhere to be found.
"Where is Naruto?" Sasuke asked bluntly.
"He is inside with Saya," replied Temari, "Don't worry. He is fine."
"Why are they here?" asked the Uchiha, pointing to Lee.
"We were sent out to find Naruto," Shikamaru answered, "You were an added bonus."
Sasuke glared at Shikamaru. The shadow user walked toward Sasuke, but was immediately stopped short by the tip of Sasuke's katana resting on his throat.
"Sasuke!"
The Uchiha's eyes shifted toward the source of the voice.
"Put it down, Sasuke!" shouted Naruto. Sasuke's katana remained at Shikamaru's throat.
"Sasuke! I said put it down!"
Slowly, Sasuke drew his katana away and placed it back into his holster. Naruto ran toward Sasuke, stopping mere inches in front of the Uchiha.
"We have been looking for the two of you for nearly six years and that is what we get?" asked Shikamaru, glaring at Sasuke. Naruto turned to Shikamaru.
"Who else is around besides you and Bushy Brows?" asked Naruto.
"Anko and Shino are still out," replied Shikamaru, "And I am expecting two other squads later. Kakashi- senpai and Sakura are on one of those squads."
Kakashi- sensei and Sakura? A Team Seven reunion in Sunagakure?
"When do you expect them to arrive?" asked Sasuke.
"Why? So you can run off, Uchiha?"asked Temari. Sasuke glared at the Sand kunoichi.
"Sasuke, stay here for at least a while longer," whispered Naruto, "I want to see Sakura- chan and Kakashi- sensei."
Sasuke fell quiet, looking over at Naruto. He knew it was important to the blonde to be reunited with Kakashi and Sakura after so many years away from them. He had always been closer to them than Sasuke had been.
"Fine," spat the Uchiha in a low, harsh voice, "but I am leaving afterwards and no one is going to stop me."
Without saying anything else, Sasuke glared at Shikamaru before he left.
"He hasn't changed," remarked Shikamaru, "If anything, I think he got worse."
Naruto looked down at his feet, not knowing how to respond to Shikamaru's comment.
He never acted like that around me when we were alone, thought the Jinchuuriki.
"We need to watch him carefully," said Shikamaru, "and make sure he doesn't leave the village."
Naruto quickly looked at the jounin.
"Isn't his word not good enough for you, Shikamaru?" asked Naruto, "He just said he would stay until the others arrive."
"Naruto! We can't trust him!" Shikamaru shouted, "He has connections with Orochimaru! For all we know, he could lead you to him!"
Naruto clinched his hands into fists.
"Sasuke wouldn't do that to me!" Naruto yelled, "Sasuke would never do that to me!"
The blonde then fled the gate, toward the main village. He had to find Sasuke. He needed to find him before someone else did. Naruto ran toward the most likely place he believed Sasuke would be, his sleeping quarters. It took Naruto nearly five minutes to get there.
"Sasuke!" yelled the blonde shinobi when he barged into the room. He looked around. There was no sign of Sasuke anywhere. Naruto then noticed the open window. He walked over and poked his head out, finding Sasuke sitting on the ledge, looking out over Sunagakure. Naruto climbed out of the window and sat down next to Sasuke.
"What are you doing here, idiot?" Sasuke asked, turning to Naruto.
"Are you really going to wait until Kakashi- sensei and Sakura- chan arrive or are you lying to me?"
Sasuke looked back over the skyline.
"Sasuke! Answer me, dammit!"
"I'll stay, Naruto," Sasuke replied, "I know how much seeing Kakashi and Sakura means to you."
The two shinobi fell quiet.
"Shikamaru said that we couldn't trust you because of your connection to the Snake Bastard."
"When did he say that?" asked the Uchiha, his eyes shifting toward Naruto.
"After you left," Naruto replied, "I defended you, but what he said left me worried. Can we trust you? Hell, can I trust you?"
"The last thing I want is for the Akatsuki to get a hold of you, Naruto," said Sasuke. The dark haired shinobi looked down at his hands, which were folded on top of his lap.
"Ask me when I first left if I would be able to betray the village, and I would have said yes in a heartbeat. After hearing about what you have done the last few years, especially after I nearly killed you at the Valley of the End, I could not think of ever betraying you of all people, Naruto," continued Sasuke, "You deserve that much from me at least."
Sasuke looked back at the blonde shinobi sitting next to me.
"Believe me that much, Naruto, okay? You would be the last person I would betray, despite what Nara thinks."
Sasuke took Naruto's hand and gently squeezed it. Naruto squeezed back and leaned in to kiss Sasuke. When they parted, Naruto spoke softly.
"I believe you, Sasuke."
"Any luck?" asked Kakashi. He, Iruka, Sakura, and Neji met in Iruka's room to discuss any information concerning their mission. Hinata had retired for the evening upon their return to the inn.
"We managed to get one elderly woman to speak to us," Neji replied, "She said that she is a former council elder."
"Former council elder?" Iruka asked. Neji nodded in reply.
"Her name is Tsubaki Minako. She said that Minako is her grandson and that she was a member of the council for the 30 years up to the decline of Whirlpool," Neji continued, "She stated that she remembered seeing a blonde hair shinobi from the Leaf in the area for several months with her grandson. Mentioned that the boy looked nearly identical to the Fourth Hokage. The woman also said that her grandson disappeared shortly after Naruto's departure from the area."
"Did she mention whether or not Minako had any connections to anyone else besides Kumogakure?" asked Kakashi.
"She said something about seeing two shinobi wearing black robes with red clouds on them. They spoke to Minako privately sometime after Naruto departed. He left sometime after speaking to them, according to the woman."
"Akatsuki," Kakashi said. Iruka nodded in response.
"Any defining characteristics for these shinobi, Neji?" Kakashi asked.
"She hid inside during the whole exchange between Minako and the Akatsuki. She did mention that one of them had blue skin and shark like characteristics and carried a large sword. The other had a Leaf protector, long black hair, and the most piercing red eyes she ever seen," Neji spoke, "She knew that he was an Uchiha because she remembered dealing with them around the time of the Fourth Hokage."
"Itachi," muttered Kakashi.
"Has to be, Kakashi," Iruka replied.
"Itachi Uchiha?" asked Sakura. Iruka pulled a small black book from his travel pack and began to leaf through it, stopping halfway through it. He handed the book to Sakura. The medic looked at the entry, then looked at Kakashi and Iruka.
"Itachi is Sasuke's older brother," Kakashi said, "He is considered an S-rank shinobi with a powerful form of the Sharingan. It is said that he is the one solely responsible for Uchiha massacre."
Sakura looked at Kakashi with wide eyes.
"This is the guy that Sasuke is after, isn't it, Kakashi?" Sakura asked. Kakashi nodded. Sakura fell silent, handing the black bingo book back to Iruka.
"We need to head out in the morning now that we have all the information that we need," said Kakashi, "Sunagakure is approximately a four days journey from here."
"Are you still going to Kumogakure, Kakashi?" Iruka asked. Kakashi nodded and replied.
"Kumogakure is about a day away from here. Sakura and me can make it there before nightfall most likely if we leave within an hour after sunrise. Jiraiya should still be there to update me on the situation with the Akatsuki."
Neji rose from his chair and spoke.
"I am retiring for the evening. I shall inform Hinata- sama on the situation."
The young Hyuuga bowed before leaving the room. Kakashi and Sakura stood up from their seats as well. After they said their good nights and left, Kakashi spoke.
"You can still go with the others to Sungakure if you wish, Sakura."
Sakura looked up at Kakashi.
"I am going with you, Kakashi," the pink haired medic replied, "I am not backing now so soon in this game."
Kakashi took Sakura's hand as they entered their room. When Kakashi shut the door behind them, he pulled down his mask and kissed Sakura.
"The Hokage will be angry with me if she found out you went to Kumogakure with me," said the gray haired jounin.
"Let her be angry then, Kakashi. I have waited too long for you to return the first time around," Sakura whispered, "I am not about to do it again the second time."
Sakura clutched Kakashi's hand tightly. The jounin leaned in and kissed Sakura once more, this time lingering longer than before. He felt Sakura let go of his hand and place her arms around his neck.
"I love you, Kakashi," Sakura breathed, "I want to spend the rest of my life with you."
"Sakura, you are still very young," replied Kakashi, "Why would you want to do that?"
"I just know. I can't really explain it."
Kakashi gently placed his arms around the medic's waist, pulling her closer to him. She knew the taboos involved. She was his former student. Yet, he couldn't deny that, somehow, it felt right being with her. Kakashi didn't want to lose the first person that cared about him so deeply in years.
"I know it is sudden and we have only been back together for a short period of time," whispered Kakashi, "The last few years were hell for me."
Too soon, really, though the Sharingan user, either of us could die tomorrow.
"Marry me, Sakura."
Sakura's eyes widened. Kakashi saw a string of tears running down the young woman's cheeks.
"Yes, I will, Kakashi," Sakura whispered, hugging the jounin tightly.
