Kakashi's face is completely blank, and Sasuke can't tell what he's thinking.

Sasuke knew there was something wrong when he actually showed up on time in a puff of white smoke. He told them he had something important to say and Sakura said that they should probably wait for Naruto to show up. Even if he is stronger than Sasuke expected him to be, he thought privately, it would be completely like him to forget to set his alarm. But then the look in Kakashi's one visible eye changed and he said…he said…

"What?" Sakura gasps beside him, bringing both hands up to cover her mouth. Sasuke feels cold, cold, cold, and then, "What are you talking about?" he asks, frowning. This has to be some stupid joke, he thinks. Of Naruto's maybe. But why would Naruto pretend to be Kakashi and tell them…

"Is he okay?" Sakura asks quickly, "Is he in the hospital? What happened?"

"I couldn't tell you even if I wanted to," their teacher says stoically, "I wasn't told the reason. It's classified."

"But what happened to him?" Sakura says, looking close to tears.

"There's nothing more I can do," Kakashi says, his voice cold.

"So that's it then," Sasuke says, partly not able to come to terms with the fact that this isn't some twisted dream.

"Yes," Kakashi says with hesitation, "It might take a while for a new teammate to be assigned, so we'll be a man short for while. That's all for today."

"Wai-" Sakura cries, but Kakashi is already gone.

"He's absolutely gone!" Sakura tells him the next time they're waiting for Kakashi for their mission to start, "I checked everywhere! No one has seen him! His apartment is completely emptied out and there's a 'For Rent' sign in the window! I checked the hospital, the ramen shop that he always hung out at, I asked Iruka-sensei and he didn't know either. He told me he had made an official inquiry, and they docked his pay for a month!"

"What?" The rest he knew, but this surprises Sasuke, "Really?"

"I even went to see Sandaime-sama, but the guards at the door wouldn't let me in!"

"Kakashi has been eating plain rice lately for lunch," Sasuke remembers, "You think the same thing happened to him?"

Sakura brings her fists up to her eyes and for a second Sasuke thinks she's going to cry. He hopes she doesn't. He hates crying women.

"I…I asked a lot of people about him. You know, if they'd seen him. Iruka-sensei and the owner of the ramen shop where the only people who had anything nice to say about him. You should have seen their faces when I asked them! Even my own mother! Maybe it's because I used to always complain about him, but do you know what she said? She said 'Good riddance.' I knew a lot of other people didn't like him, but I thought that was because he was annoying. But they really…they really hated him."

"This doesn't make any sense!" Sasuke says in a rare moment of anger and slams his fist against the railing of the bridge.

Sakura looks at him in shock, but then turns away to stare down at the water, "I…" she whispers, "I don't understand. What's going on? What happened to Naruto?"

Sasuke has no answer.

Kakashi refuses to answer any of their questions, and eventually they are forced to give up. Weeks go by and Sasuke notices that dark rings are a regular occurrence under Sakura's eyes and that she looks thinner.

"Do you even care?" she asks him after a mission, shaking with emotion, "Sure he was stupid sometimes, but he was still our teammate! Can you really pretend that nothing's wrong?"

"I'm thinking," Sasuke tells her, "I've been thinking for weeks, but nothing's coming. Nothing makes any sense."

Maybe Sasuke has been losing sleep as well. Maybe.

To his horror, Sakura bursts into tears, "Sasuke-kun," she sobs, voice muffled by her hands, "I think it's my fault! It's what I told him the day we got back! I said I never wanted to see him again and now he's gone!"

"Don't be stupid," Sasuke tells her and hopes she doesn't except him to comfort her, because that's definitely not going to happen, "The idiot wouldn't have left just because of that. All those people wouldn't have covered it up and…"

But Sakura doesn't listen to his logic and just keeps crying and crying.

They get a new teammate after that. Sasuke vaguely remembers her from the academy, but Sakura is the one who really knows her. Her name is Ami and she and Sakura absolutely despise each other. From some of their arguments Sasuke learns that they had a history at the academy, and he has to hope he and Naruto weren't as bad as they are.

She also claims to be 'in love' with him, though Sasuke is pretty sure it's just to make Sakura angry. And it certainly works. It's pissing him off too, though, and he swears that if she pinches his ass one more time, he's going to break her nose, girl or no girl.

A few months go by and then suddenly they're told that they will participate in the Chuunin Exams that are coming up. It is the first time that Sasuke will do anything that he considers worthwhile towards his goal and it excites him to think of all the strong opponents he will be able to fight. Ami is annoyed by it, considering it a pain, while Sakura is apprehensive.

There is a slight hitch which involves him getting implanted with the mark of some crazy psychopath and then waking up to Sakura with shorter hair, Ami with a broken leg, and whole bunch of other people, but they do end up getting to the last round. Ami immediately drops out of her one-on-one match, and Sakura gets creamed by her Grass opponent. No one other than Rock Lee who injured his spine, is really hurt badly. Sasuke wins his first match, though is in the hospital on the account of the curse seal, but soon gets better and goes off to train with Kakashi. It is an awkward affair, as Sasuke has still not totally forgiven him, but it works. But then while Sasuke is fighting Hyuuga Neji in the second round-whom he was disappointed to find as the only vaguely strong fighter- war breaks out and it all goes to hell.

Years later, Orochimaru walks in on his training with a book in hand that has a symbol on it that Sasuke recognizes as Konoha's.

"Sasuke-kun," he says in that voice that Sasuke hates, but will never admit it, "Were you really teammates with Uzumaki Naruto while you were still in Konoha?"

Sasuke lowers his kunai and frowns. He has not heard Naruto's name spoken for what seems like a lifetime, "Yes," he replies, "but he disappeared a few months after our team was formed."

"Interesting," Orochimaru mutters and makes a note in his book.

Sasuke opens his mouth to demand what Orochimaru knows about Naruto, but then closes it and lifts up his kunai again.

He has learned that it's best not to speak to the man unless he absolutely has to. It's easier that way.

Chapter Fourteen-

"We have no time for formalities…" a well dressed older woman says. She and a man about the same age step forward. Sakura tenses at the sight of them, but Sasuke has no idea who they are. The woman looks like a daimyo, going by her hairstyle. But why would a daimyo be chosen to represent Konoha?

"Koharu-sama, Homura-sama" Sakura says, but there is contempt in her voice, "How…pleasant to see you again."

"…so I'm not going to mince my words, " she continues if Sakura had never spoken, "We want you back."

Naruto starts next to him and Sasuke himself frowns. Sakura, however, does not seem particularly surprised.

"Why?" she asks calmly, "I do remember cutting down a considerable amount of your forces and murdering your Hokage…but that might just be me."

The woman narrows her eyes and opens her mouth angrily, but she is cut off by the old man in glasses, whom Sasuke assumes is Homura.

"Danzou would've faced the death penalty if his actions had been discovered," he says sternly, "In a sense, you just saved us the dirty work."

Sasuke raises an eyebrow at this and Naruto lets out a derisive snort. All eyes turn to him and Sasuke sees Kakashi tense up.

"Have something to say, jinchuuriki?" the woman, Koharu, says maliciously and Sasuke does not like her tone.

"Oh, nothing," Naruto says casually, rubbing at the corner of his mouth, "I just find it funny how corrupt this entire affair is."

While Sasuke agrees with him, he can't help feel that Naruto's comment isn't helping their so-called diplomatic relations. Indeed, the ten or so backup shinobi are not pleased and grab at their shuriken holders.

"Watch your tongue, boy!" the man with the glasses snarls.

"Oh, so suddenly I'm 'boy' now," Naruto says aggressively, "What happened to 'jinchuuriki?'"

"Why you littl-"

"Stop it," Sasuke says, giving Naruto a dark look.

"That does bring up an interesting point," Sakura says in an amused voice that Sasuke has learned means trouble. Dammit, first Naruto and now her? He can't deal with both of them at the same time.

"What about your treaty?" she asks coolly, "Aren't you breaking it by not attempting to kill Uzumaki Naruto on the spot?"

"At the moment, we're overlooking it," Koharu replies slyly.

"Just like my killing Danzou," Sakura mutters under her breath so that only he and Naruto can hear her, "I wonder what else you're overlooking."

"Konoha has deteriorated greatly over the last few years and to make matters worse, our reputation has suffered a severe blow as information on Danzou's activities leaked. I'll be frank with you;" Koharu says, "we need you both as a fighter and as a sign that Konoha is not a dictatorship supported by extortion and torture."

"But that's what you are," Sasuke thinks dispassionately, "Just like old Sound."

"That's pathetic," Sakura says scornfully, "Have you no honor at all?"

Homura laughs, "You're naïve," he says, "This has nothing to do with honor. This has to do with the survival of our nation."

The disgusted look on Sakura's face does not change and the two speakers glance at each other hopelessly.

"I take it that your answer is no, then," Koharu says slowly.

Sakura hesitates. She seems to be looking over at the group of ten back up shinobi. Sasuke recognizes Aburame Shino and Rock Lee among them, but sees no reason why this should distract her.

"I suppose if I were to return," she says lightly, "Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto would still be considered traitors…?"

The Koharu and Homura hesitate and turn back to the people behind them, whispering to each other.

"What are you doing?" Sasuke asks, turning to her, but keeping one eye on the lookout.

"Testing them," she mutters.

"What are you gonna do if they say-" Naruto starts.

"No," Koharu says and there is a self-righteous ring to her voice, "We cannot meet your demands."

"Then my answer is also no," Sakura replies.

There is a chilling silence that fills the valley and Sasuke slowly moved his right hand to the hilt of his sword.

"So what now?" Naruto asks, gripping his left bicep where he keeps a hidden blade, "You gonna try and kill us?"

"As much as we would like the three of you dead," the old man says, "I'm afraid we don't have the force to do it right here and now."

Naruto smirks, and Sasuke can't help but feel flattered as well.

"Truce, then," Sakura persists, "You don't bother us and we don't bother you."

"That would be breaking our treaty," Koharu says.

"It's already fucking broken," the pink haired woman says harshly.

There is a pause, and Sakura stares them down. Everyone else seems to look from one to the other, wondering who will give first.

"Fine," Homura say bitterly, "I suppose we don't have the time to waste on you anyway."

"I'm glad we can agree," Sakura replies, smiling sweetly and Koharu winces.

Homura nods at one of the shinobi on his right and the shinobi raises her hand above her head.

"Move out!" she calls.

Sakura turns immediately and starts back, which personally Sasuke doesn't think is a good idea just yet. However, it appears that the Konoha ninja are really leaving and he and Naruto follow Sakura into a clump of trees.

"Wait! Sakura-san!"

Naruto turns around sharply to see a man about his age starting towards them. There is nothing particularly special about his looks except for maybe his overlarge eyebrows. He stiffens, but suddenly Sakura-chan is beside him again and puts a steadying hand on her shoulder.

"You shouldn't be here, Lee," she says to the man softly.

While the Council members are already gone, what are probably the man's teammates are waiting for him with obvious frowns on their faces. Naruto can feel the tension mounting and glances nervously between the Sakura-chan and the guy. Who is this guy? Why's he talking to her? Is this some sort of trap-

"You're okay, then?" the mans says worriedly, coming closer and Naruto begins to relax. Okay, maybe he's not that bad…

Sakura-chan hesitates and the smiles softly. A real smile this time.

"Yeah…"

Then, without warning, he throws his arms around her and kisses her right there, in front of all of them. Naruto stares and has to cover his mouth to stifle his laughter. He doesn't even know why it's funny. Out of the corner of his eye he sees Sasuke blanch.

"Yes, Sasuke," he thinks in amusement, "It's a man and a woman kissing. It's actually quite common."

Because Sasuke looks like he's going to have an aneurysm any second, Naruto takes pity on him. He grabs Sasuke's arm and drags him further into the trees.

"Man, I think I cracked a rib," Naruto laughs, leaning against a tree once they are far enough away, "I am so making fun of her for this!"

"I don't see how it's particularly funny," Sasuke says, looking at him disdainfully.

Sasuke, being an insensitive bastard, probably meant that he thought girl-guy kissing was gross, but it's his comment that leads Naruto to realize that it isn't really funny. Regardless of his looks, the guy back there is Sakura's fiancé, someone she could probably never be together with because of the decisions made today.

Naruto lets out a sigh and rubs his eyes tiredly.

"What's up with you?" Sasuke asks, looking over at him suspiciously.

Naruto puts on his best smile, "Nuh-thing! Don't get your panties in a twist, bastard."

Sasuke does not take the bait, but continues to look at him in obvious irritation. He doesn't like it when Naruto pretends to be happy. Naruto supposes that it's some sort of paranoid defense mechanism that makes him think that he's purposefully lying to him. It's not true. Naruto's not trying to trick anyone. He just…just likes being happy. Because even though he's been through so much shit, he's still better off than all of the other jinchuuriki. He can't just break down when they're still standing tall. The past is the past, he's learned, and there's nothing he can do about that except get over it. Two of his fingers are gone, but so what? He can still laugh and smile. He can still make dumb jokes and make perverted comments. And he can still-

"Took you long enough," Sasuke comments as Sakura-chan finally reemerges.

"Where are we going next?" Naruto asks quickly, before Sakura-chan can say anything back.

"We'd better get out of here for a while," Sasuke says, "Earth?"

Naruto makes a face, "Er…that might not be a good idea…" he says lamely.

They both turn to look at him.

"Well, I stole on of their summoning scrolls, right? So they know what I look like more than that crappy photo in the Bingo Book."

"We could go further into Lightening," Sakura-chan suggests, "They do have that famous medical library there."

"That's in the Hidden Village though," Naruto says, remembering a conversation with Yugito, "It's be really dangerous if we went there."

She shrugs her shoulders in an "I don't care" sort of gesture, which Naruto doesn't take as a good sign.

We need to get an updated version of the Bingo Book anyway," Sasuke says, "it'd be good to go where people don't know us."

"Why do we need an updated version?" Naruto asks as they make their way down winding dirt path through the forest.

"The past few years a lot of the countries have gotten and more and more effective at tracking the Akatsuki," Sasuke says without emotion, "They've kept it really quiet though, so it was only when I got the Bingo Book I have now, which is more than three years old, I found that three Akatsuki members had been killed.

"'Three?'" Naruto repeats in disbelief. He had never heard of anything like that, "Who?"

"Hidan, Sasori, and Kakuzu," Sakura-chan interrupts. She looks surprised at his shock, "I thought you knew."

"We assumed that Hidan was dead," Naruto frowns, "He hadn't shown up in years, but I didn't know about Sasori and Kakuzu."

"Hidan was killed four years ago by Rock nin," she states, "And Sasori and Kakuzu were killed by a bunch of Leaf nin. Kakashi, and Team Ten were among them."

"Team Ten? Were they…" Naruto wracks his brain, trying to remember that day seven and a half years ago when his class at the Academy where assigned teams, "Was that that Hinata girl?"

"No, it was Ino, Shikamaru, and Chouji. They were only Chuunin too," Sakura says looking off into the distance in a way that Naruto thinks is probably nostalgic, "Tsuna-the Hokage was really mad."

"Why?"

"A few days before, Sasori and Kakuzu had killed their teacher and two others. They were well liked among shinobi and Team Ten and a bunch of others went for revenge. I was on a mission at the time," she continues, "But I saw the bodies. Five of our-Five Leaf nin died bringing them down. It was a mess."

"So there's six-five left then?" He asks, remembering the Akatsuki member named Zetsu with a wince.

"Don't forget they're might be replacements now," Sakura-chan warns, but Naruto ignores her cynicism. Only a few more and they-he and all the surviving jinchuuriki-will be free.

It takes them about a day to reach the outskirts of the Village Hidden in the Cloud. Sakura-chan sneaks into the village despite Naruto's protests to get a new Bingo Book and check out the library. She also mutters about having to refill something, which at the time Naruto assumes is some sort of medicine.

So he's stuck in a small and dirty hotel room with the bastard. Who's been annoying for the past week, but now is even more annoying. Naruto guesses it has something to do with talking about the Akatsuki and knows he probably should feel sorry, but just feels pissed off.

"You just gonna sit there?" Naruto asks, glancing over at Sasuke who has been lying on one of the beds with his hands behind his neck staring at the ceiling for a better part of an hour.

"Yes," Sasuke replies, not sparing him even the slightest glance.

Naruto immediately scowls. Life is just not fair. Of all people he has to crush on why him? When Naruto thinks of a girl/boyfriend, he imagines someone nice with a sense of humor. Sasuke possesses neither of these traits. All he really has going for him is his looks. And call him what you like, but Naruto's not shallow. Maybe he's just a masochist. That would explain a lot actually. He's pretty sure he only started liking Sakura-chan after she made it quite clear that she liked the asshole.

Well, whatever. All Naruto knows for sure is that he really wants to sleep with Sasuke right now. He also sorta wants Sasuke to fuck him like last time even though it was kinda painful at first. At first anyway. But last time Sasuke got all stupid and moralistic on him and doesn't know if he wants to deal with that again. There were also no condoms, which sucked.

Hmmm…decisions, decisions. ..

Naruto rises from his seat and goes to sit on the foot of the bed, "Oi, fuckhead," he starts elbowing his leg, "You alive?"

"What do you want?" Sasuke asks, giving him a look that makes babies and small children cry. Naruto likes to think he's impervious to it. Instead of scaring the crap out of him, it turns him on…that's sorta the same thing.

"It isn't obvious?" Naruto asks, smirking and giving him a once over, "You really should get a shirt that actually closes, you know."

"Then it'd rip every time I transformed." Sasuke says matter-of-factly, sitting up.

Without warning his hand reaches for him, fists his collar and slams him against the wall. Naruto's first instinct is to slit his throat, but this is Sasuke after all, and decides to channel his energy to something more worthwhile. Like ridding the other man of that butt ugly belt and running his hands down his hips even as he groans in pain from the impact.

"So," Naruto says conversationally, sliding his thumbs in-between the cloth of Sasuke's pants and his bare skin, "that was easy. I should have done this days ago."

"Shut up," Sasuke says gruffly, tightening his grip and Naruto knows he must be a masochist because if he wasn't there's no way he'd enjoy this so much, "We were on a stakeout, stupid. And you kept smoking."

"It's not going to kill you," Naruto protests, "You should try it. You'd look really hot."

Sasuke scoffs and uses his teeth on the zipper of his jacket. Naruto moans shamelessly and thrusts his pelvis forward.

"So you gonna fuck me or what?" Naruto groans, grappling with Sasuke's stupid shirt. It should not be this hard to take off a shirt, no matter how dumb it looks.

Sasuke pauses in removing his orange pants. Naruto senses that he's going to move away and wraps his arms around his neck and kisses him hard. He pushes against him, kneading his palm down the muscles in his back. Sasuke makes a snarling noise and slams him against the wall again, practically ripping the fly of his pants open.

"See?" Naruto says triumphantly, licking his swollen lips, "That was fun."

"You're an idiot," Sasuke says angrily, "Don't you see I shouldn't have done that!"

"No," Naruto says stubbornly, "Not at all. Now do it again before I kick your ass."

Sasuke states at him with wide eyes for a few seconds and then scowls.

"Fuck you," he says.

"Yes, that's exactly what I -mmmff!"

Naruto closes his eyes and pulls the other man closer, finally succeeding in rendering him shirtless. He digs his nails his nails into Sasuke's neck, careful not to get anywhere near the curse seal. Sasuke doesn't like being touched there, though Naruto isn't sure if it's because it physically hurts or it's just a reminder of things he really doesn't want to think about.

On whim, he twists sideways onto the mattress, taking Sasuke with him. His head his the pillow, and he smirks up at Sasuke who's looking rather dazed.

"What kind of ninja are you?" he snickers, kissing Sasuke's nose, which he knows he hates. He brings up both hands and thread them through Sasuke's hair and nips at his neck.

"Aren't you supposed to be ready for anything?" he breaths into the dark-haired man's ear, enjoying how Sasuke stiffens up.

He responds by cuffing Naruto roughly in the cheek. Sasuke grasps both of his wrists in one hand and pins them up above his head.

"You were saying?" Sasuke says casually as Naruto growls and tries to break free. He tries to buckle him off, but Sasuke immobilizes him by sitting on his hip, smirking down at him. He slides his palm across his bare stomach and then lower. Naruto groans, buckling his hips futilely in want of more friction.

"Fuck, I…hate you!" he moans, as Sasuke uses his teeth to pull up his shirt. The image does wonders for him, but the way Sasuke's nails bite into his wrist is still hotter.

Naruto would be the first to admit that this is probably not healthy, but at the moment he can't bring himself to care.

At this point, Sasuke's tongue is way more interesting.

After seven hours, five of which were spent in the library, Sakura leaves the village stealthily. The updated Bingo Book is under her arm along with a few books and her small yellow bottle, full of newly acquired diluted acid.

She makes her way back to the hotel and reenters their room to find Naruto, only in his boxers, eating ramen with half healed (which in Naruto's cause means he just got them) looking bruises just about everywhere. Sasuke is asleep under a bunch of blankets, but Sakura can bet he's not wearing any clothes. Oh well, she sighs, at least the smell of ramen masks the smell of…other stuff.

"Hey, Sakura-chan," Naruto says, in an obscenely good mood, "You get what you needed?"

"Yes," she replies, "I'm going to take a shower now. When I get back, both of you will be dressed."

"But, Sakura-chan-"

"No buts," she says sternly and reminds herself of her mother. No, don't think of that, she tells herself, just don't.

"Oh, fine," Naruto says through a mouthful of noodles, "But it's not my fault if the bastard kills you."

Sakura gives him a quick smiles and grabs a pile of fresh clothes. She locks herself in the tiny bathroom and leans over the sink.

She misses him. So. Goddamn. Much.

They probably did it on purpose, she thinks, to try and weaken her, to try and bend her to their will. It didn't work, but it's filled her with doubts and regrets. Is this vendetta worth it anymore? Is anything worth leaving behind the person she loves the most. Tsunade-sama's killer is dead, so why did she say no?

But then she thinks of Tsunade-sama and the way that she looked the last time Sakura saw her alive, and then after in the morgue.

Tsunade-sama wouldn't want this, she knows. She would want her to let go of the anger and the despair and the hatred. The grief. But she can't. Not yet.

She's such a fool.

Sometimes she wishes she could leave her emotions behind, like a snake sheds its skin. But she can't so she grabs at the little yellow bottle with shaking hands.

It's easier this way.

That night when they eat dinner they hear a rumor about whole towns mysteriously disappearing up north and it reminds Sakura of the village in the Water Country that was supposedly diseased, but that Sasuke had said had been burned to ash.

Her gut feeling is that there is a connection and Sasuke doesn't disagree. He probably doesn't think that it's that important, only a diversion until it is safe for them to cross the Fire Country again and maybe he's right. But…

They find three villages all burnt to nothingness. Sasuke confirms that they are all exactly the same as the one in the Water Country with a small frown on his face.

"What is this?" Naruto asks, looking around in disgust, "There's nothing left! This isn't the work of bandits."

"Did they really burn everything?" Sasuke asks dubiously, "The heat required to reduce a human body to ash is…It seems wasteful."

"You think they were trying to cover something up?" Naruto asks, crouching down to inspect the ash, "Wait, I think I found a bone!"

Sakura spins around and takes it the small thing, inspecting it closely.

"It is human?" Sasuke asks, looking over her shoulder.

"Yes," she says, sighing, "Part of a child's finger, I should think."

Naruto stiffens up and looks down at the ground in horror.

"We should continue north, that's the way they seem to be going."

Sasuke nods and goes on ahead.

"Naruto?" Sakura asks hesitantly, as he hasn't moved, "Are you alright?"

He looks up at her in surprise.

"Oh," he says, rubbing the back of his neck as if embarrassed, "Yeah. I'm…fine."

"Alright, then," she says slowly and they leave.

They must be faster than the culprits because they catch up with them in less than a day. They find another devastated small town, except it hasn't bee burned yet. There are mutilated dead bodies everywhere and Sakura covers her nose at the stench.

"They've been dead for a few hours," Sasuke mutters.

There is a scream somewhere off in the distance and Naruto pushes in front of her and rushes ahead.

"Naruto!" she yells, hurling after him, "Don't-"

But it is too late and Naruto freezes ahead of her, eyes wide open. There is another scream. She rounds the corner to see a group of ragged looking men and women crouched around the mutilated form of a child. They look like a group of beggars, but they haven't stolen anything. The houses have hardly been touched. There is an inhuman look in their eyes as they turn to look at her and it sends shivers down her spine.

"What -?" she gasps, staring down at the dying eyes of their victim, a boy of about ten years. They've cut off both of his legs and right arm. His left eyeball is hanging out, barely connected by the nerves.

They don't speak and watch her intently and then rise, but not all the way. There is a strangeness to the way they walk and one of them kicks the child as he passes. The boy makes a whimpering sound, but he's lost too much blood; he's almost dead. They all turn and snicker at the noise and a few more poke and prod at him. Sakura draws her wakizashi, but-

What-

She turns her head to the side very slowly-

-is-

-to the right where Naruto is.

-this?

But it's not Naruto. At least, not anymore. His skin has turned a dark red, fangs have sprouted where teeth used to be, and claws instead of teeth. There are four fox tails as well and for a second everything seems frozen. She her mouth hangs open in shock-never did she expect something like this-and then time is back to normal and she is thrown backwards into a building by the pure power emanating from him.

"NARUTO!" she screams as blood pours down the back of her head, but he doesn't listen to her and leaps towards the motley group with fangs bared. They are not afraid as she is, but run towards him, eyes full of bloodlust. The look does not even disappear when Naruto rips them apart.

He goes for the child next and that's when she knows he's fully gone. But before he can get there, a dark blur jumps in-between him and the boy.

"What the hell?" Sasuke hisses, holding off the claws with his chakra encased sword.

But Naruto's too strong and he grabs the boy and jumps out of the way before they're crushed.

He lands a few feet in front of her, "Take him," he says, handing her the boy and ripping off her cloak. He lets his shirt fall to his waist and Sakura watches as his body turns a dark grey and eerie wings sprout out of his back. He's mentioned this form once or twice, but Sakura's never actually se-

The boy chokes blood onto her lap and she strokes back his brown hair and wipes away his tears. He stares up at her with wide eyes, gasping for breath

"Shhh…" she whispers, kissing him on the forehead, "It's going to be okay, it'll be okay, it'll be okay. Sleep now, alright? Just sleep…"

She holds his small body to hers as his heart beat recedes and his skin grows cold. With tears in her eyes she watches Sasuke cuts a deep slit in Naruto's abdomen. It heals immediately and Naruto-no-the monster seems to grow bigger. She sees Sasuke's Sharingan whirl with the light of battle and readies herself for an explosion.

But the monster falls and then shrinks back into a blood covered Naruto. It's the last thing she sees before she keels over, the dead child's body still in her arms.

A/N: Emo-ness, I know. I just have to much fun with it all. And Kyuubi!Naruto hasn't appeared yet in this story, so I had to add him in somehow.

Err…yeah, the wait…I was sorta procrastinating on another story (for a month…or two) and got sidetracked by work and…yeah…

Also, TPWB more than a year old now! Yay!

Okay, my brain is dead, and I can't think of anything else to say, so just review…Please?