Author: G.A.M.M.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Time started around him again as he laid still above her, allowing her to calm down and allowing himself to soften inside her. He reached in one fluid motion and pulled the blankets and pillows back into the appropriate positions in the bed. Lifting her head, he positioned one of the pillows there, and then shifted so that he was lying beside her on the other pillow. His arms encircled her in a possessive embrace and she snuggled appreciatively into the warmth he offered. When she spoke it was through a haze of love and partially sated lust.

"It was my choice, koibito. If we have a child then it's the gods' will. Besides, we're being married in a few months and I doubt your uncle will raise a hair. Your not his heir." She rolled over and looked at him in the eye. "And I love you too. Come good or ill."

"Yeah….." Her dark haired lover replied distractedly.

She leaned forward and kissed him firmly on the lips, then withdrew and gave him a pout. "Something wrong, koi? If it's about my welfare, the shop will keep me busy and out of any dangerous ANBU work. Shikamaru already offered anyway, said that dealing with you was already a full time job and he'd be happy to pay me if only the council weren't so stingy."

The thin lips of his face revealed the gravest of smiles, but his eyes were unchanged. "Koishii… that troubles me too, but not this day. It is about my cousin I worry."

Tenten sighed. The afterglow was being sapped away by the serious conversation. "And her relationship with the only unmarried 2nd generation sannin, right?" She asked with mild irritation. "We've gone over this a dozen times in the last week. With time he'll come around and everything will be fine. You worry too much, my love. These things have a way of working themselves out."

Neji gave her one of his rare loving gazes. "Your heart is a joy to all who would have it, Ten-chan, but I fear not everyone is as compassionate as you. The council is getting anxious about the instability of one of their top Names. She is not yet out of the hospital and our leaders have decided on only allowing one month of physical reconditioning before she must be fit for duty. That is concerning in and of itself, but it is not their opinions that most disturb me. I am, for once, personally invested in seeing my cousin happy."

Tenten looked at him with a smile on her face. It was not often that Neji spoke at such length. His stoic and calm demeanor was what had attracted her, being the polar opposite of her bubbly self. Of course she was practical and professional at all times, but few could top a Hyuuga in polite reservation. In fact, it came so naturally for him to speak in telegraphic sentences, she often had to… encourage him to talk to her more. This was one of the few times she did not. Understanding this, she kept her silence and let more of his thoughts slide out.

"I understand better than perhaps anyone else. Being bred and born Hyuuga even more so than myself in some respects, my cousin has yet to experience the undivided attention and care of another. I think that her partner could fulfill this, but he made need some help."

The brunette kunoichi looked skeptical. "I understand why you respect him Neji, but that man is a far-cry from his old self. I'm not sure he can love another entirely. Perhaps in some aspects yes, but he is damaged, koibito."

"Naruto-san has changed, that is undeniable. No one is ever completely lost. I am living proof of that." He leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead, then leaned back and arched an eyebrow. "Can you imagine me sharing my bed with you without his intervention? I had thirteen years to accumulate my hatred and distrust. For Uzumaki-san, it has been but four years."

"Yes," Tenten agreed, "but remember that you were hurt when you were only a small child. You admit that you remember very little of your less-than-happy childhood. In the space of six months he lost his father, his mentor, and his mother."

"You are referring to Jiraiya-sama, Iruka-san, and Tsunade-sama, are you not?" He continued at her affirmative nod. "They were indeed terrible losses for him to suffer, but that he has continued to function is proof that their deaths did not destroy him completely. Hatake-san, Sasuke-san and Sakura-san, they are all precious to him. If for the last four years they alone were enough to sustain him, then surely there is a part of him still capable of caring deeply for others."

"Why is whenever we talk about something like this you always win?"

He smirked. "Because I choose to do more than simply agree to your whining as I normally do."

She elbowed him playfully in the ribs. "Careful, or I might just decide Lee-kun is more my type."

"I am doubtful he would accept your advances given your current association with me."

"He's like a brother and you know that."

"All the more reason for me to ignore such an idle threat." He propped himself against the headboard and rolled the kinks out of his neck. "And you have not succeeded in distracting me."

"Oh no?" She queried innocently, her eyes turning into big brown orbs. She rubbed herself sensuously against him. "That can be arranged."

Neji let out a brief laugh.

"I'm sure it can, but it can wait. Remember, I also owe Naruto a debt of gratitude that I have yet to repay."

"And what is that for, my love?"

"You." He replied smartly. "For all he's been through he deserves the same, and so does my cousin. Besides, you always insisted they looked good together."

"You're not half-bad yourself, lover."

Her eyes lit up with mischief and she kissed him deeply. After several minutes of intense tongue sparring they parted for breath.

"It would be wise if I speak with him," Neji managed between his heavy breathing, "He is expected to return sometime this afternoon from his latest mission, and the results from his psyche test are in. I think my guidance would be appreciated."

Tenten gave him a look that could not be described as anything other than shamelessly wanton.

"And I would appreciate if you guided yourself, lover." She said huskily, grabbing him in a very intimate manner and straddling him.

She gave him a coy look, one that would have looked more appropriate in a club than in bed with her fiancé. Then again, Neji always did have a thing for letting out his more playful side when they made love. Perhaps he was making up for how stuffily he acted outside of their private quarters.

"Perhaps we-" He began.

Any other words he might have spoken were cut off as she devoured his mouth yet again. When at last she did free him was no longer interested in words, though her screams would suffice. It was good for him anyway. He did himself harm when he got so worked up.

It was amazing what a little distraction could do to calm the nerves of Hyuuga Neji.

He stood in and endless field of pure white. It stretched on to the edge of his vision in every direction. Emptiness, profound emptiness consumed him. It was light, yet he was cold. He could see clearly, but he felt blinded by darkness. He walked for hours.

It was all the same.

"I was wondering when you would show up." A voice finally said.

He turned, but there was no one there.

"What?"

"We have expected you for some time now. Have you finally come to take responsibility?" The same speaker questioned tonelessly.

He frowned. It was so confusing.

"Am I dead?"

"Not yet."

"Then what am I doing here?" He asked impatiently.

"This," a form shimmered in front of him and gestured with an ethereal arm, "is the void. It represents what your life has been, is, and will be."

He snorted. "This is a dream, moron. Not a fucking Christmas Carol."

He heard a lazy sigh that sounded very familiar coming from behind him.

"So have you accepted your part in my death?" A ragged looking sharingan wielder queried without any interest in his voice. Then, as an afterthought: "Traitor."

Naruto backed away from the shadowy image of his former sensei. "What?"

"You let us die, baka." Jiraiya interrupted, sagely as always.

"If only you were stronger, we'd all still be here today." Tsunade added conversationally, blowing a stray strand of hair out of her face.

He found himself tied to the log again at the old training ground. Iruka sat with his back to a tree, several kunai and shuriken embedded in him.

"Remember this? Remember how I stood up for you? How could you let this happen to me?" He stared on at his former student and shrugged in resignation. "You must be a demon. Perhaps not. A demon would be stronger to protect his friends and his kin."

Naruto screamed in outrage. "But I tried! I sacrificed everything for you! All of you!"

He would have died for them. He continued to live for them. What more could they possibly want of him?

A chilling voice that seeped deep into his bones filled the air.

"Love....."

Naruto turned to see the long-dead figure of Pain-Nagato standing before him. His back was turned to the Kyuubi boy. In his hand he held a bloody metal rod.

"Breeds sacrifice...." The menace in his voice was overwhelming.

"Which breeds hatred...."

Images flashed before his eyes so quickly he could not comprehend them. Yet, he understood their meaning. Hatred of others, hatred for the world, and his own personal hatred he reserved for himself.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Naruto snarled savagely.

He rushed blindly, charging a rasengan in a single hand. Pain turned just in time to receive a hole through his chest. His hands clutched desperately at the fatal arm that now pierced his body. Naruto looked up to sneer in his face.

His revenge was complete... but revenge for what? Some repressed memory was pulsing in the depths of his mind. What it was he could not guess, but it was maddening.

The blood lust that had hazed of his mind vanished when he saw two silvered eyes staring at him serenely.

"Why, Naruto?" Hinata asked him as blood poured from her mouth. Her expression was calm and accepting. Tears streamed from here eyes, but not for herself. "Why?"

"Hina-"

She slumped forward and died. Naruto lunged to catch her, but no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't reach. As she fell, the ground suddenly opened up beneath them. Both plummeted into the gaping maw of a giant chasm. He hit the ground, but felt no pain. His partner's broken body was shadowed by a man sobbing over her. His nature was concealed by the dark tatters of weather worn robes that draped his muscular figure. All he could see were the eyes, a beguiling swirl of red and blue. They vaguely reminded him of the resengan.

"If only we had been faster... if only we hadn't been so blind." The man muttered darkly to himself. His gaze fixed on the stricken Kyuubi container. "This is all your fault!" He screamed abruptly. "You should have known she would never abandon us! Why must you destroy everything?!"

"But I-"

And then he was alone, swinging on a single plank of wood suspended by two thick ropes. He watched as everyone else in the academy graduated without him.

And he was alone.

Steel flashed in the moonlight and the sharp point of his master's kunai stopped but a millimeter from his pale skin.

Pure unadulterated hatred smoldered in the young ANBU's piercing blue eyes. For a moment Watari was sure Naruto would end his life. Slowly humanity began to return to his eyes. After several more seconds filled with tense silence, he was released.

"I told you not to wake me like that." The Kyuubi container growled.

"You were screaming in your sleep again." The rookie's eyes darted about nervously. "The enemy could've heard you."

Clouds eclipsed the glowing moon and the clearing was bathed in shadow.

Naruto slowly raised himself to his feet and made a gesture for silence.

He willed his senses to reach out and expand. Every whisper of wind or crack of branch rang in his eardrums. He closed his eyes and concentrated.

"Nothing." He said after a minute of tense and prolonged silence.

His partner was visibly relieved and returned to packing his things. Judging by the smell of the dampened woods it was about an hour before sunrise.

"Well, I'm up." Naruto said to no one in particular. "Might as well pack up and return Yamin's head to Shika early."

"Hokage-sama will be pleased?" Watari asked with a measure of anxiety.

"We got everything we needed to know out of him before he expired. I'm sure the shady bastard will get over it."

'But I'm not sure if I will.' He thought.

"So Omada was under Danzo's jurisdiction?"

"Apparently."

"And he was holding a reserve of Konaha's coffers in the case of emergency."

"It would appear so." Was his clipped response.

"Guess that's smart." The dull ANBU initiate continued. "Lord Danzo sure thinks ahead. I wonder how Konoha would have managed without him?"

'And this guy is older than me? What an idiot. No wonder the survival rate is so fucking low. How did he pass anyway?'

"I don't know." Naruto replied evenly to Watari's ignorant patriotism. "He got Konoha's debt under control in those first few years."

It was much easier to tell a lie when it was mostly the truth. Danzo had saved them from having to fold entirely. They were still under the red line, but in another year or so they were expected to start recovering. Right now the fall was just slowing down. Shikamaru and the bandaged sharingan wielder had worked tirelessly to keep the village afloat. Increasing the ANBU force and lowering its standards was part of that.

Suicide missions paid better.

"Yeah."

Fortunately for Watari he shut up after that. Naruto was conscious of the thin line he was walking with his sanity, and testing it was not something he liked to do. He was messed up to begin with. Hinata had made it worse, her near death had made that much worse, and now with the interrogation of the double-agent Yamin...

Naruto took a deep breath.

The man had supposedly worked for Omada personally. He hadn't confessed anything that would contradict the obvious, but Kakashi had taught Naruto during his ANBU training what it truly meant to look "underneath the underneath."

He had told Watari that he cut the man's tongue out so he would shut the hell up. His partner had been too frightened of his master to question his motives.

The seal on his tongue was all the evidence he needed. Only one man used that exact seal.

'And I know because Danzo couldn't put one on me.' He thought with some level of smug satisfaction. 'The Kyuubi's seal is long gone, but the after effect remains. Foreign chakra cannot be forced into my system indefinitely. But if Yamin was working for Danzo...'

That meant that Shikamaru knew. If Shikamaru knew, then he had just sent out his top rated ANBU to kill of one of Danzo's Ghost-ROOT; a division specific to those who were raised in the tutelage of the black ops. since they were old enough to walk. Void of all emotion, able to use their own death as a tool for their master. The Ghost-ROOT, like Sai, were the best.

This man was better.

The livid bruises on Naruto's face and chest were proof of that. The eight inch gash on his right tricep spoke to how close it had really been. Just a little higher and he would have hit a major artery and severed the tendon. How he had managed to cut his way through a rasengan was beyond him. Kakashi was right, as usual. Never underestimate an opponent... ever.

The pain had deteriorated to a dull throb by now, and it was already beginning to show signs of healing. Most of the Kyuubi's benefits were still in effect even after the full merge. His healing had always been good when he was younger. It had weakened a little since then, but this wound was closing faster than any he had ever remembered. And he was sure the punch to his face should have cracked his skull.

'Getting stronger still.' He thought dispassionately; with great focus: 'Getting into the classified archives of Konoha is difficult for even the best shinobi. The file Shikamaru gave me never mentioned any sighting, only that the records had been stolen. If Yamin stole them then no alarm would have been raised. Nobody questions ROOT.' His brows furrowed. 'So assuming Danzo ordered him to steal records and then give them to his man for safe keeping... Is he hiding something?'

That made no sense. Why would Danzo want to hide trade records? They weren't really valuable to anyone outside of Konoha, and the old warhawk was loyal, even if he was twisted.

'So is Shikamaru the one? That makes even less sense.'

He was missing a puzzle piece and it was maddening. He growled in frustration at his own lack of processing power. If he had been Sakura he probably would have had flow charts ready for presentation by now.

'I'll have to do some sneak work. First things first, find the date the info was put on record. I know when it was stolen.'

He took a step back and let doubt set in. Was he just looking too deeply into this? Was it just some trivial mixed up communication? Could it all be a coincidence?

Unconsciously, the blonde ANBU quickened the pace towards Konoha.

There was no such thing as coincidence. Not when you were in ANBU.

He was angry. Angrier than he could remember in a long time.

'How could he do this to me? How could they possibly take that away from me?'

A blunted practice kunai burst through the chest of another training dummy and embedded itself in the far wall.

They had put him on mandatory vacation for a month. There were currently twenty-nine and one half days remaining.

'Stupid fucking psyche tests! I should kill whoever came up with that shit! Who cares if I fill in a couple wrong circles?! Damn!!'

Naruto slumped to the ground in exhaustion. He had been at it since they released him from debriefing. That had been nearly four hours ago. Sakura, Shikamaru, Ino, and even Kakashi had been there. The four had worked together to force him to concede. They said that it was for his own good. At the same time, they had made it clear that he was expected to retrain his old partner during the allotted time.

"Your profile has gotten significantly worse since your last testing."

"It would be beneficial for you to take a break." Ino continued. "Even the most hardened shinobi can start cracking after enough blood runs through their hands."

"And," Kakashi added, "your performance was much better with Night Orchid."

Naruto eyes had already glazed over in fury. After half an hour of violent argument, he had finally resigned himself to quietly exuding killing intent.

"My success rate is still perfect."

"But your versatility has been crippled." The Nara leader eased himself back in his chair. "It seems anything other than a straight forward assassination or elimination mission is beyond your abilities. This last mission proved it. You were supposed to capture him, not bring me his head."

"You're out for blood Naruto." Kakashi looked straight at him. No book was involved in this meeting. "I've seen what happens to shinobi who go down that path. In the end it will be your blood that stains your gear."

"And it's my opinion that your the one best suited to help Night Orchid get back into shape. She's strong enough to do most things now, and will be released tomorrow morning. You are to be there to pick her up."

"Do I look like good teacher material to you?"

"No," Sakura admitted, "but you worked with her for an extended period of time. It's up to her to relearn any techniques. It's up to you to push her back up to par so she doesn't get killed in the field. You probably know her limits better than her father."

The 'and over my dead body will I expose her to the bastard who was responsible for her injuries.' Was left unsaid.

"You are dismissed from the ANBU for now, Dark Fox. You wont reclaim your call sign or Name until Sakura-san and Ino-san deem you and your partner fit for duty."

Automatically he opened his mouth to deliver his favorite telegraphic sentence of monosyllabic words. They had no effect.

"That will be all, Uzumaki-san." The word "Uzumaki" was stressed, making it clear that the Hokage had just made his word final.

That last target had been Shikamaru, or so Naruto had invisioned. The other "victims" already had numerous metal projectiles stuck in and through them.

"Venting?" A voice cold and smooth as stone asked impassively.

"Neji." Naruto acknowledged, standing to meet the Hyuuga's gaze. "You're here about your cousin?"

"Yes."

"Well spit it out then. I've been handed a lot of shit today. A little more isn't going to make much difference."

"Fortunately, I am not here to test that statement." He said dryly.

"Then why are you here, Neji?" Naruto went about gathering his kunai, paying as little attention to the jyuken master as possible.

"Because I owe you a great debt." He said calmly, taking a seat on a dusty bench, yet still looking regal somehow.

"Not this crap again." Naruto said just loud enough for the Hyuuga to hear. "Fine, let's here it."

"I was told that Hinata-sama intended to dispose of herself." He began gravely.

"Shoving a bunch of metal through your chest... it's difficult to justify it as anything else." The irreverent response was accompanied by a cracking sound as Naruto withdrew the kunai that had gone into the wall.

"Have you contemplated why she would do this?"

"Because she was tired of all of it. She gave up on her own life because she didn't have the guts to live it."

Neji cursed inwardly. This was going to be much harder than he had initially predicted.

"Simplified, but yes I think that is why." He picked his words carefully. "Have you never felt this way?"

Naruto deposited the last of the kunai into his holster, each making a dull tink-tink sound as they settled. He wiped his the dirt off of his hands and moved to sit by his comrade. Neji was only a little bit surprised to see him remove a small flask from his jacket pouch. The contents smelled of strong alcohol. The slight twitch of the probationary ANBU's face muscles confirmed what his nose had detected. Naruto didn't care to offer him some, though he did grace him with a challenging glare.

"Yes. All the time. And I'm still here. Duty comes before any one person. I bear any burden with pride, knowing that every ounce of pain I suffer is one more Konoha will be spared."

"You have the freedom to make your own choices." Neji countered, gazing at a bird taking wing from it's nest. "If you recall our match those many years ago, the Hyuuga are not so lucky. I used to believe that as a Cadet branch family member I suffered more than any other, and I accepted that. After your little..." His lips twitched as he searched for the word, " motivational speech, I examined my lot more closely. A branch member has many duties and responsibilities as a servant of the Main branch. However, we have little personal responsibility. I can choose what I do outside of my duties. I am sure you have heard of my relationship with Tenten?" He had to work to cover any embarrassment he experienced- he still wasn't comfortable about it being public information. At the same time, he needed to make his angle very clear.

"So what's your point?" Naruto cracked his knuckles. He was not feeling very patient this day.

"What my point is, is that Hinata-sama never had any hope of achieving what I have had outside of clan duties. She was born and bred for a single purpose: to continue the Main line. That she has known this fate the whole of her life has made it more difficult to accept. Her current self is an alter-ego she created to combat this helplessness."

Neji's words sparked the memory of the conclusion of their first mission. She had been so... cold then. An entirely different person.

I'm not weak like her

"That is no excuse. She should accept what is required of her and move on." Naruto said between tight lips.

"What if you were required to be... oh say street peddler, for the rest of your life?"

That person died because people refused to accept her for who she was

"I would obviously be very angry and try to change. But that's different from Hinata-san's problem."

"Not in principle."

In an attempt to change her life...

"Your just here to make sure I don't make her worse during this bullshit training thing I've been stuck with. I'm not even the best person to do it. I should be out doing missions, not busting some injured ANBU's ass back into shape."

Neji could have chuckled at how easily Naruto had trapped himself. "That is no excuse. You should accept what is required of you and move on." He quoted.

she sought to become a great shinobi-

"You-" Naruto stumbled on his words. "Alright, fine. Point won."

'That was easy.' Neji thought, dumbfounded. He would have been less surprised had the man stood up and shoved a kunai through his throat.

"Try to understand, Naruto. She is in every way as trapped as you, and worse. Why do you think she joined ANBU in the first place?"

the strongest kunoichi in the world...

"Not to kill herself." Naruto's words were slow and steady.

"Oh? Then why would she want to destroy the life her former self was powerless to overcome?" Neji asked.

She was excess baggage

"Because she forgot." He said simply.

"That?" Neji prompted.

A shinobi has no emotions

"That she was not powerless. Not even when she was a genin."

"You are speaking of when she fought me in the preliminaries." He stated. "That defiant streak she developed?"

In truth I don't think she's completely dead...

"Yeah." When he spoke it was as if he were someplace else entirely. "Her eyes... she said goodbye just before she did it."

"Her fight with Killer Bee? I thought you agreed she'd overcome her previous weakness?"

but I doubt she'll recover

"It wasn't a weakness. The ability to change and inspire others... is strength." His voice was bold and sure this time.

"Oh?" The sudden change had Neji wondering yet again what they young ANBU was thinking.

Naruto stood. The hatred in his eyes was overwhelming. The heat behind his words scorched the air.

"I once vowed on her blood to beat you."

"I remember."

"Back then I hated others telling people what they could expect out of life."

"Yes." There was a hint of uneasiness in Neji's reply, but he had a feeling this wasn't about him.

"Shikamaru reminded me of that today, and he's only forcing me into something for one month."

The Hyuuga stoked the flames. "And her life was predetermined before she was born."

"I vowed on her blood again that if she died..." He let out a long and shuddering breath. "Well it's something that I can't do. Besides, she made it clear that her current fate is worse than death- or at least she feels that way. I've never gone back on my word before, so that means I'll have to make sure someone else can..."

Silence.

"........"

"........"

Then: "I assume you have a plan?" Neji asked.

Naruto gazed boldly into his eyes. "Yes. I have a plan."

"Would you mind sharing it with me?"

"It's simple. I plan on making her strong enough to kill every last one of you white-eyed freaks, men, women and children, until she gets to the very last one that tries to control her, and then if he doesn't let her go, I'll kill him myself."