Stand By Me

Chapter 25 – When It Rains

And when it rains, on this side of town it touches, everything.

Just say it again and mean it,

We don't miss a thing you made yourself a bed at the bottom of the blackest hole.

And convinced yourself that it's not the reason your don't see the sun anymore

"He wants to come here, to see you."

Sakura told Itachi, because she honestly couldn't hold off on it any longer. The sun was blazing in the Void and it seemed hotter than normal, and even if he hid his emotions well, she could tell he was just a bit annoyed.

Itachi closed his eyes. He'd expected this, from the moment he'd seen Sasuke enter the Void with Sakura for that brief moment. He'd known this would come. Yes, he'd been shocked to see Sasuke, but mostly the shock was from the change in his little brother. Sasuke looked much older than he did when Itachi last saw him. In the eyes yes. But also physically, it amazed Itachi at how quickly Sasuke was growing up. It stirred a sadness inside of him, that he wouldn't be able to see it.

"It could kill you. You barely survived this time."

"He's so adamant…I just don't know how to convince him that I can't…."

"I can't give him the answers he seeks."

Sakura turned to face the older Uchiha. "What answers exactly?"

Itachi shook his head. "Sasuke will never be satisfied. He craves the entire truth. I cannot give it to him."

"Then…who can?" Sakura asked softly.

"It's not about who can, but who Sasuke believes can."

x-x-x-x-x-

Naruto and Hinata raced through the woods and snow behind Bee. Naruto watched her move out of the corner of his eye. The way her hair flew forward and then back as she landed and jumped on each branch. The determined look of her feminine features. The slight purse of her lips. Her clenched, pale fists.

Naruto let out a breath and focused in front of him. Hinata's mission had been completed, she'd delivered him to Killer Bee, but why hadn't she returned to the battlefield? Not that he would've let her go alone, it was far too dangerous now, but any shinobi would've gone by now. He knew that Hinata had stayed because she cared about him, and yeah he cared about her too – of course he did. They grew up together. But – then again, so did he and Sakura…and yet, the things he felt when he looked at Hinata were a complete opposite from when he looked at Sakura. Sure, there was care and a strong protective urge...but with Hinata. It was different. Where he'd always sort of known he was in love with Sakura, the feelings for Hinata came as a bit of a shock. Where Sakura had always been a flurry of passion, Hinata was a silent blaze, one that had crept up on him so suddenly and had seemed to warm him so quickly.

After she'd confessed how she felt, during the fight with Pain…he could honestly say he never had a clue. Somehow, Naruto had always thought that Sakura would either eventually return his feelings or not. There was no Plan B. He'd just never seen anything else, except of course, death. Hinata, though, had opened an entire new world to him. One where this war would be over, one where he could possibly love her more than anything. One where he would have fulfilled his promise to Sakura, and Sasuke would be home. Team 7 would meet up for Ramen at least once a day (where he would have to take a break from his Hokage duties) and eventually, Sasuke would see Sakura and they would get married. He would marry Hinata. He could see that. Even Kakashi would get married, and the cycle would start again. A cycle where their kids would grow up with parents. Where no one has to be alone. That was a future Naruto dreamt of.

"Naruto-kun? What is it?"

"Huh?"

"You've been…staring." Hinata said, her cheeks flushed and a small, shy smile on her face.

Naruto gave a slight cough that seemed to turn into a nervous laugh. When he managed to look away, Bee was looking back giving him a thumbs up and mentioning to Hinata's chest.

Naruto began to choke on his own spit, his face beet red.

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata called, putting a hand on his forearm. Yeah. That didn't help.

x-x-x-x-x-

Sakura woke with a slight groan at the sun shining on her still-tingling forehead. Her training was only in three days and she was exhausted, to the bone tired, but she had learnt a lot and in her heart she knew she was getting stronger.

This was her last day of training. Tomorrow she would rest and the day after that they would set out. Itachi's words stayed with her, even now though and training took a back-seat in her mind. Sasuke was still not content. She'd know that but she had hoped that some progress had been made. Sakura dragged a hand over her face. She would not feel like a failure. She was not 13 anymore, Sakura was doing anything and everything she could to make him happy – or at least peaceful-. If that wasn't good enough then maybe Itachi had chosen the wrong girl for this. She couldn't help feeling that Sasuke only wanted to use her now, to get to what was really important. Sakura let out a heavy breath and scolded herself for allowing the situation to get to her.

"Oh good. You're up." Tsunade said. "Let's get started."

Sakura got to her feet and attempted to hide just how tired she was, but of course her mentor saw right through it. "Would you rather stop, Sakura?" Tsunade teased with a mocking smile as she cracked her knuckles.

Sakura gave a huff and smiled. "Nope. Im good, Shishou. I can definitely do this."

Tsunade nodded. "Alright. Give it you're all and don't hold back."

"But…Tsunade-sama…I-"

"Or, we can discuss the topic of a pregnancy scan, since im fairly certain you and the Uchiha brat have been having unsafe sex." Tsunade held her hands, mentioning as scales so Sakura weighed both options.

Sakura blanched at the idea, her face a deep red. She groaned as she rushed at Tsunade swinging a punch that Tsunade dodged easily.

"Im disappointed Sakura! Come on!"

x-x-x-x-

Ino's hair was matted to her forehead with sweat and her lungs were on fire but there was no way she could stop. There was no time for rest, not even to cut off all her hair in her frustration. Her feet throbbed with every step and it felt like her destination wasn't getting any closer, but she needed to hurry, she needed to go faster. Because the battle she'd seen wasn't something she could easily believe…it seemed like Kumo was…losing, but that was impossible. Ino squeezed her eyes shut. She needed to believe in them, in Kumo, in Naruto, Kankuro, Hinata and...Kiba. If she didn't believe then there was no hope. And they couldn't survive without hope. Ino pushed herself faster. If only she could summon something! Anything useful! Then she could notify Tsunade about the situation, but there was nothing more she could do and she was about to be even less helpful.

Three Shadow appeared very suddenly, blocking the path forward. Ino skidded to a halt and clenched her jaw.

"You're in an awful hurry," one said, cocking his head to the side.,

"Yeah, don't you know about the speed limit?" the one in the middle teased.

Ino went through all of her techniques and assessed her chakra. None of the possible scenarios ended well.

"Where are you from?" the last one asked, his voice hard. "Kumo?"

Ino just stared at him. She could feel her heart slowing down and her mind clicking into action. What would Shika do? Think, Ino, think!

But she couldn't, she just wasn't him. She'd always knew she didn't have his tactical and analytical abilities, hell, not many did, but for now that didn't matter. What mattered was her survival. What she needed was to minimize her enemies down to at least two using the least amount of chakra. She made a quick mental list of all the possible abilities she could use, but all of them would expose her as a Konoha kunoichi, considering the nature of her abilities – its origin wasn't difficult to figure out, and should she die in this battle it would be discovered that some of Konoha's shinobi escaped. She couldn't allow that to happen. There was one jutsu that her father had been teaching her before the war, but it would suck up too much of her chakra. Enough to delay her trip to the camp, but what other choice did she have? If she didn't use it, she wouldn't even be making it back at all.

"I asked you a question, kunoichi. I suggest you answer me. I might just go easy on you."

Ino took a deep breath and then she pushed everything, her survival, her entire future, on a whim. "SHINRAN ENBU NO JUTSU!" she yelled, focusing all of her energy on the enemy. Their bodies seemed to go rigid as they all reached for their weapons. Two of them yelled protests as the began to attack each other. The third stood still, his masked face still staring at Ino, kunai in hand. Ino pushed more charka out at him, but in a second, she knew. Something was wrong. He came forward in a slow, stalking, predatory way.

"You're from Konoha." He chuckled. "The Yamanaka Clan, if im not mistaken."

Ino took a step back. What the hell was going on? How could he divert a jutsu of that level?! She felt herself tense when he stopped, just a few feet away. Through his mask, she could see it. His eyes. She'd never seen it, but she was sure – this was the Rinnegan.

Ino went cold all over.

"Im a very luck man, Yamanaka, to have come across you. Do you know what I do? I enjoy making traitorous girls like you scream."

It was then that Ino made the conscious decision to run. Every fiber in her body was gravitating away from this man, but she couldn't move. She was caught in his stare, inside his Rinnegan, and even when he came forward and began to tie her wrists together she still couldn't regain control of her body. She was caught in the Rinnegan's spell. He pulled around her writs so tightly that the blood rushed freely down her hands. Ino gave a little whimper that turned into a yelp as he shoved her to knees.

"Now, im going to ask you a few questions, and you're going to answer me. If you do I'll end it quickly. Deal?"

Ino said nothing, she tried to send chakra through her system as he spoke, but it had no effect. Behind them, the two Shadow had finally killed each other, crumpling in lifeless heap.

"Are you a Konoha kunoichi?"

"No, im a samurai from-" her words were cut shot by his senbon, pressed right between her eyes.

"Are you a Konoha kunoichi." He said again.

"Im a samurai." She answered, her voice a little shaky.

With a flick of his wrist, the senbon shot into her head. Ino screamed, her voice echoing through the woods.

x-x-x-x-

"This is it, Hinata."

Hinata nodded reluctantly, her mission was to deliver Naruto to Killer Bee so they could start their Bijuu training. She'd done more than was necessary, what was asked of her, but she was reluctant to leave.

"I'll create a Kage Bunshin to take you back to the village," Naruto assured her, but he felt the dread her face was showing.

"Hinata," he began, not really sure what to say or how to assure her. "We can do this. I can defeat him. This time for sure. It's a promise."

Hinata's eyes widened and then she gave him a small smile. "I believe in you, Naruto-kun."

He grinned and after a moment, created his bunshin.

"Lets go, Hinata." It said and after one last look at Naruto, she turned to follow his clone.

"Uh - - Hinata!"

She turned back to Naruto quicker than she would've liked.

"Uh," he began awkwardly. "Would you like, I mean, when all this is over, would you like to meet me at Ichiraku sometime."

"M-Meet you at I-Ichiraku?" she asked, a slow blush creeping up her cheeks.

Naruto rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, you know for ramen…dinner…if you like to."

Hinata just stared at him, her heart was beating so fast she could hardly speak, let alone breathe. She was having trouble staying on her feet.

"I mean, its ok if you don't wanna, I just meant-"

"No! I…I'd love to." She whispered.

"What? I cant hear you?" he said, a frown on his face as he came closer.

"I-I'd love to, N-Naruto-kun." She said, holding her arms out so he wouldn't come any closer or she just might faint.

"Oh!" he laughed, "Well that's good then." He nodded, unsure of what to say next. Behind her, his clone was making smoochy-faces at him and Naruto glared daggers before his eyes found Hinata again. He wouldn't kiss her, not yet anyway. He'd never been kissed, or kissed anyone (NO, THAT DOESN'T COUNT). Plus, Hinata just might pass out on him. So Naruto grabbed her outstretched arms and pulled her into him, his arms went all around her small frame. Hinata squeaked and stuttered his name. "It's a promised. Believe in me." Everything was dead silent for a few seconds, he could feel the heat in his face when he let her go and looked down at her.

The words 'wait for me' seemed romantic in his head, but no way he was gonna quote Icha Icha. It was way too soon for that. Not that he even read Icha Icha…

"Can we get moving already?" the clone complained and Naruto coughed. "See you soon. Ichiraku, don't forget."

Hinata shook her head. "I wont."

Naruto watched her leave, before he sighed, his heart light in his chest and went to join Bee.

x-x-x-x-

The sun was setting in the distance when Kiba stopped. "Someone should have been here by now, Ino would've…." He cut off, his fists clenching tightly at his sides.

"You don't think…" Kankuro gave a string of curses. "We cant leave, Hinata-san isn't back yet."

"Fuck it, I'm going!" Kiba growled.

"Kiba you-" Kankuro began but Kiba shook his head. "Don't let anything happen to Hinata." The moment he finished speaking, Akamaru was at his side, leaning down so Kiba could get on him and then they were running, following Ino's scent in the air.

The scent of the ocean muffled the smell, but for Kiba, everything about Ino was permanently etched into his senses. He could smell the faintest traces of her, lingering in the night air. They would probably only reach her within a few hours. If she wasn't moving, but his gut told him a horrible story. One he tried to ignore, but as a shinobi the possibility stayed with him as he and Akamaru raced over the ocean. It nagged at him, how he'd ignored her once she'd discovered his feelings. Even if what she did was inexcusable, she'd made it quite clear that she was willing to be with him, and if his stupid pride just hadn't gotten in the way…

Kiba clenched his jaw. "Faster, Akamaru!" he growled and Akamaru barked back at him, clearly his annoyed way of telling Kiba that he was going as fast as he could.

"Im sorry, buddy. Its just…Ino…" Akamaru gave a small whine. They had to find Ino. They just had to.

x-x-x-x-

Sakura lay half-asleep. Fully aware of the figure hovering over her, and for a while she was able to ignore it, but honestly, how long was he planning to just stand there?! Sakura pursed her lips. "Can I help you?"

"You're awake. We need to talk." He said matter of factly.

"I was actually sleeping, Sasuke."

"Yes, past tense, Sakura." He actually sounded impatient.

Sakura sat up and gave him a dead glare. "Just what the hell is it?"

Sasuke stared at the wall behind her, his face its normal emotionless mask. "Be honest. Is it possible for me to see Itachi."

"I don't know. I almost died last time…and I honestly cant think of another way. I don't know if you'd want to try that again, but-"

"Don't be a fool, Sakura." He said, his voice tense as he shook his head. He didn't sound disappointed in her, and a part of her was furious that she felt relief at that.

"It doesn't matter. I can find what im looking for on my own. Don't worry about it."

"But, Sasuke!" she wasn't sure what she could say but Itachi's words came to her and she had to say something.

"Sasuke will never be satisfied. He craves the entire truth. I cannot give it to him."

"Then…who can?" Sakura asked softly.

"It's not about who can, but who Sasuke believes can."

Sasuke's eyes snapped to her, his gaze sharp…and he words, protests died in her knotting stomach.

Sakura crawled back under the covers. "Nothing, never mind. We should get some sleep. Our team leaves in the morning."

Sakura could feel his eyes on her for the longest time, before he stood up and entered the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. Sakura covered her mouth, squeezing her eyes shut. Who could possibly give him any information, who would know that much? Obito and possibly Madara. But no, she would never entertain that thought. The thought of another betrayal, and then there was Orochimaru. She hadn't forgotten the day he'd taken Sasuke off into the woods. Where they'd spoken alone. She wasn't sure which one was worse, but surely they all had information that Sasuke would find useful. Sakura turned onto her back, staring at the ceiling, each scenario in her head more worse than the one before it. Sometime later, Sasuke emerged. From the corner of her eye she could see he was naked, but she couldn't look, her body was rigid and her throat tight, but the temptation was there. Sasuke pulled on some pants and crawled in next to her, his thigh pressed against hers. She could feel his heat seeping into her skin. They lay side by side in silence, they air heavy, both having something to say but neither having the will too. Soon, Sasuke's breathing became even and Sakura turned to him and crawled herself into his side, and after a brief, uncertain hesitation, Sasuke put his arm around her and pulled her closer.

x-x-x-x-

"Where are the other shinobi?" he asked, his voice calm but laced with an undercurrent of excitement.

"Probably hiding out at your mom's house." Ino said in a hoarse voice. The blood on her cheeks had dried some time ago, but she was realistic. Her wounds were serious. They were bleeding out at an agonizing pace.

His punch resulted in a dull crack in her cheek. "Im marring your pretty face, aren't you going to scream?" he teased.

Ino gave a satisfied laugh. He said he loved the screams, and no matter how difficult it was, she'd managed to keep quiet.

"Have you been hiding out in Kumo?" he snapped, positioning his kunai over her chest. He ditched the senbon some time ago, and had been using other weapons, shuriken, kunai, wire, the list had become so long she'd stopped keeping track.

"Samurai don't involve themselves in shinobi affairs." She told him seriously, closing her eyes and letting her tears fall. The Shadow growled and drew back the kunai, Ino mentally screamed at her limbs to move. The kunai entered her chest, crushing through her breast bone. Ino lost all of her senses in that moment. The first thing she heard was her strangled gasp, then the blinding pain and suddenly – a rush of chakra awakening every part of her. Behind her back, she wiggled her fingers….and they moved! Her entire chest was numb and she couldn't breathe, it didn't seem like a good sign but that didn't matter. Ino fell back, on purpose, onto her back and at the same time she reached for her pouch, extracting a kunai and slashing at her bounds. The tip on the kunai cut into her skin but managed to cut through the wire. "Get the fuck up," he snapped impatiently, grabbing her shoulders and hoisting her up. Ino waited until he was completely bent over, when his guard was the most down and then she staggered forward with all of her strength. Drilling her kunai through his ribs, and hopefully into his heart. He yelled something she didn't hear and then she shoved her back, his blood splattering over her as she fell, her back hitting the tree in her descent.

"GATSUUGA!" Ino knew somewhere in the darkest corners of her mind that she was imagining it. Imagining Kiba's voice. Imagining the two large nin-dogs attacking the Shadow. The dog snapping at the Shadows throat. The blood.

Her vision was becoming dark and blurry at the edges.

"Ino…"

She could just make out Kiba's figure above her, the blood around his jaw, Akamaru at his side, whining loudly and nudging at her.

"Oh God, Ino, please." His voice broke at the end she could feel his hands, so gentle and unsure, trying to help her in some way. Ino sent the command for her lips to move, but they were numb. The command from her brain never reached.

Ino let out a gurgled breath, she could feel her blood, hot and wet, running down the side of her face cold, clammy face.

"Ino, look at me, come on…" his voice shook as he begged, but it sounded more like a prayer.

Ino's felt everything slip away and the last thing she heard was the loud, heart wrenching howl.

x-x-x-x-x

Okiiii guys, ending it here. Decided to update tomorrow, on my birthday as a gift to you all, but what the hell! Here you go lol! REVIEWS are appreciated!

Annnd I've included a preview.

Preview of Chapter 26

"Sakura!" Shizune called, coming towards the main gate.

Sakura looked between her teammates uncertainly before she went over to Shizune, who stood just out of earshot.

"Yes, Shizune-san?"

"Tsunade-sama would've come herself but she was pulled away, so she asked me to come." Sakura noticed the lines of tension around Shizune's eyes. She'd worked with Shizune long enough to know that she was keeping her emotions at bay.

"Is everything alright, Shizune-san?"

Shizune shook her head. "No, Sakura…Im so sorry."

Update in February!

Zana-Lee

Xoxo

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