Forbidden Fruit

AN: Thanks for waiting, the reviews, and to see that I was welcomed back warmly. We're getting closer to the end. Another ten chapters maybe twelve. I'm not sure, but then that would be my lie.

Warning: Same as before.

Disclaimer: Do we really need to repeat, go back and look at all the others.

Summary: Same as the disclaimer, you should know what's happening by now. So let's get it on.

"talking"

"Kyuubi"

'thoughts'

"flashbacks"

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Chapter 26: Sabishiiyo (I Miss You)

"What are you doing here, Uchiha?" Kabuto's eyes hardened, now was not the time to play nice. Sasuke was given strict orders to stay away from their guest. They gave no information as to who it was, but still they knew what he already had.

The raven-haired teen was silent and unmoving, no emotion displayed on his face, or in his eyes; but still his change of demeanor told the story of his inner battle with emotions. Naruto couldn't look at the other, it would only confirm what the other knew. Still, he couldn't tear his eyes away from the figure who stood over them.

"I needed to know." He spoke quietly to the other, not tearing his eyes away from the blonde form sitting in the chair that Kabuto pushed almost everyday.

"It wasn't your business to know." Kabuto spoke, looking distastefully at the dark-haired male.

"Whatever." Sasuke shoved off Kabuto's demanding voice, even if he was told to stay away, he just couldn't. He had an emotional tie with the blonde, one that he couldn't explain. One that he could never break, even with the kyuubi's words that were spoken to him so long ago, he didn't need them, because he didn't need to be stopped.

"Leave me alone." The words were a suprise to both males. Hurt seemed to flash there, and they were spoken painfully. He tried to pull away just to be grabbed again by a hand pressing against his shoulder, pushing him back into the seat of the chair.

Sasuke didn't let it show, the hurt that he felt, and Kabuto unbelievingly hearing the pregnant teen say that to someone that he spent three long dedicated years looking for. "Take me away from here, please." Naruto spoke in a tearful voice, moving gears into action as Kabuto pushed the wheel-chair pass the still standing Uchiha, who now had a down-cast look on his usual stioic face.

Sasuke's body tensed lightly at seeing his old team mate again, saying those words hurt him. To him, Naruto seemed to be hurt as well, like he had more than those simple three words to say to him. Sorry, he could feel it being called out from the blonde's soul, along with shame.

"But why?" He asked the question out loud looking towards the sun. Still, no answer, just the blowing wind, and him alone.

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"Hinata?" A voice broke through the silence, there was just no way, it could never be. What was revealed to her from the still body that laid there, was all lies. It had to be.

"Hinata!" The voice came again, trying to stir the female from her train of thoughts. No answer. She couldn't open her mouth, least she would scream. Still sitting there wanting to disbelieve the truth.

"I...I can't." She finally spoke, turning her eyes painfully towards the other occupant in the room. "Shikamaru...Ino...I can't." Her eyes passed them, looking beyond to see the person standing in the background. She stood up, tears coming to her eyes as she ran pass the two and into the arms of the waiting figure.

"Neji." She whispered it while buring her head into the material of his clothing, "Neji." She said it again, "I'm sorry." She spoke still freezing before passing out in his arms from the coldness, hands wrapped around her back, not losing grip as he lifted her up.

"Will she be fine?" Ino asked as she stared at the two, then back at Sakura's sleeping form.

"How long has she been like this?" He asked the two standing bedside the comatosed konoichi.

"For almost four days now. The day before the meeting with Jaraiya." Shikamaru spoke, getting a nod from the Hyuuga.

"Do you know what she seen?" Ino spoke, looking back to Sakura.

"You mean?" Neji let the question pass through his lips, then stopping any further development as he understood. Smiling, he looked down to the sleeping form of his cousin.

"So it is a voluntary coma, keeping everyone out, except for her. But why?"

"Why a willing coma? How was she able to pull it off?"

"Why don't you answer that question, Ino? After all you were the only one familiar with her mind before she made her descion."

"Back off Hyuuga." Shikamaru became defensive over the situation.

"Forget it. I'll have the answers soon." Neji spoke turning with Hinata still in his arms.

"Wait! Where are you taking her?" Ino shouted out, wanting to go after them, but an arm in front of her stopped her feet from moving forward. She looked towards him, bit her lip then stepped back behind his arm. Shikamaru looked at her appreciatively, then back to the walking figure.

"Home." It was the only answer they got, before Neji disappeared from their sight completely. Turning back towards the sleeping figure, they wandered once more what could be so bad, that she'd have to cover it up completely?

"What does she know, that telling Hinata, it drove even her mad?" Ino asked, not liking the silence in the room.

"Dun know. But I'm sure the only reason she told Hinata is because of her connection with Naruto. She knew that it would drive the girl to have some kind of break, her mental state has been down for some time now. The only reason is why?"

"Wait a minute Shika...Are you telling me that Sakura is that evil to do, to do something like that to her?"

"Let's face it, it's a possibility." Ino stared at him completely taken aback.

"There's no way in hell that she'd be like that, and you and I both know that."

"Do we? She kept a secret of Orochima-"

"Don't say that bastards name! Even so, who gives a damn about the wrong she's done? She obviously didn't tell for a reason, besides I think she knew what was going on but just didn't want anyone to panic."

"We all heard the Hokage, when she told us the nasty truth of what really happened to Naruto all those years ago. Now, if she knew before us, do you think she could've confonted Naruto and asked him?"

Ino continued on,"Maybe he told her to keep it a secret. You and I both seen how attached she became around him, with losing Sasuke yet again, and we also seen how detached from us she became."

"I'd agree with what you're saying," It was now his turn to talk," But think about it. If it's the truth, how did he get her to keep quiet about it all? You don't think that he could've-"

"Stop it! Just stop it, I hate the things that you're saying. You're starting to make me not want to be around you anymore. If, you continue on with these accusations, I will cut you out!"

She barely kept herself from quivering, the truth was starting to hurt as many things were starting to unfold around them. Their world starting to crumble, as it seemed the obnoxious blonde really did hold the key to the village's sanity.

"Fine, I'll stop. But, you have to promise to consider it as possibilities." She didn't answer back this time, as she was already doing just that, still it couldn't be the truth, right? They knew him, they knew her, and they knew that the two couldn't have been so ruthless and secretively cold.

'Could they?'

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"Please don't let him know about this. I really don't want him to get in trouble, he doesn't need to be hurt anymore. Disobeying orders, or not. Sasuke still means alot to me."

This confused Kabuto, "Why? Just a moment ago you told him to leave you alone. What's going on really, Naruto?"

He couldn't face the older male, he couldn't tell him of his shame for the descions that he made. He just didn't want Sasuke to know that he'd gone and got himself knocked up by one of the many men that Sasuke and he himeself was suppose to hate. He could imagine the word 'whore' being carved into his skin, the same with the village if they knew.

Still, he told himself that he shouldn't because he is still in love with the hebi. But now he didn't know, and it was that doubt that brought back old depressing thoughts. And now, he couldn't even face the medic-nin to tell him of his inner turmoil.

"It's okay, you don't have to understand some of it now. I just want to go to sleep, if I'm allowed." Naruto spoke now with uncertainty.

Kabuto backed off, fearing that he would only make the teen snap, and possibly hurt himsef. Sighing, he helped the teen up the stairs and through their usual passage way. To the halls where his room lay in wait, and into bed.

"Thank you. You can go now, I want to sleep alone and not have your perverted prying eyes on me." He half-joked about the situation, reverting back to old ways, and self defenses. Kabuto understood, somewhat, after observing the kid for some years. He knew how'd he get, and how well he'd hide his true feelings until the right moment arises. So, there was no real need to pressure it.

"Okay. G'night, Naruto-chan." Huffing out air, he threw the nearest pillow towards Kabuto yet again, and once more it hit the door as it was closed behind him in time.

Standing there, outside the bedroom door, Kabuto thought over it some more. How Naruto had reacted, and how down he started to feel lately. He needed to tell him, the hebi; but still he couldn't find the right way to warn, or tell him of the actions and influence he had over the teen. And that now, it was finally starting to rip the other apart.

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"I want to come with you. No matter how much you hate me, he was my friend, too." Sai spoke to the others as they started to get ready for departure. They would leave the next day, and he wanted to try his damnedest to prove to them that he was still on their side, and still cared.

He wanted them to know that Naruto's disappearance didn't only affect them, but him as well. Because of the blonde teen he was able to feel, even if it was just for a short time. Besides, he accompanied the group once, so he knew how the hebi and the medic-nin thought when on the run and hiding from the others.

Sai had more details on them than they all would have thought. Saying all this, Jiraiya took it into consideration, then turning to look at the wood shinobi, who nodded his head, he finally agreed.

"Fine, you can come, but you better not screw this up for us. The first sign of you being a traitor, we won't hesitate to get rid of you and send you back on your way to your master."

Hearing this made him happy, he could come, but the ending deeply saddened him. Still he would recieve hate from others' because who he was brought up by. You are who you hang out with, or so they say.

Still, he had no illusions that either way he'd be hated. Either way, he'd still be punished and hurt. Afterall, Danzou would hate this, his most reliable puppet defying orders once again, and it was all the damned blonde's fault.

He smiled as they left, then it dropped once they were completely gone. Opening the door, he took a step back as someone else took a step in. Kneeling down on one knee, the old man accepted his greeting before giving one of his own. Bringing the cane down as hard as he could, he watched as the boy fell to the ground, it seemed that his toy needed to be probed and fixed.

"I told you what would be the price of your disobediance. Still, you do not listen, I can't get rid of you. You are still one of my best, but it doesn't mean we can't correct or fix you. For your insolence has consequences, you knew that, and still you ignore it. For that, someone else shall pay dearly for your happiness."

His eyes widened in horror at the words coming from the old man, "Don't please!" He was kicked in the face, "I didn't tell you to speak. You seem to also have forgotten principles and where your place is in all of this."

Hitting the teen again with his cane, Danzou continued the action, "She'll pay dearly for your misguidance, and so will he once we get our hands on the damned demon child. You will participate, and you will help. Or it will mean the death of not only the ones you love, but your own. Unless, of course you vow to forget them and return to my side. As well as follow orders, and do exactly as I say while you accompany the rescue team."

Sai sat up as the man took his foot off of him, "I will not betray my friends. I can't."

"Oh, but you can kill them. Don't say that you can't, we've seen it. You've done it once before, don't you remember? I'm sure you don't want a repeat, or see it happen again. Am I right?" He asked using the cane to lift the beaten teen's head, so that they could look eachother in the eye.

"I can't." Sai spoke the same words yet again. "I don't want to be your pet anymore, I hate doing things that only hurt others in the end!"

Danzou began to laugh at the words making the boy's words of defiance retreat momentarily. "But you see my boy, that's where you're wrong. What you do is not hurt, you kill. You were born for it, it's your only purpose."

"But there must be more!" Sai yelled up at the man, desperately seeking to prove himself. "I can't be only good use to you for bad purposes. There must be..." His words began to trail as the smile on the man's face became a powerful sneer filled with sadistic immorality. "There must be more meaning to everything, my existence than that!" His words softened towards the end, he wasn't sure anymore of who he was trying to convince.

"Stop dreaming boy! It's only in your head, what you're feeling. I raised you to not feel, because this world is only cold. It's filled with disgust and hate. Do you really think for one second they'll welcome you with open arms, once you help them get him back?"

"Only if I break away from you." He spoke low and away from the old man, though he stared up at him, fearless, then all he heard was laughter once more.

Sai looked down, he couldn't bear to look at the man standing above him. "Even I know you're no such fool to the ideals of lies and illusions. All that I have done for you, I gave to you was for one reason, and one reason only. To be able to accept the truth and become desenzitied to it all. So that you could make it through life without your mind being filled with nothing but lies."

"Dreams, hopes, things that will only be crushed. Just cold hard brutal truth, so that you can carry out your missions, your only worth. To do what you do best, kill. If you don't listen and want to continue living without hurting people. I suggest that you stop disobeying and fighting me, or I will show you who has true power and influence around here."

The man finished, he was getting no response from the boy now. "That's fine, I leave you here to think about it. But, I want to see you tomorrow before you take off. For if you don't, I'll have my own secret weapons persue and possibly kill you. Just remember that my branches extend far beyond your reach, boy! And that I can do what ever I damn well please, if it's to ensure the safety of the village."

The man turned on his heels, giving one last glance at the muted boy staring at the floor. Thinking the words over in his head. "They'll still hate you." He spoke his final peace coating the words with acid that burned in a truthful illusion. Then as sudden as he came, he left the room.

Once more, sitting up and feeling his sides, Sai, flinced a little at the bruises there. He'd be fine, he wouldn't do what the man said. If, there was one thing he learned from the blonde, it was fight for what you believed in. No matter what, or who stood in your way! Even if it meant your own death! Or possibly the death of others! He flinched at the last part of the thought. 'Okay, so maybe no more deaths.'

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He couldn't remember when he fell asleep, just that the pain wrecking through his body woke him. Moving from bed, he grabbed his stomach in pain. Looking around he wandered where Kabuto was, but remembered that he sent him away. 'Nice going dobe!" He scolded himself, but the feeling of another painful wave through his body, found himself crumbled on the floor.

Naruto needed to get help, to find them. This pain really hurt, it was something he wasn't used too as they started almost a month ago, and he didn't know if he could bare them any longer.

Moving to his feet, he made his way out of the door. "Kabu-" He was cut short of breath as another streamed through his body. Breathing deeply, he exited the room altogether, and was now out in the hall.

"Challenge!" He wobbled slightly on his feet, "Getting down the stairs." The pregnant teen held tight to the reel all the way down with no incindent. The pain was starting to move further away now, and he could almost feel himself give a sigh of relief. Reaching the bottom, he almost fell as another came.

Breathing deeply again, he remembered the lessons the four-eyed bastard gave him. But even now they were starting to fail, as his mind became jumbled by another contraction much stronger and painful than the others. The time spand between them were starting to get short again.

Hurrying his pace he made it from the hallway, and into the etrance of the others. 'Just need to take a right and go straight, right?' Naruto asked himself as he walked down the one he was talking about, almost diagonal from his own.

Moving steadily through it, he stopped when he was now brought to his knees. 'Okay, bad idea.' The blonde told himself as he tried turning back around but this time stopped completely when he seen raven hair pass in the coner of his eye.

A clear sheen of sweat covered his brow, one that he hadn't noticed. "N-Naruto." Not turning to face the owner of the voice, he tried standing again, only to feel a hand on his shoulder. He would need to put on his best facade to get rid of them.

"Go away! I told you I didn't want to see you, so why can't you leave me alone?" He bit out holding back the pain he felt hitting his body and mind like a truck.

"Naruto." There was a moment of complete silence.

Sasuke wanted to voice the teen's name once more, but knew that he should probably go. Turning around to head back where he came from, he stopped as he was surprised as to what he felt.

"Sa-Sasuke!" His name was called as he felt arms wrap around his figure. It was too late to stop himself, and he didn't think that he'd be able to do it. Facing the fear that he felt, Naruto was even more taken back as Sasuke placed his hand on his own. Turning in the embrace to place his own arms around the shorters shoulders. "I-I'm sorry." Naruto spoke the words. "Please, forgive me!"

"Dobe." Was the only words the cold-hearted shinobi spoke as he held his long lost friend. Allowing him to cry in his embrace, if it were the last thing he'd ever do. If the pain didn't kill him first. Sasuke didn't mind it at all, instead he smiled kindly down at the other, until he cried out in pain.

"Na-Naruto. What's the matter?" Looking Naruto over, he noticed for the first time, what condition he was trully in. "Naru-"

"Stop talking. I know, I hid it from you, please don't look at me. I can't..." Sasuke held the blonde tight.

"It's fine. I realised it when I seen you the second time." He blocked it all out, "We need to get you help, right now."

"Don't say that, if you knew the truth, you'd hate me." He cried out, trying to breathe, to keep steady. "Please, get Kabuto." Naruto tried removing himself from the other, but Sasuke only lifted him bridal style.

"Put me down, now!" Naruto begged the other in a pain-filled voice, feeling another, he wasn't going to make it.

"No. I can't just leave you here like this." Sasuke said to the other, Naruto smiled lightly before losing conciousness.

"Kuso!" Sasuke did as the other wanted, he had to go and find Kabuto.

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"Where you think you're going, traitor?" The two shadows approached that of another, "You really didn't think that we'd let you go unpunished did you?" The first shadow spoke.

"You ignored his orders, and will pay dearly for your disobediance." The second shadow said.

Sai smiled at the two who had approached him, not even all the way through ROOT academy and they came to challange him.

"What were his orders?" Sai asked the two, their reaction was pulling out chains, and entangling his body within them. Wrapping and pulling tight, they looked as he melted into ink. Soon they found themselves ensnared in ink snakes, squeezing thier bodies.

"Give him a message for me." Sai spoke as he drew blood from their bodies.

"Like hell!" The one on the left laughed, his mask broke and blood trickled down his chin.

"Danzou-dono is going to kill you." The one on the right felt the same pressure as the other.

"I don't care about what he does to me!" The red haired teen fainted, but the one with orange enflamed hair was on his way soon after.

"You can tell him to go fuck himself, after I send you back broken." The young teen fainted, and Sai along with all his ink creations turned back into ink.

"Interesting, a clone." A figure walked out from the trees, he had mint green hair.

"Naname, Tsukiko, get up!"

Moving to thier feet they did as told, their injuries hurt, but still like their elder they were taught the art of how to ignore it.

"Katsura-nii-san, gomen." The one with orange enflamed hair bowed despite injures.

"Iindesu, Ki-chan." He looked down at their figures. On their faces the two held smiles, while they all looked at eachother for the prize they all seeked and desired. Though, Katsuragi smiled back knowing that what they held was false, for they felt no pain.

They were to be the next in line to inherit the arts of ANBU Root, and for that they knew that they had to persevere. Their make-shift love would carry them through to the end, they needed an end. Their purpose, it was what they were made for.

For in the end, they would certainly have to kill eacother, but would never admit that fact outload to one another. He could never hurt his youngest and only sweet, yet sick sister.

What he did was abide by her rules, for her own heart's desires.

He was living for her, to help her fulfill her wish. His only wish, was to see the girl who suffered so much happy. That would make his wish come true, even if that meant sacrificing himself for the sake of her.

Looking over at his young brother, he patted him on the head. He knew that he'd do the opposite and kill them both, and for that he wouldn't hesitate to kill the red-haired boy who was in fact his younger twin.

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An: That will be it, almost done with the next chapter. It will be updated soon, progress isn't too slow, or so I hope. We're almost done. I love all of you, the ones who read, the ones who r&r….Thank you all, even those who only read little and backed out, or found this ff slow or stupid. Still thanks. After this is complete, will continue to work on my Inu, V/Vk along with HP, FB and FMA fanfics to upload them. But I find it best to work on one at a time. I mean, I tried three at the same, time. Thoughst were everywhere, but not anymore.