Whatever It Takes

Chapter Thirty Six

It was way too early.

Naruto was hardly awake when Nakoru started crying his tiny, yet powerful set of lungs. He would have made Kyuubi get up and change Nakoru's diaper, and feed him, and play with him, but instead he had gotten himself up and decided to do it himself. Not by choice, mind you, he just simply lost the fight when it came to which one of them could hold their position in the bed without the other throwing the other off.

Damn Kyuubi, this was his child as well!

Those were Naruto's thoughts as he made his way downstairs. But as he was making it downstairs, he saw something that made him scream. As he was walking towards the kitchen, he noticed that he stepped on something- red- bloody- and looking up, he saw it. The loud sound of his scream startled Nakoru into a frantic and panicked cry of his own- but it was enough to have half the castle run in to see what was wrong. Kyuubi being the first one to reach his husband, quickly grabbed him and pressed him tightly into his chest.

He was disgusted at the sight of Kabuto hanging off the chandelier, looking like he had committed suicide, and the amount of blood that was dripping down onto the floor was shocking. Someone must have hung him. Someone one must have left him there to bleed out…

"Call the police," King Minato immediately said, never once taking his eyes of the corpse. Kushina nodded to her husband and did as she was told. Tsunade on the other hand was too shocked to for words, but when she saw that Sai, Neji, and Itachi were approaching; she quickly sent them back into their room. Kisamae went along with them to make sure that they had no access outside at all.

She then had Suigetsu drag Sasuke off as well.

As far as anyone was concerned, Kabuto was dead and the only person crying and mourning his death was Orochimaru, who came rushing as soon as he was notified that his page had been killed. It was a sad sight to see. You could see, and feel the way that Orochimaru had loved and cared for Kabuto…and for him to suddenly be gone seemed so unreal.

Not that Orochimaru's cursing did any justice to it.

By the end of the day, Tsunade found herself drained of energy. She couldn't believe that the whole day had buzzed around Kabuto's death. She had to have food sent up to everyone because the King was now even more scared for the safety of his family. The last time someone had been attacked, it had been Prince Neji, but the man had not been killed. Since then Minato had upped the security around his castle…and now to see that it had crumbled right before his eyes, he wasn't sure anymore what else he could do to protect those around him.

He had to find out who was killing his guests, or he feared that he was going to have to call any and every wedding off, leaving Sasuke single for the rest of his life.

In the end, Kushina managed to calm him down and get him to just rest. Everything would be figured out soon. And an investigation had been started.

Sasuke was bored to say the least, and getting restless. Suigetsu could tell that the raven had something in his mind, judging by the way that he was pacing back and forth in his room. He had been doing that all day, "Will you just sit down already! It's giving me a headache seeing you going back and forth, back and forth,"

Sasuke shot his a glare, "Shut up, I'm trying to think,"

"You've been doing it all day, what more can you freaking have to think about?" Suigetsu asked, frowning when Sasuke went back to pacing the room once more.

"I've been thinking about Kabuto's death," Sasuke said, "I have no doubt that Deidara slipped the laxative, seeing as he kept going to the restroom, but…" Sasuke ran a hand through his hair, "Did you see the way that he was cut up? There was no way that this time it could be called an attack by an 'animal' as it was last time, but someone tried to make it seem like it is just like the last time. Someone is covering something up, and to attack the suitors means that…"

"The person might be someone that is trying to marry you,"

"Yeah!" Sasuke said, "And if it is so, that means that Itachi is in danger, and there is no way for me to be with him. We both could leave and all of this would be forgotten!" Sasuke hissed, and rubbed his forehead before he moved to sit on his bed. "If only I had a moment with Itachi."

Suigetsu looked at him worriedly, "You okay?" he asked.

"Fine, just tired all of sudden," Sasuke sighed, lying back on his bed, then curling up into himself and bringing a pillow close to himself. Suigetsu silently watched him. He had noticed that Sasuke got easily sleepy lately. He was also a lot calmer.

He had to wonder if it was because Sasuke felt comfortable that even though he couldn't touch Itachi, the man was still relatively close. "If someone is trying to get to you, we might as well tell your uncle to end the whole having someone be married to you," A few moments of silence met Suigetsu, and he wondered if Sasuke had fallen asleep, "Sasuke?"

"Huh," The raven haired male open his eyes to look at him, "Oh yeah, sure, we should."

"I'm going to go get Tsunade,"

"Okay,"

With that, Suigetsu left. He usually did not feel comfortable with leaving Sasuke alone, especially not now, but he needed to get Tsunade so they could speak with her. Just as he was going down the stairs though, he found Kisame heading upstairs with several servants, each one of them carrying plates of food with them.

Kisame turned his golden eyes to look at him for a brief second, and Suigetsu felt his heart skip. He stopped walking and turned to see as Kisame kept making his way up. "Do you know where Tsunade is?" he asked. "I can't leave Sasuke alone for too long,"

"You shouldn't be leaving him alone at all, period." Kisame answered as he halted. He wasn't even sure of Suigetsu would talk to him, but there he was, asking a question so naturally. "And Tsunade is in the kitchen, barking orders. It's so freaking annoying," he said, turning to keep on task. Suigetsu didn't say anything else either as he made a beeline to the kitchen.

Tsunade was indeed there, making servants cry by preparing loads of food. "Are we feeding an Army?" he joked.

Tsunade sharply turned to him, "Shouldn't you be guarding Sasuke?"

"I came to get you," Suigetsu said, "I think that Sasuke wants to see Itachi, but of course, that is really all up to you right now if he sees him or not, is it not?" he asked. Tsunade pursed her lips.

"The king gave specific rules that Sasuke and Itachi would not be allowed to be alone together," Tsunade bitterly said, "At this point he's starting to think that no one is perfect for Sasuke at all."

"Even Itachi who is Sasuke's own choice?"

"Minato is convinced that Sasuke and Itachi developed something from being student and teacher,"

Suigetsu snorted, "He didn't develop anything for Iruka, now did he?" he asked.

"Itachi is closer to Sasuke's age, that is the problem,"

"I don't see it,"

"I'll go see him then," she said.

Making sure that everyone understood what they were doing, both of them headed upstairs to Sasuke's room. Sasuke was sat on his bed, eating his meal as well as reading a small book that he had with him. Sasuke's head snapped up when the door opened and he closed the book when he saw that Tsunade and Suigetsu had entered.

"Sasuke," Tsunade said as she walked inside, sitting down beside him, "Let's make a deal," well, this was getting straight to the point, Sasuke thought to himself.

"A deal?" he asked.

"I'll let you see Itachi but you also have to allow that same opportunity for your suitors and given them a chance" Tsunade said, "I would be okay with you just seeing Itachi, and all, but truly, if your uncle find out that I allowed such a thing without giving the others that same vantage, then there would be problems. And you might never get to see Itachi again,"

Sasuke cursed under his breath, getting to his feet. "That isn't fair." He hissed, but he knew that even if he tried to tell his uncle that he had already chosen Itachi as his own, the man wouldn't listen. At this point, Sasuke didn't think that his uncle was ever going to give him and Itachi a chance.

But in the end, he didn't think that it would matter.

He was going to make his own choices, whether his uncle liked it or not. Whether he had to agree with Tsunade that he had to allow the others a chance, it didn't matter. So long as he got to talk to Itachi. "Fine, but I get to talk to Itachi first," Sasuke hissed.

Tsunade thought it over, and then nodded her head, "Alright," she agreed.

Sasuke gave her a displeased look. "When?" he asked.

Tsunade blinked, taken aback by the sudden question, "I…uh, when it's right I guess. This thing about Kabuto's death has to blow over first. A bit at least," she explained as she got to her feet, "Which reminds me I should be getting back to my duties." She then turned to Suigetsu, "don't leave Sasuke alone again," she said before she was gone.

"That was fast of her," Suigetsu commented.

"Your right, I've never seen her leave so fast in her life. Usually she can't stop blabbing about how she is right and how things always go her fucking way," Sasuke grunted as he sat down, placing a hand to his head.

"I forgot to remind her to check you up, you've seem a bit odd lately Sasuke, are you alright? Your heat is not bothering you again so soon is it?" Suigetsu asked. "I heard them saying something about the heat lingering if there is no baby or something like that…"

"It's got nothing to do with my heat," Sasuke said, before he smiled briefly. "I'm fine, really. There is nothing wrong with me," Sasuke truly believed that there was nothing wrong with him. He did feel fine, except for the sudden fatigue that made him want to crawl into bed and sleep. Other than that, he was more than okay.

Suigetsu frowned, he still wasn't convinced. "Well, I'll leave you be for now, but if anything happens, I'm calling Tsunade in,"

"I'm getting really tired of seeing her face and hearing her name," Sasuke muttered as he began to eat once more, and pulled his book out. He couldn't stop reading it. After all, it was the last thing that his own mother had left for him.

Suigetsu let him be and walked over to the desk where another meal had been left. More than likely by Kisame, but he set the thought aside and sat down to eat.

That night, he stayed in Sasuke's room, sleeping on the floor with all the pillows and a few covers. Sasuke was in bed wrapped up. Even though it had been a sort of long day, Suigetsu found that he couldn't go to sleep. His mind was to active on the things that had been going on around him to allow him to go to sleep.

If there was someone out there killing people, he feared on who could be next. The only real person that he had here that he could trust was Sasuke.

What could be going on?

Neji was pleased.

Everything had gone according to plan. And all he had to do was bed someone, and that someone happened to be the head guard, and fiancée to Kisame, Kidomaru. The man was really wanton and easily to manipulate when it came down to giving him a little cock, and touching him just a little bit. It was almost too easy to get away with what he wanted.

Sure, Tsunade kept a tight eye on them. But she never would have guessed that the guards themselves would be working to get their own pleasure needs. It worked fine for him. All he had to do was ask to be taken to the bathroom, and away from the other members in the room. It was just so lucky that later in the night, Kabuto had also wanted to go to the bathroom. And that was the end of him.

Kidomaru had done exactly as he had asked. Even gone as far as make it look inhuman and animalistic with the way that he had slaughter poor Kabuto. Poor soul didn't even have a chance. Neji could almost laugh.

Now there was only two more that stood in his way to Sasuke and at this point, Neji was no longer deeming them a challenge. If he played it just right, he was going to get rid of the other two, and then Sasuke would be his.

Taking a sip of his drink, he glanced up when Itachi suddenly stood up. The long haired raven walked over to Kisame and said something, before the guard nodded, turning to Kidomaru to keep an eye on them. It seemed like Itachi needed to probably go to the bathroom or something. Once they were gone, Neji noticed movement from in front of him and turned in time to see Sai giving him a smirk.

"You are pretty obvious," Sai said, reaching for his own drink.

Neji looked at him with confusion, "I beg your pardon,"

"There is no need for you to beg for anything, Prince Neji, but I have a sneaking suspicion that you had something to do with Kabuto's death" Sai smirked, "He was after all the weakest link in this race for the prince's heart."

"Don't delusion yourself," Neji said, "How could I have possibly anything to do with the imbecile that got himself killed."

Sai frowned, "Look, let's play it straight up, cause we are both men that are looking for a fuck, and let's admit it, Prince Sasuke would be a fabulous fuck. If I didn't want him so much, I wouldn't be here trying to marry him as my trophy husband, but I wouldn't be faithful. There are just too many beauties out there to sample to simply let myself be tied down,"

"That's despicable of you," Neji spat, "You are not worthy of the prince,"

"And neither are you,"

"You don't know that,"

Sai's smirk returned. "You will never be with the prince, old man,"

With that they both fell into an ominous silence, where both were glaring at each other. Maybe he had thought to early that he didn't need to keep his eye on anyone that closely anymore. It seemed Sai was keeping an eye on him. He was a threat now, and he needed to find a way to get rid of him.

A few minutes later Itachi returned. Neither man turned to look at him as they just kept glaring at each other. It was almost as if they had forgotten that Itachi was also in this so he could be with Sasuke. They completely disregarded him as a threat, and focused on outdoing each other. Kisame cleared his throat, making them break eye contact. "Don't you two start fighting. Tsunade will be in here soon,"

Both Neji and Sai nodded once, but remained cautious of each other.

Itachi immediately noticed this and knew that they were up to something. The fact that the kill had been made to look the way as if an animal had attacked again meant that someone was covering something up. He was sure of it. And he was sure that one of these two had something to do with it.

His blood boiled.

At this point he was wondering why the hell he had not killed Neji that night. Maybe it was because he didn't want to start killing again, but with the king having sent him out to war, and after killing so much. Death was like second nature to Itachi now, and given the chance, or the circumstance, he was going to kill one, or both of these idiots.

The door opened, and Tsunade and queen Kushina walked inside.

"Okay, due to Kabuto's death we are taking major changes into consideration now." Tsunade spoke, "and I think it's about time for Sasuke to choose his future husband," She clapped both her hands together.

Kushina beside her smiled brightly, "We pulled names out of a hat, and decided that each one of you will have a few hours with Sasuke. One in the morning, one in the afternoon, and the other one at dinner," She counted off with her fingers. Three suitors, "By that I mean an hour and a half max with him, and no more,"

"After that, Sasuke will talk to his uncle about his final decision. Be sure that although this is private alone time with you and Prince Sasuke, that there will be a guard nearby. All Sasuke will have to do is call them if needed. And I plan to be close by as well, so no funny business. After this death, things have to be rushed."

Perfect, both Neji and Sai thought to themselves, thinking that things were suddenly in their favor.

"First to be able to have their time with Sasuke will be Itachi, the second one will be Sai, and last will be Prince Neji," Tsunade said, and then turned to Kushina whom nodded her head. "And tomorrow will be the day, and only day that you guys will get the chance. Make it count," she turned to Kushina with a look and the red head rolled her eyes. But both women could already see the working minds of all three men.

Neji was pleased. He would be the end and the one that could make a refreshing impression on the Prince that he would forget about the other two, and only have him in mind at the end. He never thought that killing Kabuto would give him this chance, but he was more than happy about it. It was perfect.

Sai on the other hand was already planning ways to woo Prince Sasuke and make things fall in his favor. He would have to wait on getting Suigetsu, but at least he would get Sasuke, and that was really the price. He could always have time to get other lovers later.

Itachi on the other hand felt his chest well up with anticipation. He had no doubt in his mind that Sasuke must have asked to talk with him in private and ended up with this in the end. He was worried about the others being around his little brother; he would rather that the two other scheming men were far away. But if they tried anything, he would have their heads.

But tomorrow, he would have his answer, on whether Sasuke wanted to marry him or not.

Itachi couldn't wait.

Aigo, this chapter would have been out sooner if I had not lost it and had to bring myself to rewrite it. T.T It always hurt.

Hope you enjoy it!