~ Into The Early Morning: Friday ~

:: I've Forgotten My Job ::

"Thank you so much, Naruto. We greatly appreciate it."

Cerulean stared blankly into the aged bronze set of that from a lower class woman. The child down beside her, pulled at her mother's emerald skirt. "Momma, is he okay?" she whispered sincerely with a palm up to the corner of her lips.

"I think so." She kept her daughter close due to the circumstances surrounding this town. "Naruto, are you alright?"

The second calling of his name, brought his mind back into the now. Body frozen in a set to serve position at the counter, he lowered those ladles and apologized, "Do forgive me, I-... It's been a long day. I really hope you both enjoy the food." He delivered a nod and a generous smile, accepting their gratitude with more awareness. His previous concerns lied in how to achieve a strange vengeance on his unfaithful wife soon to be ex.

Life however, does not care what plans are set out or in route to be devised.

"Now this is more like it. Look at you being all helpful and somehow not looking spiteful." Jiraiya was the last soul in line with no aim to be fed. He leaned on the display with his arms crossed to show he was throwing caution to the wind. Many civilians voices were booming in conversation secretly covering their own. "What summoned that frown all of a sudden?"

"You. You shouldn't be here, Jiraiya. Don't make me blow your cover."

"Pointless threats, huh. You're definitely still upset."

Naruto exhaled a heavy breath that matched his frustration weighing in his head. "I'm busy."

"It doesn't look like it to me." He pointed out the other helpers closing down their stations for a break. The blond he came to see, happened to be stalled for the time being. "You've got some free time for a chat till you restart this little generous event to feed all these people for nothing. How long is this version of you going to last?"

Naruto arched a brow like he had no idea what the old perv was referring to. "The charity last's till five if that's what you meant to ask." He dropped his utensils and started to place the covers over the not so cheap buffet, each motion one of a growing lost for patience. "Because I'm so sure that is it, I believe this conversation is over."

"Hmm, did something happen when you found your wife?" Jiraiya struck home judging by that sudden stiffness in the once advent dreamer. The downcast of deep blue was also another helping hint.

"My wife..." He gripped the outer rim of the display case opening and gritted his teeth. "You mean... His. Wife." This level of spite took its history behind it and grew, continuing to disregard why it was getting to this point.

"I'm pretty sure she's your wife if she's married to you by law. After proper documentation she would be free to be w-"

"Jiraiya-"

"I'm just saying-"

"JIRAIYA!" Naruto let anger rein and struck the counter, bringing unwarranted eyes their way. The people were the only reason he dialed it back, image in danger. "Will you just-... Please leave me alone. I've already thanked you for helping me find her. I can take care of everything else by myself."

Jiraiya nodded and then said, "You say that but you don't look or sound like it. Those people you've helped behind me, can tell now too. So, do you want to meet out back or fill everyone in?"

The old drinker wasn't going anywhere and that put a small smile on the blond's face. The overbearing assumption that the world was out to get him, started to wane a little. Someone had his back after all that would soon be aware of his troubles. "I think I have some time."

:: Directing Hatred ::

'Hidan.' His voice was crude with jabs only she could feel. 'Hidan!' There was no one she'd rather fight more. Granted she'd likely loose, a shot remains a shot that she desired. There in that trunk was like an endless hell where one's torment happened to be dark room bound and forced to listen to your loved ones lost on the other side.

"We should be arriving there soon anddd… we're late. Madara's already starting the welcoming party." He double checked the text to be sure, finding his boss to be quite irritated with his absence. He was the only friend the tyrant had left from his old life. The events that lead to this outcome is a tale as old as time.

"Shit." Helian cursed under her breath, hoping to have had the chance to better prepare first. "What of the Uchiha's brutish wife then? Has he finally changed his mind?"

'Sakura?' Even over the roars and rubber treading asphalt, she could still make out what they were saying pretty well.

"Nah, apparently she's already there."

The tires screeched and the captive slid forward hard. Then and there, Hinata heard a car door open and close just as fast to shake the vehicle.

"I wonder what she's all upset about." Hidan quirked his head to the side at the storming off woman in a tantrum. "Do you know, Hinata? You are her sister after all." There was a sick enjoyment that came to watching others suffer while he succeeded. His mother taught him well and gave him a lot of unhealthy boosts to his ego as well a disturbing view of women. "I'm sorry, I can't hear you well for typical reasons. No matter." He yawned and sat back, relaxing there on the side of the road in the passenger seat. "You should know that you're a terrible sister. I've been taking very good care of her though. You gave her a nice funeral and all, but I literally gave her a new life."

Hinata listened to this fool talk to her like he'd been following her the whole time. Which wasn't entirely true. It couldn't of been. She would of noticed or saw something.

"I'll admit, leaving her underground like that… made me worry about her complexion. It had to be done for you to back off and all however. I had a feeling you'd come around eventually and I'd have to get rid of you. But damn I never expected it to be for such a good reason. I mean-" He took a breath to get a real good laugh out. "You- You're sleeping with my boss's arch enemy. That Uchiha fuck will do anything to get your big ass back too. Which will not happen because he is the wrong guy to fall for. He'll get himself killed trying to rescue you. If not him, his brother will… get in the fucking way."

Hinata worried for the wolf and the eldest she was yet to meet. A beacon of hope shined from the slow and agitated revelation that came out of her male captor's mouth. He had a serious disdain for Itachi.

"I need to make a phone call. Don't wait up." Hidan left the ragged mustang in a haste to notify his leader of a problem that was more so just his.

Hinata took that opportunity to squirm about when she could no longer hear his footsteps. The back of the seats behind her, gave a little. The low rumble she could feel, let her know the keys were not removed. With an idea in motion, she tried a little harder. Thrust after thrust gave her a penny's worth of results. The heat was picking on her next as if it had a vendetta against her for trying to leave so soon. She winced as she could not simply shield her eyes from the blinding light that shown suddenly. It was soon blocked out by the younger body of her sister. 'Hanabi!' Speaking in the real world sounded like, "Mmahmvi!"

"Wow... Look at you. I know he won't care for you… but her... What does he see in that privileged thing.. Sasuke doesn't even want her either." She slammed the trunk and reopened to vent some more, ignoring the frightened look on the captive. "Then again, the Uchiha bastard has poor taste in women so maybe I can actually salvage this."

Hinata's pupils widened at that dagger her lost sibling carelessly pooled out and pointed her way.

"As for you, you're going to help me do that. I can kill two unworthy birds with one stone. I'll say you were trying to ax the pink one for whatever reason and I tried to help but… oops. Both of you somehow slit your throat at the same time. What are the chances?" She giggled in a troubling sense. Her unruly appearance did not help her tone either. "Sasuke will be distraught either way. Then Madara puts him out of his misery and our Utopia becomes a reality."

Hinata stared in shock as insanity got comfortable in a once precious girl's body.

"I don't even know why I'm talking to you so much now. It must be because we favor. You're like a disappointing mirror that shows me all of my weak points," she mumbled spitefully while slightly dragging the tip of the blade down her prey's cheek, "ones that I can't drown out for some reason."

That last statement was surely an escaped thought because Helian looked off…-er. There was a rapid flicker of light in her eyes that all but blew a fuse and ceased to work.

Hinata gave it one more shot. "Mmmahvi!"

"What are you- Never mind. Just keep quiet and go along or I'll put an end to your indecisive affai-... Wait a minute… She doesn't know you're messing around with her man, does she?" She grinned at that paler that quickly overtook Hinata's being. "Of course not."

Hinata moved in urgency to stop her just to be pushed back down by the slam of the trunk. She didn't give up there. She thrashed around and screamed against the cloth, dampening it. Her chances of fixing this started to dwindle, and dealing with Haruno would surely descend into another level of hell she'd never known possible.

:: Downtown::

"What would you do?" Kakashi stood beside the younger raven near a water dispenser, set with a thin cup of his own and an elbow on the cool top of the faded baby blue jug. "You know you can't escape this life."

Their previous conversation outside of Tsunade's office where his brother was currently in, revolves around one of his and Hinata's conversation. "I'd become a cop or detective like you. This town has seen enough of me so it won't miss a thing."

"I guess you can believe that."

Sasuke shrugged, taking a sip of his coffee before saying, "Maybe. You sound needlessly worried about that."

The one-eyed officer put a digit up and gave his rebuttal, "Actually, I'm prodding for information you're not giving me. Say for instance, why'd you bring up moving if you're not planning to at all?"

He leaned against the wall nearby and pondered aloud. "Could of come from a not so arbitrary thought I developed when you mentioned Helianthus."

"Go on."

"...I'm divorcing my wife." So much for telling his parents or brother first. Hatake was like a second best friend during his academy days anyway if not a bit less stricter. All that did was remind him of the detective's connection to his future as a whole. "So I've been thinking about starting over right with Hi-… high hopes."

Kakashi poked verbally at that sudden pause and shift of onyx eyes to the cup of sweet-less coffee. "I take it you don't plan on jumping the broom again anytime soon."

"If that's what you think then-" The rest of the words that came out of Sasuke's mouth were mumbled and not at all coherent as he brought that rim of the Styrofoam cup back to his lips.

"Pardon?"

"Nothing. It's nothing. Let's talk about you."

Kakashi let him off the hook for now. "To be honest, Sasuke, I'm not at my best temperament given what's going on. Do you remember the man that your brother hit with his car the day prior to last?"

"Sort of."

"His name is Kakuzu. His greed for money is astounding… We've found out that he works closely with Madara along side Hidan and many others. There's quite a few civilians he's linked with as well."

Sasuke nodded to show he understood the scope. "Anyone we know?"

"Many and then some… I suppose you haven't spoken to Naruto lately."

"No." Because of the job at hand and that disbelieving expression upon Kakashi's face, he had to be a tad more truthful. "I haven't seen him today but…yesterday, maybe once or something."

"He's married to a very important person to me. She's awfully new to this town that seems to constantly want to take things away from her... Her name is Hinata. Have you seen her with him?"

'I saw her last night.' There were other encounters that did not sound good in his head and would definitely not help. Sasuke gave another half-ass reply, "I think so. Dark purple hair?"

"Pale eyes of the same color." Those were more of a defining feature than anything else. "She has cut her hair recently too."

"I know," Sasuke said so casually and aloud, frozen for a moment upon realization.

"You do?" He wasn't upset until the playboy's silence kicked at his intelligence. "Uchiha."

"I believe I missed the question."

"Don't play games with me." Kakashi sighed at that shameful redirection tiresomely. "Just tell me if you've seen her or not, Sasuke. I haven't been able to contact her at all recently. It's dire that I reach her."

He opted to give in and explain himself. Another dilemma put a stop to that. "You haven't been able to call her?"

"Not since after seven or so." Kakashi found out two things in that instant. One, Sasuke must of had her number because he pulled out his cell fast to call someone. Second, there was more going on than that, for the raven was awfully impatient.

"Damn it." Straight to voicemail he was sent. A message later provided no gratification as well. "She's not answering me… I don't think she was going anywhere today," he talked aloud and searched through his inbox while also trying to recall their conversation.

"Sasuke-"

"Hold on."

Kakashi shook his head and then covered the raven's cell screen by placing his cup over the screen and holding it there. "Tell me where was she last. I'll deal with how you answer this later."

He delayed a minute. "A hotel."

The detective removed his half empty cup and refrained from throwing the rest of the contents on Sasuke. While he approved of the youngest Uchiha's abilities, there were things he was not at all checked off of. Talking and dealing with women was one of those things. There were more urgent matters to give energy to thankfully. "Which hotel?"

:: He's Not Like His Brother ::

"Everything we've discussed is strictly between people I can trust at the moment due to the nature of this. Do you understand why you're in this room solely now?" Tsunade rested back in her copper leather seat, forearms at ease on the armrest. "Your brother is to be out of the picture entirely. No expectations. I called him in with you to keep him out of the way. This is a lot more personal than it looks and there's more lives on the line than I regrettably admit openly."

Itachi observed from behind a well hidden mask of empty emotion. The images scattered across the table by dates and location, had gotten to him momentarily. He spoke in a few words, hunched some with his hands clasped over his lap, "Understood. What of this woman?"

"She is to be secured when you can reach her." She cocked her head to the side, curious to how he hadn't stopped staring at the evidence before him. "Is there something wrong? I know it's not your job to retrieve people but… you've been doing it a lot lately and doing it well."

"It's no matter to me. What's my client's name?" He'd like to know the woman he was supposed to be searching for...that just so happened to look remarkably like someone else. The key turning his anger on and dusting off those cobwebs, was that this woman was married and his little brother knew all about it the whole time. Twas not on purpose of course so that small amount of hate was switched off fairly easily. He knew he didn't talk about her much for Sasuke to know anything.

"She was born Hinata Hyuga. Married last name, Uzumaki."

'Hinata.' As lovely as a name it was, it couldn't compare to what he saw on the table. Her smile and all were quite familiar if not a little different. He assumed that was due to the years that had passed since he'd last supposedly seen her. "I'll secure Mrs. Uzumaki right away and speak with her husband as requested."

"Thank you. Kakashi will provide assistance in this task while I keep your brother busy guarding Kakuzu. You are to leave as soon as that door closes with Sasuke inside. Send him in." She put one leg over the other and got ready for the tantrum she was about to deal with.

"Yes, ma'am." Itachi stood and then bowed curtly, departing in haste. At the door he soon opened, an irked remark emitted from his lips, "Mrs. Hatake, they're gone."

Lengthy platinum hair picked up some wind in them due to how fast she moved from that seat, for she'd given her husband one simple task. "Son of a-...Damn it. Find wherever Nagato has run off too and take him with you. Bring them all back."

"Yes, ma'am."

:: Shipwrecked Mind ::

Sakura wished to go home. She'd like to not be following this psychopath down a muddy road to lord knows where. The ocean breeze did not deserve to drift over this disgusting place where degenerates roamed. A state of pity did form in her heart when she saw the young ones who definitely didn't belong there. They were running in a drill like way, being lead by some red haired man whose piercings were an eye opener. Dirt covered his clothes just like the youth trudging behind him to keep up. "Why… Why are you taking people's children?"

Madara, who'd been walking ahead of her the whole time, stopped to enlighten his woman on where she was and why this had to be. "I'm saving the ones I can and guiding them into building a world where life can no longer harm anyone. Peace will be controlled for life has already shown it doesn't care about their class. Do you recognize any of their faces?"

She took a step back when he approached her, turning her head to look quickly in case he might use force. "No..."

"That is because none of them are from upper class homes. They don't deserve a wide spectacle such as those of standard. All they get is a piece of paper that will wear and tear… if they're lucky. The more well-off youth receive much worse with lies about the prosperity in equality. We try to remove the veil and they send in their forces." He motioned to his recruits and carried on, "This will even the playing field."

"Children soldiers?" As ridiculous as it sounded, he didn't look all that fazed by her incredulous view.

"They won't be young for long. By then, everything will be ready."

Sakura disagreed greatly. "Are you craz- They're missing. Someone will come for them... and me!"

Madara chuckled in an amused fashion that was borderline insulting. "You? After all you've done and seen with your own eyes. Like you weren't guilty like them at one point… Half of those kids are volunteers to say the least because they've grasped my vision. They're feeding their families at the age of twelve instead of taking out the trash for hack job diners where they can barely afford a shirt."

"Then why do they look like they're homeless?" She spoke directly of their dingy, matching white tanks, cut jeans, and worn, brown boots.

"Have you ever robbed anyone?" Madara accepted her offended look as a strange one given . "Well dear, necessities are foremost regardless. Enticing things such as what covers your body, are for special occasions only to draw attention when needed." That caress of her shoulder sent a shiver down her spine that he enjoyed immensely. "You have so much wasted potential."

"You like to assume things a lot, don't you?" She unintentionally got him to barely smirk her way.

"There's no need to keep your defenses up or pretend to be someone you're not." Madara spoke freely amid his busy cohorts all around. "The world doesn't care what you've been through and he has no idea how to handle something like that."

Sakura had just about enough of this high horse he kept riding around her where she was supposed to sit too. "Quit with the false readings and back off. My husband is going to kick your ass when he finds out what you've done to these kids and his wife."

"Hm, I've no doubt he'll be infuriated. No sane man would be so with you not by their side."

Real flattery to the skies and beyond were enough to put an uncontrolled warmth across her cheeks. He reminded her so much of the very man that she wasn't betrothed too. It was unsettling how he stayed so ambitious as well before walking off, expecting her to follow. There and then, she had a lot to reflect on. 'Is this what I did to Naruto?' She wasn't nearly this 'nice and patient'… but she was equally delusional and corrupted. She knew what lead to her error of ways. Maybe she could find out the cause of his damage and help stop this. What a gift it would be for her husband. That bonus almost took away some of her fear of the lunatic.

:: Pointing Fingers ::

Kakashi would gladly deal with his wife's frustration later, appreciative of the worry and sympathetic to the constant phone calls.

"Why don't you just answer her?" Sasuke pulled up to the hotel, ready to get out already mid-parking.

"Because she'll proceed to yell at me and demand I come back." He told no lie while exiting that passenger side with a heavy sigh. "She'll understand."

"You say that but she lost her last husband in combat because he ran off playing the hero." Sasuke, and many others, have heard of her drunken tirade during the glorious training days.

"You say that like it's a bad thing. Dan saved a lot of people."

"I know that I'm just saying maybe you shouldn't worry her that much." The raven overlooking Hinata's car from a distance, had his own agenda that was revealed fairly quick. "Jiraiya's always waiting to replace you."

"He's an honorable man, Sasuke, so you can change the subject all you want. I will find out what your relationship is with her." Kakashi approached the vehicle to inspect it further as his 'helper' went upstairs. Hinata must of had plans to go somewhere today."

Sasuke slipped out the keys during his jog to the door. "None that I know of. We can always check downtown or the store." He stayed vague because she clearly hadn't told Kakashi of her planned divorce and perhaps that was for a reason. After unlocking the door, he came to spot not a soul inside and there were no signs of a struggle of any kind either. The food was safely wrapped on the dresser for whenever they'd come back to eat it. Her scarf was gone though and so was her bag and his coat. 'She must of walked.' He kind of smiled at that, guessing they'd have an activity after work definitely.

"Sasuke, down here!"

He took one last look around the room before locking it up. He then switched views with relief about himself. All that relaxation could have committed suicide when he saw the minuscule amount of dried blood on her car.

"I'll call a team in shortly." Kakashi pulled out a kit of his own to collect some samples. A soft thunk on metal came out of nowhere and made his head turn to the overprotective bodyguard who had jumped the rails, landing on the roof of someone's car in a light hop. "Stairs, Uchiha."

"Why the hell are you so calm?" Sasuke was only a tad quieter, catching sight of her belongings under another car nearby.

"Panicking saves no one."

"I'm not panicking." He was moving faster, dropping down quick to snatch up the purse. "They tossed her bag."

"I never said you were, but if they left her things then this likely wasn't that type of robbery."

Sasuke's mind jumped from one thing to another, working overtime to find out who the hell had the gall to do this. He looked from the small damage and red on the vehicle, to the full purse in his hands. "They took her instead."

"Obviously." Kakashi went straight to cell thereafter, reaching his own analysis of the situation. "Why is what concerns me. She does have enemies."

"Naruto." He grumbled and tightened his hold on the bag furiously.

"Naruto?"

"That fucking idiot." Sasuke jumped the gun and pulled out one swiftly enough, storming off to his faithful ride.

"Hold on a second, Sasuke. I don't think he's … it." Kakashi witnessed the raven just drive off like a speed demon without taking any other input on the matter. His wife came in on the other end, yelling her concerns and annoyance. "Before you continue to shout that you love me, can you explain to me why you wanted Sasuke off this case. Whatever the reason, I'm pretty sure I'm going to agree…. Hm? Oh he just drove off to find Naruto so I hope you have someone by him already… You do?"

:: I Know How You Feel ::

"He stole your girl twice." Jiraiya sat beside the vented out blond at the back of the restaurant on top of some shipment boxes wrapped in plastic. "Tough break."

"Eh." Naruto wanted to care less. He took a swig of the courtesy sake provided by his old street tutor. His liver was not his friend this week. "He can have her."

"You sound awfully pissed about it." Jiraiya leaned back on his palms and chuckled at the grouchy working man. "I've been there… trust me. What you gotta learn is you win some and you lose some. How you endure each one determines the true outcome of that battle."

"How I endur- Are you buzzed already?" Naruto elbowed him playfully. "A loss is a loss, man. I think you've had a bit to many."

"I'm pretty clear of mind though some would disagree…" Jiraiya declined in spirits for a split second, jumping back on task thereafter. "You should think about it a minute. How'd you feel when you entered your marriage?"

"Miserable."

"And how do you feel now?"

"...Miserable."

"Then you were doomed from the beginning and you chose to suffer for that long instead of making progress." Jiraiya patted him on the back for getting that far. Now all he had to do was get him the rest of the way to his side of things. "I think you're inability to accept defeat is what's keeping you from letting her just walk away this time around. This woman definitely loved you and you broke that bond with her. Deep down you just can't let that go that this one is on you."

"Jiraiya, here's the thing, I don't feel anything for her and I never did." Naruto put heavy emphasis on each word.

"Ahhh, at the start you probably didn't. If you're anything like your dad, you probably fell in love with her without knowing it. Don't look so cross with me it's true." Jiraiya waved a hand off at nothing in particular to, going on to say, "She followed him around for days and he just thought she was lost constantly and didn't know her way around Helian. Your dad, while a good fighter and negotiator, needed about ten textbooks on how to comprehend women who were obviously interested in him. When it's vice versa, no one can get what the hell he was seeing. You're more like your mother at the end of the road thankfully. What you need is an awakening because you did love Sakura but you let her run all over you and drive you out of town. You never accepted her rejection. You bunched it all up and drove Iruka nuts instead."

"Heh, yeah I guess I did worry him a lot about her… I hope he's not still pissed about it." Naruto's ties with his caretaker were cut the day he left college. He never came back for a single holiday, called, or sent a letter. They had different views when it came to relationships and Iruka never liked his first girlfriend because of those views. "Does he still live on the south side?"

"Iruka moved a long time ago, kid. That area is dead from poverty and lack of care all around on both ends."

"You're joking."

"Not at all. It's almost a ghost town over there where you use to run around. You should check it out one day. It'll open your eyes to things bigger than your marriage problems." Jiraiya saw that classic look of the need to help on the whiskered man's face. "I don't think free food will bring back that place back to life."

"What will?"

"Work. Dangerous work that you might not be ready for. Eh, it's not your problem... You're living the good life and about to be divorced and all but… That place owes you nothing. It's kicked your ass a few times too."

Naruto arched a golden brow as if it wasn't obvious he hadn't gotten back up each time. "Imagine how they're going to treat me when I save their asses."

"That's one way to look at it," Jiraiya said with a lift of his shoulders, "We do need a people person drastically. That is..if you're willing to get back into your old self for a minute."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "I keep telling you I haven't changed."

"I convince myself of that too when I think of her." Jiraiya shifted on down to elbow supports and looked up the smokey sky. "You don't know how many times Kakashi has disappeared on her to go do something ridiculously emotionally driven. I got so tired of pulling him out of scrapes for her that I changed to an all day field job. Even then, I still couldn't escape her."

"Sounds like you ran away too." Naruto laid on back with his arms crossed behind his head, grinning to the sage who didn't find it so funny. "Jiraiya?"

"You're wrong... I didn't exactly run away."

"I can't wait to hear what do you think you did, old man."

Jiraiya switched views to the warming up blond, goal accomplished. "I can show you better than I can tell you. They'll be glad I brought you in."

A/N: Oh my sweet stars, I apologize for the confusion. It will be mentioned again later, for now I can give you all some peace of mind hopefully.

Hanabi turned 19 months before she was hit. Hinata's memory was of that year in January. Hanabi's birthday is in March. Itachi turned 26 in June during the summer days before he stopped seeing her around in late July. So they'd seen each other barely for a good couple of months with major gaps in between because of schooling and his career choice. She doesn't bike everyday either. She does take the same route every time... Nearing the summer period, they saw each other more often on her part because she took that semester off. When it came to finally wanting to say something at this point, it was for not. Major procrastination because she's young and he was trying to adult.

I believe that's seven yeas apart by age in total. It's still a big gap. From the beginning, she was never meant to be like 15 or so and looking at a grown man like, 'Oh yeah, that's what I want.' There will be no underage relationships in this story that's not definite abuse.

~ Thank you all for the favs, follows, and reviews no matter the context. Voice your concerns, spite, theories, advice, frustration, and ect to your heart's content at your will. Have a lovely day and hopefully satisfying read. Also, thank you to those who've stuck around for the ride and those who've hopped off. I'm glad I gave you a good start at first. I appreciate the feedback. XoXoXo ~