A/N: Alright, so the last chapter got me some backlash, and believe me, I understand. But, I'd also appreciate it if you avoided sending me death threats. You know who you are. Regardless, none of it was shown, and it never will be shown.

Let's move on from that, shall we?

Time for Chapter 28

Enjoy!

Kakashi glanced to the leftmost corner of his room for the umpteenth time in the past ten minutes. Numerous times, he had been alerted by one or more of his five senses to a presence in that very spot. Interestingly enough, said corner contained a chair. Despite his unease, the jonin had remained on his bed throughout the night. Logically, there were a variety of reasons for him to be concerned, but dwelling on them would likely reduce his sleeping capabilities to nil. Such was the risk of being meddlesome in the political structure of one's village. To a degree, the danger he may or may not be in was entirely his own fault. Danzo Shimura was a person who was quite perilous to cross, directly or indirectly.

'At least I know that I'm not the only one who distrusts him. I'm not entirely alone.' Kakashi thought to himself. He had spent much of his time recently on the outskirts of the council's meeting room. Making suggestions, sliding in comments from the sidelines, doing all he could to subtly tarnish the depressingly good name of Danzo. It had required him to take an assignment as the bodyguard of the council as a whole, but it had been worth it. He had gleaned a significant wealth of information simply by closing his eyes and listening. As expected, an election for the position of Hokage was being discussed. Predictably, the names being discussed for candidacy were all those in favorable standings with the council.

'With Hiruzen gone, they're essentially free to set out a buffet of agenda-pleasing options. Danzo is the most controversial of them, but he's also the most likely to win despite that. I think my tampering has helped on that front just a bit, but it still isn't enough yet.' the silver haired ninja pondered. It was a dire issue. Should Danzo assume the position of Hokage, the Hidden Leaf would essentially be transformed into a political war machine. Though the man religiously preached his love for the 'greater good', his imagined society was far from ideal for those not fortunate enough to be born into prominence.

It was an elitist's society. Kakashi himself likely would have no trouble fitting into such a place, but the lives of those around him were more important than his own in his mind. Preventing his rise would be far from easy, and it was potentially pointless, but giving up without trying was not a thing he had ever been willing to do. Not just pertaining to the situation at hand. It simply wasn't in his nature, and never would be.

'At this point, all I can do is badmouth him and use what little sway I have to make things as hard for him as possible.' Kakashi lamented with a sigh. It was greatly frustrating to be so desperately opposed to somebody, and yet be nearly powerless before them. Brief thoughts of more forceful methods had crossed the jonin's mind exactly once, but they had quickly been cast aside. Though one would have a difficult time discerning it based purely on his outward appearance, Danzo was an incredibly daunting combatant; And one that Kakashi was unequipped to deal with. Then, as the jonin was deep in thought, a slight creaking sound emanated from the leftmost corner.

Finally having had enough of the mystery, Kakashi sat up straight and whipped a kunai that he had been fiddling with at the chair. Before it could connect with the chair itself, however, it was deflected with a spark. It bounced off of the still-invisible barrier and whizzed past Kakashi's left ear before lodging itself into the wall. Slowly but surely, a figure became visible. The clearer it became, the more uneasy Kakashi grew. After a few moments, the identity of the intruder was clear.

"It's a little early for this kind of thing. Most assassinations happen at night, you know." The silver haired ninja pointed out as Itachi Uchiha put away the larger-than-average kunai he had used to deflect the projectile Kakashi had thrown his way.

"I haven't even spoken a word, and you're already jumping to conclusions. You're sharper than that, Kakashi-san." Itachi said with a sigh as he crossed one leg over the other. Kakashi swung his legs over the side of his bed and sat up straight.

"Given who your employers are, I think I've got good reason to assume." he countered calmly. The rogue Uchiha gave no noticeable response.

"They're less my employers than they are my coworkers. For the most part, anyway. But, rest assured. I'm not here to kill you. If I were, you'd be dead already." he said stoically. Making certain that he avoided eye contact, Kakashi shifted in place.

"Makes sense to me. Well, since you're here, I'm guessing you have something to tell me? You don't strike me as the type for visits." he replied. Itachi nodded slightly and glanced around the room, seemingly to make sure that they were entirely isolated from the outside world.

"I'd like to make this quick, so I'll cut right to the matter I'm here to resolve. First on that docket is a piece of advice I have for you: Do not leave your home under any circumstances for the next thirty-six hours." he said. Kakashi furrowed his brow, but kept his eyes glued to the floor.

"And why should I listen to you? You aren't exactly trustworthy." he questioned lightly. The Akatsuki shrugged his shoulders and folded his arms across his chest.

"I've committed many sins, but dishonesty has hardly been one of them. Especially lately. I've no reason to lie to you. As for why you should follow my advice, it's because I'm guessing you'd rather not be framed for first degree murder." he said bluntly. The jonin's eyes widened slightly.

"What do you mean by that? Explain yourself." he said, clearly puzzled by what he had just been told. The rogue Uchiha let a low chuckle escape before recomposing himself and standing up from the chair he had been occupying for an unknown amount of time.

"Let's just say that I'm about to solve a problem of yours for you. Though not in the spirit of being helpful, shall we say. This is personal business that happens to overlap with your agenda." he explained. Instantly catching on to what was being insinuated, Kakashi shot to his feet to meet Itachi.

"Why are you telling me any of this, then? If you aren't actually here to help, you wouldn't be giving me a heads-up." he pointed out. The Akatsuki remained silent for several moments before replying.

"I'm not here to help you. Not specifically, but the person I am here to assist would be quite broken up if tragedy of some kind were to befall you, so I saw fit to keep you out of the line of fire." he said before disappearing in a puff of smoke. Left in a state of panic, Kakashi simply stood in silence for a number of seconds before dropping to his rear end on the bed and running his hands through his own hair.

"That was...jarring." he muttered to himself. After reviewing the new development several times, he laid down on the bed and closed his eyes.

'Thirty-six hours, huh? May as well sleep through it.'

Naruto groaned and stretched his back as he looked over the Inn room. It was clean and tidied. Surprisingly, its current state of cleanliness had actually been at the blonde's behest. Upon awakening alongside Gaara under the covers of their shared bed, Naruto had decided to wake himself up earlier than usual by picking up any items lying on the floor, putting the showering supplies back in their proper places, and generally doing light maintenance. It had taken roughly a half an hour, and Gaara had awoken halfway through the process. Interestingly enough, she had simply watched him work, seemingly endeared by his efforts.

He was now finished with the cleaning, and there was little else to do than engage with what essentially amounted to his significant other.

"How'd you sleep?" he asked with a smile as the redhead rubbed one of her eyes and yawned for the third time that morning.

"Extremely well. Better than I have in a long, long time. I have you to thank for that." she said, glancing away from him shyly with a twinge of red on her cheeks as she replied. Though initially puzzled by her timidity, the obvious reasoning hit Naruto in the back of the head within moments. Suddenly feeling quite awkward, the former leaf genin laughed a bit and scratched the back of his head.

"Y-yeah. I guess so. I'm glad you slept well. You definitely could use the rest. I crashed pretty hard myself." he said. Gaara then returned her gaze to him, her expression quizzical.

"Do you think...what we did last night is the answer to my sleeping issues?" she asked curiously. The blonde immediately shook his head.

"No, I don't think so. I, uh, really doubt it. You just need some help getting to sleep, I think." he replied quickly. His words made Gaara's face fall slightly.

"Oh, I see." she muttered dejectedly. Sensing her dropoff in enthusiasm, Naruto's expression shifted and he stepped forward, putting a hand on her shoulder once he was close enough.

"Hey, you alright?" he asked gently. Gaara glanced back up at him and then back at the floor again, seemingly quite bothered by something.

"Do you really think that, or did you not enjoy sleeping with me?" she asked. Naruto suddenly realized his mistake and sighed. He then leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead.

"That's not it at all. Last night made me super happy. It was...really something. But, I don't think we should be doing that kind of thing much. Not right now." he said carefully. The redhead frowned slightly.

"Why not? That was absolutely wonderful, if a little painful at first." she asked skeptically. Naruto glanced at the bedside table, where the Orange Book lay.

"I'm guessing you haven't read that thing all the way through yet, right?" he asked in response. His fellow Jinchuuriki nodded and motioned for him to expand on his question.

"Well, in the end, the two characters have a baby." he said simply, letting Gaara do the rest of the thinking for herself. It took her a few moments, but she eventually reached the logical answer.

"Sex makes babies?" she asked, obviously dumbfounded by the revelation. Naruto suppressed a laugh and nodded in confirmation of her discovery.

"Yes, Gaara. Yes it does. Which is why we shouldn't do that again until we're a lot older, okay?" he said. The redhead thought for a moment before giving him an odd look.

"Are we going to have a baby?" she asked, almost sounding hopeful at the prospect of birthing a child. The blonde shook his head.

"No, I made sure that we wouldn't. Like I said, we're gonna save this kind of thing for when we're a whole lot older." he said. Gaara sighed and nodded reluctantly. She then reached out and pulled him into an embrace.

"Okay. I can live with that. Still, thank you for humoring me last night. I really adored being that close to you. You're very sweet, Naruto." she said, her voice slightly muffled due to her face being pressed against his shoulder. The former leaf genin squeezed her gently.

"I wasn't 'humoring' you. You've never really gotten what you wanted, and I figured I'd give you something to be happy about for once. You've more than earned some love, Gaara." he said kindly. The redhead responded by relaxing against him and glancing up at his face.

"Can we have a baby someday?" she asked innocently. Naruto shrugged his shoulders and released her from his grip.

"When we have a place to stay and a home to raise it, sure. Not anytime soon, though." he said. Gaara smiled and stood up from the bed. She then gave him a peck on the lips before disappearing into the bathroom. She seemed to be overjoyed. The shower then started inside the bathroom, prompting Naruto to begin making the bed.

'She's sorta weird, even now, but that's what makes her so cute.' he thought to himself. Minutes later, Gaara emerged from the room wearing her old tunic and pants, which were now clean.

"I cleaned it in the shower. The back is still singed, but it should do for now." she explained.

"We should probably get moving soon. We'll be at the coast in around twelve days if we're fast." Naruto said in response. After a brief discussion of travel schedule and pacing, the blonde took his turn in the shower and cleaned his clothing. Once they were both clothed and bathed, they checked out of the Inn and stepped out onto the road to continue on.

"Would you mind telling me where we're going, Naruto? You still haven't told me." Gaara asked as they walked down the immensely long dirt path.

"It's a place I've never actually been to, but somewhere I think would make a great place to settle and prepare for a while since there's nobody there." Naruto explained. The redhead raised an eyebrow.

"An abandoned town, perhaps?" she inquired. The former leaf genin kicked around a rock at his feet.

"Yeah, sorta. A little different, though. I think we'll be pretty safe if what I've read about it is actually true." he said. Gaara then slipped her hand into his.

"As we've established, you're perfectly safe in my care no matter where we go. I do hope that this place is habitable, though. I'd like to settle too." she said. From there on, they spoke little. There was little to be said.

At present, they needed only the company of one another.

The single visible eye on Danzo's face narrowed as a presence made itself known to his senses. He was no longer alone. Despite the rays of sun beaming through the window of his study, he still could not directly see his uninvited guest. It mattered little. To be sharp without access to one's own sight was a trait all competent Shinobi shared. Clearing his throat strongly and taking a seat in his chair, the bandaged old man spoke.

"Show yourself, whoever you are. I know you're here." he called out. For a time, there was silence. For such a time, in fact, that Danzo began to doubt the accuracy of his senses. Relaxing slightly, he poured himself a cup of tea from his steaming thermos. Once the cup was full, he lightly blew on it to begin drinking.

"Lovely morning, don't you think? Hardly past nine-thirty, and the sun is already shining."

Danzo slowly set his cup down and straightened his posture. He recognized the voice all too well, though he wished he hadn't. Footsteps then quietly echoed through the room as the man made his way around the desk and brought himself into the bandaged old man's field of vision.

"What compelled you to grace me with your presence, Itachi?" Danzo asked while the rogue Uchiha stared down at him from his not insignificant height. Itachi simply maintained his icy stare and pulled up a chair away from the wall to sit himself down on.

"I'm a man of order, Danzo. I value things such as organization, peace, and uniformity. By extension, I value abidance by terms. Of all our differences, I believe that is our only similarity." he said vaguely, taking note of Danzo's avoidance of eye contact as he spoke. His words offered no clarity, but the councilman was sharp.

"If this is about the arrangement you made with the council upon your departure all those years ago, I fail to see what the issue is. Sasuke is still unaware of the truth." he replied. Itachi shook his head and rested his elbows on the desk.

"That wasn't the only deal we made. I also specified that I wished for him to be left out of politics. Recent developments seem to have wiped that from your memory." he corrected. His tone was calm, but the underbelly was one of menace.

"In what way have I involved him in politics? If anything, I'd say he's fairly free to roam given the situation at hand. I fail to see your point." Danzo asked.

"I'm well aware of your scheme to send him cross-country after the Jinchuuriki. You're playing to his hatred of the girl to coax him into making the decision himself. Should he succeed, he'd no doubt retrieve Naruto Uzumaki, who you plan to use for a war you're soon to declare." Itachi replied. The bandaged old man scoffed at the accusation.

"Naruto Uzumaki and Gaara of the Desert are both rogue ninja. It's the proper legal process to send somebody after them. Konoha's Hunters are incapable of bringing them back, so I'm turning to your brother, who at least has a fighting chance. It isn't politics. It's logic." he countered. A scowl then manifested on Itachi's face.

"You and I both know that he can't best either one of them in combat reliably. Especially not Naruto, and he'd be utterly crushed if they were to attack him as a combined force. In fact, I daresay that's what you're counting on." he said dangerously. Danzo's face visibly twitched, a clear sign of discomfort.

"You have absolutely no ground to stand on for that statement. You're being fanciful." he hissed back. The rogue Uchiha then calmed slightly, leaning back in his chair to make himself more comfortable.

"Oh, I have plenty of ground to stand on. I know what you hide beneath those bandages, you rat. I also know what you did to Shisui. You've gotten slyer about your tactics in the years since, but the goal remains the same. You wish to send Sasuke to his death at the hands of Gaara. With him dead, his eyes would be yours for the taking. You would also have the built-in excuse that Sasuke chose to attack them of his own accord." he said in an eerily even tone. Before Danzo could even begin to respond, Itachi stood up from his chair and adjusted his collar.

As he did this, the red ring he wore on his right hand caught Danzo's eye for a split second with reflected sunlight, causing the old man to flinch slightly.

"I've always been watching. Your atrocities have always been known to me. Unfortunately, I've never quite been in a position to punish you myself. Even now, I won't be the one taking your life." he said ominously. He then let out a short laugh.

"I'd suggest either the chandelier or the window." he said before disappearing into a swarm of illusionary crows. Shocked and confused, Danzo took several deep breaths. Once he was calm again, he relaxed.

'Empty threats. Nothing but bravado.' he thought to himself, still slightly perplexed by Itachi's final words to him. He then went back about his daily business. The Uchiha's words would soon come true in a sense. That night, after having grown concerned about the long seclusion of Danzo, the old man's assistant entered the study to a shocking sight.

At nine thirty-two that night, Danzo Shimura was found hanging from his chandelier.

A/N: Itachi used Genjutsu on him using his ring. That's why he hung himself. Just thought I'd answer that question right out of the gate if the text wasn't clear enough. Mixed chapter, but I think it accomplished what it needed to. Tell me what you thought :)

See you next chapter! Read and Review (Let's see if we can get it to 400 reviews!)!