Chapter 40. Borrowed Time Pt. 2

"The hours we've spent cannot be regained."

|Karin|

It didn't take long for me to get ready, as I had decided earlier on that I wasn't going to put too much effort into my look. After combing my hair and wearing some light makeup, all that remained was my jewelry which I figured I could wear on the way downstairs, so with a quick exhale, I left the bathroom and turned to Ren.

"Let's go." I told him, "But…are you sure you're okay?"

Taking a moment to pause and look him over, I couldn't ignore how sickly Ren looked. His eyes were overtly bloodshot while his lips were chipped to hell, and his behavior the past few days had been concerningly strange.

'Is he coming down with something?' I wondered as I touched a hand to his forehead.

"I'm fine." Ren assured me as he rose to his feet, swiping my hand down and making his way to the door, "I'm just…tired is all."

Sensing that there was more to those words than what I was hearing, I racked my brain for any hints he might've dropped in our time alone, but I couldn't think of anything. However, I didn't get to deliberate for long because as soon as Ren opened the door, we met a stern-faced Suigetsu.

"Misaki-san, we need to talk." Suigetsu said, but his expression softened once he noticed Ren, "Hey kid, what's up?"

Ren didn't even acknowledge him, instead pushing past him and calling over his shoulder, "I'll save you a seat, Misaki-san."

"Ah, arigato!" I thanked him before glaring at Suigetsu, "This better be important."

"It is." He insisted, stepping into the room and shutting the door behind him, "I know I said I wouldn't pressure you to give me an answer, but things have changed. I need to know: are you joining me and Jūgo or not?"

I groaned as I wore my earrings, "Suigetsu, enough already. I haven't gotten a chance to speak to Sasuke-kun because he's been so busy, so if you think that I've given your words any meaningful thought, you're kidding yourself."

"The reason why you haven't spoken to him isn't that he's busy." Suigetsu shot back as he took my necklace from my hands, "You and I both know that."

"…What are you saying?" I questioned as I turned around, grabbing my hair up and out of the way so he could lay the necklace around my neck.

"Orochimaru said or did something to him. Whatever the case may be, the fact of the matter is that he's acting like some kind of slave." His voice quieted as he hooked the clasp at the back of my nape and gently lifted my fingers out of my hair, "The Sasuke that we knew – that you knew – is gone."

Based on Suigetsu's description, it seemed as though some form of hypnosis or brainwashing had been cast on Sasuke, and before going undercover, I might've laughed off such suggestions as lies or tricks, but now I knew better. Orochimaru was a man determined to break the world's checks and balances; if anything implausible could be done, it would be done by him. Still, I wasn't inclined to give up so easily.

"That's not true." I insisted as I turned around to face him, "Whatever he's done to Sasuke-kun, I know I can break him out of it."

Suigetsu shook his head, "You can't save him, Karin. You'll realize that soon enough; I just hope it won't be too late."

I held my hand up as an indication that I no longer wanted to speak about this and he let out a hefty sigh before scratching his head, "Can I at least escort you downstairs?"

He held out his elbow and I looked at it warily. The rumors about us had died down of late but coming downstairs together with our arms linked would do more than start them up again. With how dry Akatsuki had been of late, they would only come back in full force, with whispers of an alleged affair turning into outright gossip.

'Maybe I can use this.' I thought, trying to look on the bright side, 'If Sasuke-kun sees us, he'll have no choice but to react.'

Making up my mind, I took Suigetsu's arm in mine and allowed him to take the lead. However, as we left the room and made our way to the elevator, I couldn't help but recall Konan's words during one of our prior conversations.

"I thought the only way to keep him interested would be to get him jealous…I'm disgusting, aren't I?"

Shaking my head, I waved her confession out of my mind. Konan's situation was nothing like mine. This wasn't a petty attempt to try and gain Sasuke's affection; I was doing this to bring him back to his senses.

'But for what?' I couldn't help but chide myself.

I loved Sasuke, and he seemed to love me too, but we both knew that love wasn't enough. At least, not for us. If I saved him, what would be the result? He would return to his family in Konoha, and if I followed him, I would be left alone.

"You look beautiful, by the way." Suigetsu's compliment brought me out of my thoughts, and I looked at him, "I just thought you should know."

"…Arigato." I quietly thanked him as the elevator dinged and we arrived on the ground floor.

"No problem." He replied just as we reached the mess hall, "I better go."

The mess hall had been transformed; instead of looking like a massive cafeteria, thanks to the decorations and table covers distributed, it had turned into a miniature banquet hall. Towards the far end of the hall, I could see Jūgo nodding for him to come over to where he was, so I released his arm and gave him a small smile.

"Be safe, Suigetsu."

"Of course." He assured me with a little salute, returning the smile, "You too."

We went our separate ways, and I looked around before I spotted Ren at a table not too far from the Gedō's own. As I passed by it, Sasuke and I made eye contact, but if he had seen Suigetsu and I arrive together and disapproved of it, he didn't show it whatsoever. I wasn't sure whether to take that as confirmation of Suigetsu's words or see it as Sasuke being mission-oriented.

'It doesn't matter.' I convinced myself with a quiet huff, 'We'll talk sometime today and then I'll—'

I was cut off by the clinking of glass and looked up to find Pain at the front of the mess hall, a flute wine glass in one hand and a fork in the other.

"Friends, comrades, colleagues," Pain began in a suave voice, "I've called for everyone's presence this afternoon to share some good news. I'm pleased to announce that Akatsuki has achieved its primary goal of having acquired 100 billion ryo!"

The mess hall erupted in applause, and I reluctantly joined in. 100 billion ryo was more than quadruple the city's police budget. There was no way we would be able to put Akatsuki behind bars for long. Even with the most airtight testimonials, confessions, and evidence, with that kind of money, all it would take was an anonymous donation to the local judiciaries for them to be eligible for parole in less than a year.

"I'm grateful to all who are present in this room: I truly couldn't have done it without you." Pain continued, commending the attendees, "I also want to inform everyone that this impromptu feast marks the start of our next goal, which is to completely rebrand. My sworn brother will be joining us, and with his insight, Akatsuki will be recognized throughout the nation! A toast to *Atarashi Akatsuki!"

Ren nudged me as he lifted his glass and I quickly joined in the celebration, knocking my own against his and all the other members of our table before taking a sip. Ren downed the white wine in his glass and although I considered warning him about underage drinking, I decided to cut him some slack and only pinched his cheek endearingly.

When he shot me a goofy grin as a reply, I felt a bit of the tension my body had been harboring be relieved.

'That's more like it.' I thought to myself as I watched Pain take a seat at the Gedō table.

Konan immediately took his hand in her own and pressed a kiss to his cheek as he spoke to the table. I couldn't see his lips from where I was sitting, but whatever he'd said had caused Sasori to stand up and bow his head, no doubt excusing himself from the table. Once he'd gone, Pain looked to the remaining Gedō and addressed them with a somewhat nervous disposition, one that seemed to settle when Kisame placed an encouraging hand on his shoulder.

With a nod, Kakuzu and Zetsu affirmed their agreement with whatever Pain had told them, while Hidan shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. Orochimaru chuckled while Sasuke crossed his arms, and Konan turned away from the table in search of something. I learned that something was none other than myself as soon as we locked eyes, but I immediately broke eye contact with her once she touched Pain's chin and whispered something into his ear.

"Um, Misaki-san?" Ren timidly called me, and I looked up from my wine glass to find him with an uncertain look on his face.

"Yes?" I internally cringed at having answered too quickly but truthfully I was just eager to be distracted.

"Kakuzu-san is telling me to call you over." My stomach dropped at those words, "I think they want you at their table."

Despite my attempt to remain calm, my fear must have shown on my face because Ren tilted his head and silently asked me what was wrong. After sucking in a sharp breath and giving his hand a quick squeeze, I stood up and went over to the Gedō's table. To my surprise, Konan held out her hand as I approached and once I took it, she pulled me to her side.

"Misaki-san has been an integral supporter." She said, offering me a kind look before turning to the group, "I don't want her to miss this."

Pain nodded, "Whatever you wish. Now, is there anything stopping us from going right now?"

"Not at all." Orochimaru leaned forward, "Let's make our way to the lab, shall we?"

The entirety of the Gedō stood up, and Konan released Pain's hand so that she could hold mine. As I let myself be led along by her, I looked back to Ren and mouthed that I would be right back. He gave me thumbs up and mouthed for me to be safe, and I smiled in return.

"We're bringing Yahiko back." Konan whispered, and I turned to her, "I wonder what he'll think of me."

Squeezing her hand for reassurance, I urged her to look up at me before whispering back, "There's only one way to find out."

Konan nodded and we squeezed ourselves into the elevator alongside the group. On the way down, Zetsu commented how it was a shame Sasori wouldn't be able to see the process, and Hidan replied that Sasori wouldn't understand.

"…Deidara might have." Zetsu murmured pensively, and Kakuzu placed a light hand on his shoulder.

When we arrived at the lab, after everyone had stepped out of the elevator, I was a bit startled by the hooded figure leaning against the wall. Immediately, Kisame stepped forward to confront him, but Orochimaru slid in between the two and shared that uncanny grin of his.

"This is one of my associates," Orochimaru introduced the hooded figure, who made no motions to move, "It seems he has some information for me, so I'll have Kabuto and Guren escort you all to the revival room while I speak with him."

As if on cue, both Kabuto and Guren came down the hall and ushered the group forward. I noted that Sasuke hung back, and against my better judgment, I let go of Konan's hand to follow suit. Konan gave me a puzzled look, also stopping in her tracks but once I motioned toward him, she nodded with a wordless understanding.

She continued forward with the group and I turned around to find Sasuke gone. Knowing that he couldn't have disappeared into thin air, I walked back and found that he, Orochimaru, and the hooded stranger had gone into an offhand room. As I neared the door, I heard Orochimaru speaking, so I got as close as I possibly could before peeking around the corner.

Sasuke was leaning against the wall by the back of the room with his arms crossed while Orochimaru and his hooded acquaintance were stationed at a desk near the front of the room.

The hooded figure cleared his throat, "They must've found Kakashi by now, which means it's only a matter of hours before they get here."

I recognized the male voice but for whatever reason, I couldn't exactly pinpoint it. Thanks to Orochimaru's next few words, however, I didn't have to think too hard.

"Oh, Obito…" Orochimaru sighed before shaking his head, rummaging through the desk's drawer, "Did you bring your phone with you?"

'Obito-san?'

The hooded figure removed his hood and I bit my lower lip as Obito nodded and reached into his back pocket. He handed his phone over, and Orochimaru looked over it with a click of his tongue. He held the power button until the screen lit up, signifying that the device was now on, and then he turned to Obito.

"I have to bring Yahiko, but as soon as I confirm that he has no issues, I'll revive Rin."

This answer didn't please Obito, "And I'm supposed to what? Wait? I just told you that they'll be here in a few hours!"

Orochimaru raised a finger to his lips, "Patience. Or would you rather I pass the task to Kabuto? After all, he's watched me bring back both Sakura-san and Naruto-kun. I'm sure he'd do just fine."

'What?' I blinked at the revelation, 'He brought Sakura back to life? And Naruto? How? When?'

"If you're sure he won't mess anything up, then yes." Obito replied, "I don't care who brings her back, I just want us to be on our way before everything goes to hell."

"Yes, yes, I understand." Orochimaru rolled his eyes before turning to Sasuke, "Your uncle can be such a bore sometimes. I guess it runs in the family."

Obito stiffened and turned to the back, as if he'd just realized Sasuke was there, "Sasuke?"

Sasuke simply raised two fingers in greeting and Obito's eyes slightly widened before he returned his attention to Orochimaru, "How long have you known?"

"Several weeks, not that it matters." Orochimaru grinned, "Sasuke-kun won't act on anything I don't tell him to."

At that, Obito went still, "What…What do you mean? What did you do to him?"

"Oh please." Orochimaru waved a hand dismissively, "Are you going to play the concerned uncle after everything you've done? When I said you'd have to give up everything else if you wanted Rin back, I meant it."

Obito tightened his fists at his sides, "I—I'm not…"

"Don't worry," Orochimaru said as he beckoned Sasuke forward, "I don't plan on controlling him forever. Consider him a sleeper agent, if you will. I may have cracked the key to death but there are more secrets in this world that I have to unfold, and he'll be a big help should I come across him again. Ne, Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke nodded and Orochimaru laughed before turning to the door, "There you have it. Now, why don't you come in, Karin? I promise we won't bite."

I froze at my name, wondering how and when I had been discovered. For a moment, I considered trying to slip away and reconvene with the group, but I quickly forgot that plan. I had no idea where they were and even if I did, the odds of the three men stepping out into the hallway and catching me were greater than I wished to admit.

'Fine.' I told myself as I stepped into the doorway, 'No point in running.'

I glared at Orochimaru as I entered the room, and his amused smile only served to anger me further. Willing myself calm, I looked to Sasuke for some sort of sign or symbol that he was still there, but he didn't show the slightest bit of interest in me.

'So it's true.' I tried not to let my dejection show and instead turned to Obito for a distraction.

When Obito met my gaze, I recognized fear, shame, and guilt swirling around in his onyx eyes, and it quickly took me aback. Obito had always been the cheerful, goofy, optimistic member of the Six. To see him so remorseful now was a sight if nothing else.

I made up my mind right then and there that I wouldn't admonish Obito. His betrayal was unexpected, and only Buddha knew what gruesome crimes had been committed thanks to his information, but if there was one thing I had learned from that summer incident with Suigetsu and Jūgo, it was that we all had our choices to make, and Obito had made his. There was nothing I could say or do now that would change the past, and we both knew it.

His gaze remained pensive and tense, no doubt expecting accusations and insults about being a traitor, so when I hugged him, it took a moment before his body softened into the embrace.

'Daijōbu, Obito-san.' I quietly told him as I rubbed his back, 'You've been suffering all this time, haven't you?'

As if he could hear me, Obito proceeded to nod as he tightened the hug. I shut my eyes as I let out a quiet breath, and when I pulled back to look at him again, I could see his apologetic eyes glazed over with tears that were threatening to fall at any moment.

It was then that the anger I should've felt towards him found a new target, and as I accepted it, I turned to the common denominator in our cases.

"Orochimaru…" I snarled as I regarded him, "What do you want? What is your goal?"

He grinned, "It's simple really. I wish to know everything that there is to know."

"What?"

"I achieved immortality for this sole purpose." Orochimaru went on, standing up from his seat at the desk, "The average human life span would've given me barely enough years to make one decent discovery. I can now explore the world's mysteries without having to worry about old age, and thanks to our recent trials, death."

"And toying with Obito-san and Sasuke-kun is part of your scientific study?" I couldn't keep the venom out of my voice.

"Obito asked for my help." Orochimaru chuckled, amused by my rage, "As for Sasuke-kun, well…he's an Uchiha, and they are known as medical anomalies, something that proved to be true when I operated on him. It would be a crime for me to pass the chance to dissect their composition once and for all. Ah, but they're not alone: the same can be said for the Senju…or its sister clan the Uzumaki."

"W-What?" I mentally cursed myself for stuttering, "There's no such thing as an Uzumaki clan. I may have a distant cousin here and there but that's it."

"Oh, you poor thing." Orochimaru clicked his tongue as he walked by me, "Your mother didn't tell you anything, did she? I can't say I'm surprised, after all, it happened so long ago. Ah well, come with me."

I hesitated to move from where I was and instead followed him with my eyes, "Where are you going?"

"I've got to bring Yahiko back to life but as soon as he's awake, I'll pass the bedside care duties to Kabuto. We can discuss your lineage while I resurrect Rin." Orochimaru offered, nodding to Obito, and Obito joined his side.

When Sasuke brushed past me, I grabbed his hand to stop him from continuing. Surprisingly, he paused to look back at me, but I knew it wasn't out of genuine concern due to the lack of mirth in his eyes. As I released his hand, he gave me an apologetic nod before stopping in front of Orochimaru and folding his hands behind his back.

'This…This isn't right.' I concluded as Sasuke stared at nothing, 'This can't be happening.'

"Before your cover was blown, I told you to embrace yourself, did I not? Isn't it interesting? Back then, I didn't have the faintest idea who you were, but now that I do, my words ring truer." Orochimaru's yellow eyes gleamed eerily as he invited me with a wave of his hand, "Come now, Karin. Don't you want to know why you are the way you are?"

'Just play along.' I decided as I joined the three men, 'If the opportunity presents itself, you'll have to…have to what?'

I couldn't answer myself, not wanting to envision the very difficult choice I would have to make.

With no clear-cut plan in mind, I swallowed before answering him, "Tell me. What could you possibly know about me that I don't?"

"So much, my dear." Orochimaru chuckled, "Oh. So. Much."

*Literally means New Dawn

|Hinata|

Toneri collected all the plates and emptied the leftovers into the trash before setting them down in the sink. As he rolled up his sleeves to wash the dishes, Naruto tried to convince him that he could take over, but Toneri wouldn't let him.

"If you want to be useful then grab a towel and dry them as I wash." Toneri ordered, stabbing a finger into Naruto's chest, "Can't have Hinata rewashing the plates because of you."

Naruto grabbed Toneri by his shirt, "Listen you blue-haired bastard; if you think—"

"Please don't fight, you two." I pled as I stood up, tired of the ceaseless arguments that I had been subjected to for the past hour.

They immediately let go of each other and turned to me with forced smiles.

"Fight? Who's fighting?" Toneri chuckled.

"Yeah! Come on, Hinata! Toneri and I are like two peas in a pod, ya know!" Naruto agreed, going so far as to put his arm around Toneri.

I let out a silent sigh before excusing myself to the bathroom, and not a moment after I turned the corner did they resume their quarrel.

"See? You made her sigh." Toneri clicked his tongue, "Is that all you're good for? Making Hinata upset?"

"Screw you, Toneri. For all we know, she's sighing because she realized what a big stick in the mud you are."

Touching a hand to my head, I continued onward to the bathroom and shut the door behind me once I was inside. After splashing some cold water on my face, I looked at myself in the mirror and couldn't help but recall how I'd found myself in this position.

It all started this morning when I received a call from the mortician saying that Naruto's remains were nowhere to be found. At first, I couldn't believe it, and I questioned whether this was some sick prank being played on me, but once it became evident that this was no joke, I deteriorated.

"Hinata? Hinata, daijōbu?" Toneri questioned in a low voice as he stepped out of Boruto's hospital room, quickly sliding his door shut.

I looked at him but couldn't quite grasp the fact that he was there, the world falling out from under me, "Toneri, I…what do I do?"

I relayed to him what the mortician had told me, and once I was done I looked to him for guidance. He held a hand to his chin and remained deep in thought for a moment before taking my hand.

"Boruto," He popped his head back into the room, "Your mother and I are going out and we won't be back for a while. Call us if you need anything, okay?"

"Sounds good." Boruto called and Toneri shut his door once more.

"Come on." Toneri urged me, tugging me towards the elevator, "Let's find out what's going on."

Sure enough, when we arrived at the morgue, their story did not change. They brought us to the back and insisted we look for ourselves to confirm that they weren't lying, but when I saw that his remains were indeed missing, I only felt worse. With no reports of suspicious persons on the premises and no cameras to verify who had been in what room at what time, Toneri thanked them for their assistance before leading us back to the car.

"Toneri…?" I questioned as he pulled us out onto the road, "What should I do now…?"

He gave me a concerned look before dialing someone's number through his dashboard. When the person picked up, I recognized Shikamaru speaking but didn't pay too much attention to their conversation. My head was up in the clouds and not in a good way, as I had one singular thought running through my mind: "failure."

Over and over, the words repeated themselves in my head, so much so that I didn't even realize Toneri had driven us home until he was getting out. I stepped out of the car but at the same time felt so distant from the maneuver, as if I was watching my body move on its own.

"This way." Toneri gently led me up the stairs and into the house.

I took off my shoes and hung up my sweater before turning to him, and he lifted his hands to my cheeks, brushing across them with his thumbs.

"Hinata, this isn't your fault, okay?"

I shook my head in disagreement, "I couldn't do anything for him while he was alive, and even now that he's dead, I'm still…gomennasai, Toneri. I'm a terrible wife. We still have time; if you want to get the marriage annulled and find someone else, we can—"

The rest of my words were swallowed by his mouth as he cut me off with a passionate kiss. His tongue lightly ran over my teeth, almost hesitant to go further and this was confirmed by the way he pulled back.

"There is no one else for me, Hinata." He lowered his forehead to mine before shutting his eyes, "You're perfect for me. Just you. Only you."

His words made me feel appreciated, wanted, loved…I didn't think twice about returning my lips to his and he wrapped his arms around my waist as we deepened the kiss.

As our romance continued, our movements came together in a hazy, lustful blur, and the next thing I knew, I was being lowered into my bed and Toneri was climbing on top of me. He yanked his tie free from his neck before lowering his mouth to my own, and I popped the buttons on his shirt as our tongues danced against each other.

We managed to discard our clothes despite our mouths being joined, but when I felt Toneri's hard brush against me, I instinctively stiffened. Not too lost in his desire, he acknowledged my discomfort and immediately pulled back to get a good look at my face.

"Hinata, if you're not ready…"

I silenced him with a finger to his lips before pulling him back down on top of me, "Arigato, Toneri. Hontōni, arigato. But I…I want this. Please."

I felt him expel a breath of hot air against my ear before reaching between us to line himself up. When he pressed forward, I couldn't help but gasp at the slight ache from the intrusion, but the feeling was quickly replaced by a reassuring warmth.

Toneri was caring and gentle, slowly rocking back and forth to allow me time to adjust to his length, but once he was completely inside me, I made my carnal desires clear.

"More…!" I begged him, and that simple request changed the pace.

The next thrust I received was sharp and strong, and a desperate moan fell from my lips. Toneri nipped my ear before lifting himself up and grabbing my hips. After a light massage from his thumbs, he looked up at me and smiled before picking up speed.

He wasn't moving like a jackhammer, but the prolonged eye contact combined with the pleasureful shocks I received from his strokes stole my breath away. I grabbed at the bedsheets as I shut my eyes, the sensations too intense for me to process.

When I began to shake, it was evident that I would climax soon, but to my surprise, when I clenched around Toneri at the beginning of my orgasm, he came to an abrupt stop. I whimpered at the sadistic pause and as my eyes fluttered open, I looked to him for answers.

"Gomen, gomen." Toneri apologized as he laid down beside me, "But you should be in control of your pleasure, don't you think?"

He nodded for me to get on top of him and once I was straddling him, I gave him a wary look.

"Use me, Hinata." He urged as he pushed himself up onto his elbows, "I want to make you feel good."

I placed a hesitant hand on his abdomen before straightening up and looking beneath me. Recognizing this as the cowgirl position I had read about in Naruto's book, I had a decent understanding of what to do, but I wasn't confident about how well I would perform.

Toneri must've read my mind because he gently took my waist in his hands before pulling me down onto his length and urging me to rock back and forth. I gasped at the zing of electricity that shot through me, and after a few more attempts, I found a consistent rhythm.

Aside from our heavy breathing, no sounds passed between us. Toneri's powerful blue eyes remained locked with mine as we moved in sync, and although part of me wanted to curl up and hide, I was secretly relieved that I couldn't. Toneri was seeing me in my most natural state, just as I was seeing him; if there was any sure way to deepen a connection, it was this.

After a bit, Toneri lifted a careful hand to my cheek before sitting up, and I couldn't help but moan at the new friction caused by the change in position, my clit now rubbing against the base of his length.

"Hinata," Toneri whispered into my ear, grunting as he canted his hips up, wrapping his arms around my back, "Kami, I'm—can I cum inside?"

"Yes…!" I whined as I slid my hand up into his pale blue hair, mewling as a particular roll of his hips sent my eyes rolling to the back of my head, "Toneri, I—!"

A gasp was all I could manage as my world fell apart, and I slumped against him, my mouth wide open as a soundless cry tumbled from my lips. Toneri groaned my name before I felt a foreign but warm liquid spread inside me, and he let out a contented sigh as his throbbing member slowly settled down.

The two of us remained conjoined for some time and quietly collected our breath in each other's arms, but once I had recuperated enough, I pulled back and searched his light blue eyes for any hint of dissatisfaction.

Sure, I'd made him cum, but was that enough? Naruto had made it clear that there was more to the deed than just getting off, so if Toneri felt my performance was inadequate…

He answered my silent question with a smile before lowering his head to my chest.

"That was amazing, Hinata." He murmured before planting a kiss over my heart, "I love you."

We eventually sank into the bed to recuperate and ended up making small talk while wrapped up in each other's bodies. The euphoria from sex could only last so long before my mind drifted back to my present issue: Naruto's missing body.

I did my best to stay composed but at Toneri's behest, my efforts turned to naught, and I found myself crying into his chest. He whispered kind compliments to me, praising the attributes of which I had low self-esteem, and in turn, I thanked him with small kisses. They started on his cheeks before advancing to his neck, and eventually ended up on his lips.

When we truly settled down, Toneri yawned as I curled into his chest. I yawned shortly after and we shared a quiet laugh, but just as I opened my mouth to wish him a good rest, he shushed me and raised his head. We listened as the sound of someone walking around the house became more obvious, and he handed me his shirt before jumping into his pants. After buckling his belt, he stepped out of the room and called out to the intruder.

It remained silent, so I hastily buttoned the shirt he'd given me before pulling on my underwear, and once I was sure the shirt would cover my modesty, I joined Toneri in the hallway. However, once I realized that the intruder was Naruto, any fear I'd felt was replaced with shock and disbelief.

'And I jumped on him like a fangirl.' I smacked my forehead out of embarrassment for the actions I took to confirm he was real.

In my defense, I still hadn't come to terms with Naruto's death, so when he'd appeared after such a magical moment with Toneri, I'd wanted to confirm that he truly was right in front of me and I wasn't just seeing him as part of some newly developed psychosis.

"Still…" I mumbled to myself as I sighed, "If I were Toneri, I'd be upset."

Drying my hands on the towel, as I left the bathroom, I made up my mind to make it up to Toneri. While Naruto would always hold a special place in my heart as the father of my children and my first love, Toneri was my husband now and hopefully forever. Although I'd prefer not to, if it came down to choosing between the two of them, Toneri would have to come first.

When I returned to the kitchen, I was shocked to find Naruto and Toneri sitting across from each other in a civilized manner. A glance over the two of them showed that they had no new scratches or swelling areas and that their clothes were relatively undisturbed, meaning they hadn't gotten into another physical altercation.

They did, however, share grim looks on their faces and as I approached them, I soon found out why.

"Boruto called your phone." Naruto spoke first, "Toneri answered because…well, yeah. Anyway, the hospital was put on lockdown."

"What?" I lifted a hand to my mouth, "Why? Did something happen?"

"Boruto said he doesn't know." Toneri jumped in, "As far as he can tell, the hospital is safe, and when he asked the nurse what was going on, she told him that a special patient was admitted."

"Special patient?" I repeated as I felt my eyebrows come together, "Who in the world…?"

Naruto stood up, "No idea, ya know. Toneri and I were talking about it and we figure it's best to head down there and find out ourselves."

"You're coming?" I questioned in surprise, "But everyone thinks you're dead!"

"It'll be better this way." Toneri insisted, "People are bound to find out eventually; we might as well start the process today. Besides, Naruto needs a checkup. If what he told us over lunch is true, who knows what else this Orochimaru might've done to him?"

I nodded in understanding and clasped my hands together as I recalled the information Naruto had shared with us earlier. He'd been brought back from the dead by a snake-like scientist, and Sasuke had somehow been hypnotized by this same man. Thinking back on it, it sounded like the cheesy side plot of some dramatic science fiction story, but when I reminded myself that Naruto was sitting before me despite me having said my goodbyes to his burned corpse a few days ago, I knew it wasn't too outlandish.

"Whaddya mean 'if what he told us is true?' Of course it is. What, do you think I'm lying?" Naruto crossed his arms, clearly offended.

Toneri gave him a confused look, "What? No, it's an expression."

"Hmph…" Naruto hummed skeptically, "If there's something you want to say, go ahead and say it, ya know. Otherwise—"

"It's. An. Expression." Toneri facepalmed.

"Right, right." Naruto egged him on, "It has to be. You know better than that."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Huh? Well, just that if you were trying to start with me, you'd know not to because—"

"Okay, okay." I clapped my hands, silencing the both of them, "Can we please get going to the hospital so we can find out what's happening?"

"Sure." Came Naruto's reply.

"Of course." Toneri nodded.

"I'm driving." The two of them looked at each other as they spoke in almost perfect timing, and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

"Nice try, but I'm driving." Naruto said before jerking his thumb at himself.

"My car, I drive." Toneri corrected as he took his keys from his pocket and held them in the air, "Besides, I don't think recently-deceased people can get behind the wheel. It's a legality thing."

"I'll show you legality when I—"

"I'm driving." I cut Naruto off as I took the keys from Toneri's hand, "And since the two of you have become so close, you can sit in the back together and continue your back and forth."

"What?!" Naruto exclaimed, but Toneri pulled me aside.

"Hinata, I…" Toneri let his words die on his tongue as I gave him my no-nonsense stare.

Stretching my arms above my head, I turned towards the doorway, "Naruto-kun, let's get you some clothes, and then we're off."

|An Hour Later|

The drive to the hospital was relatively silent, which surprised me considering how passionate Naruto and Toneri's exchanges had been beforehand. It became clear that it was a coincidence that they'd managed to stay quiet because the peace was shattered as soon as the car had been parked.

"I truly believe it would be better if you stayed downstairs and allowed me and Hinata to scope out the scene." Toneri said as the three of us walked to the elevator.

Naruto snorted, "Hell no. We haven't spoken to Boruto in an hour, who knows what could've happened since then? I want to speak to my son right now, ya know. And no one is gonna stop me."

Toneri grumbled something about him being too hardheaded for his own good, but I stepped in before Naruto could retaliate with an insult of his own.

"That is enough." I silenced them as we stepped into the mechanical box, "I don't want either of you making any more snide remarks from this point onward, okay? Whatever differences you two have will be sorted out later; right now, we need to make sure Boruto is safe."

I shot them a menacing look just to get my point across and the two nodded in tandem. The ride up was swift, smooth, and silent, and we arrived on the third floor fast enough. However, when we stepped out, we weren't exactly given a warm welcome.

No, instead, we were met with yells and shouts as four armed police officers gave us conflicting orders, ranging from putting our hands in the air to getting on the ground. Just as Toneri and I dropped to our knees, Naruto broke away from us to approach a crying man sitting in a chair just outside of the room opposite Boruto's.

"Iruka-sensei?" Naruto called as he touched the man's shoulder, "Daijōbu?"

"Naruto?" Iruka blinked as he wiped his tears from his eyes, "What…? How are you—?"

Iruka was cut off by the sound of a sliding door being slammed open, and right after Boruto stepped into the hallway.

"Tou-chan?" Boruto's voice wavered as he stared at his father, "Is that…is that really you?"

Naruto turned to Boruto and began to spread his arms to encourage a hug from his son, but the movement was stopped by a tackle from one of the officers that had been yelling at us when we'd first shown up. Naruto let out a loud oof as he hit the ground, and Boruto immediately sprang into action, the brace around his ankle barely hindering him.

"Get off him, motherfucker!" Boruto yelled as he shoved the officer on top of his father, "He didn't do anything, ya know!"

"Boruto, stop!" I called out before standing up and stepping into the path of the other three officers, "There's been a misunderstanding; I'm sure if we all calm down, we can explain why we're here and—"

"Ma'am, step aside." The closest officer barked, "Otherwise I'll have you arrested for aiding in the assault of a police officer."

Before I could respond to that ridiculous charge, Toneri came to my side. Holding an arm out, he ushered me behind him before getting in the cop's face.

"My name is Otsutsuki Toneri, and I am the CEO of Otsutsuki Industries." He declared his identity strongly and proudly, "If any of you lay a hand on my wife or stepson, I promise you'll regret it."

"Wife?" Naruto questioned from his position underneath the officer.

"Stepson?" Boruto called in a follow-up question, currently being restrained by Iruka Sensei, "What?"

The three of them were now looking at us, and even the officers seemed to be at a loss for words due to the bombshell that had just been dropped. While I was thankful that tensions in the room had come to a standstill, I wasn't so eager to answer the question present in everyone's mind: when?

Thankfully, I didn't have to, as the sliding door of the room that Iruka Sensei had been sitting in front of snapped open.

"I thought I told you guys not to allow any visitors on the third floor!" Guy Sensei yelled as he came out of the room, "What in sweet summer is going on out here?"

"Guy-sensei! Tell your lackey to get off me, ya know!" Naruto huffed.

Guy Sensei looked down and one of his magnificent eyebrows immediately raised, "Naruto? Didn't you die?"

"Yeah, about that…" Naruto forced a chuckle, "It's kind of a long story."

Guy Sensei waved his hand and the officer reluctantly let Naruto go. After Naruto had straightened up, he shared his infamous grin with Guy Sensei.

"We haven't seen each other in ages." Naruto commented as the two men shook hands, "Mind filling me in? Why's the hospital on lockdown?"

Guy Sensei looked at all of us before heaving a heavy sigh, "What I'm about to say cannot be shared with anyone."

Naruto, Toneri, Boruto, and I all nodded. Iruka Sensei returned to his seat, and I watched a vein in the side of his head tense in preparation for what Guy Sensei was going to say. Whatever it was, it couldn't be good.

After a long pause, Guy Sensei spoke once more.

"Commissioner Kakashi is dead."

Although Iruka Sensei had begun to cry again, my gaze quickly flew to Naruto. He had grown up calling the commissioner Sensei instead of his title. Naruto remained still for a moment, his face not visible to me due to the way he was facing, but just as I started wondering whether or not he was currently breaking down, he threw his head back and laughed.

Naruto held a hand over his eyes and laughed heartily, and the sound bounced around and echoed through the completely silent hall. Hearing it sent shivers down my back, as I recalled what had happened the last time Naruto had laughed so maniacally. When his merriment finally died down, he looked back at Guy Sensei.

"It was a good thing I came back." Naruto nodded as he clutched Guy Sensei's shoulder, "Now, tell me how I can help you find the bastard that killed him, ya know."

Guy Sensei removed Naruto's hand from his shoulder and offered him an empathetic but somber look before saying, "It was Obito. Obito killed Kakashi."

|Sarada|

I stared at the pristine high-rise building before me and swallowed as a lump suddenly formed in my throat.

"He's an Otsutsuki, Sarada." I murmured to myself as I pushed the revolving door and entered the building, "This is modest considering how rich they are."

The bald security guard at the front desk seemed friendly enough, but when I told him who I was there to meet, his smile slid off his face.

"You're gonna go to the fifth floor," He grumbled as he came out from behind his desk, grabbing a keycard from his back pocket and pressing it against the card reader under the elevator button, "Once you arrive, take a right and it should be the first door you see."

I thanked him as the elevator arrived and he waved his hand dismissively before I got in.

Pressing the button for the fifth floor, I made sure to follow his instructions to a T, and sure enough, I found myself in front of a snug conference room. From the walls to the rolling chairs surrounding the long thick wood table in the center, there seemed to be a concurrent blue theme in place. The sound of someone clearing their throat drew my attention away from observing my surroundings, and I looked up to where I'd heard the noise, only to find alarmingly orange eyes staring at me.

They belonged to a pale, mauve-haired man wearing light blue lipstick, and although I tried, I couldn't ignore the large tattoos of the roman numeral seven under his eyes.

"Are you going to come inside anytime soon?" An exasperated voice called from his side, and it was then that I noticed a red-headed young man beside him.

The redhead propped his chin up with his fist as an unimpressed look graced his face, and I hurriedly nodded before stepping inside and shutting the door behind me. A glance toward the end of the table alerted me to the presence of a blonde young woman who seemed to be in distress. While she wasn't actively crying, her eyes were bloodshot and her cheeks were flushed, leading me to believe she had stopped not too long ago.

Before I could read any deeper into her situation, Kawaki walked out of a backroom with a stack of papers in hand. His lips were pulled into a tight line but when our eyes met, I watched as they lifted into a small smile.

"Sarada, welcome." He greeted me as he set a piece of paper down in front of the blonde, "I'm glad you could join us."

I slid into the nearest seat, which was across from the blue lipstick-wearing man that had cleared his throat earlier. When I gave him a friendly smile, he returned it with a wide grin, but if anything that only served to worsen my anxiety.

"You'll be working alongside me and my family." Kawaki went on as he came around the table, handing me my own page, "This is my brother, Code."

I looked at the redhead who had expressed his disinterest earlier and raised a hand in greeting, "Nice to meet you."

Code clicked his tongue and turned away, but when Kawaki's hand brushed his shoulder, he glanced back at me and nodded, "Likewise."

"Then there's my cousin Deepa."

"That's me!" The grinning man across from me spoke up, extending his hand, "So nice to meet you, Sarada-chan!"

"N-Nice to meet you too, Deepa-san…" I tried not to sound so hesitant as I shook his hand.

"And finally," Kawaki placed a gentle hand on the blonde woman's shoulder before lowering his voice, "My cousin Delta."

She gave me a quick forced smile and I waved my hand, completely understanding that she wasn't in the mood to socialize.

"This is the team." Kawaki spread his arms at the group before taking a seat at the end of the table, "Each of you has received a paper containing the list of subjects you'll need to be familiar with by Monday. According to the inventory Father gave me, we currently have eleven tons of shabu in our possession. If we draw up a solid plan and put it into action, we should be rid of half of that within the next month."

'Eleven tons…' My mind spun at the number, 'Oh Kami, what have I done?'

I tried to console myself by saying that I had nothing to do with shabu's creation, but I found little comfort in doing so. The fact of the matter was, had I not aided Kū in selling shabu those first few weeks, it never would've skyrocketed in popularity and therefore wouldn't exist in such large quantities as it did now.

"I know we can get it done, but I'm not sure if she's up to the task." Code looked at me as he spoke, "We can't have anyone dragging us down with this."

"Sarada will pull her weight." Kawaki came to my defense, although his tone was more threatening than uplifting, "She's partly why shabu is as big as it is. Instead of questioning her abilities, you should ask yourself if you have the competence needed to expand the business rather than tank it."

Code scowled before looking away and Deepa clapped his hands.

"We've received your orders, Kawaki!" Deepa saluted him as he stood up, chuckling, "By the looks of things, it seems that's all you had for us today?"

Kawaki nodded, and not a second after Kawaki's head returned to its natural position did Code get up and leave the room.

"Don't mind him." Deepa whispered to me, "He's just mad that Jigen-sama chose Kawaki over him. The next time we meet, he should be a bit more hospitable."

It took everything in me not to brush my ear as soon as he stepped back, and that proved to be a battle worth fighting because he gave me an amiable wink before going over to Delta. He whispered something to her that caused her eyes to glaze with tears, but she still stood up and wrapped her arm around his shoulders before they proceeded to the door.

Once they were gone, I rose from my seat and went over to Kawaki, who happened to be writing a letter of some kind. When he realized I was approaching, he set his pen aside and gave me his complete attention.

"Something wrong?" He questioned, seeming genuinely concerned.

I shook my head, "No, nothing is really…well, I guess you could say there is. Today's your birthday, isn't it?"

At the mention of his birthday, his face fell, and he lowered his eyes to the form, "Aa, but like I told you, I don't celebrate it."

"No, I get that I just—" I cut myself off and reached into my purse for the slip of paper I had haggled Ayame for, "I got you something."

I set the coupon down in front of him and he turned it over in his hand as he read it. When he was finished, he looked up at me with slightly wide eyes.

"Sarada, this is an all-you-can-eat voucher for Ichiraku's. How did you—?"

"Don't ask." I waved my hand, "I remembered that you told me you don't eat ramen very often, so I figured the next time you do, you should eat to your heart's content."

Kawaki's eyes softened, "Sarada, you didn't have to—"

He was interrupted by the ring of my phone as someone called me, and although I was tempted to just silence it and ignore it, I recalled that I'd put my phone on emergency calls only when I'd arrived at the building, which meant that this call was important. Raising an apologetic hand to Kawaki, I brought my phone out of my purse and read the Caller ID.

I swiped up and answered the call, "Boruto?"

A flurry of words was spoken in the next two milliseconds and of course, I didn't catch a single one, so once he was done I told him to calm down before asking, "What happened?"

"Tou-chan's alive!" Boruto exclaimed, loud enough for me to pull the phone back in recoil and loud enough for Kawaki to hear because the look on his face morphed into distrust.

"What?" I questioned, putting him on speaker and setting the phone down on the table, "How is that possible?"

"I don't know but he's here at the hospital with Ka-chan and Toneri-san, ya know. He told me a little something about being brought back to life before the nurses came and took him away."

"Brought back to life?" I couldn't wrap my head around what he was saying, "But that's impossible!"

"He did it." Kawaki murmured as he slowly stood up, "Father kept his word…"

Before I could question Kawaki about what he meant by that, Boruto called attention to the fact that he was not deaf: he had heard Kawaki, and he was determined to know why.

"Sarada, are you with Kawaki?" Boruto's tone went from elated and rushed to slow and hardened, "What are you doing with him, ya know?"

"Uh…" I looked from Kawaki to the phone in hopes of getting some help, but I was shocked to find tears running down Kawaki's face. Knowing that Kawaki would be of little help now, I returned to the phone, "Boruto, I'll explain everything when I see you, okay? I'm on my way to the hospital."

"What? No, tell me now, ya know!" Boruto explained, and I could picture his irked face.

Trying not to laugh at the image now in my head, I hurried to end the call, "I can't, but I'll see you soon, okay? Love you, bye!"

"Wait! You can't come! The hospital's—!"

I pressed the big red hang-up button and shut my phone off just as his first text message came through.

'I'll deal with him in person.' I reasoned before looking up at Kawaki, "Are you okay?"

He wiped his hand under his eyes and sniffled before nodding his head, "Aa, I am. When I heard that Nanadaime was alive, I—I just…I'm glad he's okay."

"Come with me to the hospital." I took his hand in mine as I offered a course of action, "You'll get to see him and Boruto; maybe you'll even patch things up in one go."

"No, no." Kawaki shook his head, "Now that Nanadaime's back I…I need to take care of something."

I raised an eyebrow at the vagueness of his statement, but he simply gave me a small smile before ruffling my hair.

"Hey!" I exclaimed, "I thought we agreed you'd stop treating me like a kid!"

"Gomen," He apologized with a chuckle, "Force of habit."

With an exaggerated sigh, I crossed my arms and smiled, "So? What now?"

"You go on ahead; be safe." He planted a hand on my shoulder, "If everything goes well on my end, we'll talk soon."

The air around him, as well as his overall demeanor, had shifted. I couldn't stop myself from trying to look into his words in search of a deeper meaning, but there was nothing to go off of based on the little he'd told me.

'Still…' I bit my lip, 'Why does it feel like he's about to do something drastic?'

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" I wondered, letting my concern slip into my voice.

Kawaki nodded before flicking my forehead, "I'll see you around."

I spared him one last glance over my shoulder before walking away, "Right…"

Or so he thought. Once I was a significant distance away from the door, I tried the doorknob of a nearby room and was thankful to find it unlocked. I quickly stepped in just as Kawaki came out of the conference room, and from the crack of the door, I watched him call for the elevator.

I waited for the familiar sound of the elevator doors shutting before I stepped out and made my way over to where I'd seen him last. After pressing the elevator button, I crossed my arms and began tapping my feet.

There were a million and one ways my meddling could go wrong. For one, I could just be reading the room incorrectly and Kawaki didn't have any plans to be some sort of tragic hero. If that was the case, then my nosiness knew no bounds and I would have to work on it. But the other course was just as dangerous. What if I caught Kawaki doing something really bad? What would be my next course of action?

The elevator dinged and I looked up as the doors opened, 'We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. For now, I'll—'

I cut myself off as the doors revealed a smiling Deepa.

"Sarada-chan! You're still here!" He laughed as he ushered me in, "I would've thought you'd be long gone by now! What's the delay?"

Looking over the elevator panel, I saw there were thirty-five floors as well as a penthouse suite. It occurred to me then that I had no idea which floor Kawaki was on.

'This must be a sign.' I thought to myself as I reached for the lobby button, 'Mind your business, Sarada.'

"Were you hoping to catch Kawaki?" Deepa grabbed my hand, forcing me to look up at him, "If you are, he's at the penthouse."

I held my breath and thought for a moment. Based on how carefree Deepa was acting, it was safe to assume that whatever Kawaki planned to do hadn't happened yet, and it might not be happening any time soon. Was there a need for me to follow him?

"Come on." Deepa placed an arm around my shoulders and pressed the penthouse button, "I'll take you to him."

I instinctively stiffened under his touch but forced myself to loosen up as he leaned forward for a retinal scanner. The doors shut and the elevator quietly whirred to life as it ascended, yet Deepa's arm didn't let me go.

The ride up was quiet, partly because I kept my gaze on the ground to avoid eye contact with Deepa, but at the same time, he made no move to start a conversation either. When we arrived at the penthouse suite, Deepa tugged us out and I immediately spotted the light blue door at the end of the hall. Once we reached it, Deepa let go of me to turn the doorknob, and I was shocked to learn that it was unlocked. As we stepped inside, Deepa held up a hand, silently ordering me to wait before he continued further in.

After a few minutes, he returned with a smile on his face, "Okay, the coast is clear. Now follow me."

With no other option, I walked right behind him as he navigated me through the beautiful and spacious property. It wasn't until we reached a scarlet red door that Deepa turned to me again.

"Well, this is his room." He smirked as he opened the door for me.

The first thing I noted as I entered the room was how bland it was. The walls were light grey, and the carpeting was the typical beige carpeting most houses had. Aside from a bed and a desk, it seemed as though Kawaki hadn't made any attempts to personalize the room, as I couldn't spot one poster, trophy, or picture anywhere.

"Yeah, he's always been a bore." Deepa chuckled, drawing me out of my observations, "And after the fire chief's death, he's only gotten worse. Hopefully you can cheer him up."

I tilted my head at that, "What do you mean?"

"Isn't that why you're here? To comfort him?" He raised an eyebrow before pinching his chin, "Still, who would've thought Kawaki liked them so young? Then again, he's always been a kid at heart, no matter how much he denies it."

I blinked, and when the meaning of his words dawned on me, I quickly waved my hands, "Oh no! No, no, no! Kawaki and I are just friends! I wouldn't—I have a boyfriend!"

"That wouldn't stop me but hey," Deepa shrugged, "We all have different rules when it comes to that sort of thing. Anyways, here's his room. He should be back any second now, so I'll leave you two to have fun."

"We're not—!" I cut myself off as he shut the door, "Whatever."

I looked around the room again and couldn't help but feel bad as I went over its lack of content. How long had Kawaki been living here? Why had he never felt the need to own his space?

When I'd first met him at the meeting Mitsuki had invited me to, I had him pegged as an arrogant rich boy. Our talk that day made me realize he wasn't so much antisocial as he was an introvert, and the longer I looked into his stormy grey eyes, the more sadness I recognized in them. But why?

The sound of approaching footsteps pulled me back to the present and I quickly looked around for a place to hide. Spotting the closet to the left, I barely managed to get inside and pull it shut before the door to the room swung open. I watched through the slots as Kawaki took a seat at his desk.

He reached into his pocket and brought out the voucher I'd given him, then set it down on the table and chuckled.

"I'll give this to Nanadaime," Kawaki murmured as he ran a hand through his hair, "He'll make better use of it."

His phone rang and I sucked in a sharp breath as he answered it.

"Is it done?" The hardness in Kawaki's voice startled me, and I wondered who he could be speaking to, "Good. Just leave it in his office, I'll take care of the rest."

There was a pause before Kawaki spoke again, "Aa, I know…arigato, Amado."

Kawaki hung up before letting out a deep sigh and standing up.

"Just one more thing," He said to himself as he straightened up, patting his clothes down, "One more."

With another heavy exhale, he exited the room, and I waited for a few moments before I gently opened his closet and stepped out. Once I saw his phone was on the table, I quickly scampered over to it and was glad to find it hadn't yet gone to sleep.

"Amado, Amado…" I repeated the name in a low voice as I searched for the contact, "What are you and Kawaki planning?"

As I tapped on the name, I recalled that I had met this Amado at the conference Akatsuki had held. Just like Orochimaru, he was a scientist, and the two had hit it off pretty well, which unnerved me. It was like watching two supervillains find out they had common interests, which meant that the rest of the world was in danger.

"What the…?" I let my question trail off as I read through their texts.

Their responses were either one-word long or extensive paragraphs and from what I had gathered it seemed as though Kawaki had promised Amado he would carry out his plan if Nanadaime truly came back.

When I read that, I had to do a double take.

'Wait. Kawaki knew Nanadaime would come back to life? How?'

The rest of their messages were plain, but I knew better than to take them at face value. With a little more focus, I figured out that they were speaking in code, and summed up their conversation to this: Amado would get Kawaki some unknown object and Kawaki would present it to Jigen. Whatever followed was "Kawaki's business," as Amado put it, and Kawaki was to take full responsibility.

"Oh Kami." I whispered aloud as everything clicked, "Kawaki's going to kill Jigen."

|Sakura|

I thanked the taxi driver for the smooth ride and watched him drive off before turning to the familiar clinic that stood before me. It might've looked normal to the unobservant eye, but as someone who knew Tsunade well, the air surrounding the clinic couldn't have been more ominous.

As I walked up to the front door, I considered calling Tsunade to tell her that I was outside, but with the large possibility of her not picking up, I dropped the idea. With a shake of my head, I tried to pull the door open and sighed when it didn't budge. A keypad to the right lit up lime green, urging me to input a pin that would unlock the door, and I reached out to it.

'Please don't tell me she changed it.' I begged as I typed in the code, '1-9-4-4.'

The keypad gave a friendly chime before the door unlocked with a loud schink, and I gave Kami a quick thank you before pulling the door open and stepping inside. After a moment of deliberation, I locked the door behind me before proceeding into the clinic.

"Hello?" A recognizable voice called from down the hallway, "Who's there?"

I answered as I continued in the direction of the sound, "Shizune-san?"

"Sakura?" Shizune's tone was overtly bewildered, and when I reached her, it reflected on her face clear as day, "What the—? How? Tsunade-sama said you were—"

"Dead?" I nodded, "Aa, I was. A lot happened that I'll have to fill you in on, but right now I'm looking for Tsunade-sama. Is she here?"

At the mention of Tsunade, Shizune's expression turned grim before she turned away from me. It was only then that I got a chance to properly analyze her and the first thing that stuck out to me was her outfit. In all the years that I had known Shizune, not once had I ever seen her in scrubs; today had changed that. Dressed in the typical light blue uniform worn by nurses and doctors alike, Shizune looked more in tune with her career choice, and that was what scared me.

"Shizune-san?" I called warily, daunted by her reaction as well as her clothes, "What is it?"

"Tsunade-sama is here but…" Shizune shook her head before resuming her movement and heading back the way she came, "It'll make more sense if you see it yourself."

With no choice but to follow, I stuck closely to Shizune's heel and braced myself, but not even my worst nightmare could've prepared me for the sight that greeted me.

At first, the lack of light in the room threw me off, so I wasn't even sure of what was in front of me, but once my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I stopped in my tracks. Tsunade laid in front of us hooked up to every medical device known to man, and for good reason.

Somehow, she seemed even more shriveled up than when I'd last seen her, which was after she'd released whatever seal she'd placed on my head. Back then she'd looked aged, and weary, with sunken eyes and tight skin, now she just looked…dead.

"T-Tsunade-sama?" I whispered as I stepped up to her bed.

I reached out to touch her but thought better against it and retracted my hand. Thoroughly shocked by my discovery, I turned back to Shizune in search of answers.

"What happened?" I inquired, watching as Shizune came up to me and touched a hand to Tsunade's forehead, "Why is she—?"

"What did Tsunade-sama say to you after she undid your seal?" Shizune cut me off with a question of her own.

The calmness in her voice made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, but I ignored the sudden chill and tried to recall that day.

"She…She said would be fine. That she just needed some rest is all."

She glared at me darkly, "She was lying. You had to have known that."

"I did." I quickly nodded my head, anxious to assuage the growing tension, "That's why I went and asked Orochimaru for help."

"And did you ever find out what exactly he did to help?" Shizune drew nearer to me, "Did you bother to ask about her? See how she was doing?"

I shriveled under her intense gaze, "N-No, but that was because Orochimaru locked me away! I didn't get to see her; I didn't get to see anyone!"

"She risked her life for you and you didn't even—!" Shizune let out a frustrated growl that quickly devolved into a shaky breath, "Sakura, if she dies, I—I have no one."

Recognizing the obvious pain in her voice, I took her hands in mine and squeezed, "She won't die, not if we work together. Tell me; what can I do to help?"

Shizune shook her head, "No, there's nothing we can do. I…I just took my anger—my fear out on you. Gomennasai."

"Daijōbu." I accepted her apology, pulling her in for a hug, "But there has to be something we can try. What exactly is wrong with her?"

When the two of us separated, Shizune took a moment to wipe her eyes free of her impending tears before she explained, "Tsunade-sama's cells are—were rapidly aging after she released your seal. Orochimaru gave her some sort of medicine to stay the process, but it's not a permanent solution. As new cells generate, they overtake the old frozen cells and pick up where they left off. In order to save her, we would need to refresh her body with a major blood transfusion."

"So why haven't you?" I asked the obvious question.

Shizune shook her head, "The average body contains about two gallons of blood. We're a small clinic, Sakura. I thought about requesting it from Konoha Hospital, but they'd be sure to ask what it was needed for. How would I explain the situation to them?

"Right." I nodded in understanding.

When I turned to Tsunade again, an overwhelming sense of irritation came over me. I had come back at the cost of not just one, but two lives, and for what? There had to be something I could do, if only…

I looked down at my arm as I recalled the numerous injections Orochimaru had given me to resolve any "lingering side effects" as he had put it. Although I had been wary of what was being administered to me, I couldn't deny the immediate benefits I'd experienced as a result of the medication. A syringe full of light blue liquid came to mind, and along with it was the renewed vigor I felt as I watched it empty into my vein.

"Shizune-san," I called as I stepped forward, holding my arm out for her to see, "Use me."

"…What?" She looked up from blowing her nose, "Didn't you hear me? I said—"

"I know what you said." I cut her off as I tightened my fist, "But Tsunade-sama wasn't the only one Orochimaru experimented on. I just…I need you to trust me."

Shizune bit her lip before nodding and proceeding to a drawer by the window. I took a seat by Tsunade's side and shut my eyes to do the math.

'Assuming I withdraw 250 milliliters roughly every half hour, she should have a liter from me in the next two hours.'

"Sakura, are you sure about this?" Shizune questioned as she returned to me, a tourniquet in hand and a syringe connected to a blood bag in the other.

I gave her a nod and she tied the elastic band just a bit above my arm. I watched as she poked me in search of a good vein. When she had found one, she wiped the area with an alcohol prep pad before uncovering the syringe and pulling my skin taut with her thumb.

Aside from a sharp breath, I didn't react as she inserted the needle into my vein. Once blood began sifting through the tube, I uncurled my fist and removed the tourniquet from my arm. Shizune placed the blood bag on my lap before leaving the room to grab the necessary equipment for a transfusion.

"Kami, if you're listening, please let this work." I prayed as I covered my eyes with a hand, "Please don't let Tsunade-sama die."

••••

"Sakura…Sakura…"

As I blinked, a worried Shizune came into focus. Her mouth was drawn into a tight line, and when my eyes wandered further down, I could see that her hand was on my arm. I quickly concluded that she must have been shaking me for some time, and I moved to ease her fears.

"Gomen, you called me?" I apologized, but Shizune's concerned expression remained on her face.

"I think you've drawn enough." She said, motioning to the almost full blood bag on my lap, "After this, you should rest."

I shook my head, "No, no, no. Tsunade-sama needs at least one liter of blood if we want to see some results anytime soon. That's three blood bags. I'll be fine, Shizune; it's just one more."

"Sakura, the average woman has barely five liters in her body. If you do this, you're—"

"I'll be fine." I cut her off, forcing some strength into my voice, "I promise."

Shizune opened her mouth to speak but my phone rang before she could continue the argument. With a shake of her head, she reached into my handbag and handed me my phone.

I mouthed a silent thank you before answering, "Hello…?"

"Sakura?" I could envision Ino's perplexed expression, "Daijōbu? You sound tired."

I chuckled at her spot-on observation, "That's because I am. But I'm fine, I just…"

I trailed off as I realized I was about to hide something from my best friend.

'Don't.' I chided myself, 'We talked about this.'

"You just…?" Ino's voice pulled me out of my thoughts and back to reality.

"I'm at Katō Clinic." I confessed with a sigh, "I came to…visit Tsunade-sama but she's…she's not in good shape, Ino, and it's honestly my fault. I-I've been drawing blood for almost…an hour to see if it'll help. I have one blood bag left an—and then she'll be good. I hope."

"One left? Sakura, how much blood have you given her so far?"

After a moment of hesitation, I answered, "Two bags full."

Ino screeched on the other end, and I had no choice but to draw the phone away from my ear. When I finally brought it back, she had been going on for more than a few seconds.

"…completely irresponsible! Is this your plan after coming back? To have your official death be listed as blood loss?"

"Ino, please," I groaned, not in the mood for a lecture, "I'm staying hydrated, I'm eating…snacks. Besides, Shizune-san is here. I'll be perfectly fine."

Cursing, Ino moved on, "I guess there's no point in trying to talk you out of it. Just let me know when you're leaving if you plan to do it anytime soon." Ino lowered her voice, "Sai's organizing something big, and he wants the both of us to be safe and together before it starts."

"Uh, honestly, I don't…think I'll be coming back today." I admitted to her with a weak laugh, "W-Would you mind coming over here?"

She hummed before responding, "Yeah, why not? I'll tell Inojin, and we'll pack some things for an overnight stay."

"Sounds good." I told her as I laid back, "Arigato, Ino. F-For being my best friend. I don't know…what I would do without you."

"Hey, same here." She chuckled as she shuffled around on the other end, "Let me get my stuff, and then we'll head out. See you in an hour."

"Aa, see you…" I bid her farewell before hanging up.

Shizune clicked her tongue disapprovingly, "I take it even Ino couldn't talk you out of what you're doing?"

I shook my head, "Everything…will work out. Just watch."

"I hope so." Shizune agreed as she held out a saltine cracker, "Eat this. And I don't care what you say, you're taking a break once this bag is full. At least ten minutes."

I simply blinked since I was too tired to argue, and she rolled her eyes before tapping the cracker against my lips. As I scarfed the snack down, my mind drifted to the last time I'd seen Naruto. He'd told me he loved me, and I had kept quiet as part of my therapy plan.

'I should've said it back.'

Maybe it was delirium setting in from having lost so much blood, but the thought made me burst into tears, and Shizune immediately sprang into action.

"Sakura? Sakura, daijōbu?" Shizune questioned, touching a hand to my cheek, "Does it hurt?"

Shaking my head as I sniffled, I lifted a hand to my eyes and tried to wipe my tears away.

"Are you sure? You can stop, y'know. You've done more than enough."

"N-No." I sniveled as Naruto's goofy grin came to mind, "Tsunade-sama needs to live, Shizune-san. We can't lose her. We can't lose anyone else."

"We won't." Shizune assured me, taking my head in both of her hands, "You said it yourself, remember? She won't die as long as we work together."

Shuddering as I exhaled, I nodded, "…Right. Right. Kami, I'm just tired. Maybe I should take a break."

"Yes, you should." Shizune enthusiastically agreed as she sealed the blood bag on my lap, removing the syringe from my arm, "Save your strength, Sakura. Kami knows you need it."

I shut my eyes and leaned back against the chair, "Okay…"

Despite my willingness to rest and my body heavily weighing me down from the fatigue I was feeling, I couldn't immediately fall asleep. My hyperactive brain prevented the weariness from truly taking over, and I found myself revisiting my regrets in hopes that it would be the answer to my current sleep issue.

Even though my failure to tell Naruto I loved him deeply pained me, in the end, I couldn't get over my biggest regret to date. What made it worse was that I'd had the chance to sort it out back at the place Orochimaru had held me in, but he'd prevented me from talking to Sasuke in a lucid state.

'Sasuke-kun…' I envisioned his face, 'We…I never should've—'

I cut myself off as his visage curled with grief. Something told me that this was him in real-time and not my imagination, but I struggled to accept that gut feeling. After all, if that was the truth, how was I seeing him?

"Forgive me, Sakura." He shut his eyes and looked down, "Please…"

Stunned by his voice resounding through my head, I opened my eyes and sat up. Shizune seemed startled by my abrupt motion, but she couldn't have felt more shocked than me, especially after what I had just experienced.

"What is it?" She asked nonetheless, her voice gentle and inviting me to share.

"No, I…" I looked around for confirmation of where I was, "It's nothing."

Shutting my eyes once more, I quickly tried to call back the image I'd just seen. If what I was thinking turned out to be true, then Orochimaru had done much more than reverse death. He had torn this world apart.