Ok, thanks to Zysch, I've removed the log-on review thing. I was curious to see if more people were reading this. If I have a bigger audience than I thought, I might update faster (;; Cheap way to get reviews, I know) But anyways, if you've been reading and didn't want log on to review, please give a review now!

Chapter 8: Dinner Interlude

He could feel the steam rising from his bowl. The rice looked good, moist and clumped together but not hard. He was sure it was soft.

"Sasuke," his mother suddenly said with worry in her eyes. She stopped scooping out rice for her husband, "You're not eating. Is something the matter?"

He flushed, not knowing how to answer. In the living room, it had been easier when his father had done all the welcoming and his mother all the friendly chatter. But at being directly addressed, he was clueless how to respond. Could they tell? That he was no longer the same child he had been all those years ago?

"Sasuke?" his father prompted.

Strange how he had missed these people for so long and now that they were all together again, he didn't know how to act. Not at all. "No… I just…" he muttered, trying not to seem rude, "Neither of you has eaten yet."

"There's no need to be so polite!" his mother exclaimed, radiating humor, "You're with family now."

Her words had been meant as encouragement to eat but they had a bigger effect than was intended. Family.

Sasuke faltered. Visibly.

Something, maybe the mask he had worn for so long, crumbled and unbeknownst to him, a look of utter longing had taken over his face. He was gazing at them with raw emotion… like a hungry creature that had been given a crumb… as if he could not believe the fortune he had now, having suffered for so long without it… as if they were the most precious things in the world to him.

The mother was struck by her son's expression.

It had been so long since they last saw Sasuke. She had to admit that the change had startled her at first. He had appeared a young man when before, he had been their dearest child. The one who had disdainfully shrugged off her attempts at babying him and who had complained of not being strong. It hadn't been too difficult to accept, really; after all, every child must grow up someday.

Yet, that look… It suggested that the change had been much deeper, far beyond age and appearance. He seemed a man, but was now a man with the look of a hurting child that had been wounded by an enemy. If she had known the truth, she would've known that the wound had been betrayal and that the enemy had been a loved one. But all she knew was that look and it was so painfully vulnerable, so silently wistful that she wanted to turn to her husband and ask, "What happened to our son to make him look at us like that?"

A sudden ache sprang up within her. She wanted to hug her child and protect him from whatever had made him so sad. But the silence had dragged on for too long so she said instead, with significant gentleness, "Eat, Sasuke."

"H-hai."

He took his chopsticks, feeling more timid than he had ever felt in his life. They were looking at him with concern again and to appease them, he ate a bit of rice. It was warm and chewy, just as he had imagined.

"How is it?"

"Fine…" Feeling that an inadequate compliment, he amended, "Good."

"I'm glad. You can have as much as you want, Sasuke."

"Arigatou… Okaa-san."

Too troubled, she didn't catch the last word. But then again, he had whispered it.

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He was wearier than he had expected. Sasuke had left hours ago. Twenty-three hours and thirty minutes, to be precise. It was true that he had exceptional chakra stamina but this was almost getting ridiculous. He wondered how he was able to stay conscious after expending so much energy.

Maybe he wouldn't last.

His hand, resting on Sakura's head, twitched slightly before the feel of soft strands reassured him.

Iie. He had to last. He had promised, he had sworn. He would never let another comrade die.

"Kakashi…"

He turned to see a disturbing sight.

Tsunade was looking at Sasuke's still body and frowning.

"His chakra… Until a few minutes ago, it was low but consistent."

"And now?"

"And now it's dropping," she replied, eyes darkening with concern, "I don't know enough about this jutsu to tell if this is normal or acceptable. But I have a bad feeling that it's not. Chakra, it seems, is what binds the soul to the body. If his chakra continues to decrease, Sasuke may not make it."

Too sudden. That was his first thought. The bad news was too sudden. He was too exhausted. She should have waited until he was strong enough to take it. Kakashi tried to react, but the sight of his students lying immobile on the ground like living corpses was enough to cause him to reject any sort of emotion. He looked from Sasuke back to Sakura and then to the corner where Naruto was.

Memories that he had long tried to forget flooded back to him and soon, one thought blocked out others.

No… It couldn't be happening again… Not again…

Somehow, one word found its way to his lips and he delivered it simply, distantly, emotionlessly, but somehow with all the pain he had ever felt in his life,

"Why?"

Their eyes met, the bond of loss uniting them in one brief instant.

And the Fifth Hokage was unable to answer.

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Special thanks to Nakoya Moonwind, rhiannon 38, fireblazie, and Lady Light, my consistent reviewers! You guys are awesome!