Disclaimer: Naruto & co. don't belong to me. They belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

A/N Sheesh- I KnEw I forgot to do something last Friday (posting this, I mean)! This is will the last update you will see in three weeks. Time in this fic is passing by pretty fast this chapter. Assume they're in their 20/21st year now.

Chapter: Strengthening of Heart

It went on like so, for a month. For two months. For three months. Training at night. Resting in the day. Training with Gaara. Training with Temari. With Kankuro even at times. The siblings didn't mind helping each other. But there was always tension. The tension in Yuki broke at the middle of the fourth month.

"Enough! Gaara-san. You know this isn't what Tsunade-sama sent me to learn." Yuki looked like she was ready to pounce on the red-haired Kage. "I've already perfected the basics. You said it yourself! Now you'll have to-"

"You are in no position to demand. Your chakra level is pitifully small for the amount needed to further advance you."

"Is there no way out of it?"

"There is one... One that I think would be most appropriate for you... but... It's too risky. The Hokage wants you alive at the end of this session."

"What do you mean, Gaara-san?"

"You see... Hatake, I'd have to seal a demon or maybe a spirit inside you to give you the amount of chakra needed. Of course, to any 'normal' ninja, the process would be... tiring to say the least. But you-"

"Are a Kanzen Seishin," Yuki mocked. Gaara narrowed his eyes.

"The results cannot be predicted."

"I'll do it. I'll get this mission done, even if it costs me my life."

"Are you looking for death, Hatake... Fuyu Yuki? Yuki glared defiantly at him. "Are you truly a friend of Uzumaki Naruto?" Gaara narrowed his eyes even more.

"It is because I want to protect him that I go through this!"

"Naruto would disagree."

"What, to risk my life for something I want to do? This is my ninja-way! Naruto-kun would not disagree," Yuki challenged. Gaara simply looked at her in thoughtful contemplation.

"I know just the right spirit that would be suitable for you," the blood-red-haired man said darkly. "Demons are too much of a hassle to seal. Let's see how a Kanzen Seishin can handle the Fuyu Seishin (Winter Spirit)."

Gaara brought her to a dark room not an hour later, in his home. Yuki saw him create a circle of seals and had told her to stand in the center of it. And everything went blank.

"Oi! Sasuke!" Naruto called the man that seemed to be racing as fast as he could from Konoha. "We're only doing a delivery! There's no need to waste energy." Sasuke grunted and slowed down. Since when did that dead-last idiot start making sense? Naruto noted the change in him.

Sasuke had been like that for weeks - months even. Naruto frowned. Ever since they found out that Yuki had reinstated as anbu. And then she had disappeared. They went to Tsunade time and time again to get her to tell them where she was, but the Hokage refused to tell them. Sasuke never even bothered to ask. Sasuke barely even talked to them. Not even to regularly insult Naruto. It was getting on his nerves.

Naruto was actually jealous of him; and angry too, in a way. Yuki was to marry him. Marry. Sasuke. The outwardly cold, unfeeling jerk that was his best friend. What more, it was for protection. What could Sasuke give her that he couldn't? But Naruto was resolved. If even Kakashi thought that the match would be best, then... it would be best. But that was no reason for Sasuke to act so uncaring about it.

The marriage was supposed to happen a month prior to Yuki's 'release' from the Hyuuga household. But the bride-to-be had not been back by then. Tsunade could only say the mission she sent Yuki on, depending on her own personal characteristics, could turn out to be a slow one. It could take months. A year. Years. Who knew? But Sasuke barely flinched. He merely shrugged it off as if he didn't care about the marriage. As if he didn't care about her. There was no reason for him to act like so. Even Kakashi thought it was odd of him. Kakashi had half-expected for Sasuke to go immediately in search of her. He never did. Not even when Neji asked him to go with him and Hinata in search for her. He barely even batted an eye. And Kakashi was worried. Sakura felt lost, because she didn't really understand much of what was going on.

"I miss Yuki," Naruto said, just out of the blue. Sasuke nearly lost his footing. "I wonder how she's fending off on her mission. I wonder if she's by herself. Hm, Sasuke? But she's so good by herself anyway. She wouldn't need that much help." Sasuke snorted. Naruto scowled at his back. "Of course, there was that thing with the pact-" Naruto paused. Still no reaction from that jerk. "Maybe she realized that she'd never see anything in you. That's why she left." A muscle in Sasuke's jaw twitched. "She probably thought that, since you were such an unfeeling bastard anyway, you wouldn't care if she left. S'not like you'd miss her or anything. Know what? Maybe I should go find her - wherever she's at. She'd probably welcome me and forget about you." Sasuke didn't miss the hint there and couldn't stop himself form reacting. He turned around and tackled Naruto. They fell to the ground wrestling each other.

"How can you think she'd care anything about you?" Sasuke snapped as he pinned Naruto down. Naruto just flared back up at him. "If you care so much about her, then go!" he said roughly, standing back up, glaring right back at the blue-eyed blonde. "Go! Now! See if I care!"

"I was the last person to see her before she left Konoha," Naruto said, sneering up at him.

"Still, she didn't care enough to tell you where she was going, did she?"

"At least she took her time to see me! When was the last time you saw her?" Sasuke glared at him murderously. "But since you don't care, why should you give a damn if I was the only one that saw her leave?" At that, Sasuke lunged at him again.

Sasuke had snapped. All the tension just came pouring out. Naruto did his best to defend himself from the enraged Uchiha. Sasuke had unconsciously turned on his sharingan and was attacking him with such a passion.

"That's it, Sasuke," Naruto thought as he braced himself for that kick Sasuke aimed to his side - that couldn't be dodged. "Let it all out." It was nightfall before Sasuke decided to stop fighting. Night before Sasuke let himself collapse on the ground. Midnight before Sasuke realized that he was sleeping next to a smoldering campfire, opposite to Naruto - who was still wide awake.

Sensing that he was awake, Naruto began telling him about what had truly happened the night the Kyuubi was sealed. His story was met with silent contemplation. "Did you know that Yuki became an anbu when she was only 9?" Sasuke looked at Naruto in surprise. "Yeah, Tsunade-baba told me that they would've recruited her sooner but she was just too young. Also, the Third didn't really want her to." Naruto chuckled then. Sasuke's expression turned bewildered. "Of course, nothing would have stopped her if she really wanted to. Tsunade-baba said that once Kakashi-sensei had adopted her, there was no stopping her. Kakashi-sensei turned out to be the only person she listened to. Even then... she's pretty head strong." Naruto's relazed chuckle met with an amused grunt. "Oi, Sasuke, can I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

"Why didn't you stop it?"

"Stop what?

"Aww... c'mon. You know what I mean. Why didn't you stop them from making the agreement?"

"Kakashi-sensei didn't say anything against it."

"I wasn't asking about Kakashi-sensei." Sasuke chose to be silent for a moment.

"Maybe I didn't want to stop it," he said reluctantly.

"So you do care about her!" Naruto jumped up and looked at him in triumph. Sasuke was glad that the darkness could hid his face - he was blushing.

"And if I do?" he challenged.

"If you do... and you promise to always keep her happy, I'll back off. If you don't..." Naruto left his threat hanging.

"How can I keep her happy if she doesn't like me anyway?" Sasuke grumbled. His mind wandered back to that time when she had claimed that his attentions weren't real. His heard softened. Maybe she was just confused....

"She does like you, you idiot!" Naruto growled. "She's just pissed off -scared even that people just went up and decided her future for her."

"Let's say she does, how is that going to get her to reconcile to... t-to...."

"Marrying you? I don't know. You'll just have to find some way to make it right."

"...Naruto?"

"What?"

"For once you don't sound like an idiot."

"Sasuke, you jerk!!!"

"Go to sleep. Early day tomorrow, moron." Sasuke was resolved. When they got back, Sasuke would ask for leave and then go look for Neji and Hinata to help them with their search for Yuki. When they got back. And when she's found, he'd ask her. He'd ask her properly if she would marry him. He'd give her that choice. Sasuke felt himself smiling up to the stars. But not after he knocked some sense into her. He was falling in love with her. God help them both.

The next morning, Sasuke woke up to the smell of roasted meat. For breakfast?! And just who was cooking? Naruto?! Naruto looked at the still-sleepy man with a huge grin on his face.

"I figured we could use a bigger breakfast this morning if we're gonna cover enough distance today to make up for yesterday." Sasuke looked away in discomfort.

"Naruto... about last night...."

"Don't worry about it. I've got nothing against the match anymore. I admit there was a time I would've... but not anymore." Sasuke was silent. "Sasuke?"

"What is it?"

"Umm... Yuki... Yuki and I sort of shared a room during our mission a little way back..." Sasuke lifted an eyebrow at his anxiety. "We uh... we were sort of... sort of... in our opposite sex bodies." Naruto was blushing. "And we nearly got caught you see, so we had to... it wasn't really bad, but the position was... compromising just the same."

"What are you trying to say, Naruto?"

"We were both undressed alright! Under the bed sheets." Sasuke found himself chuckling at Naruto's blush. They both looked surprised at it. Sasuke chuckled again. Naruto smiled. Suddenly they were both laughing. "It didn't go anywhere, Sasuke, I swear," Naruto said solemnly. "Now I think that it felt more like incest more than anything."

"So it's alright to you?"

"Just don't hurt her, Uchiha."

"Naruto... you can really surprise me at times."

"Of course! I am Uzumaki Naruto! I'll be the next-"

"Is the food ready yet?" Naruto glared at him for the interruption.

"Sasuke-kun! Naruto-kun!" Sakura called to them as they passed by the training grounds on their way to the Hokage's office. Sasuke gave the go ahead for Naruto so he could go over to Sakura and Kakashi as he continued his path. He hadn't gone more than a minute when Kakashi appeared in front of him. Sasuke passed him without even looking up - for all that he'd grown, Kakashi was still taller than him.

"So you're finally going off."

"Don't hurt her, yeah, I know. Whatever," he mocked. "Naruto already gave me this 'talk'." Kakashi stopped him by putting a hand to his head, like he used to during his younger days.

"I thought earlier that I'd have to do something desperate."

"You? Desperate?" Sasuke snorted.

"Yeah, I was thinking about claiming my right to your family's name so she didn't have to be married off to you if she didn't want to. At least she'd still have an Uchiha for a brother. Right?" Sasuke stood stock still, not even daring to breath. How could Kakashi even think of that? Didn't he hate his father? Sure, Sasuke was alright to him, but didn't he hate the rest of the Uchihas? Even dead as they were. "That would've made it easier on everything. She wouldn't have had to run off in the first place."

"I know. But that time is done and over with."

"Good luck."

"Why don't you come with me? Uncle?" he mocked, but with a silly grin on his face. Kakashi was temporarily knocked off the center.

"I'd like to, but there's been a shortage of shinobi lately. Not safe to leave this village defenseless." Sasuke nodded in understanding. Kakashi would prepare Konoha for her return. Sasuke walked to the Hokage's office feeling relatively relieved.

"Tsunade-sama..."

"No missions for a bit, Sasuke-kun. You need rest," she said firmly.

"I want - May I have a month off?"

"What?" she asked in surprise. Sasuke calmly repeated his request.

"It's about time, isn't it?" Tsunade looked at him with wonder in her face - it quickly turned into a look of satisfied determination. "It might help if you tell me where she is." Tsunade shook her head ruefully.

"I can't help you with that," she said. "I promised not to divulge information of her location to anyone. But... good luck. Uchiha Sasuke."

Uchiha Sasuke left Konoha as prepared as he could in an hour's time. He didn't want to waste any more time. Sorely regretting all that he had done that delayed his departure from Konoha. At least he was off now. He'd make it up to her. He wasn't that cold, unfeeling jerk, as Naruto had often called him. He'd changed. He'd grown up. Now it was time to face himself... again.

"Wait for me, Yuki," he thought tenderly, determination written all over his face. "I'll come for you."

Yuki woke up feeling dizzy. Nauseous even. She hadn't felt so bad since... that last mission from Konoha. Her insides were churlish. Her skin felt cold. In short, she felt horrible. "Where am I?" she asked hoarsely.

"I've sent you back to your apartment."

"Gaara-san?" When she could fully open her eyes, she found that she was lying down on top of a bed. The bed of her temporary home. She heard a trickle of sand nearby. She was getting used to that sound. After some time... it had begun to feel oddly comforting. "What happened?"

"You were adamant about finishing your mission." What did that have to do with how she was feeling? "How do you feel?"

"Sick. Cold. Like I'd just been clobbered over the head. My eyes... are aching."

"The Seishin is trying to settle down I see."

"Sei-..shin?" Yuki suddenly sat up. "The Fuyu Seishin! What happened to it?" Gaara pulled down her blanket and pointed to her right side. Between her chest area and her waist. Yuki warily lifted her shirt. There was a seal there! "It's... inside me?" The Spirit of Winter... was inside her... was that why she felt so cold? Her hand made it's way over her heart. It was still beating. But it was beating slower. Slower. Her eyes widened.

"Nothing to worry about," Gaara said. "The Fuyu Seishin is a relatively mild spirit. I've placed a barrier outside your heart to keep the spirit from affecting it."

"But-"

"I said," Gaara said, almost irritably. "There's nothing to worry about. Your heart is beating slower than usual, I know. But you were the one that wanted to take this risk. Live with it," he said coldly. Yuki felt stung by that, but then focused her emotions towards her resolve. Now she could complete the mission. Now she had the chance to complete the mission... if she could live through it. "But I'm warning you. I do not know what could happen to you while the spirit is still trying to settle down. Who knows? If you develop an 'allergic reaction' to it, you might even die. Otherwise, you're still fine. So there's nothing to worry about."

A/N Nope. She's still not all-powerful. Sure she's got an extra reserve of chakra but I've made it so she's on level with Naruto - sort of. I mean, she's still a girl, hence not much chakra to begin with anyway. And the Spirit of Winter that's sealed into her will cause trouble later on. I mean, if Kyuubi's all fire, why can't we have something all cold. The Fuyu Seishin is it. But like all normal people, no one can stand the cold for too long... it slowly eats up their body. Like frost bite. And you get all those kinks and you get stiff and stuff like that... right? Your body just doesn't function properly... much.

Thank you Sharingan284 & Blue Savage for reviewing.

I won't be updating for about 3 weeks, just letting y'all know - exams and stuff, I need to focus. But I'm still open for criticism(s)!!! Mail me or review whatever... I know that at least someOne will have something to say about... this chapter ha-ha-ha -sheepish look- (yea I know you probably will want to flame me, I don't care, I like it this way) alright then, I'll be back in 3 weeks.