Title: Death and Rebirth

Author: Cheza-chan

Rating: PG/PG-13

Summary: No one should try to hold onto the past. You cause yourself even more hurt and pain when you do. Look to the future and start anew.

Disclaimer: Alas, I do not own Naruto. I can always dream that I do though.

A/N: Ah… gomen, gomen (bows) The chapter might seem a little short but that's because if I'd added on the part I wanted to… it would have been a super long chapter and I don't want people to be reading like… eight pages worth of my crap-writing in one sitting.

Chapter Seven – Death

Sasuke was a little surprised that Naruto had asked to meet him in the local bar of the village. He ignored the glares he received from patrons and took his seat in the back booth with Naruto. The blonde was swirling the remains of his drink around in the bottom of the short glass. I started yesterday," he said, answering the question he read in the other's dark eyes.

It had been almost two weeks since Hinata gave birth and since the elimination of Yamada Mizuiro. Naruto wasn't sure he could keep what he knew locked away inside anymore. He smiled wearily and motioned for Sasuke to come closer. Naruto glanced around warily then leaned across the table to quickly whisper his news into the Uchiha's ear.

Sasuke sat back slowly and the blonde nodded, downing his drink and slamming the glass onto the wooden table. "But…" It was the only word the Uchiha's mind was able to come up with.

"You're more shocked than I am," Naruto smiled.

"Because it's not possible," Sasuke said in a voice that drew more attention than Naruto wanted. He just couldn't picture Umino Iruka behind the emotionless mask, wearing a similar expression. His eyes widened. "Do you think Kakashi-sensei—"

"He was in the ANBU once," Naruto mumbled, staring longingly into his glass. "He still goes on missions with them sometimes. More importantly, he would never let Iruka-sensei out of his sight unless he knew the other man could take care of himself." But Kakashi had been missing when Mizuiro was taken care of. The blonde's eyes narrowed. Why? He shook his head then fished out the money for his drink as he stood. Naruto smiled at his friend. "Let's go."

Sasuke stood silently, tucking his hands into his pockets. He'd taken to wearing the traditional Chuunin uniform a few days ago. Naruto left his money on the counter to pay for the drinks as he passed and with a loud groan, headed back out into the sunlight.

"There you are," a female voice sighed. Shizune stared at the bar the two men had just left then at the men themselves. "Last place I would've looked," she mumbled. Her confused expression was replaced with a smile. "Nevertheless, I found you. Tsunade-sama wishes to have a word with you both." Sasuke grew tense but Naruto simply grinned, throwing out a jibe about the blonde Hokage.

Tsunade was sipping warm sake when the trio arrived in her office. Shizune left them to rejoin Raido and Genma. Sasuke's gaze was locked on the hunter-nins standing to the woman's right. Their chakra had been lowered to indiscernible levels but thanks to the kyuubi beside him, he knew the hooded figures.

"Naruto," Tsunade sighed, setting her cup aside. "It was reported two weeks ago that you learned something very interesting. I would've sought you out then but my hands were full at the moment. Care to take a stab at what I'm talking about?"

Naruto stared at the ceiling, working the muscles of his face as if actually thinking. "Oh! Don't forget my birthday's coming up at the end of the month… Iruka-sensei." He grinned.

Kyoushu shifted slightly, lowering his head.

"The tongue slips, Naruto-san," Shugo spoke. "The Hokage-sama's policy for knowing such a thing is death."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed and he stepped up. Naruto shook his head and held an arm out to stop him. "If that's the case… so be it" He smiled. "But I doubt the Kyuubi would allow it." He spread his arms and closed his eyes. Tsunade smirked.

Kyoushu's katana slid soundlessly from its sheath and had Sasuke not activated his Sharingan instinctively, he would have missed the hunter's move. Kyoushu pressed the blade against the blonde's neck. Sasuke's right arm twitched and he almost immediately began drawing charka to his hand. Shogu disappeared from his place against the wall and the Uchiha found himself immobile on his knees, arms crossed behind him and the hunter's foot in the small of his back.

"Enough," Tsunade sighed. She realized she was avoiding the inevitable. "Stand down."

Sasuke grunted angrily as he was released and Naruto exhaled deeply. "I really thought I was going to die," the blonde exclaimed.

"It would be nice if I could," Tsunade groaned. "But that would be the cowardly way out of this mess." She raised the sake bottle to her head and took heavy swigs. "I have an entire team dead due to an ambush. Among them…" She clenched the bottle tight in her hand it slowly began crumbling. "Among them… were…" Sasuke and Naruto stared as the woman's voice began trembling. "Hyuuga Hanabi and Hyuuga Neji."

Naruto's mouth went dry as his eyes flew wide. He turned slowly and stared at the hunters. That's why Kakashi had been missing the night of Kenta's birth.

"I'll deliver the news." All eyes fell on the kneeling brunet. "I'll do it," Sasuke repeated, staring at them with narrowed dark eyes.

"All right," Tsunade agreed. "If Hiashi won't allow you entrance, tell him I sent you personally with an urgent message."

§§§

Sasuke followed silently behind of the head of the Main House. He'd already informed the man walking ahead of him about the loss, but the task of breaking the news to the young woman still remained his. They stood outside the door, waiting to be acknowledged. The nurse saw them in, a sleeping Kenta in her arms. The faint trail of milk visible on his chin told them that Hinata had just finished breastfeeding.

The Hyuuga heir's smile became uncertain as she studied the men's somber expressions. Sasuke stepped away from Hiashi and grabbed a nearby chair, dragging it to the bed. He took Hinata's hand and her eyes widened. Never, in all of her twenty-one years of living could she remember the Uchiha touching her, and now he did it so intimately.

"Hanabi-kun and Neji are gone," Sasuke said softly. Her train of thoughts crashed and she stared at him, dumbfounded. "It was an ambush. An entire team was wiped out."

'Two elite Hyuugas… gone.' He glanced back at Hiashi to see the man struggling with himself then turned back to the woman. "Hinata, I'm sorry." Sasuke surprised even himself as he kissed her knuckles. He ghosted his fingers over the inside of her wrist and found an erratic pulse. Placing a hand to the side of her face, the Uchiha stared into the lavender eyes. "I think she's in shock."

Having said that, Sasuke was immediately asked to leave the room and several more Hyuuga family members replaced him. The young man gritted his teeth and lowered his head. Neither action helped to drown out the anguished screams that soon followed. He never even knew Hinata was capable of making such sounds.

Night found Uchiha Sasuke locked away in the corner of a bar.