The Missing

By: KillerBeanieBaby

Rating: M

Chapter One - Returning

An echo fades into the night,
an eerie mournful sound.
A shooting star disappears from sight,
and I crumble to the ground.

Five Years.

It had been five years since Uchiha Sasuke had become a missing Nin of the hidden leaf. He wasn't all too sorry for the crimes that he had committed in those five years, nor was he about to repent for them. He had become so much stronger in those twenty seasons; he had come so much closer to his goal in those 260 weeks.

And every single one of those 1,825 days he had missed Uzumaki Naruto more than anything he could have ever imagined.

But now, he was here to banish that pain. He stared down at Konoha forlornly, knowing he would never be as welcome as he had been inside those gates. But he knew he had to try, knew he had to makeup for what he had done. There would be no dawdling, and no procrastinating. Even the hot afternoon sun beating down on his back seemed to usher him towards the village.

Finally, after much more sulking, Sasuke stood up and sighed, taking in a deep breath of the air he had missed so much. It wasn't long before he had tree-hopped down the hill and landed at the entrance to Konoha. To say the least, the town looked dead.

Perhaps it was just the heat of the August afternoon? Perhaps it was the fact that it was Sunday? Sasuke shook his head firmly and passed under the arch into his home down, hands almost defiantly rooted in his pockets. A few people seemed to recognize him, staring at the Uchiha clan member as he sauntered passed them, but he paid no mind. No, he wasn't here to exchange pleasantries with villagers he didn't even know. Uchiha Sasuke was on a mission.

It was about fifteen minutes before he finally remembered where Naruto's house was, and managed to find it. This place seemed so different. Perhaps they had remodeled behind his back? Sasuke grunted as he brought his hand up to rap on the door.

"Sasuke!"

-x-x-x-

Bang. Bang. Bang.

Sakura had been at this for god knows how long, ramming her head against the metal banister that surrounded the Hokage building's porch of sorts. So, Sasuke-kun had returned to the village? Yes… It had only been a few minutes and already the rumors were flying. The legendry missing Genius Nin of the hidden leaf, one of the last remaining members of the tragic Uchiha clan was back, now they could all continue to bask in his undeniable radiance for the rest of their lives.

"As if we have nothing better to do…" Miss Haruna spoke her words with contempt, a furrow forming between her slender brows. "Uchiha Sasuke-sama will just freak when he finds out…" The sarcasm in her voice was nothing short of cruel as she rose from her seat overlooking the village, a scornful look sent down towards it as she tore her gaze away. Slowly, the female ninja made her way down the stairs, raising a hand to brush the cold metal plate adorning her head, marking her as a Konoha ninja. Her hair had since grown, and now hung mid-way down her back. Though, as if enchanted, it never seemed to get in the way of her training.

The sight of the boy was almost an unwelcome sight, something entirely different from what it would have been five years ago. But Sakura had since realized whose hands had really taken a hold of her heart. And now… And Now Uchiha Sasuke was dead to her. Even Naruto, she recalled, had lost that once fiery drive, the never-ending adrenaline that fueled him, urged him from deep within his soul. Just a little farther; look just a little harder. Sakura knew that voice all too well, and somehow felt alien without it now that she was once more in the presence of what was once her heart's true desire.

"Sasuke!" Her voice was firm, almost unfriendly as she advanced on the boy, who had now begun to kick the door he was standing in front of. "I can assure you that the doors in this village are no as weak as you believe our Ninjas to be. No matter how man times you kick Naruto-kun's door it will not fall in." The girl snorted and crossed her arms over her chest, leaning against the wall.

"Sakura…" Sasuke's voice was void of any emotion as those pools of midnight traced every curve of the girl that would have attacked him by now had this been any other time. The change that had taken her was just overwhelming, Sasuke stayed silent, jaw slightly agape as he struggled to grasp at the sheer ice of her tone.

"Look…" Sakura seemed to cool down as she pushed herself off of the wall, moving to gaze off at the horizon with her back to Sasuke. "I miss Naruto-kun just as much as the next person, but you don't see me taking it out on his door, do you? I'm not sure that Mister Uzumaki would take very kindly to coming back to a broken-in door, do you?" There was just a hint of teasing in her last sentence, though not enough that Sasuke could feel comfortable. There was just something about Sakura that creeped him out, as if she was a volcano ready to erupt. Not only that, but he could just sense the exponential increase in her power. This wasn't the blubbering weakling he had once known. No, Haruna Sakura was now a capable female ninja.

There were a few minutes of silence after her statement, in which Sasuke finally figured out exactly what it was she had just said. "Y-You… You miss him?" The words were spoken with a hint of disbelief, one elegant brow arching delicately. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Sakura just snorted and turned to leave. "It doesn't matter what I mean." She hissed, her hair dancing in the gentle breeze swirling around them. "The only thing that matters is that it's your fault he's gone!" Before Sasuke could manage an answer, Sakura had run away, her sobs echoing down the street. Sasuke took one step in the direction she had run off in, reaching out a hand.

He wasn't aware of the Jounin standing behind him, regarding his turned back with one eye. And the sudden realization that his old sensei was right there started him when the man finally spoke. "You really don't know how much you hurt them." He murmured, his normally monotone voice surprisingly void of anything. Although Sasuke knew his words to be an accusation, there was no such suggestion in Kakashi's tone. "It was about three years after you left. Both Sakura and Naruto had finished their training under their respective Senseis. Tsunade-sama had dedicated as much time and Nin as she could to locating you before the three-year term was up, but you were nowhere to be found. I remember that day Naruto came back to Konoha, he treated it like it was any other day. He, Sakura, and a few other genins were summoned before Tsunade-sama, they were to go on one last mission to locate you. Naturally, Sakura jumped at the chance to finally save you…" Kakashi chuckled, as though recalling her over-exuberant reaction.

Sasuke, however, was not in the mood for Kakashi's little walk down memory lane, and stepped forward, a slight scowl taking a firm hold of his features. "And Naruto…?" It surprised the Uchiha that he even cared about the dobe's reaction. But here he was, caring.

Kakashi was silent for what seemed like it must have been several eternities. He narrowed his one exposed eye momentarily before answering Sasuke's question. "Naruto laughed and just left Tsunade-sama's office. The mission was never started."

No cold-hearted snort came from the boy, he seemed too shocked to manage any reaction other than staring at his Sensei, as though making failed attempt after failed attempt to grasp at the words. For some reason, each syllable reached him like a stab to the gut. He wanted Kakashi to be angry with him; he wanted that man to hurt him. The sheer disappointment under the monotone was literally heart breaking. "And… And then what?" A hollow breath escaped him, curling up from his chest and rattling by his dry lips.

Again, he was met with an almost thoughtful silence. Kakashi stared at the blue sky beyond them, his silence enhanced by the mask that covered the lower portion of his face. "You don't know just how much damage you've caused, do you?"

"I had to!" Sasuke countered, driving a fist into Naruto's door. "If I had stayed in this village then there's no way I'd be as powerful as I am now! It's the only way I can ever hope to avenge my clan!" He narrowed his eyes and backed away from Kakashi.

But, the man only shook his head and sighed. "So, in the end, power was more important to you than even your best friend?" Kakashi sighed heavily, leaves already swirling around him as he activated is teleportation jutsu.

And then, Sasuke was alone again, left to his own devices. For a while, he just stood there and stared at his shoes, the Sharingan unwittingly activated. After a time, though, he noticed a glint on the floor, and moved to pick up whatever it was that Kakashi had forgotten. Was it… Naruto's key? Sighing, and almost slightly relieved, Sasuke gripped the silver metal tightly and moved back to Naruto's door, fitting the key into the proper hole with bated breath. Hearing the click, he turned the doorknob and all but exploded into the house, garnet es darting from wall to wall.

"DOBE!" He screamed, opening the first door he came to. "NARUTO? DOBE! It's me! Uchiha Sasuke! NARUTO! Answer me!" The search was fruitless, he knew. Had Naruto been anywhere near the village, he would have been the first to greet Sasuke. Though, the Uchiha highly doubted that Naruto's welcome would be anything even slightly comparable to anything even remotely friendly.

When Sasuke reached what he figured had to be Naruto's bedroom, he paused, one hand gripping the gelid doorknob. He had never felt this sort of desperation since his search all those years ago, when Itachi had returned to Konoha the first time, aiming to kidnap Naruto. It had never been revealed to him exactly why his older brother had been after the blonde, but he felt that it was somehow connected to the awing powers he had seen in the Valley of End.

"Dobe… Please. Please be here." The plea was out before Sasuke could stop it, and he bit down on his tongue to prevent anymore trivial statements from floating out. Slowly, he twisted the now-warm metal in his hand and pushed the door open so he could step into the room, his eyes widening at the sight. "NARUTO!" He screamed, running forwards and looking around, his breath coming in at uneven and shaky intervals. After a moment, he collapsed to his knees and almost whimpered, griping his head in his hands. It was like walking in on the corpses of his parents again; only this time he had built himself up a mountain of hope, just to have it crushed under fate's palm so suddenly.

Quickly, he got up and tore from the house, heading for the Hokage building. He recalled that Naruto had been… friendly with the woman. And if anybody knew anything about this whole mess, Sasuke felt it had to be her. And so, with renewed drive, he tore from the house and ran down the streets of Konoha, his mouth set in a thin line of determination.

They wont tell me anything, Naruto. Where have you gone? When I said I didn't want to see another important person to die… I didn't mean I wanted them to die behind my back!

After a time, Sasuke was mounting the stairs that ran up the side of the grand building, his chest protesting against all of the strain he was putting it under. Soon, he found himself pounding on the door to the Hogake's office, his desperation renewed. The emotionless Uchiha Sasuke was gone, replaced by this vulnerable and worried child. He cursed his own blatant display of weakness, but persisted nonetheless.

"Hokage-sama! Hokage-sama! Please, open the do-"

His cries were met by the scowl of a rather perturbed looking female. It seemed she had been crying, but making an attempt at completing her tasks even so. For a moment, she just stood there and stared at Sasuke, before narrowing those emerald eyes slightly and addressing him. "What is it?" she questioned, not all too impressed.

Sasuke backed up slightly and ran a hand back through his hair, staring at the ground. "Sakura… I need to see the Hokage, as she might be able to-"

"This is she."