"You got him a shirt?" Takashi gave her a look.

"Sasuke hates when I make a big deal about his birthday. It's just something he can wear when he isn't training. He likes clothes," Kokoa explained.

"I guess it's the thought that matters," he shrugged. "Are we about ready to head back?"

"Just one more thing."

"Ugh, women…" He shook his head. She jogged across the street to the small dango shop Itachi and Kisame had visited the day before. She always loved dango, but it was so much more than food. It was his favorite; the treat she'd buy boxes of to surprise him with. It was a part of him. Taking a bite, she couldn't help but think of him, not that Kokoa ever forgot Uchiha Itachi in the first place.

"You seem distracted, Itachi-san. We didn't even do much this outing."

"I'm not distracted."

"You're thinking about something."

"It's nothing, Kisame-san."

"You're a strange creature, even for Akatsuki. One of these days I'll figure you out."

"Hn, but not today," he smiled slightly.

"I suppose not," he grinned, walking off with Samehada dragging behind him. Itachi sighed, blowing a strand of hair from his eyes. How could he tell? How could he tell Kisame that his heart nearly leapt from his chest? Yes, he had sensed her that day, Kokoa. He wasn't able to set eyes on her, but he felt her. She was there, and all he could do was hide in the shadows.

"For you."

"What's this?" Sasuke questioned, taking the package from her.

"A gift. Birthday gift. I know it was a few days ago," Kokoa said. "I didn't mean to make you angry –"

"You worry about me. I get it. I was the ass for getting so worked up about it," he interrupted. She blinked in surprise.

"You didn't have to get me anything, Kokoa."

"I wanted to. It's nothing big anyway."

"Arigato. Oh. Before I open it though, there's something I want to show you. Put your shoes on."

"My shoes?"

"Just hurry up."

"Hai, Hai."

"Sasuke, where are we going? I look like a mess."

"You're fine. Stop complaining." He took her hand, dragging her along. Eventually, they climbed up a set of stairs belonging to one of the apartment complexes.

"Are we visiting someone?"

"Hn, you know I hate people," he smirked, pulling out a key. Pushing the door open, he let her step in first.

"Well…go ahead. Look." He nudged her. Kokoa gaped at the empty space. "You like?"

"It's awesome. The windows. The kitchen!" She ran over. "Why are you showing me this, Sasuke?"

"It's yours. Well, ours," he shrugged.

"Nani?"

"You've given me everything and more. From the moment we met, all you have done is encourage me, make me laugh, and support me. I remembered you said your current place felt cramped. Even before you mentioned it, I noticed it too. We're older. We need space."

"Sasuke…"

"I've been saving up for a while now, enough for a good down payment, that way the rent won't be that bad even though it's a bigger place," he explained. Kokoa stood there, speechless.

"It's also a gift because of the way I lose it sometimes. I tend to overreact."

"You? Never," she chuckled, walking over. "You really planned this out?"

"It's nothing," he pouted, turning his face.

"It's something, Sasuke. Arigato." She pulled him close, surprising him.

"You're hugging me…"

"I'm the only one who can, right?" she whispered.

"No."

"Be quiet, Sasuke." She pulled away. "Thank you."

"Ah."

"This is exciting! But! Let's head back for now. I have a small cake for you. We can talk about packing and everything later," she smiled, putting a hand on his head. He nodded, heading back home with her. It was good…to see her smile. Knowing it was because of him, well it pleased Sasuke. He would do anything for her.

"You really should relax."

"I can't."

"He's fine. The second exam is just about over, Kokoa."

"Kakashi-san…Sasuke's going to die," she sobbed dramatically.

"Shush."

"I can't sit around."

"So you want to go and take the exam for him?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Henge no jutsu," she said with a wink. "I'm serious…the forest…I've been there. I know. He's strong, but…I'm not sure."

"Well it's too late now."

"Kakashi! He's your student."

"I know," he grinned. "Why don't you show me your new apartment? You finished moving in yesterday, right?"

"Oh…oh yeah. First guest. Why not?" she smiled, leading him off. She needed to focus on something else, and Kakashi made sure of it. Worrying over Sasuke would drive her mad.

Kokoa moved into her new apartment thinking she and Sasuke would enjoy the first few days together, unpacking and picking rooms; however, Sasuke landed himself in the hospital after the preliminary stage. Sadly that wasn't the worst of it. During the second exam, the young Uchiha found himself targeted by the one and only Orochimaru. Tormented psychologically and suffering from the excruciating pain his new curse mark caused, Sasuke was a mess. Kokoa found herself visiting him a few times a day. Seeing him, even if asleep, relieved her. In fact in many cases that was the reason she went, to watch him. He was so at peace, so innocent.

One day Kokoa stepped into his room only to find that Sasuke and his belongings were gone.

"Sasuke?" She checked the closet, beneath the bed, the bathroom, and the halls. He was gone.

"Sasuke. Have you seen him? Uchiha Sasuke?" she asked the first nurse to walk by. The medic furrowed her brow.

"I heard he disappeared not too long ago."

"Any idea where? Do you know who went into his room?"

"I'm not sure. I'm not in charge of the records."

"Tsk…" shaking her head, she bolted through the hospital's front doors. What if the person who left the curse mark was after him again? What if everyone who wanted to fight him was after him? Rock Lee had his eye on Sasuke, wanting to prove that hard work could defeat a genius. All of Otogakure watched him with shifty eyes. Let's not forget Sungakure's jinchuuriki, Sabaku no Gaara. He and Sasuke had taken a rather strange interest in each other. Kokoa didn't have a problem with what Gaara was, but if he tried anything…

"Why am I always the last to hear about things?" she mumbled, walking up to her apartment. A note caught her eye, wedged between the door.

Dear Kokoa,

Knowing you, you're probably freaking out right now about Sasuke. Let me assure you, everything is under control. He's fine. In fact, he's with me. With only a little while left until the final exam, I've decided to put him through some rigorous training. So before you have a heart attack, relax. He's safe with me. We'll see you at the third exam.

Sayonara,

Hatake Kakashi

"That bastard, Kakashi," she spat, crumpling the paper. "He could have warned me ahead of time. Still…" She sighed in relief, glad he was someone she trusted.

"I just hope you're all right, Sasuke. I don't know what I'd do with myself if I let anymore bad things happen to you." Stepping inside, she shut the door behind her and began preparing dinner for one.

"A mission? Now? But the last stage of the exam starts tomorrow morning. I can't miss Sasuke. I've been waiting for this!"

"We need someone, and you're one of the only jonin who isn't monitoring or participating in the exams, Kokoa."

"Hokage-sama, I understand, but there must be someone else. I have to stay to see Sasuke. After all that's happened to him…and he's worked so hard these past weeks. If I'm not there, he'll be devastated. I'm the only family he's got!"

"I wonder why."

Kokoa narrowed her eyes at the very same Root member that came to visit her every once in a while.
"Don't start with me. This has nothing to do with that. Sasuke is in the exams, fighting Suna no Gaara. I have to see this. Please, Hokage-sama," she pleaded.

"We're stretched thin as it is. Of the available jonin, you are the most qualified."

"You go weeks without assigning me anything, but now you suddenly need me?"

"Kokoa –"

"Sasuke is everything to me, and he's about to fight the biggest fight of his life in front of a massive audience. You won't let me see him?"

"Kokoa…" Sarutobi sighed. The ANBU smirked behind his mask. "You have to go. Will you go against my word?"

"But I…" she fell silent, staring at her shoes. As a shinobi of Konoha, she had no choice. She took the mission information from him before making her way to the door.

"You know, Hokage-sama, I used to look up to you." She turned half way to look at him. "You always had my back. You encouraged me. I worked hard for you because you were one of the few who acknowledged my abilities, but the second something bad happened, the second everyone turned on me, so did you."

He remained quiet, watching her with sad eyes.

"I thought that out of everyone that maybe you at least would hear me out. That you'd believe me or help me prove my innocence. I thought you would believe in me like you did while I was making my way up through the ranks as a ninja, but you didn't! You turned away and let everyone talk and whisper like I'm an enemy of Konoha. I'm not. You know I'm not! But I guess that doesn't matter when it comes to politics and secrets, does it?" She shook her head.

"Sarutobi-sama, you are Sandaime. You are the Third Hokage; the leader, the top shinobi of Konoha. We look up to you. We follow you. And you, you depend on us. You believe in us. You guide us, but Hokage-sama…you failed."

He furrowed his brow at her comment. Looking up, Kokoa met his gaze with hurt and sorrow in her eyes.

"You failed me." With that, she exited the room, leaving a distraught Hiruzen.

Kokoa tried finishing her mission early in order to make it in time for Sasuke's match; however, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't.

"He's probably already done by now. I wonder if he won. It's possible. It is Sasuke; an Uchiha, and Kakashi trained him, but…he was against a jinchuuriki, against Gaara. Hell, he could be dead." She came to a stop, terrified by that possibility.

"Sasuke!" She sprinted back to Konoha with everything in her. Sarutobi would get his mission report later. She finished the mission, that's all that mattered. Right now Sasuke was the only thing pushing Kokoa, that and her promise to Itachi.

She arrived to Konoha only to find the destruction, death, and chaos brought upon by Orochimaru and his men. Bodies everywhere, and blood. Crumbling buildings, smoke, and fire. She had missed Sasuke's match. She had missed the destruction of Konoha. After frantically asking for information about what happened and where Sasuke was, she ended up rushing through the forest, knowing he had followed the Suna siblings to finish what they started.

Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap. Her feet hit hard. Then it happened. She saw him, Sasuke, standing beside a worn out Naruto.

"Sasuke!" she managed through gasps. He turned, stunned to see her.

"Kokoa –"

"Sasuke! What – what's going on?"

"Hey, calm down. It's over." He took her hands, assuring her everything was fine. She glanced down at Naruto.

"He's exhausted. Don't even try waking him," he commented, nudging the blond with his foot. "We were attacked. I tried finishing that guy off, but my curse mark acted out," he sighed. "Luckily Naruto came and took him out."

"Took him out?" She peered out over Sasuke's shoulder, spotting a defeated Gaara. They locked eyes for a moment. Suddenly Temari and Kankuro landed beside their brother.

"Don't," Kokoa warned Sasuke, placing a hand on his shoulder. "He won't do any more harm. Leave them."

The siblings lifted Gaara and escaped before any more trouble followed. Sasuke dropped to his knees, clawing at his neck.

"It's that bad?" she whispered, eyeing the curse mark. "I tried getting back as fast as I could. If only I was here. They had to send me on a stupid low rank mission. I should have been here with you. I should have taken care of you –"

"Kokoa," he spoke, voice firm. "None of this is your fault, and you couldn't have prevented any of it. You carry enough guilt and pain. Don't take on more if you don't have to."

"But –"

"I'm fine. I'm not some kid you can protect from everything. I can take care of myself. All you've done is neglect your needs for me. Worry about yourself for once."

"What?" she fell quiet.

"You put yourself second. I'm no better than you. Sometimes you don't eat. Other times you don't sleep. You worry and lose your mind over silly things that I know I can handle, and you get in trouble trying to cover for or defend me. You're not the Kokoa I knew. You're sad, and bitter, and closed off. You're thin, and tired, and you cut your hair…"

She avoided his eyes.

"I know it's you. I know you're in there. It's just hard seeing you like this. I've always felt this way, but seeing you now worrying like this and on the verge of tears, all because of me…I hate it."

"I just…I didn't want to lose you."

"I'm right here."

"Sasuke –"

"I'm all right. You don't have to take care of me. I'll be ok."

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "Let's get Naruto back. The village is in chaos." He nodded, going after Sakura first. Sasuke was right.

'What have I become? Cold and hollow, alone and bitter even though I'm surrounded by people, miserable and foolish for ever thinking you'd come back for me…Itachi.'

They stepped out together, each dressed in black and solemn eyes. They came across Naruto and Sakura, also in black and headed for the same destination. Kokoa nudged Sasuke, telling him to walk with his friends. Reluctant at first, he gave in and rushed off to catch up. Kokoa walked behind them at first, but found herself making a small stop along the way. The lake. The place she and Itachi laughed and played. Where they trained and ate dango. Where he told her they couldn't be together anymore.

The death of Sarutobi Hiruzen was a loss for Konoha. While Kokoa was saddened and filled with guilt because the last words she spoke to him weren't ones of kindness, she found herself mourning her own loss; the loss of her best friend, of her mentor, of her lover. She rubbed her eyes of the tears. He was her family, her world, but he left, leaving her with nothing but a broken heart and broken little boy to care for.

"Hm, they were able to avoid complete destruction, but it looks like the damage was great."

"The village that has prospered like no other...has become pitiful."

"That's out of character. So even a person like you has an attachment to his home village?

"No. I don't."

Can you all guess what's coming next? ;) Thanks for swinging by.