Chapter 21

"Sit, Aoi."

Aoi looked at Sasuke and cocked her head. Even after two weeks of training, the puppy still didn't do even the simplest of commands. Naruto taught Sasuke that training a puppy was about patience and confidence.

"You have to show her who's alpha, Sasuke," said Naruto. "You're her owner, friend, and alpha. You have to show it to her. Watch me."

He turned to Kyuubi who had been napping nearby on a patch of grass. Every time Naruto visits to help Sasuke train Aoi, he brings Kyuubi with him, and every time, Kyuubi greets him like an old friend. Sasuke was actually glad that Kyuubi remembered him. At least somebody did.

"Kyuubi," called Naruto and Kyuubi perked his head up. "Come."

Kyuubi stood and walked over to Naruto, doggy grin and tail wagging.

"Sit."

Kyuubi sat.

"Lay down."

Kyuubi laid down. He preformed every trick Naruto commanded of him. Sasuke remembered when Naruto taught him those trick when he was a dog. At the time, he did them to avoid suspicion. He never thought that there was a a science behind the training. When Kyuubi was allowed to go back to his nap, Naruto turned back to Sasuke.

"See? You have to be kind but stern at the same time."

Sasuke nodded and turned to Aoi. The puppy was trying to get Kyuubi to play with her, but the older dog remained laying on the grass.

"Aoi," called Sasuke and the puppy ran toward her owner. Sasuke held out the treat. "Sit."

Aoi sat. Sasuke smiled in relief and handed the puppy the treat.

"Good girl," he said petting her as she ate her treat and tried to lick his hands at the same time. "That's a good girl."

"Now we just have to make sure it wasn't a fluke," said Naruto.

"Now if only I can get her to go to the bathroom outside," said Sasuke turning to Naruto.

"That's where a water gun comes in."

During Naruto's visits the last couple of weeks, Mikoto always greets Naruto with a glass of lemonade and snacks. Sometimes coffee. Sasuke had half a thought that his mother had all but adopted the police officer if she could. Naruto seemed to enjoy the casualness and easily go comfortable around the Uchihas.

When Sasuke told Naruto about his charity idea, Naruto was completely onboard. He helped Sasuke with ideas and took Sasuke to the Inuzuka's shelter to help volunteer. Sasuke donated enough money to fix up the barn, expand the kennels and buy more food. Itachi had already set up a meeting with investor to help start up the foundations to help the homeless and strays.

That day, though, Sasuke could tell something was on Naruto's mind. After living with the man for a few months, he easily learned the blonde's tells. Since he didn't hear anything new on the news about Orochimaru, he assumed the department didn't have anything new. He didn't want to say anything right away and let on that he knew something was wrong.

Finally, during break, Sasuke asked him.

"Naruto, is everything all right at work?" he asked.

Naruto looked up at him in surprise with half a cookie in his mouth and reaching for another. Even during their rivalry days, Naruto's appetite was halftime, Naruto would make a beeline for the consession stand and order half the menu. Sasuke wondered how he could eat all of it and still be able to play, but now he figured Naruto had a higher metabolism that normal.

"What do you mean?" he asked after finishing the other half of the cookie.

"Well, you seem to be out of it a bit," said Sasuke. "Has something happened in the investigation?"

Naruto set the cookie down and dusted his fingers on a napkin. Sasuke was shocked by his manners.

"I can't really discuss the details..." he started and Sasuke nodded. "We're having trouble finding out what companies the warehouse's that were used belong to. Apparently they're owned by shell companies of shell companies of shell companies."

"If anyone's going to find it, you are," said Sasuke.

Naruto was shocked by by how encouraging Sasuke had become. He remembered when they were preteens and the boy had constantly insulted and put him down. It was almost scary.

"Thanks, Sasuke," he said.

"Sasuke." They turn to see Mikoto standing by the porch. She had an almost anxious look on her face. "Your uncle is here to see you."

"Your uncle?" asked Naruto curiously.

Sasuke was shocked and anxious. He had only met Madara a couple of times before his canine transformation, and each time Madara gave him a sick feeling.

Madara was techinically his great-uncle by his great-grandfather and his much younger mistress and was only twenty years old than his father despite his younger appearance. It seemed Fugaku wasn't the only Uchiha that couldn't keep it in his pants.

"He's technicality my great-uncle," said Sasuke. "He runs the shipping company and various other shell companies my dad took over in his thirty year reign as the company head."

"Great man, your father," said Madara. "He turned your grandfather's business into an empire."

"You mean he bought and blackmailed smaller businesses to expand his," said Itachi walking up. He nodded a greeting toward Naruto. "Naruto, how's the training going?"

"Sasuke got her to sit," said Naruto happily.

"Once," said Sasuke standing up and walked to Madara. "Uncle."

"Sasuke," said Madara reaching toward Sasuke to shake his hand when a growl stopped him. He looked down to see Aoi growling at him. "I see you've got yourself a guard dog."

"Yes," said Sasuke. "This is Naruto. He's helping me train her."

"Sir," said Naruto shaking Madara's hand.

"Naruto, pleasure to meet you."

"Why are you here, uncle," asked Itachi. Sasuke could immediately see his brother go on the defensive. He was curious as to why.

"I came to see my long-lost nephew," said Madara. "I am family."

"After two months, you see him now," said Itachi. "At least Mom had an excuse. What's yours? Business?"

"Yes, Itachi, business," said Madara with a glare to Itachi. "Just because a long-lost relatives comes back from the dead doesn't mean the world stops turning. Someone had to step in while you reacquainted yourself with you brother." He turns to Sasuke, who didn't like the look in his black eyes. "Now, Sasuke, there is a second reason for this visit..."

"Of course there is," said Itachi under his breath.

"Might we have a word in private," said Madara.

Without waiting for an answer, he grabbed Sasuke by the arm and steered him toward the house.

"Madara, wait a minute," Itachi called after them.

"It'll only be a minute," said Madara and lead Sasuke inside.

He lead Sasuke inside and into Itachi's study. Aoi following closely behind Sasuke. Madara closed the door,leaving Aoi behind the door, and gestured toward a chair. Aoi whined and scratched at the door.

"Sit," he said.

Sasuke sat down in a chair and Madara sat behind Itachi's desk. Sasuke eyed his uncle suspiciously. He may not have been well acquainted with his great-uncle, but he knew that he was someone to be wary of.

"Sasuke, as you know, the Uchiha's have a vast number of shell company's that needs a lot of managing," said Madara.

"Yes," said Sasuke almost hesitantly.

"As such, it's the job of the youngest Uchiha to manage the companies. I want to start training you to manage them. Particularly the shipping company, Uchiha's original company.

Sasuke looked at his uncle in shock. Uchiha Corp. had moved from a shipping company to a security firm decades ago, but still owned the shipping company. When business expanded, they bought and sold over a hundred companies. Now, his uncle was telling him he had to manage one.

"I'm sorry, Uncle, but I'm afraid I can't. I just gotten back after ten years and my new charity will take up a lot of my time. Plus, there's my education to finish..."

"All well and good, but you need to focus on your future. Your charity is a fine hobby, one that would be a good reputation for the family, and you're smart enough to learn on the job. You're education will be completed with actual business experience, not some classroom simulation."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at his uncle. Madara almost sounded like everything was decided. He didn't know a lot about his great-uncle, but he didn't like the controlling tone in his voice.

Standing, he fixed Madara an authoritive stare.

"If there's one thing ten years on the street taught me, it's when to pick my battles," he said. "I've only been back for a month, and as such, I'm not ready to start working in a large corporate enviroment. I would much rather take my time and find out what I want to do with my life, instead of what others thing I should do. If I do change my mind, I will let you know."

Without hearing his uncle's protests, he walked out of the room. Aoi immediately following him. Sasuke didn't have to walk far until he ran into Itachi giving him an approving look.

"Watch yourself around him, Sasuke," said Itachi. "That man has the mind of a snake."

"You don't have to tell me twice," said Sasuke.

Sasuke walked out of the house to find Naruto playing a game of tug-a-war with Kyuubi with what looked like a piece of rope knotted at both ends. At the sight of the game, Aoi run over to join in and Naruto letgo of the rope to let the two dogs play. He turned to Sasuke as the raven walked up.

"What did he want?" asked Naruto.

"Talk about my part in the family business, not that I want anything to do with it."

"Why not," asked Naruto. "Wouldn't that be what's expected of you?"

"Exactly, and that's why I'm not. My father threw me away when I was twelve. Why should I be what they think he wanted of me? It's time I choose what I want to do."

"Like helping the strays and homeless?" asked Naruto. "Some would say it's a fruitless endeavor."

"But that doesn't mean that it's not needed," said Sasuke thoughtfully. "All I saw, all I've expierenced. People have died and no one had done anything about it. It's not right. I want to make a place where the homeless can go to feel safe and get help, and I want to help strays find homes because every dog deserves a home."

"I believe that too," said Naruto, petting Kyuubi who had joined the two men with Aoi. Aoi whimpered to be picked up and Sasuke obliged, holding the puppy under her rump and an arm around her waist.

Sasuke looked at the blonde and still marveled at the blonde's abilitiy to see the good in the world despite his job. After spending months with him, Sasuke knew that Naruto became a cop to protect the good people.

"Do you want to have coffee sometime?" he asked before he could stop himself. Naruto looked at Sasuke in surprise before smiling and nodding.

"I'd love to," he said.

TBC