A/N: I know holidays are kinda upon us, but all of my final projects are due to right after coming back so I think I have to keep the regular delay on chapters for next wee, maybe I'll upload a short thing I've been working on but I don't think I have the time to edit the usual over 5k word chapter, so sorry about that.

Chapter 69: Loose ends

Keeping his grip from becoming too tight became more and more trying with every tear Sasuke could see falling from the eyes of the girl in his arms.

It didn't take a genius to figure out why she'd wanted to go back to personally monitor the situation back inside the ritual cave. And going by the absolute rotten luck he'd had so far, the Uchiha would bet that their childhood friend had made it back there. The idiot probably tried to force her to talk too. Watching Kagome try to burrow closer to him only fueled his anger. This could only mean one thing. She'd finished observing, and her full consciousness was back in her body, and yet, instead of opening her eyes, the girl decided to remain in his hold, fully aware that there were two sets of eyes on them. He could clearly remember what had caused her to lose control of her emotions despite being in full view...how was it that after years of working, he was still stuck in the same position as he'd been three years ago?

Frustration gnawed at his entrails.

He wanted nothing more than to let her rest, give her the time to change out of those bloodied clothes, wash the crimson away and let it all out. But time was the one thing they didn't have. Kakashi-sensei had been there, and they'd let themselves be seen; there was no way the man wouldn't try to track them down using his summons. They needed to pack up the few things they'd left in their improvised campsite and run because those idiots wouldn't leave them the fuck alone and would definitely try to catch up to them. Kagome had already been through enough without having to add yet another emotionally charged confrontation. Her bloodied appearance would also become a hurdle in the strategy she'd wished to follow and had spent years working on. If trying to keep it all afloat was all he could do, then he'd be damned if he failed here.

A soft push made him let go of the girl's frame as soon as they entered the shadows of the small cave that had become their temporary bade. The scattering of scrolls and bedding the only things of value within.

Frail, he realized, watching her step away from him; that was what she looked like right now. Just a frail girl that had been forced to endure tragedy after tragedy. There was only one time he could think of where he'd ever seen her like this after they became all that remained in each other's world. It was a memory that haunted him.

Sasuke couldn't say he was surprised...after all that happened, he almost expected the loud crack that followed Kagome's chakra-infused kick against the rock walls. Just like he'd known that a shrill scream would follow. Her movements were raw, filled with nothing but a rage that had only been born after discovering the truth. Only once had she lost it, it happened after being forced to face Itachi for the first time since the massacre, and once again, his brother's presence helped crack the girl's carefully constructed facade. Hits and kicks sent debris flying, and behind him, he could almost feel their two unexpected companions stunned shock. Drops of blood dripped from his clenched fists. There was no time, no matter how much she needed it. Once more, he couldn't really help her.

If not for his own chakra lacing his skin, intercepting her hit would've definitely sprained his wrist.

"...we need to go...besides, you'll only hurt yourself like this." Somehow, he managed to keep his voice calm.

"I want them all dead..." Unrestrained hatred laced her every word. "With our own hands, I want to pull out their entrails."

"But only if we can make them, wasn't it?" It was what she'd said before, and her limbs went limp in his hold.

"...Juugo, Suigetsu, pick things up." Her hand fell from his grip as he let go. "I need some air."

Not bothering to even consider it, Sasuke followed her out. It wasn't like they had that many things to pack up anyway, and if those two knew what was good for them, they would remain inside until he could finish talking. They may not have enough time for her to let it all out, but he couldn't just leave her alone when she was this upset.

"You killed his copy." It wasn't a question.

"Are you angry?" That was all he needed for an answer.

"Somewhat..." Between the two of them, there was no point in trying to lie, and while he was more worried than anything, he still wasn't happy with her decisions. "You should've warned me."

"You wouldn't have let me go without making a scandal," Kagome said in a tired voice; exhausted azure glanced at him. "Time was of the essence."

And in the end, he would've had no choice but to relent. The Uchiha may find it hard to acknowledge some parts of his personality, but he still knew himself enough to know things would've devolved rather quickly had he been the one to encounter both his brother and their childhood friend at the same time. Her suffering through that disaster of a self-imposed mission had been necessary. There would be no apologies given, not on her part nor his. They didn't need it. He sighed as he leaned against her, bothered but uncaring of the smell of drying blood that clung to her form.

"Gaara is alive."

"You said..." Sasuke trailed off before she continued.

"He was brought back, a life for a life." It was another simple statement, but he could tell that she was attempting to tie down her anger. "That is the only way to circumvent nature's laws, and it would seem like someone within Suna was desperate enough to develop such a jutsu."

"Not for him, I'm guessing." The Uchiha played along.

"Not at all, just a happy coincidence."

"Kagome..." he started.

"Don't worry, I'm not about to try and replicate it," she laughed wanly. "But I could try and modify it, so there is no need for someone to be a...willing donor."

With a sigh, Sasuke pulled her closer.

It wasn't like he didn't think there wasn't a chance any of them could end up in a life-threatening situation. Hell, that was the whole reason why he'd reluctantly agreed to go and set their base of operations in the Taisho compound instead of literally anywhere else where he wouldn't have to be close to that irritating clan. Optimism wasn't one of his strong suits at all, and while the thought made vile rise up his throat, the image of the Higurashi's blood spilling out of the girl's body without stopping had never quite gone away. If she were to be away from his reach, then Sasuke couldn't care about remaining walking in this world. After taking out whoever took her away from him, he would gladly follow her into hell, and greedy as it was, he wished she'd do the same.

Were any of them to die, the other would follow after.

Would Itachi share those same feelings?

The questions slipped into his thoughts before he could help it. His brother had been willing to die for them to survive, but so far, the boy hadn't actually thought what the older Uchiha's actions would be if either he or Kagome were to be killed. Would his loyalty to the village hold even after that? Would he be able to keep on living?

"We're done here." Suigetsu's awkwardly coughed as he and the orange-head came out of the cave.

"Say...Kagome-san...?"

"Let's go."

Not waiting for whatever worried question Juugo was about to ask, the Uchiha moved, scooping out the girl, not caring if the move was uncharacteristic for him. It showed vulnerability on the young Higurashi matriarch's side, sure, but he couldn't care less. Those two wouldn't run away, and if any of them tried to stab them in the back, they could be easily taken care of. What mattered right now was for Kagome to be able to rest some more.

"Just sleep that migraine off," he said in a whisper. "It's not like you weigh that much."

"...thank you..."

Smoke covered a patch on the sand-covered ground, and Neji could almost feel a headache making itself known.

Making sure the Kazekage was really back in full health had taken only a few minutes thanks to Haruno's medical training; and while the blond prankster had taken a moment to somewhat reconnect (and hadn't that been a surprise, to see the village's pariah be so clearly close to such an important political figure), the Konoha shinobis had soon rushed into yet another chase.

With Higurashi Kagome and Uchiha Sasuke as their new targets...

The empty cave in front of them only confirmed what the Hyuuga genius had predicted when he saw the girl's technique fade away in a flurry of butterflies. Those two would not loiter around waiting to be found. Still, despite that fact having to be a forgone conclusion in everyone's mind, no one dared to say a thing against it when Naruto insisted on trying to go after his former teammates. Just as stubborn as he'd been three years ago, clearly. Not like that determination changed the complete emptiness of the place they'd entered or the fact that the group had to be expecting to be chased and used what could only be called a scent bomb on the entrance that rendered Kakashi-san's hounds practically useless.

"Well, someone was definitely here," Gai-sensei said, looking at the half-destroyed cave walls.

"That...could it be...?"

"Well, I hate to be the one to say it, but Sasuke-san did not look happy when we met." Tenten continued after Lee trailed off.

The weapon specialist glanced at him, but Neji decided to follow team 7's example and keep quiet. Instead, his focus shifted to the impossible to miss holes in several parts of the rocky surface.

Chakra enhanced hits had to have made those, and whoever did it had clearly lost hold of their temper.

Even someone as disinterested in the village's idle gossip as Neji had heard of the Uchiha's bad temper. And he knew, thanks to Hinata-sama, what was believed to be the explanation behind the two clan heirs' unexpected leave. The boy was domineering and pushy, often physically pulling the girl along when she wasn't moving fast enough for his liking. Thinking about it like that, the Hyuuga wasn't surprised by the conclusion his own teammates had reached.

After all, Kakashi had confirmed that Kagome had all but deceived her partner so she could face Itachi.

To think Sasuke had lost it after regrouping and lashed out wasn't a big leap in logic at all...but his cousin had confided in him her own doubts about the circumstances of their departure. According to the shy heiress, not once did she witness the Higurashi girl being pushed around or forced to do anything; his own memories from their fight during the chuunin exam suggested there was a far stronger personality underneath that peaceful mask of hers.

"That's not it..." Naruto's quiet words carried throughout the cave.

"Hmm, I understand that it's hard to thin a once trusted friend has..."

"He wouldn't do that!" the blond exploded, his feet stomping on the ground. "Sasuke is a bastard, yes...but he wouldn't hurt her! He'd never raise a hand to her! You tell them too, Kakashi-sensei!"

"Maa, it's true that those two were always close, but..." the white-haired jounin shrugged.

"But what!" As the blond turned to face the Copy ninja, Gai-sensei glanced at him, a clear message there. "He wouldn't...wouldn't beat her or anything!"

"...every possibility has to be considered...time has passed, we don't know how they've changed, especially after spending so long with Orochimaru." Reluctance was evident in the jounin's voice as he faced the enraged prankster.

"This wouldn't change! Not...!"

Stomping, the blond left the abandoned cave in a hurry, clearly unwilling to remain quiet but unable to bite his tongue. Neji glanced around the place for a second with his byakugan activated. There was little to see that wasn't the violent craters adorning the walls, the remanent of a fire, some doton jutsu created platforms that had to have been used as improvised desks while the group tracked Akatsuki down, and some leftover food. In a hurry or not, the Hyuuga doubted someone as strategically oriented as Higurashi Kagome would've brought something that could betray their next target or whatever place they planned on retreating to in the first place.

Eyeing the cavern's entrance, the teen forced himself not to sigh.

Trying to cheer the blond out was pointless. Entirely meaningless and useless. Sure, Naruto may be right about this particular instance, but he couldn't blame the people in his team who landed on the conclusion they did, and nothing would be lost by giving things a more careful examination. He'd promised to help Hinata-sama in matters related to the clan and her training, not to aid her desired partner come out of a huff.

And yet, with a somewhat credible excuse, he made his way outside.

"I won't...!" Naruto's yell died out when he realized it was Neji who'd joined him. "Oh...it's you...what? Not gonna help them make stuff up?"

"Observing a situation from every possible angle is protocol." Those words earned him a scoff. "Even if it's a wrong one."

"Wait...you don't believe what they're saying?"

How he wasn't sure, but his cousin definitely would need to repay him for the hassle he was getting himself into with this. Sitting down next to the sulking blond, Neji made sure to keep his focus far into the desert view.

"I don't know them. Anything I say would be little more than speculation." The Hyuuga also had absolutely no investment in this mess. "But Hinata-sama assures me she never witnessed the Uchiha harming the girl. And from what little I could get out of our match, if Higurashi Kagome really was at odds with him, there would've been blood on those walls."

Unexpectedly, what he got was a laugh.

"Yeah, you're right on that one...it was likely Kagome who made those holes anyway." The laughter was bitter while the blond covered his eyes with an arm. "She used to throw tantrums back in the day...a lot of them."

That was...surprising.

He could buy into the idea that the girl's public image had been far more carefully crafted than most people would think, but she'd stricken him as the kind of person who liked to be in control. Then again, he'd overestimated the information he'd gotten from the general populace once and ended up on the floor, defeated. Hard as it was to imagine, Neji would rather trust the prankster's prediction since he doubted even their teacher had managed to get as good a handle on the couple of clan heirs as their childhood friend had.

"She must've been pissed...or really frustrated."

"Only her?"

"Yeah, if it got to that point...Sasuke will probably be more worried than anything else," the prankster shook his head.

Neji resisted the urge to bang his head against the hard rock behind him. There wasn't a single thing he could gain out of this. In fact, he was just making things more difficult for himself later on; because no matter whose apprentice the blond was or how talented he could become, there was no way the elders would accept an outsider into the main family bloodline. Hinata-sama should really resign herself to looking for another suitor. They were doing this whole thing so they could change the antiquated traditions imposed on them by the clan. And as much as he'd never admit it, seeing the gentle girl down bothered him lately. Really, his cousin would have to work hard to repay him because the Hyuuga genius was a talented shinobi specialized in close combat and scouting, not a stupid matchmaker.

"If we leave here today, we should be able to make it back to Konoha in the next 4 days," Neji sighed.

"Huh?"

"I don't know them...if you want to talk to someone who can actually contribute something, then Hinata-sama would be a better choice." Both of them would be in so much trouble if Hiashi-sama found out what they were doing. "She should have a free weekend scheduled five days from now."

o-o-o-o-o-o-

It was...unsettling.

Yes, Suigetsu mentally nodded as he thought the word over again.

Watching the girl he'd been so cautious about all but shatter had been more than a little unsettling. But there was no denying that was what had happened back then. From the violent splashes of blood covering her to the lack of a mask while fighting the frak that attacked them to her sudden lack of control, it all hinted that Higurashi Kagome had broken down from whatever had happened when she fought on her own.

Talking was never that big of a feature during the time he'd been the only one tagging along. It became a bit more common after Juugo joined, with the girl constantly asking questions to the orange-headed nin and Sasuke's jealous interventions. But not only had things gone back to the way things were when he first began traveling with them, it all grew worse. For two days and a half of constant travel, the only words spoken were to give short orders, and only now that they'd made a stop in what apparently was one of the places the girl got her information from did she care enough to put one of her masks back on. And for those past few days, it had been the sullen Uchiha who took over the role of her caretaker. Unsettling didn't even begin to describe those visuals.

It was one thing to notice how the teen always seemed to do what she wanted while maintaining his dark moods, but it was also a completely different beast to see him handle anything and everything around her with so much care. The Higurashi had spent most of their trip either sleeping or controlling one of her weird paper dolls.

For some reason, it made the two of them feel more...human.

"Suigetsu..." The girl's soft voice seemed to freeze them all as she entered the waiting room of the bar's second floor. "Back when we were getting away from Suna...did you notice anything odd?"

"Huh? Odd how?"

Crap, really, did she have to put him on the spot so Sasuke could glare at him for being the first person she directly addressed normally once more?

"Something that shouldn't be there...no, even before that. Have you felt anything different from when you began traveling with us?" Her voice was far more serious than usual, forgoing her typical kindness.

"I...don't think so." Suigetsu faltered before shrugging. "But I'm crap at chakra sensitivity. What about you, Juugo?"

"Mmm, not that I can think of..."

"Kagome?"

At least, it seemed the girl was back to normal and realized the souring mood the Uchiha was plummeting into because she rushed to sit beside him. More than likely, she was trying to calm the younger (and frustratingly stronger) boy down by lacing her hands with his before she continued. "When I was fighting him, I tried to get him to talk...figured I might as well make the best of the situation." Whatever this shit she was trying to figure out clearly upset her enough to force her to take a deep breath. "Before I could say anything, though, I felt...someone...something...it froze me. I don't think I've ever felt danger so strongly. Not even when we faced Orochimaru for the first time."

"Was there someone else watching?" Sasuke's voice was the coldest he'd ever heard.

"Yes...no. I don't know." Giving an unusually heavy sigh, the Higurashi girl let herself lean back against the sofa. "But it wasn't the group Juugo took care of."

"Are you sure you really saw something then?" His stupid mouth opened before Suigetsu noticed. "No offense, princess, but it could've just been nerves or some shit."

"Kagome does not make mistakes." Unsurprisingly, Sasuke glared at him to shut up.

"So maybe it was the one who sent the freak after us." Not his greatest recovery, but it would have to do. "I mean, whoever that bastard is, he has to be watching us constantly."

"...no." After a couple of seconds, the girl spoke again. "It wasn't the feeling of suddenly being watched that froze me. In fact, there was no difference in that at all. You know...how when you get so used to a specific sound you don't even notice it anymore? It becomes just background noise. I think that's exactly why I never noticed until I almost revealed our plans."

"...you mean we've always been watched, even back inside Konoha by...someone?"

"I can't tell for sure. It almost doesn't feel like a person at all." Ok, so the girl was not really back to normal because her burrowing against the Uchiha was not her usual behavior. "But if there's something I'm certain of, is that whatever this thing is, it wasn't anyone from Konoha."

"Glancing at his side, he could see Juugo's concerned face.

Clearly, the orange-headed shinobi believed every single word the Higurashi just uttered...and as much as he didn't want to, Suigetsu couldn't say he had many grounds to doubt her either. It would be one thing if they ever spouted nonsense about immortality or the secret of life like Orochimaru had done. But so far, the pair had been incredibly grounded about their goals, if ambitious as hell too. And while the girl kept talking in plural, it was painfully obvious the one who had to be the real target of this unknown observer had to be her. There was no reason to monitor Sasuke when he had been the younger, less prodigious brother of the Uchiha prodigy.

"Wait, wait, if you've been watched all this time, how do we know whoever or whatever that shit isn't overhearing us right now?"

"Suigetsu... You really don't pay attention at times, do you?" Juugo asked, looking at him.

"Huh?"

"The charm on the door to this second floor, that's a seal." His former compatriot pointed at one of the doors that had a slip of paper that looked like an omamori glued to it.

"This place is heavily warded," Sasuke added.

He could feel heat rushing to his face as embarrassment quickly overtook his confusion. Before anger could take over, the girl started again.

"In any case, I don't like it." The smile on the girl's face looked a bit more like what he remembered from her. "I've been trying to investigate further, but I haven't really found anything, so we're changing our plans." Yes, that was definitely more like her. "We're prioritizing finding Itachi before dealing with the rest of Akatsuki. I need to know if he noticed a difference after leaving Konoha."

"How sure are we the Taisho's compounds are safe?" Sasuke's question was valid, but former Kiri-nin suspected there was another reason behind it.

"Pretty sure; I think one of my predecessors helped them create the barriers. It's intermingled with their barrier master's chakra, but I can still feel some lingering reiki within." The girl finished explaining before turning to look at him once more. "Suigetsu, what do you know of the current Mizukage?"

"Not much, she's trying to make changes and shit, but that's about it." He didn't have any attachment to his old village other than his desire to collect all the seven swords. "Shouldn't you have more info on that?"

"I do. The impression of someone from there can be far more helpful. So, the former subjects from Orochimaru's experiments, would she take them back in, you think?"

Ah.

So that was what she wanted to do.

"Yeah, sure. Those guys were prisoners, all there against their will."

Honestly, most people inside those fucking facilities were forced to be there. People like Kagome and Sasuke, who agreed to follow the insane Sannin for the sake of power, or insane enough like Juugo to think they were getting help of all things, were noticeable exceptions to the rule. No one with a sliver of common sense enjoyed being used as a lab rat.

"We're taking a detour then. The informants I have around Konoha are no longer enough." Getting up, the girl combed her hair with her hands. "We're leaving tomorrow at midnight. Make sure to get some rest."

"Ah, Kagome-san, are you..." Juugo trailed off.

"I'm fine now." Ah, those were the beatific smiles he was used to seeing on the girl as she stopped to look at the orange-headed nin. "Sorry for making you worry."

"Don't leave the second floor." And those were the usual curt orders from Sasuke he was used to. The Uchiha also stood to follow her. "That's all the seal covers."

Leaning back onto the sofa, the purple-eyed shinobi could only watch the two younger shinobis enter one of the rooms offered to them by the bar owner. It was kind of amazing how quickly they fell back into their usual routine, almost as if nothing had ever happened. Odd still failed to fully explain how it felt to see the Higurashi girl so vulnera...ble...

Shit.

Oh, fucking hell.

"Great...we're fucking doomed," Suigetsu groaned.

"Huh?"

"Do you really think Sasuke will ever let us leave after seeing Kagome be affected like that?" Even the girl was acting slightly different now.

Easy to exploit or not, they had just witnessed a weakness of hers, and the Uchiha was not only clearly possessive but protective as hell. As unlikely as this could be used against her, there was just no way in hell that Sasuke would chance it by allowing them to leave...which had been his original plan.

Stick to them while collecting the seven swords from his senpais, and then haul ass would no longer be an option.

"Do you want to leave?" There was some genuine confusion on the orange-headed face.

"Argh, forget it."

Right, the idiot over there was just as entranced with the girl as their hostess for the night clearly was.

Worse eve, since he could tell the princess had been actively working on the bar owner for a while now. Juugo, on the other hand, had fallen in line in a heartbeat after hearing her and Sasuke's names. The former Kiri-nin was probably more than happy remaining as their bodyguard for as long as they thought was convenient. Right, the guy had a few screws loose from the very beginning what with the whole going to the insane Sannin for help for his condition. Now that he thought about it, the guy likely never understood what his blood had been used for or just how not willing most of the other inhabitants of those facilities actually were. He truly shouldn't be surprised by the other teen's happiness about finding someone else.

"Oi, get me some sake!" he yelled at their hostess after groaning.

It wasn't that bad...or at least, he figured it could be worse.

At the very least, he wasn't being experimented on for some sicko's amusement. Kagome was also very careful about keeping everyone in her surroundings relatively content. After all, her sort of manipulation worked better when people thought they wanted to do what she needed them to do. Sure, his relationship with the girl wasn't the best precisely because he'd seen through it, but things were still kinda calm between them, which meant Sasuke only ever took his blade out for sparring purposes. It could be worse.

Never would the words come out of his mouth.

Both younger teens were strong enough to be responsible for themselves. Hell, those two planning to play war with some of the strongest political players in the shinobi world, and they definitely cared only for their own goal. But perhaps...just a little...this last display from them both worried him just the tiniest little bit.

Usually, the sound of Kagome's moans and pleasured gasps was one of the sounds Sasuke had started to become addicted to throughout the last year. The pain of her nails digging into his skin that left behind crimson marks served as a reminder of her taste on his tongue. It wasn't something they could indulge in with their constant travels and busy schedules, and the privacy they could get at the Taisho compound that allowed them to keep learning each other was the only thing he appreciated from that place. The walls here may be thinner, but he was not planning on waiting, And yet, concern persisted in the back of his head.

Because no matter how much he could feel heat rush through him, he couldn't miss just how desperate her motions were.

Her movements were not fueled by passion but fear.

Fear of her dreams bringing forth the twisted mix of nightmares and reality that haunted her during her nights in much the same way his own sleep brought him nothing but ghosts. Fatigue was the only thing that helped keep the horrors at a somewhat manageable level. And about a year ago, they'd confirmed this kind of exhaustion worked to help them sleep just as well.

"Sa...Sasuke!"

"Does it feel good?" Trying to push his concern away, the Uchiha attempted to put his whole attention on her.

A nod was all she could manage between her moans. And Sasuke made sure to make a mental note of the way his fingers had moved to get such a reaction. Pride laced in satisfaction still managed to overpower his worry. Little by little, he was learning every part of her. It took fewer awkward tries to get the girl panting and sinking her nails into him. Forcing down the temptation to move one of his hands or guide one of Kagome's to the place that was screaming for attention. Instead, Sasuke moved to recapture the girl's lips. Tonight he would focus solely on her, make sure she was tired enough to keep her nightmares away.

A/N: I wondered if I should add this or not before deciding the emotional fallout of this mess , I also wanted to show the differences between both Sasuke and Kagome' reactions when they"re close to breaking down. I mean in canon Kagome isn't really calm or controlled, she's very emotional and wears her feelings on her sleeve, she cries, yells, laughs, etc. In this case it isn't that she doesn't get those same feelings, she's just good at hiding them, so when they explode, her reaction is in a way just as explosive or more than Sasuke's to the point that she kinda freezes or forgets what she should be doing (ie getting away). Of course, this sort violent explosions don't start really happening until after she finds out the truth, and because Sasuke, like Naruto, do remember how emotional she used to be he isn't really surprised at it. Not that he's handling it all that well, their relationship is codependent to the unhealthiest possible extreme, but he can read her.

As for Sakura in the last chapter, yeah, I am keeping her obsession with Sasuke just as unexplained as in canon. I mean we never get a reason as to why she goes to those extremes for a boy who barely interacts with her (and most of those times he compares her to Naruto or tell her she's worse than him). Granted, I don't think any of the romantic relationships were well developed, we barely see Hinata and Naruto interact with one another in non-fillers/manga chapters but at least there is a motive in paper, but there is nothing to work with in Sakura's case. I can sort of let go of her behavior in before shippuden because she was super young, and it was a crush and all, but after? Those two have so few moments that almost have to be stretched to be seen as romantic...a romantic relationship between him and Naruto has way more bases in canon content.

As always, thank you guys so much for reading and any and all review/comment/criticism is greatly appreciated.