Kakashi meditated, pulling far into his own mind where he could focus and center himself, finally managing to sleep. When he opened his eyes it was dusk and Naruto was sleeping heavily by him, snoring deeply. The smell of burning forest and the oncoming rain were oppressive, bothering his sensitive nose.

Sakura came into the tent and knelt by him. "Well this is adorable," she said. "It looks like you two finally decided to quit pretending to be straight."

"Not you too," Kakashi said.

Naruto squirmed in his sleep, rolled over, and put an arm around Kakashi, letting out a long contented sigh without waking.

Kakashi felt his cheeks grow hot. "It isn't what it looks like," Kakashi said.

"I just came over to check on you before I settle in."

"You should be more concerned with how we're going to transport Sasuke. It isn't like there's a town anywhere nearby."

The wind began to rise, throwing small bits of debris against their makeshift shelter. "If you don't want to get caught in this you'd better leave," Kakashi said.

Naruto had never even stirred in his sleep.

In the other shelter Sai knelt watching Sasuke, and waiting for Sakura. The smell of blood and dampness would have put almost anyone else in a foul mood, but Sai didn't have moods. Instead he watched the traitor in front of him with a cat like curiosity. When the wind increased enough to chill him through the pine boughs he moved into the shelter as far as he could.

When Sasuke had attacked them he'd looked like what he was – one of the strongest, most fearsome ninjas in the world. But now he was covered in mud made of dirt and his own blood, his hair was slicked to his head with sweat and ichor, and his clothes were torn and as ruined as his body. He looked like what he was, an injured, hated prisoner.

Sasuke stirred and tried to raise his hands, which Sakura had tied together.

"Who's there?" He asked hoarsely. He tried to sit up.

Sai put a hand on his chest and pushed him down. "Be still," he said. He looked at the bandages over Sasuke's eyes. The blood stains were spreading slowly.

"I suppose you think you've won," Sasuke said.

Sai said nothing, but he watched Sasuke closely.

"Why didn't you kill me?" Sasuke asked.

"Sakura-chan wants you alive," Sai said. "I think it's a mistake."

"Idiot," Sasuke said. "She still thinks she can change me."

"I don't think so." Sai said.

"I'll kill all of you yet," Sasuke said.

Sai pulled the bandage off of Sasuke's face so he could look at his ruined eyes, slashed through with one deep stroke. With the other scars crossing his face he looked dangerous in a back alley mugger kind of way, but harmless as a ninja.

"Kakashi destroyed both of your eyes," Sai said. "I'm sure we are all quite safe."

Sasuke snarled and tried to sit up again. Sai pushed him back, slightly harder this time.

"You are a fool," Sai said.

"Ha! Said by a Konoha ninja! You're all a bunch of weak losers."

Sai sat back and stared silently. After a few moments Sasuke said, "say something, damn it!"

Sai pulled out his book and flipped through it, checking the bookmarks near the back. He put the dog-eared, well-used book back into his pack. "The book isn't clear about this," Sai said. "I'm trying to decide what I should do."

"What book?" Sasuke asked. "The Shinobi rules? Don't tell me you're one of those that try to live by those ridiculous rules."

"A different book," Sai said.

He leaned forward and examined Sasuke, looking for anything that might answer some questions he'd needed answered for years.

"I can't imagine why they ever thought of you as more than a criminal," Sai said.

Sasuke said nothing, but his sneer let Sai know he was listening. Sai sat and listened to the wind, wondering how long they had until the storm hit, and if the shelter would hold.

"I like Sakura-chan," Sai said. "I don't like many people, just her and Naruto and Kakashi-sensei."

When Sasuke didn't reply Sai continued. "You hurt her, Uchiha Sasuke. I'm trying to decide if letting you live will hurt her more than if I were to kill you."

"Killing me won't make her happy," Sasuke said. "She's one of those people who were born to be unhappy."

"Yes," Sai said. "Like me. Like you too perhaps."

Sakura stepped through the door of pine boughs that barely kept the rain out. She was soaked through, and her pink hair lay plastered against her face. She brushed it away and squatted next to Sai.

"He's awake," Sai said.

Sakura just stared at Sasuke, and Sai watched his friend's face radiate hate. He felt uneasy. He'd seen her angry before – many times. He'd seen her sad, usually because of this Uchiha Sasuke, but he'd never seen her face ugly and twisted with hatred. He wanted to take it away, to make her the Sakura she was before this mission.

"It might be better if you stood guard and I waited here," Sai said. "He's awake enough to talk, and he doesn't seem in danger, so I assume I could handle it."

"What did he say?" Sakura asked.

"Nothing important," Sai said.

"I don't know what you mean to gain by this," Sasuke said, "but you're wasting your time."

"I want Ino's family to see you executed," Sakura said.

"Who's Ino?" Sasuke asked.

Sakura's face reminded Sai of the one time he'd seen a tornado. He stood slowly and backed toward the exit of the shelter, bumping into Sakura in the close quarters. When she didn't do anything but continue to stare at Sasuke with clenched fists, Sai backed out, never taking his eyes off of her.

He ran to the other shelter just as the worst of the storm hit. It stayed upright, but only barely. He stepped inside. Rain dripped into the dark, piney shelter.

"Wake up," he said. "We need to go, now."

Kakashi was instantly awake, but Naruto - never a morning person - had more trouble.

"Wha?" he asked.

Sai glanced in the direction of the other shelter. "Take Kakashi and run. I'll meet you when I can," Sai said.

"What happened?" Kakashi asked.

"Sakura-chan," Sai said. "I think she's about to kill Sasuke, and it might be explosive."

"Take me to her," Kakashi said.

"You're injured," Sai said.

"Sakura isn't going to hurt me," Kakashi said.

"No, but you can't dodge shrapnel at the moment."

"Naruto, help me up," Kakashi said. He struggled to his feet, and Naruto put one arm around his waist and pulled his other arm over his own shoulder.

As soon as they stepped out and the full force of the wind hit them Kakashi completely lost any forward momentum, collapsing against Naruto.

"Sai is right," Naruto said. "You can't even stand against the wind."

"I can't let Sakura do this to herself," Kakashi said. "Help me over there."

When they entered the shelter Sasuke lay on the ground, but Sakura was gone.

Naruto pushed Kakashi in ahead of himself, but Sai had to stay outside in the rain. The cramped shelter could barely hold three people.

Sasuke moved, and if he had eyes he would have been looking in his direction.

"Where did Sakura go?" Naruto asked.

"How should I know?" Sasuke said.

"Leave me here and go find her," Kakashi said.

Naruto helped him to the ground, and he sat on the cold, wet dirt. He decided he'd rather be cold and wet than warm and next to Sasuke. The shelter hadn't been well thought out, and water began to drain inside, drenching the blankets and soaking them both.

"I'll go," Naruto said, and he left Sai and Kakashi with Sasuke.

"Now what?" Sasuke asked. "None of you thought this through, did you?"

"Now we haul your sorry ass back to Konoha," Kakashi said. All of his guilt had dissipated at Sasuke's question. Sakura had used a massive amount of chakra to heal him, at her own risk, and all he would do was mock her and her teammates.

"You should save yourself the time and kill me," Sasuke said.

"You shouldn't be getting wet," Sai said. "I can go back to the other shelter and get the bedrolls, but I want to be here if Sakura gets back."

"Why do you care?" Sasuke asked.

"I wasn't talking to you," Sai said.

"You don't have to worry about me," Kakashi said. "I can travel now if we need to."

Sai opened his mouth but remained silent when Kakashi put a finger over his lips and pointed to Sasuke.

Sai nodded.

"Where did Sakura go?" Kakashi asked Sasuke.

"To hell for all I care," he said.

"Something isn't right here," Sai said.

"Nothing is right here," Kakashi said. "But Naruto can find her."

"Why don't you call one of your dogs Kakashi?" Sasuke asked. His voice was almost friendly, but there had been just the touch of mockery in it. The leer on his ruined face told Kakashi all he needed to know, but he decided to find out how much Sasuke knew. He could have been bluffing.

"It's raining," Kakashi said. "Naruto's eyes will work better than a dog's nose right now."

"Perhaps," Sasuke said, "or perhaps you used too much chakra. I've seen your withered chakra coils many times. The family birth defect gives you a great disadvantage, doesn't it?"

Sai moved closer to Kakashi, stepping slightly between him and Sasuke and pulling a kunai.

Kakashi saw that - as usual - Sai showed no emotion, but he stood in a ready stance.

He thinks Sasuke might attack, Kakashi thought. Even bound and blind he's still a threat.

Sasuke smiled broadly this time. "I just heard a weapon being pulled. You should oil those more often, or they can give you away with that whisper when they leave the sheath."

He cocked his head as if he was listening. "How badly did I injure you, Kakashi? Enough that your little friend feels that he needs to protect you? I know you didn't draw that weapon, or you would have used it by now."

"We need to correct this mistake," Sai said, "before we regret leaving him alive."

"I have a better idea," Kakashi said. He took Sai's kunai and cut a piece off of Sasuke's shirt sleeve. When Sasuke opened his mouth to protest, Kakashi shoved it into his mouth.

"Hold him," he told Sai. Sasuke tried to struggle, but he was still weak enough that Sai held him easily. Kakashi pulled Sasuke's shirt out of his trousers and cut a long strip of cloth, which he wrapped around Sasuke's head, securing the gag but leaving his nose uncovered.

"I've heard enough out of you," he said. "You never appreciated anything anyone tried to do for you, and I won't have you hurting Sakura or Naruto anymore."

He suddenly realized that Sai's dark bird of prey eyes were on him intently.

"There is a better way to keep him from hurting them," Sai said. "He's much safer dead."

"But useless to us," Kakashi said. "We're keeping you alive for a reason, Sasuke. Think about that for awhile."

Naruto stuck his head in through the pine boughs. "I found her," he said. "She said to call her if she's needed, but she's about a quarter mile west, just sitting in the rain."

Kakashi reached a hand up using his good arm, making the same silent signal toward Naruto that he had made toward Sai earlier. Naruto pulled him up and supported him as he had earlier.

"Let's go get her," Kakashi said.

"I tried," Naruto said. "She was barely even listening, and she had a crazy look in her eyes. She said if she came back she'd kill Sasuke."

Kakashi was glad that he didn't have to hear Sasuke's opinion on that.

"I trust your judgment," he told Sai. "He's a valuable prisoner, but if something happens while we're gone I'll understand. Try not to kill him."

Sai nodded and turned back toward Sasuke.

"Are you sure that was a good idea?" Naruto asked. "He might kill Sasuke."

"I doubt it," Kakashi said. "If he does I know it will be for a legitimate reason."

"What makes you think you can talk any sense into Sakura?" Naruto yelled over the wind.

"She'll be so mad when she sees me out in this storm that the medic in her will take over. I'll get a good tongue lashing, but if I refuse to go back unless she comes with us I think she will."

"I hope so," Naruto said. "I've never seen her so mad."

Kakashi had seen Sakura angry many times, but he'd never seen her in such a state. She sat on a low hill near the smashed remains of a tree, silhouteeted against the glowing orange night sky, with the flames of the distant fire playing on her and leaving a eerie, dangerous feeling. Her shoulders slumped, and her body shook with sobs.

"Leave me with her," Kakashi said, "and keep that gag in Sasuke's mouth. He can still cause some damage. His mouth is more dangerous than his weapons."

He had difficulty controlling his legs, and as he sat by Sakura she looked up. "Naruto, I told you... Kakashi?"

He expected one of her explosive rants about how little he cared for his own health, but instead she leaned onto him, letting him put his arm around her shoulder while she sobbed. Naruto stood by uneasily.

She stopped and wiped her eyes. "What are you doing out here?" She asked.

"Someone had to drag you into what passes for shelter around here. We already have an injured team captain and a dangerously exhausted jinchuuriki. We don't need a sick medic too."

"I couldn't stay in there another minute or I would have killed him."

"He had that affect on me too," Kakashi said.

"You killed him?" Sakura asked.

"No, but it was tempting. I don't know when he caught Orochimaru's gift for words, but Sasuke is still very dangerous. I left him with Sai. He can't bother Sai."

He was wrong. Sai sat and stared at Sasuke, who slept next to him. Sai took his kunai out and let it touch Sasuke's throat, sliding it gently just above the jugular.

The moment the steel touched Sasuke's neck he woke, but he had the presence of mind to remain motionless until Sai took the knife away and pulled off the gag.

"I want to kill you," Sai said.

"Nice technique, but you picked the wrong target," he said. "That sort of things frightens lesser men."

"What sort of trash did you associate with after you left Konoha?" Sai asked. "After you threw away and damaged three people who could have saved you?"

"What do you know about it?" Sasuke asked. "What makes you think they could have saved me?"

"Because they saved me," Sai said.

Sasuke laughed. "You're one of Naruto's projects, aren't you?"

"No," Sai said. "I am one of Naruto's friends."

Sasuke laughed, but then coughed as his newly mended ribs ached. Sai made no move to help him.

"Let me tell you something about Naruto," Sasuke said. "There will always be someone he needs to save. You aren't special. If you didn't have some deep problem for him to drown himself in he wouldn't even notice you."

"That is untrue," Sai said.

"How can you know?" Sasuke asked.

"Because it wasn't just him. Kakashi and Sakura were as much a part of it as Naruto."

"Ah, the virtuous Team 7," Sasuke spat.

"No," Sai said. "It became Team Kakashi when I joined. You killed Team 7."

Naruto stuck his head in the shelter. "Can you keep an eye on him for awhile? We're going to be in the other shelter."

"So I understand you saved this one too, huh?" Sasuke said. "Would you have followed him across the five nations if he had refused your generosity?"

"What are you babbling about?" Naruto asked.

"He has some odd ideas about Team Kakashi," Sai said.

"You all always thought you were better than everyone else, as if you weren't a collection of a pervert, a demon, and a slutty..."

He never got to finish because Sai's fist connected solidly with his jaw and knocked him hard on his back. Sai stood over him, and with his voice shaking with anger said, "don't you ever talk about Sakura-chan that way again."

Sasuke spat blood from a split lip and laughed. "I was talking about you."

Naruto put the gag back in Sasuke's mouth. "I think we should leave that there."

"What did you ever see in him?" Sai asked.

"Sakura saw a boy she thought was a strong hero, Kakashi saw an Uchiha who needed his help, and I saw a brother. We were all wrong."

"I only see the man who is continuing to hurt my friends," Sai said. He looked down at his hand and released a clenched fist. "I've never felt anything like that. It was like my reason left, and all I could think about was what he had done to Team Kakashi. It felt like it boiled inside."

"Have you never been angry before?" Naruto asked.

"If that is anger than I have not," Sai said. "I don't like it."

"Maybe I should stay with him and you go with the others," Naruto said.

"No," Sai said. "You are needed there."

Naruto left Sai there, hoping he was doing the right thing.

Sakura had let herself be talked into returning to the shelter. Kakashi had managed to calm her down enough to get her to talk, but hearing her choke out words between sobs stung Naruto.

"He doesn't even remember who Ino was!" Sakura wailed. "She was one of the genins that tried to save him, and now she's dead. After all she did for him when we were kids he doesn't even remember her! We should have killed him the first time we had the chance."

"Yes," Kakashi said, "but we had no way to know how this was going to turn out, with Ino dead and Gai...injured."

"Sai is watching Sasuke over there," Naruto said. "You're probably not going to believe this, but Sasuke actually managed to make Sai mad."

"That's enough," Sakura said, standing. "We had a history with Sasuke. Sai wasn't even there. He shouldn't have to do this. It's wrong for him to suffer for our past."

"He got mad because Sasuke said something bad about you," Naruto said. "We put a gag in his mouth."

"You what?" Sakura asked. "You can't just put a gag in one of my patient's mouths without asking me first!"

"Sakura, can we put a gag in Sasuke's mouth?" Kakashi asked, any emotion carefully covered with a neutral expression.

"Sure," Sakura said. "It will keep him from spreading more venom, at least."

"I want to leave for Konoha as soon as we can," Kakashi said. "How long do you think it will be until he can travel?"

"If Sasuke feels well enough to cause this much trouble then he can travel. What about you? Are you having any side effects from the blood pill? They can happen up to three days after taking one, sometimes longer."

"Just some nausea, but that was over hours ago."

"What side effects?" Naruto asked.

Kakashi waved his hand dismissively and tried to find a dryer piece of ground. "I don't think any of us are going to get any sleep tonight."

He moved the sodden bedroll to a corner. "There's no point in even trying to sleep."

"It isn't cold enough to freeze, but we could all get sick out here like this," Sakura said. "The storm is letting up enough that we could head toward that cave."

"It will take us at least an hour to get there," Kakashi said.

"We should get Sai and decide how we're going to transport Sasuke."

Sai was less than enthused about the idea, but he agreed to carry Sasuke while Naruto carried Kakashi through the rain.