Naruto snuggled up into Itachi's chest and felt warmed in a way that he had never really felt with Sasuke since he hadn't trusted him . He wasn't sure if he trusted Itachi either, but it didn't matter right now. Right now he would enjoy this warm feeling.

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"someone rapped against Naruto's bedroom door.

Naruto jerked up from the comfortable spot he had been lying in and realized that he had been sprawled all over Itachi , who had also been sleeping on his bed with him on top of him, cradled in his arms. He flushed and called out to the person knocking on the door.

"Hey I'm gonna go to the village to pick up a few things. Do you need me to get anything while I'm there un?"asked Deidara on the other side of the door.

"Yes, I'll be out in a few minutes okay." Naruto yelled back.

"Okay, aren't you gonna cook dinner today?" Deidara yelled back. "Its almost time to start if you're gonna un."

"Yeah thanks , I'll go start right now." Naruto replied.

"Is Itachi with you un?" asked Deidara. "Pain-sama wants to see him."

"Uh ... yeah. He'll be out in a sec." Naruto answered grateful Deidara couldn't see his crimson face.

"I see." Deidara chuckled as he walked away.

Naruto heard him walk away and then he looked up at Itachi , his face still flooded with color, embarrassed that he had cried and fallen asleep all over the stoic man.

"um..sorry about that." Naruto apologized self consciously, his tails and his ears flattening in shame at his behavior. "I didn't mean to cry all over you and smother you like that."

"Hn."said Itachi.

"Um... are you mad at me now?" Naruto asked a bit worried.

He didn't want to lose the friendship that was growing between them.

"No." said Itachi. "Its fine, don't worry about it."

Naruto nodded, feeling a bit better. "Um.. Well I better go write that list and cook now. Don't forget that Pain-sama is waiting for you." he said.

"Hn." Itachi replied nodding.

Then he got up and left the blushing blonde in peace.

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with Itachi...

Itachi groaned silently as he walked down the hall to see his leader. He was extremely hard and to put it bluntly , he ached. The blonde had felt so warm, so right in his arms as he slept all sweet and trustingly like a newborn. His hair had been even softer than it looked and it smelled of vanilla and sunshine. His body was well-toned as expected but his skin had been surprisingly soft just like a babies. It was as if he had soaked it in special milks and oils in order to get and keep it that way. He was also surprisingly lightweight and a bit petite for a man. He had purred when Itachi had rubbed his ears and ran his fingers threw his hair as he slept. It was all he could do then to pretend he was sleeping in order to enjoy the sensations flooding threw his body. He had wanted to take him hard right then and there.

He finally reached the room at the end of the hall and knocked and waited for permission to enter. As soon as he was permitted he entered and immediately noticed that Madara a.k.a. Tobi was also there and it put him on full alert. After exchanging the usual greetings Pain began to speak.

"I've noticed your growing fascination with our newest member." said Pain. "I hope that it will not cloud your judgement in any way." he said , his voice heavy with hidden meanings and insinuation.

"No it wont Pain-sama." Itachi responded.

"Good." said Pain.

"I see that he has also managed to heal your eyes." said Madara. "Is it permanent?"

Itachi nodded. "Yes Madara-sama it is." he answered.

"I'm glad to hear that." said Madara. "The jinchiruuki is proving to be a fine addition after all. It may not have been what we had originally planned , but this works as well."

"Now we have another assignment for you and Kisame. You are to go to the village hidden in the clouds and kill two of the council elders there as a warning. It doesn't matter which two, just get it done."

Itachi nodded. "Yes Pain-sama." he answered and after a brief nod to show respect to both of them , he left the room.

Kisame was waiting outside the door for him since he had already been informed of the mission. Itachi quickly hurried down the hall to his room to get his ninja gear for the trip. He stopped by the kitchen to see the blond.

He walked up to him quietly. "Naruto." he said to the preoccupied blond who was busy making a list, causing him to jump.

Naruto turned around and looked at him curiously.

"I'm going on a mission and wont be back for a while." he told him, feeling a bit foolish as he did so.

He didn't know why but he had felt he had a strange need to tell the blonde, he just knew that he did.

Naruto nodded at him, pleased to see him make the time to come inform him.

"I know, Deidara told me." he replied, then he turned and picked up a wrapped package off the counter and handed it to him. "Here is something for the road." the blonde said flushing a bit.

Itachi nodded and took it, feeling a bit shy as well as surprised. "Thank you." he said. "I'll try to be back before you um... give birth." he told him.

Naruto nodded and gave him a hint of a smile. "Okay, I'll wait. Be careful Itachi." he said, giving him a small hug.

Itachi flushed with pleasure and felt a sense of loss when Naruto pulled away.

"Hn." he replied, then he turned and began to walk out.

He saw a smirking Deidara standing nearby and pointedly ignored him. Nothing was going to take away that wonderful feeling he had inside.

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Deidara snickered as he watched Itachi disappear down the hall and then he turned back to the blushing blonde.

"So what did you need me to do in the village?" asked Deidara.

"Um.. Could you buy all the groceries on this list and stuff for our next couple of meals, I'm sick of fish. Also please pick up my stuff from the tailors for me okay?" he asked.

Deidara nodded. "Okay un."

Naruto handed him the list. "Thanks Deidara. Since you're doing me a favor and all, do you have any special requests for dinner this evening?" he asked him.

Deidara thought about it and nodded. "Well do you know how to bake cookies un?" he asked hopefully.

Naruto nodded. "Sure but I better add a few more things to that list so I can make it ." he told him.

Deidara nodded happily and left. Naruto sighed and after picking up Taki and Tori off the floor and putting them on the counter nearby, he began to cook. The two little kitsunes kept playing pranks and chattering with him as he worked, taking his mind off all his problems.

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in Konoha...

Sasuke sat in his office and desperately tried to concentrate on his paperwork. He was so distracted, spending almost all of his time when he wasn't giving out missions thinking of his dobe. He never realized how lonely life could be without the cheerful blonde nearby . Naruto constant chatter had always amused him but Sakura's attempts annoyed him. The longer he was away from the Dobe, the more he thought of him.

Just then Shizune knocked on his office door and walked in.

"Hokage-sama, Kazekage-sama is waiting outside and has requested a meeting with you." she said.

Sasuke sighed and nodded. It was no secret that they disliked each other and he was well aware that his betrayal of Naruto had only managed to put him in an even darker light with the redhead, making things worse. Still, he reminded himself, he would have to find a way to work around it for the good of the village.

Gaara walked in and Sasuke reluctantly invited him to sit.

"What can I do for you Kazekage-sama?" he asked formally.

Gaara looked at him for a few moments with his piercing green eyes , then he began to speak.

"Tell me Hokage-sama, did you love my brother at all?" Gaara asked bluntly.

Sasuke was taken aback by such a direct assault for a minute. He wanted to tell him to go to hell and to mind his own business but he knew better than to actually do that.

"Yes I did and I still do, but for the good of this village I must continue my line." Sasuke answered.

"But your line is being continued by my brother and the child he carries." said Gaara. "And if it wasn't for your betrayal, my brother would not have been made a criminal."

Sasuke felt enraged at the lecture even if it was all true but barely managed to maintain his stoic demeanor. "Be that as it may, its too late to change now and the council was the one to decide. Naruto will be brought back here along with my child."

Gaara crossed his arms. "Brought back to what Hokage-sama? He has no reason to return here. His dream has been stolen away from him by you and he has been betrayed by everyone one of you and you not only betrayed him, you chose another to take his place and had the audacity to insult him by insisting that he share your bed even though you now have a wife. Did you really think so little of my brother and his pride?" he asked coldly.

"He is mine and belongs to me." Sasuke hissed , his sharingan activated and spinning in his anger. "I will never let him go."

Gaara was unimpressed with his enraged display. "Since he has left you and abandoned this village, I doubt that. Do you really think he will forgive you for what you did?" he asked.

"Yes he will. He loves me!" Sasuke said fiercely. "He will realize that he is mine and return to me."

Gaara blinked, indifferent. "Who knows if he still loves you. I will say this though, there is only so many times that someone can forgive betrayal, even from the person they love." he told him and then he stood up and walked to the door.

Then he stopped and turned back to Sasuke. "Answer this for yourself Uchiha. How many times have you betrayed him? How many times have you chased after power and abandoned him? How many times have you broken his heart? Which one do you love more, him or power? If you were in his position would you forgive yourself? And the last question is this, are you worthy of his love and forgiveness?" he asked , then he turned and walked out.

Sasuke watched Gaara leave and glared angrily. How dare him speak that way to an Uchiha he kept on thinking. He sat there brooding for a while until he went home. He ignored all the questions in the back of his mind that Gaara had asked, saying that they were unworthy of his time.

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two weeks later...

In Konoha...

Sasuke was in bed dreaming as he slept next to Sakura.

His blonde dobe was riding him hard and fast , just the way he liked it, screaming his name over and over as he thrust up into him. He gripped his the blondes hips and rolled over, pounding into his tight portal, giving it to him the way only he could.

"Who do you belong to Naruto?" he asked as he continued to thrust.

"Aaah Sas...uke.. I belong to you." Naruto moaned under him, lifting his hips to meet each hard thrust.

Naruto threw his head back in ecstacy, loving the feel of his lover's hard rod deep inside him.

"More Sasuke please." he begged in pleasure. "I need more...I need you deep inside me."

"Sasuke! Sasuke!" Sasuke heard a voice calling him as he was being shaken.

Sasuke woke up in the middle of the night and looked up at the pink haired kunoichi above him.

"Are you okay Sasuke?" she asked concerned. "You were grunting a lot. I thought you were having a bad dream."

Sasuke groaned. He was so hard right now and he needed it badly. He reached up and fondle her breast through he thin nightgown. She gasped but didn't move away. He pulled her down to him and kissed her, exploring her warm depths as he did so. He slid his hands down her body and began to squeeze and stroke her nipples. She moaned and straddled his hips needily and he flipped them over and laid her on her back .

"Hurry Sasuke." she said as he broke the kiss and moved down to suck on her firm breasts, laving her budding nipples.

She moaned and he removed her panties and threw them away somewhere, uncaring where they landed. He stroked her and felt moisture un his fingers as he parted her folds and began to stroke her clitoris.

"Aaaaaah Sasuke." she moaned , arching her back in pleasure.

He kept stroking and playing with her until he was sure she needed it as much as he did . Then he removed his briefs and positioned himself between her thighs. He slid his erection deep inside her, immediately noticing that she wasn't a virgin when he took her. Naruto had been a virgin during their first time a little voice reminded him in the back of his mind but he ignored it. This wasn't about love, this was about need and duty. Then he began to move. Giving it to her hard and fast , they way he needed to at the moment. She moaned with each thrust, shaking her head from side to side in a pink wave. She lifted her hips, loving the way he rode her. He reached down and stroked her clit as he took her and she screamed as she came. He continued to thrust into her at a frenzied pace, leaning to down mark her with a lovebite as he took her.

"Naruto..." he moaned as he released deep inside her.

Sakura froze, her afterglow fading immediately as she heard that. Sasuke didn't even realize what he had said or even if he did , he didn't seem to care. He emptied himself inside her and then as soon as he caught his breath he pulled out and got up, walking to the bathroom after putting his briefs back on.

Sakura heard the shower go on in the bathroom and felt tears forming in her eyes. It hurt that he felt the need to wash away there encounter, but nothing hurt more than him calling out someone else's name as he came. She waited for him to return to bed so that she could use the bathroom next but instead of returning when he was done, he left the room and walked down the stairs and out of the house. She got up sadly and went to the bathroom to wash herself up as well. When she had often made love to lee she had always been held after and treated like a precious lover but Sasuke did none of that. She wished with all her heart to turn back time.

Sasuke walked on until he reached the training grounds on the Uchiha estate where he and Naruto had often sparred together before having an occasional quickie if they couldn't wait to go home first. He sat on a limb in a tree aware of the Anbu's that were shadowing him but ignored there presence and began to think. Finally answering all the questions that Gaara had asked him.

"I have betrayed him knowingly so many times. I have broken and trampled on his heart over and over again as if it were nothing and he was just a toy. I know in my heart that if he had done all these things to me I would have taken my vengeance on him. I don't deserve his love nor his forgiveness, none of us do. How many times will I make the same mistake over and over again before I realize that power is nothing without him by my side? How could I have been so blind to his deep love for me? I saw so many things with this sharingan and yet I was too stupid to see what really mattered. Naruto, my one and only love, I will find you and make it all up to you and I will do everything in my power to make you take me back. I have treated you terribly and I am sorry, so very sorry. Tonight I betrayed you again by touching another and I know that I will do it again. Forgive my weakness my dobe. When I find you, I will show you that I am worthy of you after all. Forgive my foolish pride and betrayal ." sasuke thought to himself.

He sat on the limb until sunrise, contemplating his mistakes.

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with Gaara ...

Gaara, Neji, Temari and Kankuro returned to Suna after having a few more meetings with the Konoha council of elders. They had come to a sort of truce on the matter as they all knew it was too late to fix it all now but mostly due to the fact that they needed to maintain their alliance for the sake of both their villages. Gaara didn't inform Konoha of Naruto's whereabouts except for Neji and that was after they had returned home to Suna. Gaara showed him Naruto's letter and he agreed with Gaara's decision, knowing that the blond had suffered enough at Konoha's hands.

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with Naruto...

It had been a long two weeks with Itachi gone and he wondered when he would return. He had been given Kakuza's ring and now had his Akatsuki outfits that had been picked up by Deidara. He had worn it to the village when he went to get his hair cut with Deidara at a salon and now wore his hair the way his father had. He now looked exactly like him, except for the tails, ears and whisker marks. Deidara had even gotten him a bottle of his favorite black nail polish as a gift for the wonderful cookies and had even painted them on for him.

Taki and Tori had also made friends with Tobi and were always off pulling pranks on the others, as scary as that sounds. Deidara and he had become friends over the last two weeks and had spent time with him whenever her had returned from one of his missions. Deidara had finally explained to him that at the last minute during the battle with Sasuke, Pain had switched him with a sacrifice, the way he had done with Itachi and Kisame on the way to rescue Gaara , using the replacement Jutsu in an instant, but since he had supposedly been blown up, Sasuke hadn't been able to check.

On the day Itachi returned, he had been baking cookies and felt strangely elated upon seeing him. Itachi had come to find him and greeted him before going to report in to Pain. Then he had returned and Naruto had been pleased to see him eat a few of the cookies even though Itachi, like Sasuke detested sweets.

That night Naruto sat on his window sill and looked up at the stars in the sky and smiled.

"Thank god, I can smile again and for real this time." he thought.

"Yes." said Kyu, strangely content as well. "We no longer have to hide behind a mask kit."

For the first time in his life, Naruto felt free.

Authors note: hello there. About the whole deidara being alive thing, just go with it okay. I just really wanted him in the story that's all. Anyway thank you all for reading and have a safe and funfilled weekend. See you all at the end of the next chapter and please review. Well ja ne.