DISCLAIMER: I do not own "Naruto"
Chapter 39: Together
Suigetsu sat on a stack of plywood and, uncapping his water bottle, squirted some much needed water into his mouth. He hated manual labor. He just wasn't built for that type of work and it was very upsetting that Karin had volunteered their help. That stupid girl.
His eyes shifted to where she was working, clearing away debris from a weapons shop in the hope of salvaging any tools. Watching her was…fascinating. She bent forward, her muscles flexing as she took hold of a large block of cement, and righted her footing. She walked to the dump site and dropped the piece of rubble, dust bouncing into the air and settling on her. Sweat glittered on her skin and made her hair damp. Karin stood upright and rolled her shoulders a moment before retying her ponytail. Suigetsu shamelessly watched as her black tank rode up her stomach when she lifted her slender arms to fasten her hair. She grabbed a bottle of water and drank—her neck arching gracefully as she downed the last of the bottle's contents. Her eyes opened and she looked his way. Her cheeks instantly reddened and he smirked.
"Suigetsu...a-are…are you gonna sit there all day?" she stammered. "You could get off your lazy butt and help, you know."
He grinned. "Nah, I'm enjoying the scenery," he said and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.
Her jaw dropped and she appeared rather scandalized. "You pervert!"
Suigetsu just laughed as she stomped back to work. In her anger, Karin went for a piece of concrete that was far too big for her to lift. She planted her feet and tried to lift, but groaned in frustration. Suigetsu snickered. She was useless. He lazily got to his feet and slinked over to where she was huffing and puffing. He watched from over her shoulder for a few seconds longer before gingerly placing his hands over hers. She let out a small peep and froze.
"Here…let me get that," he said lowly.
Karin turned to look at him, her cheeks rosy and her eyes wide, and Suigetsu's stomach twisted. After a moment's hesitation, she pulled her hands out from under his and stepped back. As he carried the rock to the dump pile, he couldn't keep the smile from his face. He was kind of glad Sasuke had ditched them. With him out of the way, certain…opportunities opened up. Certain people started behaving differently. They were acting like a real team now and…and he discovered that he really didn't miss the brooding Uchiha.
Clapping the dust off his hands, he turned around to return to Karin's aid. The look on her face stopped him in his tracks. She wasn't looking at him in adoration, shock, or longing…in fact, she wasn't looking at him at all. Her hard gaze was set on a point behind him. There was a giggle and Suigetsu slowly turned around. The very first thing that caught his eye was the pink hair of a girl their age. Sakura. Sure enough, Sasuke took a seat right beside her. They were eating lunch together—she was smiling and he was smirking. They looked…happy. Suigetsu frowned as the bitter feeling of jealously burned inside him. He'd never been jealous of Sasuke before, but when he saw the way Karin looked at him...Suigetsu felt as if he didn't measure up.
"It's Sasuke," Juugo said.
Suigetsu almost jumped. He was so lost in his thoughts that Juugo's voice startled him. "Yeah?"
"We've come all this way," Juugo replied.
Suigetsu was about to respond when Juugo walked past him, heading directly for Sasuke and his girl. "Juugo, I don't think that's such a good idea," Suigetsu mumbled.
The older teen ignored him and continued. Suigetsu sighed. Would it be weird if he and Karin didn't follow? Would Sasuke wonder why they were avoiding him? Suigetsu rolled his eyes and turned to Karin.
"Hey. Let's go say hi."
She placed both hands on her hips and planted her feet. "He's done with me."
Suigetsu glared. "And you're done with him…but we're still a team," he replied.
Karin bit her lip in indecision for a moment until Suigetsu motioned for her to follow. Her hands dropped to her sides and she dragged her feet toward her teammate. "If he kills us, I blame you."
"What else is new?"
The two of them approached Sasuke and Sakura with measured steps, watching carefully as Juugo greeted the lovebirds. They seemed to be acting civil enough with Juugo, but that didn't mean they'd give him or Karin the same consideration. Suigetsu mentally prepared himself for the awkwardness that was about to commence. They didn't get very far before Sasuke's piercing gaze landed on them, causing Sakura to turn—her green eyes curious. The tension in the air thickened instantly and Suigetsu wanted to turn tail and run, but…he had to play it cool. Sasuke didn't know how things had changed in his absence—he wouldn't have expected things to change.
"Sasuke, dude!" Suigetsu landed beside Sasuke and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "You had us worried. How've ya been?"
"Suigetsu," Sasuke greeted lazily. "I half expected you to go hunting for the other swords the moment you realized I wasn't coming back."
Suigetsu frowned. "I didn't even think about that…" he said in disappointment. "I should have." He grinned and punched Sasuke in the shoulder. "Admit it, man. You missed us."
"You wish."
"Pft, always raining on my parade."
Suigetsu watched Sasuke regard Karin with caution. He couldn't blame the guy. Last time the two of them had been alone together, she'd practically molested him…and he'd been blind at the time. Suigetsu fought the anger that boiled at the thought.
"Sasuke," Karin said lackadaisically.
"Karin," he replied just as unenthusiastically.
"So…" Suigetsu said, hoping to break the tension. "Aren't ya gonna introduce us to your pretty friend?"
"Not if I can avoid it."
Suigetsu rolled his eyes. "C'mon, man. I'm not that bad."
Sakura placed a gentle hand on Sasuke's forearm and he turned to her. She smiled. "It's all right, Sasuke-kun."
Sasuke's eyes softened and he relented.
Suigetsu stole a glance at Karin to gage her reaction, but was unable to find anything out of the ordinary. Her face was stoic.
"My name's Haruno Sakura."
He returned his gaze to the green-eyed girl and grinned. "Suigetsu. You can call me Sui-kun if you like."
Sasuke glared at him and Sakura giggled. "I think I'll stick with Suigetsu," she replied.
He shrugged. "Your loss."
"It's nice to meet you." She turned to Karin and Juugo. "All of you. Juugo…Karin."
"Pleasure," Karin drawled.
"We've heard so much about you," Suigetsu said slyly.
Sakura's brows furrowed. "Really?" she asked and turned to Sasuke who frowned.
"Well…you know how it is," Suigetsu said nonchalantly. "Sasuke likes to keep his secrets. And secrets have a way of…revealing themselves."
Sakura looked amused. "I see."
"So…are you, like, Sasuke's girlfriend, or something?" Karin blurted.
Suigetsu looked at her with a furrowed brow. What was her problem? That was such a stupid question.
"Yes, she is." Sasuke answered for Sakura.
Suigetsu faked excitement. "Wow! Man, that's great!"
Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "Thanks…" he said slowly.
"Well…" Suigetsu laughed awkwardly. "We've bothered you two enough. Come on, guys, let's give these two some privacy."
He took Karin's arm and shoved Juugo. He smiled over his shoulder at Sasuke and Sakura, but said nothing else as the three of them headed back to their work site. Suigetsu's smile dropped the moment they got back. He liked to think that he and Sasuke were friends…but now, it was obvious that Team Taka didn't have a place in the Uchiha's elite circle of friends. He wondered if that would ever change. If Sasuke chose to distance himself from things that reminded him of his darkest days, Suigetsu couldn't blame him. In fact, he wouldn't be disappointed.
Yeah…he didn't miss Sasuke.
~.~.~
Tsunade chewed on her thumbnail. If this was going to work, she'd have to convince the rest of the village…and in order to convince the village, she'd have to convince the clan heads. How hard would it be to turn them against the Elders? She only had the word of one boy…one criminal. Would they turn against the Elders based on the word of an ex-rogue? And what about Sasuke? She hadn't exactly dealt with that issue yet.
She sighed.
She couldn't exactly arrest him, not after what he'd done to help Konoha. She'd already stood in his defense against the Elders. She'd just have to make sure the clan heads were on her side in that decision. Sasuke would have to be there at the clan meeting…as head of the Uchiha and as the only link between the massacre and the Elders.
"Shizune!"
The brunette turned from her work and looked up. "Yes, Tsunade-sama?"
"I'm calling a meeting. Be sure every clan head is informed…including Uchiha Sasuke."
Shizune stared at her blankly for a moment before answering. "Hai."
"Have them meet me at the new memorial site in exactly an hour. Get going."
Shizune bowed at the waist and left in a hurry. Tsunade frowned and stuck her thumbnail back between her teeth. It was the right thing to do. It was…wasn't it? The clan heads would agree with her. They were all tired of the Elders sticking their noses where they didn't belong. The Elders were dangerous. They were. They had massacred a whole clan. They were conniving, cowardly, little—
The clan heads would agree with her…wouldn't they? After all…if fate had played out differently, it could've been any clan that'd been massacred. And there was no telling if the Elders might do it again. They were pushing for Sasuke's execution after all. He was just a boy.
Her nail broke and she scowled. He was a shinobi who had killed one of the great Sannin. He was more than just a boy. There were no such things as children in the shinobi world.
And the Elders…they were old…but their influence was far reaching. And it seemed as if it were all under Danzou's control. It seemed that Konoha wasn't in the clear yet. There was still danger. She remembered Jiraiya's last words to her, how he had warned her to be careful.
"Remain careful of the Foundation."
That's what he'd told her. He had known about Danzou…just as she had, but he'd still thought it necessary to warn her. Perhaps because he'd cared about her. The thought brought back a memory that she would have rather stayed buried. A memory that only confused her already fragile mind.
"Come back alive…"
Jiraiya looked stunned and she couldn't find it in herself to meet his eyes. She was scared and the alcohol in her system wasn't doing enough to placate her fear.
"If I lose you, too…I…"
"Are you gonna cry for me?" Jiraiya cackled. "I'm honored! Although I don't suppose I'll get nearly as many tears as Dan did." His laughter continued, his eyes shut and brimming with tears.
"You moron," Tsunade replied half-heartedly.
"All right, how about we put your gambling skills to the test?" Jiraiya said good-naturedly. "Put everything you've got on me dying."
Tsunade's eyes widened.
"You always pick the losing bet," Jiraiya clarified. "I promise I'll return and then…we…" His voice drifted off as his eyes took on an intensity she hadn't seen in a long time.
Tsunade looked at him with a strange expectation filling her chest. She was almost afraid to hope for what he wasn't saying—afraid that if he said it, then it really meant…goodbye.
He burst out laughing. "BWAHAHA! I'm kidding, I'm kidding!"
All at once, Tsunade felt relief and the pang of shattered hope. If she had known Jiraiya any less, she would have taken him as just another perverted old man. But…she knew him better than anyone and knew that he was putting up a front…because he loved her and this wasn't goodbye.
"I'm very grateful to you, ya know?" His grin shrank into a genuine smile. "Getting dumped always makes a man stronger. If he hasn't experienced it enough to be able to laugh and joke about it, or at least use it as material," he said lifting up his novel, "he can't fulfill his duties as a man."
"So it's the man's responsibility to be strong, eh?" she asked.
His smile turned sly. "Of course. Men aren't meant to pursue happiness."
Tsunade watched him for a moment and then smirked. "Bah…you men are all the same. Without women around, there'd be no one to reject your advances and toughen you up!"
"Heheh, very true."
Again she turned very serious. "If anything happens, send one of your toads. I'll come immediately and back you up myself."
Jiraiya frowned. "I don't think so. You must remain in the village. This place relies on you to keep it together."
"There are plenty of other worthy candidates for Hokage."
Jiraiya gave her a sideways glance. "How are people supposed to be comfortable living here if their leader is constantly changing? You're the best person for the job and that's that!"
She smiled a little saucily at him. "We've got Kakashi." She hoped that was enough for him, but just to tip the odds in her favor a little more she added, "And Naruto, eventually."
"Kakashi's a given," he replied. "But Naruto's a long ways off, even if you did see fit to give him your necklace."
Tsunade scoffed. "You're one to talk. You've practically crammed him full of power." She looked up at him. "You even taught him the Rasengan!"
Jiraiya snickered. "Yeah, and maybe I shouldn't have. It's just…" His eyes grew distant and his voice softened. "…when I look at him, it's like I'm looking at my own grandson."
She smiled softly. On that account, she felt exactly the same as Jiraiya.
The sun lowered in the horizon, throwing the sky into the deepest purple of twilight. Jiraiya took his scroll and secured it to his back.
"Okay, so…I'll be off."
She wasn't ready for him to leave yet.
"And one last word of advice," he said over his shoulder. "Remain careful of the Foundation."
Tsunade sighed. "I know."
"Good." Without another word, he walked away. "See ya later…"
Tsunade watched after him and felt the tears finally fall. It wasn't goodbye…but…she had a horrible feeling.
The wetness trailing down her cheeks and dripping onto her arm brought Tsunade back to the present. She was bent over her desk, head resting on her arm, mourning. Still mourning. She was crying because he'd broken his promise—because he hadn't come back. She wondered what he had almost said. When he returned, they would've…what? Been together? Run away? Been happy?
Back then, she thought she'd known what he meant…but now, she wasn't sure. Whatever he had meant to say, she knew—like the sky is blue and the sun rises in the east—she knew that she would have said yes. She would have taken that chance…because life is so short and so precious.
She dug her nails into the grain of the desk and clenched her eyes shut and she sobbed. She was tired of feeling this way. It wasn't fair. First Nawaki, then Dan, Orochimaru…Jiraiya. It seemed as if she was destined to be alone. She should be used to the heartache by now. She shuddered.
Pain had made her strong. She'd be cursed if she allowed her pain to prevent her from carrying out her shinobi duty. She wiped the tears from her cheeks and sat up straight. She had to stop allowing herself to drown in self-pity. She was the Hokage for crying out loud! Jiraiya would want her to be the strong woman he'd known his whole life. Tsunade would finish what Jiraiya had started.
~.~.~
"That was…weird," Sakura said as she watched Team Taka walk away.
"I told you," Sasuke replied.
Her gaze stayed on Taka for as long as they were in sight. "I mean…it wasn't bad, just…awkward, I guess."
"Aa." Sasuke's brows rose and he nodded in agreement.
She turned toward him and nearly whipped him in the face with her ponytail. He glared at her, but she smiled. Restraining a giggle, she asked, "Do they always act that way?"
"Yes…except Suigetsu. Something's up."
"Like what?"
He turned to her. "I don't know and I don't care."
"Well…what was up with that girl? She must have a thing for you," Sakura said with a teasing grin.
Sasuke scowled. "She's worse than Ino ever was."
Sakura's grin twitched into a grimace. "Worse…than I was?"
"Don't put words in my mouth. It's annoying."
Sakura's eyes lowered to stare at the empty bento box in her lap. She watched as Sasuke's hand came into her field of vision. His fingers trailed lightly on her forearm before settling over her hand. She looked up and locked eyes with him.
"Let me take that."
Without allowing her to respond, he gently took the bento box form her hands and made his way to the barrel set up a few meters away. Sakura leaned her head on her hand as she watched him, a small smile and blush adorning her face. When he turned toward her, he stopped still and looked anywhere but at her. His hand rose to rub his neck and she could see that his ears had turned scarlet and she giggled. He looked up at her laughter and made his way back to her. He stood before her and looked at her with slight amusement in his dark eyes. The amusement shifted to something else…something mischievous, something playful. He hadn't looked at her like that before. It made sparks tingle through her and she smiled coyly. He took her hands and pulled her to her feet.
"Follow me," he said.
"Where are we going, Sasuke-kun?"
His mouth twitched a little as if he were repressing a grin. "You'll see."
"There's still a lot of work to be done—"
"And there'll still be a lot of work when we get back," he replied as he started to walk. "Just trust me."
She huffed, but smiled. How could she refuse?
They walked through town, hand-in-hand, passing by the villagers as they worked. Some would stop to stare while others smiled and waved. There were a few girls who cast jealous glances their way, but for the most part there was no anger toward them. Sakura sighed happily.
"Thank you," she said quietly.
"For what?" Sasuke looked at her quizzically. "We're not even there yet."
"For this…" she lifted their linked hands. "…walking, together, where everyone can see…it's just…nice."
He smiled. "Aa."
"You know, it's almost perfect."
"Almost?"
"If it weren't for the town being in ruins and the"—she glanced around and lowered her voice—"inevitable war…things would be perfect. We could be just normal teenagers on a date."
"Normal? Tch. We couldn't be normal if we tried."
"Maybe you couldn't," Sakura said as she poked his side. "I think I'd do just fine."
"Please. You have pink hair."
"I could dye it," she said.
Suddenly self-conscious, Sakura's free hand went to her shoulder-length hair, but Sasuke stopped her. She watched his eyes as they examined her hair, his fingers touching the soft strands. His face was blank for far too long and she was getting irritated, until his eyes met hers and she saw the admiration in them. She found herself blushing again.
"No," he said. "You don't need to change a thing."
She bit her lower lip and then said meekly, "Okay."
She still wasn't used to this softer Sasuke. After all the years of training she did to become more powerful, after the years of toughening up…she melted in front of him. He reduced her to a self-conscious, awkward, love-struck girl. She would feel ashamed of herself…if it weren't for the fact that he was about to kiss her.
"Excuse me."
They turned to see Shizune standing before them, a slight blush adorning her cheeks. Sakura took a small step away from Sasuke and straightened up. She was slightly embarrassed to be caught kissing in the middle of the street…and by one of her mentors, no less. Sasuke schooled his face and made a slight nod in acknowledgement.
"Shizune-senpai," Sakura said.
"Sakura," she replied and then turned toward Sasuke. "Sasuke, Tsunade-sama requires your presence at the new memorial site at two o'clock."
"Am I in trouble?"
She smiled a little at his childish question. "On the contrary, this is a meeting of the clans. As the head of the Uchiha, your attendance is required."
Sasuke's eyes widened momentarily before he responded as monotonously as ever. "I'll be there."
Shizune beamed and continued on her way.
Sakura looked up at Sasuke and saw shock still lingering in his eyes. She was surprised, too. "Sasuke-kun…" she reached out and touched his shoulder.
"Itachi was supposed to become the clan head. I've never thought of myself as…"
Sakura dared to hope. "Something good is about to happen."
His gaze turned toward her and a tentative smile met his lips as he realized that she was right.
This was a very good thing. Despite having been an S-class criminal, Tsunade was acknowledging that Sasuke was, in fact, head of the Uchiha clan. She was showing him respect by inviting him to the clan meeting. Surely this had to do with the Elders. It had to be about their crime.
"Two is in twenty minutes," he said and his smile began to fall.
Sakura offered a small smile. "You should go. We can continue our walk when the meeting's over."
Sasuke's eyes softened. He gave her a kiss before running off to the memorial. Sakura was left smiling, alone on the street, but she was completely okay with it.
~.~.~
Sasuke took to the broken rooftops, it'd be faster—he'd get there early. He wasn't sure what happened at these sort of meetings, but he knew it must be important if each of the heads were summoned. Knowing what he did, he was certain the meeting would determine the fate of the Council…and possibly the future of Konoha. If Tsunade had summoned him, then there was no doubt that he was expected to tell his side of the story about the Uchiha massacre. He resisted the urge to close his eyes, to block out the memories. Any shred of that incident he could conjure up would help his case…would bring him one step closer to the justice he'd been so desperately chasing.
The wind was at his back, pushing him forward, rushing through him, making him feel light. Sakura was right. Something good was about to happen. Good things had been happening since he decided to trust his teammates. Good things had been happening since he decided Konoha could be home.
Konoha was decimated now, but there was a new sense of unity and belonging now among all the civilians. For the past few days, he'd watched people work together to clear away the old and start rebuilding. Things were never going to be the same, but maybe after the war—the war that everyone knew was coming—things could be better. He'd watched as the villagers embraced their Will of Fire to become a family. They respected each other. They respected him—all of Team Seven.
Sasuke was so immersed in his thoughts that he didn't even notice when he ran out of buildings and returned to the ground. It only took him a few moments more before he found himself at the new memorial site. It was close to the training grounds and one of the first things restored. The black memorial stone stood just as he remembered, with all the names of shinobi who had fallen in action. There was a group of people already there, standing still and ominously silent. Sasuke composed himself and walked the remainder of the way to the gathering, yet he didn't miss the odd glances that he received from those much older than him. He held his head high and ignored everyone. There was no reason for them to look down on him. He wasn't head by inheritance, but rather necessity. However, it didn't make him any less qualified. He noticed that all the clan heads were already in attendance. He was certain he wasn't late…so why were they all looking at him like that?
After another few moments of silence, Shizune walked forward joined by Tsunade. The Hokage took her place before them and there was a distinct fire in her gaze that made even Sasuke a little nervous.
Tsuande crossed her arms. "Good. Everyone's here."
"What's this about, Hokage-sama?" Inuzuka Tsume asked. "And what's the kid doing here?"
Tsunade let out a weary sigh. She gave Sasuke a pointed look and said, "I'm getting tired of answering for you. Go on. Tell them why you're here."
He frowned at her, but made no argument and instead mimicked Shizune's earlier words. "As head of the Uchiha clan, my attendance is required at these meetings."
Tsume let out a bark of laughter. "Ha! Don't make me laugh."
Sasuke cast a menacing glare in her direction.
"Tsume, please restrain yourself," Tsunade said through her teeth.
The Inuzuka woman scowled, but made no further comment. Tsunade watched her for a moment longer before rubbing a spot on her temple.
"The reason I've called this meeting is to decide the course of action Konoha will be taking against our enemies."
There were some nods of agreement and others merely frowned.
"Some of you are aware of the investigation against the Council—"
"Investigation?" Aburame Shibi asked. "Why wasn't I told of this?"
"You weren't the only one left out," Tsume growled.
"Quiet, please," Shizune said. "Let Tsunade-sama speak."
"Thank you, Shizune," Tsunade said.
To Sasuke it was quite apparent that Tsunade was suffering from a headache. Her left eye was twitching and he could practically see the veins on her forehead throbbing. He knew it would be easiest if she just got it over with and explained everything quickly. Delaying would only make matters worse.
"For those of you who don't know, an investigation was started to look into the past actions of the Council. There were many reasons to investigate, but the main one stands among you." She waited as heads turned to regard Sasuke. "Uchiha Sasuke returned willingly to the village, yet the Council insisted on his execution. They acted out of fear…fear that he knew something he shouldn't. After many hours, we came up with little evidence against them. We weren't sure what we were looking for, until my apprentice was led to the Uchiha manor. From here…I think it would be best if Sasuke told you the rest."
Sasuke met her gaze and clenched his fists to control the sudden burst of nervous energy. He moved forward until he stood beside the Hokage. He turned slowly and hated the eyes that stared at him expectantly. Despite the fact that his mouth was dry and his tongue twisted, Sasuke took a breath, filling his lungs with much needed oxygen, and began to speak. He found himself retelling the night he found his clan murdered by his brother's hand—his own parents, dead on the tatami of his home. Sasuke felt the prickles of tears in his eyes, but refused to let them fall. He told honestly of his quest for revenge. How his clan called for blood, his brother's blood. He spoke of his training with Orochimaru and how he despised him and ultimately killed him. He talked about the team that he formed and the hunt for Itachi. How when the time finally came, he did what he had to and found himself feeling empty.
"Madara found me," Sasuke said, feeling very dead inside. "He told me about Itachi's life and the lie he chose to live." He looked at Tsunade and she gave a solemn nod. "The Uchiha were plotting to rebel against Konoha and take control. Itachi was trusted as a spy against the Council because he was ANBU, but he acted as a double agent. After reporting to Danzou and the Elders, the task of destroying the Uchiha fell on his shoulders. The Sandaime tried to find another solution, but the Council insisted on extermination. Madara said that Itachi chose Konoha over his family because…because he'd seen war and it turned him into a pacifist," he said the word with disgust. The muscles in his jaw were tense and ached from the anger fueling his words. "The Council made a thirteen-year-old kill his own family."
The clan heads were silent. They wondered if what he said was true—he could see their doubt. There was anger and sorrow…and Sasuke could also see that his conviction was beginning to ease their doubt. They knew the Council was capable of unspeakable acts—how else could they have survived for so long? They knew that Danzou was a hard and unforgiving man, capable of controlling the most elite. It wasn't these facts, however, that would convince the clan heads. Sasuke's personal account of his brother's life was the pinnacle of the meeting. It was his story that would convince the other heads. Why would he make his brother—his family's murderer—out to be a martyr unless he believed it?
Tsume stepped forward with glistening eyes. "It could've been my family," she sniffled. "It could've been my Hana instead of Itachi…and Kiba instead of you."
Some of the others murmured to each other and Sasuke stared at her with hard eyes. She understood…they all understood.
Tsunade cleared her throat. "You've heard it for yourselves from the sole survivor of the Uchiha clan. I move to punish the Council. What say you?"
"I say we find a new Council and execute the Elders," Tsume said with malice. "If they were willing to do it then…how can we be sure they won't do it again?"
There was silence for a few moments…and then Hyuuga Hiashi stepped forward, surprising everyone.
"I agree with Tsume."
Once he voiced his agreement, it seemed all the others were eager to do the same. Sasuke felt immense gratitude fill him as a unanimous vote was made and the Elders' punishment was finalized. His heart felt light, as though the rocks weighing him down had finally been lifted. He couldn't describe the sense of satisfaction that filled him…he'd waited so long for this.
Tsunade nodded. There was a grim look in her eyes. "Then it's settled. The Council members will be executed and a new Council formed. As for Danzou…we'll have to locate him first."
"I have a team already on it, as per your earlier request, Hokage-sama," Shikaku said.
"Good. Now…the other matter at hand. The Akatsuki." There were cries of outrage and it took a moment before Tsunade was able to regain their attention. "QUIET!" she roared. "I know you're all angry, I'm angry, too. Just two members were able to cause all this destruction…how much more is their leader capable of? Thanks to Sasuke, we at least know that Uchiha Madara is the one calling the shots. He's made it pretty clear what he wants. In addition to destroying the village, he's seeking all of the bijuu. We don't know what he plans to do yet…but we have to stop him at all costs."
"Then there's only one option," Inoichi said. "We have to go to war."
Tsunade sighed. "Yes...we go to war. A Kage Summit has been called to discuss this decision. I'll be leaving tomorrow for the Land of Iron."
~.~.~
"You shouldn't let it bother you."
Karin huffed. "Just drop it, Suigetsu."
He scratched the back of his head before chewing on the straw of his water bottle. The sound of the crunching plastic made Karin's skin crawl.
"I think you need to loosen up, have some fun," he slurped as he spoke around the straw in his mouth.
Karin cringed. The sound of his smacking and slurping just reminded her of the sounds of a heavy make-out session. It didn't help her forget about…Sasuke...or the fact that he had a girlfriend that wasn't her…or the fact that Suigetsu was standing really close to her. The heat radiating from his skin was making her oddly self-conscious. She clenched her fists.
"Yeah…well, I don't think I'll be having fun as long as I'm here," she mumbled.
Suigetsu stopped. "It was your idea to stay."
"I might be regretting it."
He stepped in front of her and his eyes held a strange intensity…a serious glint that she hadn't encountered before.
"We can leave. Just the two of us."
Karin's heart skipped and her eyes widened.
"We both know Juugo will stay…he can get help here."
The sour feeling of disappointment filled her. Of course it wasn't that he wanted to spend time alone with her, it's that he'd be forced to without Juugo around. She found herself gritting her teeth when Suigetsu continued talking.
"We could continue looking for the seven swords."
"Why would I want to go with you?" she spat.
Pushing past him, she knocked her shoulder into his and was prepared to storm off in her usual fashion, when she was stopped by a tug on her wrist. Suigetsu spun her around to face him and she was annoyed to find that he was smirking.
"Because you like me."
She gasped and her whole face turned red with anger and denial. "I-I…don't flatter yourself! I do not like you!"
Suigetsu's frown couldn't hide the amusement in his eyes. "That's too bad…'cause I kinda like you."
The blood drained from Karin's face and she was left gaping, her mouth opening and closing as if she were a fish on dry land gasping for water.
"Y-you…what?"
"I said, 'I like you.'" He shrugged. "But, I can take a hint. If you don't feel the same, I guess I'll just have to move on."
In a complete act of desperation, Karin jumped at him and pressed her lips to his in a clumsy kiss. His hands gripped her shoulders and a few seconds later, they parted. Karin took a step back and her fingers went up to her swollen lips. She couldn't believe she'd just kissed him. She couldn't believe she just had her first kiss with Suigetsu. She couldn't believe the way he was grinning at her.
"I…I didn't…"
Suigetsu chuckled. He slowly took Karin's hand in his and they walked back to their designated worksite.
"I guess it's not so bad here…if you're here, too," Karin said and a small smile lifted her lips.
~.~.~
The sun was already setting. Tendrils of radiant orange and red stretched out into the indigo of the darkening sky. The wisps of clouds floated along on the evening breeze and stars started to twinkle in the sky. Sakura sat, knees up, on the dusty ground and stared up at the sky. Sasuke hadn't returned from the meeting yet, but she was willing to wait forever for him.
Nights like this reminded her of the days when it was just her and Naruto…dreaming of the day that Sasuke would return. It reminded her of eating at Ichiraku's and talking about the future. Like everything else, the ramen shop had been destroyed in Pein's attack…but she could almost smell the salty broth and noodles. She opened her eyes. Naruto stood before her, holding out a bowl of ramen.
Sakura smiled.
"Thought you could use a bite."
"You read my mind."
She took the bowl from his hands, careful not to burn her fingers. Handing her a pair of chopsticks, Naruto sat beside her and they began their meal eagerly. Sakura slurped the noodles and relished the familiar taste. After the whole world flipped upside down, it was comforting to know that there was one thing that would never change. Naruto would always be there and he would always love ramen. Even after the pain she'd caused him, he was still there for her—he was still her rock.
"Mmhmm…that was good," Sakura said after cleaning the bowl of its contents and licking her lips.
"Always is," Naruto replied. "Though, I can't wait for Teuchi to get his shop rebuilt. Konoha wouldn't be the same without his ramen."
Sakura looked at him and was warmed by his predictable comment.
"So…" His brows furrowed. "Uh…when were you and Sasuke going to tell me you got together?"
Sakura's smile fell and heat rose to her face. She'd completely forgotten about telling Naruto! She groaned inwardly. It wasn't that she didn't think it was important to tell him, it's just…she hadn't thought about it. Considering all the bad that had happened, their relationship seemed so small scale…okay, so that was a lie. Sasuke was everything to her, but she couldn't exactly go around announcing that she was Uchiha Sasuke's girlfriend when the village had just crumbled into a million pieces.
"I'm sorry…" she said. "We haven't really told anyone yet. The timing isn't right."
"I guess that's understandable," Naruto replied. "Though, it's really annoying to figure out your two best friends are together on your own." A smug grin adorned his face.
Sakura shoved Naruto in the shoulder. "Yes, yes, you're so smart. Get over yourself."
He chuckled. "You know, that's kinda why I wanted you to be the first to know that I've asked Hinata to be my girlfriend."
She looked at him with wide eyes. "What? Are you serious?"
"Yeah." His cheeks turned rosy.
"That's great, Naruto!" Sakura reached over and hugged his neck cheerfully.
"You're choking me, Sakura-chan," he groaned.
She grinned and released him.
He rubbed his neck and suddenly became very sober. "You can't go through something like Pein and come out without thinking about those you love. What if she'd died and I never told her how I felt? You never know when the next world shaking thing will happen…when the chance will be taken away forever. I figured I should use the time I have to cherish the people I love."
Sakura stared at him, her mouth slightly parted in wonder. His words stirred her soul and made her want to search all of Konoha for Sasuke. They couldn't waste the time they had left. "That's…profound, Naruto."
He smiled sheepishly. "Eh…not really."
"No, it is." She grinned. "I don't think you've ever said something so smart before."
"Sakura-chan," he whined. "Why do you always have to pick on me?"
They burst into fits of laughter. It was at that moment that Lee came sprinting down the street. He stopped right in front of them and caught his breath for a moment. Sakura and Naruto exchanged glances as the Green Beast gasped.
"Sakura-san, Naruto-kun! Haven't you heard?"
"Heard what, Lee?"
He straightened and his bulbous eyes stared at them intently. "Something is happening at Hokage-sama's office. Tsunade-sama is displaying her eternal youth in mighty ways. We must go at once so we can see the glorious event for ourselves!"
Sakura instantly thought of Sasuke. She didn't even say anything before she jumped to her feet, the empty ramen bowl sent clattering to the ground, and ran off as if her life depended on it. She pumped chakra to her legs, propelling herself farther faster, despite the fact that the current office was not even a kilometer away. Nearly there, she saw a large group gathered and turned her sprint into a light jog before stopping completely.
She couldn't see over the crowd, even when she pushed up on her toes. So she made her way through, begging pardon and focusing solely on breaking through the other side. She had to see for herself. She met little resistance as she adjusted herself between the bodies around her. No one said a word. When she broke through the crowd, she stopped in surprise. Koharu and Homura were on their knees before Tsunade and all of the clan heads. Tsunade wore a mask of righteous fury mirrored by each of the heads. Sakura looked for Sasuke and spotted him instantly. There was a strange look in his eyes…a look of disgust…a look of sorrow. She clutched her hands over her heart and took a tentative step forward. His eyes flickered up and she could sense the relief pouring from him.
Sakura watched him the whole time—their eyes never wavered from one another, despite what was happening around them. Tsunade presented the charges against the Council members and they tried desperately to dispute it. Sakura didn't hear their words or the outrage of the crowd, her mind was with Sasuke. Tsunade calmed those gathered and told them that the Council was irrefutably guilty, that their punishment has been decided. Koharu gasped and spluttered. Homura's eyes widened and he cried out indignantly. Sakura kept her gaze on Sasuke and hoped he could see just how proud she was of him. Tsunade waited for silence to settle in the air and, when there was only the sound of cicadas, she spoke with a voice saturated with condemnation.
"The punishment for such crimes is death."
Sakura felt the chill in the air as Koharu's raspy wails penetrated her bones. The crowd remained silent, but there was a sense of approval emitting from those surrounding her. She blinked. So much happened in the time that her eyes were closed—the Elders were shackled and taken away, followed closely by Tsunade and other officials, the clan heads went their separate ways, and the crowd dispersed. When Sakura opened her eyes, she found herself alone, Sasuke standing just meters away from her. He breached the space first.
They came together and Sakura found herself staring up at Sasuke. He was so tall.
"Sasuke-kun…is it…over?"
His eyes flitted away and his lips parted with a minute sigh. "Almost."
She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his waist. He immediately returned the embrace. They held each other, content in the tangible moment. He was there with her and she with him. Naruto's words echoed in her mind, reminding her that there was only now and that she should cherish it.
Sasuke's deep voice rumbled in his chest and surrounded her as he spoke. "So…where were we before we got interrupted?"
Sakura smiled into his chest. "Do you mean where were we going…or what were we doing?"
He chuckled. Tilting Sakura's head toward him, he captured her lips with a kiss. Shortly into the kiss, he pulled away and took her hand.
"Follow me."
She nodded and they began walking.
They walked for a good thirty minutes, taking in all the construction that was going on around Konoha. Sakura was no closer to recognizing her surroundings and it irritated her. The streets were all different, mere dirt paths with rubble lining the ditches, and the new buildings all constructed of wood. She looked for any sign of familiarity, any hint as to where they were headed. When Sasuke finally stopped, Sakura looked around. There was nothing nearby, just the gate further in the distance. She looked at his expectant face and lifted an eyebrow.
Sasuke deadpanned. "You have no clue where we are, do you?"
Sakura shrugged.
"This is where I left you."
His words resonated in Sakura's head and she looked around searching for the bench…which was merely a pile of broken stone. After finding the offending wreckage, she turned her attention back to Sasuke, her brows knit in confusion.
"Tsunade is going to the Land of Iron for the Kage Summit."
Sakura shook her head. "That's so far. She'll be attacked."
"An escort team will be going with her."
Sakura stepped back, realization hitting her like a ton of bricks. Suddenly she was very afraid. "You're on the team," she whispered.
"Aa." He reached forward and took her hand. "This isn't like last time. I will come back."
Sakura lowered her head. "I don't want you to leave."
"I know."
Her cheeks flushed with warmth as Sasuke's hand lifted her chin. "Why did you bring me here?"
"This is where I turned my back on everything. Where I decided to leave you and be alone." He paused to look around, as if he could see into the past as clearly as the present. "I want to make a promise to you. No matter how much space separates us, we will always be together. I will always come back. I will never leave you alone."
A/N: As I'm coming to the end of "Alone," I want to thank everyone who has read and stuck with me. We are finally at the end of this little tale. There will be only one more chapter, a short epilogue, which is already written and will be uploaded next week. I feel so accomplished! I couldn't have done it without the inspiration that you readers have given me. Thank you so much. And as always, thank you to the ever amazing Sakura's Unicorn for betaing for me. It has been a real pleasure working with you! Thank you for being awesome!
I have some upcoming fics that I hope you'll all be interested in checking out. I'm not sure when I'll be publishing the first chapters, but it'll probably be after I've written a number of chapters. I've already got the first two chapters of each story written...so you can probably expect to have them published sometime soon. Be sure to check back. Also, I can't promise that the updating will be consistent, which is explained further down. However, I will have you know that I intend to finish each story I write...except the one little story called "Nevermore." Yeah, I will probably never finish that one.
On a final note, I want you all to be aware of why I've been taking my time updating chapters. Lately, I've been giving more time and thought to my newer fics and to the series of novels I'm going to be writing. On top of all this, I work full-time, play in two bands, act as a youth coach, and have college classes. Since "Alone" is now finished, I'm working on the timeline and history of the fictional world in my series. I plan to write the first of the series while working on my next multichaptered fics. I'll update you on my novel's progress when I update my chapters. I may even give you snippets. As always, I hope you guys continue to enjoy my stories.
Until next time...peace.