A/N This story is a sequel to KRenee's The Arriving. It is a collaboration between her and I, but I've done most of the writing thus far. A link will be posted on my main page. Enjoy! Characters and concepts belong to their respected owners. This plot and OCs belong to KRenee and I.

Juritsu's eyes fluttered open. Her back ached… that had been a powerful ki blast. She didn't remember anything after taking the hit…

Itachi… Phobetor… Epiales…

Eyes widening, she shot up, glancing around wildly before wincing in pain.

"We're safe, for now," Sasuke's quiet voice caught her attention, and she glanced over at him. He was sitting in front of a small fire, his shirt missing. Blinking, she glanced at herself, finding that he had used it as a blanket for her. There was a musty smell about them.

"What happened?" she asked, not entirely sure what else to say, "Where are we?"

"The explosion knocked you out, and I think we fell into the river. When I woke up, we were on the riverbank. I found this cave, and brought you here. I figured it'd be smart to lay low and recover where no one can easily find us," he was still quiet. Actually, to her, his voice sounded almost subdued.

Juritsu nodded slowly, absorbing the new information. "Has… Itachi…"

"I don't know where he is. I can't feel his chakra signature. Since that means any number of things, I don't know what his condition is."

As Sasuke's words sank in, Juritsu sought out Itachi's chakra. She, too, came up with the same results. And it really could've meant anything. Deciding to try a different approach, she searched for his ki. It was very faint. He could've been extremely weak or extremely far away – how far downstream had they traveled before they washed up?

Another question that had he quietly nagging her was, how did they end up on the riverbank? From what Sasuke had told her, they both had been unconscious until after the fact, so they were unable to pull themselves ashore. Had someone rescued them? And, if so, who and where were they?

"I can feel his ki," she decided to mention aloud, her voice quiet. She really didn't want to be working with someone who she was fighting to the death just days prior, but in a situation such as this one, did she really have a choice? She could only wonder what was going through the younger Uchiha's head. He had, after all, nearly killed her without hesitation. So why was he not capitalizing on the opportunity at hand? And even earlier, why had he lunged for her and grabbed her wrist as she plunged over the cliff? Hadn't he been the one to claim he wanted to sever all bonds?

"Ki?" she heard Sasuke's voice respond. Instead of trying to kill her, he was asking her questions instead.

And yet, she found herself answering them without hassle. "It's like chakra. The ball of energy I had deflected before was a ball of ki." She couldn't seem to bring herself to look at him, so she settled for watching the dancing flames. "It's very faint, so it's hard to pinpoint. I couldn't tell you if that's due to location or injury. But at least it means he's alive."

There was a long pause before she heard him reply, "I see," before a long silence fell between the two of them. The unspoken question, however, hung heavy in the air: Where do we go from here?

The two of them sat near the fire for what felt like an eternity, in complete silence.

"We need to find Itachi," Juritsu spoke up, almost thoughtfully. She felt Sasuke glance at her before standing up. She looked up at him, slightly confused, as he turned to face the entrance to the cave.

"You need to find Itachi," he corrected, starting to walk away. Juritsu stood up too, taken aback by his actions.

"Oi, what do you think you're doing?" she called after him, "And what do you mean, 'you'? He's your brother!"

His steps didn't cease at the sound of her voice. "I have no intention of staying."

She was stunned at first, but her anger quickly grew. "So, what, you're just going to leave? Are you crazy?" she snarled, beginning to walk after him, "In case you didn't remember, we're on someone's hit list. You going off by yourself is as effective as a death wish!"

"And what's your point?" he shot back angrily, surprising her, "I'm the target no matter where I am or who I'm with, so I don't care!"

She broke into a run then, grabbing his arm and wrenching him backwards before he could leave completely. "If you think I'm going to just let you go off and get killed after being forced to promise not to kill you myself, then you're sorely mistaken!" Sasuke was staring at her, shocked at her words. "You're not going anywhere until I get my answers first! We're going to look for Itachi together, and if you've got a problem with that, I'll knock you out and drag you with me!"

The Uchiha was speechless as she held fast. Finally, he scowled, wrenching his arm from her grip and muttered, "Fine; let's go then."

Juritsu narrowed her eyes suspiciously before she shoved his shirt against his chest, turning and walking out of the cave herself. Deep down, she was cursing the circumstances with all of her heart and soul. How was this supposed to work out? It was just like Sound Village all over again!

You remember what happened last time… How could she forget? The day they had sparred together set off a chain of events that'd led to…

She scowled. As if she would let it happen again.

...

"We should head back towards that waterfall," Juritsu suggested as the two of them trekked through the forest. They had been wandering for nearly an hour without speaking to each other, but some sort of direction needed to be established in order for them to execute the task at hand.

"Yea, fine," She rolled her eyes at his attitude. Whatever; at least he hadn't tried to run from her. Not like he'd get very far, a voice in the back of her head snickered. The silence between them as they walked together was deafening, and she hated it. But she didn't want to talk to him, didn't want to ask the questions that had been at the forefront of her mind since that night. He'd already made it clear that he wasn't going to tell her anything anyway, so what was the point?

But besides her steady anger towards him, she also grew confused. Just a few days ago, he'd tried to kill her. He never stated the reason aloud, but she'd been sure that he was doing it to sever his last bond with Konoha before going off and doing whatever it was he wanted to do with his life. That was what she thought, at first, but her opinion of him drastically changed that morning.

She'd known falling off the cliff wasn't a big deal. Originally, she'd planned to use metal wire and a shuriken to catch herself; if worse came to worse, she could always fly back up, though she hadn't wanted to expose anymore of her power. It was bad enough that she'd deflected that immense ki blast. But as she fell over the cliff's edge, she'd been stunned when, out of nowhere, Sasuke was there, grabbing her wrist. Why had he tried to save her? Even worse was that she caught him and flew back up, only to shield him from the ki blast. Hadn't she sworn to herself that he would always be an enemy in her mind?

But you know the time you spent as his prisoner was sincere, that annoying, nagging voice was back, and she hated that it was right. Not even Sasuke could fake what had happened, as complicated as it was. And now, she couldn't bring herself to take the chance and attack him; not after he'd not only tried to save her, but also brought her to a safe place.

She wished she could remember what it was Sasuke had said to her before she'd passed out. Being hit by Kirin was definitely one of the more painful experiences of her life. Her memory after that was fuzzy, but she vaguely recalled Sasuke's fading image standing over her, a deep sadness in his eyes. She could only remember hearing her name, maybe there was an apology too, before everything had faded to black. But she had no idea what he could've said that would've been paired with such anguish.

At this point, she didn't know what to believe. Which Sasuke was the real Sasuke? The one who'd massacred the entire Village, and who'd tried to kill her too? Or the one who had moved to save her? And what if the true Sasuke was the cold and ruthless one? What would she do then?

Because as she continued to think about it more and more, she realized that she wouldn't be able to kill him after all.

...

"Wh... what the hell happened here?"

Juritsu, at first, could only stare, speechless at the carnage on the ground around them. There was blood everything, the ki traces all over the place. But where was Itachi?

"I thought you said he was still alive!" Sasuke was snarling at her, clearly losing his patience.

"I also told you that his signature was too weak to pinpoint!" she snapped back abruptly, cutting off his tirade, "Calm yourself!"

The youngest Uchiha gritted his teeth, but he complied, which she secretly appreciated as she continued to mull over the situation. Obviously, a number of things could've happened. He could've been killed in battle, though she thought that to be highly unlikely. When she'd found his presence, there was no sign of anyone or anything around him. He could've been captured, but by whom? Judging from the amount of blood...

The most optimistic possibility was that he'd gotten up himself, and was on the move, most likely to try and reunite with the two of them. He seemed so adamant on sticking together regardless of the conflicts it would bring, after all. So, she decided, she would work under that pretense. Glancing around, she walked over to the edge of the cliff face, feeling Sasuke's eyes on her the entire time. Stilling herself and her surroundings, she closed her eyes and reached out, searching for any ki signature she could find, Itachi's or not.

It took longer than before, and she was beginning to wonder if maybe he had died when she'd finally located him. The instant she picked up on his presence, she felt a weight lift from her shoulders in relief as a small smile tugged at her lips.

"I can sense him," she finally spoke up, voice calm as she glanced out at the vast landscape, "He's alive."

The answer wasn't enough for her Uchiha companion. "Well, where is he?"

She found her patience rapidly disappearing as she snapped in reply, "If I could pinpoint his location, don't you think I would've gotten to him by now? I can't use my technique without a specific place in mind or the specific location of the ki signature!"

"And just why should I believe you!" Sasuke snarled. Somehow, this sudden realization that he didn't even trust her caused her heart to sink. Of all the things he could've thought of her, he didn't believe her? And everything she'd done for him?

"Because I have no reason to lie to you!" she exploded, no longer having any hesitation about fighting with him, "Maybe you should follow my lead and give the benefit of the doubt! Or is it that, since you know how easy it is to take advantage of that, you think I'd do the same!"

To her surprise, Sasuke fell silent for a moment. He looked like he'd been slapped. It wasn't long, however, before his eyes narrowed in an icy glare. "Oh, so you mean disappearing all those years ago wasn't a lie? The way you never even said goodbye before you up and left? And what the hell was that earlier?"

A sense of dread began to form in the pit of her stomach. She'd hoped that Sasuke had somehow forgotten about her sudden, exposed abilities due to the fall. At the time she picked up Sasuke and flew back up to the cliff, she hadn't even been thinking. The only thing that had been on her mind was getting the two of them to safety before they got seriously hurt by the fall. Prior to that, she'd never shown anyone her powers, specifically because she knew the kind of reaction it would cause. Years of watching Naruto grow up had told her exactly what'd happen if one was different from the norm in any way, shape, or form.

"What about you talking about…" she desperately tried to play it off, tried to make it seem like a minor thing.

It didn't work. "You didn't find it necessary to tell me you could fly? That isn't even human! What else are you hiding from me?"

Isn't even human! His words echoed in her head, and it felt like she'd been punched in the gut. Really though, why would she have expected anything different? She was different, technically she was a freak compared to everyone else. But, instead of admitting it – Sasuke didn't deserve any kind of truth from her after all – she grew defensive.

"It's none of your business!" she snapped irately.

"The hell it isn't!" he roared back at her, "I used to tell you everything – everything! You knew me down to ever last little detail of my life, and you were a stranger!"

"That doesn't even matter! We're not friends anymore!"

"I never said we were now!"

Juritsu froze, completely stunned at his words. To hear those words had a greater effect on her than she liked to admit. She knew them to be true, but a part of her still hoped. Even though it was Itachi who'd more or less talked them into being civil, she came to realize that she missed working as part of a team, and more so she missed working with Sasuke. They always played well off each other. And even after everything he'd said and done to her the past several months, she couldn't bring herself to hate him. That was why she found her eyes stinging ever-so-slightly, why she could do nothing but stare at Sasuke in shock and hurt.

Sasuke saw this too; he quickly averted his gaze. "Forget it. I'm going to go set up camp," he muttered, voice bitter as he turned and walked away.

...

This was how he wanted it, Sasuke told himself. It was how things should be. Juritsu was supposed to continue to hate him until all this was over, at which point they'd be able to finish the death match they'd started. She'd kill him in vengeance and move on with her life, while he burned in Hell for all the atrocities he committed.

Only, it wasn't really how he wanted it. He wanted to beg for her forgiveness, for her to come around, for him to be able to wrap his arms around her and touch the skin and curves that was so rightfully his. But were they really his to claim? He didn't deserve her, he knew, but it still was torturous how badly he wanted her.

He chanced a glance in her direction. Juritsu was tending to the fish she'd caught. Impaled on sticks, they hovered over the fire he'd created for her. The blaze cast a warm glow on her skin. Her expression was focused on the task of cooking their food, not even sparing him a quick look. He couldn't tell if she was actively ignoring him or if she was just concentrating on the fish. He wouldn't have been surprised if it was the former.

"Tell me why," her words echoed in his mind. He knew very well how haunting that question could be. Countless nights, for years since the massacre and even after Itachi's death, he'd wake up from nightmares, screaming "why," only to find no answers in the end. Even now, he still didn't know. A part of him wanted to go so far as to confront Itachi, now that he was alive once again.

He didn't want her to forgive him, was what he continued to tell himself. But…

The words came out of his mouth before he could even think to stop them. "I… never meant for things to end that way."

Juritsu paused in her activities, glancing up at him. She looked almost as if she wasn't sure if he'd actually spoke. "What?" she finally asked.

"I was after the Elders. That was all."

Comprehension dawned on Juritsu's face before her eyes started to narrow. "That doesn't justify senseless murder," her voice was low, almost threatening.

Sasuke didn't let it deter him. Not now; not when he'd finally decided to take a step away from his brother's example and tell her the truth. "Does it?" he calmly shot back before adding, "They were the reason behind my clan's massacre."

"Do you really think I would believe something like that?" she asked incredulous. She was probably growing increasingly angry as well, but if she was, she was doing a good job covering it up.

"I learned everything," his voice was bitter. He didn't like it. "The Elders didn't want to risk us rebelling, even with our undying loyalty to Konoha. Itachi did everything under orders. Except that he didn't kill me." He met her gaze steadily, "I should've died that night, but he spared me."

She scowled, glancing back down to turn the fish. "That sounds ridiculous. Itachi's nearly killed you several times before. And you really think…"

"Believe whatever you want," he half-snapped, cutting her off as he briefly lost his patience, "This is what I believe to be true." His voice calmed and his gaze averted to the fire, "After you left on your mission, I decided I would kill the Elders while you were away. That was all I was planning to do. But I was found out after killing Danzo, the first Elder. I told them to stay out of my way, that the Elders deserved to die. They didn't listen."

He heard Juritsu's voice, almost defensive as she replied, "You should've just stood down…"

"And what, let them execute me?" he shot back, interrupting her once again, "You and I both know that in our world, the number one rule of survival is kill or be killed. I chose my own life, just like any other sane person. And they wouldn't back down. So, I didn't either. You… were the only one."

A silence fell between them, save for the crackling of the campfire and the sizzling fish meat. There was an unreadable expression on Juritsu's face, and he could only speculate as to what was going through her mind. Perhaps she was contemplating whether or not he was being honest. Perhaps she was plotting his murder.

A part of him feared that she wouldn't believe him, wouldn't give him the one chance he desperately wanted for redemption. The other part feared that she would forgive him. He would be stuck at a crossroads if that happened, one path leading to the chance at starting over and beginning a new life, the other path involving him breaking her heart again, forcibly reigniting the hatred she needed to kill him.

"I wasn't lying back then, you know."

He blinked, nearly startled by her voice, sounding begrudgingly quiet. Truthfully, he hadn't expected her to say anything at all to him, too busy stewing in her resentment towards him to want to speak to him.

"If you'd let me train you, you would've been so much more powerful now than you are now that you've trained with Orochimaru," she continued, and he grew confused, not to mention slightly disbelieving.

"You weren't one of the excelling Genin," he replied slowly, unsure of what else to say.

"I was nothing like the other Genin, you included," she shot back calmly, staring at the campfire, "I'm nothing like anyone you've ever met."

She paused for a moment, before saying "I could've killed you the other day with one hand tied behind my back and barely lifting the other. I could've killed Orochimaru. I could've killed them all."

Sasuke stiffened instinctively at her words. She'd been holding back to that kind of extent? "… How?" he managed to force out.

"I'm not human."

The words bounced around in his head before he actually processed what she said. Not… human? What did that even mean?

"What are you talking about…" he began to protest. How wasn't she human? She looked, acted, and functioned like every human he'd ever met in his life.

"My father," she cut him off, voice still impassive, "Was an alien from another planet. He was the last of his kind; the Saiyans. They were once a pretty powerful species, and they conquered planets like it was a simple everyday task for them. They were wiped out by a tyrant. My father killed him a few years ago. I'm half-Saiyan."

"I know my story's hard to believe, but how… how can you possibly expect me to believe you?" he asked incredulously, his mind reeling with all the new information.

Her gaze snapped up to meet his, eyes narrowing in a glare. "Fine," she spat, standing up, "Let me show you."

And she grabbed him, wrenching him to his feet, and the next thing he knew, they were standing on the cliff face once again. She took several steps away from him towards the edge of the cliff before facing him, eyes narrowed in a glare.

"You'd better hold your ground," she snapped. Sasuke didn't know what she meant. Then, all of a sudden, it was as if a light switch was flipped on inside Juritsu's body, and the sheer pressure of her power weighing down on him was like a crushing force, bowling over him like a tsunami. What was this? Was it really coming from someone who was his childhood friend once? And not once did he ever feel this kind of…

He couldn't tear his eyes away from her brown, steady gaze, not even as she began to light up, a white-gold aura enveloping her, the likes of which illuminated the cliff, the trees, even the sky. The wind picked up, swirling around them in strong gusts that kicked up the dust around them. Small pebbles began to float in the air, and around them, the earth shuddered. And that gaze, that quiet gaze… it held thousands and thousands of words. Yes, everything that he was sensing was Juritsu, and she knew what she was doing.

This was no fluke.

"What was…" he breathed, watching as the light faded and the earth calmed. Her eyes had closed, and she was exhaling slowly, as if relaxing from the effort of putting forth that energy. He nearly winced when her eyes opened, snapping back towards him in a heated glare.

"That?" her voice sounded harsh, "That was energy; pure energy. Like chakra. It's called 'ki,' and it's my source of power. Unlike humans, I have an unlimited well of it within me. What you saw just now wasn't even a fraction of my power. I could destroy this entire planet if I wanted."

The only thing he could do was stare at her, wide-eyed in shock. He almost flinched back from her as she stalked forward and reached out towards him, unsure if she was going to go ahead and destroy him like he was a pathetic bug. But just an instant later, he found himself standing in front of the campfire. She walked over to her spot from before, plopping down.

"I meant it at the time when I said I could make you stronger," she reiterated. He slowly sat down, still astounded by everything she'd shown him.

"But why?" he found himself asking, "If you had all of this power, why didn't you use it? You would've been the youngest Jounin in the history of Konoha! You could've had anything you wanted!"

She glanced up at him, an unreadable expression in her eyes. "I suppose you wouldn't understand what it's like to be a freak," she replied, her voice slightly cool, "I remember watching Naruto as we all grew up. You remember how it was for him too."

He cringed at the mention of the late blonde's name. But sure enough, he remembered. He remembered how the boy was constantly shunned and bullied, not understanding the cause of the people's hatred against him until he was older.

"When you have that kind of raw power at your disposal, you're feared rather than loved," Juritsu was watching the fire once more, her voice quiet, "It's better to hide that power and fit in with your surroundings. Otherwise, you are out-casted and hated."

Sasuke could only watch her as she watched the fire, unable to think of anything to say. The only thing that was at the forefront of his mind was that, all those years ago, when she'd said she could've made him stronger than he ever could've hoped to be through Orochimaru, she'd been right. And rather than take the word of his best friend, he pushed her aside, blinded by a thirst for power in the most easy to attain form. He hadn't gotten stronger at all. He'd borrowed power from a freak and stolen the rest from his dead brother. Had he ever obtained strength with his own hands and limitations?

As he thought about it, Sasuke's mind turned to the night he killed Naruto. And it was then that he realized it; that Naruto had been holding back. The blonde could've killed him, and yet he chose not to.

He really was as weak as he was all those years ago.