Chapter is split into Sasuke and Naruto's views.

UGH. School is seriously evil. Sorry I take forever to update. My other Fanfiction is going good, but I'm going to try and get a decent chunk done before I post.

I decided not to stay in one place for long, assuming the lookout guard and the ground guard I had knocked out to get in would be waking up soon. Now I was somewhat out of the way, but I still wanted to move. Reason being, I had to find out if Itachi was here.

The thought of Itachi enraged me to no end, but the thought of Itachi taking away - basically - Naruto's life made me beyond that. If that was possible. I was glad for my self control, or else Konoha would be losing some trees. Or whatever happened to be sturdy enough to take it.

At first I walked into town, keeping hidden easily. A few lights were on inside houses, and I wondered why- so late. Then I realized the noise must have woken some people, and they were probably horrified. Even when I got further in, and I saw small units of ANBU guard the streets, I stayed unnoticed, simply keeping to the shadows. If the Akatsuki member was any good, I wouldn't be able to see them either.

Looking seemed to get more and more pointless as I circled Konoha slowly. I had gone around most of the streets at a normal pace once already.

"Sasuke?"

I froze, and almost moved again to get away, but stopped. Who could it be that I couldn't take out if necessary? Or keep them quiet about me with threats?

I turned, keeping my face blank, but that trick didn't work either when I saw who it was. My mental trainning was going down the drain with all of this exposure to people I loved.

"Considering my position and your position, I suggest you answer my questions or I'll kill you." Even though I couldn't see his expression, I assumed it hostile. That made him even more familiar for me.

I suppose the hostility was necessary. Kakashi was a Jounin, and I was a criminal. I had never, ever, been very close to Kakashi, but he had been the only adult I ever had when I was young. Still, it felt pathetic when the words hurt. There was no such relief or amazement at my being here, just duty.

"I'll answer before you even ask." I murmured, dropping the challenge of keeping my face straight altogether. "I'm not here to hurt or kill anyone, especially not Naruto." Our voices stayed low and we stayed in the shadows, avoiding the guards.

His one eye revealed slight surprise, then resumed it's scowl. "Then what are you doing here? You have three seconds to answer. Two…Thr-"

"I originally came here to see him."

I barely caught the next display of surprise. "Then what's your purpose now? Two…"

"The same it's always been."

Kakashi didn't ask anything else. He didn't lose his tense, and he was wise to. But he did lose his urgency and anger. He seemed calm, maybe a little sad. But that was only what I could see from one eye's expression. "I don't want to arrest you."

"Ha ha." I replied, almost saddened myself. "I would arrest me."

"Have you already seen Naruto?" He asked quietly.

"More than seen."

Kakashi, very carefully, dropped his guard. "He's missing."

"What do you mean, missing? I saw him less than a half an hour ago." I replied urgently.

"He had plans of his own, he snuck out of the tower. Apparently, anyway. What he's doing, what he plans on doing, or where he is, we have no idea." Kakashi breathed. "But I have a theory."

I remained silent.

"You must already know. If the person under the hat and cloak is your brother," He paused, letting me seethe. "Naruto will do anything to make sure you don't fight him."

With a slight hitch of breath, I realized that was right on target. I also realized Sai was probably in on it. By anything, Kakashi meant that Naruto would go with him. To try and protect me from myself. The wrong thing to protect.

"I'll find him first. I won't let anyone-"

"Sasuke."

I stopped, returning to the present.

"It's against my code to let you move from that spot." In other words, I was a criminal. He had to either restrain me or kill me, or lose his title if this meeting was discovered.

I breathed out, and looked him in the eyes, dead on. "If you promise not to breathe a word to anyone that I was here, I'll make keeping Naruto- and anyone innocent I can- safe, my priority. For now."

Kakashi just stared. "For now."

"For now." I agreed, restraining my emotions again. By, 'for now,' he meant that I would have to face my punishment someday. For me, it meant that Itachi would be my priority, so long as Naruto was safe.

And as quick as we had discovered each other, we departed. To the naked eye, it would have seemed like we disappeared into thin air we were so quick.

I couldn't blame Kakashi, or Konoha for the required punishment. It was my choice to leave in the first place, and I didn't expect anyone's sympathy. I just never thought that I would have to deal with this, because I never saw myself coming back when I left.

(Naruto)

"With our luck, they got tired of looking for me and left already." I growled quietly. We had already been around Konoha plenty of times, Sai following behind me like a lost puppy.

"I really doubt it." Sai replied.

I had always considered Sai to be strictly, just a pervert. Especially since the almost incident in Yamato's makeshift house. Maybe that was all this was. This attachment to me. We had only known each other for a short time, so I had good reason to think so.

Then suddenly it hit me like a bullet to the head. I must have been really fucking easy to love. To an extreme extent. Between Sasuke, Sakura, and Sai, and the maternal and paternal affection from people like Iruka, Kakashi, Grandma Tsunade, and Pervy Sage, it seemed like people must have naturally wanted to care for me. Which I really didn't mind at all, aside from the creepiness of Sai, but even that made me feel special. Anyone would feel special when they learned someone else loved them, but it was especially strange in my case. I was in all literality, a monster. Or at least, I was carrying one. I still have moderate nightmares and memories of times when I was all alone in the world, beaten and yelled at for reasons I could never grasp, but grasp now. It makes me wonder how many people can look past what you are, and base their judgments on who you are. Or, out of the people that know what I am, how many of them would be willing to accept me if they knew me?

Even Sai had never mentioned a thing about he fox. About that negative, horrifying energy that leaked from my body and destroyed miles and miles of land. He was another person. One who just saw me.

Kyubbi, don't go getting the impression I hate you.

I'd torture you from the inside out. You better not hate me, considering all I do for you.

You do care about me, huh?

Considering we've had a mental link since you were oh say, seven, I've been with you since birth, and most importantly, you feed our body, you would grown on your carrier too.

Even the god damned fox inside me loves me.

Creepy boy is still waiting for you to answer.

Right.

I sighed at Kyubbi's denial, then answered Sai. "I know. But I think I know how to draw them out. I have to go somewhere where I'm unprotected, and you have to disappear."

"I'm staying close." He replied sternly.

"Then they won't come. I'll go outside of the gates, so you know where I am. At least go to the tower." I ordered.

Sai looked reluctant, but finally nodded. "What do you plan to do when they find you?"

"It depends on who it is, and it's my business." If the invader was Itachi, I'd do anything he wanted, so long as Sasuke didn't so much as see him. Even if my attempts were in vain. If Sasuke came in contact with him, it could mean his life, and I wanted him here, alive.

Sai's feet stayed glued to the ground, then he half grinned. "You haven't gotten any sleep tonight, have you?"

"Kyubbi has a back up supply of stamina." I replied, trying to smile back and failing. "I'm going."

He nodded again, and we both started running in opposite directions.

As if to ease myself, I imagined Sasuke and I, with Sakura as well. I imagined Sakura was still alive, Sasuke had never left to serve Orochimaru, and his family had never been slaughtered. I even imagined being without Kyubbi. Never having the dooming demon sealed inside me. Everything was perfect. Sasuke and I were in love, and helping Sakura woman up to her crushes. We performed all of our missions together, and always had each others backs. I imagined Sasuke, Kakashi, Sakura, Iruka and I all sitting in Ichiraku's, me scrambling for money, and in the end having Sasuke pay for it all. I imagined Sasuke and Sakura and I waiting for Kakashi on a hot day. Then I visualized what would happen when he finally got there, and we could yell at him, with the usual accusations of being late. I ran through as many scenarios as I could, all perfect. I even started incorporating Sai. But most importantly, I imagined Sasuke and I with each other. With our use to be perfect balance of lovers, best friends, brothers and rivals.

I knew that bond still existed, but reality was cruel, and setting in quickly.

Sakura was dead, Sasuke's family was massacred, and I did have a demon trapped inside me. Sakura wasn't magically coming back to life, Sasuke wasn't going to give up his revenge on any circumstances, and I wasn't going to be rid of Kyubbi without losing my life.

Reality.