Sorry I'm late guys!

New chapter of Drifting Memories as promised! *cheering in background*

I've just let my stories sit on the computer for the last week, so now I have to keep writing all this crap in order to catch up.

. That's what I get for being lazy.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

"quotes"

'other people's thoughts'

point of view's thoughts

Kyuubi

Sasuke's POV

I paced around the large office of the Hokage as she sat in her chair, staring me down. Ever since Naruto had run away, there had been no sign of Naruto. Kakashi had come back an hour ago, saying that he had hid his chakra signature and he would have to use the ninja dogs to find out where he ran off to. The minutes had gone by begrudgingly at the speed of molasses and the Hokage had spent half of the time bartering with me for information. After seven outbursts, two chidori's into the side of the wall and a chair thrown out of her window, she had stopped asking questions.

Now, I was pacing vigorously in her office, wanting more than nothing to go out and drag the idiot back myself, but forced- due to the watchful eye of Tsunade- to wait until he was found because I was the reason he had run. "This is ridiculous! You know damn well that I can find him in a matter of seconds; why don't you let me look for him?"

"Because," she sighed, not even looking up from her paperwork, "You are still considered untrustworthy and to let you out of the village in order to recover Naruto could be considered a trap. How am I to believe that you didn't plan this in order to leave?"

"With who's help, you old wench! My brother and my teammate's are dead! And my darling Uncle wouldn't help me unless I promised him to capture Naruto for him."

"Exactly; admit it already, Uchiha! You're working with Madara!"

"Kuso! I love Naruto! He is my life and you know it! I would've killed myself long ago if he hadn't come after me! Without Naruto I'm nothing!"

She stood there, her eyes wide and blinking repeatedly, "What?"

"Do you want me to scream it to the world? I love Naruto! I love him! Are you happy?"

She continued to just stare at me; my temper flared at her own stupidity, "What is it?"

Staring at me for a few prolonged seconds, Tsunade shakes her head, sitting back in her chair, "You… Do you have any idea the significance those words have? Naruto is already appointed as my successor and you- Uchiha- are almost doomed to live the rest of your life in solitary confinement because of your trials. Do you think that your love will be accepted?"

As soon as it had flared, my anger dissolved simultaneously and left me with a minefield just waiting for me to tread too heavily upon them so they could explode. "That… no; it isn't love! I only…"

Slumping to the floor, I gasp for air that refused to fill my lungs, "Please… don't let Mitokado and Utatane know. There is no way they would allow us to be together! I'll do anything for him to be happy! If he knows about us then… the odds of Naruto getting his dream… all his life, he's been working to be acknowledged all his life! I can't… I cannot risk that."

I glanced up, looking for some sort of compassion from the elderly woman; when my gaze met hers, however, she was glaring fiercely at her desk. "You think I would talk to those damn kami-forsaken people?"

She slammed her fist down on her desk and the force cracked into two, sending her papers flying everywhere, "I hate those people more than- than anything! Why the hell would I talk to those assholes? I don't even like talking to them when I'm required to and you expect me to go out of my way to report that you have a thing for Naruto? Are all Uchiha as stupid as you are?"

I stared at her incredulously, "You mean…"

"I mean that I wasn't going to say anything. I already knew that Naruto loved you- and I'm glad that you return his feelings- I just didn't expect to have my own assumptions confirmed in such a way and result in a situation such as this. I'll keep your relationship a secret until my grave if that is what you request of me, but I fear there is something else at work here."

"You mean with Naruto's disappearance?"

She nodded gravely, "I didn't announce this to any of the public- I actually just received the message this morning. It was a message from the Raikage."

I remained silent as she continued, "The eight-tailed ushi-oni of Kumogakure… has been captured by Akatsuki."

I stood immediately, "What happened to him? Was Killer Bee recovered? Is his seal intact?"

"…"

Her silence created a great chill in the room. When she finally answered me, it was in a weary voice, "Naruto is the only one left."

With that single sentence, my entire world came crashing down in full force, "Naruto…"

"I have no doubt that Akatsuki will soon be trying to capture Kyuubi no Kitsune."

I flinched at Naruto's demon name, but Tsunade continued, "And Madara himself will have to retrieve him if they hope to calm the nine-tailed fox; it is only a matter of when."

"Then I should be looking for him, too! Why the hell wouldn't you send me?"

"I'm still unsure of where your loyalty lies. I cannot risk you turning against the village."

"My loyalty," I hissed, "lies with Naruto. If he wants for the well-being of the village than I will protect the village with my life; that much should be obvious to you. Let me look for Naruto. I cannot forgive myself if I allow him to be taken from me because of my mistakes."

Tsunade remained in silence; my resolve, regardless of her hesitation, only increased and strengthened. "Please allow me to search for Naruto."

"Actually, that will not be needed, Sasuke Uchiha."

A scowl was already on my face as I turned around to face the bandaged old man, "Danzo."

He only acknowledged my clear disgust for him with a mere glance; Tsunade was more composed than I was, calling out calmly to him, "I believe that it is my decision on whether or not Uchiha should be allowed to search for Naruto. And I have chosen for him to do just that."

I allowed a childish smirk to cross my features and a small sense of humor from his angered expression. "What I was referring to was the necessity for a search party to be sent out in the first place-"

"Kakashi has already a squad out looking for him and a few Chunin and Jonin have volunteered their spare time to look for him as well. The situation is under control without your services needed."

"Hatake is hardly sufficient enough to commence a search. I meant that I have already found the boy."

Indeed, from behind the tall man, a mop of messy blonde hair appeared before the flashy orange jump suit confirmed the original assumption.

°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°°º¤ø,¸¸ °º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°°º¤ø °º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°°º¤ø,¸¸ °º¤ø,¸¸

"Naruto…"

,ø¤º°°º¤ø °º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°°º¤ø,¸¸°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°°º¤ø,¸¸°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°°º¤ø,¸¸

Naruto's POV

I flinched at the voice that echoed through the formless void that I had woken in what seemed like hours ago. Reflexively, I thrashed against the ropes that bound my arms behind me and was once again electrocuted by the nine-tailed beasts' chakra trying to break the ropes when my own strength failed. "You should know by now that that won't work. It is wiser for you to be still."

Pulling harder at the ropes that bound me, I tried to glare through the blind fold, failing miserably as I screamed out in pain as I am again reprimanded for my attempts of escape. "Someone wants to talk to you, boy."

"I don't want to talk to them!" I growled, pulling harder against my imprisonment.

I listened as the figure walked away, once again leaving me in silence, insomnia leaving me with little sanity. As soon as I returned to my weak attempts on releasing myself, a dark chuckle rang through my prison. "Persistent one, aren't you. You have your clan's longevity and stamina all right. An Uzumaki all right; all the better for what I have planned for you."

"Wait a minute," I lurched against the rope, "You're Izuna; Izuna Honoo, right?"

"That is hardly my name, child, but I'll play this game of yours."

That damned Uchiha.

The pain swarmed through me again as Kyuubi tried to press closer to my reality, engulfing my body into convulsions. "I suppose," the man continued, "That the beast has something else to say about my identity."

"He calls you Uchiha."

I gritted my teeth against the pain, trying to still my body before I continued, "But the Uchiha was wiped out by Itachi. And now Itachi is dead, leaving Sasuke as the last of his clan with the Kekkai Genkai sharingan."

"Done your research, haven't we? Sadly, I was excommunicated due to my will to overthrow the Sinju clan. Now, I am the leader of Akatsuki."

I shivered at his presence so close to me, "What do you want with me?"

"Don't be stupid boy. I want what is sealed within you. However," I froze as I felt a hand caress my cheek softly, lifting my head, "I was unaware that you looked this… delectable."

Anger arose- Kyuubi's chakra forming with it- as I thought of anyone but Sasuke touching me. The pain came, but I clenched my teeth tightly- effectively ignoring it- and growled out threateningly, "I belong to Sasuke!"

"Really," the dark chuckle came again, this time next to my ear, causing my anger to peak, "Let's see what my nephew will do about it."

I was pulled forward roughly and my lips connected sickeningly with that of the strange Uchiha; my futile attempts to pull away was met with more pain from the chakra strings as I was left to suffer the embrace of someone else. I was allowed to pull away and when I did, I spit in his face, gathering the anger that I was looking for. "You know, little demon; I have a feeling that you're still a virgin," he threatened.

My anger quickly dissolved and I fell limply against the string, the only thing holding me up was the strong grip of the man's hand on my shoulder, "There's a good boy. Don't lose all that spirit. It's that which makes you truly priceless. I might even spare you after I extract Kyuubi if you behave."

I was no longer listening as I was screaming murderously in my head, Just let the ropes slack an inch! This man will be dead before Sasuke even has a chance to explain! Please let me kill him, Great Daimyo!

"You should listen to me boy. It involves your precious Sasuke."

My head whipped up at mention of the dark raven; I felt a tug on the blindfold and it slipped off my eyes. I was staring straight into the sharingan. "Now listen well, if you want my nephew to live, you'll do exactly what I say."

I nodded dazedly, captured by the intense gaze. "I will allow you to leave and return to the village. Once there, you are to find my nephew and tell him that I wish to see him at Naka Shrine. He is to come alone."

"And if I just run for help?"

He grinned, "I was hoping that you would say that. If you run, I'll have you return to me-"

"Like I would willingly come back; you're out of your mind!"

"Space Time Jutsu; you remember it, I believe?"

Shit!

"You know I am capable of getting you back here within a moment's notice if you do not do as I ask. Of course, you could always just return to me willingly and I'll do whatever it is you wish."

"I'd never come back!"

"Revenge and hatred are strong emotions, Naruto."

He took out a kunai and cut the threads, pulling me up softly, "You are welcomed to come back anytime you wish. I will wait at Naka Shrine; whether it be for you or Sasuke, either is fine with me."

I hesitantly rose to my feet, lightheaded after the pain I was put through; walking to the door, I turn, "What's your name?"

"Uchiha. Madara Uchiha."

Viola!

And there you have it!

Next week, I'll update Naruto In Wonderland. Thankfully, I'm ahead on that so I wont have to worry too much about that. So, I'll work on this.

Read and review or else...

*doom music*

Yours In Wonderland,

mu149